Theo Fox: Game 54: Hawks 2, Canes 1 A recap of the Blackhawks OT win over the Hurricanes to cap off the season series.

Plus, a look at a busy news day yesterday: Dach shutdown, Keith + Connolly concussions, Regula debut, and Galvas signing.

I am on the East Coast. So great to see a new blog at 5:30am. Thank you Theo.

Gaudette looks like someone the Hawks should resign.

Kalynuk looked gas at the end of shifts last night in the 3rd period. I know we only had 5 dmen, but I think he needs some conditioning over the summer. Luckily their was a short break between the 3rd period and OT for him to catch his breath.

I know this post will be very controversial for the obvious reasons. But before writing it off out of hand as insane I ask that you give it some consideration.

Would you trade Dylan Strome for Tony Deangelo and something like a 3rd or 4th round pick. (Rangers have two thirds and three fourths this year).

Read these before judging.
https://nypost.com/2021/0...-bares-soul-in-interview/
https://thehockeywriters....021-trade-deadline-lucky/

1) Dylan is reunited with Ryan.
2) He probably has no future with the Hawks.
3) Deangelo is a 25yo puck moving RD that was the 19th overall pick.
4) He has had several issues mainly related to his conservative political issues and immaturity. Some are disputed or overblown, per the above links. (Remember the Hawks had a young player former 1st rounder that got into some trouble when he was younger, though not as serious. Cab driver incident. Young female incident. He turned out ok. Remember at the time many people on this board were saying dump him for whatever you could get. Of course the talent level of the two is night and day. He turned out ok.)
5) Deangelo can be bought out fairly cheap.

I would consider it as a way to move Dylan Strome and his contract. As a RD Deangelo could replace Z (whom you do not resign). You give him a shot, if it does not work out you buy him out. Of course you can buy out Strome fairly cheap too.

Full disclosure Deangelo probably will be bought out this summer.

Potential roster next season – (not to say that there will not be other personnel moves between now and then)

Forwards –
Locks- Kane, Kubalik, Debrincat, Dach,
Need to be signed - Hagel, Gaudette, Nylander, Suter, Kampf (or Glendenning)
Maybe ready – Borgstrum, Reichel
Filling out the roster options - Kurashev, Entwistle, Carp, Connolly, Hardman
This summer’s EU FA signing- Zhafyarov?

Dmen - Keith, Murphy, Stillman, Kalynuk, Boqvist, Mitchell, Beaudin (Hawks would have cap room to add a veteran defensive dman with some jam. Not suggesting Hjalmarsson, but he will be a UFA. He will be 34 and even slower if that is possible. May not fit Colliton's chase the forward all over the ice scheme. But he can play both sides and would be a good mentor if the price and term was right. Another UFA is Luke Schenn. There are others.)

Goalies - Lankinen, Subban, Delia

Keith: that’s at least the second, maybe the third, time recently that he’s fallen unforced, leading to a breakaway going the other way. His stick also seems to have a hole in it - missed blue-line saves, whiffed passes….A lot of minutes for a 37 year old, he’s having a tough time.

Finished Carolina at 3-4-1=7 out of 16 - ok against the President’s Cup leader.

Add in 6 wins against each CBJ and Detroit, 4 so far against Dallas - that’s excellent against teams they should be competitive against.

Unfortunately, Tampa (1 win), Florida (2) and Nashville (1) were also on the schedule, keeping them out of the tournament.

They beat on teams they could beat on, got beat on by teams who could beat on them - two points below Bettman-.500 with two games left - that’s probably the right record for them this season.

Keith: that’s at least the second, maybe the third, time recently that he’s fallen unforced, leading to a breakaway going the other way. His stick also seems to have a hole in it - missed blue-line saves, whiffed passes….A lot of minutes for a 37 year old, he’s having a tough time.

Finished Carolina at 3-4-1=7 out of 16 - ok against the President’s Cup leader.

Add in 6 wins against each CBJ and Detroit, 4 so far against Dallas - that’s excellent against teams they should be competitive against.

Unfortunately, Tampa (1 win), Florida (2) and Nashville (1) were also on the schedule, keeping them out of the tournament.

They beat on teams they could beat on, got beat on by teams who could beat on them - two points below Bettman-.500 with two games left - that’s probably the right record for them this season.
- StLBravesFan

A recent Athletic article quoted "experts" as suggesting maybe it is time to reduce Keith's minutes. Instead of 23+ minutes, playing in all situations, maybe take him off the PP and bring his minutes back into the 18 to 20 minute range. I still think he is a decent NHL player.

Potential roster next season – (not to say that there will not be other personnel moves between now and then)

Forwards –
Locks- Kane, Kubalik, Debrincat, Dach,
Need to be signed - Hagel, Gaudette, Nylander, Suter, Kampf (or Glendenning)
Maybe ready – Borgstrum, Reichel
Filling out the roster options - Kurashev, Entwistle, Carp, Connolly, Hardman
This summer’s EU FA signing- Zhafyarov?

Dmen - Keith, Murphy, Stillman, Kalynuk, Boqvist, Mitchell, Beaudin (Hawks would have cap room to add a veteran defensive dman with some jam. Not suggesting Hjalmarsson, but he will be a UFA. He will be 34 and even slower if that is possible. May not fit Colliton's chase the forward all over the ice scheme. But he can play both sides and would be a good mentor if the price and term was right. Another UFA is Luke Schenn. There are others.)

Goalies - Lankinen, Subban, Delia
- -Doh-

Would like to see Gaudette back in the bottom 6, maybe on a line with Kurashev and Suter. Hopefully Toews is back and also that Carpenter follows Z, deHaan and Strome out of town this summer.

On Z, I thought he played pretty well last night and it was kind of funny to see two Canes hit the deck rather than take a hit from him.

If that was the guy you got on a consistent basis you could then live with some of the inconsistencies/gaffes. Unfortunately as the season wore on his good games became more rare. Tbf I suppose the rest of the team had a similar issue but Z's issues are pretty well documented...

Canes laid out to avoid the obvious high hits from Z. He was more concerned about putting elbows or forearms to the head than playing the game.

Canes are worried about the playoffs not his goon tactics. Take the fall, live to play another game.

I know this post will be very controversial for the obvious reasons. But before writing it off out of hand as insane I ask that you give it some consideration.

Would you trade Dylan Strome for Tony Deangelo and something like a 3rd or 4th round pick. (Rangers have two thirds and three fourths this year).

Read these before judging.
https://nypost.com/2021/0...-bares-soul-in-interview/
https://thehockeywriters....021-trade-deadline-lucky/

1) Dylan is reunited with Ryan.
2) He probably has no future with the Hawks.
3) Deangelo is a 25yo puck moving RD that was the 19th overall pick.
4) He has had several issues mainly related to his conservative political issues and immaturity. Some are disputed or overblown, per the above links. (Remember the Hawks had a young player former 1st rounder that got into some trouble when he was younger, though not as serious. Cab driver incident. Young female incident. He turned out ok. Remember at the time many people on this board were saying dump him for whatever you could get. Of course the talent level of the two is night and day. He turned out ok.)
5) Deangelo can be bought out fairly cheap.

I would consider it as a way to move Dylan Strome and his contract. As a RD Deangelo could replace Z (whom you do not resign). You give him a shot, if it does not work out you buy him out. Of course you can buy out Strome fairly cheap too.

Full disclosure Deangelo probably will be bought out this summer.
- -Doh-

Yea a big no from me on Deangelo. The guy has had team and behavioral issues since juniors. Verbal abuse of teammates, etc., the guy is a frickin' live hand grenade. Not a positive influence on any locker room full of kids no matter how contrite he is about his past.

Besides, if the Rangers intend to buy him out they're not going to give up a pick.

As far as Hammer is concerned, he may be thinking about finishing out his career in the Motherland, Sweden.

https://www.prohockeyrumo...ing-return-to-sweden.html

Canes laid out to avoid the obvious high hits from Z. He was more concerned about putting elbows or forearms to the head than playing the game.

Canes are worried about the playoffs not his goon tactics. Take the fall, live to play another game.
- gocanes0506

Not a Z fan but I wouldn’t call him a goon. I mean sure he looks a bit like Frankenstein but he’d have to be skating on his knees in order to not hit Teuvo high.

Well, they showed some real intestinal fortitude, imo. These guys play hard for each other and, dare I say, for the coach. While I think they need more talent (and certainly more experience) to be a contender, the heart and desire they've shown this year is also a required element of a winner. I could just be seeing things, though; I am a unicorn.

Well, they showed some real intestinal fortitude, imo. These guys play hard for each other and, dare I say, for the coach. While I think they need more talent (and certainly more experience) to be a contender, the heart and desire they've shown this year is also a required element of a winner. I could just be seeing things, though; I am a unicorn.
- mohel

Didn’t you get the memo Chief? JC and the team suck. No reason for a glimmer of hope. The sky is falling (in the form of a Chinese spaceship) and this team needs to move on from JC and the gaggle of Eurosmurfs Blowman has collected, ASAP!

Well, they showed some real intestinal fortitude, imo. These guys play hard for each other and, dare I say, for the coach. While I think they need more talent (and certainly more experience) to be a contender, the heart and desire they've shown this year is also a required element of a winner. I could just be seeing things, though; I am a unicorn.
- mohel

IMO, they need both size/grit AND speed - they’re constantly outraced to pucks, especially in the dzone.

But it seems that a lot of times, it’s less speed and quickness, but hesitation - they seem to be looking for the puck and deciding whether to go after it or not - and, of course, by the time they decide, it’s too late to get it. Again, especially in the dzone.

Not a Z fan but I wouldn’t call him a goon. I mean sure he looks a bit like Frankenstein but he’d have to be skating on his knees in order to not hit Teuvo high.

HawkIntheD

He is just mimicking the Hurricanes analyst who said Z is just out there looking to hurt somebody. Then the very next shift he said Z made a great play checking Pesce at center ice to cause an icing.

Believe me, I am not looking for goon tactics, but on both the play with Bean and Teuvo, I don't remember Z leaving his feet? Looked more like when he hit Hornquist, he is just a big man.

Z played 26 minutes last night because they were down to 5 defenseman. 8 hits, and more importantly no giveaways. I am with you Hawk, wish this was the Z we saw all year.

+1

Regardless of how you feel about JC the tactical coach, the team overall has given great effort on most nights. That alone probably kept them in the race and offset the tactical missteps and suboptimal roster.

I was a little disappointed last night when either Pat or Eddie — I don’t remember which — commented that it was good to see Keith on the bench following his run in with the linesman’s knee. It was very obvious from the replays that it was a violent hit and I was surprised they didn’t take him off the I’ve immediately to get checked out.

As most know I am not a Colin Delia fan, but must admit, since being put back in, he looks a lot quieter and controlled in the net, challenging when he should, and staying in control after making saves.

Didn’t you get the memo Chief? JC and the team suck. No reason for a glimmer of hope. The sky is falling (in the form of a Chinese spaceship) and this team needs to move on from JC and the gaggle of Eurosmurfs Blowman has collected, ASAP!
- HawkintheD

I did see that memo, ad nauseam. But individual thought is what separates us from the lemmings.

Would like to see Gaudette back in the bottom 6, maybe on a line with Kurashev and Suter. Hopefully Toews is back and also that Carpenter follows Z, deHaan and Strome out of town this summer.

On Z, I thought he played pretty well last night and it was kind of funny to see two Canes hit the deck rather than take a hit from him.

If that was the guy you got on a consistent basis you could then live with some of the inconsistencies/gaffes. Unfortunately as the season wore on his good games became more rare. Tbf I suppose the rest of the team had a similar issue but Z's issues are pretty well documented...
- HawkintheD

He played pretty well but still not even close to being a top 4 d-man. You can't pay $3.5m+ for a bottom pairing D.

As most know I am not a Colin Delia fan, but must admit, since being put back in, he looks a lot quieter and controlled in the net, challenging when he should, and staying in control after making saves.
- LAHawk

Probably because they've embedded an invisible fence in the blue crease area and fitted him with a shock collar turned to 11 if he strays beyond it.

Keith: that’s at least the second, maybe the third, time recently that he’s fallen unforced, leading to a breakaway going the other way. His stick also seems to have a hole in it - missed blue-line saves, whiffed passes….A lot of minutes for a 37 year old, he’s having a tough time.

Finished Carolina at 3-4-1=7 out of 16 - ok against the President’s Cup leader.

Add in 6 wins against each CBJ and Detroit, 4 so far against Dallas - that’s excellent against teams they should be competitive against.

Unfortunately, Tampa (1 win), Florida (2) and Nashville (1) were also on the schedule, keeping them out of the tournament.

They beat on teams they could beat on, got beat on by teams who could beat on them - two points below Bettman-.500 with two games left - that’s probably the right record for them this season.
- StLBravesFan

Keith certainly does have problems, but players from both teams were toe-picking and mishandling pucks all game. The ice there was garbage.

Canes laid out to avoid the obvious high hits from Z. He was more concerned about putting elbows or forearms to the head than playing the game.

Canes are worried about the playoffs not his goon tactics. Take the fall, live to play another game.
- gocanes0506

I'm sure they'll do the same thing in the playoffs

I am on the East Coast. So great to see a new blog at 5:30am. Thank you Theo.

Gaudette looks like someone the Hawks should resign.

Kalynuk looked gas at the end of shifts last night in the 3rd period. I know we only had 5 dmen, but I think he needs some conditioning over the summer. Luckily their was a short break between the 3rd period and OT for him to catch his breath.
- -Doh-

I'll even add how many times will we see Regula chase around the back of the net, coaching point, and the forward get a clean pass back across the ice for a great scoring chance, cough cough Stillman one time he left his post to pick his stick up, i counted 3, both guys have to do a better job, hoping they get better at this.

I'm sure they'll do the same thing in the playoffs
- BetweenTheDots

You mean alligator arms Teuvo?

I did see that memo, ad nauseam. But individual thought is what separates us from the lemmings.
- mohel

If there were no lemmings how would I know when it’s time to go onto the ledge?