At least Uncle Lou's team won a playoff series, in less time
- BetweenTheDots

Did I read yesterday someone on here say Barrie was better than Keith? Or some comparison of the two was made? Or am I becoming delusional from lock down?

The same Keith that played top pairing on Canada's Olympic team, has a few Norris trophies in his closet, and I think 3 cups and a Conn Smythe.

Did I read yesterday someone on here say Barrie was better than Keith? Or some comparison of the two was made? Or am I becoming delusional from lock down?

The same Keith that played top pairing on Canada's Olympic team, has a few Norris trophies in his closet, and I think 3 cups and a Conn Smythe.
- bhawks2241

Pretty much, the guy is in denial, when Nick Leddy is pretty much better than any of the defenseman on your team, your team has serious issues

Wouldn’t Mitchell - and Beaudin, and Carlsson - need to be playing? I don’t think you want those guys being 6/7 in the Show.

If they can’t full time at least third line, they need to be in Rockford playing every night.
- StLBravesFan

Definitely agree with the premise that young players need to play most of the time - not watch. My thought was to ease Mitchell in by playing him on the bottom pairing in a rotation with a couple other guys like Maatta and Seabrook, and then for him to earn more time as the season moves along.

Which brings up a great question. Do you pay for what a play may do or what they did? Matthews and Marner's salary is better than what Toews and Kane are getting and they haven't won anything.
- paulr

Almost all contracts in all sports look good at the beginning, and not so good at the end, from the teams perspective. From the players side, the opposite is true.

Unless every league caps contract length at 3 years or less, it's probably always going to be the case.

Did I read yesterday someone on here say Barrie was better than Keith? Or some comparison of the two was made? Or am I becoming delusional from lock down?

The same Keith that played top pairing on Canada's Olympic team, has a few Norris trophies in his closet, and I think 3 cups and a Conn Smythe.
- bhawks2241

He was comparing Keith to Morgan Reilly. If memory serves, he said that Reilly is just as good (if not better) that Keith was at the same stage of development.

I have no idea what metric he was using to make such a claim, but he mentioned elsewhere that Reilly had put up 72 points and was +whatever. The problem is that was an outlier season and this year Rielly was back to his historical average. I'm not saying that Rielly is bad by any stretch, but to compare him to Keith (even in his first seven years). Points are about the same, but the overall metrics are notably tilted in Keith's favor.

There is no guarantee we even have a season next year
- flashfire

We all only have the present moment.

As Dan Patrick said, "...he's listed as day to day, but aren't we all?"

He was comparing Keith to Morgan Reilly. If memory serves, he said that Reilly is just as good (if not better) that Keith was at the same stage of development.

I have no idea what metric he was using to make such a claim, but he mentioned elsewhere that Reilly had put up 72 points and was +whatever. The problem is that was an outlier season and this year Rielly was back to his historical average. I'm not saying that Rielly is bad by any stretch, but to compare him to Keith (even in his first seven years). Points are about the same, but the overall metrics are notably tilted in Keith's favor.
- Chunk

Keith was one of the best defensemen in the NHL in the last 10 years, no one the Leafs have and especially Barrie are even close.

He was comparing Keith to Morgan Reilly. If memory serves, he said that Reilly is just as good (if not better) that Keith was at the same stage of development.

I have no idea what metric he was using to make such a claim, but he mentioned elsewhere that Reilly had put up 72 points and was +whatever. The problem is that was an outlier season and this year Rielly was back to his historical average. I'm not saying that Rielly is bad by any stretch, but to compare him to Keith (even in his first seven years). Points are about the same, but the overall metrics are notably tilted in Keith's favor.
- Chunk

Well at least that is a bit better of a comparison but still.... just no.

He was comparing Keith to Morgan Reilly. If memory serves, he said that Reilly is just as good (if not better) that Keith was at the same stage of development.

I have no idea what metric he was using to make such a claim, but he mentioned elsewhere that Reilly had put up 72 points and was +whatever. The problem is that was an outlier season and this year Rielly was back to his historical average. I'm not saying that Rielly is bad by any stretch, but to compare him to Keith (even in his first seven years). Points are about the same, but the overall metrics are notably tilted in Keith's favor.
- Chunk

Just a demented Leaf fan, spewing it's center of the universe logic

Keith was one of the best defensemen in the NHL in the last 10 years, no one the Leafs have and especially Barrie are even close.
- paulr

He was comparing to Morgan Reilly and claimed Reilly was better than Keith in their respective primes.

Chicago Blackhawks
@NHLBlackhawks
Signed on!

The #Blackhawks have extended forward Matthew Highmore and goaltender Kevin Lankinen and inked forwards Evan Barratt and Andrei Altybarmakyan to entry-level contracts.

Chicago Blackhawks
@NHLBlackhawks
Signed on!

The #Blackhawks have extended forward Matthew Highmore and goaltender Kevin Lankinen and inked forwards Evan Barratt and Andrei Altybarmakyan to entry-level contracts.
- TommyHawk

Awesome! Thanks for sharing this info. I'm excited. But as always, I must converse with "The Wise One." Darth, what say you about the timing of these signings?

Chicago Blackhawks
@NHLBlackhawks
Signed on!

The #Blackhawks have extended forward Matthew Highmore and goaltender Kevin Lankinen and inked forwards Evan Barratt and Andrei Altybarmakyan to entry-level contracts.
- TommyHawk

Highmore takes a pay cut from 776k to 725k.
Lankinen takes a pay cut too from 925k to 800k. Hawks now have him and Delia as goalies signed that can be exposed in the expansion draft. Wonder if one of them will be traded eventually to someone who needs an exposable goalie.

4 signings, per Dietz:

Highmore, 2 years, $1.45M

Barratt, 3 years $2.61M

Altybarmakyan, 2 years $1.635M

Lankinen 2 years, $1.6M

Chicago Blackhawks
@NHLBlackhawks
Signed on!

The #Blackhawks have extended forward Matthew Highmore and goaltender Kevin Lankinen and inked forwards Evan Barratt and Andrei Altybarmakyan to entry-level contracts.
- TommyHawk

The timing of these deals is highly suspect. Stan could have waited longer and got better deals, another Bowman fail.

Chicago Blackhawks
@NHLBlackhawks
Signed on!

The #Blackhawks have extended forward Matthew Highmore and goaltender Kevin Lankinen and inked forwards Evan Barratt and Andrei Altybarmakyan to entry-level contracts.
- TommyHawk

Hawks now have 36 players signed to standard contracts next year with 9 RFAs yet to be signed. So 45 of 50 contracts accounted for. Still room for Mitchell to sign.

Keith was one of the best defensemen in the NHL in the last 10 years, no one the Leafs have and especially Barrie are even close.
- paulr

One of the best 2. Doughty is the only one who can be argued is better. I take Keith over all the rest.

4 signings, per Dietz:

Highmore, 2 years, $1.45M

Barratt, 3 years $2.61M

Altybarmakyan, 2 years $1.635M

Lankinen 2 years, $1.6M
- scottak

uh oh, Mitchell still not signed.

Hawks now have 36 players signed to standard contracts next year with 9 RFAs yet to be signed. So 45 of 50 contracts accounted for. Still room for Mitchell to sign.
- boilermaker100

I would guess at least 2 of those RFAs won't be signed.

uh oh, Mitchell still not signed.
- LAHawk

His situation is different. Waiting to see if there is a chance he can burn the 1st year of his ELC IF the current season is resumed.

Plus. I think there is still chance he returns to DU for his senior season. He may feel like he has some unfinished business at DU

I would guess at least 2 of those RFAs won't be signed.
- Elbows15

I'm going with 3 are let go:

The Drake
Subban
Koekkoek

One of the best 2. Doughty is the only one who can be argued is better. I take Keith over all the rest.
- Elbows15

I'd rank those as top two as well.

uh oh, Mitchell still not signed.
- LAHawk

Is anyone really surprised?

I'm going with 3 are let go:

The Drake
Subban
Koekkoek
- Chunk

Good bet on those. Caligula mainly because of his injury history.

SOME ACTUAL NEWS:

Blackhawks sign: Evan Barratt and Andrei Altybarmakyan to their entry-level deals.

Additionally, Matthew Highmore and Kevin Lankinen have signed 2-year deals. They are two-way deals in year one, one-way deals in year two (2021-22).