I'd rather see him audition at 1LW or 2RW. Show him the game he needs to play and address developmental tasks based upon the gap in his play today versus where they need him to be.
- Return of the Roar

That's plausible as well. A lot of the wing options are not set in stone except for Kane and DeBrincat. Even Saad who can be either 1LW or 3LW.

In addition to Dach and Saad, these forwards are in the mix and have a chance to play in the top 9: Shaw, Caggiula, Sikura, Kubalik, Perlini (if signed).

Smith could play 3rd line and I guess so could Kampf and Carpenter but I would much rather they play 4th line. That would exhibit solid depth up and down the forward roster.

Didn't Shaw do that with Bickell and Stalberg? I know Bolland missed a lot of games that year
- BetweenTheDots

Perhaps. Others might have a better memory on how this played out but I think you're right.

Last year the Hawks roster had a few players on their NHL roster that probably should have been classified as journeyman AHL players. This year Rockford could have a few players that could be classified as marginal NHL players. A small, but significant, difference. As a believer that the difference is razor thin between winning and losing in the NHL, the slight upgrade in the bottom 6, the slight upgrade on D, the slight upgrade in goal could be meaningful.

Versteeg is a forgotten man. But I think he would have to be added to the pool of about 12 guys fighting for a few roster spots. (Dach, Kubalik, Wedin, Carpenter, Sikura, Perlini, Entwistle, Highmore, Quennville, Nylander, Kurashev, Saarlea, Smith) Kris had 11 pts in 12 games after joining the Swedish League in February. If he is healthy, even if he does not make the Hawks, he will make training camp, scrimmages and preseason games more interesting. He will not go down without a fight (figuratively and literally).

DeHaan fine if his shoulder stays attached.

Matta not so much.

I don't think they've solved the problem of zone exits as neither of those fellers is going to carry it or make the home run pass.

Keith is the only defender at this point as far as i can tell who can complete a zone exit and that is not a good thing. Maybe Gus too since he can go forward. But they play together soooo two pairs are fixing to get buried. Yikes.

Probably still a playoff team but I'd look at this as another build year to prep for the next group of talent possibly working their way in next year unless another few bodies flip.
- fattybeef

The way Stan has constructed the team, I do not think they are going to rely so much on the stretch pass as in years past. I think they will be much better in turning the puck over in the neutral zone than they have in the past couple of seasons.

That's plausible as well. A lot of the wing options are not set in stone except for Kane and DeBrincat. Even Saad who can be either 1LW or 3LW.

In addition to Dach and Saad, these forwards are in the mix and have a chance to play in the top 9: Shaw, Caggiula, Sikura, Kubalik, Perlini (if signed).

Smith could play 3rd line and I guess so could Kampf and Carpenter but I would much rather they play 4th line. That would exhibit solid depth up and down the forward roster.
- AEL_Fox

I honestly don't understand this mind set, if he knows how to play the game of hockey, and he's talented and tough enough to do it, let him play, if he's a top talent center playing 3rd line center advantage Blackhawks. There are players that need to be nurtured along and there are players who can be thrown into the fire, all of them don't have to be coddled along and i hope Dach is one of those players.

I wonder if Hughes and Kakko will be playing in the minors?

I honestly don't understand this mind set, if he knows how to play the game of hockey, and he's talented and tough enough to do it, let him play, if he's a top talent center playing 3rd line center advantage Blackhawks. There are players that need to be nurtured along and there are players who can be thrown into the fire, all of them don't have to be coddled along and i hope Dach is one of those players.

I wonder if Hughes and Kakko will be playing in the minors?
- BetweenTheDots

I agree with the bolded. The hope is that the Hawks brass is able to tell in which group Dach falls.

Hey dumbass, Crawford’s nickname is Crow, not “Craw”

Freaking idiot
- Katana777

This is what I was talking about earlier.

Some people live sad, negative lives.

Grow up.

Requirements for a Cup:

1. Lights out goalie
2. Relentless forecheck from all four lines
3. Defense that gets the puck back quickly and transitions well
4. Stay healthy

Hawks still need work on the middle two - defense now more than forecheck - and the fourth is in the province of Lady Luck.
- Return of the Roar

Forgot #5: Score more goals than opponent each game.

Forgot #5: Score more goals than opponent each game.
- BlackhawkMike

Good one.

Seriously, when Magic started doing commentary shortly after he retired in the mid-90's, one of the games he said something like- "Team A, what they want to do, the goal of Team A is to get the ball into the net of Team B."

Dylan Cozens dislocated Thumb injury in Development Camp that required Surgery...out 3 months minimum.

Dylan Cozens dislocated Thumb injury in Development Camp that required Surgery...out 3 months minimum.


- EnzoD

Well I guess getting a top 4 Defenseman for a soft prospect makes up for it.

Option A please...unless there’s a 3C still to come.
- Ogilthorpe2

Chances are the "other" goalie is going to play a lot of games, even if Crawford stays off IR the entire season. I would rather have Lehner play those 30 or 40 or more games than Delia and I suspect you would too. I suspect the difference of opinion between us is that I put more weight on having the delta of Lehner versus Delia for 60 minutes per game over 30 or 40 games than the delta between Anisimov versus Smith for 16 minutes per game for 82 games.

Maybe at some point Delia will prove to be as good as Lehner but that point has not yet been reached. Given Crawford's recent injury history I think the priority to have the best #2 goalie possible is much more important than having Anisimov on the team.

Dylan Cozens dislocated Thumb injury in Development Camp that required Surgery...out 3 months minimum.


- EnzoD

Are you happy about that?

Dylan Cozens dislocated Thumb injury in Development Camp that required Surgery...out 3 months minimum.


- EnzoD

Trade for Cozens Stan and help out Buffalo again.

Are you happy about that?
- mohel

Apparently, although he’s about three weeks late with the “news flash”

People need to stop stressing about this.

Take a longer term view of things, because while the team may be better on paper, and may not be done with deals yet this off season, once you accept they aren't going to win the cup next season

They also have a new CBA to get through.

And the expansion draft.

And re-signing ADB and Strome.

And developing the future defensive group.

None of these things are going to happen this year, so they are doing the best with what they have to work with cap and contract wise to be better than last year. A reasonable and achievable goal.

So they lost AA and Joki. Would keeping them win them a Cup this year? No.

This year's team is an all in just to make the playoffs to recapture some public relevance, and most importantly setting themselves up to be more flexible with shorter term deals until then, as the real rebuild takes shape over the next two years.

Patience.
- Return of the Roar

Who are you and how were you able to hack ROTR's account???

Chances are the "other" goalie is going to play a lot of games, even if Crawford stays off IR the entire season. I would rather have Lehner play those 30 or 40 or more games than Delia and I suspect you would too. I suspect the difference of opinion between us is that I put more weight on having the delta of Lehner versus Delia for 60 minutes per game over 30 or 40 games than the delta between Anisimov versus Smith for 16 minutes per game for 82 games.

Maybe at some point Delia will prove to be as good as Lehner but that point has not yet been reached. Given Crawford's recent injury history I think the priority to have the best #2 goalie possible is much more important than having Anisimov on the team.
- EbonyRaptor

I think you’re consistently one of the best posters on this site, I respect your opinion, and agree with your points of view frequently...this just happens to be one of those times where I disagree. I think many people undervalue what AA brought, and overvalue those few categories in which Smith is better. If Dach isn’t a Calder candidate next season and/or if Toews or Strome miss significant time to injuries I think it could be a long season.

I'm shocked how upset people are about the Hawks trading Anisimov... actually, I'm not.

Who are you and how were you able to hack ROTR's account???
- HawkintheD

Right?

I'm shocked how upset people are about the Hawks trading Anisimov... actually, I'm not.
- DarthKane

Most people aren’t. Being that most of those same people usually hate every move Stan makes...that’s kinda what has me on edge.

Most people aren’t. Being that most of those same people usually hate every move Stan makes...that’s kinda what has me on edge.
- Ogilthorpe2

Actually the way the sides have aligned on this thing has me feeling a bit like I woke up in the Bizarro World.

We all still agree this is Dale's team though right?

Actually the way the sides have aligned on this thing has me feeling a bit like I woke up in the Bizarro World.

We all still agree this is Dale's team though right?
- HawkintheD

Bingo bango.

Actually the way the sides have aligned on this thing has me feeling a bit like I woke up in the Bizarro World.

We all still agree this is Dale's team though right?
- HawkintheD

Half the issue is that the off season is boring and we have no actual games to argue about.

Fall will come and everyone will go back to bashing Gus and worrying that Stan Bowman will resign him.

Actually the way the sides have aligned on this thing has me feeling a bit like I woke up in the Bizarro World.

We all still agree this is Dale's team though right?
- HawkintheD

Only if it does well, Jack. How many times do we need to go over this?

Only if it does well, Jack. How many times do we need to go over this?
- mohel

Easy fellas. No inter-posse fighting.