Struggling is an understatement for Soda. Out of the 57 goalies which started this season so far with 11 or more starts, he is 57 with a 4.15 GAA and 56 for save % at .870. He definitely needs some fine-tuning from Waite.
- Popsghostly

That isn't different from the last few times he was in the NHL though. He's meeting his career numbers. Dunno if there is anything there to fine tune.

That is my question, what is the cutoff ? I was asked if I would take a first for Mrazek and I said yes, a low Second I would probably try and sign him.

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

Goaltending is not a plug and play position. It is just as much mental as physical (probably more so) On most nights, the winning team has the better goaltending. Last night Mrazek outplayed a Vezina contending goaltender, and the Hawks won because Mrazek was the better goaltender. Exact oppostie of the Blues game.
- LAHawk

Raanta has strung together some decent seasons. He's 34 now and has had some injury issues. I'd put him as pretty successful.

But yeah the rest not very impressive. Reimer had a few nice seasons, and injuries. Also 35 now. Martin Jones was fine until he wasn't.

But generally speaking not so good.

Goaltending is also hard. Those guys are weirdos and predicting if they were going to have a good season or bad is tough. Really makes you appreciate how consistently good Crawford was.

In other news, Nazer with 4 primary assists today.
- LAHawk

And one the other day. And he lit up that dude like a Christmas tree in the prelims.

Probably ok to get excited about him.

In my opinion, a goalie does not change how good or bad your defensemen are, only the score. A defenseman can make the same mistake and it will result in a goal or not depending on the goalie. It doesnt change the defenseman. The same mistake will be made either way.
- LFS

Margin of error and dilution of talent in the salary cap era requires good goaltending unless you have a team like the 2010 Hawks that are outshooting just about every team 35-22

Raanta has strung together some decent seasons. He's 34 now and has had some injury issues. I'd put him as pretty successful.

But yeah the rest not very impressive. Reimer had a few nice seasons, and injuries. Also 35 now. Martin Jones was fine until he wasn't.

But generally speaking not so good.

Goaltending is also hard. Those guys are weirdos and predicting if they were going to have a good season or bad is tough. Really makes you appreciate how consistently good Crawford was.
- fattybeef

I think Raanta has been pretty under-rated. He played well here and he has been pretty good most of the time since.

I think Raanta has been pretty under-rated. He played well here and he has been pretty good most of the time since.
- breadbag

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

I am sorry, you are right. Then if this is their second year, I can admit that I wasn't expecting them to win. The season they are having is exactly what I thought would be. They have some good nights, some average nights, some bad nights, and some terrible nights. If the Hawks get another top 3 pick in this draft, I will not be upset in the slightest. From 2017-21, they were in the middle; the absolute worst spot to be in; old players, terrible contracts, and rushing prospects. That recipe doesn't ever really work anymore.

I am happy they have done what they have done. Bedard was the reward for the moves that they made and I have a feeling Bedard is going to end up being a lot better than some of the younger pieces they moved to acquire draft capital.
- frafra

They have mostly dreadful nights aside from Bedard and the young defenders.

The team is embarrassingly bad and most nights it isn't even worth watching even with how good Bedard has been. It would be a lot more fun if there was a dynamic player to combine with Bedard and provide some level of entertainment. With how dreadful the goaltending is and the amount of rookies they have it's not like they wouldn't have gotten a top 6 pick anyway.

Most of the younger forwards who they were looking to see improvement from or step into bigger roles with the opportunity - Reichel, Donato, Raddysh - haven't improved or taken a step forward.

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.

The idea was placeholders until they know which spots and roles can't be filled internally during the rebuild time frame, then they would start offering bigger contracts with more term. In the meantime, players in demand aren't going to sign here unless it's for a real premium, Bedard or no Bedard, which is why they had to pay up for Perry and Foligno, who probably would have signed cheaply with a contender in cap hell otherwise.
- 333inthe3rd

Not correct.

Any player in demand is going to go for a lot of money.

Nylander is 12 million regardless of where he signs. But if he is available, the team is on the up swing, the city is awesome and it isn't a tough sell to get players to come here and you pay the man because he will provide 100 points every year for the next 5 years and that will be super entertaining with Bedard.

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

See under-rated. He was never not good enough to be a #1.

I can't think of a player who was traded at the TDL and signed back with the club that traded him as a FA.
- LAHawk

Vermette. But I get that that's not the point - agree- it normally never happens.

Vermette. But I get that that's not the point - agree- it normally never happens.
- SC116

True. I know people suggest it a lot, but yeah. Rarely happens. I think that's part of why they are traded. The GM knows they probably aren't coming back.

Struggling is an understatement for Soda. Out of the 57 goalies which started this season so far with 11 or more starts, he is 57 with a 4.15 GAA and 56 for save % at .870. He definitely needs some fine-tuning from Waite.
- Popsghostly

Sure but what if he needs more playing time. I imagine it's difficult to refine your skill when you play maybe once a week.

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

Aren't they though? They have a ton of salary cap space and a ton of draft picks, so to me they are building something competitive, but you have to start somewhere. Minor league system is where you start

Even though we aren't seeing it at a NHL level aren't we seeing it with all these prospects on their respected teams?

I'm not assuming anyone is going to step in, and step up. I've said if I'm KD I'm leaning on Jimmy Waite and i bet he's got a couple of goalies in mind if they move Mrazek

Not correct.

Any player in demand is going to go for a lot of money.

Nylander is 12 million regardless of where he signs. But if he is available, the team is on the up swing, the city is awesome and it isn't a tough sell to get players to come here and you pay the man because he will provide 100 points every year for the next 5 years and that will be super entertaining with Bedard.
- fattybeef

Are we striving for super entertaining or a Stanley Cup.

Not correct.

Any player in demand is going to go for a lot of money.

Nylander is 12 million regardless of where he signs. But if he is available, the team is on the up swing, the city is awesome and it isn't a tough sell to get players to come here and you pay the man because he will provide 100 points every year for the next 5 years and that will be super entertaining with Bedard.
- fattybeef

So do you give him that if he wants $12M at 8 years?

I know it looks hopeless now, but if anyone endured the Cubs rebuild this is exactly what happened. They seemed so far away from winning anything.

Poles with the Bears has gotten rid of a ton of dead cap money and players and is building that team back up quickly. Many things have fallen in place for him like getting the 1st pick overall and getting a bounty for it by trading it away.

Blackhawks do a complete gut rebuild and win the grand prize in Bedard. Ethical or not they weren't even the worst team in the league. I still stand by no team in the NHL has ever been this aggressive.

I will also add, i want KD to play hard to get, i definitely don't want him to give away any so called NHL players we have but if a team is really willing to give up a quality draft pick or prospect you gotta make the move unless you feel the player is going to be part of the future.

I also think many will be disappointed in this year's free agency market, i bet KD is going to go after 3rd line guys maybe fringe 2nd line players but most likely no big fish. KD and Company will try to the best of their ability to draft top 6 forwards and top 4 dmen.

So do you give him that if he wants $12M at 8 years?
- HawkintheD

Give him $13M for 8 years, it’s only money.

I know it looks hopeless now, but if anyone endured the Cubs rebuild this is exactly what happened. They seemed so far away from winning anything.

Poles with the Bears has gotten rid of a ton of dead cap money and players and is building that team back up quickly. Many things have fallen in place for him like getting the 1st pick overall and getting a bounty for it by trading it away.

Blackhawks do a complete gut rebuild and win the grand prize in Bedard. Ethical or not they weren't even the worst team in the league. I still stand by no team in the NHL has ever been this aggressive.

I will also add, i want KD to play hard to get, i definitely don't want him to give away any so called NHL players we have but if a team is really willing to give up a quality draft pick or prospect you gotta make the move unless you feel the player is going to be part of the future.

I also think many will be disappointed in this year's free agency market, i bet KD is going to go after 3rd line guys maybe fringe 2nd line players but most likely no big fish. KD and Company will try to the best of their ability to draft top 6 forwards and top 4 dmen.
- BetweenTheDots

Moore is even better than I thought he'd be and same with Sweat. That move definitely had a positive domino effect on the defense.

Moore is even better than I thought he'd be and same with Sweat. That move definitely had a positive domino effect on the defense.
- HawkintheD

This is a hockey board Pallie.

Aren't they though? They have a ton of salary cap space and a ton of draft picks, so to me they are building something competitive, but you have to start somewhere. Minor league system is where you start

Even though we aren't seeing it at a NHL level aren't we seeing it with all these prospects on their respected teams?

I'm not assuming anyone is going to step in, and step up. I've said if I'm KD I'm leaning on Jimmy Waite and i bet he's got a couple of goalies in mind if they move Mrazek
- BetweenTheDots

Indeed, so why would you keep trading away effective players to get more draft picks. At some point they need to start building continuity. Having a reasonably steady goaltender is a great thing to have when trying to slowly build a winner. Having Mrazek on hand for about two more years allows the younger goalies to continue to develop.

If someone is willing to give up a first for Mrazek, then fine, but I'd keep him otherwise.

Give him $13M for 8 years, it’s only money.
- paulr

They should...and then when Bedard wants to get paid play hardball with him.

They should...and then when Bedard wants to get paid play hardball with him.
- HawkintheD

Bedard is a junior player anyway right?

I know it looks hopeless now, but if anyone endured the Cubs rebuild this is exactly what happened. They seemed so far away from winning anything.

Poles with the Bears has gotten rid of a ton of dead cap money and players and is building that team back up quickly. Many things have fallen in place for him like getting the 1st pick overall and getting a bounty for it by trading it away.

Blackhawks do a complete gut rebuild and win the grand prize in Bedard. Ethical or not they weren't even the worst team in the league. I still stand by no team in the NHL has ever been this aggressive.

I will also add, i want KD to play hard to get, i definitely don't want him to give away any so called NHL players we have but if a team is really willing to give up a quality draft pick or prospect you gotta make the move unless you feel the player is going to be part of the future.

I also think many will be disappointed in this year's free agency market, i bet KD is going to go after 3rd line guys maybe fringe 2nd line players but most likely no big fish. KD and Company will try to the best of their ability to draft top 6 forwards and top 4 dmen.
- BetweenTheDots

Drop the draft pick part of this and I'm on board.

I know it looks hopeless now, but if anyone endured the Cubs rebuild this is exactly what happened. They seemed so far away from winning anything.

Poles with the Bears has gotten rid of a ton of dead cap money and players and is building that team back up quickly. Many things have fallen in place for him like getting the 1st pick overall and getting a bounty for it by trading it away.

Blackhawks do a complete gut rebuild and win the grand prize in Bedard. Ethical or not they weren't even the worst team in the league. I still stand by no team in the NHL has ever been this aggressive.

I will also add, i want KD to play hard to get, i definitely don't want him to give away any so called NHL players we have but if a team is really willing to give up a quality draft pick or prospect you gotta make the move unless you feel the player is going to be part of the future.

I also think many will be disappointed in this year's free agency market, i bet KD is going to go after 3rd line guys maybe fringe 2nd line players but most likely no big fish. KD and Company will try to the best of their ability to draft top 6 forwards and top 4 dmen.
- BetweenTheDots

And how do the Hawks get to the cap floor ?

And how do the Hawks get to the cap floor ?
- LAHawk

Overpay a couple of guys like they did with Foligno and Perry.