2 years. Frist of all at $4 mil. he helps you get to the cap floor, second who plays goalie next year? IMO if Mrazek is traded, he does not sign back here next year, he will look for a team that is at least a playoff contender.

Do you really want to go into next year with Soderblom and Samsanov or Murray? The only UFA goalie playing close to Mrazek is Talbot, and if LA does not resign him next year, someone other than the Hawks will.

All that for a probably #50 draft choice?
- LAHawk

Are you saying we should re-up Mrazek for 2-3 years? I think at this point it'll be better for morale and Bedard's development if we resign a few mid-season like Richardson and Foligno.

Edit- Just read more carefully and read HawksintheD too. I think it'll be beneficial to reup Mrazek but nothing more than 2.

2 years. Frist of all at $4 mil. he helps you get to the cap floor, second who plays goalie next year? IMO if Mrazek is traded, he does not sign back here next year, he will look for a team that is at least a playoff contender.

Do you really want to go into next year with Soderblom and Samsanov or Murray? The only UFA goalie playing close to Mrazek is Talbot, and if LA does not resign him next year, someone other than the Hawks will.

All that for a probably #50 draft choice?
- LAHawk

I thought this was Mrazek’s last year of his contract? Lots of ways to get to the cap floor as KFC showed, overpay a few guys on one year contracts will do it. And if the trade for Mrazek doesn’t blow KFC’s socks off, he doesn’t make it. If say, Edmonton ,offer a first for him, do you think KFC should take it?

Are you saying we should re-up Mrazek for 2-3 years? I think at this point it'll be better for morale and Bedard's development if we resign a few mid-season like Richardson and Foligno.

Edit- Just read more carefully and read HawksintheD too. I think it'll be beneficial to reup Mrazek but nothing more than 2.
- Popsghostly

I am actually not against signing Foligno. Now I am for trading Richardson if you can get a second rounder for him. 8 years in the NHL, and is having a career year.

2 years. Frist of all at $4 mil. he helps you get to the cap floor, second who plays goalie next year? IMO if Mrazek is traded, he does not sign back here next year, he will look for a team that is at least a playoff contender.

Do you really want to go into next year with Soderblom and Samsanov or Murray? The only UFA goalie playing close to Mrazek is Talbot, and if LA does not resign him next year, someone other than the Hawks will.

All that for a probably #50 draft choice?
- LAHawk

So if he is traded, he won't sign back here and want to go to a contender. But if he is not traded, he'll sign back here and not want to go to a contender?

I thought this was Mrazek’s last year of his contract? Lots of ways to get to the cap floor as KFC showed, overpay a few guys on one year contracts will do it. And if the trade for Mrazek doesn’t blow KFC’s socks off, he doesn’t make it. If say, Edmonton ,offer a first for him, do you think KFC should take it?
- paulr

Of course I think you should take a first for Mrazek, the conversation last night was whether a second (probably no better than #50) was worth it.

So if he is traded, he won't sign back here and want to go to a contender. But if he is not traded, he'll sign back here and not want to go to a contender?

- boilermaker100

I can't think of a player who was traded at the TDL and signed back with the club that traded him as a FA.

LA HAWK,

I am curious and I want to be enlightened as to the supposed turn around of Sam Durzi

Durzi was dealt for a 2nd round choice. You didn’t think too much or too highly of him. He was down 5th or 6th on the Kings depth chart- correct. You knew that sooner or later Clarke, a first round choice, would debut on the Kings blue line….so it was just a matter of time until Durzi left

Is that how you felt about Durzi employment with the Kings after last season?

Well the Coyotes GM liked him and I was surprised the Kings garned a second round for his service

Now however Durzi is having a great year. Is he their best dman? Had a goal and three assists as Coyotes came back to beat Avalanche

A side note here: the Avalanche defensively have not been as good this season. Giving up leads. I’ve seen where the Avalanche have been called “lighter.” The dmen collectively is not so good, is overrated. Or you can say the players do not have the right mindset, taking too much for granted, believe they can win without putting forth maximum effort as a teammate calked the team out after a recent loss.

Well anyway

Appears that Durzi is pretty good and the Avalanche need to stop an avalanche of goals against.
- jhawk59

The Avalanche are one line deep with a very good power play. Makar has been in and out.

Johansson is really not working out for them. Girard has been out in the player assistance program and Lehkonen has been out as well and is important for their secondary scoring.

They're playing other guy roulette kind of like the Hawks did after 2010 and they're trying to find that right combination of cheaper veterans and later round picks that out kick their coverage.

They are however still in first place, probably going to make the playoffs and if they are reasonably healthy in the post season they should do some damage.

This is the reality of a salary cap. An imperfect team that can hopefully be carried by its superstars and not killed by the fillers.

Of course I think you should take a first for Mrazek, the conversation last night was whether a second (probably no better than #50) was worth it.
- LAHawk

If we can get a first for Mrazek by all means trade him. Highly unlikely though. Maybe it was Chunk, someone brought the history of goalie trades at the TDL and there's only been like 2 in the past 30 years that netted a first.

The crowd tonight was awesome. It was a packed house and it exploded on Bedard's OT winner!

I don't know why people are so worried about the Hawk's spending money. If there is one thing I am confident in them doing, it is opening up the checkbook when the time comes. There is no way they will run out a roster as bare with offensive talent as this one next year.


I also don't want them to just spend recklessly to spend. I haven't looked at the FA market, but I want them to bring in impact players. Again, in defense of KD, this is their first 'real' year of rebuilding. Last year, they tore it down. This year, it's the beginning of building it back up. I still am shocked that people are surprised with how bad this team is this year.
- frafra

100% wrong. The first year of the rebuild was last year when they traded Debrincat and Dach and lost on purpose to try to get Bedard.

I can't think of a player who was traded at the TDL and signed back with the club that traded him as a FA.
- LAHawk

It's really rare. Thought O'Reilley would do it with the Blues.

Vermette actually went back to the Yotes.

Yes but what you are so conveniently excluding is a goalie does step up in every season so far

And they move on
- BetweenTheDots

Throw enough poop on the wall something will stick

100% wrong. The first year of the rebuild was last year when they traded Debrincat and Dach and lost on purpose to try to get Bedard.
- fattybeef

You're right. You're 100% wrong. That was a bottoming out year and the first year of trying to restock the prospect pond.

That was the first full year of Davidson being GM with interim removed from his title.

This is the first year where you're actually seeing players who will be around when hopefully the record eventually inverts.

You're the one that's always expecting him to get hurt?

So now he's not?

I get what i can, i don't see a 31 year old goalie part of the Blackhawks future. I'll take my chances with a 2nd round draft pick that has a 35% chance of being a pro hockey player
- BetweenTheDots

No that's me...

I can't think of a player who was traded at the TDL and signed back with the club that traded him as a FA.
- LAHawk

Vermette. But I agree that is rare.

You may have missed my point. You said if he is traded, he'll want to sign with a contender when he becomes a free agent this summer. Maybe to the team he is traded to, or another contender. That's surely a possibility.

I countered with the thought that if he is not traded, wouldn't he also then want to sign with a contender this summer and not stay with Chicago.

I think KFC will listen to offers come TDL. If a 3rd or 4th rounder is the best offer, Mrazek will stay and then Davidson begins talking extension. Based on his play (and health) this year Mrazek may be looking for one last pay day maybe 3 or 4 years at 4 to 5M. Three years may be the best term as far as Chicago is concerned. He would be the #1 next year, split time with Commesso in the 2nd year and be available the 3rd year to back up/mentor Commesso (assuming he wins the job), or be available as the #1 if Commesso doesn't pan out or needs more seasoning.

But if the trade offer is a 2nd (pick in the 50's as you said) or possibly a Fleury like trade - 2nd with conditions to upgrade to a 1st if team goes far into the playoffs - maybe KFC pulls the trigger, and crosses the veteran replacement goalie bridge this summer.

Yup just like everyone was hyping Soderblom last year. Did Waite refuse to coach him this year?

Hasn't Waite also coached the likes of Colin Delia, Matt Tompkins, Kevin Lankenen, Anton Forsberg, Ivan Nalimov ?
- LAHawk

Garbage in, garbage out.

Vermette. But I agree that is rare.

You may have missed my point. You said if he is traded, he'll want to sign with a contender when he becomes a free agent this summer. Maybe to the team he is traded to, or another contender. That's surely a possibility.

I countered with the thought that if he is not traded, wouldn't he also then want to sign with a contender this summer and not stay with Chicago.

I think KFC will listen to offers come TDL. If a 3rd or 4th rounder is the best offer, Mrazek will stay and then Davidson begins talking extension. Based on his play (and health) this year Mrazek may be looking for one last pay day maybe 3 or 4 years at 4 to 5M. Three years may be the best term as far as Chicago is concerned. He would be the #1 next year, split time with Commesso in the 2nd year and be available the 3rd year to back up/mentor Commesso (assuming he wins the job), or be available as the #1 if Commesso doesn't pan out or needs more seasoning.

But if the trade offer is a 2nd (pick in the 50's as you said) or possibly a Fleury like trade - 2nd with conditions to upgrade to a 1st if team goes far into the playoffs - maybe KFC pulls the trigger, and crosses the veteran replacement goalie bridge this summer.
- boilermaker100

Aroldis Chapman.

Just tuned into the WJC. USA slaughtering the Swiss 9-1 still in the 2nd period. Don't know the goal scorers, but in a game like this against lesser competition, hard to determine who is really standing out.

This offseason LA, if not, I will jump on your bandwagon.
- Angotti

Ditto, it's time to start adding in all manners of player accumulation. Poles did it in the middle of a lost season with Montez Sweat and the entire defense perked up by adding one guy.

What is the Bobrovsky situation?

You're right. You're 100% wrong. That was a bottoming out year and the first year of trying to restock the prospect pond.

That was the first full year of Davidson being GM with interim removed from his title.

This is the first year where you're actually seeing players who will be around when hopefully the record eventually inverts.
- HawkintheD

No. No interim GM can move what were then Key pieces in Dach and Debrincat and to a certain extend Hagel who netted them two firsts.

Rebuilding starts with tearing down and when you start moving guys for assets and losing on purpose.

What is the Bobrovsky situation?
- rpeters01

After this year 2 more years at 10M, full NMC. Term and cap hit would fit the Hawks. Questions are will he want to waive out of no state tax Florida and what do the Panthers want in return?

Got some great luck from the post gods too. That said. it could easily have been 4-1 early if Mrazek didn't withstand that onslaught in the first 15 minutes.
- Popsghostly

Chris Chelios said they call it post luck, he calls it opponents having very small windows to score in so they are trying for the perfect shot

If we can get a first for Mrazek by all means trade him. Highly unlikely though. Maybe it was Chunk, someone brought the history of goalie trades at the TDL and there's only been like 2 in the past 30 years that netted a first.
- Popsghostly

Maybe they get something like a 2nd and a 3rd for Mrazek, or possibly two 2nds. Every year's deadline market has different wrinkles to it. It will depend on how many teams are looking for goaltending, and how many other comparable goalies are available. I agree that if all that's offered is a third, he's staying, and they try to work on an extension.

I continue to believe they have to sell high on Mrazek. Health is always a risk, and it's far from certain he would sign here next year. In the meantime, they got paid to take over his contract in the form of moving up from an early second to a late first pick, and they have developed the asset to the point where we are talking about what the return is going to be.

After this year 2 more years at 10M, full NMC. Term and cap hit would fit the Hawks. Questions are will he want to waive out of no state tax Florida and what do the Panthers want in return?
- boilermaker100

I was thinking more like what would we get for taking him off their hands. Then we'd have a goalie. But if I'm him I don't waive the NMC.

Maybe they get something like a 2nd and a 3rd for Mrazek, or possibly two 2nds. Every year's deadline market has different wrinkles to it. It will depend on how many teams are looking for goaltending, and how many other comparable goalies are available. I agree that if all that's offered is a third, he's staying, and they try to work on an extension.

I continue to believe they have to sell high on Mrazek. Health is always a risk, and it's far from certain he would sign here next year. In the meantime, they got paid to take over his contract in the form of moving up from an early second to a late first pick, and they have developed the asset to the point where we are talking about what the return is going to be.
- 333inthe3rd

I just don't believe in making decisions out of fear and worrying about this group and how they will wither away mentally if Mrazek is traded.

Just because Soda is struggling does that mean he's a bust? I believe Mrazek struggled since he's been with us. Just can't build a team with the fear of the unknown.

This comparison to the Oilers and Leafs is a joke as well, we have 2 very good prospects in the pipe line.