Don't get me wrong, I never thought moving him just to move him was the thing to do, but if the chips happen to fall that way that's a third line that I'd be happy to roll out.

If TT actually panned out then it would have facilitated that move, but he never lived up to that potential. As of right now, the only real person on the roster who's worthy of the #1 LW other than Hossa is Kane. Getting Yak may change that, especially if he succeeds when being paired with 2 other skilled Russians.
- roots_gamble

I think expecatations of TT were too high too early.

He's looked good in Raleigh so far, but I don't think anybody is counting on him to be more than a 45 point guy, whereas the Hawks organization and media, rightly or wrongly, pumped him up to be a guy who would hit 60 and hit it fast.

It's easy to forget that he's only 22 years old, almost 3 years younger than Panarin and the same age as Yakupov.

More Yak, yak, yak.

http://mynhltraderumors.c...-blackhawks-2/2016/10/07/
- walleyeb1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xAi80ShG0I

More Yak, yak, yak.

http://mynhltraderumors.c...-blackhawks-2/2016/10/07/
- walleyeb1

Takeaway from that article is that Chiarelli will not accept a bag of pucks for Nail Yakupov. But what if he throws in a lanky Swedish giant or a slow-footed Finn with that bag of pucks???

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xAi80ShG0I
- powerenforcer

That's good!

I think expecatations of TT were too high too early.

He's looked good in Raleigh so far, but I don't think anybody is counting on him to be more than a 45 point guy, whereas the Hawks organization and media, rightly or wrongly, pumped him up to be a guy who would hit 60 and hit it fast.

It's easy to forget that he's only 22 years old, almost 3 years younger than Panarin and the same age as Yakupov.
- BINGO!

Way too high and the Hawks front office was a big part of that. They had him hyped/billed as the second coming of Kane--completely unfair to do to a young player.

Kane is a legit prodigy. TT, although talented, is not on the same level.

I think he came up and couldn't live up to the unreal expectations the organization and casual Hawks fans had on him.

Plus, he's most likely just an average (maybe above average if he can prove it) player.

That's good!
- walleyeb1

Or there is this one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MK6TXMsvgQg

Way too high and the Hawks front office was a big part of that. They had him hyped/billed as the second coming of Kane--completely unfair to do to a young player.

Kane is a legit prodigy. TT, although talented, is not on the same level.

I think he came up and couldn't live up to the unreal expectations the organization and casual Hawks fans had on him.

Plus, he's most likely just an average (maybe above average if he can prove it) player.
- Hank3Henshaw

Yeah, if he can be a solid middle six player who can chip in on the Powerplay the Canes will be happy with him. He just looks so damn flashy sometimes it's easy to get caught up thinking he can be more.

If he hits 60 points I'll be ecstatic, but he doesn't have that same kind of pressure on him now that he had after the 2015 playoffs.

I think expecatations of TT were too high too early.

He's looked good in Raleigh so far, but I don't think anybody is counting on him to be more than a 45 point guy, whereas the Hawks organization and media, rightly or wrongly, pumped him up to be a guy who would hit 60 and hit it fast.

It's easy to forget that he's only 22 years old, almost 3 years younger than Panarin and the same age as Yakupov.
- BINGO!

100% correct. Between his playoff performance and the front office hype, expectations were way too high. That, and him never really getting comfortable in any given position probably didn't help much either. But, when you've got guys named Kane and Hossa playing the same position as you, you're probably not going to get a shot at playing top 6 minutes there.

Yeah, if he can be a solid middle six player who can chip in on the Powerplay the Canes will be happy with him. He just looks so damn flashy sometimes it's easy to get caught up thinking he can be more.

If he hits 60 points I'll be ecstatic, but he doesn't have that same kind of pressure on him now that he had after the 2015 playoffs.
- BINGO!

I think the Hurricanes are a perfect fit for him--smaller market, less pressure, no microscope, etc.

He does have flashes, but you'll notice he's a little leery of physical play. He certainly shies away from it. The big thing here seemed to be guys always speculating if he was going to gain weight/muscle.

Obviously that helps. But I think the truly gifted smaller guys find a way to make their frames work and succeed in the league.

It'll be interested to see how he does.

Is Bickell going to suit up for the 'Canes or is he with the Checkers?

I think the Hurricanes are a perfect fit for him--smaller market, less pressure, no microscope, etc.

He does have flashes, but you'll notice he's a little leery of physical play. He certainly shies away from it. The big thing here seemed to be guys always speculating if he was going to gain weight/muscle.

Obviously that helps. But I think the truly gifted smaller guys find a way to make their frames work and succeed in the league.

It'll be interested to see how he does.

Is Bickell going to suit up for the 'Canes or is he with the Checkers?
- Hank3Henshaw

Right now it looks like he's made the Canes. They're using him as a 4th liner and on the 2nd PP unit to stand in front of the net.

Lineup tonight at forward is probably their NHL grouping:

Jeff Skinner - Victor Rask - Lee Stempniak
Sebastian Aho - Elias Lindholm - Teuvo Teravainen
Joakim Nordstrom - Jordan Staal - Andrej Nestrasil
Bryan Bickell - Lucas Wallmark - Phil Di Giuseppe

I think expecatations of TT were too high too early.

He's looked good in Raleigh so far, but I don't think anybody is counting on him to be more than a 45 point guy, whereas the Hawks organization and media, rightly or wrongly, pumped him up to be a guy who would hit 60 and hit it fast.

It's easy to forget that he's only 22 years old, almost 3 years younger than Panarin and the same age as Yakupov.
- BINGO!

Think the hype got turned up to 11 after the 2015 playoffs. He made some really smart, great plays and was not afraid of contact.

By next season most of that was gone. He still made a slick pass here and there, but nothing of what we saw flashes of in the playoffs.

Agreed with those saying Carolina is the perfect fit. I think for sure he can approach the 60 point mark, sooner rather than later in fact.

Right now it looks like he's made the Canes. They're using him as a 4th liner and on the 2nd PP unit to stand in front of the net.

Lineup tonight at forward is probably their NHL grouping:

Jeff Skinner - Victor Rask - Lee Stempniak
Sebastian Aho - Elias Lindholm - Teuvo Teravainen
Joakim Nordstrom - Jordan Staal - Andrej Nestrasil
Bryan Bickell - Lucas Wallmark - Phil Di Giuseppe
- BINGO!

Wow. I'll be curious to see how he does.

I'm not sure what happened to him in Chicago.

The whole thing was weird...

Wow. I'll be curious to see how he does.

I'm not sure what happened to him in Chicago.

The whole thing was weird...
- Hank3Henshaw

His knees are gone and they are not coming back.

His knees are gone and they are not coming back.
- bhawks2241

Yea, that and then there was all that stuff about his vertigo, etc.

He just looked unmotivated to me--like a ghost on the ice.

I guess the body was just broke down beyond repair.

He had the size you wish you had, but he rarely used it.

Yea, that and then there was all that stuff about his vertigo, etc.

He just looked unmotivated to me--like a ghost on the ice.

I guess the body was just broke down beyond repair.
- Hank3Henshaw

This is entirely speculative, and I'm most likely wrong, but to me his on-ice performance/demeanor was that of a player who thought he deserved to be in the NHL, and being sent to the Rock was an insult.

This is entirely speculative, and I'm most likely wrong, but to me his on-ice performance/demeanor was that of a player who thought he deserved to be in the NHL, and being sent to the Rock was an insult.
- roots_gamble

Sure, there was that vibe, too.

Wow. I'll be curious to see how he does.

I'm not sure what happened to him in Chicago.

The whole thing was weird...
- Hank3Henshaw

Yeah I dunno. If he can just stand there and wack at the puck for a year he'll be fine, but I can't see him getting an extension or anything like that.

This is entirely speculative, and I'm most likely wrong, but to me his on-ice performance/demeanor was that of a player who thought he deserved to be in the NHL, and being sent to the Rock was an insult.
- roots_gamble

Hopefully he takes advantage of this opportunity because I highly doubt he's going to get another one if he doesn't.

Yeah I dunno. If he can just stand there and wack at the puck for a year he'll be fine, but I can't see him getting an extension or anything like that.
- BINGO!

Haha. He was more just a throw in for you guys to get TT.

Haha. He was more just a throw in for you guys to get TT.
- Hank3Henshaw

Yep.
Basically a salary dump so that we didn't have to give you anything of value.

Today's lines at practice:

Panarin-Toews-Panik
Motte-AA-Kane
Hartman-Kruger-Hossa
Vinny-Schmaltz-Tootoo

Extras: Fortin, Desi, McNeill, Mash. and Rasmussen.

My guess is we keep 2 goalies and 8 dmen...leaving 13 forwards. I think locks are:

Panarin, Toews, Panik, Motte, AA, Kane, Hartman, Kruger, Hossa and Vinny. Leaves three spots. I think Mash. and Mcneil do not make the club. My gut feeling is a battle between Schmaltz/Rasmussen for fourth line center. Also, battle between Tootoo/Desi for fourth line winger. So my gut tells me they will keep Fortin for the first nine games and see what they have...then make a decision on him.

Today's lines at practice:

Panarin-Toews-Panik
Motte-AA-Kane
Hartman-Kruger-Hossa
Vinny-Schmaltz-Tootoo

Extras: Fortin, Desi, McNeill, Mash. and Rasmussen.

My guess is we keep 2 goalies and 8 dmen...leaving 13 forwards. I think locks are:

Panarin, Toews, Panik, Motte, AA, Kane, Hartman, Kruger, Hossa and Vinny. Leaves three spots. I think Mash. and Mcneil do not make the club. My gut feeling is a battle between Schmaltz/Rasmussen for fourth line center. Also, battle between Tootoo/Desi for fourth line winger. So my gut tells me they will keep Fortin for the first nine games and see what they have...then make a decision on him.
- onehundredlevel

I believe Schmaltz was given the TT overhype treatment and goes down... Moose stays.

Today's lines at practice:

Panarin-Toews-Panik
Motte-AA-Kane
Hartman-Kruger-Hossa
Vinny-Schmaltz-Tootoo

Extras: Fortin, Desi, McNeill, Mash. and Rasmussen.

My guess is we keep 2 goalies and 8 dmen...leaving 13 forwards. I think locks are:

Panarin, Toews, Panik, Motte, AA, Kane, Hartman, Kruger, Hossa and Vinny. Leaves three spots. I think Mash. and Mcneil do not make the club. My gut feeling is a battle between Schmaltz/Rasmussen for fourth line center. Also, battle between Tootoo/Desi for fourth line winger. So my gut tells me they will keep Fortin for the first nine games and see what they have...then make a decision on him.
- onehundredlevel

These won't be the lines during tomorrows game, I would expect most of the vets to sit.

JJ, is there any possibility that the Yakupov trade chatter is a red herring? As in, Bowman is dangling similar packages to other clubs, hoping someone gets itchy and pulls the trigger before he deals with EDM?

Yak's track record does not speak for a player that would avoid the sabbaticals in Q's doghouse. No idea who, but I think the Hawks are maybe zeroing in on a different role player that could immediately help the club and limit the number of rookies on the main roster.

A couple of things-I don't think the odds of Fortin making the club are quite low.
If they keep him after camp then the odds aren't quite low but it's at least 50/50 if not higher. They need speed and guys with hands that have it.

The reason the Hawks will look for a spare parts trades is not necessarily because they don't like who they will have on the roster when decided-It has as much or more to do with the fact they will eventually lose a young guy and get 0 in return-via the waiver wire.

So it makes sense to kick tires and if they can trade one or two young guys who won't be in the mix this season they certainly will...Possibly for a kid like Yakupov who hasn't done much....As long as the $$ works.

Also KIM for later on...Toews has pointedly criticized last year's acquisitions for coming late and there wasn't time to develop chemistry. I found his remarks a bit off but he knows better than I and has repeated the same thing a few times in interviews.

So Bowman will give it 20 games or so but if help is needed don't be surprised if it comes before the Holidays.