Subscription isn't all that expensive and IMO it's worth it for the hockey alone, but also has great coverage of other sports too. Super excited to see how Schmaltz does playing with the big boys.
- Marlowe

I do like Powers. And the website isn't crawling with malware like so many others. ...Again thanks for those links, I think they will help Hawk fans who aren't real familiar with Schmaltz.

Haha, Nice Enzo. In all seriousness though, why is everyone trying to create lines for the Hawks. Have we not realized yet that with Q as our coach there is no such thing as set lines? He changes them all the time. You guys would be better off just posting an active opening night roster. Am I wrong?
- Foles27

LOL welcome to the blog Foles. That isnt for Nick Foles is it? But yes, The Stache's MO is the line blender. I think the point of the depth chart posts is for us to see where the Hawks stand as of today. The lines themselves will be changed, but the top 12/top 6 that I posted a few hours ago are probably accurate as far as the current depth chart. Not who plays with who , but who Q will be working with come September...barring a trade/UFA signing.

2nd year in a row i have clamored for Schlemko. Any chance they sign him Al?
- ikeane

Honestly no clue...

The Schmaltz signing is huge. I have seen him play in person a few times when he came here to Omaha, with North Dakota. The game comes very easily to him. He enters the zone with the puck beautifully. He uses teammates very very well.
His growth from year one to year two was substantial. As a freshman he looked like a skinny kid who played on the perimeter and was constantly trying to get the puck to his brother Jordan, at the point.

As a sophomore he grew into hs body and was fantastic with the cycling and puck possession with his linemates, boeser and caggulia.

His back check when the puck was turned over was very very good.

I am psyched.
- Omahawk

Great, you have any thoughts on my guy Freddy Olofsson, Hawks 4th rounder? Absolutely loved every bit of his game when he was with the Steel (USHL). Freddy reminds me of a computer on skates. You can just see the wheels turning as he effortlessly glides, head on a swivel, with and without the puck. Watch him take off in his sophomore season at Omaha-Nebraska.

Question for you. IMO Olofsson has every bit as good of vision as Schmaltz, every bit as silky hands and think he is a better skater, but Freddy is a legit 6ft 2in 200 lbs but is a RW. ........Agree in part, in whole or not at all.

One more question. Have you seen Sean Kuraly come through with Miami of Ohio? I think he and Schmaltz are very similar except Schmaltz is more talented, not by all that much, but is grittier. Agree?

The deal has Bickell 2.0 written all over it. Let us hope that we are both wrong and Kruger can be more than the 4C he has been his entire career.....
- EnzoD

Eaaaaasy now, Zo. Bickell was known to go MIA for 2-3 months at a time not so with Freddy. You could ink Freddy to a 6 mil per deal and you'd get more value than you would with Bickell.

I love Freddy but hate is contract, unless he's a legit 3C and not a 4th line specialist.

Mashinter-Malkin-Rundblad
Desjardins-Coach Q-Motte
Svedberg-Schmaltz-Hartman
Toews-Kane-Me
You/Hossa
- SimpleJack

I would switch Coach Q and Malkin and I think you're spot on.

Eaaaaasy now, Zo. Bickell was known to go MIA for 2-3 months at a time not so with Freddy. You could ink Freddy to a 6 mil per deal and you'd get more value than you would with Bickell.

I love Freddy but hate is contract, unless he's a legit 3C and not a 4th line specialist.
- Mr Ricochet

Not meaning that Kruger will be in Rockford by year 2 of his deal, but just an overpayment like Bickell is what I'm getting at...again, I hope he proves me wrong.

Agree Wiz with your Fabbri scouting report. Love the little blurb about him that says "only 175 lbs and every one of them can play"!! Written in 2014 and proven dead on. http://www.draftsite.com/...ayer/robbie-fabbri/19504/

A highly advanced offensive player who understands the attack zone and has a great feel and passion in occupying it. Is a strong skater who stays on track due to his skating base and plays not only strong on the puck but on the forecheck to unearth it. Tremendous short area burst. Creates chances with good anticipation, soft hands and absolute fearlessness against larger players. If he gets bigger and stronger, some team may draft a huge competitor who already has a two way game and strong back check. Fearless.


Fearless, passion, fearlessness. Love those adjectives when talking about a hockey player, especially a draft eligeable kid that's on the board when StanBowPops&Mcd walk to the podium.

Not meaning that Kruger will be in Rockford by year 2 of his deal, but just an overpayment like Bickell is what I'm getting at...again, I hope he proves me wrong.
- EnzoD

This FO has given too much questionable money, Bickell and Seabrook specifically. As solid as Kruger is, he's never gonna be a top 2 line guy, and with the Hawks so tight up against the cap every year, I'd have rather they kept Danault at his meager deal till they couldn't afford him any longer. When the wheels fall off this thing, it's gonna be ugly.

Since there are folks here who like this sort of thing, well, I have been doing it for EVERY DRAFT from 2005 to 2014

if you are truly interested:

http://www.draftsite.com/nhl/redraft/2005/

http://www.draftsite.com/nhl/redraft/2006/

http://www.draftsite.com/nhl/redraft/2007/

http://www.draftsite.com/nhl/redraft/2008/

http://www.draftsite.com/nhl/redraft/2009/

http://www.draftsite.com/nhl/redraft/2010/

http://www.draftsite.com/nhl/redraft/2011/

http://www.draftsite.com/nhl/redraft/2012/

http://www.draftsite.com/nhl/redraft/2013/

http://www.draftsite.com/nhl/redraft/2014/


Of course I don't work for the NHL, my name isn't Adam Kimelman, but I know for certain every year since he started doing mock drafts, I have beat the pants off him...
- wiz1901

Thanks for the heads up--- good stuff--

This FO has given too much questionable money, Bickell and Seabrook specifically. As solid as Kruger is, he's never gonna be a top 2 line guy, and with the Hawks so tight up against the cap every year, I'd have rather they kept Danault at his meager deal till they couldn't afford him any longer. When the wheels fall off this thing, it's gonna be ugly.
- howiehandles

How can the biggest Kruger fan rationalize a 200% raise for Kruger from his $1.5mil deal? It's just awful. I encourage you all to look at the HERO charts from http://ownthepuck.blogspot.ca/ and compare to Kruger to 4C's that are making $1mil....spoiler alert, their shot suppression and possession numbers are better...while also scoring more. Its already a bad contract and he hasnt played a single game at $3.1mil. BTW, he shattered his wrist and was yielding faceoffs to other forwards upon his return...

LOL welcome to the blog Foles. That isnt for Nick Foles is it? But yes, The Stache's MO is the line blender. I think the point of the depth chart posts is for us to see where the Hawks stand as of today. The lines themselves will be changed, but the top 12/top 6 that I posted a few hours ago are probably accurate as far as the current depth chart. Not who plays with who , but who Q will be working with come September...barring a trade/UFA signing.


- EnzoD

Damn--- Q and Glen Anderson could be twins---

BTW Anyone know when the 2016-17 regular season schedule is announced? Or is it already available?

Mashinter-Malkin-Rundblad
Desjardins-Coach Q-Motte
Svedberg-Schmaltz-Hartman
Toews-Kane-Me
You/Hossa
- SimpleJack

Stupidest lines ever....Everyone knows Mashinter would Centre the #1 line. #rookie

Damn--- Q and Glen Anderson could be twins---

BTW Anyone know when the 2016-17 regular season schedule is announced? Or is it already available?
- jb3333

The regular season schedule comes out tomorrow - according to what I read.

This guy (who I think I heard here last year is reliable) just ran a tweet-per-team listing of the current trade rumors in the league.

https://twitter.com/RumorBreak

Looks like ANA and NSH possibly interested in Ladd.

The regular season schedule comes out tomorrow - according to what I read.
- Marlowe

Thanks---

TORONTO wants nothing to do with Crawford... an OK to decent goalie.. who is not part of the core in Chicago. The Leafs are looking for a future #1, not a guy who's later in his professional years and has trouble from time to time in the playoffs....

Also his contract is really ridiculous!

Thanks but no thanks....

TORONTO wants nothing to do with Crawford... an OK to decent goalie.. who is not part of the core in Chicago. The Leafs are looking for a future #1, not a guy who's later in his professional years and has trouble from time to time in the playoffs....

Also his contract is really ridiculous!

Thanks but no thanks....
- thehockeygod

Crawford is "OK to decent"...

TORONTO wants nothing to do with Crawford... an OK to decent goalie.. who is not part of the core in Chicago. The Leafs are looking for a future #1, not a guy who's later in his professional years and has trouble from time to time in the playoffs....

Also his contract is really ridiculous!

Thanks but no thanks....
- thehockeygod

Lou? Shanny? Is that you? On hockeybuzz.com at midnight on Sunday night? You have no clue, just like the rest of us fans. It is unlikely, but not impossible. Now go draft Matthews and watch Laine be 2x the player

LOL welcome to the blog Foles. That isnt for Nick Foles is it? But yes, The Stache's MO is the line blender. I think the point of the depth chart posts is for us to see where the Hawks stand as of today. The lines themselves will be changed, but the top 12/top 6 that I posted a few hours ago are probably accurate as far as the current depth chart. Not who plays with who , but who Q will be working with come September...barring a trade/UFA signing.


- EnzoD

Thanks Enzo, Foles is definitely never someone I'd be creating user names after. My nickname was Foles way before Nick Foles was around. I can understand people's interest in throwing out line combinations, I think about them myself sometimes. However, when heading into free agency and the period for which most transactions occur during the course of a year, it seems we should be focusing on what are the "right" moves for the Hawks. I also wish people would stop throwing out some crazy trade ideas that have no chance of ever happening. The fact is that no one wants to get rid of any of the players the Hawks have been forced to trade over the last 6 years. But decisions must be made to get back to what our greatest strength was, which was depth and speed. In order to get back to that, the Hawks must add players that exist outside of our organization as well as our top 1 or 2 prospects. This must be a yearly option for Bowman and it won't be if we continue to be in cap hell and forced to trade some of our best players just to barely get under the cap. I love Crawford just as I loved Buff, Ladd, Brouwer, Campbell, Niemi, Sharp, Sopel, Leddy, Saad, Oduya, Madden, Versteeg, even Burish, but as long as there is this stupid cap, we will always have the same issues until we do something truly bold. We have already erased Bickell's horrible contract from the books and now Crawford must go in the same fashion, but we need to get a 1st and a 3rd round pick for him. This would allow us to extend Panarin and have extra cap available for some additions to fill out our depth this offseason. Now if we want to have some cap space left over to add at the deadline, then Shaw must go as well. Shaw's rights must be traded for a decent draft pick. This gets the Hawks out of cap hell, gives us flexibility for future years, replenishes our farm system and keeps us competitive for our cores prime years as well. If the Hawks don't do this, then we may never win another cup because we simply can't have a 1/3 of our roster being minor league players. It's sad to know what our team could be if not for the Salary Cap, but we have to face reality, there is no way of getting around it, so we must say goodbye to Crawford and Shaw so that we don't have to say goodbye to many more for years to come.

Thanks Enzo, Foles is definitely never someone I'd be creating user names after. My nickname was Foles way before Nick Foles was around. I can understand people's interest in throwing out line combinations, I think about them myself sometimes. However, when heading into free agency and the period for which most transactions occur during the course of a year, it seems we should be focusing on what are the "right" moves for the Hawks. I also wish people would stop throwing out some crazy trade ideas that have no chance of ever happening. The fact is that no one wants to get rid of any of the players the Hawks have been forced to trade over the last 6 years. But decisions must be made to get back to what our greatest strength was, which was depth and speed. In order to get back to that, the Hawks must add players that exist outside of our organization as well as our top 1 or 2 prospects. This must be a yearly option for Bowman and it won't be if we continue to be in cap hell and forced to trade some of our best players just to barely get under the cap. I love Crawford just as I loved Buff, Ladd, Brouwer, Campbell, Niemi, Sharp, Sopel, Leddy, Saad, Oduya, Madden, Versteeg, even Burish, but as long as there is this stupid cap, we will always have the same issues until we do something truly bold. We have already erased Bickell's horrible contract from the books and now Crawford must go in the same fashion, but we need to get a 1st and a 3rd round pick for him. This would allow us to extend Panarin and have extra cap available for some additions to fill out our depth this offseason. Now if we want to have some cap space left over to add at the deadline, then Shaw must go as well. Shaw's rights must be traded for a decent draft pick. This gets the Hawks out of cap hell, gives us flexibility for future years, replenishes our farm system and keeps us competitive for our cores prime years as well. If the Hawks don't do this, then we may never win another cup because we simply can't have a 1/3 of our roster being minor league players. It's sad to know what our team could be if not for the Salary Cap, but we have to face reality, there is no way of getting around it, so we must say goodbye to Crawford and Shaw so that we don't have to say goodbye to many more for years to come.
- Foles27

TORONTO wants nothing to do with Crawford... an OK to decent goalie.. who is not part of the core in Chicago. The Leafs are looking for a future #1, not a guy who's later in his professional years and has trouble from time to time in the playoffs....

Also his contract is really ridiculous!

Thanks but no thanks....
- thehockeygod

You are literally wrong on all accounts. Every single word that I bolded is just invalid spewing.

The only thing you said that is correct is that the Leafs are looking for a future #1.

an okay to decent goalie

Really? He was one of the best goalies statistically for most of this season before getting injured towards the end of the season there.

who is not part of the core in Chicago

Not sure if you've heard, but there's this concept in every major sport in the US (excluding baseball) called the "salary cap". Unfortunately, considering the 'Hawks constraints, it's inevitable that having too many good players will end up costing the team.

not a guy who's later in his professional years

He's 31 years old, and has been an NHL goalie for six seasons. There's a lot of tread left to that tire. Besides, goalies aren't like most forwards that age poorly. Crawford is going to be an ELITE goalie for at LEAST three more seasons.

has trouble from time to time in the playoffs....

Apart from the Coyotes series in 2012 when the team got bounced in the first round, and last season when he was benched against the Preds in the first round for a few games, he has been as consistent as there is in the game. He's got two Cups to his name, and without Crow, who could have easily won the Conn Smyth last season, who knows if the team even win their second and third cups of late. A goalie isn't always going to have a perfect playoff. I can't name one in the NHL now that has. For a team that has become accustomed to being a cellar-dweller lately, a goalie who has a winning pedigree is exactly what the team needs to jumpstart into the right direction.

Also his contract is really ridiculous!

Have you SEEN the market rate for goalies?

Would you rather pay $5.9 for Lehtonen? $5.7 for Mike Smith? $5.2 for Jimmy Howard? $4.5 for Niemi? Or $4.8 for Fleury, who lost his starting spot in the playoffs to a rookie? Thought so...

Vulture....hmmmm. Carolina took advantage of a Bowman tactical error.

Bowman made mistakes. Not moving Bickell last off season snowballed to the Sharp fiasco, and finally this move.

A great idea thrown around on the cap is being able to keep home grown players with cap flexibility.

I vote for the MLB model including the revenue sharing. Except teams on the take have to prove they are putting the money into the roster, minor league system, coaching, scouting, etc.
- blackhawk24

Forget that! I don't want teams like the the Oilers and the Leafs who have a ton of young talent to get an advantage now. Would not help Hawks now that we have had to trade most of our young talent.

Damn--- Q and Glen Anderson could be twins---

BTW Anyone know when the 2016-17 regular season schedule is announced? Or is it already available?
- jb3333

Na, all 70's porn stars look the same

You can take this to the bank...Teams that have one line score about 41% of their goals usually don't last long in the playoffs if they get there.
- Al

^^^^^^

Hand in hand with that. teams that have a huge scoring differential and win a lot of games in 3-on-3, and are average or worse 5-on-5, also will not last long in the playoffs.