2024-25 Roster…too soon?

[bwanajamba]

"Look at this draft, look at where my list was in August, where it’s going to be in May, a lot’s going to change,” Pronman said. “That’s just part of the process. Sometimes you’re right, sometimes you’re wrong. … Like, is (Kevin) Korchinski that much better than (Sam) Rinzel right now? Is that wrong, quote unquote? Did anyone think Rinzel was going to be better than Korchinski two, three years ago? I don’t know. It’s all a good debate. That’s my answer in a long-winded excuse."

I don't envy his position here and having to own wrong takes (we would all look stupid at times if asked to do this for a living), but this ignores that a) D+3 players are way more of a known commodity than D0 players, and b) he was ranking Nazar a matter of months ago, not years. There was no defensible reason to have him 14th in the Blackhawks' own U23 pipeline at the start of the year. He was closer to the 14th best prospect in all of hockey than he was to the 14th best Blackhawks prospect.

 

[CallMeShaft]

He was closer to the 14th best prospect in all of hockey than he was to the 14th best Blackhawks prospect.

Yep. EP Rinkside listed him 16th overall in their 'NHL Affiliated Skaters Ranking' back in August.

EP has consistently been higher on him than anyone, but even still their listing makes a lot more sense than listing him 14th best in just the Hawks' system.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Pronman's rank was baffling. There's sticking to your guns and then there's just ignoring reality. With the way Nazar was ripping through the AHL in an Aged 20 season, it was very obvious he deserved a high rank.

 

[Crow]

Frank is the GOAT

never forget the couple of bums here calling him a bust during the season he couldn't play due to injury

Who was that hack who predicted him to be a bust because of his production in a year he barely played?

 

[Kevin Musto]

Who was that hack who predicted him to be a bust because of his production in a year he barely played?

pretty sure KBS was one, but they weren't alone. At least a couple others. Not sure if they're in the Nazar thread or the all prospect thread.

 

[Crow]

pretty sure KBS was one, but they weren't alone. At least a couple others. Not sure if they're in the Nazar thread or the all prospect thread.

I didn’t mean posters it was some popular twitter analyst

 

[Kevin Musto]

I didn’t mean posters it was some popular twitter analyst

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

You mean the scouting world's biggest hack Byron Bader

 

[Kevin Musto]

 

[RememberTheRoar]

But but the model. THE MODEL!!!

 

[Muffinalt]

absolute homerun trade/pick for KD/Doneghey...going to stick with the lite-Bergeron comp for him because he seems to project as an all-situations forward that won't put up the flashy numbers but will be an incredibly valuable piece and a guy you win with

The absolute perfect 2C for us. I hope we don't have to shift him to wing but he might make it a nonstarter himself.

 

[WarriorofTime]

No need to re-litigate but going to silently scream into my pillow a bit at everyone that had concerns about Demidov as a "Russian playing in Russia which is risky that he may not come over". I was team 2A/2B with Demidov/Levshunov, but there were never any serious concerns that Demidov wouldn't be playing in the NHL quickly.

 

[ClydeLee]

No need to re-litigate but going to silently scream into my pillow a bit at everyone that had concerns about Demidov as a "Russian playing in Russia which is risky that he may not come over". I was team 2A/2B with Demidov/Levshunov, but there were never any serious concerns that Demidov wouldn't be playing in the NHL quickly.

Who had concerns at any level of legitimacy?

I remember one poster here on and on about it still during the season as if it ever was an impact. They were still saying wait and see when there was never an ounce of doubt about Demidov coming over.

 

[RememberTheRoar]

No need to re-litigate but going to silently scream into my pillow a bit at everyone that had concerns about Demidov as a "Russian playing in Russia which is risky that he may not come over". I was team 2A/2B with Demidov/Levshunov, but there were never any serious concerns that Demidov wouldn't be playing in the NHL quickly.

But all reports the Hawks front office was also team 2A/2B with those two. They clearly also really wanted Demidov, but Levshunov held the higher positional value at that moment in the draft so he was chosen first. The plan was to move back up and take Demidov but Anaheim f***ed up that plan.

It doesn’t seem the Russian factor played any role in the front office’s decision making last year.

 

[WarriorofTime]

But all reports the Hawks front office was also team 2A/2B with those two. They clearly also really wanted Demidov, but Levshunov held the higher positional value at that moment in the draft so he was chosen first. The plan was to move back up and take Demidov but Anaheim f***ed up that plan.

It doesn’t seem the Russian factor played any role in the front office’s decision making last year.

Not Front Office necessarily, was a bit of a hot topic on this board for 2024 Draft discussions

 

[Hawkaholic]

Not Front Office necessarily, was a bit of a hot topic on this board for 2024 Draft discussions

I think a lot of it was just discussing if there was a Russian factor or not in the draft. Like do certain teams pass on players because they are Russian (fear of them coming over, fear of them leaving if they don't get what they want, etc). I don't think anyone had concerns about Demidov coming over, it was just whether or not other teams would pass on him because he was Russian.

 

[Kevin Musto]

Really not thrilled with the logjam.

EDM and Crevier are sitting tonight.

Someone has to go in the offseason.

 

[Toews2Bickell]

Really not thrilled with the logjam.

EDM and Crevier are sitting tonight.

Someone has to go in the offseason.

Murphy - take back a similar AAV/term forward

 

[Kevin Musto]

Murphy - take back a similar AAV/term forward

Can you roll a D group without a single vet?

We shit on vets a lot here (and it's justified in some cases) but to have 0 on the backend... seems unwise.

I'm not sure if there are even many forwards with similar AAV/term. Michael Bunting?

 

[Hattrick Kane]

Can you roll a D group without a single vet?

We shit on vets a lot here (and it's justified in some cases) but to have 0 on the backend... seems unwise.

I'm not sure if there are even many forwards with similar AAV/term. Michael Bunting?

Murphy is legitimately the worst dman on this team. Slow as shit, can’t move the puck, keeps scoring on his own net. The only reason he’s here is because of supposed leadership.

If you look game to game at the most egregious mistakes, he’s usually at the forefront of them.

 

[WarriorofTime]

A bit odd they're just keeping everyone up and not sending anyone to go back with Allan in Rockford.

I imagine a couple waiver-exempt guys start next year in the AHL. For 2025-26, from the young guys:

Waiver-Exempt:
Korchinski, Allan, Del Mastro, Levshunov, Rinzel

Not waiver-exempt:
Vlasic, Crevier, Kaiser

If Murphy is back, nobody is signed, nobody is traded, you probably have Korchinski/Allan/Del Mastro/Levshunov/Rinzel fighting for 3 spots coming out of training camp.

Harding/Kuzmin will be in Rockford as well. There is no roster limit in the AHL so they can add whomever on AHL Deals as necessary.

 

[RememberTheRoar]

Can you roll a D group without a single vet?

We shit on vets a lot here (and it's justified in some cases) but to have 0 on the backend... seems unwise.

I'm not sure if there are even many forwards with similar AAV/term. Michael Bunting?

How much more time does Vlasic need before he can take over that vet role? Keep Martinez as the seventh D if you really want someone in the locker room.

Martinez actually has experience winning.

 

[Muffinalt]

Murphy is legitimately the worst dman on this team. Slow as shit, can’t move the puck, keeps scoring on his own net. The only reason he’s here is because of supposed leadership.

If you look game to game at the most egregious mistakes, he’s usually at the forefront of them.

There is leadership off the court at which Murphy is very highly touted as by all accounts. I don't understand why that's being ignored. One more year of level headedness in times of crisis, off court discipline and just straight experience is actually sometimes you really really want with so many young D.

Vet leadership is being judged on on court performance where it's literally the least impactful.

If FO does a year full of only rookie/young D and something goes off bad, theyll be crucified for ruining the kids (like it'# happening with KK already by some).

It's literally one more year of Murph whose been a great soldier for forever. This inpatient hate is not justified.

 

[MHO]

I could see Murphy being the Brent Sopel to the next group of young D.

Anyway I'm ready for the Hawks to send Korchinski, Levshunov, and Del Mastro back down to Rockford and let them reacclimate down there for the playoff run. They sure could use an injection on the back end.

We'd still have:

Vlasic - Rinzel
Kaiser - Murphy
Martinez - Crevier

And if Martinez isn't quite ready, I wouldn't mind giving Brodie a game or 2 as it'll be a nice gesture for him to get a few final games that don't matter at all.

 

[Giovi]

 

[Muffinalt]

Okay you can f*** right off...

Was my initial reaction, but I think they're doing it to jumpstart/showcase Korchinski which is needed.

Sitting Ethan in the press box and this juncture is beyond moronic, and he's going to get nice AHL playoff experience and set himself up for a dominant last stretch down there and for camp.

I think keeping him up and doing the above with KK wouldve been the way to go - and very clearly too - but at least he won't be sitting.

But he's making the roster next year, book it. Not only is he good on the court but he's mental is fantastic, I think he takes this whole thing in stride and comes back stronger (not sure if KK would necessarily be the same for example).