Zach Jarom: All Star Weekend and TV Viewership

Also not sure if this has been fixed for a minute but it seems like you can find old blogs by clicking the Hawks logo again. If it still isnt updating for you, try clearing your browser cache.

Thanks Zach.

These games have been a terrible for years. If they are going to have hardest shot etc , then it should be open to the players who have the hardest shots in the league, not just the ones at the all star game.
Viewership is down for many reasons, but I think a big part of it has to do with the focus on players who are skilled and soft, meaning less hitting and less fighting.

Your piece is 100,% On point.

It's a bit odd- because (ok this might be because it is on ESN2) - but down here you can rely on a live game pretty much every day now - ok like as in day time -so if working, you won't get to see it unless you save it or watch the rebroadcast later in the day.

For me it isn't really the same watching a game that is already over --- lie reading a Cliff's Notes summary of something to save time (and kill time at the same time) - pretty empty.

The dual colour analysts - well, for y money, more isn't always 'more' and it has felt pretty obvious when someone who must be feeling like the 2nd banana feels come sort of compulsion to say something - something which almost never adds anything of any particular value to anything - -personally I imagine if you grabbed any over-imbided person from the stands to do that it would be A) probably more entertaining, and B) probably just as informative, if not more informative - and definitely more colourful (particularly if the beer vendors missed cutting someone off) -- but -well, let's spare the visuals.

Point being even the supposedly 'good teams' aren't really overly impressive; I have seen some pretty flat games lately. I'm sure that can't help, and what is it with those stupid CGI board ads? If the league is that hard up for money, the league ought to just fold, before it becomes an even bigger self-parody.

I know that I am getting old when I can call up anyone at random's video upload to Youtube from the 90's maybe even the 80's = occasionally even earlier- and it looks a hell of a lot more like hockey than this creme puff filled product - I don't even know how they can call these 'fights' out there anymore- stuff like that usually didn't even rate roughing penalties back in the day ... and occasionally if the ref was feeling like making a particular point -- coincidental Delays of Game (which I recall on at least one occasion).

I don't know- maybe it is that silliness of this weekend which was at the 'why bother' stage many years ago just underlined it all.

Anyways - let's get something happening - when's the trade deadline? (rhetorical question)... Someone hit the FF button...

All Star Games - I think it has been made pretty clear that the a vast majority of players and coaches would rather have a week off than go to the All Star Game. Also owners, coaches and players do not want anyone getting injured in a meaningless game. If it were not for TV revenue and revenue for the town the game is in it would have been ended already. I say end it. Give them a floating bye week like the NFL. Name the All Stars at year end and give players trophies and cash. Maybe play a prospect All Star game in an NHL city and put it on TV.

Having the NHL games on several different stations is not ideal. But with the games being on multiple stations, the Center Ice Package and ESPN+ package seriously interested hockey fans can find their games.

With so many teams tanking the product is watered down until the playoffs.

The commentators calling the games for the various national outlets vary widely. The technology being used on national broadcasts varies widely. The studio hosts on national broadcasts vary widely. The casual fan cannot make a strong connection to the sport on national tv with such randomness.

(For these purposes I am bundling Canada and USA as "national".)

The Hawks came in at #5 on the Athletics top prospects ratings, up from 20 spots from last year. I’m a bit disappointed, the Hawks should be in the top 3 at minimum and this should cost KD his job.

Edit: I’m glad to see Ryan Greene on the list, especially at #4 in the Hawks depth chart. He’s one of the prospects I’m keeping an eye one (he should have made team Canada over Dach).

The Hawks came in at #5 on the Athletics top prospects ratings, up from 20 spots from last year. I’m a bit disappointed, the Hawks should be in the top 3 at minimum and this should cost KD his job.
- DarthKane

Don't worry KD will trade a bunch of the prospects at the TDL in package deals in order to move Toews, Kane, Murphy, T Johnson, S. Jones. (red font) We will be back at the end of the pack next year.

Reason #3 Covid lockdowns are over, and people are going back to their normal activities. See Zoom, Peloton, and social media stocks for reference. Also see baseball’s ratings last year. They were down the toilet too.

The Hawks came in at #5 on the Athletics top prospects ratings, up from 20 spots from last year. I’m a bit disappointed, the Hawks should be in the top 3 at minimum and this should cost KD his job.

Edit: I’m glad to see Ryan Greene on the list, especially at #4 in the Hawks depth chart. He’s one of the prospects I’m keeping an eye one (he should have made team Canada over Dach).
- DarthKane

Damn desk jockey!

I believe you were pretty high on Greene when the Hawks selected him. If not for the injury, Wheeler had said Nazar might've been pushing Korchinksi for the first spot in the Hawk system OA.

The Hawks already have a number of picks in the next two drafts. Will be interesting to see how many more they can add along with any prospects KD can acquire via trade.

He's pretty high on Del Mastro at #6. He's jumped a few others he had rated higher the previous year (Vlasic, Kaiser, Allan).

Rinzel seems to be keeping himself among the talking points. Interesting he's at the doorstep to knock this one in.

https://twitter.com/ryan_...?cxt=HHwWgIC8gf7S3IItAAAA

Rinzel seems to be keeping himself among the talking points. Interesting he's at the doorstep to knock this one in.

https://twitter.com/ryan_...?cxt=HHwWgIC8gf7S3IItAAAA
- Chunk

This Savoie kid as well. Considering his biggest selling point was his aggression, it's nice to see him stacking some points too.

Scott Powers
@ByScottPowers
·
12h
Blackhawks forward prospect Samuel Savoie had two goals and three assists in the QMJHL today. He has 22 goals and 27 assists in 41 games on the season.

Hey look... hockey:

https://twitter.com/TheAH...?cxt=HHwWgICw1cKiw4EtAAAA

Hey look... hockey:

https://twitter.com/TheAH...?cxt=HHwWgICw1cKiw4EtAAAA
- Chunk

Future first line right winger after the TDL

Future first line right winger after the TDL
- LAHawk

Not doubt.

I was happier to see Soderblom stop Rossi after Philp's goal to be honest.

FWIW, Wheeler's top 15 prospects are:

Kevin Korchinski
Lukas Reichel
Frank Nazar
Ryan Greene
Sam Rinzel
Ethan Del Mastro
Drew Commesso
Arvid Söderblom
Ilya Safonov
Colton Dach
Wyatt Kaiser
Isaak Phillips
Alex Vlasic
Paul Ludwinski
Victor Stjernborg

Wow no Savoie,

Wow no Savoie,
- LAHawk

Wheeler also writes:

You could easily swap Allan or Regula, or even Harding, Hayes or James, out for any of the final five who made the list. This was a difficult group to whittle down to just 15 and I’m not certain I got it right.

Still no Savoie, but we'll see about him.

With a top 5 and a few more high picks in the upcoming draft, hopefully the prospect pool will only deepen.

Wheeler also writes:

You could easily swap Allan or Regula, or even Harding, Hayes or James, out for any of the final five who made the list. This was a difficult group to whittle down to just 15 and I’m not certain I got it right.

Still no Savoie, but we'll see about him.

With a top 5 and a few more high picks in the upcoming draft, hopefully the prospect pool will only deepen.
- boilermaker100

Thanks for posting. Yeah, I was going to say something about Allan not being in top 15, also surprised by Vlasic’s rating, thought he’d be rated higher.

Reason #3 Covid lockdowns are over, and people are going back to their normal activities. See Zoom, Peloton, and social media stocks for reference. Also see baseball’s ratings last year. They were down the toilet too.
- LAHawk

That's cause baseball sux to watch on TV. Hell, when i go to games its hard to stay past the 6th inninng.

I used to take sleeping pills to fall asleep, i now watch baseball

This Savoie kid as well. Considering his biggest selling point was his aggression, it's nice to see him stacking some points too.

Scott Powers
@ByScottPowers
·
12h
Blackhawks forward prospect Samuel Savoie had two goals and three assists in the QMJHL today. He has 22 goals and 27 assists in 41 games on the season.
- Chunk

Only in the Q -

"had two goals and three assists in the QMJHL today."

Real reason is that hockey has become a game of no contact just like men’s league but will otherwise millionaires skating around. Rivalries no longer exist this thing about keeping divisions together to foster rivalries is just crap. The new NHL would be better that every one plays everyone equally and then playoffs seeded 1-16. The days of must watch hockey. Detroit/Colorado, Montreal/Boston, Edmonton/Calgary,Detroit/Chicago among others are over. All games look the same.

Wheeler also writes:

You could easily swap Allan or Regula, or even Harding, Hayes or James, out for any of the final five who made the list. This was a difficult group to whittle down to just 15 and I’m not certain I got it right.

Still no Savoie, but we'll see about him.

With a top 5 and a few more high picks in the upcoming draft, hopefully the prospect pool will only deepen.
- boilermaker100

Savoie was mentioned though I didn’t catch his name the first time I read it either…

Also considered were 2021 first-round pick Nolan Allan (the final cut and someone I pulled my hair over, because I do see some potential top-six value there), Rockford IceHogs defenseman Alec Regula (who has played NHL games and was the second-last cut), towering Providence sophomore defenseman Taige Harding (who I’m fascinated by), Flint Firebirds forward Gavin Hayes (who I like), University of Minnesota-Duluth sophomore Dominic James (who I like), Tri-City Americans forward Jalen Luypen (who I like), 20-year-old Denver Freshman Aidan Thompson, Notre Dame junior Landon Slaggert, Liiga standout Antti Saarela, Gatineau Olympiques worker Samuel Savoie, and St. Cloud State transfer-turned-breakout-goaltender Dominic Basse.

That's cause baseball sux to watch on TV. Hell, when i go to games its hard to stay past the 6th inninng.

I used to take sleeping pills to fall asleep, i now watch baseball
- vabeachbear

I really do not know how anyone lasts beyond 3 innings If you have a problem sleeping turn on MLB and you will sleep like a baby