Changing horses again.

I understand the impatience now that Bedsy has landed, but in most drafts (just as draft stats correctly display) simply have a top tier.
Those guys are gonna play much sooner because they are better already.

The drafting issues begin when the only kids on the board are ones that are sorta in the "Helenius category."

He is an immediate example of the dilemma I reach as I try and guess / evaluate using as much info as I can.
This year my favorite tourney had US one kid play like his team's leader instead of looking average/ordinary alongside the one and two year older teammates that are ALWAYS going to given large roles.
I saw many things improved in many of the guys already traded in last years first round (and so not all that much).
To me this world junior was not full of as much improving play and standout 17 - 18 yr olds then almost everyone I have seen since the beginning.
I just finished watching all of it again. (PLEASE NO COMMENT on that, it has already arrived, in-house.)

There were little in the way of eye opening plays that even let me feel most first year draft eligibles were NOT in over their head.

Now to illustrate with Konsta Helenius.
I started my ranking at the beginning of the season with him at slot #8.

I based it on snippets I saw and that "others had him on their talking points in the past."
The beginning of December I got a PM for Lets Go hawks about Konsta Helenius (and Hage--ah that is one profile I will throw up today..)
I answered honestly I hadn't seen enough to convince one way or the other if he was the next generation of attacker / first line undersized pro centre or not.

So I watched some dozen fast forwards Jukurit (Liiga) and 2 Finland u-20 games.

I see things good things.

I watch the world junior tourney and he look ordinary. He looks average really not standing out over others while on his shifts. He had one really great hit & steal at a key time...but you will have to go read my profile on him for that.

So there you are in his play, Helenius is playing not against NHLers (but some may have seen some NHL games, but most these 20 year old are still awaiting for their first taste on the bigs.)

Most of the ranks that elite prospect have up (and they are likely dated) all have him as going before my original slot 8 between slot 4 & 11.

I moved him to slot 12 before --------------------------------I looked at this I JUST looked at it for you to have perspective.

My entire point to Helenius category is we as fans want to see the NHL we follows investment to come far quicker than I am going to guess Helenius' reaches NHL fruition.

When a team hits on a player in the bigs and in the draft he was past over, I more times is because the potential wasn't reached or even full established for the scouts to grade higher.

And I am not so sure I cannot even guess at what pick in this 2024 draft that teams will be considering developing players over the "on the radar for awhile" guys who have shown they are full of the skills needed to make the team and with hard work get earlier auditions.

I completely understand that in the past teams have never really done long term rebuilds where they stay in house, then start impatiently adding NHlers, then finally shooting the works on the likes of 'cat Kane and a young goalie. I ain't Lyon.

So I am going to enjoy every shift these forwards play, these young defenders play.

And expect I keep seeing more of the same with a smattering of drafted guys at forward.

Before he was drafted big Vlasic was an excellent skater and Crevier, before he was drafted was a able skater.

I’d take Dahlin in a NY minute.
- Angotti

He is smart fluid and not gonna waste his power and toughness unless it is driving play.

I dunno Jim but there were some signs last night.

They were never going to overload on rooks this year because that veteran cushion is the standard operating procedure, and they obviously felt the need for Megna, in the pinch with that a sign that there were premature NHL baptisms. The pace, and the game after play that Korchinski is being provided is not the easiest intro to the NHl pro game.

And we don't know if little injuries are part of it.
These young guys as assets, so kid gloves sometimes are how they are handled.
Beware
Media blitz on the way from the announcers.

There has been so much name mentioning about the two guys we haven't see as NHler rooks, Del Maestro and Nolan Allen.
(After that sports channel employee Pat Boyle was, over a year ago, touting Commesso as the future starter, I put comments about the farm in the promoting the sunny future pile.)

The coach seems to have his team working, individually and as a team, but these journeyman are not out skilling the opponents as much as needed.
the fact that DelMaestro & Allen are playing as a pair is exactly what Vegas was able too do with the current 3rd pair. The goal is that they eventually grow out of the 3rd pair NHL role, and that opened places for the others.

Maybe the final landing point of Phillips and Crevier is only eventually building into a viable 3rd pair that other hawk prospects have leap frogged into that top two pairings, but as impatient as I get, they need to play you are correct.
That elevation of Phillips gives him lots of time in the big league, and there is no harm to his development practicing with and being instructed by the organizations staff here.
- wiz1901

Wiz, with Korchinski and Vlasic on the roster, they have one spot open on the left side and two spots on the right side due to Jones, and maybe only one with Crevier if he keeps improving. So basically there will possibly be only two spots for Allan, Del Mastro, Kaiser, and Phillips, because they’ll probably want a vet as the seventh D. If like you mentioned Allan and Del Mastro play third pair, Kaiser and Phillips are goners.

I watch a lot of games, and I can tell you from what I have seen, Dahlin is not soft at all, he’s a tough kid and will lay some nice hits as well. I’d take him in a NY minute.
- Angotti

I’ll go one further, I’d trade anyone except Bedard for him.

I’ll go one further, I’d trade anyone except Bedard for him.
- paulr

Exactly, and if it took a package , I’d rather not include Vlasic, but that would not stop me if that was the ask.

I added Michael Hage Lines.com

I’ll go one further, I’d trade anyone except Bedard for him.
- paulr

That's not much of a sacrifice because no one is interested in any of the plugs on the Hawk's roster other than Vlasic.

Wiz, with Korchinski and Vlasic on the roster, they have one spot open on the left side and two spots on the right side due to Jones, and maybe only one with Crevier if he keeps improving. So basically there will possibly be only two spots for Allan, Del Mastro, Kaiser, and Phillips, because they’ll probably want a vet as the seventh D. If like you mentioned Allan and Del Mastro play third pair, Kaiser and Phillips are goners.
- Angotti

I had touched on the progression of the prospects and opening on the NHL roster in an earlier post and it was not this particular column by Zach

You read it correct about how Kaiser and Phillips could become - gone. But here is the thing to watch for: injuries and how soon BoTH Allen and DelMastro are ready to take a job over at the NHL level. I don’t want to say prematurely that anyone will be gone, since I believe next season is a critical season for all the prospects to advance or progress in their development

I surmise despite Richardson enthusiasm for the kind of player Allen is, perhaps his passing and puck movement could really benefit from an entire second season in the AHL That said, I feel both Allen and DelMastro will be some coach’s favorite because they are warriors yet have descent all around game

I would suggest that Phillips long term has to beat them out if a job. Kaiser and Crevier could stick as third pair and extra if they are here still after two more seasons. Kaiser is on small side but competes hard and if his overall game, reads, not forcing things etc al is ironed out, there is lots to like about him

You just cannot ignore a steady man with a big reach stick in Crevier, so he isn’t going anywhere for a while even if someone more dynamic could move ahead of him

Really just waiting to see if Phillips can play better, play well because he does have ability

In short it probably takes next season and a third year, too, to see who emerged

And a tangled web particularly if we draft a dman with EARLY #1 ‘24

If I heard em right Sorokin is making his 13th start in a row!....... Best goalie nobody talks about.

If I heard em right Sorokin is making his 13th start in a row!....... Best goalie nobody talks about.
- Mr Ricochet

He’s my favorite goalie in the league Rico. And Tinordi gets caught with his pants down again.

Phillips is not distinguishing himself. Marginal play on the 1st Islander goal, then get caught deep 4 on 4 giving up a 2 on 1.

Needs reps in Rockford.

Nice crosscheck to the face

Nice crosscheck to the face
- BetweenTheDots

Did it draw blood?

Watching NYI’s feed and Brendan Burke again, maybe Faulkner can steal him from the Isle next year, so much better than Volsters and he’s from Wisconsin. I remember a guy that would drive in from Wisconsin to do Hawk games, I would listen on my transistor radio.

Holy crap they finally converted a 2 on 1

Colin Blackwell is just going every shift. Confidence and determination. 30 year old is playing his best hockey I've seen in his career. You like to see it because his effort helps his teammates raise their game a bit too.

Just get home -tune in - and well that 3rd goal could have been a different outcome ... but nice breakout by the guys, made something good happen.

FFS Panger 41 was ticked because that dip Islander that got nailed would not let go of his stick. He didn't lose it - he needed to get back into the play so let go. It was actually a holding the stick penalty if the zebras had their head out - but it went uncalled.

In a less close game you probably go and take that situation on a bit more, maybe, forcefully - but in a tie game - can't get suckered into taking a penalty. Good job there by Isaak.

and then Jonesy bags the OT goal on a shot he shouldn't be taking -because - well who cares, he scored.

Ok technically it was because no one was anywhere where they were a screen or anywhere near any potential rebound. I guess the Islander guy on him was the screen.

He’s my favorite goalie in the league Rico. And Tinordi gets caught with his pants down again.
- Angotti

This is why we all go to work to pay the bills. Who had Sorokin being just ok and the anemic Hawks would get 4 past him??? ..... 4, that's how many they've scored in their last 5 games, no?

Nice to see those poor bastards get 2 pts!!

and then Jonesy bags the OT goal on a shot he shouldn't be taking -because - well who cares, he scored.

Ok technically it was because no one was anywhere where they were a screen or anywhere near any potential rebound. I guess the Islander guy on him was the screen.
- SC116

It was nice that he took the puck to the middle of the ice and used them as a screen before shooting. One thing I find our D don't do, is take the puck to the middle before trying a shot. Even if you are out a bit deeper than the circles, it's still a higher % scoring area than being towards the boards.

The Hawks power play looks a bit like the Keystone Cops.

This is why we all go to work to pay the bills. Who had Sorokin being just ok and the anemic Hawks would get 4 past him??? ..... 4, that's how many they've scored in their last 5 games, no?

Nice to see those poor bastards get 2 pts!!
- Mr Ricochet

I though Sorokin played well, but two screened goals and 2 passes across that he had not much chance to stop. The Hawks don't have a lot of firepower in the lineup, but they didn't give Sorokin too much chance.

Watching NYI’s feed and Brendan Burke again, maybe Faulkner can steal him from the Isle next year, so much better than Volsters and he’s from Wisconsin. I remember a guy that would drive in from Wisconsin to do Hawk games, I would listen on my transistor radio.
- Angotti

Lloyd Pettit "a shot......AND A GOAL!"

The Hawks power play looks a bit like the Keystone Cops.
- bjphawkfan

After so many years with D Keith on the PP, I will take whatever production we get now. Bedard is out as is Hall, Foligno and Perry provided net front presence. We beat Sorokin and he is good but not so much tonight. Of course they had an injured top player MIA due to injury - Pullok (sic) the dman. He (Pullok) has scored plenty against us over the years/I think he had a hat trick even (believe it). Always thought this player would become a perennial All Star. Tough customer, boy he can fire it and he was a first rounder btw. Back when Islanders were drafting all those dmen including DeHahn who is plugging away still on Tampa Bay