THIS^^^^

My exact thought when I watched the USA-Canada exhibition last week.
- John Jaeckel

But wait, by all accounts posted by Tanner and others on HB, Keith:
1) should be out of the league because he is a dirty player
2) isn't a top 10 D-man in the league anymore
3) is only effective because of his partner
4) etc.
5) etc.
,

So you would trade Crawford for a 3rd liner that scores about 15 goals?
Also, your comparison with the Kings style of play is a reach for now.

The best Hawks defense rolls with possessing the puck. The Kings keep the puck also but the key to their defense isn't their offense it's their forecheck. I don't see the Hawks reshaping themselves in the same fashion, especially since they lost one of their best forecheckers in Shaw.
- Al

The players acquired this spring \ summer. Guys with some jam but guys that can skate very well. All skaters, with the exception of Mashinter.

That tells me they are going to look to release quickly out of the back, which they have the personal to do that now on the blue line AND transition quickly and forecheck tenaciously.

A 15 and 20 guy to compliment Kooga makes this team a lot more dangerous and will free up space for Toews and Hossa to slay some scrubs.

Nashville has had no one remotely comparable to Toews or Kane ever. Or anywhere near the combination of Sharp, Saad and Hossa to fill in the other spots. Not even close.

Plus Keith > Webber on every fathomable level.

Now with Subban, Forsberg and maybe if Johansen can put it together they will be a very very dangerous group. But in the past - Nah, not comparable.
- fattybeef

To be fair to Weber, he has some elements to his game that Keith can't match. I mean, his shot/goal scoring and physical play are areas where Weber shines, while Keith definitely has an edge in skating, agility, using his stick to defend, etc.

I like Keith better overall, but Weber is a different guy with different strengths to his game.

To be fair to Weber, he has some elements to his game that Keith can't match. I mean, his shot/goal scoring and physical play are areas where Weber shines, while Keith definitely has an edge in skating, agility, using his stick to defend, etc.

I like Keith better overall, but Weber is a different guy with different strengths to his game.
- breadbag

Plus, you need to take into account the systems each player plays in. Keith is a much better fit in Q's system.

Mark Lazerus ‏@MarkLazerus 14s14 seconds ago
Brandon Saad said last season w/ #CBJ made him appreciate his time with #Blackhawks even more. "It's something you can't take for granted."

Mark Lazerus ‏@MarkLazerus 3m3 minutes ago
Brandon Saad said he has "no regrets" about how things went down last summer. #Blackhawks

The players acquired this spring \ summer. Guys with some jam but guys that can skate very well. All skaters, with the exception of Mashinter.

That tells me they are going to look to release quickly out of the back, which they have the personal to do that now on the blue line AND transition quickly and forecheck tenaciously.

A 15 and 20 guy to compliment Kooga makes this team a lot more dangerous and will free up space for Toews and Hossa to slay some scrubs.
- fattybeef

I don't disagree with the last statement.

But trading Crawford for a 3rd line player is like a dentist extracting all your teeth because he found one cavity.

I don't disagree with the last statement.

But trading Crawford for a 3rd line player is like a dentist extracting all your teeth because he found one cavity.
- Al

I don't think fatty meant that even though that was how it sounded.

We can all fall in lockstep with the party line on the upcoming "youth fest," but . . .

having struck out in addressing top 6 LW this summer, the Hawks have to be back to at least considering the options as far as who they can deal in order to create cap space and bring the missing piece(s) back.

You can say that the Hawks can't afford to part with Kruger or Crawford, but after them, you don't have a lot of tradeable pieces that both create cap space and bring back real value in trade and can conceivably be somewhat replaced with what you have. And between those two, the arrow points a lot more strongly to Crawford.

Same deal, though, would the improved D be improved enough to mitigate the drop off from Crawford to Darling or Goalie X?

Mark Lazerus ‏@MarkLazerus 14s14 seconds ago
Brandon Saad said last season w/ #CBJ made him appreciate his time with #Blackhawks even more. "It's something you can't take for granted."

Mark Lazerus ‏@MarkLazerus 3m3 minutes ago
Brandon Saad said he has "no regrets" about how things went down last summer. #Blackhawks
- DarthKane

Sounds like he is playing both sides of the fence

He realizes now how much winning is important but at the same time he has no issues getting 36 million dollars

Counterpoint:

Q is a Formula One driver. Give him a Nissan Altima to drive and he will burn it out. No, not saying the Hawks, as a whole, are analogous to a Nissan Altima.

But, if you want a kinder, gentler coach to manage a rebuild, Q is not your guy. Nor does it make any sense for this team, as constructed, to be in rebuild mode.

Again, if you were plugging in ONE guy with elite skill, but needed some acclimation and experience (like, say, Saad in 2012), that would be one thing.

But it seems like there are some big money bets being placed (figuratively) on a few average to above average, 20-21 year old prospects and a guy who has been with 3 organizations in 4 years and never really scored big in the AHL.
- John Jaeckel

Well that was my point and you said it... Q doesnt have that race car anymore. He needs to adjust with this roster. If he doesnt...

I don't think fatty meant that even though that was how it sounded.

We can all fall in lockstep with the party line on the upcoming "youth fest," but . . .

having struck out in addressing top 6 LW this summer, the Hawks have to be back to at least considering the options as far as who they can deal in order to create cap space and bring the missing piece(s) back.

You can say that the Hawks can't afford to part with Kruger or Crawford, but after them, you don't have a lot of tradeable pieces that both create cap space and bring back real value in trade and can conceivably be somewhat replaced with what you have. And between those two, the arrow points a lot more strongly to Crawford.

Same deal, though, would the improved D be improved enough to mitigate the drop off from Crawford to Darling or Goalie X?
- John Jaeckel

I believe the "youth fest" will happen, but how long it lasts will depend on the success of said yoots. If by some miracle one 2-3 young guys step up and fill all the voids then great, problem solved without given up any assets. However, if not enough young guys deliver then Stan will explore his trade options.

The 2013 Cup team wasn't necessarily an offensive dynamo. We had a great luxury of a 4th line with Kruger/Frolik/Bolland, but we you were also looking at a top 6 with Handzus.

What that team did have was a monster defense, similar to what we have now. I may even prefer the defense over the 2013 one. Not saying we're cup favorites because of the D, but maybe it gives a pretty strong reason to not abandon ship on the season quite yet.
- teh_HAWKZ

You had Bickell doing his thing in the playoff and Saad and Sharp and Shaw and a 3 year younger Hossa. Definitely and offensive dynamo compared to our current group of forwards. Also first in goals for that year. Had 9 guys score 10 pts in those playoffs. Shaw had 9 and a baby Saad had 6.

This teams forward depth is not close to the '13 cup. Don't undersell the '13 teams depth.

You had Bickell doing his thing in the playoff and Saad and Sharp and Shaw and a 3 year younger Hossa. Definitely and offensive dynamo compared to our current group of forwards. Also first in goals for that year. Had 9 guys score 10 pts in those playoffs. Shaw had 9 and a baby Saad had 6.

This teams forward depth is not close to the '13 cup. Don't undersell the '13 teams depth.
- bhawks2241

Unless some kids step up the depth on this team will be as bad as it's been in years. Not as bad as the 10/11 season, but not good.

Mark Lazerus ‏@MarkLazerus 1m1 minute ago
Stan Bowman on Jimmy Vesey: "Every year we go after players that sign with other teams. It’s no different." #Blackhawks

Chris Kuc ‏@ChrisKuc 9m9 minutes ago
Asked Stan Bowman if there's a possibility Duncan Keith wouldn't be ready for regular season: "I don't know how to answer that."
#Blackhawks


Chris Kuc ‏@ChrisKuc 11m11 minutes ago
Stan Bowman on Duncan Keith: "He'll be ready when he is ready. But its nothing that we're alarmed about."

#Blackhawks

Toews is Sakic like. or Trottier or Stevie Y...He isn't necessarily there to score but to play the most important minutes and to play a defensive role like others can't.
- Al

That fits since Toews has always mentioned Sakic as one of his idols.

Chris Kuc ‏@ChrisKuc 9m9 minutes ago
Asked Stan Bowman if there's a possibility Duncan Keith wouldn't be ready for regular season: "I don't know how to answer that."
#Blackhawks


Chris Kuc ‏@ChrisKuc 11m11 minutes ago
Stan Bowman on Duncan Keith: "He'll be ready when he is ready. But its nothing that we're alarmed about."

#Blackhawks
- DarthKane

If this is related to his injury from early last season - and he might not be able to go in a month - seems to me that he could (COULD) be out an extended period of time.

Not only would they miss Keith, but I'm not sure they could make a deal including a defenseman now, given the uncertainty about their top blue liner.

Any of you all STH for the Hawks? Us Blues STH have the privilege of paying full price for 2 home pre-season games where 1/3 to 1/2 of the NHL roster will still be at #WCOH2016. Of course, would still have been a poor value even if WCOH was not going on.

I don't know about all you all, but reading here about Keith today makes me so happy to hear that Kempny fellow is leading the Czechs in ice time during the World Cup.
And having Soup on hand.

I don't think fatty meant that even though that was how it sounded.

We can all fall in lockstep with the party line on the upcoming "youth fest," but . . .

having struck out in addressing top 6 LW this summer, the Hawks have to be back to at least considering the options as far as who they can deal in order to create cap space and bring the missing piece(s) back.

You can say that the Hawks can't afford to part with Kruger or Crawford, but after them, you don't have a lot of tradeable pieces that both create cap space and bring back real value in trade and can conceivably be somewhat replaced with what you have. And between those two, the arrow points a lot more strongly to Crawford.

Same deal, though, would the improved D be improved enough to mitigate the drop off from Crawford to Darling or Goalie X?
- John Jaeckel

Yes this is what I was getting at.

If you can't get a top LW then rounding out the bottom 2 lines with some punch \ upside while shedding salary to resign Panarin and have some flexibility with Campbell and Kempny next year (assuming Soup still looks good and Kempny holds his own) sets up a potential to make two solid runs.

As opposed to being cramped against the cap yet again and having to make an unfavorable deal.

They can set themselves up for two runs as opposed to one and avoid having to make a deal under duress yet again over the summer.

I believe the "youth fest" will happen, but how long it lasts will depend on the success of said yoots. If by some miracle one 2-3 young guys step up and fill all the voids then great, problem solved without given up any assets. However, if not enough young guys deliver then Stan will explore his trade options.
- DarthKane

I think they want another Cup or two before they let that fly. Massive opportunity this year to win. Probably 2 maybe 3 pieces short depending on how you count and one of those should certainly be filled with a proven NHL player.

I wish ESPN would have shown a Czech game, I wanted to get a look at Kempny. The box score looks good but I want to see game action. Guess I'll have to wait until the Czechs play either USA or Canada for ESPN to show a Czech game.
- EbonyRaptor

I watched him play the first game and was highly impressed with him. He moved well and moved the puck well. Not a 1/2 d-man....but we are set there. Long term I think he is a solid 3/4 and a very good 5/6. Not afraid to shoot and he puts it on goal.

My main thing is getting Breadman signed. He has played well versus these world class players.

Mark Lazerus ‏@MarkLazerus 14s14 seconds ago
Brandon Saad said last season w/ #CBJ made him appreciate his time with #Blackhawks even more. "It's something you can't take for granted."

Mark Lazerus ‏@MarkLazerus 3m3 minutes ago
Brandon Saad said he has "no regrets" about how things went down last summer. #Blackhawks
- DarthKane

Can you imagine keeping him and getting Panarin? I know you lose AA and Dano...but in retrospect none of us would do that deal. At the time, and under the circumstances I applauded (and still do) SB getting what he got for AA. If the deal is not made you probably have Kruger, Danault or even keep Richards to center the Panarin, Kane line. And you keep that top line intact.

‏@MarkLazerus
Marian Hossa obviously enjoys playing with Jonathan Toews the most, but is expecting to and happy to play with Marcus Kruger at times, also.

Chris Kuc ‏@ChrisKuc 9m9 minutes ago
Asked Stan Bowman if there's a possibility Duncan Keith wouldn't be ready for regular season: "I don't know how to answer that."
#Blackhawks


Chris Kuc ‏@ChrisKuc 11m11 minutes ago
Stan Bowman on Duncan Keith: "He'll be ready when he is ready. But its nothing that we're alarmed about."

#Blackhawks
- DarthKane

Was that John Fox answering questions for Bowman? In what world is "I don't know how to answer that" an acceptable answer? It's either yes there is a possibility he won't be or its he will be ready.

Mark Lazerus ‏@MarkLazerus 4m4 minutes ago
Marcus Kruger expects to play Sunday for Sweden.