Indeed, I worded that poorly. I should have said they are going to bottom out first instead of "you have to". I don't think KD is going to try and maintain this level of bad for very long. Maybe next year at most before he starts to put the bigger pieces together.

I think if he finds some good deals on prospects/young players for taking salary, he will be able to turn the corner quicker.

True that there is no single way to rebuild. I'll be interested to see what kind of players KD brings in the next two years. The only sure thing on this roster right now that will be there in the future is S. Jones. I expect about 80-90% turnover in the next three years.
- Chunk

Chunk, I agree. The more you watch this team, the more you come to realize just how poor Bowman and his NHL talent evaluators were. S. Jones is...fine. Not $9.5M fine, but he is ok. He is not a true #1D and never will be. He is average in his own end, and not dynamic enough on the offensive side to be considered anywhere near the caliber of Makar, Josi, Hedman, Burns, Doughty, Letang, OEL, etc., etc. No one is taking that salary and the Hawks are not gonna eat that much space for that much term. We are stuck with him.

The other D Bowman acquired are just....blah. C. Jones is just bad. I wanted to give McCabe the benefit of the doubt, but he too has just been mostly...bad. He skates like the grocery cart with the one bad wheel, and is a horrible passer. Murphy is a serviceable d-man, but not much more. The D that KD brough in are just placeholders.

As for forwards, you have some nice role players. I personally like Kurashev and Lafferty. I think Blackwell plays hard, I think Raddysh may stick around at a decent price. The rest are just nothing to get excited for or hope for anything other than what they currently are. 4th line/ AHL tweeners. Even Domi and Anathasiou. They are ok at their current $3M, but not worth much more $ or term investments.

People complaining about the Hawks not being good are hilarious. If you don't have the stomach for a rebuild go watch the Bears. No, wait.

Hawks are going to have to overpay.
- stevefrmglencoe

And then 3-4 years into the deal when he he's in the inevitable career decline you're going to moan about why they signed him for that long, for that much and gave him a full NMC.

People complaining about the Hawks not being good are hilarious. If you don't have the stomach for a rebuild go watch the Bears. No, wait.
- kwolf68

Think the problem is there are no young players to even watch on the current roster.

It's Toews rumor day.

Rebuilds do suck, but yea I prefer KDs method of just ripping the band aid off, then a franchise like the Flyers or Blue Jackets who insist they are just retooling instead of rebuilding

They do need to draft well, so fingers crossed and hope Wiz is right about how deep this draft is and we hit on a few and win the 1st pick overall.

That is such a fallacy. You don't have to bottom out first. Yes, having high picks helps to rebuild, but its not a panacea. EDM, BUF, ARI have drafted high over the years, what have they won?

You need a combination of good picks mixed with FA's, veterans and role players to be successful.

PIT successfully turned 4 #1 or #2 picks in consecutive years into a cup in '09 and have maintained a high level of play by filling in around them. BOS has remained competitive though McAvoy in 2016 is the most recent pick who contributes regularly. WSH and StL have won cups without tanking for a high choice.

There is no single right way to build a winner in the NHL. It can easily be argued that tanking is the least successful way to get to a cup. Who was the last team to tank and win a cup as a direct result of it.
- TheTrob

I would agree with this....I am perfectly OK with where they are at on the ice. They have some turds babysitting spots until they can plug them in younger NHL READY kids (see Caleb Jones and Tinordi) and a bunch of try hards at F like the days of Karl Stewart.

I don't think there is a sure fire way to do this, and again...OK with Davidson sucking this year to hopefully land a generational talent and then build around said player. How he fills around with him will be something to see if Davidson sees this rebuild to contender through or if he's fired long before that.....easiest way to do that is get the best package possible for 19/88 IF they waive....and I have to think in the next 30+ days the whispers about both willing to waive will grow longer....

1. It's going to take time for Davidson to find a partner(s) based on 19 and/or 88's desired landing spot
2. Based on said return package buying team will want largest ROI they can get and the longer 19 and/or 88 plays on his new team bigger bang for the buck.

I'd love to see them trade Murphy or S Jones but I doubt either happens as they need players to fil out a lineup and money to hit the floor.

next 90+ days should be fun to see what davidson does in regards to accumulating picks/prospects for the future.

Think the problem is there are no young players to even watch on the current roster.
- bhawks2241

The price you pay to win....but yeah, they don't have a lot of young players on the team or in the system yet to get very excited about or go spend money/time watching play live. That's going to be the issue in a post 19/88 world. Who is going to draw the gate money?

I have not heard much about Reichel so far this year.....you would think/hope if he was ready he would be up here because this team is lacking top 6 talent. Just odd....if he's not ready, he's not ready.....but for me personally...the hardest thing to do is be ok with the long game on these prospects and not let them wait too long in case they are misses and hold little value vs evaluating them early enough to know when to sell as high as possible.

I did laugh at idiot Dach putting his hand to his ear....good for you. See Montreal moved you to wing....and paired you up with Darth's boy and higher skilled guys. Guess that kid got his wakeup call.

It's Toews rumor day.

Rebuilds do suck, but yea I prefer KDs method of just ripping the band aid off, then a franchise like the Flyers or Blue Jackets who insist they are just retooling instead of rebuilding

They do need to draft well, so fingers crossed and hope Wiz is right about how deep this draft is and we hit on a few and win the 1st pick overall.
- BetweenTheDots

If both Toews and Kane fetch a 1st in return we could have 4 first round picks this year. combined with the 3 last year the rebuild could be alot quicker if we get lucky and hit on a few of those picks. plus then having 30 million of cap space could be a nice way to either weaponize it for more assets or supplement our roster with depth.

If both Toews and Kane fetch a 1st in return we could have 4 first round picks this year. combined with the 3 last year the rebuild could be alot quicker if we get lucky and hit on a few of those picks. plus then having 30 million of cap space could be a nice way to either weaponize it for more assets or supplement our roster with depth.
- SaskHawkFan

Fingers crossed, i have to imagine there are teams out there who think they are a Kane and or Toews away and willing to spend that 1st round pick

The price you pay to win....but yeah, they don't have a lot of young players on the team or in the system yet to get very excited about or go spend money/time watching play live. That's going to be the issue in a post 19/88 world. Who is going to draw the gate money?

I have not heard much about Reichel so far this year.....you would think/hope if he was ready he would be up here because this team is lacking top 6 talent. Just odd....if he's not ready, he's not ready.....but for me personally...the hardest thing to do is be ok with the long game on these prospects and not let them wait too long in case they are misses and hold little value vs evaluating them early enough to know when to sell as high as possible.

I did laugh at idiot Dach putting his hand to his ear....good for you. See Montreal moved you to wing....and paired you up with Darth's boy and higher skilled guys. Guess that kid got his wakeup call.
- SteveRain

He's just over a point per game in the AHL, but he's admitted himself that he has a lot to work on away from the puck. There was an article on him a few weeks ago where he admitted as much. I'm not sure if/how he has changed in the time since then, but he needed to improve some things before being called up (also not sure if he is playing center or wing).

I don't think there really is a spot for him on NHL team right now. They don't want to be good, and he really needs a top 6 spot to be effective.

He's just over a point per game in the AHL, but he's admitted himself that he has a lot to work on away from the puck. There was an article on him a few weeks ago where he admitted as much. I'm not sure if/how he has changed in the time since then, but he needed to improve some things before being called up (also not sure if he is playing center or wing).

I don't think there really is a spot for him on NHL team right now. They don't want to be good, and he really needs a top 6 spot to be effective.
- Chunk

So the future Top 6 will likely be: Nazar, 2023 top 5 pick, Richel, 2024 top 5 pick, UFA and 2023/2024 1st round pick....sound somewhat right?

He's just over a point per game in the AHL, but he's admitted himself that he has a lot to work on away from the puck. There was an article on him a few weeks ago where he admitted as much. I'm not sure if/how he has changed in the time since then, but he needed to improve some things before being called up (also not sure if he is playing center or wing).

I don't think there really is a spot for him on NHL team right now. They don't want to be good, and he really needs a top 6 spot to be effective.
- Chunk

Thanks CHunk!

If he's not ready he's not ready....but I think if he was they could easily find a place for him to play with Toews or Kane as some of those guys they are skating with...... far from top 6 players but like you said....and MOST of US understand....they are trying at not being good.

Fingers crossed, i have to imagine there are teams out there who think they are a Kane and or Toews away and willing to spend that 1st round pick
- BetweenTheDots

If the Hawks do get 4 first round picks (plus 2nds and thirds for Domi, AA, etc) I can see KD trying to consolidate those picks for higher first round picks.

So the future Top 6 will likely be: Nazar, 2023 top 5 pick, Richel, 2024 top 5 pick, UFA and 2023/2024 1st round pick....sound somewhat right?
- glennjpawlak22

In theory, sure. There is no guarantee that they go all forwards with those picks though. I can see an extra trade acquisition or UFA filling one or more of those spots.

I think, if this last draft told us anything, KD is going to focus on a specific type of player and is not going to stray from it if he likes the player (see Rinzel).

The Hawks have 3-4 forwards (in theory, if Kane and Toews waive) and basically 2 defensemen that can be traded and have some value. Combine that with a good chunk of cap space to eat salary, and I think they can bring in some good assets.

As injuries mount and teams identify who is and is not helping their performance, I think the Hawks can make some hay.

If the Hawks do get 4 first round picks (plus 2nds and thirds for Domi, AA, etc) I can see KD trying to consolidate those picks for higher first round picks.
- LAHawk

People complaining about the Hawks not being good are hilarious. If you don't have the stomach for a rebuild go watch the Bears. No, wait.
- kwolf68

That's what the Cubs are for.

That is such a fallacy. You don't have to bottom out first. Yes, having high picks helps to rebuild, but its not a panacea. EDM, BUF, ARI have drafted high over the years, what have they won?

You need a combination of good picks mixed with FA's, veterans and role players to be successful.

PIT successfully turned 4 #1 or #2 picks in consecutive years into a cup in '09 and have maintained a high level of play by filling in around them. BOS has remained competitive though McAvoy in 2016 is the most recent pick who contributes regularly. WSH and StL have won cups without tanking for a high choice.

There is no single right way to build a winner in the NHL. It can easily be argued that tanking is the least successful way to get to a cup. Who was the last team to tank and win a cup as a direct result of it.
- TheTrob

Correct, but the rest of your post establishes that not having top picks and winning a Cup is more rare. It is FAR more common to draft a couple superstars near the top of the draft. Of course, you have to do a good job of adding real talent in other ways; but winning a Cup without those players is quite rare.

If the Hawks do get 4 first round picks (plus 2nds and thirds for Domi, AA, etc) I can see KD trying to consolidate those picks for higher first round picks.
- LAHawk

Only variable here is if 19 and/or 88 only wants to go X team and said team doesnt' have a 1st round pick, said team will either need to pony up a top prospect or get a 3rd team involved. That's why I think by early January the chatter of both waiving will be louder to give KD ample time to get the best return, and appease the player and buying team.

Lot of moving parts in all of this.

Jets have their 1st but not their 2nd

Avs have their 1st this year and next year, but don't have a 2nd and 3rd in 23 and 24, and also don't have their 4th in 23....can they wait until round 5 to pick?

Rangers have 2, 1sts in 23 (dallas and theirs)

Correct, but the rest of your post establishes that not having top picks and winning a Cup is more rare. It is FAR more common to draft a couple superstars near the top of the draft. Of course, you have to do a good job of adding real talent in other ways; but winning a Cup without those players is quite rare.
- mohel

Agreed but you also at some point have to start identifying the building blocks....and start flipping some guys for younger better options where scouting will pay off....the Matt Ellison for Sharp deals, etc

Again, all dependent on the internal clock on when this organization feels it should be ready to contend based on the likely plan KD has laid out to ownership which NOBODY exactly knows...only what he goes by, so to say it's 3, 5, 7 years is all p-ssing in the wind unless KD gives a definitive answer because it's all speculation by fans/media/etc

I wasn't impressed with Mrazek he was terrible in the game.

- rpeters01

Not that it will matter in the win column, but I would give the net to Soderblom more often now. And for those that think Mrazek is better for the tank, guess what, the Hawks are going to finish bottom five either way.

Not that it will matter in the win column, but I would give the net to Soderblom more often now. And for those that think Mrazek is better for the tank, guess what, the Hawks are going to finish bottom five either way.
- Angotti

Stalock has been skating recently. I would assume as soon as he is cleared to play, Soderblom goes back down. It's good that he got/is getting some games with the NHL club, but I'd prefer him playing more consistently and getting back in a groove.

Goalie is going to be a really interesting position going forward. How do they view Soderblom/Commesso? Does KD view goalies more like Scotty Bowman, where you just need a "good" one vs a great one?

Yeesh, just looked at the FLA roster/cap situation. From what I can tell, they would need to make a trade to activate Duclair if/when he is ready to come back. They are also working with no cap space for call ups.

Beyond that, their cupboard looks eerily similar to the Hawks of about 3-4 years ago, not to mention, they don't have a first rounder for the next three years (and no second rounder in 2024). I see some hard times coming there.

Yeesh, just looked at the FLA roster/cap situation. From what I can tell, they would need to make a trade to activate Duclair if/when he is ready to come back. They are also working with no cap space for call ups.

Beyond that, their cupboard looks eerily similar to the Hawks of about 3-4 years ago, not to mention, they don't have a first rounder for the next three years (and no second rounder in 2024). I see some hard times coming there.
- Chunk

They need someone to take Bob's contract so they can give the net to Knight. Like you said, there are not many enticing young players. Would Anton Lundell be enough of a sweetner to eat 3 more years of Bob at $10 Mil?

Agreed but you also at some point have to start identifying the building blocks....and start flipping some guys for younger better options where scouting will pay off....the Matt Ellison for Sharp deals, etc

Again, all dependent on the internal clock on when this organization feels it should be ready to contend based on the likely plan KD has laid out to ownership which NOBODY exactly knows...only what he goes by, so to say it's 3, 5, 7 years is all p-ssing in the wind unless KD gives a definitive answer because it's all speculation by fans/media/etc
- SteveRain

Once they obtain the players with all these draft picks, they can do the bolded. They have few, if any, real building blocks.

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