With the Summer Doldrums officially in full effect thanks in no small part to the League taking its sweet ass time to announce an agreement for Olympic participation in Sochi this coming February, and as a result its own regular season schedule, it’s time to take a spin into a couple matters beyond the Blackhawks.
But one local matter needs to be addressed first.
With Ray Emery’s understandable departure for a shot at the starting gig in Philadelphia and Carter Hutton signing with the Preds, that left a void that Stan Bowman would have to fill outside the organization in the form of a backup goalie. Antii Raanta and Mac Carruth both appear to have bright futures ahead of them, but need work in the North American-slash-Pro game respectively. Simply put, the Hawks needed a backup for Corey Crawford, who himself is entering a contract year.
I don’t think anyone thought it was going to mean the return of Nikolai Khabibulin.
Here’s where the Hawks will probably dabble the least.
With Viktor Stalberg’s inevitable departure and the trade of Michael Frolik, it seems as though many long-marinating Pigs such as Ben Smith, Jeremy Morin, and Jimmy Hayes will get their shot at being full-time NHLers this season. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t some intriguing options out there, provided they’re willing to hop on board the Good Ship Blackhawk for cheap
Watch it at CSNChicago.com.
So bets on who’s the most drunk? Whose name gets mispronounced by a civic dignitary? Which player absolutely tanks his speech at the podium? The Kris Versteeg Ill Flowz Award?
To the surprise of exactly no one with a functioning brain, it’s been announced today that Stan Bowman will use the Hawks’ two “Compliance Buyouts” on Steve Montador and Rusty Olesz.
Bowman: Steve Montador and Rostislav Olesz will be bought out if not claimed on waivers. #Blackhawks
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) June 27, 2013
This will free up some much needed cap room, and these two players were the two obvious choices. But Bowman can’t and won’t stop there.
Sail up into the night sky until our worlds collide. Tonight we feel alive. Stand up where I can see you, no reason left to hide. Tonight we feel alive.
Will your legs fail you, when you stand too straight and tall? ‘Cause in a world gone mad, the taller you are, the harder you fall.
The face of another day, searching of the voice of a better way. They say that it’s a bad time of year to be up in arms, so we’re pushing on ’cause we know in our hearts it’s the only way to stay afloat with the sharks at bay. Avoid being a casualty of the circumstances, and second chances are shredded day by day
