Everything Else

Evaluating Stan’s Summer

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This is yet another post we’ll probably have to revisit when the summer moves are complete, because some ballast still has to dumped before anyone calls this complete. But it’s not so easy to evaluate Stan Bowman’s performance this summer because there’s a ton of emotion packed up in every move. And seeing as how I’ve been accused as driving most of the noise, it’s probably up to me to try and suss it all out.

At the top, no I don’t think this has been Stan’s best work, but it’s probably better than most think and it’s certainly not a complete failure. Let’s see why.

Everything Else

Beneath The Trees Where Nobody Sees Stan Will Have His Picnic

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Never let it be said that the Hawks aren’t completely aware of how to manipulate reaction to stuff like this, because I don’t think it’s any coincidence that they dumped the news of Patrick Sharp and Stephen Johns getting dealt to Dallas (where Johns can pound on all their forwards for the next decade five times a year) for Ryan Garbutt and Trevor Daley. Nice try Stan, but we’re always watching.

There’s so many factors in this I’m not sure where to start, so I’ll go player by player. We knew Sharp was likely to go, even after Saad had to be tossed overboard because the math didn’t work with both Sharp and Oduya. No one expected a great return on Sharp, but I can’t help but think Stan Bowman overplayed his hand a bit here. While we won’t ever know what exactly was on offer before and at the draft, we know that there were discussions with several teams while Stan reportedly chased a 1st and a prospect. What he ended up with was an aging, one-way d-man (and not the right way) and a middle aged 4th liner, and he had to toss in Stephen Johns for the privilege of that. Would a 2nd and a 3rd round pick really have been any worse?

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The Fallout

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It’s rare that the Hawks do something so large that we need a full day to clear out all the feelings and stories from it. But here we are with Brandon Saad’s trade to Columbus.

A day later, I think it tells us a lot when Stan Bowman comes out and says that they weren’t even close in negotiations. Because look at Bowman’s record on this sort of thing: Kruger (possibly twice), Hjalmarsson, Oduya, and even Sharp and Seabrook for what they are have all signed deals probably below market value to stay in Chicago (you could argue Kane and Toews as well, if you really want). When Stan wants to get this done, if it’s in any way possible it almost always gets done. When he tells you they were miles apart, they were probably miles apart.

Everything Else

Where The Cup Should Go, Saad, Other Thingies

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A couple randoms while we wait for the draft to begin and the real movement to start.

-On Twitter this week, I’ve seen repeated calls for the Cup to be at Pride Parade again, as it was after the 2010 victory, brought by Brent Sopel and his family. I totally agree with this, of course, it would be a lovely gesture. I’ve also seen people just begging for the Hawks to bring it to any bar south of Roosevelt, and I get that as well. I think there’s a difference between where the players bring it on their nights out and where the organization has like, official visits or whatever. It would be great if the players brought it down to Beverly (I think I can think of one particular family that would be excited by that) or Bridgeport. But when they’re on their nights out and just looking to get drunk and party, it’s up to them what they want to do with it.

But you know what I really would have liked to see in the days after the victory? Rocky and McD bringing the Cup to one of our more blighted neighborhoods, like Englewood or Garfield Park (given its proximity to the UC and all). There’s a few reasons for this.

Everything Else

Actually, Scratch That, Pack Up The Cats

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Somewhere, whoever actually runs the Hawks front office should crack open a beer or make a strong drink and breathe a sigh of relief that Patrick Kane’s surgery provides cover today that the Hawks once again missed out on a trade target that would have solved a lot of their problems. And they can sit back and watch as the Kings usurp the era that the Hawks have basically acted that they were entitled to.

It’s a story we’ve had to rehash far too many times the past two years. It’s after the parade, a time when perhaps you have to have the most amount of focus to see through the glow and what must be done. Everything looks a little glossier than it actually is and it’s easy to make a mistake, the ripples of which will be problems for years.

Everything Else

Morin, 24/7, And Any Other Notes I Can Think Of

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Just a couple things to seal up on this off day.

-Chris Block from TheThirdManIn.com provided our publication with a pretty pristine piece of work (totally did that on purpose) about Jeremy Morin’s career in Chicago, why it came to an end, and where the Hawks go from here as far as their organization. He hasn’t posted it to his site yet and when he does I’ll link it. But I’ll pull some things from the article now. And you should be reading Block there or follow him on Twitter @ChrisBlock.

Everything Else

Bed A Little Lumpy, Stan?

By 1675 0

Because you’re lying in it now, aren’t you?

At the top of this, let’s lay out a positive scenario that’s more than possible. The Hawks are able to get another brilliant season out of both Hjalmarsson and Oduya, allowing Keith and Seabrook to take on easier assignments. After a couple rocky weeks or even months, the third pairing evens out through some combination of Klas Dahlbeck, Rozsival, TVR, Clendening, Rundblad, or even Johns with the easy zone starts and softball competition. Brad Richards goes back to playing the point on the second unit, something he’s done his whole career, and a reinvigorated Kris Versteeg is able to knock out some of the loss of Nick Leddy on that unit. Notice I didn’t write Kyle Cumiskey’s name, because he’s fucking terrible and an utter disaster waiting to happen. And you thought Leddy’s defensive work was bad. All of this could easily happen, and the trade of Nick Leddy today will become something of an afterthought, especially if Johns is able to nail down a spot on the second pairing next season.

Everything Else

Once More Unto The Breach – The Committed Indian’s Season Preview: Our GM Occasionally Huffs Paint

By 1010 0

There’s been a lot of words both written and spoken about the Hawks cap crunch, and yet there hasn’t been a lot of focus as to how we got here as once again a member of the Hawks’ brass escapes any scrutiny from the main press. That’s ok, gives me something to do!

That said, I am a Stan Bowman fan. But since the parade of 2013… well, let’s just say that Stan hasn’t done his best work.

Everything Else

Once More Unto The Breach – The Committed Indian's Season Preview: Our GM Occasionally Huffs Paint

By 1356 0

There’s been a lot of words both written and spoken about the Hawks cap crunch, and yet there hasn’t been a lot of focus as to how we got here as once again a member of the Hawks’ brass escapes any scrutiny from the main press. That’s ok, gives me something to do!

That said, I am a Stan Bowman fan. But since the parade of 2013… well, let’s just say that Stan hasn’t done his best work.

Everything Else

Runs Like Hayes

By 1362 0

Not that it’s Earth-shattering news, but friend of the program (and probably soon to be re-assigned for doing so) Scott Powers of ESPN Chicago is reporting that Kevin Hayes won’t sign with the Hawks before the August 15th deadline and will hit the open market. Most everyone has known this would be the case since about April when Hayes’s college career at Boston College ended. The Hawks have tried everything they can offer-wise, shrinking the term on his entry-level so he can get to restricted free agency quicker. Some have speculated it’s an ill-feeling after the trade of his brother Jimmy. The more likely one speculated is that Hayes doesn’t see himself cracking the lineup in Chicago immediately, or at least not the top six where he might have to play.