Justin Lowe: Analyzing A Manchild Brandon Saad found a white jersey in his stall this week for practice. That would be the "kiss of death" for a player like Saad as it indicated that the coaching staff is not happy with #20's play and he appears to be heading to healthy scratch… land.

Here's my quick take, which will be followed by a more detailed breakdown of Saad's play and current status with this Hawks organization.

Justin Lowe: Analyzing A Manchild
Brandon Saad found a white jersey in his stall this week for practice. That would be the "kiss of death" for a player like Saad as it indicated that the coaching staff is not happy with #20's play and he appears to be heading to healthy scratch… land.

Here's my quick take, which will be followed by a more detailed breakdown of Saad's play and current status with this Hawks organization.
- Justin Lowe

Saad has obviously not been the same guy he was when initially with the Hawks.

Last week someone had told me he does the "things that don't get marked on the score sheet." That's great for guys like, say, Kunitz (if he was doing it), but Saad was brought back to score and generate good offensive opportunities.

I hope he comes around, but I'm curious what the Hawks might be thinking for him. I'm guessing this healthy scratch is their way of sending a "wake up" call in hopes to jumpstart him, but if he comes back and it's more of the same, I don't know...

Columbus has certainly benefited from the trade.

and that 4th round pick became Lucas Carlsson

Justin i mentioned this in the previous blog with log jam at goalie and eventual log jam with the defense when forsling and murphy comes back, I would have to believe a trade is coming. So what area does that trade if it happens needs to address bottom 6 scoring top six forward top 4 defense man(unlikly due no gm is going give away a top 4 d man without a significant return) or a shaw , wilson, simmonds type player. Any thoughts on what kind of trade hawks be looking for? Probably does not happen until around thanksgiving. Just wondering thats all.

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.

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

Gee.......wonder who that could be?

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.

Saad is such a question mark. I see drive and determination, not every play, but he's still good defensively and still drives the net. Every o zone play, he's in the blue paint. I don't know how to explain every near miss. The one he almost had on Minny ... all Dubnyk had to do was fart and it would have gone in the net. I hope he finds his old form, he's too expensive for 4th line or healthy scratch. I wonder how much being traded and being traded right back might have affected him. Right now, he's more child than man.

Great write up as usual, Justin.

JJ - are you implying that a certain Hawk player is behind the "8" Ball when it comes to contact and other aspects of their game?

and that 4th round pick became Lucas Carlsson
- waitforawhistle

Good call. He could turn out to be a good one.

JJ - are you implying that a certain Hawk player is behind the "8" Ball when it comes to contact and other aspects of their game?
- glennjpawlak22

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.

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?

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

52 games to go then.

Justin i mentioned this in the previous blog with log jam at goalie and eventual log jam with the defense when forsling and murphy comes back, I would have to believe a trade is coming. So what area does that trade if it happens needs to address bottom 6 scoring top six forward top 4 defense man(unlikly due no gm is going give away a top 4 d man without a significant return) or a shaw , wilson, simmonds type player. Any thoughts on what kind of trade hawks be looking for? Probably does not happen until around thanksgiving. Just wondering thats all.
- Scott1977

I would think moving guys like Forsberg, Rutta, Forsling (and maybe more) have been discussed as, like you mentioned there is a bit of a logjam coming at G and D, however, there's no area you can drastically improve unless the package is exapanded as those guys won't bring much back.

I believe the Hawks are thrilled with a 3-0-2 start with no Crawford. No we enter a new season where Crawford appears to be ready to go. How he looks could change things (for better or for worse) on how they evaluate this team and what they should be doing on the trade market.

We'll have to wait and see.

52 games to go then.
- I Am The Breadman

Start the count down!!!

Saad is such a question mark. I see drive and determination, not every play, but he's still good defensively and still drives the net. Every o zone play, he's in the blue paint. I don't know how to explain every near miss. The one he almost had on Minny ... all Dubnyk had to do was fart and it would have gone in the net. I hope he finds his old form, he's too expensive for 4th line or healthy scratch. I wonder how much being traded and being traded right back might have affected him. Right now, he's more child than man.

Great write up as usual, Justin.
- I Am The Breadman

Saad has been disappointing since the start of last season, but as I've said before the Hawks need him to return to previously established levels of performance. This is not an unrealistic expectation.

Trading Saad is an option, but it wouldn't be my preference. This period of under-performance isn't the first for Saad, but it appears to the the longest. The coaching staff and Saad need to find a way to work through this together.

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

Thanks JJ. Yeah we're on the same page. I don't it's the time for Stan to make any knee-jerk moves RE: Saad. We'll mark this down as strike 1 by Q and see how Saad reacts.

Saad has been disappointing since the start of last season, but as I've said before the Hawks need him to return to previously established levels of performance. This is not an unrealistic expectation.

Trading Saad is an option, but it wouldn't be my preference. This period of under-performance isn't the first for Saad, but it appears to the the longest. The coaching staff and Saad need to find a way to work through this together.
- DarthKane

I don't think it's unrealistic either. He started last season hot and ended cold, now I'm looking for the inverse of that ... but continue to keep it up.

I'm against trading him as well.

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

— Tracey Myers (@Tramyers_NHL) October 17, 2018

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.

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

— Tracey Myers (@Tramyers_NHL) October 17, 2018

- DarthKane

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".

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

if Seabs can be benched....

Forsberg on waviers today, I betcha...

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

More like sit over thete and think about what you haven't done.

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

If he is it hasn't been reported yet:

Waivers for Conacher (TB) & DiGiuseppe (CAR)

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) October 17, 2018