Blackhawks Recall 3 From Rockford
On Tuesday afternoon, the Chicago Blackhawks recalled forwards Kyle Baun and Tyler Motte and defenseman Erik Gustafsson from the Rockford IceHogs.
Baun, who turns 25 on May 4, led Rockford with 34 points in 73 games this season and was named the IceHogs’ Most Improved Player last week. He is signed through the 2017-18 season.
Motte, 22, scored 10 goals with six assists in 43 games with Rockford. He appeared in 33 games with the Blackhawks, posting seven points. He is signed through the 2018-19 season.
Gustafsson, 25, scored five goals with 25 assists in 68 games with the IceHogs this year, and was named the club’s Defenseman of the Year. He had 14 assists in 41 games with the Blackhawks last year. Gustafsson will be a restricted free agent this summer.
The three might only get a couple days with the NHL club as the Hawks are looking up at a 3-0 deficit in their first round series against Nashville.
After witnessing the disaster known as taking faceoffs (sans Toews) last night — not to mention most of the season — the player that should have been recalled (it’s not too late) and sent directly to Nashville is Jake Dowell. He would immediately be the Hawks’ second best faceoff man after Toews, and it’s not even close. What’s better — Dowell taking faceoffs for however few minutes he plays, or Tootoo at six mins a game (including OT), whom Q has little to no trust in utilizing?
The big picture issue is how will this be rectified next season? Anisimov has been here two years and has regressed. Kruger has been no great shakes post wrist injury and is likely out the door. Desjardins can actually take faceoffs pretty well but he is hurt and will be playing in the AHL next season. Schmaltz needs to move in w/ Vermette over the summer in Arizona and practice in his driveway everyday.
How about Anaheim down the middle as far as faceoffs go — Getzlaf, Vermette, Kesler & even Thompson on the 4th line? I’m no Anaheim fan, and I believe they will self-destruct before they have a chance to hoist the Cup this year, but it’s concrete evidence how important faceoffs are. Toews, Kruger pre-wrist injury, Vermette, Richards, and Desjardins & Sharp when called upon) in 2015 Cup run is the antithesis of what we are witnessing w/ the current Hawks’ center entourage.
Surprised with Rozival out it wasn’t Pokka.
Are any of these three actually going to see the ice in game 4?
I doubt any will see tomorrow, unless there is an injury we do not know about. This is probably a teaching moment for 3 prospects who will be in the NHL full time someday……….Or Q has said F…..it and is going to let em play.
I am not an apologist but I do believe that success and wear and tear has taken its toll physically and even more so, mentally on the core players. I am as happy as I can be that there are no world games and no Olympics in the 17-18 season. The core needs to shut down and reflect on the future and remember that they play for Rocky Wirtz, the Chicago Blackhawks but most of all the fans who fill the stadium.
Wall said a couple of years ago the he was afraid the Hawks would become the Penguins 2.0. The Pens have to be considered the best run org in the NHL at least right now.
Great point, Mike. Guys like wall & Rufus would have burned the Pens to the ground and told us that Geno & Crosby were never going to win again 3 years ago. Heaven forbid guys get healthy, prospects develop and an organization sticks to its philosophy.
Soo AA hans regressed. He had literally the best season of his career…
Math comparison
How many years in between 1st Pens cup- and 2nd one w/ Fat contracts of Malkin/Crosby??? That is the “Time” the Pens needed to “develop/find” cheap complimentary talent… to win with those two FAT contracts
So yes-Hawks can develop/wait for talent to surround core… BUT- The core will be way past their Primes (assuming it takes the around the same time – it took Pens)
Pens had to wait several years— AND Malkin/Crosby were at the end of their Elite Years… but still in their primes
So my Chant- Pens 2.0 – wasn’t predicting Pens would never win again… Comparison- was really simply saying– make the Playoffs w/ HOF skilled guys, but really not a contender- cuz 30% Cap -tied to 2 players…
Pens- did finally win— when after several years of Cap increases + develop/find supporting guys took place!
With all that Cap $$$ tied to couple players for Hawks- it will take a couple of “Saad” like picks in the next few years- to get back to a Cup team-imo
And the odds of finding 2 Saad/like players in the next 3-4 years… pretty slim…
but it could happen
Yeah, very confused by the AA comment
(Sorry, posted accidentally) He was better in most stats as I recall but I haven’t loooked closely. He came to the team as a decent player and raised his offensive game quite a bit when corrected for injury time off, but his FO% has not improved. Still, hardly the biggest problem, and he’s obviously not at 100%, a little more depth would be welcome… Dannault… it kills me…
As for the 3 Hogs… why not. Good luck, have fun.
Dannault: 82 games, 40 pts, 52%FO
AA: 62 G, 45pts, 45%FO.
Would I hands down take Dannault over AA? *Thats not the point.* We should have both. Worst move in SB’s career. It has made this team weaker this season and in the future.
Ok, I’m done. This is me letting it go… (face turning red… accelerated heartbeat…)
Playing players on their off wings seemingly puts the Blackhawks at a disadvantage on faceoffs not won cleanly. To get the puck back to your dman on your off wing you have cross over the puck and sweep it back and on traditional side you can just chip it back. So some of the poor faceoff numbers may be worse because of playing off wing if they had a better opportunity there it could make a big difference in the stats we see.
Anisimov has regressed on FACEOFFS. That was the subject of my prior post. He has played well otherwise.
Thank you.
Actually anisimov has a slightly higher faceoff % this season than he did the previous 2 seasons you have to go back to 2013/14 to find a higher faceoff% in a season.
Now i am sure at 90% …their will be big change this summer and the core will be touch by the Change…cant loose like that ..their is a problem to loose in 4 games….big problem