Playoff Push Thread

[Illinihockey]

He traded him away because he’s an idiot, not because he had any negotiations with Hammer... Why would you trade such a high end stay at home D getting paid very well I just don’t understand, some were convinced he was “declining” that was the narative after he left lol. I don’t get it personally, as soon as a player has a couple months of non top shape hockey he’s declining? It’s like people pick and choose who to put that label on, some have bigger leashes than others, to say he was declining was moronic and laughable to me but hey whatever makes the same group of apologetics happy.

Murphy is better than Hammer now.

 

[Blackhawks]

Murphy is better than Hammer now.

LOL Ya in his dreams

 

[Illinihockey]

LOL Ya in his dreams

Hammer is a corpse at this point and has been for a couple of years.

 

[clydesdale line]

Hammer is a corpse at this point and has been for a couple of years.

You haven't watched Hjalmarsson this season if you think that. He's been very good on a terrible Yotes team.

 

[Hawkaholic]

Hammer is a corpse at this point and has been for a couple of years.

He really isn't.

Tableau Public

 

[Blackhawks]

He really isn't.

Tableau Public

Seabrook is the worst lol

 

[LDF]

Seabrook is the worst lol

and i agree and it is b/c of his contract and how far he is a shadow of his old self.

 

[Blackhawks]

and i agree and it is b/c of his contract and how far he is a shadow of his old self.

It’s getting so bad now that contract aside he is just a detriment to the team when he’s on the ice.

 

[LDF]

It’s getting so bad now that contract aside he is just a detriment to the team when he’s on the ice.

yeah i am in total agreement.

what i am proud of, the Bhawk FO and org honoring him..... i truly believe he will retire. the writing is in the sky.

 

[HawksBeerFan]

The Athletic now has the Hawks at a 19% chance to make the playoffs.

Damn impressive run from the team.

 

[CokenoPepsi]

The Athletic now has the Hawks at a 19% chance to make the playoffs.

Damn impressive run from the team.

I'd give them better chance then that.

Only two points out and Minny seems to be giving up by looking to move Staal.

So that just leaves Vancouver to fight over the last spot as Colorado in free fall now

 

[JaegerDice]

Hammer is a corpse at this point and has been for a couple of years.

After a really bad season, Hjalmarsson has been really good this season.

Can he keep it up? Remains to be seen.

The thing is, you add Hjalmarsson back to this team, it's still not good enough to win, because we STILL don't have a #1D among other things.

This team should have been in the opening stages of major surgery coming off the 2015 cup win, instead they decided to 'go for it' 2 seasons in a row when they had no real chance at the ultimate prize, had to deal with cap issues as a result of that choice, and now we're years behind finally doing the major surgery. We could have been in recovery and on the upswing by now if the team didn't try to 'go for it' with a roster that quite. simply. wasn't. good. enough.

 

[puterwiz53]

Hammy will not be coming back to the Hawks and mainly because of his salary and he is on the backend of his career. His body has taken such a beating that he won't last along as other defense men who played up until their late thirties. Besides, the Hawks are going younger and faster and that is the right trend. They may get a decent defense man out of Boston if they want Saad bad enough.

 

[coolhand]

I just don't get the "tank for a high pick" mentality. Edmonton has been tanking for years and what have their high picks done for them? That thinking only breeds losing long term. Why play hard? The main goal in sports is to compete and win. If you play hard and lose, so be it, as long as you gave it your best shot. The Hawks were so close in 2017, played a great season until the final 2 weeks, then got ousted by the Preds after completely dominating them in game 1 but couldn't score.

Hammer? Please. This team is thinking youth now. We can't keep going back in time. Play the young guys, get them experience at WINNING. The Toews/Kane window is closing and time is short.

JC's coaching is making a difference. The team is playing better, and after going down 2 to NJ last night, they could have called it a night. But they didn't, and THAT is the message the young players need to hear.

 

[JaegerDice]

I think we need a stay at home D more than anything, just reliable Hammer and Keith style D, I think that’s where this team is lacking. Hammer has 2 good years left in the tank, bring him back for 2.5M per for 3 years, I think he will take it. Then somehow get rid of Seabrook soon enough maybe compliance buyout and that will only leave Keith and Hammer and as the old men and the rest can be young dudes until full transition happens which will take a couple more years anyway.

Karlsson is almost as excellent defensively as well as offensively. He’s not Roman Josi out there.

Pure ‘stay at home D’ are being phased out of the game. Im not against having one (or assigning one of the D we have to that role if they’re not offensively inclined), but the days of adding a ‘stay at home D’ to make a significant, positive impact are long gone.

They’re depth pieces, like 4th line shutdown players. They contribute by giving the guys ahead of them the ability to be more efficient and have greater impact in fewer minutes, more selective matchups.

 

[ColdSteel2]

I just don't get the "tank for a high pick" mentality. Edmonton has been tanking for years and what have their high picks done for them? That thinking only breeds losing long term. Why play hard? The main goal in sports is to compete and win. If you play hard and lose, so be it, as long as you gave it your best shot. The Hawks were so close in 2017, played a great season until the final 2 weeks, then got ousted by the Preds after completely dominating them in game 1 but couldn't score.

Hammer? Please. This team is thinking youth now. We can't keep going back in time. Play the young guys, get them experience at WINNING. The Toews/Kane window is closing and time is short.

JC's coaching is making a difference. The team is playing better, and after going down 2 to NJ last night, they could have called it a night. But they didn't, and THAT is the message the young players need to hear.

The tank thing is just a meme. Nobody is talking about rooting for the team to lose. The main reason they are winning is the youthful enthusiasm of guys like Cat and Strome, and of course Kane doing what he does best. The younger this team can get, the better. Nothing will benefit Toews and Kane more than having a young, skilled team around them.

 

[DontToewzMeBro]

The key to getting to the post season will be our matchup vs Colorado IMO

3 games coming up

 

[b1e9a8r5s]

1 pt for the wild tonight

 

[b1e9a8r5s]

The key to getting to the post season will be our matchup vs Colorado IMO

3 games coming up

Very possible, but wild and nucks still in the mix as well. Hawks have a lot of work to do

 

[Kevin Musto]

1 pt for the wild tonight

Can't believe they blew their lead haha. They were up 4-1. Very good for us.

 

[DontToewzMeBro]

Next 10

CBJ (shootout loss)
OTT (w)
DET (w)
COL (L)
DAL (W)
ANA (W)
LAK (w)
SJ (L)
BUF (OTW)
ARZ (win)

I’d take 7-2-1

 

[SnakePlissken]

Can't believe they blew their lead haha. They were up 4-1. Very good for us.

Brutal loss for them. They certainly appear to be dead in the water, and if anything they will be sellers at the deadline.

 

[jaysoneil]

Next 10

CBJ (shootout loss)
OTT (w)
DET (w)
COL (L)
DAL (W)
ANA (W)
LAK (w)
SJ (L)
BUF (OTW)
ARZ (win)

I’d take 7-2-1

They'd better not lose to COL.

 

[Enyaw]

13.77% chance to make playoffs

NHL Playoff Odds -MoneyPuck Analytics Based Playoff & Cup Odds

 

[BobbyJet]

Avs losing today makes it look more and more like Hawks can dictate their own destiny. Do they have the character to pull it off? Are they hungry enough? I know Toews is.