Red font wasn't needed, the post was dripping in sarcasm
- paulr

I was channeling my inner DarthKane

The Athletic also has an analysis of the Hawks D up today, more of season grades than future look, but some really good stuff. Here’s Scott Powers’ on Duncan Keith’s season:

SP: If you want to measure this Duncan Keith to the Duncan Keith of the Blackhawks’ Stanley Cup teams, then he’s not going to stand up. But if you want to gauge him on where he’s at in his career, how he’s still used and what he still does, then he’s exceeding expectations. He turns 36 in June and again led the Blackhawks in ice time. He was still put in all situations and still drove possession, defended and was on the ice for many more goals for than against. Honestly, he should be in a lesser role at this stage of his career. He’d do even more if his main responsibility was just even-strength play. He was one of the league’s top-30 defensemen in even-strength play, according to Evolving-Hockey.com. He did play much better this season than in the previous one. Age catches up to players and it’s on the Blackhawks for not better preparing for the future with their defensemen. There are quality defensemen coming, but they should have been here already. Keith may not be the same player he was five years ago, but he still carried the defense this season. Final grade: A-minus
- scottak

A-????? How about F-. Worst decision maker on the back end the Hawks have. Cant do stretch pass anymore and his active stick isn't so active. Alway out of position. Attitude sucks when it comes to mentoring the younger guys.One of the most overrated dmen in the league.

Huh? Saad, RNH and Lucic make $6M each, so that trade puts Hawks down $6M. Add $9M for Panarin, and the Hawks spend $15M more on forwards. No way to sign the kids. Perhaps I misunderstood your post, but it seems to have math issues.
- mohel

Forget it, he’s rolling

Would you trade DeBrincat and the 3rd to move up to the 2nd or 1st spot to have a shot at him?
- HawkintheD

No
Only so many really small forwards on a team. I am happy with DeBrincat. Caulfield has to do it in the NHL.
DeBrincat body can wthstand rigors of a physical game in a land of giants. Caulfield you don' t know. Actually my opinion is not meaning too much; ask wiz

Sign Dutch, trade for Boedker and Hanzal, look to add Kesler at all costs (he wins faceoffs) then the Hawks are set.
- DarthKane

Your boy Cole Caulfield looks pretty good today 3 goals!

A-????? How about F-. Worst decision maker on the back end the Hawks have. Cant do stretch pass anymore and his active stick isn't so active. Alway out of position. Attitude sucks when it comes to mentoring the younger guys.One of the most overrated dmen in the league.
- Nmbr1

I will agree that there is truth to both that post and your response.

I was channeling my inner DarthKane
- Slofire94

You have a knack...I fell for it.

A-????? How about F-. Worst decision maker on the back end the Hawks have. Cant do stretch pass anymore and his active stick isn't so active. Alway out of position. Attitude sucks when it comes to mentoring the younger guys.One of the most overrated dmen in the league.
- Nmbr1

Worst decision maker...based on his decisions arent ones you would make?

And he sucks at mentoring, huh?

‘I will always appreciate the way he has accepted me,’’ Jokiharju said. ‘‘It has made me a better player. I watch all the things he does now — how he plays simple, joins the rush, shoots the puck hard, how he practices and trains, how he takes good care of his body. I watch all of it.

‘‘He’s such a good role model for the team and for me. He doesn’t even seem old yet. He’ll be like that the next 10 years, probably. He’s so confident. And all the little plays he makes, all the little things? You can’t learn that.’’

Bye bye

It truly is mind-boggling. I’ve been refraining from responding to every single ‘trade Gus’ post because I’d be responding to dozens and dozens and dozens of posts and I simply don’t have the willpower to argue anymore.

The best posts are the ones people shopping him for mid-round draft picks or bottom-six skaters. It’s truly comical.

Without Gus and the fresh breath of air that was our PP in the second half of the year, this team would have been fighting with the true bottom of the barrel teams this season.

If you don’t want Bo and Gus to play together? Fine, I understand that POV and respect it. But if you’re trading him for the sake of trading him because you feel you might have some sort of logjam or you don’t want to pay him next season, then that is incredibly shortsighted and illogical.

27-year old d-man who just finished up his first FULL season and doesn’t even have TWO full seasons under his belt, is coming off a 60 point campaign, and is the reason your special teams wasn’t as abysmal as it has been for the good part of the past decade, and fans want him gone as if he’s expendable trash.

If Gus is traded, and this team doesn’t acquire a VIABLE top-4 d-man (and don’t make me laugh by saying 20-year-old Joker is that), this defense is leaps and bounds worse than they were this past season, and we won’t be any better than we were this past season.

Gus, for at least another year, is a keeper. If he improves his defense even slightly, he’s worth the contract extension he will soon be receiving.
- TommyHawk

I'm a Gus fan, and actually think he improved significantly on defense the second half of the year. However, unless you think he's the key to competing for a Cup, I say trade him this summer.
If he puts up 60 points again, I don't see how we can afford his next contract. If he doesn't put up big points, I don't see how we tolerate his defensive mistakes.
I would talk to Vegas about Gus for McNabb AND Eakin.

Would you trade DeBrincat and the 3rd to move up to the 2nd or 1st spot to have a shot at him?
- HawkintheD

The question is no longer "Should we draft Cole Caufield", the question is "Only an idiot GM wouldn't draft Cole Caufield". Although Stan is an idiot, he should do what he can to draft Caufield.

I'm a Gus fan, and actually think he improved significantly on defense the second half of the year. However, unless you think he's the key to competing for a Cup, I say trade him this summer.
If he puts up 60 points again, I don't see how we can afford his next contract. If he doesn't put up big points, I don't see how we tolerate his defensive mistakes.
I would talk to Vegas about Gus for McNabb AND Eakin.
- tvetter

Vegas plays a structured system. Gustafson struggled trying to conprehend a system under Q. He excelled when JC came in and threw out a team structure and the whole team just played freely versus having to have discipline

Vegas wouldn't want him or he wouldn't fit

Ek reporting Malkin to LA.
I wonder if Pittsburgh would take Saad (Pit native), #3 overall, Bovquist, Gus, Kane (50% retained) and a 2020 4th for him?
He can be the MAN here and it would slot Toews at 3C, where he belongs
- Slofire94

Why L.A. is rebuilding doesn't make any sense plus do not think they can afford Malkin.

I was channeling my inner DarthKane
- Slofire94

We all have an "Inner Darth Kane" that needs to come out from time to time. But I started seeing responses to your post that indicated maybe not everyone had filtered through their "Inner Darth Kane".

We all have an "Inner Darth Kane" that needs to come out from time to time. But I started seeing responses to your post that indicated maybe not everyone had filtered through their "Inner Darth Kane".
- -Doh-

And then there are those that argue just to argue.
Edit: not directed at you

The question is no longer "Should we draft Cole Caufield", the question is "Only an idiot GM wouldn't draft Cole Caufield". Although Stan is an idiot, he should do what he can to draft Caufield.
- DarthKane

Where in the first round do you see him going in the first round? If we traded our 2nd round pick, what would we have to add to get to where he will be picked?

And then there are those that argue just to argue.
Edit: not directed at you
- riozzo

I disagree

And then there are those that argue just to argue.
Edit: not directed at you
- riozzo

We call him True Contrarian.

Where in the first round do you see Caufield going in the first round? If we traded our 2nd round pick, what would we have to add to get to where he will be picked?
- walleyeb1

I have him at # 24 TO Nashville

https://www.draftsite.com/nhl/mock-draft/2019/

I think that Hwks second is a nice place to take a goaltender, after Spencer Knight is gone.

We call him True Contrarian.
- paulr

No we don't.

No we don't.
- CanOCorn

Sorry, gonna have to go ahead and disagree with you there Corny...yes we do.

I have him at # 24 TO Nashville

https://www.draftsite.com/nhl/mock-draft/2019/

I think that Hwks second is a nice place to take a goaltender, after Spencer Knight is gone.
- wiz1901

How about waiting until the fourth round and taking Mads Sogaard, I just think that’s an awesome name for a goalie.

Why L.A. is rebuilding doesn't make any sense plus do not think they can afford Malkin.
- Scott1977

Geno wants to be "the man". What abut Kopitar?

Where in the first round do you see him going in the first round? If we traded our 2nd round pick, what would we have to add to get to where he will be picked?
- walleyeb1

1st round, 3rd overall.

I have him at # 24 TO Nashville

https://www.draftsite.com/nhl/mock-draft/2019/

I think that Hwks second is a nice place to take a goaltender, after Spencer Knight is gone.
- wiz1901

Wiz you think beecher falls to hawks in the second round or do they take a goalie.

How about waiting until the fourth round and taking Mads Sogaard, I just think that’s an awesome name for a goalie.
- walleyeb1

Trent Miner would be a good mid-late round goalie selection.