Have to disagree...Pokka was part of the leftovers Garth snow handed Stan after he waited all summer to move Leddy when he should have moved him at the draft. You know like he bungled moving Sharp at the draft the next year...

meanwhile Hawks need center depth and Danault and Kruger both gone yet Panik gets 2.8 per...yikes Scooby.
- DK002

NO, not at the time. Pokka was younger than Leddy and considered a very good prospect, and Leddy was still figuring out his game in the NHL. Again, this was at the time of the trade, not what they both became. Yes, it looks bad now because Pokka failed to develop and Leddy cemented his game, but at the time, nobody was down on Pokka.

NO, not at the time. Pokka was younger than Leddy and considered a very good prospect, and Leddy was still figuring out his game in the NHL. Again, this was at the time of the trade, not what they both became. Yes, it looks bad now because Pokka failed to develop and Leddy cemented his game, but at the time, nobody was down on Pokka.
- JRoenick97

You are right, Pokka was considered a good spec, but even a "Top 10" in the system prospect wasn't enough for Leddy. The Hawks should have gotten more futures...TJ Brennan and the goalie were depth fodder.

Man, Kempny is deeper in the doghouse than I think anyone might have ever been. Why don't they just waive him?

@BrianSandalow

Pokka up, Franson to IR. #Blackhawks

ETA: but this is a good point

@MarkLazerus

With Franson still hurting and Jan Rutta uncertain after getting knocked out of last night's game, makes sense to bring up a right-handed shot like Pokka.
- pdx2ord

Pokka recalled!!!!!!!

You are right, Pokka was considered a good spec, but even a "Top 10" in the system prospect wasn't enough for Leddy. The Hawks should have gotten more futures...TJ Brennan and the goalie were depth fodder.
- kwolf68

Getting more would have been preferable, but that cap strap was real too, and others knew it.

20-19-12, is it a thing now? I realize it was against Florida, but I sure liked what I saw from them.

Bad teams don’t get destroyed that often, even by good teams.

If I’ve counted correctly;

Buffalo - only 8 out of 23 losses have been by more than 2 goals; 6 losses in OT.

Arizona - only 7 out of 26 losses have been by more than 2 goals; 5 losses in OT.
- StLBravesFan

Agreed. I think the difference between a good team and a bad team can be pretty small on any given night.

The Hawks are in the thick of it right now in the standings after bouncing back from a bad slump. The key will be what they do next.

Positives to take away, the Hawks on a whole are not giving up goals, sitting 6th in goals allowed and 5th on the PK. If they can find some spark on the PP or offensively 5v5 they should be able to win their share. Maybe they can start to win some more of these close games which have been the bane this season.

20-19-12, is it a thing now? I realize it was against Florida, but I sure liked what I saw from them.
- 333inthe3rd

I would think so, Toews and Saad seem to be playing some of their best hockey of the season since DeBrincat was promoted to their line. Although, the prudent thing to do would be send DeBrincat to Rockford for some seasoning.

20-19-12, is it a thing now? I realize it was against Florida, but I sure liked what I saw from them.
- 333inthe3rd

didnt the cat play with McDavid? huge step down to the 19 line

20-19-12, is it a thing now? I realize it was against Florida, but I sure liked what I saw from them.
- 333inthe3rd

It should be a thing. 20-19-14 needed an infusion of playmaking skill on the line. Hopefully some chemistry can develop and they get on a roll. I don't think it was a coincidence the that top line did well last year when Schmaltz found his way there (again, a guy with playmaking skill) to go with Toews and Panik.

20-19-12, is it a thing now? I realize it was against Florida, but I sure liked what I saw from them.
- 333inthe3rd

Would it be wrong to call them the STD line

Would it be wrong to call them the STD line
- riozzo

You mean the Stan Traded Denault line?

Would it be wrong to call them the STD line
- riozzo

I don't believe there is any way not to call them the STD line now.

Would it be wrong to call them the STD line
- riozzo

They will hopefully be infecting goalies all across the NHL.

I don't believe there is any way not to call them the STD line now.

- hawkitect

The STD that goes away, what with the line blender and all.

You mean the Stan Traded Denault line?
- Dieselhead

Agreed. I think the difference between a good team and a bad team can be pretty small on any given night.

The Hawks are in the thick of it right now in the standings after bouncing back from a bad slump. The key will be what they do next.

Positives to take away, the Hawks on a whole are not giving up goals, sitting 6th in goals allowed and 5th on the PK. If they can find some spark on the PP or offensively 5v5 they should be able to win their share. Maybe they can start to win some more of these close games which have been the bane this season.
- breadbag

As Q said in his presser last nite, get more cycle goals like the first one last nite - get more skaters to the net - I think that can be dramatically improved.

Almost all of their goals in the three-game-streak have been off the rush - nice, pretty, they count - but you can't count on them. They need more puck-possession goals with Indianheads at the net bothering the goalie, screening, getting deflections, getting rebounds.

That's pretty spot on for what I've seen with Kempny. I grew up a defenseman, so that's part of my game, and a lot of you know I have defended Seabrook a number of times on this board. Kempny has all the physical traits you need to be an NHL d-man, but he doesn't have the focus yet. That's now up to Ulfie to drill it in to his brain, or not. They have 8 guys so someone is gonna sit.
- JRoenick97

Or it could be they have been drilling it into him, but he’s ignoring it, and won’t push himself to do the right thing if it takes extra effort.

Or it could be they have been drilling it into him, but he’s ignoring it, and won’t push himself to do the right thing if it takes extra effort.
- walleyeb1

Also very possible. Ulf can drill it all he wants, but if he's not picking it up, he's not gonna play.

20-19-12, is it a thing now? I realize it was against Florida, but I sure liked what I saw from them.
- 333inthe3rd

A lot like 15' when they tormented the Ducks with 19-88-20. Kane gave those guys more space. The Cat isn't Kane, but he draws a lot of attention and can make the plays to put 20-19 in scoring areas and situations.

An Interesting and somewhat eye-opening stat from last nights post game show:

In games when both Kane and Toews score goals the Hawks are 71-6-4 in the regular season and 6-0 in the playoffs.
- TheTrob

Wow. Didn't see that. Great stat and makes sense.

A lot like 15' when they tormented the Ducks with 19-88-20. Kane gave those guys more space. The Cat isn't Kane, but he draws a lot of attention and can make the plays to put 20-19 in scoring areas and situations.
- nickmo2699

He'll draw more and more attention when the video teams around the league see plays he makes. For instance, his pass to Saad for the goal last night was instant. He knew where the puck had to go and wasted zero time when the puck came to him. He has vision and anticipation not unlike Kane at times. Given time and space (and not that much) this kid will do damage. Much fun to watch.

An Interesting and somewhat eye-opening stat from last nights post game show:

In games when both Kane and Toews score goals the Hawks are 71-6-4 in the regular season and 6-0 in the playoffs.
- TheTrob

With a combined cap hit of $21 million per season anything less than 81-0-0 and 6-0 should be considered a massive fail on Stan's part. Toews is overpaid at $10.5 million.

With a combined cap hit of $21 million per season anything less than 81-0-0 and 6-0 should be considered a massive fail on Stan's part. Toews is overpaid at $10.5 million.
- DarthKane

*giggles*

most teams are in the same mess...but you have to wonder when you see a significant number of home games are also travel days: home-away-home-away or home-away-away-home-away...

the hawks just completed an away-away-away-home-away-home-away-home-away home...thats 10 travel days with 3 home game...

now in february they have alot of home games separated by the all star break

- bogiedoc

I don't think the reason for the odd December schedule has anything to do with the UC availibility. This is the worst December-Holiday season schedule the Hawks have had in at least 50 years.

The games over Christmas break are a big money maker....Those are the tickets people get as gifts and many of those attending go once a year and are bringing kids...Lots of concession and gift shop-souvenirs sales.....

Going forward Bowman cannot afford to make more bad decisions. We are at the point of no return. Thank goodness Bowman appears to have an agenda and the plan to be tougher to play against has merit. You can only do so much each season. This is based on the personnel on the roster, in the system, and whatever transactions are completed after the season's last game.

If Bowman is not on the clock, he should be. No way will we tolerate over pay on new contracts. Panik has to go; we cannot be his baby sitter if he cannot figure out what he needs to do by this point in his career. I do not foresee others whom are automatic obvious players who MUST be taillights. Franson maybe but not much saving over promotion of an AHL or other rookie in his stead.

I am not going to discuss Queeneville status, other than to say there is probably a good young teaching coach whom would have to demand the power to have the back of management regarding his coaching decisions....yes, this refers to the powerplay.

More about contracts: We are stuck with those albatross Seabrook and Toews contracts, and it is not entirely a bad thing. It is a bad development if their performance falls more than it already has. They are not as valuable as they once were.

Seabrook has looked much better lately. Toews is in some ways borderline secondary scorer but he is just ok if he stays within limitation + his present linemattes. Both players are good exampes for younger players and that is both on ice and in locker room.

It is nearly a complete throw away if you move them; first you have to structure some way to pay most of the salary and i do not know how you could trade them and still retain part of the cap hit.

It is a lesson in economics about supply and demand and the cost of diminishing returns. What they were and what they are now is immaterial: their contracts rue the day their overpay contracts were signed. You are arguing against logic if you believe they can be traded and have much value in the return back to us.

So what Bowman has to do, is identify and trade or draft well. There are some good prospects in the system on defense, although a top two pairing whom is both physical yet mobile rearguard (prospect ceiling rating) is not in sight.

That first round choice should be used for a power center, someone whom resembles or can become much of what Toews used to be (Trade that choice and you risk being a Pulfordism type competitive team that is not going anywhere even if you make playoffs). Bowman is averse to such selections and there is always the best player/talent available theory to subscribe to.

However, we have Sinkula on the way + both DeBrincat and Schmaltz as skill non physical type forwards. Unless you trade one of them, we really need both large size and physical forward who is minimal ok in face off and can score enough to play top two lines. Have to look at Wiz' draftsite.com if such a player may be within reach of our draft spot. Btw Hayden is a nice player to have but i cannot see him as a top line force. Better scorer, perhaps, but top line ceiling is probably a reach.