*** Official Blackhawks Thread ***

[Piddle Duck 0]

Kopecky-Burish-Brouwer

Be ready to get someone up to replace Kopecky when he injures himself or you realize he just isn't that good. Oh and just so everyone in Chicago will be ahead of the game when he comes to town, it's pronounced Kopetsky. There was a an uproar against FSN Detroit over them not pronouncing his name Kopecky and they had to do a piece asking him to pronounce his name and then ask people to stop calling and emailing complaints about it.

[TheDaveyG 6]

Be ready to get someone up to replace Kopecky when he injures himself or you realize he just isn't that good. Oh and just so everyone in Chicago will be ahead of the game when he comes to town, it's pronounced Kopetsky. There was a an uproar against FSN Detroit over them not pronouncing his name Kopecky and they had to do a piece asking him to pronounce his name and then ask people to stop calling and emailing complaints about it.

Depending on who we sign, it shouldn't be a problem. We still have Skille, and other guys who could fill in. Plus, we might re-sign Eager, Brouwer or Fraser.We went through the whole mispronouncing name thing with Toews here, so I think we learned our lesson. Plus, we have Pat Foley, who is usually pretty good about that sort of thing.

[strategy's_touch 0]

sooo does Chicago have a bunch of unexpected UFAs to deal with or not?tsn to see WTF I am talking about

[Suited_Up 2]

sooo does Chicago have a bunch of unexpected UFAs to deal with or not?tsn to see WTF I am talking about

They said it got handled. Paperwork got there in time.I don't know a ton about it, but that's the last thing I heard.

[ajs510 122]

As I write this, I have been unable to reach anyone within the Blackhawks' front office for comment, but I spoke with more than one affected player (or their representative). They had not personally seen the qualifying offers, but they had been informed that the league and the Players' Association had received all the qualifying offers in proper fashion, and that they expected to remain Blackhawks' property. One player even informed me that all the guys had talked about the situation, and that they all said they would re-sign with the Hawks anyway because they are so excited about what the team has done so far in free agency.http://csnchicago.com/pages/hawktalk

[MapleLeafpoker 1,462]

trouble?TSN: NHLPA files grievance, players should be UFA's

[TheDaveyG 6]

I had expected the PA to do this, bottom line is they want players to be paid as much as they can. It boggles the mind that a professional sports team could screw something like this up in the first place.

[Fenxis 99]

I had expected the PA to do this, bottom line is they want players to be paid as much as they can. It boggles the mind that a professional sports team could screw something like this up in the first place.

Except with the salary cap if one player gets paid more... then someone else is getting hosed.

[strategy 4]

Except with the salary cap if one player gets paid more... then someone else is getting hosed.

seems to me that a player would just go elsewhere and soak up someone else's cap. they have a gentleman's agreement not to do that in this case, though...

[ajs510 122]

Well, everyone except for Versteeg has signed a deal, so I guess this is a non-issue at this point. Cam Barker - 3 years, $9.25 millionTerms for Ben Eager, Colin Fraser, Corey Crawford, Aaron Johnson and Troy Brouwer haven't been released yet, but they've all signed.

[ajs510 122]

Versteeg just signed a 3 year, $9.25 million deal, same as Barker got. I wouldn't be surprised to see either him or Patrick Sharp traded in the next month.

[IBFT 0]

cant believe Tallon got fired over the RFA thing... bit harsh.

[Fenxis 99]

cant believe Tallon got fired over the RFA thing... bit harsh.

I think the management in the organisation wanted to bring their own people and this was a convenient excuse.

[ajs510 122]

I think the management in the organisation wanting to bring their own people and this was a convenient excuse.

I agree, especially since it's Scotty Bowman's kid taking over. Still a pretty shitty thing to do to the architect that brought your team back from extinction.

[Speed Limit 0]

cant believe Tallon got fired over the RFA thing... bit harsh.

Probably not over JUST the RFA thing, but there is a job opening in Florida heh.

[serge 904]

i dont get it..Why do you fire your GM AFTER the biggest part of your season? The draft and free agency shapes your future for years to come...The Hossa signing can affect your team for many many years..Its very bush league IMO ...I think the word around the hockey world is that this was an undeserved and badly timed move.

[Fenxis 99]

The Hossa signing can affect your team for many many years..Its very bush league IMO ...I think the word around the hockey world is that this was an undeserved and badly timed move.

Speculation is that getting Hossa was a Bowman move, not Tallon. Tallon wanted to keep Havlat.

[Zach6668 513]

I've heard this has been coming for a while now.Looks like all they really did was switch titles though, to be honest.Unless I'm mistaken, they gave Tallon the job that Bowman was holding before his promotion to GM. I'm guessing they continue to work as a team, but now Bowman has a bit more authority.

[IBFT 0]

Well, if it is a 'bringing in their own guy' situation, it seems like the timing is really bad. Why not do it after the season ends, instead of after the draft, FA, etc... and then after the old GM makes a pretty embarassing mistake. I'm sure it won't matter much in the greater scheme of things for the Blackhawks.

[TheDaveyG 6]

I don't have the time to write out a big post, but I will try to later....

[IBFT 0]

Also, was this a firing or a neutering? What i heard then read last night at like midnight was Tallon was fired, now I'm reading that he's just be kind of stripped of all of his power, but will still get a pay check. I'm not saying that its that much better, its still weird timing and rather unceremonious (and the Blackhawks are saying that the RFA thingy was a major contributing factor in his firing/reassignment), but atleast he'll still be gettin paid!

[Zach6668 513]

The official release has him being reassigned to Senior Advisor of Hockey Operations, which I'm pretty sure was Bowman's old job.

[SBriand 4]

So I predict that after the next season Scotty will be coach. Not that that is a bad thing.

[ajs510 122]

So I predict that after the next season Scotty will be coach. Not that that is a bad thing.

I would be in support of this plan, although I really don't think it will happen.

[MapleLeafpoker 1,462]

I've heard this has been coming for a while now.

yeah, I kept hearing this was coming too. Just a guess from an outsider, I really dont think the RFA thing was the reason, I think Tallon would have had to have performed miracles the last few months to keep the job post playoffs.Timing is odd though. Firing a coach a few games into a year, then firing a GM right after draft+UFA signings. sounds like both were moves decided long before the trigger was pulled to me.