Theo Fox: Flux Capacitor
A reflection on news and updates after day one of Blackhawks training camp, the AHL’s announcement for the 2021 season, and the impact of both on the IceHogs.

I sure am glad you will be watching and reporting on the icehogs. There are only so many spots on team, so eventually players get moved or supplant a regular.

That said, I am hoping the Blackhawks strength will become a moble puck moving defense and two advantageous L#3 & #4. Besides Kane, there is going to be one more top six forward. And one of the top six should be a larger size forward who can play both cycle and has prereiqauite skill to be a top six. This forward doesn't have to be a big scorer but does need to be a very good player

Of course there is a need for a goaltender as well

Good drafts 2021 & 2022 ideally provide two players.

In 2021 they could draft a two way tough dman. Who knows what they will do.

But there are two players whom should battle for the
third pair offensive generator. I see Mitchell top pair and Boqvist second pair. So I am guessing either Kakynuk or Beaudin holds the third pair puck mover.

Carlsson and Zadorov are your physical capable guys. Murphy is gone hypothetically because if he is protected for the Expansion Draft, we likely loose Carlsson. Admitting I am a huge Carlsson fan. I like what he brings along side any dman..

Keith may be here or he could be moved at the trade deadline the season after this ....if he agrees. I know I float the idea of trying to get another first round pick to wiz....whom will say there isn't as much value as you think at least for 2021 with expansion

Wiz probably is correct. You want at least a mid first. If only we could package a #2 plus Murphy to a serious Cup contender....but their #1 past the mid round location

Anyway, each of these prospects has certain strengths which stand out. It is difficult to say how the defense crew shapes up after this season. I am just watching how good or what is the ceiling between Kalynuk and Beaudin.

Of course Rogula looks promising and one day Kyrs might be a real weapon on a third pair. The freshman Kaiser could be a really good future Blackhawk. As well we have a Czech dman Keith was working with- just drafted (not Galvas)..

I look forward to your thoughts on whether a lottery puck on a all around but tough dman and how Kalynuk vs Beaudin shapes up

NOTE You can draft best player avaliable
You could draft per need as Toews is no spring chicken and Dach hopefully returns from a bad injury. A lottery pick for us? The draft has a ton of centers and dmen rated frestaurants half of round one. And one goaltender. There coukd be eight different choices fir first overall. The top 15 is ver good but after round one this draft not as good as last year The 2022 draft already has an early analysis of becoming better than 2020.

Thank you, Theo.
Got a Roku for Christmas. Trying to learn about streaming (I'm old).
Really looking forward to Blackhawk hockey, but the idea of watching minor league hockey intrigues me.

You draft best player available period. Under your scenario of wanting a defenseman, you would do what St. Louis did and pick Eric Johnson first overall instead of Toews.

Great job Theo. I agree, at this stage of rebuild you draft best player available with your first pick, unless that player is a goalie.

Great job Theo. I agree, at this stage of rebuild you draft best player available with your first pick, unless that player is a goalie.
- Angotti

Ordinarily i agree with that premise you & LAHawk just made. This is a refrain on this board previously

When you have a topuck five pick, and if you are fortunate enough to have first or second, overall you want the best player for sure

What if it is a really close call? Three considerations and I would pose this question again right before we draft AND we have debated wiz's list -

* next time we are able to draft a best dman or center in a draft....maybe you don't get an opportunity again ever or 20 years later.

* a core player, your #1 dman or #1 center type style available. What if the dman is a solid defender who is willing to check but has wheels, smarts, a descent or above average offensive game. Have you seen the too rated dman profile. We could draft all the offensive guys many of this type abound. But a good size rugged dman projected as NHL ready rarely get opportunity to draft this sort

The center. Because Toews no longer a #1 used center in 2022 and beyond? Because Dach is it. Because while we have only Kane as a bona-fide star offensive producer. For him to produce (get 100 points) again before he too gets old like age 40. Two top centers means Dach and the guy you draft. It probably equates to playoffs with how everyone falls into a spot where they belong. You don't draft a center then you are expecting too much from a top center deprived team. Dach might become a monster but he alone is not driving the scoring and does he even work well on a line with Kane?

* Team strength. Which is part and parcel to being a good team. Our strength is on defense if kids pan out. Or a strength could be two top centers with Toews able to move up or push a top center to wing in some games, certain strategy.

Alright say all the above is thought provocative but MUST take the best player avaliable. I am not against that, but next two #1 draft choices need to be solid picks to really boost the team for years to come

Ordinarily i agree with that premise you & LAHawk just made. This is a refrain on this board previously

When you have a topuck five pick, and if you are fortunate enough to have first or second, overall you want the best player for sure

What if it is a really close call? Three considerations and I would pose this question again right before we draft AND we have debated wiz's list -

* next time we are able to draft a best dman or center in a draft....maybe you don't get an opportunity again ever or 20 years later.

* a core player, your #1 dman or #1 center type style available. What if the dman is a solid defender who is willing to check but has wheels, smarts, a descent or above average offensive game. Have you seen the too rated dman profile. We could draft all the offensive guys many of this type abound. But a good size rugged dman projected as NHL ready rarely get opportunity to draft this sort

The center. Because Toews no longer a #1 used center in 2022 and beyond? Because Dach is it. Because while we have only Kane as a bona-fide star offensive producer. For him to produce (get 100 points) again before he too gets old like age 40. Two top centers means Dach and the guy you draft. It probably equates to playoffs with how everyone falls into a spot where they belong. You don't draft a center then you are expecting too much from a top center deprived team. Dach might become a monster but he alone is not driving the scoring and does he even work well on a line with Kane?

* Team strength. Which is part and parcel to being a good team. Our strength is on defense if kids pan out. Or a strength could be two top centers with Toews able to move up or push a top center to wing in some games, certain strategy.

Alright say all the above is thought provocative but MUST take the best player avaliable. I am not against that, but next two #1 draft choices need to be solid picks to really boost the team for years to come
- jhawk59

I agree that our next two picks have to be solid picks, whether we draft a Dman or a forward. This team is in no position to choose a need as we have needs everywhere, yes we have more prospects on the D side, but that’s okay, you can always trade from your strength to fill a void where you’re weak. They need to draft BPA and it wouldn’t be very smart to get away from that strategy.

According to Ek, PL Dubois is available. Would the Hawks try to pull the trigger on him???

I don't want the Hawks to trade for either DuBois or Laine. I don't want your core player(s) to have any hint that they are lazy, selfish, and need a constant kick in the ass to get going. We just saw a team that won 3 cups where the core worked just as hard if not harder than the 23rd player on the roster. I don't want a core piece to end up being a Matt Duchense of the world. It does not end well for the team.

According to Ek, PL Dubois is available. Would the Hawks try to pull the trigger on him???
- HenryHockey

I read something yesterday that was allegedly stated by a CBJ teammate that the trade request was expected. That it wasn't about contract or Torts but that PLD wants a bigger stage.

Take that for whatever it is. I don't know if that's means he wants to play in a big market or wants to "The Man".

Regardless, I don't think the Hawks have or are willing to give up what CBJ wants and previous trades between Stan and Jarmo seem to always favor Columbus.

I read something yesterday that was allegedly stated by a CBJ teammate that the trade request was expected. That it wasn't about contract or Torts but that PLD wants a bigger stage.

Take that for whatever it is. I don't know if that's means he wants to play in a big market or wants to "The Man".

Regardless, I don't think the Hawks have or are willing to give up what CBJ wants and previous trades between Stan and Jarmo seem to always favor Columbus.
- Rota's Rooter

No thanks, imo.

No thanks, imo.
- mohel

Agreed. Unless they are willing to take Smith and Pirri.

Agreed. Unless they are willing to take Smith and Pirri.
- Rota's Rooter

Plus with all of Strome's faults, he puts up almost the same amount of points as DuBois does.

Dubois is a good choice to have a break out scoring season? Problem with acquiring him, is if he does well then can we afford him?

Dubois is a good choice to have a break out scoring season? Problem with acquiring him, is if he does well then can we afford him?
- jhawk59

Well if he wants to be the man, he should stay in Columbus. As long as the Hawks have Patrick Kane (and hopefully Kirby Dach soon), DuBois will NEVER be the man. Let Columbus trade him to Nashville so he can be with his former teammate Duchesne, then Nashville can have 2 cancers on their team.

Also problem is I do not want to give up any assets to acquire him. Islanders are looking for more scoring punch to augment Barzal, but oh wait, then DuBois still won't be "Teh Man".

I don't want the Hawks to trade for either DuBois or Laine. I don't want your core player(s) to have any hint that they are lazy, selfish, and need a constant kick in the ass to get going. We just saw a team that won 3 cups where the core worked just as hard if not harder than the 23rd player on the roster. I don't want a core piece to end up being a Matt Duchense of the world. It does not end well for the team.
- LAHawk

I agree with this. He's a pretty good player and looks to be entering his prime BUT if he has an attitude problem he's not worth it.

Canada v. USA tonight for the Gold.

It’s a shame Dach didn’t get to participate. Wearing the ‘C’ and leading his country’s team would have been excellent for his development as a leader for the future Blackhawks.

Well if he wants to be the man, he should stay in Columbus. As long as the Hawks have Patrick Kane (and hopefully Kirby Dach soon), DuBois will NEVER be the man. Let Columbus trade him to Nashville so he can be with his former teammate Duchesne, then Nashville can have 2 cancers on their team.

Also problem is I do not want to give up any assets to acquire him. Islanders are looking for more scoring punch to augment Barzal, but oh wait, then DuBois still won't be "Teh Man".
- LAHawk

Dubois is a stud and I would love to have him on my team, we just can’t trade what Columbus would want for him. I’m not going to insinuate that he’s a bad Apple, unless I want to believe everything that I read on the internet.

Yesterday the AHL confirmed which teams are in and out for the season. The Hogs are in but the Milwaukee Admirals (Predators), Charlotte Checkers (Panthers) and Springfield Thunderbirds (Blues) opted out.

Word is players from those 3 teams will be added to fill roster spots on the teams that are playing. So the should be a couple of those guys on the IceHogs.

https://youtu.be/Cns1Za4S8uw

Old school

I don't want the Hawks to trade for either DuBois or Laine. I don't want your core player(s) to have any hint that they are lazy, selfish, and need a constant kick in the ass to get going. We just saw a team that won 3 cups where the core worked just as hard if not harder than the 23rd player on the roster. I don't want a core piece to end up being a Matt Duchense of the world. It does not end well for the team.
- LAHawk

What has Dubois done to get a rep for being lazy and selfish? I can understand the Duchene sentiment and even Laine, but from what I have seen of him, Dubois plays hard.

You draft best player available period. Under your scenario of wanting a defenseman, you would do what St. Louis did and pick Eric Johnson first overall instead of Toews.
- LAHawk

Agree 100%! However, if my memory is correct Eric Johnson was almost the consensus number one pick going into the 2006 draft and Toews was number three in most cases. That of course doesn’t mean each team slotted that way but there is a very good chance St. Louis picked Johnson based on Best available and not on position. Lucky for the Hawks they picked number three because for all we know they had Staal or Johnson ranked ahead of Toews.

What has Dubois done to get a rep for being lazy and selfish? I can understand the Duchene sentiment and even Laine, but from what I have seen of him, Dubois plays hard.
- RickJ

It might have shocked those who didn’t know the whole story.

The sight of Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella laying into center Pierre-Luc Dubois on the bench and Dubois dishing it right back certainly raised eyebrows Tuesday, after the spat was shown during a Sportsnet broadcast.

Taking place shortly before the third period of Game 2 between the Blue Jackets and Toronto Maple Leafs, who won 3-0 to split the first two games in a best-of-five series, the exchange got people talking.

Dubois and Tortorella, however, weren’t among them. Dubois hasn’t spoken with reporters since the incident, and Tortorella wasn’t directly asked about it Wednesday in a video conference with reporters. He was asked about Dubois, though, and his answer was a continuation of a conflict that has simmered for a while.


“It’s a process,” Tortorella said, when asked how Dubois responds to adversity during games. “He’s a young player, still learning to understand momentum swings in games, what is needed in certain situations when things aren’t going right for him or the team. … It doesn’t surprise me. It happens with all young players.”

This particular young player, however, is like his coach in one big regard. He has a strong will that isn’t easily broken. So Tortorella and Dubois have played “tug-of-war" in this regard much of this season.


Tortorella is on one end, pulling and prodding Dubois to become one of the NHL’s top two-way centers. Dubois is tugging at the other end with the resolute belief that playing so much defense in Tortorella’s system is holding him back offensively.

They had a couple of notable clashes during the regular season, played out with public comments, and Tortorella picked it back up during the Jackets’ two-week training camp to prepare for the postseason.


It’s interesting to note that Dubois was one of five Blue Jackets skaters who were caught in the Maple Leafs’ zone after Toronto captain John Tavares made it 2-0 on a breakaway early in the third period — after the verbal confrontation on the Columbus bench.

It might amount to nothing, but it’s a situation that will be watched even more closely now.

https://www.sportsnet.ca/...-protect-blackhawks-lead/

Since he only plays offense

Agree 100%! However, if my memory is correct Eric Johnson was almost the consensus number one pick going into the 2006 draft and Toews was number three in most cases. That of course doesn’t mean each team slotted that way but there is a very good chance St. Louis picked Johnson based on Best available and not on position. Lucky for the Hawks they picked number three because for all we know they had Staal or Johnson ranked ahead of Toews.
- paulr

I think he was but wasn't he the one who (frank)ed his knee up on a golf cart accident? His career might of been different that's why i have great concern about the Dach wrist injury.

Johnson is the same guy where his parents managed his money, nice family