Actually Jim, not a reach...he is a bigger man with as good feet and while he isn't as yet an instinctive attacker, he moves really well will only get better.

You can't teach size and Drysdale is gonna have to cope just like all the Hawk prospect/defenders who are strong in so areas but defend and contend with having to pay against the big boys.
- wiz1901

If you tell me that you are pretty confidant that Sanderson will be good defensively, then I want to know if he could be as good as Drysdale. Drysdale projects as solid defensively although with Sanderson you get more size and ability to check hard(er). Your reports detail a different kind of skating for each player. Powerful vs fast.. I like both players. Would be willing to select either but Drysdale sounds like he is going to drive the play better.

It is difficult to win the first overall and start feeling pressure from it.

But the Cap crunch can sour the best of grapes.

Look how all those Winnipeg early part of the first round picks put them Cap crunched and sent the young defender Trouba to Rangers...but the guys still there deserve the money, right/

Let's just imagine this: what IF Lafreniere is a good player, but more Jonathan Drouin than Barkov or Mackinnon...
or think how Nico Hischier and Nolan Patrick and for that matter Hughes are going to take longer to the league by storm as dominant players IF THEY EVER TRULY BECOME that....

Hawks gonna open the checkbook on Lafreniere second deal before they see high end positive results in all around and production?

I look at Nico Hischier ready to make 7.25 NEXT year, on the job training at a more than generous number.

My point its simple if you pick first you always will have to pay and you may not get that dominant guy -think Nolan Patrick if healthy is a Matthews type???

Would the two guys you get with the Ottawa picks ask for the same? Maybe
- wiz1901

Hirschier hasn't come close to earning 7.25. The landscape has changed with a flat cap for the next few years.

Sanderson would be a huge mistake in the top 10. He is being moved up because of the lack of high end D-prospect in this draft.

Sanderson would be a huge mistake in the top 10. He is being moved up because of the lack of high end D-prospect in this draft.
- Elbows15

My immediate thought too.. I get wiz' point and although both dmen are nice drafts, Drysdale is more the Clydesdale. Edit: at least vis - a - vis the first year or two of NHL career Drysdsle is the more advanced ready.

Sanderson is not quite ready but Drysdale could be playing immediately. I feel too the safe pick is Drysdale than the fast riser Sanderson

Wiz can confirm Phil Esposito wasn't the fastest guy on skates, I would say Dach is considerably faster and Esposito dominated quite well in a 12 team league.
- rpeters01[/

Different era’s. When Espo played, several rinks including Boston and Chicago were less than 200x85. Biggest difference though was the rules. Touch up offside and center line offside were rules that were eventually instituted to speed the game up.

Sanderson would be a huge mistake in the top 10. He is being moved up because of the lack of high end D-prospect in this draft.
- Elbows15

Next year's draft is supposedly more talent rich in defensemen. There will be more BPAs at forward this coming draft, at least in the opening round.

Please explain how Crawford not playing, while under contract, benefits him.
- Elbows15

I'm merely pointing out something so subtle and yet obvious. Crawfords future in chicago after this season was always uncertain either by his choice of simply retiring or Chicago's choice not meet his salary and or term.


Now none of us know the full details the nhl and players worked out to extend this season , remember as of July 1st expiring contracts expired . I didn't read about how the league managed to overcome that legal issue ?

Also I'm sure chicago has had some contract talks with crawfords agent and maybe things haven't went accordingly.
Crawford may look at it and say his health is a concern .

Those are questions to ask as well as think about.

Hey buddy...thanks for the response. I know I‘m a terrible ass half the time, but can you please try to use english grammar? I'm not trying to be a jerk. Just slow down and spell.
- just69sayin

Fixed.

I'm merely pointing out something so subtle and yet obvious. Crawfords future in chicago after this season was always uncertain either by his choice of simply retiring or Chicago's choice not meet his salary and or term.


Now none of us know the full details the nhl and players worked out to extend this season , remember as of July 1st expiring contracts expired . I didn't read about how the league managed to overcome that legal issue ?

Also I'm sure chicago has had some contract talks with crawfords agent and maybe things haven't went accordingly.
Crawford may look at it and say his health is a concern .

Those are questions to ask as well as think about.
- Taylorst1

GM's will be dictating salary for the next few years. Take it or work at McDonald's. Two teams can't sign everybody. Will be making tough choices who to keep and a player may go unsigned for a long time thinking they are worth "x" but no team has "x" to pay.

Saw this elsewhere (credit Mike Kelly NHL).

Good luck to whatever kid gets the net.

I'm merely pointing out something so subtle and yet obvious. Crawfords future in chicago after this season was always uncertain either by his choice of simply retiring or Chicago's choice not meet his salary and or term.


Now none of us know the full details the nhl and players worked out to extend this season , remember as of July 1st expiring contracts expired . I didn't read about how the league managed to overcome that legal issue ?

Also I'm sure chicago has had some contract talks with crawfords agent and maybe things haven't went accordingly.
Crawford may look at it and say his health is a concern .

Those are questions to ask as well as think about.
- Taylorst1

I'm not completely sure if Oct 31 was the agreed-to date, but:

The contract expiration date is expected to be extended to October 31 if this season's return to play plan is approved, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Freidman. The 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs will likely start around July 30, meaning the last possible day of the season could be around late September.

The ONLY thing we know about Crawford is that he was listed as "unfit" to play. A number of other players on other teams have been labeled as such as well. I'd think that speculating on the reason Crow is not practicing right now is a fool's errand considering the current situation.

Also, not sure if it was already talked about/shared, but this is from Shaw's social media a couple days ago:

https://www.instagram.com...Bh6w/?igshid=h6s64qtai213

Sounds like he is not being talked out of playing next season, for those hoping he might call it quits this offseason.

Saw this elsewhere (credit Mike Kelly NHL).

Good luck to whatever kid gets the net.
- TommyHawk

I read this as our goalies have more practice under these conditions, so they are better prepared to stop them... but then again, I've been told to stop eating paint chips so there's that.

I read this as our goalies have more practice under these conditions, so they are better prepared to stop them... but then again, I've been told to stop eating paint chips so there's that.
- Chunk

I think having de Haan back will be huge. De Haan and Murphy make for the best shutdown pairing the team has had outside of Hammer and Oduya.

It is difficult to win the first overall and start feeling pressure from it.

But the Cap crunch can sour the best of grapes.

Look how all those Winnipeg early part of the first round picks put them Cap crunched and sent the young defender Trouba to Rangers...but the guys still there deserve the money, right/

Let's just imagine this: what IF Lafreniere is a good player, but more Jonathan Drouin than Barkov or Mackinnon...
or think how Nico Hischier and Nolan Patrick and for that matter Hughes are going to take longer to the league by storm as dominant players IF THEY EVER TRULY BECOME that....

Hawks gonna open the checkbook on Lafreniere second deal before they see high end positive results in all around and production?

I look at Nico Hischier ready to make 7.25 NEXT year, on the job training at a more than generous number.

My point its simple if you pick first you always will have to pay and you may not get that dominant guy -think Nolan Patrick if healthy is a Matthews type???

Kinda like Kyle Turris gets pick early and things go south with no qualitative jump in do finance as a player, but Nashville has a salary six million buck contract now, with the players looking at an attempt to be a 3rd line pivot (but not a Toews able 3rd liner).

Would the two guys you get with the Ottawa picks ask for the same? Maybe
- wiz1901

FWIW, there was an article in 'The Athletic' a few days ago, making comparisons between Turris & Nylander. Written by Dom Luszczyszyn. The title was 'The Next Ones: Can Alex Nylander be the next Kyle Turris?' Came out on Monday.

Sanderson would be a huge mistake in the top 10. He is being moved up because of the lack of high end D-prospect in this draft.
- Elbows15

I am not sure of that or if he doesn't go off the board before slot 9.

Sanderson combines size and skill and a strong shot and is rounding out to a 200 foot defender. Has room on his frame to add enough girth to put him at 200 plus. As is Drysdale, he is one of the top five best skaters in the class, and has a top flight gear, and a second after-burner that catapults him against the opposition and is a large concern for them. An excellent puck distributor, whose continuing to improve the defensive side as he goes along. Plays stout and strong defensively with leverage. More than willing to pound attackers with big hits, and use his terrific speed and his long stick to take care of business on defense. Displays the ability to make the long home run outlet pass in transition and dominate by way of his carries out of his end. Has terrific accurancy with his shots on net and his passes. He pinpoints 40 plus foot shots to open parts of the net. Still a long way from a solid defensive stalworth but has the tools to succeed, although has shown some physicality so far. There is no denying his rocket shot and aggressive attacking mindset. He may not reach the lofty goal of being a NHL #1 defenseman who is the power play general, but he clearly has the biggest upside of any rearguard in the draft class, and unlike Drysdale he won't be restricted due to his size to make contact. There seems little doubt he plays in the NHL as a successful new age offenseman at worst. This idea that he lacks a dynamic attacking quality so therefore should be downgraded hold no water. He makes his teammates better. Committed to the University of North Dakota.

Back to Drysdale for a moment: Bowen Byram is a tremendous player when drifting down carrying the puck because he reads and knows how to create, a one man show in the offensive zone, who finds teammates (but needs lots of recognition and defensive skills to be learned/added along the way. Drysdale is NOT as good when he drifts down because he is excellent at relying on the 4 other teammates to get open, get it back to him, create space by positioning AND Drysdale though undersized can use his feet and has that hockey IQ to "get there" on defense and not get muscled or left when "you" are his man.
That is the difference these two and Sanderson is so good on his pins too, you gotta love his ability to be cool before he shows edge when needed.

FWIW, there was an article in 'The Athletic' a few days ago, making comparisons between Turris & Nylander. Written by Dom Luszczyszyn. The title was 'The Next Ones: Can Alex Nylander be the next Kyle Turris?' Came out on Monday.
- scottak

By the title is sounds like he thinks Turris is in a good spot to excel? I dont see that.

maybe he means for Nylander to get to the minutes Turris was given but really didn't capitalize to earn his pay?

Or...maye I just read the article.

I think the knock on him is that he completely sucks. That’s the scuttlebutt anyway.
- bruceflyers

Your mom is a scuttlebutt

The Hawks have announced the signing of Mitchell, Kalynuk and Suter.

By the title is sounds like he thinks Turris is in a good spot to excel? I dont see that.

maybe he means for Nylander to get to the minutes Turris was given but really didn't capitalize to earn his pay?

Or...maye I just read the article.
- wiz1901

The article makes the comparison of the two players because they were drafted high and didn't achieve immediate success with the clubs that drafted them, but Turris had his breakout year with the Suns and then a couple of productive seasons with the Preds.

The writer, Les-something, suggests that Nylander could be poised for similar type of success, this next season.

The Hawks have announced the signing of Mitchell, Kalynuk and Suter.
- DarthKane

Larry? Made me look though, damn you.

I think having de Haan back will be huge. De Haan and Murphy make for the best shutdown pairing the team has had outside of Hammer and Oduya.
- TommyHawk

Keith and Seabs would like a word......

Agree, though, that de Haan and Murph are pretty solid.

The Hawks have announced the signing of Mitchell, Kalynuk and Suter.
- DarthKane

Hot dang. I was hoping like crazy the Hawks would be the team to land Suter!

For comparables, think Kahun but with a higher compete level in all zones. A lot more jam to his game.

Suter isn't projected to be a top 6 forward but could be a pretty good middle 6 one. He's played all over the lineup in the Swiss league from what I've heard but is effective no matter what.

Also, not sure if it was already talked about/shared, but this is from Shaw's social media a couple days ago:

https://www.instagram.com...Bh6w/?igshid=h6s64qtai213

Sounds like he is not being talked out of playing next season, for those hoping he might call it quits this offseason.
- TommyHawk

He counts against the cap until the first game anyway. So he gets knocked out in game 2, not much difference.

Hot dang. I was hoping like crazy the Hawks would be the team to land Suter!

For comparables, think Kahun but with a higher compete level in all zones. A lot more jam to his game.

Suter isn't projected to be a top 6 forward but could be a pretty good middle 6 one. He's played all over the lineup in the Swiss league from what I've heard but is effective no matter what.
- AEL_Fox

Sounds like a replacement for The Drake.