Matthias hasn't had a decent season since 14/15 and I think he spends more time on the wing than centre. If the Hawks didn't already have Kunitz I would suggest Stajan too. Vermette was 60% on faceoffs last season and played just under 14 minutes.
- DarthKane

Q doesn't like him

Matthias hasn't had a decent season since 14/15 and I think he spends more time on the wing than centre. If the Hawks didn't already have Kunitz I would suggest Stajan too. Vermette was 60% on faceoffs last season and played just under 14 minutes.
- DarthKane

Good to know about Matthias. Vermette is an option to consider, too, especially if just for a year or two while the youth develop.

Hawks get 19 Nationally Televised games this year. Over/Under 9.5 wins in those games??

Q doesn't like him
- vabeachbear

Q can learn to like him. I don't think the team is too bad at centre, Toews - Schmaltz - Anisimov - Kruger is pretty good. It wouldn't hurt to have more depth at centre, then Q can move Schmaltz to LW of needed. The Hawks have a bunch of guys who are listed as a centre (i.e. Sikura, Ejdsell, Kahun) but they're not proven NHL centres.

Hawks get 19 Nationally Televised games this year. Over/Under 9.5 wins in those games??
- EnzoD

Under....I say 6 wins.

Rutta for Strome:

#Oilers d-man Andrej Sekera underwent successful surgery today to repair a torn Achilles tendon. Sekera was injured during an off-season training session & will be sidelined indefinitely. pic.twitter.com/Wum0OS6ZFb

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) August 14, 2018

Rutta for Strome:

#Oilers d-man Andrej Sekera underwent successful surgery today to repair a torn Achilles tendon. Sekera was injured during an off-season training session & will be sidelined indefinitely. pic.twitter.com/Wum0OS6ZFb

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) August 14, 2018

- DarthKane

Sekera out might have just given Evan Bouchard a clear cut path to the NHL this year.

Tough loss for Edmonton.

No Mike, I'm perfectly OK.
You see what happens when you don't have a NHL-caliber goalie (Keith's #'s this year defensively were not good either) and a rotating cast of partners and a scheme where forwards aren't doing their part.

Pretty similar situations IMO.

I don't know things are going to change much for either of them this year - except Trotz certainly knows how to do a lot with a little so I'd at least expect a better overall defensive scheme.
- savvyone-1

This was the key for me, but I’m not sure if it was not doing their part, not knowing their part, or inability to do their part.

I find it extremely entertaining that so many of the posters here believe Debrincat and Schmaltz are going to put up monstrous numbers this year. I also find it amusing just how much they always overvalue the talent on this team as it stands today. The true reality is this team is going to be the bottom feeder in the Central division again. There is no magic pill or trade that will make this team better without setting the development of the future back another 5 years. The Cup window has been slammed shut. I never thought I would see 1 Cup let alone 3. The Blackhawks have fallen from the sky to the ash beap of mediocrity. Now its up to management to figure out who to keep ( Toews or Kane ) you cant keep both not at those salaries. Then build this back into a winner. Living in the real world bites. But its a hell of alot better than reading about the sunshine and rainbow fantasies of some of the kool-aix drinking posters here

So what he's really saying is... Keith sucks, he's always sucked and he will always suck.


- DarthKane

No he said Keith said: “I thought there were times when I played really well and I think there were times when I was frustrated losing hockey games,”.

Then he got some quotes from Sean O’Donnell culminating in “Duncan has a little bit of an edge and he’s got a chip on his shoulders and a bite to his game,” O’Donnell added. “You tell him he can’t do something, that to me is a scary thing because he’s shown us that he can.”

Sekera out might have just given Evan Bouchard a clear cut path to the NHL this year.

Tough loss for Edmonton.
- Justin Lowe

Rutta + for strome yes i do that. But what is the + and would Edmonton do it?

I find it extremely entertaining that so many of the posters here believe Debrincat and Schmaltz are going to put up monstrous numbers this year. I also find it amusing just how much they always overvalue the talent on this team as it stands today. The true reality is this team is going to be the bottom feeder in the Central division again. There is no magic pill or trade that will make this team better without setting the development of the future back another 5 years. The Cup window has been slammed shut. I never thought I would see 1 Cup let alone 3. The Blackhawks have fallen from the sky to the ash beap of mediocrity. Now its up to management to figure out who to keep ( Toews or Kane ) you cant keep both not at those salaries. Then build this back into a winner. Living in the real world bites. But its a hell of alot better than reading about the sunshine and rainbow fantasies of some of the kool-aix drinking posters here
- mmurray892

Your post is pretty entertaining. Dinky potted 28 in his rookie year.
Not sure I've seen anyone attributing more than 35 for DeBrincat or I said possibly 30 for Schmaltz if he learns to shoot more. Just speculation and fun and I haven't seen anyone guarantee them.

Like me you never expected to see 1 Cup let alone 3 but unlike me you're still a down in the mouth mope. What gives?

Your post is pretty entertaining.
- HawkintheD Dinky potted 28 in his rookie year.
Not sure I've seen anyone attributing more than 35 for DeBrincat or I said possibly 30 for Schmaltz if he learns to shoot more. Just speculation and fun and I haven't seen anyone guarantee them.

Like me you never expected to see 1 Cup let alone 3 but unlike me you're still a down in the mouth mope. What gives?

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- Ogilthorpe2[/URL]

Your post is pretty entertaining.
- HawkintheD Dinky potted 28 in his rookie year.
Not sure I've seen anyone attributing more than 35 for DeBrincat or I said possibly 30 for Schmaltz if he learns to shoot more. Just speculation and fun and I haven't seen anyone guarantee them.

Like me you never expected to see 1 Cup let alone 3 but unlike me you're still a down in the mouth mope. What gives?

Realism my brother, realism. Q hates kids, Front office is dysfunctional to say the least, Toes is toast, ETC ETC ETC..

Realism my brother, realism. Q hates kids, Front office is dysfunctional to say the least, Toes is toast, ETC ETC ETC..
- Beaver-Warrior

Sekera out might have just given Evan Bouchard a clear cut path to the NHL this year.

Tough loss for Edmonton.
- Justin Lowe

Opportunity to buy-low on Jesse Puljujarvi in a package sending Defense to the Oil??? Does anyone besides Bowman actually want guys like Gustafson, Rutta, Manning, and Murphy (or 2018 Seabrook, for that matter) on their blue line??

Opportunity to buy-low on Jesse Puljujarvi in a package sending Defense to the Oil??? Does anyone besides Bowman actually want guys like Gustafson, Rutta, Manning, and Murphy (or 2018 Seabrook, for that matter) on their blue line??
- EnzoD

Jesse Puljujarvi would be a good asset for the Oilers to move for help on defense but the Hawks don't have the assets to provide Edmonton with immediate help. Murphy might be a start (with other additions) but that doesn't help the Hawks D. Too bad Forsling is injured.

Jesse Puljujarvi would be a good asset for the Oilers to move for help on defense but the Hawks don't have the assets to provide Edmonton with immediate help. Murphy might be a start (with other additions) but that doesn't help the Hawks D. Too bad Forsling is injured.
- DarthKane

Seabrook for Lucic.

Seabrook for Lucic.
- gramps

Sign me up, MORE HITS!!!!

So Hayden doesn't even make the team? Forsling puts up 18 in a partial season?
- Rota's Rooter

I just realized I missed Hayden, they have him at 23 points.

Toews 50 goals 50 assists +35, 65% Corsi and Hart Trophy.....if Kane is on his line all season
- EnzoD

Despite playing MORE PP time than ANY OTHER in NHL last year PATRICA scored a whole "5" PP goals

STAY HOT with the 88 luv

Super size gulp

How long before camp opens, going to be some pretty slow boards between now and then.

On to the defencemen - goals by player predictions:

https://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=94339