Blackhawks Sign Philip Holm
On Tuesday the Blackhawks announced another addition on the blue line.
Chicago signed defenseman Philip Holm to a one-year, two-way contract that carries a $700,000 NHL cap hit. Holm, 27, was an All-Star in the KHL last season.
Welcome back Tab. Another left shot dman, one who Bowman tried to sign before, maybe familiar with Colliton, too.
Thanks for the update- I have kinda lost track of where we stand now with all the new “D” acquisitions- which are left? Right? Strongly offensive or defensive?Calvin deHaan not likely playing until November ( shoulder right?) Ollie Matta ready to go I guess? Now a 27 year old Swede?
Who starts? Who do we worry about? Where are the holes – still?
Getting excited for season to get going!
This is an… interesting signing. Yes, the Hawks had been in on him previously. But as we’ve discussed at length throughout this summer, the Blackhawks have WAY too many bodies on the blue line already.
Welcome back Tab. I hope you got to enjoy some summer downtime.
Best news of the day – not the signing of another D that may never play for the Blackhawks – but rather that Tab is keeping this great blog going. Thank you!!!
….meaning Gilbert, Krys, are busts and maybe Beaudin will be traded alongside AA…
Beaudin drafted in the 1st round has never made the Canadian Junioir team. Couldn’t make the summer showcase either like Vlasic.
I wonder how many d man do we need ? So i think Boqvist will play in Rockford …and Hawks will probably move Murphy ..not easy to understand what is really going in Bowman head.
But someting else is cooking ….not over yet ..some big pieces will probably move .
Is it Gus ? Murphy ? Saad ? Seabrook ? CRAWFORD ??
REALLY BUSY SUMMER SO FAR .
Go Hawks Go .
nice move very good defenseman
I wish to God they could find a way to do something with Seabrook. Can you healthy scratch him 9 nights out of 10? Send him to Rockford? GIVE him away to a team that needs a veteran defenseman? he’s the pig in the pipeline and there are 5 more years on this STUPID contract they gave him. I think I could play better defense than him at this point. he’s not much more than a slow-footed turnstyle on defense
Jack,
I understand your frustration as I’m sure most of us do.
Realistically he is here to stay.
My desire for him is to simplify his game, play to his strengths.
A Sopel 2.0, shot blocking stay at home type.
Who knows, he may come into camp in the best shape of his life & surprise us all!
Who knows what their plans are for Holm – he could just be a depth option who is projected to help out in Rockford and at the same time be another lottery ticket to be an NHL player
It creates even more competition amongst the young D – if the Hawks think he has a chance to be an NHLer why not sign him – he or others can always be traded
He’s another asset and they’re allowed 50 pro contracts – to this point I think they have 45 ish – does anyone know for sure?
Hull it’s ok to take chances on lower picks and if they all don’t pan out, just like you rant about, Bowman has shown there are cheap easy signings and trades to fill that void. Guys like Dach, Boqvist etc need to pan out, replacing their future roles is another ballgame completely.
If DeHaan is not ready to start the season, then the Hawks top 7 is set with Dahlstrom and Slater K. both on the team.
Without Holm, the oldest defensemen on Rockford would have been Dennis Gilbert and Joni Tuulola at 23-years-old. I think signing Holm gives them a 28-year-old defenseman who can put up 50 points and would be an injury callup candidate.
The only thing that surprises me a bit is there are now 6 left handed defensemen at Rockford: Holm, Gilbert, Carlsson, Krys, Beaudin, Tuollola. Wow.
Craig Josh Mcardle, Dimitri Osipov and Ryczek are right shot defensemen under Ahl contracts to Rfd. The 1st 2 played in Rfd and Indy last year, and Ryczek Bkachawks d4aft pick. All but Holm that you mention are on elcs and can be sent to Indy. Players on a Nhl contract thats not an elc are not allowed to be loaned to Echl. So it’s a possibility 1 or 2 may end up in Indy too. If Tuulola not working out would not be surprised if he headed back to Europe at some point as others like Norell and Press etc did in past few years.
Tab, I’m glad you’re back and thanks for all the work you put into coordinating the site. Maybe I’m being too optimistic but I think the Hawks have improved themselves in the off season and should be in a position to challenge for a playoff spot. I do understand the frustration with Brent Seabrook’s overly long and weighty contract, but I also feel grateful to him for being a vital element on three Cup winning teams. It’s hard to forget the huge overtime goals Seabrook scored against the Wings, Bruins, and Predators in a couple of our Cup years. Seabrook also was one of only four dependable defensemen who anchored the 2015 Cup run. Yes, he has slowed down and lost quite a bit of his game but we owe him a great deal and Stan Bowman is responsible for the contract he eventually signed.
re: “I wish to God they could find a way to do something with Seabrook” – they have. Bowman now has enough defensemen that Seabrook can be a 3rd pair guy most nights. The Hawks weren’t in salary cap hell this summer and spent money wisely (read: not on Panarin). I acknowledge that it’s impossible to discuss Seabrook without his salary cap number being a significant part of the conversation, but if he’s here and they use him in a more limited role I’m fine with it. Especially if they can afford to have 4-6 defensemen on the roster who are better than 7.
My issue with the Seabrook contract is that we may have issues keeping De Brincat and Strome. I just wonder what kind of pictures his agent has of Bowman to get that contract. I don’t think Bowman can be that stupid to give him such a long contract. We lost Teuvo because we had to add a sweetener to get rid of Bickell’s contract. If we still had him, we would have made the playoffs last year.
Seabrook will be with us for one more year. Expansion draft coming up, teams under the floor and the Hawks willing to share in his cost. For what it’s worth I think he’ll make the best of his last season with the Hawks
Agree Tab it would appear with Maatta, Dehaan, Keith and Murphy playing bulk of pk mins. Gus will play most of PP mins, would think with Boqvist available he would if Gus can’t. So reducing Seabrooks mins there combined with less need to have him playing big 5 on 5 mins should allow him to be more effective when he is on the ice.
Contracts are like draft picks, not every one works out the way you hope. Every team has or had a hard to deal with contract or contracts at some point, it happens. As i said before rewarding for delivering 3 cups is the most successful business model in Nhl i’ve saw in salary cap era. Remember Pens 8 years with no cup between 2nd and 3rd ones.
Wrap 45 contracts is right on, if Perlini signed be 46.
Those contracts nos do not include Dach and Beaudin who are eligible for slide years back in juniors. So if don’t go back it would make 47 and Perlini 48.
Ian,
Good point on the right handed shots on Rockford/Indy shuttle.
I actually spoke with a guy at pickup hockey this summer who played several games for the Indy Fuel last year. He told me the organization really likes Osipov, because he’s a right handed shot, who clears the crease and is a thumper who loves to mix up.
As he pointed out, Chicago doesn’t have a lot of that. So I think he likely sticks.
Ryczyk and McArdle are definite ECHL players.
I believe Holm negotiated a rather high AHL salary (~$300k I think) so he probably thinks he will likely end up in the A…so he gets paid decently if so.
Players that dont play in the NHL can still have an impact of they play well enough motivate those who do play to come ready to play at camp and then every game night. If he does that, he’s worth using a contract I think.
TAB:
So all this talk about Seabrook, reminded me that he may have been at least tempted to waive his no movement clause, for a trade to Vancouver, because he grew up nearby.
With Seattle less than 150 miles away, and the expansion draft rule stating; “All players with no movement clauses at the time of the draft, and who decline to waive those clauses, must be protected and will be counted toward their team’s applicable protection limits,” do you think SB is already posturing and increasing depth, because he knows he’ll need to sweeten the pot with young talent Seattle wouldn’t have to use draft picks to get – in order to have any hope of trading Seabrook to Seattle?
Hull & Ian both valid points re someone like Beaudin and where he was drafted.
Going back to my repetitive posts from summer of ’18, this is exactly why the “chance” so to speak should have been taken by drafting Veleno (at a position of need no less, center) than another D man. An efficient durable smart well rounded — and cost effective — player like Velemo in a third line role would have served a better purpose in the short and long runs.
When both Beaudin and Veleno are NHL players then we can properly judge but neither has even played an NHL game yet – a bit early to proclaim who is the better player
Maybe Veleno will be maybe Beaudin will be – the story has not yet been written
Having soo many D is fine. Someone might surprise, who isint going to be good, and not having more would be a mistake. Only problem would be if certain D are ? blocking others who are ready and should be playing. Which we did Kopecky Manning Ruutta Forsling others.
We now have the green light for who wants it and whos better.
Lets go now.
Totally agree Morrison. And I’m looking forward to the usual training camp surprise or two. The guys who seemingly force their way into conversation before the final cuts. Might it be Hagel ? Might it be Quenneville? Might it be Sarella ? at forward who knows ?
What if Boqvist’s skill is so much more advanced, he HAS to be on the team ?
All possible.
You can’t ever have too much d-man talent in the pipeline. Holm seems to have lots of positive aspects to his game. He now goes into competition with others. After pre-season we’ll know who starts the season with the Hawks, who goes to Rockford, who gets traded, who gets waived and so on. Look, who would have predicted the breakout season that Gustafson had last season? Perhaps StanBow sees that sort of potential in Holm. In any case, this season the Hawks are going in with more talent and depth at the d-man position than I can recall. However they don’t have the luxury of Keith and Seabrook in their peak years. Hopefully this depth makes up for it.
Looking at the schedule, getting a fast start is important the 1st 20 games. From mid November to Christmas break is a brutal stretch again, playing alot of tough teams, unfavorable back to backs and inter division matchups. All 4 games vs Avs in there, Blues 3 times in that stretch. January with mandatory break and allstar game, only play 10 games, 2 division.
February there is 3 home games and 11 road games, 5 divisi9n games on road vs 1 home. So gaining ground between New Years and tdl may be hard to find. March has 11 home games vs 4 road, gives good opportunity to make a late surge but a quick jump in first 20 games could be needed to set the table for a March run to be successful. So having their best players coming out of camp could be huge to the seasons success
So thats my prediction for a successful year. Out the gate fast, from mid Nov until tdl stay in thick of things and take advantage of favorable schedule down the stretch to make a strong run for playoff positioning. Limited travel last 5 wks of season could allow them to be rested up for playoffs more than other teams too.
Good analysis Ian – even without knowing the schedule it was very important for the Hawks to get off to a good start
Quite often the better teams from the previous year have slow starts and the teams that previously missed the playoffs can surprise teams early on
Sometimes those surprising teams fall off the pace as the season progresses but other times they can hang in there and then as you say make a late push and get into the playoffs – COL was a bit like that last year and the NYI as well although the NYI didn’t really need to late push just to make the playoffs but COL did
Sorry Wrap but Iceman has a crystal ball ,,,he predicted this sooooooooooo long ago it must come true . My view is Veleno was drafted by a team who will develope and ease a player ,they will nurture and foster his skill set …And Beaudin was drafted by the Hawks and will be buried in the A.H.L and traded in a couple of years .for a flop top 5 draft pick from a struggling team .. Just a different crystal ball .
2010 – beware the crystal ball
I wonder how many crystal balls saw Alexandre Daigle as a future NHL star?
Here is how any team should draft in every league. IF you have graded all players and your scouts come to a consensus.
NBA….Best player available.
MLB….Best player available.
NFL….Best player available.
NHL… Best player available.
Now we can find out which is the right choice when and if that draft pick makes it into the professional league.
Havnt looked or thought about sch yet but from now on I think it matters not, in a way. Were deep again. I want to say that again. Were deep again. F yeah.
We wont be in a team system change and roster update this time. On every yr we were deep we had crazy, try to screw us, sections of sch, and we did good and bad in those but every time then we had a full roster. Thats the difference this time again. Were able to do it and not have a 6-2-2 start and be -9 20 games later. Thats 3-16. That, Most Likely, wont happen again. When I said last yr after going 6-2-2, we couldnt go bad like last yr and whala, we did. So not saying That again.
Think we have some historically ‘normal’ long road trips again this yr. Havnt in a couple yrs. To get team bonding , which is key.
Havnt read every post yet.
Ian, with two top 5 goalies we could do well in, some, of those tuff portions of sch. Especially back to backs.
With 7 of the top 16 teams in league in division. 15 over .500 could be like 25 in any other division. So I wouldnt look at record as any say all.
Wrap, usually every yr except for last yr there has been one team that always gets that patent 30-10 start. Not sure if any do this yr again, in Campbell. East is easy to do it, having 7 or 8 of the worst 10 or so teams.
You would think NAS and WIN, WIN is still good but two of top 4 left, would play good after not showing up sort of like how TB did yr before. For COL if they didnt have that mid season collapse, STL might not have made playoffs.
Sounds crazy but MIN and WIN could be last place teams in division. One thing is the division might be very competitive during season with that many top teams and make us better. Could be good for us younger guys.
We now do really have a training camp, with soo many players in the making. This training camp and next yrs could make for some noise.
I still think 21 season roster is better, though this yr we have a Very deep with established players who know how to play deepness.
Mo good point, when both goalies are healthy, should have better chance in back to back games. Also with a deeper roster, allowing fresher legs in could impact that too. Hate to say but letting a Seabrook or nagging injuries period, rest on back to back games might not be a bad thing this year, with quality players available to help there.
“We lost Teuvo because we had to add a sweetener to get rid of Bickell’s contract. If we still had him, we would have made the playoffs last year.”
I would rather not make playoffs when on a yr we were ready or deep enough and get a top 3 franchise player. Kirby Dach. Could not have worked out any better.
Teuvo would have been, salty easy coast bias vegas style, eminit domain anyways.
Ian, thats the thing with PIT. They are a bookend and not anything in terms of dynasty. When the league had the deepest and most quality elite teams, CHI LA BOS ANA, PIT could not compete with those teams, at all. Got faced washed by BOS. Absolutely sucked for 8 yrs. Well maybe not that bad but.
Not a coincidence they won or were good again, when the top teams in the last 20yrs in hockey got watered down by salary cap and then they did good? Exactly.
They are like a NJ teams, and thats not being fair to NJ. LA and BOS were the COL of red wings dynasty during CHI dynasty.
Thats the key 3, really 4, Cups in 6 yrs. Key is in 6 yrs time we did that. Compressed is Way harder then spread out or bookend or when league is low on top teams. Remember we got screwed by refs/instant replay/no offsidesreplay yet/things in 2014. Where PIT got given to them with the goalie interference against NAS in 17.
What ever. Were going to be a top team again for yrs now. PIT is basically done with no farm coming. Where we have who we have coming.
I respect LA BOS COL from mid 90s and others like NJ and other more then PIT. Just telling it how it is.
Theres been a change shift in the wind climate of the league. With the last one after 2015 and all those really really good loaded teams of CHI LA BOS ANA and maybe another, to the last 4 yrs of crap and mediocrity of water down hockey teams (which allowed teams like PT to do good) While TB was the best team for these 4 yrs and NAs and WIN the other top 3 teams.
To recently CAL and BOS being the up and coming teams, with COL joining them and CHI joining that group from now on. Mean while even though TB NAS WIN are still top teams, they are no longer clear cut top 3 teams above other top 10 teams like last 4 yrs. Along with more then usual mid teir teams like Islanders and others.
So this summer draft saw the salary cap make those, recent yrs, top teams pay their dues salary cap wise, TB TOR others. Its not a cycle its a pay your Fing dues time for those teams. Now we will see in thee 2-5 coming yrs some good hockey again, with these up and coming teams CAl BOS COL CHI make hockey good again, with the fast and mean style of hockey the league has transformed into.
Where all the other top teams from last 10 yrs are not good and here we are again as a top team.
Here come the Hawks!
Unless Stan was feeding us a line, the situation with Seabrook is lined up. He’ll be with the team and will be playing a fair amount. He will be paired with a vet, so that he doesn’t have the burden of playing with a guy not seasoned in the NHL who he’ll have to cover for. That was Stan’s description of Seabrook’s role after the team went out and got Maatta and DeHaan. I’ll assume that Colliton is thinking along the same lines.
That sounds like logical ,fair assessment Big Indian .
I hope your right .
My guess is (when they’re all 100% healthy):
Keith – Murphy
Gustafsson – de Haan
Maatta – Seabrook (perhaps the slowest pairing in the NHL unless Maatta gets his wheels back from pre-hip issues form)
This six leaves Koekkoek & Dahlstrom (among others) on the outside looking in… which is, in part, why I believe Bowman has a few more deals to make before the regular season begins.
Did we try 2 5 pair before? I guess what ever way we do line up were good, because when you have 6, NHL, defensemen and 4 good lines and two top 5 goalies, not starters, two top 5 goalies. Were good with any pairs and lines. Just go with who works better ideal wise now. What a luxury to have, to be able to play with 4 lines, 6 NHL defensemen and two top 5 goalies.
When did we get so good. Transition yrs are over.
Agree Dahlstrom and Koekkoek on outside and may be some moves there.
Don’t see Maatta and Seabrook pairing, for one reason, not much offense outside of Gus in those 6, so see Seabrook in an Ozone starting pairing to take advantage of off3nse he can bring and Maatta as strictly shutdown. Plus really hope that pairing doesn’t happen, Murphy would seem best option wuth Maatta on a shutdown role.
Could see if top pair struggling, find it gard to believe it won’t be Keith and Gus, trying Dehaan there with Gus or Boqvist if Gus does happen to get moved and a Keith, Seabrook 2nd pair, especially if Seabrook not playing big special teams minutes, his ice time would still be controlled. Still don’t rule out Boqvist playing a big role this year someway.
Can it be Keith Murphy as top. Usually gets paired with #1 line which would be Toews Kane ? so as to protect against rough stuff to our top line to start. Then Maatta Gus then Seabs de Haan. This would let JC switch them up as the game progresses or when the needs extra offense or extra defense.
This is another depth signing. And why not stock your AHL farm team with d-men, goalies and forwards for a change. In that way, when a guy is called up to the Hawks, he is accustomed to a winning culture instead of a rag tag environment. As for Seabrook? Although he is on the downswing of his career, the man helped us win three Stanley Cups and only low class minded folks would refer to him as a “pig” (Icehog implication or not). Further, he was abruptly forced to adjust from Q’s user-friendly hockey version of a zone defense to a quad/hamstring stressing man-to-man type defense on the fly. By season’s end, he (and Keith) admirably caught on. Granted, he is now more of a 6 or 7 than a 2 now, but let’s have some respect for a warrior.
Unless Gus shows vast improvement in the D zone I’m not keen on him playing alongside Keith who still will likely be the TOI leader amongst D men
Why not pair one puck mover with one more defensively oriented D man
Something like
Keith – Murphy
de Haan – Seabrook
Maatta – Gus
… Gus gets his PP minutes but his defensive liabilities are more sheltered
Wrap agree with your pairings, only reason i mentioned Dehaan with Gus is, although he plays alot of pk mins, rather than a 5 on 5 shutdown role he has played alot as a stay at home support guy with an offensive minded partner. Thought maybe Colliton if a shakeup needed that wouod make sense, and reunite 2 and 7 with Keith still getting big special teams mins and logging more late in game likely.
Wrap, Ian do you guys not see my pairings just above? Or you guys just don’t like me. lol
Hey you may be right JR, all good lol.
Jr- I’ll have to answer none of the above
I have no reason not to like you (you post well thought out comments) and I did read your pairings – somehow I forgot about them, sorry ; )
You half to think Dehaan with 3 years renaining on his contract and his relatively young age, that he is going to be considered as a veteran stay at home partner for a number of years for these young right side Dmen like Boqvist or Gus if he stays, possibly Mitchell even.
Keith for a few more too but age may change his role before much longer.