Let’s not forget though that the Hawks have already proven you can still win a championship without a 2C. Not saying it’s the best route to take. But it can be done. If moving Strome improves the overall roster then I’m all for it.

Now that I think about it that 2013 team was incredible weak down the middle. Toews was outstanding but after that Handzus, Shaw(who many don’t even consider a center these days), and what was left of Dave Bolland. That’s about it.

Of course we made up for it by having A. The best D core in the league and B. The best collection of wingers in the league.
- SimpleJack

I think you are forgetting just how good at his role Kruger was during those years. If he wasn't the best shutdown center during those Cup runs, he wasn't far from it.

The Athletic is doing a Blackhawks fan survey here:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CRGG3MZ

The link will work for subscribers and non-subscribers alike
- pdx2ord

I'm sure there are other ways you could slice and dice it but found it interesting that the last question in the survey (asking about when you became a Blackhawks fan) had these as the options:

Hull/Mikita era or earlier
Savard/Roenick era
2008-2013
2015
Last 5 years

Something like that. The options sort of make sense.

I think you are forgetting just how good at his role Kruger was during those years. If he wasn't the best shutdown center during those Cup runs, he wasn't far from it.
- Elbows15

(frank) me I did forget about Kruger didn’t I....

Well, so much for that.

I agree Strome for a 1st and 3rd in this years draft would be worth consideration , I am not sure signing Strome would cost another team picks in this year draft ,but considering how thinks will or will not shake out this offseason it could work out that way .
I would like to see Strome sign back with the HAWKS for a fair price ,ankle injury can be tough for a young player . He and DBC are due a bounce back in a big way .
If the HAWKS could get another 1st then I would really like to see the HAWKS take Yoroslav Askarov ,even if they don't get another pick I take him at 9 ,if they luck out again into the top three all bets are off .Askarov would be the perfect compliment to the young defense . Also I like the look of Holloway since Wiz pointed him out to me ,my Nephew scout say's he was higher rated last year what ever that means (he a Leaf fan ) ,or maybe Lundell .
- oldduffman

No team is going to offer sheet Strome for $ that cost them a 1st and a 3rd.

And I doubt Bowman is going to offer him anywhere near $4M per season until the salary cap numbers are finalized. Who knows, the cap could drop by $5 million (or more).

Too bad Dylan, timing is everything. You may have to learn to like $3M as your salary.

Yeah, I don't think Subban is in the team's long-term plans.

I actually totally forgot about him.
- Tyler Cameron

The minor league goalie situation got a tad more crowded with the Hogs signing Tom Aubrun to a 2-year deal. Aubrun played at Norwich University in the New England Hockey Conference.

He was a 2-time player and goalie of the year in the NEHC. This past season he sported a 0.77 GAA and .967 save pct and a 50-8-5 record with a 1.27 GAA and .946 save pct over a 4-year college career.

Aubrun is likely to backup Chase Marchand in Indy who also carried 2 other goalies. Marchand was the only one of the trio to have an AHL contract (one year only).

This could be the minorist of minor league moves but it does leave little room for Nalimov or Gravel, especially if none of Delia, Lankinen, or Tomkins earn the Hawks backup role.

For shame, Tyler!

In other news,

@Account4hockey
Elliotte Friedman on WGR550 Thursday on Dylan Strome: "He's available." "I don't think the cost is particularly prohibitive".

and when someone questioned the weird timing of this:

@Account4hockey
Last week one of the hosts asked him to see if Strome was available because he thinks he would be a good fit for Buffalo. So this week he answered after calling around.
- pdx2ord

I’d rather keep Strome on a bridge deal. If Stan can get a solid return then sure, but I don’t know how much Strome would bring back.

I’d rather keep Strome on a bridge deal. If Stan can get a solid return then sure, but I don’t know how much Strome would bring back.
- DarthKane

Wait wait wait....am I dreaming??

A non-sarcastic post from Darth?

An actual legitimately serious statement?

Now I’ve seen everything.

Wait wait wait....am I dreaming??

A non-sarcastic post from Darth?

An actual legitimately serious statement?

Now I’ve seen everything.
- SimpleJack

Every 15th (ish) post is legit, just to make sure you're paying attention.

FTR. I wouldn't read too much into Gravel's numbers this season. The team he was on was not very good this season. Progress for goalies is far from linear. It is rare when goalies don't suffer regression during their development.

True of most players but even more so for goalies.
- Elbows15

UPDATE today Rockford signed Auburn, a goaltender Div III, to 2 yr deal. This does not necessarily mean Gravel won't be signed. Nonetheless unless you figure this Auburn is going to stick and be ok in the ECHL, room for Gravel ...well just gets tighter to fit another goaltender. Even figuring Delia & Laakinen is rotated in as back ups in Chicago. I still hold to my comment below regarding Gravel.

When you consider that he was in camp for at least a week - which included games in the Traverse City Tournament - they should have enough evidence to feel at least fairly comfortable to want him as a professional to develop in their organization. Yes I realize that goaltenders need to provide perhaps a longer sample size from training camp than other position players if, indeed, this was his first pro camp. It is totally accurate to believe what you said and the crux of it really is your belief in how talented the kid has demonstrated not just in camp but during his better season two years ago. He was stellar for his junior team in the Memorial Cup as well as throughout those playoffs. It is likely not a question if did he loose ability. He either is pretty good or you haven't seen enough to be sure about that. As I am saying, there is enough evidence to warrant signing him. Of course a bit concerned about worse stats and even not as good by the eye test last season. Still If I am Bowman I would sign him

For shame, Tyler!

In other news,

@Account4hockey
Elliotte Friedman on WGR550 Thursday on Dylan Strome: "He's available." "I don't think the cost is particularly prohibitive".

and when someone questioned the weird timing of this:

@Account4hockey
Last week one of the hosts asked him to see if Strome was available because he thinks he would be a good fit for Buffalo. So this week he answered after calling around.
- pdx2ord

Start circulating Strome trade rumours so he signs a cheap deal to stay with a team he loves and his best friend. Stan, you sly dog....

Every 15th (ish) post is legit, just to make sure you're paying attention.
- DarthKane

Ah, so there’s a method to the madness. I like it.

Considerably so. Can’t tell if you’re Darthing me there but if not, I don’t think it’s a reach to see them handing the reins over to Foles.

Pace has swung and missed pretty mightily with his first round picks so far, but the fact they moved on from Floyd and traded for Foles who appears to be a fit in this offense kind of speaks volumes.

I’m sure they still want Mitch to get it at some point but as it’s been written...I think they were watching the same thing we all were last season.
- HawkintheD

Mitch is done, put a fork in him. If he stayed next year he makes $24M. Not in our wildest dreams will that ever happen? I don't know if they are allowed to restructure his contract because it's a rookie deal set to his draft position???

I’d rather keep Strome on a bridge deal. If Stan can get a solid return then sure, but I don’t know how much Strome would bring back.
- DarthKane

Either somebody's bust first round or a 2nd round and something else would be my guess? No need to trade him yet Stan has the leverage. It's not like he will be getting an offer sheet.

I'm sure there are other ways you could slice and dice it but found it interesting that the last question in the survey (asking about when you became a Blackhawks fan) had these as the options:

Hull/Mikita era or earlier
Savard/Roenick era
2008-2013
2015
Last 5 years

Something like that. The options sort of make sense.
- AEL_Fox

They didnt list the Marha/Ruutu years.

Carpenter saw time there so you never know. Strome and Dinky move to 4th line grinder roles?

On a completely different note, was reading a story on Butkus and Sayers in the Herald this morning and about how they never played in a playoff game. Can't imagine that with 19 and 88 but then the Hawks had other players around them unlike the Bears.

Anyway, here's the excerpt:

In 1967, the Bears lost to the Packers 13-10 and 17-13, and had they won either game, they would have tied Green Bay for the division title. The 13-10 loss in Week 2 at Lambeau Field was a head-scratcher.

The Bears forced 8 turnovers, Bart Starr threw 5 interceptions and the Bears still lost on a late field goal. Bears quarterbacks Larry Rakestraw and Jack Concannon combined to complete 5 of 12 passes for 23 yards and an interception that day. Ouch.

Hell, even Mitch isn't Larry Rakestraw and Jack Concannon bad...though I suspect he'll be gripping a clipboard whenever football does resume play.
- HawkintheD[/quote]

I don't know, i felt like he played much better towards the ends of the season. He did miss some wide open receivers but many QBs do this, it's just magnified here.

Offensive line was brutal. Watching some highlights of Foles with Jags, damn their offensive line is brutal. If they can't rush for 1 yd it doesn't matter who their QB is

Another swing and miss by Stan:


@FriedgeHNC

Hearing Alexander Barabanov is preparing to sign with TOR.

Mitch is done, put a fork in him. If he stayed next year he makes $24M. Not in our wildest dreams will that ever happen? I don't know if they are allowed to restructure his contract because it's a rookie deal set to his draft position???
- rpeters01

Actually he'll only make $9 mil this season, and they can pick up his option for next year and still release him before 2021 season, amazing how NFL contracts are optional

Hearing NHL is looking into neutral site locations like South Dakota with no fans

The Athletic did a mock draft, here is the Hawks selection, I think their 'alternate scenario' is more likely.

9. Chicago Blackhawks
Position of need: Forward and goalie
Pick: C Anton Lundell

The Blackhawks pool skews heavily towards defencemen, so their pick will likely be one of the easier choices to predict across a variety of potential draft spots. In Adam Boqvist, Ian Mitchell, Nicolas Beaudin, Alec Regula and Ryan Shea they'll have a healthy competition among young defencemen for NHL spots. A couple of those kids are destined to rise to the top of that crop. But outside of Evan Barrett and Philipp Kurashev, things really thin out at forward, especially given the volatility in the scouting community's opinion of Mackenzie Entwistle and Michal Teply. Lundell makes a lot of sense here. He's a top-five pick in most drafts but he seems to have become a bit of an afterthought relative to the eight players taken ahead of him here. He could provide major value as a high-end 2C, adding more size and skill to go along with Dylan Strome and Kirby Dach as the Blackhawks' potential top nine centres for the post-Toews era.

Alternate scenario: The Blackhawks don't have a single goalie in their prospect pool that I like, so they are among the teams that could take the Askarov plunge. That becomes more likely if a couple of teams behind them win the lottery and they end up selecting 10th or 11th.

The Athletic did a mock draft, here is the Hawks selection, I think their 'alternate scenario' is more likely.

9. Chicago Blackhawks
Position of need: Forward and goalie
Pick: C Anton Lundell

The Blackhawks pool skews heavily towards defencemen, so their pick will likely be one of the easier choices to predict across a variety of potential draft spots. In Adam Boqvist, Ian Mitchell, Nicolas Beaudin, Alec Regula and Ryan Shea they'll have a healthy competition among young defencemen for NHL spots. A couple of those kids are destined to rise to the top of that crop. But outside of Evan Barrett and Philipp Kurashev, things really thin out at forward, especially given the volatility in the scouting community's opinion of Mackenzie Entwistle and Michal Teply. Lundell makes a lot of sense here. He's a top-five pick in most drafts but he seems to have become a bit of an afterthought relative to the eight players taken ahead of him here. He could provide major value as a high-end 2C, adding more size and skill to go along with Dylan Strome and Kirby Dach as the Blackhawks' potential top nine centres for the post-Toews era.

Alternate scenario: The Blackhawks don't have a single goalie in their prospect pool that I like, so they are among the teams that could take the Askarov plunge. That becomes more likely if a couple of teams behind them win the lottery and they end up selecting 10th or 11th.
- DarthKane

Another mock draft site I was on had the Hawks picking Lundell as well.

Another swing and miss by Stan:


@FriedgeHNC

Hearing Alexander Barabanov is preparing to sign with TOR.
- DarthKane

I checked on this guy Barabanov and it does not sound like we missed out on anything here. We are limited to 50 contracts and can't be signing every gamble that is out there without harming our contract number situation.

Actually he'll only make $9 mil this season, and they can pick up his option for next year and still release him before 2021 season, amazing how NFL contracts are optional
- BetweenTheDots

I meant next season is $24m. He'll be a $9m backup this year. Foles didn't give up the money to sit on the beach.

Hearing NHL is looking into neutral site locations like South Dakota with no fans
- BetweenTheDots

I heard it was North Dakota. Don't know how many rinks they have there, but the game probably won't be open to the public, so you just need some decent regulation size sheets of ice.

Along the same lines Major League Baseball wants to hold the whole season in Arizona by playing all games at the Phoenix area spring training stadiums and the home field for the Diamondbacks. Might be as many as 3 games played daily at each venue. Public won't be allowed to attend the games. I guess they'll have to sequester the 30 teams in hotels and bus them around for several months.

The Athletic did a mock draft, here is the Hawks selection, I think their 'alternate scenario' is more likely.

9. Chicago Blackhawks
Position of need: Forward and goalie
Pick: C Anton Lundell

The Blackhawks pool skews heavily towards defencemen, so their pick will likely be one of the easier choices to predict across a variety of potential draft spots. In Adam Boqvist, Ian Mitchell, Nicolas Beaudin, Alec Regula and Ryan Shea they'll have a healthy competition among young defencemen for NHL spots. A couple of those kids are destined to rise to the top of that crop. But outside of Evan Barrett and Philipp Kurashev, things really thin out at forward, especially given the volatility in the scouting community's opinion of Mackenzie Entwistle and Michal Teply. Lundell makes a lot of sense here. He's a top-five pick in most drafts but he seems to have become a bit of an afterthought relative to the eight players taken ahead of him here. He could provide major value as a high-end 2C, adding more size and skill to go along with Dylan Strome and Kirby Dach as the Blackhawks' potential top nine centres for the post-Toews era.

Alternate scenario: The Blackhawks don't have a single goalie in their prospect pool that I like, so they are among the teams that could take the Askarov plunge. That becomes more likely if a couple of teams behind them win the lottery and they end up selecting 10th or 11th.
- DarthKane

Regarding the goalie position, don't think it's as big of a deal since it's 1 player, we have so many other holes in this team for now.

I heard it was North Dakota. Don't know how many rinks they have there, but the game probably won't be open to the public, so you just need some decent regulation size sheets of ice.

Along the same lines Major League Baseball wants to hold the whole season in Arizona by playing all games at the Phoenix area spring training stadiums and the home field for the Diamondbacks. Might be as many as 3 games played daily at each venue. Public won't be allowed to attend the games. I guess they'll have to sequester the 30 teams in hotels and bus them around for several months.
- boilermaker100

Honestly i heard Dakota so you're probably right