Reichel and beauvillier zero
- LFS

I know there is a rebuild in place… however it would be nice to see some skill to play along with Bedard

Acknowledging EDM shut things down in the 3rd period up 4-1 but i thought with the 4 rookie Dmen playing they did a helluva job to hold EDM under 30 shots. Think it was only 23-20 SOG advantage for the Oil thru 2.

I was really impressed with Vlasic marking McD alone, McD at pace and Vlasic skating backwards, McD does a 360 at the circle and with his excellent balance and his reach fronted/enveloped him perfectly and McD gets nuttin, not even a shot.

Add all kinds of snuff outs the whole game, the beauty 150ft feed to spring Bedard for the goal and IMO Vlasic was fantastic.

Crevier’s positioning is solid.
- paulr

Stays here
Maybe not Reichel

Wait….KK could be assigned to Rockford after Blackhawks season ends and if Rockford makes playoffs

Stays here
Maybe not Reichel

Wait….KK could be assigned to Rockford after Blackhawks season ends and if Rockford makes playoffs
- jhawk59

Hoping when everyone on rhe D get healthy, Tinordi, and Zaitsev are put on waivers, let the kid play and learn under LR, and Dean. Hottest club in the NHL with arguably the most explosive, and Vlasic, Phillips, and Crevier being 3 out of your top 4 were anything but overwhelmed.

I know there is a rebuild in place… however it would be nice to see some skill to play along with Bedard
- bigfly46

Hearsay, guess you haven’ read the tear down and rebuild bible. Acquiring current talent should only be in the context of being able to flip that person for futures, or to just be a body to make sure you have enough to dress 20 each night.

That’s okay, I haven’t read the rebuild bible either. Keep waiting for it to become available on Amazon.l

Acknowledging EDM shut things down in the 3rd period up 4-1 but i thought with the 4 rookie Dmen playing they did a helluva job to hold EDM under 30 shots. Think it was only 23-20 SOG advantage for the Oil thru 2.

I was really impressed with Vlasic marking McD alone, McD at pace and Vlasic skating backwards, McD does a 360 at the circle and with his excellent balance and his reach fronted/enveloped him perfectly and McD gets nuttin, not even a shot.

Add all kinds of snuff outs the whole game, the beauty 150ft feed to spring Bedard for the goal and IMO Vlasic was fantastic.
- Mr Ricochet

I agree. That was a lot to ask a very young defense. They did a nice job against a fast offensive team.
Bedard, and the numbers line are playing well. Reichel needs another stin in Rockford to get his confidence back. When ready they should send AA down to Rockford for a conditioning stint and they should send Reichel to play on a line with him for a few games.

holy poope! came right up RR...thanks a million!
- ReggieFleming

Glad it worked for you.

I'd defer to LA, I only lived in north Orange County for 2 years, but my company was in Torrance so I spent a lot of time in SoCal traveling back and forth to HQ.

You're going to need a car. Orange County is south and east of LA.

Duck tickets should be easy to get, not as sure about the Kings, although I'd guess some should be available. Whether it's in OC or LA, stay by the ocean. Not sure what your budget is, but my favorite place in LA is Terranea Resort in Palos Verdes. Outstanding location, high end service, glorious views.

The Honda Center, (Ducks) is in South OC, not far from John Wayne Airport and Disneyland, if you're taking the kids you could stay in a Disney hotel.
Crypto.com Arena (Kings) is in Downtown LA.
Depending on traffic it can take either 30 minutes or 7 hours to get to either of the arenas. Make sure to check traffic reports.

The Redondo/Hermosa/Manhattan Beach area in SouthBay is great for people watching and the epicenter of professional beach volleyball.
- scottak

Thanks for the details! I'm keeping all these notes. No kids involved, so I don't want to go anywhere near a Disney property.... Budget isn't an issue so I'll look up the Palos Verdes. We were thinking we'd probably rent a car rather than relying on uber. Not happy to hear that traffic can be 30 minutes or 7 hours.....

Here say, guess you haven’ read the tear down and rebuild bible. Acquiring current talent should only be in the context of being able to flip that person for futures, or to just be a body to make sure you have enough to dress 20 each night.

That’s okay, I haven’t read the rebuild bible either. Keep waiting for it to become available on Amazon.l
- LAHawk

Well according to the scriptures you’re currently working on, the Hawks won't add any talent after the season because KFC is an arrogant despot who has decreed he will only do so through the draft.

Time and again in his long reign as Holy Roman GM he has declared this is the one true way to build and as such he has no interest in the team being good for roughly another 10 years so he can accumulate all the best players by drafting them.

I'm coming around to your line of thinking and am circling 2033 on the calendar as the year the Hawks might be decent again. Thank you for showing me the way!

Well according to the scriptures your currently working on, the Hawks won't add any talent after the season because KFC is an arrogant despot who has decreed he will only do so through the draft.

Time and again in his long reign as Holy Roman GM he has declared this is the one true way to build and as such he has no interest in the team being good for roughly another 10 years so he can accumulate all the best players by drafting them.

I'm coming around to your line of thinking and am circling 2033 on the calendar as the year the Hawks might be decent again. Thank you for showing me the way!
- HawkintheD

Descent opportunity to win the first or second overall pick from lottery drawing. Wouldn’t be as long a wait to add to the porous crop of serfdom

Hoping when everyone on rhe D get healthy, Tinordi, and Zaitsev are put on waivers, let the kid play and learn under LR, and Dean. Hottest club in the NHL with arguably the most explosive, and Vlasic, Phillips, and Crevier being 3 out of your top 4 were anything but overwhelmed.
- LAHawk

I agree. But keep either Zaitsev or Tinordi as a 7th Dman. No use having a young guy sit in the pressbox. Also don't hesitate to shuttle the young Dmen back and forth to Rockford when they lose confidence. It also gives them experience maybe playing their off side, playing with different partners, playing in front of different goalies, playing in PP or PK situations, playing against the other teams top lines, even if they are AHL quality top lines.

Luckily the Oilers didn't seem to care too much in the first period. Could have been a lot uglier if they had their foot on the gas from start to finish. They sure locked it down after the first period though.

The back line wasn't atrocious. Unfortunate deflection from Zaitsev, he really can't keep up with the pace but I think he's a better option than Tindori. Other than that they didn't seem to miss Jones IMO. It would be 4-1 either way. Another outstanding outlet pass from pickle for the goal was nice to see.

I can't remember if it was Crevier or Roos but one of them got victimized on the boards behind the net for a goal. Thats a good learning lesson, beat the guy to the puck, think everything is fine and then oops but even with that I thought the younger guys acquitted themselves fairly well.

I think they have something nice going with the D!ckenson line for a defensively competent unit. At least that group can tread water. They need to start building a roster and D!ckinson should be around for the next few years.

The Reichel Guttman Entwhistle line had a nightmare. Reichel being the worst of the bunch. Yikes.

I'd think about bringing up Dach at this point to try with Bedard to at least see if he can win a board battle and hold the puck would be an ok idea - theyre throwing darts anyway. Kurashev did not have a very good game, especially in that regard. Passing pretty sloppy across the board and a lot of cute poop but it's not like that group can play heavy either.

Luckily the Oilers didn't seem to care too much in the first period. Could have been a lot uglier if they had their foot on the gas from start to finish. They sure locked it down after the first period though.

The back line wasn't atrocious. Unfortunate deflection from Zaitsev, he really can't keep up with the pace but I think he's a better option than Tindori. Other than that they didn't seem to miss Jones IMO. It would be 4-1 either way. Another outstanding outlet pass from pickle for the goal was nice to see.

I can't remember if it was Crevier or Roos but one of them got victimized on the boards behind the net for a goal. Thats a good learning lesson, beat the guy to the puck, think everything is fine and then oops but even with that I thought the younger guys acquitted themselves fairly well.

I think they have something nice going with the D!ckenson line for a defensively competent unit. At least that group can tread water. They need to start building a roster and D!ckinson should be around for the next few years.

The Reichel Guttman Entwhistle line had a nightmare. Reichel being the worst of the bunch. Yikes.

I'd think about bringing up Dach at this point to try with Bedard to at least see if he can win a board battle and hold the puck would be an ok idea - theyre throwing darts anyway. Kurashev did not have a very good game, especially in that regard. Passing pretty sloppy across the board and a lot of cute poop but it's not like that group can play heavy either.
- fattybeef

I counted four times last night Bedard had the puck in the neutral zone and not one teammate in sight. Each time Bedard was stripped of the puck. Some fans are complaining he tries to go around three or four opponents, but I’m not seeing any options he has. Dach may work but other than doing the dirty work does he bring the speed and hockey smarts to play alongside Bedard? Finding the right linemates for Bedard has to be KFC’s main priority in the summer. Does he have a prospect in mind or is there someone he needs to target in a trade or free agency?

I counted four times last night Bedard had the puck in the neutral zone and not one teammate in sight. Each time Bedard was stripped of the puck. Some fans are complaining he tries to go around three or four opponents, but I’m not seeing any options he has. Dach may work but other than doing the dirty work does he bring the speed and hockey smarts to play alongside Bedard? Finding the right linemates for Bedard has to be KFC’s main priority in the summer. Does he have a prospect in mind or is there someone he needs to target in a trade or free agency?
- paulr

Hopefully I’m wrong, but Dach has third liner written all over him, but that’s okay, as SC winners normally have a top 5 third line. The Hall injury really hurt Bedard, a healthy Hall is still a really good NHL forward. I’d like to see the Hawks add a couple of forwards next summer, and at least one of them needs to be 24 or younger. So Hall, a good young forward through trade, and a FA, but not a FA that’s having a career year on his contract year, maybe someone like Lindholm. Also, let’s not forget that they will have a top five pick as well, hopefully top two.

I counted four times last night Bedard had the puck in the neutral zone and not one teammate in sight. Each time Bedard was stripped of the puck. Some fans are complaining he tries to go around three or four opponents, but I’m not seeing any options he has. Dach may work but other than doing the dirty work does he bring the speed and hockey smarts to play alongside Bedard? Finding the right linemates for Bedard has to be KFC’s main priority in the summer. Does he have a prospect in mind or is there someone he needs to target in a trade or free agency?
- paulr

Yeah I notice that too - either you or someone else on the board mentioned it. I also have to imagine in the age of high definition and 4k TV there has to be a better way to present the sport so we can see a bit more of the play.

Anyway, I think at this stage just someone he can flip the puck to in the corner and play fetch with is a better alternative to whatever skill guys they have who maybe don't have it all together upstairs. I think part of it is not having help and the other part is Bedard being a kid and not understanding how to relieve that pressure. It's easy to compare to Kane but Kane also had Toews and Sharp on his line year one which was kind of a luxury. Plus that Havlat, Bolland and Ladd line year two did a lot of damage. Even McDavid had Hall and RNH.

There's only one option at this point and its skate through the whole team or nothing and maybe if they had someone who could go get the puck over the top or at least have that threat it could open some space in the middle. If you're gonna throw darts may as well throw them all.

https://x.com/spittinchic...vEQMY8nJVjfbjCFDPdcw&s=01

What a nice check by McCabe

Hopefully I’m wrong, but Dach has third liner written all over him, but that’s okay, as SC winners normally have a top 5 third line. The Hall injury really hurt Bedard, a healthy Hall is still a really good NHL forward. I’d like to see the Hawks add a couple of forwards next summer, and at least one of them needs to be 24 or younger. So Hall, a good young forward through trade, and a FA, but not a FA that’s having a career year on his contract year, maybe someone like Lindholm. Also, let’s not forget that they will have a top five pick as well, hopefully top two.
- Angotti

I'm just mentioning Dach because wtf other options do they have at this point.

Well according to the scriptures you’re currently working on, the Hawks won't add any talent after the season because KFC is an arrogant despot who has decreed he will only do so through the draft.

Time and again in his long reign as Holy Roman GM he has declared this is the one true way to build and as such he has no interest in the team being good for roughly another 10 years so he can accumulate all the best players by drafting them.

I'm coming around to your line of thinking and am circling 2033 on the calendar as the year the Hawks might be decent again. Thank you for showing me the way!
- HawkintheD

It's going to be like that all season. It's all good, with that loss we are looking at a top 3 pick now. Hate the losses but here we are.

Celebrini
Eiserman
Levshunov

Maybe history repeats itself defenseman from Michigan State.

Hopefully I’m wrong, but Dach has third liner written all over him, but that’s okay, as SC winners normally have a top 5 third line. The Hall injury really hurt Bedard, a healthy Hall is still a really good NHL forward. I’d like to see the Hawks add a couple of forwards next summer, and at least one of them needs to be 24 or younger. So Hall, a good young forward through trade, and a FA, but not a FA that’s having a career year on his contract year, maybe someone like Lindholm. Also, let’s not forget that they will have a top five pick as well, hopefully top two.
- Angotti

I forgot about Hall but can he be and stay healthy enough to be a dependable winger on Bedard’s line? Speed isn’t the question but does Nazar have the smarts to play Bedard’s line? Maybe Moore? And can they find someone who will get their nose dirty, fight for loose pucks and go to the net? KD is a good job of breaking down the team but it was pretty straightforward. He did a great job of accumulating draft picks. Time will tell if he’s drafted well, but so far it looks really good. The hard part is coming, finding players through the draft or free agency. So far KD hasn’t shown much. And perhaps the most difficult part will be getting everyone under the cap with some room to spare. Right now I’m liking what KD has done and is doing but next year cannot be a repeat. The team has to be better, play better and has to move up in the standings.

Luckily the Oilers didn't seem to care too much in the first period. Could have been a lot uglier if they had their foot on the gas from start to finish. They sure locked it down after the first period though.

The back line wasn't atrocious. Unfortunate deflection from Zaitsev, he really can't keep up with the pace but I think he's a better option than Tindori. Other than that they didn't seem to miss Jones IMO. It would be 4-1 either way. Another outstanding outlet pass from pickle for the goal was nice to see.

I can't remember if it was Crevier or Roos but one of them got victimized on the boards behind the net for a goal. Thats a good learning lesson, beat the guy to the puck, think everything is fine and then oops but even with that I thought the younger guys acquitted themselves fairly well.

I think they have something nice going with the D!ckenson line for a defensively competent unit. At least that group can tread water. They need to start building a roster and D!ckinson should be around for the next few years.

The Reichel Guttman Entwhistle line had a nightmare. Reichel being the worst of the bunch. Yikes.

I'd think about bringing up Dach at this point to try with Bedard to at least see if he can win a board battle and hold the puck would be an ok idea - theyre throwing darts anyway. Kurashev did not have a very good game, especially in that regard. Passing pretty sloppy across the board and a lot of cute poop but it's not like that group can play heavy either.
- fattybeef

Agree

https://x.com/spittinchiclets/status/1734763830897467840?t=qSvEQMY8nJVjfbjCFDPdcw&s=01

What a nice check by McCabe
- BetweenTheDots

Excellent check and again he has to fight because he hit a guy cleanly. I am so tired of this horse poop. Like Rick said,give the instigator two for instigating, five for fighting and a game and the guy who made the clean hit gets nothing.

I'm just mentioning Dach because wtf other options do they have at this point.
- fattybeef

In Rockford? None, and I’m sure that he’ll get a look in the show before the season is over.

Excellent check and again he has to fight because he hit a guy cleanly. I am so tired of this horse poop. Like Rick said,give the instigator two for instigating, five for fighting and a game and the guy who made the clean hit gets nothing.
- paulr

Nice hit by McCabe on a player with his head down not even considering he might get popped. Do these forwards think they are playing in the men's office non contact league?

I'd add a further minor penalty to the instigator of the fight - delay of game. Its just B.S. - if an officiating crew set a precedent and threw the book at these moron players and other ref crews then followed, it would stop. The coaches would initially do an Andy Reid & whine and cry on the bench and then realize they need to deal with their players.

Interesting article here from McKeen's Hockey regarding 2024 draft prospects.

They have Celebrini head and shoulders above everyone else 1st, then name no clear cut #2,3,4,5. They name 7 players in a tier two who could be as low as 2 and as high as 8. They are D!ckinson (LD), Lindstrom (C),Helenius (C), Eiserman (LW), Silayev (LD), Demidov (RW), Levshunov (RD).

https://www.mckeenshockey...s-pack-early-wide-margin/

Interesting article here from McKeen's Hockey regarding 2024 draft prospects.

They have Celebrini head and shoulders above everyone else 1st, then name no clear cut #2,3,4,5. They name 7 players in a tier two who could be as low as 2 and as high as 8. They are D!ckinson (LD), Lindstrom (C),Helenius (C), Eiserman (LW), Silayev (LD), Demidov (RW), Levshunov (RD).

https://www.mckeenshockey...s-pack-early-wide-margin/
- boilermaker100

And for comparison's sake, Sportsnet's December ranking of top 32 2024 prospects.

https://www.sportsnet.ca/...ankings-december-edition/