Hands up, everybody, who included Marko Dano in the list of the Rockford-bound. He is joined by Dennis Rasmussen, Brandon Mashinter, Ville Pokka, Ryan Hartman, Vincent Hinostroza, Erik Gustafsson and Garret Ross.
The widely held assumption entering the preseason was that Dano would line up alongside Toews and Hossa, at least to start the season. Hell, it was Coach Quenneville that equated Dano's appointment to the first line as being like winning the lottery, giving rise to the hacks calling The Hawks' top trio "The Lottery Line". Well, I've never seen anyone have to give their lottery winnings back, but today Quenneville referred to Dano's three-game preseason as "ordinary". None of the other demotions are surprising, although I would not have been shocked to see Hartman or Mashinter stick, not because they belong in Chicago, necessarily...it just wouldn't surprise me.
Part Two of today's excitement involves Bryan Bickell being placed on waivers, ostensibly to send him to Rockford. What this really is, of course, is one final "take him, he's yours" effort, after being unable to trade Bickell The Hawks are prepared to try to give him away. At this point, though, who has $4 million to blow on a third-line banger who doesn't actually do much banging, likely has concussion-related issues and a manky knee? This, to me, is more sad than surprising but I must admit I didn't this, specifically, coming. I'm not sure about the salary cap implications if Bickell clears waivers and reports to Rockford, so I'll find that out and maybe type some more about this after Bick clears, or not.
Where this leaves The Hawks is with 12 forwards, one of which is Kyle Baun. I guess granting a roster spot to a young fella who had one pretty good preseason game is not that different, philosophically, than offering $4 mil a year to a veteran forward who had one great playoffs, right? Baun is projected as a fourth-liner, playing with Kruger and Desjardins, which is likely his ceiling and doesn't really concern me that much. What does bug me is that, with Dano sent to Rockford, you just know that Andrew Shaw is going to be thrust into yet another role he isn't qualified for...first line left wing.
Yeah, the season hasn't even started yet and The Hawks are being dumbasses. I'll try not to get too stressed about any of this, 'cos even if Baun plays 50% beyond himself he'll still only top out on the third line, if he sticks at all. Dano will be back and, I suspect, so will Bickell, providing he is and remains healthy. Wait and see, right?
Meanwhile, on defence, we still see Kyle Cumiskey and Viktor Svedberg hanging around, trying to catch that 7D spot on the roster which, given there are only 12 forwards at the moment, might have evolved into a 7D and 8D sort of thing, which has always worked so very, very well (hi, Mike Kostka!). This is just until Michal Rozsival is "fit" again, of course. I can't wait to see what happens when Rozsie is good to go; Svedberg playing left wing a-la John Scott, anyone?
Wow, that's a surprise to me... I wonder if BB was surprised or if he saw this coming.
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