Sharp/Bickell

[ClydeLee]

So it's not a matter of actual play it's a matter of judging based on factors that don't matter currently to a play or lineup... or anyone because they're both prime candidates to trade anyway, so it's about something that doesn't even matter. Sharp in the post-season hasn't been awful or bad and playing with the 3rd line he has driven possession into the O zone and gotten the unit and team chances.

 

[Ton]

I think Vermette and Teuvo have been the main factors on that 3rd line (really though, you can call it the 2nd line IMO). Sharp has just been along for the ride, like most of his career.

The fact is, this guy is paid $6M to play on our 3rd line. That's not going to cut it when Stan Bowman has to make room to re-sign Saad and Kruger. If he was making $4M, maybe...

At this point, I wouldn't call his regular season and post-season awful, but I sure wouldn't call it great.

 

[Novak]

Huh?

Sharp had an injury plagued season the year after they resigned him yet still produced in the 28 reg season games he did play and had a huge playoffs that year. Last season he had 78 points. They got their money worth and then some after they resigned him. A guy who has been on the club 2nd longest and who was the Hawks leading point man and goal scorer at times. I like you novak but i dont know what you are smoking on this one. Hes had an off reg season this year by his standards but playing on the third line for much of it i dont know how anyone can complain about a 43 point third liner. And he delt with a lot of media bullshit for half the season.

I'm not saying he's bad by any means, more disappointing as you know what he's capable of yet it's just not happening. Like I said, bottom 6 forwards shouldn't be paid like top 6 forwards, and thats exactly why he'll be gone next season. Business is business, I'm sure he'll carve out a nice role on the oilers.

 

[TCD]

Along for the ride most of his career

Lol you guys know he had a 36 goal season before the mighty toews and kane peaked in all of their glory right?

 

[HeHateMe]

Along for the ride most of his career

Lol you guys know he had a 36 goal season before the mighty toews and kane arrived right?

I didn't watch hockey back then.

 

[LordKOTL]

I'm not really too disappointed with Sharp. Bickell has definitely been disappointing, especially in the playoffs.

It's not about "living up to the contract" as much as it is about money and who is coming up in our system.

I think both will probably bounce back and have a couple great seasons left in them... but with all the young talent coming up, the salary cap crunch that is inevitably happening, there's no doubt that these two are the most expendable.

Bingo. Given that their game (at least once upon a time) was similar, Between Saad and Sharp you choose Saad.

But ultimately it comes down to bang/buck if you're looking at cap savings. Crawford won the Jennings behind a Schizo team D. Sharp had his worst year as a 'hawk since Savard took over as coach.

As for Bickell, I'm less worried about him moving. There's still plenty of GM's what belive in ZOMGYOUCANNOTTEACHSIZEBBQ! so I'm sue there will be a taker.

 

[DMelt36]

I think Vermette and Teuvo have been the main factors on that 3rd line (really though, you can call it the 2nd line IMO). Sharp has just been along for the ride, like most of his career.

The fact is, this guy is paid $6M to play on our 3rd line. That's not going to cut it when Stan Bowman has to make room to re-sign Saad and Kruger. If he was making $4M, maybe...

At this point, I wouldn't call his regular season and post-season awful, but I sure wouldn't call it great.

Don't take my defense of him to say that Sharp needs to kept after this season: I've fully accepted the fact that he's gone. This was the first year I noticed him not playing at what you could loosely describe as an All-Star level. And since it appears that it's also going to be his last year in Chicago, I think that's some damn fine player management by the Hawks front office.

 

[Ton]

Along for the ride most of his career

Lol you guys know he had a 36 goal season before the mighty toews and kane peaked in all of their glory right?

Psh, he had the legendary Denis Arkhipov feeding him the puck. Are you high? Of course he was riding on his coattails. It was Denis fucking Arkhipoo for fucks sakes! LEGEND!

 

[ClydeLee]

I'm not saying he's bad by any means, more disappointing as you know what he's capable of yet it's just not happening. Like I said, bottom 6 forwards shouldn't be paid like top 6 forwards, and thats exactly why he'll be gone next season. Business is business, I'm sure he'll carve out a nice role on the oilers.

That's such an irrelevant point that doesn't matter. It's a fantastic element that he is capable of being the depth 3rd line LWer and capable of carrying and helping the line be as effective as 2nd lines can be. His pay or position on the ice is so outside of any point that matters at this stage of his career and year because after the final he is prime candidate #1 to be traded because of the depth that pushed him to 3rd. Because Saad makes 900K and is young and improving as a top line LWer.

Toward the end of the season Sharp began playing well again and has in the post-season in the 1st two rounds well. Maybe not in the Ducks series but he helped drive up the puck well enough yesterday. He forecheck and pressure was a huge factor for the Vermette goal and he set up Kane with a great chance before it. He still has been working well in the Ozone

 

[TCD]

Yah it is all moot anyways as said. Sharps gone next year anyways more than likely. I loved his services but cap is cap. Saad and TT are going to step up into the lw depth roles anyways just fine.

 

[TCD]

I just hope Sharps slight spiral downward (and it is slight) isnt the lasting memory of sharp that hawk fans have. He has been one of the best depth players and leaders this org has had in a very long time. I think his career as a Hawk can easily be celebrated with a heritage night and can be engraved in the blackhawks history books as a key member of this eras success. He is part of one of the best trades in Hawks history also in my opinion. Just cant say enough good things about Sharp i will always be a fan even though I have given him grief for hitting a lot of board advertising the last couple years.

 

[DMelt36]

I just hope Sharps slight spiral downward (and it is slight) isnt the lasting memory of sharp that hawk fans have. He has been one of the best depth players and leaders this org has had in a very long time. I think his career as a Hawk can easily be celebrated with a heritage night and can be engraved in the blackhawks history books as a key member of this eras success. He is part of one of the best trades in Hawks history also in my opinion. Just cant say enough good things about Sharp i will always be a fan even though I have given him grief for hitting a lot of board advertising the last couple years.

Matt Ellison.

 

[Tater]

I just hope Sharps slight spiral downward (and it is slight) isnt the lasting memory of sharp that hawk fans have. He has been one of the best depth players and leaders this org has had in a very long time. I think his career as a Hawk can easily be celebrated with a heritage night and can be engraved in the blackhawks history books as a key member of this eras success. He is part of one of the best trades in Hawks history also in my opinion. Just cant say enough good things about Sharp i will always be a fan even though I have given him grief for hitting a lot of board advertising the last couple years.

Well said sir.

 

[MaryChristine]

wow

 

[TL1961]

I just hope Sharps slight spiral downward (and it is slight) isnt the lasting memory of sharp that hawk fans have. He has been one of the best depth players and leaders this org has had in a very long time. I think his career as a Hawk can easily be celebrated with a heritage night and can be engraved in the blackhawks history books as a key member of this eras success. He is part of one of the best trades in Hawks history also in my opinion. Just cant say enough good things about Sharp i will always be a fan even though I have given him grief for hitting a lot of board advertising the last couple years.

He is a VERY big reason the Hawks have won two cups and are working on getting their third. Sure, he hasn't been as big a factor this season, but he has been terrific as a Hawk. I for one, won't remember things otherwise.

 

[LordKOTL]

I just hope Sharps slight spiral downward (and it is slight) isnt the lasting memory of sharp that hawk fans have. He has been one of the best depth players and leaders this org has had in a very long time. I think his career as a Hawk can easily be celebrated with a heritage night and can be engraved in the blackhawks history books as a key member of this eras success. He is part of one of the best trades in Hawks history also in my opinion. Just cant say enough good things about Sharp i will always be a fan even though I have given him grief for hitting a lot of board advertising the last couple years.

If this season is the "lasting memory" of Sharp, then you're obviously a bandwagonner.

Seriously though--in a perfect would I'd want Sharp to stay but unfortunately it's not perfect. The cap is what the cap is. IMHO it's a lot like losing Ladd: It had to be done but it doesn't mean you have to like it.

IMHO he was the best #10 for the 'hawks--and I was a big fan of Amonte growing up. A down season and impending cap crunch won't change that.

Besdies, Red Wings make him gag--can't help but love that quality in a player

 

[Raskolnikov]

I don't think Sharp is that replaceable.

teuvo and sharp are such a perfect match of a playmaker and a finisher. Tuevo barely even has finishing velocity yet. Sharp is a straight killer proven again and again. yes he is struggling, but as mentioned much is circumstantial and he does many veteran things out on the ice.

Giving Teuvo Saad or Kane should be at least as effective, but we will be breaking up 3 lines of domination by losing Sharp and moving Teuvo up. I don't see us having 13 veteran forwards next year and would prefer to lose

Just Bickell, Vermette,Oduya

Crawford, Sharp, Richards, Desjardins are maybe's depending on cost and return. I am on the fence with and even Shaw....man there are signs his body can't play that style forever. I'd be scared to give him money from a pure cut throat stance but you hate to see effort not rewarded. I'd be ok with losing his stupid penalties.

Kruger, Seabs, Saad need to be kept.

 

[PatrickShart]

Oduya is the last person this team should lose out of the UFA, RFA or salary dumps.

He's been better than Hjarll this entire playoffs. They need to keep the top 4 group.

 

[DMelt36]

Oduya is the last person this team should lose out of the UFA, RFA or salary dumps.

He's been better than Hjarll this entire playoffs. They need to keep the top 4 group.

I'd love to keep Oduya but I just don't see any way he gets a new deal in Chicago as a 33-year-old Dman on a team that needs to shed salary. And if the goes the UFA route, someone is going to throw way, way more than this current $3.375 AAV at him. The free agent market for defensemen is just silly.

 

[PatrickShart]

Some say he's told the team he's willing to take a cap friendly deal