2018-19 Blackhawks Roster Part 3

[No Fun Shogun]

Continued from here:

https://hfboards.mandatory.com/threads/2018-19-blackhawks-roster-part-2.2510473/

Click to read more...

 

[Ace Card Bedard]

Two months to go.
Oy

 

[clydesdale line]

Been a few years since I can say I'm not that excited about the season. Yet, here we are.

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

Bad hockey beats the hell out of no hockey.

 

[Kaners PPGs]

Been a few years since I can say I'm not that excited about the season. Yet, here we are.

First time I have ever considered getting the NHL package since I want to see entertaining hockey and I doubt the Hawks will provide that. Plus, we know that NBC Sports will simply focus on the major American eastern time zone teams even though several Canadian teams will be extremely interesting to watch.

 

[clydesdale line]

First time I have ever considered getting the NHL package since I want to see entertaining hockey and I doubt the Hawks will provide that. Plus, we know that NBC Sports will simply focus on the major American eastern time zone teams even though several Canadian teams will be extremely interesting to watch.

Yea I'm definitely interested in seeing some of the other teams. Just sucks I can't say the same about our team (although I'm excited to see Sikura play. Been on that kid's bandwagon for a while).

 

[NoHuman]

Interesting tidbit in Chris Kuc's newest piece for NHL.com from the convention. It's a Kane-centered piece with typical quotes about motivation and info about what he wants to work on in training over the summer. But, kind of as a throwaway line, Kuc mentioned that "Coach Joel Quenneville said he is considering playing Kane at right wing on a line with Nick Schmaltz at center and Brandon Saad at left wing. But Kane isn't letting himself think that far ahead."

Of course Kane isn't letting himself think about that because he knows Q's line blender is probably activated 2 games into the season haha. Plus it could completely change by the time training camp rolls around. Still, I thought it was interesting quote related to all the line combos posted in the other thread . I'm curious about what that might mean for the 1st line. I'm assuming Debrincat and Toews get paired together, but what other winger would you pair with that combo?

 

[ClydeLee]

Usually the Q talked about line/pair talk are what he starts training camp with really. Its just if it lasts out of that or not.

Last year it was the Keith-Murphy combo and it started camp but by opening night he had Keith-Seabs.
I remember going into 2014 he talked of trying Saad at center, did only in that. Dano-toews-hossa was the start camp line and Dano looked good day 1 but not so much beyond it.

 

[EbonyRaptor]

Call me crazy but I think Kane is at his best with a sniper on opposite wing ... and Saad ain't no sniper, and for that matter neither is Schmaltz. DeBrincat is the only one that is a legitimate sniper, so naturally Q doesn't go there. Q - the forever contrarian.

 

[EbonyRaptor]

Saad and Schmaltz are probably the two fastest forwards. For them to be at their best they need to incorporate their speed into their game. The other 3 top-6 forwards - Toews, Kane and DeBrincat - are effective in the "half court" game without the requirement of top end speed. I think Sikura has good speed but probably closer to Kane then Schmaltz. Hinostroza had the Schmaltz type speed but he's gone so ... I'd like to find a winger for Saad and Schmaltz that can enhance the potential for a speed line and the only one I see in the Hawks organization is Fortin. It's highly unlikely Fortin makes the Hawks out of camp even if he plays well because at this point he really needs to prove it in Rockford before he gets a shot with the Hawks - but maybe later in the season he gets a call up and put on a burner line: Fortin-Schmaltz-Saad.

 

[RememberTheRoar]

Saad and Schmaltz are probably the two fastest forwards. For them to be at their best they need to incorporate their speed into their game. The other 3 top-6 forwards - Toews, Kane and DeBrincat - are effective in the "half court" game without the requirement of top end speed. I think Sikura has good speed but probably closer to Kane then Schmaltz. Hinostroza had the Schmaltz type speed but he's gone so ... I'd like to find a winger for Saad and Schmaltz that can enhance the potential for a speed line and the only one I see in the Hawks organization is Fortin. It's highly unlikely Fortin makes the Hawks out of camp even if he plays well because at this point he really needs to prove it in Rockford before he gets a shot with the Hawks - but maybe later in the season he gets a call up and put on a burner line: Fortin-Schmaltz-Saad.

Why is he the only one you can see completing that line? Ideally, you wouldn’t need a speed guy there, but rather a grinder with a bit of skill.

If Schmaltz and Saad play off each other and use speed to attack, the other winger should be a guy that goes to the net and plays in the corners and on the boards.

There are three guys (Anisimov, Hayden, maybe Ejdsell) on the roster who can do that, and a few more in the minors.

IMO the Saad-Schmaltz-grinder line makes a ton more sense than a Saad-Schmaltz-Kane line. Leave it to Q to poo-poo sniper-playmaker-grinder line combos. Also, Saad is a sniper in the sense that he shoots a lot and trailed only Kane in shots last season, he just needs to hit the net with those shots.

 

[RememberTheRoar]

Call me crazy but I think Kane is at his best with a sniper on opposite wing ... and Saad ain't no sniper, and for that matter neither is Schmaltz. DeBrincat is the only one that is a legitimate sniper, so naturally Q doesn't go there. Q - the forever contrarian.

Not just any sniper, but a sniper who shoots right handed and can handle one-timer setups. Like you said, DeBrincat is the only player on the roster who fits that bill.

If you want to follow the sniper-grinder-playmaker model, you put one of Anisimov, Hayden, or Ejdsell with DeBrincat and Kane. That allows Schmaltz to play with Saad, if that’s what you want. Not sure what’s left for Toews though.

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

Bad hockey beats the hell out of no hockey.

99% of time true

Unless its Lemaire Devils/Wild hockey then I would probably take no hockey as a lot of those Devil/Wild teams were unwatchable garbage with the trap

 

[BK]

99% of time true

Unless its Lemaire Devils/Wild hockey then I would probably take no hockey as a lot of those Devil/Wild teams were unwatchable garbage with the trap

100% of the time imo.

I enjoyed the Devils during their prime because great d can be fun to watch.

 

[b1e9a8r5s]

First time I have ever considered getting the NHL package since I want to see entertaining hockey and I doubt the Hawks will provide that. Plus, we know that NBC Sports will simply focus on the major American eastern time zone teams even though several Canadian teams will be extremely interesting to watch.

Buffalo Sabres vs New York Rangers...Rivalry Night on NBC!

 

[Robsker]

Not just any sniper, but a sniper who shoots right handed and can handle one-timer setups. Like you said, DeBrincat is the only player on the roster who fits that bill.

If you want to follow the sniper-grinder-playmaker model, you put one of Anisimov, Hayden, or Ejdsell with DeBrincat and Kane. That allows Schmaltz to play with Saad, if that’s what you want. Not sure what’s left for Toews though.

Why not the natural combos of Toews centering for Saad and Schmaltz as one line and Anisimov centering for D-Cat and kane as another. our bottom 6 will work itself out. The 3C is a question but overall in the bottom 6 you have Hayden, Sikura, Kunitz, Kruger, Kamph, Kahun, and maybe Ejdsell --- cobble those together in some blender-type system until something solid is found and maybe it is a passable bottom 6.

 

[EbonyRaptor]

Why is he the only one you can see completing that line? Ideally, you wouldn’t need a speed guy there, but rather a grinder with a bit of skill.

If Schmaltz and Saad play off each other and use speed to attack, the other winger should be a guy that goes to the net and plays in the corners and on the boards.

There are three guys (Anisimov, Hayden, maybe Ejdsell) on the roster who can do that, and a few more in the minors.

IMO the Saad-Schmaltz-grinder line makes a ton more sense than a Saad-Schmaltz-Kane line. Leave it to Q to poo-poo sniper-playmaker-grinder line combos. Also, Saad is a sniper in the sense that he shoots a lot and trailed only Kane in shots last season, he just needs to hit the net with those shots.

I understand what you mean with a sniper-playmaker-grinder line and I agree it makes sense in some cases but I would like a speed-speed-speed line and Saad-Schmaltz get us 2/3 of the way there. If the 3rd speed guy is a grinder - that's fine too, but he doesn't have to be. The objective is to overwhelm to opposition and have them on their heels with all 3 guys faster then everyone else on the ice. In terms of DeBrincat and Kane playing with a lesser player like Anisimov - it works because DeBrincat and Kane are both snipers and playmakers so having Anisimov clear the middle of the ice and go to the net for rebounds works very well in the "half court" game that Kane and DeBrincat play so well.

 

[EbonyRaptor]

Not just any sniper, but a sniper who shoots right handed and can handle one-timer setups. Like you said, DeBrincat is the only player on the roster who fits that bill.

If you want to follow the sniper-grinder-playmaker model, you put one of Anisimov, Hayden, or Ejdsell with DeBrincat and Kane. That allows Schmaltz to play with Saad, if that’s what you want. Not sure what’s left for Toews though.

I think we can project 7 or the 9 top-9 players now and have a probable lineup with 2 spots to be determined.

XXX-Toews-Sikura
DeBrincat-Anisimov-Kane
Saad-Schmaltz-XXX

The (2) XXX players could be Ejdsell, Kahun, Hayden, or others including possibly Fortin at some point mid-season.

 

[Bubba88]

If Kahun makes the team, I will be more excited than not.
We are closer to the hockey start and TC starts soon. In Germany, the teams starting with practice within the next 2 weeks.

 

[Kaners PPGs]

Buffalo Sabres vs New York Rangers...Rivalry Night on NBC!

Actually, I have some interest in Buffalo with Dahlen, Eichel, and Middlestadt but I agree with the premise. How many times will we see the Rangers get their teeth kicked in by Washington or Boston this year? How many boring Detroit and Chicago games will they televist? I want to see Toronto, Winnipeg, Tampa, Nashville, and Edmonton. Even teams like Carolina, St Louis, Arizona, Columbus, and Colorado are interesting since we don't see them often.

 

[RememberTheRoar]

Why not the natural combos of Toews centering for Saad and Schmaltz as one line and Anisimov centering for D-Cat and kane as another. our bottom 6 will work itself out. The 3C is a question but overall in the bottom 6 you have Hayden, Sikura, Kunitz, Kruger, Kamph, Kahun, and maybe Ejdsell --- cobble those together in some blender-type system until something solid is found and maybe it is a passable bottom 6.

Ya, I've proposed those exact lines in previous posts. I was just working off what EbonyRaptor was going for, top-6 players spread across three scoring lines.

 

[idontusethisanymore]

Forsling out 14 weeks after wrist surgery

 

[RememberTheRoar]

Forsling out 14 weeks after wrist surgery

Now the buzzing around Enstrom and other LHD makes sense.

However, there were reports they were sniffing around an additional LHD about a month ago. Does that mean they knew Forsling was hurt, but delayed the surgery?

 

[ClydeLee]

If they dont add that opens up the 7/8 D spots. Joki potentially a better shot though he still would have to make Rutta/Murph play ld.

But all those LDs got more space to compete and play in Rockford too.

 

[migi]

So basically they start the season with this:

Keith - Murphy
Manning - Seabrook
Gustafsson - Rutta

Even with Fosling that looks hideous but now the potential is even lower.

And yeah I get there are players who may get a spot like Joker and Hillman, but realistically they wont and if they do, they need to play a lot which I doubt.