No problem with your response. He wants to use Donatos skating coach that’s cool.

Donato is an ok hockey player who had a career year. He’s bounced around the league. He’s never won at the NHL level. I’d prefer a vet or two who have won at the NHL level and can teach Bedard what it takes to win, including all the offseason work.
- bhawks2241

He trains in the offseason with higher end guys. In the past, he's trained with McDavid, Crosby and others. He was specifically talking about improving his skating and Donato certainly did that this past offseason.

The Hawks don't currently have anyone on the team that fits your description, so he has to make do with what was there.

He trains in the offseason with higher end guys. In the past, he's trained with McDavid, Crosby and others. He was specifically talking about improving his skating and Donato certainly did that this past offseason.

The Hawks don't currently have anyone on the team that fits your description, so he has to make do with what was there.
- Chunk

I also believe he witnessed it 1st hand. Usually if someone says they want to improve something, hire someone and put the work in and as a player you notice the difference from one season to the next, kind of a no brainer to me to work with the, I'm assuming same guy Donato worked with.

I have to say still thinking of that pass last night by Kaprizov for the primary assist on the 1st goal. Damn what a beauty

I have to say still thinking of that pass last night by Kaprizov for the primary assist on the 1st goal. Damn what a beauty
- BetweenTheDots

That was something else, about an 80’ pass 3’ off the ice and landed on Boldy’s stick in stride.

There was a rumor about Safonov coming over a few weeks ago. Seems like it would be now or never.

https://www.eliteprospect...layer/512834/ilya-safonov

23 yo, 6-4, 205, LC. Good size, good numbers in regular season last 3 years, pretty decent in playoffs/international. Guess it would be a 2 year contract due to his age. Wonder if he would be expecting to be in the NHL right away.
- totem

Defensive center and can get in line behind Greene for bottom 6 center. Looking forward to seeing how his defensive game translates to NA hockey/rinks.

I have to say still thinking of that pass last night by Kaprizov for the primary assist on the 1st goal. Damn what a beauty
- BetweenTheDots

Might Kaprisov be our next Hossa?

Spellacy assigned to RFD.

Spellacy assigned to RFD.
- Chunk

Looking forward to seeing the lineup for tonight's game

Spellacy assigned to RFD.
- Chunk

Rockford will be an interesting watch during these playoffs.

I don't know, i think if things come easier for players it's harder for them to teach it to others.

Toews and Kane knew how to win when they had a talented team around them, not so much when the team got old and thin.
- BetweenTheDots

Kane and Toews won because they had a deep and talented team around them, period.

The Hawks had to cut that depth after winning, which is why 2011 and 2012 weren't so good, until the team reloaded for 2013-2015 before again losing too many parts and starting to suffer from wear, tear and age.

It's not that Kane and Toews didn't know how to win anymore or with a less talented team. It's that two players don't make a whole team. The two guys were praised by the younger guys for helping them along, but simply we didn't have the horses to compete, especially once Toews, arguable our most effective forward in the cup era was no longer healthy enough to compete in top form.

Spellacy assigned to RFD.
- Chunk

That's one guy I think has an outside chance to make the jump to the NHL soonish. I think the Hawks really like what he brings and he seems like he might be physically closer.

Might Kaprisov be our next Hossa?
- Assman22

Guerin said he will outbid everybody for him, and they have the cap space to do it.

Looking forward to seeing the lineup for tonight's game
- Assman22

I'm not sure if I would expect to see him dress tonight. He's been nursing an upper body injury. I'm more interested to see if Vanacker plays at the moment. Sucks that Lardis got injured.

That's one guy I think has an outside chance to make the jump to the NHL soonish. I think the Hawks really like what he brings and he seems like he might be physically closer.
- breadbag

Production wise Spellacy had a very average season, and he didn’t really build on last season’s statistics. I saw him play a few times this year and unfortunately I didn’t see him play particularly well especially considering how strong a training camp he had with the Blackhawks. Hopefully he can have a big season next year.

That's one guy I think has an outside chance to make the jump to the NHL soonish. I think the Hawks really like what he brings and he seems like he might be physically closer.
- breadbag

Kids a freight train on skates.

Production wise Spellacy had a very average season, and he didn’t really build on last season’s statistics. I saw him play a few times this year and unfortunately I didn’t see him play particularly well especially considering how strong a training camp he had with the Blackhawks. Hopefully he can have a big season next year.
- paulr

I like Spellacy, but my fear is that he is a large version of Alexandre Fortin. Fast, and provides something you don't really have, but when the games are real and not pre-season, he's just a guy. Hope I'm way off on this, but I saw the same thing in my viewings of him.

Production wise Spellacy had a very average season, and he didn’t really build on last season’s statistics. I saw him play a few times this year and unfortunately I didn’t see him play particularly well especially considering how strong a training camp he had with the Blackhawks. Hopefully he can have a big season next year.
- paulr

My thought is that he will never be the guy to have a big season. Never will be the big production type, but might just be one of those guys who gets his 35 points per year at every level as a role player. I don't think it's offensive upside that had the Hawks playing him in the preseason.

I've always said he's not good enough to play 25 minutes a game

TBs defense looks horrible

The infamous Gaudette ties the game in Toronto, real quiet in that arena right now
- BetweenTheDots

Jones got every summer off early.

Not that we're not having a total blast running up the number of pages, but has anyone heard anything regarding a new Hawks writer? Kinda crazy that one of the highest engagement blogs can't get a writer.
- Chunk

Danny should hire somebody, an intern, just to keep the interest up. They could spew any propaganda the team wants.
#WirtzFail.

Heard a take that Seattle is ready to rebuild as they have 9 picks in the top 2 rounds in the next 3 years.

Greedy bastid KFC has 12 picks in the top 2 rounds in the next 3 years.
- totem

Rebuild from what?

When I posted this it was just repeating those cheeky Darth & other posts:



- wiz1901I don’t care where the Blackhawks draft as long as it is Misa.

Top 4 in 2025, that means you get a legitimate talent with the will to play star quality revues.




Look, i just kniow there is enough there no matter if you choose 3, 4, to get a REALLY fine player.

Desnoyers is a possible if they don't want the currently undersized Hagens, but Frondell is real deal, and for all the criticism about how he doesn't have decent get off the mark feet, Martone is simply really really good big man in front, and one who will go to the boards and you'll know who was rubbing you out.
I do think he is agoing to be a very nice pro.

When you draft a Reichel, you are looking for a guy whose skills and feet drive him as a scorer, but when it doesn't work out, you look at all the darftees available and look for a scoring generator who can play up & down if expectations lower.
I am not Hagens can play everwhere.

That's why many of the new guys can play lower end roles and progress to improve.

I just have seen so many years (50 !!!) where scores get picked and never get by as one way guys.





I cannot play Tank lotto, because it won't matter much if ourc scouts find their guy.

And besides UNLESS you hit RESET your list of five chances are simply the same rote one we all can merry go round to...they are set not to random, but a formula that repeats all the possibilities but basically in the same order over and over where we each could "get to it when we get on the merry go round.

You have to reset after each pick if you need five chances to guess.

You just don't see many 6' 200# kids. They have to be much taller to hit 200#. I would aim for 180# fast skaters.

Rebuild from what?
- rpeters01

From the one lucky year when they made the playoffs and got an upset in the first round. Then they fired/traded everybody.

TODAY'S TANKATHON

PHI jumps to #1, and again PIT makes a big jump, this time to #2. CHI to #4.

4 Philadelphia
9 Pittsburgh
1 San Jose
2 Chicago
3 Nashville
5 Boston
6 Seattle
7 Buffalo
8 Anaheim
10 NY Islanders
11 NY Rangers
12 Detroit
13 Columbus
14 Utah
15 Vancouver
16 Calgary (to MON)

Considering how the lottery actually works -- a series of numbers presented each team ... to have the Hawks continually show as 4 and getting jumped (also SJ getting jumped) - apologies -but I think those should be doubly less than just either SJ or Chicago getting leap-frogged. It feels like it is just a percentage generator result vomitter - and not based on something like the pick 4 ball drop that it actually is.

For those interested the U-18 WJC starts today. US v Czechia at 7:00 on NHL Network. Plenty of kids in this tournament will be drafted in a couple months so you get a good look at some of them this close to the draft.