Wiz, you have a do over. Do you draft KK or Mintyukov?
- Mr Ricochet

I will trust the hawks made a good decision, so KK, but Mintyukov is the real deal also...

Dots, if you get a Seabrook type of player with more offense, you’ll have the best defenseman in the NHL, and that includes Makar. Also, not sure that the Hawks are in a position to give up assets to move up, if they do, it better be a home run.
- Angotti

The word is the giant LD Russian is Hedman like Anton Silayev.

The word is the giant LD Russian is Hedman like Anton Silayev.
- wiz1901

That would be nice but they can't scout these players can they? That would be tough to draft a player you can't see live.

I keep reading here that we have an outstanding group of defenseman prospects in the jrs and at rockford. If that is the case then why would you pick a defenseman with your first first round pick. It would make sense to pick the best forward available ( if youre picking first then there is no decision to make). In my opinion you go with either eiserman, lindholm or devidov. Eiserman if you want a pure scorer. I can also see kfc trading assets to move up from our second first rounder if there is someone they truly want. Our number one need is skilled forwards.
- LFS

The only reason would be
if you feel the new prospect stands above the skills of the ones under contract, or that the next draft slots are all defenseman and you really have to reach several (5?) slots then you trade down, or you know what just plant the flag on whichever forward you want.

Sportsnet with their prospect ranking:

https://www.sportsnet.ca/...t-rankings-march-edition/

Silayev and Demidov in at 2 and 3.
Not sure Kyle and the team would draft a Russian,unless they had a guarantee that he would come over next season or the year after.

Eiserman at 13
Lindstrom at 10
10 d men in the 1st round
- captainserious

This is an absolutely garbage ranking that reflect ineptitude by their "consensus" intelligence.
I have 9 defenseman but that could go down or up.
https://www.lines.com/nhl/drafts/2024

After all is huffed and puffed over the final rankings will be closer to mine (except for the fact Tig Iginla is my reach...)


If the hawks DO end up at slot 4, I PRAY some team takes Demidov at 3 !!!!!

https://www.lines.com/nhl/drafts/2024

How bout them Bears wheeling and dealing
- BGKarras

Yeah, as much as I was thinking DE and/or DT with a big price tag(s) I think they did great, except I really do not want them to trade out of slot #9 because whether it is the last of the big three receivers or the top Edge, or anybody there, because I am not sure they will get as great an opportunity to swing for the fences in that slot as I don't believe they will be picking that early in the future.

I know how say a trade with Philly at #22 could easily land the Bears a 2nd rounder at #50 plus NO' (Philly's) but that to me signals that they are taking either DT/DE first and a receiver later at #50.

This new two QB backfield will revolutionize the game!

If you are another GM (bartering with KD), trading a pick around #10 overall for the Tampa pick later in round one…..you ask for value so one or two second picks in this draft and or next is not good enough. Those second rounders are not likely to become top players, maybe good

The #10 overall could very well become a key contributor, possibly a core piece

You could ask for Phillips or Crevier or Kaiser thrown in. KD would oblige but I would guess if you tell KD he needs to give his first ‘25 for your 2nd ‘25!in order to move up to #10 overall, KD will sigh and pass. Trading his #1 even to get another #1 is tough for KD to accept

You have to pay….maybe overpay to move up to #10

And if you do acquire that pick, it had to be a conditional trade - meaning the guy KD wants to draft at #10 is not off the board
- jhawk59

Similar to the NFL the NHL has a chart that assesses the value of draft picks.

https://theathletic.com/1...ue-value-of-a-draft-pick/

It's about half way down that article.

So to move from 20 to ten for example...

20 has a value of 4

10 has a value of 6

If the Hawks pick 3rd overall they get like pick 35 or whatever in the second round.

35 has a value of 2.4

Packaging 20 and 35 = value of 6.4

This is greater than 6 so it should theoretically get the deal done. And adding anything more than a 5th or 6th to that could be seen as a pretty hefty overpay.

However - as we all know the NHL is filled with knuckle draggers that make decisions based on feelings rather than data so selling that to another team may be difficult. These guys also seem to have egos and don't want to "lose" a deal.

So even if they have more "value" based on the established metrics they may be disagreeable partners because of the perceived notion that they are losing if it doesn't work out.

And then Kyle who is trying to accumulate talent still probably wouldn't want to overpay just to overpay.

BUT - I kinda think at this stage if the guy you want is at 12 and the team is willing to deal then you just eat it.

Richardson said in an interview the other week that they have Kurashev or Foligno taking the guy down low so that they can get Bedard out of the zone faster.
- fattybeef

Thank you, Fatty. Hard to be firm on anything I don't see live but it sure looked like Bedard was taking winger responsibilities in the Dzone since his return. ... They attribute it to him being able to get outa the zone faster????????? Ok, but then the residual effect is the kid doesn't kill his squad in his own zone, and I LOVE it.

And the domino effects come in. If the kid decides he's taking a 2 minute shift this time he'll have more oxygen in his legs hurting his squad less. Getting out of his zone without the opposite centerman leaning on him is a good thing. Less likely to get thrown around than below the dots where the hockey gets real. A lot more ice bustin out from the blueline with all the opponent's forwards behind him. Less pressure on all of the Dmen without an 18 yr old taking centerman responsibilities meaning less Grade A's allowed ..... Just so he ain't blocking shots or hiccups trading responsibilities with his forwards IMO it's downright genius. .

And the eye test shows Bedard's line is much much more consistent since he returned. Instead of flashes it's not unusual to see the kid's line with sustained pressure and more often.

Love this.........

If the hawks DO end up at slot 4, I PRAY some team takes Demidov at 3 !!!!!

https://www.lines.com/nhl/drafts/2024
- wiz1901

Why?

Why?
- Mr Ricochet

So better, or more readily available, players would be available to the Hawks.

New Blog up

Thank you, Fatty. Hard to be firm on anything I don't see live but it sure looked like Bedard was taking winger responsibilities in the Dzone since his return. ... They attribute it to him being able to get outa the zone faster????????? Ok, but then the residual effect is the kid doesn't kill his squad in his own zone, and I LOVE it.

And the domino effects come in. If the kid decides he's taking a 2 minute shift this time he'll have more oxygen in his legs hurting his squad less. Getting out of his zone without the opposite centerman leaning on him is a good thing. Less likely to get thrown around than below the dots where the hockey gets real. A lot more ice bustin out from the blueline with all the opponent's forwards behind him. Less pressure on all of the Dmen without an 18 yr old taking centerman responsibilities meaning less Grade A's allowed ..... Just so he ain't blocking shots or hiccups trading responsibilities with his forwards IMO it's downright genius. .

And the eye test shows Bedard's line is much much more consistent since he returned. Instead of flashes it's not unusual to see the kid's line with sustained pressure and more often.

Love this.........
- Mr Ricochet

Gives him less to think about as well. For as good as he was earlier in the year trying to do everything - freeing him up to be himself and really find his game in an impressive way opens up the opportunity to expand positively rather than be frustrated.

Foligno commented the other day in the post game thing that he was excited to see Bedard start to come "under the play" rather than just being the first one in like you'd expect from a good center so I think eventually he'll move into a more traditional role but for right now I think they're content to let him terrorize teams and really build some confidence.

It's been amazing to watch. The kid is really something else. The most exciting prospect in the salary cap era is not an understatement. The vision the release - its a wow every time the puck is on his blade it seems like.

Kind of nice having the flexibility of two guys who have played center and can help with that adjustment. And props to the coaching staff to making that adjustment. Other than Reichel - definitely a lot of positive movement from the younger players this year.

Yeah, as much as I was thinking DE and/or DT with a big price tag(s) I think they did great, except I really do not want them to trade out of slot #9 because whether it is the last of the big three receivers or the top Edge, or anybody there, because I am not sure they will get as great an opportunity to swing for the fences in that slot as I don't believe they will be picking that early in the future.

I know how say a trade with Philly at #22 could easily land the Bears a 2nd rounder at #50 plus NO' (Philly's) but that to me signals that they are taking either DT/DE first and a receiver later at #50.


- wiz1901This new two QB backfield will revolutionize the game!

Don't forget OT. This draft is supposed to be loaded with them. They will get either of the top two at 9, or can drop back and still get a good OT. I do think they need a "young cheap" solid edge rusher more than an OT but have no idea how many Poles sees as difference makers in this years draft. So far, I've only heard two names?