Zack, Soderblom is 23rd in the league (Mrazek iis12th) out of 74 goalies in saves above expected goals. Outside of the 8-1 drubbing, which games did he have rough outings?

I guess you just go by GAA and save percentage. Nothing about the quality of shots against?
- LAHawk

His inability to prevent rebounds is pathetic

Sorokin had a NHL team in front of him when he played as a rookie. I can't believe the abuse Soda is getting for being a rookie and playing with 3 to 4 rookie dmen in front of him, and we were still in the game.

So i guess many of you would of been happy to be a middling NHL team and drafting between 10 and 15 every year and not amassing draft picks and hoping by some miracle we all of a sudden become a Stanley Cup team?
So giving up rebounds consistently is due to the rookie defensemen? Ok.
Not directed at you Lou, definitely not
- BetweenTheDots

Sorokin had a NHL team in front of him when he played as a rookie. I can't believe the abuse Soda is getting for being a rookie and playing with 3 to 4 rookie dmen in front of him, and we were still in the game.

So i guess many of you would of been happy to be a middling NHL team and drafting between 10 and 15 every year and not amassing draft picks and hoping by some miracle we all of a sudden become a Stanley Cup team?

Not directed at you Lou, definitely not
- BetweenTheDots

No I don't think so. IMHO the BOD would only be happy if the Hawks were winning every game by lopsided scores, hitting on every pick and picking all stars no matter where they pick in the first round and sweeping every series on the way to a dozen consecutive Stanley Cups.

Even then some on here would still find room to complain.

C.Dach with a hatty for the Hogs
- LAHawk

Bedard’s new left wing, hopefully he has better luck than his brother staying healthy.

His inability to prevent rebounds is pathetic
- LFS

It is pretty much a learning process, and he starts fine, but the team in front of him allows lots of chances and those tow "gloved" pucks were things he isn't going to forget.

All I know is the carousel of Lankinen, a. Forsberg, Collin Delia never looked as able to improve and hold the crease and stick around and this kid has good instincts and abilities and has a future here.

Speaking of defensemen, here's an article about Levshunov.

https://thehockeynews.com...oftly-and-play-a-big-game
- boilermaker100

Yeah, I watched him the other day, but am still not sure if I take him at #3 for teh Blackhawks....

Yeah, I watched him the other day, but am still not sure if I take him at #3 for teh Blackhawks....
- wiz1901

TBH, I doubt that this team picks in the top three this coming draft, I’m thinking more like top seven. No one here liked yesterday’s loss, but these kids will improve throughout the year, they’ll get some wins.

No I don't think so. IMHO the BOD would only be happy if the Hawks were winning every game by lopsided scores, hitting on every pick and picking all stars no matter where they pick in the first round and sweeping every series on the way to a dozen consecutive Stanley Cups.

Even then some on here would still find room to complain.
- HawkintheD

Thanks for setting me straight, hahaha

The losses suck for sure, but i can see a lot of good things on the ice, and it's coming from the younger players. Can you imagine if Bedard wasn't as good as advertised, or KK, Vlasic and Kaiser had to be sent down because they were in over their head. Phillips actually looking better and better.

Kurashev has been a nice surprise and Reichel has a lot of talent just needs those minutes

Soda to me looks just a split second slow on plays, the only way he can adjust to the speed of the NHL is getting those minutes. FWIW i think Soda has about the same save percentage as Mrazek had the past 2 years.

Yeah, I watched him the other day, but am still not sure if I take him at #3 for teh Blackhawks....
- wiz1901

Wiz you think there is a chance Demidov falls in the draft to our TB pick especially if it's around the 15, 16th pick? I think Demi has a knee injury and will be out for a few months.

Roos back to Rockford. Zaitsev activated from personal business.

Thanks for setting me straight, hahaha

The losses suck for sure, but i can see a lot of good things on the ice, and it's coming from the younger players. Can you imagine if Bedard wasn't as good as advertised, or KK, Vlasic and Kaiser had to be sent down because they were in over their head. Phillips actually looking better and better.

Kurashev has been a nice surprise and Reichel has a lot of talent just needs those minutes

Soda to me looks just a split second slow on plays, the only way he can adjust to the speed of the NHL is getting those minutes. FWIW i think Soda has about the same save percentage as Mrazek had the past 2 years.
- BetweenTheDots

Oh for sure. I think Reichel will be fine but having Hall stay healthy will help.

Bedard is almost a ppg player but some of the ways he's scoring, lead you to believe he's got more than a few more TB type nights in him.

The dmen have all had their rookie moments but none of them look routinely overwhelmed so far, which is good. At the end of last season, in the games he drew in, I thought Vlasic looked like he was likely up for good and on most nights he's been their best dman.

Like you say, the losing sucks, but it's still so early in the rebuild. Certainly too early to be looking around the room for something to whip through the tv screen.

Thanks for setting me straight, hahaha

The losses suck for sure, but i can see a lot of good things on the ice, and it's coming from the younger players. Can you imagine if Bedard wasn't as good as advertised, or KK, Vlasic and Kaiser had to be sent down because they were in over their head. Phillips actually looking better and better.

Kurashev has been a nice surprise and Reichel has a lot of talent just needs those minutes

Soda to me looks just a split second slow on plays, the only way he can adjust to the speed of the NHL is getting those minutes. FWIW i think Soda has about the same save percentage as Mrazek had the past 2 years.
- BetweenTheDots

Trying to look at the silver lining so to speak, I foresee good things in the numbers

By numbers, I am referencing two ways of looking at promising good things to come

First and foremost is our own first round selection in 2024. I just saw a mock draft where we would take Celebrini 6th overall. There was an explanation why each team takes their guy and actually it made sense. There was mention made how Celebrini is rated as the second choice in the draft on other lists.

I know many say to go for the best player. Well imagine Celebrini and Bedard together. Now if we had some young gun attacking and playing physical - imagine two wingers like that - they could interchange for a few shifts or a game or two on to Bedard’s line with a Celebrini posing a threat on….. well we don’t have that offensive center, do we unless you use Guttman. But we do have Dach + ? as two wings to interchange sometimes briefly

Maybe we drafted someone who can be like Zary, who looked good with Dach in WJC before Dach was felled. Musial labeled though as a third line?

Well I said two things I want to say about the numbers

Keep on drafting well and there will be suitors we draft who may challenge the other prospect at any particular position.

The board mentions Soderblom but there is Comesso and Gajan who come to compete later on. As well as Stauber possibly

And what about T Harding. Let us keep Crevier as a possible third pair once he gets more experience. You know the other prize about the dmen

Trying to look at the silver lining so to speak, I foresee good things in the numbers

By numbers, I am referencing two ways of looking at promising good things to come

First and foremost is our own first round selection in 2024. I just saw a mock draft where we would take Celebrini 6th overall. There was an explanation why each team takes their guy and actually it made sense. There was mention made how Celebrini is rated as the second choice in the draft on other lists.

I know many say to go for the best player. Well imagine Celebrini and Bedard together. Now if we had some young gun attacking and playing physical - imagine two wingers like that - they could interchange for a few shifts or a game or two on to Bedard’s line with a Celebrini posing a threat on….. well we don’t have that offensive center, do we unless you use Guttman. But we do have Dach + ? as two wings to interchange sometimes briefly

Maybe we drafted someone who can be like Zary, who looked good with Dach in WJC before Dach was felled. Musial labeled though as a third line?

Well I said two things I want to say about the numbers

Keep on drafting well and there will be suitors we draft who may challenge the other prospect at any particular position.

The board mentions Soderblom but there is Comesso and Gajan who come to compete later on. As well as Stauber possibly

And what about T Harding. Let us keep Crevier as a possible third pair once he gets more experience. You know the other prize about the dmen
- jhawk59

That's an excellent point, the pipeline competition, with actual talent. It's what KD wants to do. That's a perfect example of it, Commesso will get his 2 years maybe more experience at the Rock while Soda gets his at the NHL level. Then you have a 19 year old getting his minutes.

I think KK was a pleasant surprise for the Blackhawks staff, but they have layers of LD men as well. Now they are doing it with the forwards.

Curious to see if Nazar signs his ELC and can help us with team speed, skill and his hunting the puck skills next season.

I don't know what Misiak is but i think he will be a NHL player, maybe in the Bolland kind of player mold.

It is pretty much a learning process, and he starts fine, but the team in front of him allows lots of chances and those tow "gloved" pucks were things he isn't going to forget.

All I know is the carousel of Lankinen, a. Forsberg, Collin Delia never looked as able to improve and hold the crease and stick around and this kid has good instincts and abilities and has a future here.
- wiz1901

As gar as i know it's the same team in front of mrszek

Oh for sure. I think Reichel will be fine but having Hall stay healthy will help.

Bedard is almost a ppg player but some of the ways he's scoring, lead you to believe he's got more than a few more TB type nights in him.

The dmen have all had their rookie moments but none of them look routinely overwhelmed so far, which is good. At the end of last season, in the games he drew in, I thought Vlasic looked like he was likely up for good and on most nights he's been their best dman.

Like you say, the losing sucks, but it's still so early in the rebuild. Certainly too early to be looking around the room for something to whip through the tv screen.
- HawkintheD

And which if the fwd prospects is stepping in next year and contributes right away? I see none.

And which if the fwd prospects is stepping in next year and contributes right away? I see none.
- LFS

I hear ya. The Hawks are doomed to mediocrity.

That's an excellent point, the pipeline competition, with actual talent. It's what KD wants to do. That's a perfect example of it, Commesso will get his 2 years maybe more experience at the Rock while Soda gets his at the NHL level. Then you have a 19 year old getting his minutes.

I think KK was a pleasant surprise for the Blackhawks staff, but they have layers of LD men as well. Now they are doing it with the forwards.

Curious to see if Nazar signs his ELC and can help us with team speed, skill and his hunting the puck skills next season.

I don't know what Misiak is but i think he will be a NHL player, maybe in the Bolland kind of player mold.
- BetweenTheDots

I tead people on this board talking about speed. Speed may get you there first but it means nothing if you cant put the puck in the net. I see a bunch of 3/4 liners.. nothing outstanding in the pipeline.

I tead people on this board talking about speed. Speed may get you there first but it means nothing if you cant put the puck in the net. I see a bunch of 3/4 liners.. nothing outstanding in the pipeline.
- LFS

I should correct my previous post … eternal mediocrity.

I hear ya. The Hawks are doomed to mediocrity.
- paulr

Well name me a couple.

That's an excellent point, the pipeline competition, with actual talent. It's what KD wants to do. That's a perfect example of it, Commesso will get his 2 years maybe more experience at the Rock while Soda gets his at the NHL level. Then you have a 19 year old getting his minutes.

I think KK was a pleasant surprise for the Blackhawks staff, but they have layers of LD men as well. Now they are doing it with the forwards.

Curious to see if Nazar signs his ELC and can help us with team speed, skill and his hunting the puck skills next season.

I don't know what Misiak is but i think he will be a NHL player, maybe in the Bolland kind of player mold.
- BetweenTheDots

There good thing is that they've had a ton of kicks at the can, and will for at least two more years in terms of picks. They guys they've picked at least are continuing to point if regardless of whether or not we know what they will become.

In Rockford, you have Dach, Allan, del Mastro and at this point maybe one of Rolston or Lyupen that has a shot? I'd guess Guttman and Anderson are seen as placeholders at the moment.

Elsewhere, you have about 8-10 players that are showing really well at the moment. There won't be room for all of them, but that's a good problem to have.

I always love the guys you don't really notice or see coming. I'm seriously rooting for Ludwinski.

Well name me a couple.
- LFS

I can’t, the Hawks prospects suck.

I tead people on this board talking about speed. Speed may get you there first but it means nothing if you cant put the puck in the net. I see a bunch of 3/4 liners.. nothing outstanding in the pipeline.
- LFS

When talking about a prospect coming in and contributing immediately, what does that mean to you?

What do you have to see from a prospect in the pipeline that would make you think he is more than a 3/4th liner?

When talking about a prospect coming in and contributing immediately, what does that mean to you?

What do you have to see from a prospect in the pipeline that would make you think he is more than a 3/4th liner?
- Chunk

Well obviously 30 goals and a point a game, in his first season.

I can’t, the Hawks prospects suck.
- paulr

Exactly! RF

Love it! So cause Nazar and Moore may or may not step in next year and automatically be nightly difference makers, it’s time to label them busts or bottom 6’ers.

Kudos to LFS with the BODiest BOD post of the morning. The day is still young.

And which if the fwd prospects is stepping in next year and contributes right away? I see none.
- LFS

The Hawks started their rebuild from the backend first, I’m sure that you can see the talent there. The forwards will come, but doubt any of them make a significant contribution next year besides Bedard and Reichel. It takes longer to develop defensemen, so the timing should workout for when the incoming forwards are ready, like Nazar, Moore, and four first round picks in the next two years, plus others. The Hawks will be good again before you know it, good times are coming and I’m enjoying the ride.