The kid has promise, but this is definitely a bit of a gamble by the Hawks...
He ended the season strong, but he REALLY struggles in two zones (neutral and defensive) and against bigger teams, in addition to the fact that he was a flat out turn-over machine (57 GVA to 8 TKA). The kid is talented, but like other prospects on the Hawks, he's smallish and has yet to prove a commitment put on weight to make a true difference on the ice.
Is it really though considering the situation?
What we have seen in recent history with these full on tear down and rebuilds are players getting out of town faster than they can collect and develop enough of them to climb out of the cellar. I'd guess the Hawks have recognized this.
I mean everything is a gamble, specially at this level. I personally love it.
While you might not get as much heat for it(out of sight out of mind) living inside the box is just as risky.
While nobody would recognize it not signing a deal like that could also cost you a cup in 7 years or make you far less successful. Everyone talks about/recognizes things you did and shouldn't have but half the mistakes are things you didn't do and should have if not more.
I agree....this is a "who knows" situation.
I see both sides and the Hawks picked one. No one will know until the games are played.
But I do agree it's likely an inflationary signing whether it's a gamble or not.
I personally hope it ages like Darnell Nurse. That would be nice, I wish them nothing but the worst.
They haven't finished better than 6th Central in 10 years, since they won a Cup. Imagine the bounty in that draft position for 10 years.
I'd say they have a problem in multiple areas of management.
Here's hoping for continued mismanagement. I want a Cup before they become relevant just to rub the in-laws noses in it. Love them, great people but the years between 2010 and 2018 were brutal for me. I have a long memory.
dhsux wrote: ↑23 Aug 2025 14:53 pm
They haven't finished better than 6th Central in 10 years, since they won a Cup. Imagine the bounty in that draft position for 10 years.
I'd say they have a problem in multiple areas of management.
Pierre McGuire wrote: ↑23 Aug 2025 11:35 am
The talk about the turnovers is mind boggling. Useless stat…players that have the puck, turn it over. Players whose job is to try and make plays turn it over.
I disagree, and IMO it's the single most important stat for puck possession. The year we won the Cup, I actively tracked the stat for the league and our Blues had the best GVA/TKA ratio of any team in the NHL from January to the Cup. ROR lead the league with 94TKA to only 33GVA, and almost our entire forward lines had a positive in that stat (something we haven't done since). TJ Oshie was the greatest Blue in that stat category.
I will say that the league play has shifted dramatically in this category, as turnovers reigned supreme last season...
Pierre McGuire wrote: ↑23 Aug 2025 11:35 am
The talk about the turnovers is mind boggling. Useless stat…players that have the puck, turn it over. Players whose job is to try and make plays turn it over.
I disagree, and IMO it's the single most important stat for puck possession. The year we won the Cup, I actively tracked the stat for the league and our Blues had the best GVA/TKA ratio of any team in the NHL from January to the Cup. ROR lead the league with 94TKA to only 33GVA, and almost our entire forward lines had a positive in that stat (something we haven't done since). TJ Oshie was the greatest Blue in that stat category.
I will say that the league play has shifted dramatically in this category, as turnovers reigned supreme last season...
Pierre McGuire wrote: ↑23 Aug 2025 11:35 am
The talk about the turnovers is mind boggling. Useless stat…players that have the puck, turn it over. Players whose job is to try and make plays turn it over.
I disagree, and IMO it's the single most important stat for puck possession. The year we won the Cup, I actively tracked the stat for the league and our Blues had the best GVA/TKA ratio of any team in the NHL from January to the Cup. ROR lead the league with 94TKA to only 33GVA, and almost our entire forward lines had a positive in that stat (something we haven't done since). TJ Oshie was the greatest Blue in that stat category.
I will say that the league play has shifted dramatically in this category, as turnovers reigned supreme last season...
You can’t compare ROR to a rookie on a terrible team. They are different players.
