Good perspective to help fans temper our expectations.

Another perspective that helps me temper expectations while also allowing me to get excited with prospect camp is getting excited for what it is in the moment: a glimpse of what the future could hold for the Blackhawks roster down the line. A vast majority of the prospects in any given year will never make it or just be journeymen in either the NHL, AHL, or both. But the excitement of "what could be" is not only a good way to stay invested in the team long term through thick and thin but also to help fill the hockey void during the slower summer months (outside of the draft and free agency period).
- AEL_Fox

Dont' disagree, and seeing a guy's flash of what got him to camp is exciting. Can he be that consistent day in and day out? That's the real question.

But so many fans think this guy or THAT guy is some future Crosby and such a valuable asset that it hardly ever works that way.

The Hawks haven't hit on a ton of drafts due to their success, but I will say Bowman has done a very good job in the European and College area supplementing those picks in the pipeline.

All from Dietz from today's camp:

https://twitter.com/johnd...status/887748320906678272

Some fantastic moves by Graham Knott here ... Leads to a goal.
https://twitter.com/johnd...status/887749643211337732

Nice stick by DeBrincat here ... Leads to goal by Matthew Highmore.
https://twitter.com/johnd...status/887750970813411329

From Powers

Bondra gets back to break up the chance
https://twitter.com/johnd...status/887750970813411329

Chad Krys with the goal
https://twitter.com/BySco...status/887754959017701376

Krys with the pass to DeBrincat and Keyser with the save
https://twitter.com/BySco...status/887754615688712192

Radke and Bondra on the offensive
https://twitter.com/BySco...status/887753616899149825

Sorry VA Bear, but I can't figure out how to embed the videos here.

Great write up as always JJ. Will be interesting if Hawks slow out of the gate whether Coach Q and Bowman can continue to coexist.
- VopatsRash

I hear you Preds fans are all still thirsty - you can't drink without a cup!!!!!

I hear you Preds fans are all still thirsty - you can't drink without a cup!!!!!
- dahawks8819

He has been playing nice, why are you poking the bear?

I think its hard to see until they actually play in the NHL, it was pretty obvious to me that Danult was not Teows at 23, TT was Kane at 23 and Johns was not Seabs at 23 but I thought all looked like NHL players and we could have created some depth to keep Roz-JO-Campbell, des, tootoo, Moose, hayden, Hino from having to be a big part of the team. so yes don't over hype the young guys but don't trade them away for nothing either. Better let them play during the season and get better because you know what bar is for some and the reality is that bar is not high enough to win a ST with.

young players give fans hope,ask any Cub fan. Any Sox fan now is excited about the future.

Dont' disagree, and seeing a guy's flash of what got him to camp is exciting. Can he be that consistent day in and day out? That's the real question.

But so many fans think this guy or THAT guy is some future Crosby and such a valuable asset that it hardly ever works that way.

The Hawks haven't hit on a ton of drafts due to their success, but I will say Bowman has done a very good job in the European and College area supplementing those picks in the pipeline.
- SteveRain

Agree. I hope that the hires of Colliton and Samuelsson will pay more dividends in developing prospects and young blueliners who do earn time in the Hawks lineup whether they are the Swedes or players of other nationalities. I would like to believe both were hired for this or a similar reason.

Except when you're defending, killing penalties, trying to get the puck through a neutral zone trap, and some other stuff.

1 on 1, or what it approximates, is very important, especially for a winger whose primary area of play is along the wall and in the corners.

3-on-3 half ice drills (with other prospects) will allow a player like ADB, whose game is all about the offensive zone and making quick decisions, getting off quick shots, shine.

It is not, however, indicative of a complete NHL player.
- John Jaeckel

JJ you post as if DeBrincat got drafted out of a non-contact, street hockey league, where nobody traps or checks. He didn't, he got drafted out of the elite level OHL where there is no open ice in any zone, the play could not be tougher and the season is very long.

Do you think DeBrincat only played in the offensive zone? I never said that. He creates open ice for himself and others in all zones. Every night opposing players tried to take his head off and couldn't touch him in open ice or in the corners or along the boards. When I have said that he goes into traffic I was saying by implication that he wins 1 on 1 battles, also 2 on 1 and 3 on 1 battles. I have seen him bait 3 defenders, where he was completely surrounded where he then made a perfect pass to a team-mate. Yes he won OHL Player of the Year because he wasn't tough enough or tough on the puck - please.

John Jaeckel: The Ballad of Igor Makarov
- John Jaeckel

This might be one of my favorite blog post titles that you've come up with JJ

Scott Powers‏ @ByScottPowers 38m38 minutes ago
Tuulola and Krys get the puck out of the zone

https://twitter.com/byscottpowers?lang=en

Great demonstration of Tuulola and Krys supporting each other in their zone. Tuulola forces a turnover and Krys is on the opposite side of pressure to get the puck out.

Good perspective to help fans temper our expectations.

Another perspective that helps me temper expectations while also allowing me to get excited with prospect camp is getting excited for what it is in the moment: a glimpse of what the future could hold for the Blackhawks roster down the line. A vast majority of the prospects in any given year will never make it or just be journeymen in either the NHL, AHL, or both. But the excitement of "what could be" is not only a good way to stay invested in the team long term through thick and thin but also to help fill the hockey void during the slower summer months (outside of the draft and free agency period).
- AEL_Fox

My expectations couldn't be more tempered after winning 3 cups in 7 years and Bowman trading away all are higher round draft picks for rentals. Fortin looks the most promising but is hurt. If DeBrincat is slow, unmotivated, and (obviously) a smurf I have 0 problem with trading him away for a proven NHL asset now. It is what it is, let's hope what we have at the actual NHL level pans out.

JJ you post as if DeBrincat got drafted out of a non-contact, street hockey league, where nobody traps or checks. He didn't, he got drafted out of the elite level OHL where there is no open ice in any zone, the play could not be tougher and the season is very long.

Do you think DeBrincat only played in the offensive zone? I never said that. He creates open ice for himself and others in all zones. Every night opposing players tried to take his head off and couldn't touch him in open ice or in the corners or along the boards. When I have said that he goes into traffic I was saying by implication that he wins 1 on 1 battles, also 2 on 1 and 3 on 1 battles. I have seen him bait 3 defenders, where he was completely surrounded where he then made a perfect pass to a team-mate. Yes he won OHL Player of the Year because he wasn't tough enough or tough on the puck - please.
- Z3Hawk

JJ's right. This kid's success is pure conjecture until he proves himself against actual NHL level talent, plenty of kids were superstars in the minors and went nowhere in the NHL (Kyle Beach anyone?). Please stop making him out to be the next big thing (pun intended...lol).

My expectations couldn't be more tempered after winning 3 cups in 7 years and Bowman trading away all are higher round draft picks for rentals. Fortin looks the most promising but is hurt. If DeBrincat is slow, unmotivated, and (obviously) a smurf I have 0 problem with trading him away for a proven NHL asset now. It is what it is, let's hope what we have at the actual NHL level pans out.

- Murph76

Well, one year it worked like a charm and there was a parade. They traded Danault and Teravainen but both of them would essentially be depth forwards on this team which the Hawks don't appear to be lacking.

The good news is it's not like there are so many slots open that rookies are being asked to step up and take them and there should be some good competition for bottom 6 spots.

Well, one year it worked like a charm and there was a parade. They traded Danault and Teravainen but both of them would essentially be depth forwards on this team which the Hawks don't appear to be lacking.


- HawkintheD

The good news is it's not like there are so many slots open that rookies are being asked to step up and take them and there should be some good competition for bottom 6 spots

.

True story

It's funny you should mention that specific camp and how when we would attend these things three things were a given:
1)There was never a huge number of us in attendance, and most of us were there because we simply loved the idea that we got to be there, elite watchers getting a coming attractions preview of what was to come, maybe.
2)One fan (me) seemed to never stop talking answering questions or commenting, much to the dismay of the irritated fans around me.
3) The format of so many scrimmages seemed to skew the abilities and cause mixed reviews of just about every player out there.

There was great access.
You could easily get a word in with a draftee, the Blackhawk organization although they did usually bunker up, so that they could talk without interrurption, there was access to them too.

and then, it happened:

The Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup.
Te fan base exploded and with it the number of fan websites that were Blackhawk fan generated.
Two days after the Prospects camp begin, i would read the rankings of the farmhawks and how this guy was Seabrook's replacement, and this guy is going to play top six for sure, and most of the hype was based on
where the player was drafted (rpund)
and
what these hockey jockeys thought they saw.

Now you still see lots of this and much of it still comes from fans and lazy sportwriters who only are looking for name and story and a way to "write something related."
I agree the articles from the Athletic have meat and there is little supposition, brass projections, and good back story info.
But...I still don't know Fortin's injury repair, do you?

By virture of the amount of pro one way contracts the hawks have, 14 forwards and 5 defenders, 19 guys (including Tootoo and Rosy) who can be lost with a demotion....and that doesn't count John Hayden, Laurent Dauphin, 26 yr old defender Rutta, winger David Kampf, 25 yr old Jordan Oesterle, or Gustav Forsling....

...so that DOES cut the chances for many prospects to explode to the parent club...but it doesn't mean that a player puts the team in a situation where they gave to send another guy down or packing.

an aside:
Now that the draft is over, I figured I would go take a look at the pre and post coverage on HockeyFuture to compare the work of the rookies that they replaced us all with...and found that the site seems to be a stasis.
Twin brothers started the site and and back before the Hawks drafted Seabrook, the buyers were more interested in replacing the entire in place staff with all these folks who had very little hockey background or rooted feelings, and the bios and work seemed to be based on repeating the chorus about each guy drafted from what was originally written, and the idea of attempting to GRADE players chances of success without actually watching them, sent the site in a backward spiral...the proof being most of the posters had better handles on the kid than the team specialist writers...
I just is too bad that with the great name, the site is collecting dust.


and one last one:
It is pretty big stretch to try compare the situations of Beach and DeBrincat.

Beach was expected to be a Matthew Tkachuk (Calgary) type who would not only disrupt but pot many a goal. but he never skated that well and the rest too.

DeBrincat is a instinctive seam finder, who doesn't cheat on the defensive end, and is so light on the edges he avoids getting flattened and can one time the biscuit better than most.
Junior numbers can lie, and the kid can only play two places Chicago or Erie in the O.

Yeah, but I am pretty sure if they had to choose whether DeBrincat or Sikura was signed right now, they would hope it was Sikura...

Yep. One thing that you've hinted at is that ADB lacks some intangibles (work ethic, etc) and I've seen none of that personally, but if that is a problem then I downgrade his chances of success. Maybe I am interpreting what you said wrong?
- kwolf68

What I have heard is more a case of he went in junior by what he could to succeed on his team in his role. Even his junior coach, a read a quote, seemed to make clear that he had things to work on. Not so much that he wouldn't. But that he wasn't a complete player for the next level yet.

Someone said to me the other day he looked alittle lackadaisical his first day in camp is all.

It is that time a year again for JJ to bash prospects. Of course he does this every month. The league is getting younger,faster,and cheaper. Depth is needed to win cups and prosperts build depth. Why do teams covet draft picks so much? This is how the Hawks won in 2010,because they had so many picks between 2003 and 2008. All teams over hype their prospects for possible trade.
- ger68

Ya, whatever dude.

Is it bashing prospects or just suggesting realistic expectations. Maybe the real issue is no one cares what "time a year" it is for you.

JJ you post as if DeBrincat got drafted out of a non-contact, street hockey league, where nobody traps or checks. He didn't, he got drafted out of the elite level OHL where there is no open ice in any zone, the play could not be tougher and the season is very long.

Do you think DeBrincat only played in the offensive zone? I never said that. He creates open ice for himself and others in all zones. Every night opposing players tried to take his head off and couldn't touch him in open ice or in the corners or along the boards. When I have said that he goes into traffic I was saying by implication that he wins 1 on 1 battles, also 2 on 1 and 3 on 1 battles. I have seen him bait 3 defenders, where he was completely surrounded where he then made a perfect pass to a team-mate. Yes he won OHL Player of the Year because he wasn't tough enough or tough on the puck - please.
- Z3Hawk

Are you a pro scout?

There's a BIG difference between the "elite" OHL and the NHL.

I have gone to OHL games in the US and Canada, not to mention NCAA, WHL and Q, over the last two decades. A good friend of mine was GM of the Plymouth Whalers, played himself in the O and later a pro agent for many O players, and W players.

So, yeah.

It's funny you should mention that specific camp and how when we would attend these things three things were a given:
1)There was never a huge number of us in attendance, and most of us were there because we simply loved the idea that we got to be there, elite watchers getting a coming attractions preview of what was to come, maybe.
2)One fan (me) seemed to never stop talking answering questions or commenting, much to the dismay of the irritated fans around me.
3) The format of so many scrimmages seemed to skew the abilities and cause mixed reviews of just about every player out there.

There was great access.
You could easily get a word in with a draftee, the Blackhawk organization although they did usually bunker up, so that they could talk without interrurption, there was access to them too.

and then, it happened:

The Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup.
Te fan base exploded and with it the number of fan websites that were Blackhawk fan generated.
Two days after the Prospects camp begin, i would read the rankings of the farmhawks and how this guy was Seabrook's replacement, and this guy is going to play top six for sure, and most of the hype was based on
where the player was drafted (rpund)
and
what these hockey jockeys thought they saw.

Now you still see lots of this and much of it still comes from fans and lazy sportwriters who only are looking for name and story and a way to "write something related."
I agree the articles from the Athletic have meat and there is little supposition, brass projections, and good back story info.
But...I still don't know Fortin's injury repair, do you?

By virture of the amount of pro one way contracts the hawks have, 14 forwards and 5 defenders, 19 guys (including Tootoo and Rosy) who can be lost with a demotion....and that doesn't count John Hayden, Laurent Dauphin, 26 yr old defender Rutta, winger David Kampf, 25 yr old Jordan Oesterle, or Gustav Forsling....

...so that DOES cut the chances for many prospects to explode to the parent club...but it doesn't mean that a player puts the team in a situation where they gave to send another guy down or packing.

an aside:
Now that the draft is over, I figured I would go take a look at the pre and post coverage on HockeyFuture to compare the work of the rookies that they replaced us all with...and found that the site seems to be a stasis.
Twin brothers started the site and and back before the Hawks drafted Seabrook, the buyers were more interested in replacing the entire in place staff with all these folks who had very little hockey background or rooted feelings, and the bios and work seemed to be based on repeating the chorus about each guy drafted from what was originally written, and the idea of attempting to GRADE players chances of success without actually watching them, sent the site in a backward spiral...the proof being most of the posters had better handles on the kid than the team specialist writers...
I just is too bad that with the great name, the site is collecting dust.


and one last one:
It is pretty big stretch to try compare the situations of Beach and DeBrincat.

Beach was expected to be a Matthew Tkachuk (Calgary) type who would not only disrupt but pot many a goal. but he never skated that well and the rest too.

DeBrincat is a instinctive seam finder, who doesn't cheat on the defensive end, and is so light on the edges he avoids getting flattened and can one time the biscuit better than most.
Junior numbers can lie, and the kid can only play two places Chicago or Erie in the O.
- wiz1901

I didn't. Different players, one commonality though. Neither has great foot speed, which you can get by with as a scorer in junior, not so much in the NHL.

And it was fun hanging out with you, Sassone and some others that day, and getting to talk some with Steve Smith.

It is not as if DeBrincat got drafted out of a non-contact, street hockey league, where nobody traps or checks. He didn't, he got drafted out of the elite level OHL where there is no open ice in any zone, the play could not be tougher and the season is very long.

Do you think DeBrincat only played in the offensive zone? I never said that. He creates open ice for himself and others in all zones. Every night opposing players tried to take his head off and couldn't touch him in open ice or in the corners or along the boards. When I have said that he goes into traffic I was saying by implication that he wins 1 on 1 battles, also 2 on 1 and 3 on 1 battles. I have seen him bait 3 defenders, where he was completely surrounded where he then made a perfect pass to a team-mate. Yes he won OHL Player of the Year because he wasn't tough enough or tough on the puck - please.
- Z3Hawk

Yeah, THIS!

The kid can play.
I talked poop too.
Looked hard for holes, called him midget and over and over disrespected him.

...and the hawks can wait for him, but this kid isn't a low end prospect, or some guy that is gonna spend time trying to "add to his game." It's there.

JJ you post as if DeBrincat got drafted out of a non-contact, street hockey league, where nobody traps or checks. He didn't, he got drafted out of the elite level OHL where there is no open ice in any zone, the play could not be tougher and the season is very long.

Do you think DeBrincat only played in the offensive zone? I never said that. He creates open ice for himself and others in all zones. Every night opposing players tried to take his head off and couldn't touch him in open ice or in the corners or along the boards. When I have said that he goes into traffic I was saying by implication that he wins 1 on 1 battles, also 2 on 1 and 3 on 1 battles. I have seen him bait 3 defenders, where he was completely surrounded where he then made a perfect pass to a team-mate. Yes he won OHL Player of the Year because he wasn't tough enough or tough on the puck - please.
- Z3Hawk

You make the OHL sound like a league consisting of every team playing like the 1995 New Jersey Devils.

I watched videos that were posted from camp on the kid. I thought he was OK. Made some nice plays in open ice, got man handled a few times in the 1 on 1 battles. I think it's fair to say he needs time in the AHL to get adjusted to professional players, pack on some muscle, and fine tune his game........way too early to say he's a bust or a hit.....right now he's just a prospect and the OHL is usually a very high scoring league if I recall correctly.

I believe Dave Bolland and Kris Draper both had MONSTER years in the O.

Yeah, THIS!

The kid can play.
I talked poop too.
Looked hard for holes, called him midget and over and over disrespected him.

...and the hawks can wait for him, but this kid isn't a low end prospect, or some guy that is gonna spend time trying to "add to his game." It's there.
- wiz1901

where would you slot him for his NHL ceiling and floor (comparison of a common player)?

I saw a few videos he got pushed off the puck pretty easy, but also made a nice play finding open ice on a busted 2 on 1 and broke up a clearing attempt that led to a goal in 3 on 3.....

where would you slot him for his NHL ceiling and floor (comparison of a common player)?

I saw a few videos he got pushed off the puck pretty easy, but also made a nice play finding open ice on a busted 2 on 1 and broke up a clearing attempt that led to a goal in 3 on 3.....
- SteveRain

Cam Atkinson is a good NHL ceiling player for him.

JJ any new news on trade front with the convention coming this just wondering about a possible surprise. If hossa is done playing due to his condition I would strongly would like hossa become a scout for the hawks in Europe especially sloviaka I sure he could find some really good players for the hawks maybe even the next hossa. As for the prospects debricant has long way to go saw him in a couple games and at the memorial cup not all that impressed hope I'm wrong but at least two years away. Unless a prospect wows the brass in camp then all these kids should be in Rockford developing and following the Detroit model overseasoning these prospects until they ready for prime time, this also includes hayden who needs to work on his skating. I compare hayden to Zach smith in Ottawa if hayden can develop into a Zach smith that's a good thing, but we will see.

I don't think he's bashing anyone, in fact I think its more of a wait and see.....

What is there to get excited about watching a 19 yr old kid outduel a fringe NHL player (which some cases, most of those prospects are).......if the same kid lights up training camp against NHL players that's a different story.

I watched a lot of what Powers posted, and I didnt' take much away from it......What does happen far too often is people falling in love with said player and assuming that guy is some shoe in.

Hell a Hawks blog, is probably still in turmoil since the GREAT Teuvo left.......and have the Hawks missed him? NOPE.
- SteveRain

TT would be a nice player to have along the Hawks third line. Not a star, but a very solid, capable player who would provide some competent depth. He also didn't leave, he was jettisoned for no other reason than influencing another team to take one of the many crappy Hawks contracts.