Another Rockford guy who is growing on me every time I watch him: Ryan Stanton.
- John Jaeckel

What is it about Stanton that you like so much? Do you mind making a projection for him? Where so you see him playing?

Who won the fights last night? Anyone care to comment.
- TrueGrit

Lalonde stood up to Archibald after the latter cross checked someone into Hutton very early in the game. Not much of a fight. Not many punches thrown. Just a lot of rasslin' against the glass.

Beach took on Kassian and would have got pumped but Kassian slipped. When he did slip, Beach snuck in a shot that had Kassian mildly crying foul as both were separated. Again, not much a tilt.

Paradis banged out a W over Illinois native Miskovic in what was the only gloves off fracas resembling a true hockey fight. Paradis took a healthy run at a Wolves' d-man (not sure if it was Miskovic) and laid him out and was called for boarding. Miskovic then engaged Paradis who acquitted himself quite well.

He plays hard at all times.

I will just say this, he dominates physically in much the same way Beach did in the same league at the same age—for the same reasons and in the same way. He is physically stronger and more mature than most of the players he faces in the W.

That said, he looks to me to be a versatile, physical and willing player.

Funny, watching he and Danault back to back against very similar competition, Danault feels to me to be the more creative, instinctive and skilled player. McNeill is more of a wrecking ball. Of the two, Danault, at this moment in time, looks more like a pure center, where McNeill looks like he could play the wing. That could change. Danault also looks more like a potential second line center where McNeill is going to be a third line C or 2nd line W.

Some might disagree with me, but Danault, from what I have seen of him in various games and situations now has some pretty high-end playmaking ability and put him with a Hossa and a Saad or Stalberg, and he could be a very effective 2C.
- John Jaeckel

Haven't seen much of Danault but am encouraged by what i've read here and elsewhere. As for McNeill...I really believe he'll have a 10-15 year career in the NHL when he finally makes the big club.

Hi JJ!! Hope you are doing well, I would just like to add that Danault is doing pretty good at the dot, around 55% for the season,I'm not sure how well that will translate in the NHL,but he does take the teams majority of faceoffs as well!

JJ have you been keeping up with Teuvo? He has been much better since coming back from his injury, and has already notched an assist in the first period tonight!
- captainserious

Have not really followed Europe at all.

Awesome!! If there is an NHL season would you guys do a weekly show,or every two weeks? Or would you rather not say anything until you know if there will be a season?
- captainserious

I would think every week or so on average, more at busy times like pre-trade deadline, playoffs, etc., less at other times.

What is it about Stanton that you like so much? Do you mind making a projection for him? Where so you see him playing?
- captainserious

Reserve defenseman in the NHL, 6-7, but useful. If he makes it. Purely a defensive defenseman. But he makes a lot of plays in that regard.

Lalonde stood up to Archibald after the latter cross checked someone into Hutton very early in the game. Not much of a fight. Not many punches thrown. Just a lot of rasslin' against the glass.

Beach took on Kassian and would have got pumped but Kassian slipped. When he did slip, Beach snuck in a shot that had Kassian mildly crying foul as both were separated. Again, not much a tilt.

Paradis banged out a W over Illinois native Miskovic in what was the only gloves off fracas resembling a true hockey fight. Paradis took a healthy run at a Wolves' d-man (not sure if it was Miskovic) and laid him out and was called for boarding. Miskovic then engaged Paradis who acquitted himself quite well.
- philco28

I think the call was close between borderline and justified. But I like the way Paradis plays. He is skilled enough and seems responsible in all zones, but he has a mean streak a mile wide and he is a strong kid.

I think the call was close between borderline and justified. But I like the way Paradis plays. He is skilled enough and seems responsible in all zones, but he has a mean streak a mile wide and he is a strong kid.
- John Jaeckel

Mean streak is what this Hawks team could use, but the smart mean streak, not the Carcillo kind..Even Andrew Shaw has me worried a bit that he is too dumb to not stay out of the box.

I think the call was close between borderline and justified. But I like the way Paradis plays. He is skilled enough and seems responsible in all zones, but he has a mean streak a mile wide and he is a strong kid.
- John Jaeckel

It was a close call because the Wolves' player saw Paradis coming and the hit was shoulder on shoulder, but the ref must have felt the Wolves' player was nonetheless in a vulnerable position. Shaw got a similar penalty when he absolutely blew up another Wolves' player. I had no problem with either hit.

Was at the game last night. Ill give you my thoughts.
B. Smith- Should be on the Hawks 3rd line with Bolland
Shaw- 3rd line with Bolland
Paradis- Like his size, and aggressiveness, but I have never seen a first rd pk with such a weak skating style. Dont know if he will cut in the NHL.
Beach- Man does this guy get poop stirred up. He has good hands, can skate, but should not fight anymore. Possibly a blackhawk. I think they should give him a 5 game stint without jacking him around. See where you are at then.
Pirri- Should start as the Hawks 2nd line center for 5-10 games and see where you are at. Smart player.
Saad- Hawks first line LW within 12 months.
Hayes- I have no idea why he is playing center. He is a winger for sure. Possible Hawk with a switch back to wing.
Bollig- Hawks tough guy
Morin- Hawks second line winger to start season
Stanton- Always steady, nothing flashy. Dont know why he hasnt made it yet. Ive seen a lot worse in the NHL. I would have rather had him then Roszival.
Leddy- looked good and they are playing him at the right spot which is LD not the off side. I have been asking for that for 2 yeras now.
Lalonde- Can skate real well and played a solid game. Dont know why he hasnt been given a chance. He could be a sleeper.
Clendening- Looks lie they are fast tracking this guy. He played a ton and played well but he needs to hit the net on his shots.
Dahlbeck- looked ok. Can skate, and looks to have good size.

How is he supposed to produce?

PPG wise he has a comparable number to either Morin, Hayes or Shaw... Did you seriously expect him to average 1.25 PPG out of hte gate?
- fattybeef

In 8/13 games he hasn't registered a point. I also believe he was a healthy scratch for several games. Producing goes far beyond points and the effort level JJ mentioned was what I was alluding to with my question. I'm sorry if you are a family member and was offended by my question. I do expect more than 0.5ppg from an otherwise NHL player in the A.

Was at the game last night. Ill give you my thoughts.
B. Smith- Should be on the Hawks 3rd line with Bolland
Shaw- 3rd line with Bolland
Paradis- Like his size, and aggressiveness, but I have never seen a first rd pk with such a weak skating style. Dont know if he will cut in the NHL.
Beach- Man does this guy get poop stirred up. He has good hands, can skate, but should not fight anymore. Possibly a blackhawk. I think they should give him a 5 game stint without jacking him around. See where you are at then.
Pirri- Should start as the Hawks 2nd line center for 5-10 games and see where you are at. Smart player.
Saad- Hawks first line LW within 12 months.
Hayes- I have no idea why he is playing center. He is a winger for sure. Possible Hawk with a switch back to wing.
Bollig- Hawks tough guy
Morin- Hawks second line winger to start season
Stanton- Always steady, nothing flashy. Dont know why he hasnt made it yet. Ive seen a lot worse in the NHL. I would have rather had him then Roszival.
Leddy- looked good and they are playing him at the right spot which is LD not the off side. I have been asking for that for 2 yeras now.
Lalonde- Can skate real well and played a solid game. Dont know why he hasnt been given a chance. He could be a sleeper.
Clendening- Looks lie they are fast tracking this guy. He played a ton and played well but he needs to hit the net on his shots.
Dahlbeck- looked ok. Can skate, and looks to have good size.
- lemieux26

Holy... so it'll be the Rockford Blackhawks next year? That's a lot of youngsters making the team in pivotal roles.

I appreciate the feedback though.

My brother and I took in the Wolves-Ice Hogs tilt last night as well. I wish I learned some new things. But mostly confirmed original thoughts....

Brandon Saad made some really nice plays. People don't talk about this much but what realy stands out to me is his burst. Saad goes from 5 feet in front of the Defenseman to 5 feet behind him in a matter of strides. He also made a really nifty pass to Marty St. Pierre, whose sporting a god-awful mustache (cannot wait for Movember to end) for the opening goal.

Adam Clendening. This is the second game where I just kind of expected Nick Leddy to dominate the game with the puck, ( I went opening night as well.) But Leddy seemed to defer to Clendenning to carry the puck. He has nice vision and makes quick passes. He needs work in his own end. So does Leddy for that matter. The only player that made smart decisions in his own end was Dahlbeck.

Andrew Shaw- probably the best forward on the ice for the piggies last night.

Jimmy Hayes was invisible last night. Supposedly it's at Stan's request that he's playing center. But opening night he was the team's best player. I barely noticed him last night.

It didn't help that Ted Dent played the Flick-Bollig-Paradis line every chance he got during the first half of the game. Double shifting, power play, whenever. They were always on the ice. They all strike me as the same guy. I guess I'd take Flick because he can play center and he has long blonde hair....

Beach got in a good shot on Zack Kassian and his skating has improved. But he's behind others.....

Fun to see hockey again.

Holy... so it'll be the Rockford Blackhawks next year? That's a lot of youngsters making the team in pivotal roles.

I appreciate the feedback though.
- TyCamScore

Better than Bickell,Frolik,Brookbank,Roszival,Stalberg

I would have Toews -Saad-Kane
Pirri-Sharp-Hossa(If Morin is in than move Sharp to C)
Bolland-Shaw-Smith
Bollig-Mayers-Carcillo

Keith-Seabrook
Hammer-Montador
Leddy-Oduya

Saad Kool-Aid flowing like a river today.

Jee-zuz.

He has obvious talent and upside. But he is not NHL ready.

He has shown nothing to say he is a first line player in the NHL within 12 months. Let's be clear. That means he is a more effective NHL player than Patrick Sharp is by this time next year. Sorry, not buying it.

And there are also a fair amount of better prospects out there than him.

The love affair with this guy with some people is just funny.

It was a close call because the Wolves' player saw Paradis coming and the hit was shoulder on shoulder, but the ref must have felt the Wolves' player was nonetheless in a vulnerable position. Shaw got a similar penalty when he absolutely blew up another Wolves' player. I had no problem with either hit.
- philco28

i thought Shaw's was more selfish and retaliatory.

Better than Bickell,Frolik,Brookbank,Roszival,Stalberg

I would have Toews -Saad-Kane
Pirri-Sharp-Hossa(If Morin is in than move Sharp to C)
Bolland-Shaw-Smith
Bollig-Mayers-Carcillo

Keith-Seabrook
Hammer-Montador
Leddy-Oduya
- lemieux26

That's debatable. I think the team you list above is a fringe playoff team at best. You're subtracting a lot of experience in Bickell, Frolik, Brookbank, Rosy and Stalberg.

@MaStrozyk: Teuvo Teräväinen had a two-point night to follow his 3 points from Sunday. Now in a 4-game goal streak, 9 pts from last 5 games. #Blackhawks

That's debatable. I think the team you list above is a fringe playoff team at best. You're subtracting a lot of experience in Bickell, Frolik, Brookbank, Rosy and Stalberg.
- TyCamScore

You just named a bunch of guys with medium to somewhat high ceilings but have enough of a body of work to show they'll never be that special component on and off the ice to help you win a cup.

The only thing giving me pause on Bickell is his salary, otherwise I'd cut him loose.

We need some blue-chip toughness on the team, and the best complementary parts we have here and on the farm are smallish marginal first to second liners. I'd love to package some of those guys for a Ladd or Buff or Looch...

Saad Kool-Aid flowing like a river today.

Jee-zuz.

He has obvious talent and upside. But he is not NHL ready.

He has shown nothing to say he is a first line player in the NHL within 12 months. Let's be clear. That means he is a more effective NHL player than Patrick Sharp is by this time next year. Sorry, not buying it.

And there are also a fair amount of better prospects out there than him.

The love affair with this guy with some people is just funny.
- John Jaeckel

JJ, Why would he have to be a better player than Sharp? I just think I would rather have Saad than Stalberg. If you are being critical of readers saying that Saad should be up with the hawks soon than I would have to be critical of you saying Danault is a 2nd line center.

You just named a bunch of guys with medium to somewhat high ceilings but have enough of a body of work to show they'll never be that special component on and off the ice to help you win a cup.

The only thing giving me pause on Bickell is his salary, otherwise I'd cut him loose.

We need some blue-chip toughness on the team, and the best complementary parts we have here and on the farm are smallish marginal first to second liners. I'd love to package some of those guys for a Ladd or Buff or Looch...
- busmaster

Oh I agree that bringing in new pieces to the Blackhawks puzzle from the outside is the best way to succeed at this point.

But if no moves were to be made, I'd rather take my chances with sine experience than unproven rookies. That's all.

i thought Shaw's was more selfish and retaliatory.
- John Jaeckel

Maybe, but Shaw really did blow the guy up. If he can mature
into doing that within the rules and do it consistently, he'll have a long career in the NHL..in addition to being the omnipresent waterbug, pest he already is.

Comparison of Danault & McNeill



That said, McNeill looks to me to be a versatile, physical and willing player.

Funny, watching he and Danault back to back against very similar competition, Danault feels to me to be the more creative, instinctive and skilled player. McNeill is more of a wrecking ball. Of the two, Danault, at this moment in time, looks more like a pure center, where McNeill looks like he could play the wing. That could change. Danault also looks more like a potential second line center where McNeill is going to be a third line C or 2nd line W.

Some might disagree with me, but Danault, from what I have seen of him in various games and situations now has some pretty high-end playmaking ability and put him with a Hossa and a Saad or Stalberg, and he could be a very effective 2C.
- John Jaeckel

Here is what I think:
Both will be given heavy consideration for the the World Junior Tourney, but the Canada coaching staff would be brain-cramped to not have Danault on the "given" side of their possibles.
After what Danault showed in the Subway Subway Series in the way of committment, tenacity and smarts, he can play anywhere in the line-up.
What Danault "has" is built-in sense of positioning, a smartness to diagnosing the flow and plays, and instincts that have him putting himself in positions to make and break up plays. I really don't know if he is a guy I would consider a top playmaker; just a guy who knows what to do, where to be, and that makes his a double threat because he simply is a good defensive competitor who doesn't quit and bangs. He also is a lot heavier than when he was drafted and hasn't slowed with the muscle-weight gain.
I don't think he is a crusher. He hits you solid, you feel it, but he isn't making friends but isn't that cement hit the bigger players can administer that has the opposition looking out for that checker. To use the term top playmaker in my opinion describes centes who have lateral and forward mobility lots of dekes and dangle. There are very good up and coming centres (like Logan Couture) who do not dangle as much as quickly help plays develop, and then handle the puck well in close mostly because he reads and gets to the open and then handles AND shoots the puck well when those opportunity exist. I just haven't seen Danault rise to be a really high level handler or finisher who is solid on most oppostunities (ALAS.....I seem to think that about far too mnay of the Rockford prospects and Hawk draftees!)
Danault's strength seems to be he doesn't hurt you out there no matter what line he plays on. He seems more straight ahead and has very good quickness in maintaining North-South and not going East - west or holdng on to the bisquit too long.

I think Mark McNeill is a really different type. He is actually really tough physical and it is a big part of his game in the same way Ryan Getzlaf was a big power centre in the dub. This guy is very strong and intimidates with that toughness, and doesn't quit doing it because he is f(king fierce competitor night after night.
I loved that Colton Sissions and Dave Lowery's son Adam were his linemates in the 5th Subway series game. They were dominant physically and set a tone. Then the next game Sissions didn't play and was replaced by Ty Rattie.
McNeil was on the in the last minutes in game six and his unit gave up a goal and an empty netter when they pulled their goalie in the final minute.

McNeil moves much quicker than a year ago and handles the puck well.
I don't think we have seen McNeill with really high ability linemates yet. He has has to finish better, but he is going to ba presence in the front and in the battle areas. There is something there in his game that hawks lack. He has it and skates well enough to bring it too. I am a little hesitant to try and project one as a possible better pro than the other....because right now they are equals as NON-pros...
Danault's fortunes lie in him being able to continue to be that safe guy in the lineup who slides up and down the various lines, while McNeil's fortune will be tied to his being able to play NHL hockey and still be physical, quick, and a scoring threat.
Danault will be straight line quick and solid at both ends, and IF he CAN be a signifcant scorer, he cements his chances of a long major league career even if it is as lower scorer, who can score.
McNeill's future is tied to what kind of goal/point production at the NHL he can bring.

My brother and I took in the Wolves-Ice Hogs tilt last night as well. I wish I learned some new things. But mostly confirmed original thoughts....

Brandon Saad made some really nice plays. People don't talk about this much but what realy stands out to me is his burst. Saad goes from 5 feet in front of the Defenseman to 5 feet behind him in a matter of strides. He also made a really nifty pass to Marty St. Pierre, whose sporting a god-awful mustache (cannot wait for Movember to end) for the opening goal.

Adam Clendening. This is the second game where I just kind of expected Nick Leddy to dominate the game with the puck, ( I went opening night as well.) But Leddy seemed to defer to Clendenning to carry the puck. He has nice vision and makes quick passes. He needs work in his own end. So does Leddy for that matter. The only player that made smart decisions in his own end was Dahlbeck.

Andrew Shaw- probably the best forward on the ice for the piggies last night.

Jimmy Hayes was invisible last night. Supposedly it's at Stan's request that he's playing center. But opening night he was the team's best player. I barely noticed him last night.

It didn't help that Ted Dent played the Flick-Bollig-Paradis line every chance he got during the first half of the game. Double shifting, power play, whenever. They were always on the ice. They all strike me as the same guy. I guess I'd take Flick because he can play center and he has long blonde hair....

Beach got in a good shot on Zack Kassian and his skating has improved. But he's behind others.....

Fun to see hockey again.
- yahoodi

This.

Now, if he could just bring that explosiveness and desire for a full game instead of when he feels like it...he'll be alright.

JJ, Why would he have to be a better player than Sharp? I just think I would rather have Saad than Stalberg. If you are being critical of readers saying that Saad should be up with the hawks soon than I would have to be critical of you saying Danault is a 2nd line center.
- lemieux26

Look I will be bruatlly honest:
I have to love for either Stålberg or Saad. Not rooting for or against either.
It would be very difficult for me to make a statement like "...rather have Saad than Stalberg."
I NEVER viewed Stålberg as a high trade return, but last season I was VERY surprised at the gains I felt I saw. (And then the playoff arrive with an entire team of forward line disappointments.) In the times I saw Saad, he showed very little that encouraged me he could replace Stålberg's speed or anybody, because there was little production, scattered views, and no consistency in how Saad was used.
It just seems like ...you can't make a statement that you would rather have Saad when really it is a matter of Saad beating out a Stalberg, whereby they have to tarde him elsewhere right. Stalberg cannot be demoted to Rockford. Just traded in this contract year.
I think I would stand beside you and agree that it is too early to call Danault the heir apparent for Bolland, or the new second line centre.
I believe JJ is saying ...if all continues to progress...he "projects to have as high a ceiling as a second line centre."
Scouts prior to the 2011 NHL entry draft in September October November, Saad was called the "Premiere power forward of the draft class" and i saw him ranked as high as 4th overall. By the January Propspects game he was still on many scouting lists as the 8th best, top ten pick for sure. Then, people felt his skating had regressed, commitment decreased, and soon after, he was noted to be playng injured, with groin problem.
In my scouting profile on DraftSite, I wrote:
Strong big winger with good hands, surprising quickness, and vision, who creates space, and has some nasty in his game. He is a competitor who is difficult to handle in front and near the net and displays a quick snapper of a shot in a toolbox that looks to be pro-bound big time. Like so many gifted two way players, he tends to overlook a strong commitment to his defensive zone at times. It remains to be seen if he can embrace this type of role as competition gets tougher. The thing is I honestly have yet to see this player in his chances with the hawks and in the Ice showings. I believe he is a work in progress, but if and when he shows an upward progression, he needs to play on a line and stay there to build consistency, confidence, a sense of "natural reaction."
I think Stålberg has actually started to show some of those attributes.