I'm willing to bet Kampf makes Kruger a healthy scratch. Bigger, stronger, faster, and more offensive skill. Would rather have Martinsen/Kunitz/Hayden on line 4 wing for physicality than Kruger. The Kruger excitement is overstated. He was a 4C at his peak, and better suited in Sweden/AHL these days IMO

But no cups
- vabeachbear

Will you be able to say that NEXT September?

https://www.nbcsports.com...hicago/files/forwards.jpg

Hawk roster for Traverse Tourney

JL- Nice Write up as always!

so where do we stand for opening day lineup? based on your K3 Line...

Saad/Toews/DCat
???/Schmaltz/Kane
???/AA/???
Kunitz/Kruger/Kampf

3 holes with Hayden and Sikura likely locked into 2 of those spots.

1 magic roster spot left right?
- gnosox1986

IMHO, those 3 open forward spots are likely going to Sikura, Kahun, and Hayden with Kampf being a starter in the bottom 6 as well.

I've played around with many combinations but landed on:

Saad-Schmaltz-Kane
Hayden-Toews-Debrincat
Kahun-AA-Sikura
Kunitz-Kruger-Kampf

ex: Martinsen, ?

I will have an explanation on these, as well as some other potential winning combinations in my upcoming blog series.
- Justin Lowe

Probs want Debrincat on the left side so he can bang in one timers with more ease or if he is carrying the puck go to the middle and create his own shot.

While he will still get goals, sticking him on the right will hamstring him a bit.

Probs want Debrincat on the left side so he can bang in one timers with more ease or if he is carrying the puck go to the middle and create his own shot.

While he will still get goals, sticking him on the right will hamstring him a bit.
- fattybeef

Yep - either way. Those 2 can flop.

I just really liked Hayden on the Debrincat/Schmaltz line at the end of last year.

Also, Hayden will help with some heavy lifting that Toews has been responsible for on his line since he came into the league.

Wow - Connor/Laine/Wheeler....

6'1"/6'5"/6'5" respectively.

Do the Hawks even have any random three guys that could match up with that line??? Shows how far behind the curve they are now.

As for Schmaltz at center...if he can't win faceoffs, and is most effective when he can motor through the neutral zone, yet lacks overall strength....how exactly is he a lock as a center? I am guessing most guys with good hands and speed would play a better game if no one touched them.
- Return of the Roar

They're not on a line together. I mean, the clue should have been that none are a center.

Also Bolland and Kruger, neither of which have ever been over 185 lbs, have regularly shutdown bigger lines than them and did so with the likes of Versteeg (175) and Shaw (175). If Kruger is back to form thanks to being healthy and he's able to work with Kampf/Hayden/whoever in a similar manner, then there you go.

And fianlly, only Wheeler of that group is actually that heavy - Connor is 177 (Kane and Schmaltz's weight) and Laine is like 205 (so pretty average). But yeah, tell me more about the inches.

https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/sites/csnchicago/files/forwards.jpg

Hawk roster for Traverse Tourney
- hawk35

Oops, forgot the D-men, goalies....

https://www.nbcsports.com...chicago/files/d_and_g.jpg

Yep - either way. Those 2 can flop.

I just really liked Hayden on the Debrincat/Schmaltz line at the end of last year.

Also, Hayden will help with some heavy lifting that Toews has been responsible for on his line since he came into the league.
- Justin Lowe

Bottom line the way I look at the team, no matter how I flip players around we’re short a top six RW.

Yep - either way. Those 2 can flop.

I just really liked Hayden on the Debrincat/Schmaltz line at the end of last year.

Also, Hayden will help with some heavy lifting that Toews has been responsible for on his line since he came into the league.
- Justin Lowe

Refresh my memory - does Hayden protect the puck well and does he go into the corners and come out with the puck?

Bottom line the way I look at the team, no matter how I flip players around we’re short a top six RW.
- walleyeb1

Yes, hopefully 1 or 2 guys move in and surprise because that group looks pretty thin.

Bottom line the way I look at the team, no matter how I flip players around we’re short a top six RW.
- walleyeb1

We're short a top-6 winger because we have only 5 top-6 players - it could be RW or LW depending which side DCat plays. There are some hopeful possibilities (Sikura/Kahun) and some top-6 long shots (Edjsell/Hayden) - but nothing to hang our hat on.

Yes, hopefully 1 or 2 guys move in and surprise because that group looks pretty thin.
- 67hawks

Probably the most probable is Sikura but he doesn't provide the best line combination options - at least if Q is serious about playing Saad with Kane. If one line is 20-8-88, that means Toews' wingers would be 12 and 95 and that probably puts too big of a burden on Toews to do all the heavy work puck retrieval. I'd like to see how Hayden-Toews-DCat would work which would let Sikura go up against 3rd pairing defenders at least until he finds his comfort zone.

Probably the most probable is Sikura but he doesn't provide the best line combination options - at least if Q is serious about playing Saad with Kane. If one line is 20-8-88, that means Toews' wingers would be 12 and 95 and that probably puts too big of a burden on Toews to do all the heavy work puck retrieval. I'd like to see how Hayden-Toews-DCat would work which would let Sikura go up against 3rd pairing defenders at least until he finds his comfort zone.
- EbonyRaptor

Hayden projects as a good 4th line player IMO.

Will you be able to say that NEXT September?
- StLBravesFan

Probably.

I'm willing to bet Kampf makes Kruger a healthy scratch. Bigger, stronger, faster, and more offensive skill. Would rather have Martinsen/Kunitz/Hayden on line 4 wing for physicality than Kruger. The Kruger excitement is overstated. He was a 4C at his peak, and better suited in Sweden/AHL these days IMO
- EnzoD

Kampf makes the team, not question about it. He's probably got a better chance than most people JL discussed in this recent theme. My only question would be which line does he end-up on 3rd or 4th?

I think there's room on the team for both Kampf and Kruger, they could make 2/3s of a solid 4th line.

Hayden projects as a good 4th line player IMO.
- kmw4631

Correct. But, unfortunately the Hawks have only 5 top-6 players so one of the plethora of bottom-6 guys will need to play a top-6 role. It's not ideal but that's the way it is.

Something like:

Hayden-Toews-DCat
Saad-Schmaltz-Kane
Kahun-Anisimov-Sikura
Kunitz-Kruger-Kampf

"Kampf" is German language for "fight", so be sure he will fight for his spot!

They're not on a line together. I mean, the clue should have been that none are a center.

Also Bolland and Kruger, neither of which have ever been over 185 lbs, have regularly shutdown bigger lines than them and did so with the likes of Versteeg (175) and Shaw (175). If Kruger is back to form thanks to being healthy and he's able to work with Kampf/Hayden/whoever in a similar manner, then there you go.

And fianlly, only Wheeler of that group is actually that heavy - Connor is 177 (Kane and Schmaltz's weight) and Laine is like 205 (so pretty average). But yeah, tell me more about the inches.
- L_B_R

Bolland, Ladd and Verbeauty driving Thornton crazy comes to mind in 2010.

Wow looks like last year’s Cat turned into a Lion, encouraging:

https://twitter.com/nhlbl.../1037008084323848197?s=21

Wow looks like last year’s Cat turned into a Lion, encouraging:

https://twitter.com/nhlbl.../1037008084323848197?s=21
- walleyeb1

That was awesome!!!! I didnt see the Captain!!!

Wow looks like last year’s Cat turned into a Lion, encouraging:

https://twitter.com/nhlbl.../1037008084323848197?s=21
- walleyeb1

He could still be better with a couple years of seasoning in Rockford.

Seriously though, DeBrincat continues to provide people wrong. The Hawks got so lucky he was available in the 2nd round.

"Kampf" is German language for "fight", so be sure he will fight for his spot!
- VeryModernMan

I thought it meant 'struggle', as in the Hawks will struggle to finish above 31st.

Wow looks like last year’s Cat turned into a Lion, encouraging:

https://twitter.com/nhlbl.../1037008084323848197?s=21
- walleyeb1

Thanks for the share. Great vid!

The kid has been an underdog(cat) his whole career... he's got an amazing attitude because of it.

I thought it meant 'struggle', as in the Hawks will struggle to finish above 31st.
- DarthKane

Depends if it’s your struggle...or mein.