In true John McDonough fashion, the Hawks Convention will start with a piece of news, which is something the Cubs have loved to do in years past. While it hasn’t been officially confirmed, everyone is pretty sure that it’s to announce a contract extension for Joel Quenneville.
On the surface, it makes sense. A second Cup after one of the most dominating regular seasons on record. That usually earns coaches more security and cash. Can’t argue that.
But….well, I’ll just let Eddie say it:
Over the weekend, the Hawks pretty much wrapped up their offseason activities by re-signing Marcus Kruger for two years at $1.3m per. It’s another bridge contract, just like Nick Leddy received, however neither one takes Leddy or Kruger to unrestricted free agency. They’ll both be restricted in the summer of 2015, which is shaping up to be quite the eventful summer (though expect Toews and Kane to be locked up way before then anyway).
About the only thing left on Stan’s to-do list is perhaps a two-way deal for Drew LeBlahBlah, but that’s not a guarantee either. Seeing as how the Hawks chased Bob Loblaw for a couple seasons, I’d fully expect them to bring him back and stick him in Rockford as Pirri insurance.
So how did Stan do and where do the Hawks stand?
Over the weekend, the Hawks pretty much wrapped up their offseason activities by re-signing Marcus Kruger for two years at $1.3m per. It’s another bridge contract, just like Nick Leddy received, however neither one takes Leddy or Kruger to unrestricted free agency. They’ll both be restricted in the summer of 2015, which is shaping up to be quite the eventful summer (though expect Toews and Kane to be locked up way before then anyway).
About the only thing left on Stan’s to-do list is perhaps a two-way deal for Drew LeBlahBlah, but that’s not a guarantee either. Seeing as how the Hawks chased Bob Loblaw for a couple seasons, I’d fully expect them to bring him back and stick him in Rockford as Pirri insurance.
So how did Stan do and where do the Hawks stand?
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.
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.
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.
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.
Nice little break today from the playoffs with some other news happening. So let’s look at it.
The Hawks today signed Antti Raanta, the MVP of the Finnish Elite League season and playoffs. Raanta was pursued by a lot of NHL teams, with Minnesota, Edmonton, and Columbus mentioned as the hottest after him.
Raanta’s numbers this year in Finland are pretty eye-popping. He has a .943 save-percentage in the regular season, and .955 in the playoffs. His goals-against was 1.85 in the season and then a ridiculous 1.33 in the playoffs. Raanta then backstopped Finland in the World Championships, and he was excellent there as well with a save-percentage .928.
Last night at the UC: Trib The Bright One Suburbia They Read Down There?
Hawks upgrade at 4th line center: SI
He’s been what for how long now: The paper from closest to the sun
Stan may stand: ESPN or CSN (auto play)
JayBo to STL, so now another reason to hope they miss the playoffs: TSN
Buffalo is having a fire sale: PD
This is who my team plays in the playoffs, so I should have both sets of fans listening: CBS
On Sunday, when the news first broke that Jarome Iginla was definitely, for the first time and a good year or two after he probably should have been, on the block and the Hawks were on a shortlist, I think a lot of us got a bit carried away. I know I did. It seemed like the Hawks had a real shot at making a big splash, which they haven’t been able to do in a few years due to cap constraints or not having the assets to pull it off.
In the end, we all knew that Iginla was a much wonkier fit here than he was in Pittsburgh or Boston. Those teams have openings on the right wing in the top six. Here, either Kane or Iggy would have had to shift to the left side (though I think it would have worked fine for Iginla, as he’s a right handed shot which would have made him more open to shooting opportunities that Kane or Toews would have fed him by the bathtub-full). Sharp would have had to move to center, and we all know that will never, ever happen (not until the playoffs, which it has the past three seasons). The Hawks are more interested in a center.
