2011-12 Blackhawks: No Longer Accepting Mediocrity or Tolerating Bullshit

[SKO]

Bump...

http://www.secondcityhockey.com/2011/5/19/2179924/corey-crawford-gets-a-3-year-extension

Doesn't this move signify that a new thread should start?

I defer to a real hockey fan, you know, one who has watched them all his life, and didn't come back within the last 3-4 years, and therefore knows shit about the sport.

Your move, SKO.

I got this, TEC.

I won't get excited about this team until they win the world championship.

[Slaky]

By the way, SKO started this for us. Let's use it, yeah?

[J. Walter Weatherman]

What's a Rostislav Olesz?

Bowman must be getting ready to make a run at Pujols.

Edit: Or clearing out cap space for Sopel's dong.

Ridiculous night.

While I want to reserve judgment until July 1, I do find myself already wishing that Stan had chosen to show off his balls in some manner that didn't involve trading the one guy who refused to tolerate bullshit last year while accepting injured mediocrity in return.

Given how thin the Hawks are now looking at the blue line, could there be anything that makes this move sensible short of sending Drew Doughty a gaudy offer sheet that likely overpays him? (Granted, that would give me a boner. But that's the definition of an all-in move.)

And, aside from all but guaranteeing that Hjalmarsson's staying put (and without the partner who made him shine), does this also portend increased job security for Scott?

(And how long now before the mouth-breather chorus calling for dumping Campbell since 2008 finally get their precious Wisniewski back?)

Am I wrong?

Okay... I'll try to reserve judgment.

[Slaky]

What's a Rostislav Olesz?

Bowman must be getting ready to make a run at Pujols.

Edit: Or clearing out cap space for Sopel's dong.

Ridiculous night.

While I want to reserve judgment until July 1, I do find myself already wishing that Stan had chosen to show off his balls in some manner that didn't involve trading the one guy who refused to tolerate bullshit last year while accepting injured mediocrity in return.

Given how thin the Hawks are now looking at the blue line, could there be anything that makes this move sensible short of sending Drew Doughty a gaudy offer sheet that likely overpays him? (Granted, that would give me a boner. But that's the definition of an all-in move.)

And, aside from all but guaranteeing that Hjalmarsson's staying put (and without the partner who made him shine), does this also portend increased job security for Scott?

(And how long now before the mouth-breather chorus calling for dumping Campbell since 2008 finally get their precious Wisniewski back?)

Am I wrong?

Okay... I'll try to reserve judgment.

Those are along the lines of the rumblings I read last night, too. Right now all of those rumblings are speculation based. No one saw Stan being able to loose Campbell's talents onto South Beach. I am really agitated at the lack of blue line depth right now and worried for Hammer's future because without Soup he was horseshit.

That said, given Stan's unpredictability I think it makes the most sense to sit back and see how this plays out.

Also, you should check out this link on Olesz' underlying stats - some very statfhaggy analysis that may put a shine on this turd after all (assuming he can recover from his knee injury).

[J. Walter Weatherman]

What's a Rostislav Olesz?

Bowman must be getting ready to make a run at Pujols.

Edit: Or clearing out cap space for Sopel's dong.

Ridiculous night.

While I want to reserve judgment until July 1, I do find myself already wishing that Stan had chosen to show off his balls in some manner that didn't involve trading the one guy who refused to tolerate bullshit last year while accepting injured mediocrity in return.

Given how thin the Hawks are now looking at the blue line, could there be anything that makes this move sensible short of sending Drew Doughty a gaudy offer sheet that likely overpays him? (Granted, that would give me a boner. But that's the definition of an all-in move.)

And, aside from all but guaranteeing that Hjalmarsson's staying put (and without the partner who made him shine), does this also portend increased job security for Scott?

(And how long now before the mouth-breather chorus calling for dumping Campbell since 2008 finally get their precious Wisniewski back?)

Am I wrong?

Okay... I'll try to reserve judgment.

Those are along the lines of the rumblings I read last night, too. Right now all of those rumblings are speculation based. No one saw Stan being able to loose Campbell's talents onto South Beach. I am really agitated at the lack of blue line depth right now and worried for Hammer's future because without Soup he was horseshit.

That said, given Stan's unpredictability I think it makes the most sense to sit back and see how this plays out.

Also, you should check out this link on Olesz' underlying stats - some very statfhaggy analysis that may put a shine on this turd after all (assuming he can recover from his knee injury).

I suppose age plays into it too, and that perhaps avoiding the risk of getting stuck with a $7.1 million cap hit on a 35+ d-man with a history of injuries a few years from now is worth some sacrifice now.

But this blue line situation scares me shitless.

[J. Walter Weatherman]

Also... On the WOMENANDSPORTZES beat, Chicago just lost a couple of top-shelf WAGs.

[BBM]

[Quality Start Machine]

There were a bunch of teams grabbing head scratchers in the first, so not only did Mark McNeill fall to the Hawks, but they also got Brandon Saad in the second round.

Anything else they got in this draft is just gravy.

As for the Hawks' blueline, Stan and Q obviously see something in Nick Leddy that nobody else is seeing. They were talking about him taking on a "larger role" even before the Campbell trade.

Oh, and hello, Brad Richards.

[J. Walter Weatherman]

Oh, and hello, Brad Richards.

I'm not sure I want the Hawks in the business of outspending Glen Sather.

[Quality Start Machine]

Oh, and hello, Brad Richards.

I'm not sure I want the Hawks in the business of outspending Glen Sather.

I think Bowman can tell Richards "I'll give you $5 million/per to skate between Patrick Sharp and Marian Hossa and have a legit shot at a Cup or two, or you can take whatever Slats wants to pay you and you can skate between Brandon Prust and whatever's left of Marian Gaborik and have your Mays and Junes free every year."

[Slaky]

Oh, and hello, Brad Richards.

I'm not sure I want the Hawks in the business of outspending Glen Sather.

I think Bowman can tell Richards "I'll give you $5 million/per to skate between Patrick Sharp and Marian Hossa and have a legit shot at a Cup or two, or you can take whatever Slats wants to pay you and you can skate between Brandon Prust and whatever's left of Marian Gaborik and have your Mays and Junes free every year."

I hope that's what they tell him. The idea of another 5 yr deal or longer makes my ass hurt.

I think you're right on with the Leddy stuff. Sounds like they're going to sign someone or a couple of someones to fill out the ass end of the defense. They're not going to ride John Scott as some people might fear.

That said, I'm seeing some ridiculous speculation about who they're going to try and sign. I'm surprised I haven't heard someone say that Stan should RIGHT THE WRONGS that are Radim Vrbata, Michael Nylander and Michal Handzus. Puke. That's probably Tab's next article.

[Internet Apex]

There were a bunch of teams grabbing head scratchers in the first, so not only did Mark McNeill fall to the Hawks, but they also got Brandon Saad in the second round.

Anything else they got in this draft is just gravy.

As for the Hawks' blueline, Stan and Q obviously see something in Nick Leddy that nobody else is seeing. They were talking about him taking on a "larger role" even before the Campbell trade.

Oh, and hello, Brad Richards.

The Hawks have a Saad? How should I feel about this? *checks Twitter*

[Quality Start Machine]

That said, I'm seeing some ridiculous speculation about who they're going to try and sign. I'm surprised I haven't heard someone say that Stan should RIGHT THE WRONGS that are Radim Vrbata, Michael Nylander and Michal Handzus. Puke. That's probably Tab's next article.

If the bidding gets too high on Richards, Stan can just work with Q on a stopgap (move Sharp back to center) to start things off, then sit with a buttload of Cap room and nab a center off whoever spirals out of contention first.

I can't figure out where Kruger fits in on this team...All I know us, if he sticks, they should stop fucking around and give him the umlaut on his nameplate.

[J. Walter Weatherman]

I can't figure out where Kruger fits in on this team...

Isn't Kruger still The Plan All Along™? (You know, whatever The Plan might be?)

[Quality Start Machine]

I can't figure out where Kruger fits in on this team...

Isn't Kruger still The Plan All Along™? (You know, whatever The Plan might be?)

If the The Plan is seeing undersized centers get pancaked by NHL players, then yeah, The Plan is right on schedule.