So who will take over the Hawks blog?
- z1990z

Wiz

So who will take over the Hawks blog?
- z1990z

VopatsRash?

I have really enjoyed your blog of the years. Good luck JJ.

VopatsRash?
- kwolf68

- z1990z

VopatsRash to become Hawks blogger (E5)

VopatsRash to become Hawks blogger (E5)
- kwolf68

I thought it was Tanner, hell he blogs every other damn team...

Say it ain't so, JJ!!!!

I thought it was Tanner, hell he blogs every other damn team...
- riozzo

Tanner? uhhhggg!!! I wouldn't wish him on St. Louis fans, let alone my fellow Hawks fans.

Why don't you share with everyone your list of "elite" goaltenders and we will see how Mr. Crawford stacks up. You're going to find yourself with your foot in your mouth. Crawford stacks up against any other goalie in this league throughout his career
- Hawks_49

As one who once subscribed to the "he's average to good but it's the defense in front of him," my view has evolved (but I also think his ability has as well).

He is def top 5, IMO.

He carried the team? When?

2012-13 he was solid but c'mon that team was so deep and incredible in all areas, probably would have won the Cup even if we still had Niemi that year.

2013-14 he was outplayed by Quick as we lost the WCF

2014-15 was an elite all around team. Top 4D was unfathomably good, as were the forwards. And just like in 2013 we won the Cup because of all around greatness, not because Crawford carried us.

2015-16 he was outplayed by Elliot as we were bounced in the first round

2016-17 he finished 21st in GA and 13th in SV%.....hardly "elite"

I don't care what his numbers say early this season, he's not elite, never has been.
- SimpleJack

Crawford has been top 5 in the goal probably the past 4 years.

As one who once subscribed to the "he's average to good but it's the defense in front of him," my view has evolved (but I also think his ability has as well).

He is def top 5, IMO.
- John Jaeckel

Totally agree with this, sorta mirrors my view. His performance between 2013 and 2015 should have put to bed the idea he wasn't elite. Go watch his performance in 2014 against Minnesota....

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.
- savvyone-1

Not an effort problem. Guys literally don't know where to be or where other guys are going to be. Plus some just don't have the complimentary skill sets to be playing together.

Think the BLACKHAWKS’s have the right pieces to make a strong Run , it’s just getting them to play with the right people, I start with the second line, AA was acquired to be a second line center, why not try him with schmaltz and Kane on the wings, and Wiz May be on to something regarding Richard Panik, I would like to see Alex Debrincat play with Jonathan Toews and Brandon Saad for a couple games and see how that works out,Drop Panik down and let Tanner Kero play with him and Sharp on the third line Leave the fourth line alone, any thoughts?

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.
- Abadseed

If Cup is the criteria, Quick pretty much carried team to the cup in 2012 all the way.
Outplayed Crawford when it mattered making some fantastic saves in game 7 2014 3rd period.
Lundquist carried Rangers pretty far despite winning the cup, including 2014 SCF.
Price is fantastic and carried Montreal where they should not have been in playoffs.
Crawford is very good, I would take him over Tuuka Rask or maybe Peka Rinne, I think him, Bishop and Holtby are maybe next tier right now.

If Cup is the criteria, Quick pretty much carried team to the cup in 2012 all the way.
Outplayed Crawford when it mattered making some fantastic saves in game 7 2014 3rd period.
Lundquist carried Rangers pretty far despite winning the cup, including 2014 SCF.
Price is fantastic and carried Montreal where they should not have been in playoffs.
Crawford is very good, I would take him over Tuuka Rask or maybe Peka Rinne, I think him, Bishop and Holtby are maybe next tier right now.
- vshun

As it stands today from a Hawks roster perspective.. Crawford is this teams best player along with Kane. Right now 50 is the MVP.

Not an effort problem. Guys literally don't know where to be or where other guys are going to be. Plus some just don't have the complimentary skill sets to be playing together.
- fattybeef

If guys on an expansion team - with only about 12/13 games together - seem to know where to be / where are guys are going to be....

Not an effort problem. Guys literally don't know where to be or where other guys are going to be. Plus some just don't have the complimentary skill sets to be playing together.
- fattybeef

YES! Especially forwards. I don't know how many times I have seen 3 forwards within 6 feet of each other on the break out or in the offensive zone.

Is this a lack of practice time? Game planning with emphasis on structure? Unfamiliarity? I've seen it from 20 19 14 and they have played enough together to have some idea.

Same thing in the dzone. I see multiple hawks skater attack the puck carrier. IT leaves a lot of open ice and results in the Hawks running around with their heads cut off.

Not an effort problem. Guys literally don't know where to be or where other guys are going to be. Plus some just don't have the complimentary skill sets to be playing together.
- fattybeef

Sorry Fatty, respectfully disagree.
Having played for 50 years (and still playing), the game is pretty simple as I commented previously. Each forward has a particular role in the defensive zone -- I don't see that they don't know where to be or others guys are supposed to be.

I see forwards dropping down too low (below the circles) when not needing to be there so any control of the puck by our team necessarily causes a problem with zone exits. If I can see this, I'm sure Q, Dineen and Ulf can as well.

No, what I see is half-hearted effort by much of the team far too much of the time.
50/50 pucks? How often does that go the other team's way?
Hustle to get back and defend before our blue line? Not there.

While this team is no longer fastest in the league, there are enough guys that while not necessarily faster -- can at least stay with 90% of opposing players. But how often do we see that not being the case?

No, the effort isn't there. Wins/Losses don't matter as much to me at this time of year as hustle/effort/desire. Those things are habits -- either good or bad, they tend to stick to the wall. Pretty hard to overcome the habit of giving up on pucks and defending and getting beat to spots on the ice. Habit forming. Bad habits.

Again, this is on the leadership -- coaches and players alike.

Totally agree with this, sorta mirrors my view. His performance between 2013 and 2015 should have put to bed the idea he wasn't elite. Go watch his performance in 2014 against Minnesota....
- kwolf68

St Louis too. There is no way the Hawks are even in the conversation for repeating without Crawford's performance in the first two rounds.

St Louis too. There is no way the Hawks are even in the conversation for repeating without Crawford's performance in the first two rounds.
- HawkintheD

Really interested to see how the Hawks come out against the Preds. Energy/get after it or more of the listless wandering ice dancing.

John Jaeckel‏ @jaeckel 2h2 hours ago
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1/ Just to clear up any confusion, i will be blogging at hockeybuzz til 10/31. Move to http://the-rink.com happens then or soon after.

John Jaeckel‏ @jaeckel 2h2 hours ago
More

1/ Just to clear up any confusion, i will be blogging at hockeybuzz til 10/31. Move to http://the-rink.com happens then or soon after.
- matt_ahrens

So is JJ going to continue to do a Hawks blog at this new site?

I have no issue with Crawford. I think in today's world the word "elite" gets thrown out far too often. Crawford IMO with the talent around him has been consistently good for quite some time.

My issue lies with the so called "leaders" and coaches of this team. A lot of talk was spoken about finding the fire, not being complacent, even had a beat guy do a 2 prong interview with MCEgo just to hammer home how "unsatisfied" this team is and is hungry for one goal again.....

IMO, and yes it's only 10 games in, something is right. blame new players but how many truly NEW guys are there? You have retreads in Sharp and Saad. How many true new guys are on this team? There is something else below the surface here....Q favoring aging players and not holding them accountable? I think so. Q refusing to adapt to another style of play the NHL has gone to? Most definitely.

IF Toews, Saad, Kane, Keith, Seabrook aren't your best players 90% of the season, this team is going no where. We can rip guys like DeBrincat or Hartman or young D men all day long, but these top guys have got to carry this team, and a guy like AA and Sharp who are long standing NHL veterans also need to set the tone and pace.

If I'm Bowman and I've seen my team get waxed in 3 games where they were complete no shows, were called out by an announcer with limited response, and look very much like the slow, complacent bunch that got steam rolled in April I am starting to put feelers around to shake things up more so then just dumping Panarin.

And that isn't just players either.........what I see is a team with zero leadership and fan base always looking to make an excuse for a guy who's career may be trending on the down side a lot sooner then anyone anticipated.

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?
- matt_ahrens

I think they need to fix the 3rd line first.

If I was making moves, I'd sent Alex DeBrincat down and bring up someone like Jurco/Kampf/Fortin. Someone that will win a few more battles and I think someone like Jurco with a bit more experience at the NHL level would be good. I like DeBrincat, but if he plays he needs to play in a more offensive role. Right now, I think the team could use one more C that can play in the defensive end.

My thoughts on the captain...

He's a great player and everyone would love to have him... but not at 10.5 million. At this point he's taking up too much cap space for the amount he produces (A player making that much shouldn't need to ask the GM for a trade to get someone to "make him better" (Saad)). You can get his point totals for half the price, (look at a guy like Tavares, 5.5 cap hit this year). And spare me the greatest captain in sports BS. Having the greatest captain doesn't guarentee you cups, having the best team does and it's pretty hard to put together the best team when you have such high cap players performing at roughly half their worth. Toews was ranked 25th in points for Centers last year and 98th out of a 100 for face-off percentage. Not nearly good enough for someone taking up space that could be helpful elsewhere.
- Toew Drags 4 Daze

Since you brought it up, is Carey Price more what you want for 10 mil? Jack Eichel? Tavares at his new price?

None of them has won a thing.