So no hometown discount?: PHT
Plan Bowman (sorry): Blackhawks
Kicking lots of tires: ESPN
Muir’s mock sees Hawks get tender: SI
How is this not set yet?: NHL
Just as we did last night, we’ll give you a few names that should, or could, be around when the Hawks pick at #27. Though today Stan Bowman said he’s not averse to losing that pick for something else, so this all might be moot anyway.
Not that the Hawks tend to draft for need, they generally take the best player available, but the system is short on centers. Right now it’s only Teuvo and Danault, so I’m assuming all things being equal they’ll take a center. That said, they’ll probably just take the best player that’s on the board when it gets to them.
Let’s get to it, then:
They were ostensibly on the third line, at least when the season started, though neither ended up there when the season was over. They shouldn’t be any higher than the third line when next season starts either. But we’ll get to that.
Andrew Shaw
Regular Season: 80 games, 20 goals, 19 assists, 39 points, +12, 0.55 Behind The Net Rating, 16.51 Corsi per 60 (+5.7 Corsi Relative per 60)
Playoffs: 12 games, 2 goals, 6 assists, 8 points, +5, 2.44 Behind the Net Rating, 10.99 Corsi per 60 (+17.9 Corsi Relative per 60)
Well that escalated quickly: Suntimes
I know several great Czech places: Sportsnet.Ca
I would like to see more friendly conversations like this: PD
Now that’s a cap friendly deal: CBS
I like players that frustrate the status quo…ESPN
The Hawks will do other things besides swing some trades this week. They’re also going to pick some kids (unless Stan trades the entire draft for some player because he temporarily switches brains with Mike Ditka. Because that went so well. Lesson, kids: Don’t switch brains with Mike Ditka).
Looking at the Hawks system, they are short on centers. Big shock, I know. But once you get past Teuvo Teravainen, really the only center prospect is Phillip Danault (and who knows if he’s involved in any of these trades). Mark McNeill has been moved to wing, whichever Broadhurst it is that plays center doesn’t project to be an impact player, Tyler Motte is a couple years away, and so on.
They’re better stocked on the blue line. We know Stephen Johns will most likely make the Hawks next year, and behind him there’s Adam Clendening, Klas Dahlbeck, David Rundblad could all make appearances for the Hawks next year. They’re all ready for sure. There’s a couple in a wave behind that as well. But today we’ll focus on the d-men, and tomorrow will look at some forwards. Maybe. Depending on my sobriety level after the US match.
I’m going to jump out of turn here, and instead of crawling up the depth chart sequentially we’ll jump ahead to a player who is very much in the news and very likely is going to be much more in the news in the coming days. And that’s Patrick Sharp.
Regular Season: 82 games, 34 goals, 44 assists, 78 points, +13, 0.53 Behind The Net Rating, 17.62 Corsi per 60, (+7.9 Corsi Relative per 60)
Playoffs: 19 games, 5 goals, 5 assists, 10 points, -2, -0.91 Behind The Net Rating, -8.6 Corsi per 60 (-9.1 Corsi Relative per 60)
H.o.F. ticket punched: Blackhawks
The rumor that won’t die: CSN
TT gearing up: ESPN Chi
Because… I have no idea: PHT
A night more awkward than a 5th grade dance: PD
Let’s keep rolling on here, and we’ll go with a couple of the spare parts that might have a bigger role to play next year. Maybe. We’ll start with the apple of my eye:
Note: This is also where I would have stuck Peter Regin, but as I think there’s utterly no chance he’ll be brought back, we’re going to skip him for now.
Jeremy Morin
Regular Season: 24 games, 5 goals, 6 assists, 11 points, +5, 1.29 Behind The Net Rating, 28.26 Corsi per 60 (+23.7 Corsi Relative per 60)
I’ll skip the playoffs as he barely played in two games.
Big moves upcoming? Chicago Suntimes
Together, Forever: Chicago Tribune
Highest Honor: TSN
Tretiak, Belfour, Hasek: Chicago Tribune
So I heard you’re a farmer? DMN
Really? Sportsnet Autoplay
More crack smoking in Philly: USA Today
Despite what the empty talking heads on TSN and NHL Network would have everyone believe every March, the NHL Trade Deadline is no longer the cornucopia of big name player swaps that it once was. That title has been usurped by the draft, and with a major new wrinkle in the CBA, it stands to get even more silly.
