2014 Offseason Thread

 As far as Kesler vs TT</p>


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What other team would boast 2 Selke centers?  Kesler has size, is physical, scored 40....will go to the net/can play all 3 situations...</p>

Alright, here's what I think needs to be/is going to be addressed this offseason--in no particular order:</p>
<ul>[*]Kane/Toews Extensions.  This IMHO is the best time for it--at least talking about it.  I can see them getting anywhere from 8.5M long term to 9.5M long term, any way you slice it though I think the sooner their signed the better since they are the deepst part of the core and knowing what you have to work with is going to help.
[*]Morin.  Even if we did resign him--would he want to re-sign?  I think he's gone.
[*]Rosival/Brookbank.  Euro to Forints Rosival is not retiring, and as such we wouldn't resign Brookbank.  Rosival and Runblad will be the 6/7 going forward.
[*]The Oduya/Leddy issue:  Going forward from now until the TDL the team should be looking into Johns, Dahlbeck, and Clendening and that might necessitate the moving, or willingness to move one of those pieces.
[*]The Saad issue:  He'll be coming up when Toews and Kane do, and arguably he's been the glue on Kane/Saad/Shaw.  Sharp just came off of a career year even though he (and Hossa) were lukewarm in the playoffs.  Further, at least Hoss had his 2-way game to fall back on while Sharp didn't become visible until game 7.  Could Saad realistically replace either within the coming year--if so, who?
[*]Complicating that is the TT issue.  Handzus is most likley gone and retiring, so how do we fill in?  Toews/Hoss/Bickell and Kane/Shaw/Saad both looked good enough for the top-6 in the postseason.  TT being smallish would need a guy like Hossa on his wing:  Ideally a line like Sharp/TT/Hossa.  That leaves...Saad/Toews/Kane?
[*]Bickell.  At 4M we're paying a lot for not much.  I get that he was playing injured kmost of the year but this oming season he needs to be held to a much higher standard.
[*]Versteeg.  His play this year makes the 2.2M we're paying for him seem like a very steep price.  His HockeyIQ isn't that great, either. Because of this, moving him might be tough (although arguably he was at least invisible in game 7).  I think all offers for him should be entertained, if there are any that don't require selling a blue chip piece. Still, if he is kept he has to be on a very short leash. 
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Morin is a RFA...not sure he has a choice or not - as long as the Hawks qualify him</p>

My 2% of a dollar...</p>


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1) Kane and Toews get their extensions announced at the Convention. Maybe Saad too.</p>


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2) Q and the front office love TT. Best situation for him would be Rockford, but if he's going to be in the NHL, stick him between Sharp and Hossa, where his reluctance to shoot could be covered.</p>


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3) None of the UFAs (Brookbank, Khabibulin, Regin, Handzus) will return.</p>


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4) Stan starts working the phone this morning, up until the Draft is over. If I'm Seabrook, Oduya, LeBlanc (remember him? One-way deal next season) or Versteeg, I'm on eggshells until then.</p>


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5) The main RFAs (Raanta, Smith, Morin) all get qualified. Let's see if Stan can get Raanta to agree to a two-way, he really needs time on the AHL. Morin might get bundled in a trade. Smith will get a 2-year bridge similar to what Shaw and Kruger got.</p>


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6) If Morin doesn't get dealt, he's next season's Ben Smith. A roster spot is his to lose. Ditto Nordstrom & Dahlbeck.</p>


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7) If Johns makes the team out of camp, you know promises were made in order to get him to sign this Spring.</p>

I think Kane's signing will matter who/if they bring in a center for him - and rightfully so</p>


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Toews gets Hossa as his permanant wing - Hossa really refuses to play anywhere than RW...and wants/gets his center (and still doesn't produce)</p>


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Kane deserves a top center to play with.  Shaw filled in well for a burst this series, but it's time Kane gets some help</p>

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="pmxzus" data-cid="231588" data-time="1401723370">
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Morin is a RFA...not sure he has a choice or not - as long as the Hawks qualify him</p>
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Good point, but still given his time in the organization he may be qualified but I think if any offer comes his way that's not from the 'hawks he'll probably sign elsewhere.  I can see a bottom team offering him 1.25M+ and a chance to *actually* play.  Given Q's dislike for playing Morin I can see resistance for matching an offer--especially since we also have Nordstrom.</p>

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Forklift" data-cid="231589" data-time="1401727798">
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My 2% of a dollar...</p>


 </p>


1) Kane and Toews get their extensions announced at the Convention. Maybe Saad too.</p>


 </p>


2) Q and the front office love TT. Best situation for him would be Rockford, but if he's going to be in the NHL, stick him between Sharp and Hossa, where his reluctance to shoot could be covered.</p>


 </p>


3) None of the UFAs (Brookbank, Khabibulin, Regin, Handzus) will return.</p>


 </p>


4) Stan starts working the phone this morning, up until the Draft is over. If I'm Seabrook, Oduya, LeBlanc (remember him? One-way deal next season) or Versteeg, I'm on eggshells until then.</p>


 </p>


5) The main RFAs (Raanta, Smith, Morin) all get qualified. Let's see if Stan can get Raanta to agree to a two-way, he really needs time on the AHL. Morin might get bundled in a trade. Smith will get a 2-year bridge similar to what Shaw and Kruger got.</p>


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6) If Morin doesn't get dealt, he's next season's Ben Smith. A roster spot is his to lose. Ditto Nordstrom & Dahlbeck.</p>


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7) If Johns makes the team out of camp, you know promises were made in order to get him to sign this Spring.</p>
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Only problem with this is if Raanta takes a 2-way to get time in the A, who replaces him as backup?  Labarbera?  Is there another *backup* out there who could be had for a cheap mil or so on a one-year deal that'snot going to go Khabi on us?</p>


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I think Raanta gets re-signed and ends up as a backup seeing 20-25 games next year.  IMHO at this point his task is basically the same as Crawford's right before 2013:  Teams are starting to get book on him and he has to work through that.</p>

Why not just let Morin go the same route Smith had? Ben had to earn his ice time...being trusted to play both ends of the ice...And was developed into a pretty solid two way player. Seemed to work ok for him to earn it

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="LordKOTL" data-cid="231595" data-time="1401731987">
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Only problem with this is if Raanta takes a 2-way to get time in the A, who replaces him as backup?  Labarbera?  Is there another *backup* out there who could be had for a cheap mil or so on a one-year deal that'snot going to go Khabi on us?</p>


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I think Raanta gets re-signed and ends up as a backup seeing 20-25 games next year.  IMHO at this point his task is basically the same as Crawford's right before 2013:  Teams are starting to get book on him and he has to work through that.</p>
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I'd rather see Stevie Wonder in net than LaBarbera. Khabi crapping out screwed everything up last season.</p>


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But I think Raanta would benefit more from 50 games in the AHL to learn rebound control and owning his crease. There are always plenty of veteran goalies available as backups.</p>

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="pmxzus" data-cid="231590" data-time="1401728740">
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I think Kane's signing will matter who/if they bring in a center for him - and rightfully so</p>


 </p>


Toews gets Hossa as his permanant wing - Hossa really refuses to play anywhere than RW...and wants/gets his center (and still doesn't produce)</p>


 </p>


Kane deserves a top center to play with.  Shaw filled in well for a burst this series, but it's time Kane gets some help</p>
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What exactly about Kane's signing will depend on who his center is? Whether he stays? How much he demands? I don't think Kane is going anywhere, regardless of who his center is.</p>


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And...Hossa doesn't produce? 30 goals and 30 assists is not producing? 14 points in 19 games is not producing? Ok.</p>

2g in 19 playoff games...after 30 in the regular season?

But his backchecking was glorious

Actually his entire game was great. He just couldn't put the puck in the net. It happens. 12 assists is nothing to scoff at. He created a TON of offense out there with his puck possession and forechecking.</p>

Is there still time to sign Turris to be Crawford's backup?</p>

I have a feeling that Seabs could get shipped, because of what he could command as a UFA. There's no way to ink 88 and 19, then worry about a first line Dman that could fetch around 7m per year when he's due. </p>

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Forklift" data-cid="231598" data-time="1401733686">
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I'd rather see Stevie Wonder in net than LaBarbera. Khabi crapping out screwed everything up last season.</p>


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But I think Raanta would benefit more from 50 games in the AHL to learn rebound control and owning his crease. There are always plenty of veteran goalies available as backups.</p>
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The key is a vet backup goalie, making no more than about a 1-1.25M for a single year that won't get hamstrung by our style of play.  Unfortunately I don't think Emery's avaliable. </p>


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Raanta getting some A-time wouldn't be bad, but I wouldn't lose sleep if he was a backup next year as long as he sees 20-25 games.</p>


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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="pmxzus" data-cid="231597" data-time="1401732924">
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Why not just let Morin go the same route Smith had? Ben had to earn his ice time...being trusted to play both ends of the ice...And was developed into a pretty solid two way player. Seemed to work ok for him to earn it</p>
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Maybe I'm mis-remembering there, but I recall that Smith when called up was treated like, "Let's see what the kid can do?" not "Just a fill-in".  IMHO Regin, Morin, and even Nordstrom all earned icetime over Versteeg (and some would argue Bollig).  Morin seemed to have been buried in the minors under roster players that did deserve more icetime than he did.  IMHO in hindsight everything Versteeg did for 2M Morin at <900k did better.  As such, I culd see Morin wanting to reloacte to a place where he might get a decent shot.</p>


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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="BolligHandzusPerfect" data-cid="231612" data-time="1401735651">
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I have a feeling that Seabs could get shipped, because of what he could command as a UFA. There's no way to ink 88 and 19, then worry about a first line Dman that could fetch around 7m per year when he's due. </p>
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Seabs will come due when he's about 31.  That might work in our favor to keep the cap hit a bit lower--especially since Keith is on a cheap retirement contract.</p>


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I think one of Seabs, Sharp, or Hossa will be De-cored.  My money is on Sharp--of all the guys in the lineup Saad can most easily step into Sharp's role, and guys like Seabs & Hossa taking over leadership roles.  It would suck no matter who leaves, but we don't have a Seabs-like defenseman in the system, and we certtainly don't have a Hossa-like FWD who is that good in all three zone in the system.  Plus, if Saad fills in for sharp, then we just have to find a Saad replacement, which is easier.</p>


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My $.02.</p>

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="BolligHandzusPerfect" data-cid="231612" data-time="1401735651">
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I have a feeling that Seabs could get shipped, because of what he could command as a UFA. There's no way to ink 88 and 19, then worry about a first line Dman that could fetch around 7m per year when he's due. </p>
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Hjalmarsson's emergence over the past couple years has made Seabrook a lot more expendable. Once Dahlbeck and Johns get their NHL legs under them, even more so.</p>


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If the Hawks decide to push their chips to the middle of the table on Kesler, Seabrook is the main chip.</p>

Absolutely. Especially when you look at his salary.</p>

new jerseys and a new anthem singer. </p>

No more anthems</p>


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Unless the get the boston pedophile</p>