Hey Bill - I DM'd you.

I tried to grab a pic but didn't grab one in time. I'll let you know if there is a repeat I can watch.
- Justin Lowe

Any rumors on the draft floor that you may heard regarding the hawks and going forward things were to quiet. Again bowman continues to address the lack of center depth and size on the wings down the middle and on d.

Yep. NOT saying he's gonna be the next EK...but we need to quit using size as a factor to bash this kid. He's 17. This is a down the road pick. Maybe Bowman put the Hawks ahead of his personal gain. He did NOTHING to help the Hawks in the short term, but may have delivered something in the long term, potentially after he's gone.

Sure, I wanted the center or the big D but maybe those were not the right picks.
- kwolf68

They do have Gilbert, Hillman, Shea ,Carlsson, Tuuola and Raddysh who all are 6'2 or taller.

I have read all the fire Stan posts.

I just don't know how at this very time these picks are so badly thought of.
- wiz1901

I think it comes down to two things mostly.

1) People wanted some guys with size since the current team lack that. I don't fault them for that, but the have other needs as well, one of which is potential modern franchise d-men.

2) People just straight up fell in love with other players and were disappointed those were the ones selected. This happened in Schmaltz's draft too and that's looking like a win right now so I think it'll be fine. Maybe people just need to cool down a bit - I know I did and I really really liked Boqvist the whole time.

I think we'll see people come around on Boqvist eventually, especially when he potentially impacts the NHL sooner than expected.

I wonder how many people would have cried when the hawks drafted a small skinny Duncan Keith.

Turned out pretty good for that smurf

If 1 of these guys turns out to be him, well worth it
- PatShart

I completely agree with this, the Blackhawks are out there looking to find a couple of franchise Dmen who can control possession for 25 minutes a night. There is nothing more valuable on a team then a Keith, Doughty, or Karlsson, in my opinion.

There is so much talk on this board that in the playoffs, it’s big bad dmen moving guys out of the crease that win games, but where is the evidence of that at all? This exact same kind of conversation was happening in 2013 and 2015 when the Hawks were carried by a dcore that could move the puck up ice quickly and effectively and use their sticks to disrupt play.

As we have all been seeing the last couple of years, the Hawks dcore has been atrocious and they are trying to address that, so I don’t see why there is so much complaining. Give these kids a chance to play before talking so badly about them, the Blackhawks round 1 track record has been pretty darn solid under Bowman thus far so let’s see how these kids pan out. I would be willing to bet some are eating their words in a couple of years on at least one of these prospecfs

Yep. NOT saying he's gonna be the next EK...but we need to quit using size as a factor to bash this kid. He's 17. This is a down the road pick. Maybe Bowman put the Hawks ahead of his personal gain. He did NOTHING to help the Hawks in the short term, but may have delivered something in the long term, potentially after he's gone.

Sure, I wanted the center or the big D but maybe those were not the right picks.
- kwolf68

The center group was middling at best in this draft. In the 1st round anyway. The strength of this draft was always the D-men and wingers to a lesser extent. We both know wingers are easier to find than top 4 D-men.

Also. What Bowman does have is a lot of D-men prospects that may be assets to be used to acquire other positions.

Any rumors on the draft floor that you may heard regarding the hawks and going forward things were to quiet. Again bowman continues to address the lack of center depth and size on the wings down the middle and on d.
- Scott1977

The draft is full of centres and bigger wings they can garb a developmental player...it os difficult to stress out about centre when the draft was lacking elite ones - you cant change that.

Hayden and Edjsell aren't small.

Plenty of less skilled physical guys will be there later....but also notice, no one took anybody who use their size that way but Brady and the Russian at two....I see skill quickness and notice giant Serron Noel is still not selected so, is that hint that that is no longer a big empahsis, that you can get grit for six footers?

Doesn't it at very least excite that the second smaller defenseman says he wasn't to play mean like Corey Krug, play meaner...that doesn't help reconciling this?

Any rumors on the draft floor that you may heard regarding the hawks and going forward things were to quiet. Again bowman continues to address the lack of center depth and size on the wings down the middle and on d.
- Scott1977

Haven't heard much since right before the draft.

I suspect a lot of conversations will pick up again tomorrow AM.

Any rumors on the draft floor that you may heard regarding the hawks and going forward things were to quiet. Again bowman continues to address the lack of center depth and size on the wings down the middle and on d.
- Scott1977

No one is talking about Carolina Chicago deal...no one...I am starting to wonder if it doesn't exist....lots gets done tonight, but really they weren't up talking to carolina..,

Where does everyone rank Bowman and Mark Kelley for their 2 picks in the 1st round out of 10?

Is everyone happy? Sad? Confused?

Stan Bowman hopes to package picks and move into the second round tomorrow.

— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) June 23, 2018

I asked Bowman if free-agency uncertainty was holding up the trade market: "I don’t really know why, but that’s probably a pretty good theory on why it’s happening. There hasn’t really been much activity at all."

— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) June 23, 2018

Where does everyone rank Bowman and Mark Kelley for their 2 picks in the 1st round out of 10?

Is everyone happy? Sad? Confused?
- Justin Lowe

Ok i guess drafted the same position and player if they drafted boqvist at 8 and then mccloud or veleno at 27 thats goid address two needs but no small d man i m upset because the lack of playoff type players we do not have on the team besides the core smaltz to me would turtle in the playoffs and dcant would targeted to a point where he would shy away from the dirty areas need balance on the team and throughtout the organisation. Just lacking at center goalie and top six 6 wingers imo smaltz is not a center he be better on lw same with AA neither can win faceoffs consistently and dont have size and edge to there game to go up against other top centers. Hopefully day 2 will be better.

Where does everyone rank Bowman and Mark Kelley for their 2 picks in the 1st round out of 10?

Is everyone happy? Sad? Confused?
- Justin Lowe

Sad as f—- they needed a top 6f/c and got 2 defensemen who won’t be ready for how long 2/3 seasons. Which is a waste in that our current core will be even older. If there going to rebuild then just go for it.

Sad as f—- they needed a top 6f/c and got 2 defensemen who won’t be ready for how long 2/3 seasons. Which is a waste in that our current core will be even older. If there going to rebuild then just go for it.
- Abadseed

The current core likely won't sniff any more Cups for those same 2-3 years....sad but true

Sad as f—- they needed a top 6f/c and got 2 defensemen who won’t be ready for how long 2/3 seasons. Which is a waste in that our current core will be even older. If there going to rebuild then just go for it.
- Abadseed

Who was there at 8 that is a top 6 f/c that is ready to play next season?
Dahlin, Svechnikov and Zadina are pretty much the only 3 that have been projected to make the jump to the NHL next season. Even Tkachuk is 50/50. Some say he is ready and some say he would benefit from another season at BU.

Where does everyone rank Bowman and Mark Kelley for their 2 picks in the 1st round out of 10?

Is everyone happy? Sad? Confused?
- Justin Lowe

Happy they drafted high ceiling guys - even if they’re lower possible floor and farther away from The Show than perhaps some others.

[quote=L_B_R]

Stan Bowman hopes to package picks and move into the second round tomorrow.

— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) June 23, 2018

Color Edmonton (40), Arizona(55) Islander (41), Ottawa (48) Vancouver (37) and Blues (45) as teams as teams willing to move out of the second to game more picks in in the early third and later rounds.....

Who was there at 8 that is a top 6 f/c that is ready to play next season?
Dahlin, Svechnikov and Zadina are pretty much the only 3 that have been projected to make the jump to the NHL next season. Even Tkachuk is 50/50. Some say he is ready and some say he would benefit from another season at BU.
- Elbows15

I understand what you’re saying but who is our next center or wing with size?

No one saw Beaudin being our second 1st round pick. WHy not take Wahlstrom or dellandrea? Ok fine they’d wanted BOqvist first .

THen why not take Veleno or a higher rated forward instead of drafting another smallish defensemen who is on a similar timeline. At least get a forward prospect in the same timeline

Where does everyone rank Bowman and Mark Kelley for their 2 picks in the 1st round out of 10?

Is everyone happy? Sad? Confused?
- Justin Lowe

You did a blog recently about predicting the line up two years out. Drafts are about guys who might crack the line up in 3 to 5 years, and then more to reach their prime. Seems like Stan and Kelley went for a couple of guys with high ceilings who could be leaders on the team down the road. Could they have traded down and still drafted these guys? There isn't any way to know. It seems like a solid first round.

Even if half of the D prospects develops, they can't all fit in. When does this put Jokiharju, Forsling and Mitchell on the depth chart, only to name the top few? Options for trading from position of strength? I am not sure about that. Everyone knows that Hawks will have to cut some of these eventually and neither is gonna be like Jones, Trouba or Hamilton...

It is nothing against Boqvist or Beaudin in particular, but the type of the 1st round Wings just had is more to my liking. Take forwards first, defenders later. Wahlstrom and Veleno would set up this team better and they should be in the league sooner too.

But it is what is, good luck to both Boqvist and Beaudin, they are among us now and I hope they are going to have tremendous careers in Chicago!

PS: do you remember when the Hawks used to pick only kids with their last name starting with B? Times, they never change
- stonefire

I have been saying the same thing about a plethora of same type or similar style. Wiz made mention of it, too, and I think he omitted Snuggerud.

Anyway, I remember well the B crop of drafted players, most were same year around 2002.

Bolland, Big Buff, Brouwer, Bickel, Brophy and teo other names.

Happy they drafted high ceiling guys - even if they’re lower possible floor and farther away from The Show than perhaps some others.
- StLBravesFan

I’m happy with the picks. Hawks made high-end skill and high-end skating the priority. Boqvist could be a huge star. Has a very high ceiling. Has to let his talent show now. Was of course sad when Doug Wilson showed ultimate cool and ultimate intelligence taking Ryan Merkley at #21. I knew some team would step up in the First Round and take Merkley. After I stopped crying I thought Beaudin was a nice pick at #27.

Boqvist is about the same height as Erik Karlsson...and he's 25 pounds lighter. I'd have to think a 17 year old can put on 25 pounds in 3 years.
- kwolf68

I got your 25lbs right here!

Please realize that up until a month ago, Adam Boqvist was slotted at 4-8 on most people's draft boards.

When I researched all the players available, many reports specifically said "Adam Boqvist is easily the second best defenseman in the draft behind Rasmus Dahlin".

Yes, Hughes Dobson and Bouchard are all great options. Hughes got picked, Dobson is a bit lumbering, and Bouchard is a bit lanky. They're all looking like they'll be successes in the NHL, but we won't know for 5 years.

Boqvists highlights are electrifying. He was my second favorite Youtube guy to watch behind Zadina (what could have been without Detroit ). This kid is going to drive opposing teams crazy when he arrives. He has the puck on a string, and honestly reminds me a lot of Karlsson before he became 'KARLSSON'.

Not many people expected Boqvist to be there at #8, some thought Ottawa would take him, some even thought Montreal would take him to be bold.

I wish they would've gone with Wahlstrom, but I'm not upset with the highlight reel Boqvist.

The #27 pick I was a bit disappointed on, as I hadn't heard much of this guy and there were other 'fallers' available when this pick happened. But once we research this guy hopefully we'll be pleasantly surprised.

Boqvist is the real deal guys, a lot of teams took chances when they didn't pick him. Looking at you Montreal, Arizona, Vancouver.

Please realize that up until a month ago, Adam Boqvist was slotted at 4-8 on most people's draft boards.

When I researched all the players available, many reports specifically said "Adam Boqvist is easily the second best defenseman in the draft behind Rasmus Dahlin".

Yes, Hughes Dobson and Bouchard are all great options. Hughes got picked, Dobson is a bit lumbering, and Bouchard is a bit lanky. They're all looking like they'll be successes in the NHL, but we won't know for 5 years.

Boqvists highlights are electrifying. He was my second favorite Youtube guy to watch behind Zadina (what could have been without Detroit ). This kid is going to drive opposing teams crazy when he arrives. He has the puck on a string, and honestly reminds me a lot of Karlsson before he became 'KARLSSON'.

Not many people expected Boqvist to be there at #8, some thought Ottawa would take him, some even thought Montreal would take him to be bold.

I wish they would've gone with Wahlstrom, but I'm not upset with the highlight reel Boqvist.

The #27 pick I was a bit disappointed on, as I hadn't heard much of this guy and there were other 'fallers' available when this pick happened. But once we research this guy hopefully we'll be pleasantly surprised.

Boqvist is the real deal guys, a lot of teams took chances when they didn't pick him. Looking at you Montreal, Arizona, Vancouver.
- ObeseOprah

I think it comes down to two things mostly.

1) People wanted some guys with size since the current team lack that. I don't fault them for that, but the have other needs as well, one of which is potential modern franchise d-men.

2) People just straight up fell in love with other players and were disappointed those were the ones selected. This happened in Schmaltz's draft too and that's looking like a win right now so I think it'll be fine. Maybe people just need to cool down a bit - I know I did and I really really liked Boqvist the whole time.

I think we'll see people come around on Boqvist eventually, especially when he potentially impacts the NHL sooner than expected.
- L_B_R

I’d add one more, people got use to a winning team and I guess it’s actually two things.

They were told by Rocky that they’d have a winning team next season or heads would roll by the holidays. Now I guess he’s back tracked from that promise. It’s going to be awhile to rebuild this team, which is fine I get it. But play it straight with your fan base or you risk alienating them.

Actually I pretty much knew this already, but I highly doubt the average fan did and they’re going to be in for some disappointing times.

Haven't heard much since right before the draft.

I suspect a lot of conversations will pick up again tomorrow AM.
- Justin Lowe

I am hearing from someone in Dallas - and within the organ-i-za-tion - that most teams looking to trade are asking WAY too much in return. That's what is holding up deals more than free agency next week.

Carolina and Ottawa were specifically mentioned. Seems that Ottawa put themselves in a bad position with the Hoffman trade - and Carolina would like to move a few of their veteran d-men to make room for their younger ones - but are asking too much for who they want to move.

And this is becoming a domino effect - shifting market expectations for other "sellers".

Maybe the start of the free agent market next week will bring the expectations down a bit.