1) He went into the playoffs injured in the regular season finale with a lower body injury. Didn't play against COL didn't do a lot against WPG, but was one of the only Stars to consistently score in the EDM series (4G 1A in 5 games, only held scoreless in one game).

2) 82 games 80 pts in the last two years with more goals this year. How is that a decline? Literally the same numbers.

3) Roope Hintz, Wyatt Johnston, Dadonov, Benn and others had worse metrics than the year prior as well. Are they bad players too?

4) Based on what exactly?

5) His one 109 pt season was two seasons ago. He's put up 80 the last two (and 79 in 74 games the year before the 109 pt season). He's due $7.75M this year and is an RFA at the end of the contract. If they don't think he's worth it or they have prospects to fill his production they can trade his rights for more draft picks (FUN!).

If I'm understanding the argument, he's not the perfect player, so there is no reason to pursue it?
- Chunk

The peak point production year at age 23 could mean nothing. I mean Selanne's peak production was his rookie season, and he still had a HOF career. And Stevie Y's production was cut because of Scotty Bowman's system requiring him to play 200 feet. Or he could have nagging injuries that have impacted him. As it is now, we don't know what's in his medical file for this recent injury. All these facts need to be known before deciding to go after him.

Really? I've been saying crap like this since the beginning of the season. To be fair, I can be a bit bipolar. I try to be as reasonable and amicable as possible, but then I read something that makes no sense to me and I lose my mind.

But seriously (for the entire group), how many prospects is enough? Especially considering the Hawks still have a ton more draft capital behind it?
- Chunk

I’m in the camp to add a good young forward via trade, however in my opinion Robertson is not it. While he produces offensively, he’s not a strong defensive forward, probably due to his skating. The league is much faster these days, hard for a forward to contribute defensively without speed in today’s NHL, just my two cents. If indeed Frondell is Toews/Bergeron like, I’ll take him over Robertson. I would trade the 3rd OA for McTavish or Boldy, however not for say Lundell, who I like very much and for sure not for Robertson. My shield is ready

Can someone in favor of acquiring Robertson explain why we should be excited for a player that:

1. Was just MIA in the playoffs
2. Has declined in consecutive seasons
3. Has notably worse metrics (production, possession, etc) not playing with Pavelski, with whom he had incredible chemistry
4. Is a below average defensive player that would be a nightmare on the same line as Bedard
5. Is due for a huge long term contract that will likely see him overpaid for his one super-elite season.

I just cannot see him as one of the cornerstones of a Cup winning Hawks team.
- LetsGoHawks

Bingo!

I saw a YouTube clip of Frondell. Apparently, as already mentioned, he can play center or wing, he can kill penalties, he can quarterback the power play. He’s physical and has a mean streak.

And he may the closest to being NHL ready.

I saw a YouTube clip of Frondell. Apparently, as already mentioned, he can play center or wing, he can kill penalties, he can quarterback the power play. He’s physical and has a mean streak.

And he may the closest to being NHL ready.
- paulr

I’ve seen a few clips of him, me like it, however I’m good with Desnoyers as well, and of course Misa. Sixteen more days and we will blow this site up with disappointing posters as well as elated posters, can’t wait.

I saw a YouTube clip of Frondell. Apparently, as already mentioned, he can play center or wing, he can kill penalties, he can quarterback the power play. He’s physical and has a mean streak.

And he may the closest to being NHL ready.
- paulr

The last thing i want is NHL ready, i want them to take the guy with the most upside, honestly i think it's the same guy.

I’ve seen a few clips of him, me like it, however I’m good with Desnoyers as well, and of course Misa. Sixteen more days and we will blow this site up with disappointing posters as well as elated posters, can’t wait.
- Angotti

I’m going to complain about whoever they choose, because I know better.

I’m in the Frondell or Desnoyers camp too. Elite two way forwards, assuming they are, are who you win with.

The last thing i want is NHL ready, i want them to take the guy with the most upside, honestly i think it's the same guy.
- BetweenTheDots

NHL ready or close to NHL ready isn’t a bad thing.

I’m in the camp to add a good young forward via trade, however in my opinion Robertson is not it. While he produces offensively, he’s not a strong defensive forward, probably due to his skating. The league is much faster these days, hard for a forward to contribute defensively without speed in today’s NHL, just my two cents. If indeed Frondell is Toews/Bergeron like, I’ll take him over Robertson. I would trade the 3rd OA for McTavish or Boldy, however not for say Lundell, who I like very much and for sure not for Robertson. My shield is ready
- Angotti

I get what you're saying and I'm not married to Robertson. I just think it's really important that the team is improved from last year. Stagnation at this point is failure. They've got a true #1 player, some decent filler vets, and some really promising kids. Top that up with a new coaching staff that looks really promising on paper. It would be a big setback for them to repeat last year's results.

No shield necessary!!

The last thing i want is NHL ready, i want them to take the guy with the most upside, honestly i think it's the same guy.
- BetweenTheDots

Fun hater.

I get what you're saying and I'm not married to Robertson. I just think it's really important that the team is improved from last year. Stagnation at this point is failure. They've got a true #1 player, some decent filler vets, and some really promising kids. Top that up with a new coaching staff that looks really promising on paper. It would be a big setback for them to repeat last year's results.

No shield necessary!!
- Chunk

Very good point! An on ice improvement is necessary to move forward. One good thing I see is the younger guys are putting in a game by game effort where many of the veterans were going through the motions. That’s why I prefer KD seeks out younger NHL players rather than older guys who are content with a pay cheque.

I have no idea how he’d pull it off but I’d like to see Davidson acquire Peterka and Byram from Buffalo.

Speaking of Canadiens about to see the bare naked ladies in 23 minutes at the Chicago theater, really enjoy this band even if they are maple Leafs fans

Speaking of Canadiens about to see the bare naked ladies in 23 minutes at the Chicago theater, really enjoy this band even if they are maple Leafs fans
- BetweenTheDots

It’s Canadians. Canadiens is the French spelling.

If you had a million dollars…..

Bingo!
- Angotti

Does he still post here?

I saw a YouTube clip of Frondell. Apparently, as already mentioned, he can play center or wing, he can kill penalties, he can quarterback the power play. He’s physical and has a mean streak.

And he may the closest to being NHL ready.
- paulr

Frondell wasn't on my radar 3 weeks ago, and now he's my top choice. I also think Hagens is a possibility. IIRC, he was the #1 pick when last year's draft ended. He was a PPG player in college against bigger, older players as a freshman. He didn't WOW people, but he had a solid season.

I'm still ok with whomever KFC picks, but those are my top 2 after Schaefer and Misa.

NHL ready or close to NHL ready isn’t a bad thing.
- paulr

NHL ready is usually the safest pick, and when you pick 3rd OA, you don’t need to risk it. You can risk later picks, like they did with Rinzel, but not 3rd OA.

Does he still post here?
- tvetter

He probably can’t find the blog. That’s not a bad thing, trolls can’t find us either.

Does he still post here?
- tvetter

Yes. He pops in from time to time

He probably can’t find the blog. That’s not a bad thing, trolls can’t find us either.
- Angotti

He's around.

Draft Prospect Profile:
THEO STOCKSELIUS - LW
Height: 6-3
Weight: 196
DOB: 07-24-07 Age: 17

2024-25 DJURGARDENS J20 SWE 40-22-29-51 (PO: 9-8-8-16) PPG: 1.28 PIM: 50
2024-25 (various) SWE 35-7-22-29
2025-26 DJURGARDENS J20 SWE

High scoring winger with good size, scouting reports mention skating, puck control and passing as strengths. Good size and is fairly young for the draft class and so has a little more time to develop. Stockselius had 7-1-4-5 in the WJC for Sweden. Draft rankings are varied, most have him round 2 but some as low as round 4.

Central Scouting Final Ranking: 13 (EU)
Wiz: 55

Elite Prospects: https://www.eliteprospect...r/689913/theo-stockselius
"Very few can match Theo Stockselius’ combination of playmaking ability, hard skill, and size. A crafty playmaker, he creates tons of opportunities for his teammates through deceptive passing plays through layers, avoiding sticks and skates by slipping and hooking pucks past and through them. He regularly manipulates off the rush, dragging attackers wide before passing inside. He never misses an opportunity to get his linemates involved in transition, consistently working intelligent give-and-gos to open up space for himself and others."


The Hockey Writers: https://thehockeywriters....l-draft-prospect-profile/
"Stockselius has been flying under the radar as the combination of his goal scoring and playmaking makes him an offensive threat. He can spot teammates with ease with his accurate tape-to-tape passes, spotting seams and connecting through high traffic areas leading to quality scoring opportunities. His accuracy and ability to open things up makes everything that much easier for his teammates. When he’s not dishing the puck, he’s always finding the open space to make himself available to unleash his accurate and quick wrist shot. If there’s nothing there, he uses his strong skating abilities in order to find those open lanes to get a shot off.
He’s got a high motor and drive to his game, doing everything he can to win battles and regain possession and extend offensive zone time. He’s got great mobility, speed and edges to weave his way through traffic and can swiftly lead a rush in transition. His IQ on both sides of the puck allows him to excel as he’s always in position to generate offense or even anticipate breaking up plays on the backcheck and in the defensive zone. He has a very well-rounded game as he’s constantly pressuring puck carriers and disrupting plays effectively.
Stockselius does a great job to constantly push the pace of play and puts himself in great spots offensively. While he has great size, he needs to use that to his advantage more in order to be more lethal. There are times where he can get overzealous with his puck-handling and lose control. Taking that extra second could help him out tremendously."

Two smaller high-scoring Swedes with similar profiles, and draft rankings. Nordlund is almost a year older but both are in their draft years. Similar size, similar scoring - a good question as to which to take if you are looking for this type of player later in the draft. Reports mention both as having round 2 talent, but probably sliding to round 4.

Draft Prospect Profiles:
VIGGO NORDLUND - LW
MAX WESTERGARD - LW

NORDLUND: Height: 5-9 Weight: 168 DOB: 09-22-06 Age: 18
WESTERGARD: Height: 5-10 Weight: 158 DOB: 09-03-07 Age: 17

NORDLUND: 2024-25 SKELLEFTEA JR SWE 40-25-24-49 (PO: 6-6-6-12) PPG: 1.23 PIM: 55
WESTERGARD: 2024-25 FROLUNDA JR SWE 41-19-31-50 (PO: 11-1-2-3) PPG: 1.22 PIM: 87

NORDLUND: Central Scouting Final Ranking: 26 (EU) Wiz: 106
WESTERGARD: Central Scouting Final Ranking: 30 (EU) Wiz: 116

----------------------------

Elite Prospects

NORDLUND: Elite Prospects: https://www.eliteprospect...yer/619005/viggo-nordlund
"Very few possess the kind of dynamism and offensive upside that Viggo Nordlund has.There’s no denying the offensive talent level he clearly has, being able to combine dynamic fast-twitch handling and elusive skating to beat defenders 1-on-1 and create offence like clockwork."

WESTERGARD: Elite Prospects: https://www.eliteprospect...yer/864764/max-westergard
"Wherever Max Westergård goes, he finds ways to produce. He’s a productive two-way winger whose offence flows through his off-puck instincts and ability to anticipate. He shows a strong inside drive in all situations, which helps his teammates too as he can give them space behind him. He goes in first in battles and is relentless in his will to win the puck."

----------------------------

The Hockey Writers

NORDLUND: The Hockey Writers: https://thehockeywriters....l-draft-prospect-profile/
"Nordlund is a small but skilled winger. He excelled in juniors through both the talent and intelligence gap he possessed over other players. He’s a nifty skater capable of taking the puck up the ice by himself to enter the offensive zone cleanly, but he wasn’t always a one-man show. His ability to start rushes was masterful, positioning himself in the right spot and passing to the right teammates to create high-danger chances.
While Nordlund wasn’t perfect with the puck, as there were instances where he was a tad overzealous, he ultimately presented strong vision. Some of his passes were brilliant, making plays that most would not. He keeps opponents on their heels.
Nordlund’s time in the SHL only saw him garner an assist in 22 total games, but he showed a lot of the same traits. His motor stood out in a very fast-paced and challenging league, which is arguably the best outside of North America. Nordlund used his IQ to create chances off the rush, and that’s how he recorded a point for the first time in his professional career.
A downside to Nordlund’s game is that he doesn’t get very involved in puck battles, as he often delegates that responsibility to his linemates. He’s willing to retrieve them from time to time, though.
In terms of ability and upside alone, Nordlund is arguably a second-round prospect. However, there’s a lot of skill to go around, and his size may cause teams to take him off their board altogether. With that said, a fair projection following an encouraging 2024–25 season is either the third or fourth round."

WESTERGARD: The Hockey Writers: https://thehockeywriters....l-draft-prospect-profile/
"Westergård’s vision and overall smarts shine in his game. He had some brilliant passing sequences during the season, which even translated to the SHL, arguably hockey’s most difficult league outside the NHL. Westergård creatively finds ways to locate teammates for scoring chances, and he’s willing to battle for pucks along the boards to set everything up.
Off the puck, he’s effective as both a shooting and passing threat. He’s great at getting in the high-danger areas, giving him upside as a complementary player. Westergård intelligently creates offense for himself, too, but that was more prevalent when competing against his age group.
There’s work to be done both physically and defensively to reach his potential as a pro-ready player, but it’s not for a lack of trying. Westergård’s motor is good for someone with his physical profile, holding his own when engaging in contact, and he’s also active on the back check. While he’s not necessarily an all-around player at this stage, that could be his future.
Westergård flashed his skating speed, which was useful off the rush and when defending. He has several intriguing traits that NHL teams may like.
Westergård is arguably a second-round talent, but he may slip. While impressive, his profile isn’t exactly unique. He could be a third- or fourth-round pick, as a result."

If Toews comes back, I hope he comes back well. And I can see him helping Toronto MASSIVELY.
https://www.bleachernatio...ews-decision-coming-soon/

If Toews comes back, I hope he comes back well. And I can see him helping Toronto MASSIVELY.
https://www.bleachernatio...ews-decision-coming-soon/
- 35Tony0

The sad part is he would, at close to 40, be the Leafs top playoff warrior.

The last thing i want is NHL ready, i want them to take the guy with the most upside, honestly i think it's the same guy.
- BetweenTheDots

I hate having guys that are NHL ready

Two smaller high-scoring Swedes with similar profiles, and draft rankings. Nordlund is almost a year older but both are in their draft years. Similar size, similar scoring - a good question as to which to take if you are looking for this type of player later in the draft. Reports mention both as having round 2 talent, but probably sliding to round 4.

Draft Prospect Profiles:
VIGGO NORDLUND - LW
MAX WESTERGARD - LW

NORDLUND: Height: 5-9 Weight: 168 DOB: 09-22-06 Age: 18
WESTERGARD: Height: 5-10 Weight: 158 DOB: 09-03-07 Age: 17

NORDLUND: 2024-25 SKELLEFTEA JR SWE 40-25-24-49 (PO: 6-6-6-12) PPG: 1.23 PIM: 55
WESTERGARD: 2024-25 FROLUNDA JR SWE 41-19-31-50 (PO: 11-1-2-3) PPG: 1.22 PIM: 87

NORDLUND: Central Scouting Final Ranking: 26 (EU) Wiz: 106
WESTERGARD: Central Scouting Final Ranking: 30 (EU) Wiz: 116

----------------------------

Elite Prospects

NORDLUND: Elite Prospects: https://www.eliteprospect...yer/619005/viggo-nordlund
"Very few possess the kind of dynamism and offensive upside that Viggo Nordlund has.There’s no denying the offensive talent level he clearly has, being able to combine dynamic fast-twitch handling and elusive skating to beat defenders 1-on-1 and create offence like clockwork."

WESTERGARD: Elite Prospects: https://www.eliteprospect...yer/864764/max-westergard
"Wherever Max Westergård goes, he finds ways to produce. He’s a productive two-way winger whose offence flows through his off-puck instincts and ability to anticipate. He shows a strong inside drive in all situations, which helps his teammates too as he can give them space behind him. He goes in first in battles and is relentless in his will to win the puck."

----------------------------

The Hockey Writers

NORDLUND: The Hockey Writers: https://thehockeywriters....l-draft-prospect-profile/
"Nordlund is a small but skilled winger. He excelled in juniors through both the talent and intelligence gap he possessed over other players. He’s a nifty skater capable of taking the puck up the ice by himself to enter the offensive zone cleanly, but he wasn’t always a one-man show. His ability to start rushes was masterful, positioning himself in the right spot and passing to the right teammates to create high-danger chances.
While Nordlund wasn’t perfect with the puck, as there were instances where he was a tad overzealous, he ultimately presented strong vision. Some of his passes were brilliant, making plays that most would not. He keeps opponents on their heels.
Nordlund’s time in the SHL only saw him garner an assist in 22 total games, but he showed a lot of the same traits. His motor stood out in a very fast-paced and challenging league, which is arguably the best outside of North America. Nordlund used his IQ to create chances off the rush, and that’s how he recorded a point for the first time in his professional career.
A downside to Nordlund’s game is that he doesn’t get very involved in puck battles, as he often delegates that responsibility to his linemates. He’s willing to retrieve them from time to time, though.
In terms of ability and upside alone, Nordlund is arguably a second-round prospect. However, there’s a lot of skill to go around, and his size may cause teams to take him off their board altogether. With that said, a fair projection following an encouraging 2024–25 season is either the third or fourth round."

WESTERGARD: The Hockey Writers: https://thehockeywriters....l-draft-prospect-profile/
"Westergård’s vision and overall smarts shine in his game. He had some brilliant passing sequences during the season, which even translated to the SHL, arguably hockey’s most difficult league outside the NHL. Westergård creatively finds ways to locate teammates for scoring chances, and he’s willing to battle for pucks along the boards to set everything up.
Off the puck, he’s effective as both a shooting and passing threat. He’s great at getting in the high-danger areas, giving him upside as a complementary player. Westergård intelligently creates offense for himself, too, but that was more prevalent when competing against his age group.
There’s work to be done both physically and defensively to reach his potential as a pro-ready player, but it’s not for a lack of trying. Westergård’s motor is good for someone with his physical profile, holding his own when engaging in contact, and he’s also active on the back check. While he’s not necessarily an all-around player at this stage, that could be his future.
Westergård flashed his skating speed, which was useful off the rush and when defending. He has several intriguing traits that NHL teams may like.
Westergård is arguably a second-round talent, but he may slip. While impressive, his profile isn’t exactly unique. He could be a third- or fourth-round pick, as a result."

- totem

Damn. Someone needs to throw a sandwich at these guys.