Counterpoint (and with all due respect, Sage):

When, exactly, did he start producing? When they "assigned" him to the third line, even though Q has actually used him in a variety of situations with Top 6 guys in the games—where he's produced.

Personal opinion, he's benefited from less expectation, not squeezing the sap out of his stick, overthinking where and when to be when playing with all-world guys, and just playing.

Who cares what line he's listed on in rushes?

I think the top 2 lines are really about as good as they're gonna get (for now anyway). Meh, you could swap DeBrincat out for Schmaltz but a lot of good things come on that line from Schmaltz' speed/ability to get behind defenses and his setup ability.
- John Jaeckel

Teravainen would look awfully good in the top 9 right about now. He's really blossomed in Carolina.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20171120/NEWS07/171129987/wirtz-family-in-deal-to-form-12-billion-liquor-distributor#utm_medium=email&utm_source=ccb-breakingnews&utm_campaign=ccb-breakingnews-20171120
- glennjpawlak22

And not a dime goes to increasing the cap.

And not a dime goes to increasing the cap.
- StLBravesFan

Why would it? It has nothing to do with hockey.

Teravainen would look awfully good in the top 9 right about now. He's really blossomed in Carolina.
- DarthKane

1st star of the week for last week. Last night he had 2 goals and an assist. I believe he is a PPG player now, maybe slightly better than 1.00.

Someone mentioned that Brind'amour took him under his wing, so maybe that's playing a role in his growth. Brind'amour was a physical specimen so maybe he's even getting Teravainen to work out more and fill out with more muscle.

Does this mean Bob Pulford gets a corner office now?
- Rota's Rooter

It would be worth $14 billion if Pulford wasn't around.

Teravainen would look awfully good in the top 9 right about now. He's really blossomed in Carolina.
- DarthKane

Yeah, but he's so small and doesn't get dirty or whatever the hell people are saying to justify not liking him.

It would be worth $14 billion if Pulford wasn't around.
- powerenforcer

Does anyone know if Pully is still wandering the halls of the UC or does he "work from home" for the liquor side of the ledger?

Teravainen would look awfully good in the top 9 right about now. He's really blossomed in Carolina.
- DarthKane

Playing with Aho, himself a great talent. Two former first round picks getting it done. So whom would TT be getting it done on Chicago?

Lots of youth on their blue line. Talent up front and blue line will only get better. How good can Darling be in net.

This team has J Staal and TVR just for character. But seriously, they have good checkers in two ex Blackhawks.

Still I think Darling has to be really good for them to advance two rounds. I always check their box scores right after ours ....for details.

Yeah, but he's so small and doesn't get dirty or whatever the hell people are saying to justify not liking him.
- JRoenick97

Which, to be fair, he pretty much was while he was here - and, if rumors are to be believed, he didn’t have much drive to overcome.

1st star of the week for last week. Last night he had 2 goals and an assist. I believe he is a PPG player now, maybe slightly better than 1.00.

Someone mentioned that Brind'amour took him under his wing, so maybe that's playing a role in his growth. Brind'amour was a physical specimen so maybe he's even getting Teravainen to work out more and fill out with more muscle.
- AEL_Fox

It's been a combo of working extra with Brind'amour and playing with Aho and Staal.

Staal has been a beast out there physically, controlling the puck and opening up lanes for TT and Aho.

Aho talked about it a while ago how most players from Finland are taught to be very respectful of older guys and tend to be pretty quiet for the first few years. He said that he and Laine kind of taught eachother not to be that way, and it sure seems to have rubbed off on TT. He's trying a lot of things right now that he wouldn't have last season and they're working.

17 points in his last 12 games is well beyond what I thought he'd be capable for any stretch.

Playing with Aho, himself a great talent. Two former first round picks getting it done. So whom would TT be getting it done on Chicago?

Lots of youth on their blue line. Talent up front and blue line will only get better. How good can Darling be in net.

This team has J Staal and TVR just for character. But seriously, they have good checkers in two ex Blackhawks.

Still I think Darling has to be really good for them to advance two rounds. I always check their box scores right after ours ....for details.
- jhawk59

Aho was a 2nd round pick but yeah.

Goal is the playoffs. Anything beyond that is gravy. They still have a lot of guys knocking on the door in the AHL and in Juniors, so while it may be taking a year longer than what they wanted, it looks like when they do get into the playoff picture they're poised to stay there a long time.

Darling's been real solid since a shaky start. His play has been better than his numbers indicate.

Which, to be fair, he pretty much was while he was here - and, if rumors are to be believed, he didn’t have much drive to overcome.
- StLBravesFan

Right, he clearly needed time to develop, but some people thought it was good riddance to move him.

It's been a combo of working extra with Brind'amour and playing with Aho and Staal.

Staal has been a beast out there physically, controlling the puck and opening up lanes for TT and Aho.

Aho talked about it a while ago how most players from Finland are taught to be very respectful of older guys and tend to be pretty quiet for the first few years. He said that he and Laine kind of taught eachother not to be that way, and it sure seems to have rubbed off on TT. He's trying a lot of things right now that he wouldn't have last season and they're working.

17 points in his last 12 games is well beyond what I thought he'd be capable for any stretch.
- BINGO!

Makes sense. Short memories seem to have forgotten that the ghost of Kimmo Timonen was here in 2015 to mentor a very young TT.

Right, he clearly needed time to develop, but some people thought it was good riddance to move him.
- JRoenick97

Shocking that a 5'11, 175 lb 20 year old might not handle the physicality of the NHL all that well over his first full season.

Shocking that a 5'11, 175 lb 20 year old might not handle the physicality of the NHL all that well over his first full season.
- BINGO!

Hawks didn’t have time to wait him out: needed to do something to get under the cap - and they were still then in “win now” mode - if he couldn’t help them in that next year, he had to go.

Hawks didn’t have time to wait him out: needed to do something to get under the cap - and they were still then in “win now” mode - if he couldn’t help them in that next year, he had to go.
- StLBravesFan

The whole Bickell situation really hurt the Hawks. They would likely still have TT or could have used him for a better trade if they didn't have to dump the Bickell contract.

It is just too bad that Bickell developed his condition and the Hawks were in a bind. I'm sure they didn't want to move TT.

Hawks didn’t have time to wait him out: needed to do something to get under the cap - and they were still then in “win now” mode - if he couldn’t help them in that next year, he had to go.
- StLBravesFan

I understand that they thought they couldn't wait, but trading him forced guys like Schmaltz, Hinostroza, Rasmussen, Kero and Motte into the lineup.

He's signed for this year and next at $2.86 Million per.

I dunno about you, but I think I could find space for TT on his ELC and his 40 points last year over dressing guys like Desjardins for half the season.

Don't remember the specifics, but could the Hawks not bury Bickell's contract/cap hit? Could they not have just bought him out?

I understand that they thought they couldn't wait, but trading him forced guys like Schmaltz, Hinostroza, Rasmussen, Kero and Motte into the lineup.

He's signed for this year and next at $2.86 Million per.

I dunno about you, but I think I could find space for TT on his ELC and his 40 points last year over dressing guys like Desjardins for half the season.

Don't remember the specifics, but could the Hawks not bury Bickell's contract/cap hit? Could they not have just bought him out?
- BINGO!

The cap relief wasn't enough to bury. Could only bury 1m of the 4m. A buyout could have happened, but again, it wasn't very much relief. Sadly, TT had to be the fall guy.

The cap relief wasn't enough to bury. Could only bury 1m of the 4m. A buyout could have happened, but again, it wasn't very much relief. Sadly, TT had to be the fall guy.
- JRoenick97

Makes sense.

There's a price to pay for success, I suppose. Though there's a bigger price to pay when you try to hang on long term to an aging core in hopes of clinging to that success.

I missed this tidbit form the 17th:

If NHL revenues are as robust as Bettman said today, the salary cap will go way up next summer. Plausibly $80- to $82-million. Pretty interesting.

I missed this tidbit form the 17th:

If NHL revenues are as robust as Bettman said today, the salary cap will go way up next summer. Plausibly $80- to $82-million. Pretty interesting.
- JRoenick97

Very good news. I know even Carolina managed to pull off a profit last season. an $81 million cap won't save everybody, but it sure relieves some pressure, especially for Chicago.

With 6 UFA's there are a lot of holes to fill next year and it's a lot easier to do that effectively with $14 million to play with instead of just $8

You know you suck when having a game with zero goals and one assist becomes a big deal that "silences all the critics".

No but seriously he is starting to play better, as is the team as a whole. Though i think we're gonna get another reminder of where we stand in the league these days on Wednesday night at Tampa Bay.

Thought some of my fellow old-timers might enjoy this article:

https://deadspin.com/in-u...oint-in-sports-1820556383

If I were a betting man, I would suggest the numbers on those deals were not necessarily demanded/asked for. More likely than not, it was just as much about a certain Chicago sports executive making a PR splash as anything else.
- Return of the Roar

I would bet that too...that McDonough would prefer to pay players more than they were asking all to grab a headline and win the newsday.

Shocking that a 5'11, 175 lb 20 year old might not handle the physicality of the NHL all that well over his first full season.
- BINGO!

Which is another reason to respect ADB's performance in his rookie season.