I was reading about the Stars drafting philosophy. The head scout Joe McDonnell (who was head scout of the Red Wings from 20 03-04 till hired by Nill (who was in the Red Wings front office at the same time) when he got the GM job in 2013. Instead of a long recap of the article I will link it here.

Rico, I think you especially will find the article interesting;

https://www.dallasnews.co...dd-to-deep-prospect-pool/
- LAHawk

Thanks for the article, i so agree with this line

the Stars typically get at least two players they pegged as first-round talents.

And this one

“You can’t make players up, so we’re going to take the best player available that’s there,”

They really struck gold with the Robertson, Heiskanen, Oettinger draft. Then repeated with stankoven and Johnston. Hopefully the hawks have multiple drafts we can look back at with similar fuzzy memories like the Korchinski/Nazar, Bedard/Moore, and 2024 draft. Kind of hoping we move up with that second pick to get someone of that mushy second tier.
One thing Dallas has that we don’t is players excelling past the age of 30. Benn, Seguin, Pavelski, Duchene, and more are all good contributors. We need to add a few players of similar caliber just to begin to replicate Dallas’s model. Reinhart or Guentzel, Lindholm or Wennberg, Debrusk or Mantha at forward. On D there’s Skjei and Grzelcyk on the left side or Pesce or Montour on the right.
We could easily outbid any team for these guys, who almost all will want mega-deals and eventually hamstring our cap situation. Getting someone on a four year deal would be manageable, so maybe move up the age scale to Tanev, Tarasenko, Marchessault, Dillon, Schultz, OEL
- ObeseOprah

I think they've made some good decisions otherwise as well.

Making the cup final and then letting klingberg walk was pretty smart. Most people would female dog about the whole letting walk for free thing but I think that is one of the more asinine ideas in sports.

Heiskanen has been their only top 10 pick in the last 10 years so they've done a good job being at the top of the league the last few years without the apparently necessary tanking process.

I think they've made some good decisions otherwise as well.

Making the cup final and then letting klingberg walk was pretty smart. Most people would female dog about the whole letting walk for free thing but I think that is one of the more asinine ideas in sports.

Heiskanen has been their only top 10 pick in the last 10 years so they've done a good job being at the top of the league the last few years without the apparently necessary tanking process.
- fattybeef

Yea its only taken Nill about 11 years to maybe win a Stanley Cup,. I prefer the KD method

On the other hand ton of credit to him building a fan base in Texas.

I'm also really surprised that the Avs came out so flat vs the Stars after the news of their team mate came out and he was going to be suspended for 6 months. Avs have like 4 shots on goal after the first 30 minutes of the game? WTF

Bob Dole never had an issue Takling about Bob Dole...

- wizardofi

if only both sides of the aisle were filled with more Bob Dole type conservative that were able to work accross the aisle, not click together and fear their next President might be coming after them if they don't.
Ahm, the beauty of the Eisehower presidency, before there was a big business/corporation dicating constant higher prices, no military indusrial complex to kt big Pharma messing with your wallets just becasue they can.

I'm also really surprised that the Avs came out so flat vs the Stars after the news of their team mate came out and he was going to be suspended for 6 months. Avs have like 4 shots on goal after the first 30 minutes of the game? WTF
- BetweenTheDots

Sometime even the next man up menatlity isn't enough when you lose Toews to sickness (not the concussive hit a few games back) and a Russian kid disppoints the team in a second play-off run by failing a drug test.
It isn't the most positive start of your day and the game itself becomes on where the players probably cannot let go of the reality.

Yea its only taken Nill about 11 years to maybe win a Stanley Cup,. I prefer the KD method

On the other hand ton of credit to him building a fan base in Texas.
- BetweenTheDots

Actually 7, they were in the finals 4 years ago,

Actually 7, they were in the finals 4 years ago,
- LAHawk

Being in the finals isn't good enough for me, i want the chance to build a monster of a roster like we had in 2010. To me this is the only way in the salary cap era to accomplish that.

Denis Savard was supposedly a gamble pick due to his size...
- rpeters01

I'm not saying don't pick him. I'm not saying he won't be a good player.

Actually 7, they were in the finals 4 years ago,
- LAHawk

If you finish 2nd, you might have well finished last. No one remembers who finished 2nd most years

if only both sides of the aisle were filled with more Bob Dole type conservative that were able to work accross the aisle, not click together and fear their next President might be coming after them if they don't.
Ahm, the beauty of the Eisehower presidency, before there was a big business/corporation dicating constant higher prices, no military indusrial complex to kt big Pharma messing with your wallets just becasue they can.
- wiz1901

You had one, Zell Miller

You had one, Zell Miller
- vabeachbear

board of directors of the National Rifle Association of America.

If you finish 2nd, you might have well finished last. No one remembers who finished 2nd most years
- vabeachbear

Well LA does so i guess some do.

Having a review for Helenius instead of Yaremchuk or D*ickerson. Cmon what scouting reviews are you looking at? I haven t seen Heleniis anywhere near the top picks!
- jhawk59

Yeah I could see that Blackhawks looking at the offensive sides of the high end rearguard prospects that they could take at #2.
I don’t think they see a two horse race, and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if they planted the flag on a player whose character and skills add more wrinkles in the attack.
Like Zeev Buium or Carter Yakemchuk.
And I watch Tig Iginla and keep liking the entire package and if he will even be there for Calgary at slot #9. If you see a winner you draft that winner, no matter where CSS ranks them.
That is why the teams pay their own scouts, and they have less work to due in the early first but I am pretty sure they are very thorough into the kid and abilities and projections.

board of directors of the National Rifle Association of America.
- wiz1901

Cool someone who believes in the constitution

Well LA does so i guess some do.
- BetweenTheDots

Na, I get what he's saying we all here will be ecstatic in 3 or 4 more years if the Hawks are playing in the finals

Well LA does so i guess some do.
- BetweenTheDots

Yeah I guess you remember the 31st and 32nd place finishes more cause 7 years down the line you might make the Stanley Cup finals.

I'm also really surprised that the Avs came out so flat vs the Stars after the news of their team mate came out and he was going to be suspended for 6 months. Avs have like 4 shots on goal after the first 30 minutes of the game? WTF
- BetweenTheDots

It's not like their teammate's dad died or somethin'.

If you finish 2nd, you might have well finished last. No one remembers who finished 2nd most years
- vabeachbear

Wasn't it Vince Lombardi who said 2nd is the 1st loser?!?

It's not like their teammate's dad died or somethin'.
- mohel

True but i was referring to the Corey Perry incident, then blue jackets game for the fans with convenient memories.

Yeah I guess you remember the 31st and 32nd place finishes more cause 7 years down the line you might make the Stanley Cup finals.
- LAHawk

Yea i wish i was a kings fan right now and enjoying the teams 1st round exit once again.

True but i was referring to the Corey Perry incident, then blue jackets game for the fans with convenient memories.
- BetweenTheDots

I was just pulling your chain...

The reaction, imo, was not one you'd expect from a real contender. Guys become unavailable all the time in the playoffs; it shouldn't have been THAT unusual of a circumstance.

Yea i wish i was a kings fan right now and enjoying the teams 1st round exit once again.
- BetweenTheDots

From what I read Kings fans are very unhappy, they think both Robitaille and Blake should go.

Hello, Ricobuddy!
I wondered if you heard the intermission 2nd intermission in the Chalpionship game and Eiserman got interviewed because he scored? He referred to himself in the 3rd party when he said, "Cole Eiserman has to continue to be Cole Eiserman..."
- wiz1901

Yea I did see that, Wiz. Seems you hear that in every sport except for hockey. Kid sure likes himself, with good reason, but I think he's gonna get a good grilling at the combine with organIzations trying to get into the kid's thoughts. ..... NTDP kids are treated like royalty, is Eiserman a diva?

Health issues are very concerning. There is a rumor that he is dealing with herniated disc but back issues anyway.
- MjulQvist

Didn't hear concerns/reports Lindstrom had a herniated disc. As I mentioned I want the Hawks to eliminate as much risk as possible with that #2 pick as the reason not to take a Russian with that pick and I feel the same about serious back injuries. Catch those guys as they fall not at the top of the draft.

His medicals might be the top story at the combine.