When it comes to European free agents, and Panarin being the amazing outlier, can someone please explain why they don't pan out? I've read articles about Kempny, Rutta, Nillson, and maybe 1 more player. Basically it was a bidding war with other teams and the hawks won these guys and signed them. Nillson might be too soon to call, but these guys were highly touted Euro free agents, and the switch to NA ice seems quick, but what is the problem? Is it Q, is it the system, is it the team around them, is it the free agents, is it just hype? I just want to know. Probably a little of everything.
- I Am The Breadman

It's not like the old days when the Euro leagues weren't heavily scouted and a gem or two would be "discovered" after their draft year. Now, every team is well aware of the best players in Europe which is why so many are in the top of the draft every year. So an unsigned free agent in Europe is usually not going to be some phenom with the exception of an outlier like Panarin. Late bloomers happen but they generally don't rise to the level of top-6/top-4.

It's not like the old days when the Euro leagues weren't heavily scouted and a gem or two would be "discovered" after their draft year. Now, every team is well aware of the best players in Europe which is why so many are in the top of the draft every year. So an unsigned free agent in Europe is usually not going to be some phenom with the exception of an outlier like Panarin. Late bloomers happen but they generally don't rise to the level of top-6/top-4.
- EbonyRaptor

Ok, thanks. That makes sense to not expect a lot out of Euro fa's who are older.

Actually the guys responsible for the drafting are different guys than the pro scouting guys that are responsible for evaluating players in the NHL. The GM would use their info to make trades, sign free agents, etc.
- hereismike1

Yes, that was what I was implying. Proscouting bad. Prospect scouting has been good.

Yes to both of these statements.

Now throw in:

Any top four D man and a top six F with talent starts the discussion at least at $6MM per year (and that number grows along with the cap growth).

As things stand now, 62.5% of the Hawks' cap is devoted to seven players (six of which have NMCs and/or NTCs - requiring consent of the player to move them), with only Kane and CC not declining in their level of play.

Schmaltz, Kampf and Johnson all are RFAs next year.

The year after, Kahun, ADB, Fortin and Hayden are all RFAs.

Do you trust SB to properly select future draft picks even if they tank?
- Return of the Roar

I wouldn't say the Hawks drafting has been appreciably better or worse than other NHL teams in Stan's reign. I do NOT trust Stan to sign free agents (other than Europe), our own or UFAs in the NHL, make trades (he is bad at this), or evaluate other NHL team's players.

As far as tanking, I think it is too early in the season to say. My hunch is a selective selling off of certain vets would be the route to go to accumulate picks for next year as the next two drafts are supposed to be really deep ones. My tendency would be not to trade core pieces like Keith and Crow. If you trade Crow you lose more years off of Kane and Toew's prime because we have fluff behind him organizationally.

Keith is cheap, still skilled vet defender and the perfect guy to help shield our new young dmen that make the team and help them acclimate.

When it comes to European free agents, and Panarin being the amazing outlier, can someone please explain why they don't pan out? I've read articles about Kempny, Rutta, Nillson, and maybe 1 more player. Basically it was a bidding war with other teams and the hawks won these guys and signed them. Nillson might be too soon to call, but these guys were highly touted Euro free agents, and the switch to NA ice seems quick, but what is the problem? Is it Q, is it the system, is it the team around them, is it the free agents, is it just hype? I just want to know. Probably a little of everything.
- I Am The Breadman

‘Cause they’re pansies. NHL teams should only draft good old boys from Ontario or Western Canada. - Don Cherry.

The title of this blog is "What's Missing?". It can be applied to every aspect of this team. We continue to debate the PP, it's simple, they need puck retrieval to be successful. The drop pass entry is being adopted by more and more teams. But it is time to load up one unit and have a second unit play as though it's a regular shift.

PP- 19-12-88-15-56

15- Net front and play below the goaline, Toews supporting either half wall based on who has the puck and Gus QBing the top.

Speaking of ignorance - do you really thing he meant talking about the killings were "BS"? Could it possibly be he meant the poster continuing to post non-hockey related stuff on this hockey board was "BS"? Did that possibility even occur to you?
- EbonyRaptor

I agree with you full heartedly. This clown has been posting his political agenda for years. He loves to ruffle people. Personally, he should have been suspended for those remarks last week... They were truly flagerent. The best thing we can do is ignore this Bozo.

Rutta is already older and has been a Hawk a while now. Pretty sure that what you see, under Ulf’s “System”, for Rutta is what you are going to get. Maybe a change of scenery will help him but that is debatable. Kempny actually had the game to excell with the Hawks but somehow found the doghouse.

Gus is in a similar boat. At some point the team must give up as Gus seems a total uni-dimensional player who cannot or refuses to play defence. What a concept - D-Men who actually know how to play D-Fence.
- Z3Hawk

What you see under any system is what you get. He is a meh skater, with a bomb of a shot that makes slow decisions with the puck and has not adjusted well to the speed of the game.

Kempny, while having some use, is a very good skater with a bomb of a shot that makes slow decisions with the puck and has some success. I certainly wouldn't say he excelled anywhere though he did get himself a fair contract for a 3rd pairing defender that can moonlight as a 2nd pairing player on occasion. He doesn't help the Hawks today anymore than what they have now.

Gus can make a good pass, has a nice shot and can advance the puck. Kind of runs around in the zone like a chicken with its head cut off at times. On a good team he bum slays and helps on the power play. He hasn't been as atrocious as the Brandons and should slot in better with fewer minutes if Forsling looks half way decent.

Bad pro scouting and sometimes guys just don't work out.

‘Cause they’re pansies. NHL teams should only draft good old boys from Ontario or Western Canada. - Don Cherry.
- scottak

Ahh, very nice. Haha.

*NEW* blog up: https://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=95640

Speaking of ignorance - do you really thing he meant talking about the killings were "BS"? Could it possibly be he meant the poster continuing to post non-hockey related stuff on this hockey board was "BS"? Did that possibility even occur to you?
- EbonyRaptor

All possibilities are viable, no one person/entity/political/parties
are exempt from being right or wrong, on boards like this most everyone
believes themselves to be the end all of what's right and what's wrong

So STL opening up about a tragedy on a hockey board should not denigrate
what we are as a people

All possibilities are viable, no one person/entity/political/parties
are exempt from being right or wrong, on boards like this most everyone
believes themselves to be the end all of what's right and what's wrong

So STL opening up about a tragedy on a hockey board should not denigrate
what we are as a people
- gazza53

Agree it's not the place. But STL has been a good egg here for years. Speaking only for myself, I'll cut him some slack. I have valued and respected what he's said over the years, no matter if I agreed with him or not.

So killing of 11 people is BS

It just shows how IGNORANT you are
- gazza53

That is not what I said. I've said how terrible that was. Obviously genius reading is fundamental. Having any type of political or religious conversations on a hockey blog is acceptable. Like I said before we all come here to discuss Hawks or Hockey in general to get away from the nonsense that we call this world we live in. Get your facts straight before you reveal how IGNORANT you are.

Speaking of ignorance - do you really thing he meant talking about the killings were "BS"? Could it possibly be he meant the poster continuing to post non-hockey related stuff on this hockey board was "BS"? Did that possibility even occur to you?
- EbonyRaptor

THIS!!!! No it didn't obviously he or she is clueless. However you understand what I am saying. Thank you

I agree with you full heartedly. This clown has been posting his political agenda for years. He loves to ruffle people. Personally, he should have been suspended for those remarks last week... They were truly flagerent. The best thing we can do is ignore this Bozo.
- spanky

Absolutely agree. Heck I even asked him to kindly refrain from such topics

An instant classic! Wonthecup10 is sobbing tears of joy somewhere this morning.
- HawkintheD

You got it my man! I love it, get him a record deal! Maybe Frank Pellico could do the organ back drop!