Mister Ricochet

Neek, Columbus also sends a 3rd rd pick (for Roslovic).  ……… Interesting to see how Torts deals with Laine’s disdain for his own zone 50 games in…

WPG has plenty of scoring and scored a first rate 2C that they’ve looked for since allowing Stastny  to leave for LVG, he’s since returned and even a less effective an older Stastny as a 3C a…Read more

Good listen, fellas.

When the topic of should Dach have played in the WJC I was interested to hear what you had to say, Ray.  I know you played college baseball, assume it was up north here, so you have experience in this regard.

I know college teams go south for some exhibition games and assume you did too.  I see Dach at the WJC as the same t…Read more

JJ, let me add “show my eyes don’t tell my ears”.  Until Stan brings back picks and prospects he’s doing the same thing he’s done the last 5 yrs.  Other than Lehner for a 2nd and Perlini for Regula Stan has not EVER gotten futures in a deal.

Yes we can speculate why Stan/Rocky/Peter decided on the PR tour but they are just words to me.  Adding Ja…Read more

And I’d add it won’t really matter as Lankinen is waiver exempt so he’ll likely be the one to start at Rockford while Subban and Delia start with the Hawks.  But would  I’d guess Delia would pass thru waivers if need be.

I do like Delia though and respect his making it to the NHL.  He’s an easy underdag to root for and count me as one rooting ha…Read more

[quote quote=18305]I’m not a Lankinen guy. He’s avg. His only success in N/A in two full seasons was in the first 2 months of last season when Delia started off slow (eventually losing the starting job back to Delia). Otherwise has been outplayed by Delia in every scenario. You can’t take IIHF worlds into account because that’s 2 weeks of play ag…Read more

“This is basically the formula the Blackhawks have been following for four years—just not trying to call it a rebuild.

In other words, it is still not going to work, even if you “step out” and call it a rebuild.”

My exact thoughts, JJ, after the very best interview I’ve ever heard with StanBow.  Hats of of to Laz and Powers.  …..  Adding J…Read more

This is my point in JJ’s piece where he accurately points out that the Hawks are just backfilling with cheaper players and that nothing has really changed besides bringing up a not ready Boqvist.  Still a kind of rolling rebuild.  I agree with all that, but:

Nobody in their right mind, even a homer fan, as the quotes you posted from execs and s…Read more

Charles Williams, I knew that name rang a bell.  Indeed a black kid who played for the USHL Lincoln Stars long ago………. Phuckin, I didn’t even realize that all those goalies were in the system and especially at Indy.  I miss that kid you had here at The Rink who wrote about the Ice a couple yrs back.  Kid was good.

“Morris was a sneaky go…Read more

Hey Phuckin, you think this is why they let Gravel go?  They knew Morris was probably gonna be available and that they could sign him?……. I like this goalie, especially since he got to ND.

Yes his NCAA  numbers are damn good, especially the last couple yrs, but I’ve seen enough of him to think those stats are well deserved, he’s been really g…Read more

Certainly is a logical case you make, JJ.  But to me the #1 tell the Hawks are tanking/rebuilding is going into the season with Subban, Delia and Lankinen.  Even as horribly as the organIzation treats and evaluates the position even they have to know these people are not capable of handling the position over a full season especially with this d…Read more

Well said, Andy.  What needs mentioned as well this is the first offseason without McD long shadow over everything and the early results are that Stan has FINALLY picked a lane and is in a full traditional rebuild that will give them a real shot at the #1 overall pick next yr while giving their best prospects tons of NHL ice time this yr.

What…Read more

Ryan Pace drafts Lukas Reichel!!   He outsmarted the world by taking him in Rd 1 when every service had him slotted in Rd 2.   https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/381687/lukas-reichel

Mercer is there at #17!  Will he be the dropper they take. I’m already at you tube to watch everything on him in anticipation they take him.  But will it be Perrault?   Trade down?

IIRC if the Hawks didn’t win that idiotic first rd play in thingy vs a horrid Oilers club they would have picked 9th.  Marco Rossi just went 9th to the Wild…………… But at least the Hawks got that valued playoff experience!!!

Best player available, need or the preferred skill/speed?  Assume it’s a forward.    Best thing I see about drafting #17 it has a chance for StanBo to allow a player to fall to him instead of him having a choice of 3-4-5-6 players inside the top 10.  In other words better lucky than good

As mentioned in Eric’s blog I hope Holloway is there at #17…Read more

Interesting that the kid came over to Hamilton for his offense in the middle of the season and the 2:30 clip of him shows him scoring two shorties.

Look forward to your look at 10 possibilities with the 17th pick…………  Nice presentation on the Russian and an interesting prospect for sure. Kid checks a lot of boxes which in theory makes his floor high.   Love prospects who are already defensively aware as they are not total liabilities while their offensive abilities mature at the NHL l…Read more

Agree, this was a very easy to follow simple look at Bowman’s Hawks and large a enough sample size of his approach to predict what the 20/21 Hawks will look like.  And as JJ mentioned not too long ago the Hawks are up against the cap as they have been for 10 yrs only now they have to shed salary to retain Strome types and to find 3 million for…Read more

JJ, you need to make time to write more often. This is the most simple, direct, easy to understand “autopsy” on another Hawk season I’ve read.  Simple enough that any Hawk fan who followed the club even a little bit the past 4ish yrs can see it’s the same approach and same result as your following words point out.

[b]

There was a time 5-10…Read more

Check that on Morrison. He was drafted in the 4th rd of the USHL draft and 3rd round of the OHL draft.  Makes perfect sense.  Kid has succeeded at every step up the ladder.