Speculation: Season is over, '19-'20, optimist or pessimist?

deytookerjaabs

Johnny Paycheck's Tank Advisor
Sep 26, 2010
13,294
5,260
Eastern Shore
What's your gut feeling?


Mine is...pessimist. This team has a lot of talent, more than many, but during crunch time repeatedly fell short all year long against a really lackluster division & conference as a whole compared to years past.

When all cylinders weren't clicking a loss was basically pre-determined. When firing on all cylinders mid-season they'd rack up wins with the run & gun game.


There's lots of roster talk, trade talk, FA talk, bla bla bla, but a few moves here & there may not necessarily sway the boat given the general compete level.
 

Section88

Kaner? I hardly know her
Jul 11, 2017
5,573
4,795
Optimist. Theyre headed in the right direction and we've only been a bottom feeder team for 2 seasons. Some teams take year to get back to a respectable level
 
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BK

"Goalie Apologist"
Feb 8, 2011
33,636
16,483
Minneapolis, MN
Optimistic

My gut feeling is that this team will be the team we saw the second half of the season. I think this team will be a playoff team next year. This summer will be crucial with free agency, the draft, and the trade market.

This season and last were the bottom and I believe this team is now back on the upswing.

I would like the following added this summer in addition to prospects. 2 middle 6 forwards and SAH D.
 
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hawksfan50

Registered User
Feb 27, 2002
13,980
1,964
But the team we saw in the 2nd half Failed in too many critical games once we got back I'm the wild card race...The team also failed miserably I the final game loss tonight because the big guns were no shows and the team blew a 2-0 lead and the team gave up 50 shots ...and surrendered in the 3rd period.

The team has too many issues that are now u fixable= Keith's decline and Seabrook's embarrassing inability to move ..waddling and flipping is a more apt description.Neither of them should be on the pk ..not Toews either..We need better PK guys..both on D and at forward.We Need a much better 4th lone. .

Will Crawford be able to stay healthy or now at 35 is he going to be injured a lot of the time every season?Who will our back-up be and can he stop pucks given the garbage defending in front of him?

So many holes to fix ...
 

BK

"Goalie Apologist"
Feb 8, 2011
33,636
16,483
Minneapolis, MN
But the team we saw in the 2nd half Failed in too many critical games once we got back I'm the wild card race...The team also failed miserably I the final game loss tonight because the big guns were no shows and the team blew a 2-0 lead and the team gave up 50 shots ...and surrendered in the 3rd period.

The team has too many issues that are now u fixable= Keith's decline and Seabrook's embarrassing inability to move ..waddling and flipping is a more apt description.Neither of them should be on the pk ..not Toews either..We need better PK guys..both on D and at forward.We Need a much better 4th lone. .

Will Crawford be able to stay healthy or now at 35 is he going to be injured a lot of the time every season?Who will our back-up be and can he stop pucks given the garbage defending in front of him?

So many holes to fix ...

Their record in the second half says otherwise.
 

Kaners Bald Spot

Registered User
Dec 6, 2011
22,704
10,812
Kane County, IL
Optimist. I think a ton of the defending problems were due to switching defensive coverage systems mid-season. I think they're at the very least going to be average defensively next season. They have plenty of offense. There really isn't much they can do on the defensive end personnel wise other than make a big trade or hope for one of the kids to come up and be great right away. Blowing their capspace on Karlsson or Gardiner would be beyond asinine.
 
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Styles

No Light, No Signal
Apr 6, 2017
8,141
13,158
We make the playoffs. But the PK needs a major make over. JC hasn’t addressed this so who can we bring in to fix it?
 
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Styles

No Light, No Signal
Apr 6, 2017
8,141
13,158
Lord Hosea is still being paid by the Yotes but can he come in as a coach?
 

Backyard Hockey

Dealing With It
Feb 13, 2015
13,315
5,110
Pessimist.

Yes this is a different team with a full season of Crow, but they missed the playoffs with 4 guys having career years - Kane, Toews, Cat, Gus.

The blue line is an absolute disaster. There is simply no getting around that. It’s all been discussed 100 times.

The need to figure out a way to get rid of the Seabrook contract but based on what we’ve seen, I don’t see this organization showing the stones to do that.

For now, it looks like they will be relying on very young unproven guys to make a difference there.

Consistently being the worst PK team has killed this team. Changed the staff. Changed a number of penalty killers. Same result. If this team was middle of the pack - say 15-18th - instead of 31st, they are in the playoffs. Sounds like an easy solution, but I’ve seen nothing to suggest that will happen

Then we come to the wingers. The cupboard appears bare for wingers in Rockford. The only guys outside of the core who made a difference were mid season additions - Strome, Cagiula and Perlini for the half dozen games he showed up. Hayden brings nothing and Sikura didn’t take that step.

They badly need a third line center and an entire new 4th line.

So, let’s see what happens. I know that convential wisdom says the big free agent signings aren’t usually enough to make the splash but that might be the only way this team takes the next step. They need proven veteran help on the blue line, a third line center and at least 3-4 new wingers. And guys who can play two way. This team has too many wingers who offer zero checking or defensive structure.

I’m make it simple. If Keith and Seabrook are playing the same roles/minutes as they did this season, the arrow points down.

Another thing not talked about is the willingness to block shots. That was so under appreciated about Hammer’s game. Can anyone remember a time this entire season where Gus blocked a shot?
 

featherhawk

Registered User
Dec 13, 2006
14,227
4,960
optimist, Stan and JC have a plan, they are on the same page, help is on the way, some dead weight is gone!

Must do's:

1) Fix the PK, last in the NHL I think we were......they are not aggressive enough on the PK, get a good PK coach, Hossa as mentioned above is an employee of the yotes so that is a no go. Someone like Jiri Lehtonen maybe, what the hell is that guy up to these days?

2) Let the young players fill MOST of the empty roster spots: likely to do so include,Kubalik, Kurashev, Highmore, Sikura joker, Krys, Mitchell

3) Sign / trade for one solid two way forward, ideally a guy that could play either C or wing.

4) Sign / trade for one solid top 4 D that can suck up 20 mins per game

5) Try to figure out if Crow is going to be able to carry the load next year, if not what is the plan? Delia? Perhaps pry Thomas Griess from the Island....
 

Backyard Hockey

Dealing With It
Feb 13, 2015
13,315
5,110
Their record in the second half says otherwise.
But they choked when they needed it most

And that record was largely a result of Crow - who has been hurt the better part of two years - being healthy and Kane carrying the team.

While it’s a function of team defense, the #1 priority of this team is not being the worst PK team in the league.

A move from 31 to like 15-18 is a gain of at least 8-10 points.
 

Backyard Hockey

Dealing With It
Feb 13, 2015
13,315
5,110
optimist, Stan and JC have a plan, they are on the same page, help is on the way, some dead weight is gone!

Must do's:

1) Fix the PK, last in the NHL I think we were......they are not aggressive enough on the PK, get a good PK coach, Hossa as mentioned above is an employee of the yotes so that is a no go. Someone like Jiri Lehtonen maybe, what the hell is that guy up to these days?

2) Let the young players fill MOST of the empty roster spots: likely to do so include,Kubalik, Kurashev, Highmore, Sikura joker, Krys, Mitchell

3) Sign / trade for one solid two way forward, ideally a guy that could play either C or wing.

4) Sign / trade for one solid top 4 D that can suck up 20 mins per game

5) Try to figure out if Crow is going to be able to carry the load next year, if not what is the plan? Delia? Perhaps pry Thomas Griess from the Island....

Disagree on the young guy forwards comment. They can’t just fill spots. They need to provide some depth scoring and ideally bring something for the PK.
 

BK

"Goalie Apologist"
Feb 8, 2011
33,636
16,483
Minneapolis, MN
But they choked when they needed it most

And that record was largely a result of Crow - who has been hurt the better part of two years - being healthy and Kane carrying the team.

While it’s a function of team defense, the #1 priority of this team is not being the worst PK team in the league.

A move from 31 to like 15-18 is a gain of at least 8-10 points.

The result was a result of the team. The team d towards the end of the season was much better and that will continue to improve during tc and next season. The system becomes easier as it is more muscle memory the longer you are in it. Joker will help as he should take the next step. Forsling was much better at the end (finally healthy). You add those two to Gus, Keith, and Murphy plus if they bring on some one else in you have an improved D.

PK is all about being more aggressive. Plain and simple.

Choked or ran out of gas?
 
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featherhawk

Registered User
Dec 13, 2006
14,227
4,960
Disagree on the young guy forwards comment. They can’t just fill spots. They need to provide some depth scoring and ideally bring something for the PK.

they can whichever two of, Kubalik/Kurashev /Sikura can provide offense and Highmore and the two way forward can provide something to the PK
 

swerdnase

Registered User
Jan 27, 2013
727
767
Optimist. I believe this team makes the playoffs if any of these things happen: Coaching change occurs off season. Crow plays the entire year. The defense we saw the last month or so was intact the entire season.

I agree with BK, don't think the boys choked so much as ran out of gas getting back into wild card contention.
 

Piffle

Registered User
Oct 31, 2007
1,552
152
I’m make it simple. If Keith and Seabrook are playing the same roles/minutes as they did this season, the arrow points down.

I completely agree with this. Seabrook gets a lot of crap here about going downhill (and rightfully so), but Keith doesn't get enough. He's always been high risk/really high reward, but the high reward part is gone and we are left with just high risk. He constantly bails out of any battle on the boards (and never gets called out on it by Pat and Eddie, even though they love to call everyone else on it), and makes the worst turnovers on the team. You always hear about guys "playing the game the right way", and Keith is basically the opposite of that. He is not a fundamentally sound player, and he is NOT the guy to lead the back end. He is the opposite of heart and soul. Can I have hammer back please. :(
 

migi

Registered User
Feb 25, 2015
4,418
2,917
Optimistic but I'd be very, very surprised if this team looks like that in paper in Prague.

The D is a problem and most likely there isn't any big additions. Jokiharju and Mitchell would be both something huge, but I don't think they are either or combined good enought to set this course in to playoffs guaranteed.
 

LDF

Registered User
Sep 28, 2016
11,778
1,172
as long as the FO does not address the defense, i am going to be very pessimistic.

and i am not talking about the young d-men corp that is developing.
 

Jeffrey Lebowski

The Chicago Little Lebowski Urban Achievers
Jul 31, 2009
6,078
908
North Side
Optimist, in that, this next year should be a great stepping stone to the 20/21 season. If I'm being honest, i think that's when this team will become a real threat again. I hope at least.

As long as some new guys get some TOI for a fair look, our overall team game improves (especially on the pk), and we make the playoffs... I'm happy.

Ideally, we make a splash next season like in 08-09 and get that swagger back.
 

Blackhawks

Registered User
Jul 25, 2007
5,678
1,134
8-9-3 in their last 20 games, do you guys truly believe a bunch of 19 and 20 year olds are gonna save this team? They are gonna need a couple years to develope if they eventually do that is but by that time Cat, Strome, Gus, etc. need new contracts with Kane, Toews and Keith are aging, it doesnt look too promising, dont get your hopes up...

Ill be "optimistic" when I see it with my eyes, also who knows what damage Stan will cause in these next few months lol...
 

Bubba88

Toews = Savior
Nov 8, 2009
29,993
750
Bavaria
Optimistic

Weren't that far away and have Cap Space/assets to improve. JC seems to work, Toews is back and Saad looked good to finish the season
 

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