No idea what you mean by the bolded? He was hit knee on knee by basically a freak incident. In this year’s playoffs North Bay and Oshawa targeted him with hits, hacks and slashes and after the whistle shenanigans. Lardis doesn’t play any kind of physical game, however he’s not afraid to play as evidenced by his 11 goals in 7 games in these playoffs. If he’s in a scrum he’ll push, shove and punch back and he’s always been that way. This year he’s getting more and more involved in the tough areas of the ice.

It won’t surprise me if Lardis is the fastest player in the Blackhawk organization, he is definitely top three or four. He has an above average NHL caliber shot and release already. But IMO his greatest asset is his ability to anticipate the play and be in the open to receive the puck. His weak points are his defensive game, it’s just barely adequate. He doesn’t use his speed off the rush to back off defenders nearly enough like McDavid or McKinnon. He brings no physicality. Can the Hawks afford to have a one dimensional player on the roster. Conversely can the Hawks afford to not have a guy who may prove to be an above average goal scorer?


Lardis’ hat trick against the generals a few games ago.


https://youtu.be/eeVip9VQZCw?si=Fi-mF679ixKO1fGA
- paulr

I guess we'll have to see how one dimensional he would be at the pro level, he says all the right things and says he wants to play the right way? Said he's working on what the Blackhawks want him to work on this year?

London gets the sweep over Erie with a win in overtime. Misiak could be in Rockford soon.

Vanacker had a goal in the Brantford loss.

London gets the sweep over Erie with a win in overtime. Misiak could be in Rockford soon.

Vanacker had a goal in the Brantford loss.
- totem

Misiak opened some eyes this year. Good on him.

Well, he rode "glide mode" to 71 goals this year, so it doesn't seem to be that much of a negative. He spent the year working on getting to the middle of the ice more and battling better and it seems to have paid off. No sure where you see the tentativeness in his game.
- Chunk

Believe me, Chuck i see the gun side.

I an talking about when he plays w/o the puck in his team's possession.
The idea the currently injured winger Lardis has the leg push that makes him a factor as a defender in the NHL soon.. .That is a ridiculous call-up, even before his unfortunate knee issue now.

I think he would get taken advantage of from the middle ice area all the way out the other ends.
He sure knows how get in position and rip it!

Believe me, Chuck i see the gun side.

I an talking about when he plays w/o the puck in his team's possession.
The idea the currently injured winger Lardis has the leg push that makes him a factor as a defender in the NHL soon.. .That is a ridiculous call-up, even before his unfortunate knee issue now.

I think he would get taken advantage of from the middle ice area all the way out the other ends.
He sure knows how get in position and rip it!
- wiz1901

Wondering if you saw the Demidov debut against Hawks?

Still have the funky skating thing, or did it look different?

Believe me, Chuck i see the gun side.

I an talking about when he plays w/o the puck in his team's possession.
The idea the currently injured winger Lardis has the leg push that makes him a factor as a defender in the NHL soon.. .That is a ridiculous call-up, even before his unfortunate knee issue now.

I think he would get taken advantage of from the middle ice area all the way out the other ends.
He sure knows how get in position and rip it!
- wiz1901

The Hawks used the Rockford Shuttle mainly for dmen this season, because there were not many NHL worthy players at the Rock. Next season I can see the young forwards (like Lardis, Greene, Misiak, etc.) getting on the shuttle. It will be good for them to get a taste of the NHL and then go to the AHL to work on things. Also they can do some team bonding with young players in the NHL and at the Rock. It has been a very good thing for the young defenders.

Believe me, Chuck i see the gun side.

I an talking about when he plays w/o the puck in his team's possession.
The idea the currently injured winger Lardis has the leg push that makes him a factor as a defender in the NHL soon.. .That is a ridiculous call-up, even before his unfortunate knee issue now.

I think he would get taken advantage of from the middle ice area all the way out the other ends.
He sure knows how get in position and rip it!
- wiz1901

I'm thinking when he is in Rockford they will focus on his defensive play and a great way to do that is giving him penalty kill minutes

It's what they did with Korchinski.

Cause i see Nazar and Moore being weapons on the PK with Mik, as an org with Lardis speed i would definitely try to develop him to be on the PK. With Vlasic, RInzel, Arty and KK on the PK we could end up having one of the top scoring PKs in the league every year.

I'm thinking when he is in Rockford they will focus on his defensive play and a great way to do that is giving him penalty kill minutes

It's what they did with Korchinski.

Cause i see Nazar and Moore being weapons on the PK with Mik, as an org with Lardis speed i would definitely try to develop him to be on the PK. With Vlasic, RInzel, Arty and KK on the PK we could end up having one of the top scoring PKs in the league every year.
- BetweenTheDots

It’s up to Lardis, Korchinski, Nazar or any other prospect if they want to play well defensively. Defense doesn’t require much skill. Some good defensive players aren’t great skaters, Ryan O’Reilly is a great example. Playing well defensively requires hard work and an understanding of the various responsibilities. It’s not as much fun as scoring goals. You have to convince a player that a bruise from a blocked shot, a fat lip from a glove to the face, skating your ass off to clear a puck is just as rewarding as scoring a goal. Instead of spending an hour after practice shooting pucks at the net the player trying to improve defensively has to spend extra time learning to block shots, box out an opponent, use his body to disengage the puck from the puck carrier and spend hours working on faceoffs. All of those skills are much harder and more taxing than shooting 300 pucks in various ways.

Nazar bought into it, worked hard and started his NHL career as a reasonably good two way forward. I’m not sure I saw much progress defensively with Korchinski? Can they get Lardis to buy into it? Hopefully they can, he has so many NHL ready skills. But the one area that has concerned me about Lardis is making the NHL is his below average defensive abilities.

It’s up to Lardis, Korchinski, Nazar or any other prospect if they want to play well defensively. Defense doesn’t require much skill. Some good defensive players aren’t great skaters, Ryan O’Reilly is a great example. Playing well defensively requires hard work and an understanding of the various responsibilities. It’s not as much fun as scoring goals. You have to convince a player that a bruise from a blocked shot, a fat lip from a glove to the face, skating your ass off to clear a puck is just as rewarding as scoring a goal. Instead of spending an hour after practice shooting pucks at the net the player trying to improve defensively has to spend extra time learning to block shots, box out an opponent, use his body to disengage the puck from the puck carrier and spend hours working on faceoffs. All of those skills are much harder and more taxing than shooting 300 pucks in various ways.

Nazar bought into it, worked hard and started his NHL career as a reasonably good two way forward. I’m not sure I saw much progress defensively with Korchinski? Can they get Lardis to buy into it? Hopefully they can, he has so many NHL ready skills. But the one area that has concerned me about Lardis is making the NHL is his below average defensive abilities.
- paulr

If Hossa could learn defense, EVERYBODY should!

If Hossa could learn defense, EVERYBODY should!
- 35Tony0

Gretzky never did!

Defense isn't too simple. Willingness, awareness, skill and physical/athletics. If the player has the willingness and they are coachable, they can learn the skill and will improve their awareness with experience.

I'm one that believes the majority of the players put in the effort "most" of the time. The willingness is part of it and most players have that, just the top players display it consistently in more situations. Hossa was that type, he gave the effort consistently.

I think another big part, the harder part to teach is the awareness. The ability to read the play defensively, to be good positionally, to have the right gap, knowing when to close the gap, choosing the right action to defend the situation isn't about effort. Repeated training, drills and just playing the right way come into it here.

Next is skill and ability. There is skill to using your stick to defend, hand eye co-ordination, tying up the opposition, knocking pucks loose, it has it's own skill to it, especially to do it effectively without taking a penalty.

Finally the strength, speed, and athleticism to execute. It isn't always being the strongest or fastest, but it helps and gives the player more options. It makes things easier if you are a smart player. Players need to know their limits and attempt the play that will give them the best success based on their physical limits. The right play for one player isn't the right play for all players.

96 pts missed playoffs in the West. Once again the West has become really tough.

96 pts missed playoffs in the West. Once again the West has become really tough.
- rpeters01

Having the NHL's three worst teams in the West does help the records of the other teams in the conference.

Having the NHL's three worst teams in the West does help the records of the other teams in the conference.
- 333inthe3rd

15 more 2 pt wins next year inplace of 0 pt. losses and we're in. Eazy peazy.

Having the NHL's three worst teams in the West does help the records of the other teams in the conference.
- 333inthe3rd

^^^This

^^^This
- Assman22

That and the Western Conference had a better record in the cross conference games. One conference will always be a little stronger year to year, and this year the West was a bit stronger than the East.

Nice to see those--1st one does not go in on NHL goalies, but 2nd one might because of the screen and 3rd one looked like Draisaitl.

It's kind of nice to be watching 4 of our best 6 dmen in Rockford

Harding is a big boy and has no problem being mean

Damn grand rapids employing the bully tactic

Gretzky never did!
- powerenforcer

When you're averaging 2 or more points per game -then playing defense is not necessarily required.