Theo Fox: Spare Time Thoughts on how the Blackhawks can fill out their roster particularly the reserve roles for the forward ranks and D corps.

Plus, a brief look at veteran leadership added to the IceHogs yesterday.

Thanks for the write up Theo, appreciate your thoughtful insights.

First.

Interesting Blog Theo.

After a few of the moves, I started to think that this is exactly what was going on. Developing almost all rookies at that same time does no one any good. It could be they saw this, and felt like they needed to change.

The signings could be looked as a readjustment of the young guys development program, and I kind of see it as a decent adjustment to that plan.

Just look at Goalie. Now Lanky won't take the load (like his play, but he seemed to wear down last year to me), Soderblom, getting lead AHL minutes, Commesso getting lead mins in a top College program. That looks much better than what we thought it was going to be.

As you said, Mitchell, Beaudin, etc. should have been playing a full season of AHL minutes, playing in all the situations.

I know many hate the Jones trade and some of the other moves, I get it. Its important though to get back to more "normal" development plan for the young guys.

Thanks Theo - Are Hagel and Nylander signed yet? Or are you just thinking that they will be now that MAF has made his decision?

I like the look of the team, and I know having MAF is going to help this team on days when he is on the ice, and off the ice too.

Ideally Mitchell and Beaudin spend the season playing big minutes in all situations in Rockford. Hopefully Stanton doesn’t get in the way of that happening.

Theo, after talking about Raty in your draft preview, and now mentioning signing Frolik, I have to ask if you're really DK?

Great blog, btw. It's amazing to me how you are able to keep coming out with new material, even when nothing is going on.

Nice write up again Theo. It will also be nice to have this young talent in Rockford, not sure they’ve had this much talent in awhile, or maybe never, especially on the back end. Maybe they can create a winning culture there, prepare these guys for the NHL, and keep that winning mentality as they matriculate to the show.

Thanks for the write up Theo, appreciate your thoughtful insights.

First.
- King Agler

You bet, King. It's slow with the Blackhawks news cycle but there are always topics to discuss.

Interesting Blog Theo.

After a few of the moves, I started to think that this is exactly what was going on. Developing almost all rookies at that same time does no one any good. It could be they saw this, and felt like they needed to change.

The signings could be looked as a readjustment of the young guys development program, and I kind of see it as a decent adjustment to that plan.

Just look at Goalie. Now Lanky won't take the load (like his play, but he seemed to wear down last year to me), Soderblom, getting lead AHL minutes, Commesso getting lead mins in a top College program. That looks much better than what we thought it was going to be.

As you said, Mitchell, Beaudin, etc. should have been playing a full season of AHL minutes, playing in all the situations.

I know many hate the Jones trade and some of the other moves, I get it. Its important though to get back to more "normal" development plan for the young guys.
- vabeachbear

I think you encapsulated what I've been thinking with the bolded part of your post. A part of the shift in direction is witnessing last season that many of the rookies need more time and another part could be to go all-in for Toews and Kane.

And I agree, Lankinen as a full-time starter may not have been the right choice for 2021-22 so this is where having one of the best goalies in the league in Fleury comes in to help shoulder the load and mentor the youngster.

Perhaps the thinking is that if you're not going to go with a youth movement, don't be a middling team either even though that could end up being the reality. There's a lot of ifs still that need to be converted into favorable results.

Seattle just signed Connor Carrick, they are now up to ten defensemen, interesting. I’m thinking that trades are coming, maybe they want more offense up front. Can Strome go there for a Dman, then Hawks can keep Kalynuk, Mitchell, and Beaudin at the Rock for a bit, let them gain experience down there vs at NHL level.

Thanks Theo - Are Hagel and Nylander signed yet? Or are you just thinking that they will be now that MAF has made his decision?

I like the look of the team, and I know having MAF is going to help this team on days when he is on the ice, and off the ice too.
- powerenforcer

Hagel and Nylander aren't re-signed yet. I should have made that more clear in the blog but my assumption is both will get re-signed. Probability seems pretty high.

Hagel and Nylander aren't re-signed yet. I should have made that more clear in the blog but my assumption is both will get re-signed. Probability seems pretty high.
- Theo Fox

Theo - I just want to give you thanks for always responding to us when we post questions back to you. You always respond respectfully, even if someone does not always agree with you. We are lucky to have one of the best bloggers on this site.

THEO: if they want to resign Hagel and Nylander, do they have cap space ? Or if they put Shaw on LTIR, will they use that 4 million to resign Hagel & Nylander ? Seems like they still need to get rid of a body or two in order to have some cap breathing room. Hagel for two million and Nylander for one or so, on a show me deal

Theo, after talking about Raty in your draft preview, and now mentioning signing Frolik, I have to ask if you're really DK?

Great blog, btw. It's amazing to me how you are able to keep coming out with new material, even when nothing is going on.
- tvetter

Even though the Blackhawks news cycle is slower right now, there are still underlying storylines worth exploring and I get some ideas from what you all talk about or bring up on the message boards.

Today's topic was based on an offline email chat I've been having with a reader who doesn't post much on the message boards but has a lot of great questions and thoughts.

Yesterday there was a Fleury interview about how he came to his decision to report to the Hawks but I know there are plenty of great Hawks sites out there that covered this already so I didn't need to add to that mix.

Assuming Hagel gets paid on Day 2 of the season?

Thank you Theo. It is a pleasure reading your posts. You do it with knowledge without being arrogant or condescending.

The overall quality or skill/talent level on the roster is much better than it was before the start of last season. Health of Toews is huge. Recovery of Nylander, McCabe, and deHaan (if he is still on the roster) will be very important. Toews and McCabe are skating in Chicago. I hope Nylander and deHaan are working their asses off.

A 4th line center (better than Carpenter) is still needed. They need to move a salary. They may be waiting see another few weeks of Toews before moving Strome. I think there are still multiple moves coming. But they may not make a move until training camp starts.

Nice write up again Theo. It will also be nice to have this young talent in Rockford, not sure they’ve had this much talent in awhile, or maybe never, especially on the back end. Maybe they can create a winning culture there, prepare these guys for the NHL, and keep that winning mentality as they matriculate to the show.
- Angotti

Derek King runs a pretty decent program with the Hogs. He aligns with the parent club which is good as far as preparation of youngsters so they don't have to learn something new once promoted.

Better yet, he focuses on the little things that help pros compete and win as well as take care of themselves off the ice.

The goal is for a prospect to develop first with the Hogs then start swimming right away rather than treading water or sinking immediately upon recall to the Hawks.

Hagel is swimming hard and fast.

I also would have no gripes with Kurashev and Entwistle staying in the big show but wouldn't be upset if they at least started in the A.

Kalynuk may be strongly balanced enough to make the cut. Hardman possibly if his role is simple.

Saw this on the Ranger’s board, not sure how reliable this is.

Vince Z. Mercogliano
@vzmercogliano
·
5m
According to Frank's report, the salary cap will rise $1 million per season through 2025-26, at which point escrow will be paid off and the cap can jump more significantly.

Translation: It's going to be a slow crawl.

Kind of tough to send those kids down after they have seen the Lights of Chicago but it is the smart move after the Boqvist debacle .I don't know why Nylander is slotted in the top six or even on the roster, he has proven nothing. He should be slated for the A until he gets it

I think the biggest problem with the Hawks - at least from a PR perspective though with how they run these kids out there it is probably internal evaluation as well - is that they seem to think every single one of them is going to be a NHL contributor.

That just simply isn't the case. Between, Mitchell, Beaudin, Kalynuk and Krys - one of them is probably going to be a contributor, maybe one journeyman and the rest career AHL players or whatever.

Kalynuk looks like he can play and I don't know that playing against anything but the best competition makes him better. Mitchell would benefit from some AHL time to work on his happy feet for example though.

Point being is that it looks like someone finally realized that having a team of completely drafted talent with out being very very bad for 10 years and having them staggered so they all don't need paper at the same time is kinda tough to plan. The Dylan Sikura is our TDL acquisition statements are hopefully a thing of the past.

I think their forward groups will be competitive (Kane is always exciting) and the goaltending at least decent.

They will have at least 3 competent NHL defenders (4 if DeHaan is still on the team) who are proven veterans which makes working a few younger players in and properly slotting players like Stillman or the other Jones a possibility with out being an eyesore.

This team shouldn't be horrific to watch like the last few years have been.

Kind of tough to send those kids down after they have seen the Lights of Chicago but it is the smart move after the Boqvist debacle .I don't know why Nylander is slotted in the top six or even on the roster, he has proven nothing. He should be slated for the A until he gets it

oldduffman

Interesting that Dach and Nylander have the same statistics with the same number of games, yet Dach is a shoe-in #1 center, and Nylander doesn't deserve a training camp to determine if he can make the roster.

Theo - I just want to give you thanks for always responding to us when we post questions back to you. You always respond respectfully, even if someone does not always agree with you. We are lucky to have one of the best bloggers on this site.
- powerenforcer

You're welcome, PE.

I work in a field where listening and helping each person no matter whether we see eye to eye are paramount. That in a sense "trains" me to how to engage with you all here and I don't mean for that to be pejorative in any way..

Also, I'm just a fan like everyone else and enjoy talking about the team no matter what my role is.

Kind of tough to send those kids down after they have seen the Lights of Chicago but it is the smart move after the Boqvist debacle .I don't know why Nylander is slotted in the top six or even on the roster, he has proven nothing. He should be slated for the A until he gets it

oldduffman

Interesting that Dach and Nylander have the same statistics with the same number of games, yet Dach is a shoe-in #1 center, and Nylander doesn't deserve a training camp to determine if he can make the roster.
- LAHawk

Come on Dach was playing through a possible career ending or at least altering injury and he has shown much more upside then Nylander who almost jumps over the boards when he faces contact .And I don't believe Dach is a number 1 center right now .Not to say that's not in his future

Theo - I just want to give you thanks for always responding to us when we post questions back to you. You always respond respectfully, even if someone does not always agree with you. We are lucky to have one of the best bloggers on this site.
- powerenforcer

One of the best?

THEO: if they want to resign Hagel and Nylander, do they have cap space ? Or if they put Shaw on LTIR, will they use that 4 million to resign Hagel & Nylander ? Seems like they still need to get rid of a body or two in order to have some cap breathing room. Hagel for two million and Nylander for one or so, on a show me deal
- chuckdahammer

According to Capfriendly if I am reading it correctly, there's presently no cap space so Shaw on LTIR is a solution but needs to wait until the first day of the season to take advantage. Anyone with a better grasp of the cap, feel free to correct me.

Assuming that's the case, though, then there would need to be a trade or two to ship out some salary. Strome or de Haan could be options. We know for a fact that de Haan is being shopped. No rumors on Strome, though.

There's also trying to move Carpenter or Connelly with the latter granting the most cap space ($500K more than Strome).