I know a lot of you are curious to see which prospect "makes it" or doesn't make it etc...
Am I the only one wondering if 98 is going to live up to the hype? Is he going to be in the Crosby/McDavid range or is he going to be more of a Stamkos and MacKinnon type?
Is it a huge let down if he turns out to be in the MacKinnon range?

I know he is still a child at 19 years old,but if he ends up with 40 goals and 44 assists, will that be considered living up to the label given to him?
- captainserious

That you would ask the question in a way that Bedard's floor is MacKinnon or Stamkos speaks to the talent he showed you last yr under the worst possible circumstances. .. And yes, last yr the kid was crazy young.

We all saw the kid take 2 minute shifts, get gassed and cost his club odd man after odd man. He'd skate into triple teams over and over. He played like an uber skilled kid but as the yr went on, and especially after his injury, he cleaned some of that up.

No, I don't think he'll ever be the complete hockey player Crosby is but has more offensive skill than maybe all but McD. I'll say this he has quicker hands than McD....... But really, saying anything definitely about an 18-19-20 yr old usually proves folly.

Beauty is always in the eye of the beholder but if you ask me if a 27 yr old Bedard lived up to the hype with 40 goals and 44 assists while being weak defensively I'd say no.

Not sure a number has to be hit for me to say he's lived up to the hype but I think the kid will roll outa bed and score 90 but in my world that doesn't make a "generational" player.

Showing replays while the play is going on is a choice.
- Elbows15

Yeah, that drove me frickin nuts.

I know it doesn’t matter much if they play like crap, but this is an enormous blue line on the ice tonight.

https://x.com/NHLBlackhaw...40075206485823524/photo/1

I know it doesn’t matter much if they play like crap, but this is an enormous blue line on the ice tonight.

https://x.com/NHLBlackhaw...40075206485823524/photo/1
- Chunk

And all under 23 years old. Add Levshunov and Rinzel, and does any other team have this much under 23 talent on the backend? LA mentioned the Ducks last year, but I’ll take the Hawks group, especially after what we saw From Vlasic last season and drafting AL this year.
Edit: 23 and under

And all under 23 years old. Add Levshunov and Rinzel, and does any other team have this much under 23 talent on the backend? LA mentioned the Ducks last year, but I’ll take the Hawks group, especially after what we saw From Vlasic last season and drafting AL this year.
- Angotti

I didn't realize until Murray mentioned it but Crevier is not waiver exempt. If they send him down, and they probably will, he may get claimed. A right shot, 6ft 8in
, 23 yrs old he showed last yr he can reasonably skate an NHL shift as a rookie.

They might lose him and the depth he provides.

I didn't realize until Murray mentioned it but Crevier is not waiver exempt. If they send him down, and they probably will, he may get claimed. A right shot, 6ft 8in
, 23 yrs old he showed last yr he can reasonably skate an NHL shift as a rookie.

They might lose him and the depth he provides.
- Mr Ricochet

Can’t keep all the puppies in the litter Rico.

I didn't realize until Murray mentioned it but Crevier is not waiver exempt. If they send him down, and they probably will, he may get claimed. A right shot, 6ft 8in
, 23 yrs old he showed last yr he can reasonably skate an NHL shift as a rookie.

They might lose him and the depth he provides.
- Mr Ricochet

Not to be mean, but I really doubt they’d miss him much. I think he’s closer to Svedberg than Tyler Myers.

Love the Neighbors kid for STL. One of the best little skilled bastards that people don't know about....... Maybe he and Savoie see the ice at the same time tonight?

Not to be mean, but I really doubt they’d miss him much. I think he’s closer to Svedberg than Tyler Myers.
- Chunk

Error

Crevier is young and could become a solid defensive dman. He skates descent (is mobile enough), can make accurate passes forwarding puck from inside his zone to center ice, has that long reach and I am curious if he works at employing that reach like Vlasic does. Crevier has a good shot but I do not know if he will ever display more meanness. I would think it is a mistake to loose him on waivers as he might continue to develop nicely. You shouldn’t give away players for nothing after investing in them. If he is adjudged no better after this season then I would understand then to cut bait

Not to be mean, but I really doubt they’d miss him much. I think he’s closer to Svedberg than Tyler Myers.
- Chunk

Oh, I agree. Just something nice about having a 6ft 8in right shot Dman 23 yrs old who can skate a bit and doesn't get embarrassed at the NHL level stashed away....... Plus, at his age you still don't know what he might develop into.

We'll see if he even does get claimed. The league always has a say on a guy who's available for free.

Hawks been jiggy since puck drop. Nice to see em rewarded. Beauty feed and finish.

Allan has been impressive so far, good to see.

can't watch, even my app which is usually good has 6 or 7 games on, doesn't have this one.

Sites won't let me watch cause i'm not in chicago

edit:

Well didn't realize Alabama and Georgia were playing, sorry Hawks preseason would have taken a back seat to that game anyway

I know a lot of you are curious to see which prospect "makes it" or doesn't make it etc...
Am I the only one wondering if 98 is going to live up to the hype? Is he going to be in the Crosby/McDavid range or is he going to be more of a Stamkos and MacKinnon type?
Is it a huge let down if he turns out to be in the MacKinnon range?

I know he is still a child at 19 years old,but if he ends up with 40 goals and 44 assists, will that be considered living up to the label given to him?
- captainserious

Ummm MacKinnon is probably the second best player in the league right behind McDavid. And probably the best if you figure in the scoring plus the 2 way game.

Bedard should bang in goals like Matthews with the upside of a little bit better playmaking ability which he will have to have since he won't be able to operate in the crease as well.

I would not expect him to be a dominant two way player like MacKinnon or Barkov.

Considering the closest things to a true top 6 player on the ice for the Hawks were Reichel and Nazar not sure what people were expecting to see.

Fatty probably won’t like it, but it seems as though the Hawks plan was for KK to be in Rockford for the year doesn’t appear likely that he’s at a level where he can beat out what is currently on the backend. If Kaiser is ready to go, I think he gets the last spot available.
- Chunk

I don't think anyone has played tremendously better than him.

Certainly not Philips, Del Mastro or Crevier. Jones was a bit all over the place to start.

Playing 17 to 18 mins \ night and getting the more cushy pairings would be better. I just don't see how you can send a guy who was a NHL regular down to the AHL. And I can't think of any examples where someone has played all of a NHL season (aside form the time he missed for his fathers funeral) went down to the AHL and then became an impact player. If he goes down I don't think he will come back up and ever be a player of any consequence.

Plenty of journeymen but if that's the case then he's going to be more of a Rundblad or maybe a Gus at the high end and that's not really a player that is of any use to them.

And Spellacy is still with the club! No, he ain't gonna be a Hawk this yr but seems they love watching the kid play hockey, just like the fans do, and wanna keep him around for awhile....... Kid is really raw but the way too early returns hint Spellacy just might develop into a legit NHL power player of some degree.

Glad to see they're keeping Savoie up too for a bit more. Kid finds a way to put his stamp on every shift... Guessing he dresses tonight in STL?
- Mr Ricochet

A lot of promise but also it is the preseason and a lot of guys look good who aren't necessarily going to be good players. And a lot of good players look kinda pedestrian.

And all under 23 years old. Add Levshunov and Rinzel, and does any other team have this much under 23 talent on the backend? LA mentioned the Ducks last year, but I’ll take the Hawks group, especially after what we saw From Vlasic last season and drafting AL this year.
Edit: 23 and under
- Angotti

NJ probably the closest.

I don't think anyone has played tremendously better than him.

Certainly not Philips, Del Mastro or Crevier. Jones was a bit all over the place to start.

Playing 17 to 18 mins \ night and getting the more cushy pairings would be better. I just don't see how you can send a guy who was a NHL regular down to the AHL. And I can't think of any examples where someone has played all of a NHL season (aside form the time he missed for his fathers funeral) went down to the AHL and then became an impact player. If he goes down I don't think he will come back up and ever be a player of any consequence.

Plenty of journeymen but if that's the case then he's going to be more of a Rundblad or maybe a Gus at the high end and that's not really a player that is of any use to them.
- fattybeef

Keeping a D man in the big show even if he wasn’t ready sure helped Adam Bovquist.

can't watch, even my app which is usually good has 6 or 7 games on, doesn't have this one.

Sites won't let me watch cause i'm not in chicago

edit:

Well didn't realize Alabama and Georgia were playing, sorry Hawks preseason would have taken a back seat to that game anyway
- vabeachbear

Nobody told Georgia either.

Damn man Patrick Laine with a nasty knee injury. I was rooting for him, be surprised if he plays this season.

Damn man Patrick Laine with a nasty knee injury. I was rooting for him, be surprised if he plays this season.
- BetweenTheDots

Wow, that sucks for the kid.

Damn man Patrick Laine with a nasty knee injury. I was rooting for him, be surprised if he plays this season.
- BetweenTheDots

What’s with Montreal forwards and serious knee injuries? (Dach last year)

What’s with Montreal forwards and serious knee injuries? (Dach last year)
- LAHawk

Reinbacher got injured too. In a 5 minute span they had a defenseman kicked from the game and two injuries

What’s with Montreal forwards and serious knee injuries? (Dach last year)
- LAHawk

And Demidov is a knee injury waiting to happen

BTW Blues knot the score 2-2 in period three

Mrzak in net entire game, not Comesso who reportedly was to have been in net tonight

And Demidov is a knee injury waiting to happen

BTW Blues knot the score 2-2 in period three

Mrzak in net entire game, not Comesso who reportedly was to have been in net tonight
- jhawk59

How does this poop get started? Some anonymous Joe on the internet makes this baseless comment and now others are picking it up. Do you really think an NHL hockey team with all the knowledge they have are going to pick the guy if this nonsense were true?