And this why 18 year olds shouldn’t be in the NHL unless they’re very special players or they are solid in every aspect of the game. Dach can’t learn the basic skills playing in the best league in the world. He can’t learn to score, which was his weakness in his last year of junior. I’m sure other aspects of his game weren’t refined as well. Now we have a 20 year old who is compounding his mistakes playing on a bad team. Fans are getting frustrated, that frustration can build and it won’t be long before he’s being booed and the media will be all over him.
- paulr

You’re right about Dach - in The Show way too soon. He’ll probably figure it out (I hope), but with Toews not playing like a top-6 center, and Kurashev not yet ready to be a center in the NHL, that leaves the Hawks like donuts - big holes in the middle.

Carolina 2 Chicago 3 Fleury -2.

And this why 18 year olds shouldn’t be in the NHL unless they’re very special players or they are solid in every aspect of the game. Dach can’t learn the basic skills playing in the best league in the world. He can’t learn to score, which was his weakness in his last year of junior. I’m sure other aspects of his game weren’t refined as well. Now we have a 20 year old who is compounding his mistakes playing on a bad team. Fans are getting frustrated, that frustration can build and it won’t be long before he’s being booed and the media will be all over him.
- paulr

Totally Paulie.

I still think a game off to energize himself and reflect on things would help.

Totally Paulie.

I still think a game off to energize himself and reflect on things would help.
- Popsghostly

Or maybe time in Rockford to work on certain parts of his game? Sending him to Rockford can also affect his confidence. Going forward, unless the player is like Patrick Kane or Connor McDavid, I wish the Hawks would just allow draft picks to play a year or two more in junior and let them learn as much as possible in a lower pressure environment.

Or maybe time in Rockford to work on certain parts of his game? Sending him to Rockford can also affect his confidence. Going forward, unless the player is like Patrick Kane or Connor McDavid, I wish the Hawks would just allow draft picks to play a year or two more in junior and let them learn as much as possible in a lower pressure environment.
- paulr

Or move him to wing where I believe he belongs. Not the first time I have said it. Maybe he will learn, but he doesn’t recognize very well to be a center.

I don’t ever need to see Fleury again. He’s a (frank)ing Sieve.
- Ogilthorpe2

MAF has always been an overrated goaltender....Lost his job to Murry in Pitt and Lehner to Vegas...There is a reason for that....Over-rated......Makes routine saves like a spectacular saves by flopping all over the place.

I don’t ever need to see Fleury again. He’s a (frank)ing Sieve.
- Ogilthorpe2

I don’t mind Lankinen but the Hawks need a new #1 next season, somebody who isn’t with the organization now. The UFA goalie market is fairly poor next summer to the Hawks will likely need to upgrade via trade.

Wonder if the Vezina Trophy last year was more of a lifetime achievement award for MAF

Or move him to wing where I believe he belongs. Not the first time I have said it. Maybe he will learn, but he doesn’t recognize very well to be a center.
- LAHawk

Perhaps he needs to move to wing but had come up this season instead of two years ago he may have learned the skills to be a center, he may have learned to score and the Hawks wouldn’t have blown two years on his ELC. The Hawks are only hurting themselves promoting guys who aren’t ready to make the jump.

Perhaps he needs to move to wing but had come up this season instead of two years ago he may have learned the skills to be a center, he may have learned to score and the Hawks wouldn’t have blown two years on his ELC. The Hawks are only hurting themselves promoting guys who aren’t ready to make the jump.
- paulr

It appears they did the same thing with Bovquist.

Totally Paulie.

I still think a game off to energize himself and reflect on things would help.
- Popsghostly

Agree with you both. Dach looks gassed on the TV closeups. Easily knocked off the puck and hits the deck way too much. Give him a night off. Not much to lose at this point.

You’re right about Dach - in The Show way too soon. He’ll probably figure it out (I hope), but with Toews not playing like a top-6 center, and Kurashev not yet ready to be a center in the NHL, that leaves the Hawks like donuts - big holes in the middle.
- StLBravesFan

They need to draft a center. Notl hopeful a really good #1 center without a lottery selection.

I want to know why not see how McLaughlin would do. Play Borgstrom and Dach until they develop

A trade is not going to bring a center. For a top center, we have nothing straight up. Maybe a Kubalik for an equally talented center. Not really a solution because the center coming back probably a #2 calibre or level. Although keep in mind Kubalik contract will come up.

Trade Murphy. Almost laughable. No pillar is he whom we hoped would be a nice acquisition for Hjalmarsson. Murphy just needed to mature and out of the loosing mentality of Phoenix. I hoped, but alas, nope. Ideally we could trade a player to move up In draft. That is a difficult type deal to engineer and you have to surrender something of value. Don't see it happening.....wishful thinking originally a year and more ago...was Murphy could be sacrificed in such a move...but again he sucks. Inconsistent player.

Our draft choices Reichel, two goaltenders, some dmen look quite promising. Of course a cadre of useful strong bottom line players could be a nice touch,, could keep us battling hard, could energize the team each game.
But as for our top prospects....

Well remember goaltenders more often need a year or two in the AHL. Look at Demko as recent example. The dmen...they need to be strong enough or a superlative talent like Maker, McAvoy. Byram is a surprise but he isn't yet able irvslliwed to break out.

Some of the prospects might be here sooner and better than we had figured. Wait and see on dmen yet to turn pro and Soderstrom & Commeso that happens if they do not need minor league brush up (goaltenders) and are strong enough physically (dmen)

Reichel......is he a center or wing long term NHL

MAF has always been an overrated goaltender....Lost his job to Murry in Pitt and Lehner to Vegas...There is a reason for that....Over-rated......Makes routine saves like a spectacular saves by flopping all over the place.
- shidler

No poop. That’s why I didn’t understand getting him in the first place, and he’s done nothing since he’s been here to change my mind. Jones sucks too. What an awful off season.

Agree with you both. Dach looks gassed on the TV closeups. Easily knocked off the puck and hits the deck way too much. Give him a night off. Not much to lose at this point.
- gabriel

You have a team having trouble scoring 5 x 5, so you dress Enrwhistle, Kharia, Carpenter, Johnson (a whole 4:04 of ice time), Hardman, ahead of Strome and Gaudette

Listened to JC on the postgame. He sounds really defeated.

Listened to JC on the postgame. He sounds really defeated.
- TJYTJY

Good teams like the Canes win games like this one. We saw so many of these from 2010-2017. Down by a goal in the 3rd to win the game. We aren't there yet but with good drafting from 2022 onward (I'm assuming we lose this year's pick), we should get there at some point, hopefully not too long from now. We have a whole new set of management.

You have a team having trouble scoring 5 x 5, so you dress Enrwhistle, Kharia, Carpenter, Johnson (a whole 4:04 of ice time), Hardman, ahead of Strome and Gaudette
- LAHawk

I was just thinking that. I’d add Hardman too, let him spend some time in Rockford.

Maybe keep Entwistle, but replace the others with Strome, Gaudette, Borgstrom and Nylander.

I was just thinking that. I’d add Hardman too, let him spend some time in Rockford.

Maybe keep Entwistle, but replace the others with Strome, Gaudette, Borgstrom and Nylander.
- DarthKane

Agreed those players and instead of 1-8 we might be with better luck 3-6.

I was just thinking that. I’d add Hardman too, let him spend some time in Rockford.

Maybe keep Entwistle, but replace the others with Strome, Gaudette, Borgstrom and Nylander.
- DarthKane

At some point you know Nylander is going to be given his last opportunity. Can't wait!

I was just thinking that. I’d add Hardman too, let him spend some time in Rockford.

Maybe keep Entwistle, but replace the others with Strome, Gaudette, Borgstrom and Nylander.
- DarthKane

Don't understand why Gaudette was shelved vs Carolina. Not an All-Star by any means, but better than we trotted out there tonight.

I was just thinking that. I’d add Hardman too, let him spend some time in Rockford.

Maybe keep Entwistle, but replace the others with Strome, Gaudette, Borgstrom and Nylander.
- DarthKane

Eh hardman forced that goal to the net. Credit there

At some point you know Nylander is going to be given his last opportunity. Can't wait!
- gabriel

While I agree that Nylander has been a big disappointment, particularly considering his brother’s success, his draft position, and how we traded someone we liked for him… he’s still only 23 and has been mismanaged and hurt for most of his young career. He got fast tracked in Buffalo on a horrible team, then traded for a guy drafted 20 picks later than him. Then he gets top line jobs with the Hawks in the bubble and can’t hang. He’s been hurt all through last year, and then starts this year in Rockford as everyone talks about his last chance.
Dominik Kubalik didn’t play a single NHL game until he was 24, Alex Nylander is 23. I know they’re not the same but Nylander hasn’t been given a shot on a single winning team. The Hawks bubble team was bad, Buffalo was bad, this team is clearly bad. Let’s see if he can do anything in Rockford, or anything when the Blackhawks fire Colliton a dozen games too late. The kid can skate, which is the first thing any scout looks for, the rest is a giant question mark but I’m not giving up yet.

New blog! A summary of the Blackhawks vs Hurricanes game as the inability to hold a lead and take advantage of extended PP time got Chicago back in the L column.

Plus, updates on Marc-Andre Fleury trade rumors and prospect captains.

https://bit.ly/3mLgQ7z

While I agree that Nylander has been a big disappointment, particularly considering his brother’s success, his draft position, and how we traded someone we liked for him… he’s still only 23 and has been mismanaged and hurt for most of his young career. He got fast tracked in Buffalo on a horrible team, then traded for a guy drafted 20 picks later than him. Then he gets top line jobs with the Hawks in the bubble and can’t hang. He’s been hurt all through last year, and then starts this year in Rockford as everyone talks about his last chance.
Dominik Kubalik didn’t play a single NHL game until he was 24, Alex Nylander is 23. I know they’re not the same but Nylander hasn’t been given a shot on a single winning team. The Hawks bubble team was bad, Buffalo was bad, this team is clearly bad. Let’s see if he can do anything in Rockford, or anything when the Blackhawks fire Colliton a dozen games too late. The kid can skate, which is the first thing any scout looks for, the rest is a giant question mark but I’m not giving up yet.
- ObeseOprah

How can you tell? He also never worked hard enough to be able to tell if he can skate. I never saw him fight his way through anything.

While I agree that Nylander has been a big disappointment, particularly considering his brother’s success, his draft position, and how we traded someone we liked for him… he’s still only 23 and has been mismanaged and hurt for most of his young career. He got fast tracked in Buffalo on a horrible team, then traded for a guy drafted 20 picks later than him. Then he gets top line jobs with the Hawks in the bubble and can’t hang. He’s been hurt all through last year, and then starts this year in Rockford as everyone talks about his last chance.
Dominik Kubalik didn’t play a single NHL game until he was 24, Alex Nylander is 23. I know they’re not the same but Nylander hasn’t been given a shot on a single winning team. The Hawks bubble team was bad, Buffalo was bad, this team is clearly bad. Let’s see if he can do anything in Rockford, or anything when the Blackhawks fire Colliton a dozen games too late. The kid can skate, which is the first thing any scout looks for, the rest is a giant question mark but I’m not giving up yet.
- ObeseOprah

You included some items about Nylander that I was clueless about. Thanks for sharing. "A dozen games too late." Snuck it in there. Ya think? Good job.