Blackhawks mailbag: Slow starts and rookie adjustments

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PHOENIX – Hello, boys and girls. Welcome to another edition of the Blackhawks mailbag.

This one is of the more impromptu variety. That’s what happens when you’re facing a three-plus hour layover and don’t want to nap in the airport. I don’t fear someone stealing things as much as posting a photo of me asleep on the terminal floor.

Anyway, Chief asks the biggest concern with the Blackhawks right now:

I really wish I knew. Over the past few years, the Blackhawks have been as good starting as they’ve been finishing. The second periods were sometimes suspect but they’d usually get through those with little issue. I don’t think it’s a lack of trying or anything like that. The passion is there there. The energy should be, too, since the core finally got a lengthy offseason to recover. But if not for the goaltending they’ve gotten – yes, Corey Crawford had a lousy Monday night but that’s been rare – the Blackhawks aren’t where they are right now.

Drew was also curious of the Blackhawks’ overall game.

I’ve said all along that the rookies have been pretty good and I stand by that. There wasn’t much positive out of the Edmonton game on Monday but I agree with coach Joel Quenneville’s assessment of the Vinnie Hinostroza trio. The question is: what’s going on with the Blackhawks’ veteran players? That’s where a lot of the inconsistency has been. Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane have not clicked as they have in the past. They’re still looking for a left wing on that top line for the second consecutive season. Marian Hossa has been stellar. Outside of that, the top players have been inconsistent. That, in my opinion, has been a bigger problem than the Blackhawks’ young guys.

OK, now that I’m off to my own so-so start, onto the rest of the mailbag:

I’m hesitant to judge a guy based on where he was picked. We’ve seen first-round picks that didn’t materialize (Kyle Beach) and fifth-round picks in their third draft shine (Andrew Shaw). For the Blackhawks’ current rookies, I’ve been impressed by Tyler Motte from the start. Strong kid, brings great energy and he looked just fine this weekend, coming off that lower-body injury. Nick Schmaltz shows signs of what he can be – great work in the third period against Vancouver – but he has to come out of his shell more offensively. Don’t be afraid to shoot.

I’m always reminding folks to tap the brakes on the worrying, mainly because it can exhaust you. That said, there’s no doubt that the Blackhawks’ recent results are not good. Losses are going to happen, but a few of these games are reminiscent of last season. You could even factor in the Vancouver game to a degree; they came back but the 3-0 deficit after two periods was asking for trouble.

General manager Stan Bowman addressed this the other night in Vancouver, saying that, “we have an idea on how [the expansion draft] is going to look. It’s not a huge concern of ours. I mean, we’re going to lose one player. Everybody’s going to lose one player.” When it comes to who the Blackhawks expose, neither of those guys wouldn’t be a shock. For the cash-strapped Blackhawks, Kruger may be the more likely candidate. He has two more years remaining on this contract, which carries a $3.083 million cap hit.

https://twitter.com/jnj6665/status/801123833860210689

John, welcome back. Glad you’re over the trade; acceptance is always key in moving on. As far as Panarin, I’m fine with that. Let’s look at recent history: Panarin with Patrick Kane, good things happened. Panarin with Marian Hossa, good things happened. Why not give Toews and Panarin another shot? Perhaps when a lot of us were saying Kane benefitted Panarin last season, more of the reverse was happening. Speaking of Panarin…

https://twitter.com/JohnWinterDay/status/801127519177113600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

From all outward appearances, Panarin’s not fazed one bit by what is or isn’t happening with his contract talks. By the way, Bowman reiterated again on Saturday that he won’t publicly discuss where talks are, so there’s that. Let’s be honest: Panarin’s going to get paid. He’s showing his worth, even when he’s not scoring the goals himself. Whether or not it’s the Blackhawks signing those checks remains to be seen, but it’s not going to be easy.

I don’t see Seabrook going anywhere, in large part because of that contract. It’s a biggie. We’re still pretty far away from the deadline but I don’t think they would do anything splashy. They’ve lost a lot in moves they made the past two years, be it draft picks or prospects; those moves got them a Cup in 2015 but amounted to little in 2016. They’ll want to keep picks for the 2017 draft, because they need them and they’re hosting it.

Alex Ovechkin on his left, Vladimir Tarasenko on his right. Hey, between Team Canada and the Blackhawks, we’ve seen enough other combinations. Let’s see him with the Russians.

I love the Circus Trip. I may be one of the few people who is sad it’s going away. That said, it’s funny: my parents, on their last visit, talked about maybe spending a Thanksgiving in Chicago at some point. I haven’t had Thanksgiving with family for a long time, so I’d be all for it.

No.

https://twitter.com/BeachandBHawks/status/801141335453417472

Vancouver and Montreal. And New York, of course. We don’t get to any of those cities enough.

Most of the time I couldn’t tell you the name of the wine, especially in Italy. There, you just ask for the house wine and enjoy. Pretty much anything you grab at the grocery store is good, too. I’ve been fortunate enough to go to France two consecutive summers, so sampled some great rosés. Cote des Roses has become a favorite.

The funny part of my including that in the Twitter mailbag announcement was mainly to continue the stuff references. That said, you gotta love that cookie. I was reminded how much watching the end of Rounders the other day. But I’m digressing: just give me the original Oreo. It’s still the best. My dad loves the Golden Oreos. I know that because whenever my parents visit, they buy some and leave me with what’s remaining.

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