There is no need for any number to be retired by any team ever. It’s a silly tradition. Just give him #9 and be done with it.
- Ogilthorpe2

I agree with this one. If you want to hang someone's jersey up in the rafter's that's cool but not letting anyone else wear it seems kind of silly.

I agree with this one. If you want to hang someone's jersey up in the rafter's that's cool but not letting anyone else wear it seems kind of silly.
- fattybeef

Look at the Yankees, not sure if they have any single digit numbers left, that’s crazy.

Hoping Carpenter and Strome are wearing different uniforms when the season starts.

Entwistle could probably use another year in RFD but if it means not having Carpenter as 4C I'm ok with that.
- HawkintheD

Entwhistle is ready for 4th line imo. Will be interesting to see how Hardman looks in camp too

Entwhistle is ready for 4th line imo. Will be interesting to see how Hardman looks in camp too
- Assman22

There are a lot of interesting storylines to play out this year. I would think a line of Entwistle, Hardman, and (a motivated) Gaudette would be quite formidable, in theory at least.

Where does Borgstrom fit, and if not at center, does he (can he?) go to Rockford? It doesn't look like he is waiver exempt.

Can Kurashev carve out a regular spot in this lineup?

Which guys will ultimately be moved?

Fun times.

There are a lot of interesting storylines to play out this year. I would think a line of Entwistle, Hardman, and (a motivated) Gaudette would be quite formidable, in theory at least.

Where does Borgstrom fit, and if not at center, does he (can he?) go to Rockford? It doesn't look like he is waiver exempt.

Can Kurashev carve out a regular spot in this lineup?

Which guys will ultimately be moved?

Fun times.
- Chunk

Kurashev will definitely be on the roster in a bottom 6 role. I’d expect to see his game to continue to progress.

I agree with this one. If you want to hang someone's jersey up in the rafter's that's cool but not letting anyone else wear it seems kind of silly.
- fattybeef

I don't know. As I player you would not want to wear 99, 66 for any team, or 9 as a Hawk. I guess its a sign of respect, but remember how dumb Ho Sang looked in 66.
If its your favorite # then go for it, but I would not want to wear those #'s unless I was putting up a ton of points!

Kurashev will definitely be on the roster in a bottom 6 role. I’d expect to see his game to continue to progress.
- DarthKane

Why was Khaira brought in? Head scratcher imo

I don't know. As I player you would not want to wear 99, 66 for any team, or 9 as a Hawk. I guess its a sign of respect, but remember how dumb Ho Sang looked in 66.
If its your favorite # then go for it, but I would not want to wear those #'s unless I was putting up a ton of points!
- Boisy12

That’s fine, but don’t tell everyone else it’s off limits. It’s silly.

Maybe it’s the reason nobody wears JOFA helmets anymore…because Wayne and Mario wore them.

Going NCAA in 2022
- MjulQvist

Harding will have no choice but to move on from jrs or the AJHL next yr. He'll age out. So he either plays NCAA, Canadian University or pro...... 3rd rd pick, double overager plays 4th level jrs at 20 yrs old.

You're in Sveden, no? Have you watched any of the Hlinka tournament so far? The streams are free but none in English. Canada is not there but that Russian squad is stacked with probably two top 5 picks, Slovakia is lighting fast and fun to watch with probably a top 5 and top 10 pick, Finland too with some probable NHL picks on the squad.

Just sitting down to yesterday's RUS v FIN. https://twitter.com/HlinkaMemorial

Why was Khaira brought in? Head scratcher imo
- Assman22

From LBR, I understand he has decent analytics for a 4th line defensive role. Additionally, unlike our other 4th liners, he has size and is willing to play a physical game so we don't have everyone challenging Murphy without an answer. At 975,000 per, not that bad.

Why was Khaira brought in? Head scratcher imo
- Assman22

Diversity?

Diversity?
- Ogilthorpe2

“I doubt the network is worried about an old wooden ship Ron!”

Give Johnson #99. There is absolutely no reason that number needs to be "retired' by every team. Another Bettman failure.
- powerenforcer

Agreed! If the number of the greatest player ever is to be retired it should be number 4.

Why was Khaira brought in? Head scratcher imo
- Assman22

He can skate, he’s physical, can kill penalties, he’s not a black hole offensively and he’s cheap

Agreed! If the number of the greatest player ever is to be retired it should be number 4.
- paulr

Keith Brown?

He can skate, he’s physical, can kill penalties, he’s not a black hole offensively and he’s cheap
- paulr

So he’s exactly like Entwhistle only older and more expensive. Not mad about it just didn’t think he was necessary

So he’s exactly like Entwhistle only older and more expensive. Not mad about it just didn’t think he was necessary
- Assman22

His salary can be fully buried, what happens if Entwhistle/Hardman are not deemed ready?

I don't know. As I player you would not want to wear 99, 66 for any team, or 9 as a Hawk. I guess its a sign of respect, but remember how dumb Ho Sang looked in 66.
If its your favorite # then go for it, but I would not want to wear those #'s unless I was putting up a ton of points!
- Boisy12

This ain't really my thing but glancing over the thread I see many comment on #99. Is there a movement to retire the number league wide?

Indeed, as you say it's out of respect, at least, that one not wear #99. Gretzky is not a Jackie Robinson but more like Curt Flood, who's stance and lawsuits vs MLB put millions and billions of dollars in player's pockets as a result.

Gretzky moving to LA exposed the sport like no other player could to the most populated state in the US and 6th largest economy on earth, California.

As a result the game got stronger, hundreds and hundreds of youth teams were started out west as a result, creating more and better US hockey players, making the sport better from the youth leagues to the NHL creating thousands and thousands of hockey jobs and opportunities thus putting hundreds of millions in peoples pockets.

No, not a Jackie Robinson or even a Curt Flood but tens of thousands of people owe their paycheck to #99 simply due to opportunities he created for them. ....... Indeed Boisy, out of respect at the very least.

Why was Khaira brought in? Head scratcher imo
- Assman22

Different types of players altogether. Khaira will be a decent 13th forward who adds a physical presence when he plays.

He can skate, he’s physical, can kill penalties, he’s not a black hole offensively and he’s cheap
- paulr

Better to have Khaira be the 13th forward and Entwistle play full-time minutes in Rockford.

So he’s exactly like Entwhistle only older and more expensive. Not mad about it just didn’t think he was necessary
- Assman22

Meaner than the kid. Are you crying over $100k?

This ain't really my thing but glancing over the thread I see many comment on #99. Is there a movement to retire the number league wide?

Indeed, as you say it's out of respect, at least, that one not wear #99. Gretzky is not a Jackie Robinson but more like Curt Flood, who's stance and lawsuits vs MLB put millions and billions of dollars in player's pockets as a result.

Gretzky moving to LA exposed the sport like no other player could to the most populated state in the US and 6th largest economy on earth, California.

As a result the game got stronger, hundreds and hundreds of youth teams were started out west as a result, creating more and better US hockey players, making the sport better from the youth leagues to the NHL creating thousands and thousands of hockey jobs and opportunities thus putting hundreds of millions in peoples pockets.

No, not a Jackie Robinson or even a Curt Flood but tens of thousands of people owe their paycheck to #99 simply due to opportunities he created for them. ....... Indeed Boisy, out of respect at the very least.
- Mr Ricochet

I grew up out west. I was living in LA at the time the Kings traded for Gretzky. That's when I started watching. If not for that, would I have ever bothered to watch? When I came to Chicago, Old Man Wirtz was starting the fire sale, and I saw no reason to continue watching here. And even if I wanted to, I would have only been able to watch Hawk road games, out of deference to the season reservation holders.

One could make the case that Gretzky was indirectly responsible for Auston Matthews, who grew up in Scottsdale. That doesn't happen if he was born 20 years earlier. If Gretzky had played his entire career in Edmonton, I doubt that the league would have retired #99. And if he had worn #9 his whole career, I doubt that gets retired league wide, either. But given that he took a rarely worn number and made it his brand, along with what he did for the game, it deserved to be retired league wide.

Keith Brown?
- LAHawk

My first favorite Hawk.

This ain't really my thing but glancing over the thread I see many comment on #99. Is there a movement to retire the number league wide?

Indeed, as you say it's out of respect, at least, that one not wear #99. Gretzky is not a Jackie Robinson but more like Curt Flood, who's stance and lawsuits vs MLB put millions and billions of dollars in player's pockets as a result.

Gretzky moving to LA exposed the sport like no other player could to the most populated state in the US and 6th largest economy on earth, California.

As a result the game got stronger, hundreds and hundreds of youth teams were started out west as a result, creating more and better US hockey players, making the sport better from the youth leagues to the NHL creating thousands and thousands of hockey jobs and opportunities thus putting hundreds of millions in peoples pockets.

No, not a Jackie Robinson or even a Curt Flood but tens of thousands of people owe their paycheck to #99 simply due to opportunities he created for them. ....... Indeed Boisy, out of respect at the very least.
- Mr Ricochet

#99 was retired league-wide in 2000. Dumbest thing I've ever seen in my life. If you want to honor great players in you teams history, have some sort of wall of fame, or put their names up in the rafters or some other dumb poop like that. Retiring a number (for any reason) has got to be the most useless waste of time that teams have ever concocted.

... and I don't even feel that strongly about it.

From LBR, I understand he has decent analytics for a 4th line defensive role. Additionally, unlike our other 4th liners, he has size and is willing to play a physical game so we don't have everyone challenging Murphy without an answer. At 975,000 per, not that bad.
- Popsghostly

Actually, he doesn't. But whateves. We will see once the season starts. He faces about the lowest QoC possible. Not sure you want him and Carpenter facing top lines.