Zach Jarom: Big Names In Latest Round of Cuts

First....and not surprised.

My impression so far is that the hawks have very few people who can make a difference on offense. Having speed is one thing, but to be able to put the puck in the net is something different.

2015 champs did not have a 30 goal scorer or a 70 point guy, so four attacking lines is ok with me...

I don't think anyone expected Nazar to make the team, but KK was a bit of a surprise seeing as how he logged 70 games last year and I think he is a top 6 Dman on this team. I guess this is good news for Kaiser and Phillips. I can't see Arty or Allan making the roster.

Sending KK down makes no sense. Hopefully it works out in the end. If he is/was that far off then he should’ve gone back to Jrs last year.

If he was sent down bc the Hawks can’t send down other young D due to no waiver eligibility that’s a problem.

If he regressed that is a bigger problem.

2015 champs did not have a 30 goal scorer or a 70 point guy, so four attacking lines is ok with me...
- RedFeather

That’s a little misleading. Kane had 27g in 61 games and was above ppg before going on LTIR.

Sending KK down makes no sense. Hopefully it works out in the end. If he is/was that far off then he should’ve gone back to Jrs last year.

If he was sent down bc the Hawks can’t send down other young D due to no waiver eligibility that’s a problem.

If he regressed that is a bigger problem.
- bhawks2241

What doesn't make sense? They didn't want him to play another year in juniors likely because they didn't think he would progress enough dominating and not challenging him to really improve much last year. He struggled a bunch and showed a little bit of improvement.

He came to camp this year and has not proven that he has improved in the areas needed for the coaches to be able to trust him playing the same minutes this year. So he goes down and can not only work on the areas that he needs to improve, but also have the freedom to try to do more offensively (not to mention likely be paired up with Arty).

It was OK for Vlasic, but not for KK? I think there is way too much concern over this.

I thought for sure him playing all those minutes meant he was staying, as happens every now and then, I was wrong. Guess it was LR and management giving him all those minutes to see how he did.

As I said though, I don't see it as a concern at all. I'm on the record of being in the camp of over developing prospects, especially at this point of the rebuild.

Hawks ain't winning anything for 3 or 4 years, this isn't anything to be concerned with at this point.

2015 champs did not have a 30 goal scorer or a 70 point guy, so four attacking lines is ok with me...
- RedFeather

Doesnt look like theyll have one this year either. If you feel that the hawk’s puck possession in the offensive zone is adequate then it will indeed be another long season.

Happy to see i can trade my Rockford Nolan Allan sweater for a Blackhawks!

I thought for sure him playing all those minutes meant he was staying, as happens every now and then, I was wrong. Guess it was LR and management giving him all those minutes to see how he did.

As I said though, I don't see it as a concern at all. I'm on the record of being in the camp of over developing prospects, especially at this point of the rebuild.

Hawks ain't winning anything for 3 or 4 years, this isn't anything to be concerned with at this point.
- vabeachbear

Correct. Once the NHL regular season schedule starts there is little or no time for coaching / teaching. AHL schedule is different - a lot of weekend games, less travel, more time for practices / coaching. I hope they TOI KK in Rockford every night until he begs for mercy.

He's 20, a 2022 draft, lots of time to develop physically and as a player.

My impression so far is that the hawks have very few people who can make a difference on offense. Having speed is one thing, but to be able to put the puck in the net is something different.
- LFS

Baby steps, things will get better if we are playing in the opponents end more than our own every night.

2015 champs did not have a 30 goal scorer or a 70 point guy, so four attacking lines is ok with me...
- RedFeather

I think Bedard will score at least 30 goals this year, the players around him are better and he'll get more options for match ups

Nice look and summary of the guy I had as the 2nd best prospect in the draft, Demidov. First 10 game summary of Demidov in the KHL. https://www.sportsnet.ca/...ns-prospect-ivan-demidov/

It was the right move sending kk and nazar to Rockford kk especially. Let them marinated in ahl and grow their game

Correct. Once the NHL regular season schedule starts there is little or no time for coaching / teaching. AHL schedule is different - a lot of weekend games, less travel, more time for practices / coaching. I hope they TOI KK in Rockford every night until he begs for mercy.

He's 20, a 2022 draft, lots of time to develop physically and as a player.
- RickJ

KK had every right/reason to regress or at minimum stagnate last yr. At 19 yrs old he was the youngest player in the NHL. He really was not ready for the Bigs but the organIzation felt they could "squeeze" him thru the season on a God awful roster without ruining him. He was smallish and physically was nowhere near ready for NHL abuse. His most common mate was Megna. And mid season the kid lost his Pops.

But he made it over every hurdle, and there were lots of them, and survived without imploding. ...... That's no small feat in numerous ways. He went up a few notches in my evaluation on him.

For me it's as simple as this. Touches and reps. Getting 1st pairing and top PP minutes (do they run the PP with Artie and KK on it?) he will get hundreds and hundreds more touches in the AHL than the NHL. Hundreds more PP touches, hundreds more back to the opponent getting a puck off the back wall. Hundreds more touches turning, head up to exit. Hundreds more touches coming thru the neutral zone entering the Ozone.

At 20 yrs old as just a 2nd yr pro those touches, hundreds and hundreds more pro touches can have astronomical affect. The lazy example and most recent would be Vlasic. ...... I believe those extra touches, extra practice time with vastly less pressure that the AHL affords is the right spot to slot this kid.

The Swayman story is gonna be fun to follow. Swayman to the Hawks??? Interesting but I don't make that trade but if I were runnin Utah I'd make it happen. https://www.sportsnet.ca/...or-bruins-jeremy-swayman/

What doesn't make sense? They didn't want him to play another year in juniors likely because they didn't think he would progress enough dominating and not challenging him to really improve much last year. He struggled a bunch and showed a little bit of improvement.

He came to camp this year and has not proven that he has improved in the areas needed for the coaches to be able to trust him playing the same minutes this year. So he goes down and can not only work on the areas that he needs to improve, but also have the freedom to try to do more offensively (not to mention likely be paired up with Arty).

It was OK for Vlasic, but not for KK? I think there is way too much concern over this.
- Chunk

Vlasic didn't play a full season of NHL and then get sent back down. He got some coffee's and then finally stuck. Pretty different.

Vlasic didn't play a full season of NHL and then get sent back down. He got some coffee's and then finally stuck. Pretty different.
- fattybeef

I guess each case is different and you can pick away at reasons you don't think the AHL is good for a player, and that's fair, but I posted why I think the AHL will do a world of good for KK.

He did not belong in the NHL last yr, getting the yr in as you use as justification for not sending him down this yr, but this yr the rules allow for them to develop him properly in the AHL in my mind but more importantly theirs.

Hopefully when it's go time for the organIzation in 3-4 yrs KK will be a big part of that and they developed him properly.

Watching UT @ ANA and notice Sennecke is still up in the Bigs.

I guess each case is different and you can pick away at reasons you don't think the AHL is good for a player, and that's fair, but I posted why I think the AHL will do a world of good for KK.

He did not belong in the NHL last yr, getting the yr in as you use as justification for not sending him down this yr, but this yr the rules allow for them to develop him properly in the AHL in my mind but more importantly theirs.

Hopefully when it's go time for the organIzation in 3-4 yrs KK will be a big part of that and they developed him properly.

Watching UT @ ANA and notice Sennecke is still up in the Bigs.
- Mr Ricochet

Toying around with the defenseman pairings down the road obviously requires projecting development. I am guessing like others postulate, that Phillips will be moved eventually. He just doesn’t show enough improvement and decision making still inconsistently maddening if you are expecting his raw talent alone could carry him a spot on the blueline. Crevier might become a useful depth guy, even a third pairing if he keeps developing to become a consistent defensive guy.

I think by default Kaiser could become a second or third pair offensive role guy. But Kaiser has to prove he could fit in and he needs to show better. I know he works out and I just don’t know whether he can become strong enough to not be regularly muscled out.

DelMastro is Murphy’s replacement but I am not going to peg him more than a third pair until I see and like him more than I do now. I know his skating gets questioned but he is similar to a Seabrook model with his style and leadership. Allen is a second or third pair in the making.

This means Arty and KK is who you project could become first pair and with Vladic as top three. S Jones of course top four but ideally a younger guy supplants him and his big salary. By the time the kids develop though S Joned could be near the end of his deal

Naturally want to see Rinzal move in so perhaps he replaces S Jones after a couple seasons or so?

Remember I said this is just my early take projections

Toying around with the defenseman pairings down the road obviously requires projecting development. I am guessing like others postulate, that Phillips will be moved eventually. He just doesn’t show enough improvement and decision making still inconsistently maddening if you are expecting his raw talent alone could carry him a spot on the blueline. Crevier might become a useful depth guy, even a third pairing if he keeps developing to become a consistent defensive guy.

I think by default Kaiser could become a second or third pair offensive role guy. But Kaiser has to prove he could fit in and he needs to show better. I know he works out and I just don’t know whether he can become strong enough to not be regularly muscled out.

DelMastro is Murphy’s replacement but I am not going to peg him more than a third pair until I see and like him more than I do now. I know his skating gets questioned but he is similar to a Seabrook model with his style and leadership. Allen is a second or third pair in the making.

This means Arty and KK is who you project could become first pair and with Vladic as top three. S Jones of course top four but ideally a younger guy supplants him and his big salary. By the time the kids develop though S Joned could be near the end of his deal

Naturally want to see Rinzal move in so perhaps he replaces S Jones after a couple seasons or so?

Remember I said this is just my early take projections
- jhawk59

With the exception of Vlasic I think it's probably Arty (because it has to be with that 2OA pick) and Korch OR Rinzel but probably not both.

Not all of Kaiser, Philips, Crevier and EDM are going to be NHL Players and I think Kaiser is the only one that is close.

Allen we'll have to see some games. Biggest thing will be is he making the right decisions even if he is making them to slowly. Issue with Philips is he doesn't decision well at all.

I guess each case is different and you can pick away at reasons you don't think the AHL is good for a player, and that's fair, but I posted why I think the AHL will do a world of good for KK.

He did not belong in the NHL last yr, getting the yr in as you use as justification for not sending him down this yr, but this yr the rules allow for them to develop him properly in the AHL in my mind but more importantly theirs.

Hopefully when it's go time for the organIzation in 3-4 yrs KK will be a big part of that and they developed him properly.

Watching UT @ ANA and notice Sennecke is still up in the Bigs.
- Mr Ricochet

IMO, the decision to have KK at least start this season in the A was determined at last years end of seasons players evals. Otherwise, the Hawks would not have signed Brodie in addition to Martinez in the off season.

Vlasic didn't play a full season of NHL and then get sent back down. He got some coffee's and then finally stuck. Pretty different.
- fattybeef

You’re right he didn’t play a full season, but that’s not really the point. Most thought that Vlasic looked the part when he first got his first cup of coffee. There was a lot of surprise when he was sent back to RFD. He himself has said that his time with the Hogs was huge for his development regarding realizing what he could get away with and working on the defensive details of his game.

KK played all of last year in the NHL and made very marginal improvements. Considering they have actual players that can replace him this year, and they are trying to win games, does it make more sense to have him log huge minutes in a place where he can try things and iron out the blemishes or occasionally get scratched reduced ice time?

IMO, the decision to have KK at least start this season in the A was determined at last years end of seasons players evals. Otherwise, the Hawks would not have signed Brodie in addition to Martinez in the off season.
- LAHawk

This makes the most sense to me.