Should we draft Dach/Cozens/Turcotte is there any chance
he plays on top line w/19-88. What better way to develop
these kids than to play with 2 of the best of all time in real
time.....

But I'm thinking we draft BB and trade Gus++ to get a second
1st round choice to draft a center, just a guess.

Any chance of this trade happening, Cat/Strome/Forsling to Buff for
Ristolainen/Mittlestadt and their first rounder?

Imagine if all this happened, getting one of Boldy/Cozens/Dach/Turcotte
plus BB plus maybe Knight or a Kaliyev, what a draft that would be,
again only my 2 cents
- gazza53

Better get their pick for next season, too. Risto isn't very good.

You paying 6M for Ferland? Cause that has been reported what he is asking? With term
- Elbows15

Me? No. They Hawks or someone in th league may. And what he asks for doesnt mean it's what he will get.

I was responding to the size/grit to play LW with 88&19...and those 2 UFAs came to mind

Which one I made two?

- gazza53

Haha...a penny for each?

Saw this on Twitter and would see about Patches, not Statsny.

I like the idea of filling multiple holes better though

@Account4hockey 2h

Chris Johnston on SN960 says based on his knowledge and his gut feel that Vegas will trade one of Pacioretty or Stastny in the next few days to clear cap space.

Wiz says Byram, but I’m not sure that’s what he really thinks or what he wants other analysts to think he thinks!
- walleyeb1

Does anyone know who wiz thinks Hawks should select. Anytime some ask him I don't ever read who he chooses

Haha...a penny for each?
- PatShart

I must start saving then

Looks like Alex Edler signing a 3 year deal back with the Canucks

Better get their pick for next season, too. Risto isn't very good.
- Elbows15

If we go all Finnish in the back there could be benefits.

Risto was always over slotted, playing w/Olli-Joki might
help and face it if the cap doesn't go u how do we afford
Cat/Strome?

Saw this on Twitter and would see about Patches, not Statsny.

I like the idea of filling multiple holes better though

@Account4hockey 2h

Chris Johnston on SN960 says based on his knowledge and his gut feel that Vegas will trade one of Pacioretty or Stastny in the next few days to clear cap space.
- ikeane

Count the Hawks out for either of those guys. Too much money and term.

If Turcotte gets drafted, it's not a PR stunt

His numbers, skill are right there with the rest of the tight bunch.

Scouts arent scouts very long (and not as long or respected as Mark Kelly) if they draft guys for PR reasons
- PatShart

Who say's Kelly will have the last word ,that would be Stan job I would think .And who knows who else may be in Stan's ear ..

I was reading the Athletics Blackhawks Q&A and they alluded to a possible trade of the #3 only if they fall no further then #7. Which team would covet Byram or other and have the picks and assets to make a deal?

I wouldn't be shocked at all to see the Hawks trade with Detroit or Buffalo. Swap first rounders and pick up an extra pick or two. The Hawks would still end up with one of the 5 guys on their list and get extra picks
- biskit67

This is what I think happens if they don't draft Byram and in fact if Byram isn't their man they are guilty of idiocy if they don't. I think they trade the pick to LA or Detroilet, get their 1st rounder and as much as they can and draft in this order of availability Zegras, Turcotte or maybe Dach.

Then package what is needed to move into the late 1st early 2nd and get a beast center in Beecher. In 2-3 yrs you'll have a 1st or 2nd C freak skilled guy in Zegras and a first rate beast 3C in Beecher for the next 10 yrs.

Read something about PHI always collecting/drafting Dmen and it pertains to the Hawks if they go Byram. Thought is all the guys won't make it but the rest will/could become 1st/2nd pairing guys. Time will come when you have to pay the older guys and in the hard cap world you can't pay them all. Move an established guy that needs to be paid for assets, keep a couple, and you have a young or ELC guy to replace the guy you couldn't afford. Theory is you always have coveted 1st/2nd pairing Dmen on your NHL roster and some in the pipeline to replace ones you move.

Who say's Kelly will have the last word ,that would be Stan job I would think .And who knows who else may be in Stan's ear ..
- oldduffman

Yeah Scotty!

Who say's Kelly will have the last word ,that would be Stan job I would think .And who knows who else may be in Stan's ear ..
- oldduffman

Turcotte's hype/skill isnt because he is local to Chicago. It's in every "experts" radar or evaluation

And any respectable scout like Kelley wouldn't stay in one organization long if his views were being over turned based on where someone is from.

If Turcotte doesnt pan out wherever...it wont be because he is local

Count the Hawks out for either of those guys. Too much money and term.
- Return of the Roar

Stastny may fit depending on what goes back, he only has two years left on his contract.

Does anyone know who wiz thinks Hawks should select. Anytime some ask him I don't ever read who he chooses
- HamiltonHawk

I don’t think he’s telling, this was from late last night:

I was pretty certain that my drafts were being cloned and also used as parts of consensus built mocks by more that two publications, and I knew that it wasn't going to hurt anything to do a merry go round over the course of the next days while I actually am feverishly looking through scribbles and trying to find why I justified putting everyone in the 7 rounds at all. IT IS GOOD for internet Hits(Business) if there suddenly is a new order to things...
There was not any part of today that I didn't spend on the draft, because I have to ready to load every REAL pick so I have to keep adding to my "not seven ads", if they are eligible and the teams select them...they are not one person....likeme.

But what I came across by way of a FRIEND WHO PAID FOR a couple online draft downloads is they read like mine, too close in both slot and words that my paranoia set in...and these sites had a dozen writers/prognosticators and I started thinking....here, this something I love doing.. a gift...free to all..my gift...my opinion, (and one that seems to place stress on my marriage due to my fanatic devotion of time) an opinion you can decide to take, or dispute, but to see it used to SELL some download is to me lazy and wrong, and I kinda want to find a way hold back my opinions and have them appear like tomorrow instead of all year round.
Part of today was trying to have some loose decision on the top four rounds for next year...sure very early and fluid, but I wanted to give everyone a look forward to junior play for August 2019 until June draft 2020,,,,I am starting to think I may just nOT do that put one round and let them do their own work!

Paul: All year it is Wiz puts the players as if I am each team, debating until my head explodes but I love doing it...
NOW in the next few by Friday noon, a non travel day, I will try and have player to team, and that is already starting to line up....

I just want to say this once:
If anyone thinks Bowen Byram is ACTUALLY destined to be an all around impact number one defender (and that the deficits that I have brought up and a couple other folks are now acknowledging), the entire draft board is stuck at slot three (causing us an inability to try and fill after the three slot forward tumble) is resolved in one of the following:
a) The Hawks are attempting to enjoy the projections of Byram there and will be involved in discussions of plenty of scenarios that are short jumps where they still secure a big centre/big player?
b) This would mean they HAVE decided on going for an impact forward.
c) The only logical trade down candidate WOULD be the Kings and at this point I have pretty much convinced myself that the prowess of Spencer Knight, his upside in place athleticism is going to NOT SEE HIM on the board by that second Kings (Leaf's) pick at slot 22...he won't last, and they are not trading the pick for Derek Forbort or a player on a King's teamer to another lower than slot 6. Not good business long term for the franchise.
d) The Blackhawks have locked on Byram and are not looking back and his defensive failing are only a figment of my imagination and he a good business decision for the state of Chicago NHL hockey and
e) The hawks are bypassing the forward position in this FAT class of upside forwards, or
f) They are trying to sucker the Rangewrs to make a mistake.
- wiz1901

JC better keep Kane with Toews so Toews doesnt regress

If the only way to get the max play out of JT is 88...then it would be foolish to split them at this juncture
- PatShart

No, because Kane’s defensive liabilities make it questionable to use Toews for defensive zone starts.

Even if the cap goes up just a little this year, and continues to at least trend upward in 2020-21 The Hawks should have closer to 17mill of cap space with AA and Crawford off the books and Gus's 1.5 gone as well if they don't retain salary. 7mil for Cat sounds fair, and so does 5mil for Strome. That means about 5mil left over for a goaltender, or maybe Crawford resigns for a shorter term. By then Enwhistle or Kurashev should be ready to replace AA on ELC's.

Panarin Toews Kane
Cat Strome Perlini
Saad Kurashev Sikura
Kubalik Kampf Caggiula
- SoftServe

No disrespect meant but ......
I take it you were saying that Bowman should stand Pat this summer? Well, if they put that light up on the ice next year, come April 10 next year, Rocky Wirtz or John McDonough have two words for Stan Bowman .........You”re Fired!
John Macdonough,during his TV interview last week and was very candid when he said missing the playoffs for a third year is not an option.So personally I would hope that Stan Bowman will be as aggressive in the next couple of weeks as he promised from the start.

I think Turcotte is a winner the same way Toews or Bergeron are winners. He has a near NHL build now and strength at center is a better predictor of success then a loaded blue line.

If BB was a sure number one defender he'd go after Hughes. Take the player with the most potential for success (there are all forwards) and go from there.

The only "surprise" I see with Bowman in this spot is Trevor Zegras. He could be the Barrett Hayton of this year's draft.
- Tyler Cameron

So you have been researching and watching video, not highlights but shift by shift film. Kid is simply a freak, IQ, a frame to fill out, 3 zone player, has some snarl and regarded by many as the best offensive player in this draft on par with Hughes.

He just checks the Hawks top 5 boxes, skill, skill, skill, skill and skill the other boxes on a checklist be damned......... I'd add Dach is not for behind, if at all, and is 6ft 4 inches already.

From The Athletic’s poll of NHL scouts:

In your estimation how good are the blue-chip centres in this class and who has the biggest ceiling outside of Hughes?

Lots of good centres in the draft at the top end, Kirby Dach (Saskatoon Blades, WHL) to me is one player with a very high ceiling.
Kirby Dach. A really good group of centres.
Trevor Zegras (U.S. U18, NTDP), I think 10 years down the road people will look back and see who was taken before him and just wonder.
It’s a solid group and for me outside of Hughes, it would be Trevor Zegras.
They are excellent and in abundance this year. If I had to pick one I’d take Trevor Zegras.
I would go with Alex Turcotte (U.S. U18, NTDP) and/or Trevor Zegras in terms of ceiling. If Turcotte proves not to be a band-aid, he can become a high-end two-way player. Zegras has shown excellent things with more ice time and I love his shot and grit.

Dach

Stan Bowman said he basically knows who the Blackhawks will draft at No. 3 on Friday. He said trading the pick isn't likely.

From The Athletic’s poll of NHL scouts:

In your estimation how good are the blue-chip centres in this class and who has the biggest ceiling outside of Hughes?

Lots of good centres in the draft at the top end, Kirby Dach (Saskatoon Blades, WHL) to me is one player with a very high ceiling.
Kirby Dach. A really good group of centres.
Trevor Zegras (U.S. U18, NTDP), I think 10 years down the road people will look back and see who was taken before him and just wonder.
It’s a solid group and for me outside of Hughes, it would be Trevor Zegras.
They are excellent and in abundance this year. If I had to pick one I’d take Trevor Zegras.
I would go with Alex Turcotte (U.S. U18, NTDP) and/or Trevor Zegras in terms of ceiling. If Turcotte proves not to be a band-aid, he can become a high-end two-way player. Zegras has shown excellent things with more ice time and I love his shot and grit.

Dach
- scottak

Simply said Zegras is a freak, period. I notice Cozens is not listed and think the heavy hitters who make a living at this see him as a wing in the bigs. Lotta tools and talent but not a 1C.

Dach has everything all the freak skill guys have, including IQ, except top end speed. The 6ft 4in beast can really work his edges, kind a guy who has to have his skates sharpened every period, and the puck stays on his stick.

I think Turcotte is a winner the same way Toews or Bergeron are winners.
- fattybeef

I think you're right and the comparisons to Toews and Bergeron are fair. Kid has off the charts compete with IQ and "enough" skill to make the other top line pay. Kinda guy who is much better in the playoffs than regular season.

I think Turcotte is a winner the same way Toews or Bergeron are winners. He has a near NHL build now and strength at center is a better predictor of success then a loaded blue line.

If BB was a sure number one defender he'd go after Hughes. Take the player with the most potential for success (there are all forwards) and go from there.
- fattybeef

Debatable....the way that Kakko dominated at the World Championships has even put a reasonable doubt on Hughes as #1 Overall. Did Toews and Bergeron have serious Hip Injuries before they were drafted?? I understand the comparisons in style of play, but Bergeron is 6'1" and Toews is 6'2" so I just feel like of all the guys at #3 in the conversation, Turcotte seems the riskiest bc of injury concerns.

Look at the 2017 draft as a prime example....In a re-draft I bet Heiskanen goes above BOTH Nolan Patrick and Nico Hiscier.