Off Season Wish List

[Ton]

I'd rather see what's available before resigning him. I just think we can get an upgrade for the same price.

How are you going to find an upgrade for a guy that put up 42 points this year at $1.2M? He's a vet, won two Cups, you won't find that mix of experience and production for under $2M. Unless Stan has a tough vet, with Cup experience, the ability to put up points, and ability to stand in front of the net (no one else does), then Kopecky has to stay.



I really think our fans undervalue these players sometimes, especially the ones cut from the mold of Buff/Kopecky. Most fans talk about how they need to blow up half the team again, etc.. etc.. I don't see it that way at all. We have a lot of good pieces we just need a center and maybe a gritty winger to become Cup contenders again next year.



Look at this list: http://capgeek.com/bargain_hunter.p...n_games=-1&position_id=F&team_id=-1&order=ASC



Only 4 guys ahead of Kopecky that make over a million. The rest are pretty much diamond in the rough/GM's got lucky they produced/they only produced due to having top line minutes.

 

[supraman]

How are you going to find an upgrade for a guy that put up 42 points this year at $1.2M? He's a vet, won two Cups, you won't find that mix of experience and production for under $2M. Unless Stan has a tough vet, with Cup experience, the ability to put up points, and ability to stand in front of the net (no one else does), then Kopecky has to stay.



I really think our fans undervalue these players sometimes, especially the ones cut from the mold of Buff/Kopecky. Most fans talk about how they need to blow up half the team again, etc.. etc.. I don't see it that way at all. We have a lot of good pieces we just need a center and maybe a gritty winger to become Cup contenders again next year.



Look at this list: http://capgeek.com/b...id=-1&order=ASC



Only 4 guys ahead of Kopecky that make over a million. The rest are pretty much diamond in the rough/GM's got lucky they produced/they only produced due to having top line minutes.

Sorry Kopecky has never impressed me while in Chicago. Again I'd rather explore options before resigning him. Also comparing him to Buff is an insult to Buff.

 

[Ton]

You don't have to apologize to me.



It's not going to be easy to find a guy that makes under $2M to "impress" you... just sayin. Like it or not, impressive or not, Kopecky is a "bang for buck" player.



As far as comparing him to Buff and taking it as an insult, he had more points than Buff did last year playing the same role and less $$. Not bad for a shitty player that is no comparison to his predecessor.

 

[Rex]

Sorry Kopecky has never impressed me while in Chicago. Again I'd rather explore options before resigning him. Also comparing him to Buff is an insult to Buff.

It's a fair comparison. Both players become invisible for extended periods of season, Kopecky is half the price

 

[Shredder]

Call me crazy, but the thought of trading Hossa for a center has crossed my mind more than a few times this season. Partly because I think finding him a center (aside from Bolland) will be impossible and also because I think a player of Hossa's caliber at center, if attainable, would be more valuable to the Hawks than Hossa at right wing.



I haven't looked into it in depth, but again, just something that's popped up in my head watching the team this year.

 

[Shantz My Pants]

Sorry Kopecky has never impressed me while in Chicago. Again I'd rather explore options before resigning him. Also comparing him to Buff is an insult to Buff.

I've never been a huge fan of Kopecky, but to say we should explore other options for 1.2 million a year is a terrible idea. Looking at the potential 2011 FA, you're not going to find a guy as decent as Kopy for that same amount of money except for Pascal Dupuis, and I think that's still a stretch.



I'd like to see the Hawks make a run for Konopka as he's decent on FO and would be great energy guy for the 4th line. I would also like to see some grit added to the defensmen. I think we've been a bit soft the past season and wouldn't mind seeing a guy like Greene, Alberts or Erkskine come in for a million or less.

 

[LordKOTL]

My thoughts on Kotex are about the same as Ton's. It's a bang-fo-the-buck scenario, and quite frankly, Toews/Kane/Seabrook are NOT going to be moved unless you want open rape, pillage, and plunder on Madison st. I'm going to chalk Keith up to a bad year--I mean, it took him 85 games to find his groove (and I'm glad he did in the end). I think that in the profit/loss equation, we may have to keep Campbell. I think Hossa may be un-movable. Hammer IMHO might be gone--Leddy has a lot of promise and Campoli has stepped up bigtime. Sharp, again, I think we're abso-fuking-lutely NUTS if we don't keep him until at least the deadline, and then only if there is no way we can keep him going forward.



Thus, Kopecky, for a low-1M is something we might want to stand pat on. Any prospect replacement is unproven. Any vet replacement for the price will likley be a washout (Pisani comes to mind), Anyone with his proven skillset will add more of a chunk against our cap, which means we have to fill with bargain basements or unknowns. IMHO, If we can keep him for around his current cost, it might be wise to keep him and try out a more expensive kid full time on the top lines (Morin, Makarov), raher than trying to upgrade and not being able to afford that happening.



Also...center for Hossa...crazy idea here...Demitra on a short-term low-dollar deal (if possible). I know he has chemistry with Kotex and Hoss, and can likley be had for an inexpensive fill in for a year or two while our prospect centers develop more.

 

[Shantz My Pants]

Call me crazy, but the thought of trading Hossa for a center has crossed my mind more than a few times this season. Partly because I think finding him a center (aside from Bolland) will be impossible and also because I think a player of Hossa's caliber at center, if attainable, would be more valuable to the Hawks than Hossa at right wing.



I haven't looked into it in depth, but again, just something that's popped up in my head watching the team this year.

If you could move Hossa for the right type of players/picks it could be beneficial, only problem is he has 10 more years on his contract so that's going to be tough to deal. I'd like to see him show up more in the playoffs if anything though haha.

 

[jakobeast]

Keepers:

Crawford

Campoli

Johnson





On the bubble:

Kopecky

Brouwer

Frolik

Turco

Stalberg

Bickell



Gone:

Pisani

Dowell



Working off of TON's list, and I also put them in order of importance to me. Higher you are, bigger priority of importance.



I said it since we got him....I like Johnson.

 

[R K]

If you could move Hossa for the right type of players/picks it could be beneficial, only problem is he has 10 more years on his contract so that's going to be tough to deal. I'd like to see him show up more in the playoffs if anything though haha.

Yea but at an overall 5mil cap hit for a player of his calibur I don't think that contract would be hard at all to move. The structure is brilliant.

 

[R K]

It's a fair comparison. Both players become invisible for extended periods of season, Kopecky is half the price

Half the price? The other one is making 5.5 mil next year. 1/4th the price.

 

[Chief Walking Stick]

KONOPKA KONOPKA KONOPKA KONOPKA CHEAP 4TH LINE CENTER

 

[Larmer83]

We need a 2nd line center. Sharp is 48% over the regular season in the dot. Bolland was terrible at 45%. So yeah Sharp isn't a center, we need one.

In the 2009-10 regular season, Sharp was 51.7% and 49.8% in the playoffs in the circle. In the cup run, as a center, he had 11 goals, 11 assists, +10 in 22 games.

 

[Rex]

Half the price? The other one is making 5.5 mil next year. 1/4th the price.

I meant when they were with us lol. Kopecky also disappears far less.

 

[Shoots_he_scores]

Personally I don't think Turco's on the bubble. If he's willing to take something in the 850,000 - 1 million range he's a no brainer cause he's been a great backup this year, good goalie and a great locker room guy.

 

[Rex]

Personally I don't think Turco's on the bubble. If he's willing to take something in the 850,000 - 1 million range he's a no brainer cause he's been a great backup this year, good goalie and a great locker room guy.

I've been saying that for a while now. I hope he stays cheap!

 

[the canadian dream]

Andrew Ladd

 

[Larmer83]

Look at this list: http://capgeek.com/bargain_hunter.p...n_games=-1&position_id=F&team_id=-1&order=ASC

Based on that list, Dowell should not be run out of town. Same with Bickell.

 

[Ton]

Based on that list, Dowell should not be run out of town. Same with Bickell.

I don't think either should be run out of town, but both could be on the bubble.



I'm not Dowell's biggest fan, and I'll remind you that list is based on points only, Dowell isn't here to put up points. He's here to be physical, solid defensively, and cause some discomfort for the other team -- consistency was an issue in those categories all year. That said, he is a good guy, good character, and this was his first full NHL season, maybe he can grow into his role the same way Fraser did. Our center situation would be better off if he wasn't in the line-up every night, however that doesn't mean he isn't valuable as a reserve forward when called upon.



At 500-550K he's worth bringing back for one more year to see if he can improve.



Bickell should not be run out of town, but I'll remind you he made near the league minimum this year. Would he be just as valuable if he were to receive a contract at the $1M range? I don't know, depends on the cap room. If we don't have room we have plenty of wingers coming up in Morin, Smith, Makarov, etc. that may be able to do what he did this year for a smaller price. Again, depends on how much room their is but if he can fit I'd love to see him return.

 

[Larmer83]

I don't think either should be run out of town, but both could be on the bubble.



I'm not Dowell's biggest fan, and I'll remind you that list is based on points only, Dowell isn't here to put up points. He's here to be physical, solid defensively, and cause some discomfort for the other team -- consistency was an issue in those categories all year. That said, he is a good guy, good character, and this was his first full NHL season, maybe he can grow into his role the same way Fraser did. Our center situation would be better off if he wasn't in the line-up every night, however that doesn't mean he isn't valuable as a reserve forward when called upon.



At 500-550K he's worth bringing back for one more year to see if he can improve.



Bickell should not be run out of town, but I'll remind you he made near the league minimum this year. Would he be just as valuable if he were to receive a contract at the $1M range? I don't know, depends on the cap room. If we don't have room we have plenty of wingers coming up in Morin, Smith, Makarov, etc. that may be able to do what he did this year for a smaller price. Again, depends on how much room their is but if he can fit I'd love to see him return.

I'm pretty sure Bickell's under contract for the next two years at the same cap hit.



The problem with Bickell as with Frolik, Stalberg, and Kopecky is they don't do the PK or their effectiveness in that area is very suspect. I'm not sure if Morin and Makarov would help in that area. Seems the Hawks have given Kruger and Smith some turns there.