The Rangers just picked another 1st rounder in a trade with Dallas. Maybe they need two firsts for a future trade?
- rickboardman

Nice catch. Just read about that trade and didn't connect NYR having another 1st, top 10 protected though, from DAL for Lundqvist would strengthen their future trade assets.

That’s a crazy return for Lundkvist.
- DarthKane

Especially when Lundqvist was gonna hold out asking for a trade. Goes to show what DAL thinks of the kid. Nice player with a high upside.

I wasn’t being serious. Just poking fun at being optimistic, its been a while since optimism was warranted.
- DarthKane

No doubt, it's definitely been some time since optimism was warranted.
Building a contender in the hard cap era is going to be different than the last build.
I'm optimistic in that regard because the 'Hawks have changed management personnel.

Nice catch. Just read about that trade and didn't connect NYR having another 1st, top 10 protected though, from DAL for Lundqvist would strengthen their future trade assets.
- Mr Ricochet

Though I think Kane will not request a trade and want to remain a Hawk for life, the fact that the Rangers just acquired a 2nd 1st round pick will add fuel to the Kane to New York rumors.

The Rangers pick will probably be in the high 20's while Dallas' pick may be in the high teens (or lower if they miss the playoffs). If the Kane trade to the Rangers does come about, KD should ask for the Dallas pick. Of course the trade return will depend on the market and if Kane waives hopefully he'll waive for more than one team to increase the demand.

Also imagine if Tampa Bay somehow falls on their faces, possibly with some key injuries and becomes a bubble team. Hawks having three picks in the top 20 of the 2022 draft would be nice.

I thought it was decided we wanted the pasta guy, Fantilli?
- Rota's Rooter

There is more than a slight difference in offensive ability in them.

There are some really nice consolation prizes if the Bedard goes to Pittsburgh.


It appears that the Rangers ability to secure a conditional 2023 first and a a future 2025 4th rounder for midget defender Nils Lundkvist.

It gives them two 2023 first round assets to secure Patrick Kane and a use "a" 4th (since Nils Lundkvist performance prior to that 2024 4th could bump it up to a 3rd, so, you traded your one Rangers 4th in 2024, to pay off the third team that will eat part of Ranger's part of 50 % Kaner salary.)

Note; Kane’s average annual salary. His cap hit is $10.5 million but he earns $6.9 million in actual salary, of which $4 million was paid as a signing bonus in July. Nevertheless, that cap hit will be difficult to move unless the Blackhawks retain half of it. For cap-strapped teams like the Oilers and Leafs, that could also mean getting a third team involved to make the cap hit more palatable.

If (and I say if ) the hawks secure 3rd and 4th 2023 first rounders, I an more than curious if they try to trade wo of the later 2023 first rounders to get a second choice in the top 11 (after securing one of the top 4, I'm sure the Blackhawks like the upside inside the guys at the top of my most recent 7 round mock).

And have FOUR 2023 first rounders doesn't necessarily mean squandering them in a jump up, but, if there is a draft I want to jump up in, it is this one. (No disrespect to the Polish mailman Kevin Korchinski and Lili Frankie, who I have thrown plaudits there way far prior to the actual selections.
https://www.lines.com/nhl/drafts/2023
I just keep my mind focused on the positives in big Charlie Stramel (he can be nasty), and Kasper Halttunen, and niceties of centre Callum Ritchie, Eduard Sales pure diagnoses and attack talent, and add two swedes (Carsson & Stenberg), and don't give me a runway to praise Matt Wood, Zach Benson and Colby Barlow or upside a a few of the Canadien and Swedish defenders or the intangible tangibles of 2nd generation Ethan Gauthier, or giant goalie Micheal Hrabel, a luxury numerous early picks let you roll the projection dice on.


As the Swedish and Finnish leagues start, I am to start the old routine, so no regular
long winded exercises here until I get stuck in a "do loop."


I just want two of the top eleven forwards next year.

Especially when Lundqvist was gonna hold out asking for a trade. Goes to show what DAL thinks of the kid. Nice player with a high upside.
- Mr Ricochet

Or Stars are looking to fill their fan base's hearts with Cole Makar attacker since Dallas chose the less dynamic but still an excellent all-around defender is Heiskanen, and this kid Jedi mind tricks them.

Everytime I think Marek was sent packing from the wings, it gives me blessed assurance that the optimism about his light out comeback in Chicago is imaginary.

Though I think Kane will not request a trade and want to remain a Hawk for life, the fact that the Rangers just acquired a 2nd 1st round pick will add fuel to the Kane to New York rumors.

The Rangers pick will probably be in the high 20's while Dallas' pick may be in the high teens (or lower if they miss the playoffs). If the Kane trade to the Rangers does come about, KD should ask for the Dallas pick. Of course the trade return will depend on the market and if Kane waives hopefully he'll waive for more than one team to increase the demand.

Also imagine if Tampa Bay somehow falls on their faces, possibly with some key injuries and becomes a bubble team. Hawks having three picks in the top 20 of the 2022 draft would be nice.
- boilermaker100

That will change after KD offer's him 3@$5M.

Davidson's important role is just when and how he starts accessing his Cap space.

Drafting in volume in the first round should help fill the holes, but WHEn you elevate, you know you eventually are gonna have to pay your "Kyrou s" along with your possible superstar drafting.

No discussion from me to get a contact for the 2023 easily section, but timing on when you advance your distant future bridge deals becomes something I already would be thinking about.

Davidson's important role is just when and how he starts accessing his Cap space.

Drafting in volume in the first round should help fill the holes, but WHEn you elevate, you know you eventually are gonna have to pay your "Kyrou s" along with your possible superstar drafting.

No discussion from me to get a contact for the 2023 easily section, but timing on when you advance your distant future bridge deals becomes something I already would be thinking about.
- wiz1901

It will only be used for bad contracts until we have a decent stable of young bonefide NHL'ers.

Davidson's important role is just when and how he starts accessing his Cap space.

Drafting in volume in the first round should help fill the holes, but WHEn you elevate, you know you eventually are gonna have to pay your "Kyrou s" along with your possible superstar drafting.

No discussion from me to get a contact for the 2023 easily section, but timing on when you advance your distant future bridge deals becomes something I already would be thinking about.
- wiz1901

Good thought. Maybe it's why they burned the 1st year of Reichel's ELC last year and started his clock already. He'll be up for a new contract after next season (not this one).

That will change after KD offer's him 3@$5M.
- rpeters01

That's a whole other discussion. Does anyone think Davidson and Kane/Brisson have had discussions regarding Kane's future? I would say they have.

If Kane wants to stay and extend have they exchanged numbers? If so and Kane feels he is being low balled, he could either ask for a trade and help the franchise accumulate a couple of assets, or he could say eff them, not waive and sign somewhere else as a free agent after this season.

Or maybe they are in the ball park and have a hand shake agreement for an extension to be announced next off season. Kane even waives at the TDL knowing he'll come back after the season. Hawks get a couple of assets in the trade, plus Kane back for a few years to chase Stash's record and sell tickets.

MacKinnon signs for 8 years at 12.6M.

I think Davidson has a plan and his going to stick to it. if Kane wants to retire a blackhawk the best way to do that would be getting traded around mid jan this year and pick up a 1st a a 2nd and A prospect. and then resign 4 year deal in Chicago after the season. it makes us a brutal team without him. we get back 2 good assets and another solid 1. we tell him we are going to full tank one more year after this and then for 24-25 we will start looking to add pieces over the next 2 seasons. not aggressively but when it make sense.

brisson kane and teows are smart they now the quicker Hawks load up on picks and young prospects the quicker they can start moving up from rock bottom. keeping those guys for the full year this year sets us back 1 year in the rebuild IMO.

Now that the Avs just extended MacKinnon for 8 more years with the record contract, they will have 10 spots to fill with only $13 mill in cap space to work with, assuming no change in the cap next summer. Plus Bowen Byram will be an RFA. That is the mother of all cap crunches coming up. Not our problem, obviously (and maybe our potential gain?), but I have to wonder how they extract themselves from that situation.

Now that the Avs just extended MacKinnon for 8 more years with the record contract, they will have 10 spots to fill with only $13 mill in cap space to work with, assuming no change in the cap next summer. Plus Bowen Byram will be an RFA. That is the mother of all cap crunches coming up. Not our problem, obviously (and maybe our potential gain?), but I have to wonder how they extract themselves from that situation.
- 333inthe3rd

Every team now has a capologist expert on payroll. Seems every team nowadays find a way to get out of "cap hell"

Now that the Avs just extended MacKinnon for 8 more years with the record contract, they will have 10 spots to fill with only $13 mill in cap space to work with, assuming no change in the cap next summer. Plus Bowen Byram will be an RFA. That is the mother of all cap crunches coming up. Not our problem, obviously (and maybe our potential gain?), but I have to wonder how they extract themselves from that situation.
- 333inthe3rd

Everyone always seems to other than the Hawks

Everyone always seems to other than the Hawks
- vabeachbear

We joke about this, but eventually this catches up to teams who find themselves in this spot. It took the Hawks five or six seasons before it finally caught up, but it does happen. The biggest blow to the Hawks was when Hossa retired, and that was when they should have started the rebuild in earnest, after his retirement.

Now that the Avs just extended MacKinnon for 8 more years with the record contract, they will have 10 spots to fill with only $13 mill in cap space to work with, assuming no change in the cap next summer. Plus Bowen Byram will be an RFA. That is the mother of all cap crunches coming up. Not our problem, obviously (and maybe our potential gain?), but I have to wonder how they extract themselves from that situation.
- 333inthe3rd

All the more reason they will go all in this season to win another Cup. Regarding next year, teams always seen to get out of cap hell one way or another. They may have to move someone like Manson to free up 4 or 5M.

All the more reason they will go all in this season to win another Cup. Regarding next year, teams always seen to get out of cap hell one way or another. They may have to move someone like Manson to free up 4 or 5M.
- boilermaker100

i was thinking of the dimunitive defenseman Gerard at $5 mil. per year would be the sacrificial lamb.

i was thinking of the dimunitive defenseman Gerard at $5 mil. per year would be the sacrificial lamb.
- LAHawk

Possible since I just checked capfriendly and Manson has a full NTC for the next 2 seasons.

Excerpt from a Powers Athletic article -

Brian Campbell noticed something in Korchinski’s game Friday that he’d specifically worked on with defenseman prospect Isaak Phillips the last few years.

Against one-on-one rushes, Korchinski had the tendency to attempt to swipe the puck away. The defensive move might work at some levels, but Campbell knows firsthand how a skilled NHL player can manipulate it.

“If once you get to the NHL and you play against (Nikita) Kucherovs and everything, they’ll just slide it through stick and skates and then they’re going to be on the other side,” Campbell said. “Because if you slide your stick across, you’re leaning to the left, and he goes right, you’re not catching him. In junior, Kevin’s not gonna have a problem. He’s gonna be able to adapt, or even in the minors, but once you get to the higher level (he won’t). So, if we can nip that a little bit.”

Campbell didn’t harp on the correction either. He had asked Phillips to join him and Korchinski in a film session on Saturday. Campbell showed Korchinski a clip, mentioned it was something he and Phillips had worked on, and then gave Phillips the floor.

“Now Isaak comes in and says, yeah, this has benefited me and it’ll benefit your game as well and then we can kind of talk about it amongst the three of us or four of us with every new conversation,” Campbell said. “It’s a very tiny thing that hardly anybody notices, but I noticed that a couple times yesterday, and I’m like, OK, I’ll just give him one thing and then leave him alone.”

The Blackhawks will want to influence Korchinski’s game and improve it in certain ways over the coming years, but they’re not seeking to do it all at once. Even with the number of people who are in contact with him throughout the season, they’re careful not to have too many people in his ear. He’ll hear mostly from Campbell, a hockey operations advisor and a former NHL defenseman, and Mark Eaton, a Blackhawks assistant general manager of player development and also a former NHL defenseman. Between the two of them, they’ll make sure Korchinski is getting enough feedback and support.

“It’s just kind of being in constant touch with them,” Eaton said. “Someone like Kevin, I like to see him play in person, get out to Seattle or see him on the road, at least one trip a month. That involves a game or two and a practice or sit down with them over lunch or dinner to see how things are going on and off the ice just to make sure we’re helping out every way we can. And then when it’s not in person, I like to watch two out of every four or five of their games on video as well and try to break down some teaching clips that we can go over, kind of in between in-person visits, so doing that as well. But, yeah, there is no more than a couple of weeks that go by without us being in touch, either in person or over the phone or Zoom.”

Came across something interesting and it's a bit of a tip of a cap to Toews who is entering his 15th season wearing the C.

Blackhawks longest serving captains.

Toews 15 Seasons
Dirk Graham - 7 Seasons
Pierre Pilote - 7 Seasons
Johnny Gottselig - 6 Seasons
Darryl Sutter - 5 Seasons
Chris Chelios - 4 Seasons

Hawks had some good players who wore the C for 2 or 3 seasons as well, but it's something to be captain for 15 seasons and through some of the best seasons this team has had. We don't know how much longer we'll have 19 and 88 around, but what a ride it's been.

Korchinski's smart enough to know how to disregard what won't work, and I think I vote that he discontinue said Power's article move, as there is a maybe bigger issue that is still a large part of his routine in the defensive end.

If you have been watching him, you know when he has the puck he likes his feet moving when attempting to establish better position for himself and his eventual pass of the biscuit. His punch turn kickback well leave a lot to be desired because that right hand is not s close to the body, and it slows his exit speed to elude and explode up and out of trouble. If that top hand is closer to his trunk, his turn movement is crisper, as a entire body movement w/o the body following the move, not as a Part of the move. He never attempts any punch turns on his outward leg. If I notice it. NHL game plans with add closing and pressure when he is in possession.

So. much is better to be heaped on and remedied BEFORE these more lite puck movers are asked to ply their trade in the best league. It has to be worked on with mindful consistency and fixed before we hand him a chance to handle NHL defense with huis offensive gifts.

i was thinking of the dimunitive defenseman Gerard at $5 mil. per year would be the sacrificial lamb.
- LAHawk

Devon Toews will be the first one to go. Only one year after this upcoming season. And no clauses listed. Anybody with more term, they will have to take something back, or they will have to give up future draft picks.