Speculation: 2019-20 Expected Blackhawks Roster

[Toews2Bickell]

We don’t have the high end offensive prospects in the pipeline because they’re already in the NHL, and will be for years to come.

I have no problem drafting a talented offensive prospect to put in the pipeline, but you don’t need to spend 10-11 million on Panarin just because you don’t have an elite forward in the pipeline at the moment.

I just don’t see the urgency to go and get another mega contract guy when we have contender-level offensive production from our top forwards. It’s the bottom-6 and the defense that are keeping this team out of the NHL’s elite tier

Hawks will not spend money on defense. So the next alternative is forward. One way to improve depth is to have enough good players in your top 6 to force players down the lineup. This is how the Hawks were built for years. Not by spending big money on depth guys. It was a top heavy team with elite elite talent at the top.

 

[Hattrick Kane]

Are people actually thinking the Hawks are buyers? I doubt Bowman is making any big moves at the deadline after his comments of the timeline. That thought process goes directly against what he said.

 

[Toews2Bickell]

Are people actually thinking the Hawks are buyers? I doubt Bowman is making any big moves at the deadline after his comments of the timeline. That thought process goes directly against what he said.

When has anybody said Hawks will be buyers this season

 

[RememberTheRoar]

are we talking about playoff time ??

Nobody is talking about the playoffs here, this is a thread about next year

 

[Idionym]

Counter intutive but sometimes the players that get the most money/term in free agency are the safetest bets. Panarin at 10m per for 7 years is a safer bet than paying Dzingel, Silverberg, Ferland 10m collectively between say 2 players. Add Stone to that mix with Panarin. Paying big money for good but not great players is a disaster in the making.

Silfverberg has been producing consistantly for 6 seasons. I'd say he's a safer bet than Mark Stone who has been a 60 point guy up till now, and everyone wants to pay him PPG money.

No one is advocating paying them big money. We're assuming we pay fair market value like everyone else is assuming with Panarin/Stone. I'm not advocating for 5x5 for Dzingel or something. I think that going for a couple middle 6 wingers and not breaking the bank on them makes more sense than getting another huge forward contract on a team that isn't particularly wanting for scoring help. We need to save/spend on D, not wingers.

 

[LDF]

Well ya, but to assume that risk is always correlated with contract duration and amount is just wrong. If Kane was a free agent this July paying him 10x8 would be a safer bet imo than Dzingel and Silverberg at 6x5 collectively or whatever they’ll get.

and yet posters on this site was berating the org for Toews contract.

is that not a contradiction ??

 

[LDF]

Hawks will not spend money on defense. So the next alternative is forward. One way to improve depth is to have enough good players in your top 6 to force players down the lineup. This is how the Hawks were built for years. Not by spending big money on depth guys. It was a top heavy team with elite elite talent at the top.

the org does not need to spend big money on d-men. that is if there is any on the fa market, which i can not see.

 

[RememberTheRoar]

Hawks will not spend money on defense. So the next alternative is forward. One way to improve depth is to have enough good players in your top 6 to force players down the lineup. This is how the Hawks were built for years. Not by spending big money on depth guys. It was a top heavy team with elite elite talent at the top.

Adding one big money guy pushes one player down into the bottom-6. The bottom-6 is still not as good as if you add 2-3 good bottom-6 guys.

Also, the other teams weren’t as top heavy as you say

 

[Pez68]

Hawks need more two-way guys in the bottom six. That's by far the biggest problem with this team. Too many one-dimensional wingers. Or outright CRAP wingers.

Hayden, Kruger, Kunitz, Anisimov... All either crap defensively, or too slow to be effective.

Bottom six needs a revamp. I'm not worried about the top six.

 

[BK]

Hawks need more two-way guys in the bottom six. That's by far the biggest problem with this team. Too many one-dimensional wingers. Or outright CRAP wingers.

Hayden, Kruger, Kunitz, Anisimov... All either crap defensively, or too slow to be effective.

Bottom six needs a revamp. I'm not worried about the top six.

I don't think AA is in the same group as the others.

 

[AmericanDream]

Hawks need more two-way guys in the bottom six. That's by far the biggest problem with this team. Too many one-dimensional wingers. Or outright CRAP wingers.

Hayden, Kruger, Kunitz, Anisimov... All either crap defensively, or too slow to be effective.

Bottom six needs a revamp. I'm not worried about the top six.

yep, been saying this as well. loading up in the top 6 is great and likely drops a player or two down into the bottom 6, but for those that likely drop aren't suited for a shutdown role either- we need to start looking at slightly overpaying for at least 1 proven shutdown player and hope Kampf can turn into a Kruger over time.

 

[RememberTheRoar]

Hawks need more two-way guys in the bottom six. That's by far the biggest problem with this team. Too many one-dimensional wingers. Or outright CRAP wingers.

Hayden, Kruger, Kunitz, Anisimov... All either crap defensively, or too slow to be effective.

Bottom six needs a revamp. I'm not worried about the top six.

1000% agree. Adding another $10-11 million guy who doesn’t play a strong two-way game doesn’t solve that problem.

If you went with Panarin, you’d end up with four forwards making a combined ~$38 million (once DeBrincat gets his $7 million) and only one of those forwards plays a strong two way game.

So nearly half your cap tied up in four guys, and only one of those guys is a difference maker in the defensive zone. On top of that, you’d have a weaker bottom-6 because you’re only pushing Caggiula down the lineup, and filling in the rest with plugs.

Sounds like a recipe for disaster.

 

[Pez68]

I don't think AA is in the same group as the others.

He's too slow.

 

[RememberTheRoar]

yep, been saying this as well. loading up in the top 6 is great and likely drops a player or two down into the bottom 6, but for those that likely drop aren't suited for a shutdown role either- we need to start looking at slightly overpaying for at least 1 proven shutdown player and hope Kampf can turn into a Kruger over time.

And that slight overpay will still look minimal compared to breaking the bank for Panarin.

 

[BK]

He's too slow.

But he is smart so he knows how to be effective.

 

[Pez68]

But he is smart so he knows how to be effective.

To a point. He is quite often out of position defensively because of his speed. A big problem for the Hawks and their bottom six is lack of speed.

 

[BK]

To a point. He is quite often out of position defensively because of his speed. A big problem for the Hawks and their bottom six is lack of speed.

He is much better defensively at center than he is wing so I can see what you are saying. He needs speed players around him.

 

[Toews2Bickell]

Think most agree that Anisimov sort of has to go to add free agents and extend Cat and Strome. Barratt and Kahun can replace his production.

 

[RememberTheRoar]

Think most agree that Anisimov sort of has to go to add free agents and extend Cat and Strome. Barratt and Kahun can replace his production.

Wait, you’re saying a $4.55 million contract needs to go in order to extend DeBrincat and Strome, but you’re also advocating for signing a $10-11 million Panarin?

How would that not impact DeBrincat and Strome?

 

[Toews2Bickell]

Wait, you’re saying a $4.55 million contract needs to go in order to extend DeBrincat and Strome, but you’re also advocating for signing a $10-11 million Panarin?

How would that not impact DeBrincat and Strome?

Exactly what I’m saying. It won’t impact Cat and Strome....because they’re moving Anisimov and have cap left over to pay them both...plus cap inflation of give or take a few %, plus the ability to move Saad who will be a pending UFA, plus retain Crawford for less on his next deal or let him walk...

 

[Hawkaholic]

Hawks need more two-way guys in the bottom six. That's by far the biggest problem with this team. Too many one-dimensional wingers. Or outright CRAP wingers.

Hayden, Kruger, Kunitz, Anisimov... All either crap defensively, or too slow to be effective.

Bottom six needs a revamp. I'm not worried about the top six.

I agree. It's been the problem for at least 2 years now. Depth.

We don't really need a Panarin, we need a Stone, or a couple to a few good depth pieces.

 

[RememberTheRoar]

Exactly what I’m saying. It won’t impact Cat and Strome....because they’re moving Anisimov and have cap left over to pay them both...plus cap inflation of give or take a few %, plus the ability to move Saad who will be a pending UFA, plus retain Crawford for less on his next deal or let him walk...

So you want to be so tight to the cap again that $4.55 million is going to make or break whether we’re able to re-sign our two best young forwards?

And you want to get that tight to the cap while not addressing the lack of good two-way bottom-6 play, and by not addressing the defense in any way?

 

[Toews2Bickell]

So you want to be so tight to the cap again that $4.55 million is going to make or break whether we’re able to re-sign our two best young forwards?

And you want to get that tight to the cap while not addressing the lack to good two-way bottom-6 play, and by not addressing the defense in any way?

Hawks wouldn’t be “so tight” to the cap. Its simply a waste to pay Anisimov 4.55 per when theres internal replacements and he’s overpaid given production.

 

[Toews2Bickell]

So you want to be so tight to the cap again that $4.55 million is going to make or break whether we’re able to re-sign our two best young forwards?

And you want to get that tight to the cap while not addressing the lack of good two-way bottom-6 play, and by not addressing the defense in any way?

Hawks won’t be addressing D externally. Thats extremely likely. And I already stated that upgrading the top 6 is a way to upgrade the bottom 6. When you force Saad and Caggiula down the lineup, add Evan Barratt etc, that will improve the bottom 6.

 

[RememberTheRoar]

Hawks wouldn’t be “so tight” to the cap. Its simply a waste to pay Anisimov 4.55 per when theres internal replacements and he’s overpaid given production.

If they wouldn’t be tight to the cap, why’d you say, “Anisimov sort of has to go to add free agents and extend Cat and Strome.”?