Seabrook didn’t deciine over night. Comparing Keith and Seabs at this point is a joke.

Comparing them at any point in their careers is also a joke.

Keith is still the best 5 Million $$$ DMan the NHL

If Seabrook isn't injured, then you put him on a bus to Rockford. He'll clear waivers, get pissed, and demand a trade. If he isn't injured, then sit him and let him heal. #7 and #19 are painful to watch.

It'd be a real poop show that's for sure. However, if the Hawks do falter, then I think he is a legit chip to trade and would bring back a haul, could make a "rebuild" a bit less painful (see Sox, White).
- kwolf68

Kwolf, I don’t disagree that he would bring back more than most other guys on the roster not named Kane, but I think like Toews and Kane he’s probably a Hawk for life. Also, hockey rebuilds are not like baseball, it’s much tougher due to the hard cap and the fact that only the very top of the draft provides immediate help.

If you do a hard rebuild, then everyone over 29 goes, Kane, Toews, Crow, Keith etc. because it’s 3-5 years before everyone is ready.

If Seabrook isn't injured, then you put him on a bus to Rockford. He'll clear waivers, get pissed, and demand a trade. If he isn't injured, then sit him and let him heal. #7 and #19 are painful to watch.
- Dieselhead

Agree with your comments on 7

19 not so much

If Seabrook isn't injured, then you put him on a bus to Rockford. He'll clear waivers, get pissed, and demand a trade. If he isn't injured, then sit him and let him heal. #7 and #19 are painful to watch.
- Dieselhead

The Organization will never do that to a player of Seabrooks pedigree and history. Doing that sends a message league wide in how they treat their players when they struggle. Do that and you will never get another veteran to sign here.

Hawks are handling it like they should. Limit his minutes first, next step is a few “maintenance” days in the press box. Lather, rinse, repeat

Kwolf, I don’t disagree that he would bring back more than most other guys on the roster not named Kane, but I think like Toews and Kane he’s probably a Hawk for life. Also, hockey rebuilds are not like baseball, it’s much tougher due to the hard cap and the fact that only the very top of the draft provides immediate help.

If you do a hard rebuild, then everyone over 29 goes, Kane, Toews, Crow, Keith etc. because it’s 3-5 years before everyone is ready.
- TheTrob

Yea don't disagree. The contracts of 7 and 19 will prevent a quality rebuild. They will tinker with the edges as much as possible. It's almost comical Seabs has 7 more years on his deal.

Yea don't disagree. The contracts of 7 and 19 will prevent a quality rebuild. They will tinker with the edges as much as possible. It's almost comical Seabs has 7 more years on his deal.
- kwolf68

Seabrooks contract and his rapid decline are both just headshakers.

I have never been a huge Seabrook fan, but he was a legitimate #2 thru the 2015 Cup, and a perfect partner for Keith. How you go from a top pairing defenseman to a complete liability in just over a season with no discernible injuries is just baffling.

Seabrooks contract and his rapid decline are both just headshakers.

I have never been a huge Seabrook fan, but he was a legitimate #2 thru the 2015 Cup, and a perfect partner for Keith. How you go from a top pairing defenseman to a complete liability in just over a season with no discernible injuries is just baffling.
- TheTrob

Agree. His play is embarrassing at this point. The dude has been a warrior, a great player for many years, but "paying him for what he did" is going to cost this team because he can no longer do what he once could do.

Agree. His play is embarrassing at this point. The dude has been a warrior, a great player for many years, but "paying him for what he did" is going to cost this team because he can no longer do what he once could do.
- kwolf68

I have a hard time believing he'd play out his contract playing this way or worse. Best case scenario: He has some sort of injury and/or he can regain some physical ability and play better. Or, he can't recover and gets the LTIR treatment. Or, he just sucks now and gets bought out if/when the new CBA is in place (if they do this again) in a couple of years.

Went to the game tonight( big mistake).
Here is my take on the game:

First line was totally inept all night.
Mr. Toews spent more time getting kicked off the face-off circle than the shots he took. He spent more time arguing with the refs and picking up dum penalties than concentrating on his game performance .. His passing game was awful, he had two golden opportunities to score on a wide open net and missed by a wide margin. Just can't figure out how Toews has regressed so much.
Mr. Franson made a couple of bonehead plays that cost us a goal...and his skating ability matches Seabrook's...not good.

I thought the second line played very well and Kaner was flying.. But he is still lazy back checking.
The power play was just down right impotent. What year will Q figure it out that Keith, Seabrook and Toews are not capable to be on the power plays anymore?
The three players that stood out tonight all three periods were DCat, AA and Smaltz.

If Seabrook isn't injured, then you put him on a bus to Rockford. He'll clear waivers, get pissed, and demand a trade. If he isn't injured, then sit him and let him heal. #7 and #19 are painful to watch.
- Dieselhead

I would first sit Seabrook in the press box a couple of games. Maybe that will get Seabrook more motivated. If he is still painfull to watch by mid January( I think you got a dead horse. You wil than have to retain 50% of his salary to be able to trade him( and that still might not be enough). Best scenario, Seabrook has a serious injury and has to retire...wishful thinking on my part.

The overreaction on this board after a loss is hilarious ,some of U should really think before U speak ..

Funny how Hockey gives you what you deserve

Right now Hawks have a lot of holes

So-
OT games don’t go their way- goalies need to be outstanding most nights - goal posts loom large- Captain whines constantly and fans scream for trades even though trading chips don’t exist
- draft picks have been dealt- players seem smaller and stars from the glory years are over paid and slow

It’s called- that was then- this is now
- Colbyboy

We better get used to it, because the first quarter of the season is the reality of this team.

No idea maybe because no better option exists in Q's mind. I know Franson sucked on the Shortie, but if he isn't gonna get PP time then he's useless on this team. We have two of the slowest D-men in the NHL right now.
- kwolf68

In this day of speed speed speed why not then play Kempny, waive Franson
bring up Gus and also play him while benching Seabs.....rhetorical, Q will
never do it.

If Kempny ever had that Franson brain fart he'd be stuck to the bench...
oh wait

If Seabrook isn't injured, then you put him on a bus to Rockford. He'll clear waivers, get pissed, and demand a trade. If he isn't injured, then sit him and let him heal. #7 and #19 are painful to watch.
- Dieselhead

19 not so much.....7 yep

In this day of speed speed speed why not then play Kempny, waive Franson
bring up Gus and also play him while benching Seabs.....rhetorical, Q will
never do it.

If Kempny ever had that Franson brain fart he'd be stuck to the bench...
oh wait

- gazza53

Isn't Gus out for a long time with upper body?

I just don't see Gustaffson as any great help. Slightly built, weak in his own zone, not overly fast (I guess decent enough there). Ditto for Pokka. Snggerud is not there yet either. Not sure about Raddyish, I think he's gonna be a late bloomer and I am reasonably high on him, but the Hawks need to allow his development curve continue at the current pace and he's probably not ready yet. So really, the Hawks have little possible help at D.

Kempny and Osterle are daily scratches now because Q thinks Franson and Seabrook are better, which isn't a great sign. I wish they'd give Kempny more of a shot. He can be really sloppy in his own zone, but how much worse than Seabrook is he? And at least Kempny can skate. I'll give Franson a pass on his blue line fumble last night, because he is a good player on the PP, but if he's going to get 1/3 the time on the PP than does Keith then Franson is really of no use to the team. His main value is working the PP and playing low minutes against low QOC. If Franson is only going to play cursory minutes on the PP then he can easily be put in the press box for a faster, more mobile player.

Meanwhile, Line 3 "Center" Hartman plays 7 minutes last night underlying another major weakness of the team.

Hawks played pretty well in Nashville and could have won last night, but on both occasions they lost. Now they go on the road to Dallas, starring a 3-game losing streak in the eye (maybe 4 with Kings coming in on Sunday). Hawks showed some promise for a week or so, but now are teetering right back on the edge. Other than Kane, none of the core star players are playing at an elite level.

Missing the playoffs entirely looks like a distinct possibility 1/4 of the way through the season. Even if they slide in, I would not expect this club as currently constructed to make it to 2nd round, much less win a few games.

> love having Saad back -- but lo and behold, I guess having that top LW is NOT the Jonathan Toews magic elixir after all.

> while his play hasn't been awful (like #7), it certainly isn't up to 1C standards and even less so up to $10.5M standards.

> hate to draw parallels to Bickell but I have never seen #19 fall down so much. Especially for a guy who, up until 2015, was probably the best forward skater we had in terms of lateral mobility. Are we to blame his skates (ala Duncan Keith years ago listening to Foley's excuse for #2 because Bauer had problems getting him his customs)? The Hawks staff for lousy sharpening (no one else is falling as much)? Or is it something more (due to the concussions adding up and causing balance problems? or something as/even more worrisome)?

> and with Seabrook, since we know of no injuries, the only 2 things that make any sense to me are bone-on-bone knee issues AND like Toews, past concussions adding up to put the guy in a fog. Somehow think it's a combo of the 2. Seabs HAS BEEN a warrior in the past, never fleet of foot but always had pretty decent mobility for a big guy and maybe the best passer of em all. Just looks like he's in a fog all the time now. I really think the staff needs to push for a reevaluation of his health and maybe LTIR the guy. I don't know if he can resist/refuse? But he is absolutely the weakest link of any D man playing (and of those sitting) at the moment.

What My eye test saw...

1. Panak has reverted back to his original form
2. SHOOT THE PUCK! Geez, seems like there is always 1 too many passes, 8 leading that bunch
3. Our guys handling the puck were not just check, they were plowed over, e.g. 8, 19
4. Kaner is trying almost too hard if that's possible
5. Props to 40 - flat out hustles all night
6. Cro has seemed a step off since Malkins "Ultra clean glancing blow to the noggin" Does he need his annual 10 day retreat?
7. Our PP revolves around perimeter passes with bad slap shots form the blue line.

As I stated way above, I am not a half full or empty person. I think we are seeing a mid pack team play mid pack hockey. No line blender will fix this.

The overreaction on this board after a loss is hilarious ,some of U should really think before U speak ..
- oldduffman

Then you would not have any entertaining material to read and the comments section would turn into the Pred's board - empty.

From the sound of it I'm glad I tuned out when I did. From the calls being made that I did see it seems they are trying to make it an A level mens league. I'm the last one that would throw a female dog about the refs, but last night was awful. I had to tune out. First time ever. And If I'm going to watch mens league I'll do it at a local rink where it doesn't cost over 300 a game for a pair of tix to watch.

Now that I've calmed down after last night's game, one goal seems to be over, time to start rebuilding this team. Hope they are sellers at the trade deadline. 3 years from now when they are able to buy Toews and Seabrook out should be the plan going forward.

Since Toews and Keith became involved with Onnit they are not close to the players they use to be.

Who wants to come with me to root for Vegas? Think we all can agree this team is done for.

4-6-1 vs WC with 3.18 GA....

can't compete with WC unless its Az or a depleted ANA team...

Maybe the best thing to happen for this team is, they DON'T make the playoffs.

Hopefully, Seabrook plays better in the short term, and at the TDL, some bubble team or another team looking for a Dman with experience will be desperate enough to take Seabrook and his ridiculous contract. And, maybe Seabrook will waive to have one more shot at a Cup.

Toews probably isn't going anywhere (realistically, probably neither is Seabrook) I have a hard time believing Stan would trade Toews. And, McD would nix a deal, Toews is the "face" of the organization.
Besides, what team will trade for Toews and his $10.5 million-- who is essentially a 3rd line center right now?