I wore “lucky” 13 for all my sports except 83 for football. In college I only did sports without numbers: Track & Field, Boxing and Rowing.

I remember a youth hockey coach saying that “only Russians” wore numbers over 60.
- Q-stache

Wow, you played a lot of sports, and a lot of different ones! Definitely more athletically gifted than I ever was. Hockey was really the only sport I excelled at.

Dach wears 77 so maybe we should tell him to attend the Team Russia WJC camp instead.

The OHL has made a statement that bodychecking will not be permitted in games this season. Not sure if the WHL, QMJHL, or other junior leagues have made decisions but this will be interesting.

I learned something new today, lots and lots and lots of Californians actually moving to Texas. Interesting

Here's an excerpt from a podcast off the sportsmockery site detailing some draft night conversations between Kelly and Bowman leading up to the Reichel pick at 17.

https://sportsmockery.com...-no-17-in-2020-nhl-draft/

“
- boilermaker100[Lukas] Reichel’s there, do you like him?” Kelley asked Bowman.

“I like him a lot,” Stan responded. “The question between Reichel and [Kaiden] Guhle is just which has higher value?”

When the Toronto Maple Leafs selected forward Rodion Amirov with the 15th pick, Bowman and Kelley knew at least one of the two players they were eyeing was going to be available at No. 17.

“Do you want the defenseman or do you want the skilled forward?” Kelley asked. “I like the forward cause I think there’s an upside. His ceiling makes him a vital part of a top-six.”

The Montreal Canadiens took Guhle at No. 16, making it a simple decision for the Blackhawks with Reichel still on the board.

“We got him,” Kelley said to Bowman. “We just played it right out. Yesterday, we said if we got him, we’d be really happy.”

Before landing Reichel at No. 17, the Blackhawks considered trading up in the first round for standout Russian goaltender Yaroslav Askarov. When the Winnipeg Jets were on the clock with the 10th selection, Bowman was spotted showing Kelley a text, presumably between he and the Nashville Predators, who were picking 11th in the draft.

“He said if it’s the goalie, you’ll have to sweeten. I said, ‘What do you want? Tell me the price.” I told him Winnipeg took [Cole] Perfetti.”

A deal between the two sides never came to fruition, and Askrov wound up going to the Predators at No. 11. Regardless, the Blackhawks came away from the 2020 NHL Draft with a solid player, one that they had their eyes on for some time. That is a win for Bowman, Kelley, and the entire Blackhawks organization.

Well there ya go HAWKS would have had Askarov at ten if not for the win in the tournament .I sure hope our young players got a ton of playoff experience in that 10 game tournament they were involved in cause they are going to need it .

I learned something new today, lots and lots and lots of Californians actually moving to Texas. Interesting
- BetweenTheDots

Well yeah. It's been going on for a few years now, but COVID likely accelerated a lot of it. It is quite expensive to live here and costs are just going to continue to increase.

AZ, NV, TN, and oddly enough IN have been states that a lot of my friends, family, and clients have moved to in the last 3 years. I, ultimately would like to move to Portugal or Montenegro, but that will require a lot more planning.

The OHL has made a statement that bodychecking will not be permitted in games this season. Not sure if the WHL, QMJHL, or other junior leagues have made decisions but this will be interesting.
- Theo Fox

How would the even play a game like that?

How many bad habits are the players going to pick up trying to play like that?

Oh, well - maybe, like the “no dunk” rule college basketball put in when Jabbar was playing - they’ll perfect other skills (skating?) to compensate.

How would the even play a game like that?

How many bad habits are the players going to pick up trying to play like that?

Oh, well - maybe, like the “no dunk” rule college basketball put in when Jabbar was playing - they’ll perfect other skills (skating?) to compensate.
- StLBravesFan

You mean when Lew Alcindor was playing.

Well there ya go HAWKS would have had Askarov at ten if not for the win in the tournament .I sure hope our young players got a ton of playoff experience in that 10 game tournament they were involved in cause they are going to need it .

- oldduffman

Hopefully he's not as good as you think he'll be. I bet they didn't show their draft board, I'm curious where they had our draft pick ranked

The OHL has made a statement that bodychecking will not be permitted in games this season. Not sure if the WHL, QMJHL, or other junior leagues have made decisions but this will be interesting.
- Theo Fox

The BCHL has has outlawed scrums. Scrum and it's a penalty...... Here's a link with 12:00 of the OHL Commish talking about the no checking rule along with other topics concerning the virus. https://www.sportsnet.ca/...owed-upcoming-ohl-season/

Well there ya go HAWKS would have had Askarov at ten if not for the win in the tournament .I sure hope our young players got a ton of playoff experience in that 10 game tournament they were involved in cause they are going to need it .

- oldduffman

Hey Duff! He would likely have been available, but it's not a given that he would have been taken.

Perfetti
Askarov
Lundell
Holloway
Jarvis
Amirov
Guhle

were all available between 10 and 17 picks. We don't know if they had any of those rated higher than the tender.

Wow, you played a lot of sports, and a lot of different ones! Definitely more athletically gifted than I ever was. Hockey was really the only sport I excelled at.

Dach wears 77 so maybe we should tell him to attend the Team Russia WJC camp instead.
- Theo Fox

Never said I was great at any of them!

I feel like there’s a lot more kids wearing higher numbers these days, I always associated it with birth years and then more stars wearing higher numbers (Crosby, Kane, Kucherov, etc.)

Thanks Theo, these blogs have been very fun during a time when we don’t have a lot of hockey to talk about.

I learned something new today, lots and lots and lots of Californians actually moving to Texas. Interesting
- BetweenTheDots

The weather storms that pass through Texas are not very nice. But at least they pass through whereas the wilfully in California burn for a long time. Wildfires in Colorado now as well.

Hey Duff! He would likely have been available, but it's not a given that he would have been taken.

Perfetti
Askarov
Lundell
Holloway
Jarvis
Amirov
Guhle

were all available between 10 and 17 picks. We don't know if they had any of those rated higher than the tender.
- Chunk

Good point I may be jumping the gun a bit hey . I really think Stan would have grab Askarov over those players mentioned as I believe he is the best player available . I hope I am wrong about Askarov and he not a superstar goalie as we will be facing him a ton over the years

I learned something new today, lots and lots and lots of Californians actually moving to Texas. Interesting
- BetweenTheDots

Looks like I am moving to Vegas with my Company, depends on the results of the election Tuesday.

Glad to see Kirby getting a chance to play in the WJC in Edmonton for Canada that is a real right of passage for many Canadian kids .

Glad to see Kirby getting a chance to play in the WJC in Edmonton for Canada that is a real right of passage for many Canadian kids .
- oldduffman

Hopefully to set a better example than Barrett Hayton did last year.

I’d expect Dach to dominate.

Hopefully to set a better example than Barrett Hayton did last year.

I’d expect Dach to dominate.
- Q-stache

It should be a stacked team but yes I think he will do well .

Well yeah. It's been going on for a few years now, but COVID likely accelerated a lot of it. It is quite expensive to live here and costs are just going to continue to increase.

AZ, NV, TN, and oddly enough IN have been states that a lot of my friends, family, and clients have moved to in the last 3 years. I, ultimately would like to move to Portugal or Montenegro, but that will require a lot more planning.
- Chunk

Montenagro, lovely country, Sicily is lovely, i keep going back and forth on buying a place for a euro.

Didn't realize Texas was the top destination for Californians

Looks like I am moving to Vegas with my Company, depends on the results of the election Tuesday.
- LAHawk

Good or bad? To me moving sucks and leaving all these ties behind.

Completely unrelated, but for any boxing fans, there are two high profile fights happening tomorrow: Usyk v Chisora (heavyweight) & Davis v Santa Cruz (super featherweight).

Usyk is a cruiserweight star facing his first true test at heavyweight against a journeyman in Chisora.

Santa Cruz & Davis are stars at 130 and 135 respectively, so their match should provide lots of action. My heart says Santa Cruz, who is one of my current favorites, but my brain says the inevitable brawl will favor Davis.

Hey Duff! He would likely have been available, but it's not a given that he would have been taken.

Perfetti
Askarov
Lundell
Holloway
Jarvis
Amirov
Guhle

were all available between 10 and 17 picks. We don't know if they had any of those rated higher than the tender.
- Chunk

Possibly? The way the previous post was written it sounded like Nashville specifically asked if Stan wanted the pick "to take the goal tender?"

Never said I was great at any of them!

I feel like there’s a lot more kids wearing higher numbers these days, I always associated it with birth years and then more stars wearing higher numbers (Crosby, Kane, Kucherov, etc.)

Thanks Theo, these blogs have been very fun during a time when we don’t have a lot of hockey to talk about.
- Q-stache

You bet, Q. I have a growing list of blog topics to help fill the void during the offseason. Some ideas come from you all so that's helpful crowdsourcing.

Just have to space them out and also be ready for when big news hit like the Blackhawks public statement about the direction of the team, the draft, trades, etc.

Then once the season starts, the gameday threads will begin as well and will likely be fast and furious due to a projected compact schedule.

You think the kid has a real shot at the NHL, Scott? Best thing about him, and his kind, they don't have to score to be useful. From what little I've seen if he has a solid IQ he has a shot.
- Mr Ricochet

I liked him since I saw him play at World Juniors. I see him as 4C early, but matriculating into a very good shut down 3C. Krueger with more skill, or maybe if everything comes up cherries, a bigger Bolland.

So channeling Glenn Hall was much better for your net play than Eddie Belfour. Sounds about right!
- Theo Fox

I was fortunate enough to see Mr. Goalie play when I was very young (DOB 1961) but more when he went to the Blues in the ‘67 expansion. Hall & Plante were my favorite goalie tandem ever.

I learned something new today, lots and lots and lots of Californians actually moving to Texas. Interesting
- BetweenTheDots

My company, Toyota, moved our HQ from Torrance, CA to Plano, TX 4+ years ago. Over 4,000 people moved, the rest took the buyout package. The folks from SoCal couldn’t believe how much house they could buy in North Dallas.

I still know quite a few people in SoCal. Many LAers are also moving to Vegas, both Henderson & Summerlin.