Lasse Kukkonen

So can anyone tell me how Lasse Kukkonen is doing in Training Camp? I haven't found many news about that from the net. Do you think he'll get a place from the team and that he'll start at Chicago when the seasons begins? Any other remarks about Lasse?

Anyone???

I guess you'd have a better chance of getting an answer by registering at blackhawkzone.com's boards and asking this question there.

It's true if you want up to the date news blackhawkzone.com is excellent. I will summarize a few of the comments found there.

He's extremely mature and plays beyond his age.
He has very strong positional play.
The skating that people were criticizing doesn't come up much anymore.
It's quite possible he could make the team out of camp.
People think he'll make a solid 5-6 defender.
Not a big hitter, but willing to play a physical game.

Basically Kukkonen hasn't shown anything truly special, but he hasn't shown many weaknesses either. He's a good all around kind of guy. Not sure what his top potential is, but it seems pretty certain he'll be playing with the hawks. He's doing well, but he's in a race with Babchuk to see who can make the team. We have a lot of dead wood like Karpotsev, Dempsey, and Quint. I don't know that Smith would take on two rookie defensemant. If Kukkonen doesn't make the team out of camp, he's almost gauranteed a call up. If Smith can clear some room for him before the end of the year, he could be a fixture.