I really think 20 - 19 - 88 should be on the same line the remainder of the season. Maybe they can get each other going, and that will translate into next season.

I really think 20 - 19 - 88 should be on the same line the remainder of the season. Maybe they can get each other going, and that will translate into next season.
- SoftServe

The problem now is any win will hurt their chances of improving in the draft. Now, you can't just not show up to play, but let the young guys play and learn. Victories are not the important thing right now, playing minutes in the NHL is.

Watching the Preds game, Hartman looks more himself, playing with a purpose. The Preds guy said the GM , when asked about the Hartman trade, he said we really didn't give up any assets...... Looks like little Stanley got had again. I would think , given the Preds roster that they have pretty good hockey evaluators in place in their organization. The Swede is probably as soft as a DQ cone on a hot summer day. Aaaaaaaahhh Boy! Bowman.
The more I think about it, ya trust Bowman to make that pick if some of the big names are there when it's his turn?

Having 4 on the team this wouldn't have help. No one wants to admit this because he was such a huge part of 3 Cups but Hjalmarsson was terrible last season. Wasn't much better the season before either. If you think Seabrook has lost a step, Hjalmarsson has lost two. Watched him the other night and he was terrible.

Murphy has been fine this season. Oesterle makes twice as many mistakes and yet keeps getting put out there.
- TTtime

Hjalmarsson was always the anchor defensively rarely was caught up ice. Doumilin is extremely underrated he is their shut down defenseman that's all he does in the playoffs. When his line has a good game it always seems the opponent scores maybe 1 or 2 goals in the game. When Nik was here and we went to the playoffs the past 2 years defense wasn't our issue, scoring was

Watching the Preds game, Hartman looks more himself, playing with a purpose. The Preds guy said the GM , when asked about the Hartman trade, he said we really didn't give up any assets...... Looks like little Stanley got had again. I would think , given the Preds roster that they have pretty good hockey evaluators in place in their organization. The Swede is probably as soft as a DQ cone on a hot summer day. Aaaaaaaahhh Boy! Bowman.
The more I think about it, ya trust Bowman to make that pick if some of the big names are there when it's his turn?
- wonthecup10

Horse Hockey a 1st isn't an asset? - pure BS statement to make NSH look good. No need as both sides made out.

Watching the Preds game, Hartman looks more himself, playing with a purpose. The Preds guy said the GM , when asked about the Hartman trade, he said we really didn't give up any assets...... Looks like little Stanley got had again. I would think , given the Preds roster that they have pretty good hockey evaluators in place in their organization. The Swede is probably as soft as a DQ cone on a hot summer day. Aaaaaaaahhh Boy! Bowman.
The more I think about it, ya trust Bowman to make that pick if some of the big names are there when it's his turn?
- wonthecup10

Really? Is that the same gm who hasn't won a Stanley Cup? Good news with that comment is it'll get back to the Swede

Hartman take any stupid penalties yet?

Moore is playing Top 4 minutes (19:60 TOI avg in 61 GP) for a Playoff Bound New Jersey Devils team. 7G, 10A, +5, 96 SOG, 99 Hits. He is an upgrade over anyone the Hawks have playing behind Keith IMO.
- EnzoD

Moore isn't better than Seabrook for one. He isn't even better than Murphy. Moore playing top 4 minutes only highlights that a 5 man defensive system is needed to be successful in today's NHL more than ever.

Its easy to blame the D-men for goals. The Hawks problems defensively start in the O-zone. Their ice balance is terrible. Most of that I blame on Q and his constant shuffling of lines. Guys have no feel for each other.

Being in the PO in the Metro isn't all that big of an accomplishment either.

Hjalmarsson was always the anchor defensively rarely was caught up ice. Doumilin is extremely underrated he is their shut down defenseman that's all he does in the playoffs. When his line has a good game it always seems the opponent scores maybe 1 or 2 goals in the game. When Nik was here and we went to the playoffs the past 2 years defense wasn't our issue, scoring was
- BetweenTheDots

Offense start with a good breakout. Hjalmarsson couldn't make a pass to save his life. As much as they went at Seabrook, they worked Hjalmarsson just as hard but he blocks shots so he good. He was blocking shots cause he couldn't clear the zone.

Agree with that and while 30 yo athletes typically don't improve with age, but it's not impossible. Kopitar and Brown both had bounceback seasons for the Kings, Giroux after moving to wing...not banking on it but it does happen.
- HawkintheD

When Toews bounces back, everyone will say its a revival. Funny thing is he is putting up one of his best Corsi seasons ever. And his Corsi numbers are in with the elites.

So is Saad for that matter.

Really? Is that the same gm who hasn't won a Stanley Cup? Good news with that comment is it'll get back to the Swede
- BetweenTheDots

Clarification on this? Edjsell was not drafted by the Preds or anyone, he was signed as an FA? Which means he wasn't thought of by 30 other NHL teams or he would have been drafted, right? I'm Leary about those type of guys that Bowman gets, Kempney, already gone, couldn't crack it here , even in this train wreck, Ruutta won't be back, Osterle sucks otherwise Edmonton, which needs D men would have signed him.
I'm worried a bit here that Bowman gave up a young kid for another Dennis Rasmusson WTF. If these guys weren't good enough to be drafted? Why do they always wind up in Chicago?

Hartman take any stupid penalties yet?
- BetweenTheDots

Nope, playing well. When your team plays smash mouth Hockey, your bound to step over the line now and then. The chances you take , unlike this table top crap that Bowman trotted out there this year.I like Lavi as a coach, he's got a cup in his pocket and took an underdog Flyers team to 6 games against a stocked Hawk team that Dale Tallon built in 2010.

Hartman take any stupid penalties yet?
- BetweenTheDots

Interesting evening so far. Wingels with a goal and a total hustle assist....atta boy Tommy. And Eric Stahl with 31 goals so far this year. I believe he's at least 3 years older then Toews and is having a comeback year. Is there hope for Toews or No ??

The problem now is any win will hurt their chances of improving in the draft. Now, you can't just not show up to play, but let the young guys play and learn. Victories are not the important thing right now, playing minutes in the NHL is.
- powerenforcer

I didn't say improvements that translates into wins. I just think those 3 together for the rest of the year will help with their game, specifically 19 and 20. Then let the kids build chemistry on lines 2-4.

Hartman take any stupid penalties yet?
- BetweenTheDots

No but he is a -1

Offense start with a good breakout. Hjalmarsson couldn't make a pass to save his life. As much as they went at Seabrook, they worked Hjalmarsson just as hard but he blocks shots so he good. He was blocking shots cause he couldn't clear the zone.
- TTtime

I do agree he had trouble clearing the zone especially playing on his off side teams game planned the back hand flip and pressuring Keith. Some offense starts in the back end but the Hawks inability to sustain any kind of pressure in the offensive zone and provide net front presence did them in. 2013, 14 and 15 teams 3rd and 4th lines could sustain longer offensive zone puck possession than lines 1, 3 and 4 combined in the past 2 playoff seasons, so no really the forwards aren't fine yet, but with experience and strength they might just get there.

If that is the list of available, may as well run some young guys in the organization out there. Those guys are great big collection of meh.

Barbeirio, Manning, Pateryn are downright terrible. De Haan is probably the best of the bunch and even he isn't an upgrade of much.
- TTtime

I just doubt the Hawks are gonna get any huge upgrades unless they overpay but they could use a couple more guys that can actually play at an NHL level. Or it will just be more of the same failure because of the weak D core. There are guys that can play minutes and won't embarrass themselves.

Greg Pateryn is a #4 D and he can kill penalties.
John Moore 4D and he can kill penalties.
Same with Sbisa.
De Haan and Hickey are similar caliber and can kill penalties.
Manning is capable in a 4/5/6 role.
Barberio and Nelson are more 6/7 types but could be serviceable depth and aren't too long in the tooth.

I'm not saying these guys are a homerun but they are likely to be the most affordable guys were the Hawks might be able to restock some defensive depth. Most of these guys are at least a #4 on teams that are ahead of Chicago in the standings, so they can't be too awful. They are unlikely to find a top pair D on the free agent market and their development of D hasn't lead to much success lately.

Here are the Hawks in-house drafted D to play in the NHL.

Dahlstrom - 2013 pick - 7 games under his belt
Clendening 2011 - 86 games - has not found an NHL home for a reason
Paliotta 2011 - 2 games - seems to be a bust
Dahlbeck 2011 - 157 games - Fringe NHL player for an average team, likely wouldn't have a roster spot with a contender
Justin Holl 2010 - 2 games - unlikely to see significant NHL time at this point
Stephen Johns 2010 - 134 games - #5D
Dylan Olsen - 2009 - 124 games - Fringe player who is playing ECHL at this point.

Not to mention all the draft picks that didn't manage to play a game in the NHL at this point. You have to all the way back to 2005 and Hjalmarsson to find a Hawks D pick that actually was a really good defenseman. Most of the guys they have drafted lately are too green.

I mean, 2002 they drafted Keith, Wisniewski...2003 Seabrook and Byfuglien....Hjalmarsson in 2005, but not much NHL talent on D since. I don't have a lot of confidence that the current crop of dmen are gonna turn many heads based on the track record.

I'd take 2 of those UFAs over Oesterle/Gustafsson who are often lost in their own end and can't be trusted to kill a penalty. Hawks might not solve their issues on D this draft/off season, but maybe they can sign some assets to flip next trade deadline if the team is still struggling.

Clarification on this? Edjsell was not drafted by the Preds or anyone, he was signed as an FA? Which means he wasn't thought of by 30 other NHL teams or he would have been drafted, right? I'm Leary about those type of guys that Bowman gets, Kempney, already gone, couldn't crack it here , even in this train wreck, Ruutta won't be back, Osterle sucks otherwise Edmonton, which needs D men would have signed him.
I'm worried a bit here that Bowman gave up a young kid for another Dennis Rasmusson WTF. If these guys weren't good enough to be drafted? Why do they always wind up in Chicago?
- wonthecup10

Yeah and that Panarin guy that 30 teams passed on too. Just a soft Russian in it for the $.

Clarification on this? Edjsell was not drafted by the Preds or anyone, he was signed as an FA? Which means he wasn't thought of by 30 other NHL teams or he would have been drafted, right? I'm Leary about those type of guys that Bowman gets, Kempney, already gone, couldn't crack it here , even in this train wreck, Ruutta won't be back, Osterle sucks otherwise Edmonton, which needs D men would have signed him.
I'm worried a bit here that Bowman gave up a young kid for another Dennis Rasmusson WTF. If these guys weren't good enough to be drafted? Why do they always wind up in Chicago?
- wonthecup10

Really draft pick? Is that a technicality, they did give his rights to the Blackhawks, so he was part of the Preds organization. Some of you are so literal

I didn't say improvements that translates into wins. I just think those 3 together for the rest of the year will help with their game, specifically 19 and 20. Then let the kids build chemistry on lines 2-4.
- SoftServe

Agreed: my point here, Ya Trade for a kid that is already 22-23 years old, why not bring him here and let him play some games for the rest of the season to see where his game is at, sound fair, right? Not fricken Bowman , gonna leave the kid in Sweden, then he said the kid will play in Rockford next year, WTF, the kid will be almost 25 by the time he gets here according to Bowman. Then , along with my earlier question, what gives for next year, same with drafting a D man that is 17-18 years old . Gotta field a team next year boys that is no where near this train wreck.
Let's face it , another crap season McDonough and Rocky will blow a gasket along with the season tix base drop to about 7000 with these outrageous prices. Hmmm??

Watching the Preds game, Hartman looks more himself, playing with a purpose. The Preds guy said the GM , when asked about the Hartman trade, he said we really didn't give up any assets...... Looks like little Stanley got had again. I would think , given the Preds roster that they have pretty good hockey evaluators in place in their organization. The Swede is probably as soft as a DQ cone on a hot summer day. Aaaaaaaahhh Boy! Bowman.
The more I think about it, ya trust Bowman to make that pick if some of the big names are there when it's his turn?
- wonthecup10

Since when is a First Round Draft Choice not an asset? The Predators obviously have the very best evaluators based on the long list of Stanley Cups they have won - oops - NONE! Wait maybe if you include the Stanley Cups won by the GM in Washington - oops - NONE again!

It is true they didn’t give up players off this year’s roster but truly the Hawks could say the same thing as Hartman was hardly part of the roster. The Preds also only recently signed the Swede who is now playing well in the Swedish Elite League after demolishing the level 2 league last year. Well this non-asset may play in the NHL next year. It just seems that the Subban Idiot Virus has spread throughout the Preds’ organization.

Yeah and that Panarin guy that 30 teams passed on too. Just a soft Russian in it for the $.
- Rota's Rooter

Nice

Yeah and that Panarin guy that 30 teams passed on too. Just a soft Russian in it for the $.
- Rota's Rooter

What did Bowman do with the 1diamond he found?
For every Panerin there are 500 vorobievs and Yakupovs!
Hey I hope this works out too, but like most other posters?ya trust Bowman anymore? I don't.

Really? Is that the same gm who hasn't won a Stanley Cup? Good news with that comment is it'll get back to the Swede
- BetweenTheDots

Sure that the Hawks will make sure every Swedish hockey player knows what was said. Wouldn't it be just wonderful if the Preds drafted Swedes who refused to report. Certainly going to be harder to sign Swede FAs.

Victor Ejdsell might never pan out but the fact that he was signed as an undrafted player doesn't mean much. Tons of useful NHL players were undrafted and some real gems and HoF players. Sure, you like the odds of a guy who went 1st round in the draft better maybe, but there is talent all over the world.