Trashville has 20 years of "mediocrity", 0 Cups, Plenty of Participation Trophies.
- EnzoD

Glad I don't root for a team that peaked already without winning anything. Nashville has been sliding back down to mediocrity.

The top five or six choices will not be traded or if they are..........it is a sellers market.

Top young player coming to your team but you trade that? What seriously makes your team significantly better to trade that pick. Not getting anywhere the impact player - just a good player - with the later first. So what could you give them just to exchange slots?
- jhawk59

I agree. I doubt any top 10 picks are traded. My dream scenario is that we play well down the stretch, barely miss the playoffs, and win the lottery to get a top 3 pick.

This Nashville poster's negative stuff fits right in here.

I agree. I doubt any top 10 picks are traded. My dream scenario is that we play well down the stretch, barely miss the playoffs, and win the lottery to get a top 3 pick.
- tvetter

I wonder how that would be received by Powerenforcer? Delusions/conspiracy theories are tough to extract, but that would be fun to see.

To use a Crib analogy- hope you finish in the Sh%thole. Love the fact you are playing yourself out of a good draft pick. Let the decades of Mediocrity begin
- VopatsRash

Not upgrading your goalie position is going to cost you. Which is a good thing because I will be Lmfao watching that Sieve Rinne choke. Remember I told you last year that was going to happen and it will happen again this year Hillrod!. Stay thirsty no cups for Trashville

Currently the Hawks have a 11.7% chance at making the playoffs (as per Hockey Reference):

According to The Athletic this morning, the Hawks playoff probability is 20%.
Plus, 6% to make the 2nd round, 2% to make round 3, 1% to make the SCF, and 0.2% to win the whole darn thing.

the athletic has a good article about all our prospects. its worth the money if people have a few $ to spare each month. the Russians are 2 years away. Also I would like to resign Forsberg and have him compete with Delia for next year. Maybe give him a Euro out? I'm not convinced that delia is better then him at this point.

the athletic has a good article about all our prospects. its worth the money if people have a few $ to spare each month. the Russians are 2 years away. Also I would like to resign Forsberg and have him compete with Delia for next year. Maybe give him a Euro out? I'm not convinced that delia is better then him at this point.
- kmw4631

and 0.2% to win the whole darn thing.
- scottak

Never tell me the odds.

The guys I would like to sign or resign or join AHL next year are"
G:Forsberg
D:mitchell, Krys, Beaudin I would be fine with boquist having one more year unless he can get top 4 minutes in Rockford
F:Kubalik, barrett, hagel entwhistle. its to bad that highmore got hurt this year.

I would give edjsell one more contract.

of the above mentioned the only ones I think could make the hawks next year are kubalik, Mitchell and Forsberg.

the athletic has a good article about all our prospects. its worth the money if people have a few $ to spare each month. the Russians are 2 years away. Also I would like to resign Forsberg and have him compete with Delia for next year. Maybe give him a Euro out? I'm not convinced that delia is better then him at this point.
- kmw4631

Forsberg is so good at the AHL level. I think the Hawks keep him for sure, unless he wants out. I'd like to see him get a shot at that backup job again next season. It will probably be him and Delia battling for it.

The Hawks are the 8th highest scoring team in the league (7th best 5v5). Everyone acknowledges the goals against needs to be reduced - by a lot. Defensive improvement can be accomplished by better personnel and/or better team defense, including goaltending. But what about the offense, specifically the forward lineup - does it also need to be improved or is it good enough now to win with provided the goals against improves?

That's not to say we shouldn't improve the forward lineup where/when possible - but is it a necessity to get back to being a Cup contender?
- EbonyRaptor

Top 6 or primary scoring is definitely not an issue. Yet, while secondary scoring is better, it could stand to improve vastly. If the team is to roll 3 scoring lines and a shutdown 4th line that can agitate, then the 3rd line should have each forward scoring at least 35 points if not be around 20/20 apiece (or 15/25, 10/30, etc).

The personnel is getting there to accomplish that. IIRC, you had a late post yesterday referencing that the forwards are fairly solid with the top 9 wings + Caggiula as long as Perlini and Sikura continue to grow and trend upward with their offensive production. While Perlini is putting up points versus Sikura who is not, 95 is at least creating several chances per game lately for his linemates and himself. I like his dynamism, vision, and compete.

As an example:

Saad - Toews - Sikura
Kahun - Anisimov - Kane
DeBrincat - Strome - Perlini
Caggiula - Kampf - Hayden

The Hawks might be in a better position if they can upgrade over Anisimov and Hayden. I don't mind Anisimov, actually, but would like a more natural goal scorer on that LW opposite of Kane.

Did someone fart?
It smells like a dead catfish crawled up a dead catfish's arsehole and cheesed one off big time...

Nilsson played for Colliton in Sweden. He has close to 20 goals as a North America rookie AHL without much help on the forward lines. So how does he score 20 - maybe a useful player particularly if he could become a better offensive version yet pattern himself aftet Kruger. What do you see with Nilsson, AEL_FOX?

Edjsell is someone you figure Bowman wants to at some point in time give serious look at the NHL. It is all about his shot. It should be all about him offering more than just the shot. Languishing in the AHL might motivate him to use his body more or something to make him more worthy.

- jhawk59

Nilsson is a decent AHLer but pretty redundant with Kampf, just has more grit and sandpaper than 64. Same with Johnson. Highmore as well but he's more relentless and speedy than physical and feisty.

All 4 of them have the same potential as 4th line center at the NHL level so I wouldn't want more than one of them in the Hawks lineup unless one lines up as a winger opposite Caggiula. They're in the mix for that spot along with Hayden, but I also would like to see what's on the market to maximize options.

If you crunch the numbers, the Hawks basically have no chance to catch St. Louis or Dallas. If the Hawks go 9-2. they would need those teams to play around .500 hockey. They both have really easy schedules. The team that is vulnerable is Arizona. Much tougher schedule and a lot of road games. Of course, the Hawks need to get 7 out of the next 8 points at least before playing Arizona again. Still, odds are against them finishing 9-2 because they play the top 4 games in the division in their last 4 games.

Having said all that, they have really made a lot of great strides. Still some huge holes in the defense, and they have given away a lot of points too, but they have been one of the better teams in the league for the last couple months.

They have enough cap room to handle it this year without a carryover.
- mohel

Strome is the only one carrying the most money in potential bonuses. Even with how well he has done since being with the Hawks, he won't hit anywhere close to any of the big bonuses.

Most of them are in the 200K range. CapFriendly doesn't specify exactly how the bonuses would be earned. It does show what the max amount is on every ELC.

Erik Gustafsson at forward? What could possibly go wrong?

Lazerus has article in the Athletic about this...TrueGrit's head will explode...

"If​ you’ve watched​ enough​ of​ the Blackhawks this season,​ the​ thought probably​ has​ crossed​ your​ mind​ at​ some point.

Maybe it​ happened​​ during one of Erik Gustafsson’s mad dashes through the neutral zone with the puck on a string. Or after he made one of those slick cross-slot one-timer feeds to Patrick Kane or Alex DeBrincat. Or maybe it was at the tail end of one of Gustafsson’s misadventures in his own end, caught out of position and turned inside-out by an on-rushing forward. Or, heck, maybe it popped into your head the last time you took a long look at the Blackhawks’ depth chart and contract situation and wondered just where all these dynamic young defensive prospects are going to fit in the next season or two.

What if the Blackhawks just made Gustafsson a forward?

Tempting, isn’t it? After all, what do the Blackhawks need the most? Another dynamic winger to flesh out the top nine, and some wiggle room on the back end for a rising prospect or a summer signing. Bumping Gustafsson from defenseman to forward could accomplish both of those things.

And you know who likes the idea? Erik Gustafsson.

“Oh, man, I’d love to play up there,” he said. “It’s fun to play up there.”

One problem, though.

“I can’t play,” he added with a laugh. “Not at this level. No way.”"


"Go around the Blackhawks dressing room and ask this question, and you’ll get a lot of furrowed brows, a lot of hemming and hawing, and a lot of shrugs. Oh, and a lot of jokes about how forwards can’t skate backward.

“I’ve seen some of our forwards skate backward,” Dahlstrom said. “I usually tell them to keep skating forward.”


Well, sorry, Erik, the Blackhawks won’t be converting you (or young Adam Boqvist, for that matter) to forward anytime soon. And even Gustafsson — who, like every player, dreams of being a 50-goal scorer and playing a glamour spot up front — knows that’s probably for the best.

“Nobody wants to be back in your own end all the time, it’s not fun,” he said, laughing. “But forward? No. I don’t think I could do it. And I don’t think anyone wants to see that.”
- bogiedoc

Did someone fart?
It smells like a dead catfish crawled up a dead catfish's arsehole and cheesed one off big time...
- 35Tony0

That odor is VopatsRash opening up the door of his RV to get some of that fine, clean trailer park air.

Trashville has 20 years of "mediocrity", 0 Cups, Plenty of Participation Trophies.
- EnzoD

Banners in their case.

Top 6 or primary scoring is definitely not an issue. Yet, while secondary scoring is better, it could stand to improve vastly. If the team is to roll 3 scoring lines and a shutdown 4th line that can agitate, then the 3rd line should have each forward scoring at least 35 points if not be around 20/20 apiece (or 15/25, 10/30, etc).

The personnel is getting there to accomplish that. IIRC, you had a late post yesterday referencing that the forwards are fairly solid with the top 9 wings + Caggiula as long as Perlini and Sikura continue to grow and trend upward with their offensive production. While Perlini is putting up points versus Sikura who is not, 95 is at least creating several chances per game lately for his linemates and himself. I like his dynamism, vision, and compete.

As an example:

Saad - Toews - Sikura
Kahun - Anisimov - Kane
DeBrincat - Strome - Perlini
Caggiula - Kampf - Hayden

The Hawks might be in a better position if they can upgrade over Anisimov and Hayden. I don't mind Anisimov, actually, but would like a more natural goal scorer on that LW opposite of Kane.
- AEL_Fox

Yep, I think the team will score enough with the top-9 you have listed, provided the PP doesn't go back into a funk. I hope there are better options for the 4th line than Hayden - Kubalik, Highmore or maybe even Entwistle.

Never tell me the odds.
- gnosox1986

Hawks are 70.2% probability to beat the Canucks tonight. Vancouver on the 2nd of a back to back.

And, The Athletic has ARI getting the final spot with 88 points. So the Hawks need to get to 88 and let the ROW decide it, or get to 89.

Nilsson is a decent AHLer but pretty redundant with Kampf, just has more grit and sandpaper than 64. Same with Johnson. Highmore as well but he's more relentless and speedy than physical and feisty.

All 4 of them have the same potential as 4th line center at the NHL level so I wouldn't want more than one of them in the Hawks lineup unless one lines up as a winger opposite Caggiula. They're in the mix for that spot along with Hayden, but I also would like to see what's on the market to maximize options.
- AEL_Fox

I would disagree about Highmore not being fiesty. He isn't big but he is a pest. Does a bit different than being physical. He uses his speed and smarts to hound guys.

He and Kampf played with Edsjell in the AHL playoffs last year. Kampf and Highmore were constantly causing havoc in front of the net and Edsjell was cleaning up.

And you know who likes the idea? Erik Gustafsson.
“Oh, man, I’d love to play up there,” he said. “It’s fun to play up there.”
One problem, though.
“I can’t play,” he added with a laugh. “Not at this level. No way.”"

He can't play defense at this level either, so there's that.

Also. Just ignore the Preds clown, guys. Gotta be smarter than that dolt. Responding to him is exactly what he craves.

Keep your heads in the game, FFS.

Strome is the only one carrying the most money in potential bonuses. Even with how well he has done since being with the Hawks, he won't hit anywhere close to any of the big bonuses.

Most of them are in the 200K range. CapFriendly doesn't specify exactly how the bonuses would be earned. It does show what the max amount is on every ELC.
- Elbows15

I know there was some lamenting among the faithful that Stan didn't spend more of the Cap space freed up by trading Hossa last summer ... but, that $4.5M in cap space will ensure that bonuses will not dip into the 2019/20 cap.