Oh my god a big boy team in Chicago. Letting their talent at lower levels come up fill spots for overpaid/underperforming players, and stashing picks.

Just really dont see that enough in this city. I could cry.




Yes. And at the end there you'd struggle to justify the rat on the third line. Bickell has so much more upside at this point.

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"Mattress technology has come a long way"

- Dan Bernstein, 2016

I think it was the right move. Big body with a wicked wrist shot that he puts on net more times than not. He'll go back to under performing in the regular season and being a nancy boy and some people will start bitching that it was the wrong move to make. Then the playoffs will come around and he'll be laying out people again and causing havoc in front of the net.

I mean, we won't truly know if this was the right move until next year's playoffs but I'll go out on a limb and say it was.

So 4 million a year? Can still fit in Lecavalier or Briere at #2 C.

4 million a year and he gave a home town discount? wow, wonder what someone wouldve over paid him on the market.

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Proud member of the white guy grievance committee

It aint the six minutes. Its what happens in those six minutes.

No doubt in my mind he makes 5 million minimum else where. This league is obsessed with size. Look at the last 4 Cup winners. Boston and LA won with big dudes and the Hawks had Big Buff and Bickell patrolling the other team's crease during their Cup years. Big. Boy. Bodies is all the rave now a days.

Nevermind, just saw this now.

@Real_ESPNLeBrun: Hearing that the Chicago Blackhawks do NOT have interest in Vincent Lecavalier. Many Hawks fans saw him as No. 2 C solution.

Youth movement at #2 C it is!

Just because they have no interest in Lecavalier does not automatically mean they are going with a youth movement there, does it? Are there not other options that they could be interested in. I mean they are going to spend that cap money on someone at some position.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

Briere is the only other legit #2 C option from what I know. As for that cap money, you would think they're going to spend it considering the cap is going back up next season. #2 C is the biggest hole, why not spend it there? It'll be interesting to see what they do with the rest of this money. They could of traded Frolik to have the extra cap just in case they have to match an offer for Leddy that exceeds what they would of offered him. Hopefully it doesn't come down to that. I hope they get Leddy for 1.5-2 million but I wouldn't be surprised if he gets more.

Lets say though that they go with youth to fill in #2 C, Frolik and Bolland's spot. I don't know how you could seriously contend for a Cup next season with that much youth. Need a proven veteran in there somewhere.

Lets see what happens with Leddy and Kruger's contracts first. If we get them for what they're actually worth, then I'm sure we'll see Bowman try to sign a proven veteran to fill a team need.

might it be a trade they look into as well to fill the center spot?

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

Hawks are going all USA with a few swedes in the mix tonight.

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That's my purse! I don't know you!

Bolland was set to make $3.75 Million next year, which is way too much for him. The Hawks are going to pay Bickell $4 Million per year for 4 years & I'm pretty sure hes not worth that much dough. Essentially the Hawks got rid of Bolland to pay Bickell. I'm good with that.
I hate to see Frolik go because he was real good this year, but, 4th line players are all expendable.

I love the way this Hawks orginEYEzation handles their business. They know exactly what they want to do & don't screw around. After 2 Stanley Cup championships in 4 years, we should know better than to question Q, Stan, John & Rocky.

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CSFMB 2014 Nascar Pick 'em Champion

We don’t have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven’t taxed enough; we have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much. — Ronald Reagan

I was sure someone would offer Bickell a 5-6 mil a year deal. I'm trusting they know what's best with this deal. 2 cups gives you leeway.

While I have no problem at all with today's moves not a single player should have been shown the door prior to Kompon.

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That's my purse! I don't know you!

StanBo did bring up Brandon Pirri today, that's your top gun in Rockford. Derek Roy is tempting, but he made 4 mil last year.

I'd be down for taking a look at Bozak or Gordon.

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Matt Cullen as well.

Come on. Kane & Toews make $6 Milllion. Bickell isnt a $6 Million dollar player.

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CSFMB 2014 Nascar Pick 'em Champion

We don’t have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven’t taxed enough; we have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much. — Ronald Reagan

I was hoping for $3.5/yr for 3 years, so $4/4 was a fair compromise. The worry is there with guys like this that they only excelled because contracts were on the line, but I don't get that vibe from Bicks. I think it just took Q too long to put him next to Toews and Kane. He always seemed like a 3rd line guy, what with Sharp and Hossa drawing breath, but can't argue with the results.

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I read about this Ryan Hartman pick. CBS website graded him pretty good and a pest forward. A point a game in OHL.

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Elections have consequences.

Lot of really positive comparisons. Ideally he's the perfect 3rd line athletic bruiser that Q has been salivating for.

Him growing up a die hard Blackhawks fan was nice too.

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4/mil a year is possibly as slight overpayment for Bicks. Look at it through the lens when the cap goes up in 2 years and all of the sudden it's extremely reasonable. Wings who are huge, can skate a bit, play some D, nice goal scoring touch in the crease and who have proven themselves come playoffs...well there's no farm for them.


Basically yesterday was trading Frolik and Bolland (and I'll miss both tremendously) for Bickell, Leddy 4 draft picks and a shit ton of cap space.

Nice little day Stan.

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Team Cutler.

SO CLOSE

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They could, but Pirri was the AHL scoring leader and I'm sure they're ready to give him a look. Of course, I never could have guessed they'd pick up Handzus, and that he'd be a significant contributor, so who knows. Pirri can always play the 4th with Kruger back at wing.

Frolik had to go. I'm sorry. You couldn't pay him that much with Pirri and Morin knocking at the door. He won't shine as brightly in Winnipeg, though, as that whole thing is just a weird mishmosh of bodies with no real plan, system, or anything.

I'll miss Bolland, but the reality is that he had to go too. I'm glad they got the picks they got. Even with a championship, you have to keep the funnel full. You don't win Cups in free agency.

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Apparently the Blackhawks are negotiating with Ray Emery. This is very surprising & somewhat strange since the Hawks recently signed Antti Raanta, a 24 year old stud Goalie from Finland to a 1 year $1.4 Million contract. It was assumed that Emery would be gone & Raanta would be crows backup.

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CSFMB 2014 Nascar Pick 'em Champion

We don’t have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven’t taxed enough; we have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much. — Ronald Reagan

I agree. Weird indeed. Not like Emery is a guy you'd guess they would want to hang onto if they can't get Crawford to re-sign. Unless they are planning on this year being Crawfords last and Raanta being the #1 in 2014-15?

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Team Cutler.

That's exactly what my Son & I said. Scotty Bowman has a history of not signing goalies to long term big money contracts. Raanti is a phenom. He was unbelievably good for Finland this last year. Maybe they milk whatever they can get from Crow & go with Raanti. We'll see.

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CSFMB 2014 Nascar Pick 'em Champion

We don’t have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven’t taxed enough; we have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much. — Ronald Reagan

Henrik Karlsson left the organization to play back in Sweden, and I think the Carter Hutton thing is over, so suddenly the organizational depth chart is kinda short. If you can get Emery to stay on reasonable terms, why not? Park Raanta in Rockford to adjust to North American ice (Niemi did this for a year, remember) and if he shines or Emery becomes ineffective, call him up. I still don't trust Emery's hip to hold up forever, and he cannot replicate his numbers from last year, but if he wants to take a cut to stay put with a champion, more power to him.

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Wisely stated.

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That's my purse! I don't know you!

Why only sign the Finnish kid to 1 year then?

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Elections have consequences.

It's an entry-level contract and he has no service time, so he'd stay under team control as an RFA. Why commit years you don't have to commit?

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Good point did not think of that.

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Elections have consequences.