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Post by khawk20 on Aug 19, 2020 14:40:15 GMT
There are two ways to ask this question.
1) Who are the guys the Hawks SHOULD target to improve the team?
2) Who are the guys Simple Stanley WILL target, and will he have to overpay to get them here?
I don't know how much cap space the Hawks have going into this year, I am assuming they have a little bit.
But with the RFAs to lock back up, I'm really not sure who a feasible target even is.
I think the UFA route is gonna take a beating this year for the guys getting to it, the flat cap and covid uncertainty I think will make for some lower than usual numbers on UFA signing day. Signing bonuses will be the main attractant I would think, not the personalized Jacks Set Stan will be throwing in as a sweetener.
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Post by lari on Aug 19, 2020 15:14:39 GMT
If Crow decides to retire instead of taking a ~2m team-friendly 1-year deal, Hawks first priority is a veteran goalie.
Not necessarily a top level starter, but a 1B type who can play half the season while the assortment of younger guys (Delia/Subban/Lankinen) decide who is the future starter, or if none are.
Of course Lehner would be a long-term solution, but I think that bridge burnt long ago. Khudobin is a free agent, maybe he is tempted by a 1-year deal and getting 40 starts?
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Post by khawk20 on Aug 19, 2020 15:21:45 GMT
A one year goalie deal sounds good but the flat cap worries me. Like if khodobin for example is signed and plays amazing, can a long term deal be afforded or is he gone for another draft pick at the deadline?
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Post by lari on Aug 19, 2020 15:31:29 GMT
A one year goalie deal sounds good but the flat cap worries me. Like if khodobin for example is signed and plays amazing, can a long term deal be afforded or is he gone for another draft pick at the deadline? LOL at signing Khudobin to a long-term deal. He turns 35 in May.
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Post by khawk20 on Aug 19, 2020 15:43:17 GMT
A one year goalie deal sounds good but the flat cap worries me. Like if khodobin for example is signed and plays amazing, can a long term deal be afforded or is he gone for another draft pick at the deadline? LOL at signing Khudobin to a long-term deal. He turns 35 in May. LOl well I didn't know he was that old...but also "Stan" is always a possible answer there too.
You see what I mean with a one year deal for a vet though, in lieu of naming one?
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Post by lari on Aug 19, 2020 15:48:06 GMT
I think a stopgap veteran is ideal until the Hawks know what they have in Delia/Subban/Lankinen. Start the season riding Delia. Give him the ball. If he gets outplayed by Khudobin, bring in Lankinen (or Subban if he is still around) and let him have a go at it.
Use Khudobin/Crow/whoever as a measuring stick, and let one of them earn the job. If no-one sticks, back to the drawing board.
Niemi and Crow earned their jobs like that. Many before them dropped the ball, they didn't.
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Post by lari on Aug 19, 2020 16:11:52 GMT
Other UFA goalies include:
Cam Talbot (maybe Calgary goes with Rittich and doesn't extend Talbot)
Thomas Greiss (maybe Varly is the Islanders guy now)
Jimmy Howard (please god no)
Craig Anderson (if he even continues)
Jacob Markstrom (Nucks probably offer an extension)
Brian Elliott (lol no)
Mike Smith (fuck no)
Michael Hutchinson (not any better than Delia)
Keith Kinkaid (maybe?)
And a bunch of mostly trash. Well, there's Holtby, but he either retires or stays in DC)
I'm thinking Talbot, Khudobin or Greiss. They are all 33-34 years, would probably take 1 year deals maybe. Greiss is pretty good, no? Ask his agent.
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Post by jimc on Aug 19, 2020 20:40:48 GMT
The entire Hawks system is devoid of any G talent. There is not a future starter among them. Subban and Delia fucking flat put blow...they are career back ups at best. Lankinen could be a little better, but i am not at all high on him.
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Post by gadi on Aug 19, 2020 20:43:59 GMT
Hawks are bringing back Crawford. My guess is somewhere around 2 years, $8 million. And if they aren't, I wouldn't be surprised if they are going tank city, relying on those young stud goalies Lankenin & Delia & buy out guys like Maatta & Smith. Then sit on the extra dough, crying poor due to the pandemic.
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Post by lari on Aug 19, 2020 20:48:43 GMT
We haven't really seen Lankinen yet. Next year they need to give him some starts to see what they've got. He could be another Niemi/Raanta. And even if he isn't, you want to make sure first.
He was amazing at the 2019 world champs, and was at the AHL allstar game, for whatever it's worth.
Subban was a bluechipper at some point. Can't hurt to give him some starts, too.
Delia is not terrible. I think I like him better than the other two. He is 100% ready for backup duty at the NHL level. But he needs to take another step. A major step, if he aspires to be a starter.
I think Lankinen has the biggest upside, Delia is the most likely to play another 100 games in the NHL, and Subban is the most athletically gifted of the three.
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Post by gadi on Aug 19, 2020 20:54:04 GMT
Delia keeps getting passed by other goalies brought in by the Hawks since he signed his 3 year deal. And we aren't talking about actual NHL goalies, like what happened when Crawford was 24, 25. It's Subban & Lankinen. Subban is just a guy & while Lankinen might still be something valuable, it's telling to me that he was anointed as the best Hawks goalie prospect because of a few strong games, while Delia still struggled with puck handling and rebound control.
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Post by Merpes on Aug 20, 2020 1:29:14 GMT
Subban won’t even be qualified, IMO. The idea was to not have one of Delia/Lankinen getting splinters in their ass on the bench.
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Post by jimc on Aug 20, 2020 2:13:26 GMT
Subban won’t even be qualified, IMO. The idea was to not have one of Delia/Lankinen getting splinters in their ass on the bench. I would be ok with that if the tank is on...this is Subban's 3rd organization...he is what you see.
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Post by jimc on Aug 20, 2020 2:14:50 GMT
Hawks are bringing back Crawford. My guess is somewhere around 2 years, $8 million. And if they aren't, I wouldn't be surprised if they are going tank city, relying on those young stud goalies Lankenin & Delia & buy out guys like Maatta & Smith. Then sit on the extra dough, crying poor due to the pandemic. Any talk of a buyout begins and ends with Seabrook. No compliance buyouts in the new CBA spells problems for a number of teams.
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Post by Merpes on Aug 20, 2020 3:02:49 GMT
I think LTIR will be abused and the league will turn a blind eye as the unspoken workaround.
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