If I was Cullen I’d run with that, the Hawks are gonna make a good run for the Cup this year.

As much as i like him, id would be stupidity not to go. It is obvious we aren’t going anywhere this season. I’m curious as to what we would get in return?

culln for kane

patrick kane to the canes…ha

anyway, i would hate to see cullen go,
thats all i can say.

I mentioned this on another post a little while ago. While I would love for Cullen to stick around, it obvious we could not afford him (with Brind’Amours salary) for next year. If it happens, we would probably get D-Cam Barker or RW-Patrick Sharp. Either would be fine with me, but I think Barker is probably the one JR is looking at. Barker could possibly play with Pitkanen or Gleason, contribute on the PP, and would allow for some more freedom to move Corvo.

and we will still have the problem of scoring goals. a sudden 4 goals against a bad Minnesota team doesnt mean we have shaken off the lack of scoring on this team.

Here’s another article from the Sporting News posted Sunday on the same topic:

Cullen Could Be Moved – Who Else? by Craig Custance

In particular, note this observation within that article:

If Rutherford goes into firesale mode, he has some ammunition. It’d certainly be a sellers market right now, since there aren’t a lot of teams looking to deal veterans thanks to parity being at an all-time high. I talked to one GM at the meetings in Toronto and he said it’s nearly impossible to find a team willing to move players for draft picks or prospects. Everybody wants something back to help them now since nearly every team is still in the mix, making a trade really challenging because it has to be the perfect fit. If Rutherford decides to look to the future, he could certainly cash in.

Could be that JR is in a unique position within the league right now. Although several teams look like questionable contenders, JR may have the best assets to dangle for those looking for injury replacements and/or augmentations. Also, he may be in a unique position of having good talent to offer and be willing to take prospects/picks instead of equal talent in return. That’s important for teams trying to maintain or get better.

If this is the cases, then the timing of at least some trades could be sooner in the season than the trade deadline.

And Rosie is starting to come along. It is impressive how much he can change a game while not appearing on a score sheet

PLZ MOVE brindamour thats it

I’d hate to see Cullen moved. His hat trick against the Sabers last year is a big reason I got into hockey. But it would seem to make sense for the team.

If you watch him its surprising to me that he isnt score 35 goals a season, but for whatever reason he just seems to get back breaks. My favorite is his little toe drag snap shot using the defender as a screen….yet ive only seen him score on that move twice..

J “The Recycler”R would be in the same position this summer to get him signed as he would be otherwise. So we lose Cullen for the rest of the year, which is write off. Cullen get’s a shot on a hot young team for ring. It sounds like a win win. I hate to see him go, but if he’s gotta go in the summer, I’d like to see him on a team with a shot.

I hope we get him back in the summer though. I think he still has alot of good hockey left in the tank.

A

I love the guy, but guess I’m just taking a hard business look at the team these days. I’m in asset management mode.

Any UFA that we don’t think has a spot on the New Canes really needs to be converted into a more long-term asset at this point, whenever possible, regardless of how big a role they play on the Old Canes or how much we like them. It’s just asset management to preserve the “wealth” of the team, turning an expiring UFA contract into a younger longer-term contract, now or in some future year.

To me, Sutter is Cullen, so I do believe he’s expendable. Sutter is our second-line center on the New Canes.

So, Cullen for an RFA that fits into the New Canes or for picks/prospects that have statistical chances of turning into equal value in future years, while lowering salary budget and opening a meaningful spot in the roster for a Rat this year, is going to be fine with me.

It’s also worth noting that Matt’s brother Mark is under contract with the Hawks and plays with their farm team in Rockford.

Nooooo! I hope they don’t trade Cullen, again :(

A lot of people are talking about getting rid of the players that aren’t producing. That’s easier said than done. With most teams in some sort of budget mode (cap for self imposed), it’s difficult trying to add a player that is expensive and not producing. The old saying is “buy low, sell high.” To get rid of those players, you have to see them produce something so another team gets interested. Right now, Cullen and Corvo are playing above average and interesting to other teams. I hate to see them go, but sell now before something happens (i.e. Cullen getting injuried).

can be found in a Hockey News article published today.

Chicago Blackhawks two-way center Dave Bolland has been sidelined by back surgery that’s expected to keep him out of the lineup for up to four months. That’s sparked talk management is looking for a replacement.

The Chicago Daily Herald reported Sunday Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman was eyeing Carolina Hurricanes center Matt Cullen, who’s on a one-year contract worth $2.875 million.

Bowman would have to either send a comparable salary back to the Hurricanes to make room for Cullen’s contract or place Bolland on long-term injury status for the necessary cap relief.

Hurricanes GM Jim Rutherford recently suggested changes could be coming to his struggling roster and it is believed he’d like to make his roster younger and faster.

Don’t be surprised if Bowman offers up a prospect or draft pick for Cullen once Bolland goes on the LTIR.

From his blog entry posted moments ago:

Cullen Not the Hawks Target, Who Is?

Rumors are swirling that the Blackhawks are looking into Matt Cullen to replce the injured Bolland when he heads to Long term injured reserve. As fas as I can tell the Hawks are looking at another option right now, and not Cullen. While Cullen is solid two ways, and may end up being there guy, I would look to another struggling Eastern Conference team…

The Hawks are interested in Dominic Moore in Florida. You may recall at last year’s deadline the Hawks made a push for Dominic Moore and it was even reported by some outlets that it would happen. Moore really struggled to get an offer this summer due to a high asking price and has been out of the line-up for Florida until just recently.

That being said, Moore’s 1 million is a perfect fit for the Hawks. And he has something left in the tank as well…plus he makes the Hawks tougher and when Bolland returns you can find a way to keep him in the line-up.

itll probably by andrew ladd….knowing JRs tendencies. ha

Remember a few years back when the only team Rutherford seemed to deal with was Bobby Clarke/Philly? Now Chicago seems to be in his comfort zone – Ruutu, Samsonov (granted that was a waiver claim and not a trade). Of course the Ruutu deal went down with a different general manager.

I for one would hate to see Cullen go, as he is hands down my favorite Cane and has been since he first stepped foot on the ice after the lockout. But I also understand that he is one of a very few assets that we have right now that other teams would be interested in dealing for, and actually having to give something of substance in return. And as someone said earlier, if Sutter continues to play at his current level and/or continues to improve, he basically slots into Cullen’s place in the lineup.

Corvo and Whitney seem to be the other tradeable assets, though I don’t think Whitney is going anywhere. Just my gut feeling. About the only place I could see him agreeing to go is back to Detroit. And I don’t see that happening. I think he retires a Hurricane.

Would hate to lose Corvo as well, but getting someone like Barker back from Chicago would (as someone else pointed out) make a move in that direction more likely.

Byfugilen is intriguing to me, but granted I know very little about the guy. Loved his size and physical/nasty presence in front of the net during last year’s playoffs. Remember thinking on several occasions how much I wished the Canes had someone like that on the roster. But admittedly that was a small sample size and I’m not familiar with his play over the long haul.

I’ll hope that Matt sticks around but would not be surprised to see him go. Either way, I’ll continue to sport my #8/Cullen jersey with pride.

-m

Cam Barker was #6 on the Top 10 plays of the week on Versus tonight.

A run down the right side of the ice, chipping through a player on the way (like Cole used to successfully do, instead of merely trying now).

Big, fast, stick-handling his way right to the goalie’s kitchen, where he just roofed it straight up and under the crossbar.

Yes, I know there are inconsistencies, but the talent was evident.

Knowing that next year will officially be a rebuilding year, Cullen for Barker make sense. PK will be spending less than this year. With Pitkanen, Gleason, and Alberts the only signed experience players: that leaves 4 D spots open. I could see Rodney (this a 50 percent raise) and McBain as top 6 and Carson as the 7th. That leaves an open slot – a young defender with some experience and has potential. Sounds a lot like Barker. Also, the defense cap hit would be almost $2M less than the current group.

The farther the season goes along, the more valuable Cullen becomes. As much as I would hate to trade him — he is clearly our second-best center, behind Staal,and he’s got the maturity that Staal doesn’t have yet — can we get equal value for him? Will he sign with someone else as a UFA next year? In the Canes current salary situation, yes, so getting something for him would be a plus. However, who replaces his offense? Not Boychuk. And as much as I like Jussi, he’s not a 2nd-line center. It’s a conundrum, and hopefully JR can solve it.

The sad thing is, if the Canes move closer to a *cough*playoff*cough* spot, Cullen becomes more valuable. His value peaks to other teams just as his value peaks for the Canes. Seems obvious, but it’s the Catch-22 that teams face trying to trade value-for-value. Trading Cullen now will get the team less than trading him closer to the deadline. Conversely, if the team lingers near the bottom of the Eastern conference, he becomes worth less. JR’s gotta work that min-max solution with way too many variables. Of course, the team may decide that the season is over and it’s time to dump salary and get picks or prospects or whatever, and start working towards next year. I don’t see that happening unless the team is still in last place come December 1.

I would hate to see Cullen go, but that is a part of what goes on in a crappy season. Would like to see some value come back our way, but this isn’t a 30+ goal scorer here. I’m not totally convinced we could net Cam Barker or Sharp in a deal like this.

Only time will tell here. I will be pissed if they trade him… I just bought a Cully jersey a few months back :(

I’ve got a feeling that nothing is going to happen until Staal comes back. But Cullen’s salary gone would definately give management some breathing room.
I’d trade him for either Buff or Barker, although Barker’s got more upside.

Not sure where else to put this right now, other than this thread, but here’s a new potential draft pick to fantasize about: Plymouth Whaler center Tyler Seguin.

According to this article posted at the NHL site moments ago, Central Scouting has bumped Tyler Seguin above Taylor Hall on the OHL prospects list.

Talk about some homegrown talent.

Igor Knayzev Nikos Tselios