Theo Fox: Certain Extent Thoughts on a possible taxi squad for the Blackhawks if the NHL reinstitutes this feature from last season given the league's COVID issue.

Plus, updates on Chicago prospects Jakub Galvas, Chad Yetman, Cale Morris, and Michael Krutil.

Game vs Predators (maybe) tonight.

First! Good to be on West Coast.

Any update on Nylander being scratched the other night?

If he was a healthy scratch in AHL then I don’t know how he gets back to NHL.

Someone called it on the boards last year, this guy is probably destined for Europe.

First! Good to be on West Coast.

Any update on Nylander being scratched the other night?

If he was a healthy scratch in AHL then I don’t know how he gets back to NHL.

Someone called it on the boards last year, this guy is probably destined for Europe.
- theneek

No news on why Nylander or Kalynuk were scratched in the last Hogs game.

Unless confirmed otherwise, I would just chalk it up to giving Nylander a breather as he and captain Garrett Mitchell have been the only players to play in all games so far.

Kalynuk may have sat out as a way for management to protect a valuable asset as he really got under the skin of the Silver Knights in the prior game.

I would like to see an AHL line play together for the Blackhawks late season. Reichel, Slavin, and Nylander.

And maybe Barret, Altybarmaken with Borgstrom.

Theo, do you see Hardman as a Taxi squad fit, or as someone who they are trying to develop more in the AHL?

I'm thinking he is one of those guys who could be good in the AHL, but just not good enough in the NHL.

Paul Maurice resigns as head coach of Winnipeg Jets https://www.dailyfaceoff....d-coach-of-winnipeg-jets/

Paul Maurice resigns as head coach of Winnipeg Jets https://www.dailyfaceoff....d-coach-of-winnipeg-jets/
- Mr Ricochet

Did he go the Urban Meyer route and kick a player?

Just says the players need a new voice

https://www.tsn.ca/paul-m...h-winnipeg-jets-1.1736180

If this was college football, Maurice would have resigned right before the playoffs to immediately join the Hawks behind the bench as the new head coach, all complete with a fake Chicago accent.

From Powers today in ‘The Athletic’, on the Blackhawks’ front office search.

Little of substance has been reported about the Blackhawks’ search for a hockey ops president and/or general manager. Part of that has been because Blackhawks CEO Danny Wirtz hasn’t spoken to the media. It also sounds as if he’s kept his leadership committee to a small inner circle. He and president of hockey operations Jaime Faulkner are mainly heading the search.

As first reported by Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli and confirmed by a source, the Blackhawks have hired Sportsology executive chairman Mike Forde as a consultant to assess their current hockey operations department and potentially advise on how to improve it. Forde’s background largely began in the Premier League in England, but he’s expanded it to other sports and into North America. You should give this “32 thoughts” podcast a listen to learn more about Forde and his approach.

On the podcast, he said, “Essentially at the heart, guys, we’re an advisory business that works with federations, team owners (and) private equity firms in this sort of new 2.0 world of professional sport over the last 5-7 years where the demand for professionalizing, demands for high level of talent (and) the demand for a different way of thinking have sort of blown the doors off really. At the heart of what we do, 78 percent of our clients is B2B relationships with owners or ownership groups. And in there, we go through different phases of transformation. It might be re-imagining strategy, re-imagining the front office, re-imagining the type of people that can work for that franchise, it might be re-imagining a target operating model or different processes or re-imagining anything that might have to do with data or technology.”

Wirtz’s discovery process has been described as two-fold, where Forde’s consultation is the first part and the second is the Blackhawks leadership team speaking with leaders in other major professional sports. The Blackhawks aren’t limiting who they’re talking to — Seravalli’s story mentioned the Chicago Cubs’ Jed Hoyer. The Blackhawks are simply on a quest for the best ideas and to find out how to utilize those ideas to fit their needs. Those conversations aren’t intended to be interviews for potential candidates, a source said.

Once those two aspects are completed, the Blackhawks’ intent is to mold their own hockey operations department. Once that redesign is completed, the Blackhawks will fill whatever positions are needed.

As it sounds, this could take Wirtz and his team some time to finish. The Blackhawks aren’t rushing into anything. They understand the important of getting this right.

Let's Go Blackhawks.
After the Toronto game, it was great to see them not let down after the last-second Washington goal. That could provide some good momentum.

Theo, do you see Hardman as a Taxi squad fit, or as someone who they are trying to develop more in the AHL?

I'm thinking he is one of those guys who could be good in the AHL, but just not good enough in the NHL.
- Chunk

I actually have Hardman as a possibility for the taxi squad but didn't jot him down in the blog. Hardman as well as Slavin could be possibilities but they're both better off getting regular minutes. If they're going to sit, may as well have them start in Rockford.

Same goes for Entwistle but I believe he's further along in his development than Hardman and Slavin to the point where he's pretty much solidified his spot in the Hawks starting lineup.

The Hawks are now 10 points out of a playoff position. There are two teams with fewer regulation and overtime wins than the Hawks, who have 8. The Habs have 6, and the Yotes have 5.

Paul Maurice resigns as head coach of Winnipeg Jets https://www.dailyfaceoff....d-coach-of-winnipeg-jets/
- Mr Ricochet

I do not want to see him in Chicago. He has never demanded the players maintain their discipline, not only in terms of keeping out of the penalty box but in sticking to the system put in place by the coaching staff. You’d see the Jets playing a good game, looking after their own end and supporting teammates. But then the opponent will score a couple goals and suddenly everyone is in it for themselves, the systems breaks down and the team is in disarray. On top of that Maurice gets sidetracked yelling at the refs and opposition players and coaches.

I do not want to see him in Chicago. He has never demanded the players maintain their discipline, not only in terms of keeping out of the penalty box but in sticking to the system put in place by the coaching staff. You’d see the Jets playing a good game, looking after their own end and supporting teammates. But then the opponent will score a couple goals and suddenly everyone is in it for themselves, the systems breaks down and the team is in disarray. On top of that Maurice gets sidetracked yelling at the refs and opposition players and coaches.
- paulr

My concern is that they will hire a President, GM and Coach nobody's ever heard of, in order to show they can think outside the box.

My concern is that they will hire a President, GM and Coach nobody's ever heard of, in order to show they can think outside the box.
- mohel

As I said yesterday I’m not overly concerned about the President, even though ideally I’d like to see someone with a hockey background. The GM needs to have an extensive hockey background, ideally in North America. Like you I do want to see someone get hired without him or her being qualified. I also don’t want to see the old boys club where the GM and coaching staff are compromised of old buddies and hangers on.

Theo Fox: Certain Extent
Thoughts on a possible taxi squad for the Blackhawks if the NHL reinstitutes this feature from last season given the league's COVID issue.

Plus, updates on Chicago prospects Jakub Galvas, Chad Yetman, Cale Morris, and Michael Krutil.

Game vs Predators (maybe) tonight.
- Theo Fox

Looking more and more like a game tonight, fingers crossed

As I said yesterday I’m not overly concerned about the President, even though ideally I’d like to see someone with a hockey background. The GM needs to have an extensive hockey background, ideally in North America. Like you I do want to see someone get hired without him or her being qualified. I also don’t want to see the old boys club where the GM and coaching staff are compromised of old buddies and hangers on.
- paulr

Sounds like you wouldn't endorse a GM Mike Milbury / Coach Don Cherry combination for the Blackhawks.

What a relief Kurtis Gabriel will be on the ice tonight, really looking forward to his 5 minutes of ice time.

Gusto playing for deHaan tonight, can honestly say not much of a drop off there.

What a relief Kurtis Gabriel will be on the ice tonight, really looking forward to his 5 minutes of ice time.
- BetweenTheDots

Gabriel will be on the ice for the same reason Mason Geertson was on the ice for the Devils last night.

What a relief Kurtis Gabriel will be on the ice tonight, really looking forward to his 5 minutes of ice time.
- BetweenTheDots

Charlie Roumeliotis
@CRoumeliotis
·
44m
Marc-Andre Fleury will start tonight vs. Nashville.

Kurtis Gabriel will make his team debut. Brett Connolly is out.

Calvin de Haan (illness aka bad shrimp) also out. Erik Gustafsson draws back in. #Blackhawks

Gabriel will be on the ice for the same reason Mason Geertson was on the ice for the Devils last night.
- LAHawk

Which is to say, no good reason.

Which is to say, no good reason.
- Ogilthorpe2

He’ll “protect” the Hawk players.

Sounds like you wouldn't endorse a GM Mike Milbury / Coach Don Cherry combination for the Blackhawks.
- RickJ

Those two really have no clue about the way the game is played today, not sure they knew how the game was played back in the day either.