If Stan can pull it off , instead of the flashy names , How about adding a couple of players like Ryan Dzingel and Josh Manson . He did say he is open to making a hockey trade In Manson’s case. As far as the other kid, hell I would see what it would cost to trade for him now instead of getting into the bidding war, who knows he may be favorable to sign an extension once it settles in and he’s coming home to play. Both of those kids are good solid players.
- wonthecup10

What would we give up to get Manson? One of our promising young D? Murphy? Saad?

If Stan can pull it off , instead of the flashy names , How about adding a couple of players like Ryan Dzingel and Josh Manson . He did say he is open to making a hockey trade In Manson’s case. As far as the other kid, hell I would see what it would cost to trade for him now instead of getting into the bidding war, who knows he may be favorable to sign an extension once it settles in and he’s coming home to play. Both of those kids are good solid players.
- wonthecup10

Panarin Toews Kane
Debrincat Strome Kahun

Chicago 9 Visitors 8

lol Teams have not learned not to take a penalty against us, lol

Making it work would be next to impossible, otherwise he would never have hit Columbus. He is going to get paid, NYR OR LAK have the bucks and cap

What would we give up to get Manson? One of our promising young D? Murphy? Saad?
- Popsghostly

Saad is severely under rated, please just keep this guy. He is a 200' players that has some grit and always works hard. The third line without him would self destruct.

Just an update for those interested.

Boqvist is producing pretty well right now. 5A, 9A = 14P in his last 8 games. He had a colder stretch in Jan, but has been doing great in Feb.

49 points in 43 games on the year.
- breadbag

Poking around a bit more I noticed Luke Johnson is having a good stretch lately too. He had 11 points in his first 23 games, but now has 11 in his last 10. He didn't look NHL ready when he played for the Hawks but maybe some improvement could put him in the mix for next year.

He had 17 points his first season with Rockford (73 games) and 30 points in 73 games last year, so the pace right now 22 points in 33 games this season. Maybe he will get another shot at the Kruger role (assuming Kruger leaves as UFA).

Just an update for those interested.

Boqvist is producing pretty well right now. 5A, 9A = 14P in his last 8 games. He had a colder stretch in Jan, but has been doing great in Feb.

49 points in 43 games on the year.
- breadbag

He understands that side of the game very well and is accomplished at something that can't be taught. But the important skills to be a defenseman, ie: stopping the opposition are skills he's still working at. Over the course of the year he has been playing quite allot better especially in his positioning, gap control, controlling shooting and passing lanes etc.. But he is still a long ways off from being ready for NHL duty. There is a dilemma, He may not have much left to accomplish in Junior hockey but I think London is the best place for him to learn. Maybe a part or a full season in Rockford?

I am with you and I know the quote. He didn't show up in the Preds series but neither did the entire flipping team. We got steam rolled in 4 games. He probably was tired after the series beat down and demoralized. NHL players get up for playing for their home country. Even the USA players. I never thought Panarin was a soft player. He scores goals from all over the ice, including the tough areas.

If posters are going to bash Panarin then they better bash Saad even more. He's "200ft forward who excels at the PK". Except our PK is the worst in the league and Saad is a complete ghost for long stretches during the season and has been disappointing in the Pts department.

Bet Panarin has more hits than Saad this year.
- bhawks2241

Brandon Saad has been excellent for almost two months straight, and he's producing very well. He's on a trajectory to score nearly 30 goals and produce 50+ points, which is what he has done throughout his career. The entire PK has been a dumpster fire and pinning it on one player is unfair.

Saad is the best forward on the team at tilting the ice the other way, has been using his body positioning to create space and passing lanes for his linemates, and has been back-checking well. He has also been using his explosive speed to create chances on the rush and he's been using his shot well.

I don't agree with Panarin-bashing and I don't agree with Saad-bashing.

P.S - Panarin has 10 hits and Saad has 35

Saad is severely under rated, please just keep this guy. He is a 200' players that has some grit and always works hard. The third line without him would self destruct.
- joegreif17

Agree. If Saad isn't going to be reinserted back in the top 6, then build the 3rd line around him. All 3 players on that line need to be 200 foot players with potential to collect 35-45 points each.

Although not ready now and maybe a year away from hitting full potential, Sikura could fit as the RW. Kahun as well who is already a 0.50 PPG player, albeit playing top 6 minutes.

Get them an experienced 3C and that line could really bolster the bottom 6 with a 4th line that has plenty of options in house or in the system.

Saad is severely under rated, please just keep this guy. He is a 200' players that has some grit and always works hard. The third line without him would self destruct.
- joegreif17

Saad has turned it around this year for sure. His goal scoring pace is second best of his career (only better the year he went to CBJ) and he point production is right on his career mark. I think they need to keep him unless the cap crunch comes down, he is still a good PK guy and asset.

He understands that side of the game very well and is accomplished at something that can't be taught. But the important skills to be a defenseman, ie: stopping the opposition are skills he's still working at. Over the course of the year he has been playing quite allot better especially in his positioning, gap control, controlling shooting and passing lanes etc.. But he is still a long ways off from being ready for NHL duty. There is a dilemma, He may not have much left to accomplish in Junior hockey but I think London is the best place for him to learn. Maybe a part or a full season in Rockford?
- paulr

Totally agree as Philco stated yesterday, he looks a little lost in his own end at times. I think Jokiharju is the big fish right now and he is looking mighty fine in the ahl. I hope he gets a recall at some point this year but he is developing nicely.

Brandon Saad has been excellent for almost two months straight, and he's producing very well. He's on a trajectory to score nearly 30 goals and produce 50+ points, which is what he has done throughout his career. The entire PK has been a dumpster fire and pinning it on one player is unfair.

Saad is the best forward on the team at tilting the ice the other way, has been using his body positioning to create space and passing lanes for his linemates, and has been back-checking well. He has also been using his explosive speed to create chances on the rush and he's been using his shot well.

I don't agree with Panarin-bashing and I don't agree with Saad-bashing.

P.S - Panarin has 10 hits and Saad has 35
- Hawks_49

In terms of getting scored on 4-5 PK Kampf/Saad/Kruger has the lowest goals against per minute of PK time for the team. I think the hawks biggest issue is having enough guys that can play PK effectively. There are some guys like Martinsen, Hayden, Fortin, Kunitz, Caggiula who have not had huge PK minutes, but got scored on on the occasions they got out there.

Schmaltz/Johnson didn't have much success.

Toews and AA have been okay, but not superb on the kill.

I think if the Hawks had one or two more really good PK forwards, the whole thing improves in a big way. Get the guys who shouldn't see PK time out of there.

What would we give up to get Manson? One of our promising young D? Murphy? Saad?
- Popsghostly

To be honest with you, I don’t know who is available ,Bob Murray is a loose cannon and he may just be listening to offers for anybody. Boqvist and Joki are keepers, everybody else is fair game, I like Connor Murphy and I would love to see him and Manson on the same team. Bob Murray is looking for scoring I do not want to part with Saad,If they want Saad and they have to come up with more than Manson. Maybe bowman good poker face them into believing that Dylan Sakura is going to be a good hockey player and maybe a couple of the other forward prospects we have. All I’m doing is speculating.
On a serious note, and defense is what we need, hopefully Bowman is zeroing In on EK, and I don’t mean Eli Kolb. By the way I wonder how that kid is doing these days.

Brandon Saad has been excellent for almost two months straight, and he's producing very well. He's on a trajectory to score nearly 30 goals and produce 50+ points, which is what he has done throughout his career. The entire PK has been a dumpster fire and pinning it on one player is unfair.

Saad is the best forward on the team at tilting the ice the other way, has been using his body positioning to create space and passing lanes for his linemates, and has been back-checking well. He has also been using his explosive speed to create chances on the rush and he's been using his shot well.

I don't agree with Panarin-bashing and I don't agree with Saad-bashing.

P.S - Panarin has 10 hits and Saad has 35
- Hawks_49

Well said, and both players deserve positive vibes imo. The one thing that really makes me happy is the fact that Debrincat and Strome are likely to be the next Kane and Toews in a few years as the latter ages. The next 3-4 years is going to be an exciting time for Hawks fans as they will still all be firing on all cylinders. The D really is a problem and how to fix it is challenging. Bringing Jokiharju and Boqvist would be better served having a better core to train them properly. Jokiharju is going to be elite one day, just give him a little time. Strome with Debrincat is just what the doc ordered, wow is all I can say.

I think he is realizing that Debrincat's emergence has made signing Panarin even more difficult.
- nickmo2699

Or signing Panarin completely unnecessary. The Hawks have a dumpster fire defense and hopes and dreams that prospects will save the day are fools gold. Yes one or two may work out, some may not and the ones that do work out may not for 3 years. Panarin is NOT coming back to Chicago, period because he is not needed. Many more needs than a scoring winger. He seems like a good kid and a great player, but let someone else sign him for 10 million a year.

Or signing Panarin completely unnecessary. The Hawks have a dumpster fire defense and hopes and dreams that prospects will save the day are fools gold. Yes one or two may work out, some may not and the ones that do work out may not for 3 years. Panarin is NOT coming back to Chicago, period because he is not needed. Many more needs than a scoring winger. He seems like a good kid and a great player, but let someone else sign him for 10 million a year.
- kwolf68

They need a healthy CC going into next year. Right now that is a huge ? mark. If he cant stay healthy, it will be another circus in net. Any FA money needs to be put into the D. Its awful. Even if they make the playoffs, be lucky to win a game.

They need a healthy CC going into next year. Right now that is a huge ? mark. If he cant stay healthy, it will be another circus in net. Any FA money needs to be put into the D. Its awful. Even if they make the playoffs, be lucky to win a game.
- z1990z

Yea goalie is still a bit of a question mark for sure. Absolutely agree focus should be on that blueline, which makes pining for top 6 forwards mind-boggling.

They need a healthy CC going into next year. Right now that is a huge ? mark. If he cant stay healthy, it will be another circus in net. Any FA money needs to be put into the D. Its awful. Even if they make the playoffs, be lucky to win a game.
- z1990z

It is really too bad the aging Crawford has another year on his six million contract. It makes signing a top ufa like Lehner, Varlamov, or Bobrovsky impossible almost. It is time to move on from Crawford, Keith, Seabrook as they are all in full decline and just have to wait out the contracts. All overpaid and too much term. No disrespect intended they have been amazing players in their prime. I also have been shaking my head at Delia extenstion. Financially it leaves us with CC and CD for next year and I do not have a lot of optimism with that.

We need to pick up the pace, comments to JL's blog total 814, the entire rest of the blogs combined are at 1,000 I am sure we can lap that number!


Yes I was bored and added all the posts up.

Because the Hawks are a poor team. Last I checked they are in LAST place in their division.
- Return of the Roar

Now why’d you have to go and ruin everything by forcing reality upon us!

Brandon Saad has been excellent for almost two months straight, and he's producing very well. He's on a trajectory to score nearly 30 goals and produce 50+ points, which is what he has done throughout his career. The entire PK has been a dumpster fire and pinning it on one player is unfair.

Saad is the best forward on the team at tilting the ice the other way, has been using his body positioning to create space and passing lanes for his linemates, and has been back-checking well. He has also been using his explosive speed to create chances on the rush and he's been using his shot well.

I don't agree with Panarin-bashing and I don't agree with Saad-bashing.

P.S - Panarin has 10 hits and Saad has 35
- Hawks_49

If ever a player and a team deserved each other, it would be Panarin and the New York Rangers. Is Glen Sather still a part of their organization?

Brandon Saad has been excellent for almost two months straight, and he's producing very well. He's on a trajectory to score nearly 30 goals and produce 50+ points, which is what he has done throughout his career. The entire PK has been a dumpster fire and pinning it on one player is unfair.

Saad is the best forward on the team at tilting the ice the other way, has been using his body positioning to create space and passing lanes for his linemates, and has been back-checking well. He has also been using his explosive speed to create chances on the rush and he's been using his shot well.

I don't agree with Panarin-bashing and I don't agree with Saad-bashing.

P.S - Panarin has 10 hits and Saad has 35
- Hawks_49

I wasn’t pinning anything on Saad. He had been a beast lately but he was also horrible for nearly 2 months earlier in the season. He is a real nice forward but he isn’t a game changer or someone that consistently tilts the ice in once direction.

He deserved the bashing last year and the first 1/3 of this season. He deserve praise now for turning his game around big time.

I don’t really understand his prolonged slumps considering his game is pretty simple and he isn’t out there running guys. No reason he should disappear for 10 games at a time.

I am with you and I know the quote. He didn't show up in the Preds series but neither did the entire flipping team. We got steam rolled in 4 games. He probably was tired after the series beat down and demoralized. NHL players get up for playing for their home country. Even the USA players. I never thought Panarin was a soft player. He scores goals from all over the ice, including the tough areas.

If posters are going to bash Panarin then they better bash Saad even more. He's "200ft forward who excels at the PK". Except our PK is the worst in the league and Saad is a complete ghost for long stretches during the season and has been disappointing in the Pts department.

Bet Panarin has more hits than Saad this year.
- bhawks2241

Nope Panarin has 10 hits Saad 35!

Anyone interested in Kassian if it looks like the last wild card spot is within reach at the TDL? Might as well get the right type of player for the playoffs if he won't cost too much. His contract expires next year before all of our young guys need to get signed.

Agree. If Saad isn't going to be reinserted back in the top 6, then build the 3rd line around him. All 3 players on that line need to be 200 foot players with potential to collect 35-45 points each.

Although not ready now and maybe a year away from hitting full potential, Sikura could fit as the RW. Kahun as well who is already a 0.50 PPG player, albeit playing top 6 minutes.

Get them an experienced 3C and that line could really bolster the bottom 6 with a 4th line that has plenty of options in house or in the system.
- AEL_Fox

Could Kahun slip over to 3C? Isn't that his natural position?

Anyone interested in Kassian if it looks like the last wild card spot is within reach at the TDL? Might as well get the right type of player for the playoffs if he won't cost too much. His contract expires next year before all of our young guys need to get signed.
- Dieselhead

Not a good skater, takes ill advised penalties, but is rough and tumble

Not a good skater, takes ill advised penalties, but is rough and tumble
- LAHawk

So he's Shaw 2.0? Worked out pretty well in 2015.