Ruining the Market...

Dale Tallon surely knows how to ruin the market,...well at least "TRY" anyway.

Dale was up to his old tricks and thank goodness it was with former Hawks. Tomas Kopecky was due for a "slight" raise from his $1.2m ...maybe 1.7-2m for a 3rd to 4th line winger. Dale decides to cough up the dough and raise the ante to 3million. Really?! Is Florida that far under the cap or is Dale just being as stupid as he was in Chicago when he grabbed Campbell for 8 years 7.1 and Huet for 5 years at 5.2 when in actuality Huet was worth2-3 years at 1.5-2 million and Campbell was worth 4-5 years at 3 to 3.5million.

He hancuffed the Hawks last year where they had to have a useless "backup" plan of not necessarily having the best players on the ice, but the ones who made the least. Potulny, Pisani, Scott, Dowell, Bickell, Stalberg all under 1 million (Bickell and Stalberg above the league minimum of 500k)

I assume the Hawks will be handing Dale a big "Thank You" gift basket this week for uncuffing their hands and allowing them to go "shopping" this weekend as July 1st is this Friday. Hmmmmmmm, what to shop for?

1)....A nice healthy Brad Richards would be nice (as long as he isn't looking to be above 5.5 and 5 years. He's too injury prone).

2)Find a way to dump the newly acquired Olesz.... I don't know if he's useless or the 3.5 million he's making is for potential...for it certainly isn't for actual output.

3)How about a return of Madden, Eager or even Sopel. There is a use for all of them.

Face off artist, a little muscle that can agitate and skate and a shot block artist who would certainly be a good 6th defencemen...(with a pay cut, of course). Things lacking last year that they certainly could use as a return in their lineup.

4) I'm extremely interested in how Kyle Beach and Mark McNeill are going to perform in the summer camp.......We could use one of them.

5) I'm also interested in Shawn LaLonde. I've liked him from 2 years ago, and hope he can fill that 6yh or 7th defence slot.

6) My NEW favorite prospect is.....Jeremy Morin. He's young and has an enormous amount of talent. Yes, he's a small guy, but his heart is 3 times larger. I hope he makes the squad this year.

As you can see, Hawks fans now have time to dream, fantasize and come up with an enormous amount of scenarios for our 2011-12 team ...all thanks to Dale Tallon...............Again, Thanks Dale.

Hawks are setting up for a wonderful camp 2011

With the recent departure of BRIAN CAMPBELL, TOMAS KOPECKY, and letting go of JAKE DOWELL, the Hawks are letting go of serious baggage.

I don't know what type of guilt trip Stan Bowman gave Dale Tallon, but the combination that Florida wasn't even going to hit the cap floor minimum, and the fact that he personally tied the hands of Chicago from competing by him oversigning Brian Campbell to 7.1 million, may have had something to do with it. But,...to have Tallon personally call Campbell and convince him to let go of his "non-trade" clause .........was genius.

Now, that unties the hands of the Hawks. But, wait,...there's more. Then to get more than a hand shake from Kopecky was amazing. He traded the rights to Florida ONE day before free agency for a 7th round pick (either 2012 or 2013). NICE !

Jake Dowell was only on the Hawks last year because they were tied up with the salary cap. His talent isn't NHL ready...at least, not good enough to be on the Hawks 4th line. Jordan Hendry I don't believe he'll be kept around either,...but if so, it's for league minimum.

With Mark McNeill eagerly waiting to come aboard, and even more so, KYLE BEACH is finally going to get his true opportunity to make the team, this means the Hawks can fill their roster with qualified personnel.

14million to spend,... They offered Campoli, Frolik and Stalberg conditional offers. They are all restricted free agents.

Here's the present roster as it now stands:

1) Toews,

2) Kane

3) Hossa

4) Sharp

5) Bolland

6) Bickell

7) Scott

8) Seabrook

9) Keith

10) Hjalmarsson

11) Leddy

12) Krueger

13) Smith

14) Crawford

If they can obtain Ryan Johnson for less than $800k, then do it. He's a good teammate and works hard.

15-18 ( I believe Stalberg, Campoli and Frolik will stay.....but here's to assuming, for the time being).

19. Salak as the back up........and Turco goes bye-bye.

20-21. Morin and Beach.........One or both come up.

22....here's to hoping Ryan Johnson decides to stay.

23. Heres to hoping Shawn LaLonde makes the squad as the last defencemen

20 players dress per game,.......12 forwards, 6 defencemen, 2 goalies

Scott and Johnson would flip flop in and out of lineup... Krueger and possibly Stalberg become interchangeable...

The Hawks may go after one player under the $1.5m range who could be a solid 4th liner with 'grit'.

However the Hawks decide to go here,...the good news is they aren't going to have to put people in the line-up strictly because they make less money. (e.g. Skille, Dowell, Pisani, etc...)

NOW, ...the Hawks can contend again...

It wasn't until the Hawks got rid of the very contract (Brian Campbell) that put them in a salary cap bind,...that the Hawks would ever be able to finagle and maneuver their roster and get other added pieces to make them a contender again.

Brian Campbell until Thursday, refused to give up his non-trade clause until the man that gave him the big dough,....Dale Tallon was willing to take him back,...but this time as a member of the Florida Panthers. With this move, and getting rid of Troy Brouwer who was due a raise and ...in my opinion wasn't worth the raise, now allows the Hawks to sign Campoli, Frolik, Stalberg, Kopecky and possibly bring in another face. Great move by Stan Bowman today.........GREAT move.