Weekend IGT: Blackhawks at Oilers 11/22 @ 9:00, Blackhawks at Canucks 11/23 @ 8:30

[DMelt36]

Tied at one after two. It'd be pretty great if the Hawks could squeak out a second win tonight to start this road trip.

 

[DMelt36]

Crawford playing out of his mind, again. He's been so damn good this year.

 

[DMelt36]

One more goal boys. LET'S GO HAWKS

 

[Bigfoot]

Hot Damn Crow

 

[DMelt36]

Damn. Clendening gets caught napping just enough and it leads to the Canucks goal.

 

[Bigfoot]

Damn. Clendening gets caught napping just enough and it leads to the Canucks goal.

Yep, Q wont be happy about that

 

[DMelt36]

Kane draws one. Crucial power play upcoming.

 

[Bigfoot]

PP, need one here

 

[Bigfoot]

PP went potato there

 

[DMelt36]

3-1. That'll do it.

 

[Bigfoot]

3 games in 4 days, looks like it caught up to us tonight.

 

[DMelt36]

Empty netter. Good night.

 

[Bigfoot]

Rebound from this get ready for the Avs

 

[HawkWriter]

2 - 1 on the roatrip so far, not a bad start.

Bickell probably had his most physical game of the season and it was nice to see. He needs to get in gear...Blackhawks need him in the regular season.

I know several people around here are pretty excited about prospects...but I think tonight showed why you have to let these players grow and get their time in Rockford. Danault was used sparingly, Nordstrom had a few blueline turnovers, and Clendening had a bad penalty and missed coverage. Prospects are still prospects at the end of the day and very few of them come in and adapt right away and make a difference in the NHL. The odds are against most prospects and the Blackhawks are missing Shaw and Sharp. Also...while I think Leddy was the right move (thinking that Rozsival just wasn't wanted) I think the Blackhawks are missing him more than expected.

 

[DMelt36]

I know several people around here are pretty excited about prospects...but I think tonight showed why you have to let these players grow and get their time in Rockford. Danault was used sparingly, Nordstrom had a few blueline turnovers, and Clendening had a bad penalty and missed coverage. Prospects are still prospects at the end of the day and very few of them come in and adapt right away and make a difference in the NHL. The odds are against most prospects and the Blackhawks are missing Shaw and Sharp. Also...while I think Leddy was the right move (thinking that Rozsival just wasn't wanted) I think the Blackhawks are missing him more than expected.

At some point though, you have to let these guys make those mistakes at the NHL level. Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews still makes mistakes. It happens to everyone. But you can't banish a young player to Rockford every time they mess up in a game.

Clendening has been near the top of the AHL in points for defensemen for the last two seasons. What more does he need to prove in the AHL?

 

[HawkWriter]

At some point though, you have to let these guys make those mistakes at the NHL level. Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews still makes mistakes. It happens to everyone. But you can't banish a young player to Rockford every time they mess up in a game.

Clendening has been near the top of the AHL in points for defensemen for the last two seasons. What more does he need to prove in the AHL?

I understand that these players are going to make mistakes, but people need to understand that these are prospects and they should curb their enthusiasm on them a little.

I agree that Clendening doesn't have more to prove in the AHL when it comes to points (defensively he can still improve down there), but that doesn't mean he is ready for the NHL. The difference from the AHL to the NHL is absolutely ridiculous. I haven't done it, but I guarantee if you look at the points list for Rockford over the last few years, you will see plenty of guys that are career AHL players or who still haven't been able to make their mark in the NHL even though they "dominated" the AHL. Pirri, Morin, Lalonde, J Hayes, Skille, etc are all guys that I remember being top notch AHL players that probably didn't have more to prove...but where are they now? Of course there are going to be guys that come up to the NHL and play well and help a team out (Versteeg, Brouwer, Bickell, Smith are some recent guys), but the odds are against these players.

All I am saying...people love to talk about Johns, TT, Danault, McNeill, and every other prospect...but give them time and pull your expectations back a little because it is very likely that several of these guys won't be NHL players and several won't live up to the hype. Talking about a Johns/TVR/Clendening pairing for the playoffs is far fetched, as of now.

 

[DMelt36]

I understand that these players are going to make mistakes, but people need to understand that these are prospects and they should curb their enthusiasm on them a little.

I agree that Clendening doesn't have more to prove in the AHL when it comes to points (defensively he can still improve down there), but that doesn't mean he is ready for the NHL. The difference from the AHL to the NHL is absolutely ridiculous. I haven't done it, but I guarantee if you look at the points list for Rockford over the last few years, you will see plenty of guys that are career AHL players or who still haven't been able to make their mark in the NHL even though they "dominated" the AHL. Pirri, Morin, Lalonde, J Hayes, Skille, etc are all guys that I remember being top notch AHL players that probably didn't have more to prove...but where are they now? Of course there are going to be guys that come up to the NHL and play well and help a team out (Versteeg, Brouwer, Bickell, Smith are some recent guys), but the odds are against these players.

All I am saying...people love to talk about Johns, TT, Danault, McNeill, and every other prospect...but give them time and pull your expectations back a little because it is very likely that several of these guys won't be NHL players and several won't live up to the hype. Talking about a Johns/TVR/Clendening pairing for the playoffs is far fetched, as of now.

But for every person telling me to temper my expectations, I look at the 2013-14 LA Kings and the "70s Line" of Toffoli, Pearson, and Carter that dominated the WCF last season. Carter was an established NHL vet. Toffoli and Pearson were rookies who each saw about 2 full seasons of time in the AHL and were postseason rookies last spring.

It just doesn't seem like the Hawks even give their prospects a chance to do that. One mistake, and it's back to the bench or back to a healthy scratch or back to the minors. And that just doesn't seem like good prospect management to me.

 

[HawkWriter]

But for every person telling me to temper my expectations, I look at the 2013-14 LA Kings and the "70s Line" of Toffoli, Pearson, and Carter that dominated the WCF last season. Carter was an established NHL vet. Toffoli and Pearson were rookies who each saw about 2 full seasons of time in the AHL and were postseason rookies last spring.

It just doesn't seem like the Hawks even give their prospects a chance to do that. One mistake, and it's back to the bench or back to a healthy scratch or back to the minors. And that just doesn't seem like good prospect management to me.

Prospects such as Saad, Kruger, Shaw and TVR were all given a chance at some point over the last few years and took advantage of it. All guys who work hard and play solid defense. I'm fine with the Blackhawks letting their prospects stay down in the AHL and get as much time as possible. There really hasn't been a player in the AHL over the last year or so that forced the Blackhawks' hand by playing out of this world - Pirri was probably the closest, but that didn't end well at the NHL level. Just have to hope that when guys like McNeill and TT get their chance, that they take advantage of it and make this team a better team. Clearly it can be done and hopefully it is, because whatever makes the Blackhawks better...well, I'm game.

 

[Diehardfan]

None of this is etched in stone. For every good AHLer like Pirri who fails at the NHL level, you'll find a guy like Shaw who is probably a better NHL player than he was at Rockford. There's no clear cut way of projecting....that's why you gotta get them up here to see what you've got. The Hawks have never been shy at shuttling players back and forth and frankly, I like that.

 

[HawkWriter]

None of this is etched in stone. For every good AHLer like Pirri who fails at the NHL level, you'll find a guy like Shaw who is probably a better NHL player than he was at Rockford. There's no clear cut way of projecting....that's why you gotta get them up here to see what you've got. The Hawks have never been shy at shuttling players back and forth and frankly, I like that.

Agreed completely. Interestingly enough, that's how Saad was. He sort of got bored with juniors it seemed. His biggest knock and why he fell in the draft was partially because people felt he had a bad work ethic and a bad attitude at times. Certainly, from what everyone here has seen at the NHL, it seems like those couldn't be further from the truth as he consistently works hard out on the ice. It takes the NHL and that top level for certain guys to do well.

http://www.thehockeynews.com/blog/a...chicago-blackhawks-prospect-teuvo-teravainen/
Here is an article on TT that just came out today that sort of touches upon this. I think the title is extremely dramatic...but still something to read.