Theo Fox: The Funky Bunch
What to expect from the newest Blackhawks acquisitions Mattias Janmark, Lucas Wallmark, and Nikita Zadorov.

Nice blog, agree with the level headed point of view. Speaking for myself I dont see what all the doom and gloom and fire everyone narrative is about. Change is tough but necessary. Adding these role players isn't gonna define the hawks' future plans, we need to field a team. There's alot more dominoes to fall before I declare this as a disaster. I'll be along for the ride and will wait til moves are finished.

I am usually optimistic. And try to look at the future, and potential. I have been ok with our sucking the last two years, as we added piles of youth and potential.

But, I am not impressed with THIS off-season. I feel we haven't improved for this year, nor have we improved for the future. Unless there are 2-3 more moves up Stan's sleeve before we hit the ice......I see this off-season as big, big fail. Way worse in net. Defence maybe touch better with a little more toughness and hitting ability. Forwards worse, lose of Saad with no replacement leaves us with even less board presence and a key piece out of the top 6. Can't see how we are better than last year, far worse IMO....and nothing added for our future either...

IMHO, Crow should have taken the Blackhawks' offer.
Great goalie for the 'Hawks while he was here.

The new adds are certainly a new direction for the team. If the chemistry hits, they will start incrementing back toward contention. The increase in overall team speed could help the shooters get off unmolested shots and the resultant garbage/greasy rebound goals happen.

Remove Shaw and Highmore and insert Janmark and Wallmark. I doubt Shaw plays again.

Hey Theo, congrats on breaking the 1000 post barrier and another great blog this am as per usual.

I see Janmark and Wallmark supplanting some of the 4th line as things stand today.

While I like Kampf ok on the 4th line, if the two Marks are considered offensive desserts, Kampf and even more so Carpenter could be considered offensive black holes.

Nylander - Toews - Kubalik
DeBrincat - Dach - Kane
Suter - Strome - Shaw
Hagel - Wallmark - Janmark

I debated about flipping Nylander and Suter, but from what I've read about Suter, he may be a better fit on that third line. Hoping the light switch clicks permanently on for Nylander in the next few months is more than wishful thinking...but here's hoping.

He had his first fully healthy season last year and started to string some good games together with Strome and Kane before the playoffs started. When the games really started counting he became a non-factor again like a couple other young Hawks, but maybe he was starting to figure it out a bit before that. Fingers crossed. Or we could just flip him for a first at the TDL.

I didn't quite understand where Stan was going with the most recent acquisitions until it dawned on me this morning.

Stan has committed to going with 2 of the 3 of Subban, Delia and Lankinen in goal. None of which with a ton of NHL playing experience.

While it may be debatable on how defensively responsible the latest guys are I think we can agree that they are probably a hell if a lot better then the team the last 2 seasons that was giving up a ton of shots against.

My theory is that any new blood injected on this team will be guys that are going to cut down on shots against so the inexperienced goalies won't get shell-shocked with 35-40 shots a game and the offense will be whatever it will be.

I definitely don’t think Nylander should be considered a lock for a roster spot. Trade him for a 5th and never think about his useless ass again.

HawkintheD I like your lines , the fourth line looks interesting . I can't remember does Hagel have good speed?
Also agree about Nylander , throw him in there on the top two lines and keep him there for a good amount of games. Sink or swim , maybe the Hawks think he is ready for a top 6 role and could have been a factor in their decision to move Saad now.

HawkintheD I like your lines , the fourth line looks interesting . I can't remember does Hagel have good speed?
Also agree about Nylander , throw him in there on the top two lines and keep him there for a good amount of games. Sink or swim , maybe the Hawks think he is ready for a top 6 role and could have been a factor in their decision to move Saad now.
- HamiltonHawk

Nylander has already sunk, drowned, and is dead and buried. Anyone counting on Nylander to replace Saad in any way, shape, or form needs their head examined.

Nylander has already sunk, drowned, and is dead and buried. Anyone counting on Nylander to replace Saad in any way, shape, or form needs their head examined.
- Ogilthorpe2

Stan would turn down a third rounder for AN

Hey Ogi I didn't say he would play like Saad , top lines don't need to look the same but they may feel he may be ready for a top six spot or at least they may want to find out. What do they have to lose , it's not like they have had great success with Saad the last few years.
PS you don't have to be a Richard when you reply to someone

Hey Ogi I didn't say he would play like Saad , top lines don't need to look the same but they may feel he may be ready for a top six spot or at least they may want to find out. What do they have to lose , it's not like they have had great success with Saad the last few years.
PS you don't have to be a Richard when you reply to someone
- HamiltonHawk

What has Nylander shown to prove he deserves to even be in the NHL, let alone garner top 6 minutes?

If the puck isn’t on his blade, he’s a ghost. If the puck is on his blade, he’s just as likely to turn it over as anything else.

Thought it was a bad acquisition at the time, and he’s done nothing since to change my mind. Complete waste of assets to get him, and a complete waste of a roster spot.

+1. Watching a full season of Nylander in the top 6 is a pretty good incentive to not watch at all.

Do you want to feel better about the new additions?

On opening night defense last year Gus played 25:43, Maatta 20:03, Gilbert 14:57, and K4 13:43. Are Zadorov, Boqvist, DeHaan, Murphy going to be better than that?

On opening night forwards last year Saad only played 12:45, Caggiula, 12:07, Smith 8:12, and Carpenter 9:42. Dach did not play. Are Dach, Suter, Janmark, and Wallmark going to be better than that?

Of course when it comes to goaltending you have to hope for a miracle. Because if you look at save % and GAA you are probably going to give up one more goal every other game (or 1/2 a goal per game). Yikes!!!!

Nylander has already sunk, drowned, and is dead and buried. Anyone counting on Nylander to replace Saad in any way, shape, or form needs their head examined.
- Ogilthorpe2

Well, it's fair to say I need my head examined, but, I also never said I was counting on him...merely hoping.

You know he isn't going anywhere right away and they are likely to give him minutes again on the top line, so all I can do is hope he figures it out.

Winning the lotto may be as likely a scenario but as long as we are in a rebuild, he likely gets a bit more leash.

Clearly this is a team being designed to fit Coliton's original plan...

..... pressure the puck everywhere, dump and retrieve, be tougher to play against.

Do you want to feel better about the new additions?

On opening night defense last year Gus played 25:43, Maatta 20:03, Gilbert 14:57, and K4 13:43. Are Zadorov, Boqvist, DeHaan, Murphy going to be better than that?

On opening night forwards last year Saad only played 12:45, Caggiula, 12:07, Smith 8:12, and Carpenter 9:42. Dach did not play. Are Dach, Suter, Janmark, and Wallmark going to be better than that?

Of course when it comes to goaltending you have to hope for a miracle. Because if you look at save % and GAA you are probably going to give up one more goal every other game (or 1/2 a goal per game). Yikes!!!!
- -Doh-

Everyone is making an assumption that Kubalik will start right off in year 2 like he did in year 1. Subtracting Saad from that line is going to allow less space and room for Kubalik, and even if Debrincat winds up on that line (and I think he will bounce back offensively), I doubt Kubalik will avoid the sophomore jinx.

Unless the Power Play somehow finds its footing, the Hawks will more than likely struggle to score goals this coming season. They may be better on the blue line. Don't be surprised if Ian Mitchell beats out our lord and savior Boqvist as the third right handed defenseman.

Do you want to feel better about the new additions?

On opening night defense last year Gus played 25:43, Maatta 20:03, Gilbert 14:57, and K4 13:43. Are Zadorov, Boqvist, DeHaan, Murphy going to be better than that?

On opening night forwards last year Saad only played 12:45, Caggiula, 12:07, Smith 8:12, and Carpenter 9:42. Dach did not play. Are Dach, Suter, Janmark, and Wallmark going to be better than that?

Of course when it comes to goaltending you have to hope for a miracle. Because if you look at save % and GAA you are probably going to give up one more goal every other game (or 1/2 a goal per game). Yikes!!!!
- -Doh-

Yeah wasn't Murphy hurt to start the season...forgot about that.

Clearly this is a team being designed to fit Coliton's original plan...

..... pressure the puck everywhere, dump and retrieve, be tougher to play against.
- Bjm84

I hate when GM's over stock a team with system players. Enevidably, the system does not hold up and your stuck with a team that does not fit the next system.

I hate when GM's over stock a team with system players. Enevidably, the system does not hold up and your stuck with a team that does not fit the next system.
- riozzo

Definitely. That's what we saw last year. A pursuit team without puck hound players.

I definitely don’t think Nylander should be considered a lock for a roster spot. Trade him for a 5th and never think about his useless ass again.

What has Nylander shown to prove he deserves to even be in the NHL, let alone garner top 6 minutes?

If the puck isn’t on his blade, he’s a ghost. If the puck is on his blade, he’s just as likely to turn it over as anything else.

- Ogilthorpe2

I wondered aloud after these deals if this was supposed to be two additional countrymen who would act as examples and instill more defensive aspects into his game. Yet another couple guys who have thrown into situations and buit their defensive sides.
Nylander clearly has skills as an attacker. But the clock is ticking for him. He has to be doing all the offset the periods where the offense isn't coming. Detail details details, and just maybe he improves enough to not be playing in Krackentown, or Modo, or AIK....

Hey Theo, congrats on breaking the 1000 post barrier and another great blog this am as per usual.

I see Janmark and Wallmark supplanting some of the 4th line as things stand today.

While I like Kampf ok on the 4th line, if the two Marks are considered offensive desserts, Kampf and even more so Carpenter could be considered offensive black holes.

Nylander - Toews - Kubalik
DeBrincat - Dach - Kane
Suter - Strome - Shaw
Hagel - Wallmark - Janmark

I debated about flipping Nylander and Suter, but from what I've read about Suter, he may be a better fit on that third line. Hoping the light switch clicks permanently on for Nylander in the next few months is more than wishful thinking...but here's hoping.

He had his first fully healthy season last year and started to string some good games together with Strome and Kane before the playoffs started. When the games really started counting he became a non-factor again like a couple other young Hawks, but maybe he was starting to figure it out a bit before that. Fingers crossed. Or we could just flip him for a first at the TDL.
- HawkintheD

What is that, like a bananas foster?

Everyone is making an assumption that Kubalik will start right off in year 2 like he did in year 1. Subtracting Saad from that line is going to allow less space and room for Kubalik, and even if Debrincat winds up on that line (and I think he will bounce back offensively), I doubt Kubalik will avoid the sophomore jinx.

Unless the Power Play somehow finds its footing, the Hawks will more than likely struggle to score goals this coming season. They may be better on the blue line. Don't be surprised if Ian Mitchell beats out our lord and savior Boqvist as the third right handed defenseman.
- jrsamu

The sophomore jinx is always a possibility but I don't see Kubalik's offense falling off a cliff like Dinky's did this past season.

Even before being paired with Toews and Saad, it's not like Kubalik wasn't making his own space and finding his way to the front of the net.

He's definitely a shoot first player with a really good shot, plus I see him getting more PP time to start the season which wasn't a thing for him til the latter part of last season.

People have thrown out the Panik comp and I just don't see that similarity with Kubalik.

What is that, like a bananas foster?
- cnatch

Ah the rule of "s"'s with deserts and desserts. Damn. With the Swede connection, I'd go more with Lingonberry Crepes.