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

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

I'd say mum's the word. Team definitely won't bring it up. Some fans have on occasion but most everyone is rightfully focusing on the on-ice events.

Before the playoffs, the fan sentiment was that if Backes wants Kesler money he could get it elsewhere. At that time Brouwer was a big questions mark, mostly in terms of value. People wanted him back but around the same cap hit probably. Of course, his playoff performance in the last 9 games or so is changing that perception.

Send me a pm with the type of places you particularly like and i'll try to focus on those.

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.


- John Jaeckel

Love that

Why is it that this team has and continues to recruit and sign defensemen for the most part who have neither size nor nastiness? The pillow soft D scheme makes these guys targets, and gives other teams the impression they can enter the Hawk defensive zone without consequences.

Speed and the poke check can only take you so far.

Love that

Why is it that this team has and continues to recruit and sign defensemen for the most part who have neither size nor nastiness? The pillow soft D scheme makes these guys targets, and gives other teams the impression they can enter the Hawk defensive zone without consequences.

Speed and the poke check can only take you so far.
- Return of the Roar

Speed is the real difference with our D though. Going from Oduya and Leddy to TVR and Svedberg/Rundblad/Gus/Rozsival is a massive step back in speed/skating ability from the defensive core as a whole(which used to be one of our strengths).

Whatever upgrade is made on D is MUST be someone who can skate very well IMO.

Soviet Sniper Artemi Panarin with a 5 point game against Denmark (1G, 4A). Wish I would've watched that game to see lil Arti dangling some Danish scrubs

Love that

Why is it that this team has and continues to recruit and sign defensemen for the most part who have neither size nor nastiness? The pillow soft D scheme makes these guys targets, and gives other teams the impression they can enter the Hawk defensive zone without consequences.

Speed and the poke check can only take you so far.
- Return of the Roar

Yeah who needs guys like Colton Parayko when you can get 160 pound Swedes instead...

Love that


- Return of the Roar

Why is it that this team has and continues to recruit and sign defensemen for the most part who have neither size nor nastiness?

The pillow soft D scheme makes these guys targets, and gives other teams the impression they can enter the Hawk defensive zone without consequences.

Speed and the poke check can only take you so far.

You forgot forwards, the whole league knows they can pretty much do whatever they want physically to the Hawks and they have not a single person who will retaliate. Desjardin and Weise both failed miserably in that dept. On top of that, almost every Hawk pulls up short of laying a check. It's getting old honestly

You forgot forwards, the whole league knows they can pretty much do whatever they want physically to the Hawks and they have not a single person who will retaliate. Desjardin and Weise both failed miserably in that dept. On top of that, almost every Hawk pulls up short of laying a check. It's getting old honestly
- Murph76

What about all the "deterrence" from Brandon Mashinter??

What about all the "deterrence" from Brandon Mashinter??
- EnzoD

Exactly, what a waste of space.

I agree on Campbell as an option but he will likely stay in Florida and give it another shot at a deep playoff run with that young group, IMO. As for Panarin's Blackhawks Sales Pitch, I believe he was quoted as saying that he would NOT be trying to convince any KHL/Euro UFAs to sign with the Hawks bc "they have to do their own thing", or something to that extent.
- EnzoD

I don't think it was Hawks-specific. Iirc he was asked if he would recommend coming to the NHL generally to KHL/euro UFAs and he said "they have to do their own thing" in response to that. It seemed like he was saying he personally had to see if he could make it in the NHL but the different style of play isn't for everyone and so he won't be telling other Russian players to run to the NHL

1 SHIPACHYOV Vadim RUS F 4 3 7 10 4 4
2 PANARIN Artemi RUS F 4 3 6 9 0 4
3 DADONOV Yevgeni RUS F 4 3 5 8 6 4


Panarin's line 1, 2 & 3 in IIHF Tourney scoring. Shipachyov and Dadonov are former SKA St. Petersberg teammates. PLEASE get them to sign with the Hawks Lil Arti!!

Yes.

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

Any day you get to use an Orval Tessier reference is a good day!

Any day you get to use an Orval Tessier reference is a good day!
- Hank_Greenberg

"You'll like it, or my name isn't Orville Redenbacher"

Oh....wait..

1 SHIPACHYOV Vadim RUS F 4 3 7 10 4 4
2 PANARIN Artemi RUS F 4 3 6 9 0 4
3 DADONOV Yevgeni RUS F 4 3 5 8 6 4


Panarin's line 1, 2 & 3 in IIHF Tourney scoring. Shipachyov and Dadonov are former SKA St. Petersberg teammates. PLEASE get them to sign with the Hawks Lil Arti!!
- EnzoD

Dadonov is property of the Hurricanes.

Igor Eronko ‏@IgorEronko 2h2 hours ago
Panarin with 4 assists tonight. His line with Shipachyov and Dadonov with 7 goals in 2 last games. #Blackhawks should reunit the #SKA trio

(Panarin also later scored so he ended with 5 points I believe).

Shipachyov is the play-making center while Dadnov is a winger. Not sure what the contract statuses are of either of these talents, but figure that either one of them would be a suitable top-six upgrade if either could be had at a reasonable rate (see Panarin, Artemi).

Would assume that the connection would make the 'Hawks a favorite should either player be ready to dash from the KHL, but I think one of them has rights that belong to the Hurricanes.

Any day you get to use an Orval Tessier reference is a good day!
- Hank_Greenberg

I had to wikipedia the reference as this pre-dated my Hawk fandom....as I was not alive. Good memory JJ.

Does this make me one of the unwashed mass of Hawks fans that are not allowed to be critical of the coaching staff and management (per Rozner)?

Dadonov is property of the Hurricanes.
- BINGO!

My Bad. Is he signed or Canes have his NHL initial rights if he comes over?

My Bad. Is he signed or Canes have his NHL initial rights if he comes over?
- EnzoD

Unsigned, but he was traded to them from Florida.

Word is that he will at least be invited to camp this summer as his KHL contract is coming up soon.

Unsigned, but he was traded to them from Florida.

Word is that he will at least be invited to camp this summer as his KHL contract is coming up soon.
- BINGO!

I'm not 100% sure how that situation works. Is it similar to being a Restricted Free Agent?

Not sure if any of you care but it looks like Daryl Sutter is returning to LA. Reports in the last 30 minutes are so suggest that they agreed to terms.

Igor Eronko ‏@IgorEronko 2h2 hours ago
Panarin with 4 assists tonight. His line with Shipachyov and Dadonov with 7 goals in 2 last games. #Blackhawks should reunit the #SKA trio

(Panarin also later scored so he ended with 5 points I believe).

Shipachyov is the play-making center while Dadnov is a winger. Not sure what the contract statuses are of either of these talents, but figure that either one of them would be a suitable top-six upgrade if either could be had at a reasonable rate (see Panarin, Artemi).

Would assume that the connection would make the 'Hawks a favorite should either player be ready to dash from the KHL, but I think one of them has rights that belong to the Hurricanes.
- TommyHawk

Do not know much about either of those two. Gotta agree that Panarin can maybe lean on them, but like everyone else, including Artemi.... They want to get paid. Hawks need some serious capologists/scouts/GM at work here this summer.

Not sure if any of you care but it looks like Daryl Sutter is returning to LA. Reports in the last 30 minutes are so suggest that they agreed to terms.
- Jason Millen

Weren't there rumors that he wanted to maybe take a step back from the NHL and go home or go to Calgary to coach??

Weren't there rumors that he wanted to maybe take a step back from the NHL and go home or go to Calgary to coach??
- 93Joe

I thought the issue was he didn't want to stay with the Kings if they weren't gonna be a cup contender next season. The last report I saw was he was sitting on their offer and money was not the problem. Rumors around the South Bay (where he and the players all live) was that he didn't think the team as currently constructed would make a deep run and he wanted to see if they were gonna be able to keep Lucic and upgrade the D at all, with the understanding that his replacement if he left would be in-house so he didn't have to decide immediately. No idea how accurate that is, just what's been said around these parts FWIW

I'm not 100% sure how that situation works. Is it similar to being a Restricted Free Agent?
- EnzoD

I believe so. He was an RFA when he signed his KHL deal, so it's possible those rights have expired.

Rumour according to Russian sites was that he and Shipachyov were buying out the remainder of their KHL contracts to go back to the NHL next season.

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

So, they're doubling down on Q's exit interview narrative that the players "just didn't want it badly enough." If that keeps getting airplay and the players catch wind of it, that's one good way to lose the room. I'm sure they know which media mouthpieces are tools of the McD FO, as some are claiming Rozner is.

So, they're doubling down on Q's exit interview narrative that the players "just didn't want it badly enough." If that keeps getting airplay and the players catch wind of it, that's one good way to lose the room. I'm sure they know which media mouthpieces are tools of the McD FO, as some are claiming Rozner is.
- pdx2ord

True. And unfortunately it is one helluva lot easier to lose a room than build one.