Ben Pope
@BenPopeCST
Hagel is out tonight and there will be more update tomorrow on the extent of his injury, Derek King says.
- LAHawk

Derek King said Brandon Hagel will be reevaluated tomorrow: “Fingers crossed” he’ll only miss a game or two.

Wyatt Kalynuk will skate in warmups tonight but won’t play. They want to get him in a few more practices. #Blackhawks

Hagel is out tonight and there will be more update tomorrow on the extent of his injury, Derek King says.
- Chunk

Thanks Chunk and LA.

Kucherov, 20 when brought to the NHL for good, Cirelli, 20 when brought to the NHL for good. Reichel, who knows. He is 20 after playing 2 years with men. If he scores 24 points in his first 17 games like Kucherov does that mean he's ready?

Every player is different. What works for some doesn't for others. Who thought DeBrincat at #39 in the draft would never play a minute in the AHL (by the way he was....20 when he made the NHL). There is no one formula or one right or wrong answer. IF the Hawks believe that they have a playoff chance this season and Reichel is better than any current options, then by all means bring him up. IF they feel he will develop more in the NHL, then bring him up. IF they want to evaluate what they currently have up, and/or give a chance to the Nylanders, etc. who have been around a bit, then let him play in the AHL. IF they feel that a year in the AHL will be better for him long term, let him stay down there. None of us really know what they are thinking, or how Davidsons philosophy differs from Stans. Well all just have to wait and see.
- TheTrob

Great points, and I agree. Hopefully Davidson isn’t as impulsive as Stan.

Ben Pope
@BenPopeCST
Marc-Andre Fleury is in the Blackhawks starter’s crease.

He’ll get another chance tonight for revenge against the Penguins.
- LAHawk

Derek King said Marc-Andre Fleury will start in goal tonight vs. Pittsburgh: “And that’s not based on who we're playing against or anything. We just gotta get him back in there.”

Derek King said Marc-Andre Fleury will start in goal tonight vs. Pittsburgh: “And that’s not based on who we're playing against or anything. We just gotta get him back in there.”
- Chunk

He’s not resigning with Hawks and Hawks will not resign him. Hope he plays well until TDL and he’s okay with being moved, that would be a win for the Hawks.

Any news on Hagel’s injury? Long term or day to day?
- Angotti

He's year-to-year.

Keep showing ignorance under the guise of sarcasm
- PatShart

Ok.

Why do you want him to get to the NHL so quickly? Assuming he’s ready to contribute, why have him play on a bad team with all the off and on ice issues, not to mention him burning a year off his ELC.
- paulr

Agreed I reiterate: bring him up only if we get into playoff contention. Otherwise, I'm going the "Kris Bryant route" and saving a year of ELC eligibility. Bring him up with 9 games to go in the season.

Keep showing ignorance under the guise of sarcasm
- PatShart

The two are not mutually exclusive.

King had a pre-game interview on 11/2 and was asked about Nylander and Reichel.

He said Reichel has NHL talent. He needs to get used to the "American" game and they need to make sure he has the right chemistry with his line mates.

On Nylander he said that he was playing well and moving well. He just needed to get more confidence in his knee.

Re Strome:

Dylan Strome: “My little brother got sent down to the ECHL, my older brother got COVID and I wasn't playing. Tough couple weeks for the family.”

“Now Ryan’s back playing, scored last night, Matt got called back up to the AHL and here I am here. Things are looking up.”

Strome on his talks with Derek King: “He likes me as a player. He likes the way I try to control the puck. He emphasizes being above it and getting back and winning those puck battles… It feels good. A little breath of fresh air.”

I've been on the "dump Strome" bandwagon for a while. If this change gets him going, I'll happily change my tune. I just think he will continue to be inconsistent which is themes maddening thing. Hopefully he proves the doubters wrong.
- Chunk

More:
King on Strome: "He can play. He's got a lot of upside to him. The big thing with him is working without the puck. That was my conversation [with him].

"We're just turning a page. So here's his new chapter. We'll see what he does with it. But I liked his effort last game."

Keep showing ignorance under the guise of sarcasm
- PatShart

I’m still looking for the goalposts. Can you give me a hint to where they are?

More:
King on Strome: "He can play. He's got a lot of upside to him. The big thing with him is working without the puck. That was my conversation
- Chunk[with him].

"We're just turning a page. So here's his new chapter. We'll see what he does with it. But I liked his effort last game."

So did the coach quit on the player or the player quit on the coach? And I guess you can ask the same question about the whole team.

He's year-to-year.
- mohel

Sounds like my marriage.

Send Dach down. Leave Reichel and Nylander down. Send Kalynuk down when he’s healthy.

Let them all play together with Beaudin and Mitchell and everyone else who might be part of the future. See if they can build some momentum and winning culture in the AHL before they get thrown to the wolves in a year or two.
- Ogilthorpe2

Agree 100% with you this season is already done. Sell off the players that can be moved and go from there in the offseason.

Patrick Sharp was a 4 year college player that bloomed late.

Marchand was behind Bergeron, Kreji and Marc Savard so its not like he had a roster spot.

Similar for Kesler, a first place team that had no place for him at the time.

Nick Leddy came straight from high school pretty much and only played int he AHL because of the lockout.

Roman Josi spent a year but again similar to Kesler and Marchand there was actual talent ahead of him on the NHL roster that was a playoff team at the time.

So first off those aren't comparable situations. Second, none of those players were PPG players in the AHL. And finally, outside of a late bloomer (like Patrick Sharp) or as a place holder (which with the diluted talent rarely happens) there is no reason for a player with his talent to linger in the AHL.

I can't think of a player with his skating and skill tool-set that spent time down there and became anything in the last 5 years. If a player needs to work on skating (like an Oliver Walstrom) or is just super raw (like a Duncan Keith) or has nowhere else to go (like a Danault or Marchand or Kesler) then they have to go there but otherwise it is a waste of time.
- fattybeef

You wasted all that time going down the list of names I gave just as examples and felt the need to explain why they were there? You missed the bigger point - which was that probably 600 players currently in the NHL spent time in the AHL. If it was such a waste of time league why does every NHL club try to locate one near to them? Because they want a very competitive man's league to keep an eye on the development of younger players they have drafted and spent a bunch of money on.

Your objectivity about the league has probably been coloured by the fact that the Blackhawks have done such a p$ss poor job drafting and developing under Bowman such that Rockford has produced next to nothing for the NHL club.

Do you think any of these guys currently with just 2 teams in the Central - Nashville and Winnipeg, would make the Hawks roster now and help if they had them - Trenin, Tolvanen, Saros, Morrissey, Connor, Hellebuyck. I think so and they all spent time in the AHL.

And in quick response to your last declaration - how about Anthony Cirelli, Viktor Arvidsson, Mathieu Joseph, Kyle Connor mentioned above?

BTW - how's Tim Stutzle doing so far this year? Nobody knew him in the 56 game season last year. Looks like the NHL is a little tougher for him this year. Maybe the Sens should send him down to the waste of time league so he can run up his point totals and look like a #3 overall pick. Should be easy for him.

So did the coach quit on the player or the player quit on the coach? And I guess you can ask the same question about the whole team.
- LAHawk

Sounds to me that King sees the same issues with Strome as everyone sees. He has to work hard away from the puck.

Sounds like my marriage.
- Angotti

Better than day-to-day, eh?

I’m still looking for the goalposts. Can you give me a hint to where they are?
- paulr

Well probably up your ass...but your head is lodged up there

So look elsewhere..

Well probably up your ass...but your head is lodged up there

So look elsewhere..
- PatShart

Now now, no need for juvenile angst on a hockey board.

You wasted all that time going down the list of names I gave just as examples and felt the need to explain why they were there? You missed the bigger point - which was that probably 600 players currently in the NHL spent time in the AHL. If it was such a waste of time league why does every NHL club try to locate one near to them? Because they want a very competitive man's league to keep an eye on the development of younger players they have drafted and spent a bunch of money on.

Your objectivity about the league has probably been coloured by the fact that the Blackhawks have done such a p$ss poor job drafting and developing under Bowman such that Rockford has produced next to nothing for the NHL club.

Do you think any of these guys currently with just 2 teams in the Central - Nashville and Winnipeg, would make the Hawks roster now and help if they had them - Trenin, Tolvanen, Saros, Morrissey, Connor, Hellebuyck. I think so and they all spent time in the AHL.

And in quick response to your last declaration - how about Anthony Cirelli, Viktor Arvidsson, Mathieu Joseph, Kyle Connor mentioned above?

BTW - how's Tim Stutzle doing so far this year? Nobody knew him in the 56 game season last year. Looks like the NHL is a little tougher for him this year. Maybe the Sens should send him down to the waste of time league so he can run up his point totals and look like a #3 overall pick. Should be easy for him.
- RickJ

Let’s hope the new hockey front office understands the benefits of development and patience.

Now now, no need for juvenile angst on a hockey board.
- paulr

Dont ask for help next time

You wasted all that time going down the list of names I gave just as examples and felt the need to explain why they were there? You missed the bigger point - which was that probably 600 players currently in the NHL spent time in the AHL. If it was such a waste of time league why does every NHL club try to locate one near to them? Because they want a very competitive man's league to keep an eye on the development of younger players they have drafted and spent a bunch of money on.

Your objectivity about the league has probably been coloured by the fact that the Blackhawks have done such a p$ss poor job drafting and developing under Bowman such that Rockford has produced next to nothing for the NHL club.

Do you think any of these guys currently with just 2 teams in the Central - Nashville and Winnipeg, would make the Hawks roster now and help if they had them - Trenin, Tolvanen, Saros, Morrissey, Connor, Hellebuyck. I think so and they all spent time in the AHL.

And in quick response to your last declaration - how about Anthony Cirelli, Viktor Arvidsson, Mathieu Joseph, Kyle Connor mentioned above?

BTW - how's Tim Stutzle doing so far this year? Nobody knew him in the 56 game season last year. Looks like the NHL is a little tougher for him this year. Maybe the Sens should send him down to the waste of time league so he can run up his point totals and look like a #3 overall pick. Should be easy for him.
- RickJ

Goaltenders are different and they all need longer to figure it out.

For Stutzle -30 points over 50 games is pretty good and at 19 playing against players who are better - why would he go back down to the AHL when he is good enough for the NHL? A sophomore slump is pretty common regardless of how much time someone spent in the AHL.

It is a placeholder league for replacement value players or guys there aren't room on the roster for. If someone has the talent to play in the NHL, and is more effective on the ice then other players on the roster, they should be playing in the NHL getting better against the best.

Tolvanen could be further a head if it wasn't languishing in the AHL.

It is NOT a developmental league like baseball has. It is more similar to the D league in the NBA which is basically reserve players + a few guys who are late bloomers or flew under the radar.

Dont ask for help next time
- PatShart

What do you think of the word angst?

What do you think of the word angst?
- paulr

I think you are insignificant and no longer worth my time

✌