Quote:
Originally Posted by thefoss1957
Giving DK 6 weeks off isn't the worst thing that could happen...yeah, he is our #1 D, but, unless the O goes completely in the tank, the 'Hawks shouldn't scuffle all that badly...the Playoffs will neither be gained nor lost in November...a fresher DK coming back can be a good thing.
The 'Hawks had Visnovsky in camp...had just re-signed Cumiskey...and have a rook or two at the Rock that can get a look. I don't think that there will be any panic trades to cover this.
Edit: Although losing DK for a month or so isn't great, Cap relief from LTIR might actually be a blessing in disguise for the Team.
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I think you're looking at this a bit too positively Foss. The Hawks were already much weaker than last year, and they just lost their #1 defenseman...a defenseman who is always in Norris conversation. That's a huge hole to fill. You have half a defensive pair to make 3 pairs. Van Riemsdyk, Svedberg, and Rundblad are all playing above their capabilities. The bottom 6 forwards are average at best.
The Blackhawks were already going to have a tough time making the playoffs as it was. Losing Keith for this long, and then getting him up to speed following a knee surgery (hardest for a hockey player to return from), will probably leave him out of the lineup in an effective capacity for 2 months.
If I'm a Hawks fan, I'm panicking and looking for any top 4 d-man that can fill the hole and possibly play the rest of the year.
So...Wideman? Smid at half price? Engelland at half price?