I dabble in online betting during college football and nfl season.....I get that as it was the world's worst kept secret that a LARGE majority of people watching games had monetary investments tied to it.....illegal or not.

I was thinking of Billy Beane as well......over a large sample size you can rely on some math as the chance vs succession rate I am sure is accurate but when you get into short series you need coaches who can pivot to win based on what they are SEEING on the field vs on the ice.

Clear example of this.....Chicago Cubs. That organization continues to operate in the definition of insanity keeping a group of 5 together offensively and hoping that it will show different results and since 2016.....it hasn't. They are good enough to get them to the playoffs but like the 90s Braves all you have at the end is 1 championship.

I give bowman/q credit for making those changes during the cup runs as after 2010 they easily could have been the Cubs and just won "1"....

Radio here is awful. I will listen to Silverman and Waddle from time to time as I enjoy Silverman raging RIGHTFULLY on the Bears but I can't tell you the last time I listened to the score....I like(d) Lawrence Holmes but the rest of the shows are garbage. How Dan Bernstein is still on the air is comical.
- SteveRain

With working at home over the last year and no commute, I listen to a whole bunch less radio that I did in the past. When I do listen to sports radio, it is in very small amounts. Bernstein is a SJW who is a complete windbag, Rahimi is almost unlistenable, the fact that they paired them together is comical. I like Spiegel, but Parkins is awful. Everything is about betting with him, and for someone who proclaims to know a lot, he is awful at it. I think he went something like 0-13 in his Superbowl bets, which even for someone guessing would be tough to do. I do like like Holmes on WSCR and Waddle on ESPN, but everyone else at both stations is just kinda meh.

Got to give to get. Mitchell, Beaudin and Kalynuk are a lot of young defense men and there's still more coming behind them.
- rpeters01

Yeah, you do, and obviously somewhere down the line one or more of them will be moved for other pieces/picks/etc. It depends on where the organization ranks them currently and what they consider to be their potential ceiling. It depends on whether they consider themselves to be a playoff team next year and maybe a serious contender the year after. Boqvist is the furthest along in his development of them all. Yes he probably gets you the best return, but then also sets you back the furthest.

Yeah, you do, and obviously somewhere down the line one or more of them will be moved for other pieces/picks/etc. It depends on where the organization ranks them currently and what they consider to be their potential ceiling. It depends on whether they consider themselves to be a playoff team next year and maybe a serious contender the year after. Boqvist is the furthest along in his development of them all. Yes he probably gets you the best return, but then also sets you back the furthest.
- TheTrob

I don't like the idea of over and over trading guys like Jokijarju for Nylanders it accomplishes nothing. Getting picks is simply starting over resetting the clock.

I don't like the idea of over and over trading guys like Jokijarju for Nylanders it accomplishes nothing.
- rpeters01

I doubt Stanbo did that trade unilaterally, Hockey Ops must have decided Joki didn't have enough upside to warrant keeping him and decided to take the chance on a young forward with enough skill playing in a bad organization. It will probably end up being a give nothing much and get back nothing much trade.

Dodgers are strictly analytics based. Everyone wanted Roberts to be fired for being strictly analytical when they lost the 2 world series. (Especially his analytical based pitching decisions rather than going on managerial feel) Lets see if the Dodgers can win a world series in a ture baseball season with the biggest payroll in MLB, they should.
- LAHawk

In my opinion, a team would be insane not to use analytical stats, especially in baseball. That being said analytical stats in hockey should not be the tell all, or in any sport for that matter, it should be used in conjunction with what they see on the ice. When Pirri and Carpenter have the best corsi on the team, that tells me that you better be very careful making decisions based on those stats.

I doubt Stanbo did that trade unilaterally, Hockey Ops must have decided Joki didn't have enough upside to warrant keeping him and decided to take the chance on a young forward with enough skill playing in a bad organization. It will probably end up being a give nothing much and get back nothing much trade.
- RickJ

No doubt, but Stan shoulda been able to get at least Marner.

Thought on Beaudin to Montreal for a center. Yes Bergevin seems to covet him, but who says Marc will be around this off season, especially if Les Canadiens get routed by Toronto in the 1st round of the playoffs.

Piggy backing on the last blog regarding centers in the Hawks future, any chance the Hawks sign Danault as a free agent this summer? He's having an off year offensive wise so maybe his market value will drop. He turned down something like 5M for 6 years from Montreal last off season. Will Stan offer him something similar and would he be willing to accept it? If Toews desn't return he could be 1C for a year or two while Dach matriculates.

Assuming Toews does not return, the Hawks have to do something at the center position. Dach still needs development and I think the Hawks could trade Strome if they obtain Danault or another established center somehow.
- boilermaker100

So acquiring a guy whose best offensive output is less than 20 goals and around fifty points seems like a good idea to be the first line center on this team? I sure as hell hope not

No doubt, but Stan shoulda been able to get at least Marner.
- mohel

If Blowman can’t get Marner and a first for Soderberg and de Haan then he proves this board right! He’s a bum!

#giterdonestan

Apparently you need to be updated on the greatness of the Toronto Maple Leafs per the latest press and media pronouncements. Here is a few:

1) Per Pierre Maguire - Jake Muzzin and Justin Holl (who Stanbo threw in the garbage can after drafting him) have become the shutdown pair every Cup contender needs.

2) Zach Begosian's play this year has been 'incredible.'

3) What Cup contending NHL team trying to win it all wouldn't want great veterans like Spezza, Simmonds and Thornton on their roster.

There you go, the Leafs are pretty much an unstoppable force this year.

Myself, I want the Winnipeg Jets to give the Leafs a vicious pounding in a 7 game series. Begosian, Thornton, Spezza, Simmonds and both their goalies will wind up on IR and the 54 year losing streak will continue to the delight of you, me and Paul.
- RickJ

The Jets don't have the team to do that anymore. They aren't near as physical as when big buff was there

If Blowman can’t get Marner and a first for Soderberg and de Haan then he proves this board right! He’s a bum!

#giterdonestan
- paulr

#thatsthefactjack

It’s not a jelly dooonut eh! We eat maple glaze or French crullers. I used to eat Boston cream dooonuts until I saw Van Wilder!

I’d hold my nose and go with Montreal.
- paulr

Those Colossus doughnuts are scrumptious.

The Jets don't have the team to do that anymore. They aren't near as physical as when big buff was there
- GPHawksfan

All they need is a Cooke or Torres to take out two tree of the Leaves' stars.

The Jets don't have the team to do that anymore. They aren't near as physical as when big buff was there
- GPHawksfan

No doubt, Buff gone reduces their physicality a bunch. But guys like Lowry, Dubois, Appleton, Stanley and Thompson can bang some bodies. But what the Jets really need is another defenceman or 2.

No doubt, Buff gone reduces their physicality a bunch. But guys like Lowry, Dubois, Appleton, Stanley and Thompson can bang some bodies. But what the Jets really need is another defenceman or 2.
- RickJ

I see that Lukas Reichel's cousin, Kristian, is in the Jets organization. Would he maybe be a player Chicago would be interested in, prospect for prospect? Just spitballin.

Apparently you need to be updated on the greatness of the Toronto Maple Leafs per the latest press and media pronouncements. Here is a few:

1) Per Pierre Maguire - Jake Muzzin and Justin Holl (who Stanbo threw in the garbage can after drafting him) have become the shutdown pair every Cup contender needs.

2) Zach Begosian's play this year has been 'incredible.'

3) What Cup contending NHL team trying to win it all wouldn't want great veterans like Spezza, Simmonds and Thornton on their roster.

There you go, the Leafs are pretty much an unstoppable force this year.

Myself, I want the Winnipeg Jets to give the Leafs a vicious pounding in a 7 game series. Begosian, Thornton, Spezza, Simmonds and both their goalies will wind up on IR and the 54 year losing streak will continue to the delight of you, me and Paul.
- RickJ

HAHAHA

Always count on you and Paul for our shared disdain of the Maple Leafs. Hope you both are safe up there as I have vendors in Canada and it sounds like it's still a complete $hit show. Really close family friend who can't go back and visit her family because she would need to quarantine for 14 days upon entering, even though shes' vaccinated.

I follow Lebrun (for the time being) on Twitter and hes just becoming more and more obnoxious. Used to be able to check it but since he joined the Athletic he's off his rocker. Last year he was making comparisons on how The Canucks had a Toews/Kane/Keith thing going for years to come....and well....that was fun.

If the leafs win the cup I'll have to unfollow every Canadian news outlet. I get it and I know all of Canada from what I am told at times (outside of the Leafs and Canadiens) usually rally behind the teams come playoff time to push for the cup.

Nobody overhypes mediocrity like McGuire.

Given the uncertainty of Toews health, and the Hawks poor face off ability, Carl Soberburg was signed as an insurance policy at center this year. If Toews is still not available to start next year, they may have to sign or trade for another insurance policy at center. Soberberg has been ok on face offs, but the Hawks need more. When you send Kampf out there to start overtime, to win the draw, then have to pull him off for an offensive center .......... you have problems !

Somewhere Darth just shed a tear. That was his guy for an offseason.
- Chunk

that's only because Caufield was in elementary school at the time

With working at home over the last year and no commute, I listen to a whole bunch less radio that I did in the past. When I do listen to sports radio, it is in very small amounts. Bernstein is a SJW who is a complete windbag, Rahimi is almost unlistenable, the fact that they paired them together is comical. I like Spiegel, but Parkins is awful. Everything is about betting with him, and for someone who proclaims to know a lot, he is awful at it. I think he went something like 0-13 in his Superbowl bets, which even for someone guessing would be tough to do. I do like like Holmes on WSCR and Waddle on ESPN, but everyone else at both stations is just kinda meh.
- TheTrob

Living way away, listening on the internet is how you find out what's going on.

Most on the Score are tough listens to. Bernstein, I always feel that he's talking down to everyone, arrogant, sorry, but that's not entertainment for me.

Parkins is there as the latest woke sports guy, guess that's why Spiegel is back with him. Who gets fired, hangs around until an opening comes around again, very strange, must be something more to that story.

Always liked Mully, for some reason, reminds me of the guy who would be your cousin, (weird, I know).

Waddle is tolerable,

Honestly I used to listen all time, very rarely anymore, even though I'm working from home office this past year.

God I hate Pace and Nagy

So acquiring a guy whose best offensive output is less than 20 goals and around fifty points seems like a good idea to be the first line center on this team? I sure as hell hope not
- GPHawksfan

Kind of thought it was originally discussed that he won't get as much as he wanted, and it would be a better option at 3C over Strome.

Which all of that I agree with. Maybe I misunderstood it though.

The US is considering a joint boycott of the Winter Olympics. Here's the absolutely trustworthy source.

https://www.cnbc.com/2021...022-beijing-olympics.html

I know this is not hockey related nor is it trying to be political...check out the picture and note the COOL DUDE in the glasses.....good ole Tim W.

https://www.newsmax.com/u...ed/2021/04/06/id/1016567/

I see that Lukas Reichel's cousin, Kristian, is in the Jets organization. Would he maybe be a player Chicago would be interested in, prospect for prospect? Just spitballin.
- powerenforcer

Is he any good, or just share a family member?

Interesting take Steve. The problem is that like most professional sports these days, the trend has been towards advanced analytics as opposed to eye test. Unfortunately, sports journalism is going the same way. Both are pandering to a growing majority who grew up on video and computer games and stats as opposed to being out in the park, or the yard actually playing, and perusing the agate and "scoreboard" page for box scores and stats.

Let's please remind people how many World series that Billy Beane won with his moneyball...I'll help you out, ZERO. How many cups have the strictly advanced stats GM's won so far? What came first the chicken or the egg? Is TB good because of advanced stats, or do they have a bunch of good players and depth so their advanced stats look good.

Journalism and radio/tv now is too much about advanced stats and more-so betting. I am tired of both WSCR and ESPN radio, because the shows have become way to mauch about whatever the betting line is.
- TheTrob

But how much money did he make his owners by having cheap competitive teams that were at least in the mix...

Hockey is an attendance driven sport in terms of revenue. Success is typically (not always but typically) predicted by having more shot attempts at evens then the other team.

Picking up players who are on the ice for more shots for than against over the course of their career is probably a good idea when comparing like dollars and other stats.

Tampa is well coached, has a deep talent pool and both yearly Norris and MVP level players and complimentary players around them. Not dissimilar to when the Hawks were very good, when the wings were very good and when the Kings were very good.

Gambling is big money and that a lot of people use for distraction. Not especially surprising.

Thanks, neek.

Like centers in the prospect pipeline, power forwards are the same: bottom 6 talent.

Entwistle, Slavin, Morrison, and Hardman are big bodies that can play a power game but may struggle playing top 6 unless management is fine with them being the 3rd wheel to create space for talented linemates and not put up huge points (i.e. Bickell).

You need these type of players, no doubt. Yet, at least one power forward in the top 6 would be nice. A winger like Killorn or Tuch come to mind.
- Theo Fox

They've spent a lot of early picks on defenders earlier. Only so many picks to go around.

Kind of thought it was originally discussed that he won't get as much as he wanted, and it would be a better option at 3C over Strome.

Which all of that I agree with. Maybe I misunderstood it though.
- vabeachbear

I started the signing Danault idea and did have him at 1C. This was prefaced by the thought that Toews won't be back.

Centers next season without Danault assuming Soderberg won't be back.
Dach
Strome
Suter/Kurashev
Kampf

With Danault and trading Strome for a piece.
Danault
Dach
Suter/Kurashev
Kampf

Can flip Dach and Danault if Kirby is up to it.

Which option would you rather see next season?