Odd to find a guy who gets slammed as being too much a pass first guy, then get slammed as a 'me first guy', and then see how the rest of the team treats the guy on the ice ... yeh I am going to call bovine fecal matter on that one.

72 isn't the problem, and wasn't the problem.

Just posting this to not be a part of group think.
- steve-hist-sdc

There was a larger problem but 72 sure didn't seem invested in round 1. Certainly not as much as the series of games leading to his bonus.

Legit question.
I don't think Stan goes anywhere until McD falls out of love with Scotty.
- 6628

If Bowman & Bowman were to move along, McDonough better be smart enough to have someone who can manage and knows how to hire good scouts. If McDonough thinks he can control someone like Eddie O in Stan's stead, that is a terrible move. I like Eddie; let him stay where he is.

I believe the next two years is the real proving ground for Bowman. He managed a core and tried cheap veterans to fill in. Cannot mark that as totally bad. He swung for a HR by trying for a draft choice for an expensive Sharp. Sharp has injury issues and may have lost some on his scoring/shot. No one in their right mind was going to surrender a top prospect or high pick. But Bowman gambled maybe a contender would give a high choice. So he wound up with not much but he gave away a problem salary and an overhyped prospect. Again i am not necessarily down on Stan.

While Stan's drafting record had been spotty, i like some of the latest forwards past few drafts and perhaps a couple dmen may pan out (Kryz, Snuggerud).

Everyone likes to give Uncle Dale a lot of credit. But he also had many bad drafts. Skille. Some Russian forwards and Babchuk.

If Stan is smart enough and has guts then he should consider Panarin and Hammer each goes for a tough good skater with size and snarl. Gamble on DeBrincat & Fortin to bridge some of that scoring, although both may need half season AHL. Just my 2 cents ideas. If you think the ideas are baf, speak up. I can handle criticism.

And why not use a sweetner with Crawford just to ecchange #1. High enough choice is the only new blood that is going to be a real blue chip prospect. Where else do you get such a prospect?

I just read that this devaluation of the Canadian dollar is a result of the timber tariff that Trump just imposed and that there might be a dairy tariff next. So, I guess that next year we can blame our lack of a left wing for Toews on Trump.
- Dieselhead

Read it where? $1 Cdn has fluctuated around six bits US for several consecutive calendar quarters. And this whole thing of a tariff affecting the exchange rate is a crock of poop. The US should not allow any country to dump cheap product into our marketplace. See: China and steel. This whole lumber and dairy thing will blow over in a month, and it will be totally forgotten.

One key which could have driven up the Cdn dollar to USD was higher crude prices. But we won't see $75+ a barrel for some time. 1.5-2 years ago, I was hoping for high crude prices as a catalyst for a more powerful Canadian dollar, but that has not panned out. Too many factors going the other way.

Laz talked to McD:

http://chicago.suntimes.c...-we-were-steamrolled/amp/
- pdx2ord

Wow talk about talking out of both sides of your mouth.

Read it where? $1 Cdn has fluctuated around six bits US for several consecutive calendar quarters. And this whole thing of a tariff affecting the exchange rate is a crock of poop. The US should not allow any country to dump cheap product into our marketplace. See: China and steel. This whole lumber and dairy thing will blow over in a month, and it will be totally forgotten.

One key which could have driven up the Cdn dollar to USD was higher crude prices. But we won't see $75+ a barrel for some time. 1.5-2 years ago, I was hoping for high crude prices as a catalyst for a more powerful Canadian dollar, but that has not panned out. Too many factors going the other way.
- blackhawk24

I was hoping to not spend a lot more money on gas just to save Bowman some summertime tsouris.

Wow talk about talking out of both sides of your mouth.
- walleyeb1

No poop, eh? I don't trust a thing from McD.

I was hoping to not spend a lot more money on gas just to save Bowman some summertime tsouris.
- StLBravesFan

We got it easy here. Former colleagues of mine in various parts on the other side of the pond pay a whole helluva lot more, 2x-2.5x more. Many here likely know this already. I just don't see $1 Cdn equaling $1 US for quite some time. Or even getting close....

Panarin for OEL. Hjalmarsson for Tomas Tatar. just a thought.

No poop, eh? I don't trust a thing from McD.
- blackhawk24

Clown still doesn't know a thing about hockey...the more I watch Trump's stupidity the more I see a likeness to McDonut...they thrive on organizational chaos and hyperbole.

Panarin for OEL. Hjalmarsson for Tomas Tatar. just a thought.
- arps714

Wouldn't ever happen but that would be nice.

Panarin for OEL. Hjalmarsson for Tomas Tatar. just a thought.
- arps714

Great suggestion, just depends on what Tatar could be resigned for.

Wouldn't ever happen but that would be nice.
- TommyHawk

Quenneville would find some way to not like him and handcuff/put him in the doghouse

Especially since any move Stan makes Q will have a vendetta about and dislike the player out of principle and spite

Never happens. Ever.

What is more interesting to me is the conflict of what should be going on. On one hand I saw 7/57 attempt to get into shooting lanes, damn near screening 50 themselves, and then I see 2/4 positioned to the left and right of 50, gap wise wide, and allowing Preds to skate in behind them and front of 50.

That's why I maintain if guys want to see 7 go because they think he lost a step or can't complete some stretch pass anymore, I beg differ. He has the best shot from the point, and one of few, if any, Hawks D men to play a physical brand below the dots.

IF NHL is going to go back to allowing teams to "slow up" incoming forecheckers, then the Hawks need to do the same.....too often it's an easy entry into their zone because they give up the blue line collapsing in, and never slow do incoming forwards. That alone could give a step slow defensemen an extra second or two to look up and clear the puck before having a guy instantly on his @ss.

I do find it hilarious people have such a hard time envisioning a conflict of power between a GM and a head coach. Pointing to the obvious "prove it" "or link" when people show anonymous sources. What organization anywhere, business or rec, is going to admit to a power of struggle between personnel? NEVER happens.

The struggle is real.....and see how Q responds the only way he can.....limiting ice time for a so called Bowman top heralded prospect.

Meanwhile the puppet master is NO where to be found publicly....funny how that works when things start to go south for his one goal organization............
- SteveRain

Seabrook is the best passer on the blue line and has the best shot from the point...
His salary is $9 mill per next 2 years....Don't worry about him going anywhere.

I think it's a BS move.....thought Dent did a very good.
- SteveRain

I would say very good would mean to be able to develop a dman or a center or a kid that was a higher draft pick. None of that happened.

I think Andrew Shaw would like to disagree with you.......or doesn't a guy passed in multiple drafts, drafted late not count?

I'm sure Eli knows many others.........
- SteveRain

Can't count the lockout year when Shaw and Kruger had no choice but to play in Rockford...Otherwise i don't think Shaw played 30 games in Rockford.

I would say very good would mean to be able to develop a dman or a center or a kid that was a higher draft pick. None of that happened.
- Al

Almost every NHL team is into draft and develop model because playing in the free agent market doesn't work long term. So the brass must have been concerned about how little the farm has harvested under Dent and what the future is going to bring. McNeill gone, TT and Johns traded, who knows if Pokka or any of those Swedes will ever make it.

Yup. Dent was incompetent as they come. Awful coach. Sure he was a nice guy though.
- biegs

That's why I don't get the anger towards Dent's firing or the need to link it to the Hawks season. The Hogs were terrible and Dent made some serious mistakes, on and off the ice. Regardless of what happened in Chicago a change was needed in Rockford.

Why is Bowman still the GM? He is the #1 problem for this organization.

Q should be up for coach of the year with the roster he was given this year.

Shame on McD & Rocky for letting the kid live off Daddy's coaching career.

Bowman has been the WORST at handing contracts & trades. Brutal!

Time for him to go. Maybe jus maybe with a good GM this teams core has one more chance to win the Cup.

As long as Bowman is GM you will get more untradeable contracts like Seabrook's "7" year deal or Bickell's 4 year deal.

The guys trades have been downright HORRID!

Bowman = FAILURE

That's why I don't get the anger towards Dent's firing or the need to link it to the Hawks season. The Hogs were terrible and Dent made some serious mistakes, on and off the ice. Regardless of what happened in Chicago a change was needed in Rockford.
- DarthKane

A point you omitted: There has not been a genuine $1 center or skill point producing center most of Dent's Icehog tenure. This past season the nest skill forward was dealt. You recall S Abbott, dermrd not good enough to supplant anyone in Chicago. Apparently they saw enough of him in Rockford because he had a cameo appearance in the big show. Heck, that was not even a cup of coffee shot.

Other: is Stan willing to take the heat now if he does not agree with a Q coaching decision. I mean this: I want you to play this guy. Or, you need someone to stand in front of the net

Hey, Q, i am not going to tell you a third time. You want to keep this gig.

Why is Bowman still the GM? He is the #1 problem for this organization.

Q should be up for coach of the year with the roster he was given this year.

Shame on McD & Rocky for letting the kid live off Daddy's coaching career.

Bowman has been the WORST at handing contracts & trades. Brutal!

Time for him to go. Maybe jus maybe with a good GM this teams core has one more chance to win the Cup.

As long as Bowman is GM you will get more untradeable contracts like Seabrook's "7" year deal or Bickell's 4 year deal.
The guys trades have been downright HORRID
Bowman = FAILURE
- Goalie-33

Stan is still the GM because he managed the cap and steered the ship to two Cups. He is also PART AND PARCEL to Scotty's employment. McDonough is reverent about Stan's pappy the wise old seer

Q had better be able to adjust and win with the roster he was given if he truly is a worthy HOF coach

Stan has graded out above average and below average over various transactions. His predecessor had these great draftees in round one: Yakupov, Babchuk, Skille. Maybe there was another #1 bust too. Tallon had Dudley input too.

I believe that Stan is now enlightened over salary issues.

Should the core fail badly next season - with Toews health uncertain mind you - i foresee about .500
And we may even appear as teams bustin at the chops to play us.

That's why I don't get the anger towards Dent's firing or the need to link it to the Hawks season. The Hogs were terrible and Dent made some serious mistakes, on and off the ice. Regardless of what happened in Chicago a change was needed in Rockford.
- DarthKane

And that change very well may already have been slated for this summer regardless of the big club's performance (or more precisely lack thereof).

EDIT: if you're serious about changing up your roster, putting in new coaches well ahead of the drafts and trade deadlines makes a lot of sense too. I think that the coaching changes are part of the overall reexamination and retooling of what's goes on the ice (which cannot meaningfully change until end of June/July).

Would love some input from JJ on thiese moves right about now...

Stan is still the GM because he managed the cap and steered the ship to two Cups. He is also PART AND PARCEL to Scotty's employment. McDonough is reverent about Stan's pappy the wise old seer

Q had better be able to adjust and win with the roster he was given if he truly is a worthy HOF coach

Stan has graded out above average and below average over various transactions. His predecessor had these great draftees in round one: Yakupov, Babchuk, Skille. Maybe there was another #1 bust too. Tallon had Dudley input too.

I believe that Stan is now enlightened over salary issues.

Should the core fail badly next season - with Toews health uncertain mind you - i foresee about .500
And we may even appear as teams bustin at the chops to play us.
- jhawk59

Well thank goodness, it only took Stan three drafts to figure out that he should move his guys at the draft instead of waiting until he couldn't get anything for them or was forced to take back a lot of unwanted salary against the cap...sorry but Bowman's track record the last few offseasons and TDLs has been less than stellar. There's quite a lot of f-ck up.

I could go through everything, but I have my fave - the resigning of Rundblad after you won the Cup in 15. How in the frank does Stan knowing he needs a #4D go out and resign this piece of hot garbage before he makes any other moves? That's not a guy I want running my team.

And has he really figured out salary issues by continuing to overpay his own guys based on past performance and handing out NMCs NTCs like they're candy. Once again the Hawks will be forced to dump more assets because of another player(s) getting a high end contract.

Meanwhile his rookies didn't add up to snuff in the playoffs and you basically robbed the farm this year so Dent's record wasn't so stellar...so he's gone now too...I certainly thought that the PK had grown stale and wasn't shocked that Kitchen was shown the door...but this was clearly done to tweak the coach (who's won you three Cups).

Where's the accountability from the front office...? Crickets...with those current deals the Hawks have little flexibility in moving players and altering the roster that much...maybe they'll fire the video coach next.

Tallon (who with others put the core together for this run) was run out by McD and is elsewhere focus on the current problem.

Stan is still the GM because he managed the cap and steered the ship to two Cups. He is also PART AND PARCEL to Scotty's employment. McDonough is reverent about Stan's pappy the wise old seer

Q had better be able to adjust and win with the roster he was given if he truly is a worthy HOF coach

Stan has graded out above average and below average over various transactions. His predecessor had these great draftees in round one: Yakupov, Babchuk, Skille. Maybe there was another #1 bust too. Tallon had Dudley input too.

I believe that Stan is now enlightened over salary issues.

Should the core fail badly next season - with Toews health uncertain mind you - i foresee about .500
And we may even appear as teams bustin at the chops to play us.
- jhawk59

I remember about a dozen years ago most of the teams the hawks played used their spare goalie to play against the hawks. That's as laughable as it gets.

If you haven't listened to the full exit interviews, including Stan's and Q's, I'd highly recommend it. The soundbites that showed up in all the post-mortem articles didn't put everything in context, nor could you hear the questions that were being asked. For example, the comment on getting rid of people without the right motivation was in response to a question about the Core's drive to win.

The beats finally asked the tough questions that, IMO, should have been asked all year, including of the players, e.g., "Jonathan, how healthy are you?"

They are all on the Blackhawks BHTV site: https://www.nhl.com/blackhawks/video

No Keith or Hossa, but otherwise, most of the big names are there. Panarin's postgame 4 interview probably served as his.

Well thank goodness, it only took Stan three drafts to figure out that he should move his guys at the draft instead of waiting until he couldn't get anything for them or was forced to take back a lot of unwanted salary against the cap...sorry but Bowman's track record the last few offseasons and TDLs has been less than stellar. There's quite a lot of f-ck up.

I could go through everything, but I have my fave - the resigning of Rundblad after you won the Cup in 15. How in the frank does Stan knowing he needs a #4D go out and resign this piece of hot garbage before he makes any other moves? That's not a guy I want running my team.

And has he really figured out salary issues by continuing to overpay his own guys based on past performance and handing out NMCs NTCs like they're candy. Once again the Hawks will be forced to dump more assets because of another player(s) getting a high end contract.

Meanwhile his rookies didn't add up to snuff in the playoffs and you basically robbed the farm this year so Dent's record wasn't so stellar...so he's gone now too...I certainly thought that the PK had grown stale and wasn't shocked that Kitchen was shown the door...but this was clearly done to tweak the coach (who's won you three Cups).

Where's the accountability from the front office...? Crickets...with those current deals the Hawks have little flexibility in moving players and altering the roster that much...maybe they'll fire the video coach next.

Tallon (who with others put the core together for this run) was run out by McD and is elsewhere focus on the current problem.
- DK002

The Rundblad signing is just mind boggling. The other one I can't wrap my head around is giving up 2 second round draft picks for Timmonen. I have to believe that McClownface somehow had his hand in this because NOBODY with any hockey sense makes those trades.