100% and thats what separates the good gms from the great gms.....and I haven't followed Arizona but has Bowman "won" this Strome trade yet? I also get organizational needs also play a role......hawks may have wanted a center who is bigger in size or lefty vs a smaller righty?

In the end we as fans, have to hope/pray we have the right GM and talent evaluators who hit on a lot more than they miss.

I have never female doged about Teuvo or Danault. I knew to remove Bickells deal and keep that window open they had to offer a cherry to Carolina.

Danault? At the time they had the spot filled and they were in win now and needed more depth. It didn't work out. ANyone cry when they sent Ben Smith to San jose for Handzus? Of course not. Or the ever immortal marko Dano to Winnipeg for Ladd?

It's easy to play revisionist and everyone to an extent is at fault with it.....my whole mantra is that if the window to win NOW is open I want a GM who goes all in.....you arent' going to stay on top forever and if you win a cup, or even multiple, the leash to rebuild is longer.....that's why I am at peace now......and I am glad they are in full on rebuild and not piece mailing a roster together that is caught in between.

All I want now is Bowman to identify pieces he has, young and old, and I am 110% sure privately he has a time frame hes expecting to be back in contending window....if players won't be here....sell high.

The 1 guy who has bit them in the ass was Panarin but you also can't have 40%+ of your cap devoted to 3 guys.....could Bowman have dealt a Seabrook to make it work? Maybe....but again, would Panarin be in his prime when teh Hawks are retooled/rebuilt again? Likely not.
- SteveRain

Nice post and agree. I'll tell you one trade that is looking better by the game is trading Hartman and getting Ejdsell (who cares) and the pick they took Kurashev with. Hopefully he keeps progressing and is here when they are good again.

100% and thats what separates the good gms from the great gms.....and I haven't followed Arizona but has Bowman "won" this Strome trade yet? I also get organizational needs also play a role......hawks may have wanted a center who is bigger in size or lefty vs a smaller righty?

In the end we as fans, have to hope/pray we have the right GM and talent evaluators who hit on a lot more than they miss.

I have never female doged about Teuvo or Danault. I knew to remove Bickells deal and keep that window open they had to offer a cherry to Carolina.

Danault? At the time they had the spot filled and they were in win now and needed more depth. It didn't work out. ANyone cry when they sent Ben Smith to San jose for Handzus? Of course not. Or the ever immortal marko Dano to Winnipeg for Ladd?

It's easy to play revisionist and everyone to an extent is at fault with it.....my whole mantra is that if the window to win NOW is open I want a GM who goes all in.....you arent' going to stay on top forever and if you win a cup, or even multiple, the leash to rebuild is longer.....that's why I am at peace now......and I am glad they are in full on rebuild and not piece mailing a roster together that is caught in between.

All I want now is Bowman to identify pieces he has, young and old, and I am 110% sure privately he has a time frame hes expecting to be back in contending window....if players won't be here....sell high.

The 1 guy who has bit them in the ass was Panarin but you also can't have 40%+ of your cap devoted to 3 guys.....could Bowman have dealt a Seabrook to make it work? Maybe....but again, would Panarin be in his prime when teh Hawks are retooled/rebuilt again? Likely not.
- SteveRain

The Schmaltz/Strome trade was one where each team decided their guy was not going to be a long term player for them. The each hoped the other was wrong about the guy they were obtaining. So far? Meh for both. But it is telling that AZ - who was really struggling at the time gave up a big center recently drafted #3 for a decent wing who doesn't like contact in a contact sport.

Caps in COVID jail for breaking the ruled - will probably miss four games:

Laviolette said that Ovechkin, Kuznetsov, Orlov and Samsonov will miss four games and then it's under review.

Five Carolinas are in the Covid protocol:

Brind’Amour mentioned how the players on the COVID protocol list are quarantined to their hotels. So there are four players (Foegele, Martinook, Slavin, Teravainen) still in Nashville. Staal, presumably, is still in Detroit.

And then you have guys like Kampf, big body, works out like a fiend, skates well, has a statuesque body, and can't put the puck in the ocean, nor has the hockey sense to make a play. Which one do you prefer?
- LAHawk

Some of each, and some with both. Strome seems to have neither.

And then you have guys like Kampf, big body, works out like a fiend, skates well, has a statuesque body, and can't put the puck in the ocean, nor has the hockey sense to make a play. Which one do you prefer?
- LAHawk

Guys like Kampf don't move the needle for me. I'm not a huge fan guys who have almost no offensive talent or sense. Every team needs some grinders, but I would much rather have the ones that changed their game to fill a role like Bolland did than those who have never had it. A championship caliber team can use a guy like Kruger/Kampf to play tough D, kill, penalties, win faceoffs and get 10 mins on the 4th line because enough other guys have the necessary skills to score. 2 or 3 lines worth of Kampfs isn't going to win you many games as the inability to put the puck in the net will ultimately doom you.

I think so.....again, not sure how much quicker he can get but Im sure with added muscle and specialized training he could......id defer to somebody like 6628...he knows a lot about skating.
- SteveRain

Hi Rain, I did a response but it disappeared. Have to get running now. But in my opinion Trob and Paulr are dead nuts on. Strome is weak on his skates because he is too upright and not back on his heels. Bad foot speed combined with a horsepoop stride. He needs a summer of specific weight work combined with (don't laugh) yoga to stretch out his core as he builds muscle.
Wiz and I went around and around about Seabrook a decade ago because of the same thing. But the next year I noticed Seabrook in a pre-season warmup making a dedicated effort to push down and back on his heels and bend his knees as he skated. And he didn't toe pick anymore. It appeared to me he had gotten direction and put in the work. Strome needs to do the same.
But as was noted the stride can be pretty but as soon as the pressure ramps up a player tends to revert to old bad habits. Need to get past that.

Take care, I'm out. Gotta go.

The Schmaltz/Strome trade was one where each team decided their guy was not going to be a long term player for them. The each hoped the other was wrong about the guy they were obtaining. So far? Meh for both. But it is telling that AZ - who was really struggling at the time gave up a big center recently drafted #3 for a decent wing who doesn't like contact in a contact sport.
- mohel

You want Strome @ $3mil for 2 years or Schmaltz @ $6mil for the next 6?

Thanks. I guess it is like many situations - we don't know all the facts. For Strome, has he tried all these techniques and this is what he's got? Or maybe he hasn't, and there's room for improvement? If the latter, I'd wonder why he hasn't tried them yet - there's only millions at stake....
- mohel

I would say that Strome has tried multiple techniques to try and become faster, he knows his shortcomings better than anybody else. There’s no denying that Strome has skills, and he will put up points, however with his skating deficiencies he will never be a good defensive center, hard to back check when you can’t catch them. Bottom line is that he can be a good 2C on a bad team, but he doesn’t bring the right attributes to play 3C on a good team, hope I’m wrong.

Nice post and agree. I'll tell you one trade that is looking better by the game is trading Hartman and getting Ejdsell (who cares) and the pick they took Kurashev with. Hopefully he keeps progressing and is here when they are good again.
- HawkintheD

They got the 1st used for Beaudin as well.

You want Strome @ $3mil for 2 years or Schmaltz @ $6mil for the next 6?
- TheTrob

Am I really aiming to win a Cup? Neither.

Otherwise, Strome, because of the contract.

Who would you like @ $3M for 2 years?

I would say that Strome has tried multiple techniques to try and become faster, he knows his shortcomings better than anybody else. There’s no denying that Strome has skills, and he will put up points, however with his skating deficiencies he will never be a good defensive center, hard to back check when you can’t catch them. Bottom line is that he can be a good 2C on a bad team, but he doesn’t bring the right attributes to play 3C on a good team, hope I’m wrong.
- Angotti

Hi, Lou. I have the exact same opinion. He's a tweener. In my opinion.

Am I really aiming to win a Cup? Neither.

Otherwise, Strome, because of the contract.

Who would you like @ $3M for 2 years?
- mohel

Hintz
Compher
Kerfoot

Caps in COVID jail for breaking the ruled - will probably miss four games:

Laviolette said that Ovechkin, Kuznetsov, Orlov and Samsonov will miss four games and then it's under review.

Five Carolinas are in the Covid protocol:

Brind’Amour mentioned how the players on the COVID protocol list are quarantined to their hotels. So there are four players (Foegele, Martinook, Slavin, Teravainen) still in Nashville. Staal, presumably, is still in Detroit.
- StLBravesFan

Caps will play at least the next four games without those four players, but Carolina has had some of their games postponed.

Anyone know the guidelines as to why some teams have to play and other teams get their games postponed?

Nice post and agree. I'll tell you one trade that is looking better by the game is trading Hartman and getting Ejdsell (who cares) and the pick they took Kurashev with. Hopefully he keeps progressing and is here when they are good again.
- HawkintheD

Yes Kurashev has looked good .Another trade Stan won is the Regula for Houdini or whatever his name was . they have won that one by default .
Stan has a solid batting avg. in trades and FA signings is he capable of doing the heavy lifting that will need to be done here over the next two or three years well we will see cause I don't believe he going anywhere

Am I really aiming to win a Cup? Neither.

Otherwise, Strome, because of the contract.

Who would you like @ $3M for 2 years?
- mohel

Ill take Phillip Danault, he is in the last year of a 3 year deal at $3mil/year.......

I'm guessing that goes way up next season.

They got the 1st used for Beaudin as well.
- Chunk

Thanks Chunk! Forgot they got the Preds' 1st also.

Yes Kurashev has looked good .Another trade Stan won is the Regula for Houdini or whatever his name was . they have won that one by default .
Stan has a solid batting avg. in trades and FA signings is he capable of doing the heavy lifting that will need to be done here over the next two or three years well we will see cause I don't believe he going anywhere
- oldduffman

Stan's transaction record is not as bad as everyone makes it out to be. Sure, there have been some stinkers, but there have been some solid trades along with some solid FA signings from overseas (Panarin, Kahun, Kubalik, Suter, etc.). Where Stan has failed is in contract negotiations, and I am not including Kane and Toews, where he has dished out either too much money or too much term, and handcuffed future moves. We will have to wait and see how many of those poor contracts (see: Seabrook) are the result of McD meddling and how many are just poor judgements by Stan.

Guys like Kampf don't move the needle for me. I'm not a huge fan guys who have almost no offensive talent or sense. Every team needs some grinders, but I would much rather have the ones that changed their game to fill a role like Bolland did than those who have never had it. A championship caliber team can use a guy like Kruger/Kampf to play tough D, kill, penalties, win faceoffs and get 10 mins on the 4th line because enough other guys have the necessary skills to score. 2 or 3 lines worth of Kampfs isn't going to win you many games as the inability to put the puck in the net will ultimately doom you.
- TheTrob

I agree, having a defensive specialist who can shut down the other team's best players but having some offensive jam is something I would still prioritize. Enter youngsters like Highmore, Hagel, and Entwistle.

Another example of a player drafted to be a top 6 player who evolved himself into an effective middle 6 player was Daniel Cleary.

He could've pouted and waved his chances in the NHL bye bye but he took on a new role (primarily with Detroit) and thrived.

I'm in the "let's see what we have in Strome" camp and have guarded optimism that he can make it as a 2C. However, his skating does need work as well as his defense.

I recall a video during the pandemic hiatus where the Blackhawks official website showed Strome walking his dog while he was on rollerblades. I cringed at even how bad he looked on wheels.

Granted, he wasn't playing hockey but you can still tell a lot about someone's skating by the way they look when idling on skates or moving slowly. Strome just looked unbalanced and awkward.

Soderberg said the lack of business days over Christmas and New Year's was why it took so long to get his visa. "It was out of my control."

Carl Soderberg after his first practice with the Blackhawks:

"It was nice to be with the guys for the first day. I've been skating for a while now with the guys who stayed home."

Colliton says no timeline on when Soderberg will enter the lineup.

"Certainly happy to get him in the group and we think he can help us when he's ready."

Guys like Kampf don't move the needle for me. I'm not a huge fan guys who have almost no offensive talent or sense. Every team needs some grinders, but I would much rather have the ones that changed their game to fill a role like Bolland did than those who have never had it. A championship caliber team can use a guy like Kruger/Kampf to play tough D, kill, penalties, win faceoffs and get 10 mins on the 4th line because enough other guys have the necessary skills to score. 2 or 3 lines worth of Kampfs isn't going to win you many games as the inability to put the puck in the net will ultimately doom you.
- TheTrob

I understand what you are saying (Frolík is another example of a player who embraced the role), but IMO, Krüger had some skill before injuries (wrist in particular) took that away for good. More important, though, he could read the play and had great understanding how to smother fire before it could broke out. Kämpf is more about power and being relentless in defense, but he is chasing (while being able to keep up) more often than Krüger needed to be, at all. It would be unfair to say that it is easy to find another player like Kämpf, but it certainly is much easier than finding a Krüger – these are pure gold for any contender.

For the reasons you stated, I don't get the love for Highmore here. He is nothing but great hustle, which is cool, but should be easily replaceable. Hopefully Hagel can show more skill while maintaining similar all-around effort. Kurashev, on the other, has much more skill and talent than Highmore and it is great to see him be able to make plays and not look lost even so early in his NHL career.

Brent Seabrook has been "skating off and on here, but he's not near a return," Jeremy Colliton says.

The Schmaltz/Strome trade was one where each team decided their guy was not going to be a long term player for them. The each hoped the other was wrong about the guy they were obtaining. So far? Meh for both. But it is telling that AZ - who was really struggling at the time gave up a big center recently drafted #3 for a decent wing who doesn't like contact in a contact sport.
- mohel

I'd rather have Strome at 2 yr for 3 mil than what Schmaltz got from AZ though

Did we have a 2nd line center during our SC years? Wasn't that one of the main discussions on these boards throughout the Stanley Cup years?
- BetweenTheDots

Yes and it cost us the 2014 cup to LA. Their center play rolling four lines was noticeably better they were fantastic at taking it up the gut to the net and hacking away

Sharp centered the second line with Kopecky and Hossa in 2010. That top 9 was stupid good.
- fattybeef

Sharp centered most of that season for Kane I believe?