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The start of training camp is one of my favorite times of year, and one thing I enjoy doing is getting to know everyone invited to camp, predicting who will end up where, and then closely following the cuts as they happen each day. I don't know why but there's something I find really exciting about seeing this huge list of players slowly whittle down until we land on the 22 guys who will be introduced to the crowd on opening night. This year I decided to sort through it and figure out where each guy stands on the depth chart and which league they're likely to find themselves in at the end of camp, and I figured some of you might find it helpful or fun to check back on as the camp roster gets smaller.

I based my placements on the reporting I've been reading as well as how much time they've spent at each level, and made some executive decisions based on those factors. For example the reporters are all saying Korchinski will spend a lot of time in Rockford, but I listed him as a "contender" simply because he has a full NHL season under his belt so I don't think he will have to show as much improvement as some of the other young D-men in order to get back to the NHL.

The real intrigue boils down to where the guys in the 2nd column end up. Who are you hoping to see break camp with the team?

The newly signed veterans (Maroon, Smith, Brodie, Martinez) are assuming they'll make the team so I listed them as set in stone, but KFC has indicated that he has no intention of letting veterans block young prospects and that if a young player proves he will be more effective in a given role than a veteran, Davidson said he will make that change. So I wouldn't be surprised if somebody like Nazar ends up replacing one of the old guys before too long, maybe even before camp is over.

And obviously there will be injuries; for example Brossoit will be out til mid October so Soderblom will likely be with the team til he returns. And I highly doubt all 12 forwards in the left hand column will survive camp without injury so I expect one or two more spots to open up on the NHL roster for some of the guys in the second column.

Thanks for indulging my rambling and happy hockey season! GO HAWKS

3 comments

  1. man it’s so hard to be objective… I want scorechinski to make the cut even though all the signs say he’s going to spend a year getting swole and stomping scrubs in the AHL…

  2. I find it so weird that no one has said “Boo” about Guttman. I know they only gave him a 1yr deal, so he’s likely not part of the big picture, but has he even been part of scrimmages? I haven’t seen him discussed with any of the reports on lines or anything.

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