**AS OF TIME OF WRITING**
TJ Molland: It seems like just yesterday I was watching the Chicago Blackhawks lift the Stanley Cup. 2 years and 2 first round playoff exits and the Blackhawks all of a sudden have some real questions to answer. Now whenever you have a core that features the likes of Kane, Sharp, Toews, Hossa, Keith, and Seabrook you are going to be a contender. But since being the top contender, the Blackhawks have looked less and less like the dynasty they had hoped to build.
TJ Molland: It seems like just yesterday I was watching the Chicago Blackhawks lift the Stanley Cup. 2 years and 2 first round playoff exits and the Blackhawks all of a sudden have some real questions to answer. Now whenever you have a core that features the likes of Kane, Sharp, Toews, Hossa, Keith, and Seabrook you are going to be a contender. But since being the top contender, the Blackhawks have looked less and less like the dynasty they had hoped to build.
This may be one of our less exciting break downs for the simple fact the Blackhawks have a full roster signed already. Of course there are places they can make upgrades, and that's what we are here to do. I won't look at it as a coaster post, I am going to see what magic can be worked with $8 million in cap space and an already full roster....(because the short answer is really sign one or two players and they are done, but what fun is that for our readers?)
Now being the nice guy I am *insert over-the-top smile here*, I will let you take the first stab Bik. Now I say stab, but after how angry you have been about some teams this week I am actually really scared to say such words. So go ahead and take a meaningful, non-violent, written approach to how this team can get back to championship glory.....
Bik Nizzar: It seems like you wrote that first line to make me re-live an excruciating 2 year period for a Canuck fan. Pardon me while I light myself on fire.....
*stalling piano music*
Ok I’m back, but I have a shot of bleach prepared should you bring up those cup runs/Canuck defeats again.... This team has a full roster but there are still PLENTY of question marks. After a stellar playoff performance, especially in Game 7, Corey Crawford was a completely different goalie. He was drafted in 2003, and will turn 28 years old during the season, so the ‘Hawks need to decide if he in fact the goalie they want. Once news broke about Roberto Luongo potentially wanting out of Vancouver , Chicago Chicago so it’s highly unlikely to happen, but just the fact Chicago Calgary
I’ll pose this question to you because I’m not sure yet what I’d do...... What in the WORLD are they going to do with Patrick Kane?! His.... hmmmm what’s a nice way to put this.... off-ice lifestyle?! Sure let’s keep it at that. It has become a serious problem. And what’s strange is that nobody inside the Blackhawks organization seems to be talking about it. So TJ – what would you do with this guy?
TJ Molland: If it was me, right now, at this very moment and time....I would invite Sir Patrick out for an evening of fine ales. After consuming a sufficient amount of potables we shall engage in the courting of women. At said point in thy evening, we shall escalate to fine spirits served in glasses of one ounce. Once Sir Patrick is incapacitated I shall dress improve his facial features with drawings of the phallic variety and remove approximately one eyebrow before promptly asking him NEVER TO RETURN TO THE TEAM EVER AGAIN!!! Only after posting photos all over the internet of course.
Seriously did you hear about this weekend? It is literally drink, hit on women, have friends drag you home, wake up, drink, hit on women, hit women, drink more. It's a great first count recap of Kane invading college parties for a weekend. It isn't his first time he has gotten drunk and violent and disgraced the team and himself, and it doesn't look like it will be his last. Is that really what you want to sell to your fans? (My favourite line has to be "I was there around 7pm for some afternoon drinking. " When did 7 become afternoon drinking? Am I starting afternoon drinking like 5 hours early? *casually puts bottle back in drawer*)
But on to actually writing about this team. Kane will be the piece moved for an elite goaltender. You are right about the inconsistencies with Crawford, and for a team that is built to contend year in and year out, you can't be uncertain about your crease. Kane will be the guy to go for the exact reasons above. He is a distraction off the ice and really, his stats on the ice aren't that great. His point totals have decreased in consecutive years, and his 23 goals this year is no where near what people are expecting of him. Oh, and he has 1 goal in his last 13 playoff games. Kane for Kiprusoff? Seems plausible, and really how much trouble can Kane get into in Calgary
Goal scoring is no issue for the 'Hawks so although moving a potential 30 goal scorer hurts, you can take solace knowing you won't have to score 5 goals a night just to win any more. Outside of obtaining a goalie I don't see the Hawks really making any big moves. Maybe some depth player signing but as I noted in my first post they are still pretty well off.
Bik Nizzar: Amazing that on a team with Jonathan Toews aka “Captain Serious”, he hasn’t been able to rein in Kane. You’d figure he’d have some sorta positive influence on him. But then again, maybe Toews needs Kane’s help when it comes to picking up chicks. Whether they just decide to remove the problem by trading him, or dealing with it internally, something does need to be done. How bad of a problem is it? Well you know when you type something into the search box in youtube and before you hit enter it comes up with the popular searches list.... You type in Daniel Sedin, it’s all hockey related searches. You type in Jarome Iginla, it’s all hockey related searches except for 1 that’s a search for a commercial. You type in Pat or Patrick Kane.... second hit is “Pat Kane Drunk”.......... So yeah, solving this issue is a major priority. And the fortunate thing is that his no-trade clause doesn’t kick in until 2014-15. So this is an opportunity to give the problem to someone else before it gets any worse.
For a team with Brent Seabrook, Duncan Keith, Niklas Hjarlmarsson... this defense played remarkably soft last season. They looked out of place and while I beat up on Corey Crawford earlier, I’m still a believer in his abilities and perhaps they would be better served bringing in another defenseman. Barrett Jackman has some familiarity with Chicago because of Coach Quenneville’s time in St. Louis and also Assistant Coach Mike Kitchen. Jackman is an UFA on July 1st and would add some toughness and responsibility to that blue line. Perhaps even targeting the prized free agent, Ryan Suter, by way of trade beforehand could be an option. What about Kane for Suter at the draft, with a condition that Suter agrees to a contract with the Blackhawks?
For a team with Brent Seabrook, Duncan Keith, Niklas Hjarlmarsson... this defense played remarkably soft last season. They looked out of place and while I beat up on Corey Crawford earlier, I’m still a believer in his abilities and perhaps they would be better served bringing in another defenseman. Barrett Jackman has some familiarity with Chicago because of Coach Quenneville’s time in St. Louis and also Assistant Coach Mike Kitchen. Jackman is an UFA on July 1st and would add some toughness and responsibility to that blue line. Perhaps even targeting the prized free agent, Ryan Suter, by way of trade beforehand could be an option. What about Kane for Suter at the draft, with a condition that Suter agrees to a contract with the Blackhawks?
TJ Molland: That video was cheezy, funny, utterly ridiculous and oh did I mention cheezy?
The only issue with chasing a guy like Jackman is you pretty much make that your only move of the summer, unless you are able to shed some salary. I guess if you are in the position they are you don't want any more second rate talent. You want a guy that is going to make an impact, which unfortunately means spending a little bit of money. Money that can be better spent on maybe a more mobile defenseman who can help out with the power play. Someone say like a Pavel Kubina, or Kurtis Foster? Addresses your needs way better than Jackman does.
Did you know the Blackhawks finished in the bottom 5 in both PP (26th) and PK (27th)? Penalty kill has been an issue for a couple years now but the power play was 4th best in the league just a year before!
As for your Suter for Kane trade, I think it could have some traction but it would of course rely on the Hawks actually being able to sign him. No way you move Kane for just the rights. And again cap issues come into play. They will likely need to move another contract (Michael Froliks $2.33 mill would be nice to get off the books) just to sign Suter to the 6+ million he is going to want. Plausible, although a lot of effort.
Bik Nizzar: As much fun was made of the Brian Campbell contract that he signed in Chicago, you could actually see his value for this team since their PP struggled so much, and well Florida’s was so good (7th this year and 30th the year before). I think Nick Leddy will fill into that role eventually, but last year he just wasn’t prepared to deal with it for 82 games and give Duncan Keith a break on the 2nd unit PP or even as a helper on the 1st unit. Leddy’s maturation factors into why you saw Brent Seabrook’s PP Points drop from 20 a year ago, to 4 this past season. He and Leddy were on power play point 12% of the time.
Their secondary scoring is a big problem though. They need a 2nd line center because doing the carousel of Sharp or Kane or Bolland on that 2nd unit didn’t work. Bolland could probably do it if you flank him with Sharp and Kane, but then now you have a weak spot on the top line with Toews-Hossa, because Viktor Stalberg showed he’s not that guy for 82 games. So then you can go Kane-Toews-Sharp on the top line, but you have Hossa-Stalberg-Bolland.... It’s just a miss-mash. They need 1 more guy to really round it out and allow Bolland to play the role he is best at, that 3rd line center with offensive upside. They tried Brendan Morrison on the 2nd line and man alive that did not work. If they want to make a push, and pending where the cap ends up, I’d like to see them actually trade their 1st round pick. They could package it with Hjarlmarsson to make it work with the cap. A Derek Roy type could work well. His contract is up next year for $4 mill, which is $500k more than what Hjarlmarsson makes. Plus if you tack on the 1st they could get something else in return.
TJ Molland: Why would you want to move a young reliable defenseman who has never finished a year on the minus side of the +/- while skating close to 20 minutes a game AND a draft pick for an OK second line center who has broke 70 points only twice in 8 seasons? Derek Roy is not worth Hjalmarsson and a pick. Sure you say they can get something else but why would they want to? It doesn't help cap situation and doesn't address the most pressing need, a better defensive presence. It seems like a backwards step.
I am just going back to my first post and echo what I said there. Find the one or two pieces that you feel you can obtain during the off-season, likely from free agency, that will be upgrades from what you have, and stay the course. And because I don't have much more to add I am just going to fade up your piano music again and pretend I wrote a bunch more....
*stalling piano music**slowly fades to add closure*
Bik Nizzar: Not to go all Cuba Gooding Jr. on you here - TURN OFF THAT MUSIC I'M NOT DONE TALKING
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