We have a GM problem

[MTU34]

It's not about Kaliyav - it's our frustration about being stuck as a bottom feeder and having a GM that's shown no ability to fix that.

Then please provide a detailed list of what he could have or should have done.

The absolute WORST thing you can do after a full tear down is rush things because the fans are whiny and impatient. That’s how you end up mired in mediocrity.

Should this years team be a bit better than it is? Absolutely. That doesn’t mean Davidson has been a complete failure though. He’ll be judged based on how well he drafts and develops talent, not by how well the middle 6 forwards he signs to insulate said talent play

 

[Northernhawk]

I have to agree with roster limits, not enough roster movement…it took the Richardson move to change that

 

[Pez68]

LOL. People STILL don't realize the Hawks are rebuilding. It is batshit insane.

 

[statswatcher]

roughly how many waiver wire pickups do you figure the team is away from a wild card berth?

 

[x Tame Impala]

Romanticizing waiver wire players just tells me you don’t know much about the league. LA is trying to be a playoff team and more, why would they let a guy with all this untapped potential go? If he has value they could’ve traded him.

This team needs top 6 forwards who can score. We don’t need struggling 4th liners that a playoff team can’t find a use for.

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

Romanticizing waiver wire players just tells me you don’t know much about the league. LA is trying to be a playoff team and more, why would they let a guy with all this untapped potential go? If he has value they could’ve traded him.

This team needs top 6 forwards who can score. We don’t need struggling 4th liners that a playoff team can’t find a use for.

Same GM traded away Brock Faber and Gabe Vilardi , just saying

Thoughts on Panthers plucking Forsling off waivers or numerous other examples of young guys getting picked off waivers and thriving in new environments

We have f***ing Kurashev and a few others on NHL roster who could easily go to fit a kid in need of change of scenery

 

[ploppsdman]

Anyone recall how Chicago acquired Steve Sullivan or when Daniel Briere was waived as a struggling youngster?

Chicago had NOTHING to lose by taking a flier on him OR Tolvenen but I guess "rebuild" means thumb up your butt to some of you.

What does a rebuild have to do with passing on a FREE lottery ticket, anyway?

The Hawks will be trash until the 2030s. Joy.

 

[Hattrick Kane]

Same people bitching about not picking him up are the same ones who would bitch that Kyle doesn’t know what he’s doing when that waiver wire fodder inevitably sucks.

 

[TLEH]

Romanticizing waiver wire players just tells me you don’t know much about the league. LA is trying to be a playoff team and more, why would they let a guy with all this untapped potential go? If he has value they could’ve traded him.

This team needs top 6 forwards who can score. We don’t need struggling 4th liners that a playoff team can’t find a use for.

Carolina is trying to win a cup why would they waive a 27 minute all situations defender like Forsling?

Truth is guys struggle for a myriad of reasons. Situation, system, their own lack of talent. This team sucks and he’s free and we lack guys who can put the puck in the net. The downside is zero. The upside is you find a guy who can play.

I’m not even sure he’s that guy but I think your argument about why LA would waive him is a bit off base.

I think Kyle’s grade is 100% incomplete but id like him to explore some other avenues to acquire players other than suck and draft high.

 

[Blackhawks]

9.8% top 10%
19.8% somewhat above average
47.2% Average to below average
23.6% bottom feeders

Intelligence distribution seems about right

 

[x Tame Impala]

Did you guys stop and think maybe the Hawks did actually scout Kaliyev and didn’t like what they saw? It’s entirely possible he’s just not all that great.

 

[StreetHawk]

Carolina is trying to win a cup why would they waive a 27 minute all situations defender like Forsling?

Truth is guys struggle for a myriad of reasons. Situation, system, their own lack of talent. This team sucks and he’s free and we lack guys who can put the puck in the net. The downside is zero. The upside is you find a guy who can play.

I’m not even sure he’s that guy but I think your argument about why LA would waive him is a bit off base.

I think Kyle’s grade is 100% incomplete but id like him to explore some other avenues to acquire players other than suck and draft high.

He will have to do something. Either he’s waits and hopes some kids hit to bring the team higher up in the standings to convince free agents to sign since they’d be getting close to making the PO vs being 35 points out. But he may run out of time doing that.

Or he makes a trade to kickstart the turnaround. Might have to gamble on it.

Can’t expect to suck and have players wanting to sign with them.

 

[Hattrick Kane]

Free agency is not the way to go, especially this year. The top 10 forwards may look good, but most of them are likely to stay with their respective teams.

Go with the kids next year, let them figure it out. Too many plugs as is. I also haven’t ruled out Kantserov coming over next year. If he wants to, there’s very likely a spot for him on the big team.

 

[Mjul Qvist]

LOL. People STILL don't realize the Hawks are rebuilding. It is batshit insane.

This! 2022 was a tear down year and after that rebuild started and it started from scratch. As painful this all is it is going to take long time. There are no shortcuts if you are going to do this right way. And still it might not work but there is clear plan out there.

 

[WarriorofTime]

It's not about Kaliyav - it's our frustration about being stuck as a bottom feeder and having a GM that's shown no ability to fix that.

Hawks SHOULD be a bottom feeder right now. Anything to "fix" that still gives them like a 23rd place ceiling, and the Hawks need a lot more talent long-term than a 9th overall pick is projected to provide.

Hall, Foligno, Dickinson, Mikheyvev, Donato, Maroon, Smith are all veteran forwards that will be gone and replaced by 2026. Likewise Murphy, Brodie and Martinez for defensemen. Mrazek in net.

So much veterans that were brought in to be taking up short-term placeholder spots while the Hawks figure out which drafted prospects are going to be ready to be part of a longer term solution, so they can target remaining cap space appropriately that will coincide with those players primes and hopefully a contention window. Adding 2-3 more slightly less bad players isn't and shouldn't be a priority.

 

[Kevin Musto]

Kaliyev can't skate

Why are people talking about him?

 

[ColbyChaos]

It's not about Kaliyav - it's our frustration about being stuck as a bottom feeder and having a GM that's shown no ability to fix that.

I’m at a rebuild were you seriously expecting a competitive team after 2 years of a tear down. Common Ploppsdman L take

 

[Hawkaholic]

Frustration about being stuck as a bottom feeder? lol I guess some people just dont understand hockey rebuilds.

 

[ploppsdman]

I’m at a rebuild were you seriously expecting a competitive team after 2 years of a tear down. Common Ploppsdman L take

Quick question: should bottom feeder rebuilding teams take chances on lottery tickets on waivers?

Kaliyev can't skate

Why are people talking about him?

And Strome can?

Is this bizarro world?

(For the record, non tendering Strome and Suter was moronic).

 

[GIADF]

The problem with this team is the 4th line has been the only NHL quality line.

I don’t love the idea of these 4th line waiver wire pickups who are then forced up in the lineup. For the time being I’d rather give Sorensen more time with the roster as is.

Maybe take a chance in a few weeks after we move out some guys before the TDL like Hall, Donato, Maroon, etc.

 

[giza]

I think Davidson has a much cleared vision of the team that he wants to build through the draft than he does "in the now". There are some seriously frustrating vets like Taylor Hall, Brodie and Seth Jones as well as youngsters like Reichel and Kurashev. Who could have predicted that Kurashev would completely drop off the map like he has? I think some of the blame has to fall on the coaches.....if vet's suck, sit them down or reduce their minutes.

 

[Pez68]

Quick question: should bottom feeder rebuilding teams take chances on lottery tickets on waivers?


And Strome can?

Is this bizarro world?

(For the record, non tendering Strome and Suter was moronic).

Kaliyev sucks. This is such a nothing burger.

 

[Hawkey]

Free agency is not the way to go, especially this year. The top 10 forwards may look good, but most of them are likely to stay with their respective teams.

Go with the kids next year, let them figure it out. Too many plugs as is. I also haven’t ruled out Kantserov coming over next year. If he wants to, there’s very likely a spot for him on the big team.

I agree that free agency is not the solution. That means they have to be successful in the draft. I’m starting to question their drafting ability. We just watched the WJC and Chicago only had two draft picks in the tourney. And both picks didn’t really have a great tourney. Bedard and Lev would have made it but that only makes 4 players. I know there’s a lot of questionable player selection but with all the drafting they are doing you would think there should be more Hawks prospects in this tourney.

 

[BobbyJet]

Obviously, rebuilding an NHL team from scratch is a monumental task for any GM, but sooner or later KD must take some chances outside of the draft. I don't think any GM has the luxury of rebuilding exclusively via the draft; so is that a gradual process or does Kyle wait for more prospects to come aboard before pulling the trigger and set everything in motion? I'm sure it is a question that KD fights with regularly. To date he has shown restraint and patience but the true test has yet to come....beginning this summer I reckon. One thing is for certain in my mind: If Marner becomes available, Hawks should jump in with both feet.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Part of it is that Hawk forwards are very healthy right now. Reichel and Kurashev aren't even in the lineup at the moment. They're giving a couple of their own prospects in Nazar and C. Dach a shot at the moment. Joey Anderson is a 13th forward on a 1-way deal they already sent down, they have guys like Guttman and Slaggert in the AHL who could be worth a look if spots open up post deadline, Athanasiou is a $4 million AHL player, Sanford is an AHLer with 334 career NHL games to his name. The Hawks suck but mostly because everyone is playing up a 1 - 1.5 lines, not that there's a bunch of players that don't belong on NHL rosters (that was the case with the 2023-24 Hawks).

You should not be kicking players like Maroon and Smith out of the lineup (unless you're trading them), you want to talk "culture", why would you kick off your good performing 4th line just to chase some likely malcontent that probably doesn't want to be there. Most of your other vets, you'd like an ideal world to play their way into trade value. There isn't an obvious cut. If you pick up Kalieyev, then as of right now, you're probably just sending Colton Dach back down.

Really think people are overthinking it. Waiver pickups that make a difference happen about as frequently as 6th round picks, and there's always "some" cost involved, you have limited roster spots. Or you could say "no risk, lotto ticket" about literally every single player that is on Waivers. Nobody knows a player getting put on Waivers better than the team waiving on him, which alone should give some pause and why so many random 23 year olds once thought to hold value clear every year.

We just watched the WJC and Chicago only had two draft picks in the tourney.

Which 05/06 born prospects are you disappointed didn't make the tournament? I give zero deference to Canada's roster selections this year considering their "not picked" team (which probably includes Lardis and Boisvert amongst the even more obvious ones like Misa, Sennecke, Cristall, Parekh, Yakemchuk) may have legitimately been better than their "picked" team.