Cap'n Clutch wrote:It's interesting reading your comments DTR. You seem to soft touch the issues that Tallon created in terms of cap concerns and simply say it's business and this happens all the time. Not too long ago when members were discussing the cap situation in Chicago your response was that Tallon isn't worried and you don't worry about the Cap now just spend what you have to spend and things will work themselves out. Now you seem to touch on the issue suggesting maybe there were contract signings that weren't great and the new GM, former capoligist, wasn't to blame.
You then suggest this was a long time coming and post a blog suggesting there was possibly some in-fighting going on. Does this turmoil now suddenly stop even though Tallon is still a part of upper managament?
Is the Cap still nothing to worry about? Is this all just going to work itself out? Should the Hawks continue, as you mentioned, to just spend what you need to now and worry about the Cap later?
Clutchie, all good points.
To be absolutely clear--I challenged the assumption by several of our members that Tallon was worried about the cap issues.
It turns out I was right in challenging that assumption.
Based on his actions, Tallon was more focused on putting what he felt was the best possible team on the ice--and, as I said, and I was correct in this observation--and he believed that whatever cap issues arose could be worked out later.
McDonough may not have agreed...in fact it appears from his decision to replace Tallon with Stan Bowman that he did not agree with Tallon's approach in terms of fiscal management.
Yes, the team improved dramatically, and the talent the Hawks have now is impressive.
To go, under Tallon, from 65 points to 104, and bottom feeder to Final Four, in just four seasons?
Outstanding by any standard of hockey measurement.
But the business needs to be managed
very carefully, and apparently McDonough felt Stan Bowman would be the best person to do that.
And yes, this is what frequently happens in business, especially on this scale when hundreds of millions of dollars are involved. A General Manager (whether it's a hockey team or a multi-national) gets a certain mandate, and a certain amount of leeway. If they exceed that leeway the owner, the Board of Directors or the CEO may step in...as McDonough did...and make a change...as McDonough did.
Turmoil? Business is all about turmoil. The knives are always out even if the smiles and handshakes are visible.
There's no 'soft touch'. The issues are real issues, and Stan Bowman is, from all indications, well equipped to do the job.
So we'll see what he does.
The so-called 'albatross' contracts? Well, you know all about that in Ottawa. A megacontract's only an 'albatross' when things go wrong...and if the team is losing.
At the moment, the Hawks are a winning team, so fiscal issues are secondary. But you'll hear no guarantees or predictions from me about what happens next year.
Frankly, from what I can see, the Blackhawks are in a very good position...they have way more talent than they can put on the ice. They have assets to trade, and ways to become even better.
And I don't expect Stan Bowman will be a 'soft touch'.
But we'll see. Expectations are higher now.
As they should be.
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