John Jaeckel: Stan Bowman's Patrick Sharp: Richard Panik

UNO

Soooo...does this mean he IS a top 6 player? Cuuuuuz...I think a lot of people on this board said he definitely isn't.

Soooo...does this mean he IS a top 6 player? Cuuuuuz...I think a lot of people on this board said he definitely isn't.
- CanOCorn

Myself included. I'm still not sure, but I think the last several games and the way he has played are pointing more in that direction.

And before anyone does a victory dance, at the start of the year, he wasn't.

Like this team as a whole, and a few key players like him, he has PROGRESSED. Some will say "I knew it all along."

That's like me saying "I know I'll win the lottery tonight." I like really smart if I do, and like every other sucker if I don't.

Myself included. I'm still not sure, but I think the last several games and the way he has played are pointing more in that direction.

And before anyone does a victory dance, at the start of the year, he wasn't.

Like this team as a whole, and a few key players like him, he has PROGRESSED. Some will say "I knew it all along."

That's like me saying "I know I'll win the lottery tonight." I like really smart if I do, and like every other sucker if I don't.
- John Jaeckel

His production is at a Top 6 level.

Good release, lots of speed, big, fearless, actually makes neat plays now. Decent hands in tight.

Yeah I'd say he's graduated into top 6 type player. Wonder how much of that has to do with Hossa and the coaching staff.

He played aggressive from the start of his time with the hawks, even when most of the team didnt give a poop, except Shaw and Hossa. I like that about him.

But can the hawks resign him? What would he command in the market?

Don't know if he's top 6, I know he's a good hockey player. Funny get a good physical forward and in his second year he pots 20 goals. Didn't Saad do the same thing? Now I'm not saying he's Saad but....

Uncle Dale lost me as a fan when he screwed up the offersheets for RFA

Good release, lots of speed, big, fearless, actually makes neat plays now.

Yeah I'd say he's graduated into top 6 type player. Wonder how much of that has to do with Hossa and the coaching staff.

He played aggressive from the start of his time with the hawks, even when most of the team didnt give a poop, except Shaw and Hossa. I like that about him.
- kinigitt

Agree with this point. Panik was one of the most engaged players in last year's playoff series versus the Blues and that active engagement hasn't really slowed up this season. You can't fault him for effort. He still makes mistakes (but so have the veteran core) yet has progressed a lot since the early fall. He may or may not be a perennial 30-goal scorer but he's exciting to watch and makes something happen whenever the puck is on his blade.

And as for being an agitator, others have pointed this out before, but Panik seems to be a big chirper on the ice. After a stoppage in play you'll occasionally see an opposing player go berzerk on him even though there may not have been a hit or other physical contact. As much as we talk about Hartman being Shaw 2.0 (or we can argue he may be better than #65), I would argue that Panik has brought that agitating element more so than #38. Hartman has impressed with his skill and hockey sense as well as his restraint to not fly off the handle as he had done in the AHL.

The more I watch Hartman, he's the guy that reminds me of both Shaw and Sharp. If anyone is going to score 30 goals in the future, my money is on him.

But can the hawks resign him? What would he command in the market?
- DC134

When will we know if he can be re-signed? Is it time to panic?

"Today @ 3:12 PM ET
But can the hawks resign him? What would he command in the market?"

Yes, educated guess around $2.5m, subject to change based on playoff production.

The more I watch Hartman, he's the guy that reminds me of both Shaw and Sharp. If anyone is going to score 30 goals in the future, my money is on him.
- BetweenTheDots

Good point, it's easy to forget Hartman is a 22 year old kid.

The cool thing is this organization knows what it wants out of its players, so I'm sure last year at the end of the season they had a sit down with Panik and told him exactly what they expected him to train on in the off season, and 2 if he pulls any more of that over sleeping, cough cough over drinking Crap, he may never get any ice time in a Indian head sweater.

I can't say I expected what we're seeing out of Panik now, but I knew after a few games that he was an upgrade over Morin.

So I posted last summer that he has always scored pretty well considering how he was used in TB and TOR. Including last year with the hawks he was AVG 11 goals in 80 games at around 11mins per game. So if you bump that to 16:50 and put him with better players and some power play time he should score 20 + goals. If I could only find the post again and all the people that said we were both bums.

I can't say I expected what we're seeing out of Panik now, but I knew after a few games that he was an upgrade over Morin.
- 333inthe3rd

It was a low benchmark to win that trade. Everything else has been icing on the cake. And so far, lots of delicious icing.

Panik looks like a steal, but I don't think he would be as good of a player in Toronto as he is in Chicago. Lots of great guys to learn from in Chicago, while most guys in Toronto are still learning themselves. I'm happy he's doing so well this season... I really liked him as a Leaf.

"Today @ 3:12 PM ET
But can the hawks resign him? What would he command in the market?"

Yes, educated guess around $2.5m, subject to change based on playoff production.
- walleyeb1

He has bounced around quite a bit and even spent most last year in the AHL. I think all things being close to equal he would want to be here and enjoy playing hockey then get into a bad situation again. this is his last summer of being a RFA so I really hope we could make a Long term deal go. I know guys like Seabs were huge in winning cups but it sucks that for 2.5 Mil we cannot keep Panik maybe or 3.5 darling when seabs was already paid like a # 1 and demanded to be paid like a elite # 1 at the end of his prime when these guys are just coming into there's.

As far as panik I did not see him being this good last year the puck was like hand grenade on his stick. Panik getting paid 2mill per year for 2 years is what I would expect remember hawks pick up of scrap heap so he should be grateful for his chance and why is everyone assuming Darling is going to get 3mill or more he very good for a backup goalie but can he do it for whole season and be a number 1 goalie. Lots of more pressure goes along with being a number 1, so is may same type of contarct like panik 2 for 2mill prove that they can do it and be consistent.

Sharp-lite (according to the blog) - Panik
Marchand-lite - Hartman

If Hayden sticks around. BIG IF... I'd anticipate that the opposing defenders will be looking over their shoulders quite a bit if Panik, Hartman, Tootoo, and Hayden are skating around in the offensive zone. That will help in the playoffs.

I'm excited at the idea of Panik, Hartman and Hayden delivering punishing hits on the forecheck in the Playoffs! Hopefully Hossa can tutor Jurco on when to dangle, and when to throw it on net or dump the puck in deep. IMO its naive to think Hossa hasn't had a huge impact on Panik's development since he first arrived in Chicago. Patrick Kane credited Hossa as a HUGE mentor on how to protect the puck and be a more complete hockey player early in his career.

Sharp-lite (according to the blog) - Panik
Marchand-lite - Hartman

If Hayden sticks around. BIG IF... I'd anticipate that the opposing defenders will be looking over their shoulders quite a bit if Panik, Hartman, Tootoo, and Hayden are skating around in the offensive zone. That will help in the playoffs.
- 93Joe

So does that make Panarin the Vodka-soaked version of Kane (Budweiser soaked)??

Hossa for Blackhawks on-ice player development coach?

Can we skirt the recapture penalty in 2 years that way pretty please Bettman?

This current Hawks team reminds of the late 90's Wings teams. They could be down and out and then take over a game and totally dominate the last 10 minutes and win.