https://thehockeynews.com/news/article/who-can-hang-with-washingtons-tom-wilson-right-now

The Hockey News has an article about who they think could hang with Wilson in a fight and they boil it down to just Reaves, Byfuglien, Chara, and possibly Benn.

Wonder how Martinsen would fare? I don't think Hayden would do well. He might hang for a little bit before Wilson overpowers him.
- AEL_Fox

Yep, don't know how they would fare, but neither would back down, in my opinion.

Resigning Roz has Q's fingerprints all over it. I think it came down to Odyua or Leddy going and at that point in their careers the choice was easy.

BTW, Leddy is still the same player he was back then. Great skater, good puck mover, Horrible in his own end
- TheTrob

he would probably be our best D. LOL,

Watching a replay of the Pitt v Wash game from last night. First minute. Wilson needs another 10+ game timeout.
- 35Tony0

Why ?


Cus he knocked out Pittsburghs hired goon ?

Hockey is a physical game. I know a lot of you Nancys don't like that for some reason. Guys with skill and toughness like Wilson help teams win more than not.

Why ?


Cus he knocked out Pittsburghs hired goon ?

Hockey is a physical game. I know a lot of you Nancys don't like that for some reason. Guys with skill and toughness like Wilson help teams win more than not.
- mrpaulish

Wilson IS a hired goon.

https://thehockeynews.com/news/article/who-can-hang-with-washingtons-tom-wilson-right-now

The Hockey News has an article about who they think could hang with Wilson in a fight and they boil it down to just Reaves, Byfuglien, Chara, and possibly Benn.

Wonder how Martinsen would fare? I don't think Hayden would do well. He might hang for a little bit before Wilson overpowers him.
- AEL_Fox

Add Lucic to the list and possibly Engylland.

Why ?


Cus he knocked out Pittsburghs hired goon ?

Hockey is a physical game. I know a lot of you Nancys don't like that for some reason. Guys with skill and toughness like Wilson help teams win more than not.
- mrpaulish

I can be in Itasca in 2 hours 45 minutes, dancer.

I can be in Itasca in 2 hours 45 minutes, dancer.
- 35Tony0

Wilson IS a hired goon.
- 35Tony0

More than a point per game player this year

Hossa would be like the little guy in the Yakuza fighting Fat Tony's henchmen.

Homer: "But, Marge, that little guy hasn't done anything yet. Look at him. He's going to do something, and you know it's going to be good..."


- AEL_Fox

"I don't get mad, I get stabby."-Fat Tony

Saad is a guy whose skill level shines when he reacts instead of thinks -- so playing a physical game at max speed results in him being most productive. When he slows down the game, his skill level seems to diminish (brain cramps?).
- gmurban

Quite possibly. In general, each Hawk player needs to balance hockey sense and instincts to just react and thinking to still ensure smart plays and sticking within outlined team systems. I would think players with less hockey sense need to think more whereas Kane is oozing with hockey sense can go on mostly instinct.

Leddy is a way better hockey player then Gus. And they're about the same age. Lol.

More than a point per game player this year
- mrpaulish

He's played what, 14 games? Easy to do...if slotted with Ovi.

Leddy is a way better hockey player then Gus. And they're about the same age. Lol.
- fattybeef

Better yes. Almost 5 times better (based on cap hit).....No.

Justin saw yesterday no movement did you hear any rumors of potential trades not only with the hawks but other teams?

In other news, has anyone else been following just how awful Schmaltz has been in Arizona?

Yeah, the headline numbers don't look terrible with 4g/5a in 11 games. But then you look and all 4 goals were on the PP. He doesn't generate anything 5v5.

USAT% (Fenwick) is a horrific 40.72%! That's ranked 373/399 players who played ten games or more since 11/25 (trade date); 94% of the league is doing better. For reference, that's about where Seabrook is.

To make matters worse, that Fenwick is with the benefit of an unheard of 70% offensive zone starts. No one else with those awful of numbers is getting the advantage of such unbalanced starts.

Oh yeah, and his faceoff percentage with the desert dogs is 27%.

SMH at the natural talent he wastes.

Add Lucic to the list and possibly Engylland.
- Popsghostly

Any BlackHawk or Nick Schmaltz!...... NOT!

Lots of people love our mgt's trades. The Wild fans in Minnesota.... The Predator fans in Nashville.... Everybody in Winnipeg ... etc etc.

Better yes. Almost 5 times better (based on cap hit).....No.
- TheTrob

Im gonna say Leddy is 5x better. Gus won't be a NHL regular for much longer. Maybe a third pairing or 7th guy in Arizona or Montreal or some team that has no aspiration to win long term.

He really is not a good hockey player.

" I don't buy that young guys need to learn from Vets by watching."



Who said anything about 'watching'? Watching isn't coaching. But, yes, you can learn from vets.

In other news, has anyone else been following just how awful Schmaltz has been in Arizona?

Yeah, the headline numbers don't look terrible with 4g/5a in 11 games. But then you look and all 4 goals were on the PP. He doesn't generate anything 5v5.

USAT% (Fenwick) is a horrific 40.72%! That's ranked 373/399 players who played ten games or more since 11/25 (trade date); 94% of the league is doing better. For reference, that's about where Seabrook is.

To make matters worse, that Fenwick is with the benefit of an unheard of 70% offensive zone starts. No one else with those awful of numbers is getting the advantage of such unbalanced starts.

Oh yeah, and his faceoff percentage with the desert dogs is 27%.

SMH at the natural talent he wastes.
- gmurban

He doesn't attack the middle of the ice like Panarin or Dcat or any successful player of similar stature and they sold high on him IMO.

He doesn't attack the middle of the ice like Panarin or Dcat or any successful player of similar stature and they sold high on him IMO.
- fattybeef

Annnnnd i feel like Sikura is a similar player so sell high on that dude now as well.

Leddy is a better skater, and a marginally better defenseman. Offensively, I think Gus has slightly better instincts than Leddy. Shots are pretty equivalent, Gus sees the ice better. Leddy is a year older, but obviously has much more NHL experience. The kicker in all of that is Leddy makes $5.5 for 3 more years after this and Gus is at $1.2 for 1 more. Unless Gus really breaks out, his next deal probably gets him in the $2.5-3.5 range on a 3 yr term.

Honestly speaking, I have always seen Leddy as a #3 at his best, I'm not sure he has necessarily played to that level. In the games I have seen he still makes the same mistakes and plays the same way.
- TheTrob

Who are you watching because it is not Gus? Gus doesn’t see the ice at all. That is why he passes into traffic all the time and is a turnover machine. Not to mention he has no hockey IQ and is out of position all time. If he has the requisite hockey IQ he refuses to use it. The money Gus makes is irrelevant. At $25K he’d be overpaid. Hawks must trade him now while some team might still bite. Him leaving will be addition by subtraction as Gus has convinced Colliton he has potential. The Hawks are a much better team when he doesn’t play.

I don’t enjoy being critical of Gus like this but can be because Gus simply doesn’t care to get better. He plays a certain stubborn way and that is the way it is. That is why he doesn’t grow into a better, smarter player.

Does anyone know much about or even watched Blackhawks D prospect Jake Ryczek? The Rink seems to be talking him up quite a bit in their weekly prospect reports.

He was selected in the last round of the 2016 draft out of the USHL (played for Sioux City then Waterloo). He's in his second season with Halifax in the Q.

In addition to Ryczek, the Rink has also been focusing a lot on his Halifax teammate Alexis Gravel. After two so-so seasons, Gravel seems to have elevated his game in net for the Mooseheads.
- AEL_Fox

I'm not as high on Ryczek. From what I've seen he's got a low probability to making it as a pro.

Gravel is still so young but os playing well in the Q. It will be interesting to see how he progresses.

He doesn't attack the middle of the ice like Panarin or Dcat or any successful player of similar stature and they sold high on him IMO.
- fattybeef

I though Schmaltz was turning the corner in learning how to attack the middle of the ice last year. Then, he was concussed early on in 2017 and since then he hasn't been the same in that area IMO.

If Leddy needed 5 years to figure out his way to the UC, why are you so upset he's gone?
- paulr

I didn’t indicate any opinion one way or the other concerning Leddy, other than saying it is hard to celebrate the “Get Leddy” trade, when it was followed by the “Give Leddy” trade, where the Hawks got boxed in, trading late.