Blackhawks Send Pokka, Fournier And Svedberg To Rockford
On Sunday afternoon, the Blackhawks sent three defensemen to Rockford.
Ville Pokka and Viktor Svedberg had been reassigned previously, but were recalled to play in St. Louis on Saturday. Dillon Fournier will join them with the IceHogs.
Chicago’s active roster now includes 17 forwards, 8 defensemen and three goaltenders. Opening Night is Wednesday.
Don’t rosters have to be set by 5pm Tuesday?
They will probably keep 8 d-men to open the season as Hjalmarsson is suspended for Game#1. Then maybe they’ll give Forsling some more games to determine if it’s better to keep him or send him back to Sweden.
That means a max of 13 forwards and we know 7 are set (19/88/81/15/72/14/16) which leaves 6 spots out of Desjardins, Mashinter, Tootoo, Motte, Hartman, Fortin, Hinostroza, Schmaltz, McNeill and Rasmussen. So which 4 get eliminated? Probably McNeill, Hinostroza and Schmaltz are 3 of them. Then I’m going to guess Rozsival goes on IR and they end up keeping 14 forwards until they send Fortin back to JRs and Rozy comes off IR.
I really hope there isn’t a scenario where both Tootoo and Mashinter are on the roster. Putting Rozsival on IR does nothing except clear a roster spot. Putting him on LTIR doesn’t do anything either as the Hawks are probably to far away from the ceiling. McNeil needs waivers as does Mashinter and Tootoo. They probably wait until everyone is putting players on waivers and trying to cut rosters down so they hope they clear. Could probably send Rozsival down and he clears but I’m not sure they’d do that. At least not right away.
It sounds like Fortin is going to get at least 9. And Forsling at least one.
I think its Rasmussen or Desjardins.
Desjardins.
Mashinter or Tootoo as 13th
Tootoo
McNeil, Schmaltz, Hinostroza,Hartman
Hartman.
I would love to see Desi, McNeil,Mash and Moose get elimated. Unfortunately that would require Q to move outside his comfort zone. If I was a betting man I would say McNeil, Hartman, Fortin and either Hino or Schmaltz get eliminated. I agree they might keep Fortin for 9 games.
Q has to have his perceived enforcer. This year we have a choice of Mash or Tootoo or both. Like Ernie I hope it is not both. I am not a Tootoo fan but I think he has a lot more bite to his game. Mash is a big teddy bear.
Desjardins – only NHL experience. Have to keep him. May need him to center 4th
line. If youngsters develop, may be a deadline piece. Good price$$$
Motte – seems that he is penciled in on 3rd line. Love his speed. Best upside.
Hartman – makes the roster because we need someone to replace Shaw and he is as
close as it comes to that type of agitator player that we have. will he
succeed?
Rasmussen – We need speed and he does not have it. Without that and a physical
edge, I don’t feel he will be here long term. That is unless he can win
55% at the dot and he has not shown that potential.
Fortin – believe he gets 9 game chance to play with Toews. Need some skill and
speed on 19’s lw. Hopefully a diamond in the rough with surprise upside
Hinostroza – Love his speed, but he has to hold the puck. Would rather he center
the 4th line because the puck kept finding his stick and loved, loved,
loved his speed. We lived with Teuvo giving up the puck to avoid
contact, we can live with vinny losing it until he finds a groove.
Schmaltz – still did not show enough to stay on the NHL roster. Learn to take
draws & he is potentially the 2nd line center next year when we trade
AA for cap space. At least I am hoping for that development. Another
with appealing upside.
Mashinter – should not be on any NHL roster just like Sveddy. If he is, that is a
mistake by Q. ***
Tootoo – waste of a roster spot just to fight once in a while. If he makes it, I think
it would be another Q mistake. ***
*** Q has to commit to develop a couple kids with upside potential. That will pay dividends in 7 months. These two guys have absolutely no upside and would do nothing for our success in the playoffs. Why waste roster spots with these guys. I believe it would be foolish and a crucial mistake by Q if he did keep them.
McNeill – in permanent dog house. Hope he gets picked up on waivers by the
Blues and centers Yak’s line.
Only able to view last Preseason game…
Based on that-
Motte is a lock
Fortin – best skater/forechecker of the bunch
Dezi- experience
Then Hartman,
I like Rasmussen better than the rest…
Man- I think the Hawks are really going to miss SHAW!!!
Only hope to score this year– Use the Quicker/Puck moving D guys with SPEED…
Cause these Young guys can’t cycle/possess like the old Roster guys from year’s past!!! So me hopes- Fortin sticks
Fabbri pick- looks way better than Schmaltz pick right now
Just because Desi has experience is not a good enough reason to keep him. He brings nothing to the table offensively. His inability to finish is a glaring weakness. His average speed is below that of the youngsters. We have plenty of experienced players on this team so he is expendable. Moose is another average skater with limited offensive skills. He is too slow to be an effective forechecker. His only positive is the willingness to stand in front of the net. We have the opportunity this year to add speed and skill to the team. The NHL is going in that direction and I hope the Hawks do also. We can’t afford anymore wasted roster spots.
Hawks1961…I agree with you and would prefer the youth movement and the SPEED. I think my comments above are influenced by what I believe Q will do.
What if the Hawks use Desjardins as that 13th forward instead of Mashinter and Tootoo. Before coming to the Hawks Desjardins dropped the gloves 10 times one year. If it’s between Rasmussen and Desjardins based on what they provide on the ice I’d rather have Desjardins. Point production wise it’s a push. But Desjardins is better at the dot. Better defensively will hit and a better skater. Desjardins makes 225k more than Rasmussen. Rasmussen has played 44 NHL games. So he’s barely lost his rookie eligibility.
Opening night under some of your predictions would look like this
72-19-14
82-15-88
64-16-81
Hartman-Hinostroza-Tootoo?
Add in Forsling and Kempny on the back end and do you really think Q is going to skate 6 rookies a night? Throw Schmaltz in just for shits and gigs and you have 7.
I wouldn’t mind seeing Kane and Toews play with Fortin. Bump Hossa to second line. Hartman on a line with Motte and Kruger. And Panik more appropriately slotted on the 4th line. A Desjardins Panik Tootoo 4th line is more realistic. No reason to give Hinostroza 4th line minutes. No reason to give Panik top line minutes. We saw Hartman Motte and Kruger together and they were effective.
Is it correct that Forsling’s contract burns the first year whether he plays in Chicago or Sweden? If that’s the case, there is no reason to not keep him. I believe he’s played his way onto the team. He and Kempny are #5 and #6, based on what I saw of the preseason games. van Riemsdyk #7 (and I thinks he’s an adequate third pair guy). Rozsival is nothing more than a translator for/friend to Kempny, but Stan signed him.
Motte and Hartman are “locks”. Schmaltz may be better starting in Rockford unless Q is willing to give him actual playing time (not likely). I would give Hinastroza a real chance (based on speed and attitude). I would not have either Mashinter or Tootoo on *my* team, but it’s Q’s team.
Wall — If Fortin is on the team, great (maybe he “clicks” with Toews?). Fabbri got a LARGE break because of an injury opportunity. Maybe any comparison to Schmaltz is premature? I recognize Fabbri had a great first year, but maybe Stan made a good move trading up to take Schmaltz rather than Fabbri? We’ll see…?
Panarin-Toews-Hossa
Fortin-Anisimov-Kane
Motte-Kruger-Panik
Desjardins-Rasmussen-Hartman
It is correct that Forsling contract will not slide. This is his age 20 season. Only age 18 and 19 seasons are eligible to slide. He just so happens to have a clause in his contract that he goes back to Sweden if not in the NHL, most likely because he’s still under contract with Linkoping. The NHL and SHL have a transfer agreement in place but I don’t blame the club or player for wanting to go back home if he’s not in the NHL.
I really do dislike going back and analyzing who should have been taken where in a draft. Hindsight is always 20/20. But these guys careers have just started so its way too soon to tell. Do you think the Penguins would have liked to draft Toews over Jordan Staal?
Dickie D- not really comparing Schmaltz/Fabbri… My opinion is-
Fabbri has NHL quality speed/skating- and a Motor that will not stop (Shaw is a better comp)…
Schmaltz has NHL vision/Hands… And his skating was great for College Hockey…
So far in Practice and 1 Preseason game… my view of Schmaltz- Average skater (NHL)… so while he has Kane-like vision… he doesn’t have the skating to back it!
Just my 2 cents – in very small sample viewing- Schmaltz did back check harder/more than I ever noticed versus ND games- for a positive… but skating Schmaltz with 3rd/4th line guys who can’t finnish… Makes ZERO sense to me.
That’s why I do like Fortin (and From)… both guys – can at the very least Skate like NHL players… so as long as they have some IQ- can at least play – “forecheck roles”
Ernie- I agree that Desi would be a better option than Rasmussen, Mashinter and Tootoo for slot #13. What I would like to see opening night is much different than what I predict will happen as far as personnel. Q will never employ 6/7 rookies. My guess is only 2 or at most 3 youngsters make the team as forwards. My wishful thinking lineup would be:
82-19-14
72-15-88
64-8-81
38-16-48
I realize 14 is not top line talent and would hope eventually he is moved down and one of the kids is moved up.
Who are the rookies who’ve earned a job in training camp – Motte for sure, Forsling, Kempny, maybe Hartman and Hinostroza. Fortin looked overmatched Saturday night, Schmaltz looks like he needs a few months to acclimate to the pro game.
They will shuttle guys to and from Rockford, they always do. The guy I clearly see on the outs is McNeill.
Wall continuing to slurp Fabbri every chance he gets. It’s creepy. Wall, go meet up with Fabbri after a Blues game, bend over and get it over with.
My prediction :
72 – 19 – 14
82 – 15 – 88
64 – 16 – 81
11 – 70 – 38
Extra: 22
2 – 4
6 – 7
42 – 51
Extra: 32 – 57
50
33
Not ideal, but this is how I see the forward mix to start the season…
Fortin-Toews-Kane
Panarin-Anisimov-Motte
Panik-Kruger-Hossa
Desjardins-Rasmussen-Tootoo
Mashinter
Going with the lines 72 19 14 , 64 15 88, 38 16 81 & 48 8 22 with 11 as 13th man would be good with 82 getting a look opening night and either he stays and another rookie goes down or he goes to juniors and if someone starts year on ir then 70 or 53 stay around and you get a few more regular season games to assess your young players and see how you want to shape the lines and eight bodies on defense with 57 still getting lots of ice time too
Unfortunately RTF’s lineup is probably very close to what will happen.