Nazar III, Greene, Slaggart probably on the club or in Rockford next year.

Hayes, Ludwinski and Misiak should be competing for a club spot.

Dach maybe worth a look at some point here in the near future with how he's scoring right now.

They should have 3 of those guys above on the big club next year.
- fattybeef

Speaking for myself I know very little about KD. We learn as we go but one thing I believe is KD will not rush a kid. He showed us that with Vlasic, Reichel and even Phillips who had a fine 2022/23 camp.

It will take a big camp for any forward to make next yrs club IMO except for Dach. He might have to play himself off the roster at next yrs camp. Minus a big camp I think all prospects start at RKF next yr.

Wiz,

I was only wondering how well Allen does in the NHL if he goes back to his other side on defense…..because he has been playing the other side exclusively as a pro in Rockford

We know there is a logjam on defense and he needs more time for development in the AHL.

Wow, tough sledding here.

Guess its going to be that way for the next couple years.

I too am disappointed, even though they told me it would be a multi year plan and rebuild, I thought they were lying and young defenseman at 19 would be up and playing like Bobby Orr and Duncan Keith within a week.

I thought they would use all the cap space this past summer for multi year contracts for bad players.

I guess I just can't understand the angst, but to each his or her own.

Tough read every day.
- vabeachbear

Right on.... It's up to those who aren't ready to stick their face in a meat grinder over the rebuild to post, if for nothing else as a counter weight.

Good post, VBB.

Like Toronto they’re going nowhere with that defense and goalie.
- paulr

Ok then, I'll take Woll of their hands.........I like that kid.

This.

7 rookies is a lot.

They also have 6 guys that shouldn't be skating more than 10 mins a night at forward or relegated to the AHL because they aren't good. (thats half the lines)

2 pretty big underachievers in Donato and Raddysh. So almost 3/4.

Reichel has been bad. Kurashev is an enigma and Bedard is very very good. Folgino has played well but shouldn't be on the second or third line at this stage in his career.

Really not a lot to work with.

They need to play perfect and get excellent goaltending to win. Not gonna happen every night. Their record is 100% reflective of their roster.
- fattybeef

Bedard is a very very good jrs player and SOMETIMES the 18 yr old is good in the attack zone in the NHL despite play after play ending on his stick or gone the other way for an odd man or the kid is way too low to backcheck even if he wanted to. He is not good in any other zone except when SOMEONE else gets him the puck in open ice where he loves to hang around (out of position).

Good post though, Fatty, and yea even at 200 NHL games played Kurashev is an enigma. ........

We came into the season wondering how many rookie Dmen will they try and develop in the Bigs. Most thought 1, maybe 2, but they went with three and now 4. Add they started the yr with an 18 tr old as the 1C and a 21 yr old kid who played center part time in Europe and RKF and start him as the 2C.

Was it hard from puck drop Game 1 to see the organIzation brought a knife to a gun fight?

Fair point for sure. What do you think he is doing well?
- stevefrmglencoe

IMO the rookie Dmen, all 4 of them, are doing well enough to get NHL reps despite a team full of 3rd and 4th liners. ..... And, going by every press conference it seems LR has the right temperament to handle a boat load of rookies and 3rd and 4th liners that brings inevitable losses.

I don't like Reichel playing center or line experiments lasting just 2-3 games.

Edit: Whether they look like they need it or not, and often enought they do, I'd like to see the rookie Dmen get nights off. Developing in the NHL is tough enough, especially for Dmen, and this is before they all hit the inevitable wall.

I think periodic, if not scheduled, nights off would do the D kids a lotta good especially as the season progresses.

The entire Devils team will have to learn to play dee besides run and gun.

Until, they will be exciting to watch but easy to score on...
- wiz1901

Damn right the Devils are a fun watch and will be for at least 7-8-9 yrs. Trick with them this yr is to get everyone right 3/4ths in and let er rip.

Watching the Pac 12 Championship tonight they scrolled SJ's win at NJ at +370 was the biggest underdog to win this yr!! Mrazak would look good in an NJ jersey this yr.

Have you followed Holtz at all this yr? How bout Schmid and Holtz for Mrazak plus and they go with a Vanacek/Mrazak tandem?

Huh? The guy said London wasn’t part of the GTA. Nothing wrong with his post either. That’s pretty funny if true. Drunk ball hockey is a blast.
- bhawks2241

Go back to sleep.

This team was goin to be bad this year everyone knew.. if you didn’t know, you weren’t listening
Not many knew it would be this bad tho

Who cares tho this year. Deal with it or look elsewhere for the next year or so.

The year they drafted Toews, last place in the central, 31–42–9 record. Most top players during the cup years were in the system or being acquired

Maybe we wait a little bit before freaking out?
Or just keep female dogin and have fun. Hossa said it, you need multiple premium players for sustained cup runs. That’s a major goal now is acquiring those players for long term.

It takes sacrifice for victory. Not every franchise is gifted favorable terms like a new franchise in Vegas. Vegas is NOT a typical norm for existing franchises.
- TheDrumonMadison

Bedard is a very special player.

It would be nice to put a piece or two in place to help him break the record for goals as an 18 year old since Selannes is pretty untouchable.

Bedard is a very very good jrs player and SOMETIMES the 18 yr old is good in the attack zone in the NHL despite play after play ending on his stick or gone the other way for an odd man or the kid is way too low to backcheck even if he wanted to. He is not good in any other zone except when SOMEONE else gets him the puck in open ice where he loves to hang around (out of position).

Good post though, Fatty, and yea even at 200 NHL games played Kurashev is an enigma. ........

We came into the season wondering how many rookie Dmen will they try and develop in the Bigs. Most thought 1, maybe 2, but they went with three and now 4. Add they started the yr with an 18 tr old as the 1C and a 21 yr old kid who played center part time in Europe and RKF and start him as the 2C.

Was it hard from puck drop Game 1 to see the organIzation brought a knife to a gun fight?
- Mr Ricochet

Bedard has done some cheating for sure. There were moments in the Wings game where instead of staying with his guy moving down low he cheated and hoped that someone else would win a 50\50 so they could shoot the zone. That being said - when he stays with his guy and doesn't fly the zone - he has made some really nice plays knocking pucks away or at least denying the middle of the ice.

At this point it's tough to fault the kid when he's playing with rubbish and they aren't going to win anyway.

That is why I've made the argument they should have brought in more help so they can be pretending to improve and have at least 1 line that can compete. I don't think Bedard is a complete moron and since it looks like this is another tank effort - what's there to play for other than to chase points?

Blackhawks roster moves:
- Phillips AND Kaiser sent to Rockford
- Tinordi activated off IR
- Louis Crevier called up to the NHL for the first time

https://x.com/BenPopeCST/.../1730995768591552662?s=20

Blackhawks roster moves:
- Phillips AND Kaiser sent to Rockford
- Tinordi activated off IR
- Louis Crevier called up to the NHL for the first time

https://x.com/BenPopeCST/.../1730995768591552662?s=20
- 35Tony0

Probably not a bad thing. With Tinordi off IR, it’s better for both to get regular time. Kaiser needed some time to regroup, and LR has already said it makes more sense for Phillips to get the Vlasic treatment as the number one in Rockford for most of the year.

Interesting what Kaner said - look, to be honest, I think he had a point. No clue what he would have said, and I do get the idea about building your own identity - and all of that ... but, I mean on this trajectory - what, actual, identity are you having built? Don't know. If it were me - this off-season, despite what I have written in the past - I'm on the phone to Toews and Kane - recognising there is a problem on the ice with Kane and Jones (or a potential one). Jones doesn't do much for me, I can't see anyone taking him, but frankly he's proven nothing in Chicago, and isn't likely to. Essentially, he's Stanbo's fantasy acquisition that was somehow going to get them into the playoffs. Nothing more -sure nothing less, too, but nothing more.
- SC116

Agreed! I understand letting leaders emerge, but why does having Kane and Toews around prevent leaders from emerging? We had a multitude of leaders on the prior cup teams.

I’m a fan of KD’s approach and do feel Bedard has accelerated the timeline, as yes you don’t want to spoil development on a bad team.

Kane & Toews leadership loss was a mistake by KD. They would be huge to keep the room up now.

Agreed! I understand letting leaders emerge, but why does having Kane and Toews around prevent leaders from emerging? We had a multitude of leaders on the prior cup teams.

I’m a fan of KD’s approach and do feel Bedard has accelerated the timeline, as yes you don’t want to spoil development on a bad team.

Kane & Toews leadership loss was a mistake by KD. They would be huge to keep the room up now.
- TheDrumonMadison

That’s all well and good, but all evidence points to Kane wanting to win. That would not be an option on this team. I’m not sure if it was the right decision or not, but at least KD is sticking with whatever his plan is.

Toews is a lost cause. He’s been done for at least two years, and he’s not coming back. It’s a Chronic condition, it may get better, but it will continue to affect him for the rest of his life. It sucks because he’s easily one of my favorites but that ship has sailed. If he has any desire to get into coaching or FO work, KD’s already said he’s open to it.

KD didn't bring back Kane and Toews since the kids would defer to them instead of being the leaders he wants them to be.