Bullpoop. That makes no sense for them.
- GPHawksfan

Really? Have you seen their D?

They have no D and keith is cost controlled vs what Nylander will want (LT)

Also lets not forget Babcock who needs guys he can trust.....pretty sure when he was with Detroit he had an older D man who was solid back there.....some Swedish guy.....what was his name....

Had Dollar Bill paid him none of this would have happened - see Belfour, Ed. Just think the Hawks at one point had both Belfour and Hasek and managed to get rid of both.

It'll be interesting to see if the Hawks do anything before the convention next week and make a splash of some kind because that's what McD likes to do. Or will it be video of Crawford skating...lol...

As far as Nash (as the Rainman mentioned) - one would think he's going to want to play for a contending team at this point. Still huge holes at left wing and on defense. Should be interesting to see what they do here before the Fall.
- DK002

Huge holes on LW? They have Saad and Debrincat... Assuming Saad remembers how to finish, that is 45-50 goals combined on the first two lines. The 3rd and 4th lines are bigger question marks but that can be said for most of the teams in the NHL right now.

I'd prefer Saad on the right but as it stands they are set with lines 1 and 2 on the left side for the foreseeable future.

Yes a move (or 2) needs to be made, but Rick Nash? I don't buy into him being a player the Hawks want just because of the opportunity to play with his Team Canada boys.... Keep him out of Chicago.

Really? Have you seen their D?

They have no D and keith is cost controlled vs what Nylander will want (LT)

Also lets not forget Babcock who needs guys he can trust.....pretty sure when he was with Detroit he had an older D man who was solid back there.....some Swedish guy.....what was his name....
- SteveRain

Lidstrom and Rafalski disrupted a lot of plays in the neutral zone as well as using their sticks to deflect passes and poke away pucks in their own zone.

Zberg and Datsyuk in their primes were able to come back, pick up those loose pucks and push the play the other direction.

The Hawks dominated teams in 2010 because of Keith's and Campbell's ability to do those things very well and they had players who could flip the ice quickly.

And it is a lot more fun to watch than guys yielding the zone and letting the goalie absorb shots. Having the players who are good enough to read the play and have the wheels to get back is important there and the Hawks haven't had that in a while. It also takes a high level of commitment from the forwards coming back to be there to snag the loose change and go the other direction.

I wanted to give my take on something that was talked about in the comments at the end of the last post, Toews comments about this upcoming season/being 30. I know there were some posters looking at it negatively, thinking he's lost the fire and his leadership. But here's my take on it and some of the quotes he said. Feel free to pick it apart and call me a homer (I absolutely am when it comes to Toews).

First, this is a guy who has probably been playing hockey since he was 3 years old. Came into the league and was captain at 20, captain serious, one of the rocks of the team and helped get 3 Stanley Cups and numerous playoffs. NHL Awards, Olympic medals, you name it, he had his hand in it. By hard work, great skill, and great training. He has missed 2 playoffs in his career, his first year and last year. That is an insane amount of hockey. Here are some quotes that stood out to me:

CPHL:

“Just going out and having fun and playing loose,”
“I talked about it a lot (during) our year-end exit chats, where getting that skill and that creativity back in my game is a big thing I want to focus on,”
“It’s going to be fun to get that back into my game. You get better when you’re out there working on stuff but especially when you’re just having fun.”

Upcoming Season:

“Every player this offseason is focusing on bringing his best early this season. We’re all looking at those things that came to the surface last year."

Leadership:

"For me, it’s part of just recapturing that energy, that motivation, excitement and that mindset of a young player who takes nothing for granted, that you had in your younger days. But also carrying the experience with you and understanding the impact for what you say, what you do, how you carry yourself can affect your teammates, especially the young guys."
“For me, it comes down to knowing what to say at the right time. But letting my play be the thing that helps me lead by example."

Yes, this is not the captain serious we're used to, but maybe that captain serious mentality wasn't helping him. Maybe "sitting back and smelling the roses" and seeing where you once were, top of the hockey world, and realizing where you are now is what he needs. Get back out on the ice, mess around and have fun is a way to rejuvenate himself.

Just because it's not the same type of fire we're used to seeing from Toews, doesn't mean there's not a fire there. I know time will tell, but maybe a change like this, getting kicked for a full season + previous year playoffs is what's needed. He sat and watched the playoffs, I think he'll be ready to go.
- HawksHype

Agree with you.

Just to add, I think comments are just comments and don't mean much compared to what you get on the ice. Last year, Toews was one of the few guys actually looking frustrated and getting into some scrums after the whistle. He struggled at times but he also played babysitter a lot in recent seasons.

I honestly think it is funny when people think he isn't a leader anymore after he has been such a leader from a young age. People do change, but they don't change that much. Much about Toews on ice and off ice is the same as it has always been, but the team has changed more than anything.

As for all the "doom and gloom" predictions, those might be accurate, but they might not. People ignore that teams can and do actually exceed expectations at times. Players do bounce back sometimes. (especially before 35) Young players do grow into roles and improve year over year.

It is entirely possible that the Hawks come back with most of the same roster and play better, especially if Crawford is healthy. You have about half the season last year they had nothing to play for because their goal tending was garbage or they were already essentially out of the playoff race. Things could go very wrong again. The veteran core could all under perform again. The young guys could stop progressing. Crawford could miss significant time or injuries could plague the rest of the roster. Nobody really knows.

I hope everyone who is a fan just enjoys the ride because you can't control anything else. All we can do is let the management run the team and either choose to watch or not.

Well, Bowman and Q need to see what they have first. Every prospect/training camp has surprises, and when you have a bunch of kids that are barely (or even) old enough to buy a beer - they can grow tremendously over a season or even a summer, so I think the responsible thing to do would be to wait until camp to see what you have before you go making trades, because perhaps maybe one of these kids takes the next step and can fill that 2nd line left wing role or #4 D role. I mean you don't want to have a situation where you go out and sign or trade for a veteran and then one of the kids outplays that veteran and earns a roster spot but the Hawks are stuck playing the veteran because they have no other option. So I agree with Bowman's passive approach to the UFA/trade market, because you want to give these kids every opportunity to succeed and earn a spot with the big team. Now I'm sure if there are still a holes after training camp, Bowman will pursue a UFA or a trade for a guy that can fill the hole(s), and I imagine there will be a few guys on PTO at camp that could compete for a roster spot... Look there are still a lot of UFA's out there that could contribute to an NHL roster E.g; Nash, Vermette, Enstrom, Orpik, Hamhuis, Sbisa, Stajan, Stempniak etc.. Sure, they're not the best - but they can still be helpful, they can still be quality depth players -- especially a guy like Vermette who could play a defensive/face-off specialist role, but you want to give the kids every opportunity to fill those roles before you look to other options.

This teams future is pretty bright, and building from within is the only way to continue to have success in this era's NHL, and I really like what the Hawks have in the system - the Hawks have got some pretty big steals at these past few drafts, the key now is to develop these players and not rush them - the Hawks have done a fantastic job over the years allowing their prospects to develop at their pace which is why the Hawks have a bakers dozen of forwards and defenseman that can compete for #5 defensive roles and bottom 6 forward roles, and who knows - perhaps one of these kids will shine in camp and earn an opportunity to fill that #4 D role or #2 left wing role? I'm not banking on it but it certainly is possible and these kids should be given every opportunity to do just that....

I think Nash would be a good add because he could fetch a decent return at the trade deadline. Hopefully they're in a position to add at the deadline, but honestly i dont think they will be.
- BlazinMike

I like Nash too, but he's no spring chicken either and he's even unsure if he wants to come back and play another season himself which means there are a lot of miles on that body.

Does he have the wheels to keep up with a team of youngsters? can he play 60-70 games without falling apart?

To be honest I haven't seen much of Nash recently so I really cant pass judgement - but if he can still be an effective top 6 forward that can contribute I would be for it.

Another solution is to move Anisimov to left wing and run a top 6 like this:

Saad-Toews-DeBrincat
Anisimov-Schmaltz-Kane

I don't know why Q has never experimented with a top 6 like that, I mean it seems logical that he would so I suspect he has tried it in practice but he doesn't like it and when Q doesn't like something he refuses to do it, lol... Heck if he doesn't like a player he refuses to play the player e.g; Pirri, Morin, Smith etc.

Morning JL....great blog to wake up to (I’m on vacation on the west coast).

I agree with your lineup projections, and to me it appears there’s a big hole at LW in the top 6. Maybe Edjsell or Kahun (who I believe will make the team) can step up and take the role, but I would prefer to see them in the bottom 6 to start the season. There are some decent options for bottom 6 guys who could get PTOs but not many for the top 6 (maybe only Nash has that potential). However....Versteeg is still out there too.

I could see Stan moving Forsling (plus) to get somebody like Dzingel or Lowry. That’s about the extent of the moves I’m expecting.
- DarthKane

I agree, the kids should be given every opportunity to fill those roles before Bowman goes out and makes a trade or signs a player, but I'm not so sure the kids that are NHL ready are ready for a top 6 role (yet) so I think Stan is going to have to make a move at some point before the start of the season, however at the same time you don't want to give up an arm or a leg for a guy like Patches or Skinner - and rumor has it the asking price on those guys is Schmaltz AND a first round pick which is totally ridiculous considering Schmaltz is already better than both. I mean that ask is insulting.. I could see Anisimov and a first round pick but Schmaltz? lol... At the same time given all the question marks surrounding this team you don't want to give up a potential top 10 pick if things don't workout. I mean I would rather take my luck with Nash, Cammalleri, Hartnell or even Upshall than give up Schmaltz or a first round pick because both of those assets are part of the future.

Really? Have you seen their D?

They have no D and keith is cost controlled vs what Nylander will want (LT)

Also lets not forget Babcock who needs guys he can trust.....pretty sure when he was with Detroit he had an older D man who was solid back there.....some Swedish guy.....what was his name....
- SteveRain

So getting a 35 year old dman whose game has fallen off a cliff fits in with what they are building right now? If you say so

You're right, he's better.
- BlazinMike

Don’t get me wrong Seabrook has been a big contributer to the Blackhawks run, but he’s never getting into the HHOF!

Agreed.....and Keenan wanted Lindros bad....You could have had Roenick, Lindros, Chelios, and hasek….all in their prime. Goodness.

- SteveRain

Wasn't Roenick supposed to have been part of Keenan's rumoured Lindros package -that and a few others as well?

WRGT Chelios (context as well) - you had an ownership that basically let Steve Larmer walk away (granted, not as a free agent), but one of the most successful wingers in team history that had played over a decade not missing a single game just decided to sit out until the Hawks dealt him. I guess it can be argued that they got some players back who hung around longer than Larmer ended up playing in the league ... but, I think stuff like that shows pretty much how an ownership is willing to treat its vets. And they had too - Belfour, and Roenick being a couple of obvious examples ... they also did a nice job of nudging Tony Esposito out of the picture - 83-84, despite having him as a backup - just never played him again after a point - then wanting to put him into a meaningless finale at the end of the season 'for the fans' - Tony (iirc) - declined the 'honour' ... mind you the current ownership group is all about mending fences with former players who have made a contribution. It is just me, maybe, but I think Chelios definitely fits into that category --one of my favourite Hawks...

Personally, I never blamed Chelios one bit; WWW - different story... and I wasn't all that keen on Chelios for Savard at the time, but it absolutely proved to be the right move at the time.

Obviously mileage varies in that regard what with all of the 'traitor' stuff out there...

Also, fwiw, the hole on LW thing was based (it looks) like slotting 12 in at RW instead.

Dunno if that is where 12 slots in or not, on the depth chart; as you mentioned - different story if he is pegged in on LW.

What is the deal with tanner? What is his deal with the Hawks? He thinks the Yotes fleeced us and we are there Ahl team what a putz.
- dirt4949

Tanner is anti-Hawk to the point where he comes off as an idiot. I could comprehend that a couple years ago because a lot of non-Hawk fans envied us but to continue that to this day is stupid particularly when he runs blogs for 2 NHL teams on Hockey Buzz.

Also, fwiw, the hole on LW thing was based (it looks) like slotting 12 in at RW instead.

Dunno if that is where 12 slots in or not, on the depth chart; as you mentioned - different story if he is pegged in on LW.
- steve-hist-sdc

That is similar to my earlier comment. The Hawks can kinda move the hole around. #12 seems like he can play either side. Schmaltz could play also LW again. They pretty much just need a good top 6 forward and I think they could shuffle a lot of parts around.

Thanks for the blog Justin! Edjsell has some physical talent, and also some physical deficiencies with his mobility. Kahun I think is more likely to make the team based on the Olympic speed/skill/offense he showed and might replace Hinostroza in the lineup.

TBH, if the Hawks trot out a lineup similar to the one you posted (which I don't think is far off given the current roster), they are going to struggle to win hockey games most nights. I think that Bowman is aggressively pursuing a trade for a "cost controlled" player like Faulk/Skinner but rightfully is not willing to part with 1st round picks of A-level prospects.

I think this is a serious #TANK season for the Hawks, and they use their extra cap space next summer to seriously retool.

Also, saw another Draft Recap last night that compared Boquist to Tyson Barrie, FWIW.
- EnzoD

You don't tank now..... The Hawks have too much talent and too much money invested in this team..

The Hawks are 2 players away from contending.... What they need is a legitimate #2 left wing, and #4 defenseman, and you don't tank just because you have 2 holes.

I mean, I find it interesting that some Hawks fans (and it's always been this way) want to tank when they're not shoe-in's for the Cup.... This team has potential to be really good. Yea, the team fell flat last season, just about every veteran had a bad season, but it seems some Hawks fans believe these guys are incapable of rebounding. The Hawks played 20 rookies last season and as rookies they were going to make rookie mistakes, but these kids got a season of NHL experience under their belts and at their age that means a ton to their development - now they're not going to be so wet behind the ears which will take a little responsibility off the vets. Also, the loss of Hajamarsson, Hossa and Kruger hurt tremendously last season and it really showed and IMO, bringing Kruger back is huge - many fans cant see just how important he was playing in that bottom 6 role - I mean he's a shutdown defensive forward that is excellent at the dot... And that is another reason why the Hawks were terrible last season - they were terrible at the dot - winning draws is an extremely important aspect of the game, and when you lose 47% of your draws you're on the wrong side of the puck more often than not so Kruger is an improvement there...When you give up a face-off in the offensive zone you're losing a scoring opportunity, and when you lose a face-off in the defensive zone you're giving up a scoring opportunity, so performance at the dot matters Kruger is a massive improvement there. When Kruger wins a draw he can get the puck out of the zone, if he loses a draw he can grind out a turnover..... But this is just one aspect where the Hawks have improved, but it's an aspect that is profoundly overlooked...

I suppose my point is that this team is a lot better than what the fans are giving it credit for and have improved more than many may think..... The Hawks are only a couple of pieces away from seriously contending, and if one or 2 of these kids can step up and show they're ready to fill a bigger role that will be excellent... Jokiharju is NHL ready from an offense and skating perspective and I would say he's ready for the top 4, however he defense is suspect so I think he's going to need to get better there before he's the answer...But the Hawks already have the prospects they need to contend again - they're just not ready to jump into those roles.. The Hawks will need short-term solutions to fill those roles and Bowman is going to have to find them because you don't want to waste another year with Kane at 29, Toews at 30, Keith at 34 - I mean they're not exactly "old" but they're not exactly young so wasting another year just to take makes absolutely no sense at all....

To be honest, what this team is going to come down to is goaltending and defense, if Crow comes back and is back to normal Crow (and ward is consistent) goaltending will not be an issue, but Q is going to have to figure out the defense and that will be the most difficult part of getting this team back to contending... Sure in 2-3 years the Hawks will have one of the best defenses in the league, but that's 3 years not now....

But with all that said - taking is absolutely out of the question - especially closer to contending than they are taking - and make no mistake this would be an extremely expensive tank...

Wasn't Roenick supposed to have been part of Keenan's rumoured Lindros package -that and a few others as well?

WRGT Chelios (context as well) - you had an ownership that basically let Steve Larmer walk away (granted, not as a free agent), but one of the most successful wingers in team history that had played over a decade not missing a single game just decided to sit out until the Hawks dealt him. I guess it can be argued that they got some players back who hung around longer than Larmer ended up playing in the league ... but, I think stuff like that shows pretty much how an ownership is willing to treat its vets. And they had too - Belfour, and Roenick being a couple of obvious examples ... they also did a nice job of nudging Tony Esposito out of the picture - 83-84, despite having him as a backup - just never played him again after a point - then wanting to put him into a meaningless finale at the end of the season 'for the fans' - Tony (iirc) - declined the 'honour' ... mind you the current ownership group is all about mending fences with former players who have made a contribution. It is just me, maybe, but I think Chelios definitely fits into that category --one of my favourite Hawks...

Personally, I never blamed Chelios one bit; WWW - different story... and I wasn't all that keen on Chelios for Savard at the time, but it absolutely proved to be the right move at the time.

Obviously mileage varies in that regard what with all of the 'traitor' stuff out there...
- steve-hist-sdc

No, the package for Lindros was Ed Belfour, Steve Larmer, Steve Smith & 15 million in cash - and the deal was done too until Wirtz got wind of the $15,000,000 in cash and then he allegedly went ballistic, lol.. But hey, had they pulled the trigger on that deal Dominick Hasek would have stayed with the Hawks and we all know what Hasek became..

And that deal was done even before the Philly/Rangers deals..

However Roenick was indeed part of a different deal that would have sent him to St. Louis in exchange for Brett Hull & Shayne Corson and according to Roenick's own words - he already had a contract extension worked out with St. Louis, but according to Roenick someone within the organization "nixed the deal" (Wirtz).. And yes, IMO - Roenick for Hull & Corson would have been a better return than what they eventually got in Zhamnov, Craig Mills & 2nd round pick..

That is similar to my earlier comment. The Hawks can kinda move the hole around. #12 seems like he can play either side. Schmaltz could play also LW again. They pretty much just need a good top 6 forward and I think they could shuffle a lot of parts around.
- breadbag

Hawks would still have a hole:

Saad-Toews-XXXX
DeBrincat-Schmaltz-Kane

or

Saad-Toews-DeBrincat
XXXX-Schmaltz-Kane

You have a hole either way...

Why not this:

Saad-Toews-DeBrincat
Anisimov-Schmaltz-Kane

Worth a shot, Anisimov has the body to play a left wing power forward role..

I would love to see Bowman move Anisimov + for Patches or Skinner because I think both would be a fit for this team - but not at their asking price (Schmaltz & first) which is insulting.

Brent Seabrook is no Chris Chelios!
- walleyeb1

3 cups to zero in Hawks uniform

Hawks would still have a hole:

Saad-Toews-XXXX
DeBrincat-Schmaltz-Kane

or

Saad-Toews-DeBrincat
XXXX-Schmaltz-Kane

You have a hole either way...

Why not this:

Saad-Toews-DeBrincat
Anisimov-Schmaltz-Kane

Worth a shot, Anisimov has the body to play a left wing power forward role..

I would love to see Bowman move Anisimov + for Patches or Skinner because I think both would be a fit for this team - but not at their asking price (Schmaltz & first) which is insulting.
- Savard2Secord

Why not:
Saad-Toews-Cat
Rick Nash-Schmaltz-Kane?

The Hawks have never, ever, thought about moving AA to the wing. If we are keeping him I can live with him as our 3rd center. Rick Nash for one year at the 2LW spot make a ton of sense to me...and we don't have to give up anything to sign him.

Wise, Barratt, and Ess named to Team USA for World Juniors Summer Showcase.

Hawks would still have a hole:

Saad-Toews-XXXX
DeBrincat-Schmaltz-Kane

or

Saad-Toews-DeBrincat
XXXX-Schmaltz-Kane

You have a hole either way...

Why not this:

Saad-Toews-DeBrincat
Anisimov-Schmaltz-Kane

Worth a shot, Anisimov has the body to play a left wing power forward role..

I would love to see Bowman move Anisimov + for Patches or Skinner because I think both would be a fit for this team - but not at their asking price (Schmaltz & first) which is insulting.
- Savard2Secord

Oh, I agree with you. They have a hole either way. What I'm saying is they have some flexibility in terms of where they fill the hole.

I think they could add a player to any forward position LW/C/RW and shuffle it around to work pretty well. I think they have actively been trying to deal AA for a winger, but probably haven't found any takers.

https://www.the-rink.com/...awks-prospect-camp-day-3/

Day 3 recap from the Rink. A few observations they shared:

Mitchell continues to impress. Mitchell maintains tight gaps and is considerably consistent with applying pressure to the puck carrier from the second they receive it.

Krys also continues to impress. As camp has worn on, Krys keeps ramping up his intensity and has shown more steady composure after a wild Day 1 for him.

Boqvist is noticeably adept at remaining patient and waiting for his options when distributing the puck.

Wise and Slavin are really impressing with their accurate shots.

Peeters is not impressing at all. Very shaky.

Nordgren missed yet another day in camp; has only participated in Day 1.

https://www.the-rink.com/blackhawks-prospect-camp-day-3/

Day 3 recap from the Rink. A few observations they shared:

Mitchell continues to impress. Mitchell maintains tight gaps and is considerably consistent with applying pressure to the puck carrier from the second they receive it.

Krys also continues to impress. As camp has worn on, Krys keeps ramping up his intensity and has shown more steady composure after a wild Day 1 for him.

Boqvist is noticeably adept at remaining patient and waiting for his options when distributing the puck.

Wise and Slavin are really impressing with their accurate shots.

Peeters is not impressing at all. Very shaky.

Nordgren missed yet another day in camp; has only participated in Day 1.
- AEL_Fox

Thanks for sharing.

From what I've seen in highlights of Boqvist, he seems like he has great vision/poise/hockey IQ or whatever you want to call it. If he can physically prepare and get to NHL speed, He does really seem like the guy who can make some really solid plays.

I think there are bigger issues than filling holes, PTOs and free agent scraps.

Since drafting Kane, their first round picks have been Beach, Olsen, Hayes, McNeil, Danault, Tevo, Hartman, Schmaltz, Jokiharju, Boqvist, Beaudin. The lower rounds have been worse. The drafting magic that started under Smith in the early 2000s and continued under Tallon has evaporated.

Drafting is hard but they rarely draft size. They ignore goalies. They fall for the myth of "offensive defensemen" who pile up points in lower leagues but have a hard time playing solid for NHL coaches. The development in Rockford has been atrocious.

None of us are going to care about no movement clauses in the near future when Kane, Toews and Keith all demand to be traded to contenders. Hopefully they don't do it publicly further diminishing their value.

Bowman who did a fantastic job in winning 3 Cups in a rough salary cap era needs to stockpile high picks now and hit on them or we fans are doomed for 10 bad years similar to 97-07.

Why not:
Saad-Toews-Cat
Rick Nash-Schmaltz-Kane?

The Hawks have never, ever, thought about moving AA to the wing. If we are keeping him I can live with him as our 3rd center. Rick Nash for one year at the 2LW spot make a ton of sense to me...and we don't have to give up anything to sign him.
- onehundredlevel

I have no issue with Nash and I think he would be a great add if he's at 100%, however I'm just skeptical as how effective he will be. And his doubts about his own health are worrisome...I think if Nash does come back he will be looking for a 3rd line scoring role given the mileage on his body and the fact he's had a couple of concussions..

But hey, if he's thinks he is healthy enough to play another season and he thinks he can play 2nd line minutes, I wouldn't have no problem signing him at a reasonable 1-year deal, at maybe 2-2.5 per...

But like I said in a previous post, I think the kids should have an opportunity to try and fill that role, and if they cant then I think looking at UFA's or trades would be something to pursue.... I mean I would love it if Bowman invited a few guys to camp on PTO's like Nash, Vermette and/or Cammalleri and see what they can do...It wouldn't hurt - the more competition the better...