Theo Fox: Draft Options: Defensemen
An overview of defensemen options for the Blackhawks in the draft and what to look for when considering the best player available whether in the 1st round or later.

Really interesting piece by Lazerus in 'The Athletic' today, about the Hawk drafts the last 10 years. Here's one nugget:

The Hawks differ from the rest of the NHL on the source of their draftees.

Blackhawks
USHL 23%
Sweden 13%
OHL 9%

NHL
OHL 18%
WHL 15%
Sweden 12%

Later he goes on to show that most of the USHL guys are in later rounds, not the 1st.

Really interesting piece by Lazerus in 'The Athletic' today, about the Hawk drafts the last 10 years. Here's one nugget:

The Hawks differ from the rest of the NHL on the source of their draftees.

Blackhawks
USHL 23%
Sweden 13%
OHL 9%

NHL
OHL 18%
WHL 15%
Sweden 12%

Later he goes on to show that most of the USHL guys are in later rounds, not the 1st.
- scottak

Saw that. Good article. Also says that Stan and Co aren't the bums they are often painted regarding the draft and have actually been pretty good at it more often than not.

They bring up the question about separating the draft and roster management and I think you can do that; giving them a B in drafting and a C- in roster management (with some caveats)...something along those lines anyway.

Nice indepth article. Good job. As a Habs fan picking 16 all your ideas apply. Barzal fell in his draft year due to injury concerns. The risk sometimes can be worth it

Nice indepth article. Good job. As a Habs fan picking 16 all your ideas apply. Barzal fell in his draft year due to injury concerns. The risk sometimes can be worth it
- Hardbalz

Thanks for reading, HB!

Yes, the Habs and Hawks do have similar drafting options given they're only one pick apart.

And good point about Barzal as an example of not letting injury concern stand too much in the way of drafting a highly skilled talent with huge upside.

Barron and Lapierre are those two draft prospects this year, IMO.

Theo Fox: Draft Options: Defensemen
An overview of defensemen options for the Blackhawks in the draft and what to look for when considering the best player available whether in the 1st round or later.
- Theo Fox

Hey Theo. Considering the "best player available" mantra, and looking at the expected D-men available at 17 vs the expected Forwards, is it a close call or not so much. It seems the forwards are regarded as quite a bit better, but that could simply be due to the fact that there aren't any real high end D-men in this draft. Drysdale is well thought of, but there are no comparisons to Dahlin there.

Great blog Theo.

I know it's BPA, but really hoping that BPA is a forward vs. D. It's where the Hawks could use more help and their should be options at 17.

Shifting gears to free agency, it's starting to sound more and more like Corey Crawford may be testing the open market come next Friday.

I would be very surprised to see him move his family and risk going to an organization where he's not guaranteed to play the amount of games he's looking for. Sure, a team can say that he's their guy, but they won't have the allegiance that CHI has with Crow.

If Crawford is out in CHI, I'm really... really... interested to see what Stan does.

Great blog Theo.

I know it's BPA, but really hoping that BPA is a forward vs. D. It's where the Hawks could use more help and their should be options at 17.

Shifting gears to free agency, it's starting to sound more and more like Corey Crawford may be testing the open market come next Friday.

I would be very surprised to see him move his family and risk going to an organization where he's not guaranteed to play the amount of games he's looking for. Sure, a team can say that he's their guy, but they won't have the allegiance that CHI has with Crow.

If Crawford is out in CHI, I'm really... really... interested to see what Stan does.
- Tyler Cameron

first i'm a huge Crow fan. but really does he expect to hit the jackpot on one last deal with his injury history? and the glut of tenders out there on the market.

@THNRyanKennedy

This is great: I’ve been told the NHL is sending every team’s hat to potential first-rounders so they can wear their new team’s logo when they get drafted this year, even though it’s remote.

If I were Bowman, I'd kick the tires on Donato and Greenway.

@PuckReportNHL

Minnesota Wild are shopping Ryan Donato, per @RussoHockey. San Jose Sharks have shown interest in him + inquired for Devan Dubnyk. #SJSharks

#MNWild getting calls on Jordan Greenway, Luke Kunin, and Joel Eriksson-Ek. Guerin is unhappy with Greenway, doesn’t want to trade EE.

AHL Board of Governors is meeting and hearing a possibility that the AHL season may not start until February.

Great blog Theo.

I know it's BPA, but really hoping that BPA is a forward vs. D. It's where the Hawks could use more help and their should be options at 17.

Shifting gears to free agency, it's starting to sound more and more like Corey Crawford may be testing the open market come next Friday.

I would be very surprised to see him move his family and risk going to an organization where he's not guaranteed to play the amount of games he's looking for. Sure, a team can say that he's their guy, but they won't have the allegiance that CHI has with Crow.

If Crawford is out in CHI, I'm really... really... interested to see what Stan does.
- Tyler Cameron

I thought that Crawford said a little while back that dollars were not an issue. In these economic times I would be disappointed if Stan did not play hardball with these guys. If they think they are worth more than is being offered then let them go. They will likely be surprised and awakened when they go shopping. Most of the other teams are in the same position as us.
The money these guys get is obscene and the offers they reject is laughable. Yeh, I know blah blah blah … their careers are short and all that, but realistically what they can make in one year is more than Joe Lunchbucket makes in a lifetime.

If I were Bowman, I'd kick the tires on Donato and Greenway.

@PuckReportNHL

Minnesota Wild are shopping Ryan Donato, per @RussoHockey. San Jose Sharks have shown interest in him + inquired for Devan Dubnyk. #SJSharks

#MNWild getting calls on Jordan Greenway, Luke Kunin, and Joel Eriksson-Ek. Guerin is unhappy with Greenway, doesn’t want to trade EE.
- Theo Fox

Someone with Greenway's size and skill would be a welcome change from the shrimps that mostly make up this team.

Hey Theo. Considering the "best player available" mantra, and looking at the expected D-men available at 17 vs the expected Forwards, is it a close call or not so much. It seems the forwards are regarded as quite a bit better, but that could simply be due to the fact that there aren't any real high end D-men in this draft. Drysdale is well thought of, but there are no comparisons to Dahlin there.
- Chunk

My gut is that Schneider, Guhle, and Askarov won't be available once we get to 17th so by default the Hawks will be drafting a forward. There are more F options to consider in the teens than D and G.

Great blog Theo.

I know it's BPA, but really hoping that BPA is a forward vs. D. It's where the Hawks could use more help and their should be options at 17.

Shifting gears to free agency, it's starting to sound more and more like Corey Crawford may be testing the open market come next Friday.

I would be very surprised to see him move his family and risk going to an organization where he's not guaranteed to play the amount of games he's looking for. Sure, a team can say that he's their guy, but they won't have the allegiance that CHI has with Crow.

If Crawford is out in CHI, I'm really... really... interested to see what Stan does.
- Tyler Cameron

Tyler, you laid it out well what I also suspect to be the scenarios in front of Crawford. IMO, the grass may not be greener if he decides to test free agency.

Someone with Greenway's size and skill would be a welcome change from the shrimps that mostly make up this team.
- GPHawksfan

we have no forwards with really any size. What would it take? Strome (I would think they would add) SAAD (probably close) a 2nd?
Regula or Vlasic. if you look at his stats he gets a little better every year and really tall guys take a while typically to hit there potential.

we have no forwards with really any size. What would it take? Strome (I would think they would add) SAAD (probably close) a 2nd?
Regula or Vlasic. if you look at his stats he gets a little better every year and really tall guys take a while typically to hit there potential.
- kmw4631

"We don't have any forwards with size", but trading two of the ones we do have to get one? Size - to a degree - is overrated. We've had big guys on the team who can't play hockey. John Q, John Scott, Bollig, Mashinter. If you can find a guy with size that can play, great, but you will have to pay up for him as well.

I also think the "we don't have any size" mantra is a bit overblown.

Toews: 6'2" - 201
Strome: 6'3" - 200
Saad: 6'1" 206
Nylander: 6'1" 195
Kubalik: 6'2" 185
Kampf: 6'2" 190
Dach: 6'4" 200
Carpenter: 6' 200

de Haan: 6'1 200
Maatta: 6'2 206
Keith: 6'1" 195
Murphy: 6'4" 212
Seabrook: 6'3" 220

End of the day... find good hockey players. If they have notable size, great, that's a bonus.

we have no forwards with really any size. What would it take? Strome (I would think they would add) SAAD (probably close) a 2nd?
Regula or Vlasic. if you look at his stats he gets a little better every year and really tall guys take a while typically to hit there potential.
- kmw4631

Guerin would be nuts to even consider trading Greenway. He wants to rebuild, sort of on the fly. Adding the type of players he likes. Players for modern NHL. Large physical forwards is part of that.

Corey has more competition. Lundqvist bought out, Fleury probably being bought out, both have made are making plenty of money so money would be no issue with either. And both have had better health the last few years than Crow. If you had the pick of the 3, which would you take for a season?

"We don't have any forwards with size", but trading two of the ones we do have to get one? Size - to a degree - is overrated. We've had big guys on the team who can't play hockey. John Q, John Scott, Bollig, Mashinter. If you can find a guy with size that can play, great, but you will have to pay up for him as well.

I also think the "we don't have any size" mantra is a bit overblown.

Toews: 6'2" - 201
Strome: 6'3" - 200
Saad: 6'1" 206
Nylander: 6'1" 195
Kubalik: 6'2" 185
Kampf: 6'2" 190
Dach: 6'4" 200
Carpenter: 6' 200

de Haan: 6'1 200
Maatta: 6'2 206
Keith: 6'1" 195
Murphy: 6'4" 212
Seabrook: 6'3" 220

End of the day... find good hockey players. If they have notable size, great, that's a bonus.
- Chunk

Good post. Agree that size is a key ingredient but not necessarily the X factor. The Hawks aren't devoid of players with size either as you charted out.

Don't get me wrong, I would love a player like Greenway at the right price but don't necessarily want a bottom 6 with all Greenways.

Like you said, get players who compete and play reliably in all zones regardless of size. Some will be big, some will be small.

Btw, this reminds me of an article I read not too long ago

https://www.hockeybuzz.co...Big-or-Go-Home/284/107483

Corey has more competition. Lundqvist bought out, Fleury probably being bought out, both have made are making plenty of money so money would be no issue with either. And both have had better health the last few years than Crow. If you had the pick of the 3, which would you take for a season?
- LAHawk

That's a close call between Crow and Fleury for me, but I think I would lean to Fleury all things being equal.

That's a close call between Crow and Fleury for me, but I think I would lean to Fleury all things being equal.
- Chunk

I'd have to say the same thing. Close call. My heart says Crawford but my head says Fleury.

"We don't have any forwards with size", but trading two of the ones we do have to get one? Size - to a degree - is overrated. We've had big guys on the team who can't play hockey. John Q, John Scott, Bollig, Mashinter. If you can find a guy with size that can play, great, but you will have to pay up for him as well.

I also think the "we don't have any size" mantra is a bit overblown.

Toews: 6'2" - 201
Strome: 6'3" - 200
Saad: 6'1" 206
Nylander: 6'1" 195
Kubalik: 6'2" 185
Kampf: 6'2" 190
Dach: 6'4" 200
Carpenter: 6' 200

de Haan: 6'1 200
Maatta: 6'2 206
Keith: 6'1" 195
Murphy: 6'4" 212
Seabrook: 6'3" 220

End of the day... find good hockey players. If they have notable size, great, that's a bonus.
- Chunk

maybe I should have said alot of guys that use there size. the AVG size NHL player is 6-1 200 llbs. having only 2 guys (dach murph) that would be a big part of 20-21 that are quite a big bigger then AVG is probably not enough IMO. we dont cycle well, we dont have a good PPL, and we dont clear the crease well. all of those statements have a size component.

I'd have to say the same thing. Close call. My heart says Crawford but my head says Fleury.
- Theo Fox

Fleury - 2 years left at $7MM each - how does that work?

And if Vegas agrees to eat - what - half of his salary - what asset(s) do the Hawks have to give up to get him?

For me, it’s either Crawford at a reasonable price, a cheap UFA, or Subban-Delia-Lankinen-Tompkins.