If KD actually brings in one veteran off waivers or an unsigned free agent, for a modest amount I could rationalize the strategy. A veteran on hand would be more useful as a replacement due to injury than anything else

I have not perused or scanned over those available. A few names I will point out however….,

While I like a couple of players we had last season in Wagner and Bjork, I would expect and I would choose first to bring in a dman

Perhaps Egeland would be acceptable but pass on Gus

On a side note, cheering for former Blackhawk draft choices Wise and that Penn State center/wing
E Barret. He had the skating criticism but he never produced or showed enough offense while in Rockford. Barret never had a top player the coach put on his line either but definitely he struggled to produce points.

And Dallas has the dman we drafted who looked kind of good as a collegiate but apparently Bowman didn’t think he would’ve played enough with so many other prospects in the system at that time - this kid I recall his name:Shea

True....and the Hawks won their last 2 Cups with mediocre goaltending from Crawford (not elite, Osgood 2.0).
- DarthKane

I thought Crawford should have won the MVP for the playoffs in 2013. I think Kane as much as said so.

If KD actually brings in one veteran off waivers or an unsigned free agent, for a modest amount I could rationalize the strategy. A veteran on hand would be more useful as a replacement due to injury than anything else

I have not perused or scanned over those available. A few names I will point out however….,

While I like a couple of players we had last season in Wagner and Bjork, I would expect and I would choose first to bring in a dman

Perhaps Egeland would be acceptable but pass on Gus

On a side note, cheering for former Blackhawk draft choices Wise and that Penn State center/wing

Englund is signed with the Kings. I think he is going to wait
E Barret. He had the skating criticism but he never produced or showed enough offense while in Rockford. Barret never had a top player the coach put on his line either but definitely he struggled to produce points.

And Dallas has the dman we drafted who looked kind of good as a collegiate but apparently Bowman didn’t think he would’ve played enough with so many other prospects in the system at that time - this kid I recall his name:Shea
- jhawk59

Englund signed with the Kings. I think KD waits until the end of teams training camps, and picks up somebody a team tries to sneak through waivers or who needs to dump a contract, like Tinordi was picked up last year.

If KD actually brings in one veteran off waivers or an unsigned free agent, for a modest amount I could rationalize the strategy. A veteran on hand would be more useful as a replacement due to injury than anything else

I have not perused or scanned over those available. A few names I will point out however….,

While I like a couple of players we had last season in Wagner and Bjork, I would expect and I would choose first to bring in a dman

Perhaps Egeland would be acceptable but pass on Gus

On a side note, cheering for former Blackhawk draft choices Wise and that Penn State center/wing
E Barret. He had the skating criticism but he never produced or showed enough offense while in Rockford. Barret never had a top player the coach put on his line either but definitely he struggled to produce points.

And Dallas has the dman we drafted who looked kind of good as a collegiate but apparently Bowman didn’t think he would’ve played enough with so many other prospects in the system at that time - this kid I recall his name:Shea
- jhawk59

You don't have to worry about Gus. He has a contract with NYR this year. Wise, I believe signed with FLA's farm team. Barratt was demoted to the ECHL last year, and doesn't have a contract at this point.

What would be the point of bringing in a guy like Wagner or Bjork? The Hawks have plenty of guys that fill the bottom 6 out. From my perspective, all guys like this would do is get in the way. If there is an injury, you are already looking at guys like Katchouk, Entwistle, R. Johnson, Guttman, Blackwell who will be extra forwards at this point.

I thought Crawford should have won the MVP for the playoffs in 2013. I think Kane as much as said so.
- bjphawkfan

Patrick Kane on winning the Conn Smythe: "Other guys could have won it. Look at [Corey] Crawford. He probably got snubbed a little bit." — Mark Potash (@MarkPotash) June 25, 2013

We’re in the dog days of summer when Petr Mrazek and Stalock are the hot topics. Both are replacement level goalies. The beginning of the season always has a goalie being put on waivers and another team with goalies getting injured. I’d let Soderblom start the year, Mrazek is not part of the future.

Very excited to see how all the kids do in camp. Bedard is an obvious lock. Imagine a lineup with Reichel, Korchinski, Vlasic, del Mastro, and others. Watching the plugs get bumped out gradually will be a joy.

I thought Crawford should have won the MVP for the playoffs in 2013. I think Kane as much as said so.
- bjphawkfan

You never can tell if Darth is being well Darth... .

Includes our old friends Delia and Lankinen.

My predictions for goaltending duos in years after this.

24-25 Soderblom- cheap veteran FA
25-26 Soderblom (if he shows he's worth being extended)-Commesso
or, cheap veteran FA (if Soderblom not around)-Commesso
26-27 Commessso-Gajan

Hopefully Commesso and Gajan can be a 1A and 1B combination.

Commesso would spend this season and next at the Rock. I see Gajan staying in Europe for a season than signing his ELC and spending 2 seasons in Rockford.
- boilermaker100

Gajan will play this season with Green Bay in the USHL and then is planning to go to Minnesota-Dultuh for the 24-25 season.
- Black Raven

Yes, Gajun will play USHL as a 19 yer old this yr and should be a 20 yr old freshman at MN-Duluth for the 2024/25 season.

Gajun was draft eligible for the 2022 draft but probably was not on anyone's radar and wasn't drafted. Not even much on his own country Slovakia's list. Did not ever play internationally at all until this past WJC-U20 and even then was not with Slovakia's WJC squad until an injury and was then called up. He came in late and won the starter's job and got hot for the WJC-U20 with a .936 SPG in 4 games.

Look at his EP page. Played NAHL, a notch below the USHL, with a solid but not great .917 SPG last yr then after the WJC he got 6 starts with USHL Green Bay and was excellent with a 5-1 record and a decent .906 SPG then was sent down to the NAHL. https://www.eliteprospect.../player/690368/adam-gajan

He was ok before coming to North America last yr but the hot WJC this yr got him drafted as the 1st overall goalie. No doubt he was drafted on projection not his body of work. A good sized 6ft 3in very athletic kid but was drafted in his draft +1 yr.

A yr of USHL, 2 yrs of NCAA and 2 yrs in the AHL and he'd be a 24 yr old rookie in the NHL.

Hockey is a copy cat sport. If Vegas wins again with Aiden Hill, and another team with no true top level talent goaltender wins, you might see more teams spending money elsewhere and not prioritizing spending on top level goaltending (Kings, Maple Leafs, Edmonton, etc.

Could go back to the way it was in the 90's (and even before salary caps), the Red Wings never prioritized goaltending, they won cups with Osgood and Vernon (sorry Vernon in the Hall of Fame is criminal IMO. He was no better than a journeyman.
- LAHawk

LVG is really a trend setter. Won the cup with 1 drafted player with the squad built on free agents and trades then with a handful of goalies. Trend setters or an outlier?

Goalies who won the cup the last 16 yrs. It's subjective but by my count in the last 16 yrs 11 teams had career very good to elite goaltenders.

23, Hill
22, Kuemper
21, Vasilevsky
20, Vasilevsky
19, Binnington
18, Hotlby
17, Murray
16, Fluery
15, Crawford
14, Quick
13, Crawford
12, Quick
11, Thomas
10, Niemi
09, Fluery
08, Detroit

Yes, Gajun will play USHL as a 19 yer old this yr and should be a 20 yr old freshman at MN-Duluth for the 2024/25 season.

Gajun was draft eligible for the 2022 draft but probably was not on anyone's radar and wasn't drafted. Not even much on his own country Slovakia's list. Did not ever play internationally at all until this past WJC-U20 and even then was not with Slovakia's WJC squad until an injury and was then called up. He came in late and won the starter's job and got hot for the WJC-U20 with a .936 SPG in 4 games.

Look at his EP page. Played NAHL, a notch below the USHL, with a solid but not great .917 SPG last yr then after the WJC he got 6 starts with USHL Green Bay and was excellent with a 5-1 record and a decent .906 SPG then was sent down to the NAHL. https://www.eliteprospect.../player/690368/adam-gajan

He was ok before coming to North America last yr but the hot WJC this yr got him drafted as the 1st overall goalie. No doubt he was drafted on projection not his body of work. A good sized 6ft 3in very athletic kid but was drafted in his draft +1 yr.

A yr of USHL, 2 yrs of NCAA and 2 yrs in the AHL and he'd be a 24 yr old rookie in the NHL.
- Mr Ricochet

You could have just said "he's not Hrabal".

Just giving you the gears.

Yes, Gajun will play USHL as a 19 yer old this yr and should be a 20 yr old freshman at MN-Duluth for the 2024/25 season.

Gajun was draft eligible for the 2022 draft but probably was not on anyone's radar and wasn't drafted. Not even much on his own country Slovakia's list. Did not ever play internationally at all until this past WJC-U20 and even then was not with Slovakia's WJC squad until an injury and was then called up. He came in late and won the starter's job and got hot for the WJC-U20 with a .936 SPG in 4 games.

Look at his EP page. Played NAHL, a notch below the USHL, with a solid but not great .917 SPG last yr then after the WJC he got 6 starts with USHL Green Bay and was excellent with a 5-1 record and a decent .906 SPG then was sent down to the NAHL. https://www.eliteprospect.../player/690368/adam-gajan

He was ok before coming to North America last yr but the hot WJC this yr got him drafted as the 1st overall goalie. No doubt he was drafted on projection not his body of work. A good sized 6ft 3in very athletic kid but was drafted in his draft +1 yr.

A yr of USHL, 2 yrs of NCAA and 2 yrs in the AHL and he'd be a 24 yr old rookie in the NHL.
- Mr Ricochet

Agreed, I think Gajan is at least 5 years away from sniffing the NHL. I would love for Gajan to prove us wrong, but I don't see it happening.

If the Hawks want to keep Stauber and Commesso in Rockford for most or all of the season they'll need to sign/acquire another netminder. Somebody who will likely sit in the pressbox in Rockford or the bench in Chicago. Chances are that Mrazek will miss time with injury, he always does. Maybe one of Halak, Hutchinson or Dell gets a PTO at training camp?
- DarthKane

Or with the Hawks still not in win mode this yr maybe when Mrazek or Soderblom gets hurt they bring up Stauber, or even Commesso for a look see, and they fill the vacant spot at RKF with an Indy ECHL goalie?

In other words 2 goalies in the system move up a level instead of signing an NHL vet to fill in at the NHL level. Sign a kid off the scrap heap to fill in at ECHL Indy.

LVG is really a trend setter. Won the cup with 1 drafted player with the squad built on free agents and trades then with a handful of goalies. Trend setters or an outlier?

Goalies who won the cup the last 16 yrs. It's subjective but by my count in the last 16 yrs 11 teams had career very good to elite goaltenders.

23, Hill
22, Kuemper
21, Vasilevsky
20, Vasilevsky
19, Binnington
18, Hotlby
17, Murray
16, Fluery
15, Crawford
14, Quick
13, Crawford
12, Quick
11, Thomas
10, Niemi
09, Fluery
08, Detroit
- Mr Ricochet

I always thought that Keumper was kind of average at best, but his numbers are quite good. Binnington was right guy/right time. Murray hasn't been able to stay healthy, so kind of incomplete grade I guess. Niemi was what he was. I think Osgood was the guy in '08 for Det, no?

All the rest are pretty damned good. The funny thing is you don't see guys like Price, Lundqvist, Rinne, Rask, Bobby Luu, etc on that list despite all of them getting to the finals.

I guess it proves you need the whole team.

Agreed, I think Gajan is at least 5 years away from sniffing the NHL. I would love for Gajan to prove us wrong, but I don't see it happening.
- DarthKane

Man, I sure hope not. I still haven't gotten over, and probably never will, the Hawks passing on Dobson for Boqvuist.

I've been on Hrabal since week 1 of the USHL season and by seasons end I stand that he is the best goalie prospect to come out of the USHL since I started following 15 yrs ago, and that includes the NTDP goalies..... Close to 6ft 7in, moves like a 6 footer, efficient in his movements AND is athletic (what the hell qualities do you want?). DET took a same sized scramblin stumblin floppin Cossa in the middle of rd 1. Kid was getting rocked in the AHL so they had to send him down to the ECHL!!!!!

But Gajun is not without a bunch of qualities and is a fantastic athlete. He has the same qualities/size as Oetinger and Spencer Knight. ...... I'll defer to the paid evaluators but I pray this isn't a Dobson-Boqvuist thing all over again.

I always thought that Keumper was kind of average at best, but his numbers are quite good. Binnington was right guy/right time. Murray hasn't been able to stay healthy, so kind of incomplete grade I guess. Niemi was what he was. I think Osgood was the guy in '08 for Det, no?

All the rest are pretty damned good. The funny thing is you don't see guys like Price, Lundqvist, Rinne, Rask, Bobby Luu, etc on that list despite all of them getting to the finals.

I guess it proves you need the whole team.
- Chunk

I was always a Keumper guy but he was stuck in AZ. Used to grab him late in fantasy and he helped by clubs......... Yea, no right no wrong but it sure felt good having Crow in net during the Finals and I bet TB fans would say the same about Vasilevsky. Yea you can catch lighting in a bottle (LVG?) but it helps to have good to elite goaltending.

Bob was lights out but that wasn't enough v LVG. Rask was a freak but couldn't get BOS over the top. So many great goalies without a cup...

All about value and asset management. You gonna put your money in a goal scoring system them you better score. D system then you better stop goals. The realities of the cap world.

You could have just said "he's not Hrabal".

Just giving you the gears.
- Chunk

My Guy!!!

Reichel would need to step it up in a really big way this year for that deal, imo.
- mohel

Agreed. He has to show a lot to even prove he is part of the future of the team.

You don't have to worry about Gus. He has a contract with NYR this year. Wise, I believe signed with FLA's farm team. Barratt was demoted to the ECHL last year, and doesn't have a contract at this point.

What would be the point of bringing in a guy like Wagner or Bjork? The Hawks have plenty of guys that fill the bottom 6 out. From my perspective, all guys like this would do is get in the way. If there is an injury, you are already looking at guys like Katchouk, Entwistle, R. Johnson, Guttman, Blackwell who will be extra forwards at this point.
- Chunk

Have to agree, with:
Hall - Bedard - T. Johnson
Athanasiou - Reichel - Raddysh
Donato - Kurashev - Blackwell
Foligno - D!ckinson - Perry
Katchouk - Guttman - Entwistle

C. Dach - Saarela - Rolston
Luypen - R. Johnson - J. Anderson
Seney - Gust - Philp
Hardman

Guttman can go down to Rockford but anyone else has to go through waivers, although they may not care if a guy gets claimed.

It might be KD providing a bottom 6 fill-in to another team (Blackwell, Entwistle, etc) for a late-round pick rather than adding anyone.

We’re in the dog days of summer when Petr Mrazek and Stalock are the hot topics. Both are replacement level goalies. The beginning of the season always has a goalie being put on waivers and another team with goalies getting injured. I’d let Soderblom start the year, Mrazek is not part of the future.

Very excited to see how all the kids do in camp. Bedard is an obvious lock. Imagine a lineup with Reichel, Korchinski, Vlasic, del Mastro, and others. Watching the plugs get bumped out gradually will be a joy.
- ObeseOprah

Amen to that 🙏🏽

I believe i saw nhl.com fantasy project Bedard at 78 points

Hall 72?

Reichel 59?

And because Bedard is here 62 for Seth Jones?

I believe i saw nhl.com fantasy project Bedard at 78 points

Hall 72?

Reichel 59?

And because Bedard is here 62 for Seth Jones?
- BetweenTheDots

62 and still rocking a minus 23 probably.

62 and still rocking a minus 23 probably.
- SC116

I still say that if Jones made about $7M and was their #2 or #3, that he would be an asset to the team. Unfortunately he’s overpaid, and has had to play too many minutes due to the Hawks lack of talent on defense the last couple of years. With some of the young talent coming, his TOI will decrease, regrettably there’s nothing that they can do about his contract.

This is a really good article:

https://theathletic.com/4...rs-connor-bedard-mcdavid/

62 and still rocking a minus 23 probably.
- SC116

That would be a massive improvement for one season, it's probably a little too optimistic. I think minus 30 would be a fair target.

Dirk Graham Day. #33