Zach Jarom: Game 8: Hawks vs Preds

1st!

Good read,thanks Zach!

I was thinking the same on starting goalies, they should give Soderblom the start tonight and Mrazek the start in Dallas. I’d also move Kurashev up with Bedard and Reichel up to 2C. I know that Reichel struggled at center last year, but heck, he also struggled on the wing. New year, give him some NHL forwards to play with.

The tough thing for Broberg is that he was kind of already one foot out the door. Earlier in the year last year he was seeking a trade out of Edmonton. Like I was saying this summer, he seems ready for top 4 duty in the NHL, he is proving that right now in St Louis, but it seems he wanted to be paid and get a bigger opportunity than Edmonton was going to be able to offer. Edmonton as a franchise is in a tough position with the players they need to retain and how close they've come in recent seasons, losing out to the last 3 eventual cup winners. The cap is doing it's job and evening the playing field.

I see the combined score of the next two games 17-1 against and we'll complain Reichel didn't get enough ice time with the right line mates.

I'm actually all for Mrazek tonight and Soderblom tomorrow. Soderblom has been the better of the two so far in the young season.

I see the combined score of the next two games 17-1 against and we'll complain Reichel didn't get enough ice time with the right line mates.
- rpeters01

Well yeah, that’s what half of us do, the other half wants him gone.

Give reichel time the tools and skill is there just needs to put all together and keep gaining confidence. Some players take longer than others to develop. Let's see where he is around Thanksgiving then reasset.

Lafreniere close to signing with the Rangers.

7 x 7.45M

I see the combined score of the next two games 17-1 against and we'll complain Reichel didn't get enough ice time with the right line mates.
- rpeters01

I think that's the problem with the roster in general. They're still bad but it's not like they're bad getting young players experience so what else is there to complain about other than Bedard apparently?

There's also the issue of style of play and all that. LR said initially that he wanted to play fast, go forward with speed and all that. The roster this year is incapable of playing that way. Sure the coach has to work with what they've got but this is another year where it is difficult to evaluate the coaching staff since they've been set up to fail again.

Lafreniere close to signing with the Rangers.

7 x 7.45M
- boilermaker100

Insane!

He's had half a good season and 1 good playoff run.
Hope he lives up to the deal.

Give reichel time the tools and skill is there just needs to put all together and keep gaining confidence. Some players take longer than others to develop. Let's see where he is around Thanksgiving then reasset.
- Scott1977

He won't develop until he adds 20 pounds. He's listed 5 pounds lighter than Nazar, 170#.

I see the combined score of the next two games 17-1 against and we'll complain Reichel didn't get enough ice time with the right line mates.
- rpeters01

Well what are we doing here? Reichel is part of the developmental program isn't he? I haven't watched Broberg play all that much except for the playoffs and i thought he was okay and the Oilers obviously didn't think he was that good. Will Broberg continue? Who knows but go ddamit play at least a kid that you can't send to the Rock who can get minutes there. He's the only one who actually can flash talent out of all the hockey players on this team except for 2 guys who are playing on line 1.

It's as if they don't walk out on the ice and be stars there's no point in playing them. Since you have a man crush on Sharp

Sharp 115 Games at 24 years old 19G 19A
Reichel 102 games at 22 years old 12G 22A
2 years younger

Lafreniere close to signing with the Rangers.

7 x 7.45M
- boilermaker100

I swear, some of these teams just have bigger salary caps then other teams.......

Insane!

He's had half a good season and 1 good playoff run.
Hope he lives up to the deal.
- captainserious

I kind of hope he doesn't, don't care for the Rangers

Shea Theodore also 7 X $7.45, I think that is a deal for Vegas.

Well what are we doing here? Reichel is part of the developmental program isn't he? I haven't watched Broberg play all that much except for the playoffs and i thought he was okay and the Oilers obviously didn't think he was that good. Will Broberg continue? Who knows but go ddamit play at least a kid that you can't send to the Rock who can get minutes there. He's the only one who actually can flash talent out of all the hockey players on this team except for 2 guys who are playing on line 1.

It's as if they don't walk out on the ice and be stars there's no point in playing them. Since you have a man crush on Sharp

Sharp 115 Games at 24 years old 19G 19A
Reichel 102 games at 22 years old 12G 22A
2 years younger
- BetweenTheDots

I think he will get more and more mins. One of two things is happening;

1. They are trying not to put too much pressure on him, remember, they are around him all the time, maybe he just needs to get his confidence going and they know it

2. Sending the message to him and everyone else, you only get mins when you earn them.

or 3. I guess a little of both

Shea Theodore also 7 X $7.45, I think that is a deal for Vegas.
- LAHawk

I don't watch Vegas much, where does he slot for them? Another team that seems to have a bigger salary cap than others.

He's 29 so 36 or 37 when contract is up.

I don't watch Vegas much, where does he slot for them? Another team that seems to have a bigger salary cap than others.

He's 29 so 36 or 37 when contract is up.
- vabeachbear

Anywhere from 1a-1c. Pieterangelo, Hannafin, Theodore all average 21 minutes a game.

Anywhere from 1a-1c. Pieterangelo, Hannafin, Theodore all average 21 minutes a game.
- LAHawk

That’s not a bad top three. To me, $7.45M for Lafreniere is too much, but Ranger fans seem to think it’s a good deal for the team, time will tell. I’m with VB, not a fan of the Rangers or the team on the Hawks schedule tonight.

I'm actually all for Mrazek tonight and Soderblom tomorrow. Soderblom has been the better of the two so far in the young season.
- breadbag

Yep, Soderblom has looked excellent. Mrazek is not dialed in right now. He's biting on most of what he sees and therefore is down and anchored as the puck moves to his sides. He's not square to a lotta shots while Soderblom has been as quiet and efficient as a legit NHL goalie.

If the Hawks are looking to trade for a 2nd line center
Norris from Ottawa or chyitl from the N.Y. rangers granlund from San Jose are three that come mind imo. But all depends what the other team is looking for in return. Plus needs to make sense for both teams.

Well what are we doing here? Reichel is part of the developmental program isn't he? I haven't watched Broberg play all that much except for the playoffs and i thought he was okay and the Oilers obviously didn't think he was that good. Will Broberg continue? Who knows but go ddamit play at least a kid that you can't send to the Rock who can get minutes there. He's the only one who actually can flash talent out of all the hockey players on this team except for 2 guys who are playing on line 1.

It's as if they don't walk out on the ice and be stars there's no point in playing them. Since you have a man crush on Sharp

Sharp 115 Games at 24 years old 19G 19A
Reichel 102 games at 22 years old 12G 22A
2 years younger
- BetweenTheDots

I have a lot to say about this.

Sharp maintained that quality though, was a reliable penalty killer and somehow on a team that had less talent than this one.

It's not really an apples to apples comparison and Sharp's production increased year over year. He didn't have the same setback and there weren't the same questions as to if he was even a NHL player that you have with Reichel.

its not about the player being a star immediately and more about how they move around the ice and the plays they try to make.

What I like about Nazar is he attempts to make the correct hockey play most of the time and is usually in the correct position defensively to disrupt a pass or prevent a shot. Bedard obviously cheated a lot last year but generally speaking when he decided to play D he was about in the right spot but in a lot of cases a little late in getting where he needed to be. Korchinski made a lot of very good plays but just did not get into position early enough to cut a play off or make the right one many times as well. Since we keep going back to Forsling it was the same with him. The AHL won't fix those deficiencies.

Those three think the game the right way and in my opinion should be hit over the head in the NHL until their speed of play picks up which obviously Bedard is getting and then the other two would be in really good spots in 2 years rather than pushing back their development.

Perhaps in the case of Korch it'll give him confidence attacking the D zone with the puck on his blade but not sure how playing in a slower less skilled league is going to help him process the game faster.

Reichel (and I'll throw Kurashev in that mix) is constantly not in the right spot away from the puck. He chases defensively, doesn't seem to know who his guy is, is poor on the boards and doesn't cover the back side well in transition. It's not that he's getting there late, it's that he just isn't in the right spot or on his way there (Kurashev does the same poop which is why he drives me nuts).

Reichel also makes poor decisions with the puck. Not trying to do too much, not being too fancy, not making the play late but making a bad decision in general. Maybe some of that is adjusting from the AHL to NHL which is a big jump and why I don't think guys who are good enough should spend a lot of time down there developing bad habits - which is what happens when a player like Reichel can compensate for every deficiency with his feet.

Maybe the light goes off at some point. I think, since they are poop anyway, there is more value to playing him 17 minutes a night vs Kurashev because the latter is pretty much a finished product at this stage. BUT since these clowns have decided to set some weird unattainable standard, that doesn't seem possible.

He made two nice plays that led to assists the other night when he had time and space to carry the puck forward, look up and make a play without a lot of pressure. Maybe he figures out how to play fundamentally better hockey or gets out of his own head if that's the issue but if he didn't learn it over the last 3 years not sure if \ when a light will go off since there isn't any indication that tactically he knows what to do on the ice when his speed and skill are less of a factor.

If the Hawks are looking to trade for a 2nd line center
Norris from Ottawa or chyitl from the N.Y. rangers granlund from San Jose are three that come mind imo. But all depends what the other team is looking for in return. Plus needs to make sense for both teams.
- Scott1977

Norris is a very good player when healthy. They wouldn't be able to make the money work there unless someone else goes out though.

Chytil is an interesting suggestion especially with his frame.

Norris is a very good player when healthy. They wouldn't be able to make the money work there unless someone else goes out though.

Chytil is an interesting suggestion especially with his frame.
- fattybeef

Just three names off the top of my head if you or someone else can other centers that would make sense for the Hawks then by all means chime in.