We have a GM problem

[Castle8130]

I voted for the second option. If he doesn't make any big moves to help improve our roster and give Bedard talent, I will move my vote to the 3rd option.

The Hawks can't finish bottom 6 for a 4th season in a row when you are given a talent like Connor Bedard

 

[belfour30]

I voted for the second option. If he doesn't make any big moves to help improve our roster and give Bedard talent, I will move my vote to the 3rd option.

The Hawks can't finish bottom 6 for a 4th season in a row when you are given a talent like Connor Bedard

If they finish bottom 6 again I don't have a problem with that.

I would have more of a problem with them not finishing bottom 6 one more year and bottom 10 one more after that.

Be patient. They don't have enough of a core to make a big step forward yet.

 

[Castle8130]

If they finish bottom 6 again I don't have a problem with that.

I would have more of a problem with them not finishing bottom 6 one more year and bottom 10 one more after that.

Be patient. They don't have enough of a core to make a big step forward yet.

The problem with that logic is that its hard to go from bottom 6 to outside the bottom 10 the following season. When you finish bottom 6, you are more than likely to finish in the bottom 10 again

 

[TheFridge]

I voted for the second option. If he doesn't make any big moves to help improve our roster and give Bedard talent, I will move my vote to the 3rd option.

The Hawks can't finish bottom 6 for a 4th season in a row when you are given a talent like Connor Bedard

Yes they most certainly can. There was nothing here before Bedard got here. He's the phoenix raising this team form the ashes, but he's still playing in the ashes. It's going to take time.

Like what do people think? That you get Demidov, sign a couple big-ticket UFAs and bam, the Hawks will be contenders again? Is that how you honestly think the team should be built for the long-run, which is going to be the next 15 years of Bedard's career?

 

[belfour30]

The problem with that logic is that its hard to go from bottom 6 to outside the bottom 10 the following season. When you finish bottom 6, you are more than likely to finish in the bottom 10 again

I hope that when KD said they hope to be competitive in 2027, that he meant that the 26-27 season is the target for the playoff push.

The problem that I have with KD so far is roster construction and a fixation on speed/skating over production.

I didn't have enough time for draft research in 2022 but taking Korchinski over Mintyukov doesn't look good rn.

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

incompetent people are 'given' jobs they don't deserve or qualify for all the time. KD appears to be one. btw the taylor hall / Regula trade will come back to bite him too

Agreed on the unqualified people getting jobs they shouldn't. Can you please provide 1 non-insane take that would cause you to doubt KD's competence? (You can't count Regula, because that is truly an insane hot-take). I don't like all of his draft picks, but you're NEVER going to like all of a team's draft picks. And the only reasonable way to measure that is likely wait at least 3-4 years (and often longer) to truly know.

I prefer Demidov or Buium if the Hawks want a potential #1 d-man. With that said - thinking that drafting Lev is a "fire-able" offense at this point in time is the absolute pinnacle of hubris.

 

[Illinihockey]

Yes they most certainly can. There was nothing here before Bedard got here. He's the phoenix raising this team form the ashes, but he's still playing in the ashes. It's going to take time.

Like what do people think? That you get Demidov, sign a couple big-ticket UFAs and bam, the Hawks will be contenders again? Is that how you honestly think the team should be built for the long-run, which is going to be the next 15 years of Bedard's career?

No but waiting until all of your players are good and then trying to add doesn’t work. You add talent where you can. You don’t tank for 5 years in a row hoping all your picks turn out

 

[TheFridge]

No but waiting until all of your players are good and then trying to add doesn’t work. You add talent where you can. You don’t tank for 5 years in a row hoping all your picks turn out

Yes you do. It's literally what you do. The majority of teams do not acquire core pieces via a trade or free agency. You supplement your drafted core with those pieces. You identify the players you want to build around and then build around them.

The Hawks don't even know what they have in their pool right now because almost all of their picks haven't gotten to the NHL yet. Because they've only tanked for two years. It takes more time than that.

 

[Castle8130]

I hope that when KD said they hope to be competitive in 2027, that he meant that the 26-27 season is the target for the playoff push.

The problem that I have with KD so far is roster construction and a fixation on speed/skating over production.

I didn't have enough time for draft research in 2022 but taking Korchinski over Mintyukov doesn't look good rn.

I agree. Another thing I noticed is they haven't drafted or added any players with high hockey IQ. When I look at our prospects and what we could have drafted, they prioritize skating over hockey IQ. They almost throw hockey IQ completely out the window.

Outside of Bedard, look at the Oliver Moore over Perreault pick. Perreault had high hockey IQ and skill, but Moore was vastly superior skater. Mintyukov is a high hockey IQ player, but they drafted KK instead. Same goes with this year by drafting Levshunov over the smartest players in the draft Buium and Demidov.

Also, Sam Rinzel has very average, if not below average hockey IQ over some of the other choices. Although that pick wasn't a bad one

 

[Ace Card Bedard]

Way too early to pass judgement.

We have no idea how the recent draft picks will turn out.
Moore, Nazar, EMD, Rinzel, Greene, Misiak, etc.

 

[BHFAN92]

So sharks after picking 1 and 4 are going to walk away with Celebrini and Will Smith and after we pick 1 and 2 we're walking away with Bedard and uh, Ekblad 2.0 and apparently according to people on here that's a good outcome


Made up?

Since 2021 draft: William Eklund, Bystedt, Will Smith, Musty, Celebrini, likely Eiserman at 11.. vs. Nolan Allen, Korchinski, Nazar, Rinzel, Bedard, Moore, Leshunov, Unknown at 18. I give Blackhawks edge only because of Bedard

 

[TheFridge]

Exclusive: Blackhawks chairman Danny Wirtz on Davidson, rebuild, draft

In an exclusive interview with The Athletic, Wirtz discusses Kyle Davidson, the Blackhawks' business, Connor Bedard and much more.

www.nytimes.com

 

[ClydeLee]

Since 2021 draft: William Eklund, Bystedt, Will Smith, Musty, Celebrini, likely Eiserman at 11.. vs. Nolan Allen, Korchinski, Nazar, Rinzel, Bedard, Moore, Leshunov, Unknown at 18. I give Blackhawks edge only because of Bedard

Ok, but what is better here? There's nothing proven of either groups. You for some reason also count 2021 when Bowman traded away the pick they really had at 12 and delayed the effort to be rebuilding.

 

[ChicagoHockeyFan]

I do think Davidson pigeon holes his draft picks to focus too much on skating when we need a more well rounded prospect pool that has more size, hockey sense at forward. Could still be fixed but if he keeps on taking the small skating types we’re gonna end up with a midget top 6 that won’t be good in playoffs

 

[Sarava]

It's too early to tell. He's Rick Hahn until he proves he's not Rick Hahn as far as I'm concerned.

I'd love to see some aggressiveness tonight. Find a way in to the top 5 or 10 with that 18th pick. If you're going to take Levshunov at #2 (we'll see), then finding a way to move up for Iginla would be a sweet compliment. That would make for an exciting night.

 

[MTU34]

I do think Davidson pigeon holes his draft picks to focus too much on skating when we need a more well rounded prospect pool that has more size, hockey sense at forward. Could still be fixed but if he keeps on taking the small skating types we’re gonna end up with a midget top 6 that won’t be good in playoffs

Being small doesn’t mean you won’t be good in the postseason. Guys like Moore and Nazar are gamers. They thrive off competing and getting to the interior. I’d hazard a guess they’ll be very good playoff players in spite of being sub 6 foot

 

[BHFAN92]

It's too early to tell. He's Rick Hahn until he proves he's not Rick Hahn as far as I'm concerned.

I'd love to see some aggressiveness tonight. Find a way in to the top 5 or 10 with that 18th pick. If you're going to take Levshunov at #2 (we'll see), then finding a way to move up for Iginla would be a sweet compliment. That would make for an exciting night.

this 100% this. If we take Levshunov I get it but then we need to move up to snag one of Sennecke/Catton

 

[belfour30]

It's too early to tell. He's Rick Hahn until he proves he's not Rick Hahn as far as I'm concerned.

I'd love to see some aggressiveness tonight. Find a way in to the top 5 or 10 with that 18th pick. If you're going to take Levshunov at #2 (we'll see), then finding a way to move up for Iginla would be a sweet compliment. That would make for an exciting night.

I'm here as well.

 

[belfour30]

Being small doesn’t mean you won’t be good in the postseason. Guys like Moore and Nazar are gamers. They thrive off competing and getting to the interior. I’d hazard a guess they’ll be very good playoff players in spite of being sub 6 foot

Ok cool, they have Moore/Nazar/Kantserov so now go get different types of players.

Bedard is so damn good it shouldn't matter.

 

[TheFridge]

this 100% this. If we take Levshunov I get it but then we need to move up to snag one of Sennecke/Catton

No they don't because they're going to get at least 2 more chances to get high end forwards in 2025 and 2026. I get it, this draft is right now but some of you are so hyper-focused on tonight that you can't see the forest for the trees.

 

[belfour30]

No they don't because they're going to get at least 2 more chances to get high end forwards in 2025 and 2026. I get it, this draft is right now but some of you are so hyper-focused on tonight that you can't see the forest for the trees.

Agreed. No need to trade up. Just keep your draft picks and choose wisely.

I think its harder to get a 1D, but they come from a wider range of picks than top end forwards. Yet another reason why I'm team Demidov.

It is REALLY hard to get a high end forward when you're not picking this highly and this is probably the last time they're picking top 3.

 

[Esq]

Being aggressive too early is exactly how you screw up a proper rebuild. He’s the right guy for the job.

 

[Toews2Bickell]

Being aggressive too early is exactly how you screw up a proper rebuild. He’s the right guy for the job.

*if he sticks to the first thing you said

 

[Space umpire]

In no way do I expect a play off push this season even with KD being bold this offseason. I guess I just want to see something other than small peripheral pieces being added. Trade up from #18 , trade for McGroarty..something along those lines. The tear it down to the studs is the easy part..getting a generational talent like Bedard was not expected so soon but at least for me that shows now a little more urgency to build around him than what we are currently seeing.. again I know lets wait until the draft/FA

So you would give him a passing grade if he traded rd1 pick 2 for McGroarty and them exchanged 18, 34 and 50 for #14?
Gotcha.

 

[deytookerjaabs]

"The Hawks have _______ top picks to come."

Yes and no.

There's plenty of teams stuck in draft purgatory, getting around picks 5-10 or so for a few years in and out. You can suck terribly hard but still pick out of the top 5.

Since the Hawks were almost historically terrible this year??? We didn't win the draft but got 2nd overall.

For the Hawks to get a top 3-5 pick again we'll have to be absolutely terrible...again. Not just bad...terrible. Or, we'll have to win another draft. And we are only allowed one win in the next 3 years while other teams have not moved up lately. Odds are not in the Hawks favor to win again but it could happen.

Sooooooo....

Please spare me all the "but Oilers" BS. The rules have changed, we won one gamble already which is super lucky as is. So, when you get the 2nd overall without winning?? You better ****ing nail that draft pick not knowing if we'll be top 5 again.

If you told me there was a team worse than the Hawks this year I would think you're nuts, but somehow the Sharks broke the mold for turd piles.

And KD isn't just going off of being terrible, he's stockpiled all sorts of picks in the top 3 rounds. But if he MISSES on his potential superstar picks? I don't think hitting on a few of those deeper picks will compensate for not having more than one top talent in the game.

I'll be glad to be wrong in my choices if whomever he picks turns out great in a few years. No late bloomers though.