Yeah it's been a progression.

Rookie Dmen by season.

15-16 3 Rookies (TVR, Gus, Svedberg)
16-17 1 Rookie (Forsling)
17-18 2 Rookies (Dahlstrom, Hillman)
18-19 3 Rookies (Jokiharju, Dahlstrom, Gilbert)
19-20 4 Rookies (Boqvist, Gilbert, Carlsson, Beaudin)
20-21 5 Rookies (Mitchell, Kalynuk, Beaudin, Carlsson, Regula)
21-22 6 Rookies (Vlasic, Regula, Galvas, Kalynuk, Philips, Beaudin)
22-23 5 Rookies (Roos, Philips, Kaiser, Vlasic, Regula)

A lot more rookies getting looks as the team dismantled and we started drafting higher. We didn't hold onto many of them, the one that I still wish we had held onto was Forsling, as he has just gotten better each season.

To your point though, this season we are likely to see a high volume of games played by rookies on D. The last two seasons we haven't had a rookie dman play 20 games in a season.

Just for fun, I looked at games played in one season by a rookie Dman over those years on that list.

TVR 82 games
Boqvist 41 games
Gus 41 games
Mitchell 39 Games
Jokiharju 38 games
Forsling 38 games
Dahlstrom 38 games

This season we could see multiple rookie Dmen get 50+ games. It really could be an adventure on the back end.
- breadbag

Some really fine work here, BB. Thanks for it....... A quick visual of the organIzational Dman pipeline over 8 yrs and how it turned out to be barren for helping the rebuild or in the yr 2023 at all.

You make an excellent point that the club may see rookie Dmen with a lotta games played this yr. 2 rookies play 50 games? 3 of them? If that happened it would be the 1st time since TVR that any rookie Dman played in more than 41 games!!!

Let’s not forget Phillips. Kid has improved every year, and has the most pro experience in the A of all the D prospects. Probably was the #1 defenseman at Rockford last year, and did not look out of place in his 16 NHL games either. He is also big 6’3 210 and can skate. And still only 21 years old.
- LAHawk

Phillips will be 22 this month.

And the kid is a 5th rd pick to boot. 10 yrs from now he may be pointed to as the kinda top 4 guy you gotta find deep in the draft for clubs to have deep playoff runs ....

A few short yrs ago the fanbase would all have known Phillips as he'd be maybe the top Dman prospect and would be sold to the fans. Today many don't know him as he's mentioned as the 4th-5th best D prospect by most.

Fun times and shortly we'll see the same thing with the forwards where 2-3-4 rookies will have a legit shot at the NHL roster over a 3-4-5 yr span...... And they'll be auditioning goalies at the NHL level as well as the AHL to be groomed as the Hawk's #1.

But I fell for Phillips right away. Really really mobile kid right off the bat and add he's 6ft 3in and very athletic he's an easy guy to have expectations for.

Saarijärvi was picked up in the Patrick Kane trade, he came from Arizona. Drafted by Detroit and then traded to Arizona, then to Chicago.
- breadbag

Wouldn't mind seeing Saarijarvi get a tryout during training camp.

1. He is a RD and there is a need for a little extra depth there.
2. If he plays at Rockford that allows one of the young LD to move back to their natural side.
3. He has been pretty decent the last 3 years in the European leagues. If there is a rash of injuries at RD, he could come up and fill in for a while and Crevier or other young d-man could keep developing in Rockford.
4. If he is OK, then no need to hunt for a depth veteran RD.

Overall, getting excited about Saarijarvi is kind of like the Steve Martin character getting excited about the new phone book arriving, but he still could fill in a spot this year and help the rebuild. And he might surprise a little and be a decent NHLer. Really didn't cost anything either, was an afterthought in the Kane deal.

That's a fair comparison as Guttman and Hagel are about the same age and 6th rd picks. Hagel went CHL, Guttman NCAA (good choice as a smallish 5ft 9in kid). Hagel showed more offense but Guttman played center with a strong energized 2 way game, Hagel played wing.

Don't think anyone is saying Guttman will be the next Hagel but there are similarities in the two players.
- Mr Ricochet

Unless Kurashev finally makes good on his potential, I think Guttman has a really strong chance at replacing #23. Guttman seemed to show all the traits that Kurashev was expected to and actually produced at a decent clip.

Admittedly it was a much smaller sample size, but in 14 games Guttman was a +1…

Training camp starts today, a refreshing break from the dumpster fire that the Bears have quickly plummeted into.

Hopefully KD has stopped talking to Poles and comparing notes

OMG, they are a disaster.

KD with an opportunity to quickly become the best GM in town.

Training camp starts today, a refreshing break from the dumpster fire that the Bears have quickly plummeted into.

Hopefully KD has stopped talking to Poles and comparing notes

OMG, they are a disaster.

KD with an opportunity to quickly become the best GM in town.
- vabeachbear

What Bears team have you been watching? They have been a dumpster fire for years.

Training camp starts today, a refreshing break from the dumpster fire that the Bears have quickly plummeted into.

Hopefully KD has stopped talking to Poles and comparing notes

OMG, they are a disaster.

KD with an opportunity to quickly become the best GM in town.
- vabeachbear

In Chicago it is the job of every major league sports team to be interesting up to the point of another sports training camp. The Cubs made it to the Hawks training camp. The task for the Hawks is to be interesting until February when spring training starts. (I doubt the Bulls or Bears are interesting at all other than their constant dysfunction.)

Hawks announced their training camp roster of 55 players.

https://www.nhl.com/black...2023-training-camp-roster

Generally speaking I agree. But like anything else no two situations are alike. Sheltering, easing in, finding good spots, developing for 2 rookie Dmen on the NHL roster seems fair and doablde but it matters who these Dmen are as to can you go with 3, or more, rookie Dmen.

Lets say Korchinski shows enough to merit a stay past 10 games. Do you go with Vlasic, Kaiser AND KK on the big league roster? That's 3 rooks. Not perfect but are
Kaiser and Vlasic competent enough in their zone to add a weaker defensive rookie like KK?

Or would one of Vlasic or Kaiser have to go to RKF cuz assimilating 3 rookie Dmen is not conducive to proper development? 

I do think Kaiser and Vlasic play the type of game that a 3rd rookie Dmen can reasonably be added to the NHL roster without it creating chaos. ..... At least it merits a try if KK shows he's ready.
- Mr Ricochet

Can't be any worse than last year.

What Bears team have you been watching? They have been a dumpster fire for years.
- powerenforcer

I was referring to the rebuild plan and implementation there of. Also the want to professionalize the organization.

I've kind of viewed both teams of attempting the same thing simultaneously.

Can't be any worse than last year.
- fattybeef

Did Bjork sign? or is he on a PTO?

Did Bjork sign? or is he on a PTO?
- LAHawk

Last year was unwatchablely bad.

Bedard will be fun to watch. Reichel should be interesting.

Really no value with last years team. This team should have 4 kids on the blue line + Tinder to spell, which will be entertaining one way or another.

With some of these guys who have been around for a while and gone through the program so to speak (Phillips, Vlasic, etc) they kind of have to see what they have there and this year is perfect for that experiment.

It's not a make or break year and I don't expect them to be good but definitely exciting on a few different levels.

Did Bjork sign? or is he on a PTO?
- LAHawk

Bjork signed an AHL contract with Rockford.

In terms of playing style, the guy who reminded me of Hagel is Rolston. Just the way he was somehow around the puck even when he looked about to fall over half the time.

Korchinski has no business being in the NHL right now. He clearly is not ready. He was mediocre on Sunday. I am not going to call him a bust but he is being fitted for a training bra.

Kaiser is a better skater and will be the better player.
- Elbows15

Like you said Ian Mitchell was going to be a good NHL dman? Your opinions rarely work out

I guess we'll see, was very impressed at his time here before he got hurt. He just got out of college so its not like he's older.

Not sure what more he could have done to impress after he was up.

Not saying that's translating to a top 6 player or anything, but i see a bit of Carl Haglin in him. Smaller guy, plays hard, plays fast, non stop motor guy who contributes on the 3rd or the 4th line on a good team.
- vabeachbear

That's always the big question and the difference between winning and losing.

Training camp starts today, a refreshing break from the dumpster fire that the Bears have quickly plummeted into.

Hopefully KD has stopped talking to Poles and comparing notes

OMG, they are a disaster.

KD with an opportunity to quickly become the best GM in town.
- vabeachbear

Are we talking about the Bears, Sox, Bulls, Sky or Fire I'm confused...

Training camp starts today, a refreshing break from the dumpster fire that the Bears have quickly plummeted into.

Hopefully KD has stopped talking to Poles and comparing notes

OMG, they are a disaster.

KD with an opportunity to quickly become the best GM in town.
- vabeachbear

Hahaha, i think Poles made some nice picks myself, i just think the McCaskeys did the most McCaskey thing you can, interview and basically hire Flus, then hire their GM, and then they hire their president, so dysfunctional

Talk about as s backwards.

Hall already with a lower body injury

Hahaha, i think Poles made some nice picks myself, i just think the McCaskeys did the most McCaskey thing you can, interview and basically hire Flus, then hire their GM, and then they hire their president, so dysfunctional

Talk about as s backwards.
- BetweenTheDots

Um, but Poles hired Flus.

The Bears on Thursday named Matt Eberflus as their 17th head coach in franchise history. Hired by new general manager Ryan Poles, Eberflus boasts 30 years of coaching experience, 13 in the NFL and 17 at the collegiate level.
Jan 27, 2022

So Greenberg got hired as the GM of the Tigers

https://www.sportsnet.ca/...-named-detroit-tigers-gm/

So Greenberg got hired as the GM of the Tigers

https://www.sportsnet.ca/...-named-detroit-tigers-gm/
- LAHawk

To think, we could be talking about Jeff from Chicago!

Um, but Poles hired Flus.

The Bears on Thursday named Matt Eberflus as their 17th head coach in franchise history. Hired by new general manager Ryan Poles, Eberflus boasts 30 years of coaching experience, 13 in the NFL and 17 at the collegiate level.
Jan 27, 2022
- rpeters01

Sure he did, without Poles they interviewed Flus and highly encouraged Poles to interview him once they hired Poles.

https://theathletic.com/3...-and-coach-matt-eberflus/

Like you said Ian Mitchell was going to be a good NHL dman? Your opinions rarely work out
- GPHawksfan

Volunteering that I was convinced Ian Mitchell would be very good after watching him play in College.

Elbows wasn't alone

Not sure my opinions rarely work out, but i've been hyping Kaiser, so he better be careful.

Hahaha, i think Poles made some nice picks myself, i just think the McCaskeys did the most McCaskey thing you can, interview and basically hire Flus, then hire their GM, and then they hire their president, so dysfunctional

Talk about as s backwards.
- BetweenTheDots

I've always said that Poles hiring Flus was a bunch of BS, they put that our there, but no way Poles interviewed him and same day hired him.

Blackhawks rebuild already better as i believe they hired a much better coach. Flus sounds like a HS coach.

Training camp starts today, a refreshing break from the dumpster fire that the Bears have quickly plummeted into.

Hopefully KD has stopped talking to Poles and comparing notes

OMG, they are a disaster.

KD with an opportunity to quickly become the best GM in town.
- vabeachbear

And onto the dumpster fire that is the Blackhawks.