The more I hear about Eiserman, the more the name Laine pops into my mind.
- Chunk

It would suck to draft someone like Laine.

The Wild are spending a lot of money to have Suter play 20 minutes on a Cup contender.
- scottak

VERY TRUE, their final returns on enormous deal has dried, but the fact Suter is STILL a serviceable smart NHL defender after JP Parise departure does take the sting out of the remainder of the contract.

It shouldn't be forgotten that Blackhawk's management wanted in on that " Super Suter Parise" what amounted to
an UFA free market double signing by Minnesota"
Not sure they wanted to be signed by two different teams
So StanBo tried figuring out how he might sign them, with the Chairman of the Board’s consent. Add two UFA's, Suter and Parise b/c they could have been team leaders, if they HAD landed / had been added to that Blackhawk roster, so, StanBo was given the go-ahead to pursue players who could, know the fat contracts would eventually be more
Minnesota was their eventual landing site.

Hungry NHL teams will go "summer marketing" and understand that there is strong chance they may be unsuccessful on signing as the players get long in the tooth. The idea that a player may be a terrific fit and boost the entire group motivates the GMs to put the later $ concerns out of their mind when in the play-off acquisitions mode, everyone of them looking for those keystone additions.

It would suck to draft someone like Laine.
- BetweenTheDots

Don’t get it twisted, I know nothing about scouting prospects. I just keep thinking Laine every time some one starts describing Eiserman.

The more I hear about Eiserman, the more the name Laine pops into my mind.
- Chunk

That might be fair but which Laine are you talking about. The one as a 19 yr old rookie who scored 36 goals followed by seasons of 44 and 30 goals? Or the one who hasn't played 70 games or scored 30 goals in the 5 yrs since?

I did like your making a Dach/Lindstrom comparison a couple threads ago the way you just did with Eiseman/Laine...... We can be wrong but the organIzations can't.

Draft best player available, if all things are equal then you take the center with size.

VERY TRUE, their final returns on enormous deal has dried, but the fact Suter is STILL a serviceable smart NHL defender after JP Parise departure does take the sting out of the remainder of the contract.

It shouldn't be forgotten that Blackhawk's management wanted in on that " Super Suter Parise" what amounted to
an UFA free market double signing by Minnesota"
Not sure they wanted to be signed by two different teams
So StanBo tried figuring out how he might sign them, with the Chairman of the Board’s consent. Add two UFA's, Suter and Parise b/c they could have been team leaders, if they HAD landed / had been added to that Blackhawk roster, so, StanBo was given the go-ahead to pursue players who could, know the fat contracts would eventually be more
Minnesota was their eventual landing site.

Hungry NHL teams will go "summer marketing" and understand that there is strong chance they may be unsuccessful on signing as the players get long in the tooth. The idea that a player may be a terrific fit and boost the entire group motivates the GMs to put the later $ concerns out of their mind when in the play-off acquisitions mode, everyone of them looking for those keystone additions.
- wiz1901

Yea Suter looked terrible vs LVGK in playoffs last year, cost them a big game because the brain isn't processing the game as fast as it used to.

Don’t get it twisted, I know nothing about scouting prospects. I just keep thinking Laine every time some one starts describing Eiserman.
- Chunk

What am i twisting? You are throwing that out there. I don't know anything about Eiserman but watching Laine play is sad he's got no compete and really it would suck to draft a kid that high and he gets his first contract and disappears.

Draft best player available, if all things are equal then you take the center with size.
- Angotti

I second that even if it's a left handed defenseman. That'd be crazy but it would tell me how good they think that kid is that they couldn't pass on him.

Draft best player available, if all things are equal then you take the center with size.
- Angotti

Every time. .... And if it's only their floor they find as a pro better to have the 3C-4C than a 3LW-4RW.

What am i twisting? You are throwing that out there. I don't know anything about Eiserman but watching Laine play is sad he's got no compete and really it would suck to draft a kid that high and he gets his first contract and disappears.
- BetweenTheDots

Sorry, turn of phrase from when I was a kid. I meant don't assume that I have any great insight when it comes to prospects. This is simply just a mental reflex when I hear people describe this kid.

That might be fair but which Laine are you talking about. The one as a 19 yr old rookie who scored 36 goals followed by seasons of 44 and 30 goals? Or the one who hasn't played 70 games or scored 30 goals in the 5 yrs since?

I did like your making a Dach/Lindstrom comparison a couple threads ago the way you just did with Eiseman/Laine...... We can be wrong but the organIzations can't.
- Mr Ricochet

Which is hilarious, because I normally can't stand when people say Player X is the next Player Y. Honestly, I'm not even sure if my memory of the descriptions of past prospects is even accurate. I'm just associating by memory.

To be fair, Laine has been on CBUS the past four years and that franchise is for sure cursed.

Finally, I'm wrong a lot. Just ask my wife... or Paul. Maybe they are the same person.

Sorry, turn of phrase from when I was a kid. I meant don't assume that I have any great insight when it comes to prospects. This is simply just a mental reflex when I hear people describe this kid.
- Chunk

Oh okay, no worries, thanks for clarifying

Really like that the Hawks are defending the front of the net better lately and limiting chances a bit more. Not scoring enough to win and Mrazek isn't able to steal the game, but close games at least.

Hawks are a better team when Seth Jones is playing, he does help move the puck the puck in transition. Glad to see him back in the lineup.
- breadbag

Are you trying to get banned?

Are you trying to get banned?
- rpeters01

Ha. Just telling it like it is. He ain't perfect and Stan Bowman overpaid him but this team is better on ice when he plays.

Leafs talk after game some top players too soft including M Reilly quit skating
On one goal

P Holmberg beat out of a job by a 19 ur old but tonight Holmberg is back and more physical. Had a good game

I found Leafs talk on hockeybuzz immediately after the game wanted to hear the review of the loss
- jhawk59

The Leafs wll solve all of their problems by signing Corey Perry.

A very enjoyable hockey weekend for me watching them blow leads on home ice. Thats after they blew a lead on Long Island Thursday. Mackinnon, Rantanen and Makar played out of their minds on Saturday night. The 5 man $55 million Leafs core had no answers and the Coach told the media exactly that.

Fanboy panic about to set in if they drop out of a playoff spot in the standings soon.

Today is DelMastro's 21st birthday. Here's a quote about him from a Bamford Bleacher Nation article...

So, Nazar turned 20 on Sunday and now Ethan Del Mastro is turning 21 on Monday. Circle this week on the calendar for some fun in future practices. I’ve been so impressed with Del Mastro from the minute the Blackhawks drafted him in the fourth round in 2021. He was a captain in junior, assistant captain for Canada at the World Juniors and now an all-star in his first professional season with the IceHogs. He’s going to become a foundation piece on the blue line in Chicago. Happy birthday, Ethan!

Ha. Just telling it like it is. He ain't perfect and Stan Bowman overpaid him but this team is better on ice when he plays.
- breadbag

Yep I’m with you, it’s just that he makes at least $2M too much. He has some faults for sure, but also some good attributes. He would be a real good second pairing defenseman, but not at $9.5M.

Ha. Just telling it like it is. He ain't perfect and Stan Bowman overpaid him but this team is better on ice when he plays.
- breadbag

Are they? I heard someone say this about Karlsson, it's really frustrating because as great as he is at times he makes terrible mistakes that costs your team a win. Seth Jones fits in that category.

Keith was a tremendously tremendous hockey player, after the 2010 season (2011-2012) i remember Q playing him close to 30 minutes a game. That year and leading into the next until they traded for Oduya he made some terrible mistakes at the end of games, i don't care how much he makes i want him to be the shut down defender he can be and playing 25 minutes a night is to much for him. Hopefully that reduces in time when we get more talent on the blue line.

Today is DelMastro's 21st birthday. Here's a quote about him from a Bamford Bleacher Nation article...

So, Nazar turned 20 on Sunday and now Ethan Del Mastro is turning 21 on Monday. Circle this week on the calendar for some fun in future practices. I’ve been so impressed with Del Mastro from the minute the Blackhawks drafted him in the fourth round in 2021. He was a captain in junior, assistant captain for Canada at the World Juniors and now an all-star in his first professional season with the IceHogs. He’s going to become a foundation piece on the blue line in Chicago. Happy birthday, Ethan!
- boilermaker100

Ethan Del Mastro seems to be off to a good start to his pro career. Great prospect to have in the system.

Are they? I heard someone say this about Karlsson, it's really frustrating because as great as he is at times he makes terrible mistakes that costs your team a win. Seth Jones fits in that category.
- BetweenTheDots

Honestly, I don't think Jones and Karlsson are the same, but yeah I think Jones is effective most the time. I mean, if you want to talk mistakes, everyone makes mistakes that end up in goals against. I can think of many mistakes made by Duncan Keith over his career with the Hawks, some of them cost us games too. Seabrook, yep. Hjalmarsson, oh yeah. It's just magnified by the fact that Bowman traded for Jones and paid him too much. He isn't perfect, but you have to realize that playing 25 minutes a night, he is going to have a bad shift now and then and sometimes it will end up in a goal against. It doesn't mean he didn't help the team transition out of their end or make other plays that didn't help the team.

Draft best player available, if all things are equal then you take the center with size.
- Angotti

I suspect the Blackhawks might just draft a dominant left shot defenseman if he IS that.
We would be the same type the Canadiens made by selecting David Reinbacher, but he is a right sider.
Selecting 5th over all, the Habs decide the forward tier has lowered.
and that the next defensemen, Tom Willander or Axel Sandin Pelikka may have the skills but aren't the strong defender Reinbacher can be. (The Habs basically said offensive skill would be a bonus when and if Reinbacher delivers some in the bigs.
The Habs passed on many a good prospect but planted their tent pole, b/c he fits what they perceive as a need in their group.)

I didn't comment on that opening Eklund article about the supposed CSS list dropping Eiserman.
Good points are made when they see the list as never closely aligned to the actual pro scouting staffs opinions.
Also noted by "Eklund" is that drops mean others are progressing, an sometimes, being on the focus for long as one of the top prospects, has everyone look longer and harder for chinks in their armor.

There is lots more college, junior, and Euro season for more on ice games/situations to scout them all, and the playoffs, usually a ramped up challenge lets the teams scouts learn a lot.
Every player is one that all season all playoffs the various scouting staffs are looking towards to "take the next steps..."

When the prospects show growth, change a few opinions, that is when they get a final grade, and nothing anyone writes now is a final judgement.

The entire idea of "tiers" in the draft is much more bloated by many draft prognosticators. If fact that idea is what got me kicked off commenting on the Athletic, as I harassed Pronman when he refused to even consider that Barkov was part of his first tier of Colorado's MacKinnon, Drouin and our Jones...he simply refused Barkov as on that tier, and it was beyond ridiculous as his tier was a simply waste of breath grouping them.

I go back to this tier idea, because I am sure if you asked all the teams who may go first tier is a clear cut one.
Like the three "early taken" Russians from last time, I suspect there will be drops in the actual draft on them b/c of the conflict and the wait and uncertainty.

So unless a team sees big LD Anton Silayev a no brainer when the select,he drops, and if he drops out of the top ten and he is bargain.

The best player available is such a nice idea, but I am betting the nHL team BPA gets larger as the selections are made.
My point is three years ago, the scouts saw Mason McTavish, Matty Beniers, and Kent Johnson as safer selections than snipers William Eklund (SJ), or Dylan Guenther (ARZ).

McTavish was certainly considered the heaviest if that is your gain. (He did go in front of the rest.)

It is tough to say how this teams garden them or what counted as the final deciding factor.

All I know is teams may have an entirely different criteria or value in their skills strengths and weaknesses from just a few years ago.

Hands head and feet are necessary but they have to see on the attack, and quickly adjust these days to set up or be ready in scoring looks.

So being bigger and using your size, or having a shot are only parts of a prospect's strengths as seen at this juncture.
Who transcends fits like aglove and adds to your team. That is how you pick. he becomes your B P A, not the slot his name appears on Dobber Prospects or the Athletic.

Which is hilarious, because I normally can't stand when people say Player X is the next Player Y. Honestly, I'm not even sure if my memory of the descriptions of past prospects is even accurate. I'm just associating by memory.

To be fair, Laine has been on CBUS the past four years and that franchise is for sure cursed.

Finally, I'm wrong a lot. Just ask my wife... or Paul. Maybe they are the same person.

- Chunk

How did my good name get dragged into your marital misadventures?

Honestly, I don't think Jones and Karlsson are the same, but yeah I think Jones is effective most the time. I mean, if you want to talk mistakes, everyone makes mistakes that end up in goals against. I can think of many mistakes made by Duncan Keith over his career with the Hawks, some of them cost us games too. Seabrook, yep. Hjalmarsson, oh yeah. It's just magnified by the fact that Bowman traded for Jones and paid him too much. He isn't perfect, but you have to realize that playing 25 minutes a night, he is going to have a bad shift now and then and sometimes it will end up in a goal against. It doesn't mean he didn't help the team transition out of their end or make other plays that didn't help the team.
- breadbag

Yeah Keith made mistakes, but Jones isn’t Keith, he’s not even close. If Jones’ upside was half of Keith’s you could put up with the mistakes. The unfortunate thing for Jones is that contract. If he’s making half of that you could justify him on the roster, he may even be tradable but he’s being paid as a top tier defenseman and he’s a second pairing guy who can chip in a bit on the power play and penalty kill. It won’t take long for Vlasic to overtake him, if he hasn’t already.

Yeah Keith made mistakes, but Jones isn’t Keith, he’s not even close. If Jones’ upside was half of Keith’s you could put up with the mistakes. The unfortunate thing for Jones is that contract. If he’s making half of that you could justify him on the roster, he may even be tradable but he’s being paid as a top tier defenseman and he’s a second pairing guy who can chip in a bit on the power play and penalty kill. It won’t take long for Vlasic to overtake him, if he hasn’t already.
- paulr

So, he is a second pairing guy who NHL coaches play 25 minutes a night? He has played first pair minutes every year since 2015-16. He hasn't lived up to his contract, and I'm not arguing that, but a lot of it has been just how awful the team has been. Your premise that he is just a second pair guy, doesn't hold water. I know Hawks fans like to female dog about him, but he isn't nearly as awful as people imagine in their brains. Just being real with you.

freak alert

https://www.nbcsportschic...after-jaw-surgery/532986/