Not missing out on an underlaying message about team defense and that message is the floodgates of scoring against Buffalo a few times the past month or so

Lots of talent in Buffalo especially the offensive side. Lots of young talent stands out. There is not a lot of experience on the blue line crew. As a team effort they need to focus and clamp down defensively. The players know they are the hot goods, th talented scoring team. Interest and desire to score comes naturally but steady string defensive effort is not a natural inclination

That is my take . Probably can break it down but defense often has to learned and practiced
- jhawk59

I would not give up on that Sabres defense just yet, they have a legitimate #1 that can also run a PP in Dahlin(6’3”-200lbs.), they also have Power and Samuelsson, and they are all young with size and can skate, but all LD. They could use a Murphy on the right side, so maybe there’s an opportunity for KD there.

I would not give up on that Sabres defense just yet, they have a legitimate #1 that can also run a PP in Dahlin(6’3”-200lbs.), they also have Power and Samuelsson, and they are all young with size and can skate, but all LD. They could use a Murphy on the right side, so maybe there’s an opportunity for KD there.
- Angotti

Swap Murphy for Jones and throw in Reese Johnson as a sweetener. RF

Swap Murphy for Jones and throw in Reese Johnson as a sweetener. RF
- HawkintheD

That works for me, not sure if it works for the Sabres.

I might value Mrazak more than some/most here so I'm glad a few of you are saying no way a 1st will be offered for Mrazak. It is a heavy price cuz he's probably just a rental for a cup probable squad up against the cap.
- Mr Ricochet

Even if a first is offered, and Mrazek is agreeable to sign for 2 years until Commesso should be ready , assuming that first will probably be in the high 20’s, would it be worth KD to sign Mrazek to stabilize the goalie situation?, or continue sellling off NHL quality players for draft choices.

You are going to have to bring someone in if Mrazek is gone, looking at UFA goaltenders, Mrazek is probably the cream of the crop. Want to put the young defense next year with a Kevin Lanjenin type as your # 1?. To steal a phrase from Rico, GM’ng isn’t easy.

From Ben Pope twitter. Mrazek also in starter's net. Soderblom probably plays Saturday at STL....


Blackhawks lines in morning skate vs Canadiens. Change from before: Tinordi-Crevier are IN and Kaiser-Zaitsev are OUT.

Reichel-Bedard-Donato
Kurashev-TJohnson-Raddysh
Foligno-D!ckinson-Blackwell
Beauvillier-Entwistle-RJohnson

Phillips-Murphy
Tinordi-Crevier
Korchinski-Zaitsev

Mrazek

From Ben Pope twitter. Mrazek also in starter's net. Soderblom probably plays Saturday at STL....


Blackhawks lines in morning skate vs Canadiens. Change from before: Tinordi-Crevier are IN and Kaiser-Zaitsev are OUT.

Reichel-Bedard-Donato
Kurashev-TJohnson-Raddysh
Foligno-D!ckinson-Blackwell
Beauvillier-Entwistle-RJohnson

Phillips-Murphy
Tinordi-Crevier
Korchinski-Zaitsev

Mrazek
- boilermaker100

Need to dress 7 dmen with Tinordi playing.

Leafs need a goalie.

Devils need a goalie.

Oilers probably could use a goalie.

Carolina ditto.

Vegas had some guy named Jiri Patera in net last night and gave up 5 goals. Thompson and Hill are out with injuries. Not sure for how long.

LA's Copley on LTIR. Do the Kings want to rely on Talbot or Rittich?

Doesn't include if another contender's goalie gets hurt before the TDL

Available goalies include Mrazek, Allen from Montreal, Merzlikins from CBJ, and Anaheim's Gibson. There are probably a couple other journeyman types out there. Mrazek is the only true rental. The other three have one to three years left on their contracts after this year.

Pretty sure KD will listen to offers for Mrazek. He'll move him for the right return, and will keep him if he gets low balled.

Mrazek could get a 1st this year for a team that wants to win bad enough. He has played lights out behind a very bad team. He could be the right piece at the right time for a playoff contender who gets hot at the end of the season.

Think about the prices the Hawks paid for rentals because they felt they were a piece away. Some very good teams around the league desperately need an upgrade at goalie. Mrazek might end up being the best available piece when the time comes.
- frafra

He's always one shot away from a pulled groin I'm trading him for a 1st now and figuring it out later. Who says GMing is hard.

Leafs need a goalie.

Devils need a goalie.

Oilers probably could use a goalie.

Carolina ditto.

Vegas had some guy named Jiri Patera in net last night and gave up 5 goals. Thompson and Hill are out with injuries. Not sure for how long.

LA's Copley on LTIR. Do the Kings want to rely on Talbot or Rittich?

Doesn't include if another contender's goalie gets hurt before the TDL

Available goalies include Mrazek, Allen from Montreal, Merzlikins from CBJ, and Anaheim's Gibson. There are probably a couple other journeyman types out there. Mrazek is the only true rental. The other three have one to three years left on their contracts after this year.

Pretty sure KD will listen to offers for Mrazek. He'll move him for the right return, and will probably keep him if he gets low balled.
- boilermaker100

And he can sign him again next year.

And he can sign him again next year.
- paulr

And plenty of cap space. KD can afford to offer Mrazek an extra million or two to entice him to come back.

He's always one shot away from a pulled groin I'm trading him for a 1st now and figuring it out later. Who says GMing is hard.
- rpeters01[/quot

Which goalie isn’t one shot away from a pulled groin or other injury? Isn’t that part of the reason why do many teams are looking at goaltenders, if nothing more than as depth?

If there are that many contenders in need of goaltending at the deadline, and Mrazek keeps this up, they will get that first round pick. Not sure how it works with Toronto or Carolina, as he's already played for both teams. Vegas is a team that isn't afraid to pay up for something, we all know that, so that could make things interesting.

I wouldn't count on Mrazek signing here next season. Most players grow up dreaming of hoisting a Cup, not taking the extra mill to lose more games and get hung out to dry all the time. One reason he could come back this summer, he did find his game here again. He's experienced more goalie coaches than most, and he probably doesn't take that part for granted.

Need to dress 7 dmen with Tinordi playing.
- rpeters01

I agree, in my eyes he’s worse than Zaitsev, he’s actually the worst defenseman on the roster, but hey, one last tank job.

I agree, in my eyes he’s worse than Zaitsev, he’s actually the worst defenseman on the roster, but hey, one last tank job.
- Angotti

He's there as the nuclear deterrent, nothing more.

I wonder if a possible Mzarek launch is tied more to Adam Gajan's World Junior and his play at the University of Minnesota-Duluth next season.

I just cannot imagine them rushing Commesso or handing the net to Soderholm already.

I agree I cannot remember Mzraek was this consistent and / or not hurt from Carolina to Toronto to Chicago.

On the other side, I cannot see a bidding war for him.

I don't think I prefer Jack Campbell's for three more season's after this one.
(Not even for the likes of Dylan Holloway...)

At this point do we need to weaken the team's group any more?

They already look like a lotto ball team.

and after Key from Chicago as almost willing to trade all his excess of secoen rounders to secure Ollie Moore, I wonder if any new additional ones would be squandered, unless they are looking for ones in the drafts beyond this 2024 one.

I just wanted to interject that 2024 does look like a strong draft to select a Russian after the first round, and see how he / they progress.

I wonder if a possible Mzarek launch is tied more to Adam Gajan's World Junior and his play at the University of Minnesota-Duluth next season.

I just cannot imagine them rushing Commesso or handing the net to Soderholm already.

I agree I cannot remember Mzraek was this consistent and / or not hurt from Carolina to Toronto to Chicago.

On the other side, I cannot see a bidding war for him.

I don't think I prefer Jack Campbell's for three more season's after this one.
(Not even for the likes of Dylan Holloway...)

At this point do we need to weaken the team's group any more?

They already look like a lotto ball team.

and after Key from Chicago as almost willing to trade all his excess of secoen rounders to secure Ollie Moore, I wonder if any new additional ones would be squandered, unless they are looking for ones in the drafts beyond this 2024 one.

I just wanted to interject that 2024 does look like a strong draft to select a Russian after the first round, and see how he / they progress.
- wiz1901

How do this years compare to Kantserov?

I wonder if a possible Mzarek launch is tied more to Adam Gajan's World Junior and his play at the University of Minnesota-Duluth next season.

I just cannot imagine them rushing Commesso or handing the net to Soderholm already.

I agree I cannot remember Mzraek was this consistent and / or not hurt from Carolina to Toronto to Chicago.

On the other side, I cannot see a bidding war for him.

I don't think I prefer Jack Campbell's for three more season's after this one.
(Not even for the likes of Dylan Holloway...)

At this point do we need to weaken the team's group any more?

They already look like a lotto ball team.

and after Key from Chicago as almost willing to trade all his excess of secoen rounders to secure Ollie Moore, I wonder if any new additional ones would be squandered, unless they are looking for ones in the drafts beyond this 2024 one.

I just wanted to interject that 2024 does look like a strong draft to select a Russian after the first round, and see how he / they progress.
- wiz1901

They interviewed him some time during the season and they asked those same questions, supposedly he has taken on a new diet, stretching and exercise routine which he said has really helped him especially to focus

Even if a first is offered, and Mrazek is agreeable to sign for 2 years until Commesso should be ready , assuming that first will probably be in the high 20’s, would it be worth KD to sign Mrazek to stabilize the goalie situation?, or continue sellling off NHL quality players for draft choices.

You are going to have to bring someone in if Mrazek is gone, looking at UFA goaltenders, Mrazek is probably the cream of the crop. Want to put the young defense next year with a Kevin Lanjenin type as your # 1?. To steal a phrase from Rico, GM’ng isn’t easy.
- LAHawk

if the Hawks do decide to trade mrazek at the tdl and if he continues to be solid in goal Hawks should not accept any thing less than a 3rd round pick other wise resign him for two years at 4 million per year imo.

if the Hawks do decide to trade mrazek at the tdl and if he continues to be solid in goal Hawks should not accept any thing less than a 3rd round pick other wise resign him for two years at 4 million per year imo.
- Scott1977

I guess I am expecting these things to be settled by the deadline, they will either sign veteran guys (Foligno, D!ckinson, T. Johnson, Beauvillier, Mrazek, Blackwell) to contracts for next year or trade them.

If they are traded they likely will not return after the season - hardly any players ever do. If they stay the year and go to free agency, there is a pretty good chance they will leave for a better shot at the playoffs.

I guess I am expecting these things to be settled by the deadline, they will either sign veteran guys (Foligno, D!ckinson, T. Johnson, Beauvillier, Mrazek, Blackwell) to contracts for next year or trade them.

If they are traded they likely will not return after the season - hardly any players ever do. If they stay the year and go to free agency, there is a pretty good chance they will leave for a better shot at the playoffs.
- totem

I would sign Foligno for another year at the same cap hit. He is the de facto captain until Bedard gets the C, or in the very unlikely event that Toews signs here next year.

D*ckinson will fetch something at the deadline. And no guarantee he would sign here again.

Beauvillier is not worth that cap hit. He's bottom six on a good team. Not sure it's possible to get a real return on him at half retained. Put him on Bedard's line more often so he might get a few more looks. Similar thinking to why they paired McCabe with Seth before the deadline last season.

Mrazek, already talked about him earlier in the thread.

T Johnson, also not worth that cap hit. Not sure he even plays next year. He's gone through a lot during his time here. I used to think they would flip him for something at the deadline, half retained. Unless Tampa really wants him back for another run, I don't see much happening. Might was well put him with Bedard, too, to see if there's a chance.

Blackwell, get what you can.

I would sign Foligno for another year at the same cap hit. He is the de facto captain until Bedard gets the C, or in the very unlikely event that Toews signs here next year.

D*ckinson will fetch something at the deadline. And no guarantee he would sign here again.

Beauvillier is not worth that cap hit. He's bottom six on a good team. Not sure it's possible to get a real return on him at half retained. Put him on Bedard's line more often so he might get a few more looks. Similar thinking to why they paired McCabe with Seth before the deadline last season.

Mrazek, already talked about him earlier in the thread.

T Johnson, also not worth that cap hit. Not sure he even plays next year. He's gone through a lot during his time here. I used to think they would flip him for something at the deadline, half retained. Unless Tampa really wants him back for another run, I don't see much happening. Might was well put him with Bedard, too, to see if there's a chance.

Blackwell, get what you can.
- 333inthe3rd

Out of all those guys, I’d keep D!ckinson and sign him for $3Mx3. Foligno I’d maybe sign him for one year, no more, everyone else on this list can go. Time to bring in a couple of guys that can tickle the twine this offseason, that’s in addition to Hall. The Hawks are 31st in GF this year, that’s with a rookie that’s putting up about a PPG, that’s no bueno.

In USA practice game, Nazer was second line center Moore and Hayes are on the fourth line and Rinzel is an extra.

He's there as the nuclear deterrent, nothing more.
- wiz1901

From who on Montreal? Caufield? Foligno can handle whatever they have. So can Murph.

Wouldn't mind seeing Raddysh get the sh1t knocked out him.

From who on Montreal? Caufield? Foligno can handle whatever they have. So can Murph.

Wouldn't mind seeing Raddysh get the sh1t knocked out him.
- Elbows15

What did Raddysh do to you? 🤷🏻‍♂️

What did Raddysh do to you? 🤷🏻‍♂️
- paulr

He prefers a nice rutabaga.