Do we see AA in some type of trade that lands Evander? That would shake things up
Galchenyuk and Duchene will work too. We need more speed at wing.
- z1990z

Why would Buffalo want him?

Guys this is so far beyond fixing.....simply moving AA to the 4th line, calling up someone named Highmore, and sending Cat to Rockford....these changes aren't gonna do jack poop in the grand scheme of things....

Not more Cowbell

More Hayden.

PP Net front Presence, Kane's opposite winger.

Hard to believe that I can see this in the preseason, and Q can't.

I never thought it would happen, but I think Q's days are numbered.

Why would Buffalo want him?
- kwolf68

Spit ballin.

The Hawks lack talent. Every Cup winning team had waves of talent that could make opposing coaches mutter 'dammit' everytime a faceoff came up and a new group came over the boards.

2010: Elite: Kane, Toews, Keith, Hossa, Seabrook, Sharp.
Very Good: Ladd, Byfuglien, Campbell, Hjalmarsson, Versteeg
Good: Bolland, Brouwer, Madden

Only 'weak' spots were: Burish, Niemi, Hendry, Eager


2013: Elite: Kane, Toews, Keith, Hossa, Seabrook, Hjalmarsson
Very Good: Sharp, Saad, Oduya, Bickell, Crawford
Good: Shaw, Bolland, Frolik, Kruger, Leddy

Only 'weak' spots were: Roszival, Stalberg, Handzus


2015: Elite: Kane, Toews, Keith, Hossa, Hjalmarsson, Crawford
Very Good: Saad, Oduya, Richards, Seabrook
Good: Shaw, Kruger, Vermette, Sharp

Only 'weak' spots were: Timonen, Bickell, Sharp at times, Versteeg, Rundblad


Current Hawks lineup: Elite: Kane, Keith, Crawford
Very Good: Saad, Toews, Seabrook
Good: Panik, Schmaltz, Forsling, Hartman

'Weak' spots: Bouma, Rutta, Oesterle, Sharp, Wingels, Debrincat

We're down to 3 elite players, three very good players, a handful of 'good' players, and a whole lot of average and weak players. A team with this many weak spots won't win a cup unless they find a bunch of magic. The Penguins won with a ton of holes, but all of those 'weak' spots new exactly where to be and exactly what to do. Their 'good' and uncategorized players stepped up into the next level. Guys like Guentzel, Cullen, Hainsey, Daley, Schultz, Rust, Sheary, etc. all stepped up bigtime.

Hawks need to think long and hard about the $4.5 in cap they have. Get a threatening forward who's having a down year (Bennet, Galchenyuk, other almost busts), get a decent puck moving d-man or a forgotten shutdown D the same way we got Oduya. The $4.5 has to catch lightning in a bottle, or Q has to rally these troops to 2013 levels of excellence. Otherwise this is likely another first round exit.
- ObeseOprah

This is the one of the best posts ever. So hard not to face reality when you see the lineups. I'd argue, though, that Q is not the right man to get Rutta, Bouma, Anisimov, Debrincat to play like Guentel, Sheary, Rust, etc.

If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and talks like a duck......its a duck.

I'm of the opinion that Q has become a lame duck.

How he handled the team in the St. Louis series, his stubborn inability to adjust against Nashville, and the frustrating travesty of special teams for years. Fingers will point in many directions, and to certain players, but a fair amount absolutely must go to him.

He used to be masterful of adjusting things on the fly, and would at times embarrassingly out coach his opponent. He's declined in this respect, more so than Toews has a player IMO.

As your brokerage statement says, past performance does not guarantee future results. Resting on your laurels may be comfy, but it doesn't do squat in the here and now. Pens have 2 cups largely because of Sullivan – they were barely treading water, and then a fire was ignited and the team was transformed. There is a lesson there. There are not even any sparks in Chicago right now, and it appears that Q’s match may sadly look to be extinguished. Thank you for the trio of cups at least.
- ItHossaGood

To be fair, Q didnt give Toews and Kane 10.5 mildo and then sign Seabs to a stupid extension.

Aside from a roster change here or there that may make a difference in a game like yesterday, there are for sure experience \ roster issues that can't be solved by a coach shuffling the deck. It just has to happen.

Kane is the only elite player left on this team, and Toews has neither the skating ability or the puck handling skills nor the shot that Kane has. He's decent and that's all.
The rest of the team is very good to good to average skill wise. The problem with the Hawks is that they THINK they're better than they are, that they'll score, they'll win without the kind of effort we see from the fledgling LVK. This team as constructed is simply not playing hard enough--the blowout of the Pens was a fluke they shouldn't have believed in.

Ohhh, would I like Paranin back on the 2nd line, with Duchene and Kane....
- Kewl1

Have you not seen Saad...

Guys, we are only ten games in. Lots of new guys meshing. Let's give it some time and see what they look like around game 40 or so.

The Hawks lack talent. Every Cup winning team had waves of talent that could make opposing coaches mutter 'dammit' everytime a faceoff came up and a new group came over the boards.

2010: Elite: Kane, Toews, Keith, Hossa, Seabrook, Sharp.
Very Good: Ladd, Byfuglien, Campbell, Hjalmarsson, Versteeg
Good: Bolland, Brouwer, Madden

Only 'weak' spots were: Burish, Niemi, Hendry, Eager


2013: Elite: Kane, Toews, Keith, Hossa, Seabrook, Hjalmarsson
Very Good: Sharp, Saad, Oduya, Bickell, Crawford
Good: Shaw, Bolland, Frolik, Kruger, Leddy

Only 'weak' spots were: Roszival, Stalberg, Handzus


2015: Elite: Kane, Toews, Keith, Hossa, Hjalmarsson, Crawford
Very Good: Saad, Oduya, Richards, Seabrook
Good: Shaw, Kruger, Vermette, Sharp

Only 'weak' spots were: Timonen, Bickell, Sharp at times, Versteeg, Rundblad


Current Hawks lineup: Elite: Kane, Keith, Crawford
Very Good: Saad, Toews, Seabrook
Good: Panik, Schmaltz, Forsling, Hartman

'Weak' spots: Bouma, Rutta, Oesterle, Sharp, Wingels, Debrincat

We're down to 3 elite players, three very good players, a handful of 'good' players, and a whole lot of average and weak players. A team with this many weak spots won't win a cup unless they find a bunch of magic. The Penguins won with a ton of holes, but all of those 'weak' spots new exactly where to be and exactly what to do. Their 'good' and uncategorized players stepped up into the next level. Guys like Guentzel, Cullen, Hainsey, Daley, Schultz, Rust, Sheary, etc. all stepped up bigtime.

Hawks need to think long and hard about the $4.5 in cap they have. Get a threatening forward who's having a down year (Bennet, Galchenyuk, other almost busts), get a decent puck moving d-man or a forgotten shutdown D the same way we got Oduya. The $4.5 has to catch lightning in a bottle, or Q has to rally these troops to 2013 levels of excellence. Otherwise this is likely another first round exit.
- ObeseOprah

Great post. You left out AA in the current group. I'm putting him in the weak link category. I'm not sure that some of your current "good" aren't really "ok" but let's just go with it. Hayden probably falls into the "ok" category too given his ice time.

So the question is, how do you get more elite & very good players given the current assets the organization has. Can any of the weak spot players become "good" and can any of the "good" players become "very good." This year? Maybe. That fourth line is contributing right now. Hartman and Schmaltz and Forsling still have upside potential but how much of that gets realized this year? If not this year, next year?

I keep wondering if the reason for 8 defensemen and DeBrincat being on the team out of camp is trade-related. I sure hope so. The season is still young, there is time to integrate new guys into the team to build enough chemistry for a Cup run. It won't be easy to acquire the talent they need though.

[quote=matt_ahrens]To my eye, Toews looks good this year.

You need to use both eyes...

- isu83boo

LOL

I really haven't been a part of any other fanbase that is so bi-polar. I can't even imagine the heart problems going on with some of the people on this board.

That said, it certainly is frustrating to see the team seemingly giving less effort than they're capable of. Two lines have shown consistency to keep zone time:

Saad-Toews-Panik. I won't even look at stats. This line has created the most chances, converted on the most chances, and has held more zone time than anyone in the first ten games.

Bouma-Wingels-Hayden. This line consistently has their foot on the gas pedal and disrupt the opposition.

The other two lines have shown an inability to be consistent. And a lot of people are going to disagree with me here, but Patrick Kane has been floating around out there. He might have a nice little point streak going(with help from trying to pad his stats late in the STL and VGK games that were out of reach), but he is setting a terrible example for the younger guys on the team. He's playing a selfish game and is nowhere to be found when a backcheck is required. Schmaltz especially, and Hartman to a lesser extent, have been committed to back-checking to help the defense. Kane seems much more worried about getting off of the ice to avoid responsibility than helping his linemates in the D-zone. Ten years in the league and he still shows minimal effort defensively. I can't count the number of times I've seen him disengage defensively only to see the other team cycle it around and get a quality chance.

If this team is going to be a Cup contender, and they absolutely CAN be, they need to have every single player committed at all times. Just my two cents.

Guys this is so far beyond fixing.....simply moving AA to the 4th line, calling up someone named Highmore, and sending Cat to Rockford....these changes aren't gonna do jack poop in the grand scheme of things....
- SimpleJack

Just my opinions, but some observations from last night/through 10 games:

Tyler Cameron‏ @tycam 19h19 hours ago

The #blackhawks seem to be trying to play 3 different styles. Can't connect on simple passes, fancy plays not working & can't dump it in

9 gms & 1 period in, still not sure what #blakchawks are. So many new faces & appears they are changing their style a bit w/ dmen (CONT'D)

... moving puck up the ice as quick as possible vs. when they would hold on. Problem is D talent has dropped & fwds not getting to passes

These changes are likely an attempt to improve overall team speed & if figured out, would be a great adjustment to what's happening in NHL

...if not... could be a long season #blackhawks fans.

Guys, we are only ten games in. Lots of new guys meshing. Let's give it some time and see what they look like around game 40 or so.
- onehundredlevel

Game 40 ?? Game 40 ??? Are you serious ? With cap space available for once in his life as the GM, Bowman can not wait that long. That is....... if this team continues to play like they have been since game 3 of the season, they will be 10 points or more out of a playoff spot by then. Some INJECTION of life and/or CHANGE must take place now. There are way too many red flags showing already as just about everybody on this board notices it. Does management ??? Crawford can't keep this team afloat again like he did last year facing 30 to 40+ shots a game. Where's the intensity ? Where's the enthusiasm ? Where the heck is the balls to wall forecheck, guys crashing the net, and offensive attack, attack, attack, that was shown in the first 2 games ?? Who is teaching this lay-back approach with virtually no scoring attempts to speak of ever. The only time this team busts their butts is when they get behind by 2 or more in the 3rd period. Totally unacceptable since game 3......... 21 shots on goal in game 1 period 1 versus the Pens. Its called hustle and many of us here just don't see it !! Something has to change soon, not at Game 40.

Also Crawford isn't elite.

Crawford is good, sometimes great. He definitely isn't "elite"

Kane is our only elite player

So yeah, we went from having 5-6 elite players during our 3 Cup years to having ONE. 4.5 mil in cap space can't do anything to save us. Nothing can.

All we can do is A. make major changes and B. wait for time to pass(and i mean years, not months) until the cycle is reset and we're ready to start from scratch with a new group of young, talented prospects.

Guys, we are only ten games in. Lots of new guys meshing. Let's give it some time and see what they look like around game 40 or so.
- onehundredlevel

You know it will be the same stuff after every loss for the next 72 games...

Anisimov to line 4 - which of Bouma-Wingels-Hayden do you move out - Hayden up to line 2 maybe, Hartman down to 3 (my eyes don't see much accomplishment by him with 8 and 88), AdB to Rockfish (he's a scorer, as you point out, with a very good and accurate shot - but in 10 games, he hasn't been able to figure out how to get into position to get his shot off - only 14 SOG in the 10 games).
- StLBravesFan

12 is playing with:
AA - Go to net, grind on boards, bang in rebounds (north south)
Sharp - Go circle, rip shot (north south)

Who is going to create space and get him in a position to get a shot? Certainly not either of those players. And to be fair to Dinglecat has been stripping pucks and doing fairly well in the neutral zone tracking down guys and as good on the boards for a guy of his size.

FWIW 38 deters no one from lining guys up and taking shots so the idea that he is any different there than anyone else at this point is not true.

Anyway, I will say if they are going to keep him on Sharp and AA's off side then they should send him back to the rock for a month and let him bang in some goals, then promote after 10 games when they get desperate again for a spark. Not different from what they did with Schmaltz last year.

Do we see AA in some type of trade that lands Evander? That would shake things up
Galchenyuk and Duchene will work too. We need more speed at wing.
- z1990z

AA in a package for Galchenyuk would be dope. Playing with Patrick Kane would probably jump start his season.

Not like the 3rd line can get worse. #rockfordshuffle

I'm sorry but AA isn't getting us Galchenyuk.

I keep seeing that idea tossed around. Are the Habs really that dumb? I don't think so. But idk, maybe I'm underestimating their stupidity...

Also Crawford isn't elite.

Crawford is good, sometimes great. He definitely isn't "elite"

Kane is our only elite player

So yeah, we went from having 5-6 elite players during our 3 Cup years to having ONE. 4.5 mil in cap space can't do anything to save us. Nothing can.

All we can do is A. make major changes and B. wait for time to pass(and i mean years, not months) until the cycle is reset and we're ready to start from scratch with a new group of young, talented prospects.
- SimpleJack

The problem with Kane so far this year. He hasn't looked elite on the PP and half the games he has been so-so or bad when having to defend. He has gotten some points (but 1/3 of them in one game that was a joke after the first 8-10 minutes), but he kinda has to because there isn't much else to his game.

The issue with the team is more about playing with something to prove vs going through the motions. You can write the team off, but they will get their shot in the playoffs like anyone else. I can't see them missing. This is where the coaches earn their money, by making adjustments. This is where Bowman has to as well, in terms of managing the roster. Rare does a team just play good hockey start to finish.

I just believe its time for a coaching change.

Its just time for some young optimistic coach with knowledge of the game of the past and a mix of the game going into the future like Sullivan.

The core has heard it all before and honesty how do you energize a franchise when its been the same since 2009

Also Crawford isn't elite.

Crawford is good, sometimes great. He definitely isn't "elite"

Kane is our only elite player

So yeah, we went from having 5-6 elite players during our 3 Cup years to having ONE. 4.5 mil in cap space can't do anything to save us. Nothing can.

All we can do is A. make major changes and B. wait for time to pass(and i mean years, not months) until the cycle is reset and we're ready to start from scratch with a new group of young, talented prospects.
- SimpleJack

nah he has only carried this team for 4 years with stellar big game performances...
and was sporting .960 save% and 1.75 GA for his first 6-7 game while facing 35 plus shot s a game...so tired of he is good but not elite BS...

even if i grant your assessment...HE AINT THE PROBLEM....and neither is his contract...

Q is not the problem. Tough to coach a pile of junk handed to you by a GM who thinks he is doing a good job.
Bowman is a JOKE!
Contracts is what has this team handcuffed. Plus players like Panic Kempny Forslin Sharp Seabrook AA are really bad.

Time to really unlosd the garbage.

Seabrook & AA to EDM for Lucic & Russell

Then move Hartman Forslin & a number 1 to COL for Duchy.

Just examples of really what needs to happen.

Hino needs to play over many right now.

Bowman NOT Q is the problem.
- Goalie-33

Someone missed their nappy again

nah he has only carried this team for 4 years with stellar big game performances...
and was sporting .960 save% and 1.75 GA for his first 6-7 game while facing 35 plus shot s a game...so tired of he is good but not elite BS...

even if i grant your assessment...HE AINT THE PROBLEM....and neither is his contract...
- bogiedoc

Crawford has become one of the best and most consistent goalies in the NHL. I think some people need to look at the last number of seasons (pretty much since he struggled in the playoffs vs Phx) he has been great.

Consider goalies who have played significant hockey during that time (let's say 120 games.)

Sv%
Price - 0.924
Bob - 0.923
Gibson - 0.922
Crawford - 0.922

3rd in wins in that stretch (3 behind Rask for 2nd most wins and 26 behind Holtby) playing less games than the goalies ahead of him.

I'm sorry but AA isn't getting us Galchenyuk.

I keep seeing that idea tossed around. Are the Habs really that dumb? I don't think so. But idk, maybe I'm underestimating their stupidity...
- SimpleJack

I think you are right in that it would need to be AA + something else.

Q: stronger in the puck areas...get it and keep it...

problem solved