Zach Jarom: Just 16 More Games To Go

Hard to believe this season has almost ended and just how different this roster looks after about a year of changes.

And how different it will look at the start of next season.

Its nice to be all warm and Fuzzy about how well this team is playing in utterly meaningless games .Its much easier to play that way when you have nothing to lose. This is still a business and the amount of money to be gained or lost on acquiring or not acquiring a Asset like Bedard is much greater then some feel good stories down the stretch .I am a die hard HAWKS fan and am always rooting for the boys ,right now though I have NO problem rooting for them to lose every game ,and that maybe what it takes to secure almost twice the odds of any other team to get Bedard . After that we can marvel all we want as Luke and his coaching staffs work their magic on a young team next year . Its last or bust for me NOW !!

Its nice to be all warm and Fuzzy about how well this team is playing in utterly meaningless games .Its much easier to play that way when you have nothing to lose. This is still a business and the amount of money to be gained or lost on acquiring or not acquiring a Asset like Bedard is much greater then some feel good stories down the stretch .I am a die hard HAWKS fan and am always rooting for the boys ,right now though I have NO problem rooting for them to lose every game ,and that maybe what it takes to secure almost twice the odds of any other team to get Bedard . After that we can marvel all we want as Luke and his coaching staffs work their magic on a young team next year . Its last or bust for me NOW !!
- oldduffman

I just think that the Hawks will win the first over all pick. The NHL needs Bedard in Chicago, not fricken Columbus were football is king.

I just think that the Hawks will win the first over all pick. The NHL needs Bedard in Chicago, not fricken Columbus were football is king.
- SaskHawkFan

Hope the Hawks get Bedard too, but I'm not sure that's a great metric. Football is king in Chicago too, but especially when the Bears are good...which sadly isn't often.

I know many people on this board don't take me seriously, but I just can't help but think that Bettman has some kind of handshake deal with Arizona for playing in a collage arena. It is just too similar to the Penguins situation when Mario took over the team. Plus, Bettman has kept that franchise on life support for so many years that this is finally his way of paying back.

Hope the Hawks get Bedard too, but I'm not sure that's a great metric. Football is king in Chicago too, but especially when the Bears are good...which sadly isn't often.
- HawkintheD

Here’s how the draft will go:

1. Anaheim - Bedard
2. Columbus - Fantilli
3. San Jose - Carlsson
4. Chicago - Michkov

With the Tampa pick the Hawks will take goaltender Michael Hrabal.

I just think that the Hawks will win the first over all pick. The NHL needs Bedard in Chicago, not fricken Columbus were football is king.
- SaskHawkFan

I'm with PE thinking that the 1st pick goes to Arizona, but what better way to grow a market like having a pick like this kid is supposed to be.

I know many people on this board don't take me seriously, but I just can't help but think that Bettman has some kind of handshake deal with Arizona for playing in a collage arena. It is just too similar to the Penguins situation when Mario took over the team. Plus, Bettman has kept that franchise on life support for so many years that this is finally his way of paying back.
- powerenforcer

If he was really going to rig the thing, wouldn't he have made sure Matthews went there?

If he was really going to rig the thing, wouldn't he have made sure Matthews went there?
- Chunk

Why? They had a stadium at the time.

Why? They had a stadium at the time.
- powerenforcer

Hometown kid, and it's not like the stadium agreement was ever in great standing.

Why? They had a stadium at the time.
- powerenforcer

Only his parents would have made the trip there from Scottsdale 41 random nights per year. It's the worst drive from the moneyed areas of Phoenix metro.

Here’s how the draft will go:

1. Anaheim - Bedard
2. Columbus - Fantilli
3. San Jose - Carlsson
4. Chicago - Michkov

With the Tampa pick the Hawks will take goaltender Michael Hrabal.
- DarthKane

Assuming this comes true, what would the time line be on him coming over?

Do the Hawks let him develop and play out his KHL contract and hope for a Kirill Kaprizov type impact in a couple of years?

Can KD ice a team that will hold fan interest until he comes over?

Conspiracy theories aside, it would be great to land Bedard. Let the chips fall where they may. It is on the Hawks to develop whomever they draft, but the next 3 drafts will make or break KD’s tenure as GM. The Hawks are set up very nicely, but unless the Hawks develop Kids properly, we will not return to contender status for a long time.

Conspiracy theories aside, it would be great to land Bedard. Let the chips fall where they may. It is on the Hawks to develop whomever they draft, but the next 3 drafts will make or break KD’s tenure as GM. The Hawks are set up very nicely, but unless the Hawks develop Kids properly, we will not return to contender status for a long time.
- ChicagoHope

Yep, getting all these draft picks is only step 1. They need to turn those picks into solid NHL assets and find a few pieces to really build around.

There will be a big tank battle above us tonight. With the Bruins likely beating us there should be an adjustment in the tank standings.
Would be nice to see a 3 point game between Columbus and San Jose.

Oh, hockey gods, hear my fervent prayer. If the Blackhawks are to only win one more game this year, let it be tonight, against Boston. Amen.

Here’s how the draft will go:

1. Anaheim - Bedard
2. Columbus - Fantilli
3. San Jose - Carlsson
4. Chicago - Michkov

With the Tampa pick the Hawks will take goaltender Michael Hrabal.
- DarthKane

Provided we can get Michkov over here, maybe the two-or-so-year wait won't be too bad. It'll allow the Hawks to develop players a bit more and tank for two more drafts without wasting any ELC time on him.

Well Carolina not adding at the deadline looks like a bigger mistake now

Don Waddell, President and General Manager of the National Hockey League's Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that forward Andrei Svechnikov will be out indefinitely after suffering a right knee injury on Saturday night against the Vegas Golden Knights in Raleigh.

"Andrei had an MRI on Monday afternoon, and had a consultation with our team doctors," said Waddell. "In the interest of being thorough, we are continuing to gather information along with Andrei to make the best decision for his health. We will provide further information after a decision is made."

I know many people on this board don't take me seriously, but I just can't help but think that Bettman has some kind of handshake deal with Arizona for playing in a collage arena. It is just too similar to the Penguins situation when Mario took over the team. Plus, Bettman has kept that franchise on life support for so many years that this is finally his way of paying back.
- powerenforcer

Ok PE, here’s the whole scenario. The General Managers of all lottery teams are at the location of the draw. There are also a number of auditors overseeing the proceedings. Each GM watches as the correct predetermined number of lottery balls are loaded into the machine. Eventually every ball will pass through the machine, so we know the ball size isn’t different. Please explain how Bettman can affect the outcome.

Ok PE, here’s the whole scenario. The General Managers of all lottery teams are at the location of the draw. There are also a number of auditors overseeing the proceedings. Each GM watches as the correct predetermined number of lottery balls are loaded into the machine. Eventually every ball will pass through the machine, so we know the ball size isn’t different. Please explain how Bettman can affect the outcome.
- paulr

He did it once (at least) in the NHL, and he was part of one in the NBA. Money talks.

He did it once (at least) in the NHL, and he was part of one in the NBA. Money talks.
- powerenforcer

PE, other than saying he did it explain how. Explain how he gets around all of the safeguards built into the process. Explain how you know Bettman outwits all the GMs and KPMG auditors but not you.

PE, other than saying he did it explain how. Explain how he gets around all of the safeguards built into the process. Explain how you know Bettman outwits all the GMs and KPMG auditors but not you.
- paulr

If you recall for the Crosby lottery, instead of taking the records of the teams the last year they played, he took a random number of years. He created some fancy formula that guaranteed Pittsburgh to win that lottery. Now, because he followed the formula, "it was considered on the up and up" by the auditors. But everyone knew it was rigged.
That is how it was sold so fans like you (and the city of Pittsburgh). But some people never trust people in authority.

If you recall for the Crosby lottery, instead of taking the records of the teams the last year they played, he took a random number of years. He created some fancy formula that guaranteed Pittsburgh to win that lottery. Now, because he followed the formula, "it was considered on the up and up" by the auditors. But everyone knew it was rigged.
That is how it was sold so fans like you (and the city of Pittsburgh). But some people never trust people in authority.
- powerenforcer

I agree the Crosby lottery wasn’t done correctly as I believe that year every team had a chance to win instead of the bottom teams, due to the lockout/strike the previous year. But how can you prove a ‘fancy formula’? You can’t, you assume. But that was yesterday, now the lottery has too many safeguards to allow anything but a random result based mathematically on the number of balls per team. Also you say some people never trust those in authority. You’re forgetting one minor detail, the authority isn’t Bettman, the authority are the owners Bettman works for. And if we’re going to go by authority the owners who would have the most pull would be three or four owners of which Chicago would be one one and Arizona would definitely not be one.