I'm all for them trying that kid line again, which really was the 4th line, even if they get listed as "3rd" they got the lowest minutes. Hopefully they can start to generate a bit of chemistry and chance with the young legs.

Man, at some point we need help on depth for the D, because we still only have 2 guys who should be playing top 4 and that's Jones/Vlasic.

-Martinez isn't an NHL top 4 anymore or is borderline for maybe being a 4th man on D.
-Crevier, while he can defend okay and do the basics, is still a 6/7th guy. Not that he is bad, but limited ceiling if we are being realistic.
-Allan maybe will be a second pair guy someday, but right now, fits way better as 3rd pair as a rookie.
-Kaiser, seems like a good 3rd pair guy, but again, I think that's his ceiling based on what he has shown.
-Brodie shouldn't be in the top 4.
-Murphy when healthy is kind of borderline like Martinez.

Long term, I know at some point it's expected that guys like KK, Lev, Rinzel will help fill out the top 4, but we sure have a lot of 5,6,7 guys right now. It's going to make it tough to push for more wins with this kind of D depth.

Not that the overall depth isn't progressing, but just we have a pretty good gap still between where we are and where we need to be.
- breadbag

For sure. Of the kids you mentioned, the highest drafted one with the club right now is Allan at 31. Considering it normally takes d-men longer to establish themselves this makes sense. We'll see what happens with KK, Rinzel and Lev. Those three have the best odds of actually moving the needle.

For sure. Of the kids you mentioned, the highest drafted one with the club right now is Allan at 31. Considering it normally takes d-men longer to establish themselves this makes sense. We'll see what happens with KK, Rinzel and Lev. Those three have the best odds of actually moving the needle.
- Chunk

Yeah. The tough part is that we are probably 2-3 years out still for those guys moving the needle in a meaningful way, considering that it usually isn't until their 3rd season in the NHL that a lot of these Dmen really get going.

Maybe a trade is brewing?

Mario Tirabassi
@Mario_Tirabassi
IceHogs skated 17 guys tonight

Artyom Levshunov, Paul Ludwinski, & Joey Anderson all seemed to be healthy scratches for the game but were available for postgame interactions with fans

AHL transactions page lists DJ King, Ryan Gagnier, Kyle Maksimovich as recalls tomorrow
- breadbag

Tirabassi posted that the deactivations seem to be health related. I wonder if Lev's foot is still bothering him.

Yeah. The tough part is that we are probably 2-3 years out still for those guys moving the needle in a meaningful way, considering that it usually isn't until their 3rd season in the NHL that a lot of these Dmen really get going.
- breadbag

They can't all be Makar's or Hughes's

Nazar looked good against the Oilers. No points for McDavid. Gotta find some bright spots in all this.

Nazar looked good against the Oilers. No points for McDavid. Gotta find some bright spots in all this.
- 333inthe3rd

What are you talking about? We're all rainbows and unicorn farts here.

I think there are some nice things to concentrate on (some nice prospects, kids getting some time, etc). It's just there is so little to like in terms of the team's direction right now.

My biggest issue is that they seem so close to the Sabers right now. If all of the kids hit their ceilings, are they really that good of a team? It seems that they would be somewhere around the STL level to me. This is why I get frustrated when KD passes up the chance to get a guy like Kakko. At the very minimum, he improves the current team.

Every move from this past offseason on should be (or should have been) to start improving the team. TT and Bertuzzi were nice. I didn't mind Mikheyev. Brodie, Maroon and Smith were just wastes. If you are bringing in guys like that, just let kids play.

The third line is the
DNR line.
- rpeters01

Do Not Resuscitate?

Tirabassi posted that the deactivations seem to be health related. I wonder if Lev's foot is still bothering him.
- Chunk

Being that there's 3 guys out simultaneously, it's likely an illness

Tirabassi posted that the deactivations seem to be health related. I wonder if Lev's foot is still bothering him.
- Chunk

Or Covid-19.

Or Covid-19.
- rpeters01

Flu like symptoms

For sure. Of the kids you mentioned, the highest drafted one with the club right now is Allan at 31. Considering it normally takes d-men longer to establish themselves this makes sense. We'll see what happens with KK, Rinzel and Lev. Those three have the best odds of actually moving the needle.
- Chunk

Vlasic/Rinzel
Levshunov/Allan
KK/EDM
Kaiser

Flu like symptoms
- wizardofi

Same as Covid

Vlasic/Rinzel
Levshunov/Allan
KK/EDM
Kaiser
- Assman22

I will be 100% shocked if all of these guys end up on the team. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if two or three are used in trades to help elsewhere.

What are you talking about? We're all rainbows and unicorn farts here.

I think there are some nice things to concentrate on (some nice prospects, kids getting some time, etc). It's just there is so little to like in terms of the team's direction right now.

My biggest issue is that they seem so close to the Sabers right now. If all of the kids hit their ceilings, are they really that good of a team? It seems that they would be somewhere around the STL level to me. This is why I get frustrated when KD passes up the chance to get a guy like Kakko. At the very minimum, he improves the current team.

Every move from this past offseason on should be (or should have been) to start improving the team. TT and Bertuzzi were nice. I didn't mind Mikheyev. Brodie, Maroon and Smith were just wastes. If you are bringing in guys like that, just let kids play.
- Chunk

Kakko is RFA this summer. Turns 24 next month. Where does his career go from here? 45 point ceiling? Seattle gave up a 3rd, a 6th, and Borgen. Would you want to beat that offer? If Seattle doesn't renew him, they can vie for his services this summer more cheaply if they liked him but not enough to make such a trade.

I agree about Brodie, unless he's sharing a lot of valuable wisdom with the yutes. Mikheyev they got to move up from a 4th to a 2nd rounder in exchange for taking on his cap hit. Easy enough trade to make. It's all about stockpiling picks for the long term, and they get a serviceable player while doing so. Smith and Maroon are likely gone at the deadline assuming they are healthy. They have to sign players like that when they don't know how ready their prospects are.

I know these FA signings are not the stuff of legend. They aren't a destination team right now, though, as I said before, along with they are on many players' no trade lists. In other words, we're playing Armchair GM on the hardest setting right now.

Kakko is RFA this summer. Turns 24 next month. Where does his career go from here? 45 point ceiling? Seattle gave up a 3rd, a 6th, and Borgen. Would you want to beat that offer? If Seattle doesn't renew him, they can vie for his services this summer more cheaply if they liked him but not enough to make such a trade.

I agree about Brodie, unless he's sharing a lot of valuable wisdom with the yutes. Mikheyev they got to move up from a 4th to a 2nd rounder in exchange for taking on his cap hit. Easy enough trade to make. It's all about stockpiling picks for the long term, and they get a serviceable player while doing so. Smith and Maroon are likely gone at the deadline assuming they are healthy. They have to sign players like that when they don't know how ready their prospects are.

I know these FA signings are not the stuff of legend. They aren't a destination team right now, though, as I said before, along with they are on many players' no trade lists. In other words, we're playing Armchair GM on the hardest setting right now.
- 333inthe3rd

100% I would beat that offer, and it wouldn't be very difficult to do so with the Hawks arsenal of assets. Kakko is a larger 200' player who can and has supplied decent production (he's got 8 pts in 11 games since joining SEA). He's past the point of figuring out the NHL and is a player. He would be an upgrade over 2/3 of the forwards on the team currently and is cheap and somewhat controllable as an RFA. That is precisely the move you make right now.

If I had to guess right now, Brodie will be bought out. No one is going to want him at his current cost. Is Anderson as good or better than both Maroon and Smith? I'd say yes. Not to mention, you had AA still with the team at the time. You don't need to keep signing suck when you already have it available, and they'd still have the ability to bring kids along at their own pace.

The other frustrating thing (that others have noted here) is that they seem to mostly be applying the merit requirement to the kids. Brodie should have been stapled about a month and a half ago. I've said my piece about Maroon and Smith. There just doesn't seem to be a cohesive plan in place.

Same as Covid
- Assman22

Flu and Covid aren't the same. I'd rather have a stomach flu for a couple of days instead of long term Covid. Ask Toews if he'd rather have the flu.

Flu and Covid aren't the same. I'd rather have a stomach flu for a couple of days instead of long term Covid. Ask Toews if he'd rather have the flu.
- wizardofi

You’re comparing short term flu to long term covid? Moderate Flu and Covid have nearly iddntical symptoms

Powers just reported that Levshunov and Ludwinski were scratched because they were late to a meeting.

Lev and Lud live together in Rockford. No further disciplinary action expected.

100% I would beat that offer, and it wouldn't be very difficult to do so with the Hawks arsenal of assets. Kakko is a larger 200' player who can and has supplied decent production (he's got 8 pts in 11 games since joining SEA). He's past the point of figuring out the NHL and is a player. He would be an upgrade over 2/3 of the forwards on the team currently and is cheap and somewhat controllable as an RFA. That is precisely the move you make right now.

If I had to guess right now, Brodie will be bought out. No one is going to want him at his current cost. Is Anderson as good or better than both Maroon and Smith? I'd say yes. Not to mention, you had AA still with the team at the time. You don't need to keep signing suck when you already have it available, and they'd still have the ability to bring kids along at their own pace.

The other frustrating thing (that others have noted here) is that they seem to mostly be applying the merit requirement to the kids. Brodie should have been stapled about a month and a half ago. I've said my piece about Maroon and Smith. There just doesn't seem to be a cohesive plan in place.
- Chunk

That's great that he got hot since the trade. Why did it not work out for him with the Rangers?

The Brodie buyout option does not save any real money. https://puckpedia.com/pla...brodie/buyout?s=2025-2026 If they're lucky they can dump the contract for half retained this summer. Emphasis on lucky. I think they staple him if they have enough young prospects ready to play here now. Plus Seth and Martinez have missed time. And Murphy is still out. So he's playing more often now, whether we like it or not.

Anderson went unclaimed when they waived him. Smith and Maroon potentially get a draft pick in return at the deadline. On a good day they still provide needed veteran depth for a playoff team, and they have cheap cap hits.

The plan as I see it is to let the kids take the time they need developing in the A instead of being rushed up. And these vets we are talking about give them a chance to do that. And while that happens, keep stockpiling picks where possible. Right now doesn't matter all that much. No guarantee that it all falls into place, but if they draft and develop well, good times will return soon enough.

That's great that he got hot since the trade. Why did it not work out for him with the Rangers?

The Brodie buyout option does not save any real money. https://puckpedia.com/pla...brodie/buyout?s=2025-2026 If they're lucky they can dump the contract for half retained this summer. Emphasis on lucky. I think they staple him if they have enough young prospects ready to play here now. Plus Seth and Martinez have missed time. And Murphy is still out. So he's playing more often now, whether we like it or not.

Anderson went unclaimed when they waived him. Smith and Maroon potentially get a draft pick in return at the deadline. On a good day they still provide needed veteran depth for a playoff team, and they have cheap cap hits.

The plan as I see it is to let the kids take the time they need developing in the A instead of being rushed up. And these vets we are talking about give them a chance to do that. And while that happens, keep stockpiling picks where possible. Right now doesn't matter all that much. No guarantee that it all falls into place, but if they draft and develop well, good times will return soon enough.
- 333inthe3rd

Kakko was buried behind all the names in NYR. I don't necessarily blame them, but when they made him available, I'd certainly find a way especially at that price.

Without Smith and Maroon, they'd have AA and Anderson playing regularly allowing the kids to stay in the A until ready (and they could still sit Kurashev
)

I get what you are saying about the buyout, but I just think/hope they'll see that he's just a guy in the way at the moment. I think Seth being out showed that the Hawks have enough "ready-now" D talent to get by without any more of these stop=gap guys.

You’re comparing short term flu to long term covid? Moderate Flu and Covid have nearly iddntical symptoms
- Assman22

Based on the Covid protocols for the AHL and NHL, if they have tested positive for Covid, they must remain in isolation for 10 days until the team physician allows them to come out of isolation. With the flu, feel better, hydrate and hit the ice.

A physician friend with a major sports franchise has said that the teams have stopped asking for the doctors to test for covid so the player can become available when the player feels better.

Kakko was buried behind all the names in NYR. I don't necessarily blame them, but when they made him available, I'd certainly find a way especially at that price.

Without Smith and Maroon, they'd have AA and Anderson playing regularly allowing the kids to stay in the A until ready (and they could still sit Kurashev
)

I get what you are saying about the buyout, but I just think/hope they'll see that he's just a guy in the way at the moment. I think Seth being out showed that the Hawks have enough "ready-now" D talent to get by without any more of these stop=gap guys.
- Chunk

AA, why did they sign him again? At that cap hit? After they couldn't find a buyer for him at the deadline? Oh right, to reach the salary floor. Because it was too soon to be luring top tier free agents to sign here. Armchair GM at the hardest setting again.

Anderson definitely gave a real effort here. Hard to not root for him to succeed. The 15-16-17 line had a moment last season, anyway.

I will be 100% shocked if all of these guys end up on the team. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if two or three are used in trades to help elsewhere.
- Chunk

I'd be surprised as well. Especially if we can get something good for them. We can always sign 5-6's. We've got the cap space.

AA, why did they sign him again? At that cap hit? After they couldn't find a buyer for him at the deadline? Oh right, to reach the salary floor. Because it was too soon to be luring top tier free agents to sign here. Armchair GM at the hardest setting again.

Anderson definitely gave a real effort here. Hard to not root for him to succeed. The 15-16-17 line had a moment last season, anyway.
- 333inthe3rd

Right. They already had those guys, so why sign more dogpoop?

Bad line change after Bert somehow didn't get the redline. 1-0........