Luke Richardson said he’s probably going to hold shorter but more intense practices next season.

He wondered whether them easing into practices this season and having longer sessions factored into the slow starts. #Blackhawks   

Per Charlie Rouma whatever
- BetweenTheDots

So… we’re talking about practice… not a GAME… not a GAME… but practice?

So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, adieu…
- Chief4Feathers

And I hope the locker room door hit him in the a$$ on the way out.

The Blackhawks probably in conjunction with their Rockford Icehogs farm team have inserted two prospects who were recently signed to AHL short term contracts.

In the final regular season contest both Lardis and Misiak are skating against the Wolves this afternoon.

Another recently signed prospect, Ludwinski, has been in the lineup for a few games and had one assist

After two periods the game today is even 2-2 while non of those prospects have points

The prospects most likely do not appear in playoffs but the pro experience as well as summer development camp should help in their development

Lardis is only 18 and needs to add bulk and strength while Misiak is a big size kid. Both have seen Pp and Pk duty in the game today. The Icehog announcer opined after period two that both have fit right in with the pace of action and you can tell they are talented kids.

As far as the AHL playioffs, The Icehogs would receive a boost in the playoffs if Bjork returned from injury. He was in the midst enjoying a strong productive offensive (stat’s) season.

One other comment: Saarela is back from injury and needs only an assist today for a Gordie Howe hat trick

Bedard saying i have to work on my speed this offseason.
- BetweenTheDots

He needs to work on having wingers that can hit him with passes when he's in a position to get sprung -so he doesn't have to feel like he has to beat the entire other team by skating every single break out ... come to think of it - zone breakouts - having other players on the ice at the same time as him that are into that sorta "fundamental tactic' - yep he needs to work on the needs better players on the ice at the same time as him aspect of his game.



That might help with his identification of a personal speed issue.

Johnson, for one, made his departure quite obvious. The veteran forward, who tallied 17 goals and 14 assists this season, described his three-year Chicago tenure as “not exactly what I had envisioned or wanted.”
- fattybeef

And neither did any of the other teams either ... so I guess in that regard, Tyles - it was a raging success for you. So indifferent, that it (aka your on ice performance) made like it was actually you ... not the team you were on. That's quite the accomplishment.

Would anyone care to give their prediction for the first round of the playoffs?

There are many storilines in round one?

Is Vegas as strong as last season and can a deep Dallas roster beat them? Ottinger has to perform better in the playoffs than he showed in the playoffs last time

Can P Roy coach NYI past Carolina. BTW Carolina signed a couple prospects and Carolina may be looking for them to supplant players in their NHL roster in the next couple seasons (Carolina right up against salary cap but so too are most likely many NHL teams).

Two new head coaches but LA - Edm are familiar playoff opponents. Is Mc David up to par after sitting out last few regular season games

I suspect many NHL fans are guessing Toronto fails to get past Boston. Seems that Toronto had other issues than the compete toughness issue in game one

While I suggest that Tampa could upset Florida, the Panthers is a leading choice to reach the Cup final. The NYR stumbled against their last playoff opponent so might they stumble again this year?

Other: AHL. Ludwinski failed to score on a 2-1 shorthanded break as time wound down in regulation. OT looms. Interestingly the Wolves had only a couple NHL prospects in their roster this season as Carolina spread out their prospects across AHL and Europe

Rockford started Crevier in OT and he just scored the OT winner

And neither did any of the other teams either ... so I guess in that regard, Tyles - it was a raging success for you. So indifferent, that it (aka your on ice performance) made like it was actually you ... not the team you were on. That's quite the accomplishment.
- SC116

To be fair to Johnson and Jones, both waived NTC to come to Chicago. They w thought they were coming to a team that was trying to compete

Mc Cabe in his year and a half with the Hawks said the same thing.

Fleury could of left/retired one year after he signed, again he thought he was coming to a playoff caliber team.

Think AA, Foligno, Richardinson, Mrazek would have stayed if they weren’t getting seriously overpaid ?

The Blackhawks probably in conjunction with their Rockford Icehogs farm team have inserted two prospects who were recently signed to AHL short term contracts.

In the final regular season contest both Lardis and Misiak are skating against the Wolves this afternoon.

Another recently signed prospect, Ludwinski, has been in the lineup for a few games and had one assist

After two periods the game today is even 2-2 while non of those prospects have points

The prospects most likely do not appear in playoffs but the pro experience as well as summer development camp should help in their development

Lardis is only 18 and needs to add bulk and strength while Misiak is a big size kid. Both have seen Pp and Pk duty in the game today. The Icehog announcer opined after period two that both have fit right in with the pace of action and you can tell they are talented kids.

As far as the AHL playioffs, The Icehogs would receive a boost in the playoffs if Bjork returned from injury. He was in the midst enjoying a strong productive offensive (stat’s) season.

One other comment: Saarela is back from injury and needs only an assist today for a Gordie Howe hat trick
- jhawk59

I saw that Lardis got a ATO for Rockford for the playoffs. Does that mean he's out of the CHL now?

Of course WPG isn't playing COL all the time but 90$ of the time I watch Peg Morrissey is the best player on the ice....... Kaiser a poor man's Morrissey?

I saw that Lardis got a ATO for Rockford for the playoffs. Does that mean he's out of the CHL now?
- fattybeef

No, he has to go back to the OHL because of his age.

I saw that Lardis got a ATO for Rockford for the playoffs. Does that mean he's out of the CHL now?
- fattybeef

Yes, Lardis completed his 2 yrs in the OHL after being drafted and is no longer bound by the CHL-NHL agreement. Out of jrs eligibility now.

Would anyone care to give their prediction for the first round of the playoffs?

There are many storilines in round one?

Is Vegas as strong as last season and can a deep Dallas roster beat them? Ottinger has to perform better in the playoffs than he showed in the playoffs last time

Can P Roy coach NYI past Carolina. BTW Carolina signed a couple prospects and Carolina may be looking for them to supplant players in their NHL roster in the next couple seasons (Carolina right up against salary cap but so too are most likely many NHL teams).

Two new head coaches but LA - Edm are familiar playoff opponents. Is Mc David up to par after sitting out last few regular season games

I suspect many NHL fans are guessing Toronto fails to get past Boston. Seems that Toronto had other issues than the compete toughness issue in game one

While I suggest that Tampa could upset Florida, the Panthers is a leading choice to reach the Cup final. The NYR stumbled against their last playoff opponent so might they stumble again this year?

Other: AHL. Ludwinski failed to score on a 2-1 shorthanded break as time wound down in regulation. OT looms. Interestingly the Wolves had only a couple NHL prospects in their roster this season as Carolina spread out their prospects across AHL and Europe

Rockford started Crevier in OT and he just scored the OT winner
- jhawk59

Carolina in 5 (the islanders will muck one up good enough to take one but not enough depth of scoring to win the series)
NYR in 4 (theyre way better than the caps)
Boston in 5 (the leafs have to win one right?)
Florida in 5 (not having Sergachev I think is going to be a problem Florida is too deep)

LA in 7 (ze German demands a trade this summer)
Colorado in 6 (they'll take one in the peg and win all their home games)
Vancouver in 6 (I think the preds take 2/3 to start but then Vancouver figures out its the playoffs and wins three in a row to end it)
Vegas in 7 (this one is really a toss up. Assuming stone is 100%. This one can really go either way)

I saw that Lardis got a ATO for Rockford for the playoffs. Does that mean he's out of the CHL now?
- fattybeef

It's just because his CHL season is finished that he is allowed play, but next season he will be like KK this year, either back to Jr or NHL. He can't play in Rockford next season.

Yes, Lardis completed his 2 yrs in the OHL after being drafted and is no longer bound by the CHL-NHL agreement. Out of jrs eligibility now.
- Mr Ricochet

Check that, Lardis turns 19 in July. 1 more yr of jrs.

Would anyone care to give their prediction for the first round of the playoffs?

There are many storilines in round one?

Is Vegas as strong as last season and can a deep Dallas roster beat them? Ottinger has to perform better in the playoffs than he showed in the playoffs last time

Can P Roy coach NYI past Carolina. BTW Carolina signed a couple prospects and Carolina may be looking for them to supplant players in their NHL roster in the next couple seasons (Carolina right up against salary cap but so too are most likely many NHL teams).

Two new head coaches but LA - Edm are familiar playoff opponents. Is Mc David up to par after sitting out last few regular season games

I suspect many NHL fans are guessing Toronto fails to get past Boston. Seems that Toronto had other issues than the compete toughness issue in game one

While I suggest that Tampa could upset Florida, the Panthers is a leading choice to reach the Cup final. The NYR stumbled against their last playoff opponent so might they stumble again this year?

Other: AHL. Ludwinski failed to score on a 2-1 shorthanded break as time wound down in regulation. OT looms. Interestingly the Wolves had only a couple NHL prospects in their roster this season as Carolina spread out their prospects across AHL and Europe

Rockford started Crevier in OT and he just scored the OT winner
- jhawk59

FLA, BOS, CAR, NYR, WPG, NSH, EDM, DAL
I’ve got DAL v FLA in the SC Final

Yes, Lardis completed his 2 yrs in the OHL after being drafted and is no longer bound by the CHL-NHL agreement. Out of jrs eligibility now.
- Mr Ricochet

Cool thanks. So many rules for that stuff it's tough to keep things straight.

Of course WPG isn't playing COL all the time but 90$ of the time I watch Peg Morrissey is the best player on the ice....... Kaiser a poor man's Morrissey?
- Mr Ricochet

Hey Rico, Div. 1 hockey coming to Palm Springs next year, the first Cactus Cup. U Mass Lowell, Nebraska Omaha, Michigan Tech, and Holy Cross. Not top tier teams, but will be fun to watch

To be fair to Johnson and Jones, both waived NTC to come to Chicago. They w thought they were coming to a team that was trying to compete

Mc Cabe in his year and a half with the Hawks said the same thing.

Fleury could of left/retired one year after he signed, again he thought he was coming to a playoff caliber team.

Think AA, Foligno, Richardinson, Mrazek would have stayed if they weren’t getting seriously overpaid ?
- LAHawk

Fleury could have, in fact, retired instead of coming to Chicago- and in fact there was a lot of discussion of him maybe deciding to do just that ... and no, he did not think he was coming to a playoff team - he thought he was coming to a team that had traded literally nothing (or as close to it as you could get) for him, a Vezina Trophy winner in the season that had just ended.

In fact the team made that (will he or won't he come?) a marketing gimmick at the time.


Yeh sure those guys stayed - or came over because of the overpayment -no one said that was not the case. Point being is there is a ton of dead weight that does nothing. AA is a nothing burger, -the reincarnation of Viktor Stahlberg ...although technically that was his reputation at other stops as well. All I am saying is - is that there should be a fair amount of flexibility to work with, although I guess I am not saying anything really new.

Cool thanks. So many rules for that stuff it's tough to keep things straight.
- fattybeef

Fatty, Lardis is not available for the AHL next yr. ........ Easiest way to remember what prospect is available for the AHL is:

A kid in Major Junior (the CHL) has to play two more yrs of jrs to be allowed to play AHL. He can play NHL anytime.

If you are drafted anywhere on earth outside of Major Junior/CHL can play AHL anytime.

Hey Rico, Div. 1 hockey coming to Palm Springs next year, the first Cactus Cup. U Mass Lowell, Nebraska Omaha, Michigan Tech, and Holy Cross. Not top tier teams, but will be fun to watch
- LAHawk

I did not know this, but it's fantastic news! Love the NCAA path and the big get for expansion is west and south......... How bout a D1 UCLA, Stanford, USC squad?? AZ State is doing well already.

I did not know this, but it's fantastic news! Love the NCAA path and the big get for expansion is west and south......... How bout a D1 UCLA, Stanford, USC squad?? AZ State is doing well already.
- Mr Ricochet

Might happen with UCLA and USC going into the big 10

I can't believe the Avs gotta play Caleb Jones, man i gotta give the advantage to the Jets

Can't believe that didn't cross the line

Nevermind

To be fair to Johnson and Jones, both waived NTC to come to Chicago. They w thought they were coming to a team that was trying to compete

Mc Cabe in his year and a half with the Hawks said the same thing.

Fleury could of left/retired one year after he signed, again he thought he was coming to a playoff caliber team.

Think AA, Foligno, Richardinson, Mrazek would have stayed if they weren’t getting seriously overpaid ?
- LAHawk

While we are being fair to poor Mr.Johnson considering his disappointment with the Hawks not being a competitive team, need to take a look at the other side of the coin.

During the 3 seasons in Chicago while he was being grossly overpaid at $5M per year he missed a total of 97 games and posted a cool plus/minus of negative 64 against 32 goals scored.

So the Hawks paid him about 470 grand for each of his goals.

Only a guess but have to think they tried to trade him but found no interest anywhere, even at this years trade deadline when they would have retained 50%.

Good riddance, glad to see him gone.

While we are being fair to poor Mr.Johnson considering his disappointment with the Hawks not being a competitive team, need to take a look at the other side of the coin.

During the 3 seasons in Chicago while he was being grossly overpaid at $5M per year he missed a total of 97 games and posted a cool plus/minus of negative 64 against 32 goals scored.

So the Hawks paid him about 470 grand for each of his goals.

Only a guess but have to think they tried to trade him but found no interest anywhere, even at this years trade deadline when they would have retained 50%.

Good riddance, glad to see him gone.
- RickJ

Yeah, he was pretty disappointing on the whole. Now he can move on and with the rebuild kicking into motion more, we will have less of the guys who don't want to be here and that's great.