First Line

MicronMega

Registered User
Jan 31, 2022
628
537
Toronto, NY
Looking at the future this team needs a true First Line. Bedard with Dickenson, Donato, Anderson, Bertuzzi, TT isn't gonna cut it. What does the future top-line look like and how is it built?

Draft
Bedard-Nazar-Martone

Trade ?
-Bedard-

UFA Route?
 

hawksfan50

Registered User
Feb 27, 2002
14,544
2,101
Bedard lousy on draws...Martine will not help as hos RW for draws(31.6% latest look at ohl stats..though he does not take a lot of draes).

On the other hand Michael Misa is good at draws 54.7% latest look at OHL stats..


Ryan Greene is 56.1% on draws according to latest NCAA stats...Donenic James is better at 61.8% on draws latest look)

Doubt Greene or James will play Center for the Hawks ...maybe wingers taking draws?

I've Moorestown.5% on draws per NCAA stats this season..but don't he pkays C on top 2 lines for Hawks.

I could not find updated faceoff stats for Sascha Boivert but I think I saw he was only at 44.9% almost a month ago..


In any case Misa may be a priority for a top 2 line C talent with sone decent size +goodon draws andvof course top level scoring and after-burner speed...checks KD's skating box...elite speed.

Martinecwill not help Bedard kinevon draws...not his thing...But where he excels beyond his own scoringvskilks ,sozexand reach is dominating puck batyleson the boards and awin anyboartvofvthevice plus uncanny ability to steal pucks Fter closing on his cjeck...this ability upgrades possession opportunities from transitions from d-zobecand neutral zone and it prolongs possession tome in thevo-zone ..Thatcabukitycwiuld help Bedard enoirnouslyvto get morevo-zobevtone to fire puckscat the opponent goal or to go in clearer from neutral zone pages from Martone after he wins a puck rattle or a loosevpuck retrieval.

On the other hand Misa can drive line 2 with his speed and help by wining draws..

So it may depend whether we draftcat #2or#2asxto which we eother choose or whoch remains on the board for us..

Of course if we draft at #3and both Martone and Misa off the bo.ard then the forward solutions off the table andv nstead we lock up the 4th of our future 4core D corps..Mathew Schaefer solves 1LD with elite skating and ability to control the pace ..big minutes.. controls the game ..

In any of these 3 we get 1 solution..but we need all 3 solutions..

The Center forca top 2 line with good size and
scoring with the bonus of can wind draws, and Big Winger/Scorer who could help Bedard in a lot of ways but not on draws...or the 1KD who can control the game giving bg Hawks a to p 4 D corps that could be exceptional...1LD Schaefer,2LD Vlasic and 2 top Rd's in Rinzel and Levshunov...forcing $9.5 into reduced minutes R
as a 3 RD =5th dman only.
That all coukd materialize by 26/27 season if we drafted Schaefer.
But we still would not have the elite top line winger or elite top 2 line C who can wineries (because Bedard socks at it).


But you could cover line one for Bedard as 1 C if James (taking draws() and Martone were his wingers.

That leaves the 2026 draft to getca 1LD like Schaefer or a top linev1or linec2 C with decent size,top skating,top scoring and goidvon draws to drive the other top 2vlibecafter Bedatd's line..whichever you want to designate as kinec2 or line.2.

The pint is Hawks still need 3 positions solving 3 issues ..Martone,Misa and Schaefer all solve 1 of the 3 positional issues...But we can only (if we draft top 3) get only 1 ofvtgex3 issues solved this draft
..the other 2 will still need to wait to fill from the 2026 and 2027 drafts.

You cannot play 2 small Centers..as 1C and 2C ..especially if both are not great on draws..

Bedard as 1C and Nazar as 2C isxa no go..

One of them must move to wing

Lw James (thing draws) ,Bedard as C and Martone works as a line so to does a line ofJames /Nazar /Martone
...but if they are with Nazar then you still have the the draws and defebsive issues with Bedard for his line .

If inateadxwe drafted Misa we get a C solution with sone size,speed,scorkbg ,line driving and goid on draws..could be a 1C ...making Bedard either 2C or 1RW or2RW ..
If we draft Schaefer we solve the final piece to secure a great top 4 D ..but we would still be missibg those 2 forwards solutions at C and W
We cannot solve all this in just the 2025draft .Nedd 2 more drafts in 2026 and 2027 to get the missing positions filled correctly.
 

Pile

Registered User
May 5, 2015
400
449
Chicago
Depending on how they feel about Bedard/Nazar as the 1C/2C of the future I'd love to go after Sam Bennett in FA
 

u2wojo

Registered User
Dec 22, 2011
968
763
Depending on how they feel about Bedard/Nazar as the 1C/2C of the future I'd love to go after Sam Bennett in FA
Bennett is more of a #3 C on a playoff/contender level team. At the right price, maybe as a Tuevo/Bertuzzi placeholder / trying to be more competitive signing where he plays 2C until a prospect hopefully pushes him down the lineup.
 

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