It'll be interesting to compare the 2021 and 2022 drafts (leaguewide) in ten years and see how accurate they were in their assessment.
- mohel

It's pretty well agreed upon the 2022 draft will be strong. But no matter how strong a draft you gotta pick the right guy, navigate the minefield if you will.

StanBow won't have to worry about that in next yrs rd 1 though.

It's pretty well agreed upon the 2022 draft will be strong. But no matter how strong a draft you gotta pick the right guy, navigate the minefield if you will.

StanBow won't have to worry about that in next yrs rd 1 though.
- Mr Ricochet

Let’s hope he will, while that means the Hawks sucked next year it also means they have a crack at Shane Wright.

It's pretty well agreed upon the 2022 draft will be strong. But no matter how strong a draft you gotta pick the right guy, navigate the minefield if you will.

StanBow won't have to worry about that in next yrs rd 1 though.
- Mr Ricochet

What I mean is that in ten years we can look at the 30+ 1st round picks in each draft and see which was stronger. Right now it is educated guesswork.

Let’s hope he will, while that means the Hawks sucked next year it also means they have a crack at Shane Wright.
- paulr

They'd have had a better shot at Wright without Jones on the blueline next yr..... But IIRC the pick they sent to CLB is top 2 protected so they still have a chance, I guess.

What I mean is that in ten years we can look at the 30+ 1st round picks and see which was stronger. Right now it is educated guesswork.
- mohel

No doubt. Look back at any draft and there are tons and tons of good and bad surprises. ............ And that's the saving grace about Jones. We know he's not a bust but don't know that for certain about any draft pick/prospect.

Why can't Stan get that for Zadorov?
- mohel

Stan should be able to get a 6th and conditional 7th.

They'd have had a better shot at Wright without Jones on the blueline next yr..... But IIRC the pick they sent to CLB is top 2 protected so they still have a chance, I guess.
- Mr Ricochet

Funny huh? Jones will probably make them a tweener. And the trouble with hoping they have a shot at Wright is I wart them to do well.

Can't coach height. How is Zad any different than all the oafs we've drafted the last three years?
- rpeters01

He sucks and makes more money?

No doubt. Look back at any draft and there are tons and tons of good and bad surprises. ............ And that's the saving grace about Jones. We know he's not a bust but don't know that for certain about any draft pick/prospect.
- Mr Ricochet

At 9.5 hes a bust

What the fudge is going on with Bowman? Plus Suter no QO and agent says he’ll probably hit UFA status? Bowman really failing hard.
- Diamondhands

Not a big loss

No doubt. Look back at any draft and there are tons and tons of good and bad surprises. ............ And that's the saving grace about Jones. We know he's not a bust but don't know that for certain about any draft pick/prospect.
- Mr Ricochet

I think you have to put the doings of the last week in perspective:
Jones is an elite level grab that hardly anyone thinks any of this draft's defenseman except Powers (and that is way far down the line.) can be. If you want meet go into that at depth, I am more than willing. He will be the anchor each and every Hawk defender will have as their example. You don't get chances at this kind of player no matter where you perceive the Blackhawk retool/rebuild is.
The only pick at this point that you can try to compare Jones with is the Cole Sillinger.
You can convince yourself he going to be a better pro.
I cannot take that opinion, knowing this draft class and what I have gauged as their upside. The stipulation that let's the Hawks Keep the pick if it raises them into the top six OR Higher to the top picks) of the much better draft class. I have no qualms seeing Shane Wright, Ivan Miroshnichenko (oh no a Russian!), Conor Geekie, Matthew Savoie, Brad Lambert, USA's Logan Cooley, all forwards that are better bets as top liners, and I am willing to throw the mean Czech we saw in World Junior U-20, David Jiricek.
All this is preliminary but our GM had good foresight on adding the provision.(MY QUESTION in the phrasing Lottery win mean the ten slot jump or just if the jump into top two you seem to be saying IS agreement.
Here is the wording:
2022 conditional 1st round pick* (CHI)
*Conditions: If Chicago wins one of the the 2022 draft lotteries, the pick becomes their 2023 1st round pick.. They could be the #16 worst team and win a ten slot drop...
There is no provision if the Blackhawks make the playoffs.
Until I see who the Columbus 2022 Blackhawk traded pick is prospect-wise, I still see the top player you rarely get to draft: a bit nasty defenseman who is effortless on his pins and HAS offensive prowess he was willing to harness to be a set up man.
This isn't Buffalo's #1 puck Dahlin still figuring it out. This is not a Gustav Forsling (who I really liked) who "gets it" but can't handle bigger bodies with regularity.

And for all the Stan-moans, I see a guy holding back $$ from his roster guys if they inflate their value in the plan. Z will have value at the deadline because of his dirty snarl and blind-sides.

Jones is a UFA guy you pay, not a fair to middlin' UFA defender whose name the sports writers have "iconned."

This Hawk draft was based on hope that each and every of their long term developmental picks in time improve and hammer out their armor's chinks. They clearly like them targeted them, not as short term answers.

Another thing trading two years of first rounders does, is not having any of these 2nd 3rd 4th rounders guys thinking, after a nhl season, they deserve what Pius Suter wants.
All year I wonder what the attraction was. I would pay to see him, and he may find out that's the case here & elsewhere.

More interesting to see how Stan is going to recoup a decent first round pick for next summer.

I know he’s going to do it: I just don’t know how.
- StLBravesFan

Dinky plus swap our 2nd for a middle first.

New blog! A look at the Blackhawks qualifying offers to their own restricted free agents and Adam Gaudette's new contract.

Plus, thoughts on an intentional slowing down of the youth movement in order to optimize results in the long term.

https://bit.ly/2Ve7ZQi

Very high price, especially with next year’s pick thrown in. Expensive extension, but that could work itself out.

I think more highly of his skills and potential than some - top 10 Norris consideration for a couple of years there, for whatever that’s worth (something). I think Columbus was a toxic situation the past couple of years, since the sweep of Tampa - Torts (like Keenan back in the day) overstaying his sell-by date, perhaps - had to affect his play. There’s no reason for his skills to have eroded so quickly.

But Stan seemed to be bidding against himself there - thru the years, he seems to have no concept of “market” - there’s the guy he wants, and by God, he’s gonna get him.

But I think Jones the Elder will be good here.

Now: Suter and Kampf not qualified, Zadorov qualified - I hope Stan has a plan.
- StLBravesFan

I think that's a good assessment.