Bedard and TT are going to take a lot of cheap hits the next few weeks...
- rpeters01

I sure hope not, but that's always a problem in this league.

Bedard and TT are going to take a lot of cheap hits the next few weeks...
- rpeters01

Possible but unlikely. The other days when Bedard got into a shoving match every Hawk player entered the fray in a big hurry. The Hawks aren’t a threat in the standings, there’s no reason to go after him. Yesterday on the first Hawk goal, Utah defenseman Mikhail Sergachev could have nailed him cleanly or not so cleanly and instead allowed him to get by.

I think by game 5-10, this team will play together much more cohesively - they sure looked much better in P2 and P3....then in the 2nd half of the season, some of the newbies can be sprinkled in and get the feel of a much better structured team on both O and D. Part of the development that Kyle from Chicago wants to instill - thoughts?

and yes, it was cool to see 98 throw the lumber

Possible but unlikely. The other days when Bedard got into a shoving match every Hawk player entered the fray in a big hurry. The Hawks aren’t a threat in the standings, there’s no reason to go after him. Yesterday on the first Hawk goal, Utah defenseman Mikhail Sergachev could have nailed him cleanly or not so cleanly and instead allowed him to get by.
- paulr

Yea that was a great pass by Jones, talk about putting your team mate in harms way

On another note is nice to see a forward with good defensive instincts welcome back Teuvo.

I fell asleep on the couch after they were down 2-0. Is that a sign of something?

As for Bedard's point total, if he plays a full season, he's capable of 100, even with this group. He finally has people who can finish.
- 333inthe3rd

Hopefully he keeps this pace up. 164 points for 24-25!!!

Hopefully he keeps this pace up. 164 points for 24-25!!!
- Popsghostly

That and he'll be +82 on the season!

Yea that was a great pass by Jones, talk about putting your team mate in harms way

On another note is nice to see a forward with good defensive instincts welcome back Teuvo.
- BetweenTheDots

FFS that pass happens dozens of times per game all over the league. We get you don't like Jones, but he was the highest rated defenseman on the team yesterday.

FFS that pass happens dozens of times per game all over the league. We get you don't like Jones, but he was the highest rated defenseman on the team yesterday.
- Chunk

Hahaha, just offering my opinion, don't like it, move on

It's crazy to they finally have Murphy slotted properly, now if we could get Jones off the PP and about 20 minutes a night. Really hope Arty is as good as they think he'll be.

FFS that pass happens dozens of times per game all over the league. We get you don't like Jones, but he was the highest rated defenseman on the team yesterday.
- Chunk

You didn't read the memo?

The best case scenario for the Hawks current defensive pairings in my opinion is this…
Vlasic/Jones
Allan/Murphy
Martinez/Brodie
Unfortunately they brought in Martinez and Brodie to play and mentor the youngsters, so playing them together defeats that purpose. Martinez is still a reliable defenseman(need to lower his TOI), Brodie is better than Megna and Tinordi, but still a #7 at this point of his career. I’m going to predict that Arty will be up by Christmas, and KK will replace Martinez after the TDL.

The lack of speed and quickness is going to be a huge issue on D.

Jones is fast when he gets to top speed but his feet are slow and he is anything but quick in small areas. Martinez, Brodie, and Murphy not winning many foot races. Vlasic can move for a big guy but he's not quick.

You can bring in veterans to teach younger players but you don't need an entire team full of slow old vets and retreads. Not a single young forward in the bottom 6. Slaggert or Dach could be skating bottom 6. Or some 23 year old reclamation project. Instead we have a bunch of vets.

Shouldn't the Hawks be building a system that maximizes Bedard's talent? Puck possession, play with speed, etc.
- bhawks2241

I agree with maximizing Bedards talent, but i feel its very obvious that KD and team belive that is bringing in the other younsters only when its time.

I gotta believe they think the best thing is to play in Rockford for at least a year for all these guys coming in.

They signed short term vets who are better than what they had so they are more competitive than last year, but they aren't going to rush the rebuild.

Time will tell if they were right, but i've always believed you'll never go wrong erring on the side of over deveoping your prospects

Hahaha, just offering my opinion, don't like it, move on

It's crazy to they finally have Murphy slotted properly, now if we could get Jones off the PP and about 20 minutes a night. Really hope Arty is as good as they think he'll be.
- BetweenTheDots

Nothing to do with whether I like it or not, I don't agree with the premise that the pass was dangerous.

We can definitely agree with the slotting of Murphy. The problem with the remaining D-men, is that none of them really can run a PP.

Maybe Vlasic can eventually run a PP2, but I'd guess the future is Arty and either KK or Rinzel. Martinez didn't really show anything last night that he would be a better option.

Nothing to do with whether I like it or not, I don't agree with the premise that the pass was dangerous.

We can definitely agree with the slotting of Murphy. The problem with the remaining D-men, is that none of them really can run a PP.

Maybe Vlasic can eventually run a PP2, but I'd guess the future is Arty and either KK or Rinzel. Martinez didn't really show anything last night that he would be a better option.
- Chunk

Doesn't matter who is running PP2, as long as your forwards are the 4th line.

Doesn't matter who is running PP2, as long as your forwards are the 4th line.
- LAHawk

Well yeah, but I was talking about the future.

The announcing was the best part of the game. Suggesting people close their eyes during the Hawks power play was a delight.

Brodie looked v bad. Martinez looked not good. I think we're splitting hairs at this point if we're going to say the defense is improved at all from last year. And these guys are at the point where they should be drop ins - not really needing to acclimate to a new place or whatever.

Foligno had to move to the first line to give it a jump lol. You can't take a team seriously where that is the lever to get poop going.

Bedard was good. TT looked good. Hall looked good. Kurashev looked surprisingly good. Bertuzzi was better at the end of the game.

Vlasic was fine. Jones was Jones.

They'll get a few more points than last year but man this opening month is gonna be rough. I can't see them being outside of the bottom 5 unless they get some help from their younger players sooner rather than later.

The Calgary game should be interesting. They're doing the opposite and playing their kids.

Speaking of Kurashev, his contract is up after the season, right?

It's got to be frustrating for the coaches that Reichel can't put on the ice what's been requested of him. It's not just LR making these decisions. Watch the latest "Every Shift". Everyone is in the room. They've got crap tons of forward prospects wanting to come up. All of them will have to push a vet out as well. While he doesn't have as much skill, Slaggert showed to be a better prospect than Reichel. He plays on the right side of the puck, makes smart/quick decisions, shoots when he has the opportunity (especially in the slot) and can come out of a corner with the puck. Reichel has a very clear path to get back in the lineup. It is not up to the coaches to give it to him. It's up to him to make them put him in and then keep it.
- Chunk

Slaggert is probably the only Forward ready now and playing in Rockville because Reichel is waiver eligible.

Damn, that Boqvist kid can't catch a break. Took a puck to the face after 4:38 of ice time.

Damn, that Boqvist kid can't catch a break. Took a puck to the face after 4:38 of ice time.
- Chunk

And conversely, if he can stay healthy, Dach is looking really solid for the Canadiens.

https://x.com/BulldogsOHL...Rue16Ggh-1LUdJKXN25Q&s=19

Keep it up Lardis, see you soon

Slaggert is probably the only Forward ready now and playing in Rockville because Reichel is waiver eligible.
- rpeters01

So, is anyone else catching the grift of this or-gan-I-za-tion lately???

All of these veterans here to "mentor" the youngins, but most of the youngins are in Rockford.

What are they doing, traveling there to mentor them in between games???

So, is anyone else catching the grift of this or-gan-I-za-tion lately???

All of these veterans here to "mentor" the youngins, but most of the youngins are in Rockford.

What are they doing, traveling there to mentor them in between games???
- dahawks8819

And, how does it help the growth of Bedard and Vlasic, losing most night 3-2, instead of 5-2, because Mrazek can't keep 3 pucks out of the net on a nightly basis???

And, how does it help the growth of Bedard and Vlasic, losing most night 3-2, instead of 5-2, because Mrazek can't keep 3 pucks out of the net on a nightly basis???
- dahawks8819

The kids will be alright if I were to bet on how they turn out. This is an assumption the top prospects will move up to Chicago probably next season for good The veterans help the team be more competitive this season. Some collegiate prospects though may be back and forth to the AHL next season but I like the talent package of the top collegiate players they drafted. Just draft one top
Line forward and one more dman. We could really should bring in a big size kid to employ on L3 or L4.

The Rockford Icehogs open their season at home against Grand Rapids this Saturday.