Going Camping Roster is up ...

[wladyslaw]

But why does Radke have so little impact in the O ?I was never impressed by anything that suggested nhl impact player when I viewed some of his games last season (the OHL is covered by Rogers Sportspak that I pay extra for on my cable package).

If he stood out at camp it must mean tge rest of our guys really are not that good but only shine against each other OR it means somehow tge light went on for Radke between the end of his OHL season and this camp? Maybe he had some lingering injury during his season in Jr. ?But clearly he did not look very starry (as the production was kind of average) ...I mean this was not like Schmaltz at North Dakota tjis year where he did star albeit Not with a lot of goals scored...mostly impressive assists totals and improved defense. .But the not do impressive goals totals were in part excused by bad luck in not finishing chances.. (he hit something like 11 or 12 posts) but in the Radke case there was no such amount of scoring chance generation to even trot out the bad luck excuse for meh goal production. ..and this was only in Jr. for an guy after his draft year.So how can we explain his sudden "emergence" at camp according to some reports?It baffles.

AS to Fortin..well they first gotta sign him..But at least there is an explanation for why he shined at camp...He said he was hampered all season by some hip problem that finally got resolved back to normal and he could again skate at top speed which as he showed at cam was top level..You cannot teach speed and he also showed high hockey IQ ...They simply have to sign this guy ..could be a steal as an undrafted 19 year old..
But tge Radke story is mystifying as I said..he showed nothing this season in Jr to justify he could impress (some) that much at camp. Strength is fine..McNeill also is strong...But you gotta skate at elite level and you gotta finish at some high level if there is any possibility of a top six nhl career. Panik is also "strong " as a power forward type
.but he has to prove he can finish enough to stay any length of time on a top line...so I am as skeptical about Radke becoming a top line PF as about Panik or McNeill grabbing the horns to cement that role...Panik can't finish...McNeill can't skate well enough and Radke can't do either of those 2 things well enough (so far) based on what I saw from his junior season thus year.If he showed more at camp then I am mystified by the sudden improvement.All 3 of these PF candidates have big flaws ....also 8 cannot see Radke taking a job away yet...Surely needs another year back in junior and to show he has improved enough to dominate even at just the Jr. Level.

Re" Radke- great question- why isn't he more dominant??? Haven't watched him much in O... Heard he scored bunches of goals early... then dis- appeared... so maybe injury??? Heart???

Panik- his biggest weakness- imo- he is terrible in cycle/possession game... got better as year went on... but you can tell he wasn't used to it or wasn't really coached to play that style... you can also tell- he was practicing/with Hawks to improve it...

Radke- was a man among boys at Camp - in the possession- one man cycle a few times... were the other kids that bad??? we shall see

 

[UsernameWasTaken]

How did Noel do?

 

[Backyard Hockey]

The best is to go to Buffalo or Rochester NY and have 2 Chicago area teams face each other in the final 550 miles from home!

Or my favorite. We did a tournament in Holland, MI. Normally a 3.5 hour drive or so. Horrible lake effect snow storms - blizzard white outs. Very dangerous.

Get there and in our Pee Wee grouping of 12 were 4, count 'em 4, Sabres (Naperville/Bolingbrook) teams. Our goalie brainfarted and let in a softie - so we wound up playing the consolation game against a Detroit team, but the championship game? Two Sabres teams. Against each other.

Just silly.

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

Re" Radke- great question- why isn't he more dominant??? Haven't watched him much in O... Heard he scored bunches of goals early... then dis- appeared... so maybe injury??? Heart???

Panik- his biggest weakness- imo- he is terrible in cycle/possession game... got better as year went on... but you can tell he wasn't used to it or wasn't really coached to play that style... you can also tell- he was practicing/with Hawks to improve it...

Radke- was a man among boys at Camp - in the possession- one man cycle a few times... were the other kids that bad??? we shall see

Panik was far from terrible along the boards. Guy's Hossa strong on his skates.

 

[Toews2Bickell]

Panik was far from terrible along the boards. Guy's Hossa strong on his skates.

So much about his game in that STL series reminded me of Hoss. I really hope he continues that play next year because that will be a Leddy type steal for Stan.

 

[mikee]

Panik's biggest weakness to me is he just doesn't think the game quite quick enough. His hands/feet are faster than his mind and so he ends up holding the puck a bit too long at times and misses the opportunity to hit an open teammate, and vice versa he also does not anticipate a pass coming from a teammate when a window opens.

 

[giza]

Panik - inconsistent effort

Not sure he's in it for the full schedule, but he does dial it in for the playoffs----worked for Bickell---all you need is one great playoff!

 

[BHFan]

I'm really interested to see what Panik can do. Everyone seems to agree he's talented and we saw some pretty amazing plays from him. The Hawks seem to search for players who will excel within their system, not players who will adapt. As long as you play both ends with equal enthusiasm, Q is happy. When they can't or won't, they cut them loose. They seem to think Panik is worth a shot. I'd love to see him learn from Hossa and become Hossa 2.0. I think he can, if he wants to. That's the key with Panik. I think he's been disappointed with his career situation up until this point. Is he willing to put in the effort to become an elite player? To work his butt off like Hossa does? I hope so.

 

[bwana63]

I'm really interested to see what Panik can do. Everyone seems to agree he's talented and we saw some pretty amazing plays from him. The Hawks seem to search for players who will excel within their system, not players who will adapt. As long as you play both ends with equal enthusiasm, Q is happy. When they can't or won't, they cut them loose. They seem to think Panik is worth a shot. I'd love to see him learn from Hossa and become Hossa 2.0. I think he can, if he wants to. That's the key with Panik. I think he's been disappointed with his career situation up until this point. Is he willing to put in the effort to become an elite player? To work his butt off like Hossa does? I hope so.

To expect/want him to become more than a journeyman is entirely reasonable. To want him to elevate his level to Hossa 2.0 is not reasonable (talking Hossa in his prime). I expect Panik to be a very solid 2 way third liner for us. That he can slot into the first line makes him all the better.

 

[RememberTheRoar]

To expect/want him to become more than a journeyman is entirely reasonable. To want him to elevate his level to Hossa 2.0 is not reasonable (talking Hossa in his prime). I expect Panik to be a very solid 2 way third liner for us. That he can slot into the first line makes him all the better.

I assume when people say "Hossa 2.0", they're saying the recent version of Hossa, not Hossa in his prime.
I don't think anyone honestly believes Panik can be a HOF level player.

 

[ClydeLee]

I thought Saad was Hossa 2.0

 

[CallMeShaft]

Whenever someone here says that they feel Panik could be Hossa 2.0, they don't mean he'll be like 100pt season Marian Hossa. They likely don't even mean early years Hawks Hossa.

Hossa 2.0 is basically the equivalency of saying a Saad like player. A prototypical powerforward who can be a natural fit on the top line.

Panik has the strength and speed necessary to be that player. Just a question of heart and mind.

 

[giza]

Panik

I have a tendency to think Panik will be more like Hossa .6.

 

[ploppsdman]

I think it's unreasonable to think panik is anything more than a 12/13th forward.