Blackhawks trade for G Marc-Andre Fleury

Otis Day · Tue Jul 27, 2021 12:34 pm

Damn!! This could be huge. I had heard a report on the radio, hell could have read it, can't remember, that Fluery would love to play in Chicago.

Off topic, didn't like that they made no offer to Pius Suter.

Tue Jul 27, 2021 4:29 pm

Boris13c · Tue Jul 27, 2021 6:43 pm

if he actually comes to play, I will be pleased ... I think he has a few more good years left in him

Boris13c · Mon Aug 02, 2021 8:22 pm

Credit Jonathan Toews with an assist for Marc-André Fleury’s decision to join the Chicago Blackhawks

With Marc-André Fleury accepting the Chicago Blackhawks’ proposal to play hockey for them instead of retiring or forcing a trade, there’s suddenly reason to be optimistic about the 2021-22 season.

Fleury, who has three Stanley Cup titles and won the Vezina Trophy this past season as the NHL’s top goaltender, might have needed a little convincing to accept the trade from the Vegas Golden Knights and join the Hawks. And while president of hockey operations Stan Bowman wouldn’t reveal exactly how Fleury came to his decision, Bowman did admit Hawks captain Jonathan Toews could be credited with an assist.

“Once we traded for him, I think in particular Jonathan had some experience with Marc-André from the Olympics in 2010,” Bowman said Monday on a teleconference. “I think it was really just sort of a reach-out to say, ‘Hey, we’d love to have you here.’ ”

The arrival of Fleury, along with the trade for defenseman Seth Jones and the signing of free-agent defenseman Jake McCabe, has put Bowman’s rebuilding plan in mothballs and signaled a new urgency to win on the West Side.

happy this has been resolved

Mikefive · Mon Aug 09, 2021 8:37 am

What a stunner! When I saw it on TV, I thought it was a practical joke of some kind. I guess the rebuilding is over now?

Mon Aug 09, 2021 10:37 am

Mikefive wrote: ↑Mon Aug 09, 2021 8:37 am What a stunner! When I saw it on TV, I thought it was a practical joke of some kind. I guess the rebuilding is over now?

I don't think last year was much of a rebuild. They had, and arguably still have, a lot of cap albatrosses that have put them in a really shitty situation. They were in a holding pattern waiting for the contracts of Shaw and Seabrook to find a finality, as well as having no clue if Toews was going to retire, if Keith was done, and how to solidify a roster going forward.

Now that a lot of that dust has settled, the Blackhawks have cap space and a rare tandem of a young talent in Dach combined with an older star in Kane. If Toews is there, all the better. That said, it feels frustrating they dealt Saad for Zadorav, who washed out badly, and now Saad is likely a long-term fixture for the annoying-ass Blues. They didn't bring Suter back after a nice season, but at least he's in hockey hell up in Ottawa.

The Jones trade is fine, so long as he continues being dynamic and stays healthy. Re-upping Hagel and bringing in McCabe are great pickups.

They've got to take some advantage of this to at least get in the playoffs and make noise. I don't know necessarily if they're a cup team at all, but they're certainly more interesting on paper going into this season. The winter olympics are going to be a hurdle as well, so keep that in mind.

TL;DR: The Blackhawks probably are never going to have a season like 2020 again for a decent while thanks to ancient, lingering contracts and bizarre circumstances.

Mikefive · Tue Aug 10, 2021 8:11 am

With 3 recent cups, I can certainly forgive the resulting cap issues and the need to shed some age and $$$ which has been a work in process. The defense has really declined. Hopefully, that has been properly addressed.

To me, Dach seems like a big body, but more of a multi-faceted, yet not really superior at anything kinda player. But I can accept that I just may not be hockey savvy enough to recognize aspects of his value. I'm that way with Toews. I loved Hagel from the first moment I saw him play. His speed leaps off the TV.