You have to be realistic.

The rebuild starts with selling NHL talent and filling holes, taking on bad salary, under-achieving players for picks, and making draft picks. You aren't going to do those things while maintaining a competitive team that will be in the mix for the post-season. If you want to maintain the team to be competitive, then you aren't rebuilding through the draft, you are retooling more than anything.

Trying to retool on the fly and not committing to the rebuild is the counter-productive part. That is how you end up with a bubble team for years rather than a team that will rise in the standings and be actually dominant. We want long term success not mediocre with a hope for a 1 year flash in the pan.

Go and look at our opening night roster and tell me all the vets we had that aren't actual NHL players. Our lineup had some rookies, yes, and then all NHL players. Probably the only weak link being Tinordi.

We got our star forward really really early in the process and so people think that suddenly we must win now, but the majority of our picks are still working their way up the system or yet to be made.

You have to realize that the team's previous success and then subsequent poor drafting and handling of young players left the system really empty of talent. You aren't going to restock the shelves for long term success in one draft or even two.

If you expect the team to sell assets it can for picks, while also taking on bad contracts for picks, while bringing rookies up into the league, and also fill all their remaining holes with vets who are in their prime so they can stay competitive and beat teams that are in "win now" mode, then you are expecting way too much. The NHL is a very competitive league.
- breadbag

OK, I was using a bit of hyperbole. Sure, you can call most of them NHL players, but they are all 3rd or 4th line players.

T. Johnson
Richardenson
Donato
Foligno
Perry
Raddysh
AA
Guttman
Kurashev

I didn't like the Hall trade for a couple reasons. One he was coming off injury, and second storyline that he would help as a former #1OA pick would help. How many other successful first overall picks needed another one there to help them along or "show them the ropes"? The Hawks would have been much better served signing one of Foligno, Perry, and Hall and then getting more effective top six help. They certainly don't have any problem spending money and they certainly aren't short of cap space.

They've had 10 first and second round picks in the last two years and currently have 9 more in the next two. They also already have quite a well stocked pool of defensemen that were already in the system. Lindholm had a year left. How many guys in Winnipeg were on the block? There were options available outside of three guys at the end of their career. I'm just saying if the Hawks are willing to overpay a bit, why not do it for better players?

How about his farging record, Chief?!?!
- mohel

That’s right his won loss record sucks. Time to launch him to the Andromeda Galaxy and make a play for Tortorella, he’ll have Bedard blocking shots in no time.

That’s right his won loss record sucks. Time to launch him to the Andromeda Galaxy and make a play for Tortorella, he’ll have Bedard blocking shots in no time.
- paulr

You Canadians catch on quick, eh?

You Canadians catch on quick, eh?
- mohel

I’m not a hoser, eh!

Reese Johnson and Tinordi.
- Angotti

Well he finally got rid a lot of dead money so i believe he's going to spend some money this year.

You really have no patience for this.
- BetweenTheDots

I don't have patience for losing on purpose \ building the worst possible team on purpose to ensure high draft picks.

Especially since they've accumulated a massive amount of talent over the past 2 years and have THE guy in Bedard.

You get a player like that you get him playing meaningful hockey asap.

Most of the kiddos they have drafted or will draft in this next year won't be around for 2-5 years anyway.

Throwing money at some older players to fill out the roster with not Raddysh, Entwhistle, R Johnson and slot D!ckinson, Donato and those guys who seem like competent bottom 6ers in the right spot would be nice.

Pay Marchessault 20 million over two years, Tofolli 10 million over two years and sign TT or Debrusk for 5 or 6 at a more reasonable dollar amount and all of a sudden the top six looks like:

Bedard, Hall, Marchessault, Tofolli, Debrusk\TT, Player to be named and at least they're out of the cellar in terms of goals for. Maybe Nazar takes that spot, maybe Reichel figures it out and bumps Hall or Tofolli to the third line.

Still plenty of competition for spots. The older guys expire in 2 years when Bedard needs new paper and everyone is paranoid about being hamstrung or whatever and the team is playing competitive hockey like they should be without long term commitments or blockers.

Makes it a lot easier to let someone like Eiserman play a year or two in the NCAA or Lindstrom to hopefully get a full year of Juniors knocked out even though he already has a NHL body. Or Nazar and Moore to play another year or two respectively in the NCAA because they don't need them immediately to try to bridge a talent gap.

The players like Bedard, Vlasic, Korch will be in a position to help pull the next group forward and have success to build on rather than continuing to swim in mediocrity without consequence.

And most importantly those of us who are frustrated won't have to watch absolute trash hockey and you can start to figure out if Richardson is the guy to pilot the ship going forward.

IMO depends on what KD wants to spend as far as FAis concerned. IMO the cap space for a bad contract, I don't see many bad contracts out there that would help, more the Zaitsev. Josh Bailey type. Maybe you get lucky, who thought Mrazek would have a year like this one, and I am skeptical that Richardinson will hit close to 20 goals again next year (partially by hopefully being a third line center than a top 6 he is forced to be now).

UFA's Pesce, Montour, Roy are all poetential RD UFA's under 30 that will probably fetch a minimum 4 year contract to sign. Is KD willing to commit to the term (et alone the dollars) to upgrade a current weakness/lack of depth on the team.

Same scenario for the forwards. Even the mid-tier free agents, the deBrusk's. Monahan's, Dakota Joshua's are going to want multi-year deals. Is KD willing to do that?

Or is he going to do what he did last offseason, and bring in a Van Riemsdyk, Henrique type for 1 or 2 years max as time spacers till the draft picks are hopefully ready?
- LAHawk

I may be wrong but I thought I read a KD comment a while back regarding the rebuild. He said he wants to give the prospects an opportunity to find themselves a spot on the team before he augments the rest of the roster with free agents or through trades.

The problem with that is that except for a few like Bedard, Vlasic, KK, Kaiser, most of the recent draft picks are still two seasons from making the team. Maybe Nazar next year if he comes out, but Moore, Ludwinski, Hayes, Greene, Lardis, Savoie. Allan, DelMastro and Rinzel will either be in college, Juniors, or Rockford for at least another year. Apart from Celebrini, this year's picks likely will be 3 years out.

If that's the case I see him signing some mid-level guys for a couple of years. Examples of forwards would be Wennberg, Roslovic, Domi, Bertuzzi. (How about signing Lafferty?) Ian Cole, Derek Frobert, or Justin Schultz at D. After signing a few of their own RFA's, there's probably roster space for about 4-5 additions.

Yeah. I'm ready for the experiment to end.

https://www.dailyfaceoff....located-to-salt-lake-city

For all the talent on the blue line they still can't defend. Lot of good that is doing them.

Bowman did not do what some of us our asking because it certainly isn't everyone. He made a desperate move to extend a window. Anyone watching the game objectively and who could read a stat sheet should have known that Seth Jones would not have solved a lot of problems for them.

Johnson wasn't an acquisition. Tampa gave the Hawks a second to take him so they could use Seabrook's LTIR money.

They certainly didn't try to be good this summer. Maybe less bad but adding an ok player at the end of his career in Foligno or a frequently injured Hall without a back up plan isn't trying to be competitive.

They've picked 10 times in the first 2 rounds the last two years and another 5 times this year.

They don't need to just throw money around recklessly but they could give Marchessault 20 million over two years and that would be fun. TT and DeBrusk are fine for 5 years and wouldn't cost a fortune and help round out the line up. There's been talk of Necas maybe being available.

And for the term of those guys - unless they pick 1st this year - most of the draft picks they have coming the next 2 years won't need to be paid until those deals are up anyway so then it becomes a matter of reloading for a team with momentum rather than a bunch of losers.
- fattybeef

Aim higher, Draisaitl and Marchessault.

Reichel has had a few good games lately. I’d really love to see him step up and take advantage of being on the line with Kurashev and Bedard.
- paulr

I'd like to see him add 10 pounds. He may be stronger than two years ago but he's still weak.

How many games can you count on Murphy to play based on his injury history?
- LAHawk

Probably about ~55-60 games, which is why I said probably they add depth but don't swing for a bigger name.

I'd like to see him add 10 pounds. He may be stronger than two years ago but he's still weak.
- rpeters01

Add 10 lbs and enrol in a hockey school with Uncle Robert Reichel to teach him how to play the NHL game.

The kid has skill but he sure isn't figuring out the North American game very quickly. But his next contract won't cost the Hawks much.

Yeah. I'm ready for the experiment to end.

https://www.dailyfaceoff....located-to-salt-lake-city
- Rota's Rooter

Couldn't agree more. The fact they play in front of 4000 people is pathetic. Who knows if SLC could support it. 1.3 - 2M people depending on how much area you include.

I may be wrong but I thought I read a KD comment a while back regarding the rebuild. He said he wants to give the prospects an opportunity to find themselves a spot on the team before he augments the rest of the roster with free agents or through trades.

The problem with that is that except for a few like Bedard, Vlasic, KK, Kaiser, most of the recent draft picks are still two seasons from making the team. Maybe Nazar next year if he comes out, but Moore, Ludwinski, Hayes, Greene, Lardis, Savoie. Allan, DelMastro and Rinzel will either be in college, Juniors, or Rockford for at least another year. Apart from Celebrini, this year's picks likely will be 3 years out.

If that's the case I see him signing some mid-level guys for a couple of years. Examples of forwards would be Wennberg, Roslovic, Domi, Bertuzzi. (How about signing Lafferty?) Ian Cole, Derek Frobert, or Justin Schultz at D. After signing a few of their own RFA's, there's probably roster space for about 4-5 additions.
- boilermaker100

Fun fact, Roslovic is a pick that was originally the Blackhawks. I believe it was the Ladd trade.

OK, I was using a bit of hyperbole. Sure, you can call most of them NHL players, but they are all 3rd or 4th line players.

T. Johnson
Richardenson
Donato
Foligno
Perry
Raddysh
AA
Guttman
Kurashev

I didn't like the Hall trade for a couple reasons. One he was coming off injury, and second storyline that he would help as a former #1OA pick would help. How many other successful first overall picks needed another one there to help them along or "show them the ropes"? The Hawks would have been much better served signing one of Foligno, Perry, and Hall and then getting more effective top six help. They certainly don't have any problem spending money and they certainly aren't short of cap space.

They've had 10 first and second round picks in the last two years and currently have 9 more in the next two. They also already have quite a well stocked pool of defensemen that were already in the system. Lindholm had a year left. How many guys in Winnipeg were on the block? There were options available outside of three guys at the end of their career. I'm just saying if the Hawks are willing to overpay a bit, why not do it for better players?
- Chunk

I do think the Hawks will start to become more engaged on adding quality players with the shift they made this TDL. They didn't sell what they could, they took the guys who were playing decent and retained their services. I just wonder how much UFA talent that fits the bill will be willing to come over to be part of the next stage of this rebuild.

I do think the Hawks will start to become more engaged on adding quality players with the shift they made this TDL. They didn't sell what they could, they took the guys who were playing decent and retained their services. I just wonder how much UFA talent that fits the bill will be willing to come over to be part of the next stage of this rebuild.
- breadbag

True, but to Fatty's point, the Hawks can certainly overpay in the short term to help some. They can also trade for guys already under contract with teams that need to make space.

Bamford's take on the top 20 prospects in the system.

https://www.bleachernatio...son-ending-april-updates/

Bamford's take on the top 20 prospects in the system.

https://www.bleachernatio...son-ending-april-updates/
- boilermaker100

I saw that earlier today. Looks like I'm still higher on Ludwinski than most others.

I saw that earlier today. Looks like I'm still higher on Ludwinski than most others.
- Chunk

I’ve seen Ludwinski a few times and I liked him allot because he has speed, brings offense, is smart and plays a two way game but it’s difficult if not impossible for me to compare him to other guys when he doesn’t play against them.

ESPN's NHL team prospect rankings

Buffalo Sabres
2. Columbus Blue Jackets
3. San Jose Sharks
4. Detroit Red Wings
5. Anaheim Ducks
6. Nashville Predators
7. Chicago Blackhawks
8. Minnesota Wild
9. Philadelphia Flyers
10. Montreal Canadiens
11. Arizona Coyotes
12. Seattle Kraken
13. Carolina Hurricanes
14. St. Louis Blues
15. Winnipeg Jets
16. Calgary Flames
17. Washington Capitals
18. Dallas Stars
19. Los Angeles Kings
20. Vancouver Canucks
21. New York Rangers
22. Colorado Avalanche
23. Toronto Maple Leafs
24. Pittsburgh Penguins
25. New Jersey Devils
26. Florida Panthers
27. Vegas Golden Knights
28. Edmonton Oilers
29. Ottawa Senators
30. Tampa Bay Lightning
31. New York Islanders
32. Boston Bruins

ESPN's NHL team prospect rankings

Buffalo Sabres
2. Columbus Blue Jackets
3. San Jose Sharks
4. Detroit Red Wings
5. Anaheim Ducks
6. Nashville Predators
7. Chicago Blackhawks
8. Minnesota Wild
9. Philadelphia Flyers
10. Montreal Canadiens
11. Arizona Coyotes
12. Seattle Kraken
13. Carolina Hurricanes
14. St. Louis Blues
15. Winnipeg Jets
16. Calgary Flames
17. Washington Capitals
18. Dallas Stars
19. Los Angeles Kings
20. Vancouver Canucks
21. New York Rangers
22. Colorado Avalanche
23. Toronto Maple Leafs
24. Pittsburgh Penguins
25. New Jersey Devils
26. Florida Panthers
27. Vegas Golden Knights
28. Edmonton Oilers
29. Ottawa Senators
30. Tampa Bay Lightning
31. New York Islanders
32. Boston Bruins
- LAHawk

Kind of surprising that Ottawa and AZ are as low as they are. I would think they would/should have some of the better pools considering where they've drafted the last 5 years. Maybe they've got more players in the pros?

Watching Leddy and Saad play keep away from the Blackhawks is kind of painful.