He loves that guy?

I still can't think of any better or as good defenseman in our division other than Josi, Heiskanen and Makar?
- BetweenTheDots

No he hates Seth Jones

Is Makar considered good in the defensive zone?
- mohel

He is very good defensively similar to Keith in that he primarily uses positioning and a good stick to break up plays but he will also engage physically. Personally I think he is the best defenseman in he NHL.

He is very good defensively similar to Keith in that he primarily uses positioning and a good stick to break up plays but he will also engage physically. Personally I think he is the best defenseman in he NHL.
- paulr

If I had a choice to pick one defenseman, it would be Makar, man the Avalanche have a lot of talent. I’m going to try and make it to one of their games when they come down to the land of sunshine.

He is very good defensively similar to Keith in that he primarily uses positioning and a good stick to break up plays but he will also engage physically. Personally I think he is the best defenseman in he NHL.
- paulr

He also has the ability to fake PKs out with his feet and gain middle of the ice in the ozone on PP's, where a ton of his points come from

No he hates Seth Jones
- LAHawk

That's good then if Strome gets traded he can continue hating Jones

I was a guest on a podcast yesterday with Chicago Tomahawk. Check it out if interested. Thank you to Mike and Matt for inviting me.

https://player.captivate....4-23bbb8f476bd/episode=53

p.s. Feel free to rip me apart with my 3rd place prediction in the Central for the Hawks this season! I can explain...sorta...
- Theo Fox

"You got a face for radio and a voice for print."

I kid, of course. Nicely done Theo. I found their comments on Boqvist interesting. I agree you that he showed a lot of growth last year. My biggest concern with him was his durability and his willingness/ability to handle the forecheck. I watched a video on him (I'll try to find it and post a link) where he was talking about getting a tattoo and he kept blathering about the pain. Something along the lines of "nothing I hate worse than pain." Obviously, that's not a controversial statement at all, as no one likes pain, but it just stuck in my head when watching him play.

This is the worst part of our prospect system:

MacKenzie Entwistle made the top 10 forwards ranking at #3 behind top 6 prospects Lukas Reichel and Henrik Borgstrom. How can a likely 4th liner be ranked so high?

You can find a goalie. It's more difficult to find 6 top 6 forwards. Reichel and Borgrstrom are hardly sure things and neither is rated a game changer.
- rpeters01

But...we don't NEED to find 6 top 6 forwards. We have Kane, D-Cat, Kubalik and Dach. That is 4. Forward is not a hughly strong suit for us....but it is miles ahead or our goalie crop. IMO anyway!

He is very good defensively similar to Keith in that he primarily uses positioning and a good stick to break up plays but he will also engage physically. Personally I think he is the best defenseman in he NHL.
- paulr

Hedman.

He also has the ability to fake PKs out with his feet and gain middle of the ice in the ozone on PP's, where a ton of his points come from
- BetweenTheDots

I think offensively he hasn’t even reached his peak. This guy is going to only get better.

Hedman.
- hawk35

That argument can be made but if I were putting a team together I’d pick Makar over Hedman, in part because of age but also Makar is far more dynamic offensively.

If I had a choice to pick one defenseman, it would be Makar, man the Avalanche has a lot of talent. I’m going to try and make it to one of their games when they come down to the land of sunshine.
- Angotti

Now the Aves have to figure out how to put it together. The Hawks were able to get Hossa to round out the team. The Aves lack something I can’t put my finger on? Maybe experience? Maybe a certain player?

Now the Aves have to figure out how to put it together. The Hawks were able to get Hossa to round out the team. The Aves lack something I can’t put my finger on? Maybe experience? Maybe a certain player?
- paulr

Hossa?

But...we don't NEED to find 6 top 6 forwards. We have Kane, D-Cat, Kubalik and Dach. That is 4. Forward is not a hughly strong suit for us....but it is miles ahead or our goalie crop. IMO anyway!
- hawk35

Two are old men and one of them a big if, another a midget, an unproven kid and a 3rd liner. Overrate your players and you are doomed to failure.

Two are old men and one of them a big if, another a midget, an unproven kid and a 3rd liner. Overrate your players and you are doomed to failure.
- rpeters01

You’re right, over rating your players isn’t productive. But neither is dismissing outright the talent you have. A midget? Really? Didn’t Kane and ADB change that archaic way of thinking?

That argument can be made but if I were putting a team together I’d pick Makar over Hedman, in part because of age but also Makar is far more dynamic offensively.
- paulr

For right now. Hedman. If for the next 10...ya, I lean Makar.

Flames finally get Zadorov under contract for one year at $3.75M.

Flames finally get Zadorov under contract for one year at $3.75M.
- Theo Fox

Bowman could have had him at the bargain basement price of $3.75M?

Two are old men and one of them a big if, another a midget, an unproven kid and a 3rd liner. Overrate your players and you are doomed to failure.
- rpeters01

Ya. Right.

Those 4 are Top six on virtually every team in the league. Pick any one of them....put them on any of the other 31 teams and I bet 27 or more of the 31 teams would use them in the Top 6.

Don't be a twat just to be a twat. Those 4 guys are Top 6 forwards. Period.

So Stan was able to pick up a goalie simply by signing him that compares favorably to a first round goalie and is closer to being ready for the NHL. All this without using any Precious Draft Capital (copyright pending) on a goalie.

Considering their development curve, it amazes me that goalies get drafted at all.
- Chunk

Great points and reasons why adding a lottery ticket like Soderblom is a big plus.

There's the argument, too, that if he's so good then why was he never drafted. Late bloomer, I guess.

But as you pointed out, he's further along than a draft pick which is what the Hawks need, i.e. a viable goalie sooner than later.

If he clicks, it then buys time for Commesso to develop at the right pace and not rush him.

I love it Theo,

"Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies."

From one of my favorite movies
- BetweenTheDots

One reason why I am (overly) optimistic about this season and the Hawks chances for a non-wild card playoff spot is Fleury. On paper, the blueline looks better but we'll see how it holds up.

But Fleury can at least keep the Hawks in games. The rest of the team needs to pull their weight by defending well and executing on the fundamentals.

If they don't, then Fleury standing on his head can only take a team so far.

That 3rd place prediction is the optimist in me. The realist says fighting for a wild card.

As someone with a Unicorn attached to my name, I applaud the optimism.
- mohel

Optimism, yes. Realism, not really! I think they'll be vying for the wild card until the bitter end.

"You got a face for radio and a voice for print."

I kid, of course. Nicely done Theo. I found their comments on Boqvist interesting. I agree you that he showed a lot of growth last year. My biggest concern with him was his durability and his willingness/ability to handle the forecheck. I watched a video on him (I'll try to find it and post a link) where he was talking about getting a tattoo and he kept blathering about the pain. Something along the lines of "nothing I hate worse than pain." Obviously, that's not a controversial statement at all, as no one likes pain, but it just stuck in my head when watching him play.
- Chunk

I say that "face for radio, voice for print" line to myself all the time! Honestly, I've just never been good in front of a camera and hate being in photos. Just not photogenic.

On Boqvist, durability and ability to withstand NHL physicality is a concern. He needs to get stronger and learn evasiveness or else he's going to get plastered to point of serious injuries.

If he can do that, then I think his potential is still quite high as a dynamic offensive generator (40-50 point range) who will hold his own defensively using different techniques.

Now the Aves have to figure out how to put it together. The Hawks were able to get Hossa to round out the team. The Aves lack something I can’t put my finger on? Maybe experience? Maybe a certain player?
- paulr

Saad?

Great points and reasons why adding a lottery ticket like Soderblom is a big plus.

There's the argument, too, that if he's so good then why was he never drafted. Late bloomer, I guess.

But as you pointed out, he's further along than a draft pick which is what the Hawks need, i.e. a viable goalie sooner than later.

If he clicks, it then buys time for Commesso to develop at the right pace and not rush him.
- Theo Fox

Seems like that’s the case with most goalies, at least when compared to their skating peers.

Seems like that’s the case with most goalies, at least when compared to their skating peers.
- Ogilthorpe2

Definitely!