A tight noose will be on Stan's neck if the Hawks do a Swan Dive in the 1st round. The biggest problem I see with Stan is his arrogance, stubbornness and his unwillingness to trade players at fair value. Stan always wants to get the upper hand in trades ..never willing to give reasonable value back. The new GM's are not listening to his offers anymore. He Hyper overvalued his draft choices and than winds up giving them away for peanuts or getting back a veteran that is washed up. Stan likes a lot of pawns but never goes for a queen or king.
- spanky

I don't know about that. Bowman did go out and brought in help at the trade deadline, including one of the top UFA forwards out there at the time. He can't be faulted there. In addition, I'd have to believe that Q wouldn't lose his job if the Hawks crap the bed in the first round. I could see changes to the team or the coaching staff, but at this point I believe that both Bowman and Q would be given a little more rope. Both would be skating on thin ice if the Hawks crap the bed in the first round.

As for what Bowman does with the team this summer (and beyond), that should be interesting...

Morning folks.

Can someone please explain to me what the hell is going on with Patrick Sharp, and why I'm considering dropping him as a free agent for Mika Zibanejad!?

Thanks
- Colin Dambrauskas

For some reason when I read this, I thought of:

SJ, if you are not on the ledge or a complete pessimist you are fighting a losing battle on this site. To be fair, I am generally regarded as a pessimist by my family while I argue more of a realist. I don't think the last game was tilted heavily in anyone's favor. I do think the Rangers had the better scoring opportunities but a good goalie helps a team overcome this and Crow did. But to say it was one sided is crazy. As you noted 1st per Rags, 2nd per Hawks, and the 3rd a toss up. Rangers may have been a bit faster but lets not talk like they ran the Hawks off the rink.

Hard to argue with the mountain the Hawks have to climb especially without Kane. But after seeing years of playoff hockey I fell like the Hawks have a solid chance if a few pieces fall into place and am not ready to write off the season just yet. Of course they have to stay in a playoff spot.
- Vark37

Hey, at least there's someone out there who see's the light(aka truth/reason/logical, level headed and rather obvious reality), and is also bold enough to call out the site(actually meaning the majority of Hawks fans who post comments, not the site itself which im sure we all enjoy, at least somewhat)without fear of being labeled a "kool aid drinker" or even worse, banned. lol.

SJ, if you are not on the ledge or a complete pessimist you are fighting a losing battle on this site. To be fair, I am generally regarded as a pessimist by my family while I argue more of a realist. I don't think the last game was tilted heavily in anyone's favor. I do think the Rangers had the better scoring opportunities but a good goalie helps a team overcome this and Crow did. But to say it was one sided is crazy. As you noted 1st per Rags, 2nd per Hawks, and the 3rd a toss up. Rangers may have been a bit faster but lets not talk like they ran the Hawks off the rink.

Hard to argue with the mountain the Hawks have to climb especially without Kane. But after seeing years of playoff hockey I fell like the Hawks have a solid chance if a few pieces fall into place and am not ready to write off the season just yet. Of course they have to stay in a playoff spot.
- Vark37

That's funny...I thought being critical and cynical was fighting a losing battle on this site.

Fletcher in Minnie looks like a genius. Picks up Dubynk who goes 21-4-1 last 26 games with a 1.67 GOA ....WHO SAW THAT COMING.

Hawks need to
1.Avoid further injury
2.Get TVR and Oduya back
3.Figure out the 3rd and 4th lines
4.Come up with 23 points in their last 16 games

Not many teams in the Cap World who go into the Playoffs without their #1 scorer make it deep in a Cup Run.
- Colbyboy

as far as i can tell if the wild make the playoffs: this is the 2nd half story of the year...

this team was given up for dead and yeo fired in mid january....the beauty of sports...ya never know

Hawks typically own possession. While its good to block shots, its not good to have to block as many to the point where its tilting possession......Now, many of those shots could be perimeter oriented, or not of any dangerous variety.....but some of them certainly were, and the fact that the other team had way more blocked shots, in this case, shows that the Hawks held the puck longer than the Rags, which is what the CF% at EV dictates. Hawks also had i believe 14 missed shots to the Rags 4. Shot blocking in general = good.....but that large of a gap in shots taken overall suggests puck possession, rather than simply not being good enough at blocking shots. Ask the Rangers fans on their blog about the game, they'll agree that the Hawks did just as good of a job as they did when it comes to clogging the neutral zone and limiting great chances...
- SimpleJack

Too bad for the stat guys that only one stat ever really matters - the score. Possession means very little if all you do with four or five power plays in a game is play keep away.

Pucks deep, pucks on net, bodies to the crease. Until that mantra becomes reality this $40MM offense means very little.

I just looked it up, definately was that place looking at the picture. Also, breakfast place was the waysider, looked that up also, little house place.

I'd weigh 400 lbs if I lived there
- vabeachbear

You can definitely hurt yourself with the food joints here

That's funny...I thought being critical and cynical was fighting a losing battle on this site.


- ArlingtonRob

You seem to have turned the tide. Some people on here have never drank Kool Aid and probably should as they basically have no say other than if they are going to support this team.

Too bad for the stat guys that only one stat ever really matters - the score. Possession means very little if all you do with four or five power plays in a game is play keep away.

Pucks deep, pucks on net, bodies to the crease. Until that mantra becomes reality this $40MM offense means very little.
- Return of the Roar

Agreed, winning the game would have been more important. That was never a debate, or in question.

And i also agree its time to walk the walk in terms of doing those little things to put the puck in the net.

Agreed, winning the game would have been more important. That was never a debate, or in question.

And i also agree its time to walk the walk in terms of doing those little things to put the puck in the net.
- SimpleJack

Would be nice Jack Back to lurking for me.Not that I ever have much to say.

Calling all NFL GM's ...Top Rated QB available in Chicago. Willing to sell at cost!

Would be nice Jack Back to lurking for me.Not that I ever have much to say.
- eagle50

Its all good. Feel free to lurk in the shadows while i entertain the masses. I got this on lock.

Calling all NFL GM's ...Top Rated QB available in Chicago. Willing to sell at cost!
- spanky

God how i love being one of those rare Packer fans living in this city.....always been a blast. Especially considering i grew up right as Favre took the helm, right as the Bears long, LOOOONNNNGGG streak of woe was just beginning....haha. Im actually amazed its lasted this long. Franchise is too prestigious IMO to remain down for that long....

Calling all NFL GM's ...Top Rated QB available in Chicago. Willing to sell at cost!
- spanky

God how i love being one of those rare Packer fans living in this city.....always been a blast. Especially considering i grew up right as Favre took the helm, right as the Bears long, LOOOONNNNGGG streak of woe was just beginning....haha. Im actually amazed its lasted this long. Franchise is too prestigious IMO to remain down for that long....

sorry for the double post.....and of all posts, it had to be that one? Really? dumb.

Kevin Hayes 2apples..

sorry for the double post.....and of all posts, it had to be that one? Really? dumb.
- SimpleJack

Hey, your not dumb...it's the McCasky clan that is the dumbest of them all!

Kevin Hayes 2apples..
- EnzoD

Yeah but no goals yet? C'mon....thats not that impressive....

Hey, your not dumb...it's the McCasky clan that is the dumbest of them all!
- spanky

Ownership can ruin a once proud franchise....its a shame.

Call it the FO committee. Maybe the TDL moves show Stan is getting more leeway or asserting himself? I'm hoping he shows us more this OS. I wouldn't bet against the Bowmans.
- tredbrta

Again - I would not put all of this on the front office. This team - minus Handzus, Frolik, Bolland and Leddy won the cup two years ago. I am sure Q gets a big say in who is on the ice.

Seeing that Q has won two cups here - I would think the front office has some input about certain players - but in the end, it's who the coaches are most comfortable with.

And Q has probably earned that benefit of the doubt. But if the team comes up short in this year's playoffs - I would think all bets are off on the Q disciples that are past their prime.

Kevin Hayes 2apples..
- EnzoD

Can't play in Chicago though.

Can't play in Chicago though.
- TrueGrit

The Hayes muff up is going to bother me for a while. he's already a very good player as a rookie and he's exactly the top six power/skill combo the Hawks need. I just don't understand how you trade Jimmy one year before his stud younger brother is about to make the jump...after you wait 4 years for him to develop....

The Hayes muff up is going to bother me for a while. he's already a very good player as a rookie and he's exactly the top six power/skill combo the Hawks need. I just don't understand how you trade Jimmy one year before his stud younger brother is about to make the jump...after you wait 4 years for him to develop....
- EnzoD

Why do the posters here all have such short memories???

Kevin Hayes first three years at BC were seriously UNDERWHELMING - including a bad leg injury his junior season. On top of that were serious maturity issues. Starting his senior season - it was looking like he would not receive an NHL contract - let alone the Hawks signing him. It took a miraculous season - with two outstanding forwards on his line to make him look like a prized pick.

What pisses me off is even with all his warts the first three seasons - the Hawks management stood by him. The little bumhole showed absolutely no loyalty back. And it had nothing to do with his brother being traded - if anything - the Hawks did Jimmy a favor by trading him to a team that had playing time available - and it wasn't Buffalo or Edmonton.

I don't care if he becomes a fifty goal scorer - I say good riddance to the punk. His me first attitude will show its ugly head in New York - and in a few years - they will be calling him a head case - and will either trade him to a garbage team - or let him walk in free agency.

Why do the posters here all have such short memories???

Kevin Hayes first three years at BC were seriously UNDERWHELMING - including a bad leg injury his junior season. On top of that were serious maturity issues. Starting his senior season - it was looking like he would not receive an NHL contract - let alone the Hawks signing him. It took a miraculous season - with two outstanding forwards on his line to make him look like a prized pick.

What pisses me off is even with all his warts the first three seasons - the Hawks management stood by him. The little bumhole showed absolutely no loyalty back. And it had nothing to do with his brother being traded - if anything - the Hawks did Jimmy a favor by trading him to a team that had playing time available - and it wasn't Buffalo or Edmonton.

I don't care if he becomes a fifty goal scorer - I say good riddance to the punk. His me first attitude will show its ugly head in New York - and in a few years - they will be calling him a head case - and will either trade him to a garbage team - or let him walk in free agency.
- dahawks8819

I kinda agree wit this.... I liked Jimmy better...if he woulda stuck it out next year woulda been his year for sure....but I wish him well...now Kevin...maybe Desjardins will pay him a visit one day

And on a different note...with Oduya coming back soon....would you rather see kimmo paired with Rosy on the 3rd line or with Hammer on the 2nd pair or is is kimmo and rundblad on the 3rd pair with kimmo