Ladies and Gentlemen, your Washington Capitals for tonight:

Ovechkin-Backstrom-Wilson
Vrana-Kuznetsov-Chiasson
Connolly-Eller-Boyd
Stephenson-Beagle-DSP

Orlov-Niskanen
Orpik-Carlson
Djoos-Bowey

Thankfully (for the purpose of this blog), no changes to Hawks lines from yesterday:

Hartman-Toews-Hayden
Saad-Anisimov-Kane
Bouma-Schmaltz-DeBrincat
Sharp-Wingels-Panik

Thanks Scott.

1) The pressure from McD above Bowman is always extremely palpable. The guy is hovering non-stop and has a say in a lot of decisions.

I think the deadline to make a move if they continue to slide would be January now. I'm saying that because they can only slide so much more in December (technically they are still in the thick of things) and they really need showcase that they are a bad team (to sell) or a great team capable of winning (to buy) ... right now, they are neither.


2) My prediction is if the Hawks miss on the playoffs or are a 1 and done that Quenneville is gone and the Bowman's keep their jobs.
- Justin Lowe

if I'm McD...I would actually keep Q and let the Bowmans go. It's not Q's fault the Bowmans traded away the team's best prospects and gave out some seriously terrible contracts, and thus having a team of so-so rookies and a few over the hill vets.

No TJ Oshie for the Caps is a huge break for the Hawks. That guy is a fantastic playmaker/scorer and still underrated around the league, IMO. The Caps defense is not what it was last year losing Schmidt and Orpik another year older. Hopefully the Hawks can possess the puck and dictate the play. If they play this game shorthanded, they will be in trouble with the absolutely lethal PP combo of Ovi+Backstrom. 20 goals already for Ovi and just passed Recchi for 20th all time in NHL goals scored.

if I'm McD...I would actually keep Q and let the Bowmans go. It's not Q's fault the Bowmans traded away the team's best prospects and gave out some seriously terrible contracts, and thus having a team of so-so rookies and a few over the hill vets.

- Murph76

Nick Leddy voted an All-Star playing 23 minutes a night and almost at 1.0 Points Per Game on a team that is better than the Hawks thus far. I don't care about the depth chart at the time, it was shortsighted and foolish to trade that player, especially given the return. I don't think I'll ever be able to let that one go as his loss is magnified while we witness the rapid decline in play from 7 + 2.

if I'm McD...I would actually keep Q and let the Bowmans go. It's not Q's fault the Bowmans traded away the team's best prospects and gave out some seriously terrible contracts, and thus having a team of so-so rookies and a few over the hill vets.

- Murph76

If I was McD, I would kick Bettman to the curb and show him how to market - anything.

If I was McD, I would kick Bettman to the curb and show him how to market - anything.
- powerenforcer

McD would certainly much improve the commissioner’s office.

Nick Leddy voted an All-Star playing 23 minutes a night and almost at 1.0 Points Per Game on a team that is better than the Hawks thus far. I don't care about the depth chart at the time, it was shortsighted and foolish to trade that player, especially given the return. I don't think I'll ever be able to let that one go as his loss is magnified while we witness the rapid decline in play from 7 + 2.
- EnzoD

Leddy is just one example...but a good one, expect a rant from our resident "Leddy is a GOD" poster in 3, 2, 1....

(frank) Leddy. He'd be just as much of a whipping boy around here if he was still here as Seabs, toews etc.

(frank) Leddy. He'd be just as much of a whipping boy around here if he was still here as Seabs, toews etc.
- BlazinMike

Maybe he would take some of the whipping boy pressure off 7 and 19, and they'd be performing better

Leddy is just one example...but a good one, expect a rant from our resident "Leddy is a GOD" poster in 3, 2, 1....
- Murph76

I don't think anyone can argue that Leddy should not have been traded. He had to go, the numbers dictated that.

What galls most of us on this side is Bowman undersold him by waiting too long to move him....you do NOT trade an experienced yet young 21 yo puck moving D-man for trash. Pokka is all that's left from that fiasco and he's probably not even considered a prospect anymore.

Leddy is just one example...but a good one, expect a rant from our resident "Leddy is a GOD" poster in 3, 2, 1....
- Murph76

Ha Ha, no rant Murph.

The only point - I was correct. That's all.
Guys with those skills don't fall into your lap every day.
Might have been one of the best trades TO get, and worst in getting anything FROM.
Water under the bridge but like Enzo, hard to see that talent given away for TRASH.

Ladies and Gentlemen, your Washington Capitals for tonight:

Ovechkin-Backstrom-Wilson
Vrana-Kuznetsov-Chiasson
Connolly-Eller-Boyd
Stephenson-Beagle-DSP

Orlov-Niskanen
Orpik-Carlson
Djoos-Bowey
- Justin Lowe

Let's not forget they have Braden Holtby in net. He's kinda good.

Ha Ha, no rant Murph.

The only point - I was correct. That's all.
Guys with those skills don't fall into your lap every day.
Might have been one of the best trades TO get, and worst in getting anything FROM.
Water under the bridge but like Enzo, hard to see that talent given away for TRASH.
- savvyone-1

I think savvy has an app that alerts him when Leddy talk is at hand. Hah

Dead horse, but the centerpiece of Colorado moving Duchene was getting back a kid not unlike Nick Leddy. Young, puck moving D-men are NOT a dime-a-dozen. Bowman basically gave him away, gave away TT, gave away Danault...and we bicker about WHY the team is under .500...there's your reason.

(frank) Leddy. He'd be just as much of a whipping boy around here if he was still here as Seabs, toews etc.
- BlazinMike

He would be the Hawks' #1 Dman today.

Let's not forget they have Braden Holtby in net. He's kinda good.
- Rota's Rooter

Oh ya... that guy. He's solid.

He would be the Hawks' #1 Dman today.
- EnzoD

In Rockford

Ha Ha, no rant Murph.

The only point - I was correct. That's all.
Guys with those skills don't fall into your lap every day.
Might have been one of the best trades TO get, and worst in getting anything FROM.
Water under the bridge but like Enzo, hard to see that talent given away for TRASH.
- savvyone-1

Just ONE of the reasons Bowman should be fired--not Q.

Ha Ha, no rant Murph.

The only point - I was correct. That's all.
Guys with those skills don't fall into your lap every day.
Might have been one of the best trades TO get, and worst in getting anything FROM.
Water under the bridge but like Enzo, hard to see that talent given away for TRASH.
- savvyone-1

- JRoenick97

Positive statistics there, but as they say....."All Swedish, No Finnish". A finisher like Evander Kane could vault this team from middle of the pack to a real contender.

- JRoenick97

Could you please explain what trend this graph indicates?

Just ONE of the reasons Bowman should be fired--not Q.
- tompo1015

Can't we just fired them all?

Could you please explain what trend this graph indicates?
- Rota's Rooter

It's shot attempts for + shot attempts against. Basically the "pace of the game." Hawks shoot more and get shot on more than other teams.

Positive statistics there, but as they say....."All Swedish, No Finnish". A finisher like Evander Kane could vault this team from middle of the pack to a real contender.
- EnzoD

A real finisher on the top line would be nice.