"Meanwhile Saad’s chemistry with Jonathan Toews is proven. And it’s not just happenstance; stylistically, Saad does so many things reasonably well—he’s a beast on the puck down low, he can finish or set up, and he has elite speed"

So much truth in this. If you go back and watch the 2015 playoff highlights, Saad shows up big - and in big games.

For the first time in several years there are a ton of different scenarios and a lot of uncertainty heading into training camp. And they are basically good possibilities and uncertainties. With the exception of maybe Bouma, there should not be a Mashinter like player on the final roster. There also should be a good deal of excitement about Rockford this year too, with Colliton and several players who actually are skilled and close to being ready for the NHL. Training camp should be a real dog fight for the final spots. Stick tap to Bowman.

I think the above posters are correct. Franson is being brought in because once Hossa goes on long term IR, there is money for him.

As for the other PTOs, one thing to keep in mind, Daniel Paille had a fabulous camp and preseason a few years ago and was offered a leadership role in Rockford.

I could see the same happening for Drew Miller. Mark Stuart, like JJ said is on fumes, he's this years Jan Hejda.

My guess is with Dauphin and Fortin that unless they are really good in camp they start in Rockford. Bouma, wingles, Jurco are all out of waivers so then it comes down to Tootoo. Who I would send to Rockford.

SAAD-T-PAN
Sharp-AA-Kane
Hart-Schmatlz-Jurco
bouma-Kero-wingels.

I would like to keep 1 more young player and bouma, Wingels, Jurco, Sharp some nights off. Tootoo just is not good enough to get Minutes on a team that wants to go deep in the playoffs, better to find a young guy and get him up to NHL speed and D.

I think the above posters are correct. Franson is being brought in because once Hossa goes on long term IR, there is money for him.

As for the other PTOs, one thing to keep in mind, Daniel Paille had a fabulous camp and preseason a few years ago and was offered a leadership role in Rockford.

I could see the same happening for Drew Miller. Mark Stuart, like JJ said is on fumes, he's this years Jan Hejda.
- Omahawk

I get it that players performance declines in their 30's. However it is fashionable on this blog to say that players performance drops of a cliff or they are finished art 32. Sometimes it may be true. But sometimes it can be attributable to other things like health, teammates, coaches, how they were used, etc... There were 112 players in the NHL last year that were 32 or older.

So - ADB will probs start in the Rock and when Sharp gets injured 15-20 games in, he will come up and end up winning the Calder getting cushy match ups on Kane's off side and ripping in one timers on the stupid back door power play thing they insist on doing all of the time.

Probably See Saad and Kane leading the team in ice time with a lot of double shifts. Saad down on the AA line and eating a lot of PK minutes with AA and then Kane rotating in with 3 and 4 depending on the score.

Also, Fransen can probably still help on the power play and he is a NHL player. Not going to blow anyone's skirt up but having some kind of - know what you're gonna get - wouldn't be a bad thing.

Andrew Desjardins will be attending Rangers camp on PTO. 31-yo center played last two seasons in Chicago.

— Larry Brooks (@NYP_Brooksie) September 13, 2017

22 man roster on opening night

12 Roster locks:
Toews
Kane
Anisimov
Panik
Saad
Sharp
Hartman
Keith
Seabs
Murphy
Kempny
Crawford

3 Highly probable on the roster
Schmaltz
Wingels
Forsberg

6 Probably on Roster
Forsling
Jurco
Kero
Tootoo
Franson
Bouma

So at least 1 spot and maybe as many as 4 spots available (barring injury).

Probable contenders for last spots
Dauphin
Debrincat
Hayden
Fortin
Mitchell
Hino
Rutta
Berube

Outside shot at a roster spot
Kamp
L. Johnson
Oesterle
Snuggerud
Gustaffson

Andrew Desjardins will be attending Rangers camp on PTO. 31-yo center played last two seasons in Chicago.

— Larry Brooks (@NYP_Brooksie) September 13, 2017

- DarthKane

I liked Desjardins.

How did Johnny Gaudreau fair during his rookie tests/tournaments with Calgary?

No, I am NOT saying Cat is Gaudreau. Just considering they have a similar build/size and game.

Can a reasonable comparison be made?

Finally the site has been upgraded to a mobile friendly version! Great for us who love to lurk

Andrew Desjardins will be attending Rangers camp on PTO. 31-yo center played last two seasons in Chicago.

— Larry Brooks (@NYP_Brooksie) September 13, 2017

- DarthKane

Ask and ye shall receive. Thanks! I figured he was an UFA. Didn't realize no one picked him up but there's a reason for that...

I get it that players performance declines in their 30's. However it is fashionable on this blog to say that players performance drops of a cliff or they are finished art 32. Sometimes it may be true. But sometimes it can be attributable to other things like health, teammates, coaches, how they were used, etc... There were 112 players in the NHL last year that were 32 or older.
- -Doh-

of the 112 did that include goalies? What about guys on LTIR? it probably comes down to about 4 per team. we had Roz, JO, Keith, Campbell, corey Tootoo, hossa, We had 7. that's too many.

22 man roster on opening night

12 Roster locks:
Toews
Kane
Anisimov
Panik
Saad
Sharp
Hartman
Keith
Seabs
Murphy
Kempny
Crawford

3 Highly probable on the roster
Schmaltz
Wingels
Forsberg

6 Probably on Roster
Forsling
Jurco
Kero
Tootoo
Franson
Bouma

So at least 1 spot and maybe as many as 4 spots available (barring injury).

Probable contenders for last spots
Dauphin
Debrincat
Hayden
Fortin
Mitchell
Hino
Rutta
Berube

Outside shot at a roster spot
Kamp
L. Johnson
Oesterle
Snuggerud
Gustaffson
- -Doh-

I think Forsling and tootoo is not a near lock. Forsling has options and osterle does not so I think if its close osterlie could get 6-8 on D. also why do people think Tootoo has a good chance? I feel like we brought in Wingels and bouma to take his spot as the 12-13 Forward. I think we all agree they are both better then Tootoo. our 4th line was not good last year. Between, Des, tootoo and a few others they scored maybe 15 goals which is not good enough in the new NHL.

"Meanwhile Saad’s chemistry with Jonathan Toews is proven. And it’s not just happenstance; stylistically, Saad does so many things reasonably well—he’s a beast on the puck down low, he can finish or set up, and he has elite speed"

So much truth in this. If you go back and watch the 2015 playoff highlights, Saad shows up big - and in big games.
- Tanuki

I still wonder how much having Hossa on the other side helped, too. That was a player you had to cover. Is that R side being weaker going to be an issue, or will Panik rise to occasion? We'll see!

I think Forsling and tootoo is not a near lock. Forsling has options and osterle does not so I think if its close osterlie could get 6-8 on D. also why do people think Tootoo has a good chance? I feel like we brought in Wingels and bouma to take his spot as the 12-13 Forward. I think we all agree they are both better then Tootoo. our 4th line was not good last year. Between, Des, tootoo and a few others they scored maybe 15 goals which is not good enough in the new NHL.
- kmw4631

I think Tootoo has a good chance because Q likes to have a tough guy to dress every so often like Eager, Carbomb, Mayers, Bollig and Mash a few years ago. Whether a tough guy is needed or not it's debatable though.

I think any talk about a prospect's scoring at Traverse City should be put in perspective that there was also just a lot of scoring. ADB did look very good, ending up with 6 points, but the tournament leader for points had 9. There wasn't any depth there, so it was too easy for teams to get their best guys out against guys who were lucky to be drafted at all and are long-shots to make the AHL.

I think Forsling and tootoo is not a near lock. Forsling has options and osterle does not so I think if its close osterlie could get 6-8 on D. also why do people think Tootoo has a good chance? I feel like we brought in Wingels and bouma to take his spot as the 12-13 Forward. I think we all agree they are both better then Tootoo. our 4th line was not good last year. Between, Des, tootoo and a few others they scored maybe 15 goals which is not good enough in the new NHL.
- kmw4631

I only listed Forsling and Tootoo as " probables". So I would not say they are near locks.
My reasoning on Tootoo is that the Hawks would rather have him as the extra forward in the press box than a young player that could be getting experience in Rockford.
If the Hawks carry 7 defenders it could be Keith, Seabs, Murphy, Kempny, Forsling, Franson and Oesterle. But only the top 4 are locks/near locks.

Debrincat is not of slight build, even though he is very short. He is probably 170lbs which for 5'6" is actually pretty muscular. I watched the entire Championship game, and he simply creates offense whenever the puck is on his stick. He backs off defenders with his head up and on a swivel 100% of the time. You simply cannot teach the combination of puck skill, Hockey IQ/vision, and pure scoring ability that Debrincat has. He is a playmaker and a lethal finisher. BACKHAND baseball swing on a rebound for the GWG...that was impressive. The kid might need time to adjust to the pace and size of Pro-Hockey, but he has shown nothing to indicate he will not be able to adapt and excel. There have been hundreds of 6'2" guys with good hands and great skating ability who amounted to NOTHING in the NHL bc they didnt have that "IT" factor. Debrincat surely appears that have that special quality that makes him a damn effective goal scorer and offensive threat. My expectations for this season are tempered, but I think he will be on Kane's LW for years to come.

I think Tootoo has a good chance because Q likes to have a tough guy to dress every so often like Eager, Carbomb, Mayers, Bollig and Mash a few years ago. Whether a tough guy is needed or not it's debatable though.
- Popsghostly

Why can't bouma and Wingels be those guys? they are younger and bigger and are 4th line players maybe Wingels can play some 3rd line. I would rather have a guy that can skate and hit instead of going out and start a fight. Fights in the NHL 80% are a joke. I know if it was me having tootoo start a fight with me for hitting kane is not a deterent. Having Murphy, SAAD, SEABS, Wingels, bouma, kempny Blow me up in the middle of the ice or smash me into the boards would be a much bigger concern.

I think any talk about a prospect's scoring at Traverse City should be put in perspective that there was also just a lot of scoring. ADB did look very good, ending up with 6 points, but the tournament leader for points had 9. There wasn't any depth there, so it was too easy for teams to get their best guys out against guys who were lucky to be drafted at all and are long-shots to make the AHL.
- Antilles

Actually scoring was not that high. 6.8 goals per game or 3.4 goals per team (and two of the goals were in OT).

ADB had 5 goals in 4 games over 5 days. I thought he had more than one assist also. But you could be right.

If we put it in perspective he did it is against about 150 players who will not see the ice in the NHL this year, maybe 30 that might see some time in the NHL this year, and maybe another 20 that may get regular minutes. So any enthusiasm for ADB or anyone else in the tournament must be tempered.

Finally the site has been upgraded to a mobile friendly version! Great for us who love to lurk
- LaheysBRandy

I am not a fan of the new look/feel. Have to do a ton more scrolling. And it's harder to see at a glance what blogs have been updated. Would like to have the option of not automatically having the mobile version.

Why can't bouma and Wingels be those guys? they are younger and bigger and are 4th line players maybe Wingels can play some 3rd line. I would rather have a guy that can skate and hit instead of going out and start a fight. Fights in the NHL 80% are a joke. I know if it was me having tootoo start a fight with me for hitting kane is not a deterent. Having Murphy, SAAD, SEABS, Wingels, bouma, kempny Blow me up in the middle of the ice or smash me into the boards would be a much bigger concern.
- kmw4631

Agreed. At least in principle, it remains to be seen if Bouma and Wingels WILL be the right fit.

What this team needs is professional 3rd and 4th liners. That is, guys who know that they are 3rd liners in the NHL and embrace that role. As opposed to guys with top 6 aspirations who are constantly auditioning for those roles instead of doing the little things that make the team better as a whole.

I think any talk about a prospect's scoring at Traverse City should be put in perspective that there was also just a lot of scoring. ADB did look very good, ending up with 6 points, but the tournament leader for points had 9. There wasn't any depth there, so it was too easy for teams to get their best guys out against guys who were lucky to be drafted at all and are long-shots to make the AHL.
- Antilles

I don't think anyone is getting too far ahead of themselves. The kid lead the tourny in goals, which was a positive for him. It was easy to see why he scored so many in the OHL. He also put 17 shots (most of any player) on net and a lot of them were dangerous. He was arguably the most dangerous shooter in that tournament. He has a lot to prove, but he did what he needed to do in those 4 games, the rest ... we'll see what happens.