Blackhawks Future: Philippe Paradis An Intriguing Player For 2011-12
It’s been 10 months since the Blackhawks traded Kris Versteeg to the Toronto Maple Leafs, and neither team got what they had hoped for at the NHL this season. Viktor Stalberg has been underwhelming in Chicago, and Toronto ended up dealing Versteeg to Philly just before the deadline.
But one of the players Chicago received in the trade could be a key piece to their championship puzzle next year.
As fans all over Chicago watch the Hawks get their lunch handed to them by the Canucks, one of the most popular names on the “I miss ______” list is Andrew Ladd. There might be a suitable replacement for Ladd in the system, and he might be in Chicago next year.
Philippe Paradis was the 27th overall selection by Carolina in the 2009 NHL Draft, and has already been traded before his 20th birthday. Some scouts have favorably compared Paradis to Ladd on the ice, and his numbers have backed that up.
He’s listed at 6-2 and 215 pounds and is a big, physical forward who can skate. In the last two years in juniors, he has scored 47 goals and added 50 assists in 122 games; he has also racked up 189 penalty minutes in those games.
At the draft two years ago, he told scouts that his offensive influences were Ales Hemsky and Martin Havlat, but with an added physical dimension. Also, at the 2009 CHL Top Prospects event, Paradis blasted a 95.7 mph shot in the hardest shot competition, defeating seven other prospects.
In four games in Rockford this year, Paradis scored one goal and was called for one penalty. He was an impressive physical player, though, and is maturing into his frame and game well.
Paradis just turned 20 on January 2, but could have present a tough decision for the Blackhawks coaching staff and management this summer. With Stalberg and Troy Brouwer both restricted free agents this summer and Jimmy Hayes now under contract, GM Stan Bowman may look to deal one/both of Stalberg and Brouwer to open cap space.
While Hayes is bigger (6-5, 210) and older (will turn 22 on Nov. 21), he isn’t as physical as Paradis. Both have good hands and work well within space, but Paradis is more of a banger than the elder Hayes.
What is perhaps most important about both Paradis and Hayes is that they are under contract, and each comes with a cap number under $1M next season.
Hawks get their lunch handed to them? 12 goals in the last two games. I think their lunch tastes pretty good.
If Stan Bowman trades either Stalberg and/or Brouwer to fit Paradis in this lineup.. We’re in trouble. We cannot keep sending NHL talent away for inexperienced youth..
The eternal optimist, you are.. But try to look at reality sometimes
Not an eternal optimist, Jay. The Blackhawks have some promising kids coming along in the system and, given their other financial obligations, may not want/be able to afford a raise for some of the RFAs this summer. Crawford will get paid, but there is going to be some choosing that takes place when guys like Stalberg, Frolik and Brouwer come to the table. I have LONG been on the Brouwer bandwagon and want him back, but if he asks for $3M, his value in a trade could bring back an NHL piece. The point of this piece is to introduce Hawks fans to a kid that might make an impact at the United Center next year.
Stalberg is history I would think. Frolik has really proven to be a pretty gritty player in this series-despite his sometimes iffy hands. Unless Bowman is blind, he has got to know that this team needs more size. Letting Brouwer go would not make sense unless they bring in one or two proven power forwards to replace him. I have enjoyed reading all of Tab’s prospect hits this season but I do have to wonder, if these kids are so good why was Rockford so bad?
Rockford suffered from a slew of talented youngsters who were getting their first full-time taste of the AHL (Pirri, Smith, Beach, Olsen, and Makarov among others). I believe they were the second-youngest team in the league. They did not reach the playoffs, but did play very well in the latter stages of the season (15-3 in their last 18).
I saw Paradis a couple of games in Rockford and he looked pretty solid. Big, fast, good hands. Most of these guys are in need of a little more seasoning. Olsen is especially raw and looks every bit of his 19 years. I’d like to see Paradis get a full year with Rockford learning the pro game. But he might be one of their more exciting prospects.
Paradis played 6 gms in Rockford. And Rockford had a lot of YOUNG players this year in their first professional season. Learning curve.
rockford was “bad” this year due to the fact that they had a revolving door of players. any one that was near ready this year, spent time with the hawks. alot of the players in rockford this year, were first year players, and real young. the future is bright for both the ice hogs and the hawks with all of these young guys.
Rockford was 15-3 in their last 18 games, so the young talent was starting to figure some things out about the pro game.