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The Hawks speed and skill from the young forwards is really starting to show. Moore, Nazar, Reichel for example in the recent games. Coach Frenchy hit the nail on the head with the top 6 starting to actually create match up problems. The extra speed and the added maturity of the young forwards makes a big difference. Exciting times!
Hey Rico. I tried quoting you, but it got lost in the ether. Regarding del Mastro.
I must be seeing something different. I really like del Mastro, but I’ve seen a very tentative and unsure player in the games he’s played. He’s made some good plays for sure, but he’s been slow on passes and decisions. He worked so hard in Rockford to make quick decisions and drive the puck the other way, it’s been kind of disappointing to see him tentative. Looks like he’s getting this game off along with Murphy.
Pretty much the expected starting lineup playing tonight aside from the Dickinson/Lafferty/Mikheyev line. Lardis, Spellacy, and Savoie playing tonight (not sure on what lines).
He definitely got caught out of position and was exposed a few times pretty badly in that last game. IMO he is only kind of average mobility and quickness so it’s gonna be more about that decision making and experience to help him avoid the pitfalls.
I’m personally not sold on Levshunov making the team out of camp (he might make it but I don’t know that he is ready) as he was showing a lot of rough edges still IMO. I thought Crevier, Del Mastro, Rinzel has a good game against the Wings. KK was only okay. Kaiser/Levshunov as a pair generated some offense, but had a lot of struggles as well.
Levshunov/KK might both end up playing AHL hockey again to start the season and nothing wrong with that based on their age as some of the youngest D the Hawks have at the pro level. D-men take time. Even Rinzel seems to have a fair bit to iron out after his college experience (still also so young). I don’t see the Hawks selling on any of those three at this stage.
Really great to see the young guys you expect to be good looking good to start the rookie camp. With the amount of draft picks the Hawks have made in recent years, we are really starting to see the swell of talent coming into the NHL level. I really like the unknown factor of who will surprise and earn a spot.
One thing I think people forget too, is just how fast some of these kids change from ages 18-19-20 etc.. A guy that was maybe a step behind or lacked strength might come in from summer with significant improvements. It can feel like it happens in a blink of an eye. Exciting times to be a Hawks fan as they probably start to finally move the needle with the rebuild a bit here.
Here’s a comment I made to a Frenchy article about Bertuzzi:
Bertuzzi was a “do something” signing.
He was an erratic knucklehead all season, same as he’s always been.
It’s tough to say this about a $5.5mm player, but they need to put him in the right situations so he can succeed.
He needs to remain on the PP, because he does create some confusion around the net.
But for heaven’s sake, keep him off Bedard’s line.
Just in his time w/Bedard before Xmas, I saw him fail to finish a good 7 or 8
open looks Bedard served him. Whiffed, shanked, missed the net, or shot into the goalie’s chest, he did it all.Any improvement he makes from last year would be like finding money on the sidewalk.
I would really love to see him step it up. He has decent hands, he can finish those chances in close, and he tries to battle (gets knocked on his rear a lot) but it would be good to see him just bring a more complete game a little bit. Or maybe if things go well he can be delegated to 3rd line.
Hawks roster for Kurvers showcase.
Thanks for this.
I’m just hoping for ONE “holy crap” surprise jump in skill level at this event.
Any more than that would be gravy.I think Nick Lardis is going to stand out, maybe along with Vanacker and Spellacy.
I don’t know if it happened to anyone else, but i couldn’t register here, and just figured out a week later that the email to create a password was going to my Spam folder. All good now, just have to figure out how to do my profile
Edit: Actually figured it out.
I had the exact same issue with it going to my Gmail Spam folder. I hope the admin of the site realizes this might be making the process more difficult for people. I know there can be some modifications to email settings to help prevent it being marked as SPAM.
Hi Everyone, great to see the old squad from HB assembling here. Reading through the posts on HB and now here is my routine start of the day with a coffee. Look forward to the discussions, banter, and insights!!!
Same. I can’t wait for the season to start and the conversations to really get going. 🙂
Wondering if Kyle enters the chat for Carey Price’s contract. Brossoit for Price + 2026 conditional pick perhaps? Habs are currently $4.8 million over the cap. Swapping Price for Brossoit would get the Habs $3 mil under the cap so they’d still have room to play with down the line. Also nets them a solid goalie if he returns to playing in 25-26. For Hawks, they get something in return for Brossoit and let their problem become the Habs’ problem while absorbing Price’s contract.
I think it’s a definite possibility and a creative take. I’m super curious what is going on with Brossoit and if he will play again.
This has to me really just been a factor of just how soon in the rebuild the Hawks got Bedard. He came in very very early in the rebuild and KD has stuck to his guns about keeping the rebuild on course. Eye on the prize. Connor Bedard is a great young player with potential to be generational but he is just one player and one player doesn’t make a rebuild or a team. The help is coming up through the system, but I think Bedard understands the situation of the team and where they are at. I think he sees the guys like Nazar, Rinzel, Frondell, etc.. coming. It’s just a matter of time for the team to really start to come together and then we’ll see the Hawks get more aggressive to fill holes. I’m in the camp that it doesn’t hurt Bedard to have to carry the load a bit in his young seasons. He is used to that from Jr. It won’t slow him down or damage his long term potential. He will still be great when he is ready but he has had to do a lot of growing and maturing too. If, for example, the Hawks were a playoff team the last couple years, Bedard would have been manhandled come postseason playoff hockey. He is getting better all the time and we’ll see him become a more complete player ready to really be a superstar for this team.
