I will ask you, Darth Kane, if you would be a little bit, somewhat or kind of pretty much disappointed to draft the Belarusian dman because he is not reportedly a sure first pair projected NHL dman. I mean maybe we should really gamble with Demidov or gamble to a lesser extent and take Silayev. For cripes sake don’t you want someone better than Leveshunov
- jhawk59

I’ll be a little disappointed but I won’t be bothered. I’ll have to trust KD and team that they feel their 1st pick in the draft is the best player available. I think it’s Demidov, but I’m not a hockey professional.

I’ll be a little disappointed but I won’t be bothered. I’ll have to trust KD and team that they feel their 1st pick in the draft is the best player available. I think it’s Demidov, but I’m not a hockey professional.
- DarthKane

There is a lot behind the scenes we don't see. We weren't there for interviews and dinners. Didn't interview their coaches and other players.

I agree with VaBeachBear, that the coaching staff never let them quit and that was the Penguin upset during the tank looked full of integrity.

Musings
I heard a hot one that Ottawa wants a second top ten pick to acquire one of the right shot defensemen and offered both their later first rounder and Chychrun.

The trade by Chicago with the Isle effectively hopped over Vegas’ pick at #19.

I don’t think that was a tactic, but you have to wonder, with all their contracts, if Vegas is fluid with a flushing, and if the hawks like any veterans that might be available their for a drop to #19.

I looked at that Pronman list and the difference in his board than mine is there is a large influx of Swedish players that I ma sure both he and I have seen very little of. Almost like he got a list from a scout there.

The long shot offer sheet on Necas.
First, the Guy has got to want to play with your group and SIGN the offer sheet.
Second the tam making the offer has to HAVE MORE than the required draft picks…they have to have their OWN picks. (Remember when Stanley did Burke a favor by returning I think second rounder for another year’s second pick rounder, when he THOUGHT he was going to have to offer sheet Kessel?)

Even though this isn’t the greatest draft and the teams in the 2nd half of the first will be looking at less depth, so many of those teams are in need of adding defenseman prospects.
So, IF, teams start going off from the standardized mocks and take defenseman in that late third of the first, it looks to me like a couple nice options of first round possible wingers drop to #34.

I am not sure if KD drafts who I think he will.
Like all of you!
- wiz1901

Loving being proved wrong by the Oils --- all for good hockey.

There is a lot behind the scenes we don't see. We weren't there for interviews and dinners. Didn't interview their coaches and other players.
- wizardofi

Excellent point.

I think Florida is done. Tkachuk has been AWOL pretty much this whole series. Good for The Oil to come back. I was hoping Fla. would win but I don't see them stopping Edmonton. They have their MOJO going on big time.

Isn't this Stanley Cup Final why we are fans?

The ups and downs, the change in flow, the hopes that our team can chenge the dynamic?
Even the anxiety as a non player, simply a fan, and how you wear the games as your accessory between the games.

Last time a fan base got to climb this large a mountain was 1947, when six teams were the league.

No matter who wins, this was one for the ages.
- wiz1901

I agree with you, it's been really entertaining. It's been a rollercoaster and it's good for league from a fan perspective that we have both an American team and a Canadian team in the final.

Columbus Blue Jackets have signed right wing Yegor Chinakhov to a two-year after he scored 16 goals last season & is only 23 and he makes over 2 million while Lucas Reichel has scored 12 NHL goals in his entire career and signed a “Show us” 1.2 million.

I will ask you, Darth Kane, if you would be a little bit, somewhat or kind of pretty much disappointed to draft the Belarusian dman because he is not reportedly a sure first pair projected NHL dman. I mean maybe we should really gamble with Demidov or gamble to a lesser extent and take Silayev. For cripes sake don’t you want someone better than Leveshunov
- jhawk59

I think we should stop the debate about d-man vs. talented forward.

This system currently has one, yes one, top six forward. And more defensemen than they can possibly dress.

Demidov is a top six forward, with legitimate top six forward ability.

With the current construction of this organ-i-zation, go with the top six forward.

I guess Toews was around today signing autographs. Posted by @CHGO_Blackhawks.

"Seen today at the conclusion of Chris Chelios’ hockey camp in Chicago, Jonathan Toews joined Chelios and Reid Simpson for an autograph session with the campers!"

Really stupid if you see it that way, honestly!
- wiz1901

And you're stupid for thinking that "Mussolini" is almost back in the White House. You think you'd be a bit smarter after seeing what happened from 2016-2020 - don't remember him locking up people like the current president that goes number 2 in his pants from time to time

I think they are leaning Demidov. Demi is head and shoulders better than the next available forward. Levshunov is barely ahead of 3 or 4 other Defensemen
- wizardofi

For LFS' sake let's hope so. Envisioning the conniption he'll have if say Levshunov's name is called.

Even if Levshunov is barely better they may still like the defensive prospects better overall. Think it was you who also pointed out the behind the scene factors we're not privy to.

Less than a week away now.

And you're stupid for thinking that "Mussolini" is almost back in the White House. You think you'd be a bit smarter after seeing what happened from 2016-2020 - don't remember him locking up people like the current president that goes number 2 in his pants from time to time
- captainserious

Can we please stow the political BS? Wiz may have started it but it doesn't mean others have to finish.

There is a lot behind the scenes we don't see. We weren't there for interviews and dinners. Didn't interview their coaches and other players.
- wizardofi

Powers offers some perspective on that this morning in The Athletic. If his source is right, it bears out the speculation we've all been reading/hearing for weeks that it's between the Russian fwd and the the Belarusian dman.

Chicago Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson is ready to decide which player to take with the No. 2 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.

“I think we’ve probably got all the information we need,” Davidson said on Friday. “It’s just about talking it through with the group and just kind of coming to a decision and making sure everyone gets their voice heard and we’re making the best decision for the team. But I think, yeah, at this point, there’s not much left to do or to hear. I think we’ve got everything that we can get in terms of information in the bank.”

Which brings us to the second question: Does he know who he’s going to draft? He obviously didn’t reveal the answer to the media. A league source said the Blackhawks are still weighing whether to draft defenseman Artyom Levshunov or winger Ivan Demidov. It’s down to those two players.

The Blackhawks met Demidov in person in Florida this past week, which helped solidify Demidov as a real possibility. If the Blackhawks may have been leaning toward Levshunov before last week, meeting and seeing Demidov in person helped answer some of the team’s questions about him.

For one: Demidov isn’t as small as the Blackhawks may have feared. He measured at 6 feet and half an inch. He isn’t skinny, either. He weighed 192 pounds this week. He has a solid frame. If you add the skill the Blackhawks have seen on video and what their Russian scout, Anatoly Semenov, has told them about seeing Demidov in person, and Demidov has become a lot more attractive as a potential draft pick. It doesn’t mean they won’t draft Levshunov, but I believe Demidov increased his odds.

Can we please stow the political BS? Wiz may have started it but it doesn't mean others have to finish.
- HawkintheD

I have let it go the last X amount of times.
Each time it was Wiz who had something to say.
The reason I come here is because I want to stay away from politics b.s. as much as possible. But Wiz keeps bringing it up, and he gets to call someone stupid and we can't finish it.
I think Wiz's hockey knowledge in general and about prospects is great. As far as his political takes,and him repeating what he sees on tv, the guy is clueless.

I'm all for sticking to hockey abd fun stuff

I have let it go the last X amount of times.
Each time it was Wiz who had something to say.
The reason I come here is because I want to stay away from politics b.s. as much as possible. But Wiz keeps bringing it up, and he gets to call someone stupid and we can't finish it.
I think Wiz's hockey knowledge in general and about prospects is great. As far as his political takes,and him repeating what he sees on tv, the guy is clueless.

I'm all for sticking to hockey abd fun stuff
- captainserious

Just keep ignoring then. No offense, but don’t care about his views, yours or anyone else’s when it comes to this nonsense.

After the draft I think we need a scoring system for grading the 1st round of mock drafts of the various "experts".

I propose:
- If they guess the correct player in the correct slot they get zero points.
- For each slot they are off (plus or minus) they lose an equal amount to points. So if they have a player going 5th and he goes 2nd they get 3 points. If they have a player going 28th and he goes 35th they get 7 points.
- Lowest point total wins

Or the reverse.
- 32 points for getting the 1st pick right
- 31 points for getting the 2nd pick right.
- 30 points for getting the 3rd pick right.
- For each slot they are off (plus or minus) they lose an equal amount of points. So if they have a player going 5th and he goes 2nd they get 28 points (31 for #2 overall pick and minus 3 for being off be 3 slots). If they have a player going 28th and he goes 35th they get -10 points (minus 3 points for being the 35th pick and minus 7 points for being off 7 slots).
- Highest point total wins

Powers offers some perspective on that this morning in The Athletic. If his source is right, it bears out the speculation we've all been reading/hearing for weeks that it's between the Russian fwd and the the Belarusian dman.

Chicago Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson is ready to decide which player to take with the No. 2 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.

“I think we’ve probably got all the information we need,” Davidson said on Friday. “It’s just about talking it through with the group and just kind of coming to a decision and making sure everyone gets their voice heard and we’re making the best decision for the team. But I think, yeah, at this point, there’s not much left to do or to hear. I think we’ve got everything that we can get in terms of information in the bank.”

Which brings us to the second question: Does he know who he’s going to draft? He obviously didn’t reveal the answer to the media. A league source said the Blackhawks are still weighing whether to draft defenseman Artyom Levshunov or winger Ivan Demidov. It’s down to those two players.

The Blackhawks met Demidov in person in Florida this past week, which helped solidify Demidov as a real possibility. If the Blackhawks may have been leaning toward Levshunov before last week, meeting and seeing Demidov in person helped answer some of the team’s questions about him.

For one: Demidov isn’t as small as the Blackhawks may have feared. He measured at 6 feet and half an inch. He isn’t skinny, either. He weighed 192 pounds this week. He has a solid frame. If you add the skill the Blackhawks have seen on video and what their Russian scout, Anatoly Semenov, has told them about seeing Demidov in person, and Demidov has become a lot more attractive as a potential draft pick. It doesn’t mean they won’t draft Levshunov, but I believe Demidov increased his odds.
- HawkintheD

I think they go Levshunov,but I'd rather them take a shot at Demidov.
They need to take a few shots at high end forwards, and Demidov is a perfect for taking that shot this year. Everything I've read,the guy is behind Celebrini,which is fine,but is way ahead of the rest of the fwds from this year.
Grad him, and go with Hage at 18 if available,and go 2 D in the 2nd round.

Just keep ignoring then. No offense, but don’t care about his views, yours or anyone else’s when it comes to this nonsense.
- HawkintheD

What about mine?

I think they go Levshunov,but I'd rather them take a shot at Demidov.
They need to take a few shots at high end forwards, and Demidov is a perfect for taking that shot this year. Everything I've read,the guy is behind Celebrini,which is fine,but is way ahead of the rest of the fwds from this year.
Grad him, and go with Hage at 18 if available,and go 2 D in the 2nd round.
- captainserious

I saw a few clips of guys being interviewed at the combine. Of the guys ranked to go in the top ten only Levshunov was invited to dinner with KD and staff. Then apparently Demidov was taken to dinner by Davidson during his Florida meet and greet. So I guess if this is fact correct it’s definitely between the two.

I think it will be difficult for the Hawks to move up from #18. San Jose doesn’t need extra picks, they need quality as much as the Hawks do. Same goes for Detroit, St Louis and Washington. I’m not saying KD couldn’t get it done, but a trade would be costly.
- DarthKane

Agreed. They’d have to deal w/ Buffalo or Philly imo. If you look ar draft pick trade values, even adding #50 to #18 wouldn’t make up the 75 point difference to get #12. Perhaps Buffalo could unload Skinner’s deal for #12?

I think Florida is done. Tkachuk has been AWOL pretty much this whole series. Good for The Oil to come back. I was hoping Fla. would win but I don't see them stopping Edmonton. They have their MOJO going on big time.
- bjphawkfan

Thachuk has at least 2 UBI from previous series and it’s noticeable. Broken ribs and right shoulder from my novice eyes. Always crazy to see the list of players injuries post-Cup Final when they’re finally revealed!

Thachuk has at least 2 UBI from previous series and it’s noticeable. Broken ribs and right shoulder from my novice eyes. Always crazy to see the list of players injuries post-Cup Final when they’re finally revealed!
- Assman22

When he went out with a broken sternum last year, they were cooked. It will be interesting to watch Monday.

Florida will have last change. And if they can get their top six playing against a Nurse/Ceci pairing that could make the difference. Momentum not as prominent with two days between games.

What's the first trade KD makes this week?

Put together a package for Necas?

Pick up a cup dump along with a pick for somebody like Pageau from the Islanders or Mikheyev from the Canucks?

Exchange some picks at the draft?

Seth Jones to Utah for their #6? (LOL, If I keep suggesting it, maybe it will happen.)

Or something way out in left field that nobody would expect?