That's what everyone said about Jack Hughes. Seems to be fine now.

Bedard is still the second youngest player in the league. He just needs to take his lumps and not play with poopty players.

Hall at this stage is a black hole. Really dreadful play from him. And Bertuzzi can't stay on his feet.

Not sure what Bedard is supposed to do when he's getting double teamed every time he touches the puck and constantly facing the other teams top line.
- fattybeef

Yea just can't take that seriously look at his linemates, i would rather have Reichel with Bedard because Hall is done.

On a high note, Reichel I thought had a good game.

The rest of it was pretty poopty.

Blackhawks are missing Seth jones 20 minutes a night.

Blackhawks are missing Seth jones 20 minutes a night.
- BetweenTheDots

I don't think that is the problem. Theyre losing games the same way by the same amount of goals. I'd argue that the blue line has performed better without him.


They are just playing dreadful hockey in the offensive zone.

That's what everyone said about Jack Hughes. Seems to be fine now.

Bedard is still the second youngest player in the league. He just needs to take his lumps and not play with poopty players.

Hall at this stage is a black hole. Really dreadful play from him. And Bertuzzi can't stay on his feet.

Not sure what Bedard is supposed to do when he's getting double teamed every time he touches the puck and constantly facing the other teams top line.
- fattybeef

IMHO Bedard does not have the make up of a 1st line center. He has a Kane/TT type of style. That’s not knocking Bedard. I’m just saying it’s not in his make up to do what a 1C needs to do.

Mark Lazerus X

This is getting pretty bleak.Quiet crowds. Limited local television. Fan indifference. Last place in the NHL.

This is getting pretty bleak.

Mark Lazerus X

This is getting pretty bleak.Quiet crowds. Limited local television. Fan indifference. Last place in the NHL.

This is getting pretty bleak.
- LAHawk

Kyle doing puff pieces in Toronto instead of making any type of statement to or for the actual fans.

IMHO Bedard does not have the make up of a 1st line center. He has a Kane/TT type of style. That’s not knocking Bedard. I’m just saying it’s not in his make up to do what a 1C needs to do.
- Ztra

Or a lil Ovechkin.

Yeah I could see that. I think Nazar has that Brayden Point kinda style so maybe sticks there but Bedard doesn't have the afterburners that those guys have.

IMHO Bedard does not have the make up of a 1st line center. He has a Kane/TT type of style. That’s not knocking Bedard. I’m just saying it’s not in his make up to do what a 1C needs to do.
- Ztra

So it is imperative to put the correct center with Bedard. Or the right line combination whether Bedard is a center or wing on the line

So I’m considering just possible addition to the top two lines coming from our own likely top five Entry Draft ‘25 selection.

I am aware that Schaeffer is the plum some teams may covet. If Chicago drafts early enough in top five picks - say second or third overall - Kyle could exchange picks even moving down only one spot. The entire reason to do this could be to swap out the Toronto pick with a top ten first round or a prospect previously drafted whom Kyle really likes. Maybe a power forward? Maybe could not get even roughly tenth and there isn’t a top forward really Kyle want in that spot. So who knows if we move up from the Toronto pick

This is just one quick take or strategy how to aim to select two top forwards. Mind you it is very difficult to move into the top tier of prospects. Drafting any spot near tenth probably means tier two level prospects which clearly is less likely and palpable

All this drafting scenario to see who we might select and whether they could be a match on a Bedard line

We could wind up with a very good center but not ideal to play alongside Bedard. Sort of reminds how Toews and Kane were ok together but never the ideal combination as far as to extract the highest scoring total possible. Who knows how many points Kane gets - more points - if another center than Toews

And so it goes with Blackhawk drafting in ‘25. Select Miss? Someone else. There might be a way to get a higher first round pick than merely the Toronto choice…. but probably involves an overplay.

Maybe Scott has some proposals. Yet probably the only outcome we can count on happening is when Nazar arrives and a second offensive line is developed. Our own prospects outside of Nazar and our 5 top choice is a lot of guesswork and difficult to project right now

Bedard needs better linemattes - some day!

So it is imperative to put the correct center with Bedard. Or the right line combination whether Bedard is a center or wing on the line

So I’m considering just possible addition to the top two lines coming from our own likely top five Entry Draft ‘25 selection.

I am aware that Schaeffer is the plum some teams may covet. If Chicago drafts early enough in top five picks - say second or third overall - Kyle could exchange picks even moving down only one spot. The entire reason to do this could be to swap out the Toronto pick with a top ten first round or a prospect previously drafted whom Kyle really likes. Maybe a power forward? Maybe could not get even roughly tenth and there isn’t a top forward really Kyle want in that spot. So who knows if we move up from the Toronto pick

This is just one quick take or strategy how to aim to select two top forwards. Mind you it is very difficult to move into the top tier of prospects. Drafting any spot near tenth probably means tier two level prospects which clearly is less likely and palpable

All this drafting scenario to see who we might select and whether they could be a match on a Bedard line

We could wind up with a very good center but not ideal to play alongside Bedard. Sort of reminds how Toews and Kane were ok together but never the ideal combination as far as to extract the highest scoring total possible. Who knows how many points Kane gets - more points - if another center than Toews

And so it goes with Blackhawk drafting in ‘25. Select Miss? Someone else. There might be a way to get a higher first round pick than merely the Toronto choice…. but probably involves an overplay.

Maybe Scott has some proposals. Yet probably the only outcome we can count on happening is when Nazar arrives and a second offensive line is developed. Our own prospects outside of Nazar and our 5 top choice is a lot of guesswork and difficult to project right now

Bedard needs better linemattes - some day!
- jhawk59

Centers are great and all but maybe Martone makes some sense there? They don't really have anyone like him and these guys that are listed close to 210 as 18 year olds that skate good are tough to pass up.

Mark Lazerus X

This is getting pretty bleak.Quiet crowds. Limited local television. Fan indifference. Last place in the NHL.

This is getting pretty bleak.
- LAHawk

That's why I'll probably be watching the ice hogs more

Centers are great and all but maybe Martone makes some sense there? They don't really have anyone like him and these guys that are listed close to 210 as 18 year olds that skate good are tough to pass up.
- fattybeef

Who knows - well the best who is in authority is wiz. And he may change who he has I mean in what order ranked.

We need a fancy skill guy who helps drive a line so probably a good skater too. But another forward on a second offensive line could be as you are suggesting.

Then too if KD goes with best player available, the process to get the players we want and need takes a longer period - of - time. We may not ever get the perfect or all the pieces we want throughout the line up. The Cup teams lacked enough size and toughness but we received enough increase in those areas in the last two Cups from some of our own players who became truly more warrior like.

I like the scouting report and reporting on many of our prospects but it is not to say each makes it to the NHL. I like this L ‘Heroux rookie on Nashville and hope we have someone who could be a clone.

One point of interest and noteworthy for sure is that under KD management the Blackhawks have the deepest most talent laden “prospectus” or farm pool they ever possessed. Now just to add a couple of top L1 forwards since I am guessing we will have a nice defense and very good depth rolling out four strong lines.

Of course it is early to feel confidant about our goaltending in future seasons yet Soderblom has stepped up whereas Comesso maybe has regressed.

That's why I'll probably be watching the ice hogs more
- BetweenTheDots

Hey LA Hawk fan,

I recall in the past few years the back up crowd hoping to be one of the centericemen for the Kings.

One of those players, Lizzottte, has moved along to the Penguins

Could you see him becoming a 60-70 point contributor for the Penguins? Of course contributing pieces like Crosby for sure and some others need to remain his teammates so that Lizzotte has a descent crew surrounding him

Mark Lazerus X

This is getting pretty bleak.Quiet crowds. Limited local television. Fan indifference. Last place in the NHL.

This is getting pretty bleak.
- LAHawk

I have said this for almost a decade - watching paint dry is more fun than watching a zone trap team.

And any fan of any team that says my zone trap team won and I loved watching it is flat out lying.

I have seen multiple teams that use it, and in every case, when they pan out to the crowd, most of them look bored, or have their faces buried in their phones.

The only purpose this system serves, is to keep scores down by less talented teams, and prolong the inevitable coach firing.

No I have hiem in teh second overalll spot as the teams selecting scond overall is far from being decided.

I bumped him to #2 slot and he may goi #1 even, but that doesn't negate the solid top 12 on the board.

It is just me trying to illustrate that more than one team realized he is a real prospect on the defense.
- wiz1901

Sorry Wiz,just re-read my post in your reply, and it looks like I'm laughing at you with Schaefer at #2. I'm not,I'm laughing at the fact that Davidson might draft another d-man because he said they always want to take the best player available. I'm pretty sure a bunch of Hocks fans would blow a gasket if they drafted another dman with the 1st or 2nd overall pick.

Especially with the need for help at forward.

Does Schaefer play a game similar to Levshunov?

Mark Lazerus X

This is getting pretty bleak.Quiet crowds. Limited local television. Fan indifference. Last place in the NHL.

This is getting pretty bleak.
- LAHawk

Dark times during a rebuild, will you have enough strength to block out the noise (especially if its a click bait hack like Lazerus) and stay on your path, knowing if you're right all the noise will go away.

Or will you buckle and set yourself back for a decade

I have said this for almost a decade - watching paint dry is more fun than watching a zone trap team.

And any fan of any team that says my zone trap team won and I loved watching it is flat out lying.

I have seen multiple teams that use it, and in every case, when they pan out to the crowd, most of them look bored, or have their faces buried in their phones.

The only purpose this system serves, is to keep scores down by less talented teams, and prolong the inevitable coach firing.
- dahawks8819

I believe it's the same system they are playing in the Rock? I really enjoyed that game last night. They were buzzing.

Here’s how I feel about the draft when rebuilding, you draft best player available. You can’t draft what the team lacks today, you need to draft what your team will need two to three years down the road, and guess what, we don’t know what that will be, so you draft best available.

Yea just can't take that seriously look at his linemates, i would rather have Reichel with Bedard because Hall is done.
- BetweenTheDots

I predict Hawks move Hall, they get a poor return, and Hall goes on to have a very respectable (or better) finish to his season with a contender.

So it is imperative to put the correct center with Bedard. Or the right line combination whether Bedard is a center or wing on the line

So I’m considering just possible addition to the top two lines coming from our own likely top five Entry Draft ‘25 selection.

I am aware that Schaeffer is the plum some teams may covet. If Chicago drafts early enough in top five picks - say second or third overall - Kyle could exchange picks even moving down only one spot. The entire reason to do this could be to swap out the Toronto pick with a top ten first round or a prospect previously drafted whom Kyle really likes. Maybe a power forward? Maybe could not get even roughly tenth and there isn’t a top forward really Kyle want in that spot. So who knows if we move up from the Toronto pick

This is just one quick take or strategy how to aim to select two top forwards. Mind you it is very difficult to move into the top tier of prospects. Drafting any spot near tenth probably means tier two level prospects which clearly is less likely and palpable

All this drafting scenario to see who we might select and whether they could be a match on a Bedard line

We could wind up with a very good center but not ideal to play alongside Bedard. Sort of reminds how Toews and Kane were ok together but never the ideal combination as far as to extract the highest scoring total possible. Who knows how many points Kane gets - more points - if another center than Toews

And so it goes with Blackhawk drafting in ‘25. Select Miss? Someone else. There might be a way to get a higher first round pick than merely the Toronto choice…. but probably involves an overplay.

Maybe Scott has some proposals. Yet probably the only outcome we can count on happening is when Nazar arrives and a second offensive line is developed. Our own prospects outside of Nazar and our 5 top choice is a lot of guesswork and difficult to project right now

Bedard needs better linemattes - some day!
- jhawk59

Bedard needs better linemates. But they should not be rookies. in 2008/2009 Hawks had Ladd (23), Havlat (27), Bolland (22), Sharp (27) to play with Kane and Toews.

In 2009/2010 they added Byfuglien (24), Hossa (31), Versteeg (23), Brouwer (24).

That is why I like adding a Rantanen and/or Marner. They are younger than Hossa was when he signed with the Hawks. Hossa played more than 500 games over 8 seasons with the Hawks. Signing them takes the pressure off Bedard and the other young forwards coming up in the next few years and lets them be slotted in the lineup properly. Teams like Edmonton, Buffalo, etc tried to rebuild with young high draft picks. How old was McDavid before they became serious contenders? Instead of paying $5 mil for 2nd liners like Bertuzzi and TT, pay top dollar and get top dollar. Deal with cap issues in a few years when the younger prospects start separating themselves into tiers (or tears).

Note - Not that I think Rantanen or Marner are as good as Hossa. In my opinion he was the MVP of the Hawks for his entire career. A 200' two way player. Maybe the perfect forward. He could do it all. He and Datsyuk were prototypes.

I've been a Hagel fan since he came up with the hawks. And it was sad to see him get traded but I understood what KD was trying to do. I just saw Hagel being on the roster for Team Canada. Love it.

Mark Lazerus X

This is getting pretty bleak.Quiet crowds. Limited local television. Fan indifference. Last place in the NHL.

This is getting pretty bleak.
- LAHawk

Yep, I alluded to this in a post a couple of weeks ago, back on page 35.

Games aren't exciting, the CHSN rollout could have been handled better, and they have lost or are losing the casual fan. They have one less standings point at this point of the season than last year. So far KD's pledge to become a better team isn't happening.

I'm all for the rebuild, but at this pace it's going to be another long 2 or 3 years before the team has even a modicum of success.

Sorry Wiz,just re-read my post in your reply, and it looks like I'm laughing at you with Schaefer at #2. I'm not,I'm laughing at the fact that Davidson might draft another d-man because he said they always want to take the best player available. I'm pretty sure a bunch of Hocks fans would blow a gasket if they drafted another dman with the 1st or 2nd overall pick.

Especially with the need for help at forward.

Does Schaefer play a game similar to Levshunov?
- captainserious

I think you take what's there. If Misa isn't a NHL center for sure or Martone isn't actually a power forward then you take the best guy and figure it out later.

Right they have Allen, Kaiser, Vlasic, Korchinski, Levshunov, Rinzel (six) maybe EDM, Crevier, and some WAGs in the system.

Schaefer is being compared to Makar. I would compare Levshunov to Josi.

Couldn't handle watching the whole Hawks game, so I watched the 2nd and 3rd periods of the Hogs games.

I'm liking KK's game more and more. He's a lot more aggressive and not worried about making mistakes (which he still does). He's generating a lot of chances.

I'll keep saying the same thing about Lev. He's completely unbothered by pressure. His skating is so smooth and effective that it gets him out of harms way really well.

If you get the chance, watch the highlights. Slaggert scored the last goal and it was precisely what the Hawks are lacking. Tough unrelenting pressure around the net. It took him three shots to finally get it in, but he just never gave up on it, and all within about five feet of the goal.

Dach may actually be something. He was more connected for the whole game than what I saw at the start of the year.

Nazar is untouchable at the moment. You can definitely see the difference between him and 99% of the other players in the AHL.

Obligatory EDM mention: Solid, smart, kills plays effectively, and has the ability to add offense.

Even though they have a losing record at the moment, they are light years more entertaining to watch than the big club. They'll likely be about the same as they were last year (kinda middle of the pack, but get into the PO's), but still a much better watch.

Yep, I alluded to this in a post a couple of weeks ago, back on page 35.

Games aren't exciting, the CSN rollout could have been handled better, and they have lost or are losing the casual fan. They have one less standings point at this point of the season than last year. So far KD's pledge to become a better team isn't happening.

I'm all for the rebuild, but at this pace it's going to be another long 2 or 3 years before the team has even a modicum of success.
- boilermaker100

When the tear down occurred and the two years of intentional tanking began I was concerned it may cause attendance issues and make ownership lose their appetite for the rebuild. Hopefully next season the team can begin being allot more competitive before Wirtz joins the panic of the fans and has KD making moves that impact Davidson’s strategy.