Seems like a fair assessment for a well regarded 20 yo, after getting into his 12th NHL game.
- HawkintheD

Well regarded by who? The Figure Skating Federation? This is hockey, Bub.

Well regarded by who? The Figure Skating Federation? This is hockey, Bub.
- mohel

Might as well release him now, why waste a roster spot.

Considering Blowman’s long and extensive history of drafting and developing talent, especially in the first round—- yeah I’d think it’s a fair and highly accurate assessment
- bigfly46

I know you're not a fan of Dach who seems to be doing ok in MTL. He still may not prove worthy of a 3rd OA pick. My guess is if they do the redraft again in a few years, he's still at worst a top 10 pick, just maybe not at his original spot.

Other than Mark McNeil, maybe you could provide the names of all the other first round busts from "Blowman's long and extensive" (redundancy btw) drafting and developing history.

Bowman may have drafted him but Davidson and staff seem to be doing the right thing by not rushing him.

Such a BOD tendency though to shovel dirt on a guy's career before it's barely begun.

Might as well release him now, why waste a roster spot.
- Angotti

He's had his chance, Lou, time to cut bait...

I know you're not a fan of Dach who seems to be doing ok in MTL. He still may not prove worthy of a 3rd OA pick. My guess is if they do the redraft again in a few years, he's still at worst a top 10 pick, just maybe not at his original spot.

Other than Mark McNeil, maybe you could provide the names of all the other first round busts from "Blowman's long and extensive" (redundancy btw) drafting and developing history.

Bowman may have drafted him but Davidson and staff seem to be doing the right thing by not rushing him.

Such a BOD tendency though to shovel dirt on a guy's career before it's barely begun.
- HawkintheD

I admit I wasn't a Dach fan (as a Center, not as a top 6 winger) I kept saying (and still say) I see him as a Blake Wheeler type (drafted 5th moved from center to wing early in his career) which ahs turned out anything but a bust. That being said, Bowman's hit miss on draft choices (especially from the position he was drafting) is no better or worse than most of the other GM's. If we are going to "punish" Bowman for his first round failures, you then have to give him kudo's to his second round successes, (Saad, ADB)

And here is my question? Did Stanbo have full autonomy as GM, or did McDonuts have his hand/say in everything from how much to pay players (Toews, Kane, Seabrook) to player trades, and player rosters

I admit I wasn't a Dach fan (as a Center, not as a top 6 winger) I kept saying (and still say) I see him as a Blake Wheeler type (drafted 5th moved from center to wing early in his career) which ahs turned out anything but a bust. That being said, Bowman's hit miss on draft choices (especially from the position he was drafting) is no better or worse than most of the other GM's. If we are going to "punish" Bowman for his first round failures, you then have to give him kudo's to his second round successes, (Saad, ADB)
- LAHawk

You were definitely leading the call on moving him to wing. Between that and maybe better placement of him in the lineup he may still end up being worthy, or at least mostly so, of his high draft status.

Agree with everything you said though. If you look at his picks in the first round and where the Hawks were picking, only Mark McNeil (so far) ended up not getting NHL time or sticking.

While developing players under the Bowman regime can certainly be questioned, I think it's a BOD trope and one from more of the meatbally fan base to throw a blanket statement on the poor drafting acumen of him and his scouting department.

You were definitely leading the call on moving him to wing. Between that and maybe better placement of him in the lineup he may still end up being worthy, or at least mostly so, of his high draft status.

Agree with everything you said though. If you look at his picks in the first round and where the Hawks were picking, only Mark McNeil (so far) ended up not getting NHL time or sticking.

While developing players under the Bowman regime can certainly be questioned, I think it's a BOD trope and one from more of the meatbally fan base to throw a blanket statement on the poor drafting acumen of him and his scouting department.
- HawkintheD

Plus his signing of European free agents far and away was better than most of the other GM's.

I know you're not a fan of Dach who seems to be doing ok in MTL. He still may not prove worthy of a 3rd OA pick. My guess is if they do the redraft again in a few years, he's still at worst a top 10 pick, just maybe not at his original spot.

Other than Mark McNeil, maybe you could provide the names of all the other first round busts from "Blowman's long and extensive" (redundancy btw) drafting and developing history.

Bowman may have drafted him but Davidson and staff seem to be doing the right thing by not rushing him.

Such a BOD tendency though to shovel dirt on a guy's career before it's barely begun.
- HawkintheD

Hmmm let’s see—

1) look at the current roster
2) look at the below link— there’s maybe 5 guys in total over the last ten drafts- not counting 21-22 — I call that top notch scouting and player development
https://www.hockeydb.com/...aft/teams/dr00005218.html

Hmmm let’s see—

1) look at the current roster
2) look at the below link— there’s maybe 5 guys in total over the last ten drafts- not counting 21-22 — I call that top notch scouting and player development
https://www.hockeydb.com/...aft/teams/dr00005218.html
- bigfly46

Hmmm...very convenient to ignore the first round picks they traded away under Bowman and even now under Davidson, but I get it, it doesn't fit the narrative.

While they may go hand in hand, you're combining two separate things. The Hawks weren't bad at drafting under Bowman but I do agree the development part of it left a crap ton to be desired.

I'll ask the question again though, and no, Nolan Allen or Lukas Reichel don't count because they're being developed under the new regime...how many first round picks other than McNeil aren't in the NHL?

Oops my bad...forgot about Beaudin who is looking to be a miss in the first round.

Hayes, McNeil, Danault, Teuvo, Hartman, Schmaltz, Jokiharju, Schmaltz, Boqvist, Beuadin and Dach were their first round picks.

You can argue where guys were picked I suppose but only McNeil and Beaudin are looking like whiffs and Beaudin like several other picks came at the end of the first round.

But yeah, you're right...absolutley horrible!

Did they have all the fancy stats in 2003-2004 as they have now? This team looks just as bad as those ABC line years in terms of puck possession.

The offense seems to be a bunch of guys playing hard but seemingly not together, very disjointed, very little chemistry. AA his great skill but seems to be a one-man show with skating but not so much with passing or receiving passes. Domi has some good shots and is adept at taking pucks away from others. Kane looks like he's checked out. He's not playing the top of his game this year with passes just a bit behind, slight bobbling of the puck and floating.

With the somewhat AHL-caliber third and fourth lines, Khahira has impressed me, playing better than I thought he would.

At some point last night I hoped to fast forward this season and get right to the 2023 draft. There's going to be a lot more of last night after Kane, Toews, Domi and AA are traded. However, if we get enough picks, some have to stick.

Back to the ABC days, if we look at the 2003 and 2004 drafts, we had many picks (4 second round picks in 2004!!!) and got Seabrook, Crawford, Buff, Bolland, Bickell and Brouwer. 6 major pieces in a 2-year span. There is some light at the end of the tunnel... especially with this loaded 2023 draft.

Reichel on I-90 on his way to Rockford.

Seems like a fair assessment for a well regarded 20 yo, after getting into his 12th NHL game.
- HawkintheD

In all fairness, Reichel was deemed a write-off after 12 AHL games but most. For some others Reichel was written-off 12 minutes after he was drafted (which is the most realistic).

Reichel on I-90 on his way to Rockford.
- boilermaker100

via GIPHY

Hmmm...very convenient to ignore the first round picks they traded away under Bowman and even now under Davidson, but I get it, it doesn't fit the narrative.

While they may go hand in hand, you're combining two separate things. The Hawks weren't bad at drafting under Bowman but I do agree the development part of it left a crap ton to be desired.

I'll ask the question again though, and no, Nolan Allen or Lukas Reichel don't count because they're being developed under the new regime...how many first round picks other than McNeil aren't in the NHL?

Oops my bad...forgot about Beaudin who is looking to be a miss on the first round.

Hayes, McNeil, Danault, Teuvo, Hartman, Schmaltz, Jokiharju, Schmaltz, Boqvist, Beuadin and Dach were there first round picks.

You can argue where guys were picked I suppose but only McNeil and Beaudin are looking like whiffs and Beaudin like several other picks came at the end of the first round.

But yeah, you're right...absolutley horrible!
- HawkintheD

Yeah Hawks in the D agree with the bolded. We were stuck in the win now mode for many years. Bowman traded away many picks but just as much as that, from 2008-2017, the Hawks drafted mostly in the lower half of the first round due to winning 3 cups or going far. The talent is just not as great there- Beaudin, Jokiharu and Hartman are all very late 1st round picks. Even Reichel was in the later half of the draft.

Dach (3) and Boquist (8) are the best to look at since they are decently high picks, to judge the drafting ability, I think. The Jones trade is just poor management, giving up the 7th and 6th pick, but it differs from poor drafting.

Key games in the THL (tank hockey league) tonight.

BUF@CBJ - need a 3 point game with the Jackets winning in OT

ARI@EDM - hope the Coyotes get the game into OT and get at least 1 point

VAN@SJS - need another 3 pointer with the Sharks winning in OT

Hmmm let’s see—

1) look at the current roster
2) look at the below link— there’s maybe 5 guys in total over the last ten drafts- not counting 21-22 — I call that top notch scouting and player development
https://www.hockeydb.com/...aft/teams/dr00005218.html
- bigfly46

2002 - 2004 were great draft classes.

All tied for last....

How many of them would make the dynasty roster?
- mohel

S. Jones might beat out Sopel.

I know you're not a fan of Dach who seems to be doing ok in MTL. He still may not prove worthy of a 3rd OA pick. My guess is if they do the redraft again in a few years, he's still at worst a top 10 pick, just maybe not at his original spot.

Other than Mark McNeil, maybe you could provide the names of all the other first round busts from "Blowman's long and extensive" (redundancy btw) drafting and developing history.

Bowman may have drafted him but Davidson and staff seem to be doing the right thing by not rushing him.

Such a BOD tendency though to shovel dirt on a guy's career before it's barely begun.
- HawkintheD

In all seriousness, people are comparing Dach's potential to Nazar's potential and that's not necessarily correct. I think we need to look at Dach's potential in Chicago and not his production in Montreal. I'm happy to see Dach improve in Montreal, but I don't believe that would have happened in Chicago.


If we were re-drafting the 2019 NHL draft we all know who the Hawks would take at #3.

In all seriousness, people are comparing Dach's potential to Nazar's potential and that's not necessarily correct. I think we need to look at Dach's potential in Chicago and not his production in Montreal. I'm happy to see Dach improve in Montreal, but I don't believe that would have happened in Chicago.


If we were re-drafting the 2019 NHL draft we all know who the Hawks would take at #3.
- DarthKane

A guy about half the size as Dach?

In all seriousness, people are comparing Dach's potential to Nazar's potential and that's not necessarily correct. I think we need to look at Dach's potential in Chicago and not his production in Montreal. I'm happy to see Dach improve in Montreal, but I don't believe that would have happened in Chicago.


If we were re-drafting the 2019 NHL draft we all know who the Hawks would take at #3.
- DarthKane

I do think Dach probably needed a change of scenery and still like that KD was able to leverage a first rounder for him.

Still hoping Nazar ends up being a big part of the rebuild and his injury isn’t detrimental to his long term development.

I do think Dach probably needed a change of scenery and still like that KD was able to leverage a first rounder for him.

Still hoping Nazar ends up being a big part of the rebuild and his injury isn’t detrimental to his long term development.
- HawkintheD

There were rumblings that Henri Jokiharju had an attitude problem here.... wonder if Dach did too.

Haven't seen any Sabres games. Is he developing into a Top 4? or is he going to end up being a 4/5 tweener type guy.

There were rumblings that Henri Jokiharju had an attitude problem here.... wonder if Dach did too.

Haven't seen any Sabres games. Is he developing into a Top 4? or is he going to end up being a 4/5 tweener type guy.
- bhawks2241

He's a decent player, but nothing to get too excited about. He defends pretty well, but there is little offense generated. He doesn't really move the needle, but the world needs ditch diggers and he's a competent NHL D-man.

I do think Dach probably needed a change of scenery and still like that KD was able to leverage a first rounder for him.

Still hoping Nazar ends up being a big part of the rebuild and his injury isn’t detrimental to his long term development.
- HawkintheD

I have to agree here. I don't think Dach would be having nearly the same success in CHI that he is in MTL. Different team, usage, linemates, setting. Again, good on him for taking advantage of the new opportunity.

I more interested to see what starts happening with the Hawks starting in 2024-25. My only hope is that they are able to surround the young guys with enough solid vets to not bury them under too much pressure.

S. Jones might beat out Sopel.
- rpeters01

You could put almost any other defenseman in the league in the bottom two in 2015.

You were definitely leading the call on moving him to wing. Between that and maybe better placement of him in the lineup he may still end up being worthy, or at least mostly so, of his high draft status.

Agree with everything you said though. If you look at his picks in the first round and where the Hawks were picking, only Mark McNeil (so far) ended up not getting NHL time or sticking.

While developing players under the Bowman regime can certainly be questioned, I think it's a BOD trope and one from more of the meatbally fan base to throw a blanket statement on the poor drafting acumen of him and his scouting department.
- HawkintheD

Simple fact of the matter is that they're looking for high motor fast players. I don't think they drafted one guy this year you would say that their biggest knock is their speed or skating ability.

Dach moves well for a big guy but let's be real 6'4 and 195 lbs is not big. It is tall. Which is why he spent a lot of time on his ass. You couldn't really call him high motor either since one of the bigger knocks is that he didn't do a great job keeping his feet moving.

He is having success and getting space and time with Suzki and Caulfield being super dangerous. There is a massive difference between ozone starts in CHI vs MON which shouldn't be ignored as well.

Unless he gets some lead in his ass and starts imposing his will on the game, he's gonna be a 45ish point per year player that is readily available via trade or free agency and regardless of the success that Nazar has or doesn't have, it was the right move to make based on the fact that they just need to throw darts at the board and hope they hit on someone in the mid first round.