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rpete, the club wants to take a step, to get the offense going, to create chances for their young talent. You can’t unlock any of that without some kind of stability in your own end. You can’t be getting hemmed in using 25-30 seconds to get the puck out cuz there is nothing left in the tank for that shift. Or, not being able to steady the structure defensively when the opponent is buzzing and creating chances.
Gryz will bring some stability to a very very young backend and not clog up the pipeline.
I think Mr.G starts the year in Rockford unless Murphy is traded.
More likely Grizz will be released from his PTO with Kaiser onboard to seek employment elsewhere.
AssMan, are you comfortable with just Murphy as your only vet on defense and the rest young or straight up rookies with all having less than 100-150 NHL games with no safety net on the roster or even at RKF? … I think it’s just crazy for a club looking to be more competitive, without some crazy anchor contract vet from outside vesthe system, and a young stud goalie taking the reigns as an NHL starter for the first time in his NHL career.
I love the idea of having a solid vet who can still play on 2 of the 3 D pairings. It gives Blashil some structure every system needs and still leaves 2-3 spots open for whichever kid/prospect plays best and earns a spot. The rest go to RKF and develops.
The Grzelcyk situation comes down to roster construction. If the Blackhawks go with 7 defensemen and 14 forwards, Grzelcyk could find himself as the extra man. But if they carry 8 defensemen and 13 forwards, his experience gives him the edge.
For a veteran like Grzelcyk, sitting out as a healthy scratch isn’t ideal, but it’s part of the job. For a young prospect, however, that role can stall development. They’re better off logging big minutes in Rockford than watching from the press box.
The bigger question lies with Chicago’s top prospects. Players like Artyom Levshunov and Kevin Korchinski can’t just be sheltered on the third pair playing 12 minutes a night. They need to be in the top four, eating 15+ minutes, and seeing time on special teams.
That’s the challenge of a rebuild stacked with young talent — too many prospects ready at once. In the short term, it can create lineup headaches and growing pains. But long term, if managed properly, it’s the kind of problem that turns into a payoff.
Going into the season with 1 deeply experienced Dman in Murphy and the rest of the unit having less than 100 NHL games played ain’t wise. I don’t care how many of your young Dmen are blue chippers or can’t misses they are still just babies at this level. Some will be overwhelmed some will do ok but hit a wall but each one will have some sort of a problem acclimating into the toughest position to do so at this level.
Gryz is a vet and can still play. Been on some good teams, knows his way around the league and has a fine profile to fit with this group. ……. You almost knew KD would add a vet to the backend but he was patient and got a Gryz at no cost.. Depending on camp of course but I see Gryz breaking camp with the club and having a role with this squad… Good fit, IMO. He’ll help keep things from going sideways and Knight, who’s an NHL starter for the first time, will appreciate Gryz a whole lot….
Damn that seems like a team friendly deal. Not a bad move by Knight gets stability knows he’s going to be here for the next 4 years.
The extension is 3 yrs, Dots. ..
Knight signs a bridge deal!!! 3 yrs at 5.8 per……….I think this is what I was hoping for. Hawks don’t rope themselves to a 5-8 yr deal for an uber talented kid that hasn’t played more than 40ish games in a yr. And for Knight he fills his pockets with cash in the near term and if he hits anywhere near his ceiling he’s gonna get a big fat long term deal.. Risk either way for both sides but the 3 yr deal is the most risk averse option.
Mostly agree with you Ricochet. Buium reminds me of Dougie Hamilton. Lots or PP points, but really a #5 defenseman. Demidov will be flashy and put up points. Unfortunately, I don’t see any resemblance to Datsyuk other than he’s Russian. Will be a defensive liability as he’s already shown. Lev will end up a #1 RHD against the strongest opponents within the next 2 years, and putting up points. Kind of a Seabrook+. 3 years away from a top 3 for the Norris.
Hey Wiz, really glad to see you made it over. Always enjoyed your hockey thoughts…… IMO Buium and Hamilton are night5 and day. In fact, I thought Rinzel’s ceiling profiled Hamilton (until this last yr when he showed excellent poise, awareness and has become pretty good in his own zone with room to grow still) since they drafted him. Buium’s IQ means he makes plays all over the ice with and without the puck. Dougie at best is a top points producer, valuable, but a bit too one D dimensional whereas Buium impacts the game on every inch of ice.
Simply said Demidov has the most insane puck possession hands/skill along with insane IQ since Datsyuk. Not good, not great, not elite but insane. I haven’t seen those traits in one player until Demidov. ,,,,, Taking Arty over Demidov is like stopping at the hardware store before you go to the candy store. That’s the way to build even though IMO Demidov has rare skill/IQ….. I’ll tell you what, in 5 yrs in a game 7 I’m petrified if Demidov is on the ice. .. He takes being dangerous to another level.
They say it’s between Buium and Parekh, as I’ve said before whatever points a defenseman can provide is a bonus in my eyes. When all said and done i think Arty will be the best two way defenseman of all of them in this draft calls you can’t teach size and explosive first steps in every direction.
where that IQ
Like Rinzel he may be the best defenseman from that draft calls, another big dman with great skating ability.The IQ Buium showed as a true freshman at U of Denver (think they won it all) was near off the charts and it looked like he matured physically to where his IQ was put into action. IMO no higher IQ Dman in that draft than Buium. Good chance to be a real difference maker in the Bigs. …. But, IMO drafting Lev was the right thing to do.
Watched a lotta Parekh for 2 yrs in Major Junior. This kid has enormous offensive upside and profiles just like Karlsson. A Dman who can pop 80 pts in the Bigs but man, like Karlsson, is defense is terrible and he has a slight frame. I take Buium, Dickinson, Artie ahead of Parekh probably even Yaremchuk too…… Never know, kids grow into things that are hard to predict but I can’t see him as being anything but a soft borderline pts machine.
It worked out great. Savard won a Stanley Cup and retired a Blackhawk!
Hey Lou, great to see you made it over…
Dots, something wrong with my cursor, it won’t let me quote you but let me reply. Yikes. We’ve been thru this at HB, and as Frenchy correctly pointed out, Arty and Demidov will be compared forever.
IIRC you were in the same camp as me that yr that the two hardest pieces to add is a #1 Dman, especially a RHD, and a 1 or 2C and if they have size you’re holding aces. Both Artie and Frondell fit that mold although, as you know, I think they went with Frondell cuz he has a super high floor and checks loads of boxes. Generally speaking when you are drafting top 5 and something like that presents you have to grab that rare and coveted commodity. You must, it’s the right thing to do. In fact I posted a month out from that draft KD would take Arty cuz it’s the right thing to do. How often does a projected 220lb RHD who can skate? .. I doubt there was a hole lotta debate within the organIzation between Artie and Demidov and I’d say 90% of the league would have done the same thing.
Even though, as you know, I’d bet Buium ends up the best Dman outa the draft but that’s not to say Artie wouldn’t be a core piece on a cup winning team that challenges every yr. And as you know with Demidov, I’m the guy who said the kid looks more like Datsyuk than any player I’d seen since him.. No surprise if he hits 80-90-100 pts a few times. But he’s a winger that is a tad smallish. A great commodity but easier to obtain than a #1 Damn or 1 or 2 C…. You take the rarer commodity especially if loads of boxes are checked.
One more thing, again. 4 yrs ogo Artie was playing in weakish Belurus jrs. Next yr a different continet and USHL. Next yr Michigan St where he’s drafted. Next yr, last yr, 18 NHL games and 52 AHL games. And the kid cleared every hurdle without the benefit of being in the same yr twice……. Simply said IMO Artie has the highest ceiling of anyone in the organIzation not named Bedard ……….
We pretty much know his floor. The defense is going to take a couple years as you say. Locking Knight up early is to our advantage and also sends a message we’re all in keeping young core guys. As I said, I think he’s in a unique situation where shorter term makes more sense to him. Something like 4x$6.75.
rpete, do you have any concerns about Knight’s mental issues that took him out of the game for a bit? Do you think that factors in the Hawks’ thinking as far as a contract?
This site still has some cracks in it, posted a reply and it disappeared
Did you look behind the dryer? I find everything there.
You’re hitting on all cylinders, rpete.
Frenchy, The Real Wiz has compiled a 7 rd mock draft the last 20-25 yrs at lines.com and had Hawk’s season tickets in the 60’s!! And he has thoughts…….. Glad to see you stumble in, Wiz.
Damn fine work, Frenchy. .. Frenchy, followed the USHL Steel from 2005 all the way to Covid. Season tix for 10-12 of them which means I’ve seen the U-17 and U-18 NTDP every single yr live during that span. As you know it’s a flat out goalie factory and for my money Knight is the best I’ve seen out of The Program, or from the USHL, until Hrabal 3-4 yrs ago (Hrabal went 3 picks after Gajun to AZ, Augustine after that).
IMO Knight is the most technical goalie I’ve seen since Price and as his HD SPG will attest the kid is an elite athlete. This dude is eye candy, he moves and skates so so beautifully and understands being square and in balance is priority 1. I think it’ll take seeing him start 50 games for the Hawks until I believe he is a Hawk. … This trade might impact the organIzation more than any other the next 10 yrs.
I’m all in one this guy and Wiz is right, let’s sit back and watch this kid over a full season. The position is volitile but you gotta bet on someone and this kid is a bona fide blue chipper.
