Admittedly, I have not seen him play much at all. But what I have seen kind of dovetailed with what I heard, lack of mobility will limit him. Add Pokka to the LONG list right now of guys who will be marginal NHLers this year at best.

The ONE guy I think who MIGHT be able to step up is Svedberg if he gains some confidence and starts to make quicker decisions. And speaking of heart, if Svedberg ever got a little burr under his saddle and a wee bit of nasty, you might really have something there.

Right now he is a soft as baby poop pylon with a large wingspan who can make a decent pass now and then.
- John Jaeckel

Right now he is a soft as baby poop pylon with a large wingspan who can make a decent pass now and then.
- John Jaeckel

John, this board is on fire today!

"Kids, Castoffs, Prospects and Rejects" and sung to the tune of "Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves."
Toews for Leddy.
Leddy was Chi's Booby Orr.
Let him eat glue paste for all I care.

We need one blog with all the good lines from today's posts alone!

Yes.

He's a guy Orval Tessier would have driven to the hospital for a "heart transplant."
- John Jaeckel

Haha, love it.

Did anyone catch Rozner on the Score at lunch today?

Goff: Why didn't the Hawks beat the Blues?
Rozner: "They didn't start soon enough....they forgot to play with a sense of urgency in the playoffs" (WTF is that horse dookie????). Roz goes on to effectively say "Q/Stan have won 3 Cups, all of these stupid meathead hockey fans that question any moves made in the last year are new to the game and haven't followed it like I have".

Admittedly, I have not seen him play much at all. But what I have seen kind of dovetailed with what I heard, lack of mobility will limit him. Add Pokka to the LONG list right now of guys who will be marginal NHLers this year at best.

The ONE guy I think who MIGHT be able to step up is Svedberg if he gains some confidence and starts to make quicker decisions. And speaking of heart, if Svedberg ever got a little burr under his saddle and a wee bit of nasty, you might really have something there.

Right now he is a soft as baby poop pylon with a large wingspan who can make a decent pass now and then.
- John Jaeckel

Just like Svedberg Pokka too can develop and he is three years younger than Victor the Giant. This is the reason you can´t judge Pokka out yet.

From Stanley's lips to Kuc's ears.

I'm calling serious BS.

My 10 year old kid could make the team in theory. And he's almost the same size as Forsling. Rundblad could make the team. Rozy could make the team with one leg.

Getting very "wary" of the spin coming out of 1901 via their beat reporters and bloggers this summer. The Great Next Wave of Swedish Defensemen. Pffffffft.

I would love to be surprised. Experience and what I know of these guys tells me, none of them are difference makers or upgrades this year. Not even remotely close.
- John Jaeckel

I called out a McDonough puppet through email and got a very unique response. I think he understood my points and tried laughing it out.

The eyes of ears and mouth of the Hawks are everywhere. Sadly I have suspicions here as well.....all about controlling that content and keeping the message clear.

Admittedly, I have not seen him play much at all. But what I have seen kind of dovetailed with what I heard, lack of mobility will limit him. Add Pokka to the LONG list right now of guys who will be marginal NHLers this year at best.

The ONE guy I think who MIGHT be able to step up is Svedberg if he gains some confidence and starts to make quicker decisions. And speaking of heart, if Svedberg ever got a little burr under his saddle and a wee bit of nasty, you might really have something there.

Right now he is a soft as baby poop pylon with a large wingspan who can make a decent pass now and then.
- John Jaeckel

I'm not a big fan of Sved but he does have one elite skill which is better then Pokka. He also gets his shot on goal better then anybody other then Seabs and Keith. He AVg about 1.5 per game which as better them TVR,GUS,HAMMER,ROZ, Runblad,

I went back and looked Erhoff was also better. Stan botched the off season but Q botched the post trade deadline Lineups through the playoffs. ERhoff had a few good games and then a few bad ones. But he was usually with Roz, I really think if you would have put Him with Hammer or TVR he would have been better. Plus he can put tons of shots on goal on both 5X5 and PP. He could not really be any worse then Baldder or Roz. Its a coach's Job to get everything he can out of a player. Tom T comes to mind. Q clearly was not able to do this.

Keith-TVR
ERhoff-HAmmer
Gus-Seabs.

Admittedly, I have not seen him play much at all. But what I have seen kind of dovetailed with what I heard, lack of mobility will limit him. Add Pokka to the LONG list right now of guys who will be marginal NHLers this year at best.

The ONE guy I think who MIGHT be able to step up is Svedberg if he gains some confidence and starts to make quicker decisions. And speaking of heart, if Svedberg ever got a little burr under his saddle and a wee bit of nasty, you might really have something there.

Right now he is a soft as baby poop pylon with a large wingspan who can make a decent pass now and then.
- John Jaeckel

If we could steal Webers' attitude and transplant it into Svedbergs brain. Then they would have something.

I called out a McDonough puppet through email and got a very unique response. I think he understood my points and tried laughing it out.

The eyes of ears and mouth of the Hawks are everywhere. Sadly I have suspicions here as well.....all about controlling that content and keeping the message clear.
- SteveRain

What? Blackhawks trying to controll internet? What next..New World Order..Illuminati..

People tend to overevaluate the skating mobility part in a lot of prospects.

Would you like all of your skaters to be plus skaters? of course

But you have to remember a few things, as long as you can round out the rest of your game, it doesnt become as big an issue.

John Klingberg, who a lot of people drool over, is an AVERAGE skater on his best day. He isnt fleet of foot at all and has a real wobbly stride. He does have good lateral mobility and size, so its not as bad as some

Zdeno Chara was NEVER a plus skater, but he is obvious a mutant and strong

Tyler Toffoli tumbled down the draft board and took a while to make the show because his skating was TERRIBLE coming out of juniors. Still an average skater at best but he can shoot the puck and has good hands

Hell, Getzlaf is a poor skater too

Shea Weber dont skate too good either

What? Blackhawks trying to controll internet? What next..New World Order..Illuminati..
- MjulQvist

I know shocking to believe but show me last article that sternly questions anyone outside of Q in a paper or a website?

Somewhere Josh Mora knows this far too well............

I called out a McDonough puppet through email and got a very unique response. I think he understood my points and tried laughing it out.

The eyes of ears and mouth of the Hawks are everywhere. Sadly I have suspicions here as well.....all about controlling that content and keeping the message clear.
- SteveRain

In all fairness, where is the fault in that? Isn't it up to us to be able to call BS when we hear/see it? Didn't we call BS back in the day when we were told games aren't on local TV to "protect the season ticket holders"?

I have no issue with them controlling their message. It's up to fans, independent beat writers, etc. to ask the difficult questions. If we don't, you can't blame anyone but us.

In all fairness, where is the fault in that? Isn't it up to us to be able to call BS when we hear/see it? Didn't we call BS back in the day when we were told games aren't on local TV to "protect the season ticket holders"?

I have no issue with them controlling their message. It's up to fans, independent beat writers, etc. to ask the difficult questions. If we don't, you can't blame anyone but us.
- DMCsPulledHammy

I don't disagree but show me that beat writer or columnist that has challenged this team and called bs? I can do it as a fan all day long but I'm not a journalist. Does anyone REALLY believe the Hawks found out about Ross that late in his ordeal? Not a chance in hell, and nobody called BS on it.

When an organization threatens removal of press passes and access to players/coaches then yes I do have a major problem with their controlling and spinning.....and the Hawks do both to a T.

What? Blackhawks trying to controll internet? What next..New World Order..Illuminati..
- MjulQvist

Masons

Elders of Zion

Masons

Elders of Zion
- StLBravesFan

Knights Templar

Knights Templar
- hawkeytalkman

Middle Earth

I don't disagree but show me that beat writer or columnist that has challenged this team and called bs? I can do it as a fan all day long but I'm not a journalist. Does anyone REALLY believe the Hawks found out about Ross that late in his ordeal? Not a chance in hell, and nobody called BS on it.

When an organization threatens removal of press passes and access to players/coaches then yes I do have a major problem with their controlling and spinning.....and the Hawks do both to a T.
- SteveRain

I have never once threatened removes of press passes!

Oh...I mean...has anyone done that?

I have never once threatened removes of press passes!

Oh...I mean...has anyone done that?
- PatShart

Faber has done it....

2 guys got the boot in 2009 and Mora got fired from CSN as well.

Haha, love it.

Did anyone catch Rozner on the Score at lunch today?

Goff: Why didn't the Hawks beat the Blues?
Rozner: "They didn't start soon enough....they forgot to play with a sense of urgency in the playoffs" (WTF is that horse dookie????). Roz goes on to effectively say "Q/Stan have won 3 Cups, all of these stupid meathead hockey fans that question any moves made in the last year are new to the game and haven't followed it like I have".
- phantasmo

He had time around 930 am this morning to respond to my email......

Good ole Uncle Barry......The man who once thought Trent Yawney was the 2nd coming of Scotty Bowman as a coach.

Uncle Barry....another long time McDonough puppet from his days with the cubs.

If the Blues win good for them....My chips are on the Pens or whomever comes out of the East.
- Al

Funny... I said last night to two people that I thought the East representative will be the favorite. Recent resume and experience matters until the inexperienced prove it imho.

and round and round we go....

I don't always agree with John's opinions, but I will say his rumors are legit and factual, probably more so then Eklund when it comes to the hawks. There are guys who post on here who may, just may, know more or have legs to stand on. Always get the "proff/link" bs and sometimes sources just dont' do that.....so it's to the level of what you want to believe....

Back in mid April when everyone was pulling for the Blues to face the hawks based on their past experience I laid out reasons why I wanted Dallas, and now....everyone can see what I was getting at. This is a different STL team. Elliott is playing with a ton of confidence, they are deeper, faster, and have many weapons. I don't see them being stopped. Good for the blues fans who post here, and before some idiot who still thinks it's 1989 at the stadium, yes...you can pull for the blues. They play an exciting style.

I read a Rozner article the other day.....and literally stared off in amazement for at least 2-3 minutes. Amazing the lack of editing or sifting through the same narratives that Quinlan refuses to look into. just sad......
- SteveRain

Also, I owe you a pm with links to some good local places. I still have it on my to do list.

Also, I owe you a pm with links to some good local places. I still have it on my to do list.
- Jason Millen

what's the word on resigning brouwer and backes down there?

Please do send those links.....always up for good suggestions.

Haha, love it.

Did anyone catch Rozner on the Score at lunch today?

Goff: Why didn't the Hawks beat the Blues?
Rozner: "They didn't start soon enough....they forgot to play with a sense of urgency in the playoffs" (WTF is that horse dookie????). Roz goes on to effectively say "Q/Stan have won 3 Cups, all of these stupid meathead hockey fans that question any moves made in the last year are new to the game and haven't followed it like I have".
- phantasmo

I question playing Rundblad in the playoffs, the return on Sharp and Johns, and a few other things. I sometimes have wondered in the past what Barry follows.

People tend to overevaluate the skating mobility part in a lot of prospects.

Would you like all of your skaters to be plus skaters? of course

But you have to remember a few things, as long as you can round out the rest of your game, it doesnt become as big an issue.

John Klingberg, who a lot of people drool over, is an AVERAGE skater on his best day. He isnt fleet of foot at all and has a real wobbly stride. He does have good lateral mobility and size, so its not as bad as some

Zdeno Chara was NEVER a plus skater, but he is obvious a mutant and strong

Tyler Toffoli tumbled down the draft board and took a while to make the show because his skating was TERRIBLE coming out of juniors. Still an average skater at best but he can shoot the puck and has good hands

Hell, Getzlaf is a poor skater too

Shea Weber dont skate too good either
- hawkeytalkman

Let's keep it to d-men. If you can't skate but can shoot the puck: you fall somewhere between Sheldon Souray or Andy Delmore on the high end and Rundblad or Cam barker on the low end.

Yes, there have been and are effective NHL blue liners with limited mobility: Sean O'Donnell, Jon Klem, Robyn Regehr, Chara.

But all those guys have something Lurch and "SlowPokka" (©2016, JJ Worldwide) don't: size AND nastiness and they all think/thought the game fairly well.

In today's game, you better have some other remarkable skill to compensate for a lack of mobility. The game keeps getting faster. And the Hawks don't really have a role for a slow guy except maybe a third pairing guy like Rozy who despite the St. Louis series always thought the game pretty well.

I'm really not trolling....I know most of this board hates the guy....but is there any snowball's chance in Hades that Runny starts the year with the big club? The separation of "quality" on the current roster of #6D-#8D is not huge.

For those who know more of the "behind the scenes" efforts of the Hawks roster, is it out of the question to expect DR to significantly improve this year? I know people question his instincts and reactions, but isn't being a D-man one of the longest learning curves for development? One would think that if he "bought in" and trained with some of the leaders (2/4/7) this summer, he might be a better fit than some of the other guys that we keep trotting out.
- phantasmo

Bannable Offense!

Bannable Offense!
- vabeachbear

I repeat:

Rundblad. Orval Tessier. 1987 Chrysler K-Car. Illinois Masonic Hospital. Heart Transplant.