Congratulations to the Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks

[Tacopuck]

Originally Posted by flamesrule_kipper34

I'm gonna say this once as I've said before.

If people know the game, the sport and the business well they wouldn't boo Bettman the way most fans seem to want to jump to.

That being said he is a handsomely paid (by NHL standards, not Sport standards) fall guy to be the "villain".

Agreed, he gets alot of flak for having three lockouts during his tenure but the fact is the game has grown so much in popularity, revenue, and competition. I have to given him massive credit for how he fully acknowledges the boos and jokes about it with the media.

With that in mind please keep booing him, its entertaining, and he is paid well so he can take some boos.

[codynw]

Booing Bettman is a tradition. Whether he deserves it or not, he'll be booed everywhere he goes.

[CroFlames]

Yes Gary did some good things, blah blah blah something something.

It annoys me though that a guy like Iggy (my favorite player) is missing likely 50 to 60 goals to his career total due to the two lockouts. Likewise, it would have been fantastic to have a guy in the post obstruction era to score 500 before his 30th birthday, and that guy would have been Ovechkin if he also didn't sit through two lockouts. In fact for Ovi, sitting out 1.5 years maybe he could have scored 500 before 29, but we'll never know.

That will forever chap my ass.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

Yes Gary did some good things, blah blah blah something something.

It annoys me though that a guy like Iggy (my favorite player) is missing likely 50 to 60 goals to his career total due to the two lockouts. Likewise, it would have been fantastic to have a guy in the post obstruction era to score 500 before his 30th birthday, and that guy would have been Ovechkin if he also didn't sit through two lockouts. In fact for Ovi, sitting out 1.5 years maybe he could have scored 500 before 29, but we'll never know.

That will forever chap my ass.

It's almost like you think that Bettman schemed up the lockouts all on his own. Like he had to convince his bosses it would be a great idea when in fact it's the owners that wanted it and it was his job to carry it out. The lockout in 2005 was all on the NHLPA for losing a year of pay while accepting a deal that was tabled far earlier. If you are going to roll over then why waste a season to do it?

[Zach]

Originally Posted by Stay Golden

From Seabrook's comments shis wife is "back" in Calgary expecting their child. Sounds like he and his family live in Calgary in the offseason? Interesting.

as long as he comes back to Tsawwassen, BC to bring the Cup by again

[Tinordi]

Safe to say this is their last cup with the current core?

They have 10 players to sign with $8 million in cap space. I think the dynasty is over unless they have another miraculous re-tool.

[playmaker]

Originally Posted by Tinordi

Safe to say this is their last cup with the current core?

They have 10 players to sign with $8 million in cap space. I think the dynasty is over unless they have another miraculous re-tool.

It largely depends on how we define the terms "core" and "re-tool". Some people refer to the core as a small group consisting of your #1 goalie, a franchise dman and your franchise forwards - that's typically 4-5 players overall.

As for the Blackhawks it's Crawford, Keith, Kane and Toews. For the Pens it would be Fleury, Letang, Malkin and Crosby. If that is the proper definition, Hawks can easily bring another cup or two with their current core (and the Pens keep re-tooling around theirs)

Personally I prefer the definition as a group of 9-10 players (goalie + 2-3 dman + 4-5 forwards), including key supporting pieces which may be a forward providing veteran leadership presence, a dman who can safely log 20+ minutes or an emerging young player. And it's super easy to illustrate this concept on the current Hawks roster:

Crawford - Keith, Seabrook, Hjalmarsson - Toews, Kane, Sharp, Hossa, Saad

If we'll stick to the latter definition of the term, then yes, it was probably their last cup with the current core.

[Tinordi]

That's what I mean, although I wouldn't apply core so rigidly based on position. I'd just say core is the group of players that you use to win games. For example, I wouldn't put Crawford in there. You could throw in a number of different goalies on that team and still win the cup.

But they're going to lose Sharp this year. Hossa will be a year older (and he's already declining big time). And there isn't really a another wave of youth that can step in to cover the loses. Or is there?

Teravainen had 10 points in 19 playoff games. Maybe he emerges into a legit top 6 player in the next two years.

Anyway. I'm rambling. I just think the window is closing for Chicago. It will be very interesting to watch how they manage this transition. Could provide lessons one way or the other.

[bc-chris]

gigapixel pic of the cup final....

http://gigapixel.panoramas.com/stanleycup/2015/


guess they just had to show support in the playoffs... bahahahaha!

[Huntingwhale]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

Yes Gary did some good things, blah blah blah something something.

It annoys me though that a guy like Iggy (my favorite player) is missing likely 50 to 60 goals to his career total due to the two lockouts. Likewise, it would have been fantastic to have a guy in the post obstruction era to score 500 before his 30th birthday, and that guy would have been Ovechkin if he also didn't sit through two lockouts. In fact for Ovi, sitting out 1.5 years maybe he could have scored 500 before 29, but we'll never know.

That will forever chap my ass.

As a stat watcher, it GMG that the 2 lockouts will bring down Iggy's total numbers. But let's not pretend he's some sort of martyr here. Iginla was very vocal and was one of those star players who encouraged the NHLPA to not bend even if it was best for the league. Stars like him were MORE then content with taking in as much of the pie as they could for themselves and leaving the scraps for other players.

Guys like Hamrlik came out to say they were tired of the lockout and just wanted to play. Guys like Iginla and co chastised him and were more concerned about showing a unified front, then actually playing hockey for the fans.

Bettman does what's best for the league as a whole. And he's damn good at it. The PA only cares about themselves and how many dollars they can make, regardless if it hurts the league or not.

[Tyler]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

Yes Gary did some good things, blah blah blah something something.

It annoys me though that a guy like Iggy (my favorite player) is missing likely 50 to 60 goals to his career total due to the two lockouts. Likewise, it would have been fantastic to have a guy in the post obstruction era to score 500 before his 30th birthday, and that guy would have been Ovechkin if he also didn't sit through two lockouts. In fact for Ovi, sitting out 1.5 years maybe he could have scored 500 before 29, but we'll never know.

That will forever chap my ass.

The same Iginla who chose to play for the freakin' Avalanche just because they offered him a dump truck full of money? I feel so sorry for poor Jarome.

Yeah, bad bad Bettman.

[polak]

The parade looked very impressive on Snapchat.

I doubt that Calgary could fill McMahon for a speech if the Flames won. Soldier Field all in red, everyone celebrating must have been amazing.

[thefoss1957]

Originally Posted by Tinordi

Safe to say this is their last cup with the current core?

They have 10 players to sign with $8 million in cap space. I think the dynasty is over unless they have another miraculous re-tool.

IDK, Tinordi, maybe a slightly down year, as was 2011, but, my guys have a ton of talent left, and some guys at the Rock that will get their chance...


This is from Budi, at the Blackhawkzone forum, with his roster predictions for next season...I agree, for the most part.

Gone for sure: Timonen, Vermette, Carcillo, Rozsival, Richards, Cumiskey, Bickell.
Most likely gone: Sharp, Oduya, Raanta, Desjardins,
Could be gone: Runblad, Versteeg
Staying: Toews, Kane, Keith, Seabrook, Hjalmarsson, Saad, Crawford, Teravainen, Darling, Shaw, Hossa, Kruger, Van Reimsdyk, Nordstrom.

X - Toews - Hossa
Saad - Teravainen - Kane
X - X - Shaw
Nordstrom - Kruger - X

Keith - Seabrook
Hjalmarsson - X
VanReimsdyk - X
Rundblad

Crawford
Darling

Panarin - Toews - Hossa
Saad - Teravainen - Kane
Hartman - Shaw - McNeill
Nordstrom - Kruger - FA

Keith - Seabrook
Hjalmarsson - Johns
VanReimsdyk - Gustafsson
Rundblad


Crawford
Darling

This seems doable even under the cap...all will depend on Saad's and Kruger's contracts...they MUST be signed BEFORE an offer sheet is thrown at them.

[Fire]

Originally Posted by polak

The parade looked very impressive on Snapchat.

I doubt that Calgary could fill McMahon for a speech if the Flames won. Soldier Field all in red, everyone celebrating must have been amazing.

Flames fans would fill it easily.

[polak]

Originally Posted by Fire

Flames fans would fill it easily.

Wishful thinking I think. Maybe if it was more central.

[868904]

Originally Posted by Fire

Flames fans would fill it easily.

Yeah if the Stamps can fill McMahon for a regular season game, why couldn't the Flames fill it for a Stanley Cup championship celebration in the Summer?

The Flames filled McMahon in a blizzard for an outdoor game.

[polak]

Originally Posted by 868904

Yeah if the Stamps can fill McMahon for a regular season game, why couldn't the Flames fill it for a Stanley Cup championship celebration in the Summer?

The Flames filled McMahon in a blizzard for an outdoor game.

Cause the parade is usually during working hours on a week day and our stadium is in no way central...

[PIMking]

Originally Posted by polak

Cause the parade is usually during working hours on a week day and our stadium is in no way central...

yeah and if you're a fan you're ass isn't going to work that day.

[polak]

Originally Posted by PIMking

yeah and if you're a fan you're ass isn't going to work that day.

I wish. If I'm taking a day off it's to go watch a game on the road or something.

[SuperMatt18]

Id be taking a day off to go to the parade, as would many others.

McMahon would be full.