I am a lax player (or was)! And a coach.

Speaking of which, a few weeks ago, took my boy (who is a player) to see an Ohio Machine game versus the New York Lizards (dumb name, but Paul Rabil plays for them).

The Machine won the MLL Championship the other night and they are (frank)ing awesome. They mostly double-teamed Rabil all night so he didn't do much, still it was amazing to see how the field tilted toward him every time he had the ball.

But Ohio has some amazing middies and forwards: especially Baum and Cockerton. Cockerton scored a couple of the most sick goals I have ever seen. What a blast. MLL is in its infancy but the more people who go to the games, it's going to really take off, plus with all the kids playing nowadays and the quality of instruction that's now out there.
- John Jaeckel

Why don't the MLL and NLL merge?

The Rush here sell out every game. 15,000+ every night.

When you see Crosby listed at #2 and Auston Mathews #4 best to immediately throw that publication in the garbage can.
- RickJ

were do you think Mathews should go? He Tied for 2nd in the league in Goals at 40 and no other center was in the top 10. Kane was # 10 at 34. His assists are not that high but I put Goals over assists because often if you are on a line that scores a ton you will get a lot of secondary assists which pads your points but really was only a 20% factor on the goal. The Crosby Mcdavid debate is interesting. My guess is for this season Mcdavid will end the year as the undisputed #1 player in the league. IMO. He has Age, and improving team on his side. these lists are based on projections for this year as well.

I saw a Sun Times article today, trying to project the Hawks line up for this year.
This has to be difficult this year, with all of the new faces and reappearing faces. We here has kicked around the line up quite a bit. But they have Jurco penciled into the third line. IT would be great if he turned into Panik 2.0 ...... but I don't see or understand the Jurco love. Second City hockey has top 25 propects under 25, and they have Jurco listed lower than some guys just drafted. He is in sort of a make or break season, and I do hope he breaks out. But just don't see what the Hawks see in him. Is there something that I am missing about him ? What do you guys see ?

were do you think Mathews should go? He Tied for 2nd in the league in Goals at 40 and no other center was in the top 10. Kane was # 10 at 34. His assists are not that high but I put Goals over assists because often if you are on a line that scores a ton you will get a lot of secondary assists which pads your points but really was only a 20% factor on the goal. The Crosby Mcdavid debate is interesting. My guess is for this season Mcdavid will end the year as the undisputed #1 player in the league. IMO. He has Age, and improving team on his side. these lists are based on projections for this year as well.
- kmw4631

First off, most of the list must of been compiled by somebody who must watch the occasional game and then reads crap online for most of his/her information.

Crosby is the undisputed #1 player in the game based on what he's won leading teams he has played on and his own statistics. It isn't disputable. McDavid will likely surpass him eventually but right now his resume doesn't cut it.

Backstrom #5 - let me know when he wins something, anything.

Jack Eichel is better than Bergeron, Kopitar, Carter, Johansen, Toews? Wonder when that happened?

I will give you Mathews and his 40 goals. I like him a lot and the kid is going to be a great player who will probably win a Hart Trophy. But Babcock sheltered him most of last season and he played many games against #3 and #4 centers. And he also had a pretty lengthy scoreless streak during the year when he went up against tougher competition. So for that reason I wouldn't put him much higher than #8 after one season, but he has greatness written all over him if he stays injury free. But no free rides going forward, he's going to meet up with some very nasty defenceman sooner or later.

So he signed a 3 year deal, Let me know if I understand this correctly. He would be 28 if he plays out all 3 years, so he would not be bound by a ELC but he would still be the hawks property since he is in the KHL? And could only sign with hawks on his 1st contract unless we trade his rights. Do I have that correct?
- kmw4631

Contracts in the KHL are usually crap shoot. Either side probably has an escape clause after one season.. Time will tell. If Maxime scores thirty goals this year for Moscow.. Good chance he will drop anchor in U.S next year.

I saw a Sun Times article today, trying to project the Hawks line up for this year.
This has to be difficult this year, with all of the new faces and reappearing faces. We here has kicked around the line up quite a bit. But they have Jurco penciled into the third line. IT would be great if he turned into Panik 2.0 ...... but I don't see or understand the Jurco love. Second City hockey has top 25 propects under 25, and they have Jurco listed lower than some guys just drafted. He is in sort of a make or break season, and I do hope he breaks out. But just don't see what the Hawks see in him. Is there something that I am missing about him ? What do you guys see ?
- chuckdahammer

Agreed. I think Jurco will get a long look with the team because Stan gave up a third round pick but I'm not expecting much. If Jurco can somehow become a productive 3rd or 4th liner I will be happy with that.

Contracts in the KHL are usually crap shoot. Either side probably has an escape clause after one season.. Time will tell. If Maxime scores thirty goals this year for Moscow.. Good chance he will drop anchor in U.S next year.
- spanky

if he comes next year he is on a ELC that is probably why he signed a contract that takes him until he is not bound by the ELC is my understanding is correct.

Hammer will be the guy you miss most of all. Dude was under appreciated by a lot outside of Chicago. Happy to see him out of the division.

Dude .

Sorry have not back read the 138 comments but TOEWS needs to be #1 on that list.

TOEWS needs to step up. TOEWS needs to be the best player on the ice eevrytime he is on the ice otherwise this Hawks team goes no where.

(Hopefully Saad helps with this)

I love the Murphy addition. Kid can skate and I love the nasty. He'll be a fan favorite.

Hope everyone has had a great summer.
- mrpaulish

Toews ain't beating out Crosby or McDavid. He just isn't. He's not that guy. Best he could be is number 3

Toews ain't beating out Crosby or McDavid. He just isn't. He's not that guy. Best he could be is number 3
- JRoenick97

He was talking about JJ's list of Hawks that need to step up, not the top 20 NHL center list.

Granted, they didn't seem to read the blog post either since it specifically says it's about new/young guys who need to mature as professionals, not older/vet guys that need to return to form or do better.

Toews ain't beating out Crosby or McDavid. He just isn't. He's not that guy. Best he could be is number 3
- JRoenick97

and if playing his game he was #3 after this season we would all be ecstatic.

Eh - they need a lot of second year players to start playing like 5 year veterans. Or at least 2 of them.

A lot to ask.

Eh - they need a lot of second year players to start playing like 5 year veterans. Or at least 2 of them.

A lot to ask.
- fattybeef

Definitely a lot to ask. To keep our sanity as well as be fair to them, I would expect 2nd year players to continue developing in an upward trend and show gradual marked improvement over time rather than a huge leap (although the latter would be very welcome!).

and if playing his game he was #3 after this season we would all be ecstatic.
- riozzo

i am sorry, but expecting Toews to once again become a top 3 center is asking to much. If he gets his mojo back and is a top six center we should all bless our stars.

i am sorry, but expecting Toews to once again become a top 3 center is asking to much. If he gets his mojo back and is a top six center we should all bless our stars.
- spanky

Yeah, I also think top 6 in the NHL again is achievable by him. Absolutely.

This whole "he's done" at age 29 narrative has me unconvinced.

First off, most of the list must of been compiled by somebody who must watch the occasional game and then reads crap online for most of his/her information.

Crosby is the undisputed #1 player in the game based on what he's won leading teams he has played on and his own statistics. It isn't disputable. McDavid will likely surpass him eventually but right now his resume doesn't cut it.

Backstrom #5 - let me know when he wins something, anything.

Jack Eichel is better than Bergeron, Kopitar, Carter, Johansen, Toews? Wonder when that happened?

I will give you Mathews and his 40 goals. I like him a lot and the kid is going to be a great player who will probably win a Hart Trophy. But Babcock sheltered him most of last season and he played many games against #3 and #4 centers. And he also had a pretty lengthy scoreless streak during the year when he went up against tougher competition. So for that reason I wouldn't put him much higher than #8 after one season, but he has greatness written all over him if he stays injury free. But no free rides going forward, he's going to meet up with some very nasty defenceman sooner or later.
- RickJ

the nhl.com "lists" have been largely laughable.

Definitely a lot to ask. To keep our sanity as well as be fair to them, I would expect 2nd year players to continue developing in an upward trend and show gradual marked improvement over time rather than a huge leap (although the latter would be very welcome!).
- AEL_Fox

We won the Western Conference regular season with a lot of 1st year players and with so so years (at best) by Toews, Keith and Seabs. If the Saad/Panarin and Murphy/Hjalmarsson deals are close to net zero's, Forsberg is a solid back goalie, and Sharp, Dauphin, Wingels, contribute (somewhat compensating for the huge loss in Hossa) the 2nd year players only need to be marginally better during the regular season. Also I would presume that Stan will add a 3/4 Dman and/or a 2/3 LW when Hossa goes on LTIR.

If the Hawks have some success in the regular season this year I am pretty sure Q and the players will not take their foot off the gas the last two weeks of the season and the results in the playoffs could be a lot better.

Yeah, I also think top 6 in the NHL again is achievable by him. Absolutely.

This whole "he's done" at age 29 narrative has me unconvinced.
- John Jaeckel

Totally agree. Because of his salary there are unrealistic expectations placed on him. His PPG needs to go up a little. His plus/minus needs to go up a little. If he stays healthy and plays regularly with Panik and Saad I think that will happen.

i am sorry, but expecting Toews to once again become a top 3 center is asking to much. If he gets his mojo back and is a top six center we should all bless our stars.
- spanky

Looking at the list there is not much dropoff or difference from #3 to #13. 3 Malkin,
4 Matthews, 5 Backstrom vs 11 Bergeron 12 Toews, 13 Kopitar. Some are more offensive and some are more 200' players. Some play for more wide open offensive systems that are happy to win 4/3. Some are on more conservative opportunistic teams that try to win 2 to 1.

Looking at the list there is not much dropoff or difference from #3 to #13. 3 Malkin,
4 Matthews, 5 Backstrom vs 11 Bergeron 12 Toews, 13 Kopitar. Some are more offensive and some are more 200' players. Some play for more wide open offensive systems that are happy to win 4/3. Some are on more conservative opportunistic teams that try to win 2 to 1.
- -Doh-

And I would say the list is out of order, however, its not worth getting into a HB throw-down with others on if a player should be 5 or 13 as an example.

From what I have been reading in the last few threads it sure seems there will be no consensus here on the opening night lineup. My question for you all is this; How many different players will Q play in the first 20 games of the season? What's your best guess? I am going on the high side and saying 27 including goalies and possible acquisitions. I just don't think training camp and the preseason will be enough to sort out where all the pieces will fit.

What else is there to talk about?

Nothing HAS happened since the beginning of July, and unlike past summers, there is nothing that WILL (or has to) happen until October 6 - not even rumors out there.

Of course, we could put lines together for the 898736th time.

I know - let's talk politics....

😇
- StLBravesFan

Of all the members of congress back in 1869 I think Edin A. Warren was a doozy.

Are NHL Positional rankings something that is vitally important or a 100% accurate assessment of talent/production? No. But, I will say that these rankings show Toews' status around the league has fallen off a cliff since June 2015. How quickly people forget about past performance, but that's the nature of the beast. There is NO REASON Toews should be outside the Top 10 Centers in the NHL based on his Cap Hit. He needs to eclipse 70 points this year, especially given the status of the Hawks D-Core....they will give up some goals.

He was talking about JJ's list of Hawks that need to step up, not the top 20 NHL center list.

Granted, they didn't seem to read the blog post either since it specifically says it's about new/young guys who need to mature as professionals, not older/vet guys that need to return to form or do better.
- L_B_R

Well... that makes more sense, but yeah, it's bout the kids in this particular post.

Of all the members of congress back in 1869 I think Edin A. Warren was a doozy.
- Savoy

How dare you. Guy didn't know his ass from a hole in the ground.