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Forums :: Blog World :: Justin Lowe: What Have We Learned After Two Preseason Games?
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Hawks_49
Chicago Blackhawks
Location: Ottawa, ON
Joined: 04.28.2015

Sep 21 @ 1:12 PM ET
I'd go for that. Hillman, too, as a candidate. Don't think Murphy lives out his current contract with the Hawks and will eventually get traded. Obviously not now with his injury. Maybe next summer? Manning would need to be traded as well since he's on a multi-year deal.

Rutta likely gone and Gustafsson would be redundant if Jokiharju, Boqvist, and Forsling are on the squad (even if it's just 2 of these 3) and more expendable if the prospects have better defense upside to go along with their offensive talent.

Keith - Seabrook
Hillman - Jokiharju
Forsling - Boqvist
Dahlstrom (who can play both sides)


Pretty young, not a lot of NHL experience, and ability to play solid defense is questionable. Then again, it's not like Murphy and Manning are stellar. They at least have NHL miles and prioritize defense.

- AEL_Fox


I love the look of that group of defensemen. Forsling and Boqvist on the first PP unit would be perfect.

There would be some bumps along the way, but that group would be fast and push the pace of the game, hopefully becoming responsible enough in their own end to win games.
oldduffman
Chicago Blackhawks
Joined: 11.06.2013

Sep 21 @ 1:17 PM ET
When the horse sees you coming, does he just fall down and die from the boredom of a repeated narrative??

I mean seriously - saying it 1000 times does not make it true!!!!!

- dahawks8819

Don't see a lot horses around here . 1000 times not likely I kept my mouth shut all summer ,maybe 199 or so .. It hard to be silent when it obvious to me anyway what a bad job Q has done over the last 3 years of managing his bench . It seems all we debate now is meaningless till the Q problem it taken care of ..It all started for me in the ST.L series 3years ago . And since then he has progressively got worse and more detached from the game . It looks like the big contract went to his head .I hope I am completely wrong on this as I am a HAWKS die heart 1st and foremost .
hpk90
Chicago Blackhawks
Location: North Potomac, MD
Joined: 12.13.2011

Sep 21 @ 1:20 PM ET
Link to tonight's lineup on the Blackhawks NHL.com website.

https://www.nhl.com/black...-senators-921/c-300282490
-Doh-
Location: VA
Joined: 10.05.2015

Sep 21 @ 1:26 PM ET
I don't like the lines as currently constructed.

Kane needs a sniper on the LW and a big man in the middle.
ADB- AA- Kane

Saad and Toews need a play maker on RW.
Saad - Toews - Schmaltz (They may want Schmaltz to be a center, but he is what he is ... a perimeter player that has a pass first mentality.)

Kruger and Kampf should be centers for lines 3 and 4. Mix and match their wingers.

Kampf, with Sikura?Kahun?Ejdsell? Fortin?
Martinsen, Kruger, Hayden

Entwistle should start at the Rock. However it would be fun to see a line of Martinsen, Entwistle and Hayden for a preseason game or two.

D and the goaltending is a mess. Keith, Seabs, Jokiharju, Gus, Rutta, Murphy, Forsling, Manning, Davidson, Hillman. Does it really matter?

breadbag
Location: Edmonton, AB
Joined: 11.30.2015

Sep 21 @ 1:27 PM ET
Anyone besides me think Shroeder deserves a harder look?
- Sammy26


I think he played well and deserves to play again in the pre-season, but I don't think he will make the cut unless someone gets hurt. He might be one of those guys that can be given a "role" and execute it the way the coaches want, but he just might not land higher than the AHL.
breadbag
Location: Edmonton, AB
Joined: 11.30.2015

Sep 21 @ 1:30 PM ET
I don't like the lines as currently constructed.

Kane needs a sniper on the LW and a big man in the middle.
ADB- AA- Kane

Saad and Toews need a play maker on RW.
Saad - Toews - Schmaltz (They may want Schmaltz to be a center, but he is what he is ... a perimeter player that has a pass first mentality.)

Kruger and Kampf should be centers for lines 3 and 4. Mix and match their wingers.

Kampf, with Sikura?Kahun?Ejdsell? Fortin?
Martinsen, Kruger, Hayden

Entwistle should start at the Rock. However it would be fun to see a line of Martinsen, Entwistle and Hayden for a preseason game or two.

D and the goaltending is a mess. Keith, Seabs, Jokiharju, Gus, Rutta, Murphy, Forsling, Manning, Davidson, Hillman. Does it really matter?

- -Doh-


I think the forward lines might shake out the way you laid them out. Or with DeBrincat and Schmaltz swapped.

Entwistle was sent back to OHL.

I think Kruger/Kampf could very well end up being 3rd and 4th C if AA slides back up to the top 6.


EnzoD
Chicago Blackhawks
Location: Denver, CO
Joined: 02.19.2014

Sep 21 @ 1:32 PM ET
Link to tonight's lineup on the Blackhawks NHL.com website.

https://www.nhl.com/black...-senators-921/c-300282490

- hpk90


Would be cool for Q to put the Sikura brothers on a line together...at least for one shift. Excited to see what Knott can do. At this point Bondra looks like a bust, he is just an awful skater.
breadbag
Location: Edmonton, AB
Joined: 11.30.2015

Sep 21 @ 1:32 PM ET
Beaudin + Entwistle sent to Jr teams.

Carlsson, Hillman, Raddysh , Nilsson, Samuelsson, Noel, Lankinen sent to Rockford.
EnzoD
Chicago Blackhawks
Location: Denver, CO
Joined: 02.19.2014

Sep 21 @ 1:33 PM ET
I think the forward lines might shake out the way you laid them out. Or with DeBrincat and Schmaltz swapped.

Entwistle was sent back to OHL.

I think Kruger/Kampf could very well end up being 3rd and 4th C if AA slides back up to the top 6.

- breadbag



I read an OHL preview artricle and Entwistle is expected to be a dominant force in that league this year. Looking like a really good trade for Bowman to dump Hossa's cap hit. No big loss in Hinostroza, IMO.
breadbag
Location: Edmonton, AB
Joined: 11.30.2015

Sep 21 @ 1:36 PM ET
I read an OHL preview artricle and Entwistle is expected to be a dominant force in that league this year. Looking like a really good trade for Bowman to dump Hossa's cap hit. No big loss in Hinostroza, IMO.
- EnzoD


I agree with you. Hinostroza was fast, but I think replaceable. Entwistle has some promise, especially if he can keep making shots like he did last night.
I Am The Breadman
Chicago Blackhawks
Location: Richton Park, IL
Joined: 09.16.2018

Sep 21 @ 1:37 PM ET
Beaudin + Entwistle sent to Jr teams.

Carlsson, Hillman, Raddysh , Nilsson, Samuelsson, Noel, Lankinen sent to Rockford.

- breadbag


Carlsson was crazy with all of his penalties last night. Not a good outing. I liked Noel, would have liked to have seen him get another shot.
6628
Joined: 08.24.2009

Sep 21 @ 1:39 PM ET
Trotz will make him better
- gazza53



Hope so
6628
Joined: 08.24.2009

Sep 21 @ 1:41 PM ET
I hope Q keeps playing Boquist, Jokiharju and Dahlstrom this preseason. Manning....yikes. Like Justin said, first game jitters, maybe? But he's not all that big, not a good skater, and completely whiffed on a glorious chance that Kaner gave him on the rush. Don't see why he deserved 2 years at $2mil, but IDK how Rutta earned a 200% pay increase and I don't see Gustafson ever having the physical and/or mental ability to play defense well in the NHL.

How much will Tyler Myers want on his contract next summer?

- EnzoD




Wiz was absolutely HUGE on this guy when he was drafted, begging the hawks to draft him. I wonder what he'd say about him now.
Theo Fox
Chicago Blackhawks
Joined: 06.18.2016

Sep 21 @ 1:44 PM ET
Just a few thoughts about the bottom 6:

1) I'm starting to feel that Kampf and Highmore are proving that they deserve to make the lineup.

2) Also starting to feel that Hayden could be on the outside looking in, at least to start the season.

3) Not sold on Ejdsell making the team; some good assets but could stand to develop more in Rockford to address the "needs to play with more pace" feedback from Q.

4) Kunitz should play 4th line for much of the year and maybe eventually being the 13th forward to make way for the budding youngsters.
breadbag
Location: Edmonton, AB
Joined: 11.30.2015

Sep 21 @ 1:45 PM ET
Carlsson was crazy with all of his penalties last night. Not a good outing. I liked Noel, would have liked to have seen him get another shot.
- I Am The Breadman


Yeah, those minor penalties didn't help his case. I was kinda surprised they kept Joni Tuulola and didn't send him down too. I think he doesn't look ready yet IMO.

Agree with you on Noel and maybe the spot he is fighting for is already decided, but I think we've seen in the past too, with Rockford, sometimes they send guys up and down in the pre-season too. I think they did that with Svedberg a couple times in recent seasons. Cut him and brought him back
fattybeef
Joined: 05.04.2010

Sep 21 @ 1:46 PM ET
Yeah, Davidson is not necessarily setting the bar high, but man-oh-man was Manning bad in a bunch of ways. For a supposed stay at home d-man, his reads and angles were horrible and he gets walked way too often. Most "slow" defensemen know that the opponent has a speed advantage and compensates by playing off a bit or making sure their angles are good. I didn't see that with Manning.

It's one game, we can give him the benefit of the doubt for a few and hopefully it works it's way out.

- TheTrob


He is not good which is why he isn't with the Flyers anymore who have as many holes on their blue line as the Hawks.
fattybeef
Joined: 05.04.2010

Sep 21 @ 1:47 PM ET
Just some thoughts.

Q might be tough on his players at times, but they respect him in general for a reason.

Remember the whole "Which Coach you'd like to play for?" poll.

I think the Q doesn't like kids/rookies or can't develop kids is a myth more than it is true. Not every player is going to fit, but that is the same in every team. Each team has very different cap and draft situations. It isn't apples to apples, but how do you quantify how he compares to other coaches? Especially when some of the players who have been traded, were traded for cap reasons or other reasons. Very few players have actually been traded because of Q.

TT for example, Q seemed to like him a lot. Gave him a lot of rope and icetime. He was traded to get Bickell offloaded. That isn't on Q IMO.

Here is the list of NHL Rookies the Hawks (ordered by games played with Chicago as a rookie) have had with Joel at the helm.

Van Riemsdyk, Bickell, Hartman, Dowell, DeBrincat, Fraser, Panarin, Kruger, Versteeg, Brouwer, Kero, Schmaltz, Hayden, Hinostroza, Nordstrom, Saad, Leddy, Kampf, Rasmussen, Bollig, Gustafsson, Morin, Forsling, Teravinen, Shaw, Pirri, Motte, Danault, Hayes, Olsen, Svedberg, Hjalmarsson, Smith, Highmore, Dahlstrom, Skille, Pelletier, Ejdsell, Baun, Sikura, Hillman, Dahlbeck, Clendening, Brent, LeBlanc, Carey, Smolenak, Lalonde, McNeill, Klinkhammer.

The guys worth their salt were handled pretty well IMO. A lot of these guys went on to bigger roles with other teams because of the Hawks circumstances having to cut salary and the depth they've had.

It is a bit of a sink or swim thing especially when the goal is to win and the Hawks have not been in a real rebuild. The coach has to balance between giving young guys minutes to learn and actually beating the other team. When the season went sideways last year, a some of younger players got looks and/or increased minutes.

- breadbag


3 Cups.
breadbag
Location: Edmonton, AB
Joined: 11.30.2015

Sep 21 @ 1:48 PM ET
Carlsson was crazy with all of his penalties last night. Not a good outing. I liked Noel, would have liked to have seen him get another shot.
- I Am The Breadman


Something I thought about last night, speaking about penalties. What a difference in the preseason so far this year compared to last. I mean, there was the "crack down" on stick infractions and face off violations and now it seems like they have eased off. I'm not sure if the players have just adjusted or the refs backed off or both.
Coca
Chicago Blackhawks
Joined: 10.14.2009

Sep 21 @ 1:51 PM ET
I'd go with:

Saad - Toews - Schmaltz
ADB - AA - Kane
Kahun - Kampf - Sikura (too much youth?)
Hayden - Kruger - Martinsen

I don't see Schmaltz long-term at Center. I also seem to remember one of Toews best stretches of hockey last year or the year prior playing with Schmaltz. Kane doing his thing and having the option to setup ADB for 1-timers with AA in front seems like a good look to me especially with getting slightly lower quality of competition and matchups on L2.
fattybeef
Joined: 05.04.2010

Sep 21 @ 1:51 PM ET
Leddy is a top pair guy in Name only....he is not a top pair guy on a Cup contender
- glennjpawlak22


Hes paid like a high end 2nd pairing guy who can push the play and QB a power play. Which is pretty much what he always has been.

Just because he isn't dynamic everything game changing guy like a Subban or Doughty doesn't mean he has no value. In fact, he would fill a pretty big hole on the Hawks right now.
fattybeef
Joined: 05.04.2010

Sep 21 @ 1:52 PM ET
Trotz will make him better
- gazza53


(fixed)
Trotz will use him better
glennjpawlak22
Joined: 11.26.2013

Sep 21 @ 1:57 PM ET
Just a few thoughts about the bottom 6:

1) I'm starting to feel that Kampf and Highmore are proving that they deserve to make the lineup.

2) Also starting to feel that Hayden could be on the outside looking in, at least to start the season.

3) Not sold on Ejdsell making the team; some good assets but could stand to develop more in Rockford to address the "needs to play with more pace" feedback from Q.

4) Kunitz should play 4th line for much of the year and maybe eventually being the 13th forward to make way for the budding youngsters.

- AEL_Fox


1. YES, i agree, especially Kampf
2. i was thinking the same about Hayden, just not making a case for being on this team day 1. not sure exactly what his role and upside is
3. Needs some more pace to his game, Rockford bound
4. Yes, he will make the team
breadbag
Location: Edmonton, AB
Joined: 11.30.2015

Sep 21 @ 1:59 PM ET
For those that were/are curious, after his scheduled day off, Crawford was back on the ice this morning with the trainer for 30 minutes of drills.
gazza53
Chicago Blackhawks
Location: IL
Joined: 09.15.2017

Sep 21 @ 2:12 PM ET
(fixed)
Trotz will use him better

- fattybeef

BetweenTheDots
Chicago Blackhawks
Location: IL
Joined: 06.13.2015

Sep 21 @ 2:14 PM ET
For those that were/are curious, after his scheduled day off, Crawford was back on the ice this morning with the trainer for 30 minutes of drills.
- breadbag


I believe he is going to start facing shots any day now, which is a great sign
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