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Forums :: Blog World :: Justin Lowe: The Case For Trading Jonathan Toews
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Z3Hawk
Chicago Blackhawks
Joined: 05.04.2017

Jun 14 @ 3:03 AM ET
Dcat proved everyone wrong, myself included. No way did I think he was ready for the NHL last yr but obviously he was. Sure his offense may have translated to the bigs but his defense was a huuuuuge concern but his 54.3 corsi and 2,2 corsi relative were beyond anyone's wildest dreams. Sure he had sheltered zone starts but still.

He's not a secret to the opposition anymore but the kid just gets it done and is just a natural scorer. Loved seeing the kid do well as most everyone doubted the kid.

- Mr Ricochet


I was one who wasn’t at all surprised. I had watched a lot of Cat in the junior play-offs. I actually debated Jaekel saying Cat’s skills translated immediately to the NHL. I predicted prior to the season that Cat would not only make the team but would excell. Cat just had such amazing high-end skill and vision.
Z3Hawk
Chicago Blackhawks
Joined: 05.04.2017

Jun 14 @ 3:17 AM ET
No, don't be fooled by the NHL's treatment of overtime losses -- in fact 3 more wins and the Hawks would have been 36-46, i.e. a sparkling .439 winning percentage!
- BMWChiFan


The NHL treats OT losses as if the team earned a Tie. The NHL could just as easily have called them Regulation Ties. Treat the OT losses as true losses and it affects every team’s winning percentage. Need to call it something to reward the point. My point was if the Hawks get 10 more wins next season that creates 96 points. Add 12 wins that’s 100 points. Hawks not that far away.
Scott1977
Season Ticket Holder
Chicago Blackhawks
Location: Yorkville, IL
Joined: 08.30.2012

Jun 14 @ 5:54 AM ET
The NHL treats OT losses as if the team earned a Tie. The NHL could just as easily have called them Regulation Ties. Treat the OT losses as true losses and it affects every team’s winning percentage. Need to call it something to reward the point. My point was if the Hawks get 10 more wins next season that creates 96 points. Add 12 wins that’s 100 points. Hawks not that far away.
- Z3Hawk


Agree with what your say about wins but are the Hawks better than Nashville Winnipeg ST.louis etc.. in the playoffs. To me significant changes and additions have to be made to even compete to get into the playoffs and not be a one and done. Even if the hawks had a healthy Crawford last season still don't think they make the playoffs. Bowman's job is on the line this offseason so he cannot miss on anything.

Needs:

2 centers one needs to be a shutdown center
top 6 forward
2 or 3 defense man one needs to be a puckmoving d man
Veteran goalie backup
2or 3 physical type forwards to provide push back
pdx2ord
Chicago Blackhawks
Location: Portland, OR
Joined: 09.02.2015

Jun 14 @ 7:39 AM ET
The Karlsson’s did not “miscarriage” as that term is normally known. They actually had a baby that was stillborn. This happened to a couple that we know and the situation created incomprehensible grief and sadness. It was heartwrenching. Any person who could bully in those circumstances has something very seriously wrong with them.
- Z3Hawk


That's right - apologies for error. Happened to my parents, too, with the child before me. The pain never left.
wiz1901
Chicago Blackhawks
Location: DraftSite com, IL
Joined: 05.14.2008

Jun 14 @ 8:31 AM ET
Mark Kelley interview on NHL.Com:

"We're sitting in a really good spot at No. 8. Not only do we think we're going to get a player that we like, but it's going to be a hard decision, and that's exciting. I think it's a good draft class. There are a few players at the top who stand out, and I think there's a pool of 10 to 12 players who, depending upon the team and how you view them, could be ordered differently."

Like I said, the Hawks can't see the board in front of them any better than anybody, if the defenders actually fly off before slot 8 or linger.

..and that hard decision will be questioned /criticized here in retrospect within the couple years if there is any possibility the prospects at 9-12 shine brighter.
Z3Hawk
Chicago Blackhawks
Joined: 05.04.2017

Jun 14 @ 8:31 AM ET
That's right - apologies for error. Happened to my parents, too, with the child before me. The pain never left.
- pdx2ord


So so sorry to hear that.
Z3Hawk
Chicago Blackhawks
Joined: 05.04.2017

Jun 14 @ 8:41 AM ET
Agree with what your say about wins but are the Hawks better than Nashville Winnipeg ST.louis etc.. in the playoffs. To me significant changes and additions have to be made to even compete to get into the playoffs and not be a one and done. Even if the hawks had a healthy Crawford last season still don't think they make the playoffs. Bowman's job is on the line this offseason so he cannot miss on anything.

Needs:

2 centers one needs to be a shutdown center
top 6 forward
2 or 3 defense man one needs to be a puckmoving d man
Veteran goalie backup
2or 3 physical type forwards to provide push back

- Scott1977


I think the Hawks are immedietely competetive. What I took away ftom this year’s play-offs is that no team was overly dominant and they all had holes. The Hawks lost a lot of games that were winnable - they simply gave away a lot of games unnecessarily. Poor goaltending, and a overly aggressive D System that was a disaster and gave up scores of odd-man breaks against, and a poor power-play. The Hawks also gave up lots of leads which was certainly not customary for the team. The reason I am positive? These are easily correctable issues assuming the coaches are smart and not stubborn.
Mr Ricochet
Chicago Blackhawks
Location: Joliet, IL
Joined: 04.19.2009

Jun 14 @ 9:38 AM ET
MrR - the issue with me is always this - you can teach and practice and improve upon many things - such as conditioning, endurance, positioning, maturity, you can even improve skating to a degree but you cannot improve intrinsic skill. If Tkachuk turns out to be a 4th liner are you OK with that? This might happen as the speed and skill of the NHL might eat him up. I would not be satisfied. Now if you draft someone who has high-end skill and skating and for some reason that player doesn’t pan out hard to question drafting high-end skill and skating

Wahlstrom also has some issues. Committed to BC. How far does he view himself from the NHL? He has also benefitted from playing with very good players recently. If Hawks are taking Wahlstrom they better be very sure of what he's thinking and they better have a plan.

- Z3Hawk


No doubt. You can't teach 7ft, 100 MPH fastball, 4.3 speed, or heart/compete (Tkachuk) and you can't teach Dcat's intrinsic ability to read a play and score and most say Wahlstrom has that in a bigger package with a much bigger shot.

Understand I am not arguing for or against any one player other than taking Merkley at #8. Don't want the club to swing for the fences at #8. Trade the #8 for another 1st and a high 2nd then swing with one of those picks or at their own 27th but not the 8th.

As far as Tkachuk I just think we have him evaluated differently is all and don't think he falls to 8. I do have the benefit of seeing him live at Steel games the last 2 yrs a couple times (same with Wahlstrom) before he went to BU besides quite a few on video and this kid can skate, is a load, off the charts compete, a good bit of nasty, size and is skilled.

He's no Nick Ritchie and IMO is much closer to a Landeskog. Doesn't skate as well as Landeskog, maybe not quite that skill in his hands but a better compete, nasty and works better in the greasy areas.

What I will say for myself personally after watching that 10:00 vid of Kotkaniemi and Wahlstrom side by side I am really really intrigued by the Finn. I'm old enough not to speak in certainties about anything let alone human athletes but I think the Finn's floor is 2nd line C in a big package and if he develops into a 1st line C he'll be quite the player at the most important position besides goalie.

But as I said in my first post about the draft the Hawks will take Wahlstrom if he's on the board. They simply value pure skill more than any other trait.


z1990z
Chicago Blackhawks
Location: NW USA
Joined: 02.09.2012

Jun 14 @ 10:02 AM ET
No doubt. You can't teach 7ft, 100 MPH fastball, 4.3 speed, or heart/compete (Tkachuk) and you can't teach Dcat's intrinsic ability to read a play and score and most say Wahlstrom has that in a bigger package with a much bigger shot.

Understand I am not arguing for or against any one player other than taking Merkley at #8. Don't want the club to swing for the fences at #8. Trade the #8 for another 1st and a high 2nd then swing with one of those picks or at their own 27th but not the 8th.

As far as Tkachuk I just think we have him evaluated differently is all and don't think he falls to 8. I do have the benefit of seeing him live at Steel games the last 2 yrs a couple times (same with Wahlstrom) before he went to BU besides quite a few on video and this kid can skate, is a load, off the charts compete, a good bit of nasty, size and is skilled.

He's no Nick Ritchie and IMO is much closer to a Landeskog. Doesn't skate as well as Landeskog, maybe not quite that skill in his hands but a better compete, nasty and works better in the greasy areas.

What I will say for myself personally after watching that 10:00 vid of Kotkaniemi and Wahlstrom side by side I am really really intrigued by the Finn. I'm old enough not to speak in certainties about anything let alone human athletes but I think the Finn's floor is 2nd line C in a big package and if he develops into a 1st line C he'll be quite the player at the most important position besides goalie.

But as I said in my first post about the draft the Hawks will take Wahlstrom if he's on the board. They simply value pure skill more than any other trait.

- Mr Ricochet


Kotkaniemi is my pick if he is there. Watching the highlights, he is a puck hunter. He also skates well and has a wicked accurate wrister. Plus he projects out as a C. We need depth in that area for sure.
Mr Ricochet
Chicago Blackhawks
Location: Joliet, IL
Joined: 04.19.2009

Jun 14 @ 10:20 AM ET
I was one who wasn’t at all surprised. I had watched a lot of Cat in the junior play-offs. I actually debated Jaekel saying Cat’s skills translated immediately to the NHL. I predicted prior to the season that Cat would not only make the team but would excell. Cat just had such amazing high-end skill and vision.
- Z3Hawk


Can't argue with Dcat's numbers coming in. Freakish numbers actually as he spent the last 2 yrs in juniors stunting his development as was stuck due to the Indentured Servitude Clause.

My evaluations, and I think most people's, came from the CHL Top Prospects game in his draft yr. Simply said amongst the best of his peers he was invisible and very poor defensively, especially positioning........ IMO it was that prospect game that led to his slide to the 2nd rd.
wiz1901
Chicago Blackhawks
Location: DraftSite com, IL
Joined: 05.14.2008

Jun 14 @ 10:49 AM ET
No doubt. You can't teach 7ft, 100 MPH fastball, 4.3 speed, or heart/compete (Tkachuk) and you can't teach Dcat's intrinsic ability to read a play and score and most say Wahlstrom has that in a bigger package with a much bigger shot.

Understand I am not arguing for or against any one player other than taking Merkley at #8.

- Mr Ricochet


When I read Mark Kelley's 12 elite prospect count, I instantly thought he is leaving Merkley in the ranking. I think he is high risk, high reward, and most suitable for a team with TWO first rounders or a first rounder and an early second (Detroit) where you take a chance and your fan base is told form the start, we went safe, then we went high risk, heigh reward. Imo, Merkley won't last to #27 but if he does forget about my boy Ty Dellandrea...who I had there for the Blackhawks based on the fact I thought the forward group would be gone with seven teams at least four forwards off the board, and the hawks taking a defender.


As far as Tkachuk I just think we have him evaluated differently is all and don't think he falls to 8. I do have the benefit of seeing him live at Steel games the last 2 yrs a couple times (same with Wahlstrom) before he went to BU besides quite a few on video and this kid can skate, is a load, off the charts compete, a good bit of nasty, size and is skilled.
He's no Nick Ritchie and IMO is much closer to a Landeskog. Doesn't skate as well as Landeskog, maybe not quite that skill in his hands but a better compete, nasty and works better in the greasy areas.

- Mr Ricochet


Yeah, I have been going out on the plank for a year, saying this kid Brady will be better then brother or father...there is just something about him..two World Juniors and couples tourneys ago, he was given assignments on US developmental team tourney teams as the wing with smaller scorers and creators. There was no ego, no worries that he was in the back shadows of the press interviews; he just went about business...of getting them the pucks, pounding the opposition so they were always taking their eyes away form play towards when the nasty violent next collision they were going to feel. His anger sure scared them, it was beyond chippy, but it stayed controlled to tempo and didn't actually derail the attack like Tom Wilson can do. I am glad you mentioned Ricthie because he is understated as a edgy guy with scoring capabilities too.
And agree Landeskog is more along the lines of a Kotkaniemi on left wing, a guy who iOS very comfortable in the crowded packs with contact but is trying to generate first and be physical second.


What I will say for myself personally after watching that 10:00 vid of Kotkaniemi and Wahlstrom side by side I am really really intrigued by the Finn. I'm old enough not to speak in certainties about anything let alone human athletes but I think the Finn's floor is 2nd line C in a big package and if he develops into a 1st line C he'll be quite the player at the most important position besides goalie.

- Mr Ricochet


I need to see this side by side video, can you PM the link?

Certainly the jury of scouting staffs was out on Kotkaniemi because until the international platform, he was stuck in Finland on the wing to bolster their top end scoring. Centre is important, especially the way he can play it and advantageous quick threat to score, the way the (now considered more import lately) Vegas wings has to fly and swoop and take shots.



But as I said in my first post about the draft the Hawks will take Wahlstrom if he's on the board. They simply value pure skill more than any other trait.

- Mr Ricochet


Then there's that idea that Wahlstrom who hasn't been lined up as a centre in awhile, might fit there eventually, but not in the big centre sense.

If Brady is there the only reason the hawks would have to not run to the microphone is:
a) they think he would do a Kevin Hayes on them, and the only way possible of preventing that is instant NHL arrival.
It is silly but there have been lots of junior snipers that fail as well as excel...Brady Tkachuk can make room, unearth, dispute and has imo, an understated upside as he gets more and more comfortable, faster, and even bigger as a pro. You said it, HEART translates to work to succeed.
b) There is a defender that feel they can't live without, thinking there another draft where there are so many that are still there at slot eight are few and far between.
c) The simply figure Wahlstrom's hands outweigh the all the other facets.

The Hockey News scouting report read, "...his game showed sense of entitlement," with not finishing checks waiting for feeds instead doing the diligent wall work so they happen, and I thought that two. (like I ripped the college Nick Schmaltz for being...)
He isn't that savvy, slip into the open area guy like DeBrincat, but a once the puck arrived, let fly guy from where he is. (He does do it, but deCat has an uncanny feel, more instinctive.)
He does show nice entrance to the zone speed and it's not like he is wussy on the boards.


And thought all the pessimistic discussion of the team's future, if not for the Crawford half year IR stint, I am sure we would not be selecting 8th overall, so this is a nice way to recoup from the later drafting, the draft picks sent away b/c you have to go for it with strengthening your depth in a playoff run, so you make a trade like Nashville/Winnipeg does.
Sn1362
Chicago Blackhawks
Location: Chicago, IL
Joined: 07.10.2014

Jun 14 @ 10:57 AM ET
I have asked this question 100 times with no answer. What will the future consideration be from the Las Vegas trade last year?????
wiz1901
Chicago Blackhawks
Location: DraftSite com, IL
Joined: 05.14.2008

Jun 14 @ 10:58 AM ET
Kotkaniemi is my pick if he is there. Watching the highlights, he is a puck hunter. He also skates well and has a wicked accurate wrister. Plus he projects out as a C. We need depth in that area for sure.
- z1990z


So we have to hope the Habs don't call his name really early, or trade back a bit (probably no one wants to pay the crazy prices to even slot up a bit, or
someone else doesn't find he fills their big earlier.

I know one thing, the Oilers will try and convince the Rangers to flip their slots if Wahlstrom or Kotkaniemi are there, because both would be asked to come in soon and help them on the flanks.

How about the Rangers?


This year they get two chances to pick TWO players better than the two they selected last year...what a difference a draft year makes.
wiz1901
Chicago Blackhawks
Location: DraftSite com, IL
Joined: 05.14.2008

Jun 14 @ 11:04 AM ET
I have asked this question 100 times with no answer. What will the future consideration be from the Las Vegas trade last year?????
- Sn1362


I am gonna guess it was to not pick a certain unprotected player(s) on the hawk expansion roster, in the same way Minnesota and Florida got suckered into sending Alex Tuch and Jonathan Jon Marchessault for the future considerations of choosing Eric Haula (over a defenseman or Nino Niedermayer or Charlie Coyle) and Reilly Smith....

Marcus Kruger and Trevor van Riemsdyk were the most notable names the Blackhawks left unprotected among players under contract, I think they wanted to clear Kruger's salary out of necessity and

"The Blackhawks are essentially trying to use van Riemsdyk as bait to convince the Golden Knights to take on Kruger’s contract. They don’t have to leave TVR available to Vegas in the expansion draft because they could just trade him to another team soon instead. If that happens, the Blackhawks still have Michal Rozsival to cover draft requirements, and the Golden Knights would be stuck choosing between underwhelming options for their expansion pick from Chicago.

So the Hawks’ pitch to Golden Knights GM George McPhee is essentially, “We’re going to trade TVR to another team and not let you have him unless you agree to take on Kruger’s contract as well.”

For the Blackhawks, the goal here is obvious. They’re resigned to losing TVR — either via trade or at the expansion draft — unless they send assets to Vegas to keep him so they’re trying to bait the Golden Knights into a package deal that ships out Kruger’s contract, too. For the Golden Knights, if the alternative is being stuck taking an underwhelming guy like Ville Pokka, they may prefer getting both TVR and Kruger, even if the latter’s $3.08 million cap hit isn’t a sweet deal.
Vegas got what they thought were enough defenders and then used TvR to make another deal...an early 3rd last year.
riozzo
Chicago Blackhawks
Location: Cornwallis Island
Joined: 06.17.2014

Jun 14 @ 11:06 AM ET
I have asked this question 100 times with no answer. What will the future consideration be from the Las Vegas trade last year?????
- Sn1362

We get the pre-game show for 3 nights
wiz1901
Chicago Blackhawks
Location: DraftSite com, IL
Joined: 05.14.2008

Jun 14 @ 11:12 AM ET
Another Nail in the coffin?

Chicago Blackhawks goaltender prospect Ivan Nalimov will be requesting a trade, his agent, Shumi Babaev, tells Scott Powers of The Athletic.

Babaev, who also represents Hawks Russian forward prospect Max Shalunov, cites the lack of opportunity the 23-year-old netminder has within the organization as one reason for the trade.

“They really like him, but they don’t have space,” Babaev said. “They have five other goalies.”

The five goalies include Corey Crawford, Anton Forsberg, J-F Berube, Collin Delia and Kevin Lankinen. There have also been reports of the Hawks wanting to reacquire Scott Darling from the Carolina Hurricanes.

The Hawks have retained Nalimov’s rights passed the two-year window established by the 2013 player transfer agreement because the KHL didn’t agree to it. The agreement extends to nearly every prominent hockey federation in Europe for how the league handles draft rights. The KHL and NHL agreed to a different one that allows Russians playing in the KHL to continue playing there without their draft rights elapsing.

Nalimov and the KHL‘s Ufa Salavat Yulaev mutually terminated the final year of his contract Wednesday, according to Powers.

The 6-foot-4, 209-pound goalie posted a .938 save percentage in 23 games last season with Ufa Salavat Yulaev and Vladivostok Admiral.

I dunno, I say find room by way of a trade if the kid wants a chance over here, as he was the one wanting out of the Ufa contract, now that he is Vladislav Tretiak...
z1990z
Chicago Blackhawks
Location: NW USA
Joined: 02.09.2012

Jun 14 @ 11:21 AM ET
Another Nail in the coffin?

Chicago Blackhawks goaltender prospect Ivan Nalimov will be requesting a trade, his agent, Shumi Babaev, tells Scott Powers of The Athletic.

Babaev, who also represents Hawks Russian forward prospect Max Shalunov, cites the lack of opportunity the 23-year-old netminder has within the organization as one reason for the trade.

“They really like him, but they don’t have space,” Babaev said. “They have five other goalies.”

The five goalies include Corey Crawford, Anton Forsberg, J-F Berube, Collin Delia and Kevin Lankinen. There have also been reports of the Hawks wanting to reacquire Scott Darling from the Carolina Hurricanes.

The Hawks have retained Nalimov’s rights passed the two-year window established by the 2013 player transfer agreement because the KHL didn’t agree to it. The agreement extends to nearly every prominent hockey federation in Europe for how the league handles draft rights. The KHL and NHL agreed to a different one that allows Russians playing in the KHL to continue playing there without their draft rights elapsing.

Nalimov and the KHL‘s Ufa Salavat Yulaev mutually terminated the final year of his contract Wednesday, according to Powers.

The 6-foot-4, 209-pound goalie posted a .938 save percentage in 23 games last season with Ufa Salavat Yulaev and Vladivostok Admiral.

I dunno, I say find room by way of a trade if the kid wants a chance over here, as he was the one wanting out of the Ufa contract, now that he is Vladislav Tretiak...

- wiz1901



Why would the Hawks not bring him over and let him take a shot at the back up spot? Berube is ehhhh... Glass is beer league. Forsberg? Dont know yet and Delia needs at least one more year in the Rock to show some consistency. And they forgot Wouter Peeters in the goalie list.

Oh yeah and not to mention that Crawford is still a giant ? as to whether or not he is fully healthy.
Mr Ricochet
Chicago Blackhawks
Location: Joliet, IL
Joined: 04.19.2009

Jun 14 @ 11:29 AM ET
Wiz it was Nick Schmaltz who showed me there is probably more art to evaluating than science. I was incensed they drafted him when Fabbri was on the board cuz I had seen him live no less that 10 times in the USHL and there was simply zero doubt this guy would not compete for a puck, wilted if stuck near a wall and stayed on the perimeter. His skill though was never questioned.

How any scout who could even see the 2nd yr at North Dakota Nick Schmaltz still has me shaking my head let alone the Schmaltz we have seen in the NHL. This player has changed how I look at prospects, not that I can now identify a soft jr player and see him as not being so in the NHL as Schmaltz has done. IMO that is a scout that for 30-40 yrs has seen 10's of thousands before and after a kid did or didn't succeed at the NHL level and developed a "feel" which is art and not science. .... It is this player who makes me defer to an NHL scouting staff.

You mention the Hawks seeing a Dman at 8 they have to have. I do think the Hawks value skill more than any other trait but wonder if they see a Bouchard as a kind of Seabrook with more offensive upside. Has the size and strength to take tough D assignments and run a #1 PP. Maybe even Dobson in that mold as well...... Point is in the context you mention a Dman they have to have at 8 that they see a better Seabrook in Bouchard or Dobson and we haven't even brought the uber skilled Boqvist into the conversation and as mentioned the Hawks love skill.

The vids of Wahlstrom and Kotkaniemi aren't side by side, guess I kinda misspoke, but one after the other. These are the vids I speak of:

Wahlstrom: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eX98V5mqjfQ

Kotkaniemi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHsCAbU8HW0&t=27s

Acknowledging I've seen Wahlstrom live and the Finn only on video these two vids have me moving Kotkaniemi up to Wahlstrom in the decision who to take at 8. I'd also mention I'm a take the best player always guy have to say the Hawks are deeper organizationally at defense than at forward.

wiz1901
Chicago Blackhawks
Location: DraftSite com, IL
Joined: 05.14.2008

Jun 14 @ 11:34 AM ET

This exactly what I think about the hawks and their selection:
Scott Powers today in Q & A
I think the approach will be to draft the best available player. I believe that will be a forward at No. 8. I tend to lean on Corey Pronman for a lot of my draft prospect knowledge, and I think Wahlstrom and Kotkaniemi would be great picks for the Blackhawks at eight. If somehow Hughes, a left-handed defenseman, or Tkachuk are there, they'd be promising prospects too.
(and probably take precedence, imo)
PatShart
Chicago Blackhawks
Location: Vegas, NV
Joined: 06.25.2015

Jun 14 @ 11:39 AM ET
This exactly what I think about the hawks and their selection:
Scott Powers today in Q & A
I think the approach will be to draft the best available player. I believe that will be a forward at No. 8. I tend to lean on Corey Pronman for a lot of my draft prospect knowledge, and I think Wahlstrom and Kotkaniemi would be great picks for the Blackhawks at eight. If somehow Hughes, a left-handed defenseman, or Tkachuk are there, they'd be promising prospects too.
(and probably take precedence, imo)

- wiz1901


I'm nowhere near the draft guru you (or others) are...but I think it's the best plan

I think, if all 4 are hone, I'd still hope they take the best forward (whoever that may be) with the Hope's he can play right away....on JT's RW...
DarthKane
Chicago Blackhawks
Location: 5.13.4.9
Joined: 02.23.2012

Jun 14 @ 11:39 AM ET
This exactly what I think about the hawks and their selection:
Scott Powers today in Q & A
I think the approach will be to draft the best available player. I believe that will be a forward at No. 8. I tend to lean on Corey Pronman for a lot of my draft prospect knowledge, and I think Wahlstrom and Kotkaniemi would be great picks for the Blackhawks at eight. If somehow Hughes, a left-handed defenseman, or Tkachuk are there, they'd be promising prospects too.
(and probably take precedence, imo)

- wiz1901



Assuming the Hawks take Wahlstrom at #8 who should they take at #27.

Do they go with another forward like Dellandrea? They took two d-men last year with their first two picks. Do they look to select a defenseman to balance out the prospect pool? Maybe it comes down to the best player available again.
L_B_R
Chicago Blackhawks
Joined: 02.23.2014

Jun 14 @ 11:42 AM ET
Why would the Hawks not bring him over and let him take a shot at the back up spot? Berube is ehhhh... Glass is beer league. Forsberg? Dont know yet and Delia needs at least one more year in the Rock to show some consistency. And they forgot Wouter Peeters in the goalie list.

Oh yeah and not to mention that Crawford is still a giant ? as to whether or not he is fully healthy.

- z1990z

The Hawks do want to bring him over though - Babaev is Nalimov's agent and he's talking about the Hawks not having space from the player's perspective, that he'd have to compete with so many for a spot next season.

This is a situation in which a Nalimov wants an easier route to the NHL imo. It's kind of dumb - outside of Lankinen surprising, the other 3 either need more time (Delia) or likely just backup quality if that (Forsberg, Berube) - and Crawford's contract will run out a season after he came. Nalimov could be poised to be a Saros-to-Rinne situation but he doesn't seem to want to have to compete.

Jfyi, Glass is not one of the 5 listed because he's not being resigned. Peeters isn't on the list because he's not signed.
Mr Ricochet
Chicago Blackhawks
Location: Joliet, IL
Joined: 04.19.2009

Jun 14 @ 11:47 AM ET
Getting harder and harder to not see Kotkkaniemi as the pick at #8, Wiz. Stumbled across video of him playing in the top pro league in Finland, Liiga, as a SEVENTEEN yr old. To my eye there is nothing wrong with his skating and in fact he shows +speed at 6ft 2in 200lbs. His speed of thought is excellent, plays fast.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJ20dBGDfS0
tvetter
Chicago Blackhawks
Location: Burkesville, KY
Joined: 12.16.2015

Jun 14 @ 11:48 AM ET
My top 6 next year:

Schmaltz (lw) - Toews - Saad (rw)
Dcat - AA ( or preferably a FA) - Kane
hpk90
Chicago Blackhawks
Location: North Potomac, MD
Joined: 12.13.2011

Jun 14 @ 11:50 AM ET
The pressure is on Stan to produce now. I want the Hawks to keep #8 and #27 but I'm expecting at least one of those picks to be dealt.
- DarthKane


I agree. We should keep both picks, but one (more likely #27) will be traded.
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