He said that if there was a wallpaper. I'm working on a header.

Hey, whatever works

Hey, whatever works

 

Actually, now that I read the post again, I thought he wanted a header for TalkBHawks. Looks like he meant a wallpaper.

 

I'll see if I can do a wallpaper as well.

OK.

 

I made a new header for TalkBHawks. EDIT: The header is now up. Any problems let me know.

 

As for a wallpaper, I found a few nice photos of Kane. However, images of Toews are not as easy to come by. So, if anyone has any decent size images let me know.

This is probably the best action shot of Toews, although I don't know if it qualifies as full size.

 

This is probably the best action shot of Toews, although I don't know if it qualifies as full size.

 

 

That's not bad.

 

Sometime in the next week I'll make some sort of wallpaper.

This is probably the best action shot of Toews, although I don't know if it qualifies as full size.

 

LOL, which one of the THREE shootout goals is that one?

Checkin in on my hockey people. Since i last posted, the Chicago Hounds have indeed folded, a Stanley Cup was won and a s*** ton of trades are happening. Hopefully Kane can live up to the hype. His size is of some concern but if he made it through the OHL, I think he should be OK. Just one more reason why David Koci deserves the body guard position all of next year.

Patrick Kane and Denis Savard just sang the 7th inning stretch at Wrigley, kinda cool. They were way too fast, however.

 

Kane had a real nice interview. I like everything the kid has said thus far.

http://blackhawks.nhl.com/team/app/?servic...rticleid=323212

 

Prospect camp details -- Kane, Toews, Skille and Barker will all be there, very neat. Krush, I'll be taking off that Monday to head to Bensonville, and I'll be open for one other day (the 3rd through the 6th), not sure which yet.

 

Can't wait...

http://www.hockeyfights.com/fights/32371

 

http://www.hockeyfights.com/fights/32268

 

I thought I'd post Koci's two best fights from last season in honor of the 'Hawks resigning him yesterday. I don't know if he's a true heavyweight, but he's willing to go at it with just about anybody, and damn can this guy take a punch (and throw one, too). I hope he makes the 'Hawks roster as the 13th forward -- they're going to need somebody to protect Toews, Havlat, Samsonov and Kane this year, and I don't think it's necessarily smart to throw money at 'enforcers' on the market.

I like the Koci signing. We need someone to enforce out there, even if not dressed every game. He just needs to learn when to fight, more or less.

 

I'm going to try to make prospects camp Monday and maybe one of Thu/Fri perhaps. Let me know which other day you get off.

Unrestricted free agents can be signed starting at 11:00 am today.

 

Latest on Handzus, Sassone says could be a Hawk before he becomes a UFA (6/30 article).

 

http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/story.asp?id=327604

 

I expect at least one "2nd tier" center and one pretty decent defenseman. We'll see what happens, but I don't see us even getting close on Drury, Briere, Gomez. That really shouldn't be Dale's focus anyway.

 

Let's see what the next 2-3 days bring us.

I expect at least one "2nd tier" center and one pretty decent defenseman. We'll see what happens, but I don't see us even getting close on Drury, Briere, Gomez. That really shouldn't be Dale's focus anyway.

 

I wonder if the Hawks are, in fact, going to go after a defenseman. Do they really need one? Seabrook, Keith, Barker and Zyuzin are (in my mind) locks to make the team, so long as the latter two don't have absolutely atrocious training camps. You then have Wisniewski, Vandermeer and Johansson for the last three spots with Richmond and Byfuglian behind those two. I think we both agree that Wisniewski, provided he's 100% recovered from his injury, deserves a spot on the defense, but I'd be fine with Vandy and Johansson as the back two.

 

My prediction is the Hawks landing one top six forward. Because they need a "top line" center, I'll say they land either Handzus or Lang.

 

Samsonov - Lang/Zus - Havlat

Ruutu - Toews - Kane

Williams - Sharp - Vrbata

Lapointe - Burish? - Borque

Koci

 

This is obviously subject to change, and I don't think Borque is at all guaranteed a spot next year, but I'd guess that's pretty close...

There's some crazy money being thrown around so far in free agency. It's reminding me of this past baseball offseason, where average players were getting big bucks and the "stars" (using that term very loosely to describe Soriano, Lee and Zito) were getting waaay too much money. So basically I don't want the Hawks to go after Gomez, Briere or Drury -- these guys are going to get upwards of five years at $7-8 million per, and the Hawks need to be able to lock up their own before they handcuff themselves with another huge contract. Marty Havlat is only signed for two more seasons -- he's priority one, followed shortly thereafter by Ruutu, Seabrook and Keith.

 

So basically my top three priorities are...

 

1.) Michael Nylander - 83 points (57 of them assists) playing with Jagr last season. He'd make a great center for Havlat. I've heard he still owns a home in Chicago, so I'd offer him an inflated two year deal -- say two years, $12 million.

 

2.) Michael Handzus - obviously the injury risk is there, so I wouldn't want the Hawks to go beyond three years.

 

3.) Robert Lang - declining player on the downside of his career, but I think he would come cheap. He had 52 points last year (don't know who he played with, though -- Critic?).

Briere to Philly 8/$52

Rafalski to Detroit is a done deal, and Scotty Gomez might be a Ranger. I hope Gomez signs with NYR, that'll mean Nylander is not going back there.

per tsn:

 

Yanic Perreault agrees to terms with the Chicago Blackhawks on a one-year, $1.5 million contract.

per tsn:

 

Yanic Perreault agrees to terms with the Chicago Blackhawks on a one-year, $1.5 million contract.

 

He's a good faceoff man, but not the top six center the Hawks need. I can live with him on the third line.

Interesting. I wonder if Nylander is still an option? I mean, is it a lock Williams makes the club?

Should be. There's plenty of fat to trim before you get rid of Williams.

I would love to add Nylander. He would be a much better acquisition than Handzus at 4 mil.

He's a good faceoff man, but not the top six center the Hawks need. I can live with him on the third line.

This better not be Dale saying "here's your #1 center," there has to be something else coming.

 

If so, it screams Arkhipov all over again - he talked him up mightily when signed, but he was nowhere near Dale's expectations.

This better not be Dale saying "here's your #1 center," there has to be something else coming.

 

If so, it screams Arkhipov all over again - he talked him up mightily when signed, but he was nowhere near Dale's expectations.

 

Tallon is in a bit of a tough spot. Most of these guys are getting (or will get) more money and years than they're worth. The years is actually more important than the money -- I could live with the Hawks overpaying for a guy for two years (maybe even three), but when other teams start tossing around 4-5 year deals, what's Dale to do?

 

That's why the Zus thing could blow up. He's 30 years old and is coming off of a major injury and surgery -- if you sign him for four years and he ends up going all Adrian Aucoin on you, the Hawks are again in a tough spot.

 

Anything for three years or less I'll generally be happy with, but if it turns out that these pretty-good-but-not-great players are getting more years and money than that, the Hawks might be better off taking it on the chin again and just play Toews on the first line.

Can't find anything official online yet, but SC just reported Gomez will be a Ranger.

I sure hope DT isn't going to sell us that Yanic Perreault is our "Big" FA centerman...I mean he is a nice #3 type. I also hope he goes for Nylander. I always liked him and wanted him back in Chicago.

Tallon is in a bit of a tough spot. Most of these guys are getting (or will get) more money and years than they're worth. The years is actually more important than the money -- I could live with the Hawks overpaying for a guy for two years (maybe even three), but when other teams start tossing around 4-5 year deals, what's Dale to do?

 

That's why the Zus thing could blow up. He's 30 years old and is coming off of a major injury and surgery -- if you sign him for four years and he ends up going all Adrian Aucoin on you, the Hawks are again in a tough spot.

 

Anything for three years or less I'll generally be happy with, but if it turns out that these pretty-good-but-not-great players are getting more years and money than that, the Hawks might be better off taking it on the chin again and just play Toews on the first line.

I agree with you Keith. And I like this signing - one year only, and it's only 1.5. That's not much at all for someone who will contribute in spots this year.

 

I'd just like to have a #1 or close to #1 center so YP or worse yet Toews has to be thrown up there. That wouldn't be good for his development IMO.

 

And if Dale doesn't like what's in the FA market, he's going to have to get something done via trade - and again like you said, trade for some sort of decent contract.

 

I still hope Nylander is on Tallon's radar in the FA pool, for one.

Edited July 1, 200718 yr by IlliniKrush