Yeah, you guys clearly need another 1st overall.

or six.

I think Eiserman is worth a solid look if the Hawks got the #1 OA. Not suggesting 1 game means a whole lot, but Macklin and Cole did just face off head-to-head. U18 vs BU in an exhibition game. Cole have a 5 point night including a Hat Trick. AGAIN, not suggesting 1 game means a whole lot, but it's impressive is all I'm saying I guess.

https://goterriers.com/sports/mens-ice-hockey/stats/2023-24/us-under-18-team-exh-/boxscore/31088

Yeah. I saw it. BU also kinda sucks, though. Too many cooks, kinda weak defensively, and most importantly, weak goaltending. They have to be missing Vlasic and Commesso right about now. Eiserman is concerning to me, though. He is very one dimensional, albeit, that one dimension (goal scoring) is VERY MUCH exceptional. I prefer well rounded, dynamic, and responsible players like Celebrini and Demidov, to pure goal scorers like Eiserman. BUT, a goal scorer like him would still be a great piece to have.

After all the tickets the Hawks have sold for this season (including 10 games worth to me), their fans would probably burn the U.C. down if Bedard gets sent back to the WHL and Reichel goes back to Rockford. Hawks are probably a bottom 5 team anyway with all the young guys playing. Just target a high end RD with the Chicago pick and grab another F with the Tampa pick.

Well, for the people that promised 100-point season from Bedard…it wouldn’t be much of a problem from WHL.

Obviously the Hawks aren't going to send these guys down to tank as the experience in the NHL is as much if not more important than getting another top 2 pick. That said, Hawks will be a bottom 5 team and still have relatively good odds to draft in the top 2, almost as good if they were the 4th worst or 3rd worst team.

Come on, they are not sending Bedard to frickin juniors

I would aim for the other way around depending on where the picks are and who is available. But yeah, CHI won't do that. Korch, Guttman, and Kaiser I could see getting sent down, but Reichel and Bedard would get moved to the wings, if anything. I'm not actually concerned or serious, though. I was just acting like one of those "way too soon/reactionary" hockey fans.

KK also showed last season he has outgrown juniors, if anyone in your scenario goes down to the AHL it should be him.

Honestly this season's a wash and I don't mind watching all of the guys mentioned here just stay in the NHL and take their growing pains.

I think the hockey gods have taken care of you guys quite a bit here.
You guys do need another ten winter classic's in a row though.

I don't agree with that about KK. He was always ready to be in the NHL from an offensive standpoint, since before he was drafted, but his point totals don't tell the whole story. I watched a lot of his games in Seattle and he never once looked like a "man amongst boys" to me, he had a lot of help from the stacked Seattle roster last season to get those point totals. If he could go there with the sole purpose of focusing on his defensive game, I think he could still learn a lot. But I doubt Seattle would utilize him that way, and if they aren't on board with that idea, then there is no point in sending him there. I definitely still have my doubts that drowning him in the NHL will improve his defensive play and overall growth, but i'm nowhere near that conclusion yet.

But, again, I'm not serious. Just joining all the reactionary fans of teams like TOR and EDM in freaking out WAY TOO SOON. haha

Edit: and yes, it would be GREAT if KK could actually go to the AHL. That would be the perfect place for him. It's too bad he can't. But hopefully, he can come through this NHL experience a better player and not damage his confidence so much that he stagnates.

I’m jumping for joy if Eiserman joins the organization. He is 17 year old & oozing offensive ability out his pores. Teams can find away to shut down even the most potent of lines. Having 2 lines with elite goal scorers on it is doubly deadly to opponents. If Celibrini is there (Hawks drafting first) of course grab him if not & Eiserman is there we should grab him & go defense after that, IMO.

For sure. If you want to call Kyle Davidson a god. Personally, I wouldn't go that far. But, he's been pretty awesome, so far. haha. I'm not serious about this, if you couldn't tell.

We'll see how the rest of this season goes. I wouldn't be so hasty with calling Eiserman the 2nd best prospect in the draft. We also have to remember that he is on a stacked USNTDP team playing against mostly inferior rosters. Even the college teams they play are top heavy and are lacking in the rest of their roster. Eiserman is absolutely a sensational goal scorer, but there are other players that have a good chance to overtake him for being more well rounded, or being a center, or being a monster defenseman, when the final rankings are in.

I was being facetious as well with the classics comment.

Oh. haha. Cool cool. I wasn't sure. Text can be difficult to gauge tone. But I kind of figured you were.

Agreed, a lot can change over the course of a year. Players can hit a rut, sustain an injury, plateau, or rocket off to another level. Based on what I saw of Cole in last years WJ’s I was more impressed than I have ever been based on his age vs. the age & quality of his opponents. I look forward to watching the WJ’s more than Christmas every year & this year will not be an exception.

I think you bring up a very valid point on both the pro and con side of sending KK down and I agree completely. I've been critical of him getting more than 9 games because we need to take our time to develop prospects RIGHT vs right NOW. Especially because that team was indeed stacked with talent all over. I think Seattle would love to have him back and even if they do want his offensive abilities...he'll still get #1 minutes and play in all difficult situations. Having said that, I do see what CHI is trying to accomplish with him at the NHL level. He's making natural rookie mistakes and Murphy is there to help out. The strategy is working better than I anticipated. I've moved on my position of must go back to...meh I can see both sides. I'm not upset either way.

Bedard is staying. Jack Hughes only got 21 points and was a -26. You just see the talent and the work ethic and have him keep working. Do you send Bedard to WJC? I probably would because that's just a cool thing for a kid to go through. It's not like were pushing for the playoffs. Have him go back with KK and play!

Same. Cole looks like he might be as good or better than Lane. I know CHI has kept their distance from the undersized d-men and we have an insane amount of LHD as it is, but, as it stands currently, I would draft him pretty high. Also, even if our pipeline needs RHD, adding more elsewhere means we could have more trade ammunition down the road to go out and get an RHD if it becomes necessary.

My sentiments exactly. If they keep KK in the NHL, I won't be upset, but I think this rhetoric that he can't learn anything in junior or that it would somehow be "bad" for his development, is just nonsense. If he is as smart of a hockey player as he seems, he can take what he learns in 9 or whatever games and know what he has to work on when he goes back down. Drowning in the NHL has a better chance of hurting him than dominating in the WHL.

And yeah, Bedard won't be sent down. But I would be very much in favor of sending him to play in the WJC. He could even come back from the WJC with a huge confidence boost and just dominate the rest of the season.

Text can be. This forum can be as well. Hahah!

Also, I do appreciate your name/picture,

Garak is my favorite.

I wonder if they would be gun shy about the WJ’s after Dach hurt his wrist when he got loaned out.. Bedard is the golden goose, think they probably keep him close to home.

I mean... Maybe, but he could just as easily get hurt in the NHL.