Nothing stirs the soul quite like having to stare at Twitter for a while. But that’s where we are these days. Let’s wrap up for those who had actual work or actual lives to attend to, two things I’m not burdened with. At some point late this morning or early this afternoon, the Hawks were rumored to be one of two finalists for the services of Zach Parise. This led to a rabid Twitter….what-have-ya, culminating in the breathless announcement that Parise would meet the press in five minutes (this was about 4pm Central). Those five minutes were filled with a few very funny jokes and a lot of terrible ones (you know it’s bad when The Score’s Matt Abbatacola gets involved). Then Parise came out to tell us he was going home to think it over some more. Believe me, it was downright titillating.
So the Hawks, like everyone else, will have to wait a day or two or more. In the end, I don’t really see how they can pull this off. They can offer the same money, maybe, as other suitors, but without as much room after as say the Penguins can (though I guess the difference after a jettisoning of Hjalmarsson and Frolik would be negligible). They can offer a similar core as that of the Penguins, with slight more depth though maybe not the high end. But the point I keep getting back to is that Parise sees the Penguins six times a year. He knows exactly what’s over there, where he fits in, how Bylsma would coach him, on and on. The Hawks are kind of a mystery to him, I should think, and when deciding where he’s going to spend the rest of his career, that’s a big deal.
Another problem is the Plan B’s if Parise doesn’t land here are starting to dry up. Steve Ott was traded for Derek Roy, which were two options the Hawks should have at least been considering. Shane Doan’s a week away from deciding if he even wants to leave. The Sens don’t want Hjalmarsson any more. I hope all the eggs aren’t in one basket here.
Some fourth line options have also been locked up. Torrey Mitchell wouldn’t have redefined the sport, but might have been a nice fit. Adam Burish got too many years in San Jose, just as Brandon Prust did in Montreal (with too much money). There have been others. Oh, and the defense still has questions, though Brookbank was a pretty understated, solid signing.
And we’ll probably get to do it all again tomorrow.