Speculation: July1

[fatbeard]

I just wonder what a replacement level NHL coach would have done with this team over the last 7 seasons. Q's stubbornness and how that has affected the team is obvious to anyone who follows the team. I look back to the LA series to see how badly outcoached he was and some of the head-scratching lineup decisions he made and how they contributed to the Hawks losing that series. I don't know enough about the intricacies of hockey to correctly gauge how much his coaching and system has created the team's success versus the fact that he had several HOF players in their primes of their career.

Is this a serious post? Tell you what, you peg a "replacement-level NHL coach" at three or more Cups in seven seasons, and I'll take the under and laugh all the way to the bank while doing it. Look at Q's record in games 4-7 of a series before you talk about getting "outcoached."

This fanbase's neurotic insecurity is simply amazing. The chronic inability to enjoy a decade of great hockey and multiple championships is embarrassing and sad.

 

[JaegerDice]

I don't think a replacement level coach outdoes what Q has done, but I do wish he was less stubborn.

Just this season for example, there was no reason beyond hard-headedness for Keith and Seabrook to be separated past the 2nd month of the season. There was no functional eye-test or statistic that supported the pairs he ran with all season, and to shock of nobody, when his back was against the wall, he finally made the changes fans had been begging for, FOR MONTHS.

And that's just the latest example.

He's a great coach. It's a tight league and these seemingly small things add up to the difference in a season.

 

[Kshahdoo]

Tyutin is bought out. People say he still can be a serviceable bottom pair guy. And I think he can be signed for really cheap.

 

[HawkeyFanatic]

Vanek at 1M - he is already getting paid big money, and he would have a chance to put up big goals here and get another contract next year
Campbell at 2M
Ship at 1.5M

Vanek-Toews-Schmaltz
Panik-Anisimov-Kane
Panarin-Ship-Hossa
Motte/Hino-Kruger-Hartman/Desjardins

Keith-Seabs
Hjalmarsson-Campbell
TVR-Kempny

 

[JaegerDice]

Vanek at 1M - he is already getting paid big money, and he would have a chance to put up big goals here and get another contract next year
Campbell at 2M
Ship at 1.5M

Vanek-Toews-Schmaltz
Panik-Anisimov-Kane
Panarin-Ship-Hossa
Motte/Hino-Kruger-Hartman/Desjardins

Keith-Seabs
Hjalmarsson-Campbell
TVR-Kempny

If Hossa is getting too slow for the top line, Vanek sure as heck isnt going to be able to keep up.

 

[BK]

Vanek at 1M - he is already getting paid big money, and he would have a chance to put up big goals here and get another contract next year
Campbell at 2M
Ship at 1.5M

Vanek-Toews-Schmaltz
Panik-Anisimov-Kane
Panarin-Ship-Hossa
Motte/Hino-Kruger-Hartman/Desjardins

Keith-Seabs
Hjalmarsson-Campbell
TVR-Kempny

The roster is solid but I don't get why people are so eager to break up AP and Kane. There are literally 3 top 2 lines and a shutdown line in the line up.

Vanek-Toews-Schmaltz
Panarin-Anisimov-Kane
Panik-Ship-Hossa
Motte/Hino-Kruger-Hartman/Desjardins

or

Vanek-Toews-Schmaltz
Panarin-Ship-Kane
Panik-Anisimov-Hossa
Motte/Hino-Kruger-Hartman/Desjardins

Panik/AA/Hossa would be a terror to play against with their back checking ability to crash the net with a good skill level. No BWC this does not mean AA would be a 3C so stop before you even try to bring up that uninformed thought.

 

[Toews2Bickell]

That second lineup looks good to me. Real good.

 

[fatbeard]

Vanek at 1M - he is already getting paid big money, and he would have a chance to put up big goals here and get another contract next year
Campbell at 2M
Ship at 1.5M

Vanek-Toews-Schmaltz
Panik-Anisimov-Kane
Panarin-Ship-Hossa
Motte/Hino-Kruger-Hartman/Desjardins

Keith-Seabs
Hjalmarsson-Campbell
TVR-Kempny

Over the cap.

This is not 'Nam, this is the hard-capped NHL. There are rules.

 

[b1e9a8r5s]

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

If Hossa is getting too slow for the top line, Vanek sure as heck isnt going to be able to keep up.

Speed isn't Hossa's issue.

 

[BK]

If Hossa is getting too slow for the top line, Vanek sure as heck isnt going to be able to keep up.

Speed Hossa's issue? What are you talking about?

Hossa's issue last year was his inability to finish. If he finished half of the chances that he normally finished he would of had atleast 10-15 more points (10 goals).

 

[HawkeyFanatic]

Over the cap.

This is not 'Nam, this is the hard-capped NHL. There are rules.

Voila - under the cap

http://imgur.com/KIr1eqc

 

[fatbeard]

Voila - under the cap

http://imgur.com/KIr1eqc

Things get substantially more easy when you leave out Scuderi's $1.125mil retained and Rundblad's buried $100k.

 

[JaegerDice]

Speed isn't Hossa's issue.

Speed Hossa's issue? What are you talking about?

Hossa's issue last year was his inability to finish. If he finished half of the chances that he normally finished he would of had atleast 10-15 more points (10 goals).

His shooting percentage dropping has certainly impacted his goal-scoring, but more concerning is that his shot rate has been dropping at almost the same rate. He's not putting as many shots on net per game, and obviously, that's kind of necessary to score.

There are a lot of factors that go into that, but he's a half step slower as far as his acceleration, and he's lost that quick explosion that allows him to create space quickly, particularly in the scoring areas of the ice. Defenders and sticks are getting to him easier than they could before, and he's losing shots as a result.

 

[klassic]

Things get substantially more easy when you leave out Scuderi's $1.125mil retained and Rundblad's buried $100k.

That is why you can't use SportTrac.

 

[clydesdale line]

There are a lot of factors that go into that, but he's a half step slower as far as his acceleration, and he's lost that quick explosion that allows him to create space quickly, particularly in the scoring areas of the ice. Defenders and sticks are getting to him easier than they could before, and he's losing shots as a result.

He was already faster than Toews before he lost half a step. Hossa is still fine speed wise. His shot is his problem. It's completely went down the toilet.

 

[JaegerDice]

He was already faster than Toews before he lost half a step. Hossa is still fine speed wise. His shot is his problem. It's completely went down the toilet.

His top speed is still great, but that's not what we're talking about. He takes longer to get there, and he's lost some explosiveness.

In any case, Vanek is too slow.

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

His shot and his hands are far and away his biggest issues. He fumbles way too many pucks that he never used to. Is there a stat that points to speed being the problem?

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

Vanek would replace Shaw's net front presence immediately and be a considerable upgrade in the process.

 

[Blackhawks]

He was already faster than Toews before he lost half a step. Hossa is still fine speed wise. His shot is his problem. It's completely went down the toilet.

Shoulder issues can do that to you, he became a different player since his surgery shot wise, age takes its toll ofcourse as well.

I doubt Stan gets anyone of any significance, we are gonna be the same team as well with a 4 Dman maybe in campbell less Ladd, Shaw, TT replaced by first year rookies, we all know how thats gonna work out. Its gonna be a sad season. Stamkos signs for 8.5, now Toews contract looks pathetic. Toews is arguably being over paid by 4 Million.

 

[JaegerDice]

Toews is overpaid by roughly 1.5 million. Same as Kane.

Neither of them are 10 million dollar players, and it's not a conclusion to be made based on one season's worth of play.

His shot and his hands are far and away his biggest issues. He fumbles way too many pucks that he never used to. Is there a stat that points to speed being the problem?

Not beyond declining shot generation year over year. The rest is my eye-test. He can't lose defenders in a step or two the way he could before, especially in the stop-start of a cycle. Harder for him to get clean shots off.

It could just be his hands have gone.

There are some people out there that track passing success rate, maybe I'll ask one of them what they numbers say on that end. If his hands have gone, we should see some decrease in his ability to pass and receive passes as well over the same period.

 

[TLEH]

I take Kane off Panarin's line for this reason. Obviously everyone here is all for signing him to a long term deal. You need him to carry his own line at the numbers people are talking about. The "top line" last year wasn't good enough. Need to spread out the scoring. Putting Toews w/ Kane and a third wheel that doesn't even matter makes it a great line. Putting a guy like Schmaltz w/ his excellent vision and passing on a line with a guy like Panarin and his release is great. Moving Hossa w/ Kruger makes a better 3rd line especially if Motte's defensive game can translate to the NHL. That is my opinion why.

 

[hockeydoug]

What's with all the Vanek stuff?
He's a problem.

He had 9 total shots in the 2 rounds of the 15' postseason and I don't think he scored since mid February (getting scratched didn't help).

He's done, he's bad. It would have been like signing Havlat a couple years ago.

 

[BobbyJet]

What's with all the Vanek stuff?
He's a problem.

He had 9 total shots in the 2 rounds of the 15' postseason and I don't think he scored since mid February (getting scratched didn't help).

He's done, he's bad. It would have been like signing Havlat a couple years ago.

I agree but I do understand that some fans feel the desperation right now when it comes to generating offense. I'm somewhat uneasy about it myself. It's quite possible that a one dimensional player like Vanek could fill some of that gap for a year or so, while the young Hawks (especially those that are offensive oriented) mature.

 

[TLEH]

I agree but I do understand that some fans feel the desperation right now when it comes to generating offense. I'm somewhat uneasy about it myself. It's quite possible that a one dimensional player like Vanek could fill some of that gap for a year or so, while the young Hawks (especially those that are offensive oriented) mature.

its time to inject some youth into this lineup rather than use overworked and out of gas veterans. Especially ones that don't give a ****. No thanks to Vanek