Wait...Mo's a dude???
- HawkintheD

I think so.

Now...Stan if goes and trades Perlini, Gus to Vegas for Gusev

I may be impressed
- PatShart

Only until you see what's left of the D-men try to push the attack.

Well we can add Anisimov's.player jersey tshirt to the $5 clearance table outside Clark Street Sports on the corner... wait, did they even make any...?

Has anyone ever spotted a fan wearing Anisimov merch?

Good poll question: What's the most obscure jersey anyone has ever seen?

TBh, I haven't been a fan of the last two. We'll see. Who knows. Though TT was okay here, it seems being traded caused him to take his game to a better level. Maybe Nylander can be useful.
- Elbows15

A change of scenery could help him like it did Strome. I'm waiting for the season to start and how the team plays overall before I start to criticize Stan's off season moves.

Well we can add Anisimov's.player jersey tshirt to the $5 clearance table outside Clark Street Sports on the corner... wait, did they even make any...?

Has anyone ever spotted a fan wearing Anisimov merch?

Good poll question: What's the most obscure jersey anyone has ever seen?
- Brownie's_Purse

Brownie's_Purse

Hawks downgraded big time, but they saved money

Theres no ways around it.

But oh well...good luck to AA and he doesnt have to be the whipping boy anymore

And good bye center depth. It was nice for a few weeks!
- PatShart

Most common linemates last season...

Zack Smith: Magnus Paajarvi, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Bobby Ryan, Ryan Dzingel, Tom Pyatt

Artem Anisimov: Patrick Kane, Brandon Saad, Dominik Kahun, Dylan Strome, Chris Kunitz


Colin Cudmore
@CudmoreColin
That was on the Sens blog most have probably seen it ...I thought it was interesting...

I'm a big Anisimov fan, but the ship has sailed so I'm looking for positives.

Seems that Zack Smith was playing with less talented players and still had 28 points in 70 games. Anisimov with better players and had 37 pts in 78 games.

Only until you see what's left of the D-men try to push the attack.
- Elbows15

Boqvist

Wait...Mo's a dude???
- HawkintheD

At times.

Most common linemates last season...

Zack Smith: Magnus Paajarvi, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Bobby Ryan, Ryan Dzingel, Tom Pyatt

Artem Anisimov: Patrick Kane, Brandon Saad, Dominik Kahun, Dylan Strome, Chris Kunitz


Colin Cudmore
@CudmoreColin
That was on the Sens blog most have probably seen it ...I thought it was interesting...

I'm a big Anisimov fan, but the ship has sailed so I'm looking for positives.

Seems that Zack Smith was playing with less talented players and still had 28 points in 70 games. Anisimov with way better players and had 37 pts in 78 games.
- just69sayin

Seems like Smith is the new Dave Bolland. Hard to play against, scrappy, chips well at the dot, but doesn’t fill the stat sheet. Checking line center/wing is what he is and he saved some coin.

A few Day 2 prospect camp observations. Again, take these with a megaton of salt:

- Dach is really strong on his skates and can make plays with someone else draped on him. He won't be hulking like Byfuglien dragging around half the other team around him but he's showing he can be dominant driving to and parking in the crease. Overall a very good skater with tight pivots and edges.
- Someone else noticed this in an earlier post but Nylander's compete level on defense is lacking as he coasts and gives up on plays.
- In a 2-on-2 drill where Nylander and Hagel were linemates, Nylander's drive to obtain the puck was noticably less than Hagel's who engaged in board battles and played aggressive to get the puck back.
- The D-men participated in a drill where they took shots from one far side of the blueline then walked the line to take a shot from the other side. Beaudin's skating was silky smooth while Vlasic's was more utilitarian (not ugly but not graceful or effortless either).
- Boqvist on defense lets guys get behind him and can sometimes miss assignments. If he's going to show any semblance of defensive awareness, these aspects of defending need to improve dramatically at the pro level.
- Gravel sat out Day 1 due to not being medically cleared but participated in Day 2. Not sure what the medical reason yesterday and/or leading in to camp.

Seems like Smith is the new Dave Bolland. Hard to play against, scrappy, chips well at the dot, but doesn’t fill the stat sheet. Checking line center/wing is what he is and he saved some coin.
- Assman22

That sounds pretty good. I loved Bolland, as I'm sure everyone around here did as well. Here is a funny story involving Bolland, on a side note. I was standing there and witnessed it live; really funny. https://www.dnainfo.com/c...river-whos-hockey-legend/

Seems like Smith is the new Dave Bolland. Hard to play against, scrappy, chips well at the dot, but doesn’t fill the stat sheet. Checking line center/wing is what he is and he saved some coin.
- Assman22

I don't even dislike Smith (in the right role), but this made me offended on behalf of Bolland.

I don't even dislike Smith (in the right role), but this made me offended on behalf of Bolland.
- L_B_R

Offended?

Mitchell: "Watching the playoffs last year, I didn't feel that I would be in a position to step in the league and play full-time. I didn't feel that my game is at that point yet. I fell another year in college will help me a lot."

Quoting someone who tweeted about Mitchell (can't remember who so sorry for not citing this source adequately): "Mitchell says he has improved his ability to deal with more physical players over the last 2 years. He is more comfortable being able to tie-up sticks and battle in front of the net. Also cites his improvements defensively with gap control."

Beaudin: "Last year I was more of an offensive-defenseman. This year I feel like more of a two-way, more complete player. I'm a smooth skater but I can work on moving my feet quicker."

Vlasic: "I've been in summer classes for about 2 weeks now. I'll definitely go there [Boston University] for about 2 years or so. Maybe 2 or 3 and then figure out what I want to do from there."

A few Day 2 prospect camp observations. Again, take these with a megaton of salt:

- Dach is really strong on his skates and can make plays with someone else draped on him. He won't be hulking like Byfuglien dragging around half the other team around him but he's showing he can be dominant driving to and parking in the crease. Overall a very good skater with tight pivots and edges.
- Someone else noticed this in an earlier post but Nylander's compete level on defense is lacking as he coasts and gives up on plays.
- In a 2-on-2 drill where Nylander and Hagel were linemates, Nylander's drive to obtain the puck was noticably less than Hagel's who engaged in board battles and played aggressive to get the puck back.
- The D-men participated in a drill where they took shots from one far side of the blueline then walked the line to take a shot from the other side. Beaudin's skating was silky smooth while Vlasic's was more utilitarian (not ugly but not graceful or effortless either).
- Boqvist on defense lets guys get behind him and can sometimes miss assignments. If he's going to show any semblance of defensive awareness, these aspects of defending need to improve dramatically at the pro level.
- Gravel sat out Day 1 due to not being medically cleared but participated in Day 2. Not sure what the medical reason yesterday and/or leading in to camp.
- AEL_Fox

Thanks! Nylander should be busting his ass right now every step of the way, come on Nylander wtf.

Zawaski: "Kurashev and Boqvist shining during one-on-one and two-on-one drills. Kurashev is creative and skilled. Boqvist is supremely confident offensively, but his defensive confidence is catching up."

It's a pure hockey trade. Smith brings something back. A dump for picks simply leaves another hole to fill. You knew he was gone. Was just a matter of time.
- z1990z

This deal and actually each of the other trades and signings has the earmark of putting players into roles where they can succeed more so than the sorry situation last season. Yes AA is the better player. But i did not really want him as our #3 center. He was good when he played with Kane. We have drama theatre with Bowman playing his hand.

Really we just have to look at the final roster after all moves. It is all about 1) improvement in areas which were bad last season. Objective: make playoffs. 2). There are a lot of prospects up and down the lineup whom will win jobs - more jobs realisticly after this season. New kids replace some of the newbies here perhaps shirt term even one season.

I would expect Z Smith and maybe Carpenter as role players whom will move to another team, same role, in due time because Biwman will not rudh the kids

Be serious. Dach and Entwhistle replace someone right? Geez whom might they replace? Our top dman prospect s are going to take whose job permanently?

Even in goal Crawford is going to be doing his swan song. No one would pay big dollars for his checkered scarry past. Yep concussions suck.

Vlasic: "I've been in summer classes for about 2 weeks now. I'll definitely go there
- AEL_Fox[Boston University] for about 2 years or so. Maybe 2 or 3 and then figure out what I want to do from there."

He's going the Hayes route.

We need to make a deal for Gusev. The guy is a stud.

Offended?
- Assman22

Lol yes! Even in his last injury riddled season with the Hawks, Bolland performed statistically better than Smith has most of his career, much less over the last two seasons. Name a defensive stat and Bolland was better than Smith has been for a few seasons - zone exits, puck recover, entry prevention, shot suppression (general, low slot), puck protection rate, lower turnover rate, etc etc. Oh, and Bolland typically drew more penalties than he took while Smith takes ill-timed ones. And that's just 5v5 - Bolland was an even better player on the PK (which Smith is fine on but Bolland was just excellent).

He's going the Hayes route.
- mohel

No poker face on this cat. Vlasic plays with his cards facing up.

Mitchell: "Watching the playoffs last year, I didn't feel that I would be in a position to step in the league and play full-time. I didn't feel that my game is at that point yet. I fell another year in college will help me a lot."

Quoting someone who tweeted about Mitchell (can't remember who so sorry for not citing this source adequately): "Mitchell says he has improved his ability to deal with more physical players over the last 2 years. He is more comfortable being able to tie-up sticks and battle in front of the net. Also cites his improvements defensively with gap control."
- AEL_Fox

I've also heard him say, college gives me time in the weight/ training room, much more than I'd get in any other of these leagues

https://twitter.com/jcgre...tatus/1151216052203851782

Here's a great clip of skill and speed on display by Dach and Mitchell (white 77 and 46) pretty much dominating Entwistle and Boqvist (red 37 and 27).