DMelt36
Bolland > You
- Joined:
- May 27, 2010
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Other than last night's game, which was like the Toledo Walleyes against the Grand Rapids Griffins, we've got a good look at a lot of different Hawks prospects so far this preseason. Some thoughts:
- Tyler Motte has probably already earned a roster spot. Q called him "special" after Saturday's game, which is about the highest compliment I've ever heard Q give a young guy. He scored a pair of goals against St. Louis which was nice, but I think the thing that Q loves about him is Motte's defensive game. Looked to me like he was always in the right spot in terms of in-zone D coverage. That's the quickest way into Q's mustache/heart.
- Vinnie Hinostroza looks real fast, which is something he probably has to be given his small stature. Displayed some decent hands and skating ability with the puck in the action I saw for him. You know what I'd love to see? Vinnie and Motte on the 4th line to forecheck the living hell out of opponents. They'd be real, real annoying to play against and I'm in favor of that.
- Michal Kempny looks like he should at least be a serviceable 5-6 D-man for the upcoming season. I think the long-term plan would be for him to become the player that we were expecting Nick Leddy to be in Chicago for the next decade, and I could see him getting there. I like his vision and his skating ability, and he uses both of them when breaking the puck out instead of just blindly throwing it up the boards like so many other young D-men do.
- Not that I really forgot about them, but Kane and Panarin hooking up for a one-time goal on Saturday night was a solid reminder that the Hawks may have the most lethal wing pairing in the NHL.
- I was hoping for a little more from Nick Schmaltz, but I also wouldn't mind seeing him break camp with the big club. It feels like there's something there, and I think he'd be more likely to put it all together in Chicago than in Rockford.
- Tyler Motte has probably already earned a roster spot. Q called him "special" after Saturday's game, which is about the highest compliment I've ever heard Q give a young guy. He scored a pair of goals against St. Louis which was nice, but I think the thing that Q loves about him is Motte's defensive game. Looked to me like he was always in the right spot in terms of in-zone D coverage. That's the quickest way into Q's mustache/heart.
- Vinnie Hinostroza looks real fast, which is something he probably has to be given his small stature. Displayed some decent hands and skating ability with the puck in the action I saw for him. You know what I'd love to see? Vinnie and Motte on the 4th line to forecheck the living hell out of opponents. They'd be real, real annoying to play against and I'm in favor of that.
- Michal Kempny looks like he should at least be a serviceable 5-6 D-man for the upcoming season. I think the long-term plan would be for him to become the player that we were expecting Nick Leddy to be in Chicago for the next decade, and I could see him getting there. I like his vision and his skating ability, and he uses both of them when breaking the puck out instead of just blindly throwing it up the boards like so many other young D-men do.
- Not that I really forgot about them, but Kane and Panarin hooking up for a one-time goal on Saturday night was a solid reminder that the Hawks may have the most lethal wing pairing in the NHL.
- I was hoping for a little more from Nick Schmaltz, but I also wouldn't mind seeing him break camp with the big club. It feels like there's something there, and I think he'd be more likely to put it all together in Chicago than in Rockford.
