On an off day in the Hawks' schedule, I thought I'd weigh in on some of the debates raging on my message board thread.
Q. IS SCOTT DARLING CAPABLE OF BEING A #1 GOALIE IN THE NHL?
A. MAYBE.
Ever notice how many backup goalies have really big statistical years in Chicago? Ray Emery, Antti Raanta, Darling, etc.
That's what you get when you play behind a great defense and a great defensive team. And in that regard, it's hard to answer the above question about Darling.
That, and the fact that he hasn't to this point been required to play a #1 goalie workload in the NHL either. Maybe he can and maybe he can't.
What we do know about Darling is mostly positive and encouraging. After a very strong regular season last year—where he essentially beat out Raanta for the backup job, Darling came in during the first round of the playoffs versus Nashville and basically carried the Hawks to victory in that series.
He's big, athletic and seems to hold his crease well. He also seems to have the demeanor you want in an NHL goalie.
But there are still some unknowns there as well. And Corey Crawford remains the starter in Chicago now and for the foreseeable future.
Q. SHOULD THE HAWKS TRADE TERAVAINEN OR MARKO DANO TO UPGRADE SOME HOLES IN THE ROSTER AND MAKE ANOTHER CUP RUN THIS YEAR?
A. PROBABLY NOT.
The Hawks know better than anyone else what the upside is of these two young, former first round picks. The eye test tells you that both have a lot of upside. And both have a ways to go before achieving it. If one or the other is dealt though, it will tell you that the Hawks felt the required time investment was not worth it.
It seems the Hawks are hoping that one or both will grow organically with the team this year and become more of a legitimate factor by the end of the season—and hopefully in the playoffs.
Dano has been asked to play the wing opposite the one he's most comfortable on, and adjust to a new team and different expectations. But he has an NHL body and no fear in the high traffic areas. His is a mental process.
Teravainen on the other hand, for all his skill and hockey sense, is still physically a boy—and it shows in "big boy" games where he can literally be a rumor on the ice. His is a physical process which arguably could take more time than Dano's.
In either case though, dealing either of them would likely be too high a price in return for an aging veteran like Patrick Marleau or Jarome Iginla, as part of trying to get another team to also take on the contract of Bryan Bickell.
The Hawks will likely show patience with both, and it is the right move.
Q. WHY IS BRANDON MASHINTER GETTING PLAYING TIME—WHEN THERE ARE OTHER MORE SKILLED PLAYERS WHO COULD BE GETTING THOSE MINUTES AND "CONTRIBUTING" MORE?
A. DETERRENCE.
What I hear consistently in answer to this is that players like Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, and therefore Joel Quenneville, like having a guy on the ice who can instill some fear in opponents. Some are convinced that the "deterrence" factor is a myth. I'm not here to argue that. Just telling you what I hear over and over again as to why the Mashinters, Dan Carcillos and John Scotts always seem to have a spotty on the Hawk roster. The evidence seems to speak for itself.
Q. WHAT ABOUT BICKELL? IS HE COMING BACK?
A. I have heard nothing one way or the other. But the fact that he is in Rockford speaks volumes about where the team stands on him and his future with the Hawks—the team would like to be rid of his contract. They couldn't trade him, so he went to Rockford. Bickell has done well in the AHL, but now the question becomes, is that well enough for an NHL team to take him and his deal on? If not, then Bickell could be back in Chicago by the playoffs, where he would have some value as a banger and physical presence.
All I have for now.
JJ