The NHL posted this clip last week and it snapped me into reality that hockey is coming.
The NHL calendar begins on Oct 4.
I can’t wait.
With that, it felt appropriate to do a little preview mailblog for training camp.
Thanks as always to everyone who submitted questions
Three for one from George.
Let’s go one by one.
I think Nazar will get 30 games over the course of the season.
Of those three I actually think Del Mastro will get the most games.
I don’t think the Blackhawks will give Levshunov more than 9 games.
I think leaving Korchinski in Rockford for 90% of the year makes sense as well.
Yes, yes it does.
I would put Foley and Edzo in the same camp.
Getting rid of those three was a slap in the face by leadership to their fans.
A lot of times the most value a prospect ever has is before they play in the NHL.
The hope for what they can be is balanced by what they actually are.
I think the two examples here couldn’t be more different.
Reichel…I just think he’s not that good.
The tools are there, but there’s never been any sort of consistency despite ample opportunity.
I’ve never really loved him.
I don’t think the hockey sense is there.
He doesn’t compete hard enough for me.
He also wasn’t drafted by Davidson.
This has to be Reichel best last chance.
Korchinski is in the opposite position.
KK in Rockford is where he belongs.
There is a world where Korchinski is more of a 3rd pair and PP guy as a ceiling too.
I want guys who are hard to play against.
If it were me…
Anderson-Foligno-Maroon.
Anderson provides the speed, forechecking, and competent defensive play.
Foligno and Maroon provide the bite, the heaviness, the deterrent, and the leadership.
Having said that…it’s not a given that Anderson makes the team.
Where does Craig Smith fit?
Richardson has some puzzle pieces.
Not sure they fit together.
Nobody believes it’s true.
They’ll have plenty of money to throw at Karill The Thrill.
Karill makes $9M now.
He’s a free agent summer of 2026.
The Wild could easily pay him $15M at that point and it wouldn’t hinder them too much.
The Blackhawks will have a gazillion dollars to throw around then too.
Bedard will have hopefully signed an 8 year extension by then.
The Blackhawks have a ton of other young players.
I don’t know what goes into TV deals.
I don’t know the financials of it.
I am just a fan.
The Coyle guy had ZERO answers.
At one point he said that 650K people have over the air TV.
I don’t know anyone who has either.
Also, who cares how many total people have over the air?
It’s about how YOUR fans consume hockey.
I don’t know a single Blackhawks fan who watches over the air TV and neither does my dad.
The preseason starts tonight…it’s not on TV, only the website.
The NHL season starts for real in 9 days.
No answers, no deal, no nothing.
A bad team and the games not available on tv?
What year is this?
Somewhere, Bill Wirtz is smiling down.
Hopefully this all gets rectified in time.
So we’ll see.
The broadcast has been a disaster under the new regime.
They don’t deserve the benefit of the doubt at this point.
I think the only way Commesso gets an extended look is because of a significant injury.
I’d guess that he’s 4th on the depth chart right now.
I think that total is just about right.
I think Vegas has it set at 71.5.
I think they’ll be at least 20 points better in the standings this year.
That would put them at 72 points.
Soderblom was horrible last year.
Injuries took their toll and it was an NHL team by license only.
I don’t know.
I can’t imagine the brass were thrilled with the way the team competed last year.
Obviously the talent wasn’t there, but the effort wasn’t there many times either.
Having said that…I would be shocked if Richardson didn’t get a full season this year.
Something would have to go REALLY bad off the ice or something.
Beyond this year…hard to say he’s done enough to given the keys for the future.
Tough to evaluate either way given the talent he’s had to work with.
This year should give better insight because its a genuine NHL roster.
I am personally out on Reichel.
I said above…I don’t see how he fits into this group in the future.
Too much competition from younger guys drafted by Davidson who will be cheaper, in theory, than Reichel.
He just doesn’t do it for me.
Hope he proves me wrong, but I don’t see it.
I do think he will be here beyond the deadline simply because he probably has ZERO trade value.
If he is traded I assume he’s throw into a larger deal an ancillary piece.
I’d say the Blackhawks have an 80-90-% chance of picking in the top 5 again next year.
75 points would have them in the bottom 5 most years.
Calgary could be dragged into the bottom 5.
While it sucks to keep waiting…Davidson does need another top 5 pick.
The Blackhawks need some size upfront.
The top of the 2025 draft is supposedly going to be more forward heavy.
The season is here.
Hopefully the last season of “building”.
