Justin Lowe: Did Bowman Pull a Fast One On Us? Did Stan Bowman actually start this rebuild in the summer without any of us realizing?

Also, Hawks look to play a hockey game tonight vs. the Tampa Bay Lightning:

Season Matchup:
Chicago
TB ✔


31-12-3 = 65 points
2nd in the NHL
Last game: LOST vs. Minnesota (5-2) on Saturday
GF: 162 (2nd in NHL) / GA: 119 (5th in NHL)
PP% = 24.4% (3rd in NHL)
PK% = 79.3% (20th in NHL)
Sniper: Kucherov– 27 goals
Producer: Kucherov – 61 points
Tough Guys: – Hedman - 32 PIMs & 77 hits
Expected Starter: Andrei Vasilevskiy
Injuries: Hedman, Budaj

First.

And that's all I got to say.

Nice bloggin, JL

Thanks Justin for another great read.

The more I look at this team (from last year to now), I really have to question whether Q is that great of a coach. If he is such a great defensive minded coach, why is this team giving up hundreds of scoring chances a game?

Time for him to go. I will take the chance that he will not lead another team to the SC final.

Lose with Q, or lose without him.

Nice blog JL.

I subscribe to the ten year shelf life theory for coaches and GM's. Time to make wholesale changes.

EDIT: oh and the Bolts are coming in off three straight losses

oh, slip out the back, Jack
Make a new plan, Stan
You don't need to be coy, Roy
Just listen to me
Hop on the bus, Gus
You don't need to discuss much
Just drop off the key, Lee
And get yourself free

the only guys left from 2015 cup: toews, kane, saad, keith, seabs, craw and this years nostalgia tour the 5 mil for the 1 mil sharp...

that's a helluva alot of change...but note what's missing...no youth or talent from the 2013-2015 years is still here or been developed...

they got an expensive beaten down core...loaded with 5-6 dmen and 3rd-4th liners;

kane and craw the only ones worth watching who continue to play at a high level

The blog today suggests that SB is trying to be proactive, which I believe to be a good thing. But it would help greatly if the head coach was in step with the changes and not head gaming players and the GM with his decisions.

One case in point, Hammer trade. Guy is a warrior, should be brought back after his playing days are done to help out in some capacity. But it was time. And the coach has a tantrum. SB and Q were never quite on the same page after 2010 and it's amazing what they accomplished together for another 5 years. But I think it's clear with the effort and results, it's time. Kick Q upstairs. Three cups should make a guy teflon, and I'm not a Q guy saying this so it's with respect that I do. He's a good jockey, rides the horses well. But he doesn't have the horses anymore. I think his race is run.

the hawks and goaltending since 2009 - 2010 hit homeruns: Niemi 2010, Craw taking on the starters role in 2011, emery, rannta, darling...even turco was a decent back-up..

now they got problems with 2 rookies getting shelled every night facing high quality chances with high frequency...

i took another look at that isle game...my gawd turnovers, sloppy outlets, neutral zone brain farts, poor pinches, sorry ass back checks, poor net coverage = odd mans, break aways, the isles owned the front of the net, snipes from inside the slot, a high number of 2nd and third chances...on and on

clutterbuck...are you kidding me...beats 3 hawks to get to the net and get a high quality shot off in the 3rd...

that game was actually more BRUTAL defensively than the wing game...

it could be this team is mentally and psychologically beaten...i think kane is correct the pressure of where they are at in the strandings and Q's line-up BS is hurting this team...thinking and feeling the pressure way to much

The notion of picking top three to draft forward Brady Tzachuk - even Dahlin the defenseman who might go first - means both falling into the lottery and then able trade up a notch or two. This is a very likely pipe dream. I bet there would be mixed opinion which player you would draft. But whomever Bowman takes, he needs two very good drafts back - to - back years. They would do well to become core pieces. Of course if they are rushed then the whole rebuild just gets even more frustrating.

I imagine that Jokiharju could be a newcomer say when, two years from now. I imagine that Krys could be special. Right, Krys special ability but who has limitations. So it goes for how and what we can expect from prospects. You just don"t count on anyone for sure

The notion of picking top three to draft forward Brady Tzachuk - even Dahlin the defenseman who might go first - means both falling into the lottery and then able trade up a notch or two. This is a very likely pipe dream. I bet there would be mixed opinion which player you would draft. But whomever Bowman takes, he needs two very good drafts back - to - back years. They would do well to become core pieces. Of course if they are rushed then the whole rebuild just gets even more frustrating.

I imagine that Jokiharju could be a newcomer ' when, two years from now. I imagine that Krys could be special. Right, special ability but, overall, a project playet who has limitations. So it goes for how and what we can expect from prospects.
- jhawk59

would we consider Darling at 50% retained?

Thanks Justin for another great read.

The more I look at this team (from last year to now), I really have to question whether Q is that great of a coach. If he is such a great defensive minded coach, why is this team giving up hundreds of scoring chances a game?

Time for him to go. I will take the chance that he will not lead another team to the SC final.

Lose with Q, or lose without him.
- powerenforcer

Many a coach can win with veterans, even a few kids sprinkled into the mix. Look at Boston Bruins this year. But it is pretty much wholesale.changes and key veterans have fallen back quite a bit in Chicago. This team this result was coming and it finally showed its ugly loosing self lately as in last few games have been very painful.

The playoff drubbing was only foreshadowing. Bowman's initial attempt to turn the team around has been more cosmetic make up than concrete change for betterment.

I just hope that the team drafts smart. Stan cannot continue to choose the fast skill guys so much. Need a power forward or two. And at least one tough nosed dman because Murphy is actually a third pair while Seabrook is near the end.

oh, slip out the back, Jack
Make a new plan, Stan
You don't need to be coy, Roy
Just listen to me
Hop on the bus, Gus
You don't need to discuss much
Just drop off the key, Lee
And get yourself free

the only guys left from 2015 cup: toews, kane, saad, keith, seabs, craw and this years nostalgia tour the 5 mil for the 1 mil sharp...

that's a helluva alot of change...but note what's missing...no youth or talent from the 2013-2015 years is still here or been developed...

they got an expensive beaten down core...loaded with 5-6 dmen and 3rd-4th liners;

kane and craw the only ones worth watching who continue to play at a high level
- bogiedoc

I surmise there is a Gus
Who last game did jump onto the team bus.
Oops, home game. Next road game, Gus, you jump on that team bus..........Or is it the bus back to Rockford.

All I can say about Gus and a couple others in Rockford,
is hey take a look at them here. A quick cup of Coffee. It's not like those AHL youth are far away in Walla Walla!

I could understand that Justin, but half of those young guys that you call the future possibly wouldn’t even make some of the better NHL team top nine or even the roster.
Right now Ryan Hartman is not even a pimple and Andrew Shaw’s behind. And I’ll stand by what I say if Nick Schmaltz has that I have a value I trade him RIGHT NOW,In a package for one of those what you call younger hungry or players it will be in Black Hawk plans for the future. Because that kid is not hungry when it comes to competing hard.

I could understand that Justin, but half of those young guys that you call the future possibly wouldn’t even make some of the better NHL team top nine or even the roster.
Right now Ryan Hartman is not even a pimple and Andrew Shaw’s behind. And I’ll stand by what I say if Nick Schmaltz has that I have a value I trade him RIGHT NOW,In a package for one of those what you call younger hungry or players it will be in Black Hawk plans for the future. Because that kid is not hungry when it comes to competing hard.
- wonthecup10

Nick has gotten better every year. Hartman has regressed. why would you trade a improving Nick S. would you have traded Kane at 20 he was not a super compete guy. Still is not. Nick is a top 6 talent. Hino, Hart and Hayden should be in the bottom 6. Cat is the one I worry about most. is he a top 6 or not.

I would not be surprised with a win tonight ,just to throw a monkey wrench into everything. That has been this teams MO ,and TB has been struggling .

I said before I am not buying this whole core fell off the playing well boat at the same time .Seems suspicious to me , think it may be something deeper .My main suspect is coach Q he is closes to the players . Kane is excused , he always been on his own page anyway ,and Crow is a goalie their all nuts .

Need to move Q out ,upstairs to the street were ever need be . See what they get from there . Probably to late to save this year ,but may clear a few heads and give a better prediction for next year .

would we consider Darling at 50% retained?
- kmw4631

Have you watched him this year? Carolina would take the deal in a split second.

JL Couldn't have said it better myself!! I guess if we keep playing like this we can call up more kids and play them to see what we have, give them some experience too, Let the rebuild begin, sometimes you take a step back to take 2 steps forward, not a bad thing

Have you watched him this year? Carolina would take the deal in a split second.
- Sec111

Especially bad yesterday. Bill Peeters went on an epic rant about Eddie Lack last year, I can see one coming very soon about Darling's play this season.

Great to be selling but the inventory is beyond the best before date or not very shiny

Been saying this for weeks - Lou moved some bad contracts in Toronto before tanking - Hawks need to do the same

Toews is worth 4 Million third line right now
Seabs is worth 1 Million Number 7 on a good team
Goalies are average
D is Who’s on Second and Who’s on Third
Q needs to go
SB needs to go

Have you watched him this year? Carolina would take the deal in a split second.
- Sec111

the question is would we do it. He has done well in Chicago. Waite clearly gets allot out of him. he was happy hear and had a good support system. he would make 2.075 over the next 3.5 years. Would you consider him a upgrade over Forsberg or Glass?

I got yelled at for suggesting that you guys would be well-served in doing whatever it took to get out from under that Seabrook contract after the Nashville series.

I was respectful in how I said it then, and now: Nothing can take away from what the franchise has accomplished since 2010. It's not a crime to get old.

But this team needs to, again, get out from under Seabrook by any means necessary, look quietly if there is a landing spot for Toews, and embrace the draft this year and next

Thanks Justin for another great read.

The more I look at this team (from last year to now), I really have to question whether Q is that great of a coach. If he is such a great defensive minded coach, why is this team giving up hundreds of scoring chances a game?

Time for him to go. I will take the chance that he will not lead another team to the SC final.

Lose with Q, or lose without him.
- powerenforcer

Q has a system, and it has worked very well when he has good defenders. This year, he doesn't have the quality D he needs. Coupled with how the NHL is changing to a speed and fast transition game, we just don't have the core to stop all the chances. Also, one of the Beat writers brought up our D experience. Outside of Murphy, Seabs, and Keith, all our guys have less than a seasons worth of games under their belt. Most in the central don't have more than 1 starting D with less than 100 games played.

I got yelled at for suggesting that you guys would be well-served in doing whatever it took to get out from under that Seabrook contract after the Nashville series.

I was respectful in how I said it then, and now: Nothing can take away from what the franchise has accomplished since 2010. It's not a crime to get old.

But this team needs to, again, get out from under Seabrook by any means necessary, look quietly if there is a landing spot for Toews, and embrace the draft this year and next
- AllInForFlyers

Nobody is taking those deals from us.

Nice blog JL.

I subscribe to the ten year shelf life theory for coaches and GM's. Time to make wholesale changes.

EDIT: oh and the Bolts are coming in off three straight losses
- riozzo

You mean four straight losses.....

If we are currently in the top ten of the draft next year, at this point in the season, then I'd honestly rather have the top pick. I didn't realize how stacked the draft was defensively this year. Four of the top 10 prospects are d-men.

Does not help us in terms of center depth though.

After Boston lost to us in the Cup Finals in 13', they lost to the Canadiens in the first round in 2014. They failed to acknowledge that their star lineup from 11' and 13' was getting to old and that the cap would cost them valuable pieces. They missed the playoffs in 2015, and finally wised up about what they needed to do.

In 2014 they drafted Pastrnak, Bjork, and Heinen. In 2015 they traded out some core pieces in Hamilton and Lucic, getting three picks in a row for Zboril, Debrusk, and Shenyshyn. They lost key pieces over the retool years with Seguin, Boychuk, Lucic, Hamilton, Horton, Seidenberg, Ference, Campbell, Paille, and Shawn Thornton.

Now with a retooled roster full of ELC guys, they are icing a very effective team. McCavoy, Carlo are doing great on D. Pastrnak, Hainen, Debrusk, Spooner and a handful of others have filled out a dangerous and fast forward group.

They fired Julien and the Chiarelli, letting a young coach take over who embraced speed and let the kids take chances.


I love Q but maybe it's time to part ways. Also need to find a way to ditch Seabrook and Toews' contracts if possible. Toews I'm somewhat willing to wait on, maybe he'll ditch his fad diets or recover from some mysterious back injury. He looks Mike Richards-esque on some nights, can't hold onto the puck.

I'd try to trade anyone not named Kane, Keith, Crawford. Stockpile picks and prospects for the next season, you don't have to totally tear it down to have an effective retool.

I could understand that Justin, but half of those young guys that you call the future possibly wouldn’t even make some of the better NHL team top nine or even the roster.
Right now Ryan Hartman is not even a pimple and Andrew Shaw’s behind. And I’ll stand by what I say if Nick Schmaltz has that I have a value I trade him RIGHT NOW,In a package for one of those what you call younger hungry or players it will be in Black Hawk plans for the future. Because that kid is not hungry when it comes to competing hard.
- wonthecup10

Even if that were true about Schmaltz (which it's not) why would any other GM give the Hawks anything of value for Schmaltz?

Hartman is a different type of player than Shaw, they're not a one-for-one comparison. If anything, Hartman is more like Bolland than Shaw. I think it's hard to compare Hartman to either guy. Bolland and Shaw were playing on the team in their prime, Hartman is playing on the team's downward slide. Shaw isn't doing too great on a below average Montreal team, he wouldn't be doing much better here.

There are two things I want the Hawks to do during this transition period:

1. Don't make any panic trades (not to be confused with Panik trade). Stan has been pretty good in this regard, so I don't expect he will.

2. Continue to be a first class organization that players want to play for. Even though the team isn't winning now they can keep a winning culture and still be a choice destination (to some degree).