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Chicago Blackhawks Blogger •
I spoke with my buddy Brad Gardner yesterday, who does a great job of covering the Hawks for Hockey's Future. He's a big improvement over his predecessor in that role, some guy with funny hair and a weird name . . . Jeckel? Jacukel?
Anyway. I digress.
What follows is the transcript of our interview:
JJ: Which prospects really stand out to you in that 20-30 range where the Hawks pick?
BG: While the team will surely take a "best player available" approach, it seems quite possible that the best player could also fill a need. There are a number of centers projected in that area, and I think almost any of them would be an upgrade in terms of potential over any current center prospects. I was happy to have Drew Shore fall to 28th in the HF writer's mock draft. Peter Holland and Joonas Nattinen are a couple other centers who are from a similar mold with good size and hands along with the willingness to work on the boards.
There are also some intriguing defensemen at the back end of the first round. Considering the value of a puck-moving defenseman in the league today, the Hawks would be remiss if they did not consider guys like Nick Leddy or Calvin De Haan should they be available.
JJ: As you assess the Hawks' junior/college/AHL/Euro pipeline, where do you feel are the greatest areas of need in terms of depth and talent?
BG: While some may have you believe Chicago's pipeline is a desolate ghost town these days, I think every position has at least one or two potential-NHLers. That said, every position could also use talent at the top and be bolstered with depth in later rounds. The biggest need, to me, is up front at forward. The center pool is lacking at the top, which could mean this will be addressed early in the draft. The wing positions are lacking depth, so this position may be a target later on. Similar to the 2008 class where five of the seven picks were defenseman, this year's class may feature a majority of forwards.
JJ: Among current prospects, whose stock rose and whose dropped this past year? Any big surprises?
BG: There were a couple prospects that moved up HF's prospect rankings this spring. Shawn Lalonde probably saw the biggest rise in his stock. After two solid seasons for Belleville, Lalonde exploded for 19 goals in 66 games and his 54 points ranked fourth on the team. He played second fiddle to P.K. Subban on the Bulls blueline for much of the season, but Lalonde's season showed there are still good things to come. Evan Brophey is another guy who really improved his stock this season. His increased role in Rockford led to 16 goals and 39 points in 79 games. That is twice the point total he managed the season before. Brophey is currently one of the top center prospects in the organization so it's really encouraging to see him step it up.
On the downside, I'd have to say Jack Skille took the biggest losses this season. It seems weird to say considering he had career-highs in goals (20) and points (45) with Rockford, but even with those numbers the organization never seemed interested in giving him a shot to stick with the big club after his slow start. In the playoffs, Colin Fraser stepped into the lineup while Martin Havlat was out. With more young wingers like Kyle Beach and Akim Aliu coming through the pipeline, Skille's stock just continues to slip.
JJ: How do you currently rank the Hawks' five best prospects?
BG: By HF's prospect criteria:
1. Kyle Beach
2. Niklas Hjalmarsson
3. Shawn Lalonde
4. Billy Sweatt
5. Igor Makarov
(6. Akim Aliu - in case you wouldn't include Hjalmarsson)
JJ: Can we expect any surprises from the Hawks on draft day? Are you hearing any rumors?
BG: The Hawks are certainly in a position to make some moves during this draft. The team has two extra second-rounders in next year's draft, giving them four picks in the first two rounds of the 2010 draft. Those could be moved in order to move up in this draft if they have a target, much like they moved up into the second round to get Lalonde last year. The team also has a handful of current players whose stock has skyrocketed this season, such as Dustin Byfuglien following his stellar playoff performance or Kris Versteeg after his Calder-worthy season. The team may be interested in moving these guys while they can get top dollar in return. Brian Campbell is another name that has been bounced around, specifically in the Dany Heatley rumors.
Anyway. I digress.
What follows is the transcript of our interview:
JJ: Which prospects really stand out to you in that 20-30 range where the Hawks pick?
BG: While the team will surely take a "best player available" approach, it seems quite possible that the best player could also fill a need. There are a number of centers projected in that area, and I think almost any of them would be an upgrade in terms of potential over any current center prospects. I was happy to have Drew Shore fall to 28th in the HF writer's mock draft. Peter Holland and Joonas Nattinen are a couple other centers who are from a similar mold with good size and hands along with the willingness to work on the boards.
There are also some intriguing defensemen at the back end of the first round. Considering the value of a puck-moving defenseman in the league today, the Hawks would be remiss if they did not consider guys like Nick Leddy or Calvin De Haan should they be available.
JJ: As you assess the Hawks' junior/college/AHL/Euro pipeline, where do you feel are the greatest areas of need in terms of depth and talent?
BG: While some may have you believe Chicago's pipeline is a desolate ghost town these days, I think every position has at least one or two potential-NHLers. That said, every position could also use talent at the top and be bolstered with depth in later rounds. The biggest need, to me, is up front at forward. The center pool is lacking at the top, which could mean this will be addressed early in the draft. The wing positions are lacking depth, so this position may be a target later on. Similar to the 2008 class where five of the seven picks were defenseman, this year's class may feature a majority of forwards.
JJ: Among current prospects, whose stock rose and whose dropped this past year? Any big surprises?
BG: There were a couple prospects that moved up HF's prospect rankings this spring. Shawn Lalonde probably saw the biggest rise in his stock. After two solid seasons for Belleville, Lalonde exploded for 19 goals in 66 games and his 54 points ranked fourth on the team. He played second fiddle to P.K. Subban on the Bulls blueline for much of the season, but Lalonde's season showed there are still good things to come. Evan Brophey is another guy who really improved his stock this season. His increased role in Rockford led to 16 goals and 39 points in 79 games. That is twice the point total he managed the season before. Brophey is currently one of the top center prospects in the organization so it's really encouraging to see him step it up.
On the downside, I'd have to say Jack Skille took the biggest losses this season. It seems weird to say considering he had career-highs in goals (20) and points (45) with Rockford, but even with those numbers the organization never seemed interested in giving him a shot to stick with the big club after his slow start. In the playoffs, Colin Fraser stepped into the lineup while Martin Havlat was out. With more young wingers like Kyle Beach and Akim Aliu coming through the pipeline, Skille's stock just continues to slip.
JJ: How do you currently rank the Hawks' five best prospects?
BG: By HF's prospect criteria:
1. Kyle Beach
2. Niklas Hjalmarsson
3. Shawn Lalonde
4. Billy Sweatt
5. Igor Makarov
(6. Akim Aliu - in case you wouldn't include Hjalmarsson)
JJ: Can we expect any surprises from the Hawks on draft day? Are you hearing any rumors?
BG: The Hawks are certainly in a position to make some moves during this draft. The team has two extra second-rounders in next year's draft, giving them four picks in the first two rounds of the 2010 draft. Those could be moved in order to move up in this draft if they have a target, much like they moved up into the second round to get Lalonde last year. The team also has a handful of current players whose stock has skyrocketed this season, such as Dustin Byfuglien following his stellar playoff performance or Kris Versteeg after his Calder-worthy season. The team may be interested in moving these guys while they can get top dollar in return. Brian Campbell is another name that has been bounced around, specifically in the Dany Heatley rumors.
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