Central

migi

Registered User
Feb 25, 2015
4,418
2,917
Imo:

Predators
Blues
Jets
Dallas
Avs
Hawks
Wild

This is a mix of material and believe in objective way.
 

Rolo

Registered User
Aug 9, 2011
2,645
1,324
Wild always get sh*** on but they have a balanced forward group, top 5 defense, and top 10 goalie.

Preds
Jets
Wild
Blues
Dallas
Hawks
Colorado
 

ClydeLee

Registered User
Mar 23, 2012
11,713
5,263
They didn't have that D after last year losing pieces of their dcore and I thought they would be a 6th range last year, but down the stretch they turned it up while the stars and blues collapsed. I dont see how they really improved unless some great rookie is on the cusp.
 

ello

Registered User
Jun 12, 2018
810
1,056
How are you guys enjoying that Parise contract? Only 7 more years to go.
Parise actually scored at a 30 goal pace this year, came on late in the season and the Jets-Wild series was actually quite competitive until he went down with a fractured sternum (?).

A bad contract by all means but not Brent Seabrook’s level of a bad extension.
 

LordKOTL

Abuse of Officials
Aug 15, 2014
3,525
768
Pacific NW
Wild always get sh*** on but they have a balanced forward group, top 5 defense, and top 10 goalie.

Preds
Jets
Wild
Blues
Dallas
Hawks
Colorado
Agreed if the 'hawks have Crawford playing at his career average. If we run with Ward for any significant time we're going to warm the cellar again. Our team D is still a Mongolian fustercluck that Schmaltz, El Gato, Kane, and Toews are going to have a hell of a time trying to score more than we give up with substandard goaltending.

I think the Wild, Blues, and Dallas can flop any of those positions but I think odds are the Wild make the playoffs.
 

No Fun Shogun

34-38-61-10-13-15
May 1, 2011
56,091
12,748
Illinois
Don't expect anything from them.

That being said, I've never expected anything from them when the going got tough, so it's a uniform opinion of mine.
 

Hawkaholic

Registered User
Dec 19, 2006
31,454
10,788
London, Ont.
I think they finish second last or last. I think Chicago finishes ahead of them, and Colorado could either finish just ahead of them, or last.
 

Game suspension

Registered User
Feb 11, 2018
563
239
I think they are going to shock people as to how far they have fallen. I don't think the bandwagoners that are left are ready for a full season of bad. Last year things were okay until Christmas. Now its going to be bad from the start.

And if Crawford does play I think he will be an average goalie. And that won't be good enough unfortunately.
 

ChiHawks10

Registered User
Jul 7, 2009
27,916
21,137
Chicago 'Burbs
I think they are going to shock people as to how far they have fallen. I don't think the bandwagoners that are left are ready for a full season of bad. Last year things were okay until Christmas. Now its going to be bad from the start.

And if Crawford does play I think he will be an average goalie. And that won't be good enough unfortunately.

This team won't be nearly as bad as the pessimists think it will.
 
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ChiHawks10

Registered User
Jul 7, 2009
27,916
21,137
Chicago 'Burbs
I know. And the same players are all pretty much coming back so an ugly start puts them right back to where they were.

Yeah, good, young players that are 20-21 have never improved from season to season, am I right? And new young players have never come in and impressed, am I right? :shakehead

Sometimes I don't understand people. They just watched a decade of dominance from the Blackhawks, and expect them to just continue it without a hitch? It's a salary-capped league, so that just doesn't happen. You don't have teams that are contenders for 20 years straight, anymore. There are retool and rebuild processes that have to happen. It's the way of the world in sports with a salary cap. Get used to it. There will be cycles.
 

LordKOTL

Abuse of Officials
Aug 15, 2014
3,525
768
Pacific NW
This team won't be nearly as bad as the pessimists think it will.

I have no doubts guys like El Gato & Schmaltz will be better. It's not just everyone else that worries me but also Q's tendencies. Even before the team was checked out it was Crawford keeping them buoyed around the playoff line. Couple that with a lack of any improvement at the blueline whatsoever. Crawford playing out of his mind? we got an outside chance. Crawford playing to his career average? Nope. Crawford playing to starter's average? Double-nope. Ward playing to *his* average? Snowball's chance in hell.

Even with progress from El Gato and Schmaltz I don't think it makes up for the lack of progress on D and the lack of Crawford (or another top-10 goalie) in net. I also have little faith that Q will play the kids commensurate with their on-ice play and will default to the vets like last year even when Crawford was on fire.
 

Kaners PPGs

Registered User
Jun 2, 2012
2,181
1,068
Chicagoland (Tinley Park)
Sometimes I don't understand people. They just watched a decade of dominance from the Blackhawks, and expect them to just continue it without a hitch? It's a salary-capped league, so that just doesn't happen. You don't have teams that are contenders for 20 years straight, anymore. There are retool and rebuild processes that have to happen. It's the way of the world in sports with a salary cap. Get used to it. There will be cycles.

Who expects the dominance to continue? I think most fans in this thread are reasonable with their predictions.
 

Kaners PPGs

Registered User
Jun 2, 2012
2,181
1,068
Chicagoland (Tinley Park)
This team won't be nearly as bad as the pessimists think it will.

I think the general consensus is that the Hawks are low seeded playoff team if Crawford is 100% and ready at the start of the season and are a lottery team if he is out for a considerable stretch of the season. What are your projections for the Hawks?
 

b1e9a8r5s

Registered User
Feb 16, 2015
12,904
4,039
Chicago, IL
I think the general consensus is that the Hawks are low seeded playoff team if Crawford is 100% and ready at the start of the season and are a lottery team if he is out for a considerable stretch of the season. What are your projections for the Hawks?

I think that's a realistic expectation but I don't think it's the consensus. That's much more closer to we are screwed regardless.
 

x Tame Impala

HFBoards Sponsor
Sponsor
Aug 24, 2011
27,427
11,773
Wild always get sh*** on but they have a balanced forward group, top 5 defense, and top 10 goalie.

Preds
Jets
Wild
Blues
Dallas
Hawks
Colorado

Yeah they've been that way since 2013 and have a 2nd round playoff appearance to show for it
 

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