The Chicago Blackhawks have had themselves a nice offseason as they look to improve on last season
NHL Network: Bruce Boudreau really likes what the Chicago Blackhawks have done this offseason.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Erika Wachter: “But the other team you’re really trying to decide between, you were also impressed with the offseason Chicago had. Why?
Boudreau: “Well, because they got eight players that are NHL players. I mean, they improved their defense. They, you know, they got (Teuvo) Teravainen, who was there with the Cup team, and (Tyler) Bertuzzi. And you know, you get the veterans in Patrick Maroon, and Alec Martinez. Craig Smith has been, been around. These guys are veteran hockey players.
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I really think the guy that could be a real, might not look good on paper because he didn’t have a great year last year was (Ilya) Mikheyev. If his leg is back from the (injury) and sometimes it takes two years for an ACL injury to get back and he came back a little quick last year and it showed when he was playing in Vancouver. But if he can play, that just becomes the fit. So I’m all about fits and putting those pieces to the puzzle.
I think Chicago is not going to be the team that everybody for the last couple of years has just walked over and I think they’re going to be an awful lot tougher. And I think before the season starts they’re going to look and say, ‘Hey boys, we’ve got a chance at doing something this year,’ and they’re going to be a highly motivated team.
Wachter: “Yeah. We know of course they’ve already got that young superstar in Conor Bedard.
The Winnipeg Jets haven’t had a great offseason
NHL Network: Bruce Boudreau on the Winnipeg Jets as the team in the Central Division that may not have had a great offseason.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Erika Wachter: “Let’s talk about one that perhaps has a bit more work to do. Who’s jumping off the page there and the division?
Boudreau: “Well, you know what, I just believe Winnipeg. It looks to me, like I mean they, you know, they lost some pretty talented players and in Sean Monahan. I mean, Tyler Toffoli was only there after the trade deadline, didn’t make that much of an impression.
But Brenden Dillon, Nate Schmidt on that defense. Laurent Brossoit was really good backup for them. And I think what they got was a lot of fifth and, fifth and sixth and seventh defensemen in their signings. So I mean, I think if they run into any injury problem, they can they can have a problem.
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I don’t think they’re 110-point team at least starting this year. And I mean, if you look at that team right there, that’s just not going to be as strong as it was in the past.
Wachter: “Yeah, and that’s something that we’re accustomed to seeing there with Winnipeg. Of course, the change behind the bench as well.”