If my 6 y/o knows that all they do is try to go backdoor on the PP, I'm sure other teams have figured that out as well.
- HajdukChicago

Maybe Tampon will stop the bleeding there too?

Oohhhh yyyyeeeaaahhhhhh
- southernhawk

If my 6 y/o knows that all they do is try to go backdoor on the PP, I'm sure other teams have figured that out as well.
- HajdukChicago

Or if Keith could hit something other than glass with the point shot....

Maybe Tampon will stop the bleeding there too?
- EKolb13

Well played, sir.

I don't disagree. if you read my original post, the point I'm makings is that the team is not dead and gone as most people here seem to think it is. I'm still critical of Bowman's lack of anything constructive and simply trying to land some big name in FA that doesn't address the issues.
- JRoenick97

i think the issue is that this team is close, but nothing has been done to really close that gap; and a year of better health (even though overall they were more healthy than most teams last year), a rebound year from Crawford, etc., is not going to get them there. The problem is they are like vancouver and San Jose: a team that is constructed to do well in the regular season but lacks what it takes to go deep in the playoffs.

It's not that they suck. It's that they're actually pretty to very good but nothing has been done to get them to great. For really two years.

If my 6 y/o knows that all they do is try to go backdoor on the PP, I'm sure other teams have figured that out as well.
- HajdukChicago

...and my girlfriend, too. I can't tell you how many times this past year I heard the following..

1. How come that one guy, #10, always tries to sneak in on the backside when the other team commits a foul?

2. How come your goalie is so bad? Every time I look up, I see a puck sneaking in.

Or if Keith could hit something other than glass with the point shot....
- southernhawk

Perhaps Keith is just hitting everyone on purpose with his shot from the point because he's sick of Kitchen's PP plans?

With that thought, you'd fit right in at the brainwashing seminar...I mean convention.
- EKolb13

Everything will be OK because we have Brandon Saad!

i think the issue is that this team is close, but nothing has been done to really close that gap; and a year of better health (even though overall they were more healthy than most teams last year), a rebound year from Crawford, etc., is not going to get them there. The problem is they are like vancouver and San Jose: a team that is constructed to do well in the regular season but lacks what it takes to go deep in the playoffs.

It's not that they suck. It's that they're actually pretty to very good but nothing has been done to get them to great. For really two years.
- John Jaeckel

BINGO!

Give the man a cigar.

JJ for GM!

Or if Keith could hit something other than glass with the point shot....
- southernhawk

Every. Damn. Time.

...and my girlfriend, too. I can't tell you how many times this past year I heard the following..

1. How come that one guy, #10, always tries to sneak in on the backside when the other team commits a foul?

2. How come your goalie is so bad? Every time I look up, I see a puck sneaking in.
- eburgio

My question is: Why do you allow your girlfriend to call a penalty a "foul" when watching a game with you?

Everything will be OK because we have Brandon Saad!

- Hawkster

Everything will be OK because we have Brandon Saad!

- Hawkster

The Hawks are trying to resurrect #shawfacts on FB today.

Perhaps Keith is just hitting everyone on purpose with his shot from the point because he's sick of Kitchen's PP plans?
- EKolb13

My question is: Why do you allow your girlfriend to call a penalty a "foul" when watching a game with you?
- HajdukChicago

I think she knows better but just does it to mess with me. She's trying to beat me into submission with several other facets of life. I'm just gonna chalk that up to one more area

Are you kidding me? The roster is still phenomenal. Toews, Kane, Sharp, Hossa, Bolland, Kieth, Seabrook, Hammer, Leddy, Stallberg, Shaw...

We have 4 question marks. 2nd line center, PP, toughness, and goalie.

Goalie could have been sophomore slump. Crawford has put up amazing efforts, but also trash. If he is consistent this year, we are golder there. His second full year stats aren't much worse that Quick's (Crawford - .903 2.72 . Quick - .907 2.54).

Toughness isn't as bad with Bollig, Carcillo, Brookbank, and Mayers. Seabrook also throws a ton of hits.

2nd line center needs to be filled. Badly. I really think Bowman missed out on going for someone like Mueller for cheap. He's got injury questions, but could have been cheap.

Power Play may be hard to fix since I can't really tell you the problem. We have plenty of firepower...

What pisses me off about Bowman is him trying to go so big in the FA market. We don't need anyone like Parise. We've got wings all day. Suter would have marginally helped on the backend, but we already have a top 2 pair. He needed to get a good, cheap, faceoff center and a strong veteran backup goalie to mentor Crawford. He got nothing.
- JRoenick97

Well the bigger problem is out of those missing pieces 2.5 should have been easy to acquire.

Maybe not a 2C but a depth C that can win draws, kill penalties and bring stability just in case would have been nice and not difficult to acquire. A big winger who can skate and kill penalties and mash people and play some top 6 minutes would be nice. Again, with the assets they have that type of player is probably available.

I am fine with Kane at 2C but leaving Toews and Mayers as the only decent face off options is stupid. Very very stupid.

After Sharp LW is a barren wasteland of maybes, probably, should be's and crap.

Relying on Bollig or Bickell or Stalberg or Saad or Hayes or whoever is on their 50 man roster to be that hard forchecking/wearing down of other teams defenders force? Maybe they are a revelation but nothing consistent or proven there.

Crawford year one or Crawford year two... honestly flip a coin on that.

The pieces they are missing are the difference between being a playoff team and having the necessary depth to move forward. MAYBE MAYBE MAYBE some of these kids will have epiphanies, MAYBE MAYBE MAYBE health wont be an issue, but that is a serious gamble to take on a team that has the top end talent to go deep this year.

The Hawks are trying to resurrect #shawfacts on FB today.
- John Jaeckel

Really? It is his 21st birthday.

Anything to improve the team image, right?

The Hawks are trying to resurrect #shawfacts on FB today.
- John Jaeckel

Saad state of affairs!

i think the issue is that this team is close, but nothing has been done to really close that gap; and a year of better health (even though overall they were more healthy than most teams last year), a rebound year from Crawford, etc., is not going to get them there. The problem is they are like vancouver and San Jose: a team that is constructed to do well in the regular season but lacks what it takes to go deep in the playoffs.

It's not that they suck. It's that they're actually pretty to very good but nothing has been done to get them to great. For really two years.
- John Jaeckel

With the realization that we are now like Vancouver, My bubble has been burst.

Here's the thing, which Al has echoed I believe, and my sources are really clear on.

Rocky knows what's going on.

If we know it, believe me, he does. Unfortunately, most or all of the people others would like him to broom immediately and clean house have contracts and attorneys and all that.

I am not giving him a free pass. He allowed a lot of this to take place and fester. I will just say that my take on him is he is a smart businessman and seems to have a better ability than his father to get his own ego and prejudices out of the way.

But, the type of house-cleaning we are talking about takes a little time—in terms of dotting i's and crossing t's at the very least— to make happen.
- John Jaeckel

This isn't like trying to fire a Mexican, black or women from the factory floor!! This is big time monied sports and people get fired all the time.... No quotas need to be filled at this level.

But lets assume for the sake of argument Rocky's hands are tied somehow and he can't get rid of StanBowPops&McD and/or Q. Then kick em upstairs or send them to scout in Siberia (Huet) until their contract(s) are up instead of floundering aimlessly to an apparent 3rd season of playing 10-15 minutes of hockey a night, grinding 4-5 guys into dust and getting Hossa, Seabs and Toews killed by kamikazee hits to the head.

And then hire hockey people and get the hell out of their way as they bring structure, sanity and a long term plan to the 3rd largest city in the nation, an original 6 team and a sold out arena every night!!

The pieces they are missing are the difference between being a playoff team and having the necessary depth to move forward. MAYBE MAYBE MAYBE some of these kids will have epiphanies, MAYBE MAYBE MAYBE health wont be an issue, but that is a serious gamble to take on a team that has the top end talent to go deep this year.
- fattybeef

And this is why Bowman just trying to land a big name is infuriating. Just fix the problems we have. Everyone can see them. It isn't that hard.

Saad state of affairs!

- Hawkster

I see what you did there!

Good one!

I see what you did there!

Good one!
- EKolb13

A Shaw shank redemption

And this is why Bowman just trying to land a big name is infuriating. Just fix the problems we have. Everyone can see them. It isn't that hard.
- JRoenick97

The positions of Goalie, top 6 power forward or #2 center are the teams gaping holes. Those positions have to be "big name" acquisitions or damn close to it. Unless you're suggesting another Brunette type move to fill those holes.

And this is why Bowman just trying to land a big name is infuriating. Just fix the problems we have. Everyone can see them. It isn't that hard.
- JRoenick97

And why I say the failure to land lesser names or fill key roles is so disturbing. Listen, Parise or Suter would have helped this team immensely, but the other issues still would have been there—though Suter IMO would have gone a ways toward masking the issue in net.