Everything Else

All Lost In The Free Agency Market: Centers

By Sam Fels 1484 0

Even though we’re still wringing out the beer and champagne and tears from our shirts and jerseys, the world of the NHL waits for no one. After Sunday’s draft, the pedal stays to the floor as free agency opens on Friday. Though the Hawks promise to not be big players, or maybe even players at all, that doesn’t mean there aren’t holes to fill. Most likely, Stan will do what he did last summer and wait for the market to bottom out and pick up someone on the cheap, which is how Michal Rozsival ended up here. There are some names that are worth studying for Stan, though.

We’ll start with the men in the middle, as one just went away. It’s obvious that Stan wants to plug Brandon Pirri in there to start next year with as much as he’s mentioned him to the press. Either that, or he’s just bluffing for some purpose yet to be determined. That slots Shaw and Kruger behind him, but the Hawks might be better off getting a veteran to move Shaw to wing to make up for the loss of Michael Frolik. There are some options.

Everything Else

Draft Day Fallout

By Sam Fels 1905 0

Well, Stage 1 of this week’s offseason circus is now in the books. What are we left with?

The big news is obviously the trades of Dave Bolland and Michael Frolik for five picks. Bolland comes as no shock. He’d become to expensive for the role he had, and there are many options as replacements. Frolik was a bit of a surprise, just because it felt like he would have slotted perfectly into Viktor Stalberg’s role on the 3rd line. But again, a $2.2 million 4th liner is not a luxury you can afford for long. Frolik has been an underrated asset, sometimes criminally so, as he’s always driven possession no matter what role he was asked to play. And he’s been asked to play a lot of them in his time here.

Everything Else

Hawks Trade Bolland To Toronto For Three Picks

By Sam Fels 1435 0

In news as shocking as finding out Mondays suck (for those of you with real jobs, at least), Dave Bolland found himself the center of a draft day trade to Toronto. The Hawks received the Leafs 2nd and 4th rounder this year and their 4th rounder next year, essentially recouping what they gave up for Johnny Oduya last year. The second round is where Stan might have done his best work, so getting that is a bonus (Saad, Clendening, Johns).

Bolland gets a chance to play for something of his hometown team, as he’s an Ontario boy. Bolland can also slot in behind Kadri and Grabovski in his comfortable #3 center role, at least until round moron Randy Carlyle inexplicably boxes Grabovski up despite all his plus possession numbers.

Everything Else

Cleaning Up

By Sam Fels 1632 0

Thank god I don’t have to come up with any more band quotes. At least for like, a minute.

Anyway, first a couple announcements:

-First, there will be a Commemorative issue of the Indian. It’ll be out next week, and like in 2010 there will be a digital version and I will be printing and mailing out hard copies as well. Details on how to get them will come out when it’s finished somewhere next week. So look for that. If you signed up for a season long subscription you’ll get a free digital copy, but if you want the hard copy mailed to you I think it’ll be $5. So keep your eyes peeled.

-Second, the Indian will go year round just like it did last year. So digital subscriptions for the ’13-’14 season will open up soon, just not exactly sure when. Maybe around free agency day? I’ll probably combine the draft and free agency summer issues, we’ll have our Convention issue, our Bears Preview at the end of August, and one more in August that could be just about anything (Lollapalooza preview/review? I really have no idea). Again, keep an eye on this space.