I found the buzzcast interesting, they seem to think Debrincat will play for the hawks (almost guaranteed) and even more surprising they think Toews line...
- FeartheFeathers

I'd put money on that not happening this season at all.

I'd put money on that not happening this season at all.
- JRoenick97

That's why i found it odd they were so hot on that. Time will tell i guess.

The Sports Foreceaster does an NHL yearbook and fantasy guide each year. It's not on newsstands yet, but I got a glimpse of a few screenshots of a few pages including who they rank as the elite goalies (no reasoning given and not necessarily in rank order):

Bobrovsky
Crawford
Dubnyk
Holtby
Murray
Price
Quick
Rask
Talbot
Vasilevskiy
- AEL_Fox

Foxy, Dobber Hockey does a great job with their fantasy guide as well. It's online so they add to it all the way to the opening of the season. Are you familiar? http://dobbersports.com/p...-18-fantasy-hockey-guide/

Anyone jonesing for some hockey Finland is playing Slovakia in the Ivan Hlinka tournament right now. All players will be in the 2018 draft. Here's the free stream: https://www.youtube.com/w...v=4Hn2o8Pyj4o&app=desktop

Anyone jonesing for some hockey Finland is playing Slovakia in the Ivan Hlinka tournament right now. All players will be in the 2018 draft. Here's the free stream: https://www.youtube.com/w...v=4Hn2o8Pyj4o&app=desktop
- Mr Ricochet

I'd put money on that not happening this season at all.
- JRoenick97

I bet that is 19 or 20 worst case.

Foxy, Dobber Hockey does a great job with their fantasy guide as well. It's online so they add to it all the way to the opening of the season. Are you familiar? http://dobbersports.com/p...-18-fantasy-hockey-guide/
- Mr Ricochet

Thanks for the referral! I'll check it out. I've seen ads for Dobber Hockey before but never clicked on them. For some reason the guy in the logo looks like Mark McGwire to me.

NHL.com is doing their annual preview of each team and they're on the Hawks right now. Here's a link to the Hawks top prospects (according to them) and from there you can click around to other related articles. Nothing earth shattering.

https://www.nhl.com/news/...c-290598274?tid=290471364

Top 5 prospects:
1) DeBrincat
2) Forsling
3) Sikura
4) Jokiharju
5) Hayden

NHL.com is doing their annual preview of each team and they're on the Hawks right now. Here's a link to the Hawks top prospects (according to them) and from there you can click around to other related articles. Nothing earth shattering.

https://www.nhl.com/news/...c-290598274?tid=290471364

Top 5 prospects:
1) DeBrincat
2) Forsling
3) Sikura
4) Jokiharju
5) Hayden
- AEL_Fox

Interesting that they predict Debrincat to arrive in the NHL this season.....I hope they are right and he truly is an elite talent.

Interesting that they predict Debrincat to arrive in the NHL this season.....I hope they are right and he truly is an elite talent.
- EnzoD

Yeah, they predicted 4 of 5 of them to make the team at some point this season. Sikura won't be able to until the NCAA season is over, like Hayden did this past year. Guess they're not making the distinction between having a regular spot on the team for all or much of the season vs. having a cup of coffee here or there.

Jokiharju is the only one where they projected him to make the team in a later season (2019-20).

Interesting that they predict Debrincat to arrive in the NHL this season.....I hope they are right and he truly is an elite talent.
- EnzoD

Like most of the rest of the posters I will reserve my judgement on DB until I see him against NHL talent. My feeling is he would be best served with a year of strengthening / maturing / playing on the top line at the Rock, especially with Colliton as Head Coach. But it is a game changer if he turns out to be an elite talent that can play in the Hawks top 6 this year.

The Sports Foreceaster does an NHL yearbook and fantasy guide each year. It's not on newsstands yet, but I got a glimpse of a few screenshots of a few pages including who they rank as the elite goalies (no reasoning given and not necessarily in rank order):

Bobrovsky
Crawford
Dubnyk
Holtby
Murray
Price
Quick
Rask
Talbot
Vasilevskiy
- AEL_Fox

No Shneider or Bishop but Vasilevski and Talbot in? This is beyond comprehension.

I think David Bruce once scored 60 some goals in the IHL one year... (checked it -- it was 64 goals in 60 games 1990-91). He had a brief stay in the NHL.

Debrincat? Well fine if true - but it isn't yet, and he isn't even to David Bruce's level - which was at the time one step down from the NHL.

I agree barring some serious injuries they are years away from ever calling it or acknowledging any kind of rebuild.

I do think the buzz has waned and some air has left the balloon...They see the same and I hope you don't have an issue selling tickets. But when you see empty seats in the lower bowl the red flag is up.
- Al

I agree that the " new girlfriend" syndrome has worn off . Regarding players like Debrincat, Schmaltz ect. ,I look at it as the best option the Hawks had when it was their time to select, if these guys were as good as some Kool aider's think they are and are giving them the keys to the car in Q's garage, well here's a bridge buddy you can buy also. If they are that good, they would have been taken a lot earlier.
I am willing to bet Al, that if Bowman gets a Bonified Trade proposal for a top 6 guy and the price is one or both of those guys, Bowman drives them to the Airport in a new York minute. He knows he has to strike while the iron is hot.
1year, 3years , 5 years, whatever, that particular line up intact hits the ice, welcome to 8000 fans a game. Most of those guys are trade chips potentially.

I think David Bruce once scored 60 some goals in the IHL one year... (checked it -- it was 64 goals in 60 games 1990-91). He had a brief stay in the NHL.

Debrincat? Well fine if true - but it isn't yet, and he isn't even to David Bruce's level - which was at the time one step down from the NHL.
- steve-hist-sdc

Steve Maltais scored like 690 goals in the minors and 9 in the NHL....

I agree that the " new girlfriend" syndrome has worn off . Regarding players like Debrincat, Schmaltz ect. ,I look at it as the best option the Hawks had when it was their time to select, if these guys were as good as some Kool aider's think they are and are giving them the keys to the car in Q's garage, well here's a bridge buddy you can buy also. If they are that good, they would have been taken a lot earlier.
I am willing to bet Al, that if Bowman gets a Bonified Trade proposal for a top 6 guy and the price is one or both of those guys, Bowman drives them to the Airport in a new York minute. He knows he has to strike while the iron is hot.
1year, 3years , 5 years, whatever, that particular line up intact hits the ice, welcome to 8000 fans a game. Most of those guys are trade chips potentially.
- wonthecup10

There should be a pile of cap space available but I'm thinking Bowman goes shopping for a dman.

There should be a pile of cap space available but I'm thinking Bowman goes shopping for a dman.
- Al

He desperately needs to add a 12-15 minute NHL Dman as insurance for the kids not working out or injury.

No Shneider or Bishop but Vasilevski and Talbot in? This is beyond comprehension.
- vshun

IMHO, a case could be made for all the goalies on that list except for Dubnyk and Vasilevskiy, possibly Talbot too. Dubnyk puts up strong regular season numbers on the balance but can be streaky and hasn't done jack in the playoffs. Vasilevskiy hasn't even been a starter for more than a season yet. And I think Talbot is a great honorable mention but think that if you're going to have Talbot on the elite list then Jones from the Sharks deserves to be on that list as well. Jones has at least backstopped the team to the Cup Finals.

Steve Maltais scored like 690 goals in the minors and 9 in the NHL....
- Al

Brett Sterling also scored 50+ goals in his rookie season with the Wolves, then went downhill from there. He's also DeBrincat's size and a product of the USNTDP and put up strong numbers for Colorado College.

I agree that the " new girlfriend" syndrome has worn off . Regarding players like Debrincat, Schmaltz ect. ,I look at it as the best option the Hawks had when it was their time to select, if these guys were as good as some Kool aider's think they are and are giving them the keys to the car in Q's garage, well here's a bridge buddy you can buy also. If they are that good, they would have been taken a lot earlier.
I am willing to bet Al, that if Bowman gets a Bonified Trade proposal for a top 6 guy and the price is one or both of those guys, Bowman drives them to the Airport in a new York minute. He knows he has to strike while the iron is hot.
1year, 3years , 5 years, whatever, that particular line up intact hits the ice, welcome to 8000 fans a game. Most of those guys are trade chips potentially.
- wonthecup10

Not sure what you're getting at or why you're already giving up on a 21 yo like Schmaltz. He isn't a beast but he's definitely got talent and also appears coachable.

He's being asked to be a complementary player and not carry the load. We'll see how Q slots him but I'm excited to see if they have him centering a 3rd line with Hartman and possibly Sharp.

He was a 20th pick or something like that in the draft which doesn't appear to be a stretch.

Like the others mentioned I could see the Hawks eventually looking to add on the backend.

Not sure what you're getting at or why you're already giving up on a 21 yo like Schmaltz. He isn't a beast but he's definitely got talent and also appears coachable.

He's being asked to be a complementary player and not carry the load. We'll see how Q slots him but I'm excited to see if they have him centering a 3rd line with Hartman and possibly Sharp.

He was a 20th pick or something like that in the draft which doesn't appear to be a stretch.

Like the others mentioned I could see the Hawks eventually looking to add on the backend.
- HawkintheD

Not giving up on the kid but if he can add a Duchene type and the price is either of those kids..... He's driving the to the airport ! Otherwise agree on the need for a top end D man!

Not giving up on the kid but if he can add a Duchene type and the price is either of those kids..... He's driving the to the airport ! Otherwise agree on the need for a top end D man!
- wonthecup10

Is it just me or does Duchene seem like the most overrated player in regard to trade value in the league. Hartman had 19 goals in 3/4 line mins and makes $860K schmaltz when he came back had 5 goals and 25 A in 35 games in 2nd line minutes and makes $925 for 2 more years. Duchene has only gone over 24 goals twice (27 30) and both those years he had 8 and 10 PPG. He gets over 18 minutes per game. is Duch better then both those guys YES, But lets say you can trade for him? (salary cap does not work unless they retain) and you put him at 2LW. I think he goes for 30 and 30, if Hartman and Nick play a full season on the 3rd line with Sharp I think they go for 20 and 20 for Hart and 18 and 35 for nick. and they make 2/3 less combined. You trade both of those guys then the 3rd and 4th lines are just terrible. look at the last 7-8 champs. The Diff between the winner's and most of the other teams that got bounced were secondary scoring from the 3rd and 4th lines. I would much rather have Evander kane and not give up nick and Hart. Kanes trade value being 1/2 of Duch but they would both go for 30G playing with Kane.

No Shneider or Bishop but Vasilevski and Talbot in? This is beyond comprehension.
- vshun

Talbot is legit. I watched a number of Oil games last year. If he wasn't in net, they don't make the playoffs. Guy is super underrated. That being said, it was one year. He's gotta keep it rolling.

Is it just me or does Duchene seem like the most overrated player in regard to trade value in the league. Hartman had 19 goals in 3/4 line mins and makes $860K schmaltz when he came back had 5 goals and 25 A in 35 games in 2nd line minutes and makes $925 for 2 more years. Duchene has only gone over 24 goals twice (27 30) and both those years he had 8 and 10 PPG. He gets over 18 minutes per game. is Duch better then both those guys YES, But lets say you can trade for him? (salary cap does not work unless they retain) and you put him at 2LW. I think he goes for 30 and 30, if Hartman and Nick play a full season on the 3rd line with Sharp I think they go for 20 and 20 for Hart and 18 and 35 for nick. and they make 2/3 less combined. You trade both of those guys then the 3rd and 4th lines are just terrible. look at the last 7-8 champs. The Diff between the winner's and most of the other teams that got bounced were secondary scoring from the 3rd and 4th lines. I would much rather have Evander kane and not give up nick and Hart. Kanes trade value being 1/2 of Duch but they would both go for 30G playing with Kane.
- kmw4631

I'm with you on this. I think the asking price on Duchene is too high (That is why Colorado can't move him)

I think the Hawks need the guys that perform on a budget price if they want to get over the hump. Schmaltz after his call up put up 24 points in 35 games and was #7 in forward ice-time over that span. He still needs to shoot more but he was a solid play-maker and paced the team in even strength assists and plus minus. I mention even strength because Schmaltz got very little PP time. Wrong time to move on from a young improving player who carries the puck and actually back-checks and steals a few pucks in the process. (The kid lead the Hawks in takeaways since his call up too)

Talbot is legit. I watched a number of Oil games last year. If he wasn't in net, they don't make the playoffs. Guy is super underrated. That being said, it was one year. He's gotta keep it rolling.
- JRoenick97

Talbot is certainly the real deal. Played 73 games as a workhorse with a "work in progress" defense in front of him. He played way more minute than any other goalie last season. He wasn't a top 5 goalie, but he was certainly top 10.