Blackhawks Prospects In Action At World Junior Championship
Toronto and Montreal are hosting the 2015 World Junior Championship, and the Blackhawks will have a number of prospects participating when the games start today.
Four the 13 forwards to make the USA roster are Hawks prospects. Yale’s John Hayden will be an alternate captain, and will be coached by Rockford assistant Mark Osiecki. Tyler Motte, Nick Schmaltz and Anthony Louis also made the team.
Defenseman Robin Norell, a fourth round pick by the Hawks in 2013, will be representing Sweden again.
Louis and Schmaltz looked good today-at 5′ 7 it will be interesting to see if Louis can ever play in the NHL-the odds aren’t good. But can he ever fly.
The Canadian team (yah, I’m a homer) looked fast, deep and skilled. If their goaltender does a good job don’t see them getting beat.
And Hayden looked the least effective of the Hawk’s 4…
slowest for sure.
I think Hayden has gone from like 185 to plus 200 in the last year. Lotta beef to put on.
Either way, 19 and it seems like he has a good head on his shoulders getting an A and a heck of a work ethic based on what the interwebz say about him.
Probably somewhat of a project but the frame is there and there is no room at the in right now anyway.
I would love to see the Hawks sign Hayden after next year, his Junior year, to avoid any of the Kevin Hayes type drama. The Hawks need his size and with most of the Hawks prospects spending three years in the Ahl, it would be good to get him into that system where he can start playing against men and gradually work his way up to being NHL-ready.
I think Hayden is pretty intent on getting the degree and getting all four years in, at least based on what I’ve seen and read. Things change, but I doubt they’d sign him after this year. The guy they need to sign is Paliotta out of Vermont.
Stephen Johns by the way is definitely out with a concussion and it has been a few weeks now.
Oh and Tyler Motte is a Wolverine in more ways than one. Very tenacious and he looks like he’s got promise and a pro style game. Not tall but really sturdy.
Hof- Re: Motte- based on what I have seen/heard, Motte could probably play on the 4th line w 16/28 now… tenacious, with a good center of gravity, and better than average shot/hands.
Schmaltz and Motte drew 4 penalties vs.Finns.
Craig- brings me to the “what if” question…
What if SB would have let 29 go as UFA/or sign and trade 29 after 2013 Cup???
JHayes plays his spot ( 9 g’s so far and a real net presence on PP)…
KHayes then signs w Hawks and most of the Cap problems for Next year are gone.
I have always thought JHayes to be below average skater, But really good hands/size, so He would have done best on top 2 lines finishing rebounds and getting set up on PP…
I don’t think he would have been much worse than 52…
Schmaltz definitely looked the best to me. Showed great speed/moves especially on the last second drive to the net in the third period (turd period to Foley)
re: wall’s “what if” scenario – it’s easy to play hindsight now. When the dust settled from the Cup in 2013, JHayes had played 41 games in the NHL and had 13 points to show for it. KHayes was coming off the season in which he was suspended and seriously injured, and had scored only 17 goals in 3 seasons at Boston College. If we’re saying the Hawks should have kept JHayes to get KHayes, there was NOTHING from Kevin at that point in his career that warranted the Hawks making any accommodations for him to be signed. I liked JHayes’ size and thought he could have been a fit in Chicago as well… but as we’ve talked about many, MANY times here – this is a good, deep organization that will continue to have good players/prospects wind up making an impact somewhere else because there are only 18 active skater spots open on a nightly basis. I’m not sold on Bickell finishing his current contract here, but I’m also not sold on the idea that the Hayes brothers were the answer(s) to our prayers.
The beauty of Bowman is when we don’t/cant guys like Hayes and Hayes, he gets players like Riemsdyk and Schmaltz (and a extra 2nd pick in the deep draft yr).
Some good points Hof, I think you might spot on that Hayden would love to get an Ivy League degree AND play professional hockey.
Wall, I will say this In the times I’ve watched K. Hayes this for the Rangers I have been surprised at how he has adjusted pretty quickly to the pace of the NHL, without any professional hockey experience. I thought for sure he would need at least half a season in the a. Having said that, I don’t think the Hawks win the Stanley Cup in 2013 without Bickell. He is our version of Dustin Penner for sure.
Morrison, I think you nailed it : Stan and his scouts find a lot of gems. You have to add Scott Darling to the top of that list, what an absolute find.
Tab- I know what you are saying… IT is/was a lot easier for me to make the scenario in hindsight… But- KHayes was by far the more “sought after” as 18 year old… and yes- he didn’t show much- but he wasn’t bad either- prior to his breakout senior year… but he did have two years of injuries to slow him down…
But- I have never been a 29 fan… anyone who can play two completely different games (playoff vs. reg. season) is a dog… Yes- he was a big factor in Cup… Just his type- I don’t like… I just can’t respect him…
At the end of the day- It would have made the 2015 cap crunch easier to manage…
AND- perhaps would have built a little more “trust” for future Prospects to sign w Chicago…
On another note… seems like the Hogs have been struggling w/o Johns and Ross in line-up ( of course 42 is here too)
Not one canadian junior drafted by the Hawks. Need to look closer at the canadian kids.