The-Rink.com co-hosts Jeff “Gatekeeper” Osborn, John Jaeckel and The Rink Feature NCAA Writer Aaron Goldschmidt get together to talk about the latest developments in Blackhawks land heading into the holidays.

• Corey Crawford is out with another serious concussion
• Marcus Kruger joins him as the walking wounded increase
• Collin Delia, Dylan Sikura, Carl Dahlstrom and Luke Johnson all get recalled
• The Gustafsson delusions
• Addressing the Panarin nonsense again.
• We answered some great listener and reader questions

As a special holiday gift, we close out with “On My Side” from The-Rink friend and huge Blackhawks fan Patrick Judge with his bandmates in Demon Hunter.

Please subscribe, rate this episode, and even write us a review. Reviews will be read on the air.

Also, Please help spread the word to more #RinkRats and visit our sponsor www.PUCKHCKY.com. Use the discount code “THERINK” for 10% off all orders.

The post The Blackhawks Rinkcast – Episode 39 – Injuries Aplenty appeared first on The Rink.

Blackhawks Recall Johnson From IceHogs, Place Kruger on IR

Following their 2-1 win over the Nashville Predators, the Chicago Blackhawks announced on Wednesday that they had placed forward Marcus Kruger on injured-reserve, retroactive to December 18, with a concussion. In a corresponding move, Chicago recalled forward Luke Johnson from the Rockford IceHogs.

In 10 games with the IceHogs this season, Johnson has seven points (4 G, 3 A) and is a -7 rating.

Luke Johnson of the Rockford IceHogs. (Courtesy: Todd Reicher)

After starting the season with the Blackhawks, Johnson found himself in and out of the lineup early into the year, skating in 13 games and tallying just one assist in his time. Coming into this season, Johnson had played two full seasons with the IceHogs, skating in 146 games and racking up 47 points (21 G, 26 A) playing a top-six center role.

Johnson, since returning to the IceHogs this season, has been used by Jeremy Colliton and Derek King on both the powerplay and penalty-killing units, and regularly plays in the top-six forwards group at center.

For Kruger this season, he has skated in 33 games with five points (4 G, A) in a bottom-six center role.

What’s Next?

For the IceHogs, they complete a four-game homestand on Wednesday night against the Milwaukee Admirals. Puck drop is scheduled for 7pm CT at the BMO Harris Bank Center in Rockford. Following that, the IceHogs are on the road against the Chicago Wolves on Friday night. Puck drop on Friday is scheduled for 7pm CT at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont.

For the Blackhawks, they come off a 2-1 win over the Predators on Tuesday night at home and return to action on Thursday night against the Dallas Stars. The Blackhawks begin a three games in four nights stretch of their schedule that sees them travel to Dallas and then to Colorado on Friday night against the Avalanche, before returning home on Sunday to take on the Florida Panthers.

The post Blackhawks Recall Luke Johnson From IceHogs appeared first on The Rink.

The-Rink.com co-hosts Jeff “Gatekeeper” Osborn and John Jaeckel are joined by Rink prospect expert Eric Andrews to wrap up Blackhawks Prospect and Development Camp.

• The Blackhawks trade Marian Hossa’s contract, Vinnie Hinostroza and Jordan Oesterle for some prospects and the corpse of Marcus Kruger.
• What about Tobias Enström?
• Stan Bowman has another virtually useless press conference regarding trades and Corey Crawford full of more fluff, empty words and lisp service
• Lots of prospect talk but did any really stand out?
• RIP, Ray Emery
• We wrap up the episode with some great listener/reader questions.

thanks to @Wm_J_Lepetomane on Twitter for this fine creation

Please subscribe, rate this episode, and even write us a review. Reviews will be read on the air.

Also, Please help spread the word to more #RinkRats and visit our sponsor www.PUCKHCKY.com. Use the discount code “THERINK” for 10% off all orders.

The post The Blackhawks Rinkcast – Episode 27 (Prospect Camp) appeared first on The Rink.

But, on the other hand, there could end up being more to this deal for either or both teams.

Jordan Oesterle goes to Arizona, and the Hawks pick up three guys who are either prospects (Mackenzie Entwistle), or AHLers/fringe NHLers (Andrew Campbell and Jordan Maletta). Meh.

To my eye, the “x factors” in this deal are center Marcus Kruger and RW Vince Hinostroza.

If Kruger can regain some or (who knows?) all of the form he had in 2015, then this could go down as a pretty shrewd deal for Hawk GM Stan Bowman. Conversely, Hinostroza may get the opportunity to be a regular top 6 forward in Arizona that he probably wasn’t going to get in Chicago. Will he produce—and more importantly—will he help elevate the rebuilding Coyotes in that role? Or will the Coyotes slot Hinostroza—and develop him—as I and others always felt the Hawks should have, as Kris Draper/Darren Helm 2.0: a fast, energetic, tough as nails guy to play against, with some occasional offense, who can be an absolute gem in a lower line role?

Kruger has battled injury for much of the last three years—a couple of wrist injuries and a sports hernia last year. Still, in 48 games with the Hurricanes last year, he was 55% in the faceoff dot.

Kruger never lit up the scoresheet in Chicago, and he became a whipping boy for Hawks’ fans when he signed a 3 year, $10 million deal after the last Cup. But the reality is, a healthy Marcus Kruger was the kind of guy who helps NHL teams win games, and series and Cups (not unlike the aforementioned Draper and Helm). Because he filled some important lower line/utility roles that not any bum can fill. Killing penalties, shadowing opponents’ top centers, driving a really effective shutdown/energy line.

The question is, is he still that kind of player. As of this writing, I don’t know what the Hawks’ scouting is on his health, and in truth, they may not even have any assurances. In that regard, Kruger could be nothing more than salary and a contract slot coming the other way to soften the cap hit for Arizona, at the same time a lottery ticket for Bowman.

Because if Kruger is relatively healthy this year, can still wein faceoffs and play his style of game, which is a lot bigger than his 6’1”, 190 pounds, then Stan Bowman very adroitly filled an underappreciated need on his team going into next season.

Which leads this narrative to another “overpaid” whipping boy: Jonathan Toews.

As far as Toews’ dropoff since 2015, there have been numerous theories. “Doesn’t care.” “Vegan.” “Takes too many supplements.” “Back injury” (which at least was legitimate season before last).

But one theory that I’ve heard from a team source, and has been echoed by Eddie Olczyk and others, is that when Toews is forced to do too much work, specifically taking faceoffs in too many situations, it detracts from his overall game, especially his offense.

Here’s the thing—winning faceoffs in the NHL is hard, physical work. And the two “centers” who follow Toews on the depth chart (Nick Schmaltz and Artem Anisimov) aren’t very good at it. So is killing penalties.

These were two things Kruger did a lot of from 2013-2015, so Toews didn’t have to—or not as much.

So if (and again, at this point, it’s a big “if”), Kruger is physically good enough this year to resume that role, in some form, there could be a subtle, yet important ripple effect for the entire Hawk team.

Or just some cap hit to absorb as a part of the cost of losing Marian Hossa’s cap hit. There was some speculation yesterday that the move was a cap clearing precursor to another deal—which I heard later in the afternoon had added urgency to some discussions I first reported a couple of weeks ago between the Hawks and Canadiens around Max Pacioretty.

Having reported on rumors for 9 years now, I can tell you that many, many more conversations happen than actual deals—and those big, seismic moves are exceedingly rare. So yesterday’s deal may end up being what it is. For better, worse or just moving some money around.

All I have for now. Follow @jaeckel and comment below.

The post What the Hossa trade really means appeared first on The Rink.