JJ what are your thoughts on Nick Schmaltz signing in March? I'm sure he'll get an audition. Wonder how ready he may or may not be.

That would lead you to say: "hey, this team just needs another defenseman."

Not so fast. Take a deeper look at the numbers. Like when and how goals are being scored.

Assuming this is an either/or defenseman vs forward pickup, I guess my questions would be: Given where the Hawks are today (in the playoffs), are we looking to make a move that makes these Hawks a better regular season team or postseason team? Do they have enough on the blue line, as constructed, to make it in the playoffs and through 4 rounds this year?

Agreed, adding another possession/scoring type player would help balance out the lines. But, given the type of year Crow is having (minus the occasional brain fart), would a solid "Oduya-type" defenseman be more beneficial to this team? Assuming the power play keeps clicking and, taking away the 3-on-3 scoring, this team is scoring at roughly the same pace as last years team. The blue line just isn't as deep. Without adding a reliable #4, Q will absolutely grind Duncs, Seabs and Hammer into a fine powder come April. They won't make it past the second round.

It's a risk, you can't assume the the second line can offensively carry this team for two months of playoffs, but the D is too inconsistent right now to make it through 4 rounds of playoffs.

JJ I think your write up is spot on, line 1 is lucky to maintain ozone pressure for 20 seconds on a good shift

Line 2 is magic

Line 3 best grinder line we have and getting better I'll surrender a goal once in a while due to Denaults green-ness if they continue to maintain ozone pressure as they have been

Line 4 is the land of misfit forwards

But as you say Krugs back, trade for left wing that's a pretty good 4th line Krugs, Shaw and plug? Dano

Drouin for TT?

Drouin, a natural LW, slots in the first line with Toews and Hossa.

Dano recalled and plays his natural RW slot on the 3rd line with Danault

Anyone who watches Rockford much have a scouting report on how Hartman has played this season? Was hoping to see him on the 4th line this season on the big league team.

Drouin for TT?

Drouin, a natural LW, slots in the first line with Toews and Hossa.

Dano recalled and plays his natural RW slot on the 3rd line with Danault
- Dannyboy

Expand it to swap carle and bickell too?

Why isn't Garrett Ross getting a look? Send mashtaters down and give Ross a shot. He's small, but was clicking with Danault last year. He's a LW. (I'm sure mgmt. has a reason.)

IIRC, Roy coached Drouin in juniors but the avs drafted MacKinnon. Now Drouin has an issue with management in Tampa. If he's a high talent head case maybe he's not worth the price they would have to pay.
- 6628

That is incorrect, Roy coached the Remparts (Grigorenko and Radulov are his notable ex players), both Drouin and MacKinnon were on the Mooseheads

Drouin for TT?

Drouin, a natural LW, slots in the first line with Toews and Hossa.

Dano recalled and plays his natural RW slot on the 3rd line with Danault
- Dannyboy

Does Tampa need a RW? If they do, this would make a ton of sense. I know JD was the 3rd overall and Teuvo a bottom 1st rounder but Tampa might do this deal if the Hawks throw in a 2nd or 3rd round pick too?

I do have a question for all the statisticians, what is our 5 on 5 GF and GA, first 20 games of the year compared to the last almost 20 games of this year? Just curious

Expand it to swap carle and bickell too?
- ikeane

I get what you want to do with this but doubt they get Carle given he's locked in for two more seasons at $5.5 mil per. Shaw and Krugs both need new deals. Money could line up for this season though and possibly longer pending what the new cap shapes up to be. Coburn is an expiring contract on Tampa's blue line. I'm keane (see what i did there?!) on Grossmann from the Yotes myself. Expiring contract and maybe talk him into a good deal in the offseason to replace Oduya. I like TVR but he's no Pizza Man.

That is incorrect, Roy coached the Remparts (Grigorenko and Radulov are his notable ex players), both Drouin and MacKinnon were on the Mooseheads
- DDM-Coga

Thanks Coga

Does Tampa need a RW? If they do, this would make a ton of sense. I know JD was the 3rd overall and Teuvo a bottom 1st rounder but Tampa might do this deal if the Hawks throw in a 2nd or 3rd round pick too?
- Lido_Shuffle

While the Hawks do not have a 2nd rounder this year, they do have two 4th's and two 5th's. Overall, I'm not sure how far apart Teuvo and JD are in NHL resumes. Both have played a similar amount of NHL games with JD up on TT in points slightly although one is playing the in NHL and the other has been banished to the minors.

Drouin for TT?

Drouin, a natural LW, slots in the first line with Toews and Hossa.

Dano recalled and plays his natural RW slot on the 3rd line with Danault
- Dannyboy

Mega overpay for the Hawks.

TT on one hand has proven he can play in the league, it could be debated if he is a C or a W and it can be debated can he play top 6 or is he a 3rd winger, but he has proven he can play all the way to the Stanley Cup.

His previous league before the NHL was a mens league in Finland.

Drouin, on the other hand, hasn't been able to even play a 4th line role in the NHL, and his only success to this point has been in the Q which has a reputation for an over abundance of Offense and very little defense.

History is littered with players who scored lots of points in the Q and never made it in the NHL.

No I'd say if its TT, they are taking Bickell and giving a draft pick as well.

My guy Tuulola with an assist, and Finland ties it up.

Love to see Canada lose

Mega overpay for the Hawks.

TT on one hand has proven he can play in the league, it could be debated if he is a C or a W and it can be debated can he play top 6 or is he a 3rd winger, but he has proven he can play all the way to the Stanley Cup.

His previous league before the NHL was a mens league in Finland.

Drouin, on the other hand, hasn't been able to even play a 4th line role in the NHL, and his only success to this point has been in the Q which has a reputation for an over abundance of Offense and very little defense.

History is littered with players who scored lots of points in the Q and never made it in the NHL.

No I'd say if its TT, they are taking Bickell and giving a draft pick as well.
- vabeachbear

Drouin - 89gms 40pts
TT - 72gms 28pts

The have similar production levels over 2 season, it could be a fair trade if Tampa isn't valuing Drouins "Potential"

Drouin - 89gms 40pts
TT - 72gms 28pts

The have similar production levels over 2 season, it could be a fair trade if Tampa isn't valuing Drouins "Potential"
- DDM-Coga

Add in last year's playoff run for both guys where Drouin disappeared and TT had 10 pts and it's even closer.

TT 90 gms 38 pts
JD 95 gms 40 pts and currently in the minors is also a key asterisk

Add in last year's playoff run for both guys where Drouin disappeared and TT had 10 pts and it's even closer.

TT 90 gms 38 pts
JD 95 gms 40 pts and currently in the minors is also a key asterisk
- Assman22

I wouldnt say him being in the minors diminishes his value, Tampa is a mess right now, something is going on in that dressing room thats not telling the whole story.

They had stamkos playing 2nd line RW the other game, its banana lands

I'll gladly vote for a #1 LW over a defenseman at this point. With Gus looking like a keeper so far, although it's early, I believe once the playoffs start, should they make it, I'm ok with Scud and Rozy getting their minutes on the third pairing (not together though), as their experience should outweigh their diminished speed and agility.

Get me four solid lines, along with their current D,and I'm ok with rolling that in the playoffs. If the Hawks get a really good LW to play with Toews and Hossa, who knows how far this team goes.

JJ, can the Hawks win a cup this season with TVR in the top 4? Hoping Stan stretches his normal meh of a deadline approach and makes a splash by adding a top 4 d-man and top 6 winger. Go for it Stan!
- Assman22

I think if there are no further moves, they go to more of a "Top 3" minute allocation, Hammer, Seabrook and Keith all at 20-30, Gusto, Rozy and TVR all at 10-20.

JJ what are your thoughts on Nick Schmaltz signing in March? I'm sure he'll get an audition. Wonder how ready he may or may not be.
- acmidd28

Not ready for the NHL, or at least highly doubtful.

Scott is officially an all star captain. Should be interesting to watch Kane's team dance circles around him.

The fan vote needs to stop.

That would lead you to say: "hey, this team just needs another defenseman."

Not so fast. Take a deeper look at the numbers. Like when and how goals are being scored.

Assuming this is an either/or defenseman vs forward pickup, I guess my questions would be: Given where the Hawks are today (in the playoffs), are we looking to make a move that makes these Hawks a better regular season team or postseason team? 1) Do they have enough on the blue line, as constructed, to make it in the playoffs and through 4 rounds this year?

Agreed, adding another possession/scoring type player would help balance out the lines. But, given the type of year Crow is having (minus the occasional brain fart), would a solid "Oduya-type" defenseman be more beneficial to this team? 2) Assuming the power play keeps clicking and, taking away the 3-on-3 scoring, this team is scoring at roughly the same pace as last years team. The blue line just isn't as deep. Without adding a reliable #4, Q will absolutely grind Duncs, Seabs and Hammer into a fine powder come April. They won't make it past the second round.

It's a risk, you can't assume the the second line can offensively carry this team for two months of playoffs, but the D is too inconsistent right now to make it through 4 rounds of playoffs.
- 1mbecker

In the playoffs, assuming no further moves are made :

1) The top 4 is marginally worse than last year (minus Oduya, plus say TVR)
2) The Bottom 3 on defense is much better than what we had in the playoffs, especially the last two rounds (Gusto, Rozy, Scuderi vs. TVR, Rundblad, Timonen, Cumiskey). That's assuming Rozy can stay healthy through the playoffs.

A lot of it comes down to TVR. I would much prefer to see him getting 10-15 minutes a night as a #5 come playoff time, but he is not going to hurt you with a lot of dumb plays, that's for sure. And if you play him with Keith or Hjalmarsson, it's not like he wouldn't have a lot of help.

I don't see as clearly how going out and trading for a #4 guy who is marginally better than TVR improves this team as much as or more than acquiring a legit left wing to play with 19 and 81 which makes that line better—and which in turn allows Shaw to make the fourth line better. Especially 5 on 5, where the Hawks are not scoring or defending anything like last year.

It almost defies logic.

I get what you want to do with this but doubt they get Carle given he's locked in for two more seasons at $5.5 mil per. Shaw and Krugs both need new deals. Money could line up for this season though and possibly longer pending what the new cap shapes up to be. Coburn is an expiring contract on Tampa's blue line. I'm keane (see what i did there?!) on Grossmann from the Yotes myself. Expiring contract and maybe talk him into a good deal in the offseason to replace Oduya. I like TVR but he's no Pizza Man.
- Assman22

I swapped the two. Thought coburn had the extra year. Was thinking the expiring deal and a top four dman might work for bickell, tt, and a prospect/pick.

Mega overpay for the Hawks.

TT on one hand has proven he can play in the league, it could be debated if he is a C or a W and it can be debated can he play top 6 or is he a 3rd winger, but he has proven he can play all the way to the Stanley Cup.

His previous league before the NHL was a mens league in Finland.

Drouin, on the other hand, hasn't been able to even play a 4th line role in the NHL, and his only success to this point has been in the Q which has a reputation for an over abundance of Offense and very little defense.

History is littered with players who scored lots of points in the Q and never made it in the NHL.

No I'd say if its TT, they are taking Bickell and giving a draft pick as well.
- vabeachbear

Not sure I agree that's an overpay for the Hawks. Jonathan Drouin is not JP Dumont. He tore up the Q (albeit with inflated point goals typical of that league) because he has supreme talent. Probably every bit as much or more than TT.

I can't really speak to whether there's a character or maturity issue there. I just don't know, haven't heard.