Hawks match for Hjalmarsson

[themanishere]

IMO, it was a geneous idea of San Jose to do the offer sheet for a few reasons. Overall, it looks like San Jose is attacking Chicago off the ice for the 2011-12 Stanley Cup before the season begins. Since San jose has so much pressure to win the Stanley Cup and even more to make the finals, they made an offer sheet which would either bring one of Chicago's Stanley Cup peices to the Sharks or tack on another $4m to Chicago's books which is already at a boiling point.

Precisely, it was a win-win for the Sharks. Either get a decent, young Dman or screw with the Hawks' cap.

[HammerHawks]

I did not say he was the BEST, I said ONE of the best. Volchenkov has proven time and time again what an outstanding shot blocker he is, look at the 2007 Cup Finals. He was a force. He is also making $750,000 more than Hjalmarsson. He had 14 points last year.

I really don't see what you are trying to prove, you support Vochenkov, but he gets paid MORE than Hjalmarsson does and you get basically the same thing.

Bottom line, Hjalmarsson is getting paid to be a defensive force, not an offensive force.

[capt55]

The other guy has been in the league longer than a year and a half, Voly has paid his dues.

[HammerHawks]

???

Has he won a cup?

[somawilt]

So does that mean that someone like Mike Green is worth 20 million? I don't think so.

It's not about points, it's about what he does for the team. Honestly, and I doubt that many would disagree, Hjalmarsson is one of the best shot blockers in the league. He gets in front of anything. I watched a game once against San Jose, in the first two shifts, he had four blocked shots. That's what he is getting paid to do, not to put up big numbers.

I FULLY agree with you on this. I'd rather have Hjalmarsson then Mike "What? I play defense?" Green. And I'm a Caps fan. Yes Mr. Green puts up the points but with Ovie, Semin, Backstrom, Knuble etc. who wouldn't? I'd rather Washington win 3-2 then lose 7-6 with Green scoring 2 and being on the ice for the other team's 7. I think Green should just be put on the wing and a real defenseman should be on the back-end. When you play defense, your ability to prevent scoring chances and to break up plays is worth far more than how many points you put on the board. Case in point, Mike Green was golfing in April and Hjalmarsson was hoisting the Cup in June.

[edthesandwich]

That is one BITTER Caps fan. :P

[somawilt]

That is one BITTER Caps fan. :P

After the egg they laid I have the right to be bitter. lol I can't believe a sandwich just called me bitter.

[edthesandwich]

Ohhhhhhhhhhhh yeah, I almost forgot how EPIC that egg was! So sayeth the `wich!

[doniceage]

Great news. Now I hope Niemi loses his arbitration case so the Hawks can get him cheaper. I think if Niemi gets awarded big time in arbitration Hawks might let him walk and then SJ makes a play for him.

I dont' see how Niemi can lose. As they have to compare him to what others are getting paid based on production right? How will that come CHEAP?

Don

[HammerHawks]

I just did a new Hawks roster on Cap Geek. My roster had all the guys on the roster plus Beach (1.1 mil), Skille (1 mil), Dowell (800k), Bickell (900k), Vishnevskiy (800k), Lalonde (700k), Crawford (800k), and Niemi making 4 mil. If they get rid of Campbell it will leave them 6 mil.