It's there now. Worth a watch.

https://www.nhl.com/black...ia/t-277437096/c-56933403

And, after seeing what I saw on the ice (before and between play) and this, I'll eat my socks if there are not locker room issues. Whether borne of a down season or already there and part of reason for such a down season, who knows?
- pdx2ord

He looks really healthy and alert, very lucid. I wonder what's in his diet?

Thanks he’s in either in total denial or spin mode. Obviously no more leadership on this team.
- walleyeb1

It’s becoming clear that the leader on the team was Hossa. He’s the biggest missing piece from last year’s team that piled up 109 points and the hot mess out there now.

Did Bownan pull a fast one on us and start a rebuild without saying so probably yes and I think the fact that he did nothing with the cap savings from Hossa’s LTIR was the tip off. A rebuild won’t be easy or popular but we all knew this day was coming. We really saw some great hockey and if it wasn’t for the cap they might have won a couple more cups. I hoped they had one more run in them but unless something unexpected happens they probably don’t even make the playoffs. It will be interesting to see what they do at the TDL.

Did Bownan pull a fast one on us and start a rebuild without saying so probably yes and I think the fact that he did nothing with the cap savings from Hossa’s LTIR was the tip off. A rebuild won’t be easy or popular but we all knew this day was coming. We really saw some great hockey and if it wasn’t for the cap they might have won a couple more cups. I hoped they had one more run in them but unless something unexpected happens they probably don’t even make the playoffs. It will be interesting to see what they do at the TDL.
- jhawk159

It was a great run and outside of a bad offsides call 2014 was ours too.

Should be sellers, get as many draft choices as possible, but we all know that.

Jurco looked good, only change that should be made is switch My Cuz with Ducliar, as a whole they played good, but Tampa outclassed them.





the

Well crew - another game with a lot of ups and downs.

Mr. Glass played really well, so you can't fault him for that one. Not sure if he gets the start on Wednesday but it won't matter if the Hawks can't finish.

I have come to the conclusion this season that the Hawks are terrible in front of nets... goal crease out to about 7 feet. And yes, I said nets... they have consistently let opponents walk by them, sneak behind, stand in front of the net and bang home rebounds.

In the o-zone, they look like tyke players trying to score their first goal ever... that is if they have someone in front of the net at all. When the puck does land there though and it's a scramble, watch it... you have guys whacking and flailing all over the ice.

I know they are gripping the sticks a little tight these days but it just has been a bad trend all year and it's showed in the standings.

It's been difficult to watch lately and it will be interesting to see how this roster looks by the end of the year (playoffs or no playoffs).
- Justin Lowe

Did Bownan pull a fast one on us and start a rebuild without saying so probably yes and I think the fact that he did nothing with the cap savings from Hossa’s LTIR was the tip off. A rebuild won’t be easy or popular but we all knew this day was coming. We really saw some great hockey and if it wasn’t for the cap they might have won a couple more cups. I hoped they had one more run in them but unless something unexpected happens they probably don’t even make the playoffs. It will be interesting to see what they do at the TDL.
- jhawk159

yes we have appeared to have reentered the agony of defeat phase

winners and losers

imagine if this hawk team went into a slide like the sens


Adam Vingan‏Verified account
@AdamVingan

Records since the three-team trade Nov. 5:

Nashville: 21-6-4
Colorado: 18-11-3 (with 10 consecutive W's)
Ottawa: 9-17-4

Not sure why players are being ragged on for drop back passes. That’s coaching. Especially on the PP.
- bhawks2241

Yep, it's on the coach's otherwise it's a benching or the Rock
unless it's Keith doing it.

a race to the bottom...

is there anything that stop this team from a complete implode the last 35 games...
- bogiedoc

A new coach

Couple of observations being at the game. You guys have all pointed out most of what went on during the play.

- Warmups: NO energy, no laughing, no smiles, running the drills at half speed.
- Kempny is scared of his own shadow - you could seem him hesitating way more than I remember him doing in his first games here. It cost them several times. Q has added to his mental issues - he's afraid to make a mistake.
- During breaks, Kane was off skating by himself and not huddling with his teammates at or around the bench, strategizing. That's not normal for him.
- The crowd actually hung in there until the 2nd Tampa goal. Smattering of boos after one of the failed power plays, but overall, supportive. Lots of empty seats compared to a normal game against a top team.
- The team still just looks lost out there with all of the lines who don't regularly play together. Not sure where to be, bunching up on same side of ice, passes more to TPA than to each other.

I fear that the defeatist attitude has sunk in or is quickly sinking in with most of the team. And, I really think it is time for the coach to go.
- pdx2ord

I think you can take the Kempny story and use it for like 6-7 other guys also.
The only guys not paying for mistakes 2-7-19-10-57-17, all the youngsters
and first year players are playing scared.

2018 blackhawk powerless play:

1. take away the sens game and it is 0 for 2018 (0-22) over 8 games
2. 0-21 at home over 7 games
3. 4-28 over 9 games = 14%

hawks have entered a bear market so have ticket prices....under 60 bucks for 300 level seat....wow at the start of the year those were in the 120-150 range


if you are on season ticket waiting list...you might get your chance this summer

https://www.vividseats.co...e-leafs-1-24-2379110.html

It is going to be a painful and long rebuild . We don't have the cap space for a re tool . We can't trade our high cap hits and we can't buy out the high caps. Unless you want to have over 3 million taken from the cap for the next 12 years to get rid of Seabs. You're not getting more then late picks for Wingles , Bouma, Franson ect.
We don't have a lot of or any high end prospects on the way.
But you know like someone else on here said we knew it was going to happen eventually and 3 cups make it worth it. Hell I was at the point I thought I would never see them win a cup.
I know everyone down on Toews , Keith, and Seabs but let's not forget what they have done for this franchise. Yes Toews and Seabs over paid but can you put that on them. Time and injuries have taken there toll. Keith is 34 and has played an enormous about of hockey at this point it shouldn't be on him to be their best defenceman .
I'm going to do my best to enjoy the rebuild process

Something behind the scenes has to be going on that is allowing this group (From Rocky all the way down to the guys in the pressbox) to just be so nonchalant.

I used to think the Rocky cared, but I don't think so anymore. He got his huge chunk of change when LV came into the league, and he will get it again when Seattle or Quebec City arrives. SOme backroon deal was made (without the fans knowing) that has allowed this team to turn into the laughing stock of the NHL. Call me crazy (which many of you have), but after the Malkin intent to injure Crawford, why hasn't anyone from this organ-I-zation publically questioned the league on why that play was not even reviewed? How is that any different that a play in which a player is skating through the neutral zone and another player cross-checks him in the head, unsuspecting? The players know everyone quit on them, and that is why they are just going through the motions. Rocky, this is on you now. Fess up, and come forward.

Justin, someone said it in a post a little while ago, until they put the crap aside with focusing on local kids, small euros ,And taking a shot with kids never being good enough to be drafted by other teams, this trend will continue. I think John Hayden could be a very good player which is probably why he is down in Rockford now playing meaningful minutes, he will be recalled at some point, hopefully they see with some of the guys they brought up that it is what it is and just let them play their way out of here and they have already reached their potential and they will be replaced so they are basically fillers ,
Sorry, but I am in the trade nick schmaltz right now while the iron is hot camp if I can get a real good defenseman before his value declines ,Hinostroza is nothing more than an AHL player, Ryan Hartman? Is he nothing more than a fourth Line player on a good team? I think some are overvaluing Jordan Oesterle,Same with Rutta and Forsling,I thought Thomas Jurco played a good game tonight , I would like to see him play with either Kanes line or Anisamov’s line next game,
I refuse to believe that they will tank this season, that is not an uncle John’s vocabulary! I think they will make a couple of trades that will benefit them for the rest of the year and going forward even if it is of significance.
- wonthecup10

Nobody within team management is going to admit to or advocate tanking publicly - too much money involved. They want the UC filled for remaining games, they need to get season ticket renewals for next season and sell those hard to get Convention tickets......

The Hawks played a decent game last night, at least it was entertaining to watch. A good part of the reason for that is it was wide open, played at a high pace and the Hawks usually respond to playing like that against good teams like Tampa, Winnipeg and not so great outfits like the Oilers and Rangers.

But when they face a team who plays the lock down, clog up the neural zone 'slug it out in the mud' type game, they can't or won't compete. They have far too many small players who rely on finesse and virtually nobody up front who can pound an opponent's defencemen physically. About the only guys they have with a nasty edge is Murphy and in the bantamweight division, Hartman. Hayden is capable but he's been sent to grooming school, hopefully its not to remove his ill temper but to add some offence to his physicality.

I don't care what Bowman says about getting younger - not gonna win in the NHL with so many small skill guys with no physicality to their games like Kane, Debrincat, Vinny, Oesterle, Sharp, Keith, Schmaltz. Too many of them, its mandatory to have one or 2 bigger players who get up on the wrong side of the bed every morning and kick their dog in the ass as their first act of the day. And also be able to play the mean NHL game and be useful creating a disturbance on the PP. But acquiring them is easier said than done.

Shmaltz - sorry pal, but not going anywhere, can't afford to give up that cheap ELC. Debrincat - needs to go Rockford for development and play 20+ minutes a night. Vinny, who cares - he is as you describe him, an AHL/NHL tweener - basically a 13rd forward who can provide some energy.

Blaming and firing the coach is the popular solution, somebody else gonna make this team much better and win with them? Q's far from blameless but its Bowman who's assembled this collection. They might be good enough for a playoff spot in the East, nowhere near good enough in the West.

Teows needs to Figure out who he is. Ever since he did the New style training in the off season he looks 10 Lbs lighter and cannot keep the puck in the corners. He just looks so thin to me. IE very little strength and little functional strength.

We really only have 2 bad contracts. Teows and Seabs. Every other player on the team is movable salary vs production. No one thought the cap would take 5 years to go from 69 to 80 when they signed it. No one thought a 28 year old Teows would go from a top 5 Center in the league to top 50 until much farther into his 30's.

Craw is not movable at this point, So the only guys we could move that would return anything with the thought of getting younger would be Keith and AA. They are both not the problem other then AA cannot stay healthy and Keith needs to get off the power play and stop trying to score goals and become a shut down D man.

Couple of observations being at the game. You guys have all pointed out most of what went on during the play.

- Warmups: NO energy, no laughing, no smiles, running the drills at half speed.
- Kempny is scared of his own shadow - you could seem him hesitating way more than I remember him doing in his first games here. It cost them several times. Q has added to his mental issues - he's afraid to make a mistake.
- During breaks, Kane was off skating by himself and not huddling with his teammates at or around the bench, strategizing. That's not normal for him.
- The crowd actually hung in there until the 2nd Tampa goal. Smattering of boos after one of the failed power plays, but overall, supportive. Lots of empty seats compared to a normal game against a top team.
- The team still just looks lost out there with all of the lines who don't regularly play together. Not sure where to be, bunching up on same side of ice, passes more to TPA than to each other.

I fear that the defeatist attitude has sunk in or is quickly sinking in with most of the team. And, I really think it is time for the coach to go.
- pdx2ord

There were smiles and laughing. Toews and Cat even did a jump shoulder bump like football players.

There's a lot to be worried about right now, but last nights game wasn't it. Vazilevski straight robbed that game. The Islanders game is one to be pissed about, and the one before that, but last night had effort and they played well. Th goalie was on fire.

He looks really healthy and alert, very lucid. I wonder what's in his diet?
- Dieselhead

He and Keith need to dump ONNIT, and start doing TB12!

If the Hawks win 30 of 35 they will have the same point total as last year
👀

There were smiles and laughing. Toews and Cat even did a jump shoulder bump like football players.

There's a lot to be worried about right now, but last nights game wasn't it. Vazilevski straight robbed that game. The Islanders game is one to be pissed about, and the one before that, but last night had effort and they played well. Th goalie was on fire.
- JRoenick97

Yeah, last night's game IS one they / we / us should be worried about.

Zero goals - again - at home - again - and importantly, going into the third period down one - and they lost the period, both to the eyes (at least mine) and the stats:

In the third, SOG all were 10-14, SAT all were 21-21
5x5 SOG were 6-13, 5x5 SAT were 13-20
And actual goals - 0-1

If a team is down by a goal, at home, in an important game (as they all are now) - at home - they need to come out and dominate in the third. They didn't.

No moral victories when you're 7 points out of a play-off spot and have to jump over 4 teams to get in - and the season so far says that there likely isn't a long run in them. They are:

22 wins 25 losses overall - 3 games below "true .500"
12 wins 12 losses overall at home
17 wins 19 losses in games decided in regulation

If they're looking for points and the goal is to make the playoffs I'd stack 20 - 8 and 88 on the same line and everyone else is a shutdown \ defensive group that play a boring trap.

Also, more Murphy and Kempny would be better.

Yeah, last night's game IS one they / we / us should be worried about.

Zero goals - again - at home - again - and importantly, going into the third period down one - and they lost the period, both to the eyes (at least mine) and the stats:

In the third, SOG all were 10-14, SAT all were 21-21
5x5 SOG were 6-13, 5x5 SAT were 13-20
And actual goals - 0-1

If a team is down by a goal, at home, in an important game (as they all are now) - at home - they need to come out and dominate in the third. They didn't.

No moral victories when you're 7 points out of a play-off spot and have to jump over 4 teams to get in - and the season so far says that there likely isn't a long run in them. They are:

22 wins 25 losses overall - 3 games below "true .500"
12 wins 12 losses overall at home
17 wins 19 losses in games decided in regulation
- StLBravesFan

not much good, alot of bad and very ugly

If the Hawks win 30 of 35 they will have the same point total as last year
👀
- Colbyboy

times a wasten...

The seeds of this can be directly placed at the feet of the players asking for insane contracts. If they are pissed the team sucks, look in the mirror. Didn't they know once they demanded a highly disproportionate share of the team salary cap that would leave fewer dollars to fill in the rest of the team with experienced or competent teammates? Hey they got paid...now reside yourselves to the fact you'll be playing in obscurity for the next half of your career and don't female dog about it. Just enjoy cashing your checks.

A less half million here, a less million there and the Hawks are likely looking a hell of a lot different today.

Lets do a hypothetical. Say I am a geneticist for a zoo and I make 100,000 a year. The zoo offers me 105,000 a year but in addition to frozen bank research they say I now have to help the bozo who is making minimum wage to clean up the Tiger poop as well. OR I could make 100,000 and they could hire a really good poop scooper. I'm taking the slightly lower salary because that will allow the entire operation to run better, my skills can be better utilized for what I am qualified for and my support staff does a good job alleviating me from carrying more load than I am really capable.

Teows needs to Figure out who he is. Ever since he did the New style training in the off season he looks 10 Lbs lighter and cannot keep the puck in the corners. He just looks so thin to me. IE very little strength and little functional strength.

We really only have 2 bad contracts. Teows and Seabs. Every other player on the team is movable salary vs production. No one thought the cap would take 5 years to go from 69 to 80 when they signed it. No one thought a 28 year old Teows would go from a top 5 Center in the league to top 50 until much farther into his 30's.

Craw is not movable at this point, So the only guys we could move that would return anything with the thought of getting younger would be Keith and AA. They are both not the problem other then AA cannot stay healthy and Keith needs to get off the power play and stop trying to score goals and become a shut down D man.
- kmw4631

Very nice post. Never thought I’d ever say Toews looks WEAK on his skates. He has had periods where he seemed to be muscle-bound, now he just seems skinny, small. He never lost puck battles previously now he does constantly. How does this manifest itself? Suddenly, Toews takes lots of stupid, needless penalties like the crucial one he took in front of the Islanders’ net which completely destroyed the Hawks early momentum, in that game. Only thing Toews leads in right now is poor choices.