I doubt Bouchard will be there at 8, he is moving up most teams' boards quickly.

To generate some silly discussion on a boring Monday, now that Buffalo has the top pick, who here would entertain a trade centered around Patrick Kane and the #1 overall (to take Dahlin).

I doubt Bouchard will be there at 8, he is moving up most teams' boards quickly.

To generate some silly discussion on a boring Monday, now that Buffalo has the top pick, who here would entertain a trade centered around Patrick Kane and the #1 overall (to take Dahlin).
- gmurban

Not me

I doubt Bouchard will be there at 8, he is moving up most teams' boards quickly.

To generate some silly discussion on a boring Monday, now that Buffalo has the top pick, who here would entertain a trade centered around Patrick Kane and the #1 overall (to take Dahlin).
- gmurban

Eh. i don't think that makes sense for either team unless the Hawks are doing a complete tear down and rebuild.

The Montreal Canadiens at #3 ostensibly need offense, need a center or someone as correct fit to play with Drouin. Their predicament regarding Pacioretty is, perhaps, a sticky wicket. Paciorety is injury prone IMHO but there is no denying he is a valuable piece on any team. That Paciorety is rumored to be traded at some point in time in my way of analysis is just frustrated scribes wanting to rush into big trades with big impact and little foresight.

Montreal needs to be careful whom they might add as their future center. They have to consider the best player aavailable, of course, as one of the strategic moves.

Interesting though that they have really another need and that is on defense. Not only did they fire their defensive NHL coach, but they fired their offensive coach and the coach at their AHL affiliate. Prospects recalled this past season should have been better prepared and transutuin btter to the NHL. Bergevin and Julien went with two junior players who were rushed actually due to improper
AHL ideal development of AHL kids

Alright, all that just to segway into a comparison to Chcago Blackhawks.

I do not know and am not going to suggest the teams discussed herein consummare a trade. Both teams are trying to identify if they have or need to find someone to be a top line center.

Both teams have an equally huge hole on the blueline. Montreal actually traded their very good next decade long dman to Tampa Bay prior to this past season. Both Chicago and Tampa appear to have one or two prospects on defense whom are most likely not NHL ready but rather should benefit from AHL duty.

Interesting, therefore, that the Montreal hockeybuzz writer pines for Wahlstrom taken third overall. Yeah, i could imagine best athlete theory although Walstrom and Zadina or one of the defensemen are each close in trying to rate best athlete. Yeah i could imag you ne it is convenient to just say, Pacioretty for Huberdeau.

In reality both Mintreal and Chucago would be better served if they were able to add a top line 1 or 2 center who plays a physical brand if hockey yet scores enough/gifted wheras would fit as a bug enough point producing capable offensive generator on one of their top lines

I do not notice a plethora of the J Toews nature available or even many of that ilk exist. Toews himself was that type of center both Montreal and Chicago needs. Irregardless of whom is settled upon to plqy with Drouin or whom is the not too shy other point producing center in Chicago, both teams (ok, all teams could) need the old version of Toews.

Well who knows if there is a three way trade with Tampa, Montreal, Chicago involved. Proven players, veterans available probably include Pacioretty, Huberdeau, Palat, Anisimov maybe anither from Tampa whom Yzerman wants to make younger and easier salary cap to fit.

I had not thought of Walstrom going that high. He could slip to 8th. Borchard slip to tenth. It is going to be interesting to see how bold some GM's are and if they truly address their team needs.

And just for the record i am going to say this (of vourse i wish it were not true): Toews is almost like having a luxury top player on your roster because he still can cintrubute effectively in many ways. But he has shown that he does not show up to battle aggressively in biard scrums and d lies not play the same style that made him so valuable. He is nit going to ever return to that exact old form. He has hezlth concerns and waants to collect on his bug contract. He wo yi ld be in a permanent MASH unit if he continued playing that way. Toews cannot be considered your top one or two line center. In fact if hus salary cap hut is gone AFTER two more seasons, then at that time the B lk ackhawks can get serious about rebuilding

At that time more prospects than now wil have rippened and be fit for an NHL roster spot. Which prospects and young promising current soft Chicago forwards will still be in town in two years....is guess work. What might Bowman do? Bowman able to draft Wahlstron, though, is a sticky wicket for him too.. Big need at center (the correct center) both Montreal and here.

Marlowe (quotes not working for me either). Merkley draft rating all over the map. How much of a “attitudinal problem” can he be if keeps getting named to Team Canada? Scores a point a game as a D-Man in OHL. You can teach many things but you can’t teach high level skill and skating - and he was 16 now 17.
- Z3Hawk

Not disagreeing with the merits of the player, but I think given the supposedly v short leash for Stan (JJ has written about it as recently as today), this is not the year to make a riskier pick and draft a guy whose perceived value is low. Could totally see it at #27 (let’s hope!) tho.

I doubt Bouchard will be there at 8, he is moving up most teams' boards quickly.

To generate some silly discussion on a boring Monday, now that Buffalo has the top pick, who here would entertain a trade centered around Patrick Kane and the #1 overall (to take Dahlin).
- gmurban

I’d do it just because of the age difference and positions involved. Plus, Kane would be in the other conference and wouldn’t burn us unless it was in the Final. A Ryan O’Reilly and a Gustav Forsling would probably need to be involved to even things out. We’d then have two top 5 face off guys and $3M extra on the salary cap. Not going to happen, but you’d have to strongly consider it in the least.

The Montreal Canadiens at #3 ostensibly need offense, need a center or someone as correct fit to play with Drouin. Their predicament regarding Pacioretty is, perhaps, a sticky wicket. Paciorety is injury prone IMHO but there is no denying he is a valuable piece on any team. That Paciorety is rumored to be traded at some point in time in my way of analysis is just frustrated scribes wanting to rush into big trades with big impact and little foresight.

Montreal needs to be careful whom they might add as their future center. They have to consider the best player aavailable, of course, as one of the strategic moves.

Interesting though that they have really another need and that is on defense. Not only did they fire their defensive NHL coach, but they fired their offensive coach and the coach at their AHL affiliate. Prospects recalled this past season should have been better prepared and transutuin btter to the NHL. Bergevin and Julien went with two junior players who were rushed actually due to improper
AHL ideal development of AHL kids

Alright, all that just to segway into a comparison to Chcago Blackhawks.

I do not know and am not going to suggest the teams discussed herein consummare a trade. Both teams are trying to identify if they have or need to find someone to be a top line center.

Both teams have an equally huge hole on the blueline. Montreal actually traded their very good next decade long dman to Tampa Bay prior to this past season. Both Chicago and Tampa appear to have one or two prospects on defense whom are most likely not NHL ready but rather should benefit from AHL duty.

Interesting, therefore, that the Montreal hockeybuzz writer pines for Wahlstrom taken third overall. Yeah, i could imagine best athlete theory although Walstrom and Zadina or one of the defensemen are each close in trying to rate best athlete. Yeah i could imag you ne it is convenient to just say, Pacioretty for Huberdeau.

In reality both Mintreal and Chucago would be better served if they were able to add a top line 1 or 2 center who plays a physical brand if hockey yet scores enough/gifted wheras would fit as a bug enough point producing capable offensive generator on one of their top lines

I do not notice a plethora of the J Toews nature available or even many of that ilk exist. Toews himself was that type of center both Montreal and Chicago needs. Irregardless of whom is settled upon to plqy with Drouin or whom is the not too shy other point producing center in Chicago, both teams (ok, all teams could) need the old version of Toews.

Well who knows if there is a three way trade with Tampa, Montreal, Chicago involved. Proven players, veterans available probably include Pacioretty, Huberdeau, Palat, Anisimov maybe anither from Tampa whom Yzerman wants to make younger and easier salary cap to fit.

I had not thought of Walstrom going that high. He could slip to 8th. Borchard slip to tenth. It is going to be interesting to see how bold some GM's are and if they truly address their team needs.

And just for the record i am going to say this (of vourse i wish it were not true): Toews is almost like having a luxury top player on your roster because he still can cintrubute effectively in many ways. But he has shown that he does not show up to battle aggressively in biard scrums and d lies not play the same style that made him so valuable. He is nit going to ever return to that exact old form. He has hezlth concerns and waants to collect on his bug contract. He wo yi ld be in a permanent MASH unit if he continued playing that way. Toews cannot be considered your top one or two line center. In fact if hus salary cap hut is gone AFTER two more seasons, then at that time the B lk ackhawks can get serious about rebuilding

At that time more prospects than now wil have rippened and be fit for an NHL roster spot. Which prospects and young promising current soft Chicago forwards will still be in town in two years....is guess work. What might Bowman do? Bowman able to draft Wahlstron, though, is a sticky wicket for him too.. Big need at center (the correct center) both Montreal and here.
- jhawk59

I didn’t either but he just might, another potential sleeper, well kind of for me is Jesperi Kotkaniemi.

Craig Button’s latest list had him going a #8.

Yes, but remember, the team could turn into the Oilers. How many best players have they drafted? I tend to follow, best player that is needed. Makes for a much better team quicker.
- powerenforcer

I agree with PE on this one.

Most mock drafts that I saw this weekend had Boquist, Dobson and Bouchard taken before #8. So, it looks like based on pre-draft rankings it's between Wahlstrom and Hughes.

I didn’t either but he just might, another potential sleeper, well kind of for me is Jesperi Kotkaniemi.

Craig Button’s latest list had him going a #8.
- walleyeb1

Kotkaniemi is supposedly very good at the face off dot. It’d be tough to choose between him and Wahlstrom, if they’re both available at 8. Craig Button sees Kotkaniemi as a Kopitar or Toews in the NHL.

Keep in mind the best player is highly subjective. Our little group here cannot agree on what generational is or who is in that little club. Same goes for the draft.
- riozzo

A good scouting group should be able to make it somewhat less subjective.

I favor best player available - not only the one with the best skills today, but the one with the most realistically potential upside - no matter the position or positional need.

Defense wins championships, pick a 2-way defender at #8 please.

Defense wins championships, pick a 2-way defender at #8 please.
- BlackhawkMike

Having a bunch of superstars and the "right" supporting cast wins championships.
I don't think the 2017 Penguins defense "won" anything positive last year...

"Wahlstrom is a premier two-way power forward with a deadly shot who plays a similar fearless game as that of current Ranger Chris Kreider, albeit a step slower. He’s a powerful skater with agility that is difficult to handle in one-on-one situations, plus he has the vision and passing ability to keep goalies honest."

- Sporting News

2019/20 Top 6

Saad-Toews-Kane
Debrincat-Schmaltz-Wahlstrom


I REALLY hope the Hawks get Wahlstrom, unless there is an Ivan Provorov/Zack Werenski type player available. Sporting News has Hawks grabbing Ty Smith with Bouchard falling to #10 and Hughes, Boquist and Dobson all selected ahead of #8.

"8. Chicago Blackhawks: Ty Smith, D, Spokane (WHL)

Like Vancouver, the Hawks don’t necessarily need help up front, and Smith is a gifted puck distributor who isn’t too far from making his mark on the league. He has quick feet and excellent instincts, but his one-on-one defense and positioning are more advanced than the majority of his draft peers. Smith could help make the transition from Duncan Keith more seamless."

I have been in the car a bunch over the last week or so and have been listening to the games broadcast on NHL network. They broadcast the home team feed.

I am not sure exactly who all the broadcasters are, but I can say than Man oh man are the majority of the broadcasts absolutely horrible. Just a few examples.

- one play-by-play guy only seemed to know the names of the players on his team. The opposition was just referred to by the team name, no specifics.

- the Nashville broadcast lets the goal announcements replace the play by play, so when a goal is scored, especially by Nashville, you hear the long drawn out Nashvillllle goal scored by number xx, assited by xx...... at xx:xx, all the while game action is happening and you have no idea what it is.

- with many of the broadcasts you have no idea where the puck is, what end of the ice they are at, when they enter the zone, where the shots are from, etc, etc, etc.

lots more complaints, but you get the idea. Oh, and one final one, for as much as everyone female doges about Pierre on the TV broadcasts, I will take him over Milbury in that role any time. I can tolerate Milbury in the studio, even though half of what he says is BS, but on the broadcast he is just horrible.

Most mock drafts that I saw this weekend had Boquist, Dobson and Bouchard taken before #8. So, it looks like based on pre-draft rankings it's between Wahlstrom and Hughes.
- EnzoD

If that's the case, I hope Bowman goes with Wahlstrom. I'd be ok with Kotkaniemi from what I've read, but I think we'd be better off to try to get a center with pick 27-31. Hughes would immediately become our #1 d prospect, but we have too many of his type already. The only d-men I'd take at #8 would be Dobson or Bouchard, but as you said, they'll already be gone.

I have been in the car a bunch over the last week or so and have been listening to the games broadcast on NHL network. They broadcast the home team feed.

I am not sure exactly who all the broadcasters are, but I can say than Man oh man are the majority of the broadcasts absolutely horrible. Just a few examples.

- one play-by-play guy only seemed to know the names of the players on his team. The opposition was just referred to by the team name, no specifics.

- the Nashville broadcast lets the goal announcements replace the play by play, so when a goal is scored, especially by Nashville, you hear the long drawn out Nashvillllle goal scored by number xx, assited by xx...... at xx:xx, all the while game action is happening and you have no idea what it is.

- with many of the broadcasts you have no idea where the puck is, what end of the ice they are at, when they enter the zone, where the shots are from, etc, etc, etc.

lots more complaints, but you get the idea. Oh, and one final one, for as much as everyone female doges about Pierre on the TV broadcasts, I will take him over Milbury in that role any time. I can tolerate Milbury in the studio, even though half of what he says is BS, but on the broadcast he is just horrible.
- TheTrob

Tampa radio team is aweful.

Washington team is annoying. After Washington scored empty net goal to win 4-1 with 30 seconds to go in the game. Washington play by play gut errupts like the Caps just won the Cup - they just tied the series by winning game 2 in the 2nd round of the playoffs...Geez

Wow some crazy timing for this:

RALEIGH, NC - The Carolina Hurricanes today announced that the team has terminated the contract of President of Hockey Operations Ron Francis. Francis served as the team's executive vice president and general manager from April 24, 2014 until March 7, 2018.

The team also announced that Joe Nieuwendyk has resigned his position as pro scout and advisor.

Wow some crazy timing for this:

RALEIGH, NC - The Carolina Hurricanes today announced that the team has terminated the contract of President of Hockey Operations Ron Francis. Francis served as the team's executive vice president and general manager from April 24, 2014 until March 7, 2018.

The team also announced that Joe Nieuwendyk has resigned his position as pro scout and advisor.
- walleyeb1

I would gladly welcome both of those former NHL stars to the Hawks Front Office.

Wow some crazy timing for this:

RALEIGH, NC - The Carolina Hurricanes today announced that the team has terminated the contract of President of Hockey Operations Ron Francis. Francis served as the team's executive vice president and general manager from April 24, 2014 until March 7, 2018.

The team also announced that Joe Nieuwendyk has resigned his position as pro scout and advisor.
- walleyeb1

Wow!!!

Wow some crazy timing for this:

RALEIGH, NC - The Carolina Hurricanes today announced that the team has terminated the contract of President of Hockey Operations Ron Francis. Francis served as the team's executive vice president and general manager from April 24, 2014 until March 7, 2018.

The team also announced that Joe Nieuwendyk has resigned his position as pro scout and advisor.
- walleyeb1

New ownership and now new leadership.

Hockey Central At Noon's show today... all about Lou Lamoriello out as GM. Not one mention of the draft lottery. Goes on and on about Leafs plans, not a peep about who won the lottery, what it means to the three teams that won. Insanely bad hockey coverage.

Hockey Central At Noon's show today... all about Lou Lamoriello out as GM. Not one mention of the draft lottery. Goes on and on about Leafs plans, not a peep about who won the lottery, what it means to the three teams that won. Insanely bad hockey coverage.
- ObeseOprah

Sounds like an hour of your life you can't get back

I would gladly welcome both of those former NHL stars to the Hawks Front Office.
- EnzoD

You do realize neither are very good at their jobs? Canes haven't been to playoffs in 10 years!
But they are both handsome Devils

I would gladly welcome both of those former NHL stars to the Hawks Front Office.
- EnzoD

I don't recall any trade or drafting mistakes. Identified a competent coach in Peeters. He built a nice nucleus and might have done better if he did not have financial constraint from ownership. And or a larger fan base, increased ticket sales

I will.say that the Darling trade bears one or two years watch. Darling had a rough year but i believe he is capable..Goaltending is mental, not just skill
He went into a starting role,too.

Anyway. Francis would not do worse than Bowman