The bottom line is that all Hawks fans are frustrated with any appearance of not trying to win it all. I am happy the Hawks won a cup in my life time , never ever ever thought it was going to happen , but I hate being lied too.

I always have to give this infomercial** Life long Cubs fan here, McD is Cubbing the Hawks, McD is making the Hawks bottom line grow and doesn't give a fuk about the on ice results. McD is all about commercials and profit. mcD sells the world to meatball fans. McD has his fingerprints all over this Hawks mess and at 1M per year I don't think he is going anywhere , and thats Rockys fault.

Rocky is a hero to me , for my entire life you could not watch a Hawks Home game on TV , Rocky changed that , the obvious result was that the game grew here in Chicago. But if this team as is with the mess in management doesn't at least make it to the WCF it is an ultimate failure. Total failure. 50% of the teams make the playoffs this team with Toews, Kane, Sharp , Seabrook , Hossa, and Brookank better make the WCF !
- mrpaulish

I agree! Listening to McD talk makes me want to puke! He I don't like one bit...and I think he takes too much credit for the Hawks revival. Winning is what draws the "casual" fan, of which we are not on this site, that is obvious!

Look at it this way. Everyone seems to love guys like Tallon, Chevy, Bergy, and Dudley...and most of those guys who are now gone, were around helping make decisions "by committee" it seems, on the players we drafted. If that's the case and all these hockey minds are so revered, then the future of the Hawks is bright.

Here's another "how I see it" - The Hawks are looking at 2C as a stop gap this season, and will put Kruger, Kane, and perhaps even Sharp there if he's not gonna whine about it. Next year, we'll probably see one of McNeill, Danault, or Teravainen as the 2C...Like it or not, that's probably the game plan...

Year after that, we'll see Stephen Johns wrecking bodies in front of the net...He's a kid I'm excited to see in the next couple of years...He and Clendenning will likely we your 3rd pairing not next year, but the year after that...

Chin up MrP...all is not lost! At least not yet...and believe me, if we do our disney on ice routine and don't bring it every night...I'll be the first one here complaining about it! I'm just of the belief that this team has the chance to be very, VERY strong...especially considering what other teams in the west have done (or not done)...Anyway, have a nice weekend!

I agree! Listening to McD talk makes me want to puke! He I don't like one bit...and I think he takes too much credit for the Hawks revival. Winning is what draws the "casual" fan, of which we are not on this site, that is obvious!

Look at it this way. Everyone seems to love guys like Tallon, Chevy, Bergy, and Dudley...and most of those guys who are now gone, were around helping make decisions "by committee" it seems, on the players we drafted. If that's the case and all these hockey minds are so revered, then the future of the Hawks is bright.

Here's another "how I see it" - The Hawks are looking at 2C as a stop gap this season, and will put Kruger, Kane, and perhaps even Sharp there if he's not gonna whine about it. Next year, we'll probably see one of McNeill, Danault, or Teravainen as the 2C...Like it or not, that's probably the game plan...

Year after that, we'll see Stephen Johns wrecking bodies in front of the net...He's a kid I'm excited to see in the next couple of years...Him and Johns will likely we your 3rd pairing not next year, but the year after that...

Chin up MrP...all is not lost! At least not yet...and believe me, if we do our disney on ice routine and don't bring it every night...I'll be the first one here complaining about it! I'm just of the belief that this team has the chance to be very, VERY strong...especially considering what other teams in the west have done (or not done)...Anyway, have a nice weekend!
- nelli312

I would be stunned if McNeil or Teravainen were anywhere close to this roster...only Danault has a shot in my mind...

...but things can change, and I'm certainly not in on decision making....

And who is "Him" at the D pair with Johns?

Look at the huge banner on the side of the stage. It has 3 players on it.

Keith
Sharp
Toews


No Kane.



That's not normal
- AceRatbang

If it's a banner honoring the C and A's it is.

I've always considered the guy overrated...

...long live Wayne Messmer.
- ArlingtonRob

Or Kelly Pickler.

If it's a banner honoring the C and A's it is.
- StLBravesFan

Touché.

Or Kelly Pickler.
- StLBravesFan

Here we go again....Southern, that's your que.

Agree 100 % on the points about coaching, but I don't think Q is capable of being better...not with young players.

As far as the bolded portion...if it's one or 2 guys we're talking about then fine, I get it, organic growth...promote from within. When we're talking about the 5 you mentioned, and I'll add Crawford to that list, all needing to have significantly improved for this team to be better....that's a recipe for failure. A good GM would make the moves necessary so that the team doesn't have to rely on 6 young question marks.
- Ogilthorpe2

I agree 100% about Q...

Would you consider Leddy, Kruger, and Shaw to be good, complimentary players to the "core"? I see the unique talents of each, as I'm sure you do as well and hopefully Q will use them more effectively. (Leddy #1 PP, Shaw as well IMO)

I sincerely hope all three of these kids added some meaningful weight to their frames in the offseason. That's the one thing missing as they all skate well. Kruger and Shaw with some added weight/strength will be much more effective on the forecheck and crashing the net. I love the way those two play, and they are two players who will go to the front of the net with wreckless abandon.

I think the wild card will be Hayes. He's big, has good hands, and if he's improved his skating (similar to the improvement John Scott made before last season), then he could very well be that power forward in the top 6 that we are missing...Big if I know, but the management probably has a better idea of where all these kids are in terms of their development, and hopefully all of my wishes will come true. I know...I know...Wish in one hand and $h!t in the other and see which one fills up first! Hopefully I'm not full of $hit...

If it's a banner honoring the C and A's it is.
- StLBravesFan

Drive what the C and A's drive!

I've always considered the guy overrated...

...long live Wayne Messmer.
- ArlingtonRob

I always liked that Blackwell guy. I don't know why they got rid of him

Is it just me or does David Kaplan ever blink?
- IndianHead10

Kaplan interviewed Toews and asked a very strange - but probably knowing - question, considering JJ's most recent blog.

He asked if, considering the sell-outs, the fan enthusiasm, etc., players on other teams were jealous of players playing for Chicago.

Toews answered, of course they are.

Drive what the C and A's drive!
- AceRatbang

Southie ???

C unts ? Asses ?? Whaaatattttttttttttttt???????

I would be stunned if McNeil or Teravainen were anywhere close to this roster...only Danault has a shot in my mind...

...but things can change, and I'm certainly not in on decision making....

And who is "Him" at the D pair with Johns?
- ArlingtonRob

EDIT: Clendenning

Did everyone get banned ?? Where did everyone go ?

EDIT: Clendenning
- nelli312

Got it..thanks.

And I suppose it's possible. There's a fair amount of development between now and then though. I hope Johns and Clendenning are up to the challenge.

I'm sure Rocky feels pretty good right now. He went from being the savior of this franchise to owner that can't even show his face at the opening ceremony of his own convention.

Did everyone get banned ?? Where did everyone go ?
- mrpaulish

Maybe people are getting tired of saying the same malarkey over and over again, and actually going outside or something.

Did everyone get banned ?? Where did everyone go ?
- mrpaulish

I'm lurking in the shadowy background.

Kid texted me that he got a lot of dirty looks for booing Q, the faithful are REALLY faithful

Maybe people are getting tired of saying the same malarkey over and over again, and actually going outside or something.
- Fat_Tony_Amonte

and doing things like....

Kid texted me that he got a lot of dirty looks for booing Q, the faithful are REALLY faithful
- dpard

Sure he wasn't "Q"ing ?

I think because of the lack of action by Bowman and co. They are probably thinking the following (in a perfect Hawk world) is gonna play out this season:

Bickell-Toews-Kane

Bickell goes all ape-s&!? And plays like Lucic in a contract year. Destroying everyone on the ice that comes close to T & K. He also puts up 25 goals. Then gets signed a nice new deal.

Sharp-Kruger-Hossa

Kruger plays out of his mind and shows he is the second line center. Sharp and Hossa each get 30 goals

Stalberg-Bolland-Shaw

Stalberg and Shaw forecheck like Bananas and Bolland bugs the crap out of any center he faces.

Mayers-Carcillo-Bollig

They actually play about 10 minutes a night. Forecheck and bodycheck anyone on the ice.

Seabrook-Keith

They continue and Keith gets back into form.

Hammer-Oduya

Hammer turns into a checking machine and Oduya plays a great transition game.

Leddy-Brookbank

Brookbank plays steady hard nosed "D" and Leddy with reduced minutes plays great.

Crawford-after his sophomore slump, gets back into form and has about 4 shutouts.

Powerplay gets better.

PK improves with different players in different roles and different scheme.



This isn't my point of view. It's something that might be going through the minds of Bowman and McD.

P. S. Seabs and Brookbank should be paired and be called:

"SEABROOK BANK".

I think because of the lack of action by Bowman and co. They are probably thinking the following (in a perfect Hawk world) is gonna play out this season:

Bickell-Toews-Kane

Bickell goes all ape-s&!? And plays like Lucic in a contract year. Destroying everyone on the ice that comes close to T & K. He also puts up 25 goals. Then gets signed a nice new deal.

Sharp-Kruger-Hossa

Kruger plays out of his mind and shows he is the second line center. Sharp and Hossa each get 30 goals

Stalberg-Bolland-Shaw

Stalberg and Shaw forecheck like Bananas and Bolland bugs the crap out of any center he faces.

Mayers-Carcillo-Bollig

They actually play about 10 minutes a night. Forecheck and bodycheck anyone on the ice.

Seabrook-Keith

They continue and Keith gets back into form.

Hammer-Oduya

Hammer turns into a checking machine and Oduya plays a great transition game.

Leddy-Brookbank

Brookbank plays steady hard nosed "D" and Leddy with reduced minutes plays great.

Crawford-after his sophomore slump, gets back into form and has about 4 shutouts.

Powerplay gets better.

PK improves with different players in different roles and different scheme.



This isn't my point of view. It's something that might be going through the minds of Bowman and McD.

P. S. Seabs and Brookbank should be paired and be called:

"SEABROOK BANK".
- robhawks

And then Stan wakes up, all wet and sticky, and reaches blindly for the Kleenex...he knows where they are, without looking.

And then Stan wakes up, all wet and sticky, and reaches blindly for the Kleenex...he knows where they are, without looking.
- Ogilthorpe2

***Is Dempster really going to start tonight ?? Are the Cubs mental ?? Keep him benched until trade time, If he pitches tonight in true Cubs fashion his arm will fall off***

Sorry for the Baseball mini spa out but the HAwks are making me kinda sick.
- mrpaulish

Told em not to do it.....

And then Stan wakes up, all wet and sticky, and reaches blindly for the Kleenex...he knows where they are, without looking.
- Ogilthorpe2

For real. But if any of that were to happen, which one do you think could?