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?

I know that the FO said they aren’t calling up any forward prospects anytime soon, but Nazar is ready. He has the strength and balance to enter the zone and skate through checks and pressure with possession. Can create his own shot and for others and is actually quite good defensively.

Other Hogs who had good games were Dach, and KK. Not on the scoresheet, but just their overall play, and look during the flow of the game.


He got the win tonight and only gave up one goal, but man, Commesso looks kinda wobbly and unsure.
- Chunk

I think Goalies take a while and their development is weird.

I'd like to see Nazar tonight with the big club but realistically they probably have to move someone out or put someone on waivers.

And in terms of setting up for success they've got a 3 game home stand mid December that would be good OR maybe a midweek game against Columbus at home and then back down.

It may be more desirable to have him get a quick look against NHL comp again before making room.

Big difference - Jason Heyward wasn't a complete douche bag that everyone hated.
- dahawks8819

Lol that is a valid point.

Anderson was a headcase.

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.
- HawkintheD

How beneficial was putting up points in the AHL to Reichel? That time there didn't help his off the puck game - which I think is his biggest issue.

If he's ready physically for the NHL game and has the skill to contribute offensively just let him take his lumps with the big club. Being that much better than the comp is only going to reinforce bad habits the longer he's there.

I think Goalies take a while and their development is weird.

I'd like to see Nazar tonight with the big club but realistically they probably have to move someone out or put someone on waivers.

And in terms of setting up for success they've got a 3 game home stand mid December that would be good OR maybe a midweek game against Columbus at home and then back down.

It may be more desirable to have him get a quick look against NHL comp again before making room.
- fattybeef

I’d like to see Nazar as well, but I doubt he comes up before Christmas. By the way, today’s game has a noon start CST.

“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.
- HawkintheD

That sounds all well and good, so what did they do or not do with Reichel down there? It's not like it's a different staff.

That sounds all well and good, so what did they do or not do with Reichel down there? It's not like it's a different staff.
- fattybeef

At some point it comes down to the player and for whatever reason Reichel lost confidence quickly last season when the points didn’t come.

Different guys and whenever I hear Nazar, I think one thing he doesn’t seem short on is confidence.

Might’ve taken him a while to regain his form after the hip surgery but seems to be more than fine now.

For those who haven't seen Philly's rookie Michkov you're in for a treat. Not only is this kid a player but he's damn fun to watch. He's got a little Marchand like sandpaper in his game.

I don't like to answer for others, but in the post he was replying to, you seemed to indicate that Phillips, Crevier and del Mastro were developing into "legit NHL 3rd pairing possibilities". While those guys have played NHL minutes, I think (personally) that it is a far stretch to say that Phillips and Crevier are even that. The jury is still out on EDM for sure, but the former don't really look like they have the ability to keep up in the bigs. To me they seem very similar to what Sikura was. Very effective and productive in the AHL but just didn't have the processing speed to have any use in the NHL.

In all of the chances that he's been given, Phillips has shown that he is almost always behind the play and out of position. His recent physical play should be a help, but really has been inconsequential. And a bigger problem is that it has been seeping into his AHL game as well.

I've mentioned it before that Crevier plays like a guy who is just happy to be there. He finds himself in the right spot sometimes and uses his long reach to break up plays, but more often than not, he looks like he's playing on stilts and can react or move fast enough to make any difference.
- Chunk

Well Chunk, I'm missing where the disconnect was in my answering a point/question that was asked of me. ..... I see that you feel that Phillips and or Crevier is a bit soft in the head and it's a "stretch" that they are of little to no use to a big league roster. I do get it.

To be clear, I think Phillips, and to a lesser degree Crevier, are players in an organIzation that are "legit possibilities" to be NHL 3rd pairing players. Possibility meaning chance to. Not pipedreams, not locks, but reasonable/legit possibilities and valuable to an organIzation in that they are "legit" depth.

We are talking about 6th and 7th rd picks here and I very much like what RKF has done for their development same as I like what the farm did for Vlasic, Allan, Kaiser and Del Mastro too. .......

Not really.

Forsling looked like a player under Q. JC (frank)ed up a lot of players.

Completely different scenario from someone who may be slightly immature but reads the game well and just needs experience vs someone who has been stewing for a while but still doesn't seem to know where to be on the ice or what to do with the puck.
- fattybeef

So, Forsling is JC's fault? I get it ..... And the kid who was totally scrambled/lost whose game was indeed SMARTLY torn down to nothing and told see puck, get puck, take puck at the other goalie, and hot damn he's doing it, to the point the most novice eye could see it's working you point game after game after game after game the kid's fancies suck. .. I get it.

And a 6th-7th rd pick is brought up as a rookie D-MAN, to a horrendous roster that runs its game thru an overmatched rookie 19 yr old who's a turnover machine that takes 2 minute shifts, had bad fancies? ... Again, I get it and can understand a guy who thinks the AHL is a waste for most prospects would see Reichel, Phillips, Crevier, Del Mastro, or most any rookie player, with little or no context other than what their fancies are.

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?
- fattybeef

I guess I will remain overly optimistic for a little while longer. A good game today would help.

-- They have had 3 long Western trips early in the season
-- There are really 6 or 7 new forwards - counting Hall who hardly played last year - and it takes a while to get on the same page
-- Last year they won only 5 games in their second 20, and they still didn't finish last
-- Bedard will break out at some point (and some other guys too)
-- Won't sell too much at the trade deadline, but will clear a couple of spots for young guys

They could continue to play badly all year, but it just seems like a couple of hot streaks will come along.

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

Again totem, don't take this to the bank, but I believe McQueen's "upper body" injury is his back. Just like Lindstrom's.

So, Forsling is JC's fault? I get it ..... And the kid who was totally scrambled/lost whose game was indeed SMARTLY torn down to nothing and told see puck, get puck, take puck at the other goalie, and hot damn he's doing it, to the point the most novice eye could see it's working you point game after game after game after game the kid's fancies suck. .. I get it.

And a 6th-7th rd pick is brought up as a rookie D-MAN, to a horrendous roster that runs its game thru an overmatched rookie 19 yr old who's a turnover machine that takes 2 minute shifts, had bad fancies? ... Again, I get it and can understand a guy who thinks the AHL is a waste for most prospects would see Reichel, Phillips, Crevier, Del Mastro, or most any rookie player, with little or no context other than what their fancies are.
- Mr Ricochet

That's not the argument I've made. I've said little about their fancies.

Reichel and Philips (and you can loop Kurashev into that) are not good off the puck. They are constantly out of position defensively and Reichel and Kurashev are terrible at covering the trailing player. The nonsense they have Reichel doing now to build confidence - basically just having him skate around like a maniac while the other 4 players pack it in - is not going to cut it if they want him to be impactful long term.

Those players aren't a few steps behind the play or getting there late they just aren't in the play. Which is the opposite of someone like Korchinski or even Bedard (Kaiser before this year) - they were trying to get to the right spot or make the right play just didn't get there at a NHL speed.

Offensively they do not support the play effectively off the puck either. They skate around fast and look busy but it's not very helpful.

They are also very bad under pressure. Reichel, Kurashev and Philips do not make good plays consistently under pressure. They all have very nice athletic tools which look great when they have time, space and the puck on their blade but once that goes away it typically isn't a positive result. Kurashev, especially, should be over this by now. Reichel and Philips based on the time they've spent "marinating" should be building consistency but they continue to look lost and overwhelmed under pressure. The NHL is a fast high pressure league.

I'd put Donato in that category of a player without a lot of hockey sense that has all the "tools" but can't think the game at a high enough level to play with better players and produce consistent results. Kurashev is in that category and Reichel seems to be as well. It isn't a confidence issue it's a "how to play hockey" issue and I haven't seen anything from these guys that indicates they will be able to get over that.

EDM and Crevier don't have the feet to play in the NHL. I think EDM can move the puck reasonably well and kill penalties but ultimately his mobility is going to keep him out of the line up.