How will the Hawks end up this season?

[Hawkaholic]

Rundlad would have been better had Q not inexplicably started playing Roszival at the time Rundblad was playing well during thr regular season. Once TVR was cleared to play he yoo was a better option.

Q is his own worst enemy in these situationsx and often gets eztremely lucky that his terrible decisions dont cost the team more than it has. He lucked out 2.5 years ago when his senseless line shufline shuffling nearly tsnked us in the Detroit series. Rhey most certsainly did in the WCF loss against the Kings (Handzus).

Sometimes it feels like Q purposefully hurts the chances of some players (Pirri, Regin, Rundblad) just so he can play the worthless POS vets he REALLY wants to play. It sounds ludicrous, but he's done it enough to where there isnt another rational explanation.

Rundblad was never a better option in the playoffs, ever.

And TVR wasn't cleared to play until after Roszival got hurt.

And yes, Q definitely got lucky in all of our cup wins. Terrible coach, carried to Cup wins and WCF 5 out of the last 7 years.

 

[JaegerDice]

Rundblad was never a better option in the playoffs, ever.

And TVR wasn't cleared to play until after Roszival got hurt.

And yes, Q definitely got lucky in all of our cup wins. Terrible coach, carried to Cup wins and WCF 5 out of the last 7 years.

He's a very good coach, but anybody arguing he doesn't demonstrate very overt, selective favouritism at the margins of the roster is crazy or willfully blind.

 

[zac]

Rundblad was never a better option in the playoffs, ever.

And TVR wasn't cleared to play until after Roszival got hurt.

And yes, Q definitely got lucky in all of our cup wins. Terrible coach, carried to Cup wins and WCF 5 out of the last 7 years.

Rundblad WOULD have been the better option had he not been inexplicably benched during the regular season despite severely outplaying Rozy. He hadn't played for half a season...I love how you conveniently gloss over that fact (or how Rozy likely would have played if in the same situation).

Right on the TVT injury.

Coaching the most talented and well-rounded roster to the Cup in 2 of those seasons is definitely fortuitous. In the 4 other seasons we were bounced early twice, lost in the WCF (because the ******* played Handzus), and won the Cup last season. In 2013 his needless juggling of the BTK line nearly lost us the Detroit series. Last year was maybe the only year we shouldn't have won, so give him extra credit there. That credit gets taken away however, from the 14 debacle which was utterly ****ing ridiculous.

Q makes a lot of suspect decisions that have been bailed out by having the likes of Toews, Keith, Kane, Hossa, Hammer and a collection of good role players. I think he's easily the least important common denominator when it comes to this team. Not even close, really.

 

[zac]

He's a very good coach, but anybody arguing he doesn't demonstrate very overt, selective favouritism at the margins of the roster is crazy or willfully blind.

Good yes, but doesn't get nearly as much flak as he should around here for the inexcusable gaffes he makes on a continuous basis. The veteran favoritism, senseless line shuffling, PP/PK deployments, and assistant coaching decisions routinely get ignored or excused because we "won the Cup". While it is the ultimate goal, it's the coach's responsibility to put the team in the best possible position to achieve those results. Just because the results were achieved, doesn't mean that coach did that. In the Hawks case, Q often puts them at a handicap, only to have the elite talent overcome that.

It takes a lot of luck for any team to win the Cup. I just think Q has been luckier than most, considering the decisions he's made, in achieving those results. That includes having the fortune of some insane rosters/players and not being burned more than he has by his dumbass decisions.

 

[Hawkaholic]

LOL

That's all I can say zac, not even going to bother with someone that ignorant. 3 Cups in 6 years, good night.

 

[Jeffrey Lebowski]

I think I like this years (potential) defense better than last years. So far, I really like Daley to Oduya. He's a better fit than Oduya, IMO. Visnovsky could be a real good fit, as well. The key will be how our new forwards mesh. If Dano, Panarin and someone else step up... We're in a real good spot. I really think the roster turnover can provide motivation to repeat, providing we don't have too many hiccups. We have the raw talent and motive to do some damage.

 

[Keithsteeth]

He's a very good coach, but anybody arguing he doesn't demonstrate very overt, selective favouritism at the margins of the roster is crazy or willfully blind.

I think it's fair to say that roster management is probably Q's weakness (along with PP tactics), however he makes up for it everywhere else. He's a great 5 on 5 tactician and we all know he can line match with anyone

 

[JaegerDice]

I think it's fair to say that roster management is probably Q's weakness (along with PP tactics), however he makes up for it everywhere else. He's a great 5 on 5 tactician and we all know he can line match with anyone

Agreed. That's why I prefaced the comment with 'he's a very good coach'.

 

[OhCaptainMyCaptain]

Good yes, but doesn't get nearly as much flak as he should around here for the inexcusable gaffes he makes on a continuous basis. The veteran favoritism, senseless line shuffling, PP/PK deployments, and assistant coaching decisions routinely get ignored or excused because we "won the Cup". While it is the ultimate goal, it's the coach's responsibility to put the team in the best possible position to achieve those results. Just because the results were achieved, doesn't mean that coach did that. In the Hawks case, Q often puts them at a handicap, only to have the elite talent overcome that.

It takes a lot of luck for any team to win the Cup. I just think Q has been luckier than most, considering the decisions he's made, in achieving those results. That includes having the fortune of some insane rosters/players and not being burned more than he has by his dumbass decisions.

So he lucked his way into 3 cups, huh? Dude should be hitting up the casino on a regular if he that's dang lucky.

 

[HawksandLove]

I dont think they win this year but I am pretty sure they will compete at VERY high level every year and win at least one more with Toews Kane.

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

If Hawks are healthy and get decent contributions from youth there is no reason this team cant make another WCF

The Central still has a lot of pretenders who need to prove they can win big games at this point

 

[Bubba88]

Hawks are still Cup favorites. As Long as we have Toews, Kane, Keith, Hossa, Hjalmarsson, Seabrook and Crawford.

Still guys, that are the best at their positions with a proven record of showing up when it matters and being clutch.

 

[Toews2Bickell]

I got Hawks getting 5 cups in 10 years, so yeah. Cup or bust.

 

[mintsauce]

Obviously it's reaching a bit to say "they WILL win the Cup", but there's certainly no reason to not pick them as a favourite to win. They absolutely will make the playoffs and be a threat.

There's never any guarantee, anything can happen in the playoffs, but they've got as good a chance as any of the recent years. Should be a good season.

 

[BK]

I love that we have a top 3 coach that is a pretty good coach to average coach.

 

[x Tame Impala]

Obviously it's reaching a bit to say "they WILL win the Cup", but there's certainly no reason to not pick them as a favourite to win. They absolutely will make the playoffs and be a threat.

There's never any guarantee, anything can happen in the playoffs, but they've got as good a chance as any of the recent years. Should be a good season.

I think the large amount of roster turnover as well as the injection of youth/inexperience is definitely a reason to not pick them as a favorite.

This is a totally different team and if TT, Panarin, Dano, Daley, and Anisimov don't step up then we're not winning anything.

I think this is a learning year for the new guys. They'll learn how to gel into Q's system and how to play with the core

 

[DPHawk]

I think the large amount of roster turnover as well as the injection of youth/inexperience is definitely a reason to not pick them as a favorite.

This is a totally different team and if TT, Panarin, Dano, Daley, and Anisimov don't step up then we're not winning anything.

I think this is a learning year for the new guys. They'll learn how to gel into Q's system and how to play with the core

I think it really comes down to Panarin and Dano. One of them is going to have to be a top line type player and the other is going to have to be very good as well. I think we can mostly count on TT, Daley, and AA to give us what we need.

 

[Stu Grimson]

I think the offense will be better than last year but the defense will take a step back. I think they will finish 2nd or 3rd in division while letting St Louis get to hang another vaunted division champs banner from the rafter only to bow out in the 1st round. Hawks will advance to the Cup Final and beat Washington in 6.

 

[HawksandLove]

I got Hawks getting 5 cups in 10 years, so yeah. Cup or bust.

Sounds about right to me I just think all the new blood, and there is much of it, will probably need this year to get up to speed. Like the gap from 2010 to 2013 when much change happened.

Im not saying winning this year is impossible.

Toews kane Keith Hossa Seabrook etc are always a threat. They are the best of the best. WORLD CLASS and proven over and over with Cups and gold medals.

 

[BK]

Sounds about right to me I just think all the new blood, and there is much of it, will probably need this year to get up to speed. Like the gap from 2010 to 2013 when much change happened.

Im not saying winning this year is impossible.

Toews kane Keith Hossa Seabrook etc are always a threat. They are the best of the best. WORLD CLASS and proven over and over with Cups and gold medals.

This rebuild is different than the others in the sense that we are using less old guys to fill roles but instead we are using our prospects to fill most of the holes. Due the the number of high end prospect we are using I don't think it will take as long to get up to speed.

 

[JaegerDice]

Regardless of how the question marks turn out, if my team has a top line centered by Jonathan Toews, a 4th line centered by Marcus Kruger, and a #1 D named Duncan Keith, then they have a shot to do great things.

And that's before you factor in the absolute beauty that is Corey Crawford.

The only significant challenge will be minimizing the damage allowed by one Michal Rozsival.

 

[slow beans]

Not expecting a repeat, but it wouldn't surprise me.

I got 'em losing in the conference finals, which would be fine by me.

6 conference finals in 8 seasons is absolutely insane in this day and age.

 

[RoofIt5hole]

If roster will be like:

Dano - Toews - Hossa
Bickell - Anisimov - Kane
Panarin - Teräväinen - Tikhonov
Desjardins - Krüger - Shaw
Garbutt

Keith - van Riemsdyk
Daley - Seabrook
Hejda - Hjalmarsson
Rozsival

They will go to the playoffs and who knows what will happen there. It's a good lineup for sure.

Dano making the top line just like that? To say that's a reach would be a considerable understatement.

 

[RedBaronIndian]

Winning is like a drug. If somebody had told me in 2009 that Hawks would win 3 cups in the Toews/Kane era, I would have taken it. Now that we have won those, I want more. Anything other than a cup win will be let down for me.
If Anisimov, Panarin and Daley pan out, and we are able to get rid of Bickell then we have a decent chance.

 

[Salvaged Ship]

If Bickell doesn't play for the Hawks again (no big loss) it does mean we are replacing half of the forwards from last years playoff cup winning team, HALF. Saad, Sharp, Richards, Vermette, Bickell, Versteeg. Then you add a top 4 defenseman (Oduya). You can think what you want about those 7 gone and their replacements but the fact remains that 7 out of the 18 regular players from the cup winning playoff team are gone. That is a monumental overhaul. I cannot see the replacments filling those holes and we are contenders this season. Hope so, but just can't see it with that kind of turnover. I think its a 2011/12 type season with a second round exit. As the young guys grow hopefully they turn out to be high caliber players and next season we are back to contending.