LeRinkRat's Blog

Blackhawks a re-run of the 2004 Lightning?

By LeRinkRat | View all Posts
Posted Sunday, July 25, 2010 02:55 PM   16 comments

interesting comment on HockeyBuzz.com....

"This week the Hawks cleared a little more cap space in their attempt to get closer to being able to sign Niemi. A little closer...I will say this, as I said in the Podcast yesterday, I firmly believe the Hawks fans are VASTLY underrating the importance of retaining Niemi. The Hawks have lost so many key role players this summer and if they lose their goalie as well (who was much better than people give credit) they risk the danger of repeating the Tampa Bay Lightning mistakes after they won their Cup. The similarities are all there."

ref: http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Eklund/Montreal-and-Price-getting-Dicey--Cogliano-PredsIslesSabres-Niemi/1/29479

remember that after winning the Cup in 2004, the Lightning retained their "core" of Vincent Lecavalier, Brad Richards and Martin St. Louis BUT lost their goalie Nikolia Khabibulin to the Blackhawks (in a move that "ruined both teams") AND important roll players like Fredrik Modin.

the Blackhawks retain their core of Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook BUT have also lost some top "roll players" like Dustin Byfuglien, Ben Eager and Kris Versteeg.

 

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ICEman83 says:
07/25/10 11:42PM

I was having dinner with a few old friends that now live in different parts of the country. One of which lives in the Chicago area. He stayed an Islander fan though. I couldn't believe when he told me they let Byfuglien go. He seemed to be a big part of the Blackhawks success. Just his prescence in front of the net was big. Also, for a big guy he can actually play and not just fight!!!!

I think letting him go will bite them in the ass next year.

 

sean2114 says:
07/26/10 08:19AM
the problem they have iceman is the guys they would like to let go, brian campbell have ridocolous contracts that literally can't be moved. Teams have already started paying the price for these long term contracts, but they will still be offered in spades.
Weekends says:
07/28/10 11:36AM

I think they still have enough top end talent at both forward and defence to compensate for the lack of depth, but they've definitely put themselves in a tight squeeze.

Since Halak got 3.75 million a year, you have to figure that Niemi will get something in the 3 range. If he's awarded that much, I really think that they have to trade him for some depth at forward. Huet and his salary will have to end up buried in the minors. Sign a Ray Emery or Vesa Toskala at a million a year, bring up Corey Crawford and hope for the best.

 

nc1capper says:
07/29/10 11:37AM
hawks will be solid ,,hard to to do it twice in a row in any sport tho
LeRinkRat says:
08/02/10 12:58PM

Nieme OUT and Turco IN with Chicago....

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=329318

looks like "the numbers game" for the Blackhawks

LeRinkRat says:
08/02/10 01:07PM

"Niemi, who earned $826,875 last season, becomes the first goalie to win a Stanley Cup and then depart for a new team since Nikolai Khabibulin left Tampa Bay for Chicago after the Lightning won the title in 2004."

it's getting "curiouser and curiouser" in Chicago. as Yogi said, "deja vu all over again"?

Turco still has game so will see what happens.

Pucksrus says:
08/02/10 04:29PM
Tampa made the playoffs for 2 st8 seasons after they won the cup without Khabibulin.

This is today sports with cap space they do what they have to do.

Also when some players win somewhere they think they are too good for that team or think they deserve more money and move on.

Look at Revis for the JETS he is sitting out now. 1 good MVP season.
LeRinkRat says:
08/02/10 08:59PM
Blackhawks off season still starting to smell like the 2004 Lightning to me, Pucksrus. ALL the parallels are there
LeRinkRat says:
08/07/10 04:28PM

now defensive center and penalty kill specialist John Madden signs with the Wild for donuts. he's a bit "long in the tooth" at 37 years old but still one of the best defensive players in the league and one of the best "shut down" penalty killers EVER in the NHL.

the guy has been a fav player of mine going back to when he played for Red Berenson at Michigan along with Brendan Morrison and Marty Turco.

to me it looks like another off season screw up by the Blackhawks.

LeRinkRat says:
08/07/10 04:30PM

sorry, forgot the reference article >>> http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=329729

LeRinkRat says:
08/20/10 01:29PM

THIS might be a good pickup for the Hawks IF the guy can stay healthy....

Pisani signs with Blackhawks

ref: http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/NHL/Chicago/2010/08/18/15066841.html

only a half a million for a guy that was "hot stuff" just a couple years ago.

Weekends says:
08/20/10 02:29PM

This guy's been in a serious steady decline for four seasons. Had one very good month during the Oilers playoff run in 2006, signed a $10 million contract and basically packed it in. I can't see him getting much ice time unless the Hawks rookies completely flop.

 

LeRinkRat says:
08/20/10 02:53PM

This guy's been in a serious steady decline for four seasons.

true statement esp with his injuries and that colitis which is nasty BUT still not too much risk for the Blackhawks @ half a million and IF he turns it around it's a home run. also think that playing on the Oilers the last few seasons with all their problems could also be a big factor in his decline. it's like an NFL player moving from the Raiders to the Saints or Colts.

LeRinkRat says:
09/30/10 12:42PM

TSN.ca poll Thursday September 30th.....

"Which team is most likely to fall the farthest down the standings this season?"

top three picks....

Chicago Blackhawks 30%

Phoenix Coyotes 20%

Colorado Avalanche 15.5%

ref: http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/

 

Spitfire15 says:
09/30/10 01:17PM
Turco

He can be a good goalie (I've always liked him fo some reason) but definitely not consistent, and plugged in with a fast-paced team you almost hope he doesn't feed off of it too much... he can get pretty reckless at times.
Silver_Sheriff says:
10/02/10 10:32AM
We won't repeat but we won't fall off the face of the earth either. We won't score as much but our great defencemen unit was retained and is light years better than the 04/05 Lightning unit. Lower scoring games with an even more importance on special teams in my opinion.
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