Here's a quote from Richardson on the play that lead to KK's benching.

https://twitter.com/BenPo...99396?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
- boilermaker100

That's nice to see, over 40 games and the kid still looks like he belongs

Reichel sent to Rockford this morning.

Celebrini would be a nice player to have, but thinking ahead, the odds are small that the Hawks would have the 1st overall pick. With that being said, if they select 2-4 there is no consensus pick at those spots since the rankings are over the place. However there should be a good player out there. Pessimstically at #4, even if KD stays away from the Russians, and if Eiserman and Lindstrom are gone Leyshunov at RD would be a a good add. If one of the top rated D goes 2 or 3, one of the aforementioned forwards will be available.
- boilermaker100

As far as our pick from the Bolts, what if Demidov drops that far?

That's nice to see, over 40 games and the kid still looks like he belongs
- BetweenTheDots

Some good growth in Korchinski’s game for sure. I can’t read his mind but you see younger players make the mistake of trying to do too much especially when he knows full well the majority of his teammates are not very good. After the dozen or so games where he was constantly out of position defensively KK was really starting to look good defensively. I think it was you who pointed out about his improvement using his sticks to break up plays, deflect passes and block shots. His game is certainly growing.

Reichel sent to Rockford this morning.
- DarthKane

Overdue. Zero confidence and looks timid most of the time.

Reichel sent to Rockford this morning.
- DarthKane

Somebody finally ran out of patience waiting for any kind of contribution from the kid, but alas nothing. This move long overdue. I dont expect to see him back very soon.

Reichel sent to Rockford this morning.
- DarthKane

Development isn't linear, lets hope this helps him.

Reichel sent to Rockford this morning.
- DarthKane

Reichel might just end up being a great AHL player, and never much in the NHL. Brian Noonan tore up the minors, but never scored much in the NHL. The AHL is a nice developmental league, but not even close to the NHL. Hopefully Reichel regains his confidence, learns that you have to be willing to get your nose dirty to play consistently in the NHL. I hope he figures it out, but I am not holding my breath unless he is willing to engage more and shoot the puck when opportunities present themselves.

Reichel might just end up being a great AHL player, and never much in the NHL. Brian Noonan tore up the minors, but never scored much in the NHL. The AHL is a nice developmental league, but not even close to the NHL. Hopefully Reichel regains his confidence, learns that you have to be willing to get your nose dirty to play consistently in the NHL. I hope he figures it out, but I am not holding my breath unless he is willing to engage more and shoot the puck when opportunities present themselves.
- ChicagoHope

Thought he looked pretty good to end last season. Like most, thought he would really run with his opportunity this year and still wondering if them having him move to center messed with his mojo.

Like several have said, progress isn't always linear so hopefully he gets his confidence back and becomes another piece of the forward puzzle for next season.

Thought he looked pretty good to end last season. Like most, thought he would really run with his opportunity this year and still wondering if them having him move to center messed with his mojo.

Like several have said, progress isn't always linear so hopefully he gets his confidence back and becomes another piece of the forward puzzle for next season.
- HawkintheD

It can't help that he's playing with guys who are 4th line players.

I think he's a guy who needs 2 skilled forwards to maximize his ability. Those guys will be coming but until then he will struggle.

I know he's young and learning defensively, but it's pretty cool that we have a kid on this team that makes forwards on his line better in the offensive zone and on the scoreboard. With this rag tag group he's just picked up where he left off.

They talked about his shot but his poise, processing ability, passing ability is off the charts, top line is in great hands hopefully for many years to come.

That's why i do believe best available when it comes to the draft, because Bedard gives you flexibility. Sure you want better linemates for him but at the same time it's not that much of a concern because he makes the players around him better.

So no need to have tunnel vision at the draft. I don't get the crowd that's worried that Bedard won't be sticking around, i see the opposite.

My hope is and it sounds like people outside the org are very very complimentary about how the org approaches and treats everything now. Hopefully we see more college FAs sign with us.
- BetweenTheDots

You have to be sure on your first round choices because they are who you are banking upon to be your core players and, moreover, the difference makers

So yes anyone you put with Bedard, he makes them better. To that end do you recall Gretzky had B Nicholson one year on wing and Nichols had 150 points - he never was anywhere close to that grand total any other time in his career.

I am not going to predict that Celebrini or Eiserman could score like that but who knows how well they might do?

On the other hand is the big rangy center Lindstrom who only began showing signs of making plays at speed and maybe could be a descent point producer.

Which is why I want to see more of Lindstrom. He is injured I guess out for the remainder or most of the season. Can he play and execute at speed? Is he going to turn more like a K Dach or a faster better skill version of Byfield. Or Lindrios when he was drafted is actually a more apt comparison

I wanted to make make sure just want to hit a home run no matter what position the player we select. Ideally Celebrini and Eiserman are gunners or point producers with a good compete edge meaning they can be abrasive and are going to be lights out competing to do whatever it takes to score. Maybe a big check too like Ovechkin is reknown

I just want at minimum a top five choice. Some very appealing players right after that for example the top dman would be solid picks. An asterisk though next Lindstrom name because while I like what I see in his review I want to see wiz puts him in top five right up to draft day

And Parekha maybe a couple others could become something special but we really ought to land in top four or too five with our pick

It can't help that he's playing with guys who are 4th line players.

I think he's a guy who needs 2 skilled forwards to maximize his ability. Those guys will be coming but until then he will struggle.
- BetweenTheDots

3G and 7A to go with a -28 in 50 games is more than struggling. Hell hes got 1 point more than Joey Anderson in 22 more games. All of the injuries kept him in Chicago, otherwise he would probably have been sent to Rockford in December.

3G and 7A to go with a -28 in 50 games is more than struggling. Hell hes got 1 point more than Joey Anderson in 22 more games. All of the injuries kept him in Chicago, otherwise he would probably have been sent to Rockford in December.
- RickJ

Reichel seems to have Inge Hammerstrom syndrome. He’s very timid, he does everything he can to avoid contact, he doesn’t want to compete along the boards or in the corners. When he has possession of the puck he tries to go wide every time and he’s not interested in cutting back in to the middle of the ice. Until he’s willing to compete, to roll up his sleeves and get his nose over the puck he’s going to struggle. He doesn’t have enough talent to play a non contact perimeter game. Hopefully in the AHL he starts playing more assertively, gets more involved and learns to play in the tough areas of the ice.

The concern for me is if they draft 4th there's a chance that if they don't take a Dman they are not taking the best available player. Indeed, they need forwards but if they see Parekh as a Karlsson type would they take him 4th?

Gun to my head Parekh will be a much better offensive NHLer than KK or Rinzel but those 2 ain't bad at all. Is it overkill to take Perekh when the Hawks need forwards and as mentioned they have KK and Rinzel in the system? Even if KD and Crew see the kid as an 80 pt Dman? ...... I do think Parekh will better offensively than all of the other Dmen in this class.

With the glut of high end Dmen available in the top 10 it won't surprise if the order in which they are drafted gets scrambled. IIRC Seider barely cracked the pre-draft top 10, if he even did, and Stevie Y took him 6th with Bowen Byram going 4th.

An FYI, I eliminated all Cossacks as possibilities of the Hawks draft, at least the 1st rd and like you I have it rated as Celibrini, Lindstrom, Eiserman as my top 3 forwards but also think Silayev goes in the top 3.
- Mr Ricochet

So in this case (Dmen are at the top of your board and you don't want to reach for a forward) what would it take to get you to drop down a few spots?

Say you are at 4 and Montreal called and offered (just using today's draft spots)
#7 and #27 - for #4

I think I might make that trade. #27 plus the TB pick might get you pretty far into the teens and then there is the high #2 still available.

So in this case (Dmen are at the top of your board and you don't want to reach for a forward) what would it take to get you to drop down a few spots?

Say you are at 4 and Montreal called and offered (just using today's draft spots)
#7 and #27 - for #4

I think I might make that trade. #27 plus the TB pick might get you pretty far into the teens and then there is the high #2 still available.
- totem

It may sound intriguing if the players from 4-7 are all rated as, close in ability, to the Blackhawk’s scouts. But if the number 4 player is rated much more highly than players after them then that’s who the Hawks have to go for.

I always believe in any draft you go for best available but I’m wondering if it’s best to avoid a Russian, with the long list of potential problems Russian players bring, with their top pick? I wouldn’t be as concerned using a later pick to select a Russian. But the Hawks can’t afford to have a player in limbo, who may not be able to be in the lineup for a number of years.

Reichel sent to Rockford this morning.
- DarthKane

1-2-2-3-3

Here's hoping Reichel gets plenty of minutes in Rockford and performs like he needs to be in the NHL for good.
But man o man they really could have used just that this year with the way the season has played out.

Reichel seems to have Inge Hammerstrom syndrome. He’s very timid, he does everything he can to avoid contact, he doesn’t want to compete along the boards or in the corners. When he has possession of the puck he tries to go wide every time and he’s not interested in cutting back in to the middle of the ice. Until he’s willing to compete, to roll up his sleeves and get his nose over the puck he’s going to struggle. He doesn’t have enough talent to play a non contact perimeter game. Hopefully in the AHL he starts playing more assertively, gets more involved and learns to play in the tough areas of the ice.
- paulr

Oh, nothing better than the Harold Ballard & Punch Imlach era. If losing is the benchmark.

I just dont see anything in Reichel that indicates he will become a productive NHL player, for all of the reasons you mention. I guess its possible to learn to play in the tough areas of the ice. But the learning starts with having the will to do it. Can you imagine Tortorella, Tocchet or Roy watching this kid from behind the bench.

After Rockford next stop might be Dusseldorf or Franfurt.

So in this case (Dmen are at the top of your board and you don't want to reach for a forward) what would it take to get you to drop down a few spots?

Say you are at 4 and Montreal called and offered (just using today's draft spots)
#7 and #27 - for #4

I think I might make that trade. #27 plus the TB pick might get you pretty far into the teens and then there is the high #2 still available.
- totem

I might drop down to 7 to take Parekh. Then package the TB and Montreal picks to move up to the teens. Maybe a team picking around 12-15 that's ready to tear it down (Calgary, NYI, Capitals, Pittsburgh for example) would want two 1st rounders.

Reichel seems to have Inge Hammerstrom syndrome. He’s very timid, he does everything he can to avoid contact, he doesn’t want to compete along the boards or in the corners. When he has possession of the puck he tries to go wide every time and he’s not interested in cutting back in to the middle of the ice. Until he’s willing to compete, to roll up his sleeves and get his nose over the puck he’s going to struggle. He doesn’t have enough talent to play a non contact perimeter game. Hopefully in the AHL he starts playing more assertively, gets more involved and learns to play in the tough areas of the ice.
- paulr

Definitely this season. I don't recall seeing it in when he was recalled to end the season last year. He's never going to be Andrew Shaw but hoping he can figure out what he needs to in RFD so that he just sticks up here the next time he's recalled.

And also Wiz, or anyone, what player do you see maybe dropping to 11-12ish where KD might move up to get him? Catton, Parekh, Demidov?

As Benson was falling into the teens last yr, he went 13th, I thought maybe, just maybe KD would pull the trigger and move up for him. ... You see a scenario for that to happen this yr?
- Mr Ricochet

I think there is a very good possibility that the two forwards MIGHT be there, and I tired to say, I am not the paid scout who determines just how good Zanye Parekh is not only offensively but their eventual comfortableness with his play as a defender when he is stronger. I think he could be there at 10-11, but even that is betting that Iginla gets taken well higher that his actual skill set deserves.[/I] He is a leader, winner, and that sometimes speaks more for a prospect, but maybe I am over-hyping his spot.

I know one thing for sure, I think a record number of defenders get taken in the first four rounds from close to ready to the ones that a bit more long termed but have that big upside.
I always look at the Blues past plan that saw them wait and take two big defenders who skated well, not at the front of the draft but later, with Joel Edmundson in the mid second in 2011, and Colton Parayko in the late 3rd (86th) in 2012.

I think this draft sees many teams thinking that they are going to have many chances to get the big skating defenders with later picks and letting them mature.

I am not just sure how/when thais 2024 defense class gets gets their names called.

Celebrini would be a nice player to have, but thinking ahead, the odds are small that the Hawks would have the 1st overall pick. With that being said, if they select 2-4 there is no consensus pick at those spots since the rankings are over the place. However there should be a good player out there. Pessimstically at #4, even if KD stays away from the Russians, and if Eiserman and Lindstrom are gone Leyshunov at RD would be a a good add. If one of the top rated D goes 2 or 3, one of the aforementioned forwards will be available.
- boilermaker100

Richocet's point is Leyshunov the guy, or is Zanye P more dynamic offensively?

As far as our pick from the Bolts, what if Demidov drops that far?
- BetweenTheDots

Done

So in this case (Dmen are at the top of your board and you don't want to reach for a forward) what would it take to get you to drop down a few spots?

Say you are at 4 and Montreal called and offered (just using today's draft spots)
#7 and #27 - for #4

I think I might make that trade. #27 plus the TB pick might get you pretty far into the teens and then there is the high #2 still available.
- totem

So Montreal makes the trade to get a defenseman?

We now have #7, TB's #spot and the late 27.

If it me, the only one of those is the #27 to grab an RD and not a midget.

Can they harvest two future forwards with #7 and #Tampa bay?

Definitely this season. I don't recall seeing it in when he was recalled to end the season last year. He's never going to be Andrew Shaw but hoping he can figure out what he needs to in RFD so that he just sticks up here the next time he's recalled.
- HawkintheD

Yeah I’m not sure what’s happened to Reichel? Last season it looked like he was ready to break out? You look at the raw talent and hope he can figure it out.