I know there are systems in hockey - but this isn’t football, or even basketball - hockey breaks down too easily and too often to worry as much about a system.

Players need to be aware of the situation, where the puck is, where the opponents are on the ice, where their teammates are - where the holes are that need to becovered up. Then, as you say, the need to play smart enough to get to where they need to be.

A lot of responsibility on the players - but that’s what players at this level need to be able to do.
- StLBravesFan

Agreed it's mostly "freelance." I don't think Ovechkin plays a system.

It’s going to be $10M over 3 years. $3.33 AAV.
- scottak

That wouldn't be bad if he's decent two more years.

Wow, good question and one that takes me out of my comfort zone, so it’s worth me going through the mental gymnastics. But I want to take it from the end around.
In HIS initial draft year, Pius Suter didn’t impress or display enough talent to has his name in my database, mostly because I wasn’t spending the full time to add every eligible, just the ones I felt had a better chance of actually getting selected.
I went back and looked at that draft class of 2014 and NO ONE who attempted mock drafts had him anywhere either.
So compare that with 526 kids in this years database, and in their draft year 2020, there are about 44 guys that I think, COULD get selected in the first round.
In 2014, Suter had just come over to the OHL and his 9 goals and 24 points were an indication that he was one of the late bloomers.
The next season he had 72 points (43 goals) and did get noticed and I found him on the draft lists around the early 5th round, about slot #131, ahead of both Dennis Gilbert and Ryan Shea. At one point early on in Novembe,r I had him ranked about 160, but quickly found other interesting players and my fickle manner bounced him of my list
HE went back to Switzerland after he wasn’t draft that second year and in the next two years I never had him in my top 220 of possible selections 2016, or 2017.
https://www.draftsite.com.../player/pius-suter/20904/. —

So instead of jumping right into the growth of Suter, I think this exercise speaks to the fact there are players that don’t get selected or taken late and put in the work and can and will get chances to be major league players in mid and low end roles.
Suter is a hard working Centre-forward who plays fearless against bigger players and has shown edginess in the pro league he has played in.
(So how many draft eligible 2020 kids are gonna walk in and show that?)

Like with Dach, the 2020 kids have to go through the metamorphosis that brings the realization, “I can play in this league!”

Pius Suter, presently, is a hockey smart, two-way player, who can kill penalties, makes very good puck decisions, and has been good along the wall and is smaller not overly physical but froggy enough to not back down.

Now to attempt to answer your question:
(How does his skill level compare with the projected skill levels of the guys who will be selected in the 1st round?)

I think all the forwards in my first round have more skill and upside than Suter.
If fact I think you could take the guys in my second round and except for the ones that need skating improvements, they also have bigger upside.

The 'hawks added Pius Suter as a complementary piece and team draft in the top rounds looking for skill, feet, and upside, whether the prospects emerge as NHLers or not.
Right now, Suter is at a high water mark.

If he comes in, and score 18-25 goals, he reached the next high water mark.
Very few of the prospects can be expected to come in score 18 goals from the onset.

But once established a few will get there with regularity I imagine.

I hope this tome did your query justice.
- wiz1901

Where I looked he's listed 5'11" buck 75#. I hope he's closer to 190# now.

That's fair. We differ on Kubalik, but I can't argue much with your rationale
- Chunk

If he added some strength he should be able to get there, but he's 25, not 21. He's listed 6'2" 176 where I looked. Even smaller frame 6'2" you would think could carry 210 but that's a totally different person than 176. I think Toews is 6'2" 210 and he's not exactly wide.

19 has 3 Stanley Cups and a Gold medal, plus other, individual awards on his resume. JC does not.
- scottak

Two things can be true at the same time.
1) Toews was, and is, a tremendous player.
2) He was too gassed to be out there and be effective.

I am NOT saying this WAS the case, but the coach has more information than we do.

Again though JC came in and implemented a completely different system/strategy from coach Q. I'm okay with making a change as long as the change is based on knowing your players strengths/weaknesses and abilities to carry out that system.

If you don't have the right horses for a system you want to use then wouldn't you as a head coach someone who is supposedly skilled and knowledgeable in systems /schemes ect?

Just saying that JC might be just as much of the problems then being a solution.
He did have all summer to build his coaching staff and evaluate his players and prepare them for this season ?
- Taylorst1

Sure. This was not a defense of Colliton (not sure how many times I have to point that out). This was a argument against the notion that the system that JC is trying to run is the overarching reason why the Hawks suck on defense.

My contention: Yes, they are trying to fit square pegs into round holes, but with the current roster, they are all round holes. They simply are too green, and for lack of a better term weak, to go up against the top 10-15 teams in the league and win a 7 game series right now.

Two things can be true at the same time.
1) Toews was, and is, a tremendous player.
2) He was too gassed to be out there and be effective.

I am NOT saying this WAS the case, but the coach has more information than we do.
- Chunk

So you're saying people on a message board aren't as informed as the coach? Doesn't sound right.

Hope you were watching the 500. Your favorite anthem singer was singing "Back Home In Indiana". Special...
- HawkintheD

I assume you don’t mean Rene Rancourt....

Sure. This was not a defense of Colliton (not sure how many times I have to point that out). This was a argument against the notion that the system that JC is trying to run is the overarching reason why the Hawks suck on defense.

My contention: Yes, they are trying to fit square pegs into round holes, but with the current roster, they are all round holes. They simply are too green, and for lack of a better term weak, to go up against the top 10-15 teams in the league and win a 7 game series right now.
- Chunk

That said, and don't disagree but I'm still fairly impressed they were able to hang with Vegas.

Don't care what some others have said, this doesn't feel like nearly the slap down that the NSH series was.

I was wondering if this would spawn another character like Vopat's Rash, like a Vegas version.

I guess the difference is they've owned us where we pretty much owned the Preds in the games that mattered.

If he added some strength he should be able to get there, but he's 25, not 21. He's listed 6'2" 176 where I looked. Even smaller frame 6'2" you would think could carry 210 but that's a totally different person than 176. I think Toews is 6'2" 210 and he's not exactly wide.
- rpeters01

On this, we agree. He's been playing Czech and Swiss leagues since 2014. That kind of heft isn't really required for the larger ice surface and how they typically play.

What I see out of Kubalik is a guy who knows where to be on the ice and has the ability and willingness to do so. He did get rubbed out too much this year, but I believe there is a higher probability than not that he addresses the holes in his game.
He's got a plus shot and has been part of lines (whether centered by Toews or Kampf) that were adept at shutting down other teams top lines and driving play.

I assume you don’t mean Rene Rancourt....
- StLBravesFan

Your assumption is correct. It was your guy Corny!

Our guys are not strong enough, fast enough, big enough, good enough whatever, to be able to cycle the puck which is a minimum 5 on 5 to win. There's Kane, Toews, Saad and Dach I'm speaking of Forwards and that's about it.
- rpeters01

Watching the Islanders they have quite a few smaller players but they are quick, older and more in tune with where to be where to go and how to space themselves from one another. When 2 guys are in 1 spot that means 1 guy is the wrong position, this young Hawks team was constantly running into itself

Your assumption is correct. It was your guy Corny!
- HawkintheD

Glad he’s got another gig other than the Blackhawks.

Was he wearing his Cup ring?

So you're saying people on a message board aren't as informed as the coach? Doesn't sound right.
- HawkintheD

I have zero doubt that if asked in the moment whether he was good to go back out there, Toews would have emphatically said yes. Same goes if he was directly asked the question now. That doesn't mean he would've been effective in that situation.

Glad he’s got another gig other than the Blackhawks.

Was he wearing his Cup ring?
- StLBravesFan

Look, I'm getting older too. The eyes aren't that good anymore. Too bad for you it'a part time gig.

You should have heard him sing "Back Home Again in IN". You thought he butchered the anthem.

That said, and don't disagree but I'm still fairly impressed they were able to hang with Vegas.

Don't care what some others have said, this doesn't feel like nearly the slap down that the NSH series was.

I was wondering if this would spawn another character like Vopat's Rash, like a Vegas version.

I guess the difference is they've owned us where we pretty much owned the Preds in the games that mattered.
- HawkintheD

I don't think the Hawks were as bad as the twelfth seed. I think the talent on the team puts them squarely in the 8 seed territory. They just need to get their act together. The more their young guys improve, the more that seed increases. A big factor in achieving that improvement is on the coaching staff. I'm 51/49 on whether the coaches can do it (always the optimist).

Regarding our Preds commenter, I doubt we get anyone like that from Vegas. The vast majority of Vegas fans I've met (about 70 so far) are actually very knowledgable and reasonable (mostly because a lot of them are transplants).

I don't think the Hawks were as bad as the twelfth seed. I think the talent on the team puts them squarely in the 8 seed territory. They just need to get their act together. The more their young guys improve, the more that seed increases. A big factor in achieving that improvement is on the coaching staff. I'm 51/49 on whether the coaches can do it (always the optimist).

Regarding our Preds commenter, I doubt we get anyone like that from Vegas. The vast majority of Vegas fans I've met (about 70 so far) are actually very knowledgable and reasonable (mostly because a lot of them are transplants).
- Chunk

Yeah, my query was mostly made to take a shot at the Preds, but I like the shot you took too.

I'm with you on the first comment. I was encouraged like some others with the play of some of the young guys...mostly Dach, but I liked the way Dinky started to seem to figure things out in games 4 and 5, and I generally liked Highmore's play too.

If you want to call basically the same system Trotz uses crap, then sure. The problem is not the system. It is the implementation of it, which comes down to the coaches being able to instill the principles of said system and the players ability and willingness to do so.

Cups have been won with a number of different systems or philosophies..
- Chunk

Same system Dallas uses. Several times I saw the Dallas defenseman follow who they were marking up high in the zone. Difference is the forwards for Dallas are more Defensively responsible than the Hawks.

Same system Dallas uses. Several times I saw the Dallas defenseman follow who they were marking up high in the zone. Difference is the forwards for Dallas are more Defensively responsible than the Hawks.
- LAHawk

Yeah, I thought for sure Pavelski and Perry were done. While not their best, obviously, they are both very effective for what is being asked of them. Radulov is like a damn train. That guy is always in attack mode.

Sure. This was not a defense of Colliton (not sure how many times I have to point that out). This was a argument against the notion that the system that JC is trying to run is the overarching reason why the Hawks suck on defense.

My contention: Yes, they are trying to fit square pegs into round holes, but with the current roster, they are all round holes. They simply are too green, and for lack of a better term weak, to go up against the top 10-15 teams in the league and win a 7 game series right now.
- Chunk

Maybe I misunderstood your first statement if so my fault. We both agree that Chicago doesn't have the horses to effectively compete against teams that have plenty of depth.

Regarding their youth , it's my understanding that these kids whom Chicago views as the next generation are small in comparison to how the league has transitioned into bigger and more physical defenseman?

I think Toews is 6'2" 210 and he's not exactly wide.
- rpeters01

He';s got a bigger butt than you think.

Same system Dallas uses. Several times I saw the Dallas defenseman follow who they were marking up high in the zone. Difference is the forwards for Dallas are more Defensively responsible than the Hawks.
- LAHawk

Good observation. Once you get past guys like toews , saad , kampf and carpenter it's pretty weak with the rest of the guys being more defensively responsible/conscience.


Boqvist is too green. , keith at 37 years old while he can still play , he did get burned many of times some of it his partners lack of awareness and just the fact he isn't 27 years old.

Maatta and slater where ok but at times struggled , de haan and Murphy while they played well they couldn't be out their every shift.

He';s got a bigger butt than you think.
- wiz1901

He is 6"2 201 pounds.

Maybe I misunderstood your first statement if so my fault. We both agree that Chicago doesn't have the horses to effectively compete against teams that have plenty of depth.

Regarding their youth , it's my understanding that these kids whom Chicago views as the next generation are small in comparison to how the league has transitioned into bigger and more physical defenseman?
- Taylorst1

The NHL isn't transitioning to this kind of defensemen. The opposite is true and is what Chicago has drafted to match that trend. The new wave of the elite NHL blueliners are led by Heiskanen, Makar, and Q Hughes.

While not at their level but hopefully a rung or two below on the ladder are Boqvist, Beaudin, and Mitchell. Or, give them a few more seasons to log the requisite miles, they could get to that level.

Maybe I misunderstood your first statement if so my fault. We both agree that Chicago doesn't have the horses to effectively compete against teams that have plenty of depth.

Regarding their youth , it's my understanding that these kids whom Chicago views as the next generation are small in comparison to how the league has transitioned into bigger and more physical defenseman?
- Taylorst1

This was the basis for my second mailbag question to Tyler. Their main prospects are 5'11/6 foot, but they apparently do have some youngsters with size. One thing to remember is that these guys are still young and have room to grow. I'm not terribly concerned about size (within reason) as long as they can actually play.

I'm intrigued by guys like Vlasic, Moberg and Regula, but they need to prove they can play. Gilbert is OK in a pinch, but he's not good enough.