Respectively disagree. Stan was a genius until he literally butchered the Sharp trade resulting in both Johns and Oduya lost. Then he signs Kruger to 3M, big overpay. Seabrook at 6.8 (BIG overpay at least for the term he got). He then goes and trade Dano and a 1st for Ladd (overpay but a necessary trade) then Danault and a 2nd. I have always maintained that if Dano was not a part of the Hawks future he should have been involved in a hockey deal, not a rental.

Stan had a very rough 12 (well 10) months and his stock has gone down dramatically as a result. If he can pull a rabbit or two out of his hat this summer and get this team on the right track he will restore my faith in him but for now he is clown in my eyes.
- tyweb69

I love it when people write exactly how I feel...saves me time and typing.

I'm too pi ssed to read through all the posts and I am sure this has been written preveiously but...

May I add that not only did he lose Oduya and Johns he did not obtain a single player that played. Daley was traded for Scudari who was traded for Erhoff ...So the return for Johns Oduya and Sharp was a press box seat for Erhoff....

Danault to Montreal for Weis who played a grand total of 19 minutes in 7 games. Why they didn't trade Kruger instead of Danault is beyond me...Danault is less money and a better player
OMF ....I ses why Q is pissed at Stan

It's a joke people get lectured for analyzing the season just played out. I hope Stan himself is reflecting on what he can do better. He screwed up. Why can't people be allowed to admit that? It's post-season, people are frustrated, another year of the core wasted, mind boggling decisions by the truckload.

I get it many people love Stanley. Fine, but I am not part of that fanclub. Bowman walked into this team, a team that already had Kane, Keith, Seabrook, Crawford, Hossa, Toews, not sure if Hammer was in there yet...the core was built by previous guys. He tinkered around the edges, but it doesn't take a genius to give up a damn top prospect and a #1 pick for a rental. Duh! Lets erect a bust to the great Stan because he got Antione Vermette for a #1 and prospect. That took some brilliance. Now because the Hawks only lost by 1 goal (thanks in large part to the guys never even acquired by him) everyone thinks it's hunky dorey. The truth is the team looks like it's in trouble given the cap situation. Can Stan manage that? He was supposed to be a cap guru, other than moving numbers around a spreadsheet I'm not impressed. I'll rescend my view if Bowman gets it done this summer. Until then....
- kwolf68

So after last summer, Stanbo took a big swing at the trade deadline at a repeat and it didn't work out. The 2 guys he got from Montreal did very little (no surprise at all to me) and he didn't bolster the position that turned out to be the team's Achilles heel.

Same thing happened to Dean Lombardi this year and last; Dale Tallon's acquisitions got him 6 post season games only; the Bruins collapsed and died before the playoffs started and one of Poile or Murray's teams are done after tomorrow night. Tough league to win championships in.

I think my criticism would be more along the lines of the type of players he keeps acquiring. Size and snarl is meaningful in today's NHL - the Hawks need more of it. He and Q need to figure that out.

I did not watch the post game, but I surely hope Q did not do that. 52 is a young D-man. Mistakes happen. You can ruin a young player doing that. Q should know better.
- z1990z

https://www.nhl.com/black...ia/t-277437096/c-43741103

Without calling him out by name, Q referenced 52's turnover no fewer than four times in about sixty seconds with phrases like "playing the right way."
- darklighter

go to the hawk website the post game is always there...yes he did...but ya know there were plenty other candidates and plays that he could have pointed out except #50 bailed them out as he has all year...

on that play..three hawks got caught along the board on the goose TO...two passes later and a fumbling brouwer with an open net had 3 attempts at it...

but there was still 8 minutes...so it was not game set match...

i was intrigued by Q's very passionate response when he said, "huge disappointment for me"; the loss and playoff ejection i get....but i wonder what else motivated that statement with the emotion behind it

I did not watch the post game, but I surely hope Q did not do that. 52 is a young D-man. Mistakes happen. You can ruin a young player doing that. Q should know better.
- z1990z

Precisely why I asked. In the NFL, I've seen coaches call out players and most of the time, said player either goes into a shell or gets released.

If he's calling out players in the press, that's not a good sign. That is the easiest way to lose the locker room. My favorite football team fired it's coach after a post game presser where he said we were "the dumbest team in America" because that was the point of no return in terms of being a leader of men.

Blues will win the Cup.

Hawks will come back next year and be a force to be reckoned with. I think we're gonna be VERY good next season.

May take on the Hawks is this. The 2010 season was the culmination of the building and squeezing in a championship before the cap became an issue.

The second run was 2013-2015. Two cups and a WCF appearance.

We knew that the cap was going to be an issue this year (and maybe for a couple more) before they make their third run. That should give the core one last shot at a couple of more cups. I think the next couple of years are going to be rough. Welcome to the world of the salary cap.

Yeah, it sucks that they lost. But, it was a hell of a series.
- Tanuki

IMO this is an astute perspective and appears plausible considering the numbers that need to be considered in the cap era--

In this era of the NHL its not just the talent on the ice-- its the business side with financial / cap issues that need to be juggled-- then there is development going the right way with players . injuries, puck luck etc-- many experts have opined that Bowman has been masterful in the retooling of the team in the cap ear-- we have all seen great 'puck luck' leading to championships -- 17 seconds--

Which is why in 2014 the OT GM 7 loss on a bad bounce was devastating-- no puck luck there-- and last night we saw a perfect example of puck luck and bounces determining an outcome of another GM 7--

Congrats to the Blues-- and for the Hawks for battling when undermanned on the defense--

It seems premature to declare the status of the 'dynasty' window -- too much to be determined still to make that statement--

well said and I don't disagree. Big guys who hit and skate are gold. Nobody is scared of a physical game by the Hawks and nobody on the back end can hit anyone. They rely on stick checks and gap control which is fine when you're not getting destroyed time and time again.

I'm grateful for the 3 cups and the WCF finish in 2014 but for the 1st time I really see a slow decline about to happen. It was a given at some point but the NHL has caught up to them and neutralized them and I just dont' see enough in house replacements ready to become the next wave of Bollands/ Shaws/Versteegs/ Buffs etc.
- SteveRain

I think it started last summer, which is why this summer is SO critical. The cap commitments and the roster are still about winning now. If you keep selling off and compromising on your third pair and bottom 6, without upgrading elsewhere, you will have a slow decline. Bowman needs to figure out a way to fill in what's missing on the second pair, possibly another 2-way winger, and pay for it both in term sod trade and cap.

Panik and Panarin were two nice finds and possible/likely pieces of the puzzle going forward.

It CAN be done. But someone is going to be unhappy I think with what it takes.

Precisely why I asked. In the NFL, I've seen coaches call out players and most of the time, said player either goes into a shell or gets released.

If he's calling out players in the press, that's not a good sign. That is the easiest way to lose the locker room. My favorite football team fired it's coach after a post game presser where he said we were "the dumbest team in America" because that was the point of no return in terms of being a leader of men.
- DMCsPulledHammy

Hmmmmm Could be a very interesting summer. Could also be an ego problem where he again took another shot at Stan. Lets be clear.. Stan has done some good things, some bad things but he helped this team win two more Cups after the foundation Tallon laid. Bottom line Q is that you need to coach up the roster you have. You still have no legit answer for why this team struggles on the PP with the rediculous talent we have. Nor do you have a legit answer as to why you did not dress the best roster available to you starting game 1!!

I love it when people write exactly how I feel...saves me time and typing.

I'm too pi ssed to read through all the posts and I am sure this has been written preveiously but...

May I add that not only did he lose Oduya and Johns he did not obtain a single player that played. Daley was traded for Scudari who was traded for Erhoff ...So the return for Johns Oduya and Sharp was a press box seat for Erhoff....

Danault to Montreal for Weis who played a grand total of 19 minutes in 7 games. Why they didn't trade Kruger instead of Danault is beyond me...Danault is less money and a better player
OMF ....I ses why Q is pissed at Stan
- Colbyboy

Essentially, if you follow the moves—it was Brouwer and 5 years invested in Danault's development for Weise and Fleischmann as rentals.

Remember how many people couldn't wait to get rid of that slug Brouwer?

I know Brouwer pissed off a lot of fans with his stick work in this series, but he is a quality all-terrain forward in the NHL.

Interesting-- and he lives in Chicago-- but can he fill the need effectively?
- jb3333

Panthers have around $25m in cap space, if Tallon wants to keep him, he has more than enough to pay him. I personally think the Panthers will win a cup in the next couple of years.

I think it started last summer, which is why this summer is SO critical. The cap commitments and the roster are still about winning now. If you keep selling off and compromising on your third pair and bottom 6, without upgrading elsewhere, you will have a slow decline. Bowman needs to figure out a way to fill in what's missing on the second pair, possibly another 2-way winger, and pay for it both in term sod trade and cap.

Panik and Panarin were two nice finds and possible/likely pieces of the puzzle going forward.

It CAN be done. But someone is going to be unhappy I think with what it takes.
- John Jaeckel

Problem is, if Panarin is getting paid 3.3M right now, what's it going to take to sign him after this coming year when he has 2 70+ point seasons?

Essentially, if you follow the moves—it was Brouwer and 5 years invested in Danault's development for Weise and Fleischmann as rentals.

Remember how many people couldn't wait to get rid of that slug Brouwer?

I know Brouwer pissed off a lot of fans with his stick work in this series, but he is a quality all-terrain forward in the NHL.
- John Jaeckel

Q wanted him gone. That was obvious with the non stop BS dog house treatment. Ironic that Brouwer sends Q home for the summer. How good would Brouwer have looked in the top 6. Now yes there is no proof we could have kept him with salary cap issues and all, but Brouwer got the Q-boot!!

go to the hawk website the post game is always there...yes he did...but ya know there were plenty other candidates and plays that he could have pointed out except #50 bailed them out as he has all year...

on that play..three hawks got caught along the board on the goose TO...two passes later and a fumbling brouwer with an open net had 3 attempts at it...

but there was still 8 minutes...so it was not game set match...

i was intrigued by Q's very passionate response when he said, "huge disappointment for me"; the loss and playoff ejection i get....but i wonder what else motivated that statement with the emotion behind it
- bogiedoc

it is interesting how some fans have certain things that bug them and also jump on a bandwagon. 52 as the scapegoat is not right. Just like Campoli, watch a few minutes before the great play by Burrows on a poor Campoli clearing - Keith had a huge turnover and Crawford bailed him out. But 52 made a poor decision. But maybe more playing time during the year under similar circumstances (like playing in the 3rd period) might have helped.

I just blame Q and SB for this loss. Why did Q break up the lines at the beginning of the game and why was the team not ready? And rolling four lines? The team and JT bailed out Q and SB in the past, but this time. Oh so close. We could have kept oduya and johns if they wanted, but SB thought he could do better.

I think it started last summer, which is why this summer is SO critical. The cap commitments and the roster are still about winning now. If you keep selling off and compromising on your third pair and bottom 6, without upgrading elsewhere, you will have a slow decline. Bowman needs to figure out a way to fill in what's missing on the second pair, possibly another 2-way winger, and pay for it both in term sod trade and cap.

Panik and Panarin were two nice finds and possible/likely pieces of the puzzle going forward.

It CAN be done. But someone is going to be unhappy I think with what it takes.
- John Jaeckel

Who is that someone and what do you think it will take?

So after last summer, Stanbo took a big swing at the trade deadline at a repeat and it didn't work out. The 2 guys he got from Montreal did very little (no surprise at all to me) and he didn't bolster the position that turned out to be the team's Achilles heel.

Same thing happened to Dean Lombardi this year and last; Dale Tallon's acquisitions got him 6 post season games only; the Bruins collapsed and died before the playoffs started and one of Poile or Murray's teams are done after tomorrow night. Tough league to win championships in.

I think my criticism would be more along the lines of the type of players he keeps acquiring. Size and snarl is meaningful in today's NHL - the Hawks need more of it. He and Q need to figure that out.
- RickJ

lets take a look at teams who have made it to the finals since 2009
2009: wings and pens; wings can hardly get out of the 1st round and pens 1EC final
2010: flyers; a nothing bubble team since
2011: nucks; in freefall
2012: kings continued to run through 2014.. now a missed playoff and 1st round out; devils are just another team
2013: bruins are another cap casulty and are now a bubble team
2014: rangers; some nice playoff runs into the EC finals but they look like the window is closing
2015: bolts...injurys have hurt them; stamkos contract..they might now just become another team

so the 75 million $$ question are the hawks now in the early stage of becoming just another team...

Time to scrap the West East Playoff system. It's very flawed.

Match ups are created by drawing a team from Pool 1 to play a team from Pool 4 and Pool 2 to play a team from Pool 3.

Before you bring up the Divisional Rivalries. Think of this:

1. Best chance for the best 4 to be in the Final 4.
2. Compelling TV Draw Show
3. Eliminates the #3 Blues playing the #5 Hawks in the first round.
4. Eliminates #4 Pittsburgh playing #1 Washington in the second Round
5. Puts the 93 Point Bruins in the playoffs ahead of the 87 point Wild

It's fair and would create some great match ups. Hate the present system.

The Pools this year would have looked like this

Pool 1:
Washington
Dallas
Blues
Pittsburgh

Pool 4:
Flyers
Nashville
Detroit
Boston

Pool 1 Draws from Pool 4 and Pool 2 draws from Pool 3.

Pool 2:
Hawks
Ducks
Florida
LA

Pool 3:
Rangers
Islanders
Sharks
Tampa Bay

Essentially, if you follow the moves—it was Brouwer and 5 years invested in Danault's development for Weise and Fleischmann as rentals.

Remember how many people couldn't wait to get rid of that slug Brouwer?

I know Brouwer pissed off a lot of fans with his stick work in this series, but he is a quality all-terrain forward in the NHL.
- John Jaeckel

John, congrats and thanks for all you do.

The highlighted: starting with Q. Troy was jerked around mercilessly by Q during his time here and was (IMO at least) instrumental in getting him shipped off the good ship Blackhawk.

It's the same MO that got Leddy shipped off. I know a bunch don't want to revisit it, but Q has little patience for those not in his "circle of trust." I watched nearly 40 min TOI the other night wondering how he would have looked on our blueline with the progress he's made. Q would have never been able to deal with Seabs and Keith in their early days, that's for sure.

Really want to know why TVR could do no wrong. Or #86 for that matter. I'm not speaking of the playoffs exclusively here, but in general during the regular season. For some reason, Q seems to single out certain guys and simply not only never lets up, they never get completely out of the doghouse.

IMO Q reaped what he sowed, especially this season. Bailed out by Crawford, Kane and Panarin's fantastic regular season performances. Refusing to assimilate guys into the lineup like Daley, Garbutt and Sekac. And then later, Weise and Flash. Putting the team into a hole they couldn't dig their way out of by icing a less-than-best lineup from Game 1. Rocky and McD can't possibly be happy -- 3 games at the UC this playoffs and done. I for one would like to see more of a shakeup because more of the same is going to get you to a possible wildcard and not much else. And I'd like to see several of these guys actually put in some effort in the off-season to become better (whether that's working on strength and skating in TVR's case or adding to his overall offensive repertoire if you wear #19).

Was tough to stomach them losing last night and tougher still to think of the tough road ahead with the CAP and the holes in this lineup.

go to the hawk website the post game is always there...yes he did...but ya know there were plenty other candidates and plays that he could have pointed out except #50 bailed them out as he has all year...
- bogiedoc

Going off my recollection from last night. It was clear he was talking about 52, I just didn't remember hearing the name.

Sign in Preds locker room says, "Noon flight to Anaheim. Pack for 6 days."

Always a good year when the Preds last longer than the Hawks- even if it only for 2 days. And the Preds aren't even in Salary Cap hell.

Have a great summer

go to the hawk website the post game is always there...yes he did...but ya know there were plenty other candidates and plays that he could have pointed out except #50 bailed them out as he has all year...

on that play..three hawks got caught along the board on the goose TO...two passes later and a fumbling brouwer with an open net had 3 attempts at it...

but there was still 8 minutes...so it was not game set match...

i was intrigued by Q's very passionate response when he said, "huge disappointment for me"; the loss and playoff ejection i get....but i wonder what else motivated that statement with the emotion behind it
- bogiedoc

While the proximate cause of his anger was the Brouwer goal, I think he was also referring to the first period goals that were caused by TOs and "not playing the right way".

I also infer that he implied that he was very unhappy with the lack of aggressiveness on the part of his guys - as he put it, they didn't get "excited".

It was Gus, but it was also the rest of the team - only Crawford got a positive analysis from him.

Sign in Preds locker room says, "Noon flight to Anaheim. Pack for 6 days."

Always a good year when the Preds last longer than the Hawks- even if it only for 2 days. And the Preds aren't even in Salary Cap hell.

Have a great summer
- predsfan97

How many banners hang from the Bridgestone rafters?

Sign in Preds locker room says, "Noon flight to Anaheim. Pack for 6 days."

Always a good year when the Preds last longer than the Hawks- even if it only for 2 days. And the Preds aren't even in Salary Cap hell.

Have a great summer
- predsfan97

Let us know when you win a single Stanley Cup. Preds will be bounced in Game 7, and if not, bounced by the Sharks. Have a great summer, schmuck.

It's a risk to move Crow and put the heavy lifting on a young and inexperienced tendy in Darling. However, I think it may be wishful thinking to hope Stan can add players to form a quality 4-6D group, AND keep the entire $5mil+ group.
- EnzoD

This. I love Crow but he may need to get moved to open up some space. He also would bring back A LOT that the Hawks have recently given up in terms of picks and prospects.

Darling has not proven to be on Crow's level but neither was Crow before he was Crow.

Hawks have about 7 million in cap space to replace 8 players on the NHL roster. Two of them (Shaw and Panik) are RFAs...Shaw is at 2mill, Panik at 900K.

Do the math. The cap structure is a colossal train wreck.

What will Panik get? What will he accept?

Same for Shaw? Why should he "take a discount" when no one else will? He is at 2million, at the very least he is 3million+ (I say around Kruger money).

Shaw's RFA rights may be traded. I suspect Mark McNeill (also an RFA) may be changing addresses. Even if you don't resign Shaw you still are at the 7 million for 8 players. This is fringe NHLers and bargain bin guys.

There is NO WAY around it UNLESS you move a big salary or two. Expect 4 Rockford players to come up and 4 fringer NHLers UNLESS Bowman has a bag of tricks up his sleeve. However, after watching him work last summer where Dallas basically bent him over the barrel I am not convinced he can fix this mess.
- kwolf68

This. If you can move Bickell you get some room, also need to move another big contract though and I would say Keith, Kane, Toews, and Hjamarrson are only true untouchables.