As far as I know he's had only 1 injury and that was this season. I believe he also missed a few games due to being sick - might have been mono. Hardly "injury plagued". He is committed to Wisconsin but how do you get "for at least 2 years" from that? He very well could leave college and join the Hawks after his freshman season and that's probably the most likely scenario. According to most experts I have heard/read - other than Hughes and Kakko, all the other top players are probably a year away from playing in the NHL so Turcotte spending next season in NCAA is no different than Cozens spending next season in the WHL.
- EbonyRaptor[/quote]


Not sure about that. If they want a plug and play guy after only one year I have to think the WHL is better prep than the NCAA

[quote=EbonyRaptor]As far as I know he's had only 1 injury and that was this season. I believe he also missed a few games due to being sick - might have been mono. Hardly "injury plagued". He is committed to Wisconsin but how do you get "for at least 2 years" from that? He very well could leave college and join the Hawks after his freshman season and that's probably the most likely scenario. According to most experts I have heard/read - other than Hughes and Kakko, all the other top players are probably a year away from playing in the NHL so Turcotte spending next season in NCAA is no different than Cozens spending next season in the WHL.
- 6628[/quote]


Not sure about that. If they want a plug and play guy after only one year I have to think the WHL is better prep than the NCAA

Also the team has the option of allowing a player a "try out" in the NHL before he's returned to the junior team. Also the team can lock up a junior player with an ELC to ensure they maintain the rights to the player.

If the strategy is to send their draft pick right back to junior or college then both are equal but the advantage of being able to lock up the prospect contractually makes drafting a junior player less risky.

It helps that they can do whatever they want, whenever they want, and not suffer the consequences.
- Ogilthorpe2

You sound like a Leaf fan

Also the team has the option of allowing a player a "try out" in the NHL before he's returned to the junior team. Also the team can lock up a junior player with an ELC to ensure they maintain the rights to the player.

If the strategy is to send their draft pick right back to junior or college then both are equal but the advantage of being able to lock up the prospect contractually makes drafting a junior player less risky.
- paulr

This is true and a good point - it's the disadvantage players from USNDTP have.

However, if he shows well enough in rookie camp and Traverse City and the Hawks tell him he has a spot on the team - he can break his commitment to college - it's just he doesn't have training camp and pre-season games to prove he's good enough to make the team.

The problem Chicago has is it's defense , last year it got worse. Their is no way Stan can just add a subpar or aged defenseman via free agency and expect different results , especially with 2 aging core defenseman who are locked in for 5 more years and have each lost multiple steps.



Gustafson has a cheap cap hit , his offensive numbers last year where outstanding. Murphy is the odd man out , he hasn't really improved his game since coming here , moving him makes the most sense ..



If moving saad and murphy means Chicago frees up almost 10 million in cap space it can be used to sign a top 4 defenseman.

I don't get the Panarin hate, his playoff resume is pretty darn good, even if he can't carry his team every game. He is putting up points and his team is leaning on him hard. It is a team game and he is doing his part. I don't think he comes back to the Hawks, but if they found a way for the right price, it wouldn't hurt the team. The guy does his job.

The problem Chicago has is it's defense , last year it got worse. Their is no way Stan can just add a subpar or aged defenseman via free agency and expect different results , especially with 2 aging core defenseman who are locked in for 5 more years and have each lost multiple steps.



Gustafson has a cheap cap hit , his offensive numbers last year where outstanding. Murphy is the odd man out , he hasn't really improved his game since coming here , moving him makes the most sense ..



If moving saad and murphy means Chicago frees up almost 10 million in cap space it can be used to sign a top 4 defenseman.
- Taylorst1

Yeah the defense sucked so let’s keep the worst defensive d-man on the team and trade a decent one.

I don't get the Panarin hate, his playoff resume is pretty darn good, even if he can't carry his team every game. He is putting up points and his team is leaning on him hard. It is a team game and he is doing his part. I don't think he comes back to the Hawks, but if they found a way for the right price, it wouldn't hurt the team. The guy does his job.
- breadbag

Meh.

The problem Chicago has is it's defense , last year it got worse. Their is no way Stan can just add a subpar or aged defenseman via free agency and expect different results , especially with 2 aging core defenseman who are locked in for 5 more years and have each lost multiple steps.



Gustafson has a cheap cap hit , his offensive numbers last year where outstanding. Murphy is the odd man out , he hasn't really improved his game since coming here , moving him makes the most sense ..



If moving saad and murphy means Chicago frees up almost 10 million in cap space it can be used to sign a top 4 defenseman.
- Taylorst1

Hawks would have to trade for a top 4 d-man. While some on the UFA list are better then what is already here, none of the names screams top 4 d-man that gets me excited.

https://www.spotrac.com/n...ee-agents/defenseman/ufa/

I don't get the Panarin hate, his playoff resume is pretty darn good, even if he can't carry his team every game. He is putting up points and his team is leaning on him hard. It is a team game and he is doing his part. I don't think he comes back to the Hawks, but if they found a way for the right price, it wouldn't hurt the team. The guy does his job.
- breadbag

One can be critical and not "hate" a player. I have no issues with Panarin, he's a good player. Yes he puts up OK playoff numbers but when a team assigns extra coverage he stops contributing. If he is covered and can't contribute offensively then find another way to contribute. I don't see Panarin doing that.

As for panarin re-signing with the hawks I don't see the point. ADB basically does what Panarin does. The Hawks biggest need is defense not forward so I hope they steer clear of Panarin and focus on what the team's needs are.

And relatively speaking the Bruins' stars are also not obscenely overpaid allowing management and Cassidy a decent supporting cast.
- 67hawks

Lets not forget the Bruins missed the playoffs in 14/15 and 15/16, so they had to do their teardown and rebuild also.

And they fired Chiarelli as GM and Don Sweeney came in and trade Milan Lucic and his boat anchor contract to the Kings for Martin Jones, Colin Miller and a #1 draft choce (Zaboni) that year.

I don't get the Panarin hate, his playoff resume is pretty darn good, even if he can't carry his team every game. He is putting up points and his team is leaning on him hard. It is a team game and he is doing his part. I don't think he comes back to the Hawks, but if they found a way for the right price, it wouldn't hurt the team. The guy does his job.
- breadbag

Me either-imo, 'jacketswere working him like a mule....bring him back if he wants to play for a reasonable number...he makes us better NOW.

New topic:

Maybe I am getting ahead of a movement here, but let’s just say Colorado is able to get past the first team in the history of the NHL playoffs to have two Norris trophy winners on their backline.

The smaller of the two, the push defender who is going to ,looking for along term deal as an UFA that will continue to be one of the higher salaries paid a NHL defenseman was on the ice for three goals.

Moreover, he simply was gamgstered off the puck on the OT winner.

I will never profess to understand the trends, but IF SOMEHOW San Jose loses the series, (my preference so Jumbo jerk Thornton can retire w/o Silver as payment for his dirty stick hurts to Tazer’s face after his return from concussion. (Yeah I said it yet again!), if san Joses looses the series, does that affect the salary #65, E Karlsson will be offered?
Moreover, how does it affect teams views when scouting and judging these lightweight offensive men in all future drafts?

We all know how the playoffs are now far from a reflection of what the NHL teams have to play is the pre-playoff.
Is that where Karlsson thrives the regular season or is this just the continued delicate balance that has always existed toward goal scoring forwards?
Is it ok to populate (over-populate) backlines with loads of under six footers like the Hawks have drafted?
We are all older and have out old ideas of bigger crease clearers and continue to resist the changes to defenders having to be more skilled in all areas of their game save for size and grit.

So we know someone signs karlsson, but is he making more than he now, or less?

After watching that OT goal I am starting to have my doubts again my opinion, but you can’t neglect that when Burns & #65 are out there together they can take care of business and create O.

One can be critical and not "hate" a player. I have no issues with Panarin, he's a good player. Yes he puts up OK playoff numbers but when a team assigns extra coverage he stops contributing. If he is covered and can't contribute offensively then find another way to contribute. I don't see Panarin doing that.

As for panarin re-signing with the hawks I don't see the point. ADB basically does what Panarin does. The Hawks biggest need is defense not forward so I hope they steer clear of Panarin and focus on what the team's needs are.
- paulr

Apparently you didn’t get the memo. Critical thinking is no longer viewed as a valued skill set.

The problem Chicago has is it's defense , last year it got worse. Their is no way Stan can just add a subpar or aged defenseman via free agency and expect different results , especially with 2 aging core defenseman who are locked in for 5 more years and have each lost multiple steps.



Gustafson has a cheap cap hit , his offensive numbers last year where outstanding. Murphy is the odd man out , he hasn't really improved his game since coming here , moving him makes the most sense ..



If moving saad and murphy means Chicago frees up almost 10 million in cap space it can be used to sign a top 4 defenseman.
- Taylorst1

I would argue Murphy was much better last year then the year before, and was playing in the shutdown role for most of the year (probably miscast), but as far as defensive defenseman, he probably was the best on the Hawks, definitely the most physical. I don't think he is the problem, nor should they just cast him aside.

One can be critical and not "hate" a player. I have no issues with Panarin, he's a good player. Yes he puts up OK playoff numbers but when a team assigns extra coverage he stops contributing. If he is covered and can't contribute offensively then find another way to contribute. I don't see Panarin doing that.

As for panarin re-signing with the hawks I don't see the point. ADB basically does what Panarin does. The Hawks biggest need is defense not forward so I hope they steer clear of Panarin and focus on what the team's needs are.
- paulr

I obviously didn't mean real hate, but I don't see what there is to complain about him overall. He contributes fine. His numbers are in line with a star player and he plays a ton of minutes up front (over 23 minutes per game in the last two post-seasons). You can hand pick games for any player and say "so and so doesn't contribute." I get that some people have issues with him, but there isn't anything fundamental or glaring with this guy. It is more about personal preference at this point.

I'm also not suggesting the Hawks need to get Panarin, but the guy is a great winger. I've been harping the defensive need for a long time, but for the right price offensive weapons have a role, especially if the Hawks aren't so lucky with regards to injury next season (like they were this season). What isn't a need at the moment could very quickly become one and the changes the Hawks are likely to make are not individual moves in isolation. I don't know what the overall plan is and I will fully admit, I don't expect Panarin to be a Hawk, but I wouldn't be sad if he was back on a team friendly contract. Stan might pull the trigger on a trade or two and the landscape of the team could change.

Me either-m they were working him like a mule....bring him back if he wants to play for a reasonable number...he makes us better NOW.

New topic:

Maybe I am getting ahead of a movement here, but let’s just say Colorado is able to get past the first team in the history of the NHL playoffs to have two Norris trophy winners on their backline.

The smaller of the two, the push defender who is going to ,looking for along term deal as an UFA that will continue to be one of the higher salaries paid a NHL defenseman was on the ice for three goals.

Moreover, he simply was gamgstered off the puck on the OT winner.

I will never profess to understand the trends, but IF SOMEHOW San Jose loses the series, (my preference so Jumbo jerk Thornton can retire w/o Silver as payment for his dirty stick hurts to Tazer’s face after his return from concussion. (Yeah I said it yet again!), if san Joses looses the series, does that affect the salary #65, E Karlsson will be offered?
Moreover, how does it affect teams views when scouting and judging these lightweight offensive men in all future drafts?

We all know how the playoffs are now far from a reflection of what the NHL teams have to play is the pre-playoff.
Is that where Karlsson thrives the regular season or is this just the continued delicate balance that has always existed toward goal scoring forwards?
Is it ok to populate (over-populate) backlines with loads of under six footers like the Hawks have drafted?
We are all older and have out old ideas of bigger crease clearers and continue to resist the changes to defenders having to be more skilled in all areas of their game save for size and grit.

So we know someone signs karlsson, but is he making more than he now, or less?

After watching that OT goal I am starting to have my doubts again my opinion, but you can’t neglect that when Burns & #65 are out there together they can take care of business and create O.
- wiz1901

Do u like Dmen like Burns, Pietrangelo, Brandon Carlo, Jacob Slavin, V. Herman, Shea Weber, Thomas Chabot?

I do because I like the big defenceman with some nastiness to go with their size. The 170 lb high skill puck moving defender is fine but not when there are too many of them on one team. That team will get beat up big time in the playoffs every single time. Karlsson will be paid big $ and term but I doubt it will be with SJ.

I'd love to have Panarin back too, but I would rather have depth in the forward ranks and improved defense.
- DarthKane

If Artemi truly want to return, he would have to be reasonable in his expectations.

We don't know if there was a really high level of connection with him and the Hawk teammates, we all are very willing to categorize every Russian as a carpetbagger/slut who cares little about team winning and just wants that money.

Maybe Artemi misses that connection, we truly don't know what is the reasoning behind his Columbus departure...

The way I view it is the Chicago Franchise is a huge market and they fan base is already crumbling in the face of the changes, and there are lots of long term solutions in the draft and in the farm that ARE gonna make a dent, but the price they pay for tickets especially as season ticket holders, they aren't gonna want to wait and the want an action past the ones taken over the course of last free fancy and the "necessary cap subtraction trades" that emotionally affected many fans.

Panarin at the right price is a better investment than an over pay on any one of our young gun stable...and that helps you re-up on your season ticket.

I think the company line will be in place no matter who they sign or don't, but a Panarin return and reason negotiated numbers is a PR win.

Do u like Dmen like Burns, Pietrangelo, Brandon Carlo, Jacob Slavin, V. Herman, Shea Weber, Thomas Chabot?

I do because I like the big defenceman with some nastiness to go with their size. The 170 lb high skill puck moving defender is fine but not when there are too many of them on one team. That team will get beat up big time in the playoffs every single time. Karlsson will be paid big $ and term but I doubt it will be with SJ.
- RickJ

Yes, and that is my point:

making sure you draft a Broberg too, because they have essential roles in the NHL playoffs and I wonder how GM Wiz spends his Cap, on 4 push defenders or a couple Mattias Ekholms?

Yes, and that is my point:

making sure you draft a Broberg too, because they have essential roles in the NHL playoffs and I wonder how GM Wiz spends his Cap, on 4 push defenders or a couple Mattias Ekholms?
- wiz1901

I understand the argument and don't necessarily disagree with it - but there are more "sizes" than just big and small - there are player in between the Burns and the Karlsson's. A player like Doughty is a great 2-way d-man that is in that middle ground. He weighs more now that he's older but he was pretty close to the same size as Byram when he stepped right into the NHL after being selected with the #2 pick in 2008. My point is that it's not cut and dry related to size - a player the size of Doughty or Byram can play physical enough to be a very good and physical defender.

I don't get the Panarin hate, his playoff resume is pretty darn good, even if he can't carry his team every game. He is putting up points and his team is leaning on him hard. It is a team game and he is doing his part. I don't think he comes back to the Hawks, but if they found a way for the right price, it wouldn't hurt the team. The guy does his job.
- breadbag

What's the right price? At the price he'll command on the market, his job is to be the difference between going to the next round and going home.

I understand the argument and don't necessarily disagree with it - but there are more "sizes" than just big and small - there are player in between the Burns and the Karlsson's. A player like Doughty is a great 2-way d-man that is in that middle ground. He weighs more now that he's older but he was pretty close to the same size as Byram when he stepped right into the NHL after being selected with the #2 pick in 2008. My point is that it's not cut and dry related to size - a player the size of Doughty or Byram can play physical enough to be a very good and physical defender.
- EbonyRaptor

You're right, look at Jay Bouwmeester, 6'4" 220 and he's not physical at all. I agree with Rick you need balance of skill and physical defensemen .... or you have what the Hawks did in their cup years, skilled defenders who weren't mean and physical but they also didn't shay away from the rough stuff and could play through hits that "no human could withstand".

You're right, look at Jay Bouwmeester, 6'4" 220 and he's not physical at all. I agree with Rick you need balance of skill and physical defensemen .... or you have what the Hawks did in their cup years, skilled defenders who weren't mean and physical but they also didn't shay away from the rough stuff and could play through hits that "no human could withstand".
- paulr

Being able to take a hit while calmly making the right play is the ultimate in physical and mental toughness IMO.

I obviously didn't mean real hate, but I don't see what there is to complain about him overall. He contributes fine. His numbers are in line with a star player and he plays a ton of minutes up front (over 23 minutes per game in the last two post-seasons). You can hand pick games for any player and say "so and so doesn't contribute." I get that some people have issues with him, but there isn't anything fundamental or glaring with this guy. It is more about personal preference at this point.

I'm also not suggesting the Hawks need to get Panarin, but the guy is a great winger. I've been harping the defensive need for a long time, but for the right price offensive weapons have a role, especially if the Hawks aren't so lucky with regards to injury next season (like they were this season). What isn't a need at the moment could very quickly become one and the changes the Hawks are likely to make are not individual moves in isolation. I don't know what the overall plan is and I will fully admit, I don't expect Panarin to be a Hawk, but I wouldn't be sad if he was back on a team friendly contract. Stan might pull the trigger on a trade or two and the landscape of the team could change.
- breadbag

Doesn't "team friendly contract" really mean you don't think he's worth the amount he's gonna get? If you don't want him at market value you don't think he's as good as the market thinks he is. In other words, you're a hater.

Doesn't "team friendly contract" really mean you don't think he's worth the amount he's gonna get? If you don't want him at market value you don't think he's as good as the market thinks he is. In other words, you're a hater.
- mohel

Being able to take a hit while calmly making the right play is the ultimate in physical and mental toughness IMO.
- Ogilthorpe2

Agree. Would add that purposely laying down in front of a piece of frozen rubber zipping along at 100 mph also qualifies.