2018-19 Blackhawks Roster Part 2

[BK]

Yeah Fortin is pretty much Jurco 2.0

This. They are very comparable at every level. The key with Fortin like Jurco to be to us him in the right way to help shape him as a player. The Wings tried to use Jurco as a grinding hitter and that hurt his development long term (to be clear it is not all on the Wings and is also on Jurco).

I think if you keep Fortin's role simple he will do much better than if you put him in a high responsibility role (top 6). Keep him in the bottom 6 with some skill players and let him use his toolbox.

 

[Blue Liner]

Which is exactly what we heard about Hinostroza from many folks around here when he first came on the scene. I assume it is the same folks this time?

Hey Fortin might not make it ... but if he impresses in this years camp I want him to get the chance to begin the season in Chicago and show everyone that he can or can't.

I get what you're saying but people are completely within their rights to have heavy skepticism of him after being a scratch for an almost entire (really long) playoff run last post-season after a fairly average at best regular season in the AHL. And this is all after only being a PPG player as an overager in the Q. Points aren't everything but you'd expect more production than that out of an overager in that league and if he's not producing decently at the NHL level he has to show that he's exceptional defensively to warrant taking a 4th line spot. Maybe he could be a 3rd line guy if all things go right for him.

Basically, he needs to be other-wordly in training camp to take a forward spot from someone else at the NHL level, in my opinion. I'd love to see him to do it, I just have my doubts whether he has that in him or not, let alone to stick there. But that's what training camp is for, so we'll see. I'm certainly not closing the book on him, just will need to see a lot more after a pretty disappointing first pro season.

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

Hino was way more talented than Fortin.

 

[Toews2Bickell]

When you watch him he stands out but the numbers look very average. Not sure I’d call it the Jurco case who barely stood out.

 

[ClydeLee]

Which is exactly what we heard about Hinostroza from many folks around here when he first came on the scene. I assume it is the same folks this time?

Hey Fortin might not make it ... but if he impresses in this years camp I want him to get the chance to begin the season in Chicago and show everyone that he can or can't.

Yet one his first ahl year at 21 was the teams leading scorer. The other was a 4th line/healthy scratch turning 21 and producing few goals and points on the team.

I've not seen in Rockford or his hawks stint any great scoring touch or shot from him. Dont think he was such a great playmaker that people are seeing when talking about having some skillset toolbox to be a threat. He can hustle but I'm getting what of any specific skill people think makes him somehow anything middle 6 nhl worthy. Not sure what supposedly stands out other than speed.

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

Jurco is another odd comp to me. Jurco has soft hands and is more talented. Fortin reminds me of Skille with less of a wrister.

 

[Pez68]

Which is exactly what we heard about Hinostroza from many folks around here when he first came on the scene. I assume it is the same folks this time?

Hey Fortin might not make it ... but if he impresses in this years camp I want him to get the chance to begin the season in Chicago and show everyone that he can or can't.

Hinostroza actually scored at the AHL level though... I don't see what tools Fortin has aside from his skating. With that speed, if he had any other NHL level abilities, he would be putting up a ton of points in the AHL... Why was he a healthy scratch in Rockford?

He's nowhere even close to Hinostroza as far as hands, hockey sense, or shot is concerned. And Hino will likely top out as a 3rd liner in his career.

 

[BK]

When you watch him he stands out but the numbers look very average. Not sure I’d call it the Jurco case who barely stood out.

Jurco was a ppg player in the AHL at the same age and produce at a higher rate in the Q.

Hell Jurco was a .34 ppg player in the NHL last season and a .7 ppg player in the AHL.

 

[BK]

Jurco is another odd comp to me. Jurco has soft hands and is more talented. Fortin reminds me of Skille with less of a wrister.

It is the most of the tools but maybe missing the toolbox comp. I can see the Skille comp as well. Skille was .57 ppg player in his first AHL season. Both Skille and Jurco have more skill imo.

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

F

It is the most of the tools but maybe missing the toolbox comp. I can see the Skille comp as well. Skille was .57 ppg player in his first AHL season. Both Skille and Jurco have more skill imo.

Fortin has good size and great wheels. He’s missing a bunch of tools.

 

[TLEH]

Guy played a few good preseasons games and now a few people around here think he’s a god. Fortin love hurts my head.

 

[BobbyJet]

Hinostroza actually scored at the AHL level though... I don't see what tools Fortin has aside from his skating. With that speed, if he had any other NHL level abilities, he would be putting up a ton of points in the AHL... Why was he a healthy scratch in Rockford?

He's nowhere even close to Hinostroza as far as hands, hockey sense, or shot is concerned. And Hino will likely top out as a 3rd liner in his career.

Haha ... At least he's moving up. At one point he was a career AHLer as I recall.

That said, Hino will be a top 6 player in the NHL. Book it. I also think he is capable of playing on both ST's if given the opportunity.

No question that Fortin is a different player than Hino - I doubt his offense will be anywhere close to Hinos, so that much we agree on. The question is: how can he use that skating ability to be effective in this league?

 

[Pez68]

Haha ... At least he's moving up. At one point he was a career AHLer as I recall.

That said, Hino will be a top 6 player in the NHL. Book it. I also think he is capable of playing on both ST's if given the opportunity.

No question that Fortin is a different player than Hino - I doubt his offense will be anywhere close to Hinos, so that much we agree on. The question is: how can he use that skating ability to be effective in this league?

Well, he's on Arizona now, so I think he's a top six player by default on that team. But I meant production wise.

I've always liked Hino. You could see the talent and drive in him from day 1. He wasn't just a guy with wheels trying really hard. Good vision, good hands, good shot.

I do not see this in Fortin. I see a kid that can skate around really fast and not accomplish much of anything. Not overly physical. Hockey sense isn't very good, even for the AHL level. Shot is mediocre, even by AHL standards. Vision is very average.

I just don't see it.

 

[EbonyRaptor]

Fortin looks like a smaller version of Stalberg, to me. His hands and his brain can't keep up with his feet.

I'm confused as to why people think a guy that scored 4 goals in the AHL last season, and was a scratch throughout the playoffs, can suddenly be a top six player in the NHL? Yeah, he's fast. And....that's about it.

Fortin has shown he has much better hands that Stalberg. I suppose I would say Fortin is a long shot to have a good NHL career because of his season last year in the AHL and because he didn't improve very much between his 2015/16 and 2016/17 seasons in the "Q". But, he has elite speed and good hands - so I'm hoping.

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

Fortin needs to forecheck like a madman if he wants to make the NHL. Hinostroza needed to slow his game down to make use of his talent. Even the people who doubted his ability to adjust to the speed of the NHL knew Hinostroza had skill.

I just don’t see Fortin as a guy with much talent at this level. I’d love to be wrong, I’ve been wrong before and I’ll be wrong again. It’s not a personal thing against the kid, but I just don’t think there’s much offense there.

 

[BobbyJet]

Fortin has shown he has much better hands that Stalberg. I suppose I would say Fortin is a long shot to have a good NHL career because of his season last year in the AHL and because he didn't improve very much between his 2015/16 and 2016/17 seasons in the "Q". But, he has elite speed and good hands - so I'm hoping.

Agreed. I didn't watch any of RFD's playoff but must admit I am shocked that he was benched. Hopefully, (assuming Fortin was healthy) that he was also shocked, that he will work that much harder to play in this league. His character is what will determine his fate.

 

[Pez68]

Ultimately, how well you think the game is what determines your fate... You could have all the character in the world, but if you can't think the game, you're going nowhere. I think you either have the mental capacity to process the game at the NHL level, or you don't.

Lots of really fast, really talented players never went anywhere because they lacked the anticipation and awareness required to be effective past a certain point in their career. Once the gap in speed/skill closes, how well you think the game is everything.

 

[Kaners Bald Spot]

I thought the following was hilarious on Twitter:
JJ posted: Hawks are talking to Montreal. No names mentioned.
Some random twitter guy: The Bowmans spent a lot of time in Montreal. They're probably indulging on their craving for Poutine, and placing an order.
LOL.

 

[AmericanDream]

many posters on here were still enamored with Duclair prior to us not tendering him, all speed no toolbox...I do not see much with Fortin either, but speed is sexy I guess, just needs to do more than skate out there,.I have no problems with the amount of bullets we have amassed for our gun...can never have enough ammo, some of these will pan out!

 

[BobbyJet]

Ultimately, how well you think the game is what determines your fate... You could have all the character in the world, but if you can't think the game, you're going nowhere. I think you either have the mental capacity to process the game at the NHL level, or you don't.

Lots of really fast, really talented players never went anywhere because they lacked the anticipation and awareness required to be effective past a certain point in their career. Once the gap in speed/skill closes, how well you think the game is everything.

Agreed. When I say good character, knowing the game is almost always a big part of it.

 

[BobbyJet]

many posters on here were still enamored with Duclair prior to us not tendering him, all speed no toolbox...I do not see much with Fortin either, but speed is sexy I guess, just needs to do more than skate out there,.I have no problems with the amount of bullets we have amassed for our gun...can never have enough ammo, some of these will pan out!

Not really.

Most had guarded views of Duclair - those guarded views remain for me because a guy like that, so young with talent could break through one day. Depends how badly he wants it? Hard to say in his short stint here with Q juggling him around and very little guidance from coaches I reckon... but it doesn't look promising.

 

[Toews2Bickell]

Duclair should still be on this roster over Kunitz, Martinsen etc. Even Edjsell, Kampf, Highmore etc. Duke’s problem had to be between the ears because the raw talent was there. You could see it, then he fell out of favor, got hurt and ultimately cut.

 

[featherhawk]

duclair could not put it all together that is for sure, as far as Fortin goes will see what happens, I like the guys size and speed, it remains to be seen if he has enough skill to make a go of it in this league but there are many nhlers that had blazing speed, so so skills and still had effective careers.

 

[ClydeLee]

Duclair and Domi both shined that part of the year looking great but have taken a major falling since. Maybe jist being together with Hanzal in the middle was what really made them work.

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

Given size/speed and AHL production a good comp for what we at best can hope for from Fortin is Jason Chimera IMO