Theo Fox: Training Camp: Primer A primer to Blackhawks training camp which opens up tomorrow: probable roster, dark horse candidates, anticipated storylines, and readers' poll.

Thank you, Theo.
Looking forward to seeing how this all shakes out!
Also really hoping Patrick Kane has moved beyond his injury situation.

Thanks Theo.

I am hoping that the Hawks avoid serious injuries in camp and that the competition for roster spots and playing time is fierce. I am also hoping Connolly, Strome, deHaan, Subban, and Delia have great camps. in Strome, Connolly and deHaan’s cases that would either strengthen the team or increase their trade value either before the season or at the trade deadline. Finally I am hoping they make the right decisions by starting the season with most of the young players at Rockford.

It would be a successful year if the Hawks are competitive (borderline playoff team) and the Ice Hogs have a winning season where several players develop into strong NHL candidates for late season call ups or for next year.

Anticipated storyline:

Will Jeremy Colliton…whatever….

Thanks Theo for the detailed post. There is a lot to look forward to. This season feels different for me than last season. I think there is a chance that this team will compete for a playoff spot all season, but there is still the excitement of the younger players performing well.

Thanks Theo for the detailed post. There is a lot to look forward to. This season feels different for me than last season. I think there is a chance that this team will compete for a playoff spot all season, but there is still the excitement of the younger players performing well.
- powerenforcer

They competed for a playoff spot all last season.

They competed for a playoff spot all last season.
- rpeters01

Your statement is accurate. However, the abbreviated schedule and realigned division indicated they did not have the horses to run with the likes of Tampa and Carolina.

This year, the possibility of the return of a full strength Toews, continued upward arc of AdB and Kubalik brings optimism. And in Fluery and some new NHL level defenders, we might not see so much of 5 unattended opponents in our defensive slot.
The above can allow for the young'uns to develop in Rockford, which also opens the opportunity for Rockford to perform much more competitively.

Calvin deHAAN staying in one piece …Only to be put on IR after getting broken playing opening night...

Is there anyone left to offer a PTO to? I was hoping that we would have a look at Gusev before the Leafs nabbed him.

Was Kanes injury ever disclosed ?? That's a no i'm guessing ? Thanks

if you look at the camp rosters from top to bottom and give a + to someone better then league Avg were they slot a 0 roughly league Avg were they lot or a -. this potential roster is just massively better. at the start of camp last year how many players would have been a + Maybe kane was + top line winger last year. Cat had a a off year so he he would have been a 0 last year and + this year. the bigger issue is last year our goailies were a - all our d were a - and all our bottom 6 were a minus. maybe a 0 on the bottom line. hope the above makes sense. as an example. If hagel is bottom line guy I think he is a plus at 3rd iine he is a 0 and top 6 he would be a minus. When murphy is a 3 I think he is a 0 but as a 1-2 he is a -

They competed for a playoff spot all last season.
- rpeters01

They competed for a playoff spot for HALF of last season - about 26 games.

Above expected goaltending from Lankinen, an above expected PP - through about 26 games - got them into a lot of OTs, putting them in a tournament spot at that time.

When both reverted to the norm, they didn’t get to the OTs and lost a lot of games in regulation in the second half of the season.

Was Kanes injury ever disclosed ?? That's a no i'm guessing ? Thanks
- BobP.

My best guess is we will find out what it is/was some time after he retires. Hopefully quite a few years from now.

The good news for the Hawks is that they have much better center options currently available if Toews can't dress for game 1. They don't have to worry about trying to find a Soderberg at the last minute as a fill in to ice a complete team. They have a lot more NHL ready depth overall. You can obviously argue the quality of that depth, but at least they are NHL level and the Hawks are not praying for a multitude of rookies to pan out to be competitive.

If there was ever a year to get off to a fast start it is this one. Get this new group some confidence early on, and the talent is there to keep it going. I like that many of the rookies from last year need to fight tooth and nail to get a chance on this team. They know what the NHL is like and they now have to beat real talent for a spot.

Is there anyone left to offer a PTO to? I was hoping that we would have a look at Gusev before the Leafs nabbed him.
- 67hawks

They have enough garbage to take out without adding more to the mix.

Is there anyone left to offer a PTO to? I was hoping that we would have a look at Gusev before the Leafs nabbed him.
- 67hawks

They could have PTO'd Erik Gustafsson - he signed one with NYI.

They could have PTO'd Erik Gustafsson - he signed one with NYI.
- StLBravesFan

lOL

Remember when...


Some here thought he would get the hawks a first at the deadline.

I have a nice solid five rounds up this 2022 mock draft...no comments in there yet.

https://www.lines.com/nhl/drafts

lOL

Remember when...


Some here thought he would get the hawks a first at the deadline.

I have a nice solid five rounds up this 2022 mock draft...no comments in there yet.

https://www.lines.com/nhl/drafts
- wiz1901

Ogi already hates your pick of the Russian......

do we have a 1st round pick in 2022 draft or was this given to Col in the Jones trade?

They competed for a playoff spot for HALF of last season - about 26 games.

Above expected goaltending from Lankinen, an above expected PP - through about 26 games - got them into a lot of OTs, putting them in a tournament spot at that time.

When both reverted to the norm, they didn’t get to the OTs and lost a lot of games in regulation in the second half of the season.
- StLBravesFan

They were still pretty close for a while though. Adding the NHL calibre players they did should be enough to get them in regardless of the other nonsense.

The division is not great, aside from Colorado the rest is pretty mediocre. Even if you want to qualify St Louis as not bad that's still only two teams that should be better than the hawks on paper or in real life.

The Pacific is laughably bad so they should be able to get a wild card spot even if they don't finish in the 3 spot.

do we have a 1st round pick in 2022 draft or was this given to Col in the Jones trade?
- glennjpawlak22

I want to say it belongs to Columbus, but is lottery protected. If we suck this year, then it turns to the following year's pick for Columbus instead.

Ogi already hates your pick of the Russian......
- powerenforcer

It’s a 4th round pick, Stan will trade him for a 3rd round pick.

do we have a 1st round pick in 2022 draft or was this given to Col in the Jones trade?
- glennjpawlak22

I was thinking they just traded for a first round pick but that was the Bulls. Sucks getting old.

They were still pretty close for a while though. Adding the NHL calibre players they did should be enough to get them in regardless of the other nonsense.

The division is not great, aside from Colorado the rest is pretty mediocre. Even if you want to qualify St Louis as not bad that's still only two teams that should be better than the hawks on paper or in real life.

The Pacific is laughably bad so they should be able to get a wild card spot even if they don't finish in the 3 spot.
- fattybeef

Last season, record through the first 25 games:

13-7-5=31 points. 11 of those games went to OT - they were very good at getting games to "extra time".

Record for the last 31 games:

11-18-2=24 points. They were able to get only 5 games to OT, as the goaltending and the PP regressed.

Blackhawks will announced the training camp roster tomorrow and it will have a whopping 63 players:

38 forwards
18 defensemen
7 goalies

The current roster published on the team's website has 26 forwards, 13 defensemen, and 5 goalies.