Smurfs are the future - suck it all you haters!

https://theathletic.com/5...by-age-height-and-weight/

A day late regarding what I'm thankful for......what we should all be thankful for.

I'm thankful for the soon to be return of Corey Crawford. I believe this is going to show just how good of a goalie he truly is. He has never gotten credit for being elite and yet has carried this team at times and provided a safety net to allow this team to play more offensively. He covers up defensive mistakes and has made what now appears to be sub-par defense look good.
If he returns to the Corey Crawford we have all grown accustomed to and this team can keep up anywhere close to the same offensive pace of the first 3 games this will be an extremely enjoyable year.

Sarcasm aside, I don’t have any expectations of Fortin - good or bad. Fortin is fast, but so was Stalberg. I’ll take the ‘wait and see’ approach with Fortin as I would have rather seen Highmore or Sikura get the call.
- DarthKane

Fortin had some tough injury problems last year. However, injuries or not he had all of 4 goals in 53 games. In the play-offs during Rockford’s run played 1 game with no points. I’ve said before that he has to turn his good attributes into actual production at some point.

You are correct in that defense dictates which way an offensive player should turn...I should have made myself clearer. When Hayden coming down the right side, he doesn't do a tight turn but rather a stop/pause as opposed to coming down on the left side, I have seen him do a tight (said loosely as he is no Kuznetsov) counter clockwise turn. It could be just as simple as him favoring his forehand.
- D2D

A million years ago I was a righty. I could turn quicker and tighter counter clockwise, but I could power skate and gain much more momentum turning clockwise. That's not normal and suggests to me I should have started out as a lefty.

Taller guys tend to prefer to keep their head above everything. They can see more and I think they feel safer. But it keeps that player more upright and that's not good for skating. In hockey the guy who gets lower is more powerful on his skates. Think of the legs as springs. Compress them and they rebound with more force. If not, that player is skating more with his ankles.

Waiting for 10 games to see if I was right all summer about 19 bouncing back big time.

Waiting for 10 games to see if I was right all summer about 19 bouncing back big time.
- Savoy

Me too, but these first 3 games are encouraging. Especially since he's a notoriously slow starter.

@ep_transfers

Confirmed: Wouter Peeters (G) | Lincoln Stars -> Unknown | eliteprospects.com/t.php?id=365942 #epTransfer
- DarthKane

He was probably sent home for bad play.

3 games in the USHL - GAA 4.02, SVS% .854.

I know it's a small sample size, but really not good.

Me too, but these first 3 games are encouraging. Especially since he's a notoriously slow starter.
- tvetter

I think he will have his ups and downs. I'm sure there will be slumps. These 3 games and going back to the preseason, he has looked healthy and hungry.

He was probably sent home for bad play.

3 games in the USHL - GAA 4.02, SVS% .854.

I know it's a small sample size, but really not good.
- dahawks8819

So he was the USHL version of Ward?

So he was the USHL version of Ward?
- tvetter

As I was typing the numbers - I thought the exact same thing.

I don't know 100% if this is a new development, but Forsling practicing with the team.

I don't know 100% if this is a new development, but Forsling practicing with the team.
- breadbag

Eric Lear
‏
Verified account

@BHTVeric
Following Following @BHTVeric
More
Henri Jokiharju (flu-like symptoms) and Andreas Martinsen (back) will not practice today. #Blackhawks

How about that Preds banner raising...

How about that Preds banner raising...
- Hank3Henshaw

What did you expect from those Hillrods!

How about that Preds banner raising...
- Hank3Henshaw

3 Banners? If the Preds were going to do this at all why not just a Presidents’ Trophy Banner. This would still seem forced but the 3 Banners is full goose bozo to borrow from Robin Williams.

I don't know 100% if this is a new development, but Forsling practicing with the team.
- breadbag

Good sign and I can see him being plugged right in depending on how he's looking in practice.

Good sign and I can see him being plugged right in depending on how he's looking in practice.
- Justin Lowe

I hope he can play soon. Also, I can't wait to get Murphy back. This D is horrible. Come December, I expect to see:
Keith-Jokiharju
Seabrook-Forsling
Murphy-Gus
Manning
Davidson to Rockford
Rutta traded for a fifth or sixth rounder.

ETA: still bad, but not nearly as bad.

Good sign and I can see him being plugged right in depending on how he's looking in practice.
- Justin Lowe

It would be great is he is ready to be a real everyday NHL defender. Imagine how much better the D would look if Forsling starts living up to his potential. With Jokiharju playing decently well for a 19 year old. Forsling on top of that would really help them stabilize the group.

It would be great is he is ready to be a real everyday NHL defender. Imagine how much better the D would look if Forsling starts living up to his potential. With Jokiharju playing decently well for a 19 year old. Forsling on top of that would really help them stabilize the group.
- breadbag

This all said, sounds like Forsling is farther away than Crawford.

"
Tracey Myers
‏

@Tramyers_NHL
Following Following @Tramyers_NHL
More
Forsberg is fine.
Forsling is still three weeks away.
Same timeline on Crawford, (next Thursday)
Jokiharju will travel to MIN.

OK, you're up to speed."

It would be great is he is ready to be a real everyday NHL defender. Imagine how much better the D would look if Forsling starts living up to his potential. With Jokiharju playing decently well for a 19 year old. Forsling on top of that would really help them stabilize the group.
- breadbag

One perspective to take is that if the team doesn't have the assets to upgrade the blueline via trade (i.e. for experienced defenders with solid track records of playing actual defense), then now is the time to run with the youngsters and develop the ripened ones at the NHL level. Forsling is one of them. Dahlstrom, too. I don't see what the team has to lose because they can't be any worse than the current state of the blueline.

Of course, the prospects who just signed their first pro contracts like Hillman, Gilbert, and Carlsson need to take the appropriate amount of time to develop in the AHL. Then next year, the same goes for the likes of Mitchell and Krys who I am guessing will leave the NCAA this spring. Maybe Beaudin will earn his first pro contract as well at season's end.

Next season Boqvist could be like Jokiharju needing only one year of development in juniors after being drafted before jumping to the NHL. By all means, don't rush Boqvist but if he proves he's ready like Jokiharju just did, then give it a go.

It would be great is he is ready to be a real everyday NHL defender. Imagine how much better the D would look if Forsling starts living up to his potential. With Jokiharju playing decently well for a 19 year old. Forsling on top of that would really help them stabilize the group.
- breadbag

Decently well?? I'll defer to you and LBR, but Todd Cordell noted his elite advanced stats through 3 games in the Hotstove post today. Eye test, Assist totals, advanced stats....just looking like a stud IMO. Outstanding, excellent, superb are the adjectives I'd use to describe Henri thus far.

Decently well?? I'll defer to you and LBR, but Todd Cordell noted his elite advanced stats through 3 games in the Hotstove post today. Eye test, Assist totals, advanced stats....just looking like a stud IMO. Outstanding, excellent, superb are the adjectives I'd use to describe Henri thus far.
- EnzoD

Teams that struggle to even win one cup are going to hate the hawks again in a few years...I can just see it now... "How do the Hawks always seem to get great players...while we are always stuck in suckville."

Now, how can anyone rag on Bowman if this comes to fruition...he should be considered one of the greatest GM's if he puts together another string of cup contending teams in a few years.

Decently well?? I'll defer to you and LBR, but Todd Cordell noted his elite advanced stats through 3 games in the Hotstove post today. Eye test, Assist totals, advanced stats....just looking like a stud IMO. Outstanding, excellent, superb are the adjectives I'd use to describe Henri thus far.
- EnzoD

If he stays healthy will only get better and more confident with the puck. I m sure he will hit a wall and we will see how he does after that. Has the makings of top 3 d man wonder who he would be compared to?

Decently well?? I'll defer to you and LBR, but Todd Cordell noted his elite advanced stats through 3 games in the Hotstove post today. Eye test, Assist totals, advanced stats....just looking like a stud IMO. Outstanding, excellent, superb are the adjectives I'd use to describe Henri thus far.
- EnzoD

I hear what you are saying, but I'm more cautiously optimistic, which might not come across in what I wrote.

His play has been great, but he hasn't had to play the hard minutes on the PK and he has had a lot of icetime with the forward lines that are clicking more so than not. Some of the other D have lined up more with the bottom 6 and it hurts their "Stats". I'm not complaining about the way he has played at all, just that I don't think he has had to be an "all situations" guy yet. I think he will get there, but they are using him in a good way and not trying to make him do too much.

If he stays healthy will only get better and more confident with the puck. I m sure he will hit a wall and we will see how he does after that. Has the makings of top 3 d man wonder who he would be compared to?
- Scott1977

When he was drafted, the Hockey News had Jared Spurgeon as Jokiharju's comparable. While hitting a wall may happen, I think Jokiharju has already eclipsed the Spurgeon level. If he can maintain consistency, I think a comparable of Josi, Pietrangelo, or Letang may not be out of the question. All 3 are great on both sides of the ice.

Ekblad hit a big wall in his sophomore year but some of that was arguably tied to not having Campbell as his partner to provide a veteran partner to continue mentoring him. It would be great if Jokiharju continues to pair up with Keith for mentorship and reduce the likelihood of hitting a major slump.