Will the Chicago Blackhawks Make MOVES Before the Olympic Roster Freeze? | CHGO Blackhawks Podcast

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Decent Tuesday. It's a normal winter Tuesday. It's a lot better than being negative 11 degrees.

Yes, I'll take that for you. It's just an average February Tuesday and we'll take it.

February. Yeah, actually, it feels like summer in Chicago where it's almost.

It feels pretty damn good. Sun was out for a little bit today. Get ready to get my shorts

on. Yeah, let's go. I'm Jay Zewoski. That's Mario Tervoski. Chloe Thiel's here running the show.

Thanks for being with us. Hit that like button for us. We've got a lot to get you today. We're

going to use some mailbag questions. We're going to hear from Jeff Flashall who spoke after

pride is today. But the big news, I guess not really news yet, but we are 22 hours and 58 minutes

away from the 23 hours and 58 minutes away from the roster freeze and doesn't feel like the

Hawks are going to do anything ahead of the Olympic break to me. No, no, I think all the guys

that are on the trade block, so to say, are safe to play this final game tomorrow before

the break in Columbus. And I really don't think the market for any of these guys is super hot

right now. I think, you know, we've kind of we've talked about, you know, Dickinson and Murphy

and to another extent, Ilya McKayev and, you know, Matt Grizzlyk, Nick Filino as well. Those are the

guys that I think are the UFA's, the veterans that you would move out or consider moving out to

make roster space for young players coming up and taking those spots. None of them are the marquee

names out there on the trade market. Like none of them, none of them, I would imagine, are being

looked at by teams as like, oh, that's the guy we got to get first. Like I think Murphy is, you know,

a good second or third option for a team looking for defensive health. I think Jason Dickinson is a guy

that, you know, would probably be down the board of like, we need, we need center help. He's not

at the top of the list. So I don't think any of those guys are hot commodities that need to be

moved as soon as possible. Well, yesterday the athletic had, um, counter Murphy is our 14th rated

trade commodity, but the third among defensemen. It was Dougie Hamilton who comes with a bit of a

headache of his own with the contract. It was Luke Shen and then it was Connor Murphy. I think

of those guys, Murphy is probably the easiest to deal for in terms of making the money fit and

the return. I don't think there's going to be a big bidding war for him. There's not a no movement

clause in there for him that they're going to have to work around like they would for, uh, for

Dougie Hamilton. And I know they've already tried a couple times to move him and deals that he

sort of said no to. Yeah. So I don't know. It would, it would surprise me big time if anything happened

before tomorrow. I did find it a little bit interesting, even though the Hawks were short practice

today, leaving the ring quickly. Yeah. Murphy was not in the locker room at all today. Hey, it was,

I did not see him. Was he available in there? All right. He was there. Let's try to talk to him.

Was he? Yeah, but I talked to a couple other people. You were talking to Falino is when I saw

okay. So he'd be behind me. So I missed him. But yeah, he was, no, he was there as normal.

Dickinson was there. It was, it was an average, you know, normal travel days feel for the room.

It really didn't feel even though, you know, we kind of talked about it on last night's show about

like, oh, that's could have been the last game at the United Center for, for those guys. Like,

it didn't have the air of like, you know, guys are saying goodbye or anything like that. They're

getting ready for Columbus. It, it seems pretty normal. I think after the break is when it'll,

obviously, that's when it'll start ratcheting up with the like at any moment, something could happen,

kind of feeling. But yeah, I think right now that they're just preparing for Columbus. And it's,

you know, it's fun for Murphy to be able to go and play, you know, near home. He's from, you

know, Ohio and in Falino too. Like, even though I don't expect them to move him, he gets to go back

and play in Columbus where he was captain for a long time. And probably most remembered in his

career as a blue jacket. So yeah, it's, it's, it's good for this team. It feels like a good setting

for them before the break. Yeah, and we're going to hear from Jeff Lashel here in a minute,

but he talked about, you know, you don't want this to be like, Christmas vacation where everyone's

got a foot out the door already ahead of the last game. Did not get that vibe in practice.

Team Seam Focus, they seem ready to go. And there were a couple changes. Well, really one

significant one we should note all over more moved up to the second line where, and Ryan

Greene went down to the fourth. And that's one of the things that Jeff Lashel mentioned. So why don't

we fire that up? He also got into this specifics with Artim Levson of again, which I thought was

really interesting. So here's Jeff Lashel at the practice today. Is Falino going to work Columbus

with you? And yes, he's going to Columbus. I anticipate him being ready to play tomorrow. That

would be my take based on practice, but we'll see for sure tomorrow. I assume with Spencer,

it was just the rest day. Yeah, I mean, it's a rest day. Yeah, yeah, exactly, exactly. Yeah.

What have you seen from Levson of now that he's been doing these individual practices for a few days?

I don't know really. It's about maybe what I've seen. Like we go in and we kind of look at

what they've done and stuff like that. You know, it's just there's a lot of little technique things

that you don't get enough time to really focus on when you're playing every other night or every

night. And so I think it's it's a more of a foundation building, you know, we kind of rebuild that

foundation. You know, it's given us a chance to look at some stuff off the ice in terms of where

his, you know, bodies that physically from a power standpoint. You know, we're going to re-address

a couple things that way to help give him more endurance within his shift. You know, the areas

that we're focusing on he's working on and to say that, you know, we have a miracle here in two

days is not not reality. It's going to this is something that really is going to build through

when we come back as much as we can over the course of the last month and time. And then certainly

this summer, it's going to be huge. He had said he was going to go to Florida for the break.

Is that still the plan? I believe so. Yeah. I mean, they have the break, you know, and we can't,

they actually can't skate here, to be honest with you that it's not allowed at all. So he will be

away here during the break, which is good too. He needs a, you know, like like a lot of our guys,

especially young guys, they probably need a break, you know, long as he doesn't start before tomorrow.

What are you going to do? I am going to Tampa to see my family, my family, my two youngest in my

wife or in Tampa, and actually my oldest is there for a day as well. So I'll get a chance to see

them and watch some youth hockey and be a youth hockey dad. Is it especially important to put

up a good effort this time, whether you want to lose tomorrow, but just so that you go into the

break feeling good about what you do? Yeah, I mean, my take on these is you always, if you know,

if you play well, you feel good about it, you know, there's no doubt, but I can't say it's any,

you know, it's an important game, and it's every game to me is that way, and we kind of approach

every game as being super important, and then we learn from it and move on to the next one. So

what you can't do is, you know, these are always, it's like Christmas a little bit. You can't

go and break early. You got to make sure that you're ready to compete for this game, and we've

got plenty of time off. Are you nervous at all about the break and like losing what you've built so

far, or do you feel good about like what's been built and how it has some sticking power? Yeah, I

think I think, you know, I feel good about the certain parts of our, certainly our foundation,

you know, I think our culture for sure, and that has sticking power, but I would also say I

actually look forward not necessarily like we're all going to enjoy the break, but when we come

back, we also get a mini training camp, and to me, that's a real powerful thing for a group of

young players, and especially because the fact that we don't have a whole bunch of guys that

aren't going to be here at the Olympics, that would have been at the Olympics, and we're only

missing one. So we can really have some real good practices during that stretch to get us ready

for the home stretch here. Do you make adjustments during the training camp? If we want to adjust

or tweak anything, and we've talked about things, that's when we would do it. It's hard to do it during

the season, we don't have practice time. So we've looked at, you know, I don't know that I'd change

a system per se. You know, we talked about if there's something that we just didn't like, but

it's probably going to be more little tweaks, but we'll look at some little tweaks over the course

of the break ourselves as a coaching staff and come back with a plan. Is there advantage when

you're game planning, playing a team so close after just seeing them? I don't know that it's an

advantage per se because they have the same thing. So, you know, you're unequal footing. What I would

say is it's, it's, I don't even know if it's unique. It doesn't happen a lot. So it makes probably

our jobs easier because you're, you're really just focused on the previous game that you play it

as opposed to like three or four pre-scout games. But there's a familiarity with the two teams now,

and so you kind of go out and play hockey. So I wouldn't call it an advantage or disadvantage,

just a little bit unique. It looked like all over more in Ryan Green,

flipped spots in the lineup, but what ended that decision? I thought, you know, both are good players.

Both have had ups and downs. I thought Ali played pretty well last night. Greener had moments

of good, and there's some learning moments in there. So we just, we flipped that. What do you see

from, from more as far as like the kind of player you want him, and then you mentioned

Yawning Gourd as kind of an example. Like, what do you see for all of us? Sealing? Yeah, and in the

one thing I don't want to do is put a limit on his ceiling because none of us know. None of us know

what he's going to be. And I'd never want to project anybody one way or the other because like,

they get to answer that question on a day-to-day basis as they move through their careers. And I've

watched guys get exponentially better because they're, they work so hard at things, and he's a guy

like that. So I'm not sure what he's going to be exactly. I definitely think, you know, his speed,

tenacity, with skill is a, in a good brain. Those are, those are qualities that he has that

are going to be applied in some fashion. So he's going to be a momentum type line guy. Is he going

to be a top two line guy? I don't know those answers yet. But, you know, as we, as he keeps playing,

we'll keep figuring it out. And we're, we're not going to know for a little bit. Like, you know,

there's moments that, when you're a first-year player, there's moments where the reality is

you're a little bit surviving. You know what I mean? And it, it's why most guys, outside of the,

like, the crazy elite guys that takes a couple of years to get comfortable. And it's just like any

job you guys have been in, you know, you're usually better at it once you get more comfortable.

Do I watch the Olympics? I will watch for sure as much as I can. You know, it's, yeah,

I watch for sure. It's great hockey. And I'll be cheering hard for the U.S.

All right. There's Chef Lashel after practice today. So here are the lines that we're used to.

And you get to expect these tomorrow in Columbus. Badard, Nazar, Bertuzzi, Moor Burakowski,

Tara Vinein, Dickinson, McKayev, Denado, Green, Slagert, and Doc. So, Felina will take one of

those wing spots. Either Slagert or Doc. And then Sam Lafrey will be the extra and your

D-Pairs remain the same. Vlasik Krevier, Kaiser, Renzel, Grizzlyk, Murphy.

Burakowski is the big point of contention here. And I understand it. He's not been good.

He is on the second line in quotes. But if you look at his minutes lately,

over his last one, two, three, four, five games, 15, 50, 13, 11, 11, 16 at 10, 47, and 11, 42. So he

made that jump from basically 20 minutes a night over the last five to only over 15 minutes once,

only over 13 minutes once around 10 or 11 the next few games. So his minutes are being reduced.

I think the reason is they have on the second line is because they're going to put him

in a more offensive role because he can't be counted on defensively at all.

Yeah, he's not a guy that you match up with Dickinson and McKayev. And you don't just throw him into

the fourth line rotation because he's not going to play that way. So you have to put him with

guys who are going to try and generate offense because that's his game. But yeah, I mean,

he's seen a decrease in minutes. We've seen a decrease in responsibilities and opportunities

have been getting. Scott Powers put it out there this morning over his last 12 games. He just

has one assist. And at five on five, he's, when he's on the ice, the black hawks have been

outscored 13 to three and have an expected goals percentage of 34 point. Holy crap. So yeah,

your eyes and the analytics are seeing the same thing. He has been really ineffective. Turnovers

have been terrible. I don't, I just, I don't, I don't know what you do at this point. And the,

the easy answer with no repercussions is, oh, well, Bench him. Oh, well, trade him. Well, you can't

do that. Like, it's, well, you can bench him. You can bench him. Obviously, you can also, like,

there, I think Blashel's not a guy that operates that way, at least currently, with a guy like

Burakowski. I think he's giving him the benefit of the doubt as the veteran to play yourself out of

this funk. But eventually, if it continues, you have to, you have to put a stop to it at some point.

Well, he's got a month off. So after tomorrow, if he comes back and still looks like this,

then you got to start having a conversation about sitting on because I will give him some leeway

with the things happening in his life, with the new baby and everything and the concussion,

all that stuff, I think is playing a role. But if a month goes by, he's got all this time to heal

and rest and catch up on life. If he comes back and doesn't look like the guy he looks like in the

first, you know, what, 20 games of the season or so, then there's got to be a real hard conversation

about his, um, his earning of time. Like that, if that's what Blashel's going to preach,

you've got to earn your ice time and opportunities. You've got to put your money when your mouth is

for veterans and young players. It can't just be rules for the young players and then different

rules for the veterans. I know, to some extent, you can do that. But Burakowski now has been

garbage for a month and it needs to get better. So I find playing Wednesday against Columbus,

okay? But if, if, when they come back, it's more of the same that the scratch conversation has to

happen. We are late for the break zone. We're going to hit the break zone now. There is a little

bit of a tweak that they made last night. I went back and watched a film. I watched him in

Pride to say, we're going to talk about that next on CHGO Black Hawks. And what if you could have

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it yet, please hit that like button. Please subscribe to our YouTube page. If you're looking for

the bulls podcast, dumb guy in the chat, just go to the bulls broadcast. There are several broadcasts

happening at the same time. We don't change the channel. You do. Yes. If you're looking for the CHO

bulls emergency podcast that is currently on, I believe they're now in hour two of the emergency

podcast. Yes. Yes. Because of the multiple trades that the bulls are making. That's on our

YouTube page. So if you're watching on a fast channel and you expected to see the bulls,

they're operating outside of their normal hours. So that's why it is on the CHO sports YouTube page.

Yes. Here's my prediction for the bulls. They'll be average for the next decade.

I mean, I don't know that much about basketball, but it seems like these

are trades. They sure are. Happened. I don't know what they do. They're not, I don't know.

They'll have more intelligent things to say about the trades than I would. I think that the way

that that new guy puts his name, Steve, he's going to do the J and I. J and that's what I meant. He's

going to do the nine four pick and roll screener dump. Look out. You've got to look out for that

screener dump. We're talking minimum four feet. I will say J and I be good sense of humor. He

was acquired from I think the pistons earlier today. He puts on Twitter. He says, is the number

23 taken on the bulls? I need a new number. Well, it's not currently taken. That's funny.

Hanging in the rafters. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Anyway, yes, the bull show they are still on. So

they're doing great. Check them out when we're done over at CHO Bulls. All right. So we mentioned

this last night. I went back and reviewed the tape. I tried to get a question in but I got

stiffer by Hawks. PR said last question when my question, I was kind and a gentleman and allowed

someone to go before me. I said, and then they said, I also have a question. I said, okay, you go

ahead. And then they said last question on me. But I saw, I seen it with my own eyes. The Hawks

slingshot power play yesterday and today in practice. Instead of having the defenseman skate to

the neutral zone and dump it back to one forward, there were two forwards behind the defenseman

coming from the defensive zone, which gave them a few things I noticed. And I'll think you might

agree or get your take on it too. What we've been noticing about the Hawks power play is it's not

working because no one's in motion. Everyone is there's one guy carrying a puck and there's four

guys standing at the blue line waiting for said guy to either dump it in or carry it in. And it

doesn't work either way. This way by having two guys rushing with speed into the zone,

it spreads out the defense a little bit because they've got to be aware of two guys that could

possibly carry the puck in. And you've got two guys in full stride entering the zone. So whether

it's dump, whether it's carried, then the other three can kind of settle into their positions

and get set the set up the power play. Because as we've said, once the Hawks get the puck in the

zone and set up, it's actually pretty effective. That's been the issue. The issue has been getting in

and getting the puck and then distributing back and forth to the point to the wing, to the slot

whatever. Once they're in there, it's working. But they just have to get it in and the entries are

the problem. So I think this little tweak to have two forwards rushing instead of one. They scored

last night. I did go back and watch a couple of the replays from later in the game. It didn't work

every time, but the times it didn't work where we're lost races to the puck. There was one in

since where it was bedard and nazar versus whenberg along the boards. And he came away with the puck.

So, you know, it's more of the board battle, winning hockey stuff. Jeff Fashel talked about,

but the puck got in the zone cleanly. So something to keep an eye on. I don't know if it's just

something they're doing on an opponent to opponent basis, but it seemed to have a little more

success with his own entries last night. Yeah, I mean, I think it's a, I think it's a small

change to what they're trying to do on the power play. Because, you know, I think you and Greg

kind of talked about it last night, but Lashel mentioned it today. Like they're, they're going to use

the end of the break practices to implement the bigger things that they might want to dive into.

It's not guaranteed that they will, but they have two and a half weeks to kind of go over

film and go over what's working, what's not, and kind of look at it and attack it in the, you know,

back third of this season. But it's a minor change that I think can at least give you another

option. I think the one guy skating at full speed with four guys essentially standing still

and trying to use them as the passing options. Just it clearly has not been effective

with this group and executing it is a problem. Obviously, they're smarter than running a system

that is designed to not work. Right. But the execution of the system is where it's kind of failing.

So you give the guy on the rush and other, another option of someone in motion with him.

I think the, the toughest thing that we've seen with the current zone entry system is that

when you make that pass crossing the blue line either to the middle of the ice, which

I feel like rarely ever works or towards the boards to kind of have that drop off pass. One guy

goes into the zone. The guy who gets the puck either goes then across the ice to the other side

or to the middle with the guys coming in the zone or they whip it down the board to the guy who

came in with speed. That initial pass, I feel like always comes down to like a 50-50 play.

Like they make that pass and then he either gets it or it's intercepted or he, or he gets it

and if it's not whipped right down the boards, the next pass is like a 50, I feel like it cuts down

those 50-50 passes that really are dangerous because they can goal the other way if you have a guy

standing still and everyone defending the power play is basically lined up on the blue line

with them. They go the opposite direction. Like it's a dangerous area to have a turnover. So I

think if you give the guy going in with speed, another guy going in with speed, even if there is

a turnover, it's likely that that puck is still going to be going into the offensive zone because

you're making that pass with two guys. Yeah. And just Shurm sticks 87. I'm pretty sure they've

done the two forwards rushing before they have, but they had gone away for a while and it was

back last night and back at practice today. Just be clear, I think the other thing too is when you've

got two going at full speed, let's say left side, right side, the defenseman in charge of the

right winger, if that guy is streaking without the puck, he can't just be standing still at the

blue line. He's got to be moving backwards to because that puck is dumped in. If that guy's full

speed and the defenseman is standing at the blue line, he's going to get that puck a hundred of

a hundred times unless the goalie intercepts it, right? And even if that's the case, if he's

coming in the zone full speed, he's going to meet the goalie behind the net and cause some chaos

that way, right? So that defender has to be moving back as opposed to just staying at the

blue line. That's also going to loosen things up for the entry because there's just not as many

body standing there. Right. If one defense is moving back and maybe one of the two guys in the

middle kind of joins him and goes and supports him a little bit, that's just going to open up

because when you look at it, when it's four guys, four attackers and four defenders, all standing

still at the blue line, that's eight sticks that you have to get the puck through. That's really

hard to do. And I think your point too, and it's been a frustration is I feel like when they carry

over, whether it's Pedard or Barakowski or whoever is the puck carrier at the time, they've been

kind of forcing the pass a little too quickly. Like it's the second throw over the blue line,

and then it'll drop it off. And if it's off by an inch, it's off side, right? Like I just feel

like they got to get a deeper carry it more. Yeah, the timing really seems to be an issue. So I

think honestly, by having more guys moving forward, it is having fewer players having to be

perfectly timed. They just kind of those two just have to make sure they're on side. Be

ready for the pass in case the puck carrier decides to give it to the other rushing forward.

So you have to be ready for the pass, but beyond that, just go. Just get pass the defense

and go win that puck. Yeah, I would like to see them experiment more with a little bit,

more frequency in the, you know, chipping it in deep and then going and winning that race using

that speed. I would like to see them try and utilize that more just because I don't I don't think the

my my philosophy is that if you're if you're dumping passes, you know, those 50, 50 passes,

or you're going cross ice when everyone is stagnant, standing still at the blue line. Like,

you're just asking for turnovers. You're asking for the puck to be chipped out of the zone,

then you got to go back and and reset again. So I I would like to see more

opportunities for the puck to just get deep because if you if you it's easier to

get the puck back or avoid the puck getting out of the zone faster if it's deeper in the zone.

You you put the pressure on the on the defense to have to go back and get it. You you you can utilize

your speed, whether it's Nazar or Bedard or more or whoever to go in there and try and be the

first to get to the puck. That's a way to win a puck battle, too. It's not just strictly

who's stronger. If you're there first, that's a win for for getting to the puck.

And then, you know, if the defense does get it, you still have the pressure on them

to have to ring it around the boards where you have people there to stop the puck from going out

of the zone. Or, you know, if you get it in and the defense gets it, you put that pressure on,

you can then potentially cause a turn over get a puck win the puck back and then you're in

you're deep in the offence of zone rather than all of that happening up top at the blue line where

it's a lot easier. There's a lot less space for the defense to have to cover to get it out of the zone.

Well, and to like once it's dumped in, like you said, even if you don't retrieve it,

you're giving your so if you got two forwards going in, you're giving your bumper guy in like

the center spot for lack of a better word and your point men time to get to their spots too.

So they're potentially your two point men are going to be able to defend any past leaving

the zone. And then your bumper guy breaks up the middle. So you've got everything covered.

Even if the other team has the puck, it's harder for them to just what they did before is just

got it. Thanks. I'm throwing it down the ice. Now you got to get it through people. And then,

you know, once the puck is possessed, then you get start the movement of the power play where they

usually only have one point man, the Hawks, but for setup, you have one on each side until you get

the puck. Right. All right. Good stuff. Well, it's just hope that this power play all they scored

last night gets them on the path to normalcy. Doesn't have to be a lead. Just giving an average

power play in the Hawks are going to have a lot more success. Yeah. If you've not done it already,

please hit that like button for us. We'll be back in two minutes on CHL Black Hawks from the

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all city. Bingo. I love the Qing. That's such a good sound. Yes. To Qing love that. And I said

that means you loved. We're an Xfinity loft. Not the Xfinity lounge. Did you say I can read? I did say

lounge. Oh, lounge. I'm lounging in the loft studio to bedroom. It is town home. Definitely a loft.

It's the loftiest place it has ever lofted. I've seen many a loft in my life. This is the most

loft I've ever seen. Yes. Nick Filippino, by the way, we sort of glazed over it a little bit.

He will play tomorrow. That is the expectation. That's what he said. That's a Jeff Lashel said.

And he said after the immediate scrum, Ben Pope was in there late and just said, hey, I just want to

clarify. Are you going to play a Nick said, if I don't play, I'm going to trash locker room.

So I would expect Nick Filippino to be in the lineup against Columbus tomorrow. So look, man,

it's just an opportunity for them to get back on the winning side, get two in a row and head

at a break feeling good. I don't know. I think that they should feel really good about how last night

went. Yeah. And they mentioned Filippino mentioned too, like you have a game or even when you didn't

have your best moments when the sharks would push or they would score a goal, you would punch right

back. And that's something he really liked about that game and I did too. So hopefully,

it's a sign of things to come because we talked about it in the post game. They came out of that game

from puck drop with a bit of a swag, like a bit of an attitude to them. I think they wanted to

prove something. So don't just do that against the sharks. You can do that against Columbus. You

could do it against Buffalo. Whoever you're playing, feel free to come out with that confidence

and that swagger and apply it because they are fast. They are skilled. I'm at the point now

where I feel like the Hawks biggest issue is up here half the time. And I pointed at my head if

you're listening to that. Yeah. I think confidence goes a long way and getting the win last night

snapping the five game skid, getting the power play goal. Like that was all big. That was all big

for this group. And if you have, let's say they get the win tomorrow and you go into the break,

winning your last two games, you feel good about yourself and you feel good about what

kind of rest you're going into with this break. For some guys, it's physical rest of just like,

you know, they've going through the season, bumps and bruises and injuries and all that stuff.

You get some time to rest with that. For some guys, it's a mental break. I mean, we talk about

a lot of these young players. You know, some of them, they only have one season or half an

NHL season, half an NHL season of experience where you're playing, you know, 50, 60, 70 games

or they're coming out of like coming out of college. Like guys like Oliver Moore and Sam Renzell

where the most games that they've played in like one season length is probably 50, 60 maybe. Yeah.

You know, if back going back to their days, like in the in the USHL or with the development team,

you know, college, maximum you play is like 42 games in a year if you play all the way to the

national championship. So the rigors of this season's schedule on the young players, you get a

mental break, you get a physical break and, you know, a lot of people talking about, you know,

the Olympics and, you know, Bidard and all that stuff. Like, no, like it's, I,

the team Canada made a change today. Anthony Cerelli is actually going to miss still figuring out

what's going on with Braden Point, but Sam Bennett is going to be going in place of Cerelli.

I just don't think Bidard is at the top of the list of guys that Canada would point to to

bring to the Olympics at this point. Let him rest here for it. And also, yeah, at this point,

there's more benefit to him resting, getting off the ice for a few days, which Blaschold said,

as you heard, they're not allowed to skate during the break for a portion of it. So Bidard.

We'll see Robert Arditha Ribbon. Yeah, Maggie daily barks like sick handling and

full gear, ice-pring children. So like, yeah, you get some time away. You know, you get to,

you know, keep your skates in your bag for a few days and just kind of rest. And I think that'll,

if you can do that coming off of winning your last two games going into that, like that's big for

this group. And then, too, you know, you have some good vibes about you. You've won some games.

You know, you're still not mathematically out of the playoff picture, which to those guys,

that matters because they want each game to feel like it matters in the standings, talking about,

you know, the lead up to yesterday's game. You know, they were talking about like, this

still, I was talking with Ryan Green and Colton Doc and Oliver Moore before the game.

And they were talking about like, this is a team that we're playing. That's ahead of us in

the standings. We want to get these two points so they don't. We want to continue to be in that

conversation of pushing for a playoff spot. Like, that's what they, that's what they want.

As much as it is like, you know, from a fan perspective,

unlikely or still benefits you to be in the lottery, rather than being the second wild card

and getting waxed by the avalanche. Those guys in the room, they care about the playoffs.

They care about being in those races because they're competitive. Yeah, exactly. Yeah.

So if you can get some, some of those good vibes going into that break, you come out of it feeling

good. And you know that you're going to lose some guys to the trade deadline. Like,

whether they're it, they were further into the playoff race or not.

Kyle Davidson's made it clear. Like, they're not debuting from that plan. They're moving those guys.

Having a good feeling in the room going into a situation like that is a lot better than if you've

lost eight games in a row or something. Then you're losing it. Like, you don't have any like good

feelings on the way out for a guy like Murphy or Dickinson or anything like that.

You want to be able to say, like, hey, we want a couple games with these guys before they were

gone and you start to feel a little bit better about that. And then you can kind of come back from

the deadline. Hopefully have some of those good results and that positivity roll over to when

you're likely bringing back Nick Lardis, maybe welcoming in Anton Frontel. And you have some of

these guys coming up that are taking those spots. Maybe Kevin Kortzinski's up here figuring out

what he's going to be at the NHL level now after spending a lot of time in the NHL. Like having that

positive feel in the room because of results on the ice is going to make everything better.

I'm just wondering if it's Dickinson and Murphy. And let's just say they trade McKayev,

right? Like we know Lardis is coming back. Are they just going to be content until Frontel arrives to

just use Doc and Slaggard? Or do you think there's another rockford forward that might get a stiff

here? Like what could it be? Could Aidan Thompson get a look? Could Samuel Savoah finally get a look?

I feel like it's going to be just Lardis. And then we're not going to have this scratch doc or

doc or slaggard, everything. I mean, I look at it and I think maybe you could throw a bone to

Samuel Savoah, but even that it feels like it's a stretch when you have Slaggard and Doc available to

you. And there's steps ahead of where Savoah is obviously. And I think, you know, the type of

player that we're seeing, oh, maybe Samuel Savoah could turn to this guy that goes out there and

provides a spark in his physical. Colton Doc does that. And I think he's probably got more

offensive upside than Samuel Savoah does. So I think we're I think we're at a point where, you know,

a lot of the guys in rockford outside of like Nick Lardis as far as forwards.

I think the guys who will be in the organization very soon, Frontel, Cancerov, Juaveir,

Spenak or Spellisia, I think they're going to be ahead of those guys. So you mentioned Aidan

Thompson, Savoah, Gavin Hayes. And we had a question about Gavin Hayes in the diehard discord

mail bag about, you know, what are their prospect? I think they're just getting leapfrogged. And I

think there's there's other four words that are going to be coming in that I think are going to

you know, take up some space. And it's what you want. You want young guys to come in and be

competitive and fight for these spots. And not everything is is guaranteed. But I think they

they like slagger. I think they like Doc for what they bring. I think they're probably just

more content with we're going to wait till frontels over here. Yeah. Play those guys. And

which would be okay with the end of March. If that's, you know, well, the the the SHL, well,

I think his his club is primed to go to the playoffs last I checked. And I think the SHL

regular season ended like end of February. And I think that first week of March is like when

their playoffs start something like that. It's around that time. So I would guess unless they go

all the way to the final, uh, Jure Garden, that is, frontels going to be available before seasons

over in Chicago. As of right now, they're in ninth. Uh, let's see. We should look this up.

Well, because they do the 10 team tournament teams one through six qualify all seven through 10

play a best of three to fill the remaining spots. They do the plan and then the relegation. Yeah.

I don't know where the schedule is there, but we will find that out. We're going to hit the

break zone. We do have some mail back questions we're going to get to. So stick around for those.

If you've not done it yet, please, please, please hit that like button for us and be sure to

subscribe. And if you're listening on your preferred podcast app, do us a favor and follow

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March 14th. There is the end of the regular season. Okay. So if they do a three game series

every other day, take you to the 20th roughly. Yeah, I still think I'm the very latest.

Yeah, beginning of April. He's here. That's my that's my ex. That'll be fun. I'm here for that too.

All right, break time back in two minutes from the. Exfinity. Loft. There you go on CHG Blackhawks.

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All right, let's get into some of our mailbag questions here. If you want a mailbag us,

become a diehard all CHGO.com slash join you get a free shirt you get money off of our events

20% of all of our merch and tickets and everything beyond that. So it's a good good cause do it

all CHGO.com slash join and that you get access to our discord, which is where these questions come

from. All right, Chloe, fire it up. From Warren, Bedard, this was on our recent episode of the 32

Thoughts podcast regarding the situation with Jason Robertson and Dallas says here when

Dallas was eliminated last season, Robertson was briefly put on the market trade market and the

Hawks were really around it. Dallas wants to either extend Robertson, but

they're he's potentially looking for Michael Ranton and money. They will probably look to move him

if it is that high and something that was noted by Elliott Freeman. Dallas is getting concerned about

their prospect system. Is there any world where you would be willing to package our first round

pick maybe top three protected and additional assets that we have for Jason Robertson says I

know it would probably take some things people don't exactly want to let go of but curious with

the first round pick what you would be comfortable with sending to Dallas. That to me is when we talk

about the kind of player you would give up assets to get Jason Robertson is that guy that's what

we're talking about. It's not your Brock Bessert. It's not your second tier guys. It's your top

tier guys in or entering their prime. He checks that box a hundred percent. I think he would be a

great compliment for Conor Bedard. The fact that the Hawks were sniffing around him means they

believe that too. I would yes would I trade the first round pick yes I would. I feel like if

this trade is going to happen it's going to happen at the draft. It's not going to happen to

the trade in line. Dallas is not moving him now. No they don't need to try to win a cup. Yeah

they're trying to win a cup with him. So if they're going to trade Jason Robertson it'll be at

or before the draft you'll have a pretty good idea of where you're drafting at the draft.

It's usually how that works. Yeah yeah you know when I don't need the draft. I'm going to be

honest like unless it's one or two I'm I am willing to move it for Jason Robertson because I

think it's time. I think it is time to add an NHL ready NHL proven top line score to this team.

Tell Conor Bedard because what we've seen from the team this year is the ability to compete

and most nights even when they lose they're in the game and you feel like like I said earlier

a good quality power play and a little more depth of actual scoring where you're not asking

guys like Berra Kovsky or Denato to be something or not and even to a lesser extent how are Bertuzzi

who's having a career year right now. Bring in a guy who the expectation is 30 plus goals

point per game like you bring somebody in like that I'm willing to give a top pick for that.

I would even I would entertain one or two probably not one. Let's say I'm starting at a three.

I would entertain three and Steve Smart says the floor to pick more or green and I'm moving

everyone is negotiable to me in this trade except a dart that's it. I don't think there's

anyone I would say absolutely no I'm not trading this guy for Jason Robertson. I think all

those guys are on the table. So Robertson will be 27 at the start of the next season.

Not that that's a hindrance that's the prime of his career where we've seen it for the last few

seasons in Dallas. You know he's a multi multi time 40 goal scorers on another 40 goal pace this

year might be on a 50 goal pace if I could do quick math. He should be on team USA for the Olympics.

It's a it's egregious that he's not. He is you're exactly right. He is the kind of guy that you

you open up the conversation with and say like hey like you can almost name your price

as far as like the trade capital that you would give up for it. And obviously this comes

with an extension that's a given. That's what I was going to say. If you if you get to the draft

and you're just trading for his RFA rights we have to get you give up less for that but that

doesn't be who've Dallas at all. You would say it's a it's a sign in trade. Yeah. Much like they did

with with Seth Jones. Yeah I would I would be open to some hefty trade packages to do it.

I think it's it'll be interesting to see what Dallas does at the trade deadline.

Because they don't have a ton of space but I think they think I still don't think it's out

of the realm of possibility that they could still get something done. Sure and and and keep Jason

Robertson and I've heard from a lot of people that Dallas is a prime landing spot potential for

Artemi Panarin. I'd rather have Jason Robertson. Me too. I I don't think the stars are better.

It's a lateral move at best and I'd rather have Robertson who's younger who's from the from

you know in house with Dallas. I'd rather have that than then go out and get Artemi Panarin

and roll the dice on that. So yeah I think for Dallas it makes more sense to keep him.

But I mean if you if you don't feel like that's going to happen the Black Clocks are one of those

teams that has a prospect system that you can pluck from for Jason Robertson and not necessarily

completely restock the cupboards but you feel a lot better if you get a more or you know whoever

in that in that kind of deal. The other thing is I don't know if a Chicago Dallas trade happens

because of you know the Black Clocks want to go up the division standings yeah helping Dallas

doesn't help. I think Dallas feels like their window is open for a while so that is a strong point

so that will play a role but I also think I wouldn't worry about that so much because if they're

thinking of this as oh boy like our prospect pool is really thin and one thing that I think makes Jim

Nils such a good GM is that his his team keeps refreshing. So I Dallas has been good for so long

because young players come up as older guys start to fall off and it's just as constantly recycling

itself and that young part of what Dallas has right now is a little bit thin so if he wants to

find that next group of guys that come up maybe it is a Nick Lardis maybe it isn't all over more

I'm willing to move guys like that because look at the names we talked about earlier with Frontel

and Boavaire and Spellisie and Venacker and you're going to have more or Lardis and you're

going to have Badar and you're going to have Nasar like at some point you're just running out of

roster spots and so you do probably have to move on at some point from a prospect or two that you

really really like so look I do I think it's likely no but I think part of the reason that Kyle

Davidson and he's flat out said this like part of the reason you stockpile assets is to strike

when the opportunity presents itself it sounds like according to Elliott Friedman that when that

became a thing the conversation was had I mean for Jim Nils the trouble is do I want to deal him

in division probably not but I don't really know many more teams in the league that can give him

what the Hawks can like they can give their own first they can give Florida's first they can

give both they can give any number of NHL ready prospects like there's the Hawks have a lot to

deal from and if he's if he really I don't think he needs to worry about the Hawks just yet probably

in two or three years he would start sweating the Black Hawks and that's fine yeah but I mean look

at Jason Robertson right now 56 games 31 goals 33 assists that he's having a insane year he

has scored 46 goals before he scored 41 goals before last year he had 80 points in 82 games like

this is a guys like this don't come around he has a hundred and nine points he's under his belt

yeah like this is not the kind of player that just I'm not going to call him Mary and Hosa

but it's on the level of age proven kind of a player where they just don't become available

especially now in the age of the cap going up teams resigning their players

if a guy like Jason Robertson's available you have to try to get him and you can't just get him

and Friedens because he's an RFA so the stars have his right you're trading for his rights

yeah so look I I don't know if you if we feel like and I guess this is objective to everybody

do you feel like next year the Hawks are ready to push for a playoffs spot if you feel that

then you should absolutely look to see what if you can get Jason Robertson I mean

I mean if we're following what we said at the beginning of this season where it was the Hawks

are ready to kind of take that step in line with teams that we saw do it last year where it was

Anaheim and it was Utah of like they're going from basement of the NHL to now we're going to

you know flirt with some games that matter into March and be around the 80 point you know

spot in the standings then yeah absolutely look at where the ducks and the and the sharks and

the mammoth are at right now they're in the they're in the playoff chase ahead of the Black Hawks

and those all those teams have a legitimate case to be made as like they can get into the post

season and granted do you want to be the first round match up for the avalanche as I say for the

second time it's not ideal but I think as a young team that is pushing to that next step

I think I think the Black Hawks can operate with the with the mindset of a lot of these young

guys are taking the steps we want them to and they have a lot of talent already here with the

with the young group so you add in a Robertson that that changes the dynamic of that team

you're we're talking about Andre Berkowski continuously getting cycled into the you know

stain in the top six even though he's been there's no they're really bad well what if you had

Jason Robertson up in your top six well there's there's a top line guy that you you play with

but dark there's a top then then you have flexibility you don't have to have Berkowski in the top six

because he's there or you don't even have to have him if you don't really want him you can move him

next season if you get Robertson yeah Bertuzzi's there tables there then they get kind of knocked

down a peg in the lineup where as you get those top players like everyone kind of starts to fill

into their roles so I mean I I would say if I was Kyle Davidson I'm glad I'm not because I

would be a bad GM but I would say that the Hawks are probably ready going into next season to

operate with the mentality of if Robertson is available we and we can get him we should because

that brings us to the next level and and getting to the next level with Bedard in year four

and he's our in year three frondelle is going to be in in the mix you're probably very likely

banking on Roman cancer of coming over yep which it sounds like it's going to happen once

his KHL contract is over and he's probably NHL ready probably yeah like this you know this is

nothing's guaranteed but he's played pro in Russia for like four years now like he's probably ready

to play in the NHL with a little bit of an adjustment period like you're talking about bringing in

these guys that this whole rebuild has been banked on being here and and getting acclimated and you

if you could add in a 40 goal 80 90 point player in Jason Robertson in his prime there's no reason

not to at least try to make that work yeah we're going to go over time for a few minutes here so

if you're watching on one of the fast channels switch over to lchio.com to continue the coverage

the Bowsky 55 with a couple comments said is Robertson good enough to be the second best forward

on a contender um I mean he's good enough to be the second best forward on yeah if Robertson

ends up being the Hawks second best forward is that enough to ultimately push the Hawks to

cup contention I mean is he the second best forward on the stars right now behind random I mean you

could I mean the conversation yeah they also got hints and why at Johnson but I I mean I'd say

he's at he's at least a two AB for for their forwards attack and you don't know what you also

know what front level is going to be too and love out he continues it's also choir Robertson

front out has ended up being a superstar cornerstone okay I don't I mean I'm fine with rolling

that dice expecting him to be that because when you take a forward at three overall usually it's a

guy that you put a lot of weight on and and expect him to you know carry that weight not every

third overall pick is Kirby doc like I know we're probably so a little burnt by that but I think

I think what we've seen from Frontel and the lead up to his draft yeah and since does it I'm not

I'm not worried about him stepping into the NHL and you know being able to get acclimated to it

and be able to figure it out hopefully quickly yeah I agree with that um BJD mentions would you move

one of the right defense been meaning election over in Zell now if you're moving one of those two

it's probably that and a pick and that's it like if you I don't think 80 yeah I because those

are really high prospects so if you're especially left and off and I know people have soured on

left and off fine go ahead and do that but he still is a very very high prospect if left

and off is involved I would say the most would be Florida's picking him and calling a day because

I beyond that I'm not I mean I don't think that does I'm not throwing an all over more I'm not

throwing in Nick Lertus and Lev Shnov and Florida's picking no no I think you could probably get

it done with a first round pick maybe the higher of the two again if it's not top two and

a couple decent prospects yeah we gotta be careful than not completely overblow

every Hawks prospect we like yeah I mean it's I don't I don't think you like I said I don't

think you need to empty the cupboards for him but I think it's going to require more than just

you know two two assets I think if it's if it's one of those first round picks it's probably likely

more enticing not to Dallas of course for it to be the higher of the two but if you go out and win

the lottery you don't want to give them the number one over all picks so I would think that you

would protect that in some in some capacity yeah I mean looking at Dallas's prospect system

they do have deficiencies across the board whether it's forward or defense or goal tender like

they don't really have a lot that's what happens when you try and contend you give up a lot of

those pieces and you pick in the later parts of the of the draft in in each round you're not getting

those you know superstar stud prospects to keep moving things forward for for a long time

so I mean they could use forward help they could use defense help

but I I think you're probably talking about for Robertson three first round equivalent assets

whether it's a former first round pick or an actual first round pick I think that's probably

what you're giving up um you know what I'm I'm not trading left shove I've added them to my no trade

list okay yeah I because I just feel like the ceiling is so high on him and if he hits you're

gonna regret that I mean Robertson's really good but I think we know how good he is right um so

I'm gonna add left shove to that and maybe I'm wrong maybe I've again my phase in two years

everyone's laughing at me because he sucks or whatever but I just I just feel like there is so much

untapped there with him and the flashes we've seen from him are very tantalizing so I'm gonna

add him to my anyone but but dart and left shove list that's it it's up there I I mean I wouldn't

give up frondelle I'd keep them I I I would entertain for Robertson I would entertain a discussion

about left shove I'm not quick trigger get rid of them but depending on what else is involved I

would need to I would need a defense from back from Dallas what do you want it's it's not great

pickings you're not getting time as Harley uh Lee and Michelle maybe but that I feel like that's

not enough that's that doesn't really do that much and they don't really have a defenseman that's

a prospect so I don't know I'm I don't know if they'd they'd give anybody up maybe Michelle maybe but

I I don't know I just yeah it's probably not gonna happen but it's fun to talk about yeah I mean

it's it's it's worth I should add frondelle yeah it's it's it's worth figuring out I think I

mean I think looking at Dallas's defensive depth they probably would be asking about left shove

or rinsal I don't know I I would definitely entertain the conversation for Jason Robertson it also

comes down to you know would Robertson even agree to assign and trade with that like I know he's

not necessarily under trade protection but like you know behind closed doors if they were just like

oh you're going to Chicago no questions asked no debate no no discussion that would kind of be I

wouldn't expect that from no from the stars to operate that way I don't think so all right we're

gonna wrap things up we'll be back tomorrow for the last Hawks came before the Olympic break 530

pregame I had a Hawks and Blue Jack at six o'clock puck drop we'll talk to you then on CHTO Black