Let The Offseason Begin: The Official Summer Blackhawks Watch Thread

Jntg4 said:

Suter and Parise and Staal and Luongo and stuffz

Click to expand...

Jntg4 said:

Suter and Parise and Staal and Luongo and stuffz

Click to expand...

DewsSox79 said:

why do you post?

Click to expand...

DewsSox79 said:

why do you post?

Click to expand...

ClydeLee said:

Forward Depth will happen.. you left out the qualifies such as good or experienced.

Click to expand...

Capt. Serious said:

Guess he enjoys mocking you & pretending to know a lick about hockey.

:shrug:

Click to expand...

With the NHL Draft less than two weeks away, now is a good time to look at the organizational needs of the Blackhawks and who might fill those needs when the Blackhawks step up to the podium for the 18th overall draft pick. The one glaring hole for the Blackhawks is a top end goalie prospect. Not only is it the weakest position at the NHL level but that also trickles down to the AHL and Juniors level. Taking a goalie in the first round is always a risk because goalies tend to have a bigger “boom or bust” factor, but with good organizational strength elsewhere I believe that if the right goaltender is available the Blackhawks will pull the trigger.

Let’s take a quick look at the goaltenders in the organization. At the NHL level the Blackhawks have Corey Crawford and Ray Emery. While Emery is an afterthought when it comes to drafting, Crawford has given reason for concern after a poor sophomore campaign with the Blackhawks. At the AHL level the Blackhawks have Kent Simpson, Alexander Salak, and Carter Hutton. Simpson was a late call up for Rockford and does have a future, but the question many are asking is will it be in the NHL? Salak was picked up in the Jack Skille trade and many analysts believed that Salak is what tipped the scales in this particular trade. However, it now it appears that Salak will be receiving a one way ticket out of North America. Too many on ice melt downs and supposed locker room issues have Salak labeled a cancer after his first season in the organization. Hutton was a very pleasant surprise for Rockford but is he NHL caliber? A full season at the AHL level will certainly help but he has a long road ahead of him. Finally, some other prospects to take a look at include Alec Richards (who started at the AHL level but was sent down), Johan Mattsson, and Mac Carruth. None of these players are setting the world on fire and the NHL is a long shot for all prospects. Almost every single one of these players has a big question mark when it comes to their future – and that includes Crawford. There is little to be excited about and the Blackhawks need to change that through the draft.

So, who might be available? Below are the top three goalie prospects in the NHL Draft and some excerpts from nhlmockdraft.org, a site that does a nice job of breaking down all the prospects and their strengths and weaknesses. A link for the website will be provided at the end of this article along with a link to the TSN.ca rankings so you can see where these goaltenders stack up.

Malcolm Subban

Born: Rexdale, Ontario 12/21/93
Bio: 6’1, 188 lbs., (Catches-L)
Belleville Bulls, OHL

“His outstanding athleticism made those lofty numbers possible. Subban is one of the quickest goaltenders in 2012 – moving side to side smoothly and rapidly and quickly leaving the crease to challenge attackers. He reacts extremely quickly to changes in the attack and doesn’t overcompensate or drive out-of-position to adjust.”

Andrei Vasilevski

Bio: 6’3, 200 lbs., L
Birthplace: Tyumen, Russia, 7/25/94
Tolpar Ufa, MHL (Russia-Jr.)

“Exceedingly self-assured, Vasilevski exudes the kind of poise teams are looking for in a number one netminder. When one adds in his plus frame and superlative athleticism, it’s going to be hard for many franchises hurting for that elusive top-flight starter to pass on Vasilevski. His aggressive tendencies to challenge shooters give him the ability to use his size to eclipse nearly the entire net when he so chooses.”

Oscar Dansk

Birthplace: Stockholm, Sweden, 2/28/94
Bio: 6’2, 185 lbs., L
Brynäs IF, J20 SuperElit

“Dansk thrives in net thanks to a superlative combination of size, athleticism and technique. He possesses top-notch quickness, moving laterally with speed to deny chances. Despite his speed here’s very little ‘noise’ in his movement; he’s very economical. With quickness and rapid reactions, he’s able to close down holes capably. Dansk has no problem with saves even in difficult locations (such as over the shoulder), shrugging and flexing to deny would-be scorers.”

So who is the goaltending prospect that gets you excited? Do you think that there is a bigger organizational need? Feel free to comment and give your opinion on what position (or who) the Blackhawks should take at pick 18.

NHL Draft Prospect Profiles

2012 Craig's List

Click to expand...

tbo41fan said:

Idk but a goalie who can move post to post quickly and can stay in position is an immediate upgrade to crawford moving like a snail and flopping around out of the crease

Sent via Tapatalk on Droid RAZR MAXX

Click to expand...

icehogfan08 said:

is he related to PK?

Click to expand...