Anders Sorensen, who has been a Blackhawks development coach, replaces Brookbank as an assistant for the IceHogs.
- walleyeb1

Sorensen has been with the organization for 4+ years. He'll be the guy to fill in in Rockford for now. I've heard that coaching staff was being evaluated.

I'd say Barry Smith was merely a part time coach with Colliton to make sure he assimilated ok to the NHL. My guess is he stays close to Colliton but doesn't need to be on the bench.

I could be wrong but that's my guess.

Colliton is really getting his way with Bowman. A very young and inexperienced coach to run their defense. Colliton must have really liked how Sheldon was teaching in the AHL to stick his neck out for him.

Jokiharju and the Finns making quick work of the Swiss.

Sorensen has been with the organization for 4+ years. He'll be the guy to fill in in Rockford for now. I've heard that coaching staff was being evaluated.

I'd say Barry Smith was merely a part time coach with Colliton to make sure he assimilated ok to the NHL. My guess is he stays close to Colliton but doesn't need to be on the bench.

I could be wrong but that's my guess.

Colliton is really getting his way with Bowman. A very young and inexperienced coach to run their defense. Colliton must have really liked how Sheldon was teaching in the AHL to stick his neck out for him.
- Justin Lowe

I think you are right about Smith.

Jokiharju and the Finns making quick work of the Swiss.
- gmurban

Never count those Swiss out Kurshev make it 4 /1

I think you are right about Smith.
- breadbag

Don't expect much from a guy whose initials are B.S.

Classic moment in the Hawks-Nucks rivalry. Loved how Eager embarrassed Bieksa and literally undressed him in this fight. For those that remember, this is the Burrows hair pulling incident with Keith.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCCR0PcT4_E
- AEL_Fox

God I loved Ben Eager that entire season. That was what Blackhawk toughness was all about. Not just in that one clip but he played like NAILS all year round.
Thanks AEL

God I loved Ben Eager that entire season. That was what Blackhawk toughness was all about. Not just in that one clip but he played like NAILS all year round.
Thanks AEL
- Hawkytalk

Who was the gigantic sissy pulling Keith's hair? He couldn't even fight like a man!

My big concern with moving out Saad is that you have to replace him in the top 6. In theory, sure throw some money at a FA and plug him in. The problem comes when we have to actually convince the FA to play for us over the other teams (with similar offers).

I'm not down on Saad nearly as much as many here. He has times where he plays better or worse, but overall I like what he brings to the team.
- Chunk

Not for 6M a year he doesn't. ..No way.
Moving Saad's 6M and Anisimov's 4.5M
would help the rebuild tremendously. Not even to mention Kruger's total waste of 2.7M. I great GM could rebuild this team to a contender in 2 years. IMO

Who was the gigantic sissy pulling Keith's hair? He couldn't even fight like a man!
- I Am The Breadman

Lol....that was that enormous freekin sally Alex Burrows.....aka. "the hair puller"

Lol....that was that enormous freekin sally Alex Burrows.....aka. "the hair puller"
- Hawkytalk

Ahh, thanks. I have a different reason to hate that guy.

Not for 6M a year he doesn't. ..No way.
Moving Saad's 6M and Anisimov's 4.5M
would help the rebuild tremendously. Not even to mention Kruger's total waste of 2.7M. I great GM could rebuild this team to a contender in 2 years. IMO
- Hawkytalk

I be on board with moving those 3 ,don't know what the return would be .

Who was the gigantic sissy pulling Keith's hair? He couldn't even fight like a man!
- I Am The Breadman

Alex Burrows. He's also the guy who chirped Patrick O'Sullivan that he would beat his ass worse than his old man did. He is one of the most classless players I've ever seen over the course of over 50 years. Now he wonders why he can't get invited to any events like charity tournaments. Guy is the definition of an ass.

I agree - the bye week is a break for us fans, too.

But - 10 days (combining, by coincidence, the bye week with the All Star break) I think is a bit too long.
- StLBravesFan

I have to admit that I didn't realize it would be 10 days. That is excessive. Plus a break is more important to a contending team so there's that. If anyone, Colliton needs a break the most.

Alex Burrows. He's also the guy who chirped Patrick O'Sullivan that he would beat his ass worse than his old man did. He is one of the most classless players I've ever seen over the course of over 50 years. Now he wonders why he can't get invited to any events like charity tournaments. Guy is the definition of an ass.
- 6628

Didn't hear the O'Sullivan thing ..... wow. Garbage human being.

I be on board with moving those 3 ,don't know what the return would be .
- oldduffman

I would hold on to Saad, and Krugs is gone next year anyway, but I would let AA go for best draft pick offered. His 4.5M could really help next season.

God I loved Ben Eager that entire season. That was what Blackhawk toughness was all about. Not just in that one clip but he played like NAILS all year round.
Thanks AEL
- Hawkytalk

You bet.

If the team is looking to get tougher to play against and we consider internal options:

Current roster players who can play physical include Hayden, Perlini, Murphy, Dahlstrom, Seabrook, and increasingly Gustafsson as of late. Martinsen, too, if he doesn't get claimed. That's not enough from the forwards, especially Hayden and Perlini who don't do it enough as they should given their size.

While not physical as in checking and hitting, DeBrincat and Jokiharju are ultra competitive and don't back down if pushed around. Keith can play physical if he wants to but is apt to cross the line when provoked. There was that Game 4 monster hit he had on Arvidsson in the 2017 playoffs but that physicality should have been there starting with Game 1 to help set the tone early.

As far as prospects, physical players to keep an eye on: Barratt, Entwistle, Carlsson, Hillman, and Gilbert.

Similar to DeBrincat and Jokiharju as players with high compete level but not necessarily physical, there's definitely Highmore and Soderlund as well as possibilities like Hakkarainen, Kurashev, Slavin, and Galvas.

AHLers like Johnson, Knott, Nilsson, and Noel play physical but just don't see them making the cut beyond being emergency call ups.

Some potential in the system but some prospects may not pan out at all and those that will may not make the team for another few years. Hopefully some options to add more toughness become available via trade and free agency.

Kurashev named one of the 3 best Swiss of the tourney.

Jokiharju named one of the 3 best Finns of the tourney.

Kurashev named one of the 3 best Swiss of the tourney.

Jokiharju named one of the 3 best Finns of the tourney.
- gmurban

Plenty of young talent coming soon.

I'll repeat myself by saying a GREAT GM could rebuild this team into contention in 2 years through proper trading of Vets and non producers. That means you 20.

Yep, except for I'm not seeing it w/Sikura, keep that 4th line
w/AA centering Kahun/Cat.

I wouldnt mind trading Saad to Minny for Nino N and putting
him with Strome Kane

Leaving Capt w/ FA wing and Kappo/VasilyP

4 good lines then?
- gazza53

I personally would keep Saad and like a both/and rather than an either/or scenario with a forward like Niederreiter. Nino is a gritty power forward who plays really physical in the slot and along the boards but can be streaky.

For this season, Sikura got 3 points in 10 games. If he can add one more point in each subsequent 10-game sets, he would get around 23-25 points in 49 games which is around a 0.50 PPG player. Not bad for a rookie year playing less than 10 minutes a game.

Even if he ends with less points, he is at least displaying little things that can help the team compete like dumping and chasing, battling for pucks along the boards, being like a fly on manure on the forecheck, generating takeaways, and sticking to his post in the D zone rather than floating or collapsing low. I would expect a big uptick in his offense next season.

If you have Netflix, watch Black Mirror: Bandersnatch

I personally would keep Saad and like a both/and rather than an either/or scenario with a forward like Niederreiter. Nino is a gritty power forward who plays really physical in the slot and along the boards but can be streaky.

For this season, Sikura got 3 points in 10 games. If he can add one more point in each subsequent 10-game sets, he would get around 23-25 points in 49 games which is around a 0.50 PPG player. Not bad for a rookie year playing less than 10 minutes a game.

Even if he ends with less points, he is at least displaying little things that can help the team compete like dumping and chasing, battling for pucks along the boards, being like a fly on manure on the forecheck, generating takeaways, and sticking to his post in the D zone rather than floating or collapsing low. I would expect a big uptick in his offense next season.
- AEL_Fox

Would like to see Sikura get some time in OT 3 on 3

If you have Netflix, watch Black Mirror: Bandersnatch
- EnzoD

Thanks for the recommendation, I will watch it.

If you have Netflix, watch Black Mirror: Bandersnatch
- EnzoD

Anyone watch Bird Box also on Netflix?

Anyone watch Bird Box also on Netflix?
- AEL_Fox

My nephew did, said it was great.

My break isn't long enough for the crap I want to do.

Would like to see Sikura get some time in OT 3 on 3
- oldduffman

Sure, why not. Really, not necessarily Sikura. Starting OT with the core doesn't seem to be working so why not trot out the young guns and let them run. When he's on his game, Saad is killer on the PK so makes some sense to maybe have him as one of the starting forwards.