Comments on: Kane, Keith and Toews to Sign on Thursday…And Two Possible Scenarios

By: Al Cimaglia

Al Cimaglia — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 15:01:25 +0000

Thanks a lot Dave….

More later.

By: Dave Morris

Dave Morris — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 14:07:43 +0000

Al, Shruew brings up a good point in that there is so much confusion among the media and the fanbase about what teams can or can’t do regarding the salary cap, that discussion now centers around opinion and conjecture rather than fact.

TSN’s Pierre McGuire steadfastly maintained there was no way the Hawks would be able to keep Toews, Kane and Keith. The same network’s Bob McKenzie and Darren Dreger hammered into the ground, the notion that the Hawks HAD to make a trade to free up ‘tagging room’–though neither actually knew how tagging room is defined.

Some clarity and accuracy regarding these issues, especially from these highly paid, high profile so-called ‘hockey experts’ is the least we expect…instead we get bluster and gossip.

In this light, the reasoned and diligent work you do becomes infinitely valuable to those discerning hockey fans who simply want to know what’s going on.

Thanks to you for all you do.

And thanks also to TKON for joining us here.

Al, looking forward to your further thoughts on how the Blackhawks may shape the team going forward. With a number of very talented prospects like Beach, Aliu, Olsen and Lalonde, just to name a few, the future looks as exciting as the present.

Cheers.

By: Al cimaglia

Al cimaglia — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 04:23:22 +0000

Hawks are different, at least for now.

Last season the Flames dressed only 15 skaters instead of 18….
and two goalies.

They couldn’t play with a 20 man roster cuz of injuries and no cap space to call up replacements.

Bettman turned his back last season and they got away with playing that way down the stretch.

They brought the same issue up on the Hot Stove League last week.

By: shruew

shruew — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 23:49:45 +0000

Back on topic…
Last season, Al, you argued that Calgary was going against the intent, though not the letter, of the CBA by not fielding a 23 person roster to get around cap issues during the stretch run.
The Hawks have been, and probably will for the rest of the season, doing the same thing. Same criticism?

By: Al Cimaglia

Al Cimaglia — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 18:05:22 +0000

I was JJ befor JJ.

I was the first HB Hawks blogger ….welcome aboard and tell ur friends.

I am often on HB reading and sometimes chatting as well.

By: Al Cimaglia

Al Cimaglia — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 18:03:14 +0000

whew….thanks for the explanation.

Now do what I do at times when faced with a situation I can’t figure out.

A Double Crown Royal and Diet Coke works well…and in this case it also ties in as you would be supporting the Wirtz family.

By: Tkon

Tkon — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 17:51:18 +0000

Excellent Article!
I am new here and was told of this site by Dave Morris so cudo’s to him. From what I see here there is some excellent writing and some very in depth reply’s. I look forward to more great reading and conversation in the future.

Take care.

Tkon

By: shruew

shruew — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 17:03:15 +0000

I have been told the CBA’s tagging formula also involves a component which takes into consideration current salary cap space.
Part two is clearly false.

My response to your sentence was ambiguous and I found it amusing to challenge the part where you claimed “I have been told.” Which is, of course, an absurd argument and absurdity is at times humorous. The grammatical ambiguity is in my response.
Please tip your waitresses, I’ll be here all week.

By: Al cimaglia

Al cimaglia — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 15:21:07 +0000

Thanks very much.

By: Al cimaglia

Al cimaglia — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 14:30:20 +0000

Not sure about the grammar ….joke
I have been told the CBA’s tagging formula also involves a component which takes into consideration current salary cap space.

That sentence sounds fine…..but this is too complicated and vague for me to debate.

I stand by what I wrote….it could be incorrect and if so I was led down the wrong road…BUT there is a lot more to all of us….we can’t wrap our hands around enough data.

I know you are a cap “geek”…..sooner or later you will be right and I will be wrong, maybe…..lol.

Actually this is not an issue Iwill debate very much….because I am not seeing all the facts.

You can spend the time…let me know what you find but keep in mind, your numbers are probably not the same to start as Bowman and the NHL .

By: shruew

shruew — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 14:00:54 +0000

Welp, there’s that pesky clause (f)(iii) in page 214.
A Club shall only be permitted to sign a Player to an “extension” of the existing SPC in the amount of: (A) The SPC of the Player to be extended (then included in the Club’s Average Club Salary); plus (B) the Club’s Payroll Room in the current year; plus (C) the aggregate Average Amounts of any other SPC or SPCs that expire at the end of such League Year (to extent the Club has other such SPCs which are currently counting in the Club’s Averaged Club Salary); minus any previously Tagged Payroll Room.
So, using capgeek.com’s numbers as the best guesses:

Kane could sign for (A) : $3.7 + (B) $1MM + (C) ~$1.6MM in average expiring contracts including RFA’s and Kane himself.
Bah, anyway, I need more coffee.

By: shruew

shruew — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 13:43:49 +0000

Thanks for the explanation for part 1. Not sure how Ebbett provides credits but it gives me something to look at over lunch. LTR certainly provides credits for this season. Not sure just now if or how that applies to tagging space for new SPCs.
As for point two. You can argue all you want, I just simply don’t believe that anyone told you that. (yes, I’m making a subtle joke based on grammar technicalities).

By: Dave Morris

Dave Morris — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 13:20:39 +0000

Al, excellent point. It may well be that Bowman doesn’t have to make any moves…this season.

His strategy may also be that the better the Hawks do, the more valuable the assets he has when it comes to trades.

By: Al cimaglia

Al cimaglia — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 05:35:33 +0000

Part 1.

From what I have been told losing Ebbett on waivers plus LTI injuries that provide credits.

Part 2

That is exactly what I was told…if you can prove that to be false please do.

Not that we should believe everything that is in the newspaper but that is also pretty much the view given in the Tribune article tonight.

I said from the beginning everyone who states exact numbers etc. is just giving an “educated” guess…..and that might be generous.

From a source close to the situation… gives me reason to believe they might not need to make a trade to announce the deals…..we will see.

I wouldn’t bet they make a trade…actually the trade should have been made before the press conference was announced.

By: shruew

shruew — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 04:33:47 +0000

“For those interested I have a blog posted today in the Huffington Post sports vertical. ”
No comment on the Huffington Post itself, but I will say that you deserve good exposure to your posts. Hope to see you in more places soon.

By: shruew

shruew — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 04:30:52 +0000

“First, the Hawks may have created enough salary cap space because of transactions done this season to announce the signings without trading a player who is under contract for next year. I have been told the CBA’s tagging formula also involves a component which takes into consideration current salary cap space. ”

Part one explain. Part two is clearly false.

By: Al Cimaglia

Al Cimaglia — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 03:36:51 +0000

That could be…but I would think they could trade him.

I will talk more later…but 4th line hasn’t been good.

By: Dave Morris

Dave Morris — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 03:12:28 +0000

Al, thanks for this. I am sure all Hawks fans are eager to see how Stan Bowman has engineered these deals.

Excellent piece in Huffington Post as well.

Somehow I think Mr. Tomas Kopecky may be the odd man out here…Bryan Bickell has shown he can get the job done for half the price , so it seems possible Kopecky may find his way to the waiver wire.

Cheers.