Hey Wiz!

He's not... well not that any of the media cats have mentioned. It was just Conacher and di Giuseppe.

I say they keep him for a week or two to ensure that Crawford is good.

If they waive and loose Forsberg, then Crawford doesn't react well (or Heaven-forbid gets hit in the head) the Hawks will look really silly.

Jacob de la Rose scooped up by DET on waivers. I assumed he would be claimed.

Another similar player hits the wire today in Phillip di Giuseppe (CAR) who imagine will be claimed as well. He's a big LW with some scoring touch. A former 2nd rounder.

I am not saying the Hawks should pursue (they have a player like this in John Hayden) but saying there is some better value plays on the open market now with teams settling into their rosters.
- Justin Lowe

Anything at this point will help our bottom 6.

Also interesting: @FriedgeHNIC

ANA has signed Jake Dotchin to a one-year contract. If he clears waivers tomorrow at noon ET, he can officially join them. @PierreVLeBrun caught what I missed in the waiver wire

--

Dotchin has hopefully be spending the last month shedding some weight and getting into shape. That was a weird situation.

Brandon.... you SIT OVER THERE AND THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU'VE DONE!

Looks like Saad is a scratch indeed.

I hope Don Granato sits with him during the game to ensure he knows where he stands with this team, how he can improve and get his mindset set straight to get back into game action this weekend and get back to "old Saader".
- Justin Lowe

Hey Wiz!

He's not... well not that any of the media cats have mentioned. It was just Conacher and di Giuseppe.

I say they keep him for a week or two to ensure that Crawford is good.

If they waive and loose Forsberg, then Crawford doesn't react well (or Heaven-forbid gets hit in the head) the Hawks will look really silly.
- Justin Lowe

Great point, being cleared isn't the same as being networthy-capable.

https://youtu.be/1GZHbQ2WCgc

I was at this game. I feel like this goal shifted the momentum for the Hawks to come back in the series where in the first 3 games it seemed like the Ducks were unbeatable.

A little lucky with the linesman, but playoff Saad was (frank)ing money.

#Blackhawks lines:
DeBrincat-Toews-Kahun
Fortin-Schmaltz-Kane
Kunitz-Anisimov-Hayden
Kruger-Johnson-Kampf

— Tracey Myers (@Tramyers_NHL) October 17, 2018

- DarthKane

I know it is the fourth line, but I really hope one of the reporters asks Q why he is insisting on putting Johnson at center and Kruger at wing when he is clearly the better pivot.

Saad fighting for his future with the Hawks??

I don't think so, and here is why:

When you are playing this poorly, you have ZERO market value to any other teams.

Anywhere.

So the end result is that the tail is wagging the dog here, and the best the Hawks can hope for is that he finds his elite game again, contributes, and by effect, reestablishes his value to the team and the league.

So John, good to see you here again. How long of a leash do you give Schmaltz before you cut bait? I don't know about you but I just don't see in him what this team needs.
- Return of the Roar

There's obvious high end talent there. Reminds me a lot of Teravainen. Do you hold on and hope the light comes on, or move him for hopefully a nice return from a GM who is willing to gamble on his upside?

Keep in mind that Schmaltz is by no means a finished product. After only 144 NHL games I don't think he's the final player he will be. That being said, Schmaltz may not ever be the most physical forward but he can still contribute. It took Sharp almost 200 NHL games (196 to be exact) to develop into the scoring winger he evolved into.
- DarthKane

With you up to the Sharp comparison. Sharp was a guy who always played bigger than his listed size. His competitiveness made him a near-great player during his prime years.

There's obvious high end talent there. Reminds me a lot of Teravainen. Do you hold on and hope the light comes on, or move him for hopefully a nice return from a GM who is willing to gamble on his upside?
- John Jaeckel

thats a tough one JJ...is the sample size large enough to date to make that call...i dont know. JJ, would you feel good with him being your 2nd line C in a 7 game playoff series with the Jets or Preds now or in the future. And regarding Sharp, you are spot on...that guy always went to the dirty areas and uber competetive

In response:

Justin:

Nailed it.

I had the opportunity to spend some time with Saad a couple of years ago, see him interact with a young hockey player, etc. That, and how he played with the Hawks on three long playoff runs (2 of which resulted in Cups) have told me he has very high character.

For sure, something is not right, right now. But do you sell (at low value) a 26 year old 2-way forward who you KNOW CAN BE a great complementary player—or do you figure it out? I'd say, don't act rashly and figure it out.

Hank:

Gonna disagree about the little things. Yes, you need a $6 million a year forward to score. But the flipside is the flashy, clever would-be $6 million a year player who avoids doing the little things at key times in order to avoid contact, takes lazy penalties at bad times, etc. Not naming names, but the Hawks may have at least one of those.

if I was coaching Saad, I would tell him to keep doing the little things and playing a smart game up and down the ice until the offense comes to him. In hockey, you make your own luck.
- John Jaeckel

JJ,

I've been in this game a long time and know more than you...

Ha! Totally joking

Valid points and I certainly see your side. I just mean that it could be rough if Saad continues to be that "does things that are not on the score card guy" when we need him to really start filling the net. Just my thought right now.

Hope he finds the other part of his game, too.

With you up to the Sharp comparison. Sharp was a guy who always played bigger than his listed size. His competitiveness made him a near-great player during his prime years.
- John Jaeckel

I wasn't speaking specifically about Sharp's size or playing big (or small). I was stating that it takes some players time to fully form into their end-state. Sharp may have played bigger than he was earlier in his career but the goal scoring aspect didn't start (consistently) until around 200 games into his career.

Forsberg on waviers today, I betcha...
- wiz1901

Hey wiz, who do you think will be the top 3 for 2019 - Hughes, Kappo, and Turcotte?

I wasn't speaking specifically about Sharp's size or playing big (or small). I was stating that it takes some players time to fully form into their end-state. Sharp may have played bigger than he was earlier in his career but the goal scoring aspect didn't start (consistently) until around 200 games into his career.
- DarthKane

And until 19/88 came along...

Corey Crawford said he expects to play Thursday vs. Arizona, but #Blackhawks will wait to make final decision after morning skate.

— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) October 17, 2018

And until 19/88 came along...
- PatShart

Schmaltz has a much better squad surrounding him than Sharpie did at the same time of his career......

Corey Crawford said he expects to play Thursday vs. Arizona, but #Blackhawks will wait to make final decision after morning skate.

— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) October 17, 2018

- DarthKane

Awesome! I hope it's lights out Crow, not the Crow who got his lights knocked out. We shall see...

Thanks for the post.

thats a tough one JJ...is the sample size large enough to date to make that call...i dont know. JJ, would you feel good with him being your 2nd line C in a 7 game playoff series with the Jets or Preds now or in the future. And regarding Sharp, you are spot on...that guy always went to the dirty areas and uber competetive
- glennjpawlak22

I like Schmaltz. I like his game, his d game, the fact that he carries the puck ... I like his shot, he should flash it more. I know he's outgrowing that phase slowly and faceoffs ...eek gads! He needs to prove to be a center, but I like him on Kane's wing. Great chemistry between those 2. I think you were trying to make that center point.

I'm hopeful Saad finds his game. Tough being in the Stalberg jersey at practice as some of the beat writers refer to it.

If you look at the Hossa Toews Saad line it was a killer - but I think we're seeing more and more now just how much Hossa meant to this team. But Saad is a much better player than he's showing and we saw that when he was in Columbus.

An interesting article on sportsmockery pointed to the fact that Toews had been training with Adam Oates in the offseason - I wonder if he could help Saad as well. Personally I think the Hawks should bring Oates in as a coach - lord knows he could do wonders for the dog crap powerplay...

http://sportsmockery.com/...-just-ask-jonathan-toews/

He is what he is. In 5 seasons, he’s been pretty consistent:

Goals 19 23 31 24 18 average 23, skewed by the year with 31, which he never got close to, before or after

Assists 28 29 22 29 17 average 25, with a very poor year last season.

So, if the player will end up reaching the stats on the back of the hockey card, Saad will most likely deliver 20-23 goals and 25 assists playing a regular shift.

The real question is, is 50 points worth $6M per year?
- scottak

With salaries on the rise, I would say yes. The elite players now are making 10M plus (besides those signed in previous years) and your secondary players are making anywhere from 5-9M. It will all depend on if the cap continues to rise or if it takes a dramatic drop at some point and teams like CHI, PIT, TOR, etc. get screwed by trying to reward the players they developed and signed long term.

I hope we see Saad get back to his old ways. In a lot of ways last year and the start of this year remind me a lot of the Captain and his struggles. You see the flashes of what made them a good player at times, but there's just something missing. Maybe he's pressing too hard to justify his contract or the expectations he feels coming back to Chicago, but he needs to simplify things and do what he's done best to get the puck rolling for himself. When he does come back, I would be fine with seeing him on the 3rd line with AA and Hayden. Kunitz needs to move down to the 4th line with Kruger and one of the kids as a shutdown like, still wanna see that Triple K line (not going there lol) of Kunitz, Kruger, and Kampf with Kunitz subbing out from time to time with one of the kids depending on the game, but it all is gonna depend on if Cat and Kahun can continue to play well on the Top Line and if Fortin or someone else can stick on the 2nd Line with Schmaltz and Kane. I would even be open to swapping AA with Schmaltz to see if that lights a fire under Schmaltz as well. We'll see how it plays out. Lots of unanswered questions to start the year but plenty of Hockey left to figure it out.

Hopefully Crow is healthy (actually healthy and ready to go) and can come back playing as well as he can

I Believe Saad is working hard ,not a lot of luck . I also believe he is what he is now and what the scouts thought back in his draft date ,not a real team player who brings it 110% every game . The benching is fair ,I don't believe it will ignite a fire rate away , Saad will come around when Saad decides .

I am super happy Crow may start or will soon .GO HAWKS !!!

>>"Knowing this, and the current state of Syria, the Saad's heritage, one has to think that Brandon's character is of elite quality."

WHAT? how can you possibly connect those dots? I'm a BIG believer in body language and the negative opinions about his attitude (you refer to) are not surprising to me.

Anyone know if Jesse Puljujarvi can play the left side? BarstoolChief had an interesting idea of trading Saad to Edmonton for him.

Keep in mind that Schmaltz is by no means a finished product. After only 144 NHL games I don't think he's the final player he will be. That being said, Schmaltz may not ever be the most physical forward but he can still contribute. It took Sharp almost 200 NHL games (196 to be exact) to develop into the scoring winger he evolved into.
- DarthKane

Schmaltz needs to sit down before every game and watch the movie Rudy

I'm hopeful Saad finds his game. Tough being in the Stalberg jersey at practice as some of the beat writers refer to it.

If you look at the Hossa Toews Saad line it was a killer - but I think we're seeing more and more now just how much Hossa meant to this team. But Saad is a much better player than he's showing and we saw that when he was in Columbus.

An interesting article on sportsmockery pointed to the fact that Toews had been training with Adam Oates in the offseason - I wonder if he could help Saad as well. Personally I think the Hawks should bring Oates in as a coach - lord knows he could do wonders for the dog crap powerplay...

http://sportsmockery.com/...-just-ask-jonathan-toews/
- DK002

Great share. Listen to the spittin chiclets podcast with Adam Oates. I could listen to that guy talk about the game for hours. He has had incredible results with the players he has been working with. Toews is mentioned as well.