You can put a winger on a line to fill a role and not necessarily need big offensive output, but if you put a center on a scoring line that can't play offense, you effed up. Center and wing are two entirely different things. A center on a scoring line MUST produce.
No, a centre on a scoring line must be able to move the puck competently and get the puck to the skilled wingers. Kruger is certainly capable of that. Sharp and Hossa take care of the scoring. Kruger needs to not disrupt what Sharp and Hossa are trying to do and make sure he doesn't try to do to much.
As long as Sharp isn't going to play centre and Q is firm with Bolland as the third line centre only, Kruger is our best option. That's obviously not a great thing at this point, but he hasn't been awful.
I feel like we have too many prospects that are in the same sort of stage in their development. IMO, any of Beach, Morin, Saad, McNeill, Pirri, Salak, Olsen and perhaps others can get a roster spot next year.
It seems like they're all on the cusp of being able to transition into the NHL... problem is, we can't put them all in the line-up next year if we expect to compete. It would be a 2-3 years before they're all cemented into their roles on our team and we can expect them to be able to meaningfully contribute towards a cup run.
I don't really see a happy medium unless you want prospects who might be/are ready for the NHL still playing in the AHL. I mean, it's probably the smart move but I don't think that's the route we'll go.
It sucks, but I think we're headed for another 07-08/08-09 transition where our prospects make the jump and we may be mediocre for a bit but it'll come together in a nice way (and then we'll blow it all up again). Rinse and repeat.
Kruger isn't expected to score yet he's centering the 2nd PP unit?
When paired with Sharp and Hossa he doesn't need to set the NHL on fire, but he's certainly expected to contribute more than 20-25 points.
He has 17 points while spending the majority of the season in the bottom-6. I really don't get why people keep brining up what Kruger's on pace for or what his season totals are. He hasn't spent the entire year on the 2nd line nor has he gotten consistent PP time - for the majority of the season.
I feel like we have too many prospects that are in the same sort of stage in their development. IMO, any of Beach, Morin, Saad, McNeill, Pirri, Salak, Olsen and perhaps others can get a roster spot next year.
It seems like they're all on the cusp of being able to transition into the NHL... problem is, we can't put them all in the line-up next year if we expect to compete. It would be a 2-3 years before they're all cemented into their roles on our team and we can expect them to be able to meaningfully contribute towards a cup run.
I don't really see a happy medium unless you want prospects who might be/are ready for the NHL still playing in the AHL. I mean, it's probably the smart move but I don't think that's the route we'll go.
It sucks, but I think we're headed for another 07-08/08-09 transition where our prospects make the jump and we may be mediocre for a bit but it'll come together in a nice way (and then we'll blow it all up again). Rinse and repeat.
The transition is simular, but not at all the same. This isn't a mediocre team, nor is it a team with inexperienced players carrying the load offensively. Even with poor depth, this is a playoff team. Minnesota is a mediocre team, Calgary is a mediocre team. The Hawks were in 1st place a month ago.
The transition is simular, but not at all the same. This isn't a mediocre team, nor is it a team with inexperienced players carrying the load offensively. Even with poor depth, this is a playoff team. Minnesota is a mediocre team, Calgary is a mediocre team. The Hawks were in 1st place a month ago.
True. I guess mediocre wasn't the right word but it would be a lot of youth in there... and with that, comes inexperience even though we have some experienced guys in our core.
I mean, I don't want to see us purposely not go 'all in' in a sense so that we can aim for 2-4 years down the road with our prospects... but I also didn't like the veteran additions this year who were washed up and didn't contribute much (aside from Mayers/SOD).
He has 17 points while spending the majority of the season in the bottom-6. I really don't get why people keep brining up what Kruger's on pace for or what his season totals are. He hasn't spent the entire year on the 2nd line nor has he gotten consistent PP time - for the majority of the season.
Kruger has been on the 2nd line regularly since mid-November. 3 PP assists and no PP goals! He needs to be taken off the 2nd line.
Q is an idiot for not recognizing that Kruger is a horrible choice for the 2nd line when he's got Bolland.
This Hawks team isn't deep enough to run 3 scoring lines. Run 2 good/great lines and tell the 3rd line all they have to do is not get scored on.
What does Kruger's PP points have to do with him being on the 2nd line? A unit that's mostly consisted of Brunette, Montador, Bolland when Kruger's been on it.
Saad played because Stalberg was hurt. Pirri played because Bolland missed the 1st game of the year. Pirri got his stint later on, again, because of injury.
Hayes and Shaw were playing because Bickell was playing like crap and Carcillo went down.
Olsen got his foot firmly in the door with Montador and Hjalmarsson going down and Bolligs been brought up, in part with the injury to Carcillo and in part with Scott being traded.
Alot of the call-ups have been based off injury or lack of performance on the roster. Bowman couldn't have been expected to anticipate Frolik and Bickell going to **** or Brunette being such a collosal fail when all he's done the past 5 years is be productive.
Only two rookies have been here since, basically, day one. Kruger and Leddy. Both are NHL players and both are the only "kids" (especially Leddy) in roles where they're relied upon.
Exactly. I dont see where people think we had a rookie roster again....
