Meanwhile, Dale's Florida Panthers are in first place, have the SAME amount of points as the Hawks, with less talent, and by far the best crop of prospects in the pipeline.....just sayin'.....
- hawks2010

Oh you mean the guy who doesn't have the last name Bowman? The guy who apparently forgot admin tasks like faxing is part of his job? The guy who build the Cup team? The guy we chased out of town because.... yea... well done McD.

Unless you know beyond any doubt that Bowman just takes direction from above/elsewhere, virtually all of this is on him. The players on the ice are the General Manager's team. That's it period. That's what he gets paid for.

And tell me what acquisitions he has made have been hits as you call them. Montador? Frolik? Emery? Brunette? Morrisson? O'Donnell? The closest thing he has to a "hit" is Stalberg, maybe Shaw.

Stan Bowman has presided over a remake of a team that has gotten older, slower, softer and bogged down with large number of big money, long term contracts.

He is just not qualified for the position he holds. The only worse G.M. in the league is the idiot who presides over the Montreal Canadiens. And to even mention Stanbow in the same paragraph as Ken Holland is ridiculous.
- RickJ

If you go back to summer 2011 - most experts were giving Stan either an A or B+ for all the moves he made. I believe it's bad coaching / bad system that makes this team play soft, not inspired and lost. BTW not trying to protect SB, but IMO most of the blame should be on Q.

If you go back to summer 2011 - most experts were giving Stan either an A or B+ for all the moves he made. I believe it's bad coaching / bad system that makes this team play soft, not inspired and lost. BTW not trying to protect SB, but IMO most of the blame should be on Q.
- Hawkswin

Agreed, for now. If a coaching change or two doesn't resolve the situation into next season, then I feel it's time to point the finger at Bowman.

Agreed, for now. If a coaching change or two doesn't resolve the situation into next season, then I feel it's time to point the finger at Bowman.
- EKolb13

+1. A coaching change HAS to be made for Stans sake, so he can prove that the players he brought in are the correct players. If the team still fails, then it is all on him.

The Hawks front office has been described as dysfunctional by some and maybe they are. I think in comparison if this regime is dysfunctional then what would we call the previous regime run by Dollar Bill and his sidekick Pully? That was a regime that traded away fan favorites and alienated players and fans alike and their only"goal" was to make the playoffs period. At least this group however they did it won a cup. The problems now IMO are squarely on Stan Bowman and Q. Bowman has not been able to add depth and the complementary players needed for the Hawks to give them the best chance to compete for the cup. If as it looks that Bowman is not the right GM than that's on McD for hiring him and firing Tallon. I'll give McD a pass for now on the marketing because the Hawks as a franchise was so of the radar that high school sports got move coverage than them. I won't give McD a pass if he is not capable of seeing that the Hawks need a HOCKEY GUY running the show instead of a bean counter. If McD needs to see how it's done he should look no further than his former employers who finally figured it out and hired Theo Epstein. If McD is smart he will go out and get the best HOCKEY GUY. That may be a big IF.
- jhawk159

Ever see Tango & Cash? FUBAR: F(u)cked Up Beyond All Recognition

That situation was different. Cheap ass motherf(u)ckers. This situation seems to be evolving to the point about greed and control, based on what I read from guys like JJ. McD wanted his lackey as GM. He got it. McD wanted DT out of there cuz I guess he thought he couldn't get any glory if the guy who had a HUGE hand in putting together a title team was still there; cap issues be damned.

Maybe, maybe, maybe Josh Mora will finally come out with the inside story I understand he knows that would blow the lid off of all of this.

If you go back to summer 2011 - most experts were giving Stan either an A or B+ for all the moves he made. I believe it's bad coaching / bad system that makes this team play soft, not inspired and lost. BTW not trying to protect SB, but IMO most of the blame should be on Q.
- Hawkswin

I would have to agree with you. But to play devils advocate here, if Stan and Co. don't believe in Q's system, wouldn't that make them show Q the door sooner, rather than later?

Not sure what Stan is waiting for actually! We all see the problems as casual fans. What do other teams see? Hmmm....

Q's stick waving, poke checking style of defense is embarrassing! I'm putting that on the coaching, system, and players for lacking in heart, and being mental and physical weaklings! Most of them anyway!!! Would love to see Bolllig come up, but I'm sure Q would coach him out of finishing checks and playing a hard forecheck.

We all keep blasting the front office for meddling by McDonough, management by committee, discord between the front office and the ice, McDonough bringing in sycophants who will bow down to him, Bowman not willing to recognize his mistakes - just out of curiosity, does anyone have any first-hand examples of any of this - or are we just expanding on a few bits of information and rumor to build a picture of a dysfunctional group that's pissed that a previous regime actually built a Cup champion?
- StLBravesFan

The reason Tallon was fired and Bowman was elevated is mostly hearsay, however it comes from numerous sources.

The Hawks do have a very crowded, overlapping front office compared to other teams—at McDonough's direction.

Player decisions and plans are made in large "meetings."

McDonough is arguably the most visible Team President with a non-hockey background of any NHL franchise. His own commercial. Really? The GM doesn't have one. Scotty Bowman doesn't have one, but McDonough does?

If you go back to summer 2011 - most experts were giving Stan either an A or B+ for all the moves he made. I believe it's bad coaching / bad system that makes this team play soft, not inspired and lost. BTW not trying to protect SB, but IMO most of the blame should be on Q.
- Hawkswin

Q is definitely not blameless.

But pretend for a minute you are the coach and you look down your depth chart searching for help during this slide and what do you see:

Brunette, Morrisson, O'Donnell, Frolik, Montador, Scott, Bickell, Lepisto, Emery, Crawford, Olesz (oh wait, I can't use him), Hayes (oh wait, I can't use him because Bickell won't clear waivers).

Who gave him that wealth of talent? Stan Bowman Jr. did.

Show me a good coach and I can show you alot of good players. Not a bunch of retreads, over the hillers and never weres.

Jesse Rogers wrote a blog today discussing the possibility of Q being replaced. One thing he mentions is in both St Louis and Colorado Q had goalie problems. We've discussed at length how the Hawks system leaves the goalie in a tough spot repeatedly. Was this a foreseeable issue from Q's past stops?
- NewToHockey

Rogers: "Senior adviser Scotty Bowman was on hand for the second leg of the road trip and saw the Hawks’ woes. The question is, what is the greatest hockey coach of our era reporting back to the bosses?

At the end of the day, think of it this way, there has to be a number in your mind, in Bowman’s mind, in CEO John McDonough’s mind, that forces their hand. Is it ten games? Is it 12? How many losses and more to the point, how many bad losses would it take?"

Wow Bowman Sr. saw an eyefull...I suspect the white paper is on Mcd's desk this morning.

Pick a number any number....those ticks and tocks are getting louder!

If you go back to summer 2011 - most experts were giving Stan either an A or B+ for all the moves he made. I believe it's bad coaching / bad system that makes this team play soft, not inspired and lost. BTW not trying to protect SB, but IMO most of the blame should be on Q.
- Hawkswin

I'm not an "expert" but I, like a lot of the "experts" on NHL Network, TSN etc was giving him high marks. I was wrong. So were they.

Trading Campbell's deal was huge—but then he did next to nothing with the cap room. I was on the fence about dealing Brouwer. The pressure now for Philip Danault to turn into a very good NHL player is high.

Rogers: "Senior adviser Scotty Bowman was on hand for the second leg of the road trip and saw the Hawks’ woes. The question is, what is the greatest hockey coach of our era reporting back to the bosses?

At the end of the day, think of it this way, there has to be a number in your mind, in Bowman’s mind, in CEO John McDonough’s mind, that forces their hand. Is it ten games? Is it 12? How many losses and more to the point, how many bad losses would it take?"

Wow Bowman Sr. saw an eyefull...I suspect the white paper is on Mcd's desk this morning.

Pick a number any number....those ticks and tocks are getting louder!
- bogiedoc

They wait 10 -12 games even with marginal improvement and they're done. So say they go 4-6-2 in that time. Very possible (maybe at best). They are out of the playoffs. The teams below the hawks are all winning games. The Hawks need to turn it around like RIGHT NOW.

Random twitter fun ? Any truth to any of this ??

Scott Brandabura @Copperblue1994
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Oilers trade peckham to blackhawks for a 4th round pick


LeafCentral @LeafCentral
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FavoritedFavorite · Close Open Details #Leafs #Blackhawks to complete trade shortly. Both teams are losing and prepared to shake things up earlier then expected.

LeafCentral @LeafCentral
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Players I've heard being discussed. Schenn and Gunnarrson from #Leafs, McNeill and Saad from #Blackhawks. Draft picks also involved.




- mrpaulish

First one sounds more likely. Second one sounds like Toronto media leaf Wishful Thinking B.S.

The reason Tallon was fired and Bowman was elevated is mostly hearsay, however it comes from numerous sources.

The Hawks do have a very crowded, overlapping front office compared to other teams—at McDonough's direction.
Player decisions and plans are made in large "meetings."

McDonough is arguably the most visible Team President with a non-hockey background of any NHL franchise. His own commercial. Really? The GM doesn't have one. Scotty Bowman doesn't have one, but McDonough does?
- John Jaeckel

This was the part I was scared of quite awhile back. If biz ops affected hockey ops. Obviously overlap is one of the more egregious issues.

Is this a surprise though? He was quite visibile at Clark & Addison, so I'm not surprised he's that visible at 1901 W. Madison.

I WILL say this: Schenn might be worth McNeill or Saad. Man, would he help this team.

Unless you know beyond any doubt that Bowman just takes direction from above/elsewhere, virtually all of this is on him. The players on the ice are the General Manager's team. That's it period. That's what he gets paid for.

And tell me what acquisitions he has made have been hits as you call them. Montador? Frolik? Emery? Brunette? Morrisson? O'Donnell? The closest thing he has to a "hit" is Stalberg, maybe Shaw.

Stan Bowman has presided over a remake of a team that has gotten older, slower, softer and bogged down with large number of big money, long term contracts.

He is just not qualified for the position he holds. The only worse G.M. in the league is the idiot who presides over the Montreal Canadiens. And to even mention Stanbow in the same paragraph as Ken Holland is ridiculous.
- RickJ

Well put. Not a huge fan of Q at all. But this is on Bowman IMO...

First one sounds more likely. Second one sounds like Toronto media leaf Wishful Thinking B.S.
- John Jaeckel

Have not seen any of these tweets by anyoe else. Just probably random hopes by other fanbases. Cant belive the Hawks with all of their cap space have done nothing.

Mr. Kitchen I show you the door. I don't think Joel Quennville should lose his job over the way this stretch has gone. Its obvious his young captain is not 100 %, Marian Hossa hasn't played this poorly in his entire career and if someone would finish I could see Patrick Kane having five assists in the last two games. Its time Quennville throws Frolik, Bickell and his buddy Andrew Brunette in the press box, and replace them with the young desperation waiting in the abyss in Rockford. John Jaeckel the excellent hawks blogger on this site mentioned a few ice hogs that could bring the toughness and mobility that is missing in the hawk line up. In 2010, the hawks went through a difficult losing streak and later won the cup. In times such as these you look to your captain, or your role players to get the team back on track. With the health issues of Jonathan Toews I do not see a player that can do that on this team.

Rogers: "Senior adviser Scotty Bowman was on hand for the second leg of the road trip and saw the Hawks’ woes. The question is, what is the greatest hockey coach of our era reporting back to the bosses?

At the end of the day, think of it this way, there has to be a number in your mind, in Bowman’s mind, in CEO John McDonough’s mind, that forces their hand. Is it ten games? Is it 12? How many losses and more to the point, how many bad losses would it take?"

Wow Bowman Sr. saw an eyefull...I suspect the white paper is on Mcd's desk this morning.

Pick a number any number....those ticks and tocks are getting louder!
- bogiedoc

My article coming out soon...I mention a recent interview on Sat. with Bowman.

Scotty says 25% of hockey is special teams...You can connect the dots...

The reason Tallon was fired and Bowman was elevated is mostly hearsay, however it comes from numerous sources.

The Hawks do have a very crowded, overlapping front office compared to other teams—at McDonough's direction.

Player decisions and plans are made in large "meetings."

McDonough is arguably the most visible Team President with a non-hockey background of any NHL franchise. His own commercial. Really? The GM doesn't have one. Scotty Bowman doesn't have one, but McDonough does?
- John Jaeckel

Tallon was too strong headed for someone like McDonough. I am sure they butted heads immediately. McD likes to run the show. I think that firing had very little do with the fax situiaton. But it was a perfect opportunity for McD to do what he wanted to do all along. Bowman has done way more things that have killed this team than that.

Rogers: "Senior adviser Scotty Bowman was on hand for the second leg of the road trip and saw the Hawks’ woes. The question is, what is the greatest hockey coach of our era reporting back to the bosses?

At the end of the day, think of it this way, there has to be a number in your mind, in Bowman’s mind, in CEO John McDonough’s mind, that forces their hand. Is it ten games? Is it 12? How many losses and more to the point, how many bad losses would it take?"
Wow Bowman Sr. saw an eyefull...I suspect the white paper is on Mcd's desk this morning.

Pick a number any number....those ticks and tocks are getting louder!
- bogiedoc

Already there. They knew there were issues even when the team was reeling off wins left and right on a very favourable home schedule back in December. The $hit officially started to hit the fan on Jan 2nd at home vs the Oil. Most of the first 6 games of this trip simply sealed the notion that there must be significant changes made.

I WILL say this: Schenn might be worth McNeill or Saad. Man, would he help this team.
- John Jaeckel

I am digging on this rumor. Schenn checks a LOT of boxes for the Hawks needs right now, and would be well worth McNeill or Saad IMO. He ha salso been mentioned in other trade rumors for a while.

I WILL say this: Schenn might be worth McNeill or Saad. Man, would he help this team.
- John Jaeckel

I can actually see the Hawks making that deal given the fact they have five of six spots in the top 6 locked up for the foreseeable future (all six if you include Kruger). Dealing from a strength, forwards, for the leafs strength, defense, makes some sense for both teams, depending on what additional adds are from both sides.

My article coming out soon...I mention a recent interview on Sat. with Bowman.

Scotty says 25% of hockey is special teams...You can connect the dots...
- Al

I don't think perceptually or in terms of actually getting the team back on track they can afford to wait much longer. Not saying it should be Q, that's up to them. But a significant shakeup is needed very soon.

I am digging on this rumor. Schenn checks a LOT of boxes for the Hawks needs right now, and would be well worth McNeill or Saad IMO. He ha salso been mentioned in other trade rumors for a while.
- John Jaeckel

Wouldnt hate to see Colby armstrong or Mike Brown included in that deal as well.

I can actually see the Hawks making that deal given the fact they have five of six spots in the top 6 locked up for the foreseeable future (all six if you include Kruger). Dealing from a strength, forwards, for the leafs strength, defense, makes some sense for both teams, depending on what additional adds are from both sides.
- hawks2010

My guess is Burke likes Saad. He is a USNTDP kid and Burke LOVES those kids.

Schenn is a BEAST in his own end and not a bad two-way defenseman. He would be a very significant piece missing from the puzzle right now.