I think its criminal of toews/ Hawks not to let the fands know whats going on with toews. Whats the big secret? Toews owes the fans that mich.
- LFS

Toews owes the fans nothing when it comes to his personal health.

Is it time for the Hawks to drop the Chalupa?
- mohel

Pour me a drink and we can chat.

On Chalupa, when he exerts himself, he does play a pretty effective heavy style on the forecheck using his size and speed. He has a wicked shot, too.

The problem was he was wildly inconsistent, mostly invisible. Part of it was he just couldn't get comfortable (language barrier played a factor according to Hogs coaches and being away from home).

Having Teply on the team helped to have someone to converse with in their native tongue.

Either way, Chalupa is a forgetable prospect but he has another season to prove his worth. We'll see about Pour.

Of the Czech prospects, Teply and Galvas are the ones to watch at least in the next few seasons. Oddly, though, Teply isn't listed in the prospects section of the Blackhawks website.

Krutil was in above his head in the AHL last season and really needs a few years of development in Canadian junior where he was supposed to be (Kelowna Rockets).

Thanks as always for your intel on European players.

This is from my own Twitter account:

Not many scouting reports on Jakub Pour. Gut reaction: he's the next Dennis Rasmussen, okay in the bottom 6 but a dime a dozen.

Or he's like Czech mate and #Blackhawks prospect Matej Chalupa who had a disappointing year in Rockford. Few brilliant flashes but a non factor mostly.
- Theo Fox

You’re welcome. Chalupa was money in a few Champions League games, but otherwise not much else. Pour looks promising, a bit more pedigree maybe. Not established here yet, but definitely earned a bigger role if he stayed in Plzeň. This chance is too great for him pass by, I guess, and there is icetime to be had in Rockford. He is and should be under the radar, at least for now. He is not Kubalík or Suter or Kahun, who produced right away in NHL. A lottery ticket, albeit not a bad one to have. I am curious if he can make the next step, he seems to have the tools.

That's the reality though unless some of their kids drastically improve or get lucky with some of the draft picks in the next year or two.
- GPHawksfan

Isn’t that how most teams improve? Their kids get better, and they get lucky on a pick or two. Of the 4 teams remaining in this year’s tournament, five years ago, one of them didn’t exist, and the other 3 pretty much sucked.

Toews owes the fans nothing when it comes to his personal health.
- NamedSources

No just that. No matter what the outcome of Toews playing career, the issue hadcto be handled correctly from a PR and team's own financial situation. To not be protected for Expansion Draft. But might play agsin. How creditable is that. In time we will learn exactly what the issues are and we will understand the prudent using side of the decisions to keep tight lip over it.

That is not perceived as being open to the public about Tiewd sitystiin but it us how both Tiewscand the Blackhawks should play it. Sure it is frustrating not to know Toews' future right now. Oh well.

Toews owes the fans nothing when it comes to his personal health.
- NamedSources

You said it much nicer than I was about to

also mention that mitchell could be moved for a vet D. the problem is people only trade VET d who are no good like dehaan or maata. he mentions he does not think nylander and Zad will be back and he thinks Jones before hamilton. so basically everything I did not want. I wanted Nylander to be healthy and see if he is a top 9 guy and if a full year and off season might help ZAD in the system. both guys have almost not value so trading them is not going to return anything. I would prefer hamilton over jones would cost less asset wise if any.
- kmw4631

I’m glad you’re not running the show.

Pour me a drink and we can chat.

On Chalupa, when he exerts himself, he does play a pretty effective heavy style on the forecheck using his size and speed. He has a wicked shot, too.

The problem was he was wildly inconsistent, mostly invisible. Part of it was he just couldn't get comfortable (language barrier played a factor according to Hogs coaches and being away from home).

Having Teply on the team helped to have someone to converse with in their native tongue.

Either way, Chalupa is a forgetable prospect but he has another season to prove his worth. We'll see about Pour.

Of the Czech prospects, Teply and Galvas are the ones to watch at least in the next few seasons. Oddly, though, Teply isn't listed in the prospects section of the Blackhawks website.

Krutil was in above his head in the AHL last season and really needs a few years of development in Canadian junior where he was supposed to be (Kelowna Rockets).
- Theo Fox

Looks like the plan is the same for Chalupa and Pour: two year deals, allow a full season to adjust with very little pressure and time to show their true colours during the second year.

Galvas is very good, will have a great career if he stays in Europe. He seems too small for the NHL, but who knows, maybe he does just enough to compensate.

Reports out there that the Coyotes have granted prospect Liam Kirk the opportunity to shop around. Former 7th rounder but had one of the stronger performances at the IIHF World Championships playing for Great Britain.

Scouting reports tout him as a goal scorer. Maybe worth an AHL contract and see what he can bring.

Another former Coyotes pick, Brendan Perlini was also a highly regarded goal scorer from the UK. Maybe Kirk will have a better fate.

Looks like the plan is the same for Chalupa and Pour: two year deals, allow a full season to adjust with very little pressure and time to show their true colours during the second year.

Galvas is very good, will have a great career if he stays in Europe. He seems too small for the NHL, but who knows, maybe he does just enough to compensate.
- stonefire

That sounds like a general good two-year plan for both Chalupa and Pour. Perhaps Pour has a stronger first year in Rockford.

He's flown under the radar compared to the other highly regarded D prospects but I'm excited to see what Galvas can provide. Like you said, he's not big but he at least has a defensive conscience and is willing to battle.

Can his strength get up to par with AHL (and NHL) levels? IMO, that's one thing hindering Krys is he knows where to be and what to do but just gets outmuscled a lot of the time.

Well, that and sometimes Krys gets all fancypants rather than keep it simple. If he and Galvas can amp up their strength and play simple, fundamental defense then they could have a shot at 3rd pair in Chicago.

Lucas Wallmark won't be back. He signed a one year KHL deal.

How did this happen? Is it the one team added several years ago? Has the world stopped producing good players? Is it the new man-to-man defensive systems that some say (wrongly, and repeatedly) the beer league coach employs? Are there suddenly fewer exciting players?

Just curious.

The hard cap post lockout.

There is a lot of parity across the league. Some teams get lucky and acquire the right amount of talent through the draft + snagging the right veterans at the right time.

I guess its better than the same teams dominating every year but a team hits the above mentioned things right and you get the Kings, Hawks, Penguins, Wings, Sharks, Canucks all pretty solid teams until they werent. Now replaced by the Canes, Lightning, Avs, Vegas, Leafs (lol) and I guess the Penguins are still relevant but all those other teams are mediocre or very bad now.

With the Cap and the way futures work, 'rebuilding' is not the same concept that it is in Baseball where you can get an excellent return in futures for a star player or football where you can cut dead weight or European soccer where you can open a checkbook and spend to your hearts content.

A team like the Hawks are doomed to be mediocre because of the large contracts they have unless they hit draft pick lottery + bring in the right European player + make the right free agent signing all while making the dollars work. The same could be said for many other teams.

The Lightning - assuming they dont circumvent the cap again - will probably regress a bit next year but Stamkos is an old 30 and Hedman is a big man with a lot of miles. The Canes are being ruthless and not signing a very good player because they don't want to be hamstrung like the rest of the league and who could blame them. Toronto has cap problems and an unbalanced roster. The Avs will soon have cap problems once Makar and Landeskog need paper and theyll need to be flexible enough to give MacKinnon his 10 million in 2 years. How much longer will they be at the top for until they fall victim to the cap?

And then they turn into the Hawks fading into obscurity with the rest of the league.

The middling teams (seeds 3-12 in each division) are all about the same. Sometimes there's a hot goaltender, sometimes a new coach lights a fire under some asses, sometimes a 4th round pick turns into a star player, sometimes injuries or down years just completely sandbag a team - whatever the case there isn't a lot that separates those teams and being part of that "mix" won't be that difficult for the Hawks even though they are terrible defensively. They were nearly in the playoffs this year. Adding a net 45-50 goals (and its not like they're going to fall to the bottom in SA - they already there) gets them someplace. Toews and Dach are probably good for 35 combined.

Regardless if they sit on their hands or not there is a better chance of them continuing to be a 4-14 team then there is them reaching the highest level. Not dissimilar to Philly, for example. May as well try to win while Patrick Kane is still as much of a game changer as he is.

Unless you add Dinky you get "garbage out garbage in."
- rpeters01

Just trade for draft picks or lottery type players, also with flat cap you may be able to get a young player with a bad contract. There’s more than one way to skin a cat.

Isn’t that how most teams improve? Their kids get better, and they get lucky on a pick or two. Of the 4 teams remaining in this year’s tournament, five years ago, one of them didn’t exist, and the other 3 pretty much sucked.
- Ogilthorpe2

Well, Tampa was in the Finals six years ago.....

But I think you're still right.

I would think his value to a contender would go up at the TDL, factoring in his reputation as "just the type of player you need in the playoffs" which was definitely realized in his recent performance.

Bowman won't sign him anyway.
- boilermaker100

And the Avalanche didn't go any farther with him then without him.

Hawks add a 6’3” 198 lb Euro named Jakub Pour on a two-year entry level deal.

12 goals and 4 assists on the year and was a former teammate of Kubalik.

Sounds like more depth for the bottom six.
- TommyHawk

Rockford or Indy?

Take this with a huge grain of salt considering the lack of confirmed sources but this rumor showed up on my Twitter feed. I don't read anything by Barstool but again, their post was retweeted by others I subscribe to.

The rumor is Nylander "went rogue with his surgery and rehab" and Hawks brass is pissed off thus trying to trade him. I don't know how you go rogue with surgery as I would imagine the team doctor has to authorize and monitor that closely.

Same with rehab but that seems easier to cheat on. Don't know how you lie about surgery.

To their credit Barstool also admitted to take that rumor with a grain of salt, too.

Likely nothing but garbage but interesting nonetheless.
- Theo Fox

Wasn't that similar with joki and TT that hawks were upset they weren't training or rehabbing the way hawks management wanted? Therefore tt and joki traded maybe i m wrong. But thought i heard or read that.

Wasn't that similar with joki and TT that hawks were upset they weren't training or rehabbing the way hawks management wanted? Therefore tt and joki traded maybe i m wrong. But thought i heard or read that.
- Scott1977

One thing I recall was that Hawks management wanted Jokiharju to work on his defense and either he or his dad (or both of them) thought he was fine in that area.

When Jokiharju got sent down to Rockford, he pouted a bit and it showed in his play and demeanor but he eventually get his head on straight and played well for the Hogs.

Similar with Delia this past season. After Delia got sent down for a conditioning stint, he mailed it in during his first few games as he got lit up early and often.

Hey Theo!
Would Boqvist, Strome & a 2022 3rd Rnd pick be enough to land Jones & a 4th?

What do you think?

Hey Theo!
Would Boqvist, Strome & a 2022 3rd Rnd pick be enough to land Jones & a 4th?

What do you think?
- Power29

Not enough. Columbus would likely want a 1st round pick plus another high asset in addition to Strome and Boqvist.

That's too steep a price to pay, IMO, especially during a rebuild. If this were the 2010-2015 Hawks, sure but not now.

Stick with the current youth on the team and in the system plus whoever gets selected with that 1st round pick.

Well, Tampa was in the Finals six years ago.....

But I think you're still right.
- mohel

Really? Who'd they play?

Toews owes the fans nothing when it comes to his personal health.
- NamedSources

We are talking about HIS HEALTH! He doesn't owe you, me or anyone else an explanation. I appreciate your frustration but it is inexcusable that you use the term "criminal" with this. Your statement could fertilize the Sahara Desert!!!!

Toews owes the fans nothing when it comes to his personal health.
- NamedSources

We are talking about HIS HEALTH! He doesn't owe you, me or anyone else an explanation. I appreciate your frustration but it is inexcusable that you use the term "criminal" with this. Your statement could fertilize the Sahara Desert!!!!

Toews owes the fans nothing when it comes to his personal health.
- NamedSources

We are talking about HIS HEALTH! He doesn't owe you, me or anyone else an explanation. I appreciate your frustration but it is inexcusable that you use the term "criminal" with this. Your statement could fertilize the Sahara Desert!!!!

Toews owes the fans nothing when it comes to his personal health.
- NamedSources

We are talking about HIS HEALTH! He doesn't owe you, me or anyone else an explanation. I appreciate your frustration but it is inexcusable that you use the term "criminal" with this. Your statement could fertilize the Sahara Desert!!!!