Some would say Hammer is overpaid but there is cost certainty. Plus he could play top three on quite a few teams.

My source on the core players had it exactly…Those were the players that were not going to be traded last summer and were also among the more expensive contracts.

Campbell wasn’t on the list nor was anyone else that was dealt after June 22. Not even Ladd…or Niemi.

Yu can stretch the core out to include Crawford too…

I will wait to hear something different this summer before I change from the original seven.

In my opinion the probability of Hammer being here in October is about 35%. No whispers, my take only.

Once an offer sheet is matched the player can’t be traded for one year.

Bolland, Hossa, Kane, Keith, Seabrook, Sharp and Toews…

I wrote an article called 7 Untouchables….it’s in the archives.

http://hockeyindependent.com/blog/al-cimaglia/18110/

From June 22….Take a minute and read it…That was then and we will see what happens this summer.

Buff already signed a long term contract for big dollars.

Bogosian needs to get a raise too..Evander Kane will need a new deal after next season too.

Ladd could be looking for over $3 mill..He probably could get a 3 or 4 year offer sheet for at least $3 mill per….maybe $3.5.

My guess is they have to trade away one of the two or cut salary somewhere else.

I didn’t say they would want to trade Ladd….But most likely they won’t pay both…My guess.

Q tries to spread the talent over the top 3 lines, but as soon as the Hawks stop scoring he loads the top 2 again and that makes the team much easier to defend.

The fact is that they are just not that deep, but they do have the talent to win at any given time. When they want to or need to or whatever the case is, they have exploded on teams before. Last Friday against the Scum, they were everywhere on the ice. I don’t ever recall a game even last year when the Hawks’ sticks were as active as they were in that game and it paid off with big turnovers. Again in the 2nd against the Sharks, they began hounding them and forced bad plays. If they want to win, they need to bring that intensity to every game.

If they can play with the intensity that they have brought to just a handful of games this year, I have no doubt that they can beat any team in the playoffs. However, all they seem to do is show glimpses of the team that they can be!

Hossa doesn’t need a prolific scoring center…He must get the puck and get it back again.

A big, lefty center and a winger that can work the walls are needed.

I like Bolland as the #3.

He should be the pivot on a shut down line which would play a lot of minutes.

Getting Ladd back might not be so far fetched.

If he doesn’t sign by June 1 my guess is he will hope an offer sheet is coming.

Without another trade I’m not convinced the Thrashers can resign him and Bogosian.

With that, throw some names at me.

Me? I think I’d go for the former and try to reacquire someone like Sammy Phalsson to be the #3. From there, I have a dream that the Hawks reacquire Ladd and plant him as your #2 LW on a line with Bolland and Hossa and terrorize the shit out of everyone else in the WC.

I’ve been a huge Hossa supporter – liked Havlat also but I think there was always a question of him seriously reinjuring the shoulder.

The one line that really made me think was your comparison to Datsyuk. Not many players are in that category, but when you make as much as Hossa, you should be in the neighborhood.

If the hawks are going to have a chance in this playoff he’ll need to dominate. He definitely needs to get on the scoresheet.

Shruew is correct.

Being a Black Ace is more of an honor than anything else almost all of the time.

They called up the vets who had previous NHL experience on one day….Dmen.. Of which Cully is probably the only one to have a chance to play.

As far as Beach….You can read between the lines.

A couple of years ago he was called up as an Ace and then sent home. Word I got was he and Aliu had a little friendly dust up at the hotel….Aliu was sent packing also.

The benefit to being called up is the young guys get a feel for the experience. They get to travel, skate and be around the big club.

You never know what could happen by next spring and just being in the mix has some benefits.

Last year at the Final I sat near Crawford and Dowell and now they are a big part of the team….

None of these call ups are really expected to play.

Some times it’s just a reward for a good season in the AHL to get a taste of NHL life.

Also it was immediately brought up on TV that Frolik could be the center for Hossa….Only Edzo commented that he was a better wing.

To me the deal appeared obvious…Hawks had wings and needed a center…

The lesson learned is it is wrong to assume…and believe what you see.

They are trying Frolik but he shouldn’t be a goat…He hardly played center before coming here.

..still we agree on the inexperience