|
Just some random thoughts on various topics to partially fill a week devoid of Blackhawk hockey.
First, the week off comes at a time when the Hawks' overall game had been rounding into shape pretty nicely. Will that momentum be upset? Hard to say.
But a definite positive of the break will be more RnR and less grind for Duncan Keith, who has appeared to many to be playing through some pain/debilitation, likely from an offeseason knee injury. Keith, not coincidentally, has also looked like his individual game has been coming along—and so the rest should hugely benefit the player who arguably drives the Hawks' defense and transition from the back end.
As far as trade activity, I have not heard anything the last few days, beyond what's out there publicly: Stan Bowman doing the Annual Media Denial Tour, and hearing last night that 2 Hawk scouts were among 14 total at the St. Louis/Detroit Game at Joe Louis.
The Hawks do have interest in 2-3 Detroit wingers, although scouting presence is typically not something to get too terribly freaked out over. Scouts "scout" for a lot of reasons—trades, but also to uncover tendencies and weaknesses in future opponents. Scouts also just go to hockey games. It's what they're paid to do.
Still, 2 scouts, especially if one or more is a senior member of the staff, is usually telling, especially at this time of year.
The thing to realize—and this always comes up in February and June—is that GMs public statements simply do not accurately reflect their intentions. They are all playing a negotiating game and they use the press to do so.
They also are being very careful not to disrupt or upset their current roster, agents, etc. So when a GM says "we're not looking to make a deal," or "we haven't talked about that player," or when a "legit" hockey media type says "I spoke with GM X and he said it's not true," uhhh, the buyer beware.
Because the same "legit" hockey media types will then later send tweets that say "Wow, spoke with GM X last week—was told otherwise, completely caught off guard." As happened last week with the hiring of Claude Julien in Montreal.
Ya think?
The point of all this is, where there's enough smoke, there's usually a fire.
I can't say with any certainty what the Hawks will do before 3/1. And I can't say for sure Stan Bowman will accomplish anything (of any significance).
I can say with some certainty, having covered eight March 1 deadlines now, and having had some success breaking accurate trade rumors (that actually happened), that my information at present pretty strongly suggests the Hawks are aggressively, yet quietly, pursuing a number of fairly significant trade options. Detroit, Arizona, Colorado, Tampa are the teams I've heard to this point.
Finally, I would watch for the likely promotion of F Michael Latta, whom I'm told was acquired to upgrade physicality on the lower lines. His promotion will probably come in conjunction with a trade or reassignment of some current Hawk asset.
All I have for now.
Today at 6:00 am by Rocky
» Mr. Al-Hakim calls for making Iraq a regional headquarters for international organizations
Today at 5:58 am by Rocky
» Mr. Al-Hakim: Kirkuk is our miniature Iraq and success in it is success for Iraq
Today at 5:57 am by Rocky
» Ports: Al-Faw-Umm Qasr Road will be completed ahead of schedule
Today at 5:53 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary Finance: Budget amendment includes only one paragraph related to the region’s oil
Today at 5:51 am by Rocky
» 94% increase in foreign remittance sales in Iraqi currency auction
Today at 5:49 am by Rocky
» $10 Billion Cash Flows into Bitcoin Funds Since Trump Win
Today at 5:47 am by Rocky
» Financial Supervision Bureau: The percentage of localizing salaries of regional employees exceeded 8
Today at 5:44 am by Rocky
» Formation of a government committee to close down violating industrial activities
Today at 5:43 am by Rocky
» Iraq rises to third place in the Arab world in gold reserves after Lebanon leaves the list
Today at 5:42 am by Rocky
» Laboratories for the unemployed
Today at 5:41 am by Rocky
» Closing of {private} institutes in Babylon
Today at 5:39 am by Rocky
» Labor is studying the establishment of factories and production lines to employ the unemployed
Today at 5:38 am by Rocky
» Iraq is moving towards developing the private sector
Today at 5:34 am by Rocky
» Moves to improve the investment environment and implement import policy
Today at 5:32 am by Rocky
» Ministry of Planning to {Al Sabah}: The government has processed 1,104 projects
Today at 5:31 am by Rocky
» The Central Organization for Standardization and Quality Control grants the Iraqi Quality Mark to th
Today at 5:28 am by Rocky
» Financial Supervision Bureau: The percentage of localizing salaries of Kurdistan Region employees ex
Today at 5:27 am by Rocky
» Washington reassures Baghdad: Syrian factions will not attack you
Today at 5:25 am by Rocky
» Trump appoints his lawyer Alina Habba of "Iraqi origin" as an advisor to the president
Today at 5:22 am by Rocky
» Integrity Commission discloses its activities in the field of disclosure of assets and money inflati
Today at 5:21 am by Rocky
» Advantages of the modern electronic ration card
Today at 5:19 am by Rocky
» Prime Minister attends meeting of presidencies and state administration coalition to discuss develop
Today at 5:18 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani launches Baghdad Forests Project
Today at 5:15 am by Rocky
» Ministry of Planning: The government has processed 1,104 projects
Today at 5:13 am by Rocky
» Presidencies and State Administration Meeting: The Importance of Respecting the Choices of the Syria
Today at 5:12 am by Rocky
» Al-Sadr after the fall of Assad: We look forward to balanced relations between Iraq and Syria
Today at 5:11 am by Rocky
» US National Security Advisor: We are working to strengthen Iraq so that the conflict does not spread
Today at 5:10 am by Rocky
» Integrity Commission discloses its activities in the field of disclosure of assets and money inflati
Today at 5:08 am by Rocky
» British newspaper: Iraq's development path will compete with the Suez Canal
Today at 5:07 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani's wise policies save Iraq from a regional storm
Today at 5:04 am by Rocky
» Amending Article 12 whets the appetite for amendments.. The tripartite budget has become “binary”
Today at 5:01 am by Rocky
» Find out the exchange rates of the dollar against the dinar in Iraq
Today at 4:59 am by Rocky
» Kurdistan Integrity Commission reveals statistics on corruption cases in the region during 2024
Today at 4:58 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary Committee Criticizes Dollar Selling Platform: It Has Many Problems and Suspicions of C
Today at 4:55 am by Rocky
» Trump appoints new adviser of Iraqi origin
Today at 4:54 am by Rocky
» utube 12/7/24 MM&C MM&C-Iraq Dinar News-Prime Minister Al-Sudani- Speaks to the People- The World-
Yesterday at 11:04 am by Rocky
» utube 12/5/24 MM&C Iraq Dinar News-Executive & Legislative Authority Integration-Full Support-
Yesterday at 11:04 am by Rocky
» Where did the amendment of the budget items related to oil exports in the Kurdistan Region stand?
Yesterday at 7:53 am by Rocky
» Article 12 of the budget ignites controversy under the dome of Parliament
Yesterday at 7:50 am by Rocky
» The number of representatives does not exceed 70 representatives
Yesterday at 7:47 am by Rocky
» Central Bank Sells Over $300 Million in Auction Today
Yesterday at 7:45 am by Rocky
» Financial Supervision calls for building strong and effective partnerships between the private secto
Yesterday at 6:08 am by Rocky
» Iranian gas and bitter cold exacerbate Iraq's electricity crisis
Yesterday at 6:06 am by Rocky
» Al-Nusairi calls on the media to be patriotic, transparent and supportive of the national economy
Yesterday at 6:05 am by Rocky
» The extent of Iraq's influence on unstable political events and disturbances with our neighbors, Ara
Yesterday at 6:04 am by Rocky
» Despite the rise in domestic borrowing, a government advisor says the financial situation is stable
Yesterday at 6:03 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani confirms his support for the joint operation project for hospitals and addressing its obst
Yesterday at 6:02 am by Rocky
» The President of the Republic stresses the importance of addressing the phenomenon of gas emissions
Yesterday at 6:01 am by Rocky
» Today.. Parliament votes on 5 laws
Yesterday at 5:59 am by Rocky
» (Riyada) breaks the shackles of unemployment and opens the doors of the future for young people
Yesterday at 5:58 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani launches Baghdad Forests Project
Yesterday at 5:57 am by Rocky
» Activating 16 oil wells in Kirkuk
Yesterday at 5:55 am by Rocky
» Abstention of students and teachers from the outskirts
Yesterday at 5:54 am by Rocky
» Agriculture: Signing a contract with FAO to use advanced technologies
Yesterday at 5:53 am by Rocky
» Baghdad Municipality: 33 companies compete to expand the capital’s sewers
Yesterday at 5:51 am by Rocky
» Next year.. Implementation of BRT and public transport projects
Yesterday at 5:50 am by Rocky
» Iraq's turn has come.. Iraqi leader from Tehran: Americans must be expelled from Baghdad and the war
Yesterday at 5:45 am by Rocky
» Who is responsible for the delay? Source: Kurdistan’s non-oil revenues cover the salary deficit
Yesterday at 5:44 am by Rocky
» Gas supply halt deprives Iraq of production from largest power plant in Diyala
Yesterday at 5:41 am by Rocky
» Al-Asadi: The Workers’ Social Security Law has stimulated the labor market and pushed young people t
Yesterday at 5:40 am by Rocky
» Despite regional tensions, car companies establish a foothold in Iraq via Erbil
Yesterday at 5:39 am by Rocky
» Syrian Crisis: Iraq’s “Cautious” Position and Participation Dependent on Developments
Yesterday at 5:37 am by Rocky
» Security Media: Implementation of a controlled destruction operation of war remnants west of Baghdad
Yesterday at 5:36 am by Rocky
» Trade excludes the impact of the Syrian crisis on the Iraqi economy and food security
Yesterday at 5:35 am by Rocky
» Electricity: Smart transformation does not impose an increase in tariff prices
Yesterday at 5:34 am by Rocky
» Migration: We are ready for any displacement from Syria to Iraq
Yesterday at 5:33 am by Rocky
» House of Representatives holds session to vote on important draft laws
Yesterday at 5:30 am by Rocky
» "Controversial" laws return again.. House of Representatives holds "important" session today
Yesterday at 5:28 am by Rocky
» With the participation of Iraq.. The 26th Ministerial Meeting of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum b
Yesterday at 5:25 am by Rocky
» Donating employees’ salaries... “mandatory” volunteering and a “suspicious” formula
Yesterday at 5:24 am by Rocky
» Dollar exchange rates in Iraqi governorates today
Yesterday at 5:23 am by Rocky
» Where did the amendment of the budget items related to oil exports in the Kurdistan Region stand?
Yesterday at 5:21 am by Rocky
» Transferring its employees to Lebanon.. Iraq evacuates its embassy in Syria
Yesterday at 5:19 am by Rocky
» Launching a new batch of housing loans at the beginning of 2025
Sat Dec 07, 2024 8:02 am by Rocky
» After the completion of the five berths, Al-Faw Port prepares to receive the first commercial ship
Sat Dec 07, 2024 7:59 am by Rocky
» Mazhar Mohammed Saleh: Iraq's economy, financial flows and trade relations will not be affected by e
Sat Dec 07, 2024 7:54 am by Rocky
» A new crisis is on the line.. Al-Sudani throws the ball of the ministerial reshuffle into the court
Sat Dec 07, 2024 7:49 am by Rocky
» Politician: Halbousi's visit to Washington is suspicious and mysterious
Sat Dec 07, 2024 7:47 am by Rocky
» US official: Washington informed Iraq not to get involved in the conflict in Syria
Sat Dec 07, 2024 7:44 am by Rocky
» After the Tripartite .. Iraq plans to host an international meeting to discuss the repercussions of
Sat Dec 07, 2024 7:43 am by Rocky
» Central Bank sells more than $1 billion in 5 days
Sat Dec 07, 2024 7:40 am by Rocky
» Iraq participates in a ministerial meeting of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF)
Sat Dec 07, 2024 7:34 am by Rocky
» “Delayed accountability” makes efforts to combat corruption falter
Sat Dec 07, 2024 5:45 am by Rocky
» Economist: The parallel market sells the dollar at a price not controlled by the government
Sat Dec 07, 2024 5:41 am by Rocky
» 12 railway lines returned to service in Iraq
Sat Dec 07, 2024 5:40 am by Rocky
» MP: Political consensus hindered ministerial reshuffle, field reform is the most appropriate solutio
Sat Dec 07, 2024 5:38 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary Security: Türkiye's camps inside Iraq reveal its occupation intentions
Sat Dec 07, 2024 5:36 am by Rocky
» Al-Khanjar leads internal political movement to prevent Iraq from supporting the Assad regime
Sat Dec 07, 2024 5:34 am by Rocky
» According to Mercer, the Iraqi capital is the second worst Arab city for expatriates
Sat Dec 07, 2024 5:33 am by Rocky
» Samarra Pharmaceutical Company's contracts with the Ministry of Health to increase in 2024
Sat Dec 07, 2024 5:31 am by Rocky
» Bitcoin retreats as traders hedge against possible correction
Sat Dec 07, 2024 5:30 am by Rocky
» Is Iraq affected economically by the current events in Syria? Al-Sudani’s advisor explains
Sat Dec 07, 2024 5:27 am by Rocky
» Baghdad.. Exchange rates record 152 thousand dinars per hundred dollars
Sat Dec 07, 2024 5:26 am by Rocky
» Rafidain Bank Restructuring Program.. Justifications and Requirements
Sat Dec 07, 2024 5:22 am by Rocky
» MP accuses region of "evading" paying salaries to employees
Sat Dec 07, 2024 5:21 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary confirmation: There are no intentions to send official forces to Syria
Sat Dec 07, 2024 5:16 am by Rocky
» The beginning of resolving many issues.. MP: The general amnesty will proceed "consensually"
Sat Dec 07, 2024 5:15 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani's advisor: Iraq's economy will not be affected by current events in Syria
Sat Dec 07, 2024 5:13 am by Rocky