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Raskolnikov

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This is more like Collitons vision in 2022.

Hagel-Toews-Kubalik
Cat-Khaira-Kane
Barrett/Hardman/Kurashev-Dach-Nylander/Strome
Connolly/Gaudette/Jones-Carpenter/Borgbot-Reichel/Kampf

Jones-Mitchel
Murphy-McCabe
Kalynuk/Vlasic/DeHaan-Stillman/Beudin

Who else have I forgot? Shalnov coming? Free agents I lapsed? Yewts ready?

26 already. Zombie army is assembled.

 
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Raskolnikov

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Kurashev, De Haan were the big ones.
 

greg23

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You probably make more hypothetical lines than any coaching staff

Also....when did we get zadorov back?
 

Raskolnikov

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You probably make more hypothetical lines than any coaching staff

Also....when did we get zadorov back?
McCabe not Zadorov now.
 

Raskolnikov

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If Dach Strome and Nylander could at least win as a third line it would justify all that investment. It's time for them to show out or get out.
 

Granada

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This is more like Collitons vision in 2022.

Hagel-Toews-Kubalik
Cat-Khaira-Kane
Barrett/Hardman/Kurashev-Dach-Nylander/Strome
Connolly/Gaudette/Jones-Carpenter/Borgbot-Reichel/Kampf

Jones-Mitchel
Murphy-McCabe
Kalynuk/Vlasic/DeHaan-Stillman/Beudin

Who else have I forgot? Shalnov coming? Free agents I lapsed? Yewts ready?

26 already. Zombie army is assembled.

You forgot Tyler Johnson.

I love Hagel, but he should be on the 3rd line. He's a stud 3rd line player. He doesn't have the offensive capabilities to be on your top line. Also, Khaira on the second line? Isn't he a 4th liner, at best?
 

Raskolnikov

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You forgot Tyler Johnson.

I love Hagel, but he should be on the 3rd line. He's a stud 3rd line player. He doesn't have the offensive capabilities to be on your top line. Also, Khaira on the second line? Isn't he a 4th liner, at best?
Is he? Thx.

Well...Hagel has Saad like qualities, and unsurprisingly that showed up with Kubalik, so if you give them Toews it's a place to hide a third liner of which we have many.

Sure, I'd give some of his shifts to Kane, Cat, and Tyler Johnson or Dach to keep his minutes in check, but its not the worst place to put him as an engine for aging Toews and a chaos creator for Kubalik.
 

Raskolnikov

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Hagel-Taser-Kubalik
El Gato-Dach-Kaner
Barrett/Kurashev/Nylander-Big Johnson-Kampf/Strome
HardMan/Gaudette/Carp/Khaira/Connolly
Borgbot/CyBorg?
Jones?
Reichel?

What that means is place your bets on the Ice Hogs soon and often. They are going to have quit a few NHLers.
 
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KBIB

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I’m not against Hagel lining up with Kubi/Toews. His speed and forecheck would be a solid edition to those two. The great thing about Toews is he knows what Kubi is and feeds him the puck for that insane shot. On top of Toews being great at faceoffs

I think you see a shelter line of Cat/Strome/Kane. You can’t take Cat away from Kane now. Strome is just a warm body but can cheat a bit with Seth now.

I think you see Reichel with Dach. Both play an extremely similar game. The problem is, they need a guy who can shoot the puck. This is where I see the Johnson fit. And quite honestly, that’s a damn good third line borderline second line.

JarJar is the fourth line center. He’s solid on faceoffs. Carp too. That leaves one spot which will probably go to Nylander.

The Hawks are really deep at forward. It’s the defense that is break this team.

Seth Jones is elite. Murphy is a solid second pair guy. McCabe? If he’s healthy, should flank Murphy and create a shut down pair. I could get behind that. The only problem with that is both try for the huge hit and leave open ice. McCabe does clear the front of the crease, something the Hawks haven’t had since prime Seabs.

Seth/ Dehaan has epic failure written all over it, tho. There seriously are people who think highly of CDH still and whatever they are taking, I want some too. I think if JC ride that pairing, and I have no reason to think he won’t, your defeating the purpose for bringing Seth in here to begin with.

Mitchell isn’t on this team this year. Stillman and Caleb will be the bottom pairing. I don’t think Stan brought Caleb in to put him in Rockford.

And seriously, an old Flower is better then Lank, and I like Lank. Even if they go 50/50 in starts the upgrade in goal is tremendous. Last year for Flower was an outlier. He pitches to the scoreboard but this Hawks team shouldn’t have an issue scoring goals.

The issue is going to be Colition. He’s not an nhl head coach but the problem is Stan is ride or dying with him. If JC starts off bad, you have to get rid of him and Stan. Stan should not have another chance at bringing in another head coach.

I would be all in on Crawford at this point. He’s going to want fourth line meatheads especially after what happened with Tampa last year but if he can make it work it’s better then the passive stance of JC
 

LordKOTL

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I’m not against Hagel lining up with Kubi/Toews. His speed and forecheck would be a solid edition to those two. The great thing about Toews is he knows what Kubi is and feeds him the puck for that insane shot. On top of Toews being great at faceoffs
IMHO it's worth a shot. We've seen Brower/Toews/Kane among other combos where the 3rd is not an offensive juggernaut but willing to do the dirty work. Plus, I do think if Noob has a decent set-up man (and Toews at least was decent his last sting on the ice), I think Koob's O-numbers can climb.
I think you see a shelter line of Cat/Strome/Kane. You can’t take Cat away from Kane now. Strome is just a warm body but can cheat a bit with Seth now.
I could see Strome getting his shot, but also looking at Johnson, and possibly even Toews (especially if we find some set-up chemistry between another center and Koob). Strome, though, has to show he can bring it and not give up on plays.
I think you see Reichel with Dach. Both play an extremely similar game. The problem is, they need a guy who can shoot the puck. This is where I see the Johnson fit. And quite honestly, that’s a damn good third line borderline second line.
I'm not sure if Reichel this coming season. right now according to CF we have 15 roster FWDS not including Reichel, and I figure we go with 13 or 14 max. 2-3 guys would need to go for Reichel to fit, so who would go? Carpenter? Connoly? Kharia? Kurashev? I think at this point Strome and Nylander will be given every chance to fail.
JarJar is the fourth line center. He’s solid on faceoffs. Carp too. That leaves one spot which will probably go to Nylander.

The Hawks are really deep at forward. It’s the defense that is break this team.
I wouldn't say deep. There are a few players in the FWD lineup that have question marks about what they actually bring to the team and I think a lot of the the assumed depth is dependent on those guys coming in and performing at the top of their games.

I see some holes in the FWD lineup...especially the complete lack of a competent 3rd of 4th line (depending on how Hagel is slotted). I think this could have ramifications similar to 2016: The star players might have to take up so much of the workload to shelter the players who aren't competent that they're gassed by playoff time.
Seth Jones is elite. Murphy is a solid second pair guy. McCabe? If he’s healthy, should flank Murphy and create a shut down pair. I could get behind that. The only problem with that is both try for the huge hit and leave open ice. McCabe does clear the front of the crease, something the Hawks haven’t had since prime Seabs.
Somewhat disagree. Jones is a top D-man, but I wouldn't say elite...yet. He's not Hedman/Keith/Quick/Lidstrom. Murph is a 4-5 on a good D squad. McCabe should be a solid middle pair if he's healthy.
Seth/ Dehaan has epic failure written all over it, tho. There seriously are people who think highly of CDH still and whatever they are taking, I want some too. I think if JC ride that pairing, and I have no reason to think he won’t, your defeating the purpose for bringing Seth in here to begin with.
You and I both for DeHaan and the pharmaceuticals :) The only reason to slot Jones with DeHaan is prefent DeHaan from shooting the team in the foot, and at this point, he'd be better served sitting in the pressbox fetching off Eddie O. If anything he should be used sparingly on the bottom pair and if he can't accomplish that, Pressbox him.
Mitchell isn’t on this team this year. Stillman and Caleb will be the bottom pairing. I don’t think Stan brought Caleb in to put him in Rockford.
Stillman is a good 7. I think Caleb lives and dies by his preseason performance; he's got Nyuk-Nyuk, Beaudin, and Mitchell snapping at his heels, and since I doubt they lose DeHaan I figure one of them will be with the big club.

Given the lineup I'm thinking Stan is prepped to make somewhat of a push--and while I think he'll play his guys to make him look smarter than he actually is, I think he'll do what he can to rack up as much wins as possible so he can call the season a victory even if it isn't. If that means icing Mitchell, Beaudin, or Nyuk Nyuk over Jones the Younger because They all looked better than Caleb Jones, then I think Jones sits it in Rockford.
And seriously, an old Flower is better then Lank, and I like Lank. Even if they go 50/50 in starts the upgrade in goal is tremendous. Last year for Flower was an outlier. He pitches to the scoreboard but this Hawks team shouldn’t have an issue scoring goals.
Depends on the MAF we get. MAF's numbers tent to go up-and-down. If we get last year's MAF he's certainly better than Lank. If we get the 2020 MAF Lank is better. Either way I'm glad MAF is there as a mentor for Lank.
The issue is going to be Colition. He’s not an nhl head coach but the problem is Stan is ride or dying with him. If JC starts off bad, you have to get rid of him and Stan. Stan should not have another chance at bringing in another head coach.
I would be all in on Crawford at this point. He’s going to want fourth line meatheads especially after what happened with Tampa last year but if he can make it work it’s better then the passive stance of JC
I think with Stan he has to be held to a standard for this year--irrespective of JC's failure or going with Crawford. Are we rebuilding, rebuilding in situ, or going for it? If we're rebuilding than the kids should see plenty of icetime to work through their growing pains. If we're going for it than i think with the team as-assembled and the cap spent it has to be WCF or bust--especially since it's unlikely we bring back a netminder like MAF and Jones' deal kicks in. If it's rebuild in situ we have to see the kids and not ride the vets, but we have to see some success. I think Stan will try to spin it--like if we lean heavily on the vets to produce and wind up one-and-done. Stan will likley spin it by saying it was a rebuild-in-situ, but all of our young guys would see little icetime or development.
 
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Granada

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Honestly, I'm so sick of centers who are moved to wing. The Blackhawks have always loved doing this. If anyone doesn't need to play center, it's Strome. If Johnson isn't at least a better option at center than Strome, he shouldn't have been signed in the first place. Put him as 3LC. Toews, Dach, Johnson is much better center depth than Toews, Dach, Strome or any other player.
 

Raskolnikov

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Honestly, I'm so sick of centers who are moved to wing. The Blackhawks have always loved doing this. If anyone doesn't need to play center, it's Strome. If Johnson isn't at least a better option at center than Strome, he shouldn't have been signed in the first place. Put him as 3LC. Toews, Dach, Johnson is much better center depth than Toews, Dach, Strome or any other player.
I did put Big Johnson at center in the last iteration.

The problem with any line-up seems to be Strome and Nylander make any line sad.

I would have tried for Pious Suter instead of Johnson personally as I think your getting a shell like the late years Shaw.

I guess Dach moves up to 2...or 1...but while that swap changes everything thr big battles are elsewhere.

Locked in.

Cat-Dach/Toews-Kane
?-Dach/Toews-Kubalik
?-?-?
?-?-?

I guess with the numbers of everyone else...that's really where it is.

Jones-?
MnM

Lots of battles...
 

LordKOTL

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Honestly, I'm so sick of centers who are moved to wing. The Blackhawks have always loved doing this. If anyone doesn't need to play center, it's Strome. If Johnson isn't at least a better option at center than Strome, he shouldn't have been signed in the first place. Put him as 3LC. Toews, Dach, Johnson is much better center depth than Toews, Dach, Strome or any other player.
Unfortunately Strome is worse at wing than he is Center...but I think we might be stuck with him for this season.
 

Raskolnikov

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Unless Nylander can play top 6 you just hope between him, Strome, Big Johnson, Borgbot, Barrett, Hagel that a third line emerges.

Hagel, BJ, Nylander?

Reichel with Toews and Kuba?
 

Raskolnikov

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Reichel-Toews-Kubalik
Cat-Dach-Kane
Barrett/Nylander-Big Johnson/Borgbot-Hagel
Kampf-Carp-?
 

KBIB

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Strome is useless on wing. He doesn’t battle, he’s slow, and unless the defenseman is an after hip surgery Seabrook, he’s not manning his assignment in his own zone. His vision is elite, if there is one good thing to say about the kid he can see a play out of nothing in the o-zone.

The problem with him is the early success. He was gifted Kane when he got here and unlike Cat, refuses to create his own space or use his frame in front of the net. Watch tape, he’s usually behind the net in the Gretzky office, but he sure as shit isn’t Gretzky.

You do not take the puck off Kane’s stick in the o-zone. I’m sorry Strome, but if your not shooting the puck on Kane’s line you are useless. If you are not banging the front of the crease, you are useless.
 

KBIB

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And I’m going to go on record saying I’m not big on putting Dach with Kane

Dach, Hino, and Hagel was one of the best lines we had last year and productive on top of it.

You gotta earn it to play with Kane. And I really think the lapdog coach is going to let Blowman decide the line up just like how he had Nylander playing with Kane the year prior.

Nothing beats a GM who has to look like a fucking genius
 

Granada

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Strome is useless on wing. He doesn’t battle, he’s slow, and unless the defenseman is an after hip surgery Seabrook, he’s not manning his assignment in his own zone. His vision is elite, if there is one good thing to say about the kid he can see a play out of nothing in the o-zone.

The problem with him is the early success. He was gifted Kane when he got here and unlike Cat, refuses to create his own space or use his frame in front of the net. Watch tape, he’s usually behind the net in the Gretzky office, but he sure as shit isn’t Gretzky.

You do not take the puck off Kane’s stick in the o-zone. I’m sorry Strome, but if your not shooting the puck on Kane’s line you are useless. If you are not banging the front of the crease, you are useless.
He misses just as many assignments and battles just as little at center. Plus, he's God-awful at face-offs.

If people want to say he's better at center than he is at wing, I'd disagree, if not heed that the difference is negligible at best.
 

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