Certified Copies (blackhawks)

blackhawks

Certified Copies

By Theo Fox

Apr 6, 2022 • 3:56 am

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Lots of fantasy and hyperbole in that statement, of course, yet the qualities that made Hossa and Hagel icons in Blackhawks history are also building blocks that are glaringly missing from today's team and that prevent them from gaining any traction to get out of the league's lowest echelon and make the ascension up the food chain.

There are other holes and weaknesses that need to be addressed, too, such as nailing fundamentals, executing intelligent plays, and performing as cohesive units on the ice. However, the endearing qualities that Hossa and Hagel brought to the ice every game can elevate players who try hard to the status of impact players.

Impact needs to be felt in all zones and in all game situations for a full 60 minutes. Trying hard is part of the equation but so are results whether that's offensively or defensively. Sometimes those results show up on the scoreboard for your team and sometimes those results prevent the opponent from getting onto the scoreboard.

For instance, top 6 forwards who can shoot the lights out and feather accurate passes but not defend can be liabilities. Bottom 6 forwards who can defend but not manufacture any secondary scoring put too much pressure on the upper half to produce in order to feed the whole family. Each player needs to chip in and contribute at both ends.

Sure, the Hawks have a dearth of elite talent in the prospect pool. Lukas Reichel is the only close to sure-fire top 6 forward in the ranks. There's also Kirby Dach but he's no longer a prospect. And while Ian Mitchell, Alex Vlasic, and Wyatt Kaiser could prove to be a top 4 defenseman, the rest are tracking to be 3rd pair candidates.

That doesn't mean, though, that the rest of the prospects are junk and won't amount to anything. Some will never make the NHL but there are many who are developing and growing into impact role players. Contenders need these kinds of foot soldiers just as much as they need the personnel for scoring lines and top all-around D pairs.

Josiah Slavin and Mike Hardman are top 6 forwards in the AHL but would only be 4th liners -- possibly 3rd liners -- in the NHL. However, it's that capacity to score goals that can put them over the top as bottom 6 forwards who can be defensively reliable and/or play a heavy grinding style plus pop in timely goals, not be offensive deserts.

MacKenzie Entwistle, Andrei Altybarmakian, and Evan Barratt are similar. Likewise with Landon Slaggert and Ryder Rolston. Volume shooters who can dent the twine with regularity like Michal Teply and Colton Dach may be better suited for at least the middle 6. Both are knocked for their skating but they do exert effort without the puck.

As for current players on the roster with NHL experience, Sam Lafferty and Taylor Raddysh are pulling their weight and making general manager Kyle Davidson look like a genius with favorable returns on his trades so far. Boris Katchouk has the tools and training from his time in the Lightning system to follow suit in due course.

What about Dominik Kubalik, Henrik Borgstrom, Philipp Kurashev, and Reese Johnson? Kubalik and Borgstrom may need a change of scenery. Johnson is a stereotypical gritty 4th liner who won't offer up more beyond hard hits and sandpaper. Kurashev is the only one who still holds promise to grow into a skilled two-way 3rd liner.

Are any of these aforementioned players and prospects the next Hossa or the next Hagel? Maybe, maybe not. Finding the next one isn't really the point. Rather, the point is emulating the way that Hossa and Hagel played or at least showing off one's own unique set of traits that generate similar outcomes and impact as these two.

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Lukas Reichel

If I could be in charge of the line blender, I would consider trotting out this lineup:

DeBrincat - Strome - Raddysh Reichel - Toews - Kane T Johnson - Dach - Kubalik Katchouk - Lafferty - Entwistle

de Haan - S Jones McCabe - C Jones Stillman - Gustafsson

Lankinen Delia

Extras: Borgstrom, R Johnson, Kurashev LTIR: Khaira, Murphy

On the one hand, it really doesn't matter how interim head coach Derek King writes up the lineup card since the Hawks aren't going anywhere fast as the regular season winds down. But on the other hand, these games are "tryouts" for many players to prove that they should be part of the rebuild and audition for certain roles.

As for Vlasic, just send him to Rockford already. With Mitchell out (more on this below), there's an opening for Vlasic to join the Hogs blueline. There's little reason for veteran Ryan Stanton to take ice time away from the D prospects, many of whom play much stronger defense than he does while also catalyzing offense.

It also wouldn't be a bad idea to reassign Johnson and Kurashev to Rockford so they can get playing time and deepen their development. Borgstrom could be swiped up on waivers if Davidson tries to move him to the minors. While it would be ideal to get futures back in a trade, it's not the worst thing if he got claimed without compensation.

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Blackhawks Notebook

* The NHL draft lottery will be on May 16. This date is when the fate of the Hawks 2022 1st round pick is in the balance. They will either retain it if they win one of the lottery picks (1st or 2nd overall) or lose it to the Blue Jackets if it's 3rd or higher.

* Personally, count me in for losing the lottery and aim for a top 3 pick for next summer's deeper draft. It's a gamble because what if the Hawks play well enough and don't get lucky with the ping pong balls to be in that position for the 2023 draft lottery.

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IceHogs Game Summaries

Monday Boxscore

Hardman - McLaughlin - Connolly Altybarmakian - Reichel - Teply Barratt - Slavin - Busdeker Morrison - G Mitchell - Osipov

Phillips - Regula Kalynuk - Stanton Galvas - Beaudin

Morris Soderblom

1st Goal (0-1): Miromanov (Jones, DiLiberatore) 2nd Goal (0-2): Loewen (Marushev) 3rd Goal (1-2): Slavin (unassisted) 4th Goal (1-3): Miromanov (Cotter, Dorofeyev) 5th Goal (1-4): Miromanov (Conrad)

SOG For/Against: 30/24 PP: 0-for-3 PK: 5-for-5

Tuesday Boxscore

Altybarmakian - McLaughlin - Teply Hardman - Slavin - Busdeker Morrison - Gicewicz - Barratt Pour - G Mitchell - Gabriel

Phillips - Galvas Kalynuk - Regula Stanton - Beaudin

Soderblom Morris

1st Goal (1-0): Slavin (Phillips, Galvas)

SOG For/Against: 25/26 PP: 0-for-2 PK: 3-for-3

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IceHogs Notebook

* Carson Gicewicz was suspended one game by the AHL for his instigator infraction during Saturday's game against the Roadrunners. He sat out Monday's game but was back in action on Tuesday.

* Mitchell hasn't suited up for the past 3 games and it still is unknown whether he is injured, sick, or on personal leave. While he does log the most minutes of any Hogs player, it's doubtful that the Hogs would give him that many days off just for maintenance and rest.

* Cale Morris let in 4 goals on Monday and is now 1-3-0 with a 3.20 GAA and .875 save percentage. With Jaxson Stauber signed to an NHL deal and likely beginning his pro career in the AHL next season, Morris' days in the organization could be numbered unless Arvid Soderblom is on the NHL roster for 2022-23.

* Speaking of Soderblom, he registered his second shutout of his rookie season after stopping all 26 shots on net. For the season, he's 16-11-2 with a 2.78 GAA and .918 save percentage. Look for him to be the Hogs #1 goalie again next season.

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See you on the boards!

Sources: Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago Tribune, Daily Herald, NBC Sports Chicago, The Athletic Chicago

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