Mini BTP: Vision For The Division (Chicago Blackhawks)

Brandon Mileski & Pat Micheletti begin their "Vision For The Division" series and in this episode, preview the Chicago Blackhawks.

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Hey, welcome back Mini BTP Beyondthe Path. This is a shortened version
of it. It's been a littlebit of a while, but Brandon Leski
bat back here with Pat mcletty.Hope you're doing well. Pat, And
as we're leading up to the hockeyseason, here back because it's it's after
State Fair, it's after Labor Day. Hockey season is on the way.
So we're gonna go back to ourvision for the Division series. And today

(00:24):
we're gonna be talking and previewing theChicago Blackhawks and what they're gonna do this
season and Pat a rough year forthem last year, second worst record in
hockey. The Patrick Kane Jonathan Tavesera is over. Kane's a free agent,
Taves having some health issues, sohe's stepping away. But a new
era has begun. And obviously themain storyline this year for Chicago is going

(00:46):
to be Connor Bdard. First off, great to see you. I hope
you had a great summer. Isgetting to the I think we're thirty days
away or thirty five days away fromthe start of the season, so that's
crazy. The Chicago Blackhawks, yes, Tage Kane, all that history of

(01:06):
what they've done, gone. Butyet they now have a new generational player
in Connor Bedard, and you knowjust by looking at their lineup, Brandon,
of course it's gonna be a while. They brought in a Nick Felino,
guys, Taylor Hall, guys likethat. I think show Badard the
way. But but there's no questionthat there are ways out from from really

(01:32):
competing in my opinion. I tellyou though, they have everything set up
here for you know, three,four or five, six years from now
of having another chance of making anotherdynasty out of this, because it starts
with your cornerstone player and Connor Bedard, and we'll get to him here in
a second. Pat But they're alsoloaded up on draft picks here. They
had they had two first round picksagain, Oliver Moore, one of us

(01:53):
who played at the Tino Grace andplayed for the national development team. They
drafted him in the first round.And you look at their draft picks coming
up the next three seasons. Theygot five first round picks, eight second
round picks, four third round picks, and four fourth round picks over the
next three seasons. So they aregoing to be set up here of of
Connor Bdard, hopefully becoming their generationaltalent. And they're gonna have a lot

(02:15):
of young talent if they you know, you still have to hit on your
draft picks, but a lot ofyoung talent to build around him in the
future, no question about it.And and you know there there's two other
guys that are that are in college. Frankie knees Are who's at Michigan,
who has a complete stud uh youknow you mentioned Oliver Moore, and and

(02:35):
then the Rensel kid who's gonna beplaying at Minnesota. Uh. Six five
defensemen who can really really skate.You're absolutely correct. And and I think
you know they want they want toprotect excuse me, they want to act
badard obviously for a couple of years. And yeah, they're team two or
three years down the road that aregoing to be awfully good. All right,

(02:59):
one last dark thing and then we'llmove on to the rest of the
team. From what you've seen ofhim, and you know, obviously we
don't see a ton of him,but maybe you've seen him international events,
he clearly looks like he has allthe skill to be a generational talent.
I guess maybe the one fall onhim is he's not the biggest guy in
the world. So maybe that mighthold him back a little bit at the
NHL level, But what have youseen of him? What do you think

(03:22):
is his future and how quickly canhe get there? Can he? Can
he do this in year one?Poof you need guys around you there there,
you know, I think at leastone or two guys. I think
they're trying to help him with that, with with that, with Taylor Hall,
you know, how can you saythat he's not going to do it

(03:43):
right? I mean, he's doneit at every level. He's a little
undersized, but buddy, but hehe shines everywhere every tournament that he plays,
and so it's hard, it's hardreally to project what he's going to
do, but I think he'll probablybe, uh, you know, six

(04:03):
sixty seventy point guy in his firstyear. That'd be pretty impressive. Now,
when you look at what they havefor this season, Pat, as
you mentioned, they made a bunchof moves. They bring in Taylor Hall,
Nick Felino, they got Corey Perryfrom Tampa Bay. You know,
the problem is when you look atthis year specifically Pat, you know,
guys like Fellino and Perry are youknow, two of your top four paid

(04:26):
forwards. And those guys are fineas role players and their third and fourth
lines, but they're still gonna haveother than Taylor Hall, They're gonna have
some issues here within their top sixat the forward position. They really are.
You know, Tyler Johnson, youknow, he was good, but
he was good in Tampa, right, he had some really really good players
to play with in Kuchurov and stampCoos and guys like that. To expect

(04:49):
him to be your second line center, and really to help a Dard,
To help a Dard, you needanother line that is going to be a
threat. And and I don't seethat in Chicago. Uh they have uh
and a tissue and and Radish andyou know those are I mean, they're

(05:10):
fine, you know, I don'twant to uh They're fine, but they're
not They're not a threat. Andso I think that hurts Badard a little
bit. But you know, andand and you know, you bring up
Fellino. He couldn't get in thelineup for Boston and not even on their
fourth line late in the season lastyear and into the playoffs. So you

(05:30):
know, again, I think theythey brought those those type of guys in
I think to show Budard what it'slike to be a pro, how you
be a pro, and you know, to help them accelerate off the ice
and and so uh that that's youknow, there's just not a lot there
with Chicago. And then you lookback at their their blue line as well.

(05:53):
Pat you know the step Jones tradethey made a couple of years ago
where they gave up a lot forhim and paid him a ton of money.
Uh. I don't know if that'scompletely paid off as of yet up
to this point, but they've gothim committed for a long time and he's
still twenty years old. But nota lot there on the blue line.
And then they got Peter Murazec inthe nets. Yeah, they're they're they're
they're trying. They're trying to yourdog only barks when you talk. I

(06:16):
know, they're trying, very wellbehaved when I talk, right, They're
trying to piece it together. Theybring in zeit Sev, who is you
know, six six sixty seven defenseman. Uh you know why Kaiser, who
I really like, who played atum d H is a rookie. So
he's gonna go through you know,his learning curve on the back line there.

(06:39):
But you know again and and andSeth Jones. They're paying a lot
of money. He's gonna he's theirnumber one D. I don't think he's
lived up to the to the contractyet. He's gonna play a lot of
minutes. He's gonna have to playa lot of minutes. So again I
would I would give them like ac back there in terms of their overall

(07:00):
decort and Morazec in the net.While he's he's been everywhere, right,
He's been a D. He's beena Carolina, he's been to Detroit.
So you know, is he ishe a true number one? I really
don't, you know? It's okay, all right? Your prediction for this
season, Pat, where will theChicago Blackhawks finish in the Central Division?

(07:24):
They will finish last, no question. Yeah. But but as you said,
Brandon, there is a lot,a lot of hope for the future.
I agree, all right. He'sPat mcleodie and Brandon Leski. This
has been another episode of Mini BTP. Will be back with another one here
in a couple of days. Thanksfor listening and watching.