My Chinese sources tell me that NBA revenue from China is only $500M per year.
- mohel

Bao Bo?

Bao Bo?
- I Am The Breadman

I think the guy at Hong Kee on Argyle.

I think the guy at Hong Kee on Argyle.
- StLBravesFan

It's just Bob in Chinese. That's Mo's Chinese source ... sorry to expose him like that.

To me, even in the current Covid Cap crunch / squash, you try and keep as many hockey players with offensive instincts as you can.

I won't agree on Dylan Strome's behalf, BUT, he has them.

The cut to the quick, he goes at the end of this next deal if the long term money isn't there (due to Core Cup Caster-overs) or he feels that his value is unappreciated dollar wise.

HE WILL SIGN now (as he has no options).

I don't think he has given strong indications that he is unhappy, or that there isn't a place.

Having big offensive guys...well, the more the merrier.
(I am tired of the foot speed talk, he knows how to play in the bigs.)

Quick look at Team Canada World Junior Under-20 camp had Dach at pivot, only to be asked to play RW (as he did before for them and was like a 2nd centre out there beside a physical wall precense) ---he doesn't care, as he wants to play and play a lot.

Most player escially the up & comers like Strome and Dach see minutes as the thing they want besides money.
If you can turn minutes into success, the money increases.

I just don't see that either guy is so selfish as to understand that either playing wing or centre makes THIS team better. Maybe I am wearing rose-colored glasses.

As long as your wings (if they ARE centers) play the flanks with solid performances, I don't think there is an issue.

JUST THINK ABOUT IT AS YOU ARE STROME; sure you can hang on and try and build something or go to a team that WILL allow you to re-order their team's salary pecking order and pay you...but that team isn't gonna be a contender, and maybe farther away than the opportunity to stick it out as a full time C/F in Chicago with a long term deal, but not an over pay with a perennial bottom dweller, not a team like the Hawks with a mix and already established mid ages players too.

I think the guy at Hong Kee on Argyle.
- StLBravesFan

...or eating beef chop suey and pot stickers at Lee's chop suey next to the Arco Diversey Pkwy Western ave & Elston ave.....

The Hawks finally sorted out their president situation, they’ll have two plus a CEO.

Danny Wirtz remains CEO, Stan is President of Hockey Operations and GM (don’t everyone cheer at once) while Jamie Faulkner is President of Business Operations.

Great read, yet again!

I know that Strome didn't do well on the wing last year, but that was whe it watrie mid-season. I would like to see what he could do if he knew going into the season that he was going to be on the wing. He could improve with a full training camp to work out his issues.
- tvetter

Thanks, tvetter.

That's a good point worth considering. Could a shift to wing be more effective if it's a deliberate effort in the offseason to fully convert him rather than a "let's try this out" whim during the season?

The Hawks finally sorted out their president situation, they’ll have two plus a CEO.

Danny Wirtz remains CEO, Stan is President of Hockey Operations and GM (don’t everyone cheer at once) while Jamie Faulkner is President of Business Operations.
- DarthKane

Well then the right people kept their jobs

Another fine read, Theo! Thanks much.
It would be great for his career should Strome make/improve himself into a player where he is not considered a defensive liability.
Before the ankle injury last year, my eye test said he was doing that.
After the injury, it did not look to me like he was 100%....even after the extended hiatus.
- 35Tony0

Thank, Tony.

A fully recovery from the ankle injury is definitely a factor that can help restore his game so he can get back to higher offensive output and even another level on the hustle meter.

I think the guy at Hong Kee on Argyle.
- StLBravesFan

Pretty sure there was no "g" and it was "Hon-Kee"...

Just as good on the other side of the street there were Pho 777, Pho 888 and Pho 999.

Strome is not a bad player, the issue is that due to Dach’s improvements in his first year, Strome doesn’t really fit this team any longer. Strome has some challenges, skating being one of them, it takes him too long to get up to speed, not a strong cycle game and weak defensively. He basically has a couple of good attributes, one he puts up points and two he has physical size. Those attributes are worth something, but not to the Hawks, in my opinion they need to move on from him. Because Strome puts up points, is only 23, and was a high draft pick, we must get value for him. Another good blog Theo, thanks for all you do.
- Angotti

Thanks, Angotti.

One thing I didn't mention in the blog that speaks to your point about Strome taking too long to get up to speed is that shorter shifts may help him out. He seems fine right after he jumps the boards for his shift but effectiveness decreases as his time on ice ticks away.

That doesn't solve his speed but he has the vision and playmaking to compensate. And if he's not tired, those strengths can be maximized.

Agree with you on the latter Lou...great stuff Theo!

I don't necessarily disagree with the rest of your post, but I think Strome's young enough to try to adapt his game a bit.

He seems like a decent kid who wants to work on his craft, so maybe he's able to put on a little muscle and become tougher to play against.

Also, to Theo's point, maybe his line can be made a bit better defensively with a more defensively responsible linemate.

If they do trade him at some point, I'm hoping he's able to increase his value a bit more. Not sure how much he has right now.
- HawkintheD

Thanks, D.

My preference is to keep Strome as the potential is there and we know what he's capable of (i.e. his 2018-19 season). He's young enough to get better.

But if he can't improve upon his deficiencies and/or there's a good trade on the table that would be a no brainer, then by all means ship him out.

Thanks, Theo, for keeping our hockey spirits up with your blogs. We should be discussing why the Hawks won’t make the playoffs after watching the first 30+ games of the 2020-21 season, but....

Several question marks in your proposed lineup - is Suter a top-line wing - or is he the next Marko Dano?

Will Nylander develop into a Show-worthy top-6er?

Does Shaw come back from however manu concussions?

And, of course, the point of your article - Strome...?

I do think the deBrincat should be on one of the top-two lines with either Toews or Kane - he’s a sniper who needs to get to a scoring position and then receive the puck. He’s worked well with Strome in the past, but you want AdB to get back to 30. He can more likely do that with Kane.

And I don’t think that Nylander can make the most of Kane’s feeds.
- StLBravesFan

Thanks, STL.

All great questions that need to be answered and that will dictate the success of the season.

As for DeBrincat, I agree, he needs to be in a top 6 role. If he is with Strome rather than with Toews or Dach, then that's where I would prefer a 1st line and two 2nd lines (or maybe that's two 1st lines and a 2nd line?).

Have firepower on the top 3 lines while also making sure they all commit to defense and compete across all 200 feet.

Thanks Theo! You’re churning out content like it’s the middle of the season. Your work has definitely helped fill the void during the pandemic.

Thank you.
- DarthKane

Thanks, Darth.

Watch, once the games are underway, my writing energy will be so low that the gameday blogs will just be one sentence: "Blackhawks play the Blues tonight."

Postgame blogs will be the same: "Blackhawks win 3-2."

The Hawks finally sorted out their president situation, they’ll have two plus a CEO.

Danny Wirtz remains CEO, Stan is President of Hockey Operations and GM (don’t everyone cheer at once) while Jamie Faulkner is President of Business Operations.
- DarthKane

Isn't this a change in that Stan now reports directly to the "top" and not to Business ops (Ms. Faulkner on that side, also reporting to the "top" - didn't McD have both Danny's position and Ms. Faulkner's?)?

I don't know Theo, to me it's one thing to sign a big money free agent to fill a position then to luck into the 3rd pick in the draft.

I usually don't give up on players but watching Schmaltz avoid contact at all costs in a contact sport was very disturbing to me, understood and supported the trade.

He's still young and a bigger/taller body some of those guys take a little longer to get more comfortable in their own body, the best years are still in front of him.

I guess for me i bet on Strome and try to keep him let's face it Toews is not getting any younger and based on statistics 32 is the age most, turns 32 this season, forwards play begins to diminish, hope it doesn't happen to Toews but father time is batting a 1000.
- BetweenTheDots

There was some comparing apples to oranges in the blog so that's a caveat when reading it.

Your last point is another reason why I prefer to keep Strome and develop him as a 2C. Like you said, father time will catch up to Toews rendering him to a 3C which means Dach is 1C.

There's really no true 2C in the system (prospect wise). Strome would be the best choice in the near future.

Great article Theo....however, McCann was drafted by the Tigers...not the Sox. He was a Free Agent signing 2 years ago.
- Ejandacek

Thanks, Ejandacek.

You're correct, McCann was a free agent from Detroit.

I also read on Baseball Reference that McCann was first drafted by the Sox then drafted again by the Tigers. Getting drafted twice is something that confuses me about MLB.

The Rule V draft confused me at first, too, but then my brother explained it to me and think the NHL should explore something like that.

Pretty sure there was no "g" and it was "Hon-Kee"...

Just as good on the other side of the street there were Pho 777, Pho 888 and Pho 999.
- HawkintheD

Yeah, it's Hon-Kee. I used to live a block away. That place was a dump but food was good. Sun-Wah, too. Great place to get roast duck.

Can't go wrong with all of those Pho ### places. Better than Tank Noodle at the corner of Broadway and Argyle.

Then there's the Aragon Ballroom for concerts down on Lawrence.

For those with the NHL Network on your TVs, every WJC game will be aired on the network for the first time ever.

The Hawks finally sorted out their president situation, they’ll have two plus a CEO.

Danny Wirtz remains CEO, Stan is President of Hockey Operations and GM (don’t everyone cheer at once) while Jamie Faulkner is President of Business Operations.
- DarthKane

Thanks for the update on this, Darth. And don't forget, the Colliton contract extension that was rumored is likely around the corner as well.

Rick Hahn hired Tony LaRussa (or did he not have a say in that)?
- powerenforcer

Sure looked like AJ Hinch was Hahn's guy and all of a sudden an article came out Reinsdorf wanted LaRussa. I'm sure Tony called Jerry and Hahn never called Tony.

For those with the NHL Network on your TVs, every WJC game will be aired on the network for the first time ever.
- Theo Fox

Nice, does anyone have the schedule?

Yeah, it's Hon-Kee. I used to live a block away. That place was a dump but food was good. Sun-Wah, too. Great place to get roast duck.

Can't go wrong with all of those Pho ### places. Better than Tank Noodle at the corner of Broadway and Argyle.

Then there's the Aragon Ballroom for concerts down on Lawrence.
- Theo Fox

Excellent won ton soup at (yes) Hon Kee - but I don’t like it as much since they moved to their newer bigger building on the side street.

Also not sure they should have done all of that street-scraping on Argyle - harder to navigate, harder to park....

Yeah, it's Hon-Kee. I used to live a block away. That place was a dump but food was good. Sun-Wah, too. Great place to get roast duck.

Can't go wrong with all of those Pho ### places. Better than Tank Noodle at the corner of Broadway and Argyle.

Then there's the Aragon Ballroom for concerts down on Lawrence.
- Theo Fox

And the Riv a couple blocks up on Broadway. Used to be on Argyle quite a bit for one job. Was a big part of my territory.

I just thought the Pho places were funny like they were battling it out for Yellow Pages positioning.

Tank was ok but there was a place across from Hon Kee I liked better but can’t recall the name.

Also can’t remember the name of the place where Argyle ended across the street on Broadway that had awesome BBQ Pork Bahn Mi.

Edit -wonder if Ogi makes Bahn Mi.

The Hawks finally sorted out their president situation, they’ll have two plus a CEO.

Danny Wirtz remains CEO, Stan is President of Hockey Operations and GM (don’t everyone cheer at once) while Jamie Faulkner is President of Business Operations.
- DarthKane

I don’t mind Stan keeping his seat for now and also taking a higher title. Makes me wonder at some point he just becomes Prez if the team is doing well and he’s allowed a say.