When looking at next years UFA's still on the Board, the only one I would consider is Raantanin. No one else excites me (including Marner) to play with Bedard.

That being said whether later this year or next, I would go back to the Q playbook, and play Bedard and Nazer together (maybe even with a Dach. a "kid line) and let them have fun/learn themselves

Does anyone else but I (probably no one but I ) think that LR's systems which primarily is a prevent defense all over the ice and I will add with this group is necessary to try and secure some wins) is taking the fun out of the game for Bedard and a few other offensive players?

TT played with a coach (Brind'amour) that always seems to be at the top defensively. But they play a very aggressive forecheck. I know there is a big difference in skill level between the 2 teams, but maybe loosening the reigns a touch would ease Bedard's frustrations?
- LAHawk

I like where you are coming from. Play Bedard at wing freeing him up a little from the defensive demands of a center. Put your best offensive players with Bedard. Right now the best offensive center, like it or not, is D!ckinson. The other forward producing at a high rate is Donato. Another option would be Smith. Like Donato, he has decent size, speed, IQ and over the course of his career has played on lines with high end talent. He is also good on the forecheck, will go to the net, and has done wonders playing with Reichel.

And he gets a goal and he gets a goal everyone gets a goal.

I know it's not realistic to expect all our draft picks to make the big club, but boy it's fun that many are playing well in their respected leagues.
- BetweenTheDots

This is the BOD, you can only hold the position that NONE of our draft picks will make the big club, and if one should, he will suck.

I messaged Eklund to just give the Blackhawks blog a clean sheet of ice the day of the game. Just put a headline "Game 21 Flyers". Let the poster's comments be the content. So far no response. If you like that idea, message Ek.

It's crazy having to skate through 1150 posts, some that are 17 days old. Ugh!!!

This is the BOD, you can only hold the position that NONE of our draft picks will make the big club, and if one should, he will suck.
- Ztra

Come on down Frankie! Red Font. Powers had a nice write up this am about what he's hearing for the Hawks at the quarter mark.

Frank Nazar is close.

He’s real close.

But the Chicago Blackhawks aren’t in a rush with Nazar. As much as Nazar might be able to help the NHL team right now, especially offensively, the Blackhawks want Nazar’s all-around game to be as polished as it can be before calling him up from the AHL.

The biggest area the Blackhawks are looking for Nazar to improve is his play away from the puck. He still has the occasional lapse defensively, which is expected in his first full pro season as he learns his responsibilities as a center at that level. The Blackhawks would prefer he cleaned it up with the Rockford IceHogs before making that jump to the NHL. The Blackhawks are hopeful once Nazar is called up, he will stay up.

“You see when he has the puck, the ability he has, the speed bursts, the quickness, his ability to create plays, but our hopes for Frankie long-term that he’s a top 200-foot center in the NHL for a long time to come,” Blackhawks assistant general manager of player development Mark Eaton said this week. “Just those little habits. I know Anders (Sorensen), Chris Kunitz have talked to him about kind of staying connected to the play, keeping those feet moving away from the puck, so that when he does get it, he’s already up to speed, not swinging away from plays, swinging into plays. Showing some Brayden Point videos and some of the habits that he has made him an elite center in the NHL.

“I think those are things that are best honed at the AHL level. I think he goes up now, the spotlight’s brighter. I think being in Rockford for a bit longer allows him to be comfortable, but also be comfortable learning new things and making mistakes and being under the spotlight. I think that’s the plan there with Frankie.”

Nazar will have plenty of opportunities to make his case for a call-up in the next weeks. The IceHogs have a busier-than-usual schedule coming up.

Offensively, Nazar has been showcasing his skill with the IceHogs. He leads them with seven goals, eight assists and 15 points in 12 games.

KK? I heard he was a bust? 🤫
- paulr

He attacks the opponent’s blue line much more aggressively than last year. It is really nice to see. His defense is becoming above average as well. I’ve seen him close off rushes against the wall and use his stick to break things up at the blue line.

I messaged Eklund to just give the Blackhawks blog a clean sheet of ice the day of the game. Just put a headline "Game 21 Flyers". Let the poster's comments be the content. So far no response. If you like that idea, message Ek.

It's crazy having to skate through 1150 posts, some that are 17 days old. Ugh!!!
- Ztra

We used to hit the 1k comment quite frequently when the team was good.

He attacks the opponent’s blue line much more aggressively than last year. It is really nice to see. His defense is becoming above average as well. I’ve seen him close off rushes against the wall and use his stick to break things up at the blue line.
- Chunk

The few games i watched of him in Rockford he looked great, confident. Watching Arty he looked like KK last year, thinking the game instead of playing it.

He attacks the opponent’s blue line much more aggressively than last year. It is really nice to see. His defense is becoming above average as well. I’ve seen him close off rushes against the wall and use his stick to break things up at the blue line.
- Chunk

Well that doesn’t quite help the narrative does it?

We used to hit the 1k comment quite frequently when the team was good.
- bhawks2241

There were many more posters. Many have left because of the IT quality of this site and the quality of the blogger. (I miss Theo. He was the best. I hope you are doing well, Theo.)

We had new entries from the blogger every few days.

I think even with a bad team we could hit 1K comments. With the prospects in the pipeline and future draft picks this team is still interesting.

I imagine Eklund is looking for a new blogger. Although some have hinted this website is dying or dead. What I am proposing is a stop gap measure.

This writer projecting Moore and Spellacy to be on the USA WJC team. No Rinzel though.

https://thehockeynews.com...projected-team-usa-roster

Sorry Fatty. Still apples and oranges. The Hawks are two years into an actual rebuild where the Sox still have absolutely no identity. I don't follow baseball anymore but I don't need to to see a franchise that's completely adrift.

Whether you like it or not, I get the promoting exec from within angle but it's still not the same thing. Reinsdorf promoted a guy overseeing their prospects development that had produced nothing and KFC doesn't sound anything like Getz to me.

He has a plan and he's sticking to it...again whether you like it or not. It's year two of him adding to the roster. He added Teuvo and Bert this year. While they haven't exactly set the world on fire they are about what I'd have hoped he'd add. Maybe this offseason he adds or trades for a bigger name but maybe let's let things play out before we start comparing them to the worst run franchise in the city by a country mile.

As poorly run as the Bears are the WS have surged past them taking incompetence and lack of direction to new heights. They are the Dunder Mifflin of Chicago sports teams.
- HawkintheD

I think the Bears just biffed the head coach - which they've more or less done since Ditka. I think they still have nightmares from the ego. But team wise, they could improve the o-line a bit, but other than that they've got a lot of talent and should be very competitive with the right leadership.

I've been pretty positive about most of what KFC and crew have done but for the sake of argument there are some questionable things they've done and I don't think its predetermined that they will have success.

Not a lot else to dissect at this point with the team the way it is may as well take a look at the org.

I only saw McQueen for one period and he scored 3 goals. For his size he is very agile, handles the puck well, gets open, and has a pretty good shot. Did not see any Cayden Lindstrom type physical play from him. Have been checking to find another game to watch him, but he is still out with an "upper body injury" (not sure exactly what that is), and he will miss the prospects game next week, too. Am wondering how it will affect his draft status if there isn't any recent tape on him. Obvious upside but I have no idea about his defense or physical play.

It's interesting, I'm still expecting the Hawks to draft 6-10, even though they are top 4 now. Could be a spot where McQueen has slipped down, and Malcolm Spence is there. Spence looks to me like a Hawks pick, I have to remind myself that they haven't already drafted him. Would make a good debate at about #8 or so. Still like G Ravensbergen for the Toronto pick, even though he is slumping a bit this year.

Each time I watch Erie, Ty Henry is everywhere. There might be some real potential there.
- totem

Is there any reason you think they'll jump that high - like making a move or a prospect going on a heater the second half?

I guess if they go 500 the rest of the games they'll finish with 75 points but do we think this team will do that?