I like the pairings more than the lines. The Kurashev disrespect is very weird. Shalunov is not that good. That first line genuinely sounds like a horrible defensive line as toews has fallen off and Kane has always sucked in that end. I’d still split those two.
Debrincat-Suter-Kane was awesome. The troubles for this team really didn’t start until they split that up to reincorporate Dach into the lineup. I think one of the other lines should be Dach centering Kubalik and Hagel. I believe in Hagels potential to a top 9 forward and his chemistry with Kubalik was really nice this year. Kub has a really nice shot and Hagel is a really good passer combined with his skating and tenacity. Hopefully a healthy Dach can open up space for Hagel to be quick and ferocious.

My opinion behind Kane Cat split is simply this: It doesn’t work in playoff hockey. Unless the center can win the draw and we don’t have that center YET. To defend against Panarin and Kane all Nashville did is win the draw and laugh at anisimov. Maybe Dachs wrist heals up and he can get closer to 50% wins. And it’s no disrespect to Kurashev it’s just he kind of looks like the new Nylander. I’m tired of guys getting “another year to develop”. Sikura, Nylander, Kurashev? How much longer we gonna develop “Top 9” guys who aren’t top line capable before we move one of them to help bolster defense and goal tending. Kane helps the left side score so much it’s amazing. He made Erik Gustaffson look great. Give Kane Dahlin and Debrincat in the Ozone and now the slot, point, and cross ice one timers are at Kaners disposal.

Sikura had nowhere near the potential as Kurashev or Nylander do. His college career was very comparable to Jimmy Vesey who is now a bottom 6 player. As for Nylander and Kurashev, you simply just can’t have it now. You have to give players time to in order to succeed in a rebuild. They both have only one full season of NHL experience. I recommend you go look at Patrick Sharps numbers from his first and second season in Chicago. He certainly didn’t look like the star player he’d become back then. They gave him time because they had a direction, made some smart picks, got lucky with lottery balls and developed quality mid round picks. It led to 3 cups. Kurashev was literally a 4th round pick 3 years ago. He’s 21. He’s got plenty of potential and just needs time to put it together. The NHL opportunity he received this year will help his development and hopefully if Nylander gets the same next year, either or both of them will be support for our stars when we compete for a cup again. You can’t have a now mindset in a retool or rebuild. That’s how you end up with the 2017-18 Blackhawks.

Sidenote: Eichel might be on the move but there is a zero percent chance they look to move Rasmus Dahlin. I’d look for more conservative options to go after for a top pair defenseman, specifically someone who will be an expiring contract after this year on a team looking to move on.

All very good points man. Finally someone making me reconsider some perspective for change. However Nylander I’ll forever dislike cuz I swear the kid makes everyone around him worse.

I recommend you refresh your page. I wrote a lot more than what you quoted

I’m not the biggest Nylander fan, analytics seem to like him but I’ve grown a lot in my hockey knowledge since he last played, which I will say was a terrible bubble performance. Unless we can move him in a package for a truly great defenseman, I think he should be given opportunities to show he can still make it in this league.

I deleted the quote because cuz less scrolling when replying. I like Kurashev I just think he’s the most valuable trade chip to upgrade one of the positions like defense. I watched his world juniors I know he has potential. But at this point you’re asking Kane and Toews even Keith to still be serviceable players and it’s looking less and less likey as the injuries take their toll.

Keith has clearly taken like 10 steps backward, he’s not the future on defense of course but I think we have pieces that can change that. Toews is a question mark with his health but his offensive production last year was still really solid. I disagree about Kane though. Especially if he’s playing with Debrincat, those two both look like they can be over a PPG superstars for the next 3 years at least. I think when we get closer to truly being competitive again, more will come. And once prospects and young players start to show truly great strides, then we can become big players in FA. It worked before. Smart trades and late draft picks led to Versteeg, Byfuglien, Hjalmarsson, Ladd, and Sharp. We hit on multiple high picks with Kane and Toews and then the team was ready to win so we swung big and brought in Hossa, a hall of fame superstar. We’re in the first stage of that process, and there’s certainly more hope and potential on this team than a team like the 2005-06 hawks.