Blackhawks lines in practice today— going for a balanced approach:
Donato-Bedard-Kurashev
Foligno-TJohnson-Raddysh
Entwistle-Athanasiou-Reichel
Slaggert-Richardinson-Anderson

Blackhawks lines in practice today— going for a balanced approach:
Donato-Bedard-Kurashev
Foligno-TJohnson-Raddysh
Entwistle-Athanasiou-Reichel
Slaggert-Richardinson-Anderson
- LAHawk

There's still games going on?

Aren't you stretching it Darth with the 2 wins being away, when the Hawks have won 5 games all year on the road?
- LAHawk

You know me...always the optimist.

Blackhawks lines in practice today— going for a balanced approach:
Donato-Bedard-Kurashev
Foligno-TJohnson-Raddysh
Entwistle-Athanasiou-Reichel
Slaggert-Richardinson-Anderson
- LAHawk

They're probably at the point in the season where they'll mix and match line combos just to see who works well with each other.

They're probably at the point in the season where they'll mix and match line combos just to see who works well with each other.
- DarthKane

That's my thought, I wouldn't be surprised if LR just rolls 4 lines, not even trying to match up.

There's still games going on?
- mohel

I'm just looking forward to the draft lottery actually happening. Last year it was on May 8, my guess it will be sometime the week of May 5th this year.

The season sends April 18th and the playoffs start April 22nd. Ideally the lottery happens between the end of the season and the start of the playoffs, but that wouldn't give the NHL enough time to prepare. I think the week of May 5th would be reasonable.

I'm not expecting the Hawks to draft #1, I just want to know when they will be drafting.

https://chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2024/03/22/blackhawks-prospect-updates-frank-nazar-roman-kantserov-adam-gajan-nick-lardis

Gajan feeling adversity
Goaltender Adam Gajan, another second-round pick last summer, has conversely not enjoyed the kind of 19-year-old season he hoped for with Green Bay in the USHL.

His 20-10-4 record looks fine, but his save percentage has slipped to .893 after a particularly poor recent stretch. He didn't get to start either of Green Bay's games last weekend as a result.

"It’s one of the first things we talk about in development camp: nobody’s path to the NHL is an easy one that’s not going to have setbacks," Eaton said. "Adam has had what he'd consider some bad games."

The good news is Gajan has plenty of time to turn things around. He's headed to Minnesota-Duluth next season and will most likely be there for three years, by which point there will be far more data indicating whether or not he has NHL potential. Either way, his rough winter 2024 will be long forgotten.

"Our expectation from him is to use this as a turning point...to make himself better," Eaton said.

Cue the "I knew they reached for him", "KD is trying to prove he's the smartest guy in the room" crowd.
- Chunk

Chunk, why are you quoting me the nano-second I posted after KD drafted Gajan? My exact post was, "nooo, don't be the smartest guy in the room when Hrabal is on the board!!!

As an aside Gajan was not drafted his first yr eligible he was drafted in yr 2 of his eligibility and will be 20 in May. .. Kid was lights out in 4 games at the 2023 WJC, before that he was ok, and the organIzation bit. https://www.eliteprospect.../player/690368/adam-gajan

I'd love to see the kid throw up a .920 SPG this yr in the USHL, or even a .910 like My Guy Hrabal, best ever goalie prospect I ever saw come outa the USHL, that's counting Knight and all the NTDP goalies, as a TRUE freshman. 6ft 7in moves like a 6 footer! What could you possibly not like??? https://www.eliteprospect...yer/619024/michael-hrabal

But, Pope is right. Lotta time until we see goalies drafted last yr before they make the bigs and or bust. But, just in case I'll be watching both Gajan and Hrabal closely and keeping KD and Crew's feet to the fire if need be.

That's my thought, I wouldn't be surprised if LR just rolls 4 lines, not even trying to match up.
- LAHawk

I wonder if LR will play Soderblom more regularly down the final stretch of games so see if there are any signs of improvement and a reason to keep him around.

If we look at Lankinen, he was 25 when he joined the Hawks then had 2 less than memorable seasons. But he's moved on to be a decent back-up in Nashville.

I keep hearing that team doesn't want to give up on Soderblom, he'll be 25 to start next season. I get this approach, but if they keep him around I hope they have a solid development plan for him.

If KD decides to go with Mrazek and Soderblom again next season my biggest fear is Mrazek getting hurt. If things stay the same the team will be in serious trouble with Soderblom as the #1.

I know nobody expects the team to contend for the playoffs next season, but they should make some progress and finish in the bottom 6-10 instead of the bottom 1-5.

Chunk, why are you quoting me the nano-second I posted after KD drafted Gajan? My exact post was, "nooo, don't be the smartest guy in the room when Hrabal is on the board!!!

As an aside Gajan was not drafted his first yr eligible he was drafted in yr 2 of his eligibility and will be 20 in May. .. Kid was lights out in 4 games at the 2023 WJC, before that he was ok, and the organIzation bit. https://www.eliteprospect.../player/690368/adam-gajan

I'd love to see the kid throw up a .920 SPG this yr in the USHL, or even a .910 like My Guy Hrabal, best ever goalie prospect I ever saw come outa the USHL, that's counting Knight and all the NTDP goalies, as a TRUE freshman. 6ft 7in moves like a 6 footer! What could you possibly not like??? https://www.eliteprospect...yer/619024/michael-hrabal

But, Pope is right. Lotta time until we see goalies drafted last yr before they make the bigs and or bust. But, just in case I'll be watching both Gajan and Hrabal closely and keeping KD and Crew's feet to the fire if need be.
- Mr Ricochet

While they're not the leading source of prospect evaluation, the Hockey News has Gajan listed as the #72 prospect overall and Hrabal is #95. In my opinion, the difference between #72 and #95 is minimal and I think both goalies have the potential to be NHL starters. But I don't think either of them stands out, yet.

Chunk, why are you quoting me the nano-second I posted after KD drafted Gajan? My exact post was, "nooo, don't be the smartest guy in the room when Hrabal is on the board!!!

As an aside Gajan was not drafted his first yr eligible he was drafted in yr 2 of his eligibility and will be 20 in May. .. Kid was lights out in 4 games at the 2023 WJC, before that he was ok, and the organIzation bit. https://www.eliteprospect.../player/690368/adam-gajan

I'd love to see the kid throw up a .920 SPG this yr in the USHL, or even a .910 like My Guy Hrabal, best ever goalie prospect I ever saw come outa the USHL, that's counting Knight and all the NTDP goalies, as a TRUE freshman. 6ft 7in moves like a 6 footer! What could you possibly not like??? https://www.eliteprospect...yer/619024/michael-hrabal

But, Pope is right. Lotta time until we see goalies drafted last yr before they make the bigs and or bust. But, just in case I'll be watching both Gajan and Hrabal closely and keeping KD and Crew's feet to the fire if need be.
- Mr Ricochet

Ha! Hey Rico. Wasn't singling you out. Just chumming the water a bit during a slow news cycle. I have no idea where either one will end up. I just remember a number of people saying that they reached for Gajan after his strong tournament play.

Ha! Hey Rico. Wasn't singling you out. Just chumming the water a bit during a slow news cycle. I have no idea where either one will end up. I just remember a number of people saying that they reached for Gajan after his strong tournament play.
- Chunk

A very important public service, Chief. Keep it up, eh?

Chunk, why are you quoting me the nano-second I posted after KD drafted Gajan? My exact post was, "nooo, don't be the smartest guy in the room when Hrabal is on the board!!!

As an aside Gajan was not drafted his first yr eligible he was drafted in yr 2 of his eligibility and will be 20 in May. .. Kid was lights out in 4 games at the 2023 WJC, before that he was ok, and the organIzation bit. https://www.eliteprospect.../player/690368/adam-gajan

I'd love to see the kid throw up a .920 SPG this yr in the USHL, or even a .910 like My Guy Hrabal, best ever goalie prospect I ever saw come outa the USHL, that's counting Knight and all the NTDP goalies, as a TRUE freshman. 6ft 7in moves like a 6 footer! What could you possibly not like??? https://www.eliteprospect...yer/619024/michael-hrabal

But, Pope is right. Lotta time until we see goalies drafted last yr before they make the bigs and or bust. But, just in case I'll be watching both Gajan and Hrabal closely and keeping KD and Crew's feet to the fire if need be.
- Mr Ricochet

The Hawks took Gajan with Trey Augustine still on the board who went 41st to Detroit. Wasn't Augustine rated higher?

A very important public service, Chief. Keep it up, eh?
- mohel

I don't quite have the acumen of a stevefromglencoe. He's able to bring up topics in a way that people don't like to have to think about. I disagree with him on a number of fronts, but definitely makes you think about your position on certain team issues.

I'm just fishing with dynamite here.

The Hawks took Gajan with Trey Augustine still on the board who went 41st to Detroit. Wasn't Augustine rated higher?
- LAHawk

If not he was at least the more "known' name. I can imagine that teams can have vastly different specifications they want for their goalies. From predictability to athleticism, to size, to fundamentals. They probably have widely varied requirements of what a player needs to have coming in vs. what they think they can teach him.

https://chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2024/03/22/blackhawks-prospect-updates-frank-nazar-roman-kantserov-adam-gajan-nick-lardis

Gajan feeling adversity
Goaltender Adam Gajan, another second-round pick last summer, has conversely not enjoyed the kind of 19-year-old season he hoped for with Green Bay in the USHL.

His 20-10-4 record looks fine, but his save percentage has slipped to .893 after a particularly poor recent stretch. He didn't get to start either of Green Bay's games last weekend as a result.

"It’s one of the first things we talk about in development camp: nobody’s path to the NHL is an easy one that’s not going to have setbacks," Eaton said. "Adam has had what he'd consider some bad games."

The good news is Gajan has plenty of time to turn things around. He's headed to Minnesota-Duluth next season and will most likely be there for three years, by which point there will be far more data indicating whether or not he has NHL potential. Either way, his rough winter 2024 will be long forgotten.

"Our expectation from him is to use this as a turning point...to make himself better," Eaton said.

Cue the "I knew they reached for him", "KD is trying to prove he's the smartest guy in the room" crowd.
- Chunk

Aren't all goalies a reach more or less? Thats one of those weird positions where there are a lot of ups and downs and it takes a long time to build consistency. Thats a player I wouldn't expect to see in the NHL for 4 or 5 years anyway so why is this news other than the fact that the team is so dreadful that there's nothing else to obsess about?

Blackhawks lines in practice today— going for a balanced approach:
Donato-Bedard-Kurashev
Foligno-TJohnson-Raddysh
Entwistle-Athanasiou-Reichel
Slaggert-Richardinson-Anderson
- LAHawk

or pulling names out of a hat

Know who else was drafted because he was very athletic? Crawford. Just sayin

Aren't all goalies a reach more or less? Thats one of those weird positions where there are a lot of ups and downs and it takes a long time to build consistency. Thats a player I wouldn't expect to see in the NHL for 4 or 5 years anyway so why is this news other than the fact that the team is so dreadful that there's nothing else to obsess about?
- fattybeef

Ding Ding Ding!!

I wonder if LR will play Soderblom more regularly down the final stretch of games so see if there are any signs of improvement and a reason to keep him around.

If we look at Lankinen, he was 25 when he joined the Hawks then had 2 less than memorable seasons. But he's moved on to be a decent back-up in Nashville.

I keep hearing that team doesn't want to give up on Soderblom, he'll be 25 to start next season. I get this approach, but if they keep him around I hope they have a solid development plan for him.

If KD decides to go with Mrazek and Soderblom again next season my biggest fear is Mrazek getting hurt. If things stay the same the team will be in serious trouble with Soderblom as the #1.

I know nobody expects the team to contend for the playoffs next season, but they should make some progress and finish in the bottom 6-10 instead of the bottom 1-5.
- DarthKane

It will probably be irrelevant if KD just plans to suck again next season. Tho, I would hope 2 seasons is enough of watching his team not be able to score and defending the whole game.

It will probably be irrelevant if KD just plans to suck again next season. Tho, I would hope 2 seasons is enough of watching his team not be able to score and defending the whole game.
- Elbows15

That's a weird way of describing whatever it is they do in their own end.

That's a weird way of describing whatever it is they do in their own end.
- Chunk

Chase the puck? Lose board battles? Get mauled below the goal line?

Did I see that LR compared Korbustsky to Neidermayer? Puuuhhlllease. Maybe he meant Rob cause KK is not even in the same universe as Scott. Neidermayer was one of the most effortless skaters I have ever seen. He seemed to float above the ice.

Know who else was drafted because he was very athletic? Crawford. Just sayin
- Elbows15

Athletic with a weak glove

Athletic with a weak glove
- DarthKane

The funny part is he won that game. It was the SC Final against the Bruins when that became the "issue"

The Hawks took Gajan with Trey Augustine still on the board who went 41st to Detroit. Wasn't Augustine rated higher?
- LAHawk

For whatever reason Augustine flies under the radar, myself included, and all he does is keep stopping pucks no matter where he is. This yr he's playing very well as the starter for 5thish ranked MI State as their starter as a true freshman. He was drafted in rd 2 though so he ain't exactly under the radar per say but you don't, and didn't, hear him mentioned as a top goalie prospect. ........ Most on this board will root against the kid cuz Stevie Y drafted him.

That he made the NTDP says much to me. As each month goes by I move closer and closer to him being one of the best of his draft class.

He's only listed at 6ft 1in so in today's world he's smallish. I think that worked against him on draft day, LA........

I don't quite have the acumen of a stevefromglencoe. He's able to bring up topics in a way that people don't like to have to think about. I disagree with him on a number of fronts, but definitely makes you think about your position on certain team issues.

I'm just fishing with dynamite here.
- Chunk

Anybody who goes to Hawk practices, like stevefromglencoe, I have time for..... We are in a honeymoon period of sorts with LR and KD too. Let a couple yrs go by and steve will have a lotta company not diggin LR.