There's a million better ways to waste 4 hours of your life LOL
- EnzoD

Lol, actually IMO its one of those movies that kinda goes by at a decent pace and doesn't drag despite its long runtime.

Look at the state of the league last year about 10 games in. Preds were nearly last in the NHL. The Ducks were middling and struggling out of the gate. Montreal was winning like crazy. Pittsburgh near the top of the league in giving up shots. The Bruins were 6% on the PP and the Hawks were 58.3% on the PK.

The Preds kicked out butts and went to the final. Ducks won their division and went to the Conference final. Montreal lost in the first round. Pittsburgh won the cup. Bruins made the playoffs and finished 7th on the PP. Chicago won the west in the regular season.

It is too early to draw too many conclusions. The Hawks have had an up and down start and it shouldn't be surprising.

1) They played a number of good teams to start the year.
2) They have a lot of new faces.
3) They have guys in new roles.
4) They have some new coaches and systems.

There is plenty of hockey to play and you have to wait and see what happens. The Hawks (like many teams) have often been streaky. At some point you just have to watch it play out.
- breadbag

Ok, sure. But there has not been this much bad in a long time. Let's keep an eye on how Toews and linemates may come together- hopefully.

If AA is tradable and not injured, why not call up Columbus? Torts said he was the best player he ever coached. I don't know which of their players can be had in a trade for AA, but this is where I would look first.

For all the talk about players being untradable due to contracts, consider that the Leafs were able to unload Phaneuf without having to retain any of his salary.
- 333inthe3rd

Well of note is two things early on9l

They are using some rookie or young forwards
Breadman has not been lighting it up
EDIT; Panarin minus Kane

“Just as Gustav Forsling starts to show a little consistency, Jan Rutta turns back into a pumpkin.”

Don’t quite get the Rutta turning into a pumpkin comment. Playing better than I expected.
- walleyeb1

Good test this weekend against two teams in opposite places forecast this season. But, but both have dangerous skill players. If Ruuta is to be anchor in second pair, let's see how he fares early in his rookie NHL campaign.

Don't forget he is subject to how well the forward line plays. And Q mismanages the schematic for his system + lines Toews and third seem less than hoped for cohesive.

This team reminds me a lot of last years team , that team went on a nice run there for about 6 weeks . Hope they can do it again this year ,but at the right time in the playoffs .
Don't know why people think the HAWKS would have to go out and get a new coach ,they have a very good teaching coach right in front of them in Dineen .

Just spitballing - Do you think now that the Blackhawks have some cap room, would it be time to trade a Seabrook/Toews and retain some salary? Now, only if there is a coaching change also, because something big needs to happen to this team.

This team reminds me a lot of last years team , that team went on a nice run there for about 6 weeks . Hope they can do it again this year ,but at the right time in the playoffs .
Don't know why people think the HAWKS would have to go out and get a new coach ,they have a very good teaching coach right in front of them in Dineen .
- oldduffman

I think the thought is removing Q.

I am hopeful a few Icehog season ticket holders or those who see them on the tube, would contribute their observations on the state of Icehog affairs with an eye upon how it may impact the parent Blackhawks.

I checked into the R Press MIA. Found that he was sent to EcHL. Apparently first year pro Raddysh beat him for a job. Hold the press: he was twice the goal scoring leader for dmen in his league. He had a very impressive rookies camp in July. Traverse City? Was he strong there as well? Whatever he is in ECHL. Tempered expectation?

Sure, All teams have flaws! However, the top tier teams have a whole bunch of less warts. Our Hawk core players are getting older, slower and scoring goals is becoming harder. It also doesn't help when 3 out of 5 of your highest payed players have their best productive years behind them. The Cap is also killing this team slowly but surely. Than we have a coach that had been on a roll for 8 years winning but for the last couple of years has had a hard time adjusting to faster moving game of hockey.

Management can look back at our one and out exits of the last 2year and try to put on some more band aids and hope for the best or they can finally say "the dike is broken" and it's time to move on and retool. What will it be Stan?

A sad tale. A Saad comparison.
Stale Breadman in Columbus.
Was reportedly to play with Wenneberg
Torts reportedly to leave him alone.

Other: lots of youth on Coyotes. There is a team with youth but not a good mix with veterans? A new highly regarded Tochhet has not won yet. James Tanner is babbling about it. Not sure I want to read it. )

You know we have youth here. We have a highly regarded coach.

Just spitballing - Do you think now that the Blackhawks have some cap room, would it be time to trade a Seabrook/Toews and retain some salary? Now, only if there is a coaching change also, because something big needs to happen to this team.
- powerenforcer

C'mon Jack, that's hardly accurate. Give it some context. Sorry but there's no way Niemi or another stiff wins it for them in 2013. He was great when it mattered and outplayed the
- HawkintheDmuch better goalie Tukka "Erin Moran" Rask.

In 2014 the only reason they were in the WCF was cause of Crawford. There were easily 4 total goalie wins if not more the two prior series vs MN and STL.

In 2015 after the hiccup vs NSH he was rock solid the rest of the way.

That is hilarious.....and accurate.

Ok, sure. But there has not been this much bad in a long time. Let's keep an eye on how Toews and linemates may come together- hopefully.
- jhawk59

Toews' line is the most productive on the team - all .8 PPG or better (Saad is .9). It really too early to be looking this closely at points production because 10 games is too small a sample size by at least half, but that's 65/66+ points each for that line.

That being said, I wouldn't mind switching up the top line some. Hartman unfortunately does not seem to be able to keep up mentally with Schmaltz and Kane, especially the latter. I can't take him flubbing some many good passes anymore. The top 9 forwards + potentially Hayden could all probably mix and match, so Q just needs to find the right combos to make them go more.

And I really mean go as in meaningful possession and good defensive play, because I think the biggest issue with the team is that the defense is being instructed to play a bit more aggressively and the forwards aren't supporting them for poop.

They have good cogs, they just need to be put together correctly and run the system like it's meant to be run.

Elite IMO are Quick/Price/Bobrovsky

Holtby and Rinne are close behind, and you can argue that Crawford could potentially be in this group as well(the 2nd tier), though many outside this fan base would disagree...

Gibson and Vasilevsky are rising up there, Murray is as well despite his tough start to this year. Lundqvist seems to be falling fast....

In all honesty i don't think there's any TRULY great goaltenders right now, Quick is starting to play at that level again if he stays healthy. Bobrovsky and Holtby show flashes and have put up some very impressive numbers. We'll see. Crawford....had he not been in the right place at the right time on those 2 incredibly deep Cup champion rosters in 2013 and 2015(just like Niemi lucked into being on that 2010 team) wouldn't even be in this conversation at all. That's my harsh opinion on Crawford.
- SimpleJack

What makes a goalie elite???? Everyone said the king was the best what has he won?
Bob and holty same thing. Price the knock on him was he was behind the greatest Olympic team ever. Any statement can have holes poked thru it.

I fully agree with everything and I think this is unbiased view (no home bias). Crawford was outplayed by Quick in Game 7 WCF 2014 when it mattered most in their attempt to go back to back, and was saved by Darling in 2015 quest, so he did not carry the team all the way. This is not the definition of elite goaltender. As you said, he is one of the better ones and plays according to his 6 mln cap hit.
I am probably in the minority but I would take Darling at his age and cap hit over Crawford at his age and cap hit but on the other hand Crawford is not the problem, and not are the rookies.
One cannot ask from 750,000 paid rookie as much as from 4.5 mln Anisimov or 7 mln Seabrook or 10.5 mln wonder twins. Or coach with his counry club environment. Wonder if we can trade Q for Tort from CBJ for a year or 2 to light some fire behind entitled players.
- vshun

I think the Blackhawks would have too if they had been able to trade Crawford, which they weren't. So here we are. And, I agree, he is not the/a problem.

Look at the state of the league last year about 10 games in. Preds were nearly last in the NHL. The Ducks were middling and struggling out of the gate. Montreal was winning like crazy. Pittsburgh near the top of the league in giving up shots. The Bruins were 6% on the PP and the Hawks were 58.3% on the PK.

The Preds kicked out butts and went to the final. Ducks won their division and went to the Conference final. Montreal lost in the first round. Pittsburgh won the cup. Bruins made the playoffs and finished 7th on the PP. Chicago won the west in the regular season.

It is too early to draw too many conclusions. The Hawks have had an up and down start and it shouldn't be surprising.

1) They played a number of good teams to start the year.
2) They have a lot of new faces.
3) They have guys in new roles.
4) They have some new coaches and systems.

There is plenty of hockey to play and you have to wait and see what happens. The Hawks (like many teams) have often been streaky. At some point you just have to watch it play out.
- breadbag

Thank you!

They looked great the first game or two; and not just because they scored, they had some pace and aggressiveness and were playing downhill. Schmaltz got hurt, sure, but it was more than that. Maybe the other teams adjusted.

Just curious, even though it has only been ten games, what moves would you make right now?

Toews' line is the most productive on the team - all .8 PPG or better (Saad is .9). It really too early to be looking this closely at points production because 10 games is too small a sample size by at least half, but that's 65/66+ points each for that line.

That being said, I wouldn't mind switching up the top line some. Hartman unfortunately does not seem to be able to keep up mentally with Schmaltz and Kane, especially the latter. I can't take him flubbing some many good passes anymore. The top 9 forwards + potentially Hayden could all probably mix and match, so Q just needs to find the right combos to make them go more.

And I really mean go as in meaningful possession and good defensive play, because I think the biggest issue with the team is that the defense is being instructed to play a bit more aggressively and the forwards aren't supporting them for poop.

They have good cogs, they just need to be put together correctly and run the system like it's meant to be run.
- L_B_R

Is there any merit to the idea of Hayden plugging in for either Panik or Hartman in the top 6?

Look at the state of the league last year about 10 games in. Preds were nearly last in the NHL. The Ducks were middling and struggling out of the gate. Montreal was winning like crazy. Pittsburgh near the top of the league in giving up shots. The Bruins were 6% on the PP and the Hawks were 58.3% on the PK.

The Preds kicked out butts and went to the final. Ducks won their division and went to the Conference final. Montreal lost in the first round. Pittsburgh won the cup. Bruins made the playoffs and finished 7th on the PP. Chicago won the west in the regular season.

It is too early to draw too many conclusions. The Hawks have had an up and down start and it shouldn't be surprising.

1) They played a number of good teams to start the year.
2) They have a lot of new faces.
3) They have guys in new roles.
4) They have some new coaches and systems.

There is plenty of hockey to play and you have to wait and see what happens. The Hawks (like many teams) have often been streaky. At some point you just have to watch it play out.
- breadbag

The eye test tells you when there is such a dropoff in play from the first two to the last 6-7 there is an issue with focus and effort. When your team isn't putting in the effort, beginning with 19, you start losing fans.

The eye test tells you when there is such a dropoff in play from the first two to the last 6-7 there is an issue with focus and effort. When your team isn't putting in the effort, beginning with 19, you start losing fans.
- busmaster

Spot On!

This team reminds me a lot of last years team , that team went on a nice run there for about 6 weeks . Hope they can do it again this year ,but at the right time in the playoffs .
Don't know why people think the HAWKS would have to go out and get a new coach ,they have a very good teaching coach right in front of them in Dineen .
- oldduffman

The team won't go on a run if the Blue line crew is merely a cut above horrible.

This group does not endear thoughts of a long playoff charge.

Samuelson is a good teaching coach who has drawn praise exactly for this. However many on this board have ire over the poor play of the defensemen. What gives.....is that defense is a difficult position to learn and be good.

The exception is when a smaller percentage are soon adept at the NHL level. In the old NHL defensemen came in as 28 -30 yr old rookies. Somewhere the notion came to be nowadays it takes roughly 300 gp to become efficient.

So apparently we have to hope that Q plays the young guys and improvement comes sooner rather than later. Everyone has plenty of third pair level guys. Yes sir, we brought in Franson, an improvement over Runsblad. Then you have the trioka at Rockford: Pokka, Svedberg, Gus.

See how it gets bad real fast. Maybe Rozival will rise up again. Please no.

The team won't go on a run if the Blue line crew is merely a cut above horrible.

This group does not endear thoughts of a long playoff charge.

Samuelson is a good teaching coach who has drawn praise exactly for this. However many on this board have ire over the poor play of the defensemen. What gives.....is that defense is a difficult position to learn and be good.

The exception is when a smaller percentage are soon adept at the NHL level. In the old NHL defensemen came in as 28 -30 yr old rookies. Somewhere the notion came to be nowadays it takes roughly 300 gp to become efficient.

So apparently we have to hope that Q plays the young guys and improvement comes sooner rather than later. Everyone has plenty of third pair level guys. Yes sir, we brought in Franson, an improvement over Runsblad. Then you have the trioka at Rockford: Pokka, Svedberg, Gus.

See how it gets bad real fast. Maybe Rozival will rise up again. Please no.
- jhawk59

Tell me something, did the Pens dman group in either of the recent Cup runs have you running to the window in Vegas to place a bet?

Rozy likely won't see the ice this year and right now Franson is your 7th/8th dman. Overall I don't think the defense has been the problem but forward support like lbr alluded to.

Still think this team has the makings of something really good and 10 games in at the beginning of the season hardly gives you a clear picture of what they will be after 82.

Overall I don't think the defense has been the problem but forward support like lbr alluded to.

Still think this team has the makings of something really good and 10 games in at the beginning of the season hardly gives you a clear picture of what they will be after 82.
- HawkintheD

To the 1st sentence, yes.
Hockey is a very simple game.
What I see and evidently what the team as a whole fail to realize is, effort is required. Whether that is on Q or on 19, IDK. But it is very clear there is not the required effort being turned in by the TEAM -- rather, you have guys on an individual basis (Saad, Crawford, Forsberg and barely a few more) giving the needed effort on a shift-by-shift, game-by-game basis.

What is amazing to me is if the forwards don't understand that playing a 200' game will lead them to far more opportunities in the O zone, why hasn't Q or 19 or ? been able to effectively get this message across? This is where they miss 81. Hossa in the past few years might not have scored like earlier in his career but was always a backchecking demon.

To your 2nd statement, too early to tell but IMO, not liking the signs I am seeing after the 1st 2 games. That falls on leadership -- Q, coaches and leaders in the locker room and on the ice.

I just read a tweet from JJ stating he is leaving.
Very sad to see this news. I have enjoyed his blogs and Al's prior to that. I will miss your blogs JJ and wish you nothing but success in your future endeavors. Thanks for your efforts

I just read a tweet from JJ stating he is leaving.
Very sad to see this news. I have enjoyed his blogs and Al's prior to that. I will miss your blogs JJ and wish you nothing but success in your future endeavors. Thanks for your efforts
- mmurray892

Yea, saw that. I suspect JJ will have a comment, but likely can't say too much about where he is landing so as to preserve professional integrity with this website, ie, take readers from here to there. Although folks may well seek him out and join him in future conversations at any new site he blogs for.

Yea, saw that. I suspect JJ will have a comment, but likely can't say too much about where he is landing so as to preserve professional integrity with this website, ie, take readers from here to there. Although folks may well seek him out and join him in future conversations at any new site he blogs for.
- kwolf68

So who will take over the Hawks blog?