Entirely possible the Hawks to miss the playoffs. It just happened with the 2014 defending champs and nobody saw that coming. And a long offseason in the spring/summer of 2016 may not be a horrible thing in the long run for a team that's played quite a bit of hockey in the league and internationally since 2009-10.
- acmidd28

I saw it coming. Posted it a bunch of times.

Even when the Kings win the tournament they almost miss the playoffs.

They dpent horrible money on Mr. GLASS Gabrlorik and Brown seems to get slower every year and their style of play tennd to eear down the indivual faster.


If Kane plays this season the Hawks are loaded at Forward and will still make the playoffs even in a very tough West.

The Ducks have made moves to make them dcarier and faster , of all the teams in the league the onlybteam I see right now that could beat the Hawks with Kane in a 7 gamer is the Ducks.

Dano and Panarin are going to have monster years. Toews too.

I'm sure I'm going to torched for this. If traded, Bickell will be missed come the post season.
- Beaver-Warrior

I'm not going to torch you but I will disagree. They would miss 2013 postseason Bickell quite a bit but the guy I saw last season was a marginal NHL player. I don't remember which playoff series but I remember one shift where the second line was coming out of their zone and Kane passed the puck to him. Bickell couldn't handle it, went backwards, lost it again, went backwards some more, still couldn't handle it and ended up pinned in his own end. The entire shift was wasted because Bickell couldn't handle an uncontested pass from one of the NHL's best passers. His ability to hit is outweighed -- massively IMO -- by the inability to complete a basic hockey play. If he hits and nothing else, you're talking about a 4th line type of player. They have plenty of those and won't miss Bicks.

I'm actually excited for this years team with the infusion of some youth/new faces. Hopefully that can help drive some of the veterans who've "been there done that" and push this team forward.

I thought Rundblad was the worst defensemen the Hawks have had in 10 years? Someone needs to get Bowman the memo!

Mark Lazerus ‏@MarkLazerus 1m1 minute ago
Mark Lazerus retweeted The Players' Tribune
Daniel Carcillo retires. Good luck to @CarBombBoom13 as he pursues a worthy cause.

I did hear that Viz was a good player towards the kids, just had health issues...
But I do agree Hejda would be a better solution.
- Ur Not Me

Good to hear. Thx. All you need is one Radulov....

I'm not going to torch you but I will disagree. They would miss 2013 postseason Bickell quite a bit but the guy I saw last season was a marginal NHL player. I don't remember which playoff series but I remember one shift where the second line was coming out of their zone and Kane passed the puck to him. Bickell couldn't handle it, went backwards, lost it again, went backwards some more, still couldn't handle it and ended up pinned in his own end. The entire shift was wasted because Bickell couldn't handle an uncontested pass from one of the NHL's best passers. His ability to hit is outweighed -- massively IMO -- by the inability to complete a basic hockey play. If he hits and nothing else, you're talking about a 4th line type of player. They have plenty of those and won't miss Bicks.
- RomanF

Was it game 5 or 6 of the WCF? The one where we Toews scored two in a minute to push to OT then Bickell (frank)s it up in the first minute of OT to get the Ducks a win?

If not, well, there was that too

I think the majority of Hawk fans want justice served. Speaking for myself and a lot of people I talk to, we don't want to root for a guy who is a real jagbag off the ice. But, in this case at least, the possibility remains he is innocent.

For my part, I think, regardless of the legal consequence here, there is a character/judgement issue there that the Hawks, if not not those surrounding Kane and the player himself, need to address.

But that is going to happen behind the scenes assuming the legal thing dies.

The character issue (friends, off-ice activities, etc) is going to be addressed, one way or the other, and very well could result in Kane being in another sweater before too terribly long.
- John Jaeckel

Which is why we sit by and wait. Anything else is speculative at best.

I think a repeat is going to be near impossible. I think making the playoffs is 50-50.
- John Jaeckel

I totally agree with the first sentence, second not so much. Not so much because the Blackhawks more because of the rest of the division. Which teams in the division really have taken a big step up and greatly improved their club? The Blues, Stars, Avs, Jets, I don't see it. I see are chance of making the playoffs closer to 70-75%.

I don't see Dubnyk having a repeat of last season. The Blues were going to make some big changes and basically stood pat. I could actually see a drop off for them. The Stars, maybe slightly improved, but I doubt that it's enough to make the playoffs.

Bottom line we finish 2nd or 3rd in the Central.

Very nice assessment. Clearly all of the high-faluting morality is nothing more than image management for the organization.
- eggsegan

So "innocent until proven guilty" is an immoral position for the Hawks to take?

This could settle today or not at all. Would the "high-faluting" Blues act differently? How?

Are you saying the Blues would suspend Tarasenko if he was in a similar position?

Your preaching on this topic seems to be rooted in something....

Hejda should have the edge over Viz based on being 2 years younger and being a much bigger man. But if they will play for the $500K minimum I could see Bowman trying to find a way to keep both of them.
- RickJ

Agreed.. I'd take Viz as a 6/7 D-man and limit his minutes.

Good to hear. Thx. All you need is one Radulov....
- tredbrta

I do agree on Viz being a good leader for the kids. It appeared Timo was a father figure to TT so perhaps they are looking for this again.

Can we look at Kane coming to camp in a different way?

For the Blackhawks, it also gives them the opportunity to keep tabs on him and make sure he is getting the help he obviously needs. They can provide a counselor. They can provide a bodyguard (or someone to watch over him). But they can also keep him busy.

Which leads me to my second point. As someone who has gone through a major personal ordeal (not legal, like Kane), I couldn't sit at home stewing about it...I had to go back to work. Playing hockey and gearing up for the season, whether he ends up playing or not, is good for PK.

If he's indicted, tried and found guilty, let him rot in prison. If he's guilty and settles out of court or pleads no contest or something like that...well, that's our system, what can we do about it. If he's innocent, let's just get back to talking about how crappy Rundblad is.

I do agree on Viz being a good leader for the kids. It appeared Timo was a father figure to TT so perhaps they are looking for this again.
- golfbard

Toews, Hossa, Keith, Seabrook - add Hjalmarsson with his gutsy play, Kruger by knowing his job and doing it - how many leaders does a team need?

Let's get some hockey players.

As a heads up if you guys don't know already, PTO extended to Thomas Kopecky apparently yesterday!

http://www.cbssports.com/...ns/CHI/chicago-blackhawks

As a heads up if you guys don't know already, PTO extended to Thomas Kopecky apparently yesterday!

http://www.cbssports.com/...ns/CHI/chicago-blackhawks
- the_dough_boy

Finally, someone to carry Harian Hossa's luggage. ... actually I liked TKo...

2016-17, the Hawks could be right back in legit Cup contention
- John Jaeckel

Completely agree. With or without Kane. A year for the new guys to learn the system and the young guys to mature. Not many contracts expiring after this season. Hopefully Seabrook and Kruger get extended soon.

Don't know if I missed your reasoning, but why are you giving the Hawks a 50/50 shot at making the playoffs? Is that if Kane is not on the team?
- Dannyboy

OUT

Saad
Sharp
Richards
Oduya
Versteeg
Nordstrom

IN

Anisimov
Dano
Tikhonov
Panarin
Daley
Garbutt
Hejda?
Paille?

That's a LOT of turnover and while the replacements look good on paper or on youtube, it is really hard to say how well or how soon they'll mesh.

Also, the Hawks have played a LOT of hockey over the last three seasons. More than any other team and I know personally a lot of the veterans (Toews, Keith, Seabrook, Hossa) couldn't wait for all the celebrations to end and get out of town and rest. Not a "young" team anymore.

And then there are still many question marks surrounding Kane, even if he suits up at camp.

This team could be great or it could really struggle. Just too many variables right now.

Now for my thoughts on Patrick Kane. Was just listening to Kap and Haugh, not sure which one said it but they were talking about the Wisconsin situation and one of them said they heard through multiple sources that Kane was told that this was it. One more situation like this and you're done.

Now if and it's a big if that's true I don't see how they have any choice but to move him at some point.

Not to get political, but it's the best comparison I can think of off the top of my head. But, they can't pull an "Obama", if you draw a line in the sand you better damn well enforce it. If you don't you're sending a very bad message to the team. If you do enforce it you're sending a strong message to the team. We mean what we say and no one, no matter who you are or how good you are is exempt.

I thought Rundblad was the worst defensemen the Hawks have had in 10 years? Someone needs to get Bowman the memo!
- biegs

The guy does have some skill offensively. I say this half-jokingly, but...maybe he should be a forward?

Finally, someone to carry Harian Hossa's luggage. ... actually I liked TKo...
- kwolf68

I like it, also further evidence that the hawks are building three separate language cultures:

Russian

Tikhonov
Anisimov
Panarin

Swedish

Hjalmarsson
Kruger
Gustafsson

Slovak

Hossa
Dano
Viznofsky
Kopecky

They do this to help bring the young guys along and it is really smart.

Toews, Hossa, Keith, Seabrook - add Hjalmarsson with his gutsy play, Kruger by knowing his job and doing it - how many leaders does a team need?

Let's get some hockey players.
- StLBravesFan

if Viznofsky has ANYTHING left, he could help on the PP. Because the Hawks still lack a true PP QB.

OUT

Saad
Sharp
Richards
Oduya
Versteeg
Nordstrom

IN

Anisimov
Dano
Tikhonov
Panarin
Daley
Garbutt
Hejda?
Paille?

That's a LOT of turnover and while the replacements look good on paper or on youtube, it is really hard to say how well or how soon they'll mesh.

Also, the Hawks have played a LOT of hockey over the last three seasons. More than any other team and I know personally a lot of the veterans (Toews, Keith, Seabrook, Hossa) couldn't wait for all the celebrations to end and get out of town and rest. Not a "young" team anymore.

And then there are still many question marks surrounding Kane, even if he suits up at camp.

This team could be great or it could really struggle. Just too many variables right now.
- John Jaeckel

With Kane: only 3 proven (PROVEN) top 6 forwards, and only 3 proven top-4 blue liners.

Don't know about 50/50 - but they certainly aren't a lock to make the tournament.

if Viznofsky has ANYTHING left, he could help on the PP. Because the Hawks still lack a true PP QB.
- John Jaeckel

That's fine - but don't keep him just because he's a good leader - this team has probably the best leadership in the league right now.

In regards to the Kane situation, lets just call it what it is, an easy solution to a difficult situation. To prove rape is very difficult from a prosecution standpoint, and difficult for the accuser. She is likely wanting a deal since she may not prove the rape happened in court. For Kane, he may want to do a deal, because even if innocent, he may be found guilty, on her word alone. A deal is likely the best outcome for both, and does NOT determine guilt or innocence on either's part.