Both are excellent moves for obvious reasons. Let's see what unfolds with Khabibulin. He could get traded or bought out? His 6.75 million salary will be nice to come off the books. I think if we buy his contract we get half of that back in cap relief... Something along those lines i know its been a relatively new rule since the lockout. Someone can help me out maybe....
Hossa is out of the picture now, he is going to sign for 8-10 mil a year. Outrageous!
I would love to see Tallon try and sign Valteri Filppula from Detroit to an offer sheet. He's a 24 year old C/RW that could play on the 2nd line to replace Jason Williams.
I cant believe we got a 2nd round pick for Rene Bourque, thats a good move and frees up a roster spot for Kyle Beach, their first round pick. HIs volatile style of play is something the Hawks lack.
As is right now i would say the Hawks are in the 4-5 mix for the playoffs. Detroit is probably going to win the cup again next year, but SJ, Dal, and Anaheim are all vulnerable for a myriad of reasons. Great day to be a blackhawks fan!
RT #78:Both are excellent moves for obvious reasons. Let's see what unfolds with Khabibulin. He could get traded or bought out? His 6.75 million salary will be nice to come off the books. I think if we buy his contract we get half of that back in cap relief... Something along those lines i know its been a relatively new rule since the lockout. Someone can help me out maybe.... Hossa is out of the picture now, he is going to sign for 8-10 mil a year. Outrageous! I would love to see Tallon try and sign Valteri Filppula from Detroit to an offer sheet. He's a 24 year old C/RW that could play on the 2nd line to replace Jason Williams. I cant believe we got a 2nd round pick for Rene Bourque, thats a good move and frees up a roster spot for Kyle Beach, their first round pick. HIs volatile style of play is something the Hawks lack. As is right now i would say the Hawks are in the 4-5 mix for the playoffs. Detroit is probably going to win the cup again next year, but SJ, Dal, and Anaheim are all vulnerable for a myriad of reasons. Great day to be a blackhawks fan!
WOW...I'm just stunned by the news from the Blackhawks..It's like a dream. Only a few yrs ago you'd hear whispers of maybe the Blackhawks closing up shop for good. Whether true or not you'd sometimes wonder considering the state the team was in. Now with everything going the hawks way the past few yrs (well except Havlat) the team is back and with more young talent than ive ever seen.
Campbell and Huet put us over the top. Huet and the young Crawford will be an excellent duo..Bourque for a second rnd is an unbelievable trade..Bourque still could be good but not in Chicago. Too much young talent thats more consistent right now. Chicago is now the number one up and coming team people are watching for next yr. This team as of now has almost unlimited potential at most positions...We haven't even seen half the new guys coming up. Depth, youth, skill and speed in abundance the only thing to add is some toughness. Beach will bring that and hopefully a few more coming up. Byfuglien is a beast he needs to get a little meaner. It's good times again, maybe better than ever!
Brodie: WOW...I'm just stunned by the news from the Blackhawks..It's like a dream. Only a few yrs ago you'd hear whispers of maybe the Blackhawks closing up shop for good. Whether true or not you'd sometimes wonder considering the state the team was in. Now with everything going the hawks way the past few yrs (well except Havlat) the team is back and with more young talent than ive ever seen. Campbell and Huet put us over the top. Huet and the young Crawford will be an excellent duo..Bourque for a second rnd is an unbelievable trade..Bourque still could be good but not in Chicago. Too much young talent thats more consistent right now. Chicago is now the number one up and coming team people are watching for next yr. This team as of now has almost unlimited potential at most positions...We haven't even seen half the new guys coming up. Depth, youth, skill and speed in abundance the only thing to add is some toughness. Beach will bring that and hopefully a few more coming up. Byfuglien is a beast he needs to get a little meaner. It's good times again, maybe better than ever!
it's amazing what one death can do.
Jul 1, 8:45 pm EDT
CHICAGO (AP)—Brian Campbell is bringing some defense to the Chicago Blackhawks.
Campbell, the top free-agent defenseman available Tuesday as the free agent market opened, signed an eight-year deal with the Blackhawks—a young team that already features rising star forwards Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews.
The Blackhawks also signed free agent goalie Cristobal Huet to a four-year deal Tuesday.
Campbell’s deal is reportedly worth $7.14 million annually with the total of $57.12 million the richest in team history. Huet will make $5.626 million annually.
“We decided we’d try to make an impact today to give our fans something to get excited about,” general manager Dale Tallon said. “When you do that, you’re going to overpay, but now we have the resources and the ability to do that.”
Campbell, who spent most of his first eight seasons with the Buffalo Sabres before being dealt to the San Jose Sharks at last season’s trade deadline, has 35 goals and 160 assists in 411 regular-season NHL games.
After two seasons with the Kings, Huet went to Montreal for most of three years before being traded to the Washington Capitals late last season. He has a career 83-61-11 record with a 2.43 goals-against average.
They are major moves for the Blackhawks, who are trying to become a playoff regular after missing the postseason nine times in the last 10 seasons.
“Our No. 1 priority was to solidify goal and defense and then move forward,” Tallon said.
Campbell is expected to help boost a power play that ranked 24th in the league last season. He scored five power-play goals last season.
“He can move the puck, skate up ice and get you out of trouble,” Tallon said. “The power play, at the point, is what he does best.”
Chicago finished at 40-34-8 and 88 points, three behind Nashville and the final playoff spot in the Western Conference last season. The Blackhawks were led by Kane and Toews. Kane, the No. 1 overall pick in 2007, won the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year.
The Blackhawks also announced they had acquired a future second-round draft pick from the Calgary Flames for the rights to restricted free agent forward Rene Bourque. Bourque played in 62 games with Chicago last season, getting 24 points—including 10 goals.
In defense of the old man he was pulling it together the last couple yrs. But yes his demise helped us greatly..
Campbell is a great pickup but his contract is a long one and thats the only thing that worries me a little. He's no better defensively than anyone we have now, like the article says he's a PP QB and hopefully he puts us atleast into the top 10 next yr in PP. Huet will be the guy making the defense better. I forgot we had picked up Niemi also he was a top european goalie and only 24 yrs old. Khabi must go his contract needs rid of and either Crawford or Niemi backup Huet.. Now we have a team.
On a sidenote with the Hossa signing I don't thnk it matters that much or makes them that much better. Detroit is ALWAYS stacked so Hossa is just another guy. He's great as a sniper but a little overrated I think overall. The guy signed a 1 yr deal from the team that just beat him in the CUP so I don't really respect him much anyway..Looking for that easy cup and move on for the big payday. I hope he fails miserably!
I kinda agree with your assessment on Hossa. He was always a choke artist in the post season until this past year playing alongside Crosby.
Kind of interesting he would leave 35 million on the table to play alongside Sidney for the next 5 years to join the team that just beat his team, but you're right it's not like it makes Detroit THAT much better they already score goals in bunches.
The 1-year deal is maybe the most interesting here, Barring injury his value should only increase, the Wings are the prohibitive favorite for 08-09, and the salary cup should continue to rise, so he could get that 8,9,10 million a year salary. Plus it frees up room for Detroit to lock up Setterberg and Franzen and match any possible ofer sheet the 24 year old Valteri Filppula may garner on the market.
IF Detroit makes the playoffs?
The Hawks did fare well vs. Detroit last year, but Rex Grossman has a greater shot at 40 td's next year than the Red Wings have at missing the playoffs. But a wings - hawks western conference final is definitely possible.