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

I agree with you on Bowman and disagree that there is one more cup run in this club. The 'core' as we knew it is done. It's rebuild time. That includes Q.

Always Trumps fault........

isn't in the mid $0.70s exchange rate usually where the Canadian dollar is? I seem to recall this, but figure you'd know a helluva lot better then me.
- SteveRain

In college about 20 years ago, we had a Canadian friend we nick-named two-thirds.

In college about 20 years ago, we had a Canadian friend we nick-named two-thirds.
- tvetter

I'm working with a Canadian bank right now, you've just given me a great idea!

Just want to throw this out there. Sure it sucked to get blown out, and there's a lot of fingers to point. There's always different players or organization guys that someone isn't going to like. Believe me, I have my share. And I guess it's human nature to want to jump on a bandwagon or on the pile when things go bad. But it's inevitable that players age, or other teams catch up... So when criticizing this team I think it should be done respectfully. In my book they have been so good for so long under adverse cap conditions that they have earned everyone's respect.

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

Correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't Bowman the assistant GM when Tallon was GM?

I know I know, Stan was locked in his office pouring over accounting spreadsheets while the real hockey men like Dale were putting a team together.

Now let's see if I have this correct. When Dale promotes guys from the farm system he's building the Hawks team yet when players were elevated this season Stan is merely infringing on poor Ted Dent's (Hawks farm team coach) ability to field his best possible team.

Umh...ok.

Correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't Bowman the assistant GM when Tallon was GM?

I know I know, Stan was locked in his office pouring over accounting spreadsheets while the real hockey men like Dale were putting a team together.

Now let's see if I have this correct. When Dale promotes guys from the farm system he's building the Hawks team yet when players were elevated this season Stan is merely infringing on poor Ted Dent's (Hawks farm team coach) ability to field his best possible team.

Umh...ok.
- HawkintheD

Both had positives and negatives. As a GM, Tallon and Smith put in the foundation. What if.....what if Dale caved at the '06 draft and took Kessel? What if he didn't trade for Sharp? As for Stan, what if he couldn't land Hoss? What if he didn't trade for Zus and Vermette? Goes both ways.

On the flip side, what if Dale didn't spend like a drunken sailor? What if Stan handed out less NMC's? We don't necessarily know. And what the hell happened with those QO's?!

Right now the angst is high. Not that they lost, but how they lost. Wow! Sounds like I am referring to the pre-2015 Cubs.

I gotta wait to see what happens. Firing Dent and Kitchen doesn't solve anything....

Just want to throw this out there. Sure it sucked to get blown out, and there's a lot of fingers to point. There's always different players or organization guys that someone isn't going to like. Believe me, I have my share. And I guess it's human nature to want to jump on a bandwagon or on the pile when things go bad. But it's inevitable that players age, or other teams catch up... So when criticizing this team I think it should be done respectfully. In my book they have been so good for so long under adverse cap conditions that they have earned everyone's respect.
- 6628

Great post. No matter what happens next we shouldn't forget what this organization has accomplished over the last eight years. I think if someone said the Hawks would win 3 Cups in 7 years we all would be happy with that especially after a 50 year drought. It's second nature to want more and that's ok. I'm looking forward to the next cup run hopefully sooner of course than later.

Just want to throw this out there. Sure it sucked to get blown out, and there's a lot of fingers to point. There's always different players or organization guys that someone isn't going to like. Believe me, I have my share. And I guess it's human nature to want to jump on a bandwagon or on the pile when things go bad. But it's inevitable that players age, or other teams catch up... So when criticizing this team I think it should be done respectfully. In my book they have been so good for so long under adverse cap conditions that they have earned everyone's respect.
- 6628

Exactly and I think it is difficult for those who have not witnessed the years of ineptitude to really appreciate what has been done so far. In many ways the success here and the amount of HOF players in the lineup at once could be consider at the very least generational. The amount of Cups won in a short span is a once in a life time occurence.

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.
- RickJ

Also....By design teams like to promote within-Not only didn't they think Dent was a possible head coach in the future he won't be in the running to replace Kitchen either.

I agree with you on Bowman and disagree that there is one more cup run in this club. The 'core' as we knew it is done. It's rebuild time. That includes Q.
- fvineze

Shortsighted and, imo, so far from being correct.

Trying to lighten the mood a bit - If McD would become commish of the league - here is his first campaign slogan:


31 teams: 1 goal.

Trying to lighten the mood a bit - If McD would become commish of the league - here is his first campaign slogan:


31 teams: 1 goal.
- powerenforcer

Rinse/recycle - but it is a good one.

Great post. No matter what happens next we shouldn't forget what this organization has accomplished over the last eight years. I think if someone said the Hawks would win 3 Cups in 7 years we all would be happy with that especially after a 50 year drought. It's second nature to want more and that's ok. I'm looking forward to the next cup run hopefully sooner of course than later.


- jhawk159

Yup. This club went thru 50 years of futility, many of them comically bad, then in the span of 6 years raised our expectations to the point where anything less than competing for the cup each season is considered a failure.

Trying to lighten the mood a bit - If McD would become commish of the league - here is his first campaign slogan:


31 teams: 1 goal.
- powerenforcer

Dude would be IDEAL as commish, no doubt about it.

Trying to lighten the mood a bit - If McD would become commish of the league - here is his first campaign slogan:


31 teams: 1 goal.
- powerenforcer

Just so it isn't: "31 teams, and everyone finishes .500"

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.
- Lido_Shuffle

Thete is no act of attrition through continual posts with you and particularly DK002. I agree with the points you made.

I too could never make sense out of the Runblad move. Poor skater but had the big shot. Didn't like physical contact. Hmm...what is there to his game that three other organizations originally wanted him? Apprently scouts get overly excited about certain skills? Um, and three organizations were happy to unload him.

Timmonen was well past his prime, had a medical condition yet Stan surrendered not one draft but two picks inclufing a #2 round. In another blog i mentioned that if Stan attempted to hit a HR by getting a high choice for Sharp, he swung and missed. But too much is made over what he settled for un that ecchange. How many teams were going to take the big contract. The salary cap put him in a weak position. Handing out too much salary had some to di with it. But Stan asked for two high a choice - a #2 was fair enough. Johns was and is overated. Where Stan is graded worse is how he then flipped Daley for Scuderi. Daley couldn't fit in undet Q system but was there any rub also between Stan and Q over Daley.

Well now Stan appears ready to pounce on Q if they have disagreements. Go down swinging; you are the boss, Stan

I now want to point out...

If you read carefully everything i said, i graded Stan above average for having sense to kerp the core together and win two more Cups. He added Vermette and that worked out. He added Weise and Fleischman and it didn't help us. There was conjecture if Weise had what it took to help us. Two years prior he was a playoff darling. With Chicago he did not give us what we needed. I wonder if Q had something to do with that. Just raising the possibilty it had a bad odor when he was not able to make a difference.

Now it is sort of funny in a cruel way to Blackhawk fans when i mentioned perhaps Stan is now enlightened after some egregious salary terms HE handed out.

I mean after the comments McDonough made, yes everyone is accountable. Stan's drafting record is spotty at best and if you read between the lines, just maybe after this blowout against the Pred's McDonough wants not to gloat about anyone's past accomplishments. He wants to ser what are you doing to make us good again

Henceforth future transactions must be helpful and no blunderous drafting.
Fveze said he does not believe this core has another Cup run. Even with Toews healthy i concur. We won two Cups with a pathetic looking pp while Q and Stan rose above inner turmoil. Now there is no puck control defense and the big mean fast element is working against us to the point of no return.. We need more of what Nashville poundrd into us. Stan imho must bring in one larger mean enough top six forward and someone has to be more of a physical presence on defense. That could be Kempny.

As for a lesser issue, one reason Dent has a poor record in Rockford is that Stan provided him few skill scoring forwards and no real offensive capable centers. I never liked Dent anyway. Eli criticized him and i figure he knows about the Icehogs.
[img][/img]

Both had positives and negatives. As a GM, Tallon and Smith put in the foundation. What if.....what if Dale caved at the '06 draft and took Kessel? What if he didn't trade for Sharp? As for Stan, what if he couldn't land Hoss? What if he didn't trade for Zus and Vermette? Goes both ways.

On the flip side, what if Dale didn't spend like a drunken sailor? What if Stan handed out less NMC's? We don't necessarily know. And what the hell happened with those QO's?!

Right now the angst is high. Not that they lost, but how they lost. Wow! Sounds like I am referring to the pre-2015 Cubs.

I gotta wait to see what happens. Firing Dent and Kitchen doesn't solve anything....
- blackhawk24

Couldn't agree more. Like you said both had hits and misses. Just find the lack of perspective a bit comical is all.

Dude would be IDEAL as commish, no doubt about it.
- 35Tony0

Disagree. I don't think he's able to take direction from 31 different owners at the same time. Look at the reception Bettman gets in all the cities. McD wouldn't want to take that kind of heat. Like Rain points out, never see him around the UC when things are not going well. And the crowds would be booing him everwhere he appeared.

Just want to throw this out there. Sure it sucked to get blown out, and there's a lot of fingers to point. There's always different players or organization guys that someone isn't going to like. Believe me, I have my share. And I guess it's human nature to want to jump on a bandwagon or on the pile when things go bad. But it's inevitable that players age, or other teams catch up... So when criticizing this team I think it should be done respectfully. In my book they have been so good for so long under adverse cap conditions that they have earned everyone's respect.
- 6628

The adults on the board get that, the children resort to name calling and other crap. And -oh, boy if you point out the error of their ways they slip on a Guy Fawkes mask and in the relative safety of anonymity in their moms basement wearing a Doritos stained T-Shirt rip away at the more obbjective posters on the board...

Disagree. I don't think he's able to take direction from 31 different owners at the same time. Look at the reception Bettman gets in all the cities. McD wouldn't want to take that kind of heat. Like Rain points out, never see him around the UC when things are not going well. And the crowds would be booing him everwhere he appeared.
- 6628

A guy like McD is the perfect commish. Put aside what you think of his ego and his management skills and look at what he is best at. Marketing. He understands and knows how to sell ice to an eskimo, pig stuff to the pig farmer, yada, yada, yada. Like it or not, the NHL will always be the least watched of the major 4 sports. McD knows how to put lipstick on that pig. He sold Wrigley and the experience for years and years when the Cubs only occasionally hinted at the promise of success. He has built the Hawks and the one goal message into packed houses and a long waiting list for season tickets. Sure the winning and the Cups helped, but its more than just that. The NHL has taken so many missteps along the way in how they market themselves and the game, getting someone like McD involved would be good for the league. There are lots of good young players coming into this league like McDavid, Matthews, Laine, etc. along with older stars with plenty of tread left on the tires like Crosby, Ovechkin, Kane. Lots of opportunities to raise HRR if it is done correctly.

Dude would be IDEAL as commish, no doubt about it.
- 35Tony0

Gary B is not going anywhere - like it or not.

Disagree. I don't think he's able to take direction from 31 different owners at the same time. Look at the reception Bettman gets in all the cities. McD wouldn't want to take that kind of heat. Like Rain points out, never see him around the UC when things are not going well. And the crowds would be booing him everwhere he appeared.
- 6628

I agree with what you say re: Bettman, however, my knowledge of McD is that he would work ceaselessly to turn that image of the commish office around 180 degrees. McD, with Rocky, most certainly pulled a 180 with our Blackhawks.
I'm aching for October already!!

Also....By design teams like to promote within-Not only didn't they think Dent was a possible head coach in the future he won't be in the running to replace Kitchen either.
- Al

Q takes a lot of crap for not playing rookies, yet the likes of Saad and Shaw were mainstays. Could it be more that Hogs did not come up prepaired to play the Pro game and Q had not time (meaning he needs to win games) for OTJT... In my narrow knowledge bank, I see the problem as the Feeder System AKA Dent. I'd be wiling to bet he was a goner at the season end and the slaughter the hawks took made it look like he was culpable for that....

I agree with what you say re: Bettman, however, my knowledge of McD is that he would work ceaselessly to turn that image of the commish office around 180 degrees. McD, with Rocky, most certainly pulled a 180 with our Blackhawks.
I'm aching for October already!!
- 35Tony0

You don't make him commish. You make him second in command under Bettman. Then you let him do what he does, and make Bettman look good. Look, all the Rocky love is an orchestrated effort by McD to make Rocky look good. Sure, McD will put himself in front of the cameras and take some credit for the success, but don't fool yourself into thinking that every piece of info out of Blackhawk land isn't blessed by him or his minions.

You don't make him commish. You make him second in command under Bettman. Then you let him do what he does, and make Bettman look good. Look, all the Rocky love is an orchestrated effort by McD to make Rocky look good. Sure, McD will put himself in front of the cameras and take some credit for the success, but don't fool yourself into thinking that every piece of info out of Blackhawk land isn't blessed by him or his minions.
- TheTrob

If I were McD I'd say pass - not making bank on my efforts. McD is set for life and has no need to do this. At this stage his efforts are more personal gratification - I don't know this as a fact, just speculating.