The CHI FAF review

Yesterday was both Canada day and the Free Agent Frenzy. No time for parades just 12 hours in front of TSN to see where your favorite players are going and who your team is getting. Unless of course you're a Flyers fan then you're still a bit lost. I wanted to make a flow chart to show all of the Philly roster changes, but I don't have 10 feet worth of blog space to bore you all with the details of why Jagr's mulletlessness is no replacement for Carter OR Richards. Besides let's talk about the only team that really matters--The Chicago Blackhawks.

Because I didn't mention it earlier the Blackhawks traded a draft pick to Buffalo for defenseman Steve Montador. With a name like a late 70's truck-car maybe the Pontiac rip off of the Ranchero(?), he brought some much needed size. While I'm never crazy about trading away draft picks, we desperately needed some size and an over haul and a 7th round draft pick for an NHL ready defenseman is a pretty decent deal. Thanks, Suckers.

Jamal Mayers. We didn't give up anything but a couple of measely dollars to get the guy, and I'm pretty sure he isn't coming for his goal scoring abilities. He does have a good size and will most likely man our 4th line. So decent pick up considering our lack of grit last year.

Sean O'Donnell. We didn't have to give up much to get a 6th or 7th d-man in Sean. He'll turn 40 right before the season starts so I imagine this will be his last season.

Andrew Brunette. Despite his pitiful +/- I'm going to let that slide considering how garbage the Wild have been the last two or three seasons. With 20+ goals in almost every season of his career. He adds some depth to most likely our 3rd line that we seemed to be missing all year.

Now rumor has it we MIGHT be re-signing John Madden, which in my opinion would be awesome. We need a guy like Madden that can almost guarantee a face off win and play that 4th line center position with heart and grit.

MY RUMOR: Andrew Ladd will return to the Blackhawks. Brouwer failed to deliver in the grit category and we shipped him off to Washington for a draft pick. So Laddy would be my go to guy on returning to fill a spot leading our 3rd line although I wouldn't be shocked to see him garner some 2nd or even 1st line time.


THE WORST: Dan Carcillo. I have no idea why we signed this guy. Even for a year it seems like flushing money down the crapper for no good reason. UNLESS he gets packaged and shipped out for something substantial.

The END: We still have some cap money to play with, and we need an NHL backup. Who that will be is anybody's guess. And we probably need at least one more D-man and one more top 6 forward unless they have someone in Rockford in mind. I guess we'll all have to wait and see.