Blackhawks Rookies Getting Noticed
On Wednesday morning Corey Pronman at The Athletic did a season-opening deep dive on this year’s rookie class (based on Opening Night rosters). Two Blackhawks made his top 25, with two others getting mention.
Here’s what he had to say:
7. Dominik Kahun
“Kahun has been one of the biggest surprises of the preseason, playing at a very high level and showing two-way ability versus NHLers. He is projected to start the season on a line with Jonathan Toews. Kahun has speed, skill and works hard, but I had questions going in about whether he was dynamic enough at his size to play up high in an NHL lineup. That concern remains to some extent, but all indicators so far are that he’s very smart and has enough pace in his game to make plays.”
18. Henri Jokiharju
“Jokiharju was a guy I wasn’t 100 percent sold was NHL ready, but I kept hearing all spring/summer from scouts he was going to push for a job in Chicago, and he did in camp. He’s a great skater and puck-mover who can help Chicago’s transition game. While I don’t expect him to be a top player right away, Chicago needs help on its blueline, and he’ll get an opportunity to play minutes for them.”
54. Luke Johnson
Mid-Season Call-ups (Honorable mention): Dylan Sikura
Waiting for my next paycheck Friday to renew my subscription to The Athletic, so thanks for the report.
Agree Kahun underestimated, said before the possibility to get max bonuses is given rarely and for a reason.
I mentioned last fall Jokiharju could be on opening night roster this season, he will be a very good defenseman in time.
I hope Kahun is all that – to have two legit scoring lines automatically makes the Hawks better than last year
My feeling is that he will be – we’ll find out soon enough
Kahun should be the 2nd line center. He had a better FO% and, he appears a better center.
Highmore should be with the team as he is a center/wing that is solid in all aspects. We’ll see what happens.
Sikura? He should show he has a more complete game before he gets the call. He’s not there…yet.
Good for Luke J for making the club. We need grit (along with everything else), so let’s hope it works out for him.
Even though were not deep yet.
It starts this yr with the FWs.
Were just going to get better and better each yr,
until were that good again.
We enjoyed 8 and 12 get established and now/soon to another level.
Its time to see some of these guys get established.
Listen, I’ve given Nick Schmaltz a lot of shit for his faceoff numbers. But to say Dominik Kahun should be 2c is absolute lunacy.
The importance of a faceoff is controversially disputed. I think it’s one of those things that is tough to quantify. 45% is bad and 55% is league leading. Any one particular draw could be why the puck is in the back of the net on either end. So i don’t think they’re totally unimportant. But in that same breath it’s quite a bit of happenstance. Puck luck if you will. Puck luck is real, yet it’s almost impossible to quantify.
@Ernie, 60% is league leading, not 55%. Surely you can see the difference between winning 41% of faceoffs (that was Schmaltz last season) and winning 60% (O’Reilly)? But then again, there are very few players who are truly good at faceoffs. Toews has been consistently one of the best in the league at faceoffs for years (he was 5th last season with 58%), so it’s not just a matter of puck luck.
For me, if the Hawks are exciting (ie: play with enthusiasm) I am OK with how a rebuild year will go. If the Hawks play it “safe” (ie: afraid to make a mistake due to the wrath from Q) I will be disappointed.
If this is the start of the “rebuild”, let the kids learn from their mistakes. There are bosses who never allow their apprentices to be creative. That company might survive but it will not thrive. To thrive in the NHL, players need to create. I hope Q lets em loose.
Stats quantifies luck quite well. Over the course of a season, 55% of draws might get you quite a bit of extra possession. Without numbers to back me up, I’d reckon that buys you a +5 or +10 goal differential in a year.
But then again throwing numbers around willy nilly is indisputably controversially disputable. Wouldn’t be surprised if someone did that analysis though. Has anybody seen something like that?
Go Hawks!
If they compete for a full 60 min. a game I feel they can be respectful, not going to win the Cup but better than last year. Rebuilding !
Mike R. hit the nail on the head. The horses need to run and play. I hope Q allows them the luxury of effort, regardless of the odd error. I am happy with the new ‘kids’ on the block and those in the pipeline. All we fans now need is something I am a bit short of: patience. Q needs that too.
The start of the retool, was when we traded Hammer and Hoss had that thing.
Crow or someone else that a major core player getting hurt just made it that much worse. Even worse then that when the only yr we didn’t have a legitimate established nhl back up goalie, that happens. WTF.
This is the 2nd yr of the retool.
I hope the wave of good young players, and some are top pair/top 6 type guys are ready by 3rd yr. At least enough of them and the rest come for yr 4.
Then were back.
Game on.
Game off.
Game on.