Wolves Hogs game is on. levshunov doesn’t look good. Slow feet not particularly explosive. Idk nothing screams 2nd overall. No expert so assume I am missing thing.
- bhawks2241

Yeah, this wasn't a great game for him. Keep in mind that they are very depleted of talent at the moment with Kaiser, Crevier, Nazar, and Dach with the Hawks. The forwards yesterday were a nightmare in both zones.

Feeling that if the Hawks beat the Rangers today, Laviolette is fired. A loss like this would be the last straw. Think the Isles did the same last year after a loss to us.

And what has that got them? So many "ifs" going forward.

Is he really having a strong year defensively?

You're right many teams don't have the balls to tear it all the way down. All i know is if KD doesn't miss on his high draft picks and is only half right on the later 1st round picks we most likely will have a nucleus to win a cup and maybe several more.

Bowman showed me you can win several Cups so long as you have the nucleus to do it.
- BetweenTheDots

It's got them closer to being a competitive team.

Yes, he is having a strong year defensively (and offensively) ...

The league would die if all the teams that know they aren't there yet just blew everything up so that they could go hunting for the 1OA. People would stop watching because the hockey sucked.

Hmmmm, Halloway, or 1 of Martone, Hagens, Misa or Shaefer? I'll take the latter please.
- BetweenTheDots

At what point do you stop chasing high draft picks and start trying to win?

At what point do you stop chasing high draft picks and start trying to win?
- Chunk

Not immediately for one. 2 we're here and KD learned you can't just buy wins, since they are here might as well draft top 4.

Watching Anaheim, SJ, the Habs and other teams winning isn't so easy when you want to. Throw Philly and CBJs in there as well. Ottawa is finally sniffing a playoff spot since 2017

It's got them closer to being a competitive team.

Yes, he is having a strong year defensively (and offensively) ...

The league would die if all the teams that know they aren't there yet just blew everything up so that they could go hunting for the 1OA. People would stop watching because the hockey sucked.
- Chunk

Hahaha, overdramatic much?

Viewership might have been down for the classic but the tickets were damn expensive. I think the Blackhawks are over 17,000 fans per game?

If anything (frank)ed up the time line of the rebuild it was when Bowman traded for Seth Jones, signed McCabe and others to try to win immediately.

So they have already tried what you guys are whining about.

Not immediately for one. 2 we're here and KD learned you can't just buy wins, since they are here might as well draft top 4.

Watching Anaheim, SJ, the Habs and other teams winning isn't so easy when you want to. Throw Philly and CBJs in there as well. Ottawa is finally sniffing a playoff spot since 2017
- BetweenTheDots

So two more years? Three? I mean you can never have enough top 3 picks right? Working great for Buffalo.

I think KD learned he shouldn't throw bloated contracts to old guys who don't have much left.

So two more years? Three? I mean you can never have enough top 3 picks right? Working great for Buffalo.

I think KD learned he shouldn't throw bloated contracts to old guys who don't have much left.
- Chunk

Worked great for Florida, Toronto, lightning, Pittsburgh, Edmonton just to name few.

Hahaha, overdramatic much?

Viewership might have been down for the classic but the tickets were damn expensive. I think the Blackhawks are over 17,000 fans per game?
- BetweenTheDots

If 1/3 of the league just said (frank) it and blew it up like the Hawks and strove for the bottom, you don't think people would stop watching the poopty product? Hockey is one of the most gate driven leagues in pro sports. how do you think it would end up?

If 1/3 of the league just said (frank) it and blew it up like the Hawks and strove for the bottom, you don't think people would stop watching the poopty product? Hockey is one of the most gate driven leagues in pro sports. how do you think it would end up?
- Chunk

Problem is most owners don't have the nerve to do it. Buffalo didn't tank by the way they are driven by bad management.

Refresh my memory attendance wise, i know we were so frustrated with dollar bill attendance dropped like a rock, i recall Florida Panthers having 5000 fans at their games back when they were drafting in the top 5 for years but other than that in this century attendance had been good even for all the teams that sit at the bottom of the standings.

Worked great for Florida, Toronto, lightning, Pittsburgh, Edmonton just to name few.
- BetweenTheDots

Florida is mostly imports from other teams (Reinhart, Bennet, Tkachuk, Montour, Bob, OEL, Verhaeghe, Forsling). TOR has gotten out of the first round once in the last 8 seasons. Pitt had four-five draft picks that were the key players. EDM has four-five draft picks that make up their core.

TB is probably the closest to your Nirvana.

The Hawks have made 4865 first round picks in the last three years and just as many 2nds. If he hasn't found four notable players out of that, this thing is already over.

Florida is mostly imports from other teams (Reinhart, Bennet, Tkachuk, Montour, Bob, OEL, Verhaeghe, Forsling). TOR has gotten out of the first round once in the last 8 seasons. Pitt had four-five draft picks that were the key players. EDM has four-five draft picks that make up their core.

TB is probably the closest to your Nirvana.

The Hawks have made 4865 first round picks in the last three years and just as many 2nds. If he hasn't found four notable players out of that, this thing is already over.
- Chunk

You conveniently forget all those teams had poop seasons and correct me if I'm wrong all those teams had draft picks in the top 5 that are contributing to their playoff success. Florida traded an older top 5 pick for Tkachuk so I'm still right

Just because their drafting sucked and they had to go to plan b is more of an indictment on their draft room than anything else.

Problem is most owners don't have the nerve to do it. Buffalo didn't tank by the way they are driven by bad management.
- BetweenTheDots

Doesn't matter how they got there, they still drafted top 5 multiple times and got (frank) all out of it.

It's almost as if you need to space out all of these prospects and establish winning so these kids have something to integrate into instead of hoping they can establish it themselves.

At what point do you stop chasing high draft picks and start trying to win?
- Chunk

As far as I’m concerned, I’m hoping that this will be the last top five pick
(better be top four)for the next ten years. Also, no more $4M contracts for fourth liners. KD needs 50% of first round picks to hit, and trade the other 50% while there’s still some value, easy peasy.

Doesn't matter how they got there, they still drafted top 5 multiple times and got (frank) all out of it.

It's almost as if you need to space out all of these prospects and establish winning so these kids have something to integrate into instead of hoping they can establish it themselves.
- Chunk

Didn't NJ cultivate their own?

It doesn't matter? It sure the hell does. History teaches us valuable lessons, if the draft picks don't work out he has outlines of what he needs to do next.

3-3-2-3-3

You conveniently forget all those teams had poop seasons and correct me if I'm wrong all those teams had draft picks in the top 5 that are contributing to their playoff success. Florida traded an older top 5 pick for Tkachuk so I'm still right

Just because their drafting sucked and they had to go to plan b is more of an indictment on their draft room than anything else.
- BetweenTheDots

Most of them have two, maybe three.

Stamkos/Hedman
Sid/Geno/Flower
McDavid/Leon

Florida also included another first round pick and Weegar with Huberdeau to get Tkachuk.

Most of them have two, maybe three.

Stamkos/Hedman
Sid/Geno/Flower
McDavid/Leon

Florida also included another first round pick and Weegar with Huberdeau to get Tkachuk.

- Chunk

10 years later

Didn't NJ cultivate their own?

It doesn't matter? It sure the hell does. History teaches us valuable lessons, if the draft picks don't work out he has outlines of what he needs to do next.
- BetweenTheDots

Buffalo still had multiple (4 I believe) top 2 picks. That should solve everything.

I think KD is going to let Necas know through the grapevine that he is going to be interested in signing him as an UFA, which is a year and half away. Maybe even a trade and sign.

10 years later
- BetweenTheDots

Didn't wait that long for the Hawks...
Or VGK

The point is that you don't HAVE to wait for all the kiddies to graduate in order to be a competitive team.

You can actually assemble a competitive team then when all of these high-end talents are ready they can push out the higher cost older guys.

Buffalo still had multiple (4 I believe) top 2 picks. That should solve everything.
- Chunk

As I've said before Buffalo was a mess when Eichel was there, under new management they still are struggling, is this an owner issue kind of like the Rangers, i don't know, did they ever have a plan? KD has a plan and it really is frustrating fans.

Didn't wait that long for the Hawks...
Or VGK

The point is that you don't HAVE to wait for all the kiddies to graduate in order to be a competitive team.

You can actually assemble a competitive team then when all of these high-end talents are ready they can push out the higher cost older guys.
- Chunk

Which one of those teams did that?