I like that there is a commitment from management to not play underperformers. The roster this year, so far, allows for that.
Perhaps Reichel earns his keep. Perhaps Kurashev takes the benching to heart and comes back better.
Still hoping for an less of an injury year forcing a lesser roster that throws the above out the window..

I like that there is a commitment from management to not play underperformers. The roster this year, so far, allows for that.
Perhaps Reichel earns his keep. Perhaps Kurashev takes the benching to heart and comes back better.
Still hoping for an less of an injury year forcing a lesser roster that throws the above out the window..
- 35Tony0

They knocked Brodie down a pair. It will be interesting to see if they ever go with Jones, Murphy, vlasic and three kids.

Yes, however when they’re ready to compete for a playoff spot in a couple or three years, they’re going to need that 2C. Sure the Hawks team that went to 5 conference finals was always looking for that elusive 2C, but those teams were loaded everywhere else, that was a generational team. This team is going to need a Toews lite, or a Bergeron lite for the second line, a guy that will put up 50 points, play good defense, and win faceoffs, maybe a Bolland type with a good back.
- Angotti

If I had to bet a dollar today who in the pipeline would be the 2C in 3-4 yrs I'd say Boisvert. A way too early comparison for me is Ryan O'Rielly.

Caught the 2nd period of a North Dakota game over the weekend. Interesting to note the true freshman lined up for a faceoff and he didn't like how the opposing centerman bent over into his space with his head over the dot. Boisvert reached out and pushed the dude in the head knocking him back before the puck was dropped........ I like that, especially for a true freshman.

They knocked Brodie down a pair. It will be interesting to see if they ever go with Jones, Murphy, vlasic and three kids.
- Chunk

Very interesting Allan is still up. I think LR digs the simplicity of his game.

Mario Tirabassi

"Luke Richardson on Kurashev scratch, says he needs more out him as a player he got used to relying on last season. Wants to see more physical play in one-on-one battles

Calls it a “rattle the cage” move "
- breadbag

I like this outa LR. Without going full Torterella on his players I like how he's dealing with Reichel and now Kurashev being a healthy scratch but I'll believe his "cage rattling" a lot more when he scratches Bertuzzi.

One thing to scratch middle 6 or fringe NHLers but when he scratches a vet inked for 3-4 yrs now his words have teeth for the entirety of the roster.

Kurashev sits, but Brodie in the lineup again, ok. Makes sense, or NOT.

No mention of injury after getting lit up by Krebs?
- Chunk

Was that actually that bad of a hit. It didn't look like anything special, in fact I'd go so far to say that something like that used to happen regularly. It was an extremely stupid penalty to have taken once Bertuzzi had decided to do something unnecessary, by jumping in there too... it made, a probable situation of offsetting penalties, into a pretty easy call for the officials to put the Hawks shorthanded in a game with time winding down in the third, and while behind.

That if anything, would deserve a seat.

Yes, something Sharp developed whichever line he played on. Guy would go into the corners, didn't float. Sharp used every bit of his 6'-1" 200#. Something Reichel has yet to demonstrate.
- rpeters01

I was thrilled they signed TT as it pretty much doubled the talent of the top 6 just signing him. But I was equally happy cuz of what him being a Hawk would do for Reichel.

Both he and TT are similar athletes and players in that they win battles for the puck or position with quick twitch explosiveness, fast hands and pure speed. Sharpy wasn't that kinda player and IMO he was underrated for his toughness. And pretty good chance Reichel never shows the IQ Sharpy had.

I still do think just having TT around to watch will help The Kraut. Would love management to sit Reichel down and watch a bunch of TT tape and better yet have TT take him under his wing.

Seems to me that Foligno and D!ckinson are good on L3 and Reichel would be a player that they could help. So for 10-20 games or so, try something like:

Hall - Bedard - Teravainen
Mikheyev - Kurashev - Bertuzzi
Reichel - D!ckinson - Foligno
Mix and match 4th line

Foligno does seem to fit on the top line, but maybe Hall could work there too...
- totem

I thought going into the season LR knew he had 1 line he knew what he was getting, his money in the bank line and that was Foligno-D!ckinson and probably Mikeyev. Was very surprised to see Foligno on L1 in Game 1.

I don't see LR, who is in business to win games this yr, putting Reichel on his line he trusts most...... IMO we don't need the kid to put up x amount of points or any specific expectations other than win the damn shift. Once he does that consitently then, and only then, do you slot him up the lineup.

How many games has L4 been damn near their best line this yr? Folks don't dig Donato but it was him and Anderson who had the best fancies on the club last yr. And Maroon has won 3 cups and is showing his quick soft hands to go along with a truck like frame and savvy around the net.

Add they generally go up against the other squads L4 and Reichel is the fastest most talented player on the ice. I don't dig him as a center but playing against L4 competition his shortcomings are less severe than for example when they foolishly slotted him as the 2C last yr and he was blown up.

2 solid games in a row!! I like the low expectations for him as the 4C and the less skilled opponents he'll see skating L4.

Now that I have you Totem, I wanna tell you I read and reread your jr hockey observations. Very helpful, thank you for your effort.

Was that actually that bad of a hit. It didn't look like anything special, in fact I'd go so far to say that something like that used to happen regularly. It was an extremely stupid penalty to have taken once Bertuzzi had decided to do something unnecessary, by jumping in there too... it made, a probable situation of offsetting penalties, into a pretty easy call for the officials to put the Hawks shorthanded in a game with time winding down in the third, and while behind.

That if anything, would deserve a seat.
- SC116

Well said, sir. Bert was engaged with the dude and Kurashev jumps in to make it a 2 on 1. Gotta know better than that. I agree, for some coaches that would mean a seat in the stands for the next game.

The 3rd oldest team in the league should be on the other side of those scenarios. Getting the PP cuz the other team acted the fool.

Ben Pope

The Blackhawks' analytics through six games are truly impressive.

5-on-5 expected goals ratio: 51.1% (14th in the NHL)

Power play xG created: 10.7 per 60 (4th in the NHL)

Penalty kill xG allowed: 6.1 per 60 (11th in the NHL)

They knocked Brodie down a pair. It will be interesting to see if they ever go with Jones, Murphy, vlasic and three kids.
- Chunk

Kurashev getting benched is not much of a controversy. Neither guy, Kurashev or Richardson will be with the team in 3 or 4 years when the franchise could conceivably be a legitimate playoff contender.

I always thought Kurashev was a few feet out of position and timid with the puck. No surprise Richardson has taken another young player, changed their role, cut their ice time, and ultimately benched them, that is an annual event. What is more surprising is that anyone of the multiple people in management whispering into Davidson's ear thought moving this floater to the extremely important 2C role made sense.

I am happy to report that I figured out the antenna situation and was able to watch the game against San Jose. I am slightly embarrassed to admit that I am rooting for the inevitable injuries to all the old vets on pension packing final contracts to happen sooner rather than later so I can selfishly watch some of the young prospects play at the NHL level. I almost went to Milwaukee on Saturday night to watch the Ice Hogs. The highlights looked like they might need an enforcer or two down there. Tough league.

I usually don't get too involved in lines discussion unless I think something is egregious, but I think it's worth noting the Hawks rank 14th in the NHL in expected goals with LR's lineups.

That's pretty damn good, better than I expected. The hope is they will find ways to finish but to do that you need chances and they are getting them. Finishing ain't easy in the NHL but neither is winning the possession battle and they're doing that.

Not too bad on this roster that really has 4 new adds to the top 6 which only has 6 NHL games together.
- Mr Ricochet

The split between 14 and 20 at this point isn't very big. But based on their roster, they're about where they should be. A lot of the guys they got are historically play drivers but not necessarily finishers.

I think the biggest issue they will have with finish is the lack of talent outside of Bedard and TT. It's 3rd line on a good team players after that so I think some expectations need to be adjusted as to if they "should" be winning some of these games or not.

Reichel has the speed/hands/talent to carry, or at the least help, win a shift, especially in the bottom 6...... Move your feet, don't reach or float and the kid is an NHLer. Don't and he's not.

He's as fast, quick and explosive as anyone on the ice. Find the puck, go get the puck, take the puck towards the other goalie or sit. ..... That simple.
- Mr Ricochet

I think the baseball term from days gone by would be "Million dollar arm with a 10 cent head".

K Dach 6 games -8 Plus/Minus and 1 Point total - OUCH
- glennjpawlak22

He'll end up with 45-60 that won't matter. The dude also missed an entire year. He'll have a decent enough career.

Yes, something Sharp developed whichever line he played on. Guy would go into the corners, didn't float. Sharp used every bit of his 6'-1" 200#. Something Reichel has yet to demonstrate.
- rpeters01

Sharp also scored 20 goals where the only other decent player on the roster was Havlat before Toews and Kane came along so you can't really use the talent excuse.

Personally I've always really liked Kurashev, but he defends a little bit too much like Alexei Zhamnov in my eyes, where you get times it's just like a wave of the stick at the attacker and he needs to take the body more and engage.
- breadbag

He is not good off the puck and very bad defensively (regardless of what Zawaski and boys think).

He has a lot of technical skill, skates good and has "the tools". I think he's more of a Donato comp than anything else but we'll see.

It could simply be the case that some guys just can't cut it in he NHL regardless of how much time they spend in the AHL. I think you can certainly make the case that Vlasic and Kaiser benefitted from their time in the AHL. For some guys it allows them to understand what they have to do to play against bigger players. Others they realize what they can and cannot get away with.

The Hawks didn't want another developmental season to play out on the NHL ice. They realized that people wanted to start seeing some improvement and give Bedard someone who he could actually play with without blocking a ton of spots for guys coming up. They have something like 6-7 contracts coming off the books next year.

Of the kids in RFD, who is good enough to take an NHL spot right now. Maybe Nazar, but he sure didn't show anything in the pre-season to say that he was better than guys in the top six.
- Chunk

Tomas Jurco is a player like that who comes to mind.

I was thrilled they signed TT as it pretty much doubled the talent of the top 6 just signing him. But I was equally happy cuz of what him being a Hawk would do for Reichel.

Both he and TT are similar athletes and players in that they win battles for the puck or position with quick twitch explosiveness, fast hands and pure speed. Sharpy wasn't that kinda player and IMO he was underrated for his toughness. And pretty good chance Reichel never shows the IQ Sharpy had.

I still do think just having TT around to watch will help The Kraut. Would love management to sit Reichel down and watch a bunch of TT tape and better yet have TT take him under his wing.
- Mr Ricochet

I agree Sharp's toughness was underrated but he was still one of the fastest skaters on the team.

I usually don't get too involved in lines discussion unless I think something is egregious, but I think it's worth noting the Hawks rank 14th in the NHL in expected goals with LR's lineups.

That's pretty damn good, better than I expected. The hope is they will find ways to finish but to do that you need chances and they are getting them. Finishing ain't easy in the NHL but neither is winning the possession battle and they're doing that.

Not too bad on this roster that really has 4 new adds to the top 6 which only has 6 NHL games together.
- Mr Ricochet

What they need are a few more finishers. Other than Bedard, they got nuttin'!!!!!

I think the baseball term from days gone by would be "Million dollar arm with a 10 cent head".
- fattybeef

Nuke Laloosh!

Personally I've always really liked Kurashev, but he defends a little bit too much like Alexei Zhamnov in my eyes, where you get times it's just like a wave of the stick at the attacker and he needs to take the body more and engage.
- breadbag

Why are you surprised? It's the Russian special.

So Kurashev is playing center and struggling, so let's bench him, damn Luke was so close to benching the right guy on that line. So with AA going to the 2nd line probably playing center my guess is Reichel will play center on the 4th line, WTF

So this will be Reichels 3rd different line in 3 games and switching to center on top of it. Alrighty then

Oh yea why are we playing Vlasic with Jones? Vlasic and Brodie make a good pairing. Jones can't be paired with Kaiser?

So Kurashev is playing center and struggling, so let's bench him, damn Luke was so close to benching the right guy on that line. So with AA going to the 2nd line probably playing center my guess is Reichel will play center on the 4th line, WTF

So this will be Reichels 3rd different line in 3 games and switching to center on top of it. Alrighty then
- BetweenTheDots

If you listen to what he said about Kurashev:

To me, he’s a guy that I’ve gotten used to counting on and he can’t play the way he did the last game for me to continue to count on him like that. I know he’ll use it as a bit of a wake-up call and be better.”

It’s not just that he’s struggling. He’s not playing reliably. So he’s gonna sit a game or two to make sure he understands what’s important to the team.

It’s almost like LR has a long history of playing and coaching hockey, and were just a bunch of guys on the internet.