Silly Season 2025/26

[Cykelpåköpet]

https://x.com/OviClapBomb/status/1942196534637961708

En med insyn i Chicago tror allt mer på att Frondell blir kvar där borta

[bbjs]

https://x.com/OviClapBomb/status/1942196534637961708

En med insyn i Chicago tror allt mer på att Frondell blir kvar där borta

Ja Scott Powers / The Athletic (NY Times) tror Frondell kommer ta en plats, så här skrev han om Frondell idag:

"No, Mitch Marner or Nikolaj Ehlers aren’t coming,

Yes, the Chicago Blackhawks’ offseason was underwhelming.

But the Blackhawks are going to be young next season. They might even be younger than you expect. That could be intriguing, especially under a new coach in Jeff Blashill. You may just want to refrain from peering at the standings too much.

Based on who the Blackhawks have returning among veterans and prospects, plus what they did this offseason in free agency, trades and the draft, here’s what the Blackhawks’ 2025-26 lineup could look like line to line, pairing to pairing and in net:

Anton Frondell – Connor Bedard – Ryan Donato

The more I hear about what the Blackhawks think of No. 3 draft pick Anton Frondell, the more I think he’s going to stick with them out of training camp. How he does in the Tom Kurvers Prospects Showcase could be an early indication. That’s always been a huge barometer for me. Over the years, I think back to Gustav Forsling and Alex DeBrincat, and more recently Bedard and Wyatt Kaiser, and how those players separated themselves from most in the rookie games. Some of those players, like Forsling and Kaiser, still had to spend time with the Rockford IceHogs, but you could see their potential early on.

In the case of Frondell, the Blackhawks are likely going to give him every opportunity to make the team, meaning he’ll likely play in a lot of preseason games, too. With the focus being so much on development and playing the young players this season, there’s really no downside for him being in the NHL. He can also be sent to Rockford if they want.

If Frondell is in the NHL lineup, playing with Bedard might make sense out of the gate, too. The Blackhawks envision Frondell and Bedard as future linemates. Whether they’d experiment with that early on could also depend on what Bedard looks like come fall. You would think he’s primed for a bigger season in his third year.

If Frondell isn’t on the top line or in the NHL, André Burakovsky could be a fit there. He’s played in top-six roles and produced in the past. His production fell off in Seattle, but he attributes that to his injury issues and is healthy now. We’ll see if he can return to form, but he’s someone who could play up or down the lineup depending on the Blackhawks’ need. Ilya Mikheyev also played with Bedard last season, so that’s another possibility; Mikheyev is probably better suited further down the lineup.

As for the other winger, Donato is the logical choice. Can he repeat a 30-goal season? He thinks so and will be motivated to show it. He also understands the opportunities he got with the Blackhawks last season helped him there. If he’s playing up the lineup and on the first power-play unit, he’s going to get his share of chances.

There is always the question about Bedard at center, too. The Blackhawks believe he’s still destined to be there, but they’ve also been willing to move him around ba it or have another center on his line to split faceoffs and defensive responsibilities. Frondell can probably be a center or wing in the future. He played wing in Sweden last season, but he’s also played center at his age level and likes to think of himself there in the future. Blashill might have other ideas, too."

Länk till låst artikel:
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/647288 ... ll-rinzel/

[Jim Morrison]

Det är en sak vad media och supportrar vill se och en annan vad en sportslig ledning ser som det klokaste alternativet för en spelares utveckling. Shiny new toy-syndrome i full effekt.

Så här säger Kyle Davidson, General Manager i Chicago, om Frondell nästa säsong.

"Frondell har uttryckt att han vill slå sig in i laget direkt. Även om det finns en chans att han imponerar tillräckligt i sommar, är det mest troligt att han återvänder till Sverige för vidare utveckling".

– Planen är att han spelar med Djurgården i SHL nästa säsong, säger Kyle Davidson.

– Men vi har gott om tid att utvärdera om det verkligen är den bästa vägen. Jag tycker det är en jättebra väg om det blir så, men vi får se framöver.

https://hockeynews.se/nyheter/planen-fo ... 1751926590

[#87]

Ska väl ganska mycket till om man slösar år 1 på Frondells kontrakt när de ändå kommer ha en dålig säsong. Det är väl dock ganska troligt att han kör camp + 9 matcher.