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Forum: Chicago BlackhawksJan 6 at 1:37
Thread: Last Night Takeaways
Coliton defiantly put out some unique lines but it seemed to pay off in the end. Surrounding Kane with two players who are usually shutdown players seemed to help keep the balance. Kane makes anyone he plays with instantly better as seen by Sikura's success playing with him (nothing his first NHL goal).

Line Breakdown:

Line 1: Kubalik-Toews-Quenneville

Kubalik: 1 goal, +2, 2 PIM, 3 SOG, 4 hits, 17:15 TOI, 0:51 TOIPP
Probably the best pickup since Panarin, Kubalik has definitely found his offensive groove after a solid defensive but underwhelming offensive start to the season. Kubalik is looking more and more like a Brandon Saad type player. He was all over the ice and exploded up the ice on a breakaway after a beautiful pass from Keith. He ended up getting shut down by Howard on a great save but latter netted an empty net goal.

Toews: 1 assist, +2, 2 PIM, 4 SOG, 1 hit, 9-5-64% face-offs, 22:11 TOI, 5:09 TOIPP, 1:14 TOISH
He was just his usually self. All over the ice making good plays with and without the puck. He might not be on the same pace as last season but Toews is definitely having another great season and is definitely keeping his name on the scoresheet.

Quenneville: +1, 2 SOG, 2 hits, 13:52 TOI, 0:51 TOIPP
The former 1st round pick has been underwhelming in his first stint with the Hawks. He hasn't really contributed to much anywhere on the ice besides some short possessions in the offensive zone. Don't get me wrong, he definitely goes balls out every shift its just he doesn't do anything particularly well. However he did earn some power play time. He's simply a placeholder until Saad, Shaw, or Caggiula rejoin the lineup.

Line 2: Sikura-Carpenter-Kane

Sikura: 1 goal, +1, 1 SOG, 9:39 TOI
I think this was his best game of his career. Not just because he scored but because he was all over the ice. Positionally he was almost perfect. He played hard in the corners and ended up cashing in off a rebound. He gets a lot of hate for not producing as well offensively as he was projected too after lighting it up in college and the AHL. Sikura seems to be locking himself in as a top 9/bottom 6 depth player who will be a 20-30 point scorer.

Carpenter: 5 hits, 1 block, 1-12-14% face-offs, 14:55 TOI, 3:08 TOISH
If you have been reading my analysis throughout the year, you'll know how much I love Carpy. Now I will admit, he's been a little underwhelming lately however, every player has their ups and downs. Last night was a good game for him. He battled hard in front of the net, forechecked very well yet was still able to get back in time. The shutdown center is cemented in as a 3rd/4th line shutdown center and PK specialist.

Kane: 1 assist, +1, 1 hit, 21:02 TOI, 5:09 TOIPP
I was surprisingly underwhelmed by his game last night. He looked slow and tired. However Kane being slow and tired is another players top gear. He has 7 points in his last 3 games while averaging over 21 minutes per game.

Line 3: DeBrincat-Strome-Dach

DeBrincat: 1 assist, +1, 2 SOG, 2 hits, 17:01 TOI, 5:09 TOIPP
WOW. Despite only recording one assist, DeBrincat had one hell of a night. He easily created 4 or 5 A+ scoring chances. The smallest player on the Hawks roster is also one of the feistiest. He won board battles, played in the corners, and had some of the best board retrievals I have seen. While he might not hit the 40 goal mark this season, his overall game has definitely improved.

Strome: 1 goal, +1, 4 SOG, 1 hit, 1 block, 4-3-57% face-offs, 17:21 TOI, 5:09 TOIPP
Boom to bust then back to boom, the former 3rd overall pick has defiantly had his fair share of struggles to begin his career. However since joining the Hawks, all that has been forgotten. Rekindling his chemistry with best friend Alex DeBrincat, Strome has been an absolute force. While Strome is defiantly more of a playmaker than goal scorer, last night he was a pure sniper. A sweet snipe that went post and in marked his 10th goal of the season assisted by none other than Alex DeBrincat.

Dach: +1, 1 SOG, 2 hits, 1-0-100% face-offs, 13:29 TOI, 0:51 TOIPP
Again, those of you who have read my forums before know I've been hard on Kirby Dach. But the expectations after being the 3rd overall pick are high. He was off to a great start in his first 15 games but since then, he's been in a bit or a rut. Yes he's only 18 and yes he is playing sheltered minutes, but nothing about his game has really stood out besides his size and reach (I know that is why the Hawks drafted him but still). He had an average game last night. He did nothing eye popping, he also did nothing bad either. Positionally he was good.

Line 4: Smith-Kampf-Highmore

Smith: 1 assist, +1, 2 hits, 1 block, 12:29 TOI, 2:04 TOISH
Smith has had a relatively quiet season but last night he really shined. He made some great plays and really seemed to play with a pep in his step. He looked like the player the Hawks saw when they traded Anisimov for him this offseason. Maybe the birth of his newborn rejuvenated the veteran player.

Kampf: 1 hit, 5-3-62% Face-offs, 12:37 TOI, 2:14 TOISH
Another one of my favorite players, Kampf is a true defensive center. He easily had the best defensive positioning of any player last night. Primarily put out during the PK and defensive zone/high risk situations, Kampf is the next Kruger. He has no fear, getting into shooting lanes, battling in the corner, he does it all.

Highmore: -1, 3 hits, 8:32 TOI, 0:38 TOISH
After an injury plagued last season, Highmore is back in action. Highmore is an absolute tank. He's stockier than most players weighing in at 181lbs and 5'11", but uses that to his advantage as it's hard to knock him off the puck. He did a great job of cycling the puck in the offensive zone and did a surprisingly good job at driving the play into the o-zone. He defiantly had some bad turnovers in the d-zone that almost turned into a goal against.

D-pairings:

Keith-Boqvist

Keith: 1 assist, +1, 2 SOG, 1 hit, 4 blocks, 22:09 TOI, 0:51 TOIPP, 2:25 TOISH
Duncan Keith may be one of the most reliable defenseman in the NHL. His offensive numbers have gone down but his overall game is still top notch. He made a beautiful stretch pass that landed right on the tape of Dominik Kubalik sending him off on a breakaway. He also displayed some great patience in the offensive zone waiting for shooting lanes to open or finding the open forward in the slot. Keith has 5 assists in his last 5 games.

Boqvist: 1 goal, +1, 3 SOG, 1 GWG, 1 hit, 20:32 TOI, 5:44 TOIPP
While his offensive production this season hasn’t been eye popping, the rookie defenseman has points in back to back games. Last night the offensive dman showed why he was selected top 10 in the draft. He scored a beautiful goal walking in from the blue line before ripping a shot past Howard for the game winning goal. He logged over 5 minutes on the power play and looked comfortable moving the puck all over. Defensively he struggled a little but that will come with some more experience. Besides quarterbacking the Hawks first power play unit, Boqvist has seen a major spike in ice time logging over 20 minutes in 3 of his last 4 games.

Gustafsson-Murphy

Gustafsson: 1 assist, 2 SOG, 3 hits, 19:51 TOI, 0:16 TOIPP, 0:25 TOISH
After having a breakout season last year, Gus has definitely taken a step back in the point department and has seen his power play time decrease with the emergencies of Adam Boqvist. His play has been questionable lately with some bad turnovers and lackluster defensive play. He wasn’t very noticeable last night which can be both good and bad.

Murphy: +1, 2 PIM, 2 SOG, 2 hits, 3 blocks, 21:15 TOI, 1:25 TOISH
Finally healthy, Murphy is thriving as a top 4 defender for the Hawks. He plays in all situations and has become somewhat of an offensive threat. He did a great job of boxing out in front of the night, he maintained great gap control and had no big turnovers. He looked confident with the puck on his stick while making crisp tape to tape passes. While Murphy is a defensive defenseman, he looks like he’s adding some offense to his game creating the reliable 2 way defender the Hawks so desperately need.

Maatta-Gilbert

Maatta:+1, 1 SOG, 2 hits, 3 blocks, 15:28 TOI, 2:14 TOISH
Having criticized Maatta for his lack of speed before, I may have judged him too soon. He seems to have found his game as a shutdown dman who compensates for his lack of foot speed with quick thinking and solid positioning. Maatta wasn’t very noticeable last night but that’s not a bad thing for him.

Gilbert: +1, 5 hits, 3 blocks, 15:43 TOI, 2:49 TOISH
Another one of my favorite players, Gilbert has really come into his own this season securing his position as a depth defender with an edge to his game. He did a great job of taking away passing lanes and keeping the puck out of high danger areas. While not the fastest of skaters, Gilbert is a hitting machine not afraid of anyone. He sets the tone of the game and is a very high energy player as seen last night. He reminds me a lot of Dustin Byfuglien just without the offensive upside.
Forum: NHLJan 6 at 1:37
Thread: Last Night Takeaways
Coliton defiantly put out some unique lines but it seemed to pay off in the end. Surrounding Kane with two players who are usually shutdown players seemed to help keep the balance. Kane makes anyone he plays with instantly better as seen by Sikura's success playing with him (nothing his first NHL goal).

Line Breakdown:

Line 1: Kubalik-Toews-Quenneville

Kubalik: 1 goal, +2, 2 PIM, 3 SOG, 4 hits, 17:15 TOI, 0:51 TOIPP
Probably the best pickup since Panarin, Kubalik has definitely found his offensive groove after a solid defensive but underwhelming offensive start to the season. Kubalik is looking more and more like a Brandon Saad type player. He was all over the ice and exploded up the ice on a breakaway after a beautiful pass from Keith. He ended up getting shut down by Howard on a great save but latter netted an empty net goal.

Toews: 1 assist, +2, 2 PIM, 4 SOG, 1 hit, 9-5-64% face-offs, 22:11 TOI, 5:09 TOIPP, 1:14 TOISH
He was just his usually self. All over the ice making good plays with and without the puck. He might not be on the same pace as last season but Toews is definitely having another great season and is definitely keeping his name on the scoresheet.

Quenneville: +1, 2 SOG, 2 hits, 13:52 TOI, 0:51 TOIPP
The former 1st round pick has been underwhelming in his first stint with the Hawks. He hasn't really contributed to much anywhere on the ice besides some short possessions in the offensive zone. Don't get me wrong, he definitely goes balls out every shift its just he doesn't do anything particularly well. However he did earn some power play time. He's simply a placeholder until Saad, Shaw, or Caggiula rejoin the lineup.

Line 2: Sikura-Carpenter-Kane

Sikura: 1 goal, +1, 1 SOG, 9:39 TOI
I think this was his best game of his career. Not just because he scored but because he was all over the ice. Positionally he was almost perfect. He played hard in the corners and ended up cashing in off a rebound. He gets a lot of hate for not producing as well offensively as he was projected too after lighting it up in college and the AHL. Sikura seems to be locking himself in as a top 9/bottom 6 depth player who will be a 20-30 point scorer.

Carpenter: 5 hits, 1 block, 1-12-14% face-offs, 14:55 TOI, 3:08 TOISH
If you have been reading my analysis throughout the year, you'll know how much I love Carpy. Now I will admit, he's been a little underwhelming lately however, every player has their ups and downs. Last night was a good game for him. He battled hard in front of the net, forechecked very well yet was still able to get back in time. The shutdown center is cemented in as a 3rd/4th line shutdown center and PK specialist.

Kane: 1 assist, +1, 1 hit, 21:02 TOI, 5:09 TOIPP
I was surprisingly underwhelmed by his game last night. He looked slow and tired. However Kane being slow and tired is another players top gear. He has 7 points in his last 3 games while averaging over 21 minutes per game.

Line 3: DeBrincat-Strome-Dach

DeBrincat: 1 assist, +1, 2 SOG, 2 hits, 17:01 TOI, 5:09 TOIPP
WOW. Despite only recording one assist, DeBrincat had one hell of a night. He easily created 4 or 5 A+ scoring chances. The smallest player on the Hawks roster is also one of the feistiest. He won board battles, played in the corners, and had some of the best board retrievals I have seen. While he might not hit the 40 goal mark this season, his overall game has definitely improved.

Strome: 1 goal, +1, 4 SOG, 1 hit, 1 block, 4-3-57% face-offs, 17:21 TOI, 5:09 TOIPP
Boom to bust then back to boom, the former 3rd overall pick has defiantly had his fair share of struggles to begin his career. However since joining the Hawks, all that has been forgotten. Rekindling his chemistry with best friend Alex DeBrincat, Strome has been an absolute force. While Strome is defiantly more of a playmaker than goal scorer, last night he was a pure sniper. A sweet snipe that went post and in marked his 10th goal of the season assisted by none other than Alex DeBrincat.

Dach: +1, 1 SOG, 2 hits, 1-0-100% face-offs, 13:29 TOI, 0:51 TOIPP
Again, those of you who have read my forums before know I've been hard on Kirby Dach. But the expectations after being the 3rd overall pick are high. He was off to a great start in his first 15 games but since then, he's been in a bit or a rut. Yes he's only 18 and yes he is playing sheltered minutes, but nothing about his game has really stood out besides his size and reach (I know that is why the Hawks drafted him but still). He had an average game last night. He did nothing eye popping, he also did nothing bad either. Positionally he was good.

Line 4: Smith-Kampf-Highmore

Smith: 1 assist, +1, 2 hits, 1 block, 12:29 TOI, 2:04 TOISH
Smith has had a relatively quiet season but last night he really shined. He made some great plays and really seemed to play with a pep in his step. He looked like the player the Hawks saw when they traded Anisimov for him this offseason. Maybe the birth of his newborn rejuvenated the veteran player.

Kampf: 1 hit, 5-3-62% Face-offs, 12:37 TOI, 2:14 TOISH
Another one of my favorite players, Kampf is a true defensive center. He easily had the best defensive positioning of any player last night. Primarily put out during the PK and defensive zone/high risk situations, Kampf is the next Kruger. He has no fear, getting into shooting lanes, battling in the corner, he does it all.

Highmore: -1, 3 hits, 8:32 TOI, 0:38 TOISH
After an injury plagued last season, Highmore is back in action. Highmore is an absolute tank. He's stockier than most players weighing in at 181lbs and 5'11", but uses that to his advantage as it's hard to knock him off the puck. He did a great job of cycling the puck in the offensive zone and did a surprisingly good job at driving the play into the o-zone. He defiantly had some bad turnovers in the d-zone that almost turned into a goal against.

D-pairings:

Keith-Boqvist

Keith: 1 assist, +1, 2 SOG, 1 hit, 4 blocks, 22:09 TOI, 0:51 TOIPP, 2:25 TOISH
Duncan Keith may be one of the most reliable defenseman in the NHL. His offensive numbers have gone down but his overall game is still top notch. He made a beautiful stretch pass that landed right on the tape of Dominik Kubalik sending him off on a breakaway. He also displayed some great patience in the offensive zone waiting for shooting lanes to open or finding the open forward in the slot. Keith has 5 assists in his last 5 games.

Boqvist: 1 goal, +1, 3 SOG, 1 GWG, 1 hit, 20:32 TOI, 5:44 TOIPP
While his offensive production this season hasn’t been eye popping, the rookie defenseman has points in back to back games. Last night the offensive dman showed why he was selected top 10 in the draft. He scored a beautiful goal walking in from the blue line before ripping a shot past Howard for the game winning goal. He logged over 5 minutes on the power play and looked comfortable moving the puck all over. Defensively he struggled a little but that will come with some more experience. Besides quarterbacking the Hawks first power play unit, Boqvist has seen a major spike in ice time logging over 20 minutes in 3 of his last 4 games.

Gustafsson-Murphy

Gustafsson: 1 assist, 2 SOG, 3 hits, 19:51 TOI, 0:16 TOIPP, 0:25 TOISH
After having a breakout season last year, Gus has definitely taken a step back in the point department and has seen his power play time decrease with the emergencies of Adam Boqvist. His play has been questionable lately with some bad turnovers and lackluster defensive play. He wasn’t very noticeable last night which can be both good and bad.

Murphy: +1, 2 PIM, 2 SOG, 2 hits, 3 blocks, 21:15 TOI, 1:25 TOISH
Finally healthy, Murphy is thriving as a top 4 defender for the Hawks. He plays in all situations and has become somewhat of an offensive threat. He did a great job of boxing out in front of the night, he maintained great gap control and had no big turnovers. He looked confident with the puck on his stick while making crisp tape to tape passes. While Murphy is a defensive defenseman, he looks like he’s adding some offense to his game creating the reliable 2 way defender the Hawks so desperately need.

Maatta-Gilbert

Maatta:+1, 1 SOG, 2 hits, 3 blocks, 15:28 TOI, 2:14 TOISH
Having criticized Maatta for his lack of speed before, I may have judged him too soon. He seems to have found his game as a shutdown dman who compensates for his lack of foot speed with quick thinking and solid positioning. Maatta wasn’t very noticeable last night but that’s not a bad thing for him.

Gilbert: +1, 5 hits, 3 blocks, 15:43 TOI, 2:49 TOISH
Another one of my favorite players, Gilbert has really come into his own this season securing his position as a depth defender with an edge to his game. He did a great job of taking away passing lanes and keeping the puck out of high danger areas. While not the fastest of skaters, Gilbert is a hitting machine not afraid of anyone. He sets the tone of the game and is a very high energy player as seen last night. He reminds me a lot of Dustin Byfuglien just without the offensive upside.
Forum: Armchair-GMDec 17, 2019 at 6:30
Thread: First year player analysis and comparison
<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quoting: <b>Stan_Bowman</b></div><div>Thoughts on your thoughts

Dach: I think a lot of people confuse scoring points with being successful, now don’t get me wrong, scoring points is a huge part of this whole thing but it shouldn’t be the end all be all for an 18 year old kid. I don’t think he’s looked out of place, more often than not I admire his bursts of speed through the ice, his good defensive play in the bottom six, and his confidence to try skills moves every game. He has not been given a fair look in a top 6 role, and I think he is doing fine with what he has. Hopefully he is learning more about proper defense in his current role, and that will help him going forward in the season.

Boqvist: Boqvist hasn’t been very noticeable in these last couple games, but he aught to be in the NHL for a little but. I like him on a pairing with Matta, and I think sheltering him ths year will be best for his development. I don’t have much else to say, but we used his first year already so he’s here to stay.

Gilbert: I really like Gilbert and I hope he can stay in the lineup.

Nylander: As a Nylander truther I must say that your assessment of Nylander is wrong. Nylander is extremely fast (when he wants to be) and has defensive upside (he made many good defensive plays earlier in the year). I think Nylanders problem has been *wait for it* work ethic. When he was working hard every shift he was doing extremely well for us, but probably not scoring at the clip everyone expected him to. When we put him with Toews and Saad I think we broke his confidence and that lead to him not working as hard. I’ve been saying for a long time that Toews and Saad are North South players, while Nylander probably prefers the East west side of things. That line was not a good fit, and he seemed disoriented when playing with them. Nylander is a skill guy in the way that is incompatible with 19 and 20. I hope playing a skill game with Kane should help him get some confidence back, and I think everyone who is screaming for him to be traded is short sighted. Going down to the AHL might be best for him right now, but I think we should let him play with some skill guys first before we judge him.

Sikura: he played really good with Saad and Toews last year. It’s worth giving that a look at some point this year. He’s not going to be the offensive player we thought he was going to be, but he can carve out a bottom 6 niche somewhere.

Kubalik: Great player, finally getting an opportunity on the top line where he deserves to be. Agree totally

Koekkoek: He is a serviceable 7th Dman, I don’t agree with the Duncan Keith comparison. He could work on his positioning more.

Highmore: We probably have enough of this archetype of player, but Highmore works hard and he wears 36 so I love him.</div></div>

<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quoting: <b>SlickWilly</b></div><div>The fact that you are saying to trade Nylander but think Gilbert has the upside of a Seabrook is laughable. You must be drinking the barstool Chief punch. Hes a good 7th defenseman on a contending team, and once Regula, Beaudin, and Vlasic get to the NHL, Gilbert doesn't fit anywhere. Nylander, on the other hand, has the highest upside of any of our young forwards and at 21 years old, he is still very young and has plenty of time to learn how to play defense.</div></div>

Seabrook has no offensive upside right now and that's who I'm comparing Gilbert to. The seabrook of now. not seabs in his prime. Nylander has skill, no doubt, but he doesn't fit in the hawks roster. That's why trading him for a player that does would be more beneficial for both sides. For awhile Sikura was the talk of the town just like Nylander is now. Sikura's value has only gone down since his stint with the hawks. Hawks cannot afford high risk high reward players at this time which is what Nylander is. In terms of Regula, Beaudin, and Vlasic, all of them are far from NHL ready. Regula still hasn't played a pro game and you won't see him for at least another 2 or 3 years. Beaudin needs to find his playing style hence why the hawks have recalled, Boqvist, McCoshen, and Gilbert over him. Beaudin has at least another season in the minors, maybe with a few call ups, before he see's consistent ice time. Vlasic is struggling at the collegiate level defensively. He really has very little offensive upside. Look at his plus minus or any advance stats on him. It will be at least 4 or more years before he makes it to the pros. If anything, Mitchell would be the closest to NHL ready then Beaudin, Galvas, Regula, Vlasic.
Forum: Armchair-GMOct 31, 2019 at 1:06
Thread: Seabs to Vancouver
<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quoting: <b>Petrock83</b></div><div>I don't think a Seabs/Eriksson swap is worth it, especially if we retain. Seabrook is a good veteran leader, a Chicago icon, and while he is not at the level he was before, he is still a defenseman who can play 18-20 minutes a night if necessary, which will be very helpful once our D prospects make it to the NHL. Eriksson is a borderline AHLer who will play 13-15 minutes a night, maybe score 25 points a season and be a defensive liability. The only benefit we get from this is that Eriksson's contract expires two years before Seabrook's contract does, but at that point it will be much easier to trade or buyout Seabrook. There are many deals I would do to unload Seabrook, but the Seabs/Eriksson swap is not one.</div></div>

Loui can also be placed on waivers while seabs cannot