Thoughts on the Chicago Blackhawks?

[Bumpus]

 

[ColdSteel2]

There are a bunch of questions with this...#1 Are you saying that they keep 8 defensemen on the roster and shorten what seems to be a short forward group already? In order to travel and play 10 games he needs to be on the roster.
#2 I don't see him going to Rockford at this point nor do I see them just releasing him...reason?? Why would they have bothered to re-sign him if they were just going to send him down or release him? Truth is he will be the 7th defenseman if Franson comes to Chicago and one of the kids will go to Rockford.

I'd have a hard time seeing him go to Rockford but you never know, he's committed to helping the organization in any way he can. Yeah, we'd be going with 8 D and 1 extra forward. Rozy will not be the 7th D. He barely played last year as it was and he wasn't the 7th D last year.

 

[Pastor Of Muppets]

I have a hard time counting out the Hawks..As long as they have the core pieces,I still believe that they will be a legit threat...The team has to be refurbished to some extent..Like the Penguins,they will reconfigure and become a SC contender.

 

[angusyoung]

post lockout conundrum due to cap space,essentially all teams that thrive for a period,will fall as not able to retain correct personal with loyalty to to star performers that hinder cap allowance.

 

[dk2k]

Toews need to start earning his contract and start scoring more like all fanboys say he can like a 40 goal 100 point season. If you the highest player in the NHL then you better produce like it.

Now you get to go find a quote of someone saying Toews is a 40/60 guy.

It would be like the highest paid gleep glop blah blah yada

Right on, man.



Wait until everyone realizes Chicago got better this summer.

 

[ColdSteel2]

Wait until everyone realizes Chicago got better this summer.

"Well, they're good this year but they're gonna lose Heartman due to the cap!"

 

[JaegerDice]

Now you get to go find a quote of someone saying Toews is a 40/60 guy.



Right on, man.



Wait until everyone realizes Chicago got better this summer.

They didn't.

Certainly not as far as next season. 2 or 3 seasons down the road, you can make the argument they're better set up for, but next season they are a significantly weaker team, particularly defensively.

 

[CallMeShaft]

They didn't.

Certainly not as far as next season. 2 or 3 seasons down the road, you can make the argument they're better set up for, but next season they are a significantly weaker team, particularly defensively.

Worse on paper, maybe. But it's hard to be as bad as a 50 win regular season team that scores just three goals in 13 periods of playoff hockey. As long as they make the playoffs, they'll be widely expected to score more than three measly goals.

And if they don't make the playoffs, we can at least get a decent draft pick as compensation for the bad taste in our mouths. It's literally a win-win compared to this past season.

 

[ColdSteel2]

And if they don't make the playoffs, we can at least get a decent draft pick as compensation for the bad taste in our mouths. It's literally a win-win compared to this past season.

Nailed it. This is Bowman playing a little high stakes craps.

 

[axecrew]

I'd have a hard time seeing him go to Rockford but you never know, he's committed to helping the organization in any way he can. Yeah, we'd be going with 8 D and 1 extra forward. Rozy will not be the 7th D. He barely played last year as it was and he wasn't the 7th D last year.

Where does Jordan Osterle fit in?

 

[CallMeShaft]

Where does Jordan Osterle fit in?

Don't know what ColdSteel's opinion of Oesterle is, but I think he makes the roster as a #7. Always nice to have a guy who can play both sides in cases of injury, and if a player like Jan Rutta faulters, I wouldn't hate seeing Oesterle playing 3RD.

 

[The Note]

Worse on paper, maybe. But it's hard to be as bad as a 50 win regular season team that scores just three goals in 13 periods of playoff hockey. As long as they make the playoffs, they'll be widely expected to score more than three measly goals.

And if they don't make the playoffs, we can at least get a decent draft pick as compensation for the bad taste in our mouths. It's literally a win-win compared to this past season.

This is an honest question. What if they make the playoffs but bow out in the first round again? Do you want another trade? Fire Q? Try and fill gaps through FA? I'm just genuinely curious what Hawks fans are thinking.

 

[thesaadfather]

This is an honest question. What if they make the playoffs but bow out in the first round again? Do you want another trade? Fire Q? Try and fill gaps through FA? I'm just genuinely curious what Hawks fans are thinking.

I'd be fine with that since the last two times the Hawks were older. They've gotten significantly younger over the last two years. As the young guys step into larger roles there are going to be some growing pains.

 

[JaegerDice]

This is an honest question. What if they make the playoffs but bow out in the first round again? Do you want another trade? Fire Q? Try and fill gaps through FA? I'm just genuinely curious what Hawks fans are thinking.

They've made their bed as far as their big contracts. Best they can hope for is that the next lockout is resolved with a compliance buyout option for Seabrook.

Before then, they just have to keep trying to infuse youth into the lineup, either via their own draft picks, or trading for players they believe to be undervalued, like Panik, maybe Jurco, etc, or via the college/KHL FA route.

They're never going to be able to afford big FA acquisitions under the cap, and frankly, they haven't even attempted to since Hossa in 2009.

I think Q's job will rest on how he handles the rookies. Last season was looking great until he decide to infuse as many of the old players acquired for depth into the lineup every night. Essentially every lineup and tactical decision he made post TDL was the wrong decision. Not sure if he's coaching for his job, per say, but I think if he coaches too hard in conflict with Stan's vision for the team, he could be 'moved upstairs' at season's end.

 

[CallMeShaft]

This is an honest question. What if they make the playoffs but bow out in the first round again? Do you want another trade? Fire Q? Try and fill gaps through FA? I'm just genuinely curious what Hawks fans are thinking.

I'd honestly be okay with firing Q if he can't right the ship (even just a bit) this season.

His insistence on the Hawks always having both defensemen stay back, instead of allowing them to skate up ice when the opportunity arises, is one of the biggest faults for the Hawks dreadful play against Nashville IMHO.

Michal Kempny was our best defensemen for that this last season, and he was a healthy scratch for the old, beaten down Oduya. Brian Campbell also was forced to play more conservatively than he has throughout his career, which is a disappointment considering how well he performed just a year prior in Florida (but Florida allowed him to carry the puck up ice way more often).

Outside of firing Q next year, I could see us trading Anisimov. His NMC goes to an NTC and Nick Schmaltz will be more than ready at that point to be a 2C. Hawks would be able to more easily trade away Hossa's contract because it'll only have three more years to it. The Hawks will also not have $3.5m (mostly from Panarin) in bonus overages next season. All that cash can be used to make a major splash in free agency if the right players become available.

 

[axecrew]

Don't know what ColdSteel's opinion of Oesterle is, but I think he makes the roster as a #7. Always nice to have a guy who can play both sides in cases of injury, and if a player like Jan Rutta faulters, I wouldn't hate seeing Oesterle playing 3RD.

While I happen to agree...I asked because I think coldsteel is forcing the young d into a lineup with no room for them and is counting on them to make an impact that they can't or won't make this year.I dont see the hawks going out and resigning roszival and getting oesterle if they aren't going to play in the NHL this year. Which also tells me that they have less faith in those young players than coldsteel thinks.

 

[DanZ]

Said it before, but Chicago reminds me of the Penguins circa 2010-2015, when the Pens had 3 or 4 talented guys, but not much overall depth. Chicago's still got its core (Toews, Kane, Keith, Crawford), but no longer has the depth and complimentary pieces that helped it win 3 Cups.

Like the Pens from 2010-2015, Chicago's top end is talented enough to guarantee a playoff spot (barring injury). But also like those Pens teams, they likely don't have the depth to go deep in the playoffs.

Hossa and Seabrook were certainly part of the core that won 3 Cups. They really don't even have all of their core anymore, as Seabrook has declined and Hossa is done.

 

[CallMeShaft]

While I happen to agree...I asked because I think coldsteel is forcing the young d into a lineup with no room for them and is counting on them to make an impact that they can't or won't make this year.I dont see the hawks going out and resigning roszival and getting oesterle if they aren't going to play in the NHL this year. Which also tells me that they have less faith in those young players than coldsteel thinks.

I honestly agree, to a certain extent, with what CS is trying to say; though think he's getting a little too overhyped with some of the young guys.

Rozsival was likely signed because of the expansion draft. At his age and current skill level, he's not the type of guy Bowman likes having on a roster. Rosie's one big fan in the organization was Q, and eventually Q stopped trusting him last year. Rosie might play for a few preseason games just for one last taste, but I think his career is over. And honestly, with his best friend on the team (Hossa) being gone, I think Rosie will be quite okay with hanging up his skates.

The young guys CS is hypeing are guys who will play every game for us this year (except Rutta). Kempny was arguably our #4 defensemen last year and will continue that this year. Forsling played 38 games last year for us as 20yo and held his own. His preseason performance and his play in the SHL make most of us Hawks fans giddy for what he can become. I do believe he has the ability to be a 40-50pt defensemen in the future, but unlike CS, I don't feel that will be in the next season or two. Jan Rutta's a complete wildcard. Could be a good third pairing RD, could be a guy who get's waived early on.

 

[Esq]

Wait until everyone realizes Chicago got better this summer.

Okkkkkk. I'll be waiting.







Forever.

 

[oobga]

I bet Quenneville coaches them to another solid regular season finish. Top 3 in the West. They're a well coached and experienced team and have plenty of solid contributors still to have a very good season. Wouldn't be surprised to see another early playoff exit though.

 

[deytookerjaabs]

They went to 7 two years ago and this year got swept by the preds for good reason....that reason is coaching more than anything. They still have the talent to go deep in the right system.

Since 2013 (when it worked as the major players in the West & Boston etc moved in this direction, '09-'12 Hawks were different) they've been running a rather conservative system that just didn't cut it in 2017. Keeping the forwards closer to the dots when in our zone, try to possess & change before countering, very predictable breakout scheme, when in the o-zone always keep a couple guys back on the blue line so they're in greater numbers & deeper when the puck is turned over, rely a lot on board play, etc.

They just don't have the gusto top to bottom for that kind of grind game anymore and it's good the Preds exposed the **** out of that.

Contrast that with how the Penguins played the Preds....keeping guys up high when in the defensive zone for quicker transition, any man could be a transition puck carrier and up to 4 men could cross the line at once thus creating far less predictable schemes to shut down, moving the puck towards the dots when in transition, keeping the Dmen/Forwards almost toe to toe with the opposition (meaning they HAVE to skate well to break up a counter attack) etc etc. Just a completely different game plan.

Yep, the Hawks lost some Defensive-Minded forwards and Hammer, I'm okay with that if the game plan changes.

Going into the season it LOOKS a little weak in the bottom 6 (or perhaps missing one top end) but they'll have the $$ come TDL/midseason. That said, I think if the young guys continue their trajectory they'll be a heck of a supporting cast...IF. And, the front office thinks so too.

The roster is being very undervalued in this thread. Solid offense with good top end, a good top 4 D (Murphy is a fine #3 w/room to grow & Keith can still skate as of last year) when Seabs commits (he had stretches of 15 games or so last year where he was stellar) and Hammer wan not good the second half of the seaon while really falling off in the playoffs. Also, Crawford has the ability to be bigger than he is.

Certainly a cup contender under the right circumstances but my biggest question is whether this roster is the right one for a guy like coach Q.

 

[The Note in MI]

Like the popular opinion I don't see them making the playoffs but would not be surprised if they did. However there are just too many other teams in the west that I think would handle the hawks in a Playoff series.

 

[JetsHomer]

Wait until everyone realizes Chicago got better this summer.

Panarin ----> Saad
hjalmarsson ----> Murphy
Hossa---> Sharp

Only in Chicago did the team that downgraded at 3 postition get better

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

I could still see them winning another cup before they're done. There's still some great talent on that team.

 

[JaegerDice]

Panarin ----> Saad
hjalmarsson ----> Murphy
Hossa---> Sharp

Only in Chicago did the team that downgraded at 3 postition get better

Panarin for Saad is not the downgrade some like to believe it is. At worst its a lateral move that shores up some elements of the Blackhawks game while losing some raw production, particularly on the PP.

The other two are clear downgrades.