11. Chicago Blackhawks: Joseph Veleno, C, Drummondville (QMJHL)

The Blackhawks are a little light on high-end center prospects, and this about the spot we could start to see centers go. Veleno's stock has yo-yoed a bit this year, but he's currently trending up, as are his numbers since being traded to Drummondville. A gifted playmaker, Veleno has good speed and plays a responsible two-way game.
- kmw4631

I'd like to see the Hawks grab Noah Dobson in the draft this year.

http://www.mynhldraft.com...raft-Profiles/Noah-Dobson

Blackhawks power play units at practice
1. Seabrook, Kane, Schmaltz, Hinostroza & Anisimov
2. Oesterle, Toews, Duclair, DeBrincat & Hartman

At least Q seems to have finally relented after switching back to his preferred approach (incl Keith, 5-on-5 lines, etc.) and getting nothing for it

ETA: although it does appear he's still putting the 5-on-5 guys together

Powers said yesterday that he thinks Murphy would be the healthy scratch for tonight's game.
- DarthKane

Scratched guys usually practice still though. Just a little weird. Maybe he's nursing something.

In my dream world...

Anisimov is traded to Vegas and along with the future considerations owed, nets the hawks a top 4 d such as Merrill or Schmidt.

Hartman is used to trade Hossa's cap space.

Seabrook retires in the offseason as he doesn't want to be a boat anchor for the team. The Hawks hire him as assistant coach for Rockford.

The cap goes up 5 mil.

Hawks resign rutta & wingels
Hawks sign Tavares in the offseason for 10M/yr for 7 years.

Lines next year:

debrincat - Tavares - duclair/Sikura
saad/hayden - Schmaltz - Kane
hayden/saad - toews - duclair/sikura
wingels/? - kampf - hino

Keith - oesterle
Schmidt/Merrill - Murphy
forsling - rutta

Scratched guys usually practice still though. Just a little weird. Maybe he's nursing something.
- JRoenick97

Yep I don’t think this was an optional skate, he’s either injured, sick or a trade is in the works.

It would be fun to all go troll him on the Preds board, since they have like all of 3 fans on HB you know he'll see our posts.
- Murph76

LOL agreed however we would be sinking to his pathetic a$$ mentality. Trust me I thought about it.

In my dream world...

Anisimov is traded to Vegas and along with the future considerations owed, nets the hawks a top 4 d such as Merrill or Schmidt.

Hartman is used to trade Hossa's cap space.

Seabrook retires in the offseason as he doesn't want to be a boat anchor for the team. The Hawks hire him as assistant coach for Rockford.

The cap goes up 5 mil.

Hawks resign rutta & wingels
Hawks sign Tavares in the offseason for 10M/yr for 7 years.

Lines next year:

debrincat - Tavares - duclair/Sikura
saad/hayden - Schmaltz - Kane
hayden/saad - toews - duclair/sikura
wingels/? - kampf - hino

Keith - oesterle
Schmidt/Merrill - Murphy
forsling - rutta


- ToewsdNKanefusd

Wow, that's some mental gymnastics right there

sick burn
- BlazinMike

Not even close bro

Wow, that's some mental gymnastics right there
- BlazinMike

He did say dream world.

Wow, that's some mental gymnastics right there
- BlazinMike

The only reason I thought of Tavares, is that I was reading an article about him and the Isles woes, and wondered if he is going to re-sign with them. It then brought on the thought that he would look great as a hawk!...and then today I thought of a way that he could fit under the cap on the Hawks, but only if Seabrook retires...trading seabrook would almost definitely net you a bad contract in return, and there then wouldn't be enough room.

That is one thing that no one ever brings up. Could Seabrook decide to retire if he thinks he can't keep up anymore?

The only reason I thought of Tavares, is that I was reading an article about him and the Isles woes, and wondered if he is going to re-sign with them. It then brought on the thought that he would look great as a hawk!...and then today I thought of a way that he could fit under the cap on the Hawks, but only if Seabrook retires...trading seabrook would almost definitely net you a bad contract in return, and there then wouldn't be enough room.

That is one thing that no one ever brings up. Could Seabrook decide to retire if he thinks he can't keep up anymore?
- ToewsdNKanefusd

I don't think he actually will retire this year. I think he hits the gym and ice really hard this summer and tries to get in really good shape for next year. If he still can't hack it next year, then maybe he decides its time...

The only reason I thought of Tavares, is that I was reading an article about him and the Isles woes, and wondered if he is going to re-sign with them. It then brought on the thought that he would look great as a hawk!...and then today I thought of a way that he could fit under the cap on the Hawks, but only if Seabrook retires...trading seabrook would almost definitely net you a bad contract in return, and there then wouldn't be enough room.

That is one thing that no one ever brings up. Could Seabrook decide to retire if he thinks he can't keep up anymore?
- ToewsdNKanefusd

I've had an eye on Tavares for a bit this season. I would even consider trading Kane for him if he guaranteed a re-sign with us.

Schmaltz-Tavares-Sikura
Saad-Toews-ADB
Hino-Kampf-Duclair
Hayden-Wingels-Jurco/whoever

Jokiharju's game ins't much like Keith's though. He's much more of an offensive D-man. Like Campbell.
- JRoenick97

I'd have to agree with you: Jokiharju and even Krys are offensive d-men like Campbell. The closest to being Keith-like are Forsling (if he can amp up his defensive game) and Mitchell (if he can add a lot more strength). A pivotal factor for Keith's success isn't just his skill but his freakish gym habits. Being in tip-top shape and strong for his size are what made Keith all-world and a two-time Norris winner, IMHO.

He had two hot stretches earlier in the year, sandwiched with some 'meh' performance. His first 10 games he was pretty awful. He got hot for a bit off and on. Then he scored once in December and hasn't scored since then. Defensively he can be okay, but sometimes his soft play is frustrating as faster players get a step on him and around him.

He can be a useful player, but he has his own issues too. Some coaches say that love because they can move up and down the lineup, but AA, is only useful when you put two extremely talented wingers on the ice with him. When he is on, he is good, when he is off, he is pretty invisible. He is hurt frequently and his value was never going to be higher than it was. It would be great if they could get some consistency in his game. I do think they could have moved him to fill in a gap on the roster (and other assets/prospects) and then signed another C with size to the roster.
- breadbag

Right now AA has been either slotted at 3C, or for some reason he's playing on the wing with Schmaltz-Kane when the Hawks have a surplus of middle six wingers. Another poster said that Anisimov would not garner as much return via trade at the deadline because he has term left on his contract. I'd argue the exact opposite. IMO, trading for an asset you will have for 2 more seasons provides more value than a player on an expiring contract. If the Hawks continue their .500 or below play like they have for 4+ months of this season, Big Art is a perfect way to add a 1st round pick and possibly a prospect. I'd bet he'd waive to go to Washington or Pittsburgh to play 3C with some of the best Russians in the world in Ovi or Malkin.

I don't think he actually will retire this year. I think he hits the gym and ice really hard this summer and tries to get in really good shape for next year. If he still can't hack it next year, then maybe he decides its time...
- ToewsdNKanefusd

So, lets say that Seabrook doesn't retire, and comes back next year ready to play.

The trade with Vegas still goes down, and the hawks sign a free agent 2L/3L center (Statsny/Bozak/Backlund/Eller):

debrincat - toews - duclair/sikura
saad/hayden - schmaltz - kane
hayden/saad - FA - sikura/duclair
wingels/? - kampf - hino

keith - oesterle
Merrill/Schmidt - seabrook
forsling - murphy

If the core bounces back next season, that is a pretty great line up, no?

Yep I don’t think this was an optional skate, he’s either injured, sick or a trade is in the works.
- walleyeb1

Murphy is sick.

I've had an eye on Tavares for a bit this season. I would even consider trading Kane for him if he guaranteed a re-sign with us.

Schmaltz-Tavares-Sikura
Saad-Toews-ADB
Hino-Kampf-Duclair
Hayden-Wingels-Jurco/whoever
- JRoenick97

Is Tavares any good defensively? If so, then he would be an upgrade over Kane, plus he is a center. So I would actually do that trade in that case (even though Kane is my favorite player to watch, and I would be sad to see him in another sweater)

Right now AA has been either slotted at 3C, or for some reason he's playing on the wing with Schmaltz-Kane when the Hawks have a surplus of middle six wingers. Another poster said that Anisimov would not garner as much return via trade at the deadline because he has term left on his contract. I'd argue the exact opposite. IMO, trading for an asset you will have for 2 more seasons provides more value than a player on an expiring contract. If the Hawks continue their .500 or below play like they have for 4+ months of this season, Big Art is a perfect way to add a 1st round pick and possibly a prospect. I'd bet he'd waive to go to Washington or Pittsburgh to play 3C with some of the best Russians in the world in Ovi or Malkin.
- EnzoD

Thank you! I thought the same thing when I read that. While contracts with term left are normally traded in the offseason (or at least not normally at the TDL) there is absolutely no way a player with no term left will fetch more in a TDL deal than the same player with term left. To say otherwise is absolutely ridiculous.

Is Tavares any good defensively? If so, then he would be an upgrade over Kane, plus he is a center. So I would actually do that trade in that case (even though Kane is my favorite player to watch, and I would be sad to see him in another sweater)
- ToewsdNKanefusd

He's always been over 50% Corsi and plays penalty kill. Split almost even offense and defensive faceoffs.

In my dream world...

Anisimov is traded to Vegas and along with the future considerations owed, nets the hawks a top 4 d such as Merrill or Schmidt.

Hartman is used to trade Hossa's cap space.

Seabrook retires in the offseason as he doesn't want to be a boat anchor for the team. The Hawks hire him as assistant coach for Rockford.

The cap goes up 5 mil.

Hawks resign rutta & wingels
Hawks sign Tavares in the offseason for 10M/yr for 7 years.

Lines next year:

debrincat - Tavares - duclair/Sikura
saad/hayden - Schmaltz - Kane
hayden/saad - toews - duclair/sikura
wingels/? - kampf - hino

Keith - oesterle
Schmidt/Merrill - Murphy
forsling - rutta


- ToewsdNKanefusd

Do we really need another $10 million contract on the team? Losing Seabrook would help but it's a big risk to take on, even for Tavares.

Do we really need another $10 million contract on the team? Losing Seabrook would help but it's a big risk to take on, even for Tavares.
- DarthKane

What else would we complain about in 5 years?

What else would we complain about in 5 years?
- HawksHype

Bowman.

Do we really need another $10 million contract on the team? Losing Seabrook would help but it's a big risk to take on, even for Tavares.
- DarthKane

Move Anisimov and find a taker for Hossa's contract. All of a sudden you have quite a bit of cap room.

I would not trade Kane for Tavares.

Bowman.
- JRoenick97

Right now AA has been either slotted at 3C, or for some reason he's playing on the wing with Schmaltz-Kane when the Hawks have a surplus of middle six wingers. Another poster said that Anisimov would not garner as much return via trade at the deadline because he has term left on his contract. I'd argue the exact opposite. IMO, trading for an asset you will have for 2 more seasons provides more value than a player on an expiring contract. If the Hawks continue their .500 or below play like they have for 4+ months of this season, Big Art is a perfect way to add a 1st round pick and possibly a prospect. I'd bet he'd waive to go to Washington or Pittsburgh to play 3C with some of the best Russians in the world in Ovi or Malkin.
- EnzoD

Hockey Trade...

AA to Pittsburgh for Cole

Who says no? Maybe Pit throws in a conditional draft pick depending on if Cole resigns with the Hawks or not, but even if he did leave from FA that's 4.5M off the cap that could be used to sign another D-man in FA.