Sorry Hock but I thought it was a close up of a mole. Glad you don't have a skin condition, but you do have a toaster!
- Marlowe

Greatest toaster ever!!! Makes partially toasted Blackhock bread.
Or it CAN burn your skin in the shape of a hock logo.

Jelly

Keith had a knee surgery, not sure when it was, late last summer, there was concern whether he'd be ready to start the season. In that connective tissue takes up to two years to properly heal, it is likely that he was not 100% most or all of last year. A conclusion safely drawn from facts.

As for Toews, I was told by a team source he suffered a back injury in the WCH (also late summer) and did not begin feeling "himself" again until midseason (when he seemed to have some more "Toews of old" jump). You may write that off as conjecture. I trust the source.

Having dealt with a bad back for a couple of decades, and this is mostly conjecture, I can see how it might seriously affect his play. A lot of people talked about him falling down a lot in the corners/in traffic. Well, if you have a neuromuscular injury to your core, that would be an expected result.
- John Jaeckel

Couldnt have helped when Subban slew footed him in front of the official either...

Oesterle has a legit shot at 5/6D
- JRoenick97

Part of me is thinking why take a D man who couldn't even make the Oilers, then I think Justin Shultz.

For those keeping track during the slow summer, someone else confirmed earlier these jersey numbers for new Hawks:

Murphy, 5
Sharp, 10
Bouma, 17
Saad, 20
Wingels 57
Rutta, 44
Oesterle, 82

Other numbers confirmed during the convention:

DeBrincat, 12
Louis, 26
Forsberg, 31
Dauphin, 74
Fortin, 84

For those keeping track during the slow summer, someone else confirmed earlier these jersey numbers for new Hawks:

Murphy, 5
Sharp, 10
Bouma, 17
Saad, 20
Wingels 57
Rutta, 44
Oesterle, 82

Other numbers confirmed during the convention:

DeBrincat, 12
Louis, 26
Forsberg, 31
Dauphin, 74
Fortin, 84
- AEL_Fox

Looks like Oesterle got 82 over Fortin and Norell keeps 76 over Dauphin. Debrincat was 23 before, but he was 12 in Erie so that makes sense.

Part of me is thinking why take a D man who couldn't even make the Oilers, then I think Justin Shultz.
- kwolf68

Oilers actually have an excess of D-men now. Oesterle just didn't fit.

Oilers actually have an excess of D-men now. Oesterle just didn't fit.
- JRoenick97

He seems to have good speed and could be a solid bottom pair guy.

You make a lot of good points, but I simply refuse to peddle the injury excuse. Much as I love Dunc and Toews (back injury excuse anyone)....there is absolutely no way to "prove" said injury is impacting the player, or even if said injury actually exists. I simply can't operate under a sector of conjecture. Now, for Anisimov's injury, much as I am not a big fan of his, I GET that injury. And his poor play can certainly be attributed to his return from what (at the time) looked like a really terrible injury.

My problem also with Keith is why was he SO GOOD in these short spurts during last year? It seemed he simply didn't have the consistent fire.

that is NOT to say my postulate that he has "lost it" is accurate. In fact, I don't even postulate that I just offer it as an alternative viewpoint. And I think Keith's downfall will be short term. Keith (like Seabrook) is a warrior and all great players have periods of lulls in their career. But superstars like 2 and 7 will NOT fade out that quickly...in fact it will be a gracious fall from grace (sorta like Nik Lidstrom) where when they retire you'll still think, "I think he can still play"...it won't be "my god he sucks...retire now"
- kwolf68

Hmmmm

If you watch the actual games and see Keith, his jackhammer stride was somewhat subdued. Got beat a lot to the corners. He also sucked at turning, which is probably why guys got behind him more than you'd expect.

Basically stuff that you would expect someone who had a knee operation to do differently \ worse. While they recovered and adjusted and lost the paranoia of tweaking something again.

His minutes were down in the playoffs as well. You'd expect him to be closer to 30 a night not 25 when the games matter which also says something wasn't right. Its not like the other guys were playing a whole lot better.

Keith thrives when he can shoot the zone and disrupt plays and retrieve pucks then turn quickly and move up the ice with pace. If no explosion and can't turn then that kills a big part of his game.

I don't get how some are "excited" or ok with handing the keys over to Ruuta or Kempny and writing off Pokka

While I hope any one or all pan out, Pokka just turned 23yrs old. And while admittingly I haven't seen him play extensively, he's played the last 3yrs on NHL ice and had 105pts in 220gms - not bad offensive numbers. He also played as a 21yr old Finland team that won the silver at the WC's.

I'd be as curious to see how he may do as much as the other two.

Last year was Kempny's first taste ever of NA hockey, as well as the travel and playing more than 50gms a year. It will be the same with Rutta.

The KHL plays 60gms and the EHL plays only 52 in 8months. The NHL plays 82gms in 6 months - not to mention the smaller rink size, bigger players and speed.


I guess the point is not to write off Pokka as a bust at just turning 23 and anointing Kempny or Rutta as regulars.

Actually the guy who may get the best look is Oesterle out of the newcomers
- PatShart

Cant skate at NHL level

Cant skate at NHL level
- fattybeef

It did come out that he had a leg injury before last season, so that couldn't have helped his skating either.

Cant skate at NHL level
- fattybeef

he's played how many games at the NHL level?


Some internet experts said Troy Brouwer couldn't either

Rangers looking to either buy out Marc Staal and/ or trade Nick Holden.

Rangers looking to either buy out Marc Staal and/ or trade Nick Holden.
- walleyeb1

Holden is interesting. Showed potential with CBJ, but got relegated to 2 bad defensive teams in Colorado and NYR. Might be worth a look if he's cheap.

Holden is interesting. Showed potential with CBJ, but got relegated to 2 bad defensive teams in Colorado and NYR. Might be worth a look if he's cheap.
- JRoenick97

Don't think it'd take much in return he's got one year at $1.65m.

Holden is interesting. Showed potential with CBJ, but got relegated to 2 bad defensive teams in Colorado and NYR. Might be worth a look if he's cheap.
- JRoenick97

Both guys are below average at shot suppress shots and are poor at zone exits. Holden is better offensively, but idk if he's worth the cap space when they really need a top 4 guy. Staal has been steadily declining for a while as well.

My man, Where is Al, Curt Fraser and a couple of others in your " fight card" rankings? Showin your age there alittle?
- wonthecup10

Pound for pound those guys were about as tough as it gets.

he's played how many games at the NHL level?


Some internet experts said Troy Brouwer couldn't either
- PatShart

In context Brouwer was held back by his skating the NHL level, he scored 35-40 goals in the AHL....BUT he became a power forward at the next level...A 20 goal 200 hit player which are rare to come by.

Pound for pound those guys were about as tough as it gets.
- Al

Let's not forget Manson... when he got that look in his eyes, look out. Best fight I ever saw was when Manson called Stevens out to center ice and gave him a beat down!!

Let's not forget Manson... when he got that look in his eyes, look out. Best fight I ever saw was when Manson called Stevens out to center ice and gave him a beat down!!
- FourOrr

That's why they called him Charlie, the look in his eyes. When he got that look the linesmen just backed off and waited him out. And for sure Stevens got what he was shopping for.

Both guys are below average at shot suppress shots and are poor at zone exits. Holden is better offensively, but idk if he's worth the cap space when they really need a top 4 guy. Staal has been steadily declining for a while as well.
- L_B_R

Staal has been going down ever since his big brother concussed him.

Let's not forget Manson... when he got that look in his eyes, look out. Best fight I ever saw was when Manson called Stevens out to center ice and gave him a beat down!!
- FourOrr

anyone have a YOU TUBE link for this fight? manson/stevens

https://theathletic.com/7...phys-offensive-potential/

Decent analytics based article on Connor Murphy's potential as a Hawk.

Puck drop in 72 Days.

OFFICIAL: #NYR have agreed to terms with restricted free agent forward Mika Zibanejad on a five-year contract with an AAV of $5.35 million. pic.twitter.com/HAOSGT9ZUw

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) July 25, 2017

OFFICIAL: #NYR have agreed to terms with restricted free agent forward Mika Zibanejad on a five-year contract with an AAV of $5.35 million. pic.twitter.com/HAOSGT9ZUw

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) July 25, 2017

- DarthKane

Looks to be a 50+ point player.