I though all Stanley Cup victories were accomplished in the regular season. I guess I was wrong.

And way to go out on a limb... if the Hawks win the cup, you celebrate with everyone and say Stan wasn't so bad afterall. If they lose though, your months and months of whining and moaning are all vindicated and you can gloat while you whine and moan for another long summer.

Sounds like a win / win for a loud mouth fan who swears they know what's best yet some how aren't working in the industry that they claim to know better than the professionals who are employed in the league.

Well done.
- AceRatbang

Thank you.

You sound like a hawk employee who is spinning anything he can for good ship Blackhawk. Go ask the comcast studio hosts that were canned over the years, how this works...

Please...the object is to win championships. Not gloat over president trophies, tv ratings, consecutive sellouts, or the comical talking points I get to see every game day in the press releases coming from the hawks..."here's johnny!!!, etc"

Boy you are really loving Stan huh?

Anything less than 16 playoff wins is unacceptable? If this team goes to the Western Conference finals and loses in an epic series there will be no blame going anywhere. Don't pretend like in 2011 this team was expected to do anything. They didn't flame out, they lost to the #1 seed in the Western Conference!
- droe411

I've met Stan a few times, and he isn't a bad person.

A great GM? Not sold on him.

You can make all the excuses as to why they lost in 2011, or 2012, but watch how quickly that hammer drops if Wirtz loses out on more reveunue this playoff season.

I've met Stan a few times, and he isn't a bad person.

A great GM? Not sold on him.

You can make all the excuses as to why they lost in 2011, or 2012, but watch how quickly that hammer drops if Wirtz loses out on more reveunue this playoff season.
- SteveRain

Excuses? The 2011 Hawks were not a SC caliber team. You must have direct knowledge to know that heads will roll if they don't win a Cup.

Excuses? The 2011 Hawks were not a SC caliber team. You must have direct knowledge to know that heads will roll if they don't win a Cup.
- droe411

Remind me how many stanley cups were awarded during the regular season?

Bowman is playing a dangerous game of chicken...In 2010 he won, when Niemi came through.
In 2011, 2012 he lost when his team flamed out in the 1st round...

Anything less then 16 playoff wins, with this team, is unacceptable and is blamed squarely on the shoulders of a GM who for the 3rd straight year thought he was smarter then the rest of the league.

Again, he wins...I'll glady give him credit..This team loses, I assume you and the others will run back to hiding...
- SteveRain

Steve even the kool-aid drinkers aren't puppets, we just don't fly off the handle with every move and non-move made by this front office. Those last two play-off's, the Hawks weren't the best team. 2011 team was so lacking after the cup purge, and 2012 Toews was nowhere near right in the head to lead us anywhere. And any deadline move's wouldn't of done shyte.. I find it funny that the louder you scream the bigger the fan you think you are for some posters...So not true! Nothing is guaranteed in the postseason! One hit and the train could derail again. Stan is the whipping boy, but not because of the on ice product...

All I'll say is politics. It wasn't done intentional, but it was the perfect reason to fire a very popular gm with fans and players, coming off a great season, and having just signed Hossa, Kopecky, and Madden.

The poor saps who think Tallon wanted to fire Savard, are in the dark as well...
- SteveRain

Thanks Rain Man...appreciate any opinions/insights

I though all Stanley Cup victories were accomplished in the regular season. I guess I was wrong.

And way to go out on a limb... if the Hawks win the cup, you celebrate with everyone and say Stan wasn't so bad afterall. If they lose though, your months and months of whining and moaning are all vindicated and you can gloat while you whine and moan for another long summer.

Sounds like a win / win for a loud mouth fan who swears they know what's best yet some how aren't working in the industry that they claim to know better than the professionals who are employed in the league.

Well done.
- AceRatbang

Regardless, rings are not given out for RS dominance.

Actually, by all accounts, he's a really good guy.

The structure is what it is. Scotty is way more involved than people realize. Stanley way less. But Scotty lives in Florida and Stanley does the press conferences. That's pretty juch it as I understand it.
- John Jaeckel

Love my parents but that would be an awful work environment IMO.

Thanks Rain Man...appreciate any opinions/insights

- philco28

Of course they were looking for any reason to fire Tallon. That's what happens when you have a change in ownership. Out with the old, in with your boys. It should be no surprise that Tallon was ousted, maybe in the manner it happened though. Same for Savard, Scotty was pulling for power on this team and won.

Regardless, rings are not given out for RS dominance.
- blackhawk24

No, but regular season dominance can sure help you win a ring.

Love my parents but that would be an awful work environment IMO.
- fattybeef

If your father was the only reason you got the job you would probably tough it out.

>How they conduct themselves in totality -- not just off the ice
>A player must develop a routine that he knows will help him produce the most consistent, high-quality effort
>Crawford dropped his pre-game routine of playing soccer "with the boys" and instead does mental training pre-game -- big difference this year
>Nik Lidstrom had the EXACT same ritual for every Wings road game -- breakfast each morning at same time, read the paper at breakfast, etc. -- that ritual drove his consistency on the ice
>Each player is responsible for "finding his mojo"
>Many don't because they don't know how -- that's where guys like Hossa help a ton
- SnapitUpstairs

Boy you are really loving Stan huh?

Anything less than 16 playoff wins is unacceptable? If this team goes to the Western Conference finals and loses in an epic series there will be no blame going anywhere. Don't pretend like in 2011 this team was expected to do anything. They didn't flame out, they lost to the #1 seed in the Western Conference!
- droe411

Why only 16?

Steve even the kool-aid drinkers aren't puppets, we just don't fly off the handle with every move and non-move made by this front office. Those last two play-off's, the Hawks weren't the best team. 2011 team was so lacking after the cup purge, and 2012 Toews was nowhere near right in the head to lead us anywhere. And any deadline move's wouldn't of done shyte.. I find it funny that the louder you scream the bigger the fan you think you are for some posters...So not true! Nothing is guaranteed in the postseason! One hit and the train could derail again. Stan is the whipping boy, but not because of the on ice product...
- moots

So where are the expectations? Where do you expect this team to end up?

Me...I'll be surprised if they make it out of round 2. I think they can easily handle a Dallas/Detroit/Columbus.

From there....the only team I am willing to bet they could beat pretty easily based on potential matchups of St. Louis, San Jose, LA, and Minnesota? Minnesota.

When the larger teams take liberties at the stars, our PP has to make them pay, and it's absolutely a non factor right now. 1-32 or something to that nature? What I dont' get is that players and coaches just assume, it will click....

Of course they were looking for any reason to fire Tallon. That's what happens when you have a change in ownership. Out with the old, in with your boys. It should be no surprise that Tallon was ousted, maybe in the manner it happened though. Same for Savard, Scotty was pulling for power on this team and won.
- droe411

You're right but it wasn't Scotty....look 1 rung higher.

Thanks Rain Man...appreciate any opinions/insights

- philco28

I'm hoping we aren't seeing a duplicate of the 1991 Hawks here...

This team hasn't been expected to win anything since the cup...interesting to see how that takes a toll when you are the #1 seed...

So where are the expectations? Where do you expect this team to end up?

Me...I'll be surprised if they make it out of round 2. I think they can easily handle a Dallas/Detroit/Columbus.

From there....the only team I am willing to bet they could beat pretty easily based on potential matchups of St. Louis, San Jose, LA, and Minnesota? Minnesota.

When the larger teams take liberties at the stars, our PP has to make them pay, and it's absolutely a non factor right now. 1-32 or something to that nature? What I dont' get is that players and coaches just assume, it will click....
- SteveRain

Awfully pessimistic. Anyway we'll be playing the 7 seed in the second round, the Ducks are finally running out of luck

Awfully pessimistic. Anyway we'll be playing the 7 seed in the second round, the Ducks are finally running out of luck
- rollpards19

i agree on that...and that could be the Blues.

I've been reading hockey buzz for over 5 years and today i finally registered because i wanted to say thank you for writing one of the best articles i've read in years about the organization.

I'm only 27 years old but have been cheering on the hawks for a long time and even attending dozens of games at the old building, played hockey my entire life (college & pro) and whos father works in the hawks organization.

I do not know if i've read one article about scotty bowmans influence on the hawks organization or any of the 'actually' fantastic moves that stan has done to keep this team on its path. It may not be as flashy as Ray Shero's moves in recent years but look back at all of the transactions and think of was it a great personnel move or a great business moves, many of them panned out to be both!

Go Hawks!

Nice podcast with Stanbo on the team site....lot of ground covered.

No, but regular season dominance can sure help you win a ring.
- droe411

No its, ands or buts.

Ask the 2011 Vancouver Canucks (and please don't mention they got close, cuz close only counts in horseshoes, hand grenades and nuclear weapons). Or better yet, ask the 1991 Chicago Blackhawks. On the contrary, ask the 2012 LA Kings.

A solid RS, even a spectacular one like it can be argued the 'Hawks are now having, goes right out the window if they don't get 16 wins starting in May.

Actually, by all accounts, he's a really good guy.

The structure is what it is. Scotty is way more involved than people realize. Stanley way less. But Scotty lives in Florida and Stanley does the press conferences. That's pretty juch it as I understand it.
- John Jaeckel

How do you think that affects' McD and his ego in this whole thing? With Scotty in FLA being that involved, does that take away from McD's mojo?

Wouldn't an indoor rink defeat the purpose of having an outdoor game?
- EKolb13

Rogers Center is a domed baseball stadium. Open it up. Air Canada Center is the indoor one.

No its, ands or buts.

Ask the 2011 Vancouver Canucks (and please don't mention they got close, cuz close only counts in horseshoes, hand grenades and nuclear weapons). Or better yet, ask the 1991 Chicago Blackhawks. On the contrary, ask the 2012 LA Kings.

A solid RS, even a spectacular one like it can be argued the 'Hawks are now having, goes right out the window if they don't get 16 wins starting in May.
- blackhawk24

Not saying it wins you the cup, but it can help. Home ice advantage can help teams, and sometimes you pull an easier path. Not saying that will help the Hawks, but we can't sit here and pretend the regular season does nothing. You can always point to a few failures, there are also times where a better seeding has helped teams. If the regular season means nothing you guys should be throwing the great season the Hawks are having out the window. I think this year comes down to matchups. Who in the first and second round the Hawks draw.

Anything can happen, the Hawks in '10 might not make it out of the first round if Kane and Hossa don't steal a game against Nashville. Just so much pessimism over some wet dreams of trades people have on this board, in which no one knows if those trades were available to the Hawks. Enjoy what is going on.... Then react to what happens, they flame out of course be pissed! Like it was said earlier in here, it is easy to sit here and spell doom for this team. Either way if they win you can enjoy the Cup victory, if they lose you can tell everyone I told you so. Trade deadline is over, there is no going back. This is what we have to fight with. I will watch with hope and excitement........ then anger if they lose in the first round.