And so it begins;

 

Sergei Samsonov has been put on waivers by the Montreal Canadiens.

 

Samsonov is not happy in Montreal and was a healthy scratch on Sunday, further aggravating the situation as he now wants out of Montreal. Samsonov has only seven goals and 22 points in 52 games this season, a far cry from the 75 and 70 point seasons he had in 2000 and 2001. Surprisingly, he has never scored thirty goals in a season, having scored 29 twice. Rumors abound in Montreal, one stating that he and Craig Rivet will go to Chicago for Bryan Smolinski and Adrian Aucoin. We'll keep you informed.

Havlat scored 2 PP goals in the final 3 minutes of regulation, including the game tying goal with 28 seconds left, then scored again in the shootout (along with Hamilton) to help the Hawks steal one in Calgary 3-2.

 

Edited February 7, 200719 yr by IlliniKrush

Bochenski scored in his debut for Boston...too bad he wasn't given a real chance here. IMO

Nice 34-save road shutout for Lalime in his Hawks debut.

3-1 so far on the road trip, not bad at all.

Don't come back home...

Don't come back home...

Ahhh, no one will be there when they get home anyway.....

Wow, what a frantic ending to today's Hawks game.

Hawks hold on to win 5-4, but they needed two key stops by Khabibulin to hold on.

Fun to watch, for sure.

Wow, what a frantic ending to today's Hawks game.

Hawks hold on to win 5-4, but they needed two key stops by Khabibulin to hold on.

Fun to watch, for sure.

They're 4-2 on this road trip now, and it brings Savard's record back up to 15-15-5.

 

And looking at that overall, and with the talent level of the team, I think Savard has done a pretty good job.

 

All this team needs is are some bonafide top 6 forward besides Havlat and Ruutu and for the young D to keep improving.

IF Havlat can stay healthy, the Hawks might FINALLY have a decent team next year IMO. Could use another scorer, but the young defense is really starting to learn (although I wish Bulin weren't so washed up at goalie).

Apparently the cap is going to rise to $46M next season as well.

 

With that in mind, keeping Khabi until the off-season, and then trading him for a package of young players and or picks makes more sense.

 

Right now, we'd have to take a max salary guy or close to in return.

 

I think it's a given Smoke is going to be dealt though. Should be able to get around a 2nd round pick for him, considering Nagy brought in a 1st today from the Stars - Coyotes trade.

Watching the Wings give up 5 goals to the Flyers (by far the worst team in the NHL) in the third period to lose 6-1 is enjoyable.

Watching the Wings give up 5 goals to the Flyers (by far the worst team in the NHL) in the third period to lose 6-1 is enjoyable.

Seeing Detroit give up 6 goals is as rare as the Hawks winning a game with Havlat out of the lineup.

TSN.CA REPORTS THE PHILADELPHIA FLYERS HAVE TRADED FORWARD PETER FORSBERG TO THE NASHVILLE PREDATORS IN EXCHANGE FOR FORWARD SCOTTIE UPSHALL, PROSPECT RYAN PARENT, A FIRST AND THIRD ROUND PICK

TSN.CA REPORTS THE PHILADELPHIA FLYERS HAVE TRADED FORWARD PETER FORSBERG TO THE NASHVILLE PREDATORS IN EXCHANGE FOR FORWARD SCOTTIE UPSHALL, PROSPECT RYAN PARENT, A FIRST AND THIRD ROUND PICK

Interesting.

The "experts" had him going to Detroit. The Wings must not have had (or offered) the right package of players and picks.

Great, stayed away from the Wings. The Preds have 2 solid, solid scoring lines. If Vokoun can stay healthy this year, they are setup to make a Cup run, especially if they can hold off Detroit for the one seed.

Great, stayed away from the Wings. The Preds have 2 solid, solid scoring lines. If Vokoun can stay healthy this year, they are setup to make a Cup run, especially if they can hold off Detroit for the one seed.

This is a big move by Nashville. And risky.

Jonathan Toews likes beer.

Works for me

 

Hawks on csn at home vs the Canucks, starting up right now.

Edited February 17, 200719 yr by IlliniKrush

Works for me

 

Hawks on csn at home vs the Canucks, starting up right now.

They look like they have a little jump in their step early on.

Luongo's made a couple nice stops already.

Had the upper hand in that period. Forecheck was good, puck possession was solid. Now to solve Luongo. That stop on Arkhipov, UGH.

Well, another tough loss.

The Hawks played well, but unfortunately came up short again.

The Hawks past 8 games or so has really given me hope for next season.

 

I think Lalime has showed enough so far to indicate IF Khabibulin was traded that he could handle being a #1 goalie again, but then again he's only been in a couple of games so far.

 

Still I'd like to see Khabi traded for picks, free up cap room, and go after some nice top 6 forwards in FA.

If this team can get Zues signed for next year (and we'll assume he's back to full strength), Toews and Skille up (we'll assume they are ready), and sign 1-2 top 9 forwards (hopefully at least one of them being a top 3 forward), the offense will be good to go for next year. No reason it can't be at least league average, especially with an improved power play.

 

Get rid of Aucoin and Cully (and maybe even Vandy) on the D, perhaps sign one defenseman in the 3-4 range to play with all the youngsters, and you have a defense that will only get better and better with each game.

 

Habby i'm still up in the air about. Lalime still has a ton to prove. I realize Habby is making a ton of money, but what if next year we actually have a playoff team, and then find ourselves without a 'proven' goaltender? I'm not totally opposed to dealing him, it just really matters what we'd get in return. Where as with other guys, i'm fine dealing them for pretty much whatever.

 

Dale still has 10 days til the deadline. He better accomplish something positive going into the offseason, and there's about 5-6 guys you could easily look to try to unload.

If this team can get Zues signed for next year (and we'll assume he's back to full strength), Toews and Skille up (we'll assume they are ready), and sign 1-2 top 9 forwards (hopefully at least one of them being a top 3 forward), the offense will be good to go for next year. No reason it can't be at least league average, especially with an improved power play.

 

Get rid of Aucoin and Cully (and maybe even Vandy) on the D, perhaps sign one defenseman in the 3-4 range to play with all the youngsters, and you have a defense that will only get better and better with each game.

 

Habby i'm still up in the air about. Lalime still has a ton to prove. I realize Habby is making a ton of money, but what if next year we actually have a playoff team, and then find ourselves without a 'proven' goaltender? I'm not totally opposed to dealing him, it just really matters what we'd get in return. Where as with other guys, i'm fine dealing them for pretty much whatever.

 

Dale still has 10 days til the deadline. He better accomplish something positive going into the offseason, and there's about 5-6 guys you could easily look to try to unload.

That's the thing about Khabibulin. It's not worth trading him, unless you get a good offer.

 

The cap is probably going to rise to $46M next season which makes it more feasible to keep him.

 

If you can trade Aucoin, LaPointe and Cullimore that's about $8Mm in salary there, although we'd have to take some back.

 

For Khabi, if we got offered a 1st round pick or 2, to me that's more valuable than getting a Martin St. Louis back. You can always target a good top 6 forward in Free Agency. This team has a good young core and I think we should be adding to that.

Tallon has several guys who have trade value, it's going to be interesting to see if he can get someone to overpay for any of them.