Hawks lose in the one game buy in 24 team tournament.
- LAHawk

Wonder what the buy in tourney seeding would look like. Top 4 teams in the east and west get byes? Then next 8 teams in east and west form the 1st round bracket?
5 vs 12, 6 vs 11, 7 vs 10, 8 vs 9. (In western conference points, Hawks are currently 12th and Dallas is 5th). 16 teams left - Then 1st round winners play bye teams and so on, I would guess.

Hawks lose in the one game buy in 24 team tournament.
- LAHawk

Will the 24 team tournament determine draft position?

Yeah, but the NBA isn’t a physical game. They could go with virtually no off-season without risking future repercussions...not so sure the NHL could go that route.
- Ogilthorpe2

Dan Bernstein will tell you Basket Ball is more physical than hockey their legs and feet wear out much faster in Basket Ball.

That sounds about right. Don't know if you're an Athletic subscriber but they had a write up the other day detailing four scenarios for the Hawks in the offseason.

Just for ER one of them even had Max Shalunov coming over.

Other than possibly trading Matta, buying out Smith and figuring out the goalie situation, I think the team looks similar to the way it ended this season.

Some of that depends on the health of de Haan, Shaw and Seabs; but I suspect any new faces will likely come from within the organization.

Maybe they make hay with another Euro signing that allows some of the Ice Piggies to develop further.
- HawkintheD

I think you'll see less turnover of the roster this summer than last. Last year additions were Maatta, deHaan, Shaw, Nylander, Smith, Carpenter, Lehner and Dach.

The 4 guys with NMC's, three injured guys who are more or less unmovable (Shaw, deHaan and Smith), the younger "core" of Dach, Boqvist, Debrincat, Nylander, Strome, Kubalik, Carlsson and whoever the 2 goalies are account for 16 spots. Let's say Smith is bought out so there's 15 roster spots.

Leaves Saad, Carpenter, Caggiula, Kampf, Highmore, Maatta, Murphy and Koekkoek making 23. Have to keep most of these for 4th line and veteran presence.

Not many candidates to be moved or let go. 4K possibly, Maatta/Saad to free up cap space especially if cap stays flat and you have to pay Kubalik, Strome and a #1 goalie? Maybe they will be an amnesty buy out (Seabrook ?) if the cap stays flat? His 6.875M could help pay for Kubalik/Strome/goalie. Interesting summer on tap.

That sounds about right. Don't know if you're an Athletic subscriber but they had a write up the other day detailing four scenarios for the Hawks in the offseason.

Just for ER one of them even had Max Shalunov coming over.

Other than possibly trading Matta, buying out Smith and figuring out the goalie situation, I think the team looks similar to the way it ended this season.

Some of that depends on the health of de Haan, Shaw and Seabs; but I suspect any new faces will likely come from within the organization.

Maybe they make hay with another Euro signing that allows some of the Ice Piggies to develop further.
- HawkintheD

If you read it on the internet - it's gotta be true.

Will the 24 team tournament determine draft position?
- Angotti

Everyone wants to know.

If you read it on the internet - it's gotta be true.
- EbonyRaptor

Well...yeah.

Here was the second possible offseason scenario Powers and Lazerus outlined where franchise savior Max Shalunov gets a mention...

Option 2: Mild tweaks

For all the talk about the Blackhawks’ defensive issues, they’re 19th in the league at just 2.93 goals per game. The defense, like it or not, is pretty well locked in at this point with veterans on long-term contracts and young players cracking the lineup. So if they’re going to spend some money in free agency, what they need is another scoring winger to round out the top nine.

We went with Tyler Toffoli, a familiar face from back when the Kings were the Blackhawks’ biggest rival atop the league. Another option would be Evgenii Dadonov, who could help the power play (he’s got 11 PPGs this season), but he’s now 31 and we’ll err on the side of youth. Either way, this will require dumping a contract or two, and Smith and Maatta are really the only options. They can both be bought out, or ideally, at least one of them can be traded, even if it’s just for a mid-round pick or two.

And yes, we’re bringing Max Shalunov — who’s 27, even though it feels like he’s 37 by now — over from Russia at long last.

Offseason transactions
• Re-sign Dominik Kubalik at two years, $3.5 million cap hit
• Re-sign Dylan Strome at three years, $3.5 million cap hit
• Re-sign Corey Crawford at two years, $4 cap hit
• Re-sign Drake Caggiula at two years, $1.25 million cap hit
• Re-sign Slater Koekkoek at one year, $750,000 cap hit
• Sign Max Shalunov at one year, $925,000 cap hit
• Buy out Zack Smith ($1,083,333 cap hit for next two years)
• Trade Olli Maatta
• Sign free agent Tyler Tofolli at five years, $5 million cap hit

PSA: As life is changing around us by the day it seems, it's still nice to come to that little corner of our lives reserved for shutting out everything else and immersing ourselves in Hawks and hockey.

That is all. Return to normal programming.

If you read it on the internet - it's gotta be true.
- EbonyRaptor

Well I don't know? Abrahan Lincoln said,"The trouble with quotes on the Internet is that you can never know if they are genuine."

PSA: As life is changing around us by the day it seems, it's still nice to come to that little corner of our lives reserved for shutting out everything else and immersing ourselves in Hawks and hockey.

That is all. Return to normal programming.
- EbonyRaptor

Don't you have toilet paper to buy?

Well...yeah.

Here was the second possible offseason scenario Powers and Lazerus outlined where franchise savior Max Shalunov gets a mention...

Option 2: Mild tweaks

For all the talk about the Blackhawks’ defensive issues, they’re 19th in the league at just 2.93 goals per game. The defense, like it or not, is pretty well locked in at this point with veterans on long-term contracts and young players cracking the lineup. So if they’re going to spend some money in free agency, what they need is another scoring winger to round out the top nine.

We went with Tyler Toffoli, a familiar face from back when the Kings were the Blackhawks’ biggest rival atop the league. Another option would be Evgenii Dadonov, who could help the power play (he’s got 11 PPGs this season), but he’s now 31 and we’ll err on the side of youth. Either way, this will require dumping a contract or two, and Smith and Maatta are really the only options. They can both be bought out, or ideally, at least one of them can be traded, even if it’s just for a mid-round pick or two.

And yes, we’re bringing Max Shalunov — who’s 27, even though it feels like he’s 37 by now — over from Russia at long last.

Offseason transactions
• Re-sign Dominik Kubalik at two years, $3.5 million cap hit
• Re-sign Dylan Strome at three years, $3.5 million cap hit
• Re-sign Corey Crawford at two years, $4 cap hit
• Re-sign Drake Caggiula at two years, $1.25 million cap hit
• Re-sign Slater Koekkoek at one year, $750,000 cap hit
• Sign Max Shalunov at one year, $925,000 cap hit
• Buy out Zack Smith ($1,083,333 cap hit for next two years)
• Trade Olli Maatta
• Sign free agent Tyler Tofolli at five years, $5 million cap hit
- HawkintheD

I was going to have a blog on this... reviewing their teams and/or creating my own.

I also have an idea to create an Armchair GM team every week for discussion purposes. I would have you all contribute as well.

Thoughts?

PSA: As life is changing around us by the day it seems, it's still nice to come to that little corner of our lives reserved for shutting out everything else and immersing ourselves in Hawks and hockey.

That is all. Return to normal programming.
- EbonyRaptor

Amen. We need more posts though! I want to waste 3hrs of my day reading Hockeybuzz!!!!

Amen. We need more posts though! I want to waste 3hrs of my day reading Hockeybuzz!!!!
- bhawks2241

Well, this ought to get people talking again

Jimmy Greenfield
@jcgreenx
Pretty big news: Stan Bowman will stay with the Blackhawks despite the team missing the playoffs for a 3rd straight season.

(with quotes from Rocky)

Well...yeah.

Here was the second possible offseason scenario Powers and Lazerus outlined where franchise savior Max Shalunov gets a mention...

Offseason transactions
• Re-sign Dominik Kubalik at two years, $3.5 million cap hit
• Re-sign Dylan Strome at three years, $3.5 million cap hit
• Re-sign Corey Crawford at two years, $4 cap hit
• Re-sign Drake Caggiula at two years, $1.25 million cap hit
• Re-sign Slater Koekkoek at one year, $750,000 cap hit
• Sign Max Shalunov at one year, $925,000 cap hit
• Buy out Zack Smith ($1,083,333 cap hit for next two years)
• Trade Olli Maatta
• Sign free agent Tyler Tofolli at five years, $5 million cap hit
- HawkintheD

So using the Powers/Lazerus plan we would have essentially the same team except Maatta and Smith leaving and Tofolli and Shalunov being added. They probably also assumed Mitchell would be signed.

Hmmm ... counting the number of top-9 forwards, I count 10 - Toews, Kane, Saad, Kubalik, Dach, Cat, Strome, Nylander, Tofolli, Shalunov. There's been talk about trading Saad but hopefully not for the purpose of signing Tofolli. I'd rather have Saad at $6M than Tofolli at $5M.

So if the Powers/Lazerus plan is to have all 10 of those top-9 forwards on the team - then which one plays 4th line minutes? Nylander's played some 4th line this season but if the objective is to determine if he's worth further investment after next season - he needs to be put into a top-9 offensive role. Maybe they thought Shalunov for the 4th line? Not Shalunov's strength either though ... so ...

By the by: a lot of posters seem to have a pretty favorable assessment of Carlsson as I see him listed in lots of lineup projections for next season - just a caution to slow the Carlsson role just a bit - he's played only 6 games so far. I like what I've seen so far and he might be a good 6/7 "utility/depth" d-man but too early to know.

I was going to have a blog on this... reviewing their teams and/or creating my own.

I also have an idea to create an Armchair GM team every week for discussion purposes. I would have you all contribute as well.

Thoughts?
- Tyler Cameron

Sounds like fun. Can't wait to see a few of the team's loaded with face punchers. Will be interesting regardless. Why the heck not?

I was going to have a blog on this... reviewing their teams and/or creating my own.

I also have an idea to create an Armchair GM team every week for discussion purposes. I would have you all contribute as well.

Thoughts?
- Tyler Cameron

It depends. Does the Armchair GM get to pick their own coaching staff?

Sounds like fun. Can't wait to see a few of the team's loaded with face punchers. Will be interesting regardless. Why the heck not?
- HawkintheD

Awww ... I kinda miss John Scott. If there was ever a lovable face puncher - it was that guy.

Well, this ought to get people talking again

Jimmy Greenfield
@jcgreenx
Pretty big news: Stan Bowman will stay with the Blackhawks despite the team missing the playoffs for a 3rd straight season.

(with quotes from Rocky)
- pdx2ord

Meanwhile, back at the office of Wonthecup10...

So using the Powers/Lazerus plan we would have essentially the same team except Maatta and Smith leaving and Tofolli and Shalunov being added. They probably also assumed Mitchell would be signed.

Hmmm ... counting the number of top-9 forwards, I count 10 - Toews, Kane, Saad, Kubalik, Dach, Cat, Strome, Nylander, Tofolli, Shalunov. There's been talk about trading Saad but hopefully not for the purpose of signing Tofolli. I'd rather have Saad at $6M than Tofolli at $5M.

So if the Powers/Lazerus plan is to have all 10 of those top-9 forwards on the team - then which one plays 4th line minutes? Nylander's played some 4th line this season but if the objective is to determine if he's worth further investment after next season - he needs to be put into a top-9 offensive role. Maybe they thought Shalunov for the 4th line? Not Shalunov's strength either though ... so ...

By the by: a lot of posters seem to have a pretty favorable assessment of Carlsson as I see him listed in lots of lineup projections for next season - just a caution to slow the Carlsson role just a bit - he's played only 6 games so far. I like what I've seen so far and he might be a good 6/7 "utility/depth" d-man but too early to know.
- EbonyRaptor

Considering they've identified DCat as the lug net-front guy on the PP, I'll go with him on the 4th.

On a more serious note, I concur about Carlsson. Nice so far, but a larger sample size is needed before he gets penciled in anywhere.

I was going to have a blog on this... reviewing their teams and/or creating my own.

I also have an idea to create an Armchair GM team every week for discussion purposes. I would have you all contribute as well.

Thoughts?
- Tyler Cameron

We can create the fantasy teams on capfriendly then reference the link for all to review and comment upon. Good thing about capfriendly is that the salary cap is factored in.

So using the Powers/Lazerus plan we would have essentially the same team except Maatta and Smith leaving and Tofolli and Shalunov being added. They probably also assumed Mitchell would be signed.

Hmmm ... counting the number of top-9 forwards, I count 10 - Toews, Kane, Saad, Kubalik, Dach, Cat, Strome, Nylander, Tofolli, Shalunov. There's been talk about trading Saad but hopefully not for the purpose of signing Tofolli. I'd rather have Saad at $6M than Tofolli at $5M.

So if the Powers/Lazerus plan is to have all 10 of those top-9 forwards on the team - then which one plays 4th line minutes? Nylander's played some 4th line this season but if the objective is to determine if he's worth further investment after next season - he needs to be put into a top-9 offensive role. Maybe they thought Shalunov for the 4th line? Not Shalunov's strength either though ... so ...

By the by: a lot of posters seem to have a pretty favorable assessment of Carlsson as I see him listed in lots of lineup projections for next season - just a caution to slow the Carlsson role just a bit - he's played only 6 games so far. I like what I've seen so far and he might be a good 6/7 "utility/depth" d-man but too early to know.
- EbonyRaptor

Actually Saad was on this roster and they got their by essentially LTIR'ing Seabs and Shaw.

Meanwhile, back at the office of Wonthecup10...


- HawkintheD

Wouldn't hurt to see Blackhawks players had even a small amount of that aggression.

Well, this ought to get people talking again

Jimmy Greenfield
@jcgreenx
Pretty big news: Stan Bowman will stay with the Blackhawks despite the team missing the playoffs for a 3rd straight season.

(with quotes from Rocky)
- pdx2ord

Oh Dear ....

Considering they've identified DCat as the lug net-front guy on the PP, I'll go with him on the 4th.

On a more serious note, I concur about Carlsson. Nice so far, but a larger sample size is needed before he gets penciled in anywhere.
- Chunk

Agree with Carlsson so far so good. Maybe the 6-7 man in place of 4K. Also the injury situation regarding Srabrook and deHaan will factor into his slotting next season.

Even though Beaudin had a nice game in his debut, way to early to give him a job. Give him more time in Rockford and call him up for small trials as a injury replacement.

Will the 24 team tournament determine draft position?
- Angotti

That's why I am hoping that there is no time to do this "bottom qualifiers re-do"...because team in the playoffs ARE ALWAYS relegated to higher draft positions due to their appearance (they are "better" than the non playoff teams...) and I like that #9 slot a lot....

I saw lots of talk about things here ... and I dont think with the games speed you can stop most concussions, just be careful when they may be happening.

Like him or not Washington's big Wilson gets them space and is a disruptive piece of work that othe pposing teams understand must be cognizant of.

No matter how much so many of us want to hold on to the idea of a big heavy defenseman role in the pros, the landscape has manicured to skill fast and stick closure against attackers so the defender can move to his next player area he is defending when the puck moves on. Close on him everyone close on him, your guy right now.
That old "taking out a pound of flesh from the puck carrier" isn't as effective at the present pace.

I just think that if the draft history of more knowable NHL scouting staffs shows you anything, it is they don't see selecting certain new age defensemen that the mock draft prognosticators saw as "later selections" as risks.

Let's use 2018 draft as an example.
You saw the high end more polished junior defenders go off the board pretty m much where you would expect.
Then you saw some organizations selecting long term defenders who were bigger, needed additional improvements so they eventually were equals to the new age guys.

Blackhawks take small Beaudin and Maple Leafs take under six footer Rasmus Sandin.

No hesitations in their selections.

Why? Because they are quick enough to head stick and foot to get there and more impotently help in the attack aspects.

and the issue is you can look at th bigger boys in the drafts is most might be larger but basically they are finesses guys too, b/c the game dictates speed and skill above all else.

I like Vlasic in the second rd and my boy Cole Moberg in the 7th.

Cole is a finesses first guy who is adding the big man gam, and Vlasic as someone mentioned is adding a well rounding to all phases at this point.

Ryan Shea was always a terrific 4 direction skater who likes to jump in on the attack and in closing on the attackers, but the concerting was more how well he does in closed areas at getting securing and being strong enough on the puck at the pro level to execute those possessions in a positive fashion, and part is hockey smarts there too.

When Dougie Hamilton got picked so early by Bruins, you HAVE to thought they projected the physicality to come but knew this kid was still offense first.

So, I am thinking teams ar still trying to figure out the way to blend their defenses to win, attack and defend, but it just seems very complicated from the entry draft level...

One added thought I commented on a Pierr labrum story with one of my lengthy answers, and some person commented, "William, I guess working from home isn't easy for you..."
so I let him now I have plenty of hockey I can fill my day with while I do my job at DraftSite.com.

I just think everybody has got something nasty to say to people they are not dealing with personally -mhappy to make him looked rude...was I rude?