I don’t disagree, but if he plays, he needs to play on top nine. If he’s going to play on the fourth line, then might as well sit him down. He actually needs to be traded, however any value that he had is now basically gone.
- Angotti

When you only have "three" nine is hard to do.

Based on the initial results, not sure who at center is playing better that constitutes anything near a reload. Toews - sometimes but in spurts, certainly not a force at this stage.

Dach puts forth a lot of effort for marginal results and Gaudette, Johnson (who is being misused) and Borgstrom haven't done a whole lot to differentiate themselves either.

Playing Kane 20-25 mins a night because no one else can score is kind of silly at his age. The German kid is about a PPG in the AHL and apparently playing center.

I think the top two should be loaded up with:

Toews (wing but taking draws like Giroux) Dach Kubalik
Debrincat Strome Kane

And let the other two lines have a bunch of dudes who try super hard and hopefully dont get too crushed in their own zone.
- fattybeef

Borgstrom and Kurashev (not that he is playing much center right now) both are much more effective hockey players than Strome. They both win board battles/puck possession and routinely are in the slot/going to the net. Strome occasionally does that. Which is the maddening part, because if he did it all the time he would be a solid asset.

ADB-Strome-Kane has in the past, and will continue to be, a line that you can only put out at the end of a game in which they are behind and need a goal. Otherwise they simply get buried (born out by the stats of the last two years).

Kane is going to play big minutes regardless because he is still a monster point producer. I'm not going to play line genie, but separating him and ADB will help them both.

And IMO, you don't put the team's best center and put him at wing. Toews is still a better center than any other player on the Hawks right now.

I hope that means Hardman sits and Phillips back to the AHL.
- breadbag

Phillips has the highest winning percentage of any player on the team this year!

You think Strome is a $3M player? If any team in the league agreed, he would be an ex-Hawk.
- mohel

Like

Oh sure we overpaid for Jones. But give Bowman credit to realize, accept 1) that to win and sniff playoffs he needed a big boy on defense whom could knock down other big players, provide the intimidation and be a minute cruncher. This is what we needed and where we need to continue on rebuild 2) it is a rebuild and more youngsters will fit in as soon as they show they are ready to replace another. Unfortunetly the great promise in Boqvist was part of the return..Boqvist though is brittle and would never lead this defense. One day a big if Boqvist develops into the force he can be...
But Jones even then would provide more with his style. Neither Jones or Boqvist may ever be a true first pair dman.

I wish people would get glued into their head all I just said. I would have preferred to keep Boqvist and see how he pans out. But we move ahead and have direction more so than if we tried to compete with Boqvist instead of Jones.

You know there are pretty smart people highly respected whom have the same opinion I do. People on this board. We see some less than we'll thought out hot heads complain though. Yes, we overpaid. Now understand the trade, and accept the trade as being necessary. Gutsy move by Bowman.
- jhawk59

Between you and me I'm not sure we "overpaid." The salary fits, Boqvist has proven nothing, we swapped 1sts this year oh boy, if Jones plays anywhere close to the hype next year's added 1st won't be out of line. Either way, "we had us a boy and got us a man."

Borgstrom and Kurashev (not that he is playing much center right now) both are much more effective hockey players than Strome. They both win board battles/puck possession and routinely are in the slot/going to the net. Strome occasionally does that. Which is the maddening part, because if he did it all the time he would be a solid asset.

ADB-Strome-Kane has in the past, and will continue to be, a line that you can only put out at the end of a game in which they are behind and need a goal. Otherwise they simply get buried (born out by the stats of the last two years).

Kane is going to play big minutes regardless because he is still a monster point producer. I'm not going to play line genie, but separating him and ADB will help them both.

And IMO, you don't put the team's best center and put him at wing. Toews is still a better center than any other player on the Hawks right now.
- Chunk

Yea Borgstrom and Kurashev don't do all that, that well and they both make egregious turnovers with their passing, I'll give you they are pretty skaters though. In 9 games Kurashev has the same stats that Strome does with a worse face off percentage, possession anyone

Between you and me I'm not sure we "overpaid." The salary fits, Boqvist has proven nothing, we swapped 1sts this year oh boy, if Jones plays anywhere close to the hype next year's added 1st won't be out of line. Either way, "we had us a boy and got us a man."
- rpeters01

The problem is that he Hawks need to play much better as a team in order for the acquisition to be "worth it". It's great to have THAT guy, but you also need the other guys.

Fingers crossed that some of them start stepping up soon.

What?!?! He hasn't proven anything yet!
- Chunk

#ADF

I think he is if he plays a full season as 3rd line center. JC is demoralizing him and deflating his value. Give him a stint, a real opportunity, to show what he can do in the right spot in the lineup and to showcase him for a trade if they really want him gone. If he is truly worthless after that, then just waive him and get him in the minors or gone.
- GreenJeans

Fair enough. I think Strome is demoralizing JC by his play over the past few seasons, when he was given real opportunities. And failed.

Louis Crevier signed to an ELC. He's the 6 foot 8 inch D prospect.

First official move for Davidson as GM. Maybe the deal was in the works with Bowman with the announcement delayed for a week
- boilermaker100

I question the timing of the move.

The problem is that he Hawks need to play much better as a team in order for the acquisition to be "worth it". It's great to have THAT guy, but you also need the other guys.

Fingers crossed that some of them start stepping up soon.
- Chunk

Can't blame Jones for that and you have to start somewhere can't keep swinging at draft picks and reclamation projects. Beaudin, Boqvist, somebody said "draft them in the first round." It's not just Chicago swinging and missing. Somebody else drafted Quenville, Strome, Perlini, Borgstrom etc. in the first round it's hard to project 18 year olds. If they were drafted at 22 it would be a lot easier.

A dookie in the urinal
- paulr

a turd in the punchbowl

Yea Borgstrom and Kurashev don't do all that, that well and they both make egregious turnovers with their passing, I'll give you they are pretty skaters though. In 9 games Kurashev has the same stats that Strome does with a worse face off percentage, possession anyone
- BetweenTheDots

FFS, do you watch any other players during the game, or just stare at Murphy hoping he screws up? Fine, it's my word against your that Kurashev and Borg play a better overall game than Strome.

Say what you will about JC and his staff, but I'm sure they know volumes more hockey than you. That is not meant to be any sort of insult, but simply a fact - an NHL coaching staff knows more than you. The fact is that Strome hasn't played well enough to consistently be in the lineup over some of the other guys that have been playing is a testament to his play and ability and nothing else. JC needs to win at this point, and at best he is forced to play Strome.

Can't blame Jones for that and you have to start somewhere can't keep swinging at draft picks and reclamation projects. Beaudin, Boqvist, somebody said "draft them in the first round." It's not just Chicago swinging and missing. Somebody else drafted Quenville, Strome, Perlini, Borgstrom etc. in the first round it's hard to project 18 year olds. If they were drafted at 22 it would be a lot easier.
- rpeters01

I'm not blaming him at all. Again, I'm glad they got him. I'm interested to see what the full potential of this roster is since I don't think we've seen anything close to it yet.

It would be very interesting to see how different the drafts would be if players had to be 21+ to get drafted.

I have grown weary already of drubbing given Strome and Carpenter as whipping boys here. They are not fun to watch, I admit that, but I think both are fully worth their contracts. (Caveat on actual getting games).

Carpenter made the most of his opportunity last night. I thought he was one of the best forwards on the ice. Send him back to play on a 4th line with three natural centers like Q used to do there won't be anything to complain about.

Strome, although a small sample size, is playing like a 3rd line center. But JC puts him on the wing of the grinder/energy line. T. Johnson might be the only skill player who wouldn't wither in the role. Strome is literally the only plus player on the team and is 57% on face offs. Can't call what he has been given as "an opportunity" IMO. Give him a handful of games with Entwistle and T. Johnson on his wings and this board will change their minds faster than it did with S. Jones.
- GreenJeans

This board changed its mind on Seth Jones?

Between you and me I'm not sure we "overpaid." The salary fits, Boqvist has proven nothing, we swapped 1sts this year oh boy, if Jones plays anywhere close to the hype next year's added 1st won't be out of line. Either way, "we had us a boy and got us a man."
- rpeters01

You may not be sure, but I am. I don’t care about swapping firsts, or losing Boqvist, next year’s first is gross is the part that is a gross overpayment for an average #2 dman.

Louis Crevier signed to an ELC. He's the 6 foot 8 inch D prospect.

First official move for Davidson as GM. Maybe the deal was in the works with Bowman with the announcement delayed for a week
- boilermaker100

Good to see the new GM didn't give him a NMC. #Progress

FFS, do you watch any other players during the game, or just stare at Murphy hoping he screws up? Fine, it's my word against your that Kurashev and Borg play a better overall game than Strome.

Say what you will about JC and his staff, but I'm sure they know volumes more hockey than you. That is not meant to be any sort of insult, but simply a fact - an NHL coaching staff knows more than you. The fact is that Strome hasn't played well enough to consistently be in the lineup over some of the other guys that have been playing is a testament to his play and ability and nothing else. JC needs to win at this point, and at best he is forced to play Strome.
- Chunk

If JC was an actual NHL coach you might actually have an argument but considering he's finally one 1 game

And what some consider one of the worst coaches, experience anyone, has Buffalo actually playing competent hockey

If JC was an actual NHL coach you might actually have an argument but considering he's finally one 1 game

And what some consider one of the worst coaches, experience anyone, has Buffalo actually playing competent hockey
- BetweenTheDots

Still knows volumes more than you about hockey.

Fair enough. I think Strome is demoralizing JC by his play over the past few seasons, when he was given real opportunities. And failed.
- mohel

His first two seasons were mostly respectable IMO. Can't say the same about JC who was a liability to every game he coached.

Last season was a mindbender for everyone due to Covid and some players were affected more than others. I give a lot of leniency on my judgement of last season's performance regressions. Heck, one player had to take a leave of absence (Drouin) and a certain top Dman had a terrible season (S. Jones). It was a tough season. I think the newcomers excelled (for a while) due to the disruption in the status quo.

Would I be happy with Strome putting up .66 PPG and getting time on 2nd PP unit? Yes, I would. And I still think it is possible this season.

Can we hold on to Phillips long enough to see what we have in him? Thus far, pretty impressive. And, this guy can skate!

Still knows volumes more than you about hockey.
- Chunk

That's true he knows to have slow footed dmen chase the puck around in the defensive zone, he's really coaching to this teams strengths

I kind of see Anisimov as a comparable. Similar size and skill makeup, except Strome is a better playmaker. AA got paid more (4.5) to contribute less, and although AA did eventually become a target on this board there was a time when there was a lot of love for him here. Imagine Strome with wingers like AA had.
- GreenJeans

Anisimov would position himself in front of the net more than Strome (at both ends of the rink).

That's true he knows to have slow footed dmen chase the puck around in the defensive zone, he's really coaching to this teams strengths
- BetweenTheDots

and despite all this... Still knows more than you.

Can we hold on to Phillips long enough to see what we have in him? Thus far, pretty impressive. And, this guy can skate!
- gabriel

He's on his ELC, so they have him for at least three years. I highly doubt they keep him up if Stillman, and ultimately Kalynuk, come back. He's shown well enough thus far for a young guy, but he needs to be playing more minutes in more situations to get better instead of the 10-11 minutes he is getting now.