Murphy HAS to be a pleasant surprise otherwise.......light a candle.

Agree on D....time to see what these kids can do. Just a lot of question marks on the back end and Hawks o/u for wins is at 44.5. Tied with STL, half win ahead of Nash, 2 wins behind Minnesota.
- SteveRain

I have faith that Murphy will be among the biggest (if not the biggest) positive surprises this season. We just need to evaluate Murphy for the player he is and not compare him to Hjalmarsson.

Oh I don't disagree that 51 and 27 were finished, though I think Oduya may have something left in the tank. Still, the blue line has a plethora of questions. There isn't one player that has no question attached to him. The Hawks could be very good or they could be awful in my view. Right now I don't know

-Will Keith rebound? At times he looked disengaged
-Will Seabrook's slide be as quick as some predict (I don't predict)
-Murphy? Cost controlled or not can this guy play a Top 4 role on a top team?
-Kempny. Tons of potential, but was a hot mess at times last year. How much will he progress?
-Rosy. Didn't he serve in the Mexican-American war?
-Forsling? Potential, but is he ready for all 200 feet of play at a high level
-Rutta? Who knows
-Pokka, fill in blank with any other kid is a huge wildcard...more questions not unlike ANY OTHER team

Is there potential there? Yes....but it could also bomb in a majestic way too.
- kwolf68

The key to this is Q. He is going to have to endure the growing pains. If he yarfs the young guys on D out to play Rozy over a bad turn over he is going to screw the development. Teach/coach and work through the rough patches. Hawks will make the playoffs. May not be the #1 seed in the West, but they make it.

Think we have officially hit a lull.....same conversations rehashing.....toews/kane overpaid, who plays lw with kane, young d men, etc.......

See what happens when training camp hits, but while Bowman has to make it sound like Hossa COULD come back, the players tell a different story. Still have to think they give this group a solid 15-20 games before Bowman starts to look at the warts and replace them with Hossa LTIR money.
- SteveRain

The Cro beatdown crowd has yet to make an appearance - then and only they will we have whipped that dead horse back to life.

We haven't really discussed enough about Toews decline and over payment, have we? I have a lot more left.
- PatShart

I don't think Kane is overpaid.......I think his production speaks for itself.

I acknowledge 19 was brutal, so he needs a bounce back year and start producing more consistently.

There is nothing that can be done...just like the Bolland, Bickell, Kruger, Seabrook deals. IT is what it is.

I have faith that Murphy will be among the biggest (if not the biggest) positive surprises this season. We just need to evaluate Murphy for the player he is and not compare him to Hjalmarsson.
- DarthKane

Agreed but he needs to be a top 4 D man......who can be counted on. They need stability back there, as they will be trotting out 3 guys who haven't proved a damn thing in the NHL.........and if Captain America bombs, 2 and 7 will be dead by Christmas with all the "hard minutes" Ulf and Q will throw at them.

The Cro beatdown crowd has yet to make an appearance - then and only they will we have whipped that dead horse back to life.
- riozzo

That's more of in season thing......

CC is in for a rough year.....that D in front of him, would make any goalie nervous.

Let's not forget Kempny and Ranta are both 26 , they should be at or close to their peek. If they can't step up and be effective top 6 D man this year there will be a good chance Hawks move on from them next year. Q has to play , and play them through their mistakes

Agreed but he needs to be a top 4 D man......who can be counted on. They need stability back there, as they will be trotting out 3 guys who haven't proved a damn thing in the NHL.........and if Captain America bombs, 2 and 7 will be dead by Christmas with all the "hard minutes" Ulf and Q will throw at them.
- SteveRain

Sure, it's a possibility that Murphy is Rundblad 2.0 but how likely is that to happen? Murphy's underlying numbers were actually pretty good on a terrible Arizona team. He was one of the best defensemen on the team, and easily the best not named OEL.

Oh I don't disagree that 51 and 27 were finished, though I think Oduya may have something left in the tank. Still, the blue line has a plethora of questions. There isn't one player that has no question attached to him. The Hawks could be very good or they could be awful in my view. Right now I don't know

-Will Keith rebound? At times he looked disengaged
-Will Seabrook's slide be as quick as some predict (I don't predict)
-Murphy? Cost controlled or not can this guy play a Top 4 role on a top team?
-Kempny. Tons of potential, but was a hot mess at times last year. How much will he progress?
-Rosy. Didn't he serve in the Mexican-American war?
-Forsling? Potential, but is he ready for all 200 feet of play at a high level
-Rutta? Who knows
-Pokka, fill in blank with any other kid is a huge wildcard...more questions not unlike ANY OTHER team

Is there potential there? Yes....but it could also bomb in a majestic way too.
- kwolf68

Most important off season topic right there.

Let's not forget Kempny and Ranta are both 26 , they should be at or close to their peek. If they can't step up and be effective top 6 D man this year there will be a good chance Hawks move on from them next year. Q has to play , and play them through their mistakes
- HamiltonHawk

I'm not too worried about Kempny or as worried about the top 4 as some other fans.

The top four may not be as good as Keith/Seabrook/Hjalmarsson/Oduya from 2013 but I still believe that Keith/Seabrook/Murphy/Kempny will be a solid top 4. The bottom 3 d-men are a big question mark. I think Forsling could be a solid 5 or 6, but there's no guarantee. I am even less comfortable with Rutta, at least until we see him play the North American game.

Sure, it's a possibility that Murphy is Rundblad 2.0 but how likely is that to happen? Murphy's underlying numbers were actually pretty good on a terrible Arizona team. He was one of the best defensemen on the team, and easily the best not named OEL.
- DarthKane

He actually played with OEL until last season and still got better being moved away from him, while getting more D-zone starts. I'm very excited to see what he can do. I expect he'll be a surprise to a lot of people.

Why don't we reserve judgement until 20 games into the season? I think the Hawks will be fine. And even if they are the 6th-8th seed in the playoffs...I am fine with that. Saad and Sharp are proven playoff producers. Will miss Hammer...but hoping Murphy is a pleasant surprise...and he just might be, who really knows until the real games begin.

I am equally scared about our D as anyone on this board. However, STL and NSH were better on D last year, that is still the case this year. Dal added Methot and honestly, they are equally as thin on the back end because Klingberg as their #1 is scary . Minn regardless of who they add or what they have, CAN NEVER GET IT DONE. So in all reality I dont think we are in that much trouble as far as getting to the playoffs. I think the line-up Game 1 will be either a time to worry or a time to be excited. Hossa's Cap needs to get LTIR'd before I can truly feel anything.

Think we have officially hit a lull.....same conversations rehashing.....toews/kane overpaid, who plays lw with kane, young d men, etc.......

See what happens when training camp hits, but while Bowman has to make it sound like Hossa COULD come back, the players tell a different story. Still have to think they give this group a solid 15-20 games before Bowman starts to look at the warts and replace them with Hossa LTIR money.
- SteveRain

After Hossa goes on LTIR, can Stan replace him with a player with term, or does it have to be an expiring contract?

Unless they know something we don't know (possible) this could be a very long season with so many questions on the blueline
- kwolf68

More like probable to highly likely, just my opinion FWIW but I'd bet various options are being looked at, and why would they share them with us. Some may depend on how things play out at training camp and the few pre-season games. Due to Hossa's LTIR I'm betting not much happens until sometime after the season begins, other than minor signings.

I'm kinda hoping Pokka makes the club. I can't wait to hear what intro song Frank P. uses for him.

Here's a Ruuta highlight video. It contains a lot of words I can't read and a strange sequence where Ruuta hit his own face in to the edge of the boards, but it shows the guy is able to find holes in the offensive zone and has a cannon of a shot. Also pretty good wheels on a backchecking play.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GS604yzH_UY

Cubs have underachieved no doubt. But bryant is heating up. Contreras and Russell are both starting to hit. And there starting pitching has been better after the break. If Arrieta and lackey can give us decent second halfs and zobrist and rizzo and the rest start hitting will be alright. I still think schwarber will find his swing having him be leadoff to start the year was incredibly dumb on Maddons part because you allow the shift with no one on. Schwarber and Manny machado both have the worst avg on balls hit hard which shows bad luck. I also think schwarber should have his eyes looked at. Don't know if he has yet because all year he has been right there just missing squaring up the ball. It would be bad for the cubs to trade him.
- vandymeer23

A good august and they are in the playoffs again and peaking at the right time. The rest of the central division has been pretty mehhhhhhh. And that's coming from a Sox fan.

All the crying is pretty entertaining though. Especially after having to listen to all that dynasty talk last year.

Is it fair to ask though whether a player is overpaid from year to year?

Meaning, no doubt, Toews was overpaid the last two years in terms of his production.

Meaning, I want to see (for a variety of reasons) what his numbers and impact looks like half way through this season before I declare him overpaid for THIS season. I'm cautiously optimistic this is a big bounceback year for him.

If not, next summer, after the improved circumstances, then I think we can say his contract is truly an albatross.
- John Jaeckel

If they can get him up and moving in transition again and off the boards for most of the season. Seriously - Sharp - Toews -Kane. I think you get a better year.

Let Saad, AA and Panik chase and grind

I'm kinda hoping Pokka makes the club. I can't wait to hear what intro song Frank P. uses for him.
- Rota's Rooter

Pokka has to pass through waivers and he's making the NHL minimum. From a cap/business perspective he's in the best position to make the team.

But the same was said for McNeill last year and that didn't turn out. But I think there is a real opportunity for Pokka to make the team if he has a good camp. That being said, if I was a betting man I wouldn't bet on him making the team (but I hope I am wrong).

This guy disagrees with you.

https://theathletic.com/6...ype-p-k-subban-is-better/

I should note, I have no opinion on the matter. I haven't really looked in to it.
- JRoenick97

I would say that the only player on the blue line in the NHL better than Subban is Karlsson.

The key to this is Q. He is going to have to endure the growing pains. If he yarfs the young guys on D out to play Rozy over a bad turn over he is going to screw the development. Teach/coach and work through the rough patches. Hawks will make the playoffs. May not be the #1 seed in the West, but they make it.
- z1990z

Perhaps. But Q is also paid to win games....if the kids really drop the ball then he'll have no choice but to ice them. That said, I look at the Penguins as a team to emulate...their defense is not that good, not a damn bit better than the Hawks, yet they've won 2 Cups with a lot of average players at D. They show if your offense really pressures the hell out of the other team's defense by always having the puck, your defense can be hidden a bit. Hopefully the Hawks forwards really break out this year....still don't like our center depth, but we have some interesting wings.

I'm not too worried about Kempny or as worried about the top 4 as some other fans.

The top four may not be as good as Keith/Seabrook/Hjalmarsson/Oduya from 2013 but I still believe that Keith/Seabrook/Murphy/Kempny will be a solid top 4. The bottom 3 d-men are a big question mark. I think Forsling could be a solid 5 or 6, but there's no guarantee. I am even less comfortable with Rutta, at least until we see him play the North American game.
- DarthKane

I'm with you. The Hawks have some unknowns on the bottom of the D, but that isn't the end of the world right now. They will do some tweaking or will make some in-season changes. There is a lot changing on D and it is because the D was the biggest weakness against Nashville. They simply could not advance the puck.

At least we around rolling out combinations of Svedberg, Scuderi, Rozy, Ehrhoff like a couple seasons ago.

The crazy thing would have been if the Hawks had come back with the same D and hoped for them to do better. It wasn't working and they need to get younger eventually. The guys they are bringing in have some experience playing against professionals.

The support from the forwards will be key. At times the back-pressure hasn't been there or the forward coming back was flat out beaten by the attacking players. With some new D (and likely some system changes) it will be huge if the forwards make a solid defensive effort.

Here's a Ruuta highlight video. It contains a lot of words I can't read and a strange sequence where Ruuta hit his own face in to the edge of the boards, but it shows the guy is able to find holes in the offensive zone and has a cannon of a shot. Also pretty good wheels on a backchecking play.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GS604yzH_UY
- JRoenick97

My only concern is this league isn't that strong is it? He looks really good in that video though.

My only concern is this league isn't that strong is it? He looks really good in that video though.
- kwolf68

Also larger ice sheet, which is probably the biggest adjustment (to smaller) coming to NA, that plus greater speed of players.