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Which Team do you think will have the best offseason?

May 14, 2018 at 8:28 p.m.
#1
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There are few GMs that I know are desperate to risk it all for the reward, but who do you think will gain the biggest reward while having their ass on the line?
Jun. 8, 2018 at 8:49 p.m.
#2
HawksFan28
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Well, I think Stan Bowman and the Blackhawks will have a "busy" offseason......Bowman has cap space burning a hole in his pocket and a couple of players that really have no role on this team any longer (Anisimov for sure)..

So I expect some new faces in the fall and a completely revamped 2018-19 Blackhawks team ready to contend once again for the Cup.
Jun. 8, 2018 at 9:26 p.m.
#3
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Quoting: HawksFan28
Well, I think Stan Bowman and the Blackhawks will have a "busy" offseason......Bowman has cap space burning a hole in his pocket and a couple of players that really have no role on this team any longer (Anisimov for sure)..

So I expect some new faces in the fall and a completely revamped 2018-19 Blackhawks team ready to contend once again for the Cup.


Contend for the Cup? They just missed the playoffs by a long shot, got swept the year before and didn’t make it out of the first round the year before that. They have massive holes on defense and in the forward group. Not sure where they’re going to find they defensemen they need as well as the secondary scoring
Jun. 8, 2018 at 10:03 p.m.
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Quoting: HawksFan28
Well, I think Stan Bowman and the Blackhawks will have a "busy" offseason......Bowman has cap space burning a hole in his pocket and a couple of players that really have no role on this team any longer (Anisimov for sure)..

So I expect some new faces in the fall and a completely revamped 2018-19 Blackhawks team ready to contend once again for the Cup.


So I expect the Hawks to rebuild and a new 2018-19 Blackhawks team ready to finish near the bottom of the league and NOT contend once again for the Cup.
Jun. 8, 2018 at 10:05 p.m.
#5
HawksFan28
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Quoting: krakowitz
Contend for the Cup? They just missed the playoffs by a long shot, got swept the year before and didn’t make it out of the first round the year before that. They have massive holes on defense and in the forward group. Not sure where they’re going to find they defensemen they need as well as the secondary scoring


Dude, they won the Western Conference in 2016-17, and yea - they got swept - SO WHAT - it happens.

Yea, Bowman didn't have the cap space last summer to make the changes he would have liked to have made, but guess what? the moves he made last summer got the Hawks out of cap hell - now they have 20 million to spend and get the guys that WILL INDEED make the Hawks a contender in 18-19...

The Hawks have the core players it takes to be a contender and win a Cup, however this season the Hawks didn't have the supporting cast to contend because Bowman had no cap space so the Hawks were stuck playing rookies 19 of them to be exact.......

Besides, the Hawks were a playoff team until Crawford went down in December, and from there it was all down hill - Hawks used 7 goalies this season.

The Hawks problems aren't "major" and the Hawks aren't slipping into the abyss of NHL mediocrity........ This UFA class has everything the Hawks need to be contenders next season....... Yes, this past season sucked for the Hawks, however they got an 8th overall pick and in this deep draft they're guaranteed a stud, lets not forget the Hawks already have 2 young studs already in Schmaltz and DeBrincat...

Look, the Hawks have the foundation to be a Cup contender next season - they just need to add the right players and they will be there..... Bowman knows what he's doing - he's rebuilt the Hawks over and over again on the fly and every time he rebuilt the Hawks they were contenders again....

I don't know how many times I have heard "oh the Hawks are done"....... lol.... You can believe that all you like but you would be wrong....

I've been watching hockey for 35 years and if I felt the Hawks were actually done and it was time for a rebuild I would agree with you and say it but the truth is that this core has another 5 years left in them (minus Seabrook, because he's slowing down) but I'm sure the Hawks will nab Dobson or Bouchard at the draft and by the time Seabrook is done one of those kids will be primed to take over......

If the core transition goes smoothly over the next 5-6 years or so and the Hawks continue to draft the right players the Blackhawks will be contenders for a very long time..
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Jun. 8, 2018 at 10:06 p.m.
#6
HawksFan28
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Quoting: rangersandislesfan
So I expect the Hawks to rebuild and a new 2018-19 Blackhawks team ready to finish near the bottom of the league and NOT contend once again for the Cup.


The Hawks are contending for the Cup next season go read my above post..
Jun. 8, 2018 at 10:14 p.m.
#7
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Quoting: HawksFan28
The Hawks are contending for the Cup next season go read my above post..


giphy.gif
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Jun. 8, 2018 at 10:18 p.m.
#8
HawksFan28
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Quoting: phillyjabroni
giphy.gif


It's ok, in 6 months I will be laughing at all of you reminding you guys in every post that you know nothing about hockey..
Jun. 8, 2018 at 10:23 p.m.
#9
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Quoting: HawksFan28
It's ok, in 6 months I will be laughing at all of you reminding you guys in every post that you know nothing about hockey..


Ya see, we’re just not extremely biased like you. theres a difference
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Jun. 8, 2018 at 10:23 p.m.
#10
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Quoting: HawksFan28
It's ok, in 6 months I will be laughing at all of you reminding you guys in every post that you know nothing about hockey..


I'm glad that because you think your team will be contenders means that other users know nothing about hockey.
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Jun. 8, 2018 at 10:26 p.m.
#11
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Next season will be the Lightning's best chance for a year or two. I think we will need a year or two to integrate youth such as Callan Foote, Taylor Raddysh and Mitchell Stephens. However, I still see us as a playoff team, just not a cup contender until our youngsters develop enough.
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Jun. 9, 2018 at 11:26 a.m.
#12
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Quoting: HawksFan28
The Hawks are contending for the Cup next season go read my above post..

Um, so I’m kind of wondering how you can contend when no one wants Seabrook, and all the other holes for you team no one wants on the team. Yes in a few years I fully expect for them to be back as a contender. But the BlackHawks have massive holes to fill, an I don’t think that you can fill them all in one draft, one FA window and 1 offseason. I do think I will see some new faces in the Blackhawks organization. I believe Anisimov and DeBrincat are gone, but what are you going to do about the aging Brent Seabrook, and the older players behind him?
Jun. 9, 2018 at 11:29 a.m.
#13
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Quoting: phillyjabroni
I'm glad that because you think your team will be contenders means that other users know nothing about hockey.


Quoting: krakowitz
Ya see, we’re just not extremely biased like you. theres a difference


Quoting: HawksFan28
It's ok, in 6 months I will be laughing at all of you reminding you guys in every post that you know nothing about hockey..


Quoting: HawksFan28
Dude, they won the Western Conference in 2016-17, and yea - they got swept - SO WHAT - it happens.

Yea, Bowman didn't have the cap space last summer to make the changes he would have liked to have made, but guess what? the moves he made last summer got the Hawks out of cap hell - now they have 20 million to spend and get the guys that WILL INDEED make the Hawks a contender in 18-19...

The Hawks have the core players it takes to be a contender and win a Cup, however this season the Hawks didn't have the supporting cast to contend because Bowman had no cap space so the Hawks were stuck playing rookies 19 of them to be exact.......

Besides, the Hawks were a playoff team until Crawford went down in December, and from there it was all down hill - Hawks used 7 goalies this season.

The Hawks problems aren't "major" and the Hawks aren't slipping into the abyss of NHL mediocrity........ This UFA class has everything the Hawks need to be contenders next season....... Yes, this past season sucked for the Hawks, however they got an 8th overall pick and in this deep draft they're guaranteed a stud, lets not forget the Hawks already have 2 young studs already in Schmaltz and DeBrincat...

Look, the Hawks have the foundation to be a Cup contender next season - they just need to add the right players and they will be there..... Bowman knows what he's doing - he's rebuilt the Hawks over and over again on the fly and every time he rebuilt the Hawks they were contenders again....

I don't know how many times I have heard "oh the Hawks are done"....... lol.... You can believe that all you like but you would be wrong....

I've been watching hockey for 35 years and if I felt the Hawks were actually done and it was time for a rebuild I would agree with you and say it but the truth is that this core has another 5 years left in them (minus Seabrook, because he's slowing down) but I'm sure the Hawks will nab Dobson or Bouchard at the draft and by the time Seabrook is done one of those kids will be primed to take over......

If the core transition goes smoothly over the next 5-6 years or so and the Hawks continue to draft the right players the Blackhawks will be contenders for a very long time..


Okay did I just see that? He said “Dude we won Western Conference 16-17 well no you didn’t cause you got beat by Nashville 4-2. You guys won 2 games in a row then you guys lost 4 in a row. The years before that you got knocked off by STL. And the last time you conference Champs was 2013-14.
Jun. 9, 2018 at 11:36 a.m.
#14
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Quoting: HawksFan28
The Hawks are contending for the Cup next season go read my above post..


Quoting: BoltsPoint21
Next season will be the Lightning's best chance for a year or two. I think we will need a year or two to integrate youth such as Callan Foote, Taylor Raddysh and Mitchell Stephens. However, I still see us as a playoff team, just not a cup contender until our youngsters develop enough.


Okay so Lightning has a good point. The youngsters are coming up to contend for the spot. Well the last 5 seasons Lightning have been in conference Finals. 1 our the 5 they made finals. That was when they played the Blackhawks. Now your team has maybe a few young guys, but none of them are going to be huge impact players. Except DeBrincat. And you really can’t build a contender when you are spending big money on Seabrook. I can’t around the fact that your core players are getting older. Kane is the only one I would keep. Toews is dropping off and getting 10-11 million dollars a year. Duncan you might keep but BlackHawks Re-build. The only reason I say Blues won’t rebuild is because that’s what Doug Armstrong said. He is going to spend big money. Blackhawks don’t have a lot of cap space to make huge signings. So you guys stick to draft for a few years.
Jun. 9, 2018 at 12:22 p.m.
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Quoting: BeastModeUnknown
Okay did I just see that? He said “Dude we won Western Conference 16-17 well no you didn’t cause you got beat by Nashville 4-2. You guys won 2 games in a row then you guys lost 4 in a row. The years before that you got knocked off by STL. And the last time you conference Champs was 2013-14.


Chicago got swept by Nashville, the Hawks didn’t win a game in that series. And they went to the Cup Final in ‘15, not ‘14.
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Jun. 9, 2018 at 12:27 p.m.
#16
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Quoting: krakowitz
Chicago got swept by Nashville, the Hawks didn’t win a game in that series. And they went to the Cup Final in ‘15, not ‘14.


Either way they weren’t Western Conference Champs 2016-17
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Jun. 9, 2018 at 12:38 p.m.
#17
Lets Go Blues
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Quoting: BeastModeUnknown
Either way they weren’t Western Conference Champs 2016-17


He was talking about regular season, which is something i thought only Blues fans boasted about Sticking Out Tongue
Jun. 9, 2018 at 12:44 p.m.
#18
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I'll tell you the truth: If the Hawks make the playoffs, you could maybe consider them a cup contender.

The thing is, they just aren't gonna make the playoffs lol.
Jun. 9, 2018 at 1:26 p.m.
#19
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Quoting: A_K
He was talking about regular season, which is something i thought only Blues fans boasted about Sticking Out Tongue


I’ve always said Regular season doesn’t matter until the last third of the season
Jun. 9, 2018 at 1:31 p.m.
#20
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Quoting: BeastModeUnknown
I’ve always said Regular season doesn’t matter until the last third of the season


I agree with that. I was just poking some fun at our abysmal playoff history that's all.
Jun. 10, 2018 at 1:40 a.m.
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Quoting: HawksFan28
Dude, they won the Western Conference in 2016-17, and yea - they got swept - SO WHAT - it happens.

Yea, Bowman didn't have the cap space last summer to make the changes he would have liked to have made, but guess what? the moves he made last summer got the Hawks out of cap hell - now they have 20 million to spend and get the guys that WILL INDEED make the Hawks a contender in 18-19...

The Hawks have the core players it takes to be a contender and win a Cup, however this season the Hawks didn't have the supporting cast to contend because Bowman had no cap space so the Hawks were stuck playing rookies 19 of them to be exact.......

Besides, the Hawks were a playoff team until Crawford went down in December, and from there it was all down hill - Hawks used 7 goalies this season.

The Hawks problems aren't "major" and the Hawks aren't slipping into the abyss of NHL mediocrity........ This UFA class has everything the Hawks need to be contenders next season....... Yes, this past season sucked for the Hawks, however they got an 8th overall pick and in this deep draft they're guaranteed a stud, lets not forget the Hawks already have 2 young studs already in Schmaltz and DeBrincat...

Look, the Hawks have the foundation to be a Cup contender next season - they just need to add the right players and they will be there..... Bowman knows what he's doing - he's rebuilt the Hawks over and over again on the fly and every time he rebuilt the Hawks they were contenders again....

I don't know how many times I have heard "oh the Hawks are done"....... lol.... You can believe that all you like but you would be wrong....

I've been watching hockey for 35 years and if I felt the Hawks were actually done and it was time for a rebuild I would agree with you and say it but the truth is that this core has another 5 years left in them (minus Seabrook, because he's slowing down) but I'm sure the Hawks will nab Dobson or Bouchard at the draft and by the time Seabrook is done one of those kids will be primed to take over......

If the core transition goes smoothly over the next 5-6 years or so and the Hawks continue to draft the right players the Blackhawks will be contenders for a very long time..

What in the actual f**k was this? A blackhawks fan trying to defend himself? I think the real problem is that Chicago is ready to blow this up.I know they may be bad because of holes on D and goaltending was a waffle trying to stand up but the Hawks aren't the Senators.
Jun. 10, 2018 at 2:54 a.m.
#22
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Quoting: A_K
He was talking about regular season, which is something i thought only Blues fans boasted about Sticking Out Tongue


Hey, I’ve been talking about the #3TimePresident’sTrophyChamps forever up until about 3 days ago
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Jun. 10, 2018 at 3:42 p.m.
#23
HawksFan28
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Quoting: BeastModeUnknown
Okay so Lightning has a good point. The youngsters are coming up to contend for the spot. Well the last 5 seasons Lightning have been in conference Finals. 1 our the 5 they made finals. That was when they played the Blackhawks. Now your team has maybe a few young guys, but none of them are going to be huge impact players. Except DeBrincat. And you really can’t build a contender when you are spending big money on Seabrook. I can’t around the fact that your core players are getting older. Kane is the only one I would keep. Toews is dropping off and getting 10-11 million dollars a year. Duncan you might keep but BlackHawks Re-build. The only reason I say Blues won’t rebuild is because that’s what Doug Armstrong said. He is going to spend big money. Blackhawks don’t have a lot of cap space to make huge signings. So you guys stick to draft for a few years.


Dude, first off Schmaltz is a stud - a legitimate #2 ceneter, and second - the Blackhawks have 20 million in cap space.

The Hawks have lots of options to drastically improve this team.

There were a few reasons why the Hawks failed last season. The Hawks played 20 rookies last season, that's a lot - why did they play 20 rookies? because Bowman didn't have the cap space to improve this team via free agency, so he was stuck picking through the UFA bargain bin. Also, Corey Crawford got vertigo in December and up until then the Hawks were a playoff team, not only that but the team as a whole had a down year (it happens) but the biggest reason why the Hawks had a lousy season was mainly because they were stuck playing rookies - especially on defense... The only defenseman the Hawks had that played more than 50 NHL games were Keith, Seabrook and Murphy - that's not good..... Not to mention in goal Forsberg & Bureube had almost no NHL experience at all and the same can be said for the bottom 6......Wingels, Sharp and Bouma (who was eventually sent down to the AHL mid-season) were the only bottom 6 guys with any significant NHL experience - the rest of the bottom 6 were basically rookies.

With 20 million in cap space the Hawks can go out and get the vets they need to fill out the team..... Lets not forget the Hawks also have trade bait to bring in some assets as well....... Anisimov is no longer needed, I'm sure the 27th overall pick is in play for the right player and Crawford could be traded as well (or potentially go on LTIR).... I don't know what's going on with him really...

The Hawks have all the important core players they need to be a contender next season, in Toews, Kane, Keith, Saad, DeBrincat, Schmaltz and Seabrook (if he can regain form)....... All the Hawks really need is a legitimate #2 LW (Wahlstrom, Kovalchuk, TVR etc) to play with Schmaltz and Kane, a couple of legitimate veteran defensive/two-way specialists (Wingels, Bozak, Vermette etc) that can win draws in the bottom 6 and 1 top 4 defenseman (J. Faulk) and a veteran #5 defenseman (John Moore)........ And depending on the goaltending situation and Crawfords health a legitimate veteran backup (Hutton, Ward etc)..... And the Hawks will be fine.

The Hawks are nowhere near Detroit status, the Hawks run isn't even close to up yet - sure it's getting narrower but the Hawks have maybe 5 years left..

Look, if the Hawks were done I would admit it and think about the best rebuild possible - but they're not close to rebuilding yet...

The Hawks downfall last season was 80% cap related and 20% the fact that the core didn't have anyone to play with that knew the system because the were ROOKIES....

Yes, I am aware many hockey fans hate the Hawks and they would love to see the Hawks window closed and locked - but that just isn't the reality of the situation. Wishful thinking is not fact or reality....... I've been a hockey fan for 35 years since I was about 3-4 so I have seen plenty of contenders come and go so I know what a team looks like when it's time to rebuild and this Blackhawks team just isn't one of them....... The salary cap finally made it difficult for the Hawks to build a competitive team last season, and a lot of people questioned the trades Bowman made (but really didn't need to make last summer) but Bowman made those moves for a reason - so the Hawks wouldn't be in "cap hell" ever again or at least not in the near future and guess what? it worked - the Blackhawks now have 20 million in cap space to get the players they want - not the players they can afford...... Besides this past season of sucking got the Hawks the 8th overall pick in one of the deepest drafts in nearly 40 years so..... And I think the Hawks could draft a guy like Wahlstrom who could step right into the NHL considering Wahlstrom played on a line on the USDP program with a Patrick Kane clone named Jack Hughes (who will be taken 1st overall next draft).....SO...... The Hawks have a lot of options to make improvements this summer and they certainly will and I fully expect the Blackhawks to be a contender next season - there is zero doubt in my mind there, just as long as they address the obvious issues that plagued them all last season...

Sorry, but this is a cap era and very good teams can take a temporary step back due to cap constraints but then turn around a season later and be a contender like nothing happened...

The Blackhawks will be fine.
Jun. 10, 2018 at 3:49 p.m.
#24
HawksFan28
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Quoting: Sharks2020
What in the actual f**k was this? A blackhawks fan trying to defend himself? I think the real problem is that Chicago is ready to blow this up.I know they may be bad because of holes on D and goaltending was a waffle trying to stand up but the Hawks aren't the Senators.


What I'm saying is that what went wrong with the Hawks last season can be fixed.....What I'm saying is the salary cap finally made it difficult for the Hawks to put a team together that can contend last season (they had the star power, just not the supporting cast)...... This season will be different because the Hawks have plenty of cap space and with the emergence of Schmaltz and DeBrincat as legitimate young top 6 forwards filling out the rest of the team with legitimate veteran players the Hawks need to contend won't be very difficult...

What worries me the most actually is goaltending actually, no one knows anything about Crawford's situation.

Like I have said: if I thought the Hawks were done I would be posting ways how they could rebuild, but they're not done so I'm not thinking about that at all.
Jun. 10, 2018 at 3:58 p.m.
#25
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Unless the Salary Cap Ceiling is going up to about 90M, I don't understand how you will have 20M when FA rolls around.
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