Pierre Lebrun Keeps Tickling Our Balls With These Reports

(The Athletic)–What an awful position the Jackets find themselves in. Panarin is publicly committed to testing the July 1 market. Sergei Bobrovsky wanted out last summer. The Jackets are in a playoff spot. GM Jarmo Kekalainen continues to solicit and evaluate offers for Panarin, who doesn’t have a no-trade clause and can be dealt anywhere if the Jackets indeed decide to do that. I think they have no choice, quite frankly. I’d feel differently perhaps if they were 10 points ahead in first place of the Metro but they’re not even assured to make the postseason. Panarin should net the biggest asset haul of any rental. Important here is whether Columbus can net a roster player as part of the package or whether they have to make a separate deal to bring in, preferably, a center. I’ve wondered whether the likes of Artem Anisimov (under contract past this season)

Panarin comes back and as a part of the deal the Blue Jackets might WANT Anisimov back in the trade?!?!

I want Panarin back. You want Panarin back. Patrick Kane REALLY wants Panarin back. Now it’s just a matter of IF Panarin will re-sign and if Stan Bowman is willing to pay a bit of premium to make sure Panarin never hits the open market and doesn’t do something STUPID like play for the Rangers or Panthers. I immediately started kicking around ideas in my head. Forsling, maybe Beaudin or Krys, a 2020 first round pick, and Anisimov? Would that do it? The Blackhawks are going to need to clear some future money to sign Debrincat and Strome. Would it make sense to just re-do the previous trade? Would they take Saad and Anisimov? Does that make sense?

Then I continued to scroll through the article

Seven wins in a row. Go figure. Really, it changes next to nothing as far as the trade deadline. The win streak isn’t going to make GM Stan Bowman a buyer. My sense is whatever game plan he’s had for weeks doesn’t change

WELL WHICH ONE IS IT, PIERRE!? Are we going after Panarin and clearing Anisimov off the books or are we going to sit around, do nothing, and maybe move Kunitz for a conditional 7th round pick? I want to try to block out the noise and the rumors and just focus on the next game to keep this thing going but I physically CAN NOT. The Hawks have a good foundation and support coming. I don’t want to wait anymore. I don’t want the Blackhawks to fold this year. I LOVE that the guys in the room have foiled Stan’s plans by winning 7 straight and forcing themselves into the playoff picture.

The trade deadline is 13 days away. That’s it. Less that two weeks. I want to dance. I want the playoffs. I want to walk to the United Center from my apartment on a Spring day. Buzz in the air and blood in my mouth. I want to add to this group. I want to add to the group because 1) winning > losing and 2) they fucking deserve it. They’ve earned the right to get support from their front office. It is now Stan’s job to help 19, 88, 12, and 17 up front. They need another weapon. They’re planning on adding one in the off-season. Why not just go get that guy now. Whether it’s Panarin or Stone or Duchene. Do SOMETHING that gives this team the jolt that pushes them over the top. It’s time for management to join us with the join or die movement.