Can Chicago repeat with all these moves?

DennisGreen · 07-01-10, 03:21 PM

I think they will still be a powerhouse with slightly less depth. They still have their top 3 forwards and their solid D is still intact. They will definitely miss the secondary support of Versteeg and Byfuglien though.

nj6 · 07-01-10, 03:37 PM

They didn't lose any olympians.

JW Cash · 07-01-10, 05:17 PM

Cant believe they got rid of Big Buff

sharpmoney · 07-01-10, 05:56 PM

I don't think they will repeat next year. They got rid of some good players. Vancouver got a bit better today.

OTL · 07-01-10, 06:35 PM

The important thing is they didn't lose any of the core players, and that they have the farm stocked with a rich assortment of talent that is primed and ready to take the places of Buff, Steeg, and the others. Guys like Bickell, Dowell, and Skille are very good players that would have been full-time active players on any other NHL team for a few years now. The top two lines will remain unchanged, as well as the defensive core. The team should still be the favourite to win the Cup next year.

clarkj2 · 07-01-10, 10:03 PM

I like their chances but there will be a lot of competitive teams in the west next year

rickie65 · 07-02-10, 11:37 AM

it'll be tougher next year but they still have a solid team talentwise. I'm more concerned about the personality and physicality of the team changing with Burish, Buff, Eager, Ladd, etc all gone. And can Niemi be solid again since goalies seem to come and go.

jollyoscars · 07-02-10, 02:27 PM

itll be extremely tough to repeat but hopefully the players will be as hungry this season as they were last

OTL · 07-03-10, 10:44 PM

Last week's news, but Andrew Ladd got shipped off to Atlanta for Vishnevsky and Atlanta's 2nd round pick for 2011. Reportedly they have signed the RFA Ladd to a $3 million dollar salary...

Hopefully Atlanta finishes near the bottom of the East so the Hawks can grab a good impact player in the draft. Chicago may just have the youngest team in the league next season.

lakerboy · 07-03-10, 11:34 PM

Originally posted by OTL

The important thing is they didn't lose any of the core players, and that they have the farm stocked with a rich assortment of talent that is primed and ready to take the places of Buff, Steeg, and the others. Guys like Bickell, Dowell, and Skille are very good players that would have been full-time active players on any other NHL team for a few years now. The top two lines will remain unchanged, as well as the defensive core. The team should still be the favourite to win the Cup next year.

Teams with shitty goalies dont repeat.

snipeshow23 · 07-04-10, 12:40 AM

chicago is in serious trouble with the cap for the next few years... they definitely will not be the favorites to win the cup next year. they have 6.4 million in cap space for the upcoming year and need to sign, a goalie, 2 D, and 4 F and that only puts them at 20 players. they are in trouble.

Eleven · 07-04-10, 02:33 AM

In this salary cap age its tough to repeat period.

Donkwin47 · 07-04-10, 02:35 AM

We'll always be contenders as long as we have Kane and Toews..

OTL · 07-04-10, 03:07 AM

Originally posted by snipeshow23

chicago is in serious trouble with the cap for the next few years... they definitely will not be the favorites to win the cup next year. they have 6.4 million in cap space for the upcoming year and need to sign, a goalie, 2 D, and 4 F and that only puts them at 20 players. they are in trouble.

They only need to re-sign Niemi, Hjalmarsson, and (optionally) Skille at this point. All the other pieces are in place. And they will have a ton of cap space in 2011 when it's time to lock Seabrook and Brouwer up. People seem to forget that Huet's contract will be buried in the minors soon and the 4 million in bonuses Toews and Kane earned only count against next season's cap.

Expect the new roster to look something like this:

Kane/Toews/Brouwer
Hossa/Sharp/Kopecky
Stalberg/Bolland/Bickell
Reasoner/Dowell/Skille

Keith/Seabrook
Campbell/Hjalmarsson
Scott/Lalonde

Niemi/Crawford

Comes in under the cap and is still a very strong lineup. I can't wait to see what these young guys can do with a full season in the bigs.

rickie65 · 07-04-10, 09:21 AM

Originally posted by OTL

Expect the new roster to look something like this:

Kane/Toews/Brouwer
Hossa/Sharp/Kopecky
Stalberg/Bolland/Bickell
Reasoner/Dowell/Skille

Keith/Seabrook
Campbell/Hjalmarsson
Scott/Lalonde

Niemi/Crawford

Comes in under the cap and is still a very strong lineup. I can't wait to see what these young guys can do with a full season in the bigs.

don't know enough about that 4th line but the top 3 is very solid. top 4 D is still solid too plus add vishnevski to the list. Hawks will be strong and if G is an issue there's still enough young talent that G can be addressed at trade deadline. As of now tho I think VAN is most improved and we'll see them in the playoffs again but this time without buff. Advantage Van.

jollyoscars · 07-04-10, 01:04 PM

Originally posted by OTL

They only need to re-sign Niemi, Hjalmarsson, and (optionally) Skille at this point. All the other pieces are in place. And they will have a ton of cap space in 2011 when it's time to lock Seabrook and Brouwer up. People seem to forget that Huet's contract will be buried in the minors soon and the 4 million in bonuses Toews and Kane earned only count against next season's cap. Expect the new roster to look something like this: Kane/Toews/Brouwer Hossa/Sharp/Kopecky Stalberg/Bolland/Bickell Reasoner/Dowell/Skille Keith/Seabrook Campbell/Hjalmarsson Scott/Lalonde Niemi/Crawford Comes in under the cap and is still a very strong lineup. I can't wait to see what these young guys can do with a full season in the bigs.

switch bickell and brouwer's spots and sub vishnevski for lalonde and i think you have the lineup about right. still a very very strong team, just a lot more question marks

FrozenMAN · 07-04-10, 01:19 PM

i think so, only big question for me is the Versteeg deal and the departure of Ladd

sjm5122 · 07-04-10, 02:14 PM

They are dumping too much IMO.

Marauders · 07-05-10, 12:14 AM

Still going to be a strong team but with so many guys gone, you have to wonder if the chemistry in the room is going to be greatly affected.

newguy · 07-28-10, 12:40 PM

They made the moves they had to make - it will be fun to see. They started out the season real strong and almost played themselves out of the playoffs for about a month - so if they can figure it out again - could be interesting

Gokhan · 07-29-10, 05:08 AM

Originally posted by clarkj2

I like their chances but there will be a lot of competitive teams in the west next year

agreed

Types · 08-03-10, 09:33 AM

not with turco or crawford in net

KACK · 08-03-10, 11:34 AM

agree... I don't think they repeat with Turko

spartiatis · 08-03-10, 10:35 PM

Can't see it happening, especially with Buf gone - he was the big difference in the Vancouver series.

JW Cash · 08-04-10, 01:18 AM

Originally posted by KACK

I think they take a step back next year... What do you guys think?

nobody repeats in stanley cup hockey anymore....you know that right..?

dooman14 · 08-04-10, 06:06 AM

they got the top line and top d men but its the 3rd and 4th liners that win in playoffs

OTL · 08-05-10, 04:52 PM

So much for this new era Hawks organization not holding any grudges... Stan Bow clearly turned his back on Niemi because he was pissed off at him taking the team to arbitration. Salary cap issues had nothing to do with this latest move.

Bigpete2010 · 08-06-10, 01:17 PM

Thats what im talkin bout!!!

diamond · 08-07-10, 11:32 AM

repeat seems not likely at all..

jollyoscars · 08-07-10, 02:15 PM

people need to realize niemi isnt that good of a goaltender. the hawks are built around the nhl's best defense and a great group of 2-way forwards. we don't need a great goaltender to win. turco will be fine!

whiteout2713 · 08-08-10, 12:11 PM

they still have their core defense which should make up for a turco on the downside of his career but there offense might not be able to steal games for them due to them cleaning house on the offensive side of the puck

OTL · 08-08-10, 02:20 PM

Originally posted by whiteout2713

they still have their core defense which should make up for a turco on the downside of his career but there offense might not be able to steal games for them due to them cleaning house on the offensive side of the puck

They didn't clean house offensively. Their top 2 lines are untouched, and they still have Bolland on the 3rd line. Stalberg, Beach, Skille, Dowell, and Bickell should be able to replace the offensive production of the players they replaced. How these newcomers fair defensively remains to be seen, but these guys have a lot of potential upside.

k13 · 08-09-10, 07:40 AM

No way, they never should have won in the first place.

trade88 · 09-03-10, 03:22 AM

Originally posted by k13

No way, they never should have won in the first place.

Because the Caps are better on EA Sports? Can I book you on pucks?