John Jaeckel: Keeping Kempny/Notes

First

Good write-up JJ. Agreed that people are getting way too ahead of themselves with these prospects. The problem is that with the limited cap space/assets the team has its hard for people to believe that Stan can make a lot of the needed changes. Hence they look to the kids in hopes they can fill the void.

Its folly as we all know, but its hard not to do it.

Im not quite sure of the direction of this narrative? Moves have already been made in that fulfill the supposed needs of this club and its immediately perceived as not enough or too much for a certain player. The claim that the team need to be bigger, faster and hard to play against (100 percent true) so they resign Panik for 2 and change and its somehow perceived as luke warm??? All the guy did was score 22 goals, hit EVERYTHING in sight a dare I say created space for 19...Plus he has a plus shot and scored the team's prettiest goal of the campaign....Regarding Debrincat, Im sorry but those are transcendent numbers, they just are....Regarding his size? So what?? Im a shade under 5 10 and was eye to eye to Andrew Shaw and Kane, 5 7' to 5 10, it docent matter...Alex is in brilliant lower body shape and in this NHL I think its actually a benefit to be extremely mobile and elusive ....Now is the jury out? Of course, but he dosen't get the benefit of the doubt?

Any idea on why just a 1 year signing for Kempny?
Was that his want or the teams?

Any idea on why just a 1 year signing for Kempny?
Was that his want or the teams?
- Yikes726

Dunno, maybe both sides, see if I hear anything

Im not quite sure of the direction of this narrative? Moves have already been made in that fulfill the supposed needs of this club and its immediately perceived as not enough or too much for a certain player. The claim that the team need to be bigger, faster and hard to play against (100 percent true) so they resign Panik for 2 and change and its somehow perceived as luke warm??? All the guy did was score 22 goals, hit EVERYTHING in sight a dare I say created space for 19...Plus he has a plus shot and scored the team's prettiest goal of the campaign....Regarding Debrincat, Im sorry but those are transcendent numbers, they just are....Regarding his size? So what?? Im a shade under 5 10 and was eye to eye to Andrew Shaw and Kane, 5 7' to 5 10, it docent matter...Alex is in brilliant lower body shape and in this NHL I think its actually a benefit to be extremely mobile and elusive ....Now is the jury out? Of course, but he dosen't get the benefit of the doubt?
- Joeron

Hi Joe,

Debrincat will probably be a nice pro player. And it probably wouldn't matter if he was 6'4", he likely needs some AHL time regardless to get his game NHL ready and prepare himself for pro hockey.

Lots of guys put up BIG junior scoring numbers, especially their last year in junior.

NHL hockey players are considerably bigger, faster, better, meaner than junior players. And that leaves aside the fact that stylistically and in terms of the position/role he will pay in the NHL, DeBrincat is not really the "solution" to what ails the Hawks right now. Whose ice time is he going to take?

Kane's? Panik's? Hossa's? So let's get real.

And I liked the move of re-upping Panik, thought I was pretty clear on that(?)

I did question what they paid him but also pointed out that there were others who thought it was a relative bargain.

JJ thanks for all your info and insight. Curious, would it make sense to sign a veteran centre who is good on faceoffs and move Arty to LW and have him play with Toews?

I don't think anyone here believes Debrincat or Knott are the saviors of the team because they had good OHL seasons and a solid Memorial Cup showing. I think people are excited to see the Hawks prospects perform well and look forward to what these guys do in camp.

The realistic expectation (which I believe is shared by most) is that Debrincat and Knott will spend at least a season or two in Rockford, which isn't a bad thing.

But I agree with you that change is coming and there will be new faces on the team next season. It's just very unlikely it will be any of the guys playing junior or college hockey last season.

Sometimes people get way too far ahead of themselves with the prospects who haven't played NHL hockey, but I think that is on both sides of the coin. Some folks are slotting them into the top 6 and others are writing off them off already. Way too early to say where they will end up.

Personally, I think it more likely that a rookie from this last season or two steps into a bigger role rather than someone from junior hockey coming in and making an impact.

Maybe Rasmussen at age 26 is ready to elevate his game further. Forsling maybe is ready to play a full 82 game season in a Hawks sweater (on the 3rd pair) or maybe a Hartman/Schmaltz/Hayden will be able to play along #19 and fit really well.

Maybe Motte can stick with the team and be a bit harder to play against. Or maybe Pokka will get some NHL games.

The Hawks don't have any sure fire NHL prospects, but there is talent still in the organization.

I don't think anyone here believes Debrincat or Knott are the saviors of the team because they had good OHL seasons and a solid Memorial Cup showing. I think people are excited to see the Hawks prospects perform well and look forward to what these guys do in camp.
- DarthKane

Exactly!

I don't think anyone here believes Debrincat or Knott are the saviors of the team because they had good OHL seasons and a solid Memorial Cup showing. I think people are excited to see the Hawks prospects perform well and look forward to what these guys do in camp.

The realistic expectation (which I believe is shared by most) is that Debrincat and Knott will spend at least a season or two in Rockford, which isn't a bad thing.

But I agree with you that change is coming and there will be new faces on the team next season. It's just very unlikely it will be any of the guys playing junior or college hockey last season.
- DarthKane

Who said "anyone here"? I didn't. Think I mentioned Twitter actually.

Agreed. Let 'em marinate for a season or two in Rockford.

Not sure where we're disagreeing actually.

Sometimes people get way too far ahead of themselves with the prospects who haven't played NHL hockey, but I think that is on both sides of the coin. Some folks are slotting them into the top 6 and others are writing off them off already. Way too early to say where they will end up.

Personally, I think it more likely that a rookie from this last season or two steps into a bigger role rather than someone from junior hockey coming in and making an impact.

Maybe Rasmussen at age 26 is ready to elevate his game further. Forsling maybe is ready to play a full 82 game season in a Hawks sweater (on the 3rd pair) or maybe a Hartman/Schmaltz/Hayden will be able to play along #19 and fit really well.

Maybe Motte can stick with the team and be a bit harder to play against. Or maybe Pokka will get some NHL games.

The Hawks don't have any sure fire NHL prospects, but there is talent still in the organization.
- breadbag

I haven't seen that anywhere. And I'm not either. I'm just being realistic about their likelihood of contributing meaningfully in the NHL this year.

JJ thanks for all your info and insight. Curious, would it make sense to sign a veteran centre who is good on faceoffs and move Arty to LW and have him play with Toews?
- sofaking3

It's been suggested here in the past actually. defnitely something to lok at. Anisimov is a useful player at LW.

Only thing I will say there is I feel like the organization wants speed on Toews' wings.

Any idea on why just a 1 year signing for Kempny?
Was that his want or the teams?
- Yikes726

One year gets him to UFA at a cost the Hawks could absorb.

More than one year - eating into Kempny's UFA years - and the player would have wanted MORE than the Hawks could absorb.

Sometimes people get way too far ahead of themselves with the prospects who haven't played NHL hockey, but I think that is on both sides of the coin. Some folks are slotting them into the top 6 and others are writing off them off already. Way too early to say where they will end up.
- breadbag

This too! You never know. You should question every prospect because odds are against them but some will surprise. And that´s the beauty of it cause you really don´t know what will happen. Sure there are more so called misses in the draft but sometimes you make home runs like Keith, Saad, Bolland and so on.

This too! You never know. You should question every prospect because odds are against them but some will surprise. And that´s the beauty of it cause you really don´t know what will happen. Sure there are more so called misses in the draft but sometimes you make home runs like Keith, Saad, Bolland and so on.
- MjulQvist

Bolland I would not call a homerun. Drafted high second round, felt by many to have been a first round talent. Big junior pedigree. Was expected to be more of an offensive contributor in the NHL, even though for a while he was a really useful sort of hybrid shutdown C.

Saad and Keith where they were picked were home runs.

I am all for NOT expecting too much from prospects right now and being pleasantly surprised later.

Rather than the disappointment that eventually came with Teravainen who was hyped in 2014 like Debrincat is getting hyped right now.

It's been suggested here in the past actually. defnitely something to lok at. Anisimov is a useful player at LW.

Only thing I will say there is I feel like the organization wants speed on Toews' wings.
- John Jaeckel

That's why I'm thinking Evander Kane if the money would work . Checks alot of boxes

the blog title should be "The Kempny you keep".

That said, I'd like for all of these guys to get a year at least in Rockford maybe two. Its the way it was supposed to work. Remember just 2 or 3 years ago when it was discussed how because of the lack of spots available guys were going to over develop in Rockford, and be over ready when their time came.
- vabeachbear

Agreed. Let 'em marinate for a season or two in Rockford.
- John Jaeckel

I think that would be best for the pipeline as well. Let them grow together and graduate to the big club at the appropriate time in their development. Hartman and Kero are the best examples of prospects who earned their way to the lineup and earned their keep to stay. Schmaltz, too, to a certain extent but he could stand to have developed a little longer in Rockford.

Hinostroza, Baun, Motte, Hayden, DeBrincat, Knott, Fortin, Iacopelli, Highmore, Noel, Bondra, and Radke form a good nucleus at forward for the Hogs. Some are further along and could get their cups of tea this season or even earn a spot with the Hawks out right, like Hinostroza, Baun, Motte, and Hayden. The rest, though, need 2-3 years but those years together especially with a new Hogs head coach could be what the farm needs to replenish the Hawks depth the right way.

NHL hockey players are considerably bigger, faster, better, meaner than junior players. And that leaves aside the fact that stylistically and in terms of the position/role he will pay in the NHL, DeBrincat is not really the "solution" to what ails the Hawks right now. Whose ice time is he going to take?
- John Jaeckel

IMHO, if we were to have any youngsters earning a spot with the Hawks this season, we need them to be more like Tkachuk and Domi (gritty, tough as nails, skilled) than DeBrincat and Fortin.

Sometimes people get way too far ahead of themselves with the prospects who haven't played NHL hockey, but I think that is on both sides of the coin. Some folks are slotting them into the top 6 and others are writing off them off already. Way too early to say where they will end up.

Personally, I think it more likely that a rookie from this last season or two steps into a bigger role rather than someone from junior hockey coming in and making an impact.

Maybe Rasmussen at age 26 is ready to elevate his game further. Forsling maybe is ready to play a full 82 game season in a Hawks sweater (on the 3rd pair) or maybe a Hartman/Schmaltz/Hayden will be able to play along #19 and fit really well.

Maybe Motte can stick with the team and be a bit harder to play against. Or maybe Pokka will get some NHL games.

The Hawks don't have any sure fire NHL prospects, but there is talent still in the organization.
- breadbag

I like Rasmussen, he's likely a 4th liner but I think he's a fair solid 4C who's been getting better. However, if I had to guess I don't see him coming back next season.

IMHO, if we were to have any youngsters earning a spot with the Hawks this season, we need them to be more like Tkachuk and Domi (gritty, tough as nails, skilled) than DeBrincat and Fortin.
- AEL_Fox

I think the Hawks need a combination of skill and size/grit in their prospect pool. They have size in Knott, Bondra, and Hayden. There is skill with Debrincat, Fortin and Sikura. We just need 1-2 within each group to stick at the NHL level.

That's why I'm thinking Evander Kane if the money would work . Checks alot of boxes
- HamiltonHawk

He does, but he comes with a lot of risk too. The Hawks are in a good place PR wise (at least off the ice) and I don't know if they'd make a move to put that at risk.

It's been suggested here in the past actually. defnitely something to lok at. Anisimov is a useful player at LW.

Only thing I will say there is I feel like the organization wants speed on Toews' wings.
- John Jaeckel

Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe Anisimov played a good amount of time at LW for Columbus and New York. I don't think he's the ideal LW for Toews but as you said it may be worth exploring.