Exactly...Hawks, Preds, whoever. They are all paid to help sell the future.

The Wings had a great run but their window started to close even before they lost to the Hawks in 2013.

Around that time, the team had brought up Gus Nyqvist and Tomas Tatar and all you heard about during the Wing telecasts was "The Kids".

Even though they came into the league later, Nyquist and Tatar were just a year younger than Toews and Kane respectively. Always found it funny that Mickey and Ken kept referring to them as "The Kids", but I suppose it's all relative when most of the rest of the team was 30+.
- HawkintheD

As the youngest kid is always the baby in the family, even though he or she might be close to 50.

As the youngest kid is always the baby in the family, even though he or she might be close to 50.
- LAHawk

Or over 50 as is the case with my brother.

Davidson probably figured they would be bottom 5-10 team this year, but I doubt he accounted for Perry having to leave the team, Reichel not progressing, Hall only playing a handful of games along with injuries to several other vets.

Also, I know it helps your position/narrative on a soft rebuild vs what the Hawks are doing but you sound surprised that the Preds announcers are "excited about the youngsters" currently on the team. Usually the hometown crew is the epitome of objectivity when talking about the prospects in the system.
- HawkintheD

I think one of the things that is over looked is there are 2 resets happening on this team, KD gutted the team and had to trade or not resign 2 legends. After this season other than the Seth Jones contract he will be pretty much be bad contract free.

I think it's true not much will be going on for the Blackhawks trade wise, i know we debate Mrazek but i really don't think he's going anywhere. I don't think the Blackhawks will resign him either unless it's a 1 year deal.

I think one of the things that is over looked is there are 2 resets happening on this team, KD gutted the team and had to trade or not resign 2 legends. After this season other than the Seth Jones contract he will be pretty much be bad contract free.

I think it's true not much will be going on for the Blackhawks trade wise, i know we debate Mrazek but i really don't think he's going anywhere. I don't think the Blackhawks will resign him either unless it's a 1 year deal.
- BetweenTheDots

[url]
There are too many playoff contending teams that need goaltending to ignore the opportunity with Mrazek. You have Toronto, New Jersey, Carolina, and others need a good goalie. Hawks could retain on him and get a solid pick.

Think Beauvillier left the bench too.
- Mr Ricochet

It looked like the exposed part of #91's wrist and hand is what was injured...

Just amazing how we have so little talent and that gaff by Korchinski by missing the pass and giving up possession killed our PP momentum
- BetweenTheDots

It was like a puddle in the ice slowed it to a stop.

How's that TOR @ LA tilt shapin up, LA? And who is the TOR backup goalie wearing #41, do you know?
- Mr Ricochet

The tall drink of water is the Leaf's goalie of the future.

What should your guy KD be asking for Phillips, LA?
- Mr Ricochet

A young forward like Luke Evangelista...I don't think Conor Geekie (or brother Morgan) are available...

So many issues with this team. First off, everyone on this board knows that I am not a big fan of S. Jones (regardless of his contract), but man, oh man, any lineup with Murphy, Zaitsev and Tinordi getting major time is just going to struggle mightily. All of them struggle to make direct passes or do anything but wrap pucks or flip them out. They're big bodies that win almost no races to pucks or board battles, but maybe the worst aspect is that they are frequently out of position, and not by just a little bit. For the most part Vlassic, Korchinski and whatever other rookies draw into the lineup have been fine, yeah they make some mistakes, but nowhere near the amount from our veteran D.

Whether your a fan of Anathasiou, Jones, Hall, Perry, T. Johnson, Anderson and Raddysh at least they are pros who you more or less knew what you were getting each night. Now, on a nightly basis they roll out some combination of "try hard" guys who you hope can just tread water for their 45 second shift. Blackwell, R. Johnson, Seney, Guttman, etc. etc. etc. Dime a dozen guys who now need to play more than just their 8-10 minutes a night and who realistically contribute little.

As more guys get hurt, the possession number contine to spiral. It starts with the D no being able to make effective outlet passes, and contines with a bunch of fowards to struggle to maintain possession if they do get it.

There are some servicable pieces, but when half your roster is a bunch of place holders, its tough to watch at times.

Think the organIzation has made any decisions on which of the young Dmen they are gonna make available fora trade?
- Mr Ricochet

They've been hiding Phillips. Roos most likely.

Think the organIzation has made any decisions on which of the young Dmen they are gonna make available fora trade?
- Mr Ricochet

I think it's too early to be trading off any young defensemen until they are given some time to develop and see what they have to offer. Look at their NHL experience levels.

Vlasic 52 games
Phillips 40 games
Korchinski 31 games
Kaiser 32 games
Crevier 13 games

Let's look at the defense corps for next year. Jones and Murphy will be back. Zaitsev and Tinordi will be gone. Maybe a journeyman veteran brought in to serve as the 7D and provide injury insurance.

That leaves space for 4 of the kids. I think Vlasic, Korchinski, Philips and Kaiser would be the front runners to start the season. DelMastro and Allen maybe the 1st call ups.

Looks to me like Roos will be the odd man out, but his trade value is minimal. Crevier may be given some rope since he is a natural RD.

By the end of next season hopefully Vlasic, KK, and Phillips will have 130-150 games in and show they belong. The bottleneck will occur after next season, the summer of 2025, when Allen and DelMastro will be competing for spots that upcoming season. Maybe Murphy will be traded by that time, opening up a slot for a prospect. Then the next wave of Rinzel and possibly a high draft pick this year will be knocking on the door in 2026. I think some trades will happen after next season.

Davidson probably figured they would be bottom 5-10 team this year, but I doubt he accounted for Perry having to leave the team, Reichel not progressing, Hall only playing a handful of games along with injuries to several other vets.

Also, I know it helps your position/narrative on a soft rebuild vs what the Hawks are doing but you sound surprised that the Preds announcers are "excited about the youngsters" currently on the team. Usually the hometown crew is the epitome of objectivity when talking about the prospects in the system.
- HawkintheD

Doing a rebuild this way (my preferred way, but understand others prefer a softer one) was never going to be linear.

Where you succeed or fail, is when bumps in the road hit, what is your reaction and how do you go forward. Any one of those bumps and the subsequent reaction can take you on a path to success or failure.

I doubt KD planned on being the bottom feeders again. I think he modified his original plan when he got Bedard and did the Hall deal for someone to keep up with Bedard, and also someone with experience of being the #1 pick and the immediate face of the franchise. I think he brought in Perry and Foligno as guys to show the young guys how to play and dedicate yourself.

These moves didn't go well, not that they were necessarily bad in concept, but they didn't work. Now what will he do. He needs to get someone to play with Bedard, not this year, but next. He may have to use more cap space to do it, then his original plan.

moral of the story is its never going to go as planned, but prepared for everything, and if you are, it won't be as difficult to navigate.

I have always said it will be good to compare complete rebuilds, there are two in motion in town now. Poles has gotten a second lottery ticket, but one I'm not sure he necessarily wanted. He is in a position now to set the franchise up for a long time, what will he do? Very difficult decision. Lets hope KD gets a second lottery ticket, his won't be as hard to deal with.

There is no doubt that KFC does not want to win another game. Seney? I saw nothing of value there. If you are going to lose, bring up someone with a future. They had absolutely no offense last night. And those bull crap hooking calls didn't help. Hooking calls are ridiculous! I give Soderblom a lot of credit. Played a solid game after that first goal. They need someone new to teach these guys how to take faceoff's because this just ain't cutting it. Get Korchinski off of the powerplay. Put Vlasic on the top line PP.

Doing a rebuild this way (my preferred way, but understand others prefer a softer one) was never going to be linear.

Where you succeed or fail, is when bumps in the road hit, what is your reaction and how do you go forward. Any one of those bumps and the subsequent reaction can take you on a path to success or failure.

I doubt KD planned on being the bottom feeders again. I think he modified his original plan when he got Bedard and did the Hall deal for someone to keep up with Bedard, and also someone with experience of being the #1 pick and the immediate face of the franchise. I think he brought in Perry and Foligno as guys to show the young guys how to play and dedicate yourself.

These moves didn't go well, not that they were necessarily bad in concept, but they didn't work. Now what will he do. He needs to get someone to play with Bedard, not this year, but next. He may have to use more cap space to do it, then his original plan.

moral of the story is its never going to go as planned, but prepared for everything, and if you are, it won't be as difficult to navigate.

I have always said it will be good to compare complete rebuilds, there are two in motion in town now. Poles has gotten a second lottery ticket, but one I'm not sure he necessarily wanted. He is in a position now to set the franchise up for a long time, what will he do? Very difficult decision. Lets hope KD gets a second lottery ticket, his won't be as hard to deal with.
- vabeachbear

I agree to a degree, Hall will be back next year so i believe KD will build the roster not with top end FAs but middling good solid try to be younger FAs. Probably build at least one solid line through FA. I also think he will sign D!ckinson to a multiyear deal he's really what KD wants in a hockey player good solid 2 way forward who's hard to play against. Sign Foligno and Beau to 1 year contracts. Most importantly draft well, wherever we end up KD needs to draft a difference maker again.

Leafs and Nylander closing in a contract extension? 8 x 11.25M?

https://www.sportsnet.ca/...with-maple-leafs-heat-up/

Before we can even talk about being a hockey 500 team our passing and forwards have to get better. I think we spend half the time in the offensive zone compared to our opponents almost every game.

Just watching the opponents they have no fear defending us they attack us instead of back up because we have virtually no speed on this team for now.

I agree to a degree, Hall will be back next year so i believe KD will build the roster not with top end FAs but middling good solid try to be younger FAs. Probably build at least one solid line through FA. I also think he will sign D!ckinson to a multiyear deal he's really what KD wants in a hockey player good solid 2 way forward who's hard to play against. Sign Foligno and Beau to 1 year contracts. Most importantly draft well, wherever we end up KD needs to draft a difference maker again.
- BetweenTheDots

Will Hall he be ready by opening night? If so will he be 100%.

Richardinson is having a career year, I would trade high.

Sign Foligno, but keep him away from Bedard's line. They have no chemistry together.

Beauvillier does exactly zero for me. But so do the other forwards that are RFA so it really doesn't matter.

There is no doubt that KFC does not want to win another game. Seney? I saw nothing of value there. If you are going to lose, bring up someone with a future. They had absolutely no offense last night. And those bull crap hooking calls didn't help. Hooking calls are ridiculous! I give Soderblom a lot of credit. Played a solid game after that first goal. They need someone new to teach these guys how to take faceoff's because this just ain't cutting it. Get Korchinski off of the powerplay. Put Vlasic on the top line PP.
- bjphawkfan

Who else could they bring up? Would you be happier seeing Gust? Dach is concussed, and there are no other forwards of note in Rockford at the moment. Next year, there should be at least 2-3 interesting ones.

KK is the best PP option they have at this point. He flubbed one pass which messed up a really good possession, but overall he's the most dangerous defender they have. They need to either stop the "push-em-back" entry or modify it because they typically have three guy standing around trying to enter the zone and it is quite easy to defend. I'd prefer that KK fakes the drop a couple times and just carries it into the zone himself. At least show something more dynamic.

I think it's too early to be trading off any young defensemen until they are given some time to develop and see what they have to offer. Look at their NHL experience levels.

Vlasic 52 games
Phillips 40 games
Korchinski 31 games
Kaiser 32 games
Crevier 13 games

Let's look at the defense corps for next year. Jones and Murphy will be back. Zaitsev and Tinordi will be gone. Maybe a journeyman veteran brought in to serve as the 7D and provide injury insurance.

That leaves space for 4 of the kids. I think Vlasic, Korchinski, Philips and Kaiser would be the front runners to start the season. DelMastro and Allen maybe the 1st call ups.

Looks to me like Roos will be the odd man out, but his trade value is minimal. Crevier may be given some rope since he is a natural RD.

By the end of next season hopefully Vlasic, KK, and Phillips will have 130-150 games in and show they belong. The bottleneck will occur after next season, the summer of 2025, when Allen and DelMastro will be competing for spots that upcoming season. Maybe Murphy will be traded by that time, opening up a slot for a prospect. Then the next wave of Rinzel and possibly a high draft pick this year will be knocking on the door in 2026. I think some trades will happen after next season.
- boilermaker100

It all depends on what is available, and what the trading team wants in return. The Hawks have an overabundance of defenders right now/in the system. They need to find competent forwards.

Vlasic will be on the team next year. Depending on how he finishes this year, KK should as well. I think most of the others are likely available for the right price.

Who else could they bring up? Would you be happier seeing Gust? Dach is concussed, and there are no other forwards of note in Rockford at the moment. Next year, there should be at least 2-3 interesting ones.

KK is the best PP option they have at this point. He flubbed one pass which messed up a really good possession, but overall he's the most dangerous defender they have. They need to either stop the "push-em-back" entry or modify it because they typically have three guy standing around trying to enter the zone and it is quite easy to defend. I'd prefer that KK fakes the drop a couple times and just carries it into the zone himself. At least show something more dynamic.
- Chunk

Skate Vlasic, Crevier and Allan as a Forward line and see the other team try to get in their way.

It all depends on what is available, and what the trading team wants in return. The Hawks have an overabundance of defenders right now/in the system. They need to find competent forwards.

Vlasic will be on the team next year. Depending on how he finishes this year, KK should as well. I think most of the others are likely available for the right price.
- Chunk

You are probably right on KK and Vlasic, they are not going anywhere. Allan and Del Mastro have not played in the NHL, so not sure they will be moved before they matriculate to the NHL. That leaves Kaiser, Phillips, Crevier, Roos, and of course Murphy and Jones that will be on the block short term, hopefully KD gets value back.

There is no doubt that KFC does not want to win another game. Seney? I saw nothing of value there. If you are going to lose, bring up someone with a future. They had absolutely no offense last night. And those bull crap hooking calls didn't help. Hooking calls are ridiculous! I give Soderblom a lot of credit. Played a solid game after that first goal. They need someone new to teach these guys how to take faceoff's because this just ain't cutting it. Get Korchinski off of the powerplay. Put Vlasic on the top line PP.
- bjphawkfan

Just looking at the Rockford roster, it's slim pickings for that. I see Bjork is doing okay, but he has an AHL only contract, so that's another conversation.

I wondered about trying Vlasic on the top PP unit, also.

I think it's too early to be trading off any young defensemen until they are given some time to develop and see what they have to offer. Look at their NHL experience levels.

Vlasic 52 games
Phillips 40 games
Korchinski 31 games
Kaiser 32 games
Crevier 13 games

Let's look at the defense corps for next year. Jones and Murphy will be back. Zaitsev and Tinordi will be gone. Maybe a journeyman veteran brought in to serve as the 7D and provide injury insurance.

That leaves space for 4 of the kids. I think Vlasic, Korchinski, Philips and Kaiser would be the front runners to start the season. DelMastro and Allen maybe the 1st call ups.

Looks to me like Roos will be the odd man out, but his trade value is minimal. Crevier may be given some rope since he is a natural RD.

By the end of next season hopefully Vlasic, KK, and Phillips will have 130-150 games in and show they belong. The bottleneck will occur after next season, the summer of 2025, when Allen and DelMastro will be competing for spots that upcoming season. Maybe Murphy will be traded by that time, opening up a slot for a prospect. Then the next wave of Rinzel and possibly a high draft pick this year will be knocking on the door in 2026. I think some trades will happen after next season.
- boilermaker100

The Hawks claimed Jaycob Megna off waivers today.

It all depends on what is available, and what the trading team wants in return. The Hawks have an overabundance of defenders right now/in the system. They need to find competent forwards.

Vlasic will be on the team next year. Depending on how he finishes this year, KK should as well. I think most of the others are likely available for the right price.
- Chunk

If us non-professionals think Vlasic and KK are the keepers, don't you think other teams would want them also? Doubt if they will be on the table. As for the others, I don't think their body of work isn't enough to deem whether other teams want them at this point. That's why I don't think there will be any movement of D-men for at least another year.

The Hawks claimed Jaycob Megna off waivers today.
- DarthKane

6'6" 220 from Northbrook.

Hawks are trying to build the biggest D corps in the league. Bye Phillips? One of the vets?