Chicago Blackhawks Select Kirby Dach
With the third overall selection in the 2019 NHL Draft, the Chicago Blackhawks selected center Kirby Dach.
What’s up, Dach?!
The #Blackhawks are proud to select the 6-foot-4, 198-pound center Kirby Dach! pic.twitter.com/sT3wAHmeOs
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) June 22, 2019
WTF
Probably could’ve traded down to draft him.
Wow….. i was really not expecting the Hawks to get Dach …
I am in shock ….and Byram goes to aColorado
We’ll see on Dach.
Byram and Makar together. Good time to be a Lanch fan.
Disappointed.
Love it. Big Center who might be a Number 1 Center one day.
Can’t trade down if other GM’s don’t call.
Stan Bowman needs to go. Most draft rankings had Turcotte as the best center behind Hughes. He has a higher ceiling then Dach and Cozens and would have played his heart out playing on his favorite team. Out of Turcotte, Cozens and Dach, Dach was pretty much ranked the worst of the 3. While he’s big, he’s not a fast skater and that will indeed create problems given that Strome who’s very slow will become our future 1/2 C’s as Toews starts digressing in the next few years.
Not to mention we also passed on Byram!!!
As if this wasn’t enough, news breaks today that the Blackhawks are one of the top 2 teams going after Cory Perry…are you kidding me?
Stan needs to go!
I really thought Turcotte was the pick…. wow.
re: trading down – LAK were taking a center. They liked Dach a LOT. He wasn’t making it past 5.
Ticked off.
He plays in my hometown here so ill get to see him more when he gets cut but potential wise? Manoman. Just blew it.
Proved me wrong on picking Canadian over American so Ill shut my yap on that subject but dammit
Youre telling me he has the most upward potential? Really?
Toews
Strome
Dach
Barratt/Wise
I’ll take that all day long
Detroit and Seider????
I bet there are people that would whine if the Devils swapped picks with the Hawks for Forsling and the Hawks drafted Hughes.
Good pick. See what Detroit did! Think their fans are crying as much as you guys?
Eddie-
Most of the scouts had Stefan ranked #1 in 1999. Debrincat slipped t9 the second round. They’re not always right. Look at some of the players drafted ahead of Hossa.
Dach was a logical choice. Logjam of prospects at D, but not many at forward. Not many worthy of most NHL teams. When you see Dylan Sikura as your best forward prospect, you’re in trouble.
With the exception of Seider I love the fact that the 3 players I wanted were all chosen next.
F***
Stan didn’t select the hometown kid.
He didn’t select an American.
He didn’t select the (over?) hyped defenseman.
He didn’t select anyone else from the US Development Team.
It appears he selected the #1 player on their board who offers the greatest upside in their estimation.
Ok.
@Tab Bamford
Would have looked a lot better with Turcotte or Cozens in the 3C. Don’t you just love our future 1C (Dach) and 2C (Strome) are both slow centers for a 1C and 2C? Bodes well for the direction the NHL is headed….speed.
Bowman screwed up again. Saad for Panarin, Hjalmarsson for Murphy, Teuvo to move bickell after giving him too big of a contract, and Boqvist who was arguably the biggest Defensive risk out of Bouchard, Q Hughes and Dobson after Rasmus was selected first.
Yeah, Bowman is a real winner….oh yeah we got Caggs for Manning and Slow Strome and so far a bust Perlini for Schmaltz (jury is out on this trade still). 1 and questionably 2 good trades doesn’t make up for all the bad he’s done. Why the media or fan doesn’t come down harder on Stan is beyond me.
What’s with all of the bad hair cuts?
I would have taken Byram (but I’m not the GM). I believe they got the next best player available in Dach…and I’m not alone with that opinion.
@Eddie: yeah, I wondered about the two not so fast center thing as well.
On a different note, is there some reason why every team hast to send about a dozen guys to the podium in order to make the pick? Kind of lame.
I would love to see their scouting reports on these players.
Tab made a good point in a post about 10 minutes ago..in two years your center depth could easily be Toews(32) Strome(24) Dach(20) and any combination of Barratt (22) Wise(21) or Kampf(25) to center the fourth line..throw in Entwhistle and Kurashev and not only do you finally have some depth at center, but youth and size at center as well..and the potential to make a hell of a fourth line as well..love this pick! Think about how well the Blackhawks performed in their playoff runs with second line center ”fill ins” like Handzus, Richards, or even Sharp(not a natural center) in 2010..now think about the potential for the center lineup above! Am I the only one that is excited by the potential strength and playmaking down the middle that the Hawks will be able to roll out?? And guess what? I still try to trade for JT Miller! keep strengthening your strong positions! Miller can play wing or center and isn’t anemic offensively..would look perfect next to Toews and would allow Kaner to move to line two..I’m excited!
Quinn Hughes went 7th overall – one pick before the Hawks picked Boqvist.
Is Bettman a hobitt?
My bet is Bowman convinced everyone to pick Dach over Turcotte and then Cozens. Why? Because his job is on the line and Dach out of those 3 is the most ready to step in the NHL this coming season.
However, most GM’s and scouts will say, you pick the BPA with the highest ceilings. There is no doubt those two players were Byram and Turcotte hands down. Turcotte you would have to wait a year and maybe even 2 and Bowman doesn’t have a year.
This also explains why the Hawks, which I’ve been scratching my head all day on, are in the running for Corry Perry. Bowman is going to save his job by making this a playoff team, but these kind of moves are short sided to build another cup run in 2 to 3 years IMO. Turcotte in 3 years will be hands down better then Dach who I believe will be a 3C and MAYBE a 2C due to his lack of speed while Turcotte is a bonafide 1/2C as well as Cozens.
I think Turcotte was the better choice but Dach is not slow for a player that size. Hard to knock off the puck, great playmaker, high IQ. Cozens scored much better at the Combine.
That said, COL just ate our lunch with a more sure bet and more punishment coming at #16.
@Original6hawkey
The issue with Dach is he had average or slightly above average speed in the juniors. Translation, is below average to slow in the NHL. I get he’s big, but that’s why the NHL is moving to smaller forwards with more speed to keep up with the pace of the game today. Dach is going to be a 3C because of this. Cozens and Turcotte will be 1 or 2Cs. Toews is slowing down and will be quite noticeable in the next 3 years. We are going to be without a 1C in the prospect pool as my guess is the hawks will be a borderline wildcard to playoff team and will miss on the lottery the next 2 years. Dach was the most NHL ready of the 3 but the lowest ceiling of the 3. Bowman is trying to save his job.
Agree, Byram was the sure bet but with logjam of defensive prospects, barely any true center prospects beyond a 4th liner in Wise or Barratt, and in addition to Stans inability to make a trade of someone like Beaudin and one of our 3rd pairing guys for a pick or forward, the Hawks needed to go Center as Byram would have made the logjam worse. I would have traded Beaudin and someone like Forsling for a winger or even another 1st round pick, and grabbed Byram all day long; who knows maybe he tried but even if he did, I have zero faith Stan knows how to make a hands down winning trade for the Hawks.
Eddie, excellent post. I was thinking the same thing that Bowman wanted someone who can step in within a year because he is on the hot seat. Turcotte will need two years at Wisconsin (my alma mater) before he is ready. However, we should reserve judgement on Dach. His skating is not bad and he may improve. He has other very good tools to become a very good 2C.
MTL gets a gift in Caufield. He was one of the best performers at the Combine. Will be better than DCat.
I said “Newhook” just before COL picked him. The rich get richer.
Jordyhawk, “…why every team hast to send about a dozen guys to the podium in order to make the pick?” — including that AZ moron with the infant!
Krebs one of the highest scorers at the Combine. VGK should take him.
If (and I find it impossible to believe) the Hawks sign Cory Perry, Bowman *should* be fired.
Some very informative comments here that explains why StanBow passed on Byram, who I believe is destined to be a star. StanBow isn’t thinking long term, he’s dead set on making the playoffs this season. He apparently thinks that Beaudin or Boquist will make the team, Jokiharu is locked into the lineup and with Gustafson emerging as a bonafide top level offensive d-man and Matta coming in as a defensive upgrade this season it’s about strengthening the team up the middle.
Arty will soon be dealt most likely for a wing with some scoring ability or perhaps picks to stock the pantry.
I was all in on the Byram bandwagon. It will be painful watching him tear it up with the Avs next season.
I figured if we took Byram Gus would be dealt. Now I’m not so sure.
@Dickie: agree on Perry. I never want to see that douche wearing the Indian Head.
Cozens is a better skater and has the comparable offensive skills. He was the better pick. SB goes with a big slow, bad skater…who would rather pass than shoot. Byram would have been a great pick too. Dach? Slow, slow, and slow. He’s a young Anisimov. JUST LOVELY!!! SB has just screwed the gift of a 3rd overall pick. If I’m wrong, I’ll admit it. Right now? I’m not. Dach was the wrong pick.
We still have to deal with a very porous and aging defense- talk of Corey Perry is a huge distraction and does nothing for Hawks short term.
Anisimov still has to go – as do a few other pilons- but let’s get the Finnish goalie in the lineup ( maybe a Binnington year!) and please- some tough, smart Defencemen!
No offense to Kirby, but this was a mistake this will be a mistake going forward when you have the ability to draft a true number one defenseman you do it, yes he’s not a proven number one but everyone has m tracked as a number one, you do it and develop others or trade others around him to accommodate it’s a building block and I hope to God stand Bowman’s right but this reeks of going against the grain just to prove he’s got something one up in hockey IQ versus his dad
So let me see if I understand this conspiracy. SB directs/strong-arms all other execs to draft a mediocre talent who will help the team make the playoffs next year so he can keep his job. While Dach wasn’t my first choice this scenario is laughable. I will defer to the experts and in three years we can all decide how good or bad the pick was. To think this has an impact on next year is crazy.
I like this pick, a lot. Would have been happy with Tourcote, Cozens or Zegras too. I hope Dach’s skating is not going to be an issue, but I like the size and play making ability. The Hawks got a nice guy to shore up the third line while being groomed to replace Toews. I like it, and nice job @Tab for calling it.
As I read these comments, I just laugh. None of this is anything but opinion. If you love the team, trust the brass in charge. I llike Dach as #3. Would have been OK with Byram or Turcotte but it’s Dach so live with it or start rooting for the Wolves. This guy has the tools to be a #1 or 2 C within 2 years so it’s a pretty damn good pick. Let’s go thru a prospect camp and see how accurate these comments are in three months. #trustthebrass.
If Byram then, what Hawk forward prospects are destined for success? Kampf? Sikura? Perlini? This team is so bad on the forward front, it’s sad. I don’t alway defend SB, but he made the right pick IMO. Turcotte would have been nice as well. In addition, he just signed Maata, so the D logjam was too great.
I will say this. Dach is a playmaker. If he turns out to be a Joe Thornton type of guy…then it is definitely a successful pick. His skating can be fixed IF he is willing to work on it.
No one knows how these drafts will turn out. Everyone knows that. However, please don’t say…”trust the brass”. Do you really think they are fricking gods. They know frick all just like the rest of us. Again, they are guessing just like everyone else.
Good call on Dach Tab, hopefully he becomes the next superstar center. Looking forward in a couple of years or sooner to seeing him, big solid center who the organization believes in, all good.
Surprised, but agree we need to wait on this one. He is slower than Cozens, but he can play with speedier players. A couple of people on the site called it
Original-Turcotte better than D-Cat?
What, he will score 50 in his second year? Now that would be something. lol
Byram won’t play much next year, he will go back to the CHL and lead the Canadian Juniors. Wish he was a Hawk.
Trade up for the 6’4″ winger Lavio
His skating is good at speed. Excellent stick work and a terrific back-checker. I guess not picking Byram means he wasn’t incrementally better than our pipeline of prospects.
In the end, we need to remember we just drafted a top 5 player, since I doubt Dach drops past #5 , and the Hawks clearly believe they selected a top 3 player. All good!
Time will tell.
@Aurora: that’s a fair comment. For me, I’m disappointed we didn’t get Byram because he looks like he has the potential to be a dynamic player (and at a position where we still do not have a true number one). I don’t think anyone should be down on Dach. More a case of what we missed rather than what we got.
This isn’t even a “win-now” pick. You want to win now you get some damn defense to shore up the almost 50 goals above league average (291 to 244) your joke of a blue line let in last year. Don’t even try to pin that differential on Ward or Collllin either, yes there were softies in there but there was trash defense all year long and even in front of Crow, who basically kept them relevant for the last 5 weeks, despite Keith being absent, Seabrook being slow, Forsling having no idea how to play d, Gus convinced he’s a forward, and Jokiharju being in Rockford (cuz that needed to be happening), and Murphy doing everything he can with a busted back.
Take the surefire defenseman who scored at the same rate as the guy you actually drafted. Nothing Stan can do would make anyone think he’s the smartest guy in the room, but he’s hellbent on trying to continually prove it. Time for Stan to go, the game is beyond him(and his dad…don’t kid yourself as to who the brains were), and now he’s laid bare for the fraud he is.
Wasted pick that sets back the franchise. I don’t care about your center depth when you’ve got either old, slow, clueless, checked-out, or any combination of those behind them. Scoring isn’t the problem, getting walked all over your own zone and on the kill is the problem. Glad the brainchild addressed that in what had damn well better be his last draft. Show me anyone besides Debrincat that suggests he should get another shot at blowing another pick. You can’t.
Noonan, where did I say Turcotte is better than DCat? I hope you have been drinking or else it’s something much more serious.
This is the curse of the third pick in a two pick draft, can’t please everyone and someone will find fault with whom ever was chosen.
I posted this Bowman quote on the last blog and I think that is what they saw in Dach – the biggest impact as he develops
“We’re going to draft the player we think has the best projection to be an impact player,” Bowman said. “We’re not ruled by position on that. So the guy that we believe is going to have the biggest impact (as he develops) into an NHL player, that’s who we’re going to take.”
I thought they would take Byram but if not then I thought they would take Dach and this selection means they think Dach will have a higher impact eventually so that’s very exciting
It’s a bonus if he plays next year but not the reason they drafted him nor is the D logjam the reason they passed on Byram – they believe in Dach’s upside over Byram’s – I haven’t watched either player enough to argue this point so I’ll take them at their word and be excited – plus he projects as a 1C and he isn’t slow by any means – he’s an excellent skater maybe not elite speed but good speed and great edge work
I’m very happy with this pick
Hull, stick tap and a beaut, for sticking to your guns and not sucking on others so called pros. You were the only, One, that had that from the beginning or anyway through without inside information. Good job dude salute.
Nice call Tab, Dach will be fine. Is Jack Hughs really that good?
Could have traded down and not get the elite player we think is going to be a better ‘prime’ yrs player. COL and LA wanted Dach and had to settle for Turcotte and Byram.
If Byram was #1 Defensemen then we, might have picked him, if we didnt have faith in the Four Horsemen. That shows we do. Turcotte and other FW like Zegras are going to be elite players.
What matters the most, like Ian said all along, is no matter who anyone thought was the BPA, the Blackhawks Bowman and crew think and know that Dach is the better player of all of these elite players, once in prime yrs not now or last yr. That to me says ‘who is it’.
This guy is going to be a beast, more then Podloz, and the better player of all these elite players. Wouldn’t be surprised that Dach is the better player of the top 8 drafted.
I was wrong on this from the start but didnt have info or watch these players for 12 mths or longer. Hull hit the nail on the head and because of whichamacallit post throughout people dissed it. I sort of did because I didnt think Dach because of the so called pros reports and ranking on Turcotte and Byram and others. To be honest I didnt think Dach was top whatever but that shows you your wrong sometimes and be humble. But I really didnt know anything on these guys, just reading and I didnt watch even one vvideo of any draft players because I know thats only highlight usually against weaker competition.
The player the Blackhawks Bowman and crew picked I believe will be the better player of all of these elite players. Turcotte and Byram are elite but not as good as Dach once 23-30 age wise.
Also nice to see Byram face when not picked 3rd oberall, like he was entitiled to it. That shows me he doesnt deserve it, it was handed to him no matter how good he is.
That the Blackhawkss would rather have a guy who is determined and will go through anything to get there and not feel like he should be given it.
Thats what makes men, character.
Suck on thaaaaat! like Bolly says. When I saw that face on Byram I knew I would be even more happy with Dach then him, in his prime yrs.
Thank you Tab I am sorry and really didnt know that as much as that seems bs it is true.
Lets go now.
Get out there and stick em.
Thats what were here for guys, to win.
DACH was rated in the TOP 5. Byram is not going to be in the NHL this season and only next season if Colorado trade Girard or Berrie…or Timmins. Turcotte at 5’11” and playing college hockey for the next 3 seasons, well, Bowman can’t wait that long. Now, I have said it all along, if Bowman had drafted a center and a winger the last 2 seasons instead of only 4 dmen, maybe this year he drafts Byram. He screwed up.
DACH slow? No way! He has great skill and deceptive quickness. But unlike COZENS who is soft for his size but a good skater, DACH is nasty, high IQ, great wrist shot and hates to lose. STROME, who is weak, becomes expendable next contract because he is slower than anyone in the league including AA. Is Bergeron a fast skater? O’Reilly? Tavares? NOPE!
DACH is much stronger. And he can play wing like Forsberg did in Nashville. He was not rated in the bottom 25, DACH was rated in the top 5 and NHL ready like Hughes and Kappo.
Of course, I agree with some who have said Bowman screwed up with TEUVO and I would have never traded Schmaltz. I still think he needs to be fired because of the lack of prospects in the farm. He record after the 1st round is awful.
Take Dcat away from Strome and what does Strome procude, nothing much. I still think he could have traded Beaudin for a 1st rounder and maybe get Spencer knight or Bleecher who will be a monster in Boston on the wing.
Perry? Only at a low price. Slow but in the playoffs will do more than KAHUN or SIKURA or CAGGIULA or ANTHONY LOUIS or WEDIN!!!
Tab, I am going to see this thing through and remain a committed Indian, like I did after piss poor words in 2012.
I hear Cozens is, not, soft and a bastard to play agasint. I like Cozens but there were better prime yr players in top 8 and that shows why we didnt pick Turcotte or Byram as much as people said, they, were better. THEY were wrong and time doesnt tell it just puts a stamp on it, as They say.
History was written by those who have hung heros.
Many feel Broberg is the best dman on the board and the Oilers got him. He was voted the best dman at the Worlds Juniors.
And Hughes struggled against the bigger teams and forwards at the tournament. So, who knows. All these picks are gambles. Bowman picking Boqvist, Mitchell, Joku and Beaudin the last two seasons was his mistake. And all those guys are talented but too small. Time will tell. But if we all watched the NHL playoffs the last 10 years, you need to be tough on the blue line….those 4 picks, no toughness which is why Bowman has no clue.
I’m seeing a lot of comments praising Dach and it’s hard not to praise any of the top 12 picks this year.
However, for those of you praising him, not sure how many watched the Worlds or Juniors. If you did, it was clear as day Dach’s acceleration is average at best…against 17, 18 and 19 year olds. The NHL is much much faster and acceleration is much more important in the NHL then top end speed. Guys, the NHL is getting faster and not one analyst will argue that; very different then 10 years ago or even 5 to 7 years ago. The NHL is about quick step and acceleration and that is the biggest knock against Dach compared to Cozens and Turcotte. That is why, most of the experts have Dach going 5, 6, or 7. These experts are ex NHL players, scouts, and coaches…for anyone to say “trust the brass”, doesn’t understand that and why I say that….well what has Stan Bowman done for this team? Dave Tallon and Rocky (when he was initially much more involved after his Father passed) set the Hawks up for at least their first 2 cups if not 3. Stan has been the beneficiary of that including legacy scouts (especially in Europe). Stan since has made some very bad moves (Hjamarlsson, Tuevo, Panarin).
Additionally, Dach is the most pro ready…if not this year next. Stan is in the hot seat…he has 1 to 2 years max or will lose his job. He’s not taking Turcotte because he’s likely 2 years away maybe 1. Stan even said, they took the most NHL ready center. Notice, not best player available or best center available.
Now, I’ll agree that this is not a horrible move, it’s just not the right one given the data we have today. Byram, Turcotte and Cozens all, almost across the board were viewed as the best players in that order. Dach is a reach at #3 and there is a reason why so many pro analysts say that. We will face Byram plenty in years to come and will be reminded of this. Dach, IMO, is a career 3C that may have a couple seasons at 2C but his acceleration will kill him at a chance to be a 1C. Speed and acceleration, while can be improved on a bit, can not be drastically changed…it’s one of those things you either have it or you don’t and Dach just doesn’t. That leaves us now with 22 year old Strome who’s slloooowww and Dach to carry the Hawks in the future….not good in today’s game. BTW, Dach’s F/O percentage is in the low 40’s in the juniors…another thing Strome and he have in common.
Analyst Rankings:
TSN/McKenzie – #5
The Athletic – #10
HockeyProspect – #8
FutureConsiderations – #7
Eliteprospects – #8
Let’s hope all the advanced stats and analytics mean nothing and Stan Bowman will finally prove everyone wrong and he’s one of the better GM’s in the league.
From April 9th when the Hawks win the draft lottery and moved from 12th to 3rd until around 7:30 tonight, I voiced my preference in who I wanted the Hawks to take with the 3rd pick. Early on I wanted Turcotte but then changed my preference to Byram which is who I was hoping Stan would draft when he stepped up to the microphone tonight.
Then he announced Kirby Dach,
I knew it was going to be a new day once the draft selection was made. All the pre-draft thoughts would have to be put in the past – no matter who Stan selected. I knew I was going to have to put all my pre-draft opinions behind me and embrace the player no matter who it was because he would now be a Hawk and a player I want to succeed. The only thing I didn’t know about all that was how long it would take me to get over Stan picking the “wrong guy” (according to me) and warming up to the guy he did select.
Well, it’s been only a few hours since Kirby Dach became the newest Blackhawk and I can tell you I’ve warmed up to the pick. There’s a lot to like about Dach and I have high hopes that he will be a great player for the Hawks in the not too distant future.
Welcome aboard #77.
Is Jamie Benn slow? Would he make the Hawks?
Craig, redwings Yzerman did call and asked Bowman and crew if fhey wanted a player and plus. The guyrs though about it, texted back and countered, then Yzerman with his buddy looking at text, texted back and said something. Then Bowman read it while Kelly was in bathroom or hallway thinking and talking to whoever, then at back at the table said something. Bowman said might be good but we want our guy.
The guy COL and LA wanted, Dach. Not because they wanted him but because we did and what ever redwings offered we still said, nay, were going with who we want more then quantity. You could see it in their faces when the camera was on them. So that also tells me I am more sure about the Blackhawks pick then I would have been already. Saying, No, to redwings tells me something. That even though Scotty and others in other franchises are going to work together, we wanted who we wanted more then a good deal trade and we stuck to that.
What I like is its good trade relations for the coming yrs, even though thats just one draft and the only draft we ll have a top 6 skill pick for another decade.
What I like is Yzerman is on with helping what makes both teams better and I salut him for that. He did watch me scrap blue paint off mu knuckles in lake placid, summer of 14, at world juniors. He knew I wanted moar. That was the only time I meet Kelly and a couple other guys there. When I talked to Kelly for a min, he was cool after first 10 sec and I told him speed in FWs and he said yea fast, real fast.
It was a good summer.
(“…at a position where we still do not have a true number one”) — did ANYONE see Duncan Keith as a “true number one” when he was selected in the second round, 54th overall? That turned out “OK” for the Hawks. Maybe Boqvist develops into a player close to what Keith became – who knows?
The Hawks don’t need all 4 of those D men to make it on the Hawks roster – 2 of the 4 would be good, maybe 3 but I’d be surprised if all 4 played for the Hawks – 1 or 2 could be used as trade assets and they can round out the defence with bigger bodies
I don’t think the NHL is changing so much that you don’t still need a balance of size and skill – it’s just that things are tilting more towards skill lately
The idea that Beaudin could have brought back a 1st rounder this year is a bit fanciful
Central Scouting had Dach as the #3 NA prospect ahead of both Turcotte and Cozens
Bunch of babies. Look everyone complains Hawks are soft Hawks are small. Shut the FUp and wait and see. Everyone is so Fing smart. Stan doesn’t make this pick without all his scouts on board. Accept the pick and jump on board until you can’t
Didn’t realize Tab had started a new thread as soon as we picked Dach. In the previous thread I gave credit to Hull for getting his man.
Am a little disappointed for what may have been a small reach but there is some misplaced fury here tonight. There must have been a reason for Central to rank Dach 3rd NA Skater. Would not achieve this ranking if he were an average skater. He has long strides and is agile. However, I haven’t read that he projects as a 1C – Wrap, where did you read that? He looks to be a 2C power forward who makes great plays in small spaces, wins puck battles, and takes it to the net. Has a higher hockey IQ than Cozens.
SportingNews comments:
“Great size, length and outstanding vision. He controls the puck as well as any draft-eligible peer. Can run a power play and be a threat to score on the penalty kill. Speed is deceptive in open ice but displays agility and escapability in tight quarters. A little bit of Joe Thornton mixed in with Ryan Getzlaf.”
We badly need a Big Joe Thornton with Getzlaf high-skill.
SportingNews is over a barrel on Zegras:
“Ridiculous vision and hockey sense. Has top-line and all-star potential. Executes plays on his backhand that most players outside of Hughes and a few others can’t do on their forehand. Shifty and strong on the puck. I compared him to Mathew Barzal but Zegras may end being better. He’s a Boston University recruit.”
Zegras a steal at #9.
In a few years we can look back and grade the draft. Maybe we’ll eat our words. Hope so.
Original – Corey Pronman’s take but I’ve read it lots of other places too
‘When you think of what teams are looking for in a No. 1 center, it looks a lot like Dach. He’s a right-shot centerman who measures in around 6-foot-4, with a lot of skill and offensive IQ, and plays heavy minutes. He makes high-end plays to his teammates and through defenders with consistency. His vision particularly stands out. He has great patience, finds guys in traffic and makes tough passes when you least expect it. He’s a prototypical power play QB and plays a 5-foot-10 skill game in a big man’s body. Dach showed that he can play all situations. He’s not the most physical big man, but he’s reliable defensively and often played more than 20 minutes a night for Saskatoon in tough matchups. At the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, he showed he could be a net-front guy on the power play. Dach has good speed. His feet don’t match his skill and his first step could be a bit better, but overall he’s the total package and a player who projects to be a front-line center in the NHL. His consistency is the only issue I have. With his toolkit, he should have dominated the WHL, but he only did that in stretches with a midseason lull, though he ended his season strong.
Saskatoon Blades coach Mitch Love on Dach: “He’s a student of the game. He’s got a very high hockey IQ. His playmaking ability is second to none. There aren’t many 6-foot-4, 200 pound, 17-year-old players who can play center the way he can.”
Team Fit: Dach on a pure tools level is above, if not clearly above, both Alex Turcotte and Bowen Byram. I would have had some hesitation doing that pick at No. 3 given his production last season and alternative options, but if Chicago believes he will become the sum of his parts, he is absolutely worthy of this pick. This isn’t the first time an incredbly talented forward has gone high without great production. It reminds me of the Ryan Johansen and Mark Scheifele picks, which both worked out, although their circumstances were a bit different, with Johansen going through a growth spurt and Scheifele being a first year player in the OHL. Dach becomes the best forward prospect in the Chicago system by a wide, wide margin and the best prospect overall in the system. If the team did its homework and wasn’t scared off by his midseason slump, 6-foot-4 centers with his skill, vision and skating are rare to find, and he has the potential to become a star in the NHL’
Not only does he project as a 1c with good speed, high IQ and high compete but also better in pure skills than both Turcotte and Byram
Beaudin or Joku for Kreider!!!
For as much as I detest old “Osama Bin Laden beard” Thornton, he was a great 1st ballot HOF player and if Dach can get close to that – Stan hit a grand slam tonight. Dach has the kind of game that Thornton has with his ability to use his size to control the puck and as a pass first center. That is setting the bar really high – probably too high, but there is some similarity there so – why not?
I kind of feel like I’ve jilted Byram and Turcotte after loving them for so long – but they’re yesterday’s news for me now because I’m getting hyped thinking about Dach suiting up his #77 in the Indianhead and playing for our team.
If 3 months ago somebody that the Blackhawks were going to draft a high end center who can become Toews replacement 3rd overall, we’d of thought they were crazy. Don’t get bummed out over what may turn out to be alot of hype on others.
Hull you picked him, now don’t blow what credibility you got. From what i watched of him Dach is a good skater when gets up a head of steam, nothing special from stop start perspective. He doesn’t play real physical but an agitator like Marchand, teams will find him hard to play against.
If 3 months ago somebody that the Blackhawks were going to draft a high end center who can become Toews replacement 3rd overall, we’d of thought they were crazy. Don’t get bummed out over what may turn out to be alot of hype on others.
Hull you picked him, now don’t blow what credibility you got. From what i watched of him Dach is a good skater when gets up a head of steam, nothing special from stop start perspective. He doesn’t play real physical but an agitator like Marchand, teams will find him hard to play against. A big help to this roster.
Sit back and enjoy, Bowmsn may be just getting warmed up, this summer.
Okie, yea right.
Aurora, that says something, good. It proves Byram, might, not be a #1.
Edward, its the crackhead generation, they listen to rap music, by choice. That right there tells you somethings wrong with them.
Original, not sure if he is better then Debrincat. See if he scores 40 goals in this 2nd yr after scoring 30 in rookie. I doubt that, but maybe if he does well he could be as good as Debrincat some day in his prime yrs.
I do not believe a word of this Bowman job BS. Not saying he is secure contract for next 15 yrs but I think our guys picked the better player, for prime yrs. Just because the pro said which ever guy is better doesnt mean they will be. 19 88 have 10 yrs left which is basically half a career, for generational players, so it cant just be about next 4-5 yr window cleshay.
One thing people havnt mentioned is, Bowman and crew might know of a trade were doing or going for that we havent done yet that were going to do and thats why we picked who we picked because we know were adding a a certain kind of player with trade or july 1 and its the overall fit for the roster and not only longterm young player.
I am not liking Perry, I donot know anyone who does, but at 1m caphit like Richy and adding other could assemble a deep 4 lines real fast. With the Four Horsemen plus Maata coming pretty soon.
STAN HAS THE BRAIN OF A CANTALOUPE!! PLEASE CAN HIM..
Byram was my first choice. However, I’ve been watching new footage tonight. I had two qualms about Dach: 1) He was allegedly too slow; and 2) He didn’t use his size well. Well, I changed my mind. Dach plays keep-away with opponents while “skating slow” so what difference does it make if faster players try to overcome his stickhandling prowess to no avail. The faster players MUST skate as slowly as Dach. Plus Dach, in tight, is extraordinarily nimble on his skates and has soft hands. Secondly, I don’t know why I couldn’t find the footage I saw tonight before, but Dach was crunchin’ and munchin’ people. He’s already bigger than any Hawk. So, I think, barring a disaster, he’ll play THIS year. Getting back to his hands, he would logically be the third or fourth option on shootouts. He is amazing. As Byram Bowen, I’m sorry we didn’t get him, but I just looked at Boqvist, Beaudin and Jokiharju footage for two hours. Pair each one with a Keith, a Maatta or a Murphy and we’re not doing so badly.
Wrap, after reading your very good analysis, am feeling better about the Dach pick. . Above average skater for his size. Should spend next year in the WHL so that he’s ready to help the Hawks make a serious run in 20/21. Both he and Strome went #3 but Dach will be a much better player.
ER, thats the thing I was thinking Turcotte from the beginning, actually Cozens. Those guys. Then during the mth I though yea Byram is good to. It was the flow of the experts and people that had it to Turcotte and Byram. None of us, I think, knew what Blackhawks guys were thinking and know.
So through it all, even to the last 72 48 24 hrs I got more in tune with not wanting one of these guys and mindset of up tp 8 of them are that good but some will be better then the others. Lets get one of those ones. Thought it would be better to leave it in the hands of the Organization and not get worked up. By not getting predetermined on one or two of these guys. Thats whay I was thinking Zegras could be overall best player, once in prime yrs.
It just goes to show that the organizations know more and you see who actually is going to be the better players longterm by the picks. That why we didnt pik Turcotte or Byram and then others did and why Zegras was not top whatever. Pretty much most teams got it roght and showed the true rankings of these players by who they picked and passed on, When thay did in top 12 picks.
Just imagine the 12th pick.
Saskatoon berry pie, eat that.
Lots of first round talent still on the board. We should get a gem at 43.
Steals of the draft:
#9 Zegras
#15 Caufield
#17 Krebs (and they have a great Wolves team)
Head scratcher:
#6 Seider (either trade down or pick Cozens or Zegras)
COL and VGK spell trouble for us for years to come.
Here is what SportingNews wrote:
NHL Draft 2019 losers
Chicago Blackhawks
The Blackhawks did get a top-10 forward in Kirby Dach, but he isn’t the player they needed, let alone the best player available. Instead, they chose to draft by position and took the Saskatoon Blades center third overall, a significant jump for the 18-year-old.
Dach is a gifted offensive player with a pass-first mentality and a nose for the net, but he has to add more aspects to his game, including speed, skating and pace. Additionally, the 6-4 Dach needs to fill out and work on playing a tougher, more physical game as he makes the transition to the NHL. Chicago also has a reasonable amount of center depth with Jonathan Toews, Dylan Strome, Artem Anisimov and Marcus Kruger.
While Dach is bound to become a top-six forward, he likely won’t win a roster spot right away. Even if he does make the opening night roster, he should instead be playing in juniors, where he would be better served at this point in his development.
Passing on Byram makes the Dach pick even more questionable. Given the Blackhawks didn’t make the playoffs last season and need to make changes, it may have been wiser for them to take an NHL-ready defenseman who would bring stability to the back end rather than another center who needs more time to develop.
Reasonable center depth? They are out of their mind.
Should be some good wingers available at 43 if the Bkavkhawks stay put. Surprisingly, Kaliyev, Lavoie, Leasen, Brink could be there or make others available thre that may not have been. Goalie prospects be there too, Sogaard, Danish goalie in Whl looks like a good one if they pick him, may go lower.
Expect some trades and movement in picks and players today. Final cap ceiling announced today, expected to be about 81.7m and no escalator used to up it.
Read Dach is one of the best DEF FW in the league, better then Cozens and Krebs. Backchecks like Hossa does.
Another thought is does he have to play center. At least not for a few yrs. He could be a beast with Tazer and someone. Like 29 19 88 line was. The head to head line of 20 19 81.
When these players start prime yrs, thats what matters the most.
2nd round pick, move up and get one of those good players still there that shouldnt be.
Cam Barker was supposed to be a can’t miss prospect. Duncan Keith went late in the 2nd round and was ranked like the #18 prospect in the Hawks system after his draft year. Hammer went late in the 4th. Mark Stone was a 6th round pick. The scouts and experts are wrong quite a bit. Patrick Stefan went #1 and was supposed to be a stud. Unless a guy is generational type player like Crosby, Ovi, Kane, McDavid. Matthews, etc, much of the draft is a crap shoot. People need to relax.
Original-I did have a couple of drinks
My mistake for putting Turcotte instead of Caufield-I did mean Caufield when I wrote the post-so you think someone will be better than the guy with 69 goals after 2 first seasons? (playing parts of both years with questionable linemates.)
MTL gets a gift in Caufield. He was one of the best performers at the Combine. Will be better than DCat
Now Bowman is on the hot seat-he now has had two top picks in the last two years-
8 and 3-now we see how these two picks pan out.
From a bit of personal experience there often isn’t a lot of total agreement between local bird dogs, area scouts and final cross checkers and director-but the ultimate stamp of approval comes from the GM-Bowman must have really liked this guy and you could see 3 thru 7 in the mock drafts was a mess. Not much consensus–
he always has than cocky smile when he gets interviewed after the draft (reminds me of the Grinch when he realized the Who-people wouldn’t get Christmas)
In Stan we trust?
If many of the ‘contributors’ here were the GM, the Hawks would be completely ‘F’ed’. Like all of us have the same eye to appraise and project young talent as the experienced professionals that spend their waking hours watching, searching, asking, probing and delving into every aspect of a kids life. I’ll stick with the Hawks people to make the call while anticipating that every pick won’t pan out just as they won’t for every team in the league.
Stop with the bash Junior crap, it’s really getting old and I don’t believe his job is as much in jeopardy as many say that it is. Just where do you get your inside information from, anyway?
The NHL draft is a crap shoot like it is in every sport.
I agree IceHog. The season starts in the fall so let’s see what the complete roster looks like when camp begins. Trades and F/A signings are imminent so let’s be patient. We finally got a big Center with talent and vision. We got a gift moving up to the 3 spot and I feel good about the pick. Looking forward to day 2!! Go Hawks!!
Original – you nailed it with your clique of the Sporting News – they obviously don’t know much about the Hawks if they think Kruger (who probably won’t be back) and AA (who might very well be traded) and Strome (who has a 1/2 of good NHL hockey under his belt) equated to reasonable centre depth
Consider the source – they don’t know what they’re talking about regarding the Hawks
Try this profile of Dach from Wiz at Draftsite
Got an early taste in the “Dub” when injuries befell the forwards on Saskatoon. Showed off his competitive nature and was able to set up and score goals as a 16 year old. Displays smarts, size, good feet and a 200 foot commitment. Not a speedster, but has a great stick and soft hands as a high-end playmaker. Can control the pace and the play. Another wing-centre who is very strong on his skates. Can move with above average speed while he maintains possession. Uses his soft hands to find open line mates when he has the puck, and quickly ghost into quiet, soft areas to receive returns and scoring looks. When watching a guy this big, you think he is going to get held up. But, he seems to keep effortlessly driving the defenders away from the puck with his long reach and staying in motion while he supports the play. He avoids attackers with side-stepping and a quick stick. He follows the action but the action tends to follow him too. Strong in so many phases of the game already, he is always close to attackers in his end nudging close deterring their advance, and stripping pucks away from them. Is a regular on the PK and PP. I think there is upside as a pro scorer. But many of his goals will continue to come with plays he started where he positioned himself between the circles, stick on the ice, and wasn’t stopped. He is able to read coverages, make sharp cuts, by driving into the turns. His edge work keeps him away from closing traffic, and frequently leaving him uncovered in the dirty areas. Plenty of room to imagine him as blossoming as a scorer as well as set-up guy. Project as a franchise NHL centre, but can be a big wing presence as well. Big guy with big strong wrists, who gets in close and difficult to move out from the front or take the puck away from. It might take time, but no NHL team is going to pass on big man with these tools at both ends.
The Sporting News review is utter trash. Their premise is the Hawks didn’t draft a 2019-20 ready player and could have by selecting Byram. Outside of Kaakko, who of this group of 17-18 years has man-strength enough to contribute next year?? None.
Dach is a good selection. The best selection? None of the excellent and eternally unemployed GMs on this forum have any better insight into which 18 year-old becomes their supposed comp. In the end, it appears Dach has some valuable and unique skills and characteristics making him a very interesting selection.
We’ve beat the draft horse to death- let’s move on! Free agency is next- can’t wait to see how the armchair QB’s compose their whitty critique- collectively we know where the holes are as we watch almost every game we can.
Let’s see who will play come October 1st- and do OUR job the best we can – cheerleading !!
After a good nights sleep. I have calmed down and have a fresh outlook. Okay, kid. You are a Chicago Blackhawk. I want you to be the most successful player EVER!!! I’m assuming you’ll wear the #77. Good. You’ll stand out. You’re 6′-4″. I don’t think you can help standing out. So, get after it, kid. Earn a starting spot on the 2019-2020 roster. Solidify that 3C with Saad on your left and TBT on your right. Be that two way guy that makes things happen on both ends of the ice. Welcome. Let’s all be positive.
I wanted Cozens. Others wanted Byram and Turcotte. Well…that’s done with. We can wish in one hand and shit in the other. One will get fulfilled…no doubt. So…let’s hope that SB has more up his sleeves to shore up the D. I hope that the chaff will be cut loose and more of the kids come up to “make a difference”. Let’s get behind the team…with a critical eye…and want the best for and from them.
For all those butt-hurt about Byram:
No.1 Centres drafted outside the top 10
Kuznetsov(26)
Defense drafted inside the top 10 since 2005:
2005- Jack Johnson(3), Brian Lee(9), Luc Bourdon(10)
2006- Erik Kohnson(1)
2007- Thomas Hickey(4), Karl Alzner(5), Keaton Ellerby(10)
2008- Drew Doughty(2), Zach Bogosian(3), Alex Peitrangleo(4), Luke Schenn(5)
2009- Victor Hedman(2), Oliver Ekman-Larsson(6), Jared Cowen(9)
2010- Erik Gudbranson(3), Dylan McIlrath(10)
2011- Adam Larsson (4), Dougie Hamilton(9), Jonas Brodin(10)
2012- Ryan Murray(2), Griffin Reinhart(4), Morgan Riley(5), Hampus Lindholm(6), Matt Dumba(7), Derek Pouliot(8), Jacob Trouba(9), Slater Koekoek(10)
2013- Seth Jones(4), Darnell Nurse(7), Rasmus Ristolienen(8)
2014- Aaron Ekblad(1), Hayden Fleury(7)
……
Tired of doing that, count the number of BONAFIDE #1D in those names. Y’all are giving too much credit to mock drafts and media. Go read a scouting report for Ryan Murray.
So, you want a top centre in the NHL? Better have a top 10 pick.
Want a top D? Better have a second round pick, or a late first.
Duncan Keith(54)
PK Subban(43)
Roman Josi(38)
Brent Burns(20)
Mark Giordano(undrafted)
Erik Karlson(15)
BODHISATTVA, that is some crazy logic.
As for if he plays next year or not, a bonus of picking high is getting players closer to ready and less risk, plus forwards are easier to project. Regardless of what others become, i think this will be remembered as smart safe pick, with highend return.
I wonder if Bowman will try to move up bit in 2nd rd. Maybe use Anisimov to do it or get back in 3rd rd. with him if he is moved.
Yeah, facts are difficult to follow.
Bod – Love it when people deal in facts!
Should get another solid forward prospect in the 2nd round. Kelly said there are several guys they like and they will consider moving up.
BODHISATTVA, I’m not disputing your facts. I’m disputing your conclusion and logic for bypassing on Byram. If a 18 year old Bobby Orr was in the 2019 draft, would you still pick a center? Perhaps trade down to 20 and hope he is still available?
Byram’s points per game is very close to Dach and he is six months younger and by all accounts, more intense. He has improved each month as shown by a great playoff run. He is clearly the top ranked d-man. You don’t pass on him unless you’re stupid.
If Byram is an 18 year old Bobby Orr why wasn’t he the first pick of the draft? Look you can make a strong case for taking several players. What you can’t do is say anyone made a huge mistake. That can only be said a few years from now.
I didn’t say Byram was Bobby Orr. It was an example to try to explain to BODHISATTVA why I felt his logic was flawed. Perhaps the same dumb logic that Bowman used.
I do agree that we won’t know who was the better pick for a few years. Same as Boqvist last year. Heck, I hope Dach is able to reach his potential. I just believe that when someone is 6’4 he should be able to dominate. If he doesn’t, it makes me wonder why not.
By passing on Byram that leaves DK, Maatta, Gus, and Beaudin as our most valuable left hand defenseman. I thought for sure if Byram was the pick then Gus would be moved. Now I’m not so sure.
The Hawks depth of Centers under 24-years-old : Looking much much better today than yesterday.
Strome
Dach
Kampf
E. Barrett
J. Wise
M. Haikarrainen
Craig still think Reese Johnson has overlooked potential there. Brent Sutter his junior coavh believes he has potential to be a very good 3rd or 4th C. A darkhorse, hard to disregard his opinion.
Jordy there may more changes on D before summer is over. Maybe even sooner than later.
If drafting is gambling (and it is a bit of that) you cannot reasonably gamble on getting a franchise C outside the top 10 picks. You CAN reasonably expect to find a Norris trophy calibre Dman however. That is my ‘logic’.
Here is my opinion: Dach is a solid pick. Good job Bowman and Kelley.
Thanks for those stats Bod – I believe it’s harder to project a #1 D than a #1C which I think your stats back up
I warmed up somewhat to the pick last night.
Then I get up this morning and all I keep reading is how lucky Sakic was to get Byram and how awesome their team will be now.
F***.
Subban to Joysey
@Bodhi, I follow your logic and I agree that it is much harder to find that #1 center outside of the top 10 than it is to find a #1 defenseman outside the top ten.
That is why I think the Hawks did the right thing in picking a center in a draft that is strong with centers.
Ok, so they didn’t pick byram. A little disappointing.
That being said…go watch Dach’s highlight real and tell me you’re not excited. This dude’s shot and accuracy is insane, he can deek the hell outta the puck with that reach AND he scores from all over the ice. Breakaways, crashing the net, tough angle shots in traffic, etc. Dynamic. This guy can do crazy things right in front of the net while being big enough to not get shoved around. This is a piece the hawks don’t really have on the current roster. They used to get so many garbage rebound goals during the cup years and have very little presence in front of the net these days. With the plethora of D prospects in the system, AT LEAST one or two are going to exceed expectations. Whose to say there isn’t a Keith in there somewhere. I think it’s all going to be ok. Get excited for round 2.
Leafs and Kapinen on verge of 3yr around 3.3m aav. With 14m cap space Marner need most of whats left. Johnsson be tough to sign now and may want to move Horton ltir salary with still only 18 of 23 spots acconted for after these 2 signed. Maybe a deal waiting to happen for Bowman. Also Sens willing to move down from 32 pick, Anisimov might be a good fit with 43 pick there.
Was pretty disappointed last night, but after a night’s sleep slightly less so.
The draft is all about prediction of the future performance. Going into last night, my personal conclusions after reviewing multiple sources were:
(a) Byram has potential to be a #1 D-man and we don’t have that anymore
(b) Turcotte probably has higher floor than Dach, plays all-out every shift and has better acceleration
(c) Dach probably has higher ceiling than Turcotte, but isn’t as relentless and doesn’t have as quick first couple strides.
My fear is that while the league is getting faster & smaller, the ‘Hawks “down the middle” are not.
All that said, Dach is a Blackhawk now and I’m hoping he develops, fully & quickly, into the best he can be.
Wrap, the SportingNews analysis disagrees with all other scouts and experts. It is asinine. They left out Kampf when listing our centers. Blackhawks have one 1C, no 2C, two 3C (yes, Strome), one 4C (Kampf), and Kruger is not an NHL caliber player. Thanks for sharing the post from Drafsite.
Here are a couple of more reviews on the Dach pick:
ESPN:
Scouting report: Dach has size, smarts and skill. It’s not often that you get a play-driving center at 6-foot-4 who makes the game look as easy as Dach does. Although he lacks explosiveness, he skates smoothly and has a great sense of how to get to where he needs to be efficiently. When he does have the puck, Dach is a shot-pass threat who can score goals in a variety of ways. He’s especially successful at driving the net. He can also pick teams apart from the outside, thanks to high-end vision and elite distribution skills. He has dealt with bouts of inconsistency, but when he is on, he is unstoppable. — Peters
CBS Sports:
C Kirby Dach, Saskatoon (WHL): The Blackhawks pass on the top defenseman in Bowen Byram in order to add down the middle. Dach is an intimidating presence that has the ability to be a nightmare matchup for opposing defenders. The Canadian center brings a rare mix of size, skill and speed that could make him a fixture at the top of the lineup for an NHL team down the road. The 6-foot-4 Dach has soft hands and high-end playmaking abilities as a passer, but he’s also capable of driving to the net and finishing with defenders hanging off of him. Dach had 25 goals and 73 points in 62 games for the WHL’s Saskatoon Blades this past season.
Of the four centers being considered for months, Dach may be the best overall choice.
Bo, I see where your coming from, it makes sense.
Ian, thats waht I am thinking. Were adding and trading some players. It didnt matter if it was before, at draft, at july 1, summer. Were doing that.
Thats the spirit Gander.
Good posts by those that pointed out and explained which site newspapers are bogus. That helps the normal readers here not flip out on something that isint true worthy.
Was very happy COL didnt get Caufield.
Exactly Original6! Strome is a 3C and was a 4C in Arizona. Take away DCAT, and he did absolutly nothing on the ice. Luckily the PP boosted his numbers but #12 got him all the points. DACH is a much better player, more intense, and way stronger on the puck. Strome is slower than AA, he has good IQ but weak for his size.
Ranks as one of the funniest on stage draft photos!
I would have preferred the best defenseman available for this pick because a good,young, stay at home defenseman is what we need most. Like other bloggers said we can score our defense sucks. Maata will help but a top defensive pick wouldv’e been ideal. That said this pick could be important as well especially the fact he may play right away and it could provide depth at center down the road. as long as he is a solid contributor when he does make the team I’ m ok with it.