Perlini?

I don’t really think Dach is gonna have a great nine games if he doesn’t play center and skates with Anisimov and Caggiula

I doubt Dach is in the lineup more then 9 games this season to be honest.

Perlini is being shopped.

@walleyb1

Help me understand why a .5ppg AHL player, and a .3ppg NHL player who has played a total of 19 NHL games in 3 seasons automatically slots on the 1st line?

Shaw is a lock for top 9, they didn't bring him back to play 4th line.

Cat - Strome - Kane is a scoring line for sure but also a line that will get scored against as none of those 3 guys can play much defense...especially Kane and Strome. For that reason, pretty sure Kane is playing the 1st line.

Simple, he needs to play with elite players to be effective. How many players have the Penguins tried out at wing with Crosby? How many have failed? Nylander is that type of player who needs an elite player to be elite. He was severely underutilized in Buffallo, at both levels.

Sikura has a better shot at the 1st line then Nylander. Nylander has to show he can be effective at the minors before considering him to be a 1st liner in the NHL. If he can dominate in the minors, which he hasn't, then betting on him to be a 1st liner is a fools errand. Too many other guys can be effective with elite players that also can hold their own on any line in the NHL.

I'm not sure if Sikura has a better shot or not, but he hasn't shown that either. There are many, many examples however of players like Nylander that haven't dominated in the minors who ended up being stars in the NHL. Unfortunately, and perhaps one of Nylanders biggest weaknesses (this is true of his brother as well), is they aren't very self motivated. It takes a lot of self motivation to be a highly skilled player but playing with inferior players and still be successful. Nylander is that prototypical player. The good news is that it shouldn't take long to see if Nylander is that guy, a few weeks on that top line or even the second line should determine that. Not sure if you all remember but Nylander was touted as perhaps the most talented player in his draft, however he isn't a great goal scorer, expecting him to be more than a 20 goal guy is foolish. That doesn't mean he can't put up 60 points. If your assertion that Sikura has an excellent shot is correct, then perhaps putting him, Nylander, and Dach on a line isn't a bad move. However Nylander is touted as a top 6, playing him outside of top 6 talent isn't using him properly in my opinion.

I don't expect him to stay past nine games. I expect Sikura will get the call up after that, which will bring the cap space up to about $426,206.

It's an experiment, Saad and Toews are both heavy battlers on the boards and he's supposedly a more perimeter open ice type player with a wicked quick shot. I think it's at least worth giving it a try.

Yeah that's a mystery, not sure what's going to happen with him.

I could see AA being moved to left wing, Dach sliding into center and Shaw on the right wing.

I mean, his restricted free agency wasn't revoked by the Hawks so I think they have every intention of re-signing him. Which means he will be on the team...either at the expense of some of the players above, or because of a trade of Anisimov. I saw some posts suggesting he is the sweetener for an Anisimov trade, so I suppose both could be gone as well.

I have no idea what his camp is looking for but his QO expires on 7/15. If they can’t agree on terms he’s really stuck, I suppose the Blackhawks would try to trade him to a team that is comfortable with what he’s looking for.

Are you sure? I don't think that is how it works.....Perlini has no leverage here at all. The QO is valid until Dec 1st, at which point if Perlini hasn't sigend it, he can't play all year and the process starts over again next off-season. I could be wrong, but I don't believe so. Do you have any links showing that July 15th date?

The QO’s expire 07/15 although they can continue to negotiate. December 1st is the deadline to sign and play this season. Just one of many places I’ve seen the dates:
https://wgr550.radio.com/articles/news/important-2019-nhl-offseason-dates

https://thehockeywriters.com/nhl-key-dates-2019-offseason/