I'm not fancy enough to know what $10M for Guentzel will look like 3-5 years from now but I am a huge fan and if this were to happen I wouldn't be upset. Otherwise I don't see a need for Walker and Skjei. I take that back, they're both a huge upgrade from what we got, but they'll want to add youth to the lineup, especially on the Left. Walker I can see fitting in more until Rinzel (and fingers crossed Levshunov) are ready.

I wouldn't expect Hayes and Slaggert to be in the NHL next year.

I don't see any reason to sign skjei. Guentzel would probably hold out for a 7 year deal that the hawks should not be giving to anyone at this point in the rebuild.

I get the appeal, but I do not HOPE for any of these things. However, I do HOPE KD stays the course that he started, building from within, and taking the patient long term approach. Adding long term big ticket free agents is a possible recipe for disaster at the point in the rebuild. Just be patient, Joey. CHI has so much more work to do, drafting and developing young players, before we will see real progress reflected in the standings... Like YEARS more. I just watch a lot of prospects now and get excited about drafts, which makes watching the Hawks "unbearable" games not so bad when you realize the kind of talent we can bring in and watch grow into pro's.

Hawks won't be in the big fish FA market so definetly not signing Guentzel. Don't need a LD so no Skjei. Raddysh is terrible so he's definitely leaving as a FA and Reichel has done nothing to earn that contract if we're being honest

I'd be in favor of getting a Demelo or Pesce. Really just another veteran RD. We should keep our stockpile of LD on their natural side. Rinzel should have at least 1 more year in UM and then like EDM he should get a year at least in Rockford. That'll go through Murphy's contract...we'll see about an extension at that point, but in the mean time. Another good RD that's a defensive Dman would be a good move.

Agree, that's about all the Hawks should add is a veteran RD guy. MAYBE, a short term vet in the top 6 they can flip at the TDL next season or the season after. The Hawks only goal should be youth development and a lottery pick next season.

Outstanding post, Garak; thank you for so concisely summarizing the approach I've been trying to implement myself this year, while watching our Hawks!

Cheers, LA

Thanks! Yeah, there will be a time and a place for frustration about the Blackhawks, but that won't be for a long time. It's best just to accept it and find other ways to enjoy the game and other aspects of the team to be excited about, like the rebuild process, etc.

I'd like to see Chicago add Noah Kane this offseason. It's a swing for the fence move that could pay dividends if he develops nicely. He's 24 in the ECHL, but just finished his senior season. After watching him last night, he's too good for the ECHL imo. He plays much more physical than his cousin but has nowhere near the talent.

Interesting! I had an eye on him in the last year or so, but never followed up. Did you go to the game or stream it?

Concur. I now live in the South Bend area, and perhaps the most fun I had this season was attending Notre Dame games - like when BU and other teams visited with high-end prospects.

I especially enjoyed it when the University of Michigan and University of Minnesota visited, so I could watch multiple, high-pick Hawks prospects. And, truth be told, the Hawks' prospect with whom I was most impressed this year was... RInzel. Oliver Moore was all effort all the time, fast, and fun to watch. He has good instincts. Nazar was inconsistent; had bursts of making big impacts on the games, but also stretches where he seemed to disappear. Slaggert looked really good to me; seemed very positionally sound and willing to do whatever was needed for his team.

Contrary to what I'd heard and read about Rinzel, though, he was MUCH more polished than I expected. Sure, he has good size and speed; I expected that. But I was surprised by how positionally sound he seemed to be in his own end; VERY calm and competent. He almost always made good decisions there, even under pressure. Nothing seemed to faze him. I LOVE how poised he was.

Now, I saw him here in South Bend at the end of the regular college year; he made strides from the beginning of the season. And he seemed sometimes lost and/or indecisive in the offensive end. So, he needs more time. But... out of all the Hawks' prospects who came to play at ND, he is now the one about whom I'm most excited. Assuming he continues to make strides and develops in the offensive end, too, I can see him eventually being a top 4- or even top 2 - RD in the NHL.

Cheers, LA

I was there last night. He played against the Indy Fuel and was their best player most of the night. And he's not afraid to get his hands dirty.

You're just a quick drive up 31 from me lol. I'm smack dab between South Bend and Indy.

Nice. Moved away after ~30 years in Chicagoland... When I go back to Chicagoland to visit my kids, I shake my head at how long I lived under all the stress there. Much more sane, here.

That's exactly how I feel!

Nice! I live close to University of New Hampshire, which is also within an hour drive of Boston. But I only went and saw BU play once at UNH, the rest I streamed. UNH should be up and coming though. So that'll be more exciting. I kinda wish I got tickets for the womens frozen four this weekend at UNH, but oh well. Maybe another time.

Yeah. I keep hearing scouts say things about Rinzel that make him sound mediocre and like he still has a long way to go. But, considering him and Levshunov are both freshman and Rinzel is barely a year older than Lev, this entire season in all the NCAA games I've watched I have thought Rinzel looked like the better dman this year, at essentially the same point in their development. Not to say that I don't like Levshunov, but just for comparisons sake, I get the feeling people have some bias about Rinzel, for some reason that I cannot figure out. Regardless, he looks great and i can't wait for him to go pro.

Yep. That's partly why I moved to New Hampshire.