2024-25 Roster…too soon?

[belfour30]

Edmonton had how many 1st overall picks before they got good? Hell top 5-10 picks?

How many top 5-10 picks did Buffalo have?

What about New Jersey?

Picking in the top 10 every year sure can increase your percentage of being good but it guarantees absolutely nothing.

It doesn't guarantee anything but it surely increases your odds. I can't think of a team that was successful other than Vegas that didn't have at least 3 top 5 picks.

 

[clydesdale line]

It doesn't guarantee anything but it surely increases your odds. I can't think of a team that was successful other than Vegas that didn't have at least 3 top 5 picks.

Florida just won the cup with Barkov and Ekblad the only top 3 picks they drafted. Bennett and Reinhardt (I'll even throw Tkachuk in there even though he was picked #6) were acquired from other teams, something you don't realize Davidson can also do in the future with all the future draft capital he's accumulated and/or young players he has now but can trade a strength for a need down the road.

What have the Hawks started with now like Florida? A center (Bedard) and defenseman (Levshunov).

 

[belfour30]

Florida just won the cup with Barkov and Ekblad the only top 3 picks they drafted. Bennett and Reinhardt (I'll even throw Tkachuk in there even though he was picked #6) were acquired from other teams, something you don't realize Davidson can also do in the future with all the future draft capital he's accumulated and/or young players he has now but can trade a strength for a need down the road.

What have the Hawks started with now like Florida? A center (Bedard) and defenseman (Levshunov).

I realized the Lightning only had 2 as well but that required getting really lucky with Kucherov and Point.

Not often do you get players like them in the 3rd round.

However: the Panthers acquired Tkachuk and Reinhart who were top talents.

Those types of players don't become available often. They have to both be available and you have to match up on a trade. Also, the Panthers traded Huberdeau for Tkachuk who was a top 3 pick by FLA.

 

[Taze em]

It feels like a prevalent perception that you need a whole top 6, G and top 4D in the pool before you turn it on. Also with the pure volume of picks the Haws have made there will be 1-2 guys come from the clouds to be elite.

Compounded by the fact that we have elite U23 at every position, depth behind it, and Chicago is a top 3 free agency destination… San Jose? Anaheim? Columbus? It’s the Chicago Blackhawks and then a huge gap in this next cycle of competitive teams. Montreal is the only competition and they are out East, not the free agency draw, and have gaps in their lineups in their future lineup that are hard to fill. They are entertaining with Hutson and Demidov and such, but hawks have the prototypical guys in the positions that win (top 4D, C)

 

[belfour30]

It feels like a prevalent perception that you need a whole top 6, G and top 4D in the pool before you turn it on. Also with the pure volume of picks the Haws have made there will be 1-2 guys come from the clouds to be elite.

Compounded by the fact that we have elite U23 at every position, depth behind it, and Chicago is a top 3 free agency destination… San Jose? Anaheim? Columbus? It’s the Chicago Blackhawks and then a huge gap in this next cycle of competitive teams. Montreal is the only competition and they are out East, not the free agency draw, and have gaps in their lineups in their future lineup that are hard to fill. They are entertaining with Hutson and Demidov and such, but hawks have the prototypical guys in the positions that win (top 4D, C)

I feel like other tankers (SJ, Anaheim, Montreal) are all doing a better job in their rebuilds.

 

[WarriorofTime]

I feel like the other tankers (SJ, Columbus, Anaheim, Montreal) are all doing a better job in their rebuilds.

Good for them.

 

[belfour30]

Good for them.

I take back Columbus, I think the Hawks are doing better than them.

 

[Taze em]

The San Jose rebuild just started. They are way behind. We have 3 U23 D better than their best. While they spent their capital on Centers. And we are still even at that position group with Bedard/Nazar vs. cellebrini Smith.

 

[belfour30]

The San Jose rebuild just started. They are way behind. We have 3 U23 D better than their best. While they spent their capital on Centers. And we are still even at that position group with Bedard/Nazar vs. cellebrini Smith.

If Bedard continues to be trash defensively it becomes questionable and Smith is light years ahead of Nazar.
I'm not completely sold on Nazar being a 2nd liner.

 

[WarriorofTime]

If the Hawks still suck in 5 years because Nazar/Moore/Boisvert are all not or barely NHL players, Bedard isn't generational, Lev/Korch aren't that good, no homeruns outside the 1st, etc. etc. etc. Then... that sucks? But oh well. Hopefully they will have not traded away all their picks at that point or locked in a bunch of terrible contracts chasing an arbitrary timeline and the next GM can draft better. It is what it is. It's so early in the rebuild that all this anxiety doesn't make much sense.

 

[belfour30]

If the Hawks still suck in 5 years because Nazar/Moore/Boisvert are all not or barely NHL players, Bedard isn't generational, Lev/Korch aren't that good, no homeruns outside the 1st, etc. etc. etc. Then... that sucks? But oh well. Hopefully they will have not traded away all their picks at that point or locked in a bunch of terrible contracts chasing an arbitrary timeline and the next GM can draft better. It is what it is. It's so early in the rebuild that all this anxiety doesn't make much sense.

I gotta see Bedard do generational things before declaring him generational.
Like seriously, go score 120+ pts.

We just saw a rebuild fail on the South Side that looked really promising so forgive me if I'm a little scarred by that. And the Sox had multiple prospects that were top 5 in the game at one point and they still all failed.

If the Hawks rebuild fails, it will probably look a lot like the Sox where they're going to have some bad contracts that they're going to have to wait to come off of the books.

Hawks are going to need to get a Kucherov and Point from outside the top 10 at this point, and I honestly don't know if any of them have that kind of upside.

 

[Mrfenn92]

Craziness again. Time to edit

 

[Taze em]

I think you are taking similar levels of prospect then:
1) busting the Hawks prospects
2) hitting the opponents prospects
3) then saying their rebuild is better than ours

… and even then it’s close. lol

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

At end of day, it's also important for GM to look for reclamation projects around league and not be afraid to move a kid you don't think has future with your organization or believe will be part of core going forward

We saw Hawks land some key pieces by those type of trades/moves

Ellison for Sharp
Borchenski for Versteeg
Ruutu for Ladd
Barker for Leddy

That is another way to supplement your prospect pool and potentially find key pieces

Right now Reichel to me is a guy who may end up on way out depending on his camp and start of season. We could very well see a Reichel for someone else's prospect in need of change

This camp/early season IMO are big for Reichel and Phillips on if they are part of future here or not

I also would not be sure on future of Kurashev and could see him gone especially since he will be RFA in summer

 

[WarLax]

It’s only kbs

Is Belfour KBS? That would explain so much.

 

[Taze em]

I would trade Kurashev right now. He won’t be playing with bedard so will be a down year. Not a PP guy. Not a PK guy. Not a grinder. So what is he? He’s good. But, will cost real dollars soon.

 

[belfour30]

Is Belfour KBS? That would explain so much.

Go check out Anything Goes. Pg 49.

 

[Kevin Musto]

I would trade Kurashev right now. He won’t be playing with bedard so will be a down year. Not a PP guy. Not a PK guy. Not a grinder. So what is he? He’s good. But, will cost real dollars soon.

I'm more than fine with moving Kurashev, but what are you getting in return?

We certainly don't need picks (other than 1st rounders) and what players can you net in exchange for Kurashev?

I don't think his value is that high all things considered. He's probably worth more to the Blackhawks as a young cost controlled player that can speak 4 languages than anything they can get for him.

 

[belfour30]

I'm more than fine with moving Kurashev, but what are you getting in return?

We certainly don't need picks (other than 1st rounders) and what players can you net in exchange for Kurashev?

I don't think his value is that high all things considered. He's probably worth more to the Blackhawks as a young cost controlled player that can speak 4 languages than anything they can get for him.

I think it's more that his next contract will be inflated if he sticks with Bedard.

 

[Taze em]

I think of Kurashev as the type of guy who could’ve been a core piece of a McGroarty trade. A piece for Askarov. I want to make a hockey trade for him for another guy that hs a clearer role. Even if it’s a low producing PK specialist or something. I think his value is a 2nd rounder mayyyyybe right now. But I think that’s as high as we’ll see.

Could be wrong and he is stapled to bedard again, but he won’t be a PP1 guy. Even if he produces now you have to pay him next summer.

 

[clydesdale line]

I think of Kurashev as the type of guy who could’ve been a core piece of a McGroarty trade. A piece for Askarov. I want to make a hockey trade for him for another guy that hs a clearer role. Even if it’s a low producing PK specialist or something. I think his value is a 2nd rounder mayyyyybe right now. But I think that’s as high as we’ll see.

Could be wrong and he is stapled to bedard again, but he won’t be a PP1 guy. Even if he produces now you have to pay him next summer.

Could be a guy they entertain moving around the deadline. I'm sure that will depend on how his season is up to that point, if he improved, is/isn't a product of Bedard, contract negotiations stalling, etc.

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

Kurashev kinda sucks you guys are nuts.

 

[Styles]

Kurashev kinda sucks you guys are nuts.

There are 1000 Kurashevs in the hockey world. Nothing special about him other than being on Bedards wing. Dude was was invisible when Bedard was hurt. Most overrated player on the team. Kurafraud and Caspershev are my favorite nicknames for him.

 

[hawksrule]

This offseason is taking forever.

 

[giza]

Kurashev is a plug and play player which has its value....and I don't think he's realized his potential yet....certainly not a stud, but for his contract, he's a decent value.