Blackhawks

ChiefGritty · May 11, 2023

Alfonz24 said:
In all seriousness, do you really want someone who can also be a tough guy? My point being that if he is checking and being checked, more likelihood of concussions. I guess I think of Eric Lindros.

Hockey is a tough guy sport in any event, but this article from the Athletic filled in some of the details

Connor Bedard could be a generational NHL talent — here’s why

How does a 5-10 forward who doesn’t blow by defenders with McDavid- or MacKinnon-type speed become a nightmare to defend against?

theathletic.com

It's behind a paywall, but essentially Bedard's style has been to do a lot of leaking out on odd-man rushes which centermen's defensive responsibilities often don't allow them to do. In the WHL you can get away with it.

So it's not solely a question of can he or can't he play center, it's also a question if his game would be more natural and flourish more in a "less valuable" role.

Being a goal-sniping wing hasn't done any harm to Alex Ovechkin has it? And that's the kind of shot Bedard is reputed to have.

Joel Goodson · May 11, 2023

ChiefGritty said:
We've got every reason to be extraordinarily excited.

But I think there's a reasonable chance Bedard is more in the "big scoring one-way wing sniper" category and not the "five tool era-defining player" category.

I suppose then again because of the situation the natural comparison is going to be Kane and Toews (he's much more similar to Kane in style) and those are more reasonable targets than, like, Mario Lemieux.

I wonder how hard they're going to work to make him a center, that's kinda my biggest immediate question.

Bedard is a center until proven otherwise. He's always played center and he's had amazing success. He'll be given every opportunity to play center for the Hawks. Flank him with Domi and Reichel. Sign Reaves (yuck) so guys will think twice or more about taking liberties.

WeWillWhen · May 12, 2023

Bedard has very similar size and build as Jack Hughes … who scored 99 points as a 20 year-old center this season. Bedard is a center; you WANT the puck on his stick as much as possible.

WeWillWhen · Jun 7, 2023

Here’s another very good article from the Athletic that talks about the development of Bedard and the Vancouver kids over the years:

The surprising hockey hotbed that's oozing star power, including Connor Bedard

More opportunity, better resources and a growing talent base fuel the high-end hockey development boom in Vancouver.

theathletic.com

My son spent about five summers at summer camp with Cristall and another kid who was goalie on the Vipers team mentioned in the article, and trained a little with them at UBC hockey camps, so we’ve known about this group of kids for a decade. We knew they were good; pretty fun to now see they are THIS good.

IlliniFaninHoosierLand · Jun 7, 2023

Hope you 'Hawks fans enjoy listening to him going forward:

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1666469383764430850

I can't speak for the other Blues fans on here but I have enjoyed listening to him on Blues broadcasts the last 14 years. It sounds like there will at least be a little more stability to the color analyst role for the 'Hawks this upcoming season on nights when he's not doing national work for TNT>

suburbanILLINI · Jun 8, 2023

IlliniFaninHoosierLand said:
Hope you 'Hawks fans enjoy listening to him going forward:

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1666469383764430850

I can't speak for the other Blues fans on here but I have enjoyed listening to him on Blues broadcasts the last 14 years. It sounds like there will at least be a little more stability to the color analyst role for the 'Hawks this upcoming season on nights when he's not doing national work for TNT>

He's way better than the rotating cast they had in the booth last year. Broadcasts were incredibly difficult to listen to

bdutts · Jun 8, 2023

IlliniFaninHoosierLand said:
Hope you 'Hawks fans enjoy listening to him going forward:

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1666469383764430850

I can't speak for the other Blues fans on here but I have enjoyed listening to him on Blues broadcasts the last 14 years. It sounds like there will at least be a little more stability to the color analyst role for the 'Hawks this upcoming season on nights when he's not doing national work for TNT>

It's going to take a while for the Blues stink to wear off...

From what I recall of his time with the Blues, he was way too big of a homer. If I'm wrong on that, then I will be cautiously optimistic he'll work out fine.

bdutts · Jun 8, 2023

suburbanILLINI said:
He's way better than the rotating cast they had in the booth last year. Broadcasts were incredibly difficult to listen to

I didn't have a problem with Vosters (many people do) as PBP (with hockey on TV, I can watch the action and I don't need someone to describe it like if I'm listening to radio) and I thought Sharp and Murrary were fine in the analyst role. Cohen has good analysis; I just don't like his voice and I think things felt forced with him. He's better on pre and post game stuff as is Caley Chelios.

Will see how this all works out. If not, it's not difficult to make further changes.

Joel Goodson · Jun 8, 2023

bdutts said:
I didn't have a problem with Vosters (many people do) as PBP (with hockey on TV, I can watch the action and I don't need someone to describe it like if I'm listening to radio) and I thought Sharp and Murrary were fine in the analyst role. Cohen has good analysis; I just don't like his voice and I think things felt forced with him. He's better on pre and post game stuff as is Caley Chelios.

Will see how this all works out. If not, it's not difficult to make further changes.

Cohen's out.

I agree that Voster's is ok. Thought he was trying too hard. Got better with time. Hopefully, that continues.

bdutts · Jun 8, 2023

Joel Goodson said:
Cohen's out.

I agree that Voster's is ok. Thought he was trying too hard. Got better with time. Hopefully, that continues.

Right, Cohen is going to Philly I believe. Hence, Pang.

KBLEE · Jun 8, 2023

bdutts said:
It's going to take a while for the Blues stink to wear off...

He played several years for the Hawks. I don't think it will be too hard to switch his allegiance back to the good guys.

GILL-INOIS · Jun 8, 2023

Blues fan here and I loved listening to Pang. Very knowledgeable guy who loves hockey....I will miss listening to him on local games. He still works with TNT/NHL Network so still a national face in the game.

His contract ran out this offseason and unless something changed in the past 2 weeks the Blues never offered him a new contract.

SixthandWhite · Jun 8, 2023

bdutts said:
It's going to take a while for the Blues stink to wear off...

From what I recall of his time with the Blues, he was way too big of a homer. If I'm wrong on that, then I will be cautiously optimistic he'll work out fine.

Pang is awesome, you're going to love him.

bdutts · Jun 8, 2023

KBLEE said:
He played several years for the Hawks. I don't think it will be too hard to switch his allegiance back to the good guys.

He played parts of three many years ago. Yeah, I'm sure his allegiance is with whoever is paying him.

IlliniFaninHoosierLand · Jun 8, 2023

GILL-INOIS said:
Blues fan here and I loved listening to Pang. Very knowledgeable guy who loves hockey....I will miss listening to him on local games. He still works with TNT/NHL Network so still a national face in the game.

His contract ran out this offseason and unless something changed in the past 2 weeks the Blues never offered him a new contract.

His representatives had been in contract negotiations with Bally Sports Midwest but the reports are that the talks were slow to start and the parties never got close to reaching an agreement. I was surprised that he and John Kelly's contracts weren't concurrent as JK's contract ends after next season. Kerbs and Vitale on radio are hired by the team.

GILL-INOIS · Jun 8, 2023

IlliniFaninHoosierLand said:
His representatives had been in contract negotiations with Bally Sports Midwest but the reports are that the talks were slow to start and the parties never got close to reaching an agreement. I was surprised that he and John Kelly's contracts weren't concurrent as JK's contract ends after next season. Kerbs and Vitale on radio are hired by the team.

Yeah they made no offer until the last few weeks. Blues came back late in the negotiations and basically offered him a little more than he was making before after all said and done. Writing was on the wall and both sides knew it. Not sure who it was but a third team actually came into the negotiations as well.

IlliniFaninHoosierLand · Jun 8, 2023

GILL-INOIS said:
Yeah they made no offer until the last few weeks. Blues came back late in the negotiations and basically offered him a little more than he was making before after all said and done. Writing was on the wall and both sides knew it. Not sure who it was but a third team actually came into the negotiations as well.

You think they give Jamie Rivers the TV gig full time or do they move Vitale over from radio?

GILL-INOIS · Jun 8, 2023

IlliniFaninHoosierLand said:
You think they give Jamie Rivers the TV gig full time or do they move Vitale over from radio?

Vitale has a bigger personality like Pang, Rivers is a straight shooter with different type of humor which is also fine. Enjoy both and not thought about it yet

To those not sure of Pang...he is a goofball and can make/take a joke but he knows his stuff. I have met him a few times and one of the friendliest guys you will ever meet. Much better analyst than goalie and I respect his game

IlliniFaninHoosierLand · Jun 8, 2023

GILL-INOIS said:
Vitale has a bigger personality like Pang, Rivers is a straight shooter with different type of humor which is also fine. Enjoy both and not thought about it yet

To those not sure of Pang...he is a goofball and can make/take a joke but he knows his stuff. I have met him a few times and one of the friendliest guys you will ever meet. Much better analyst than goalie and I respect his game

If nothing else, there will always be the video of him, JK, and Bernie Federko celebrating in the press box after the Blues won the Cup in 2019.

ChiefGritty · Jun 9, 2023

IlliniFaninHoosierLand said:
His representatives had been in contract negotiations with Bally Sports Midwest but the reports are that the talks were slow to start and the parties never got close to reaching an agreement. I was surprised that he and John Kelly's contracts weren't concurrent as JK's contract ends after next season. Kerbs and Vitale on radio are hired by the team.

Bally Sports Midwest being a currently bankrupt entity couldn't have helped.

GILL-INOIS · Jun 9, 2023

ChiefGritty said:
Bally Sports Midwest being a currently bankrupt entity couldn't have helped.

Last offer the Blues made was a little more than he was already making. It was a business decision and Blackhawks not only wanted him but were aggressive about it. I take away he got a real nice raise and job security. I don't blame him one bit...he makes a nice living but we aren't talking millions like players.

Illiniaaron · Jun 9, 2023

KBLEE said:
He played several years for the Hawks. I don't think it will be too hard to switch his allegiance back to the good guys.

Ahh the good old days.

IlliniFaninHoosierLand · Jun 9, 2023

ChiefGritty said:
Bally Sports Midwest being a currently bankrupt entity couldn't have helped.

It's more BSM's parent company, Diamond Sports Group, that's the issue than anything else. The Cardinals do have partial ownership in the network though I'm not for certain whether the Blues do as well.

Joel Goodson · Jun 26, 2023

great trade. Hall's gonna put up big numbers playing with Bedard. He'll be easy to flip at the deadline with 50% retention. That's another 1st.

Shane Walsh · Jun 26, 2023

Others are mentioning his value as a mentor to the first overall pick.

Blackhawks

aka "Captain Oblivious"