- This topic has 7 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 18 minutes ago by
.
-
Posts
-
The Chicago Blackhawks battled hard against the two-time defending Western Conference champions but came up short Saturday night.
[See the full post at: Blackhawks Drop 3-2 OT Heartbreaker to Oilers]
It’s nice to see Bedard playing 200 feet of hockey.
Burakovsky has been a nice addition for Bedard.
Nazar line has been a great addition for Bedard.
If those dmen don’t make bad pinches it’s not easy for the opponents to score against us.
It’s fun to see our dmen able to skate with the Oilers forwards
My only complaint is Bedard shooting the puck when we had puck possession in OT with no one in front of the net, kids got to know better and keep possession
Tough loss but happy we got a point. This team is so much more entertaining to watch. We had Game 7 on the big screen and I was watching this on the iPhone. Like Bedard’s play this year he’s generating a ton of offense. No doubt having a second scoring line has taken the pressure off of his line.
Loved the response…… Hawks run into a veteran laden LA club and responds with 7 goals in a win over the Sens. Peg schools the youthful Hawks and they respond with a fine dogged nose over the puck effort at EDM…. Missed the 1st but it looks like it was a bad period and they responded in the 2nd and 3rd periods.
As hard as it is to project player’s skill it’s harder putting together a group that is selfless and will respond to countless adversity a season and playoffs bring. Even if you draft loads of kid’s who wore a letter as prospects a lot of what kinda heart the whole group will have is not knowable at the NHL level.. …… KD might have found something on that account.
Great response.
Greene is putting a couple 200 ft good games where he’s dangerous at times and his IQ is starting to translate to having impact on a game……..
Dach seems to be scratching at the door. A 1 step forward 1 step back developmental yr so far but the glimmers are getting brighter.
Thanks for your great comment, my friend — really good points! 👏
About the defensemen pinching — that’s all about decision-making and game management. When you pinch on the boards, you need to make sure there’s a forward ready to cover if you get beat. That’s part of learning structure and awareness — and for a young rebuilding team, those reads will improve with time.
As for Bedard’s shot in OT, I get what you mean. Ideally, you want to keep possession, especially with no traffic in front. But there’s also a “high dot / low dot” concept in hockey — if he shoots from a low dot (closer to the goal line), you can at least create a faceoff or rebound. Maybe he was tired, or just saw a chance he liked. Either way, it’s part of the learning curve for a young superstar who’s still adapting to situational hockey.
Love the discussion — that’s how we grow the game together.
Well said! The Blackhawks are definitely a lot more fun to watch this season.
Thanks for your comment
Thanks for your thoughtful comment — really great insight!
You’re absolutely right — in hockey, the toughest part of scouting is projection. Trying to predict what kind of player someone will be at 23 is never an exact science. So many variables — confidence, opportunity, injuries, mindset — can completely change a player’s development curve.
I agree, KD has done an excellent job this season. For Chicago, this year (and next) should be all about evaluation — both with the Blackhawks and the IceHogs. It’s the right way to build. You can already see key pieces of the puzzle taking shape:
• On defense: Knight, Rinzel, Vlasic, and Levshunov look like long-term core options.
• Up front: Bedard and Nazar are legit foundation forwards.
• Veterans like Donato and Bertuzzi serve as smart transition players.
• And now KD has decisions to make on guys like Mikheyev and Murphy in their final contract years — whether to keep or move them.Meanwhile, players like Dach, Slaggert, Greene, Kaiser, and Crevier are still developing, and KD will need to determine who fits into the long-term picture. Same with the AHL group — Moore, Lardis, Commesso, and Korchinski — plus promising prospects like Frondell and Kantserov overseas.
Next season will mark Phase 2 of the rebuild: continue developing, keep evaluating, and start shaping the true roster core. The following 2–3 years will be about roster construction — building through your assets, draft picks, and smart trades rather than relying on UFAs. That’s the modern NHL formula, and it feels like Chicago is on the right path.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.