Yeah he had a goal and four assists, he was outstanding. We knew his skating was strong and he has an NHL level shot and release. He also sees the ice extremely well and is a very good playmaker.
- paulr

Reminds me a lot of Brandon Pirri.

You know when a player is good, Arty frustrated several Wild players tonight where they took penalties because of it.

I have to say i think Arty is playing better than Korchinski, at least in tonight's game.
- BetweenTheDots

He's a different player but you aren't really wrong. Arty has a more complete skillset. KK is mostly offense. To put it in very oversimplified terms KK is more like Kane (a playmaker) and Arty is more like Toews. This is referring to the types of games they have alone. Arty at his best is really good defensively, and makes it look pretty effortless. He'll then control the ice in the O-zone and can distribute, or get shots on net almost at will.

KK at his best is a more of a distributor (although he does have the ability to take it coast to coast). If KK can develop his shot a bit more, I think he'll be more dangerous. I'm just not sure what his ceiling is defensively.

He's a different player but you aren't really wrong. Arty has a more complete skillset. KK is mostly offense. To put it in very oversimplified terms KK is more like Kane (a playmaker) and Arty is more like Toews. This is referring to the types of games they have alone. Arty at his best is really good defensively, and makes it look pretty effortless. He'll then control the ice in the O-zone and can distribute, or get shots on net almost at will.

KK at his best is a more of a distributor (although he does have the ability to take it coast to coast). If KK can develop his shot a bit more, I think he'll be more dangerous. I'm just not sure what his ceiling is defensively.
- Chunk

I’m not a fan of offensive defensemen that are allergic to playing defense. Guys like Karlsson, Gus, and even Fox, although he’s a bit more involved than the other two. Hard to win cups with that type of defenseman, unless you have a stacked team like the 80’s Oilers. KK did improve his defense last year from the beginning of the season, however he needs more work to be at least satisfactory at the NHL level. Even if they don’t draft Schaefer, they still have an abundance of young Dmen and will need to move one or two before they lose their value. They have Jones, Murphy, Arty, Rinzel, and Crevier on the right side, and Vlasic, Allan, EDM, Kaiser, and KK on the left, that’s ten defensemen that could possibly play adequate NHL minutes.

He's a different player but you aren't really wrong. Arty has a more complete skillset. KK is mostly offense. To put it in very oversimplified terms KK is more like Kane (a playmaker) and Arty is more like Toews. This is referring to the types of games they have alone. Arty at his best is really good defensively, and makes it look pretty effortless. He'll then control the ice in the O-zone and can distribute, or get shots on net almost at will.

KK at his best is a more of a distributor (although he does have the ability to take it coast to coast). If KK can develop his shot a bit more, I think he'll be more dangerous. I'm just not sure what his ceiling is defensively.
- Chunk

Lev, Rinzel, and KK as puck movers and guys that can join the rush has me excited for the Hawks future. Vlasic is not bad at it either, EDM has shown he can too. Having those type of guys makes it really hard to defend against and keeps teams honest. Offense starts from the backend. In my opinion, it also means you need less top end fire power in the forward group.

I’m not a fan of offensive defensemen that are allergic to playing defense. Guys like Karlsson, Gus, and even Fox, although he’s a bit more involved than the other two. Hard to win cups with that type of defenseman, unless you have a stacked team like the 80’s Oilers. KK did improve his defense last year from the beginning of the season, however he needs more work to be at least satisfactory at the NHL level. Even if they don’t draft Schaefer, they still have an abundance of young Dmen and will need to move one or two before they lose their value. They have Jones, Murphy, Arty, Rinzel, and Crevier on the right side, and Vlasic, Allan, EDM, Kaiser, and KK on the left, that’s ten defensemen that could possibly play adequate NHL minutes.
- Angotti

If you have one guy like that (Campbell?) and the rest are more well-rounded, or even more defense oriented, I think it can be a real boon. It's not that he can't learn D, it's just that he needs to learn to use his main talents without being a complete sieve. 100% some of these guys will be moved, and I'm 100% sure people will be surprised at some of the ones that are.

Lev, Rinzel, and KK as puck movers and guys that can join the rush has me excited for the Hawks future. Vlasic is not bad at it either, EDM has shown he can too. Having those type of guys makes it really hard to defend against and keeps teams honest. Offense starts from the backend. In my opinion, it also means you need less top end fire power in the forward group.
- bhawks2241

Rinzel wasn't a puck mover but became one at Minnesota. In the NHL, he will be a stay at home d-man as will EDM. If they keep KK, you're likely looking at these pairings in two years:

Vlasic/Levshunov
KK/Rinzel
EDM/Allan

Rinzel wasn't a puck mover but became one at Minnesota. In the NHL, he will be a stay at home d-man as will EDM. If they keep KK, you're likely looking at these pairings in two years:

Vlasic/Levshunov
KK/Rinzel
EDM/Allan
- Assman22

Don't agree with your assessment of Rinzel at all. Pretty sure he was drafted as an offensive d-men who could skate with the puck. Putting up big offensive numbers at UMinn.

Don't agree with your assessment of Rinzel at all. Pretty sure he was drafted as an offensive d-men who could skate with the puck. Putting up big offensive numbers at UMinn.
- bhawks2241

Agreed Rinzel reminded me of Doughty when he was drafted.

Rinzel wasn't a puck mover but became one at Minnesota. In the NHL, he will be a stay at home d-man as will EDM. If they keep KK, you're likely looking at these pairings in two years:

Vlasic/Levshunov
KK/Rinzel
EDM/Allan
- Assman22

The time to trade Jones is soon he'll be going down hill.

Don't agree with your assessment of Rinzel at all. Pretty sure he was drafted as an offensive d-men who could skate with the puck. Putting up big offensive numbers at UMinn.
- bhawks2241

Allow me to quote the great one: "it doesn't matter what you think!" Rinzel is a good offensive d-man but he's not great. He also plays on a college team that's an absolute offensive juggernaut. He's truly elite however, when he's a shutdown defender and pair him with someone like KK and it makes too much sense not to do it. He's a lot like Vlasic in that regard. Yes, he has offensive abilities but he's next level when he's the shutdown guy.

Don't agree with your assessment of Rinzel at all. Pretty sure he was drafted as an offensive d-men who could skate with the puck. Putting up big offensive numbers at UMinn.
- bhawks2241

This was Wiz’s assessment of Rinzel, which indicates he was a more offensive defender when he was drafted.

Big framed large defender with soft hands, crisp edge work and a cannon of a shot. In his high school league with Chasta HS, he display solo dashes leading on net, and could also take pucks and blast them through three zones leading to a teammates breakaway. He defended well against the rush and had a neat poke check that disrupted things. There is lots to like long term, but you easily saw how he was farther behind his draft class, when he played In the American Top Prospects game. He looked as though plays was moving much too fast for him. Seemed as though he was overmatched by the speed and tempo of the game. His ability to pivot was apparent as was his inability to know when to take the man or the puck. Needs to develop a mire physical side and keep improving and gaining muscle.

—Bill Płaczek—

Agreed Rinzel reminded me of Doughty when he was drafted.
- rpeters01

Please elaborate!

This was Wiz’s assessment of Rinzel, which indicates he was a more offensive defender when he was drafted.

Big framed large defender with soft hands, crisp edge work and a cannon of a shot. In his high school league with Chasta HS, he display solo dashes leading on net, and could also take pucks and blast them through three zones leading to a teammates breakaway. He defended well against the rush and had a neat poke check that disrupted things. There is lots to like long term, but you easily saw how he was farther behind his draft class, when he played In the American Top Prospects game. He looked as though plays was moving much too fast for him. Seemed as though he was overmatched by the speed and tempo of the game. His ability to pivot was apparent as was his inability to know when to take the man or the puck. Needs to develop a mire physical side and keep improving and gaining muscle.

—Bill Płaczek—
- paulr

Watching Arty pivot last night was effortless. His ability to flow skating forwards to backwards looks seemless.

Watching Arty pivot last night was effortless. His ability to flow skating forwards to backwards looks seemless.
- BetweenTheDots

So he's a bust. You have to finish your thought.

This was Wiz’s assessment of Rinzel, which indicates he was a more offensive defender when he was drafted.

Big framed large defender with soft hands, crisp edge work and a cannon of a shot. In his high school league with Chasta HS, he display solo dashes leading on net, and could also take pucks and blast them through three zones leading to a teammates breakaway. He defended well against the rush and had a neat poke check that disrupted things. There is lots to like long term, but you easily saw how he was farther behind his draft class, when he played In the American Top Prospects game. He looked as though plays was moving much too fast for him. Seemed as though he was overmatched by the speed and tempo of the game. His ability to pivot was apparent as was his inability to know when to take the man or the puck. Needs to develop a mire physical side and keep improving and gaining muscle.

—Bill Płaczek—
- paulr

That’s what I thought. He’s made huge leaps I. his overall play at Minn. Could turn into a real stud for the Hawks in both zones. He’s got a big shot too. Using it more this season at Minn.

If levashov kk rinzal all pan out boy the Hawks d core going forward will be elite even with Jones if not traded.
Vlasic levashov
Kk Jones
Edm/Allen rinzal
Ceiver/kasier
- Scott1977

And what if you get #1 do you pass on Shafaer? Might be the best of all of them.

I stand by you take the best player available regardless of position during the first 4 or 5 drafts of a complete rebuild.

Bust!


Now that I have that out of the way, the fact that he has NHL level skating and shot should get him about 75% of the way to the bigs. The rest I think is just going to be "want-to" and the mental side of things. Seems like he has a good head on his shoulders listening to his interviews.

The Hawks seem to have actually got it right on having a lot of guys that put in a lot of work to get better. There will certainly be some whose heads won't be able to process the NHL fast enough to get to their ceilings.

The most interesting guys to me are:
Rinzel
Lardis
Boisvert
Kantserov
Greene


In that order. I simply haven't paid enough attention to Vanacker to have a solid opinion of him. I know you like him a lot, so I'll take that into account.


- Chunk

There were so many picks, some guys you forget about.

Greene and Aidan Thompson are both that kind of guy to me. Very complete players at their level, we'll see if they make it, but no one ever hardly talks about them.

Rinzel wasn't a puck mover but became one at Minnesota. In the NHL, he will be a stay at home d-man as will EDM. If they keep KK, you're likely looking at these pairings in two years:

Vlasic/Levshunov
KK/Rinzel
EDM/Allan
- Assman22

I don't know, Rinzel can really skate

I don't know, Rinzel can really skate
- vabeachbear

Better than Vlasic? Is he a better offensive d-man than Levshunov? I would answer NOPE to both personally.

Better than Vlasic? Is he a better offensive d-man than Levshunov? I would answer NOPE to both personally.
- Assman22

He is a better skater than Vlasic. I would say same level as Lev offense wise.

Have you watched Rinzel at all this season? Just curious about how you arrived at your opinion.

Better than Vlasic? Is he a better offensive d-man than Levshunov? I would answer NOPE to both personally.
- Assman22

I believe the comment made about Rinzels skating by many people was, Rinzel is a world class skater.

He is a better skater than Vlasic. I would say same level as Lev offense wise.

Have you watched Rinzel at all this season? Just curious about how you arrived at your opinion.
- bhawks2241

I’ve only watched three Gopher games, so small sample size, however Rinzel sure seems like a better skater than Vlasic. I’ve only seen Levshunov play once, so can’t make a comparison there, but I’ll take your word for it. In the games that I saw Rinzel play, he was pretty physical as well. I like Vlasic a lot, he has a great stick, but I’d like to see him be a bit more physical.

Please elaborate!
- Assman22

They both can figure skate.

I believe the comment made about Rinzels skating by many people was, Rinzel is a world class skater.
- BetweenTheDots

in his draft year, most comments were "above average" to "really good" skater. More recently, people have stated that his skating is better than when he was drafted. he doesn't look as fluid as Arty, but skating will not be his issue by any means.

Granted, I've not seen him much, but I'm relying on those who have and actual scouting reports.

in his draft year, most comments were "above average" to "really good" skater. More recently, people have stated that his skating is better than when he was drafted. he doesn't look as fluid as Arty, but skating will not be his issue by any means.

Granted, I've not seen him much, but I'm relying on those who have and actual scouting reports.
- Chunk

That's what I've read too.

I know this might be triggering to suggest, but I think some of the scouting reports from his draft year are similar in many ways to scouting reports of a current Hawks Dman's draft year. Connor Murphy. I'm not suggesting they are exactly the same, but some similarities. I think Rinzel might just be a little more mobile, a bit less physical, and a little more offensive minded, but I see some similarities. Murphy never quite reached the ceiling some thought he would.