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Slaggert sent down to Rockford.
Honestly it’s probably for the best with how he has played. There is a lot of effort but not much result so far with him. He can get more minutes in the AHL right now and maybe find his next gear.
per Scott Powers:
Oliver Moore was recalled, in Seattle for the morning skate, and expected to play tonight.
Dickinson is now week to week.What a great opportunity for Moore. He has the tools to stick, we’ll see if he is ready to make it day in and day out.
I have to say, in general the team is trending in a good direction lately in the 5v5 play on the ice. I’m excited for when these young D have another year or two under their belt, we might really start to be a team that has some real play driving from the back end again.
Those on ice officials sucked! But I am really rankled by the offside that wasn’t called offside. What is the linesman looking at? Then, Toronto said he maintained possession when he clearly didn’t. This league is still a minor league with calls like that.
FWIW, Blashill said that after they got in the room and he was able to watch it again he agreed with the call on the ice. If that’s gonna be the way they call it now, I guess I would just hope they are consistent in calling it that way going forward. What gets me is where the rule seems to flip flop depending on the situation.
Agreed but Rinzel has been getting beat up lately and no one came to his aid last night in the 1st with that late hit behind the net. He’s already sporting a black eye as well. At what point does Kyle go out and bring someone in to protect his investments? Bring up EDM? And once they go to 12-6 again, they won’t be able to shield mins for Arty and our newest “3-wheeled shopping cart” Murphy.
Good points.
From my seat, I would like to see Vlasic take more of the stand up for the teammate role. Not saying goon it up, but he does have the physical gifts, I think he holds back.
You mentioned Murphy and we all know his groin issues and such are slowing him down, along with age creeping in, but I thought he had a better game last night. He had a couple really good hits, one that led to the shorthanded chance where Nazar and Foligno overpassed the puck. The dude is still getting a big share of the dzone draws, playing physical, and giving what he has out there. Out of all our D, the opposing team has the fewest shots on goal per 60(5v5) when Murphy is on the ice while he leads the team in dzone starts per 60 (5v5). His role has decreased a bit, but he hasn’t been a liability.
I think Blashill has more so sheltered Grezlyck along with Levshunov as the two guys he doesn’t want to put out in the Dzone. With this 7 D rotation, it seems like Rinzel/Vlasic/Kaiser get a little bit of everything, Murphy/Crevier are specialized into Dzone minutes as much as possible. Grzelyck/Levshunov shelter from Dzone starts. I have to say, I think Grzelyck for his deficiencies in his own end, has done the stuff he is good at pretty well. Skates well, makes good passes to move the puck but he can be an adventure in his own end and isn’t very physical or gonna win a ton of battles. I think the good is outweighing the bad with him as long as the Hawks can keep him out of situations they don’t want him in, like defending in his end against a heavy forecheck team.
Just wanted to add, the thing I liked tonight, it was better management of the puck to me. Lots of small space passes to players and more poise with the puck on the stick tonight as a group. I didn’t think that after 10 games we’d have 33 goals for and only 25 against for +8. The team hasn’t had to trail very often usually had the lead or tied. Actually approaching the middle of the pack for shots against per game now, they’ve brought that average down under 30. -4.9 shot differential per game right now, which is still not great but this is where the small things get important. Win a couple more shifts a game, and suddenly that differential will start to even out. That might come from more guys selling out to block shots, getting more sticks in lanes, winning more draws or improving the cycle on the attack to get more offensive pressure as examples.
Rinzel deserves so much credit too as a guy in his first real season playing the role he does on the top pair. Vlasic and Rinzel have been facing the other team’s top players (the numbers strongly back this up) and they’ve been a generally solid pair. They might become a pair that teams around the league hate to go up against.
This was a game where they really deserved to win it. Nice to see it. Bedard was feeling it and getting his shots going with a lot of chances.
Now I know it was against a more tired Ottawa team, but still nice to see them go out there and score a bunch while limiting chances against. It was shaky for a bit, but after the failed challenge (It was offside) at least they got a lot of momentum from the PK which almost resulted in a SHG.
Overall, just an entertaining game and they came out on the right side of it. I liked when Dach/Lafferty/Foligno were on the ice together, they seemed to be a really good checking line.
I came across and interesting quote on Twitter. Some praise for Lardis on his game away from the puck.
@Chi_Prospects
Here’s a quote from #IceHogs HC Jared Nightingale on Nick Lardis last week:
“Before he started putting points up his play away from the puck and defensive game. He scored 70 goals in junior but his care and hockey IQ away from the puck…”“I think that’s what really got his game going these first five games. It’s awesome to see him get rewarded. When the puck is on his stick he’s a threat, but for his youth and inexperience at the pro level to pick up our defensive habits was really impressive.”
Early in the 2nd period, in a late morning game, Rockford leads Chicago 6-0. Moore 1 G, Lardis 2 G, Savoie 1 G, Joey Anderson 1 G and Cates with a goal.
I was checking that out too. Seemed like Lardis (2G 1A), Moore (1G 1A) and Korchinski(2A) are really going today in what I’ve seen.
I can’t wait for EDM and Moore to graduate to the NHL, they’ll be upgrades to some on the current roster. For those that watch Rockford, how is EDM looking?
I would also add Allan to the graduation list as I really think he’s ready to be an NHL stay-at home rearguard but he’s unfortunately tasked with being KK’s partner. Hawks need a shutdown pairing and honestly don’t have one right now. I hope to be able to catch more Rockford games going forward and would love to hear any player analysis from those that have watched at least a few of the games.
On the outside looking in, Hogs are +5 in 7 games and EDM is +7 with 3 pts (3 helpers) in 7 games leading all blueliners and staying out of the box thus far. Meanwhile, KK +3 in 6 games with 4 pts and Allan +2 in 5 games with 1 pt. Both had concussions and both can’t seem to stay out of the box.I think EDM really hurt his stock with his play in the preseason and start of the year. The spot was his to take and they ended up going with the PTO for Grezlcyk. He seems to have bounced back decently in the AHL which is promising.
From Scott Powers’ article today:
“Hawks are allowing, on average, more shot attempts, more shots on goal, more scoring chances and more high-danger chances than they did last season.Also,
overall:
defensive zone percentage 43.8 ranks 31st
offensive zone percentage 38.3 ranks 32ndat even strength:
defensive zone percentage 42.8 ranks 28th
offensive zone percentage 38.7 ranks 29thIt’s true, the play on the ice isn’t that much different from last season. Some tweaks and some younger personnel, but there are still a lot of the same flaws. The big part right now is that the Hawks have been finishing chances at a high rate and getting much better than typical goaltending. Losing Mrazek and adding knight has been a huge swing in ability to stay in games.
I might ruffle some feathers, but we don’t have a true #1 Center. Bedard is very talented, but he doesn’t at this time check all the boxes of a good and effective 1C. I’m not saying he doesn’t offer a lot, but the 200 foot game, the complete game, the board battles and everything that goes into it, it’s not at the level where you win more shifts than you lose yet. Nazar’s game is more complete but still he is growing into that top 6 C role and has more to round out. These are growing pains and things will work themselves out as more F bubble up through the system, but to me, Bedard will have to continue to improve his overall game or end up at wing.
Levshunov to me right now, should be playing AHL minutes. He has talent and does a lot of good things but there are still struggles and he is only 19. This whole 11F and 7D is a Band-Aid over the real issue. How is he going to get better playing in his own end when the coach is afraid to put him on the ice in the Dzone? They can only shelter him for so long before they have to either pull off the Band-Aid and let him play or send him down.
I’ll probably get flak for this too, but Kaiser should be and would be 3rd pair LD on a good team. I know he had a few good games to start the year and the coach has given him minutes, but the cracks have been showing against tougher competition. Grezlcyk is also a 3rd pair guy. The Hawks to be a better team would ultimately need another option in the top 4. The right side isn’t without issues either. Rinzel is learning on the job. Levshunov is inconsistent. Crevier is a 7th D. Murphy is wearing down and starting to really visibly struggle to keep up.
I like the direction the team is heading in, but just saying we have a ways to go before the wins come more regular, because we are gonna continue to be outplayed, relying on goaltending and counter-attacking with speed to try to close the gap.
