FYI, Bettman is on NBCSNC rn
- Elbows15

If anyone understands the lottery system he just described....

Hawks won’t win on defensive prowess.

Roll the best offensive lines, hope for some defensive responsibility, and the Crawford is outstanding.
- StLBravesFan

Agreed. And hope that Subban can pull a Darling (2015 playoff version, of course) to keep the team afloat if Crawford falters.

Hub cities under consideration: Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Edmonton, Los Angeles, Minnesota Pittsburgh, Toronto, Vancouver, Vegas.
- Chunk

How can Chicago possibly be considered a hub city?

Instantly after the play-in, there are 4 losers on both sides who are OUT of the playoffs. These eight teams most likely will pick in 8 through 15 slots baring a unlikely move into one through three, based on the season percentages...


So if the hawks lose to Edmonton, they have a 3% chance to move up to a 1-3 slot, IF the lotto balls don't "choose" the bottom 7 teams in the in the 15 team first lottery.
But the hawks would more likely draft 9 as was our place when the season stopped.

{So on June 26th there will be lottery based on all 15 teams but I am sure they hope like heck that those high Ottawa percentages and the ones with the other non-participants Detroit LA Anahiem New Jersey Buffalo win all three move ups....}

So if say Ottawa and Detroit win the initial lottery, and non of the other of the seven teams didn't get lucky, that final move up that didn't happen becomes an equally based lottery chance of 3% for the" losing play-in eight."
So after the 16 team CUP field is the determine the losing 8 get that chance to move up to whichever of the 1, 2 or 3 slot lottery didn't get won. by the bottom seven.

If the lose to Edmonton that probably stay at 9 unless one (or more) of the "next 8 losing teams" wins the lotto...so most likely losing to Edmonton has them still in slot 9 or maybe 10, 11, but that 3% chance seems slim...so let's just say losing to Edmonton has them selecting at slot 9.


iT COULD BE THE LUCK GOES AGAINST THE BOTTOM SEVEN and that means three top picks go to the LOSING PLAY-IN teams in 8-15 SLOTS...but an Edmonton series win knocks the hawks out of lotto ball 3% contention, and they pick 16th.(unless Montreal upsets Pittsburgh and then we select after them at 17th...)

If the Habs knock off the Penguins, and the Hawks lose to the Oilers, they hawks jump up to slot #8

I would swap Nylander and Saad, gives you a little more defense on the second line and a little more playmaking on the 1st line. Saad Dach Kane could be deadly!
- ToewsdNKanefusd

I'd be down with that, too:

Nylander - Toews - Kubalik
Saad - Dach - Kane
DeBrincat - Strome - Carpenter/Caggiula
Hagel/Carpenter - Kampf - Highmore

How can Chicago possibly be considered a hub city?
- tyweb69

Or Los Angeles? we still can't get our hair cut.

As long as they don't play the Avs or Blues in the second round they could back pretty deep into the playoffs.

The West is pretty horrid outside of those two teams.
- fattybeef

I haven't read the articles fully on the 24-team format but thought I saw it mentioned somewhere that if the Hawks beat the Oil, then they would then face the Stars next.

I haven't read the articles fully on the 24-team format but thought I saw it mentioned somewhere that if the Hawks beat the Oil, then they would then face the Stars next.
- AEL_Fox

Yeah, it sounds like that is still up for debate?
whetehrbitv will be bracket style of high seed / low seed.
Or maybe the

It does look like the top four teams play up to three games in an elimination to decide who is "really top seed , #2 seed, frank playing all those games and dominating, one elimination game can bump top seed to 4th...beside their bottom fight.

Watch "Return to Play Plan for 2019-20 NHL Season" on YouTube
https://youtu.be/Ks5eQ2GjtSc

Sounds like they have to get approval from hub cities and their hands on testing equipment

To be honest, those 2nd and 3rd lines are iffy to me, too, as far as defensive coverage. Could be great offense but they could also give up as many or more than they score.

Maybe LAHawk is on to something with rolling 3 lines for the opening round given it is a shorter series so there is more to work with as far as defensive consciousness spread out more evenly.
- AEL_Fox

Those lines being iffy defensively is the reason the Hawks are what they are, that and inexperience. That’s why we need to keep Saad if possible, we need more 200’ players, not less. As the Hawks defense gets younger and more run and gun going forward, we will need more defensively responsible forwards.

I haven't read the articles fully on the 24-team format but thought I saw it mentioned somewhere that if the Hawks beat the Oil, then they would then face the Stars next.
- AEL_Fox

Not necessarily - the four bye teams will play a 3-game round robin to determine the 1 to 4 seeding.

Or Los Angeles? we still can't get our hair cut.
- LAHawk

We aren’t talking about starting tomorrow.

We’re talking about mid July

Hub cities under consideration: Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Edmonton, Los Angeles, Minnesota Pittsburgh, Toronto, Vancouver, Vegas.
- Chunk

Vancouver should be a hub city for sure, the COVID-19 situation has been much better than most cities (*knocks on wood*).

Or Los Angeles? we still can't get our hair cut.
- LAHawk

I got my hair cut on the weekend, it was GLORIOUS!

The draft lottery for the 2020 NHL draft will include the seven teams that didn't qualify for the 24-team playoff tournament + the eight teams eliminated in the qualifying round.

If anyone understands the lottery system he just described....
- StLBravesFan

Easy peasy.

Vancouver should be a hub city for sure, the COVID-19 situation has been much better than most cities (*knocks on wood*).
- DarthKane

From what I heard on NHL Network today, Canada has a mandatory 14 day quarantine for people entering the country.

If that is still in effect when the final hubs are chosen, that would eliminate the Canadian cities from consideration.

From what I heard on NHL Network today, Canada has a mandatory 14 day quarantine for people entering the country.

If that is still in effect when the final hubs are chosen, that would eliminate the Canadian cities from consideration.
- StLBravesFan

then why list Canadian cities at all? On average BC has 10-12 new cases per day, Vancouver would be one of the safer cities.

The draft lottery for the 2020 NHL draft will include the seven teams that didn't qualify for the 24-team playoff tournament + the eight teams eliminated in the qualifying round.
- LAHawk

But when the lottery happens (June 26, I think) - we won’t know who those 8 teams will be - they will draw using placeholders for slots 7-15.

There’s also another complication if a preliminary drawing goes a certain way

But that was way beyond my comprehension....

then why list Canadian cities at all? On average BC has 10-12 new cases per day, Vancouver would be one of the safer cities.
- DarthKane

We’re both Jewish, but other than that, I have no insight into Gary Bettman’s thought processes.

But when the lottery happens (June 26, I think) - we won’t know who those 8 teams will be - they will draw using placeholders for slots 7-15.

There’s also another complication if a preliminary drawing goes a certain way

But that was way beyond my comprehension....
- StLBravesFan

Instantly after the play-in, there are 4 losers on both sides who are OUT of the playoffs. These eight teams most likely will pick in 8 through 15 slots baring a unlikely move into one through three, based on the season percentages...


So if the hawks lose to Edmonton, they have a 3% chance to move up to a 1-3 slot, IF the lotto balls don't "choose" the bottom 7 teams in the in the 15 team first lottery.
But the hawks would more likely draft 9 as was our place when the season stopped.

{So on June 26th there will be lottery based on all 15 teams but I am sure they hope like heck that those high Ottawa percentages and the ones with the other non-participants Detroit LA Anahiem New Jersey Buffalo win all three move ups....}

So if say Ottawa and Detroit win the initial lottery, and non of the other of the seven teams didn't get lucky, that final move up that didn't happen becomes an equally based lottery chance of 3% for the" losing play-in eight."
So after the 16 team CUP field is the determine the losing 8 get that chance to move up to whichever of the 1, 2 or 3 slot lottery didn't get won. by the bottom seven.

If the Blackhaswks lose to Edmonton that probably stay at 9 unless one (or more) of the "next 8 losing teams" wins the lotto...so most likely losing to Edmonton has them still in slot 9 or maybe 10, 11, but that 3% chance seems slim...so let's just say losing to Edmonton has them selecting at slot 9.


iT COULD BE THE LUCK GOES AGAINST THE BOTTOM SEVEN and that means three top picks go to the LOSING PLAY-IN teams in 8-15 SLOTS...but an Edmonton series win knocks the hawks out of lotto ball 3% contention, and they pick 16th.(unless Montreal upsets Pittsburgh and then we select after them at 17th...)

If the Habs knock off the Penguins, and the Hawks lose to the Oilers, they hawks jump to slot #8

The draft lottery for the 2020 NHL draft will include the seven teams that didn't qualify for the 24-team playoff tournament + the eight teams eliminated in the qualifying round.
- LAHawk

So if we beat the Oilers then get swept in the next round(very possible), we would maybe pick 16th. I’m all about winning, but not sure that view is worth the climb this year. This team needs another top ten pick.

It’s going to be a strange couple of months, with teams knowing who they’re going to play at least two months in advance.

I got my hair cut on the weekend, it was GLORIOUS!
- DarthKane

More glorious than glorious cap space?

My preference is to start with the traditional 4 F lines and 3 D pairs, then shorten the bench as needed depending on how each game is going.

Get the kids some experience but lean on the veterans when it matters most in key situations and when in desperation mode.
- AEL_Fox

Good. A hybrid answer. I like it.