Author Archive for Al Cimaglia
Tick Tock Antti Is On The Clock
The update for now is there really isn’t anything new, which might not be good news for Antti Niemi fans.
Both sides have prepared for arbitration and will be participating in the hearing early tomorrow morning. There is still a chance the arbitration could be avoided but …
From what I can piece together there appears to [...]
Niemi Watch
Will Antti Niemi be back in Chicago for the 2010-2011 season?
If you were thinking about buying a Niemi jersey to wear while watching him battle for the Blackhawks at the United Center….I would hold off on making the purchase.
As has been stated here on a few occasions Niemi is playing with a shorter stake than [...]
Niemi At Risk…Will Hawks Move in a Different Direction?
Antti Niemi’s arbitration hearing is set for July 29, and the Blackhawks third annual Fan Convention begins the following day. It would be best for Hawks management to have Niemi’s contract put to bed by next Tuesday. In that way all media focus can be placed on the Fan Convention which will be a huge celebration [...]
Hawks Trade Reasoner…Apparently a Salary Dump
The Blackhawks traded center Marty Reasoner to Florida for center Jeff Taffe.
If Taffe replaces Reasoner on the roster the net cap saving would be $600,000.
Could the re-signing of Antti Niemi be coming soon?
Arbitrate This
There are many reasons why the Blackhawks are in a salary cap bind.
There were a couple of big overpayments involving the Brian Campbell and Cristobal Huet contracts. Another factor which isn’t brought up as much would involve players which went from earning close to the league minimum and then resigned multi-year extensions for around $3 million [...]
Offer Sheet Oddities and The Panther Connection
A few weeks ago Stan Bowman seemed to be on course to complete his off season salary cap challenge. No doubt the Blackhawks weren’t going to be as deep but there appeared to be enough talent left to compete for the Western Conference crown. That was the case before the Sharks issued an offer sheet [...]
Wilson Looks To Deflate The Hawks
This shouldn’t come as a shock although it looked like the Hawks might have dodged a bullet. But Doug Wilson thought otherwise and signed Niklas Hjalmarsson to a four year, $14 million offer sheet.
As was outlined a few weeks ago this possibility made as much sense as any offer sheet could.
The Sharks needed to replace a [...]
Niemi, Hjalmarsson, Probert and Some Loose Ends
The deadline for eligible RFA’s to file for arbitration was on Monday. Antti Niemi did choose to file for arbitration which should not have been a surprise. The only reason Niemi wouldn’t have done so is if his new contract was signed, sealed and delivered.
From what I have heard Stan Bowman, and Niemi’s agent Bill [...]
29 Clubs Would Trade Places With Hawks
The goal of every NHL franchise is to win the Stanley Cup. In the salary cap era each team should do whatever possible to capture the grand prize. If successful a group of talented players will evolve. Eventually all the Cup winners can’t stay together because of salary cap consequences.
After every salary dumping trade more [...]
Bowman Deals Versteeg
As was the case in last weekend’s draft the Hawks acquired big, fast players, this time in a trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Stan Bowman’s significant transaction since becoming general manager have had a common thread. He has traded potential All-Stars, which were already paid as if they were, for young talent which will [...]
Rumors and Scuttlebutt Pre-July 1
Gone are the days of a Blackhawk GM flipping a player an extra $500,000 as if he was tipping a parking attendant. The new Chicago regime will spend money but they won’t throw it around.
Fortunately Stan Bowman doesn’t have to pay the bad team premium to attract or to keep players any longer. The biggest [...]
Stan The Man
The Hawks would be in fine form if Stan Bowman can retain his top restricted free agents and not have to deal Kris Versteeg. To survive this summer by making only one big salary dumping trade would be an outstanding accomplishment.
If that’s the case the NHL should hand Bowman the award for the Top GM [...]
Day One Comments, Day Two Possibilities
Many feel the Hawks fist round draft pick was a reach. Obviously Stan Bowman doesn’t feel the same as he traded up to acquire recent high school graduate Kevin Hayes, who plays right wing but is left handed.
Bowman commented the Hawks have had their eye on Hayes since last summer. The 18 years old is [...]
Friday’s Thoughts….Will Hawks Move Campbell?
Yesterday a confident Stan Bowman explained a little about where the Blackhawks are at concerning their salary cap predicament. He commented it was sad to see players go but they have been preparing for this situation for many months. Maybe Hawks management had a contingency plan in place for the all the bonuses which were [...]
What’s Next?
Stan Bowman did what he had to and got himself some breathing room heading into the draft. The young GM walked away with a well thought of prospect in Jeremy Morin, a good depth center in Marty Reasoner plus the 24th and 54th pick in the upcoming draft. Bowman’s salary cap clean-up is not over [...]
Why Trade With The Hawks?
The worse case scenario is the Hawks apparently are above next year’s cap limit even with the temporary cushion. A team can go above the salary cap by around 10% temporarily, as long as they get down to the required limit by the time the official rosters are turned into the NHL. The word going around [...]
Seven Blackhawk Untouchables
Here are some specifics as to which Chicago players might be traded in the next few days or before next season begins. Stan Bowman has a short list of seven untouchables, and every other Blackhawk player can be had with an acceptable offer.
Word going around to NHL general managers is Dave Bolland, Marian Hossa, Patrick [...]
Fire Sale Coming…Should Anyone Be Blamed?
We live in a finger pointing society. When things go bad there has to be fault to assign. The Blackhawks will be the first very young group of NHL Champions to be dismantled because of salary cap issues. Chicago fans may question if the salary dump was inevitable.
Winning the Stanley Cup should ease much of [...]
Big Bonuses + More Changes = Shark Bait
Stan Bowman’s summer has gotten more complicated since the Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup. Besides the anticipated tight cap predicament for next season Bowman has to now make room for some hefty performance bonuses. It has been reported Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane will receive a total of approximately $4 million in bonuses which will count [...]
Post Parade and Some Salary Cap Reality
The parade and Stanley Cup rally are over and it was some show. I have been at many events involving huge crowds including the gigantic July 3 fireworks display at the lakefront. At no time has there been a larger crowd gathering in downtown Chicago than for the Hawks Cup celebration.
On Friday morning the mood [...]
Champions At Last
The team which many thought wasn’t ready for the main stage captured hockey’s top prize and is now Stanley Cup champions. The Blackhawks showed the world they are the best team in the NHL and the most exciting show in hockey. They are a fearless group of winners which has the ability to play with [...]
With a Win Hawks Can End a Very Long Journey
There is a feeling of nervous anxiousness among longtime Blackhawks fans. Those who were part of the dark decade, from the md-nineties until the Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane era are cautiously excited. Tonight the Hawks have a chance to make history. They won’t want to squander an opportunity to become Stanley Cup champions for [...]
Defining Moment?
Blackhawk fans have witnessed a season full of thrills and have watched this group mature during the post season. On Sunday night the Hawks were confident and sensed there were no second chances left.
Led by Jonathan Toews, Chicago was an angry bunch but managed to keep their focus. The Hawks played the best opening period [...]
Mistakes Must Stop Now For Hawks
The Blackhawks started out being aggressive and moving the puck forward in Game 4, but couldn’t sustain the effort. The officials started out by calling a tighter game but they weren’t consistent either. Make no mistake the biggest problem the Blackhawks face is themselves and the Philadelphia Flyers, most likely in that order.
Give the Flyers [...]
Hawks Should Listen To Bobby and Attack…Ladd May Play
Andrew Ladd will be a game time decision and my guess is he will play. Most likely Joel Quenneville knows by now if Ladd is healthy enough to dress.
There is no need for Quenneville to make any official lineup changes hours before start time. By not making announcing any changes after the morning skate, Q. [...]
Hawks Should Look Back Before Going Forward
The Blackhawks didn’t become Western Conference Champions by playing tentative when the going gets tough. This young crew from Chicago needs to draw upon their past success to be able to succeed in their toughest challenge. No club forechecks better than the Flyers but the Hawks need to move forward with confidence.
Dustin Byfuglien should also look [...]
Hawks Take a Commanding Lead While Flyers Search for Answers
After losing Game 2, if the Flyers can muster the will and know how to capture the Stanley Cup they will be a team for the ages. Given the fact 91% of teams which win the opening two games of the Finals go on to become champions, the Flyers are in a deep, deep hole. [...]
The Flyers May Really Regret Game 1 Loss
When the final horn sounded the Blackhawks had won their first Stanley Cup Final game since May 8, 1973. The emotion shown by Chicago players following the contest was one of relief, not joy.
If facial expressions told the story both head coaches weren’t pleased. Those happiest were the Chicago fans which witnessed a highly entertaining [...]
Savor The Anticipation
This is a time for Blackhawk and Flyer fans to savor the moment as anticipation is really the spice of life. By late tonight and certainly by Tuesday morning this series will probably have a different meaning for followers of each club.
Even if the opening two games are split the expectations from loyalists of each [...]
The Flyers Won’t Beat The Hawks Best
Being from Chicago where championships of any kind don’t come often enough, I feel a bit of trepidation concerning the upcoming Stanley Cup Finals.
Objectively the Blackhawks best performance should win a seven game series versus the Flyers. It would also be my honest opinion Chicago doesn’t merit being posted as close to a 3-1 favorite [...]
Hawks-Flyers From The Outhouse To The Penthouse
The irony of it all as the franchises which were near the bottom of the heap in 2007 have completed a monumental turnaround and will compete for hockey’s grand prize. Fans of each team can bask in the limelight of today but to really appreciate the journey it is necessary to take a look back.
In [...]
Deserving Blackhawks Will Compete For The Cup
It would be easy to conclude the San Jose Sharks deserved a better fate. It would also be prudent to realize the Blackhawks didn’t accomplish a sweep against the top rated team in the Western Conference by using mirrors. Credit must be given to the Hawks as they were the better team most of the [...]
Fortunate
For the first time this post season the Blackhawks were outplayed and came away with a victory. Being fortunate is not an embarrassment as the top clubs find a way to win even when they aren’t at their best.
Give full marks to the San Jose Sharks coaching staff as they adjusted by splitting their top three [...]
Who’s Tired Now?
Tonight’s mission for the Blackhawks will be to use the energy from the United Center crowd to their best advantage. There is a fine line between performing with high emotion and getting too pumped up as to get away from successful methods of play.
The San Jose Sharks also want to feed off the emotionally charged [...]
Impressive
The Blackhawks aren’t unbeatable but they are getting close, at least as far as the San Jose Sharks are concerned. The Sharks threw their best punches early but Antti Niemi didn’t flinch. In the last 10 minutes of the opening frame the Hawks began to take control and continued on for a huge win.
San Jose [...]
Tallon To Panthers
It has been reported by NHL.com Dale Tallon has been named general manager of the Florida Panthers. Tallon replaces Randy Sexton and will begin to work immediately on next month’s NHL draft.
I had the wrong Florida team in mind when I speculated a few weeks ago Tallon could be joing the Tampa Bay Lightning. In any event Tallon’s evaluation [...]
Niemi Shines As Hawks Won’t Be Denied
There is no need to book the marching band for the Stanley Cup parade just yet but the Blackhawks are playing well at the most important time.
Sunday’s Hawks-Sharks contest was a perfect advertisement for the NHL. The match was fast paced and hard hitting. It featured great goal keeping, no fighting and was a one [...]
Hawks Need Hossa To Be Better Than Good
What an unbelievable post season for the NHL. Last night’s Game 7 in Boston was one for the ages. Congratulations are in order for the Flyers and Canadiens.
In the Eastern Conference the highest seeds will square off for the opportunity to advance to the Stanley Cup finals. While in the Western Conference the two most consistent teams which [...]
The Faster The Better For Hawks
The Vancouver Canucks made their last big mistake of the season in Game 6 as they were lured into playing at a very quick pace. When firing on all cylinders the Chicago Blackhawks can play an effective game at a faster pace than any other team in the Western Conference.
The only chance the Canucks would [...]
Blackhawks Must Be Smarter
According to Chicago Tribune beat writer Chris Kuc’s tweets from the morning skate there could be one lineup change for the Hawks. But Joel Quenneville would not give out names.
My money would go on Troy Brouwer replacing Ben Eager.
According to Chris, Sami Salo participated in the morning skate….Any doubt about a hockey player’s toughness?
Salo still might [...]
Not So Fast….Canucks Rebound
It has been reported the probability of a team coming back in any playoff series to win after being down three games to one is less than 10%. If the Vancouver Canucks can play the same way as they did on Sunday when taking the ice at GM Place they will have a fine chance [...]
Different Year Same Canucks
Last night the Blackhawks and Canucks demonstrated something.
The Hawks showed when playing their best hockey the Canucks can’t beat them. The boys from Vancouver proved when the going gets tough they get flustered.
The Hawks played their most complete hockey game in months and were led by a five point performance from Jonathan Toews. The end [...]
No Changes for Hawks as Canucks Tweak Lineup
From reports this afternoon out of Vancouver by Chris Kuc and Tim Sassone….
There will be no lineup changes tonight for the Blackhawks.
Vancouver will probably dress forwards Michael Grabner and Tanner Glass while sitting Pavol Demitra and Rick Rypien.
Word is Kevin Bieska and Alex Burrows are going to skate with the Canucks first power play unit [...]
Some Questions Answered
Those watching the Blackhawks-Canucks series did get some answers in Game 3.
Now it is apparent Antti Niemi can outduel Roberto Luongo and steal a playoff game.
Dustin Byfuglien showed when determined for a full sixty minutes he is a tremendous asset.
The Blackhawks proved although outplayed they can stay with their game plan and grind away at [...]
Hawks Talked Big and Played Bigger
Early in the opening period the Blackhawks Stanley Cup dreams appeared to be over as the Canucks looked like a sure winner for Game 2. In the end no matter how good Roberto Luongo was on Monday he couldn’t withstand the Chicago attack alone.
The Hawks proved they can rebound from adversity and the Canucks squandered [...]
