Blackhawks Place Kyle Cumiskey On Waivers
On Thursday morning the Blackhawks placed defenseman Kyle Cumiskey on waivers. If/When he clears, the Hawks will send him to Rockford; he has not dressed for a regular season game with the Hawks.
The next question is who loses his spot in Rockford, where the IceHogs already have eight defensemen on their roster. Ville Pokka, who was acquired from the Islanders with TJ Brennan in the Nick Leddy trade, and Dillon Fournier did not dress for the IceHogs opener.
But I thought he was Soooo good???
Not to say I told you so but where are all the Cumiskey fans at now? RFD I guess?
Well, we dodged that bullet.
Also, does anyone think its been a point of emphasis in the organization to acquire young right shot defenseman? Dahlbeck,Johns,Pokka, van Riemsdyk, Runblad. Or is it just coincidence?
Ernie, that is an excellent point. I read an article on the Bruins site a couple weeks back that was based on a study done and left and right shooters. There was interesting information in the article. In the United States, players have their dominant hand as the lower hand on the stick. In Canada and around the world, the dominant hand is the top hand on the stick. It explained why that was and had some good stats in it and talked about 60-70%, if I remember correctly, of NHL players are left shooters. Right shooters are at a premium.
Actually it was on the Bruins Bleacher Report team page as they were discussing the lack of right shooters on their team.
Chris Block, who’s in tune with the Rockford situation, said a few days ago Pokka has had a no contact jersey on in practice & that Pokka had a minor upper body injury.
I do not know if Pokka is with the team on their current long road trip. It would seem Dillon Fournier might go to the Indy Fuel as I’m sure the org. wants him playing and developing. Or maybe Pokka?
@ Ernie – Dahlbeck shoots left but your point still stands.
Blackhawks also have Michael Paliotta, a big right hand shot in his sr. year at Vermont. Lots of positive comments about his development from his play at the prospect camp. Bowman also talked up the North Dakota kid, Nick Mattson (left shooter).
ba bye now
How about send Cumiskey to Indy – he’s not in a development stage of his career. I’d rather keep Johns, Dahlbeck, Clendening, Fournier and Svedberg with Rockford and have them get lots of playing time against AHL competition than send any of those guys down to play against lower level players.
Srbrad,
come back please.
I can confirm the upper body injury to Pokka. And don’t forget the Finnish connection with Teuvo, which will help them both adapt to life in the land of milk and honey. They’re both terrific, respectful kids.
Re: the IceHogs D-I would be surprised if Svedberg ever plays in the NHL-he’s intriguing and it’s hard to give up on a monster, but after seeing him play live he would be lost against many of the quick teams in the West-like Dallas.
If TVR is as good as some are appointing him as then he might be the answer to # 6 but it would be good for one of the young prospects to get time early rather than later-Dalhlbeck or Clendening please!
If Richards still looks this out of place after 10 games then many may be right.
Obviously when Stan signed Cumiskey, he had no idea how solid TVR would be. The hawks simply don’t need him and really with Brennan on a way one way deal in Rockford you have a pretty similar player. The hawks top 7 is set now. If there is an injury, dahlbeck, Brennan and Cumiskey, if he clears waivers are all options.
As for Rockford, Fournier needs to play. There is absolutely no sense in sitting a 20 year old kid who is a first year pro. If he has to go down to Indy then so be it.
Nick Leddy through 4 games – 2 goals, 1 assist, nearly 20 minutes a night, Islanders are 4 & 0
Duncan Keith 28 minutes a night
Seabrook 24 minutes
Oduya 21 minutes
Hjalmarsson 22 minutes
Rundblad 9 minutes
Van Riemsdyck 12 minutes
just sayin ….
Nick Leddy – Goal, assist and evens in SO win last night (way plus in the fancy stat category). Skated more minutes than any of their other defenders and second overall to JT who is probably the best center in the league now that he is healthy.
Leddy isn’t here. Let it go. To quote Boudreau (he was talking about Semin, but it fits here) “He’s an enigma wrapped in something, wrapped in something else.” Leddy’s offense was undeniable. His salary parlayed with his defense when it mattered, didn’t match up.
As far as the logjam on the Rockford blue line. I’d really like to see all the kids play. Except Svedberg. Reminds me of Simon Danis-Pepin, he’s got size….
If you actually watch the Islander games, Leddy looks like a different player. Confident, actually playing the body and moving people off of pucks, flipping the ice consistently… I don’t want to sound like all of the people that whined and pined for the Laad/Buff/EVERYONE FROM 2010, but damn am I going to miss that kid.
As far as Cuminskey, good. TVR has been phenomenal. He’s played so well positionally and doing everything right to force the puck to the outside.
No question Leddy has talent and the Islanders got a REALLY nice player for almost nothing in return. The real question is would Q have let him take the necessary steps to improve his game. Leddy might have over 40 points this season for the Islanders. Pokka might turn into “something”. The other two probably not. As a matter of fact the goalie was just traded for rights and isn’t even signed. Unfortunately that’s what happens when teams are boxed in due to their salary. Like a said when the trade was done not a good move for Stan. It will look even worse if Richards can’t fill the 2nd line center role either, because that was essentially the move Leddy for Richards.
@ Ernie is absolutely right Hawks fans have to let it go. Nick Leddy is not coming back here and we need to move on.
One more thing about Leddy being traded – he would have to a raise next season, so will Saad (hopefully long-term)…unfortunately, the Hawks couldn’t keep them both. (As far as other possibilities – Leddy was no doubt the players teams were interested in…)
First pairing defender on an undefeated team eating 20 minutes a night is kind of a big deal. This myth that he couldn’t play D is hilarious, especially since he had to play two positions at once with the garbage that was on the other side of that third pair.
And NOTHING substantial came back. Two OK prospects who aren’t any better than what is an already log jammed system. Absolutely fleeced. Salary dumping Oduya nets the same return or better.
Richards could fill the second line role if he was deployed appropriately with Sharp and Hossa and Saad Toews and Kane were cut off the leash to run rampant on the NHL. At some point, players need to be put in a position to have success not shoved into a round hole if they’re a square peg.
Leddy was replaceable in the context of the cap, his future salary level, the Hawk system of play and the depth in the organization. I rather be a perennial Cup contend see than obsess over the personal statistics of Leddy in NY. He’s a good player. So what.
Some are also intent to obsess over a role player in Morin. Just like they obsessed over a role player in Pirri who couldn’t skate or play the two way game demanded by Chicago. Again, whatever. I want to let an elite level GM and coach lead a Cup contending team as they u seem appropriate.
I was always all in on Leddy… great kid… appeared to hav a very good rapport with his teammates (always hanging out with Bicks/Shaw/Morin judging from Twitter statuses over the last 2 years).
It stinks he was moved, but it happened. Hopefully Oduya can prove himself to be valueable for 1 more year. I said Leddy was a better player than Oduya at this point in their careers, I hope Oduya makes me eat my words… but we will see. I was in the camp of getting nothing for Oduya was better than getting a little for Leddy.
This will come down to Pokka making the roster by the 16-17 season. If Oduya remains servicable this year, and then Dalhbeck/Clendending replaces Oduya, and then Pokka takes Rosy’s spot the following year, then the trade is ok…
But that is a lot of “ifs”.
Oh well. I guess we will see what happens this year. TVR looks ok, but Runblad is probably going to end up on a short leash, especially if Clendending gets off to a fast start in Rockford.
@ AJ – you said this “And NOTHING substantial came back. Two OK prospects who aren’t any better than what is an already log jammed system. Absolutely fleeced. Salary dumping Oduya nets the same return or better.”
You know this how? Seriously, you know what other teams would’ve ponied up for a 33 yr. old Oduya? You know Pokka’s potential?
I also would like to see Kane and Saad play on a line with Toews and move Sharp and Hossa with Richards and then Shaw with Bickell and Morin. The 4th line has been gold as is.
I think everyone on here can agree that TODAY the Hawks did not get the value for Leddy that they should have. In 2 years if Pokka is a top 4 defensemen then maybe. The problem is Leddy is a top 4 defensemen today and will most likely be a top 4 d-man in 2 years. He might actually be an Allstar in the next 2 years if the Islanders suddenly get good and Leddy has a big hand in that.
The other point is equally as important that Dickie Dunn brought up was could the Hawks have afforded Leddy long term? Saad is a top 6 forward and is proving that his celling is extremely high. Saad is going to get somewhere between 15-20 million on a multi year deal. 3-5 million is a conservative number for Saad per season IMO. Leddy would have been at 3.5 minimum with his years of service and current salary. So its hard to envision that the Hawks could afford Saad and Leddy along with the other core players.
In the end this question today is the same question I asked when the season ended. Is Nick Leddy a top 4 defenseman on a Stanley Cup contender?
SSHM- To me, Leddy is a #4 on a contender… i feel he fits that 2nd d-pairing role very well, especially if next to a guy like Hammer for a full year. the problem, is that judging from the lines we see today (4-TVR, 27-Rundblad) Leddy didn’t fit. That mean TVR-Runblad together which Q wasnt too keen on (see the TOI for them together). With Rosy and Oduya both off the books next year and leddy already making over 2mil, he could have been given a modest raise (3.5-3.7) and been covered by the cheap rookies who will be coming up.
I think they could have afforded Leddy and Saad, but its all just talk now.
Hopefully it works out for everyone… Hawks take a title, Leddy becomes a big player for NY and hits a payday for himself.
Cumiskey has cleared waivers and will join the Icehogs on their long road trip.
As for Leddy…..someone had to go. I had hoped is was Oduya
Leddy will be a 50-65 point producer for the Isles who play in a weaker conference. He may become an all-star. Good for him and the Isles. He will get a nice contract from them. However, the bottom line is Stanley Cups. He never was someone that put it on the line or will put it on the line come the playoffs. He actually disappeared when money players were/are showing up. Look at the shift that sent the Kings to the Stanley Cup. Remember when Leddy had his stick knocked out of his hands moments before the unfortunately goal was scored. He did not man up and failed to take the man physically out of the play. He actually avoided contact, as usual. Next thing you know, the goal was scored. Good riddens Leddy. I am glad he is gone.
Back to Cumiskey… Interesting that no one in the NHL picked him on waivers. I would think the same would happen if Rundblad was put on waivers. Get rid of these two so we could let our young talent develop at the AHL level.
Or, the NHL level…
Leddy gets his stick chopped out of his hands which would be an obvious penalty if not for the overtime situation, and it’s his fault. Makes sense to me.
And “man up”. Ugh
“Leddy looks like a different player.” Ugh! Just the uniform is different. He is now on a team where he could pad his stats and get a nice contract. Those are meaningless points that will never bring a cup to the Isles. A number 5 dman here, a number 2 dman there. What’s that tell you; their d core sucks!
If the Hawks win the Stanley Cup this season, then trading Leddy really does not matter that much because the goal was to get under the salary cap while remaining a cup contender/favorite. Trading Oduya instead of Leddy would have meant going into the playoffs with legitimate questions about whether Leddy could log top 4 crucial minutes.
They won the Cup and advanced to the Conference Final (and game 7), with the same top 4 – Keith, Seabrook, Nik H and Oduya. Scotty, Stan, Q Did not want to change that.
….sorry – I hate to “beat a dead horse”, but, c’mon, this is about the Cap. I would like to have the Hawks keep Leddy, but not more than Saad…and, if you were an NHL GM not Stan Bowman, would you be trading for Oduya or Leddy? Rozsival – ha, ah?
I really hated to see Ladd go, but, would the better move have been Sharp instead? I don’t think so…
Byfuglien came up LARGE against Philadelphia when they needed it, but, overall – consistency vs. cost, he was an obvious choice to go — some difficult decisions have to be made. Hopefully, Pokka will turn out to be a better-than-average NHL player = fair return for Nick Leddy.
…to the matter at hand – fewer wasted opportunities / GO HAWKS!!
Per Ice Hogs Twitter, Dillon Fournier assigned to Indy Fuel. A good thing IMO – he’s only 20, missed a bunch of time last yr. due to injury and needs to be playing.
A team where he can pad his stats? Seriously?
Yep, a guy that isn’t getting sheltered zone starts and is facing tough competition yet still flipping the ice is definitely out there padding his stats.
Cumiskey was very good against Detroit and looked to be playing on one leg during the next 2 pre season games. He needs to be skating and jumping up in the play to be effective. Once he gets comfortable he will get his shot and he will be back.