Here's what they have right now if they sign a FA (Marner, Boeser, Ehlers, etc)

Mikheyev - Bedard - *free agent signing*
Bertuzzi - Nazar - Teravainen
Veleno - D!ckinson - Foligno
Dach - Donato - Slaggert
Reichel

Thompson - Moore - Greene
Savoie - Ludwinski - Hayes
James/Pharand - Misiak - Lardis

And some other possibilities; Guttman, Luypen, Raty, Marcel, Safonov, Seney, etc.

Not super deep yet. Am guessing only one high level FA comes in. Let the young guys cook at Rockford for at least a half a season and trade at the deadline as needed to open up spots.

Fall of 2026 is decision time as 2025 top 4 pick, Boisvert, Vanacker, Spellacy, Kantserov, and maybe a couple of others are coming in.
- totem

Man Totem just seeing all those options is great.

He's here for one more season. There is no cap crunch. Unless he's a locker room problem, and I have heard nothing that would lead me to believe that, then there's no urgency. I don't anticipate an extension for him. Best approach is probably hope he stays healthy and is a tradable asset at the next deadline, and we get best possible value. Mikheyev fits the the potential deadline trade profile, also. And Murphy for the right price, assuming he's healthy.
- 333inthe3rd

Mik has played himself up to top line and has speed to keep up with the youth. Murph can go whenever but Richardensuhn is here til Greene proves he’s ready for 3C and doubt a 2 game tryout will show enough promise but we shall see.

Man you just see why Reichel isn't going to be around much longer

I do feel for Murphy he's just too slow

Wonder if Davidson has craped his pants yet , unbelievable

I guess we did screw up and drafted the wrong guy

Wonder if Davidson has craped his pants yet , unbelievable
- HamiltonHawk

To be fair though he's not facing any defense yet

Here's what they have right now if they sign a FA (Marner, Boeser, Ehlers, etc)

Mikheyev - Bedard - *free agent signing*
Bertuzzi - Nazar - Teravainen
Veleno - D!ckinson - Foligno
Dach - Donato - Slaggert
Reichel

Thompson - Moore - Greene
Savoie - Ludwinski - Hayes
James/Pharand - Misiak - Lardis

And some other possibilities; Guttman, Luypen, Raty, Marcel, Safonov, Seney, etc.

Not super deep yet. Am guessing only one high level FA comes in. Let the young guys cook at Rockford for at least a half a season and trade at the deadline as needed to open up spots.

Fall of 2026 is decision time as 2025 top 4 pick, Boisvert, Vanacker, Spellacy, Kantserov, and maybe a couple of others are coming in.
- totem

I'm expecting two new bona fide top six Forwards between UFA, RFA and trades. Look for young guys (D&F's)to be trade bait along with draft choices.

To be fair though he's not facing any defense yet
- BetweenTheDots

Overall pretty even game so far. One bad read in the neutral zone and a bit of a lucky bounce is the difference.

Demidov made a nice play but that’s not really normal.

Mik has played himself up to top line and has speed to keep up with the youth. Murph can go whenever but Richardensuhn is here til Greene proves he’s ready for 3C and doubt a 2 game tryout will show enough promise but we shall see.
- Assman22

Too bad Mik couldn't tap that beautiful pass by Arty for a goal

Overall pretty even game so far. One bad read in the neutral zone and a bit of a lucky bounce is the difference.

Demidov made a nice play but that’s not really normal.
- HawkintheD

As someone who is still an outsider to the game, especially the nuances of goalies, was the Demidov goal something Soderblom should've come out and played at and tried to sweep away, potential icing be damned? Or was there not enough time for him to realise that it wasn't going to be an icing and that Demidov had the speed? What is the goalie looking at in that situation, the puck or the ref or the opposing players?

Overall pretty even game so far. One bad read in the neutral zone and a bit of a lucky bounce is the difference.

Demidov made a nice play but that’s not really normal.
- HawkintheD

Hottest of hot takes lol. Vlasic been up and down last 1/3 of season. Looks worn down. Good learning experience for him playing more minutes and being thrown out against top lines more often.

Always forget this is his sophomore season too. Could see a big jump next season.

I'm expecting two new bona fide top six Forwards between UFA, RFA and trades. Look for young guys (D&F's)to be trade bait along with draft choices.
- rpeters01

I am right now wanting to keep the young guys a little longer to get a better idea of what they can do; just figuring for most of them, their value should be higher in summer of '26 than in summer of '25.

KFC though seems to be getting an itchy trigger finger, he has already said he is open to trading his top 4 pick this year for the right deal. Will be interesting to see what he does.

I guess we did screw up and drafted the wrong guy
- BetweenTheDots

No Dots, KD did the right thing. I don't know anyone that was higher on Demidov than me, posted predraft I see Datsyuk, and also posted predraft the Hawks will take Artie and IMO it's the right move.

Simply said Artie checks most every box and plays a more premium position than Demidov. ......... You can find a crazy good crafty winger later in the draft (Kantcerov?) but really really rare to find a RS Dman with size/skating who eats 24 minutes, can run a #1 PP and is built to win 16 games in the playoffs.

IMO Demidov is the real deal, great chance to score 100 points, but drafting Artie was the right thing to do cuz he is a more rare player at a premium position than Demidov is.

Rinzel giving anyone Dougie Hamilton vibes? Big kid can really skate, buttery soft hands, lotta IQ, with size.

No Dots, KD did the right thing. I don't know anyone that was higher on Demidov than me, posted predraft I see Datsyuk, and also posted predraft the Hawks will take Artie and IMO it's the right move.

Simply said Artie checks most every box and plays a more premium position than Demidov. ......... You can find a crazy good crafty winger later in the draft (Kantcerov?) but really really rare to find a RS Dman with size/skating who eats 24 minutes, can run a #1 PP and is built to win 16 games in the playoffs.

IMO Demidov is the real deal, great chance to score 100 points, but drafting Artie was the right thing to do cuz he is a more rare player at a premium position than Demidov is.

Rinzel giving anyone Dougie Hamilton vibes? Big kid can really skate, buttery soft hands, lotta IQ, with size.
- Mr Ricochet

Is Rinzel a better skater? Hands might be better too.

Teams are going to need to treat him like a forward if he’s skating with the puck.

Their defense might be helter skelter but these kids are generating some nice, realistic scoring chances.

No Dots, KD did the right thing. I don't know anyone that was higher on Demidov than me, posted predraft I see Datsyuk, and also posted predraft the Hawks will take Artie and IMO it's the right move.

Simply said Artie checks most every box and plays a more premium position than Demidov. ......... You can find a crazy good crafty winger later in the draft (Kantcerov?) but really really rare to find a RS Dman with size/skating who eats 24 minutes, can run a #1 PP and is built to win 16 games in the playoffs.

IMO Demidov is the real deal, great chance to score 100 points, but drafting Artie was the right thing to do cuz he is a more rare player at a premium position than Demidov is.

Rinzel giving anyone Dougie Hamilton vibes? Big kid can really skate, buttery soft hands, lotta IQ, with size.
- Mr Ricochet

I can see that but my first thought was he reminded me of Alex Pietrangelo.

No Dots, KD did the right thing. I don't know anyone that was higher on Demidov than me, posted predraft I see Datsyuk, and also posted predraft the Hawks will take Artie and IMO it's the right move.

Simply said Artie checks most every box and plays a more premium position than Demidov. ......... You can find a crazy good crafty winger later in the draft (Kantcerov?) but really really rare to find a RS Dman with size/skating who eats 24 minutes, can run a #1 PP and is built to win 16 games in the playoffs.

IMO Demidov is the real deal, great chance to score 100 points, but drafting Artie was the right thing to do cuz he is a more rare player at a premium position than Demidov is.

Rinzel giving anyone Dougie Hamilton vibes? Big kid can really skate, buttery soft hands, lotta IQ, with size.
- Mr Ricochet

Interesting to think about CLB accepting the offer for #4 last year.

CHI gets Levshunov and Demidov
CLB gets Misa or other top forward
MON gets (maybe?) Parekh and trades for Zegras

Not sure who gets Lindstrom or if MON takes him.

I can see that but my first thought was he reminded me of Alex Pietrangelo.
- paulr

Oh ya. He’s not leaving PP1 spot unless for some reason he’s in Rockford next year.

I would be shocked at this point if he did.

Nazar could easily have 4 points already in this game.

Moore getting rocked and it looks like in the 2nd period he's skating with purpose, what a weapon to keep possession, and Nazar, a couple of nice ozone possessions for Moores line.

Nazar could easily have 4 points already in this game.

Moore getting rocked and it looks like in the 2nd period he's skating with purpose, what a weapon to keep possession, and Nazar, a couple of nice ozone possessions for Moores line.
- BetweenTheDots

Bedard lost some confidence? Indecisive and mishandling pucks. Just attack and shoot the puck. It doesn’t have to be from a high danger area every time.

Bedard lost some confidence? Indecisive and mishandling pucks. Just attack and shoot the puck. It doesn’t have to be from a high danger area every time.
- bhawks2241

But do you see what's happening he's beginning to get more space because of his line mates. There was a possession in Montreals end in the 3rd that just made me smile. They are beginning to gel and wow, saw a glimpse how dominant the top line may become

It really is going to be a big plus that our defenseman can skate like the wind, that's why we can't give up on Korchinski yet.

Nazar could easily have 4 points already in this game.

Moore getting rocked and it looks like in the 2nd period he's skating with purpose, what a weapon to keep possession, and Nazar, a couple of nice ozone possessions for Moores line.
- BetweenTheDots

Nazar is the best player of this season for Hawks imo and just keeps getting better. Vlasic has not been the same since Uncle Luke was mistakenly fired. Bring back Uncle Luke!

But do you see what's happening he's beginning to get more space because of his line mates. There was a possession in Montreals end in the 3rd that just made me smile. They are beginning to gel and wow, saw a glimpse how dominant the top line may become

It really is going to be a big plus that our defenseman can skate like the wind, that's why we can't give up on Korchinski yet.
- BetweenTheDots

I think you’ll see KD make a pretty quick decision about moving a defenseman or two twontry to bolster the lineup, especially if the team happens to select Schaefer.

I can see that but my first thought was he reminded me of Alex Pietrangelo.
- paulr

My concern with Rinzel watching him closely play jrs for 2 yrs, 1 undrafted 1 as Hawk property, it was his IQ that worried me. Same as KK. Besides being unengaged defensively he seemed to float and yea, he sure could carry the puck endline to endline effortlessly but he'd skate himself into a cul-du-sac (a lot like Vlassic today) in the corner with no options over and over yr after yr in jrs.

But that seemed to change at U of MN for whatever reason, natural progression/coaching/maturity?

And now in the Bigs that seems even more pronounced. Add the polish, skill he always showed to his advancing IQ and in Game 5 of his NHL career kid has taken over many of the duties as a #1 Dman.......... Kid has a real chance to be a real NHL difference maker as a RS Dman with size.

To your point, indeed his profile has changed, and quickly.

I think you’ll see KD make a pretty quick decision about moving a defenseman or two twontry to bolster the lineup, especially if the team happens to select Schaefer.
- paulr

I think you'll see him make a move if he does in fact draft Schaefer, but as they say let's cross that bridge if we get there.

It's crazy because i think he's bolstering the line up through the orgs drafting, they look so much better already, crazy thing is it really exposes how slow 5 is, i wonder if they are going to focus EDM on his off side so he can start taking minutes away from Murphy.