https://twitter.com/ByScottPowers/status/1740401819711578454?t=cnVC3QhNe0x_VW38iGAbLA&s=19

I guess Kantserov will be in Russia for 2 more years.
- BetweenTheDots

Well then hopefully just as the Blackhawks are beginning to win some games with a boatload of young talent buzzing around, a scoring L2 wing from Russia debuts and proves to be a scoring threat Good timing; the team needs what he can provide come that time

Playing professionally for two more years he could possibly be ready to drop into the lineup when other prospects are about ready. KFC could have some nice problems to deal with.
- paulr

The other day i saw a post he was playing 1st line center for his team.

What a shot by Eichel

Very impressed with Phillips. Last nights game, paired on his offside with Tinordii, it looke like he was playing defense by himself.
- LAHawk

Couldn't agree more with this. Was alone out there all night.

Heard a rumour on the FAN590 in Toronto this afternoon that the Bruins may be targeting Tyler Johnson. Other than salary retention no other information.

Do you re-sign Vlasic to a long term deal now or a 3 year deal (assuming he’d be an RFA afterwards) then the long term deal? Given his age I’d be fine either way, but if the Hawks can lock him up for 8 years at a reasonable rate I’d say go for it.

D!ckinson is a must re-sign. He’s the type of guy who helps on the ice and off.

I’m on the fence about Beauvillier. If KD re-signs him hopefully it’s just a 1 year deal.

I’d re-sign Phillips and Raddysh too.
- DarthKane

Lets be clear here - the Hawks have 3 NHL forwards - Bedard, Foligno and Richardinson. If pressed I 'might' include Kurashev. The rest of them suck, they are basically minor leaguers getting a chance to play in the NHL on the 31st or 32nd best team in the league. So there really is no urgency to re-sign any of them, because there are no other teams that will have any interest other than to stock their AHL teams.

KD's job is to find some real talent up front that can actually play. If he doesn't, it will be another season of simple outlet passes bouncing off sticks leading to turnovers and guys having no idea what to do in their own zone. And thats the simple part, most of these guys epitomize where offensive skill & creativity goes to die.

Vosters is terrible. If he didn't just repeat one player name after the next over and over the broadcast would be mostly silent.

The only thing worse would be to be stuck with Jack Edwards of the Bruins' telecast. Edwards, though, would actually be decent if he could tap the brakes on his over the top homerism. The Bruins' color guy is actually pretty good.
- MartiniMan

Vosters is horrible! I don't think he is paying attention half the time. He likes to hear himself talk. I hate when he calls the ice the SHEET. There has to be someone better out there. Watching the Hawks most games is painful enough but to have to listen to this idiot...

Heard a rumour on the FAN590 in Toronto this afternoon that the Bruins may be targeting Tyler Johnson. Other than salary retention no other information.
- paulr

That's been posted on some rumor sites recently and was mentioned here on the previous blog. I wouldn't expect much of a return if a trade occurs. Maybe Regula comes back. LOL

I wonder if Lloyd Pettit has a grandson?

Raanta has never been a # 1 except for one year in Arizona,
- LAHawk

The days of the bell cow #1 goalie starting 65-70 games is going away. The speed and skill of the game makes it very difficult for goalies to stay healthy and/or have enough left in the tank come playoff time.

The league is trending to a 1A and 1B setup. It lessens the load and dependance on one goalie and better insulates from injuries. .... There were plenty of yrs Raanta, and his types, qualify as a 1B.

I'm in the resign Mrazak camp for 2-3 yrs and overpay to keep him. A 1A/1B setup with Mrazak and a 2020 Raanta type would allow Commesso the time to properly develop in the AHL. ........ Yes, Mrazak has been injury prone and yes, he's switched up his offseason program to address that concern. Who knows if that will work but having a 1A/1B setup insulates from injury concerns to a degree. ...... That's what the Hawks were hoping for with Soderblom but that's not working out but doesn't mean it can't with a legit NHL goalie to be a 1B.

I also agree with those who say not every goalie can be effective behind a weak/young D and Mrazak has shown he can. Why trade that in for a goalie they "hope" can do what Mrazak is doing right now?

From what I can tell, LA's question is "what is the cutoff point for whether or not you trade Mrazek?" You seem to be implying that just about anything anyone offers would be good enough (3rd-7th rd pick). Personally, I think unless it's a first you keep him around for another year or two. He's played well behind THIS team. It's not always a given that a goalie will perform well behind just any team. Look at MAF behind a notably better team in MN.

You can't just assume that the Hawks will find a competent backstop in UFA. The Hawks need at least two more years of solid goaltending before any of the young guys are ready to sniff the bigs. Plenty of highly touted goalies have fallen flat.

I've beat to death my point thinking that the Hawks don't need to add any more draft picks. They've had a ton and have plenty more in the hopper over the next three years (most in the first three rounds). A this point, stop throwing everything of value out the window for picks and start building something competitive.
- Chunk

Yes to this whole post, especially the bolded. ..... Well said, Chunk.

Re-sign Mrazek NOW. 2 years, $5 million AAV.

Also, rumours in the Twitterverse have Elias Pettersson (for forward, not the defenseman) to the Hawks in the summer. Yes please!!! (Note: I know it won’t happen)
- DarthKane

Curious, what is the reasoning behind Petterson not wanting to resign with VAN so they'd have to trade him? The club, under a new GM/Prez, has been very very good and it looks sustainable.

Rushing prospects is way overblown. Rockford has helped Reichel sooooooo much. Raddysh spent two and a half years down there - lotta good its doing him.
- fattybeef

Few, if any, threads go by without you making claims that it's of no value to developing players in the AHL. Is this something your observations have shown you or is there some empirical evidence I haven't seen, Fatty?

How many goaltenders really succeed going from back-ups to #1's? Look at the Hawks

Forsberg
Delia
Lankenin
Darling
Raanta
Stalock (signed a contract with Anaheim and is back in the A)

Look at all the other mistakes teams have made in thinking that a goalie is ready to step up as a #1

Campbell
Peterson
Martin Jones
Nedjkovic
Reimer
Gustavsson



- LAHawk

The list you submit, how many were drafted using 1st thru 3rd rd capital? ... Off the top of my head only Campbell was a 3rd-4th rd pick or higher.

That's been posted on some rumor sites recently and was mentioned here on the previous blog. I wouldn't expect much of a return if a trade occurs. Maybe Regula comes back. LOL
- boilermaker100

If Regula is able to score a ton in the AHL, his only hope is that he could play acceptable enough defense. But there is more to defensive play than just pinning the opponent against the boards.

Regula had issues but IMHO it was worth trying to develop him and see if he works out. I am truly more disappointed with I Mitchell since I believed the hype that he was pretty good. You have to realize with smaller size players only a small percentage can handle the physcslty inherent in the NHL game

Speaking to that issue (handling physicality), that was part and parcel to wiz warning why Kurashev falls short

It may turn out that Kurashev hangs out here long enough to eventually play within a five man NHL calibre group……if he doesn’t produce more then he would be jettisoned. Hang on to his hint of ability until you have to accept he won’t be a producer

Some fans may say that Kurashev handles physicality better this year. Well in the final analysis I think physicality probably still an issue We shall see….eventually!

Ewww.

Gajan was playing very well, getting lit up a bit in the 3rd.

By Norway...........

Ewww.

Gajan was playing very well, getting lit up a bit in the 3rd.

By Norway...........
- vabeachbear

Obviously a bust.

Obviously a bust.
- paulr

It was fun while it lasted.

I just saw the four goals that he gave up, no softies to speak of. You can see them on the TSN website.
tsn.ca

I’d rather see KD re-sign Mrazek. At best he’d get a 2nd, realistically a 3rd. I think he has more value on the team for two more seasons than a 3rd round pick.
- DarthKane

I don't really know if he really is. This team is what it is a bottom feeder for now. Some here think draft picks are over rated but then say no way someone gives up a 1st for him or even a 2nd, and dismiss that 2nd pick. Realistically we are looking 3 years away from being a middling team, is Mrazek going to be a part of this team in 3 years? Probably not

I just saw the four goals that he gave up, no softies to speak of. You can see them on the TSN website.
tsn.ca
- Angotti

The mere fact he gave up four goals points to his bustedness …. No?

I don't really know if he really is. This team is what it is a bottom feeder for now. Some here think draft picks are over rated but then say no way someone gives up a 1st for him or even a 2nd, and dismiss that 2nd pick. Realistically we are looking 3 years away from being a middling team, is Mrazek going to be a part of this team in 3 years? Probably not
- BetweenTheDots

They have more than enough draft picks. You can’t build an entire team through the draft.

No one thinks Mrazek will be the goalie when they are good, but you need someone solid back there to hold the fort while the young goalies develop enough to be NHL ready.

As these rookies start to arrive they need to be able to see success and progress in what they are doing, otherwise they will question everything (plan, coaching, direction). The you have a bunch of players that aren’t bought in and never gel. As I mentioned before, you can’t just assume that the FO can pluck just about anyone from the FA heap and grab a decent starter.

I’ve had to build two different teams from scratch at work. One succeeded the other didn’t. The one that didn’t never really saw success because we were missing a fundamental piece to move forward. It’s anecdotal, and small sample size, but I think it definitely holds merit.

The mere fact he gave up four goals points to his bustedness …. No?
- paulr

To heck with you and your context!!

They have more than enough draft picks. You can’t build an entire team through the draft.

No one thinks Mrazek will be the goalie when they are good, but you need someone solid back there to hold the fort while the young goalies develop enough to be NHL ready.

As these rookies start to arrive they need to be able to see success and progress in what they are doing, otherwise they will question everything (plan, coaching, direction). The you have a bunch of players that aren’t bought in and never gel. As I mentioned before, you can’t just assume that the FO can pluck just about anyone from the FA heap and grab a decent starter.

I’ve had to build two different teams from scratch at work. One succeeded the other didn’t. The one that didn’t never really saw success because we were missing a fundamental piece to move forward. It’s anecdotal, and small sample size, but I think it definitely holds merit.
- Chunk

So you reference your team building in the singular but the failure as a group effort? That shows zero leadership and accountability.

They have more than enough draft picks. You can’t build an entire team through the draft.

No one thinks Mrazek will be the goalie when they are good, but you need someone solid back there to hold the fort while the young goalies develop enough to be NHL ready.

As these rookies start to arrive they need to be able to see success and progress in what they are doing, otherwise they will question everything (plan, coaching, direction). The you have a bunch of players that aren’t bought in and never gel. As I mentioned before, you can’t just assume that the FO can pluck just about anyone from the FA heap and grab a decent starter.

I’ve had to build two different teams from scratch at work. One succeeded the other didn’t. The one that didn’t never really saw success because we were missing a fundamental piece to move forward. It’s anecdotal, and small sample size, but I think it definitely holds merit.
- Chunk

No doubt. Trades and FA signings will be needed. However, the draft is generally (note to the class, I said generally) where real studs come from. The Hawks still need several of those - if the goal really is to be better than mediocre.