What about Fortin as a possible call up?

What about Fortin as a possible call up?
- TJYTJY

He's just five injuries away from a call up.

He's just five injuries away from a call up.
- mohel

He's moved up

I the last blog, I tried to hit on how teams like the Sabres seem to always gamble on these high skilled scorer types (even drafting dynamic but non work out warriors Casey Mittelstadt) over less dynamic steady NHL possibles...

Puljujarvi sold us and AHO m might have had much to do with his success.
and Colrado's Jost is still improving but it is not apparent unless you iso on him.

Sam Steel others they will need that time, and many in that class are in teams systems and the teams are not stressing if their development is "finished."
- wiz1901

Jesper Pratt is a player New Jersey drafted in the 6th round in 2016. He played 3 seasons (nearly 100 games) with AIK in the Swedish league. For a young kid, he did quite well offensively. In one of those seasons, Nylander suited up for 3 games with AIK and did absolutely nothing. Comes over to Canada and posts 75 points with Mississauga in the OHL and the Sabres jump on him as a top 10 in the draft. (I guess they thought he was better than Debrincat too).

Point being is there are some gems at the bottom of the draft if a team's scouts are on top of things. Pierre Engvall is another one doing extremely well with the Maple Leafs - 7th round pick in 2014. Plays 3 seasons in the AHL and gets a shot in the NHL as an injury call up. And the guy who got injured isn't getting his job back, Engvall is too good.

However patience like this to develop players over time is not the Stan Bowman/Blackhawks calling card.

If we get another top three pick this summer, do we become a playoff contender next season?

Have to think we will have Ian Mitchell and Kurashev to the lineup too.

The product this season is disappointing to watch. I lost all hope after watching last night's game.

We can no longer blame the outcome on the system. The players seem to adapting to it now.

This team needs 2-3 B+ players.

Those years of this team turning on the jets and getting 5-10 wins in a row is not there.

This team is marginally better than last year and their record shows it.

Also - what the hell is going on with debrincat? yikes.

Sounds reasonable. And sounds better than him being an entitled kid who doesn't have the drive.

Hesitant would be saying he's confused and afraid of making a mistake. Have to say "frankit" and go for it they're not sending him down.

What about Fortin as a possible call up?
- TJYTJY

He makes Viktor Stahlberg look like Wayne Gretzky.

Because a player with any sort of work ethic and fire in his stomach would put out more than what we witnessed last night. THere was a reason he wasnt a fixture in Buffalo the last two years. You can't say he didn't have an opportunity. THey were a tire fire last year and the year before.
- nickmo2699

And he was 19-20 JFC!

You can question his work ethic, his drive whatever, if you go back and read ALL the scouting reports about Nylander, is how good his hockey sense is. Maybe it is drive, maybe it is he is scared, maybe he is thinking too much, but he does not lack hockey sense.

That is what makes him so frustrating. he is a 5 tool player (in baseball terms), who hasn't put it all together. Will he ever, who know, if he doesn't he won't be the first nor the last.
- LAHawk

He was born with hockey sense. Maybe it's telling him the "system" is f'd up.

I do think that when (and if) they have a true pulse on Ian Mitchell's intentions, that will help determine which rostered defenseman they try too move NOW at the deadline.
I think he plays right away and that is HIS "demand" and the GM already the other ay spouted that company line.
His addition sends a message to the defenders that yet another roster spot is being filled (as Boqvist's call-up didl), by subtraction, they may not be in line to compete honest for the spot around Keith and Seabrook and Murphy.


(They had conversations with Kevin Hayes much in advance of the end of his final year, and continued pestering his representation and him personally until they were given strong indications he's was testing the market. AND once they knew the clear intention off Hayes to go UFA, they DID NOT ANNOUNCE IT...except when that lady color analyst (who they would go to during the telecasts with what player A tweeted) TWEETED K Hayes was leaving and NOTHING was said for the next month and she was basically shutdown too...She now does some stuff for NHL.com I think...I had no room for her name, lol!.

So to me it is madness to think outside defenders are gonna be added tis main stays...or to help solidify the playoff run."
- wiz1901

Exactly. With Boqvist now "online" and Seabrook still here - that takes two of the three starting RD spots. Murphy is the other RD right now - so how do Boqvist, Mitchell, Murphy and Seabrook fit into 3 RD spots and keep everyone happy?

Hypothetically, would you trade Gus straight up for Puljujarvi? It seems like the Oilers are in the market on their backend while pool party would be a likely trade chip. Just a quick thought after reading the trade chips blog on the Athletic.

Obviously the Hawks saw something in Kubalik that the Kings didn't. We got him for a 5th rounder. I guess Stan failed again, should of been a 6th.

thats been a problem for years: the good ole days with toews, kane, sharp, hossa, keith and seab they had massive droughts...how could a team with all that talent just have such a poor and unreliable pp...

i actually thought their movement was pretty good the other night on the pp and 6v5. but the movement did not generate any quality chances... to heavy of a reliance on the kane halfboard and set up the weak side one timer (how many shanks, broken sticks, missed passes have we seen)....HAS NOT WORKED. I would like to kane and adb work lower behind the goaline get the goalie and defense looking back behind the net and then mix up with movement from the other 3 players playing gaps toward the net...
- bogiedoc

PP sucked in '10, '13 and '15. Defense didn't suck.

Hypothetically, would you trade Gus straight up for Puljujarvi? It seems like the Oilers are in the market on their backend while pool party would be a likely trade chip. Just a quick thought after reading the trade chips blog on the Athletic.
- zm333

Oilers wouldn't, they still have his rights. Someone would offer Holland more than Gus to sign him.

Obviously the Hawks saw something in Kubalik that the Kings didn't. We got him for a 5th rounder. I guess Stan failed again, should of been a 6th.
- LAHawk

He's going to cost $3m next year.

Hypothetically, would you trade Gus straight up for Puljujarvi? It seems like the Oilers are in the market on their backend while pool party would be a likely trade chip. Just a quick thought after reading the trade chips blog on the Athletic.
- zm333

I'd trade him for his grandmother.

He's going to cost $3m next year.
- rpeters01

Isn't that better than if he sucked and would sign for $1 mil. ?

Isn't that better than if he sucked and would sign for $1 mil. ?
- LAHawk

Totally! Godforbid he doesn't turn into Richard Panik...

Isn't that better than if he sucked and would sign for $1 mil. ?
- LAHawk

I don't like Dinky but he doesn't cost much the next two years anyway.

anybody else wonder why Gilbert is in ever game over Koek? Koek for the most part has been good. or fine.

PP sucked in '10, '13 and '15. Defense didn't suck.
- rpeters01

pp is overrated but it would be helpful to be in the upper 50% of the league

yep and yep...

they continue to thread together these 4 for 30 droughts...just unacceptable

anybody else wonder why Gilbert is in ever game over Koek? Koek for the most part has been good. or fine.
- kmw4631

he likes to fight...that's an important skill for winning hockey...

Hypothetically, would you trade Gus straight up for Puljujarvi? It seems like the Oilers are in the market on their backend while pool party would be a likely trade chip. Just a quick thought after reading the trade chips blog on the Athletic.
- zm333

For sure.

anybody else wonder why Gilbert is in ever game over Koek? Koek for the most part has been good. or fine.
- kmw4631

Gilbert is young and has potential. They're trying to find his ceiling. Koekkoek is more or less capped...What you see is what you get.

Who is fired first?

Bergevin-Julian or
StanBo, Colliton?