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Post by BigT on Jun 23, 2024 19:44:22 GMT -6
This is also speculation, but it does have to do with the draft. I’ve read a few tweets and rumours of the Hawks swapping pick 18 for 12 with Philly for Atkinson. I’d do that. Atkinson has 2 years left at 5.75 (I believe). It’s almost too perfect for what the Hawks are trying to do. And it gets Philly from buying him out. Not sure what the buyout would like. But I believe it’s double the years X 2/3 the salary. Or 3.75 million for 4 years. I think moving down 6 slots and gaining 5.75 in cap will help. Plus Philly has Michkov coming. So they probably want to load up the roster!!! one year left on his deal. Can play on the third line with Foligno and Dickinson. Gives us a righty shooter and a guy who can pk. No reason to buy him out. From the Flyers point of view. That frees up money for them to go after Montour, Reinhart or any of the other top UFA’s. So to lose that contract would be a blessing. Is it worth 6 draft spots? I guess we’ll find out!!!
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Post by Hockey is great on Jun 23, 2024 20:21:27 GMT -6
one year left on his deal. Can play on the third line with Foligno and Dickinson. Gives us a righty shooter and a guy who can pk. No reason to buy him out. From the Flyers point of view. That frees up money for them to go after Montour, Reinhart or any of the other top UFA’s. So to lose that contract would be a blessing. Is it worth 6 draft spots? I guess we’ll find out!!! all depends on what they want to do
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Post by vadarx on Jun 23, 2024 20:45:37 GMT -6
This is also speculation, but it does have to do with the draft. I’ve read a few tweets and rumours of the Hawks swapping pick 18 for 12 with Philly for Atkinson. I’d do that. Atkinson has 2 years left at 5.75 (I believe). It’s almost too perfect for what the Hawks are trying to do. And it gets Philly from buying him out. Not sure what the buyout would like. But I believe it’s double the years X 2/3 the salary. Or 3.75 million for 4 years. I think moving down 6 slots and gaining 5.75 in cap will help. Plus Philly has Michkov coming. So they probably want to load up the roster!!! I would also do this yesterday. getting to 12 means a possible shot at Catton or Yakemchuk. I'm gonna guess we have to give them a pick back, though.
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Post by acesandeights on Jun 23, 2024 22:28:50 GMT -6
Who was this "expert" talking about Demidov? Where does he work? Is he a legit scout, or is he (more likely) a part-time (or amateur) journalist who works freelance at a website? What are his credentials? What kind of track record does he have in making predictions? My guess - Very little, unfortunately. The NHL scouts certainly are not feeding him or his staff information. No independent organization has the the resources or the budget to do the research. I have no idea if Demidov will become a superstar. But I also recognize that these posers pretending to know more than they do based on watching videos online have no idea either. They are generating clicks by directing fans to their sites. In truth, (as I have said before) with the decline of print journalism and the emergence of internet websites, we are more in the dark than ever before. One hundred plus years ago, before the government stepped in regulate the drug industry, there was a "pharmacist" in every town pushing pills to help 'cure" all ailments. Without any real journalistic standards online, we have to approach these commentators for what they are (and what they are not). How many Michigan State games have you watched this year so you could watch Levshunov and assess his play? If the answer is none, then where did you get the idea that he's a very good d-man prospect and a possible top pairing prospect, and should be the 2nd pick in the draft? I know you didn't get it from NHL scouts. Are you basing it only on Levshunov's age, his stats, and that he plays in the NCAA. Just that doesn't tell you anything about how good or not he is on the ice. So if this type info about how good he is didn't come from NHL scouts, and if you're basing it on more than just his age, stats, and where he plays, the only other source of information you could get about how good Levshunov may be is from these same hockey people and/or publications that you keep criticizing on here. If you actually have watched some of Levshunov's games, then tell us your assessment of his play, on offense and defense.
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Post by mvr on Jun 24, 2024 5:12:21 GMT -6
I'm no amateur scout and have never pretended to be. I lack both the training and the expertise and have no insider information.
What does a scout look for? What details does he gather outside the game? What does he learn about the kids during the interview process? Who knows? Certainly not me. And certainly not some internet freelancer or underpaid journalist either.
Based on where Levshunov is playing now, and what he has done comparatively (and statistically) from a historical basis in his one year in college hockey against older players, my assumption (and it is only that) is that he turns out ok.
I have no idea if Levshunov will be a star. Buium's numbers also look very good (though he is smaller and shoots left). So do several of the others, including the giant Silayev (if only because he has that extensive KHL experience) and several of the Canadian junior kids.
I have always emphasized the floor for all these prospects, not the ceiling, because I have no way of projecting their futures. There is not enough legitimate information for me to make those claims from watching videos online.
We live in an age now where the layman pretends to know as much as the expert. Conspiracies are everywhere. The hydro worker across the street knows more about viruses than Dr. Fauci. Call me old-fashioned, but I still value expert authority and real research. Not every source is legitimate.
Demidov might be the pick. If so, I trust Davidson and his professional scouts have done their research. Without question, they have more information than I do.
We will have to wait for several years before making a judgement. My only real bias here is a strong belief that centres, power wingers and defencemen as a general rule tend to bring more value than scoring wingers.
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Post by mvr on Jun 24, 2024 5:24:37 GMT -6
Here is a question none of the Demidov enthusiasts online has ever really answered satisfactorily to my mind. Why did Demidov's Russian team never really give him a chance to play at the KHL level?
Surely they would want to see what he could do over an extended period. Would Demidov not have helped them win games? Would his presence not have helped sell tickets?
Other KHL organizations promoted their kids. Why was Demidov held back basically the entire year in junior hockey?
Clearly, we would have a much better read on the player if he had that KHL experience playing against better players. He is going to be drafted (and likely high in the first round regardless), so hiding him does not seem to be a worthwhile strategy. Punishing him by holding him back also does not make much sense: it likely would only fuel his desire to come early to North America.
So what is it? Do they not think he is ready? Is he behind some of the other Russian prospects in his physical/skills development?
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Post by acesandeights on Jun 24, 2024 7:40:12 GMT -6
I'm no amateur scout and have never pretended to be. I lack both the training and the expertise and have no insider information. What does a scout look for? What details does he gather outside the game? What does he learn about the kids during the interview process? Who knows? Certainly not me. And certainly not some internet freelancer or underpaid journalist either. Based on where Levshunov is playing now, and what he has done comparatively (and statistically) from a historical basis in his one year in college hockey against older players, my assumption (and it is only that) is that he turns out ok. I have no idea if Levshunov will be a star. Buium's numbers also look very good (though he is smaller and shoots left). So do several of the others, including the giant Silayev (if only because he has that extensive KHL experience) and several of the Canadian junior kids. I have always emphasized the floor for all these prospects, not the ceiling, because I have no way of projecting their futures. There is not enough legitimate information for me to make those claims from watching videos online. We live in an age now where the layman pretends to know as much as the expert. Conspiracies are everywhere. The hydro worker across the street knows more about viruses than Dr. Fauci. Call me old-fashioned, but I still value expert authority and real research. Not every source is legitimate. Demidov might be the pick. If so, I trust Davidson and his professional scouts have done their research. Without question, they have more information than I do. We will have to wait for several years before making a judgement. My only real bias here is a strong belief that centres, power wingers and defencemen as a general rule tend to bring more value than scoring wingers. I'm going to be upfront on this. If you don't have any level of knowledge or expertise in evaluating these prospects, then you really have no business criticizing other people/publications that do have knowledge in this area. I have no expertise either in evaluating prospects, but I also have never criticized these people or scouting sites. And neither has anyone else on here. You're the only one on here that criticizes these people regarding their evaluations. I've watched a few videos of some of these people discussing prospects and I was amazed at the detail that was brought up. They mentioned aspects I would have never thought about, so I'm one that believes they do have a certain level of knowledge about what they're doing. However, I don't necessarily think the problem you have with them is their supposed "lack of expertise" because they aren't working for NHL teams or maybe don't have a "hockey" background. I think it's because you disagree with their conclusions about Demidov and Levshunov. The majority of these people/scouting sites have Demidov as the #2 player much more than Levshunov, which isn't what you like to see. You've brought up the same questions before about these "analysts" backgrounds, etc, seemingly whenever there's a mention about Demidov and something very positive about him. When I mentioned Demidov was ranked as having the "Highest Ceiling", you made a post, similar to ones in the past, questioning who the person was, his background, and so forth, and seemed to imply maybe he didn't know what he was talking about. Although the 'highest ceiling' ranking wasn't his own ranking; he was using someone else's ranking. Demidov also ranked as 'Best' in three other categories, and 2nd in another. So it makes it appear that you're using a "perceived lack of expertise" and questioning someone's background in hockey evaluations as a way to try to discredit their conclusions. It's okay if you believe different than a lot of these "analysts" and scouting sites, but you really don't need to bring up the same questions all the time about them and their background, etc. We get it. If you really want to know about these people's backgrounds, you can always contact them and ask them. There's always contact information in articles. All of us on the board want the same thing: we all want the Blackhawks to get the best player for the team. Whether it's Demidov, or Levshunov, or maybe someone else?, we know whoever they pick will be the result of a lot of hours/days of discussions, until they finally drill down to who they think is the best player to take.
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Post by mvr on Jun 24, 2024 9:38:51 GMT -6
Leaning on these "sources" to promote one player over another - to my mind - is problematic.
Their expertise and their motivations is at the very least questionable. They don't have the financial resources nor the contacts. This is why I criticize their backgrounds.
For the most part, I don't think they know any more than the rest of us. You will never see me citing from them to make a point. Their lists and "latest rankings" are irrelevant.
I also have problem relying on video evidence and have expressed this view.
To my mind, it is best to stick with facts - especially quantifiable if possible.
Bill James and Earl Weaver revolutionized baseball using data as opposed to the "eye test." Billy Beane and Theo Epstein and the "Moneyball" analytics guys went one step further; now everyone incorporates this information into their assessments, not just in baseball, but increasingly in all the professional sports. "Five-tool" talents won't always make it. The smart approach is to look at what the player is doing right now - this establishes his base floor.
We know, for example, that Levshunov is succeeding at the NCAA level playing against opponents three or four years older, a large number already drafted into the NHL. The numbers are very convincing. He had 35 points last year which is a historic achievement. Some observers argue he has not demonstrated the kind of breakout skills necessary to become a future star. Maybe so, but the data so far suggests otherwise. He likely can step into the NHL tomorrow and have some impact.
Demidov also has put up some outstanding numbers. He looks very good based on quantifiable information. But all we have are numbers produced in the junior leagues. He did not play in international tournaments. We all know that the quality of his opponents in Junior is not strong; there are few drafted NHL players playing in that league. The eye test based on video analysis might suggest a future star. But who knows?
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Post by mvr on Jun 24, 2024 9:58:59 GMT -6
Former Playboy Playmate Jenny McCarthy has a website promoting her views about vaccines. Hollywood celebrity/actress Gwyneth Paltrow has built an empire on her nutrition and health advice.
Call me crazy, but I would rather source from trained medical experts who rely on the latest research in the field. Where we get our information matters a great deal.
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Post by Nikos on Jun 24, 2024 10:15:37 GMT -6
Interesting read on Levshunov journey and on the cusp of being a high draft pick www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nhl/how-artyom-levshunov-a-potential-blackhawks-draft-target-at-no-2-has-navigated-hype-and-family-hardships/ar-BB1oMfWy?ocid=msedgntp&pc=U531&cvid=86a4f6c44b4c4828b5aa9894838eb973&ei=6I know there are many opinions here on why Levshunov should or should not be the pick at #2. Some say he is not even the best defensemen prospect. My hope like probably everyone else is that KFC makes the right choice. Reading through the article. we already know he was named Big Ten defensive player of the year and freshman of the year, maybe it was a down year in the B10. I do not know. By most reports out there had a better freshman year that Hughes and Power. He is a humble kid, very coachable, well-liked by his teammates and has persevered to be in position to be a high draft pick. Not sure how many prospects out there would spend learning English 8 hours daily for six weeks. Even if you believe that is not important or relevant when evaluating him, it does show a commitment and reveals his character, determination and make up. Milstein his agent and same one for Demidov said he heard feedback that physically the 6-foot-2, 208-pound right-shot defenseman could stand up to the rigors of the NHL. He was advised he needed to spend more time in the gym and add the strength and size and body, and he did just that, according to Milstein. Sounds like he is a gym rat similar to Bedard and notorious for wearing out the ice in practice. Again, Milstein said at 13 years old we knew her was going to be a future star player. I know say will say of course his agent is going to pump him up. His college coach talks about the adversity Levshunov has overcome and believes it is pretty compelling. The scouting community buzz when he came to USHL. Again, I am not saying he is the right choice at #2, nobody knows for sure. I do believe reading through this article there is a lot of intel and information for KFC and others to evaluate, along with seeing him live and interviews at the combine and one on one private meetings. Future projections and whether he will be a high-end minute eating play in all situations D or a second pair D or something else, I will leave that to the experts and GMs.
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Post by BigT on Jun 24, 2024 10:26:06 GMT -6
Former Playboy Playmate Jenny McCarthy has a website promoting her views about vaccines. Hollywood celebrity/actress Gwyneth Paltrow has built an empire on her nutrition and health advice. Call me crazy, but I would rather source from trained medical experts who rely on the latest research in the field. Where we get our information matters a great deal. While you’re correct about health. I don’t think health should be a cross reference to sports. In hockey, you can make what you believe to be the right choice and it can still be wrong, or it could be right. But putting something into your body that’s poisonous will always be wrong. It can never be right. The truth doesn’t care what people believe. I do believe, and the key word there is believe, because I could be wrong. The Hawks have a better situation to get kids to succeed. It’s tough on contending teams or teams fighting for a playoff spot. A lot of kids get pushed aside for the shot at success. The Hawks can let the kids fail and learn from it. It’s not a high pressure situation. So with that said. A kid like Demidov may fail in Colorado or Van or Dallas etc. But he may very well get to in Chicago. Same goes for Levshunov and anyone else. The only way I trade pick 18 this year is if Hawks get a kid like Rutger McGroarty. Gotta get a young stud coming in. I’m not against Necas. But I’d feel better giving up a pick next year!!!
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Post by ebonyraptor on Jun 24, 2024 11:09:25 GMT -6
Here is a question none of the Demidov enthusiasts online has ever really answered satisfactorily to my mind. Why did Demidov's Russian team never really give him a chance to play at the KHL level?Surely they would want to see what he could do over an extended period. Would Demidov not have helped them win games? Would his presence not have helped sell tickets? Other KHL organizations promoted their kids. Why was Demidov held back basically the entire year in junior hockey? Clearly, we would have a much better read on the player if he had that KHL experience playing against better players. He is going to be drafted (and likely high in the first round regardless), so hiding him does not seem to be a worthwhile strategy. Punishing him by holding him back also does not make much sense: it likely would only fuel his desire to come early to North America. So what is it? Do they not think he is ready? Is he behind some of the other Russian prospects in his physical/skills development? That question has been answered and discussed many times in the hockey blog community. It basically comes down to a ploy used by some of the most high powered teams in the KHL to pressure their best players to sign multi-year extensions - withhold playing time. SKA is one of the most high powered teams renown for doing it. First, they have a very good roster so teen age players traditionally get less ice time than they would on lesser teams - Michkov is evidence for that where they loaned him to the bottom feeding Sochi this past season. The owner of SKA has was quoted they don't invest in players who aren't going to return their investment regarding their stance on players leaving to play in N.A. Another example of a high powered team using ice time to pressure a player into signing an extension was our very own Kantserov who was getting very few minutes playing 4th line before he signed a 2-year extension when he was then moved to the 2nd line and eventually ended up playing regular minutes on both 1st and 2nd lines for the Gagarin Cup winners. Demidov's refusal to sign an extension is the reason he was kept in the MHL rather than either playing for SKA or getting loaned out to another KHL team.
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Post by mvr on Jun 24, 2024 11:30:01 GMT -6
Here is a question none of the Demidov enthusiasts online has ever really answered satisfactorily to my mind. Why did Demidov's Russian team never really give him a chance to play at the KHL level?Surely they would want to see what he could do over an extended period. Would Demidov not have helped them win games? Would his presence not have helped sell tickets? Other KHL organizations promoted their kids. Why was Demidov held back basically the entire year in junior hockey? Clearly, we would have a much better read on the player if he had that KHL experience playing against better players. He is going to be drafted (and likely high in the first round regardless), so hiding him does not seem to be a worthwhile strategy. Punishing him by holding him back also does not make much sense: it likely would only fuel his desire to come early to North America. So what is it? Do they not think he is ready? Is he behind some of the other Russian prospects in his physical/skills development? That question has been answered and discussed many times in the hockey blog community. It basically comes down to a ploy used by some of the most high powered teams in the KHL to pressure their best players to sign multi-year extensions - withhold playing time. SKA is one of the most high powered teams renown for doing it. First, they have a very good roster so teen age players traditionally get less ice time than they would on lesser teams - Michkov is evidence for that where they loaned him to the bottom feeding Sochi this past season. The owner of SKA has was quoted they don't invest in players who aren't going to return their investment regarding their stance on players leaving to play in N.A. Another example of a high powered team using ice time to pressure a player into signing an extension was our very own Kantserov who was getting very few minutes playing 4th line before he signed a 2-year extension when he was then moved to the 2nd line and eventually ended up playing regular minutes on both 1st and 2nd lines for the Gagarin Cup winners. Demidov's refusal to sign an extension is the reason he was kept in the MHL rather than either playing for SKA or getting loaned out to another KHL team. I have read that argument before. Does it really make sense to you? You have a very marketable grade A prospect. You want him to re-sign because he will sell tickets and help the team win. He refuses. Instead of trading him away, you punish him to set an example. Now you have made him angry. He is not going to sign for sure. You have wasted a year of his service, and your top team did not get to take advantage of his skillset. You can't market him to the fanbase while he is remains in the junior league which means fewer tickets were sold. Perhaps this contract situation is the explanation. But perhaps there is more to it than these bloggers know. SKA now has this future "superstar" Demidov for one year only; he is coming to North America next year according to his agent. An alternative perhaps more plausible explanation - SKA management wants to win games. They did not think adding Demidov to the KHL lineup improved its depth or competitiveness. They did not think he was ready. Perhaps his play away from the puck still needs some work.
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Post by mvr on Jun 24, 2024 11:44:56 GMT -6
If Levshunov was not ready for full-time college action, his coaching staff would not have played him.
Instead, he received prime-time first unit minutes for much of the season. Michigan believed dressing and playing Levshunov improved their chances of winning.
Similarly, Silayev received plenty of ice time for his KHL team because his coaches felt he would help them win games.
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Post by ebonyraptor on Jun 24, 2024 12:39:05 GMT -6
That question has been answered and discussed many times in the hockey blog community. It basically comes down to a ploy used by some of the most high powered teams in the KHL to pressure their best players to sign multi-year extensions - withhold playing time. SKA is one of the most high powered teams renown for doing it. First, they have a very good roster so teen age players traditionally get less ice time than they would on lesser teams - Michkov is evidence for that where they loaned him to the bottom feeding Sochi this past season. The owner of SKA has was quoted they don't invest in players who aren't going to return their investment regarding their stance on players leaving to play in N.A. Another example of a high powered team using ice time to pressure a player into signing an extension was our very own Kantserov who was getting very few minutes playing 4th line before he signed a 2-year extension when he was then moved to the 2nd line and eventually ended up playing regular minutes on both 1st and 2nd lines for the Gagarin Cup winners. Demidov's refusal to sign an extension is the reason he was kept in the MHL rather than either playing for SKA or getting loaned out to another KHL team. I have read that argument before. Does it really make sense to you? You have a very marketable grade A prospect. You want him to re-sign because he will sell tickets and help the team win. He refuses. Instead of trading him away, you punish him to set an example. Now you have made him angry. He is not going to sign for sure. You have wasted a year of his service, and your top team did not get to take advantage of his skillset. You can't market him to the fanbase while he is remains in the junior league which means fewer tickets were sold. Perhaps this contract situation is the explanation. But perhaps there is more to it than these bloggers know. SKA now has this future "superstar" Demidov for one year only; he is coming to North America next year according to his agent. An alternative perhaps more plausible explanation - SKA management wants to win games. They did not think adding Demidov to the KHL lineup improved its depth or competitiveness. They did not think he was ready. Perhaps his play away from the puck still needs some work. Yes. This is a billionaire owner who is going to do things his way. To him, this is about making examples so others tow the line more so than about one player making a difference in wins/losses. "SKA management" is the Billionaire Oligarch who owns the team and is one of most powerful men in the KHL. He's not accountable to anyone but himself.
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Post by mvr on Jun 24, 2024 13:16:22 GMT -6
If Demidov is already a star, SKA would not need to "invest" in him. He'd no longer need extensive supervision or coaching. He'd be a finished product ripe for capitalization. Young stars drive ticket sales. We saw a lot of Bedard jerseys last year at the United Centre.
Billionaires don't get wealthy by abusing their power. They do so by ensuring their businesses run to maximum efficiency.
My guess is the player is close to being ready. But as it stands SKA has other scorers they have more confidence in playing. Demidov did see four games of action at the KHL level. He played little and had zero points.
The coaches and management are not out to get him despite the blogger conspiracies. They feel he has parts of his game which still are not ready for KHL level play.
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2024 Draft
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Post by Hockey is great on Jun 24, 2024 13:23:15 GMT -6
Billionaires in Russia get there by abusing their power
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Post by mvr on Jun 24, 2024 13:34:55 GMT -6
If vengeance and control is really the sole motivation here, why play the kid at all? Why not park him on the bench or even the press-box? Doing so certainly would be "making an example so others tow the line."
Instead, the NHL scouts (these same conspiracy theory bloggers tell us) are drooling because of the kid's enormous junior numbers. The agent is stubbornly taking a hard line and will not consider his client re-signing with the Russian team.
This story does not pass the smell test.
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Post by mvr on Jun 24, 2024 13:50:15 GMT -6
Billionaires in Russia get there by abusing their power Maybe partially true in Russia. Maybe partially true in the Free World too. You do have a good point. I am not one to apologize for the ugly upper classes..... How about I rephrase? "Most who acquire billions during their lifetimes are both lucky and rational. They won't be able to hoard their extreme assets unless they make decisions in the best interests of their businesses."
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Post by ebonyraptor on Jun 24, 2024 15:02:17 GMT -6
If Demidov is already a star, SKA would not need to "invest" in him. He'd no longer need extensive supervision or coaching. He'd be a finished product ripe for capitalization. Young stars drive ticket sales. We saw a lot of Bedard jerseys last year at the United Centre. Billionaires don't get wealthy by abusing their power. They do so by ensuring their businesses run to maximum efficiency. My guess is the player is close to being ready. But as it stands SKA has other scorers they have more confidence in playing. Demidov did see four games of action at the KHL level. He played little and had zero points. The coaches and management are not out to get him despite the blogger conspiracies. They feel he has parts of his game which still are not ready for KHL level play. Yes there is a lot of hearsay and conspiracy theories clouding what little "facts" we actually can verify out of Russia. I believe the quote I referred to earlier to be verified - where the message was (paraphrasing) we (the Russian team) won't invest in players who want to leave our organization. That seems pretty cut and dry - especially in view of the actions taken by said teams. Demidov got 4 games with SKA at the start of the season and then spent the rest of the season in the MHL. I watched 1 of those games and although Demidov didn't score he played very well and mixed it up physically all game long - there was no intimidation or being overwhelmed in his game. Look - at some point I'm going to have to accept and hope for the best if it is Levshunov who KD takes - I want what's best for the Hawks and even though I think Demidov is the clear cut best player - I have to acknowledge KD and his staff are better at evaluating players than I am. Toward that end I have spent the last couple days (re)viewing assessment of Levshunov and I admit I feel better about him than I did before. I still want Demidov but I don't think it will derail the potential of the rebuild if they take Levshunov.
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Post by ebonyraptor on Jun 24, 2024 15:11:52 GMT -6
If vengeance and control is really the sole motivation here, why play the kid at all? Why not park him on the bench or even the press-box? Doing so certainly would be "making an example so others tow the line." Instead, the NHL scouts (these same conspiracy theory bloggers tell us) are drooling because of the kid's enormous junior numbers. The agent is stubbornly taking a hard line and will not consider his client re-signing with the Russian team. This story does not pass the smell test. Because he's still an asset - one who still may be coerced into towing the line. Plus the same guy owns the SKA-1946 MHL team who won that league championship thanks in large part to Demidov.
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Post by ebonyraptor on Jun 24, 2024 15:18:20 GMT -6
Billionaires in Russia get there by abusing their power Maybe partially true in Russia. Maybe partially true in the Free World too. You do have a good point. I am not one to apologize for the ugly upper classes..... How about I rephrase? "Most who acquire billions during their lifetimes are both lucky and rational. They won't be able to hoard their extreme assets unless they make decisions in the best interests of their businesses." You know as well as I that for many team owners their team is a toy like yacht or other some such plaything. Of course they want to make money but making a profit isn't the primary objective - the primary objective is the power and prestige of owning a championship team - having the best toy. In order to maintain their grip on that power and prestige they will not let players dictate the terms - especially in a place like Russia where justice is rarely "blind" and equitable.
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Post by BigT on Jun 24, 2024 15:32:18 GMT -6
If I was picking, and a Dman was the guy. I would seriously take Silayev. At 6’7” and already a good skater. The great Chara was an awful skater when he first came in to the NHL. One of the reasons the Isles and Sens let him go. They didn’t allow him to develop properly. Then he signs with Boston and he became a beast. Guys like that are hard to find.
He already played pro. He will be very good very soon. Him playing in the KHL already and he’ll play 2 more years there. He’ll come over as a man and ready to rock.
If I’m going forward, Demidov or Lindstrom. I fear Lindstrom is the unicorn that many will regret passing on!!!
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Post by vadarx on Jun 24, 2024 17:54:47 GMT -6
If I was picking, and a Dman was the guy. I would seriously take Silayev. At 6’7” and already a good skater. The great Chara was an awful skater when he first came in to the NHL. One of the reasons the Isles and Sens let him go. They didn’t allow him to develop properly. Then he signs with Boston and he became a beast. Guys like that are hard to find. He already played pro. He will be very good very soon. Him playing in the KHL already and he’ll play 2 more years there. He’ll come over as a man and ready to rock. If I’m going forward, Demidov or Lindstrom. I fear Lindstrom is the unicorn that many will regret passing on!!! I fear Lindstrom is Dach 2.0, ie is a wing/not a center and can't stay healthy. Demidov or Catton for me @ 2, Hage or Luchanko @ 18.
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Post by OldTimeHawky on Jun 24, 2024 19:55:32 GMT -6
If I was picking, and a Dman was the guy. I would seriously take Silayev. At 6’7” and already a good skater. The great Chara was an awful skater when he first came in to the NHL. One of the reasons the Isles and Sens let him go. They didn’t allow him to develop properly. Then he signs with Boston and he became a beast. Guys like that are hard to find. He already played pro. He will be very good very soon. Him playing in the KHL already and he’ll play 2 more years there. He’ll come over as a man and ready to rock. If I’m going forward, Demidov or Lindstrom. I fear Lindstrom is the unicorn that many will regret passing on!!! I want Silayev as well, when you're that big and that smooth of a skater that's tough to pass up on, especially considering he's known for shutting teams down and he can lay out some big hits. Did he go to Florida to do some tests?
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Post by OldTimeHawky on Jun 24, 2024 20:02:45 GMT -6
Interesting read on Levshunov journey and on the cusp of being a high draft pick www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nhl/how-artyom-levshunov-a-potential-blackhawks-draft-target-at-no-2-has-navigated-hype-and-family-hardships/ar-BB1oMfWy?ocid=msedgntp&pc=U531&cvid=86a4f6c44b4c4828b5aa9894838eb973&ei=6I know there are many opinions here on why Levshunov should or should not be the pick at #2. Some say he is not even the best defensemen prospect. My hope like probably everyone else is that KFC makes the right choice. Reading through the article. we already know he was named Big Ten defensive player of the year and freshman of the year, maybe it was a down year in the B10. I do not know. By most reports out there had a better freshman year that Hughes and Power. He is a humble kid, very coachable, well-liked by his teammates and has persevered to be in position to be a high draft pick. Not sure how many prospects out there would spend learning English 8 hours daily for six weeks. Even if you believe that is not important or relevant when evaluating him, it does show a commitment and reveals his character, determination and make up. Milstein his agent and same one for Demidov said he heard feedback that physically the 6-foot-2, 208-pound right-shot defenseman could stand up to the rigors of the NHL. He was advised he needed to spend more time in the gym and add the strength and size and body, and he did just that, according to Milstein. Sounds like he is a gym rat similar to Bedard and notorious for wearing out the ice in practice. Again, Milstein said at 13 years old we knew her was going to be a future star player. I know say will say of course his agent is going to pump him up. His college coach talks about the adversity Levshunov has overcome and believes it is pretty compelling. The scouting community buzz when he came to USHL. Again, I am not saying he is the right choice at #2, nobody knows for sure. I do believe reading through this article there is a lot of intel and information for KFC and others to evaluate, along with seeing him live and interviews at the combine and one on one private meetings. Future projections and whether he will be a high-end minute eating play in all situations D or a second pair D or something else, I will leave that to the experts and GMs. I'm torn between Silayev, Demidov, and Levshunov. After reading this I think Chicago is taking the big righty. He can play in Rockford next season and he has such a great attitude and work ethic. It seems infectious and his teammates and coaches really like him, as well as his agent. Not a lot of guys 6'2" 209lbs are known for being great skaters, plus have a really good shot and passing.
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Post by vadarx on Jun 24, 2024 20:09:47 GMT -6
Interesting read on Levshunov journey and on the cusp of being a high draft pick www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nhl/how-artyom-levshunov-a-potential-blackhawks-draft-target-at-no-2-has-navigated-hype-and-family-hardships/ar-BB1oMfWy?ocid=msedgntp&pc=U531&cvid=86a4f6c44b4c4828b5aa9894838eb973&ei=6I know there are many opinions here on why Levshunov should or should not be the pick at #2. Some say he is not even the best defensemen prospect. My hope like probably everyone else is that KFC makes the right choice. Reading through the article. we already know he was named Big Ten defensive player of the year and freshman of the year, maybe it was a down year in the B10. I do not know. By most reports out there had a better freshman year that Hughes and Power. He is a humble kid, very coachable, well-liked by his teammates and has persevered to be in position to be a high draft pick. Not sure how many prospects out there would spend learning English 8 hours daily for six weeks. Even if you believe that is not important or relevant when evaluating him, it does show a commitment and reveals his character, determination and make up. Milstein his agent and same one for Demidov said he heard feedback that physically the 6-foot-2, 208-pound right-shot defenseman could stand up to the rigors of the NHL. He was advised he needed to spend more time in the gym and add the strength and size and body, and he did just that, according to Milstein. Sounds like he is a gym rat similar to Bedard and notorious for wearing out the ice in practice. Again, Milstein said at 13 years old we knew her was going to be a future star player. I know say will say of course his agent is going to pump him up. His college coach talks about the adversity Levshunov has overcome and believes it is pretty compelling. The scouting community buzz when he came to USHL. Again, I am not saying he is the right choice at #2, nobody knows for sure. I do believe reading through this article there is a lot of intel and information for KFC and others to evaluate, along with seeing him live and interviews at the combine and one on one private meetings. Future projections and whether he will be a high-end minute eating play in all situations D or a second pair D or something else, I will leave that to the experts and GMs. I'm torn between Silayev, Demidov, and Levshunov. After reading this I think Chicago is taking the big righty. He can play in Rockford next season and he has such a great attitude and work ethic. It seems infectious and his teammates and coaches really like him, as well as his agent. Not a lot of guys 6'2" 209lbs are known for being great skaters, plus have a really good shot and passing. been sayin... he has had their eye since Milwaukee. everyone loves him, which I worry a little that it might skew their evaluation of him. one thing is for sure, though, he will be an NHLer. how much of one is going to be up to him, but he certainly seems to have the want to be a pro. I'd rather take a swing at a game breaking forward, personally, but if (when) we take him, I ain't gonna sweat it. so badly want to move up into the top 10-12 for a shot at Catton...
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Post by OldTimeHawky on Jun 24, 2024 21:15:30 GMT -6
I'm torn between Silayev, Demidov, and Levshunov. After reading this I think Chicago is taking the big righty. He can play in Rockford next season and he has such a great attitude and work ethic. It seems infectious and his teammates and coaches really like him, as well as his agent. Not a lot of guys 6'2" 209lbs are known for being great skaters, plus have a really good shot and passing. been sayin... he has had their eye since Milwaukee. everyone loves him, which I worry a little that it might skew their evaluation of him. one thing is for sure, though, he will be an NHLer. how much of one is going to be up to him, but he certainly seems to have the want to be a pro. I'd rather take a swing at a game breaking forward, personally, but if (when) we take him, I ain't gonna sweat it. so badly want to move up into the top 10-12 for a shot at Catton... Demidovs ceiling is hard to ignore, but big skilled dmen, especially a righty, is hard to pass up. And knowing he came from what sounds like a lower class family and losing his dad to covid but he has a great attitude speaks volumes about him.
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2024 Draft
Jun 24, 2024 22:41:30 GMT -6
via mobile
Post by BigT on Jun 24, 2024 22:41:30 GMT -6
If I was picking, and a Dman was the guy. I would seriously take Silayev. At 6’7” and already a good skater. The great Chara was an awful skater when he first came in to the NHL. One of the reasons the Isles and Sens let him go. They didn’t allow him to develop properly. Then he signs with Boston and he became a beast. Guys like that are hard to find. He already played pro. He will be very good very soon. Him playing in the KHL already and he’ll play 2 more years there. He’ll come over as a man and ready to rock. If I’m going forward, Demidov or Lindstrom. I fear Lindstrom is the unicorn that many will regret passing on!!! I want Silayev as well, when you're that big and that smooth of a skater that's tough to pass up on, especially considering he's known for shutting teams down and he can lay out some big hits. Did he go to Florida to do some tests? That I do not know. I hope he went to Florida. I love Florida so hopefully he likes it now too. But Silayev is looking to be the real deal. Sure he’ll take a bit longer. But he’s just got everything you need. Let’s say Vlasic and Silayev could be a total shut down pair. And I mean shut down. They play the most minutes and chip in minimum offense. Basically Chara and Hammer. That’s perfect. Now you could have KK and Rinzel to be the 2nd pairing. That’s amazing and also fucking HUGE! Having a top 4 that’s 6’7”, 6’6”, 6’4” 6’1”. That’s the biggest top 4 team n league history. Then if EDM and another righty (maybe Seth) found out the top 6. I mean, that’s not easy to have. Where the average player is 6’4”!!!
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Post by ebonyraptor on Jun 24, 2024 23:02:15 GMT -6
I want Silayev as well, when you're that big and that smooth of a skater that's tough to pass up on, especially considering he's known for shutting teams down and he can lay out some big hits. Did he go to Florida to do some tests? That I do not know. I hope he went to Florida. I love Florida so hopefully he likes it now too. But Silayev is looking to be the real deal. Sure he’ll take a bit longer. But he’s just got everything you need. Let’s say Vlasic and Silayev could be a total shut down pair. And I mean shut down. They play the most minutes and chip in minimum offense. Basically Chara and Hammer. That’s perfect. Now you could have KK and Rinzel to be the 2nd pairing. That’s amazing and also fucking HUGE! Having a top 4 that’s 6’7”, 6’6”, 6’4” 6’1”. That’s the biggest top 4 team n league history. Then if EDM and another righty (maybe Seth) found out the top 6. I mean, that’s not easy to have. Where the average player is 6’4”!!! I think Korchinski's 6'1" height is old - he is listed at 6'2" in a couple spots and Elite Prospects has him at 6'3".
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