Time for some perspective

I have been reading in other places all the bellyaching about these salary dumps. Luckily, there has been much less around here but still...good God, people are acting like they just traded a bunch of all-stars!

Take a step back and really look at what they have and who they lost. It is just not nearly as bad as people are making it sound.

Buff - Playoff hero for sure. Does anyone remember during the regular season or the regular season last year? Nearly everyone on this site wanted that guy gone. Picks his spots when he wants to play. Big body and a difference maker when he is on but just takes up space other times.

Andrew Ladd - I like Ladd. Always have. Wish they could've kept him. Let's be honest though. He is a third line player. A good third liner but a third liner nonetheless.

Kris Versteeg - Are people going to really miss those goofy turnovers and mental mistakes? The guy has skill but we all knew he was one of the guys leaving town right?

Brent Sopel - $2.5 million for a #6 d-man? Really?

Ben Eager - Stopped playing last year. Had the one huge goal in the playoffs but did little else this season.

Colin Fraser - Replaceable spare part. I thought he'd be back because he is cheap but apparently they have someone cheaper in mind for his job (Dowell).

Billy Sweatt - They were not signing him anyway according to that newspaper in Colorado.

Aliu - Headcase prospect who regressed and was sent to the ECHL.

Consider:

1. Kane, Toews, Keith, Campbell and Hossa are signed long term. Yes, I know Campbell is overpaid but he was pretty good this year and my point is that they have five former all-stars under contract for a long time.
2. They did not trade Sharp.
3. They have room to sign Niemi and Hjalmarsson
4. They have some flexibility to re-sign Seabrook next year
5. They have guys who are ready to step into the lineup. Beach, Dowell and Bickell all seem like they are ready and are considerably cheaper than the guys they lost (even though Beach has some bonuses that put him over $1million).
6. They now have more prospect depth than they have had in years.
7. The prospects they have are staggered in their development cycle. It's not like all these guys will be ready at once. In theory, they should be able to graduate one or two or even three every season. That isn't just depth players. They have potential impact guys in the pipeline.

Your lineup this year looks something like:

Kane-Toews-Beach
Hossa-Bolland-Sharp
Brouwer-Reasoner-Stahlberg
Kopecky-Dowell-Bickell

Keith-Seabrook
Hjalmarsson-Campbell
Vishnevskiy-(TBD)

Niemi
Crawford

Yes, they lost some scoring depth and might take a step backward but this is still a playoff team. It's a playoff team with potential to do some damage if Beach and Stahberg are as good as many scouts believe them to be.

I just wish the knuckleheaded Hawk fans who are jumping off buildings would take a fucking breath and look at the big picture. things are not really that bad. In fact, it is possible they will be even better in a couple seasons than they were this year. Really.

cducap1



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