Jurco and Sharp scored. Guess we know who Stan’s extending next.
- tyweb69

If he signs Jurco to anything other than the minimum I'm staging a coup.

For the first time in a nearly a decade there is cap room and stan is preemptively shooting himself in the foot. How is there no one else in the front office saying 'wait this guy has proven nothing, offer less'?

While it is Chicago tradition to place blame on the periphery of everything and not on the real source. I have an honest question.

Would any of you had the foresight to believe, guess, let alone bet on your core, outside of Kane, taking a step back this year? Emotions aside, it would be hard to jump to any conclusion like that considering what most of them have accomplished over the years.

On the margin, you have gotten decent contributions for newer guys. No matter who is to blame, the overall chemistry never developed.

CC being out an extended time I guess answers one of the top 5 topics on this board for the last 5 years "Is Crow Elite?" Guess we know now. Guess some of us really understood what he meant to this team over the last couple of years. He likely shielded us from seeing a lot of what we don't like to believe this year.

So in the end, people want to hang Stan for not blowing up the core last off season, which would have sent the city up in flames. From top to bottom, this team has never coalesced. Not saying another coach wins a cup with this group, but the bi polar swings of this team is really sad. The core plays like petulant children in some ways...entitled a little, and shocked the world is not awed by the Indianhead any longer. Humbling.

This may come as a surprise to many. But it is actually's Q's job to get the guys prepared to play.
- TrueGrit

Q seems lost.

You can see in the post-games that he has no clue how to fix this - how to prepare for the next game, let alone the rest of the season - or next season?

This is the second time he’s finished the season with a team that missed the play-offs. He’s a very good coach with a very good team that should make some kind of a tournament run, but he seems not to be able to turn a team around from a disaster (like this season) or get the most out of underachievers and developing players.

I think it’s time for a new coach not because he’s a bad coach, but because next year (I think / I fear) will be the same as this year - and Q is not the right coach for this kind of team.

He’s Phil Jackson, being asked to coach the current Bulls - it would not end well - would not end any better than this season.

Q seems lost.

You can see in the post-games that he has no clue how to fix this - how to prepare for the next game, let alone the rest of the season - or next season?

This is the second time he’s finished the season with a team that missed the play-offs. He’s a very good coach with a very good team that should make some kind of a tournament run, but he seems not to be able to turn a team around from a disaster (like this season) or get the most out of underachievers and developing players.

I think it’s time for a new coach not because he’s a bad coach, but because next year (I think / I fear) will be ,UCB the same as this year - and Q is not the right coach for this kind of team.

He’s Phil Jackson, being asked to coach the current Bulls - it would not end well - would not end any better than this season.
- StLBravesFan

Well said and measured.

I just do not like the risk of running the group into the ground. Although the humble pie may be good for some guys.

Look at Phili this year, and other teams on the upswing. It does not take a lot to turn it around.

On the bulls note, recall when they blew that thing up....everyone left and they reset...sad..but a part of life.

Blackhawks assign Carl Dahlstrom to Rockford.

Q seems lost.

You can see in the post-games that he has no clue how to fix this - how to prepare for the next game, let alone the rest of the season - or next season?

This is the second time he’s finished the season with a team that missed the play-offs. He’s a very good coach with a very good team that should make some kind of a tournament run, but he seems not to be able to turn a team around from a disaster (like this season) or get the most out of underachievers and developing players.

I think it’s time for a new coach not because he’s a bad coach, but because next year (I think / I fear) will be the same as this year - and Q is not the right coach for this kind of team.

He’s Phil Jackson, being asked to coach the current Bulls - it would not end well - would not end any better than this season.
- StLBravesFan

At the 10 second mark of this……..https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kp-j6GJJgJ8

Well said and measured.

I just do not like the risk of running the group into the ground. Although the humble pie may be good for some guys.

Look at Phili this year, and other teams on the upswing. It does not take a lot to turn it around.

On the bulls note, recall when they blew that thing up....everyone left and they reset...sad..but a part of life.
- TrueGrit

I recall very well.

They tried to reset under a GM who was very good at filling in around a Jordan/Pippen led team leading to 6 championships - but had no clue about rebuilding from ground zero - no clue about hiring a successor coach to the great Phil Jackson (he hired his fishing buddy).

Stan (IMO) could be like Krause - not as combative and paranoid - but in terms of being able to nicely fill in around a core (I give him full, but not complete, credit for filling in leading to the 2013-2015 run) but - is he able to hire the right successor to Q and perform a larger rebuild than even he may think is necessary now?

If he signs Jurco to anything other than the minimum I'm staging a coup.

For the first time in a nearly a decade there is cap room and stan is preemptively shooting himself in the foot. How is there no one else in the front office saying 'wait this guy has proven nothing, offer less'?
- ObeseOprah

I watched Rutta last night and saw a player still learning, still trying to show he should even be in the NHL - and we just gave him $2.25M. Based on what? Well not team hierarchy - there is absolutely nothing to suggest he is twice as valuable as Gustafsson who plays higher in the pairings - and I thought Gus was overpaid with his contract. It is not just overpaying large contracts that fill a Cap but overpaying small contracts too. StanBo’s job is to sign these players for as little as he can. If Gus and Rutta weren’t on the Hawks they’d be easily replaceable. Prior to a short time ago Gus was in Rockford. Rutta actually was signed while injured for a period of time during which he wasn’t missed at all.

I watched Rutta last night and saw a player still learning, still trying to show he should even be in the NHL - and we just gave him $2.25M. Based on what? Well not team hierarchy - there is absolutely nothing to suggest he is twice as valuable as Gustafsson who plays higher in the pairings - and I thought Gus was overpaid with his contract. It is not just overpaying large contracts that fill a Cap but overpaying small contracts too. StanBo’s job is to sign these players for as little as he can. If Gus and Rutta weren’t on the Hawks they’d be easily replaceable. Prior to a short time ago Gus was in Rockford. Rutta actually was signed while injured for a period of time during which he wasn’t missed at all.
- Z3Hawk

Yeah, Rutta was.... not good.

I wouldn't jump on Oesterle too rashly as some of you have in the previous games. He can be labeled as a solid puck-moving defender that can play both sides (LD&RD) and has a solid two-way game. Definitely needs to refine his edges, but... he seems to be having a great overall year (been a bright spot) on a weakened Blackhawks team. He is going to have some rough games, but this is his first lick at an actual NHL season, so ease up.

He has shown the best chemistry with Keith during this season IMO.

He has played the most minutes with Keith and he is I believe second in minutes as a defender on the Blackhawks roster (last time I checked, behind Keith). Keith might be having a down year, but I think it might also be due to mismanagement of assets, leading to weakening the overall team, and that Q's shelf life is coming to an end.

I was expecting him to continue trending up and getting better, but not at this rate. Props to him for making the most of his first real chance after Chia let him go, which to me was a mistake considering how he was trending up, showing improvement and the fact that he can play on the left or right. Don't make the same mistake Edmonton did in releasing him. He is a young defender that is finally finding his groove in the NHL.

Hold up, they're a pretty competitive team. An elite possession team with poor offensive instincts and even worse goaltending.

They're not going to win any sort of shooting contest, but if your D aren't quick or accurate moving the puck they are more than capable of choking a team out, which is what they did here.
- BINGO!

No Carolina is not a competitive team - they are not even a play-off team in the weak East. Carolina had just been mauled by Minnesota 6-2. That the Hawks cannot beat Carolina shows how far the Hawks have fallen, how truly unprofessional the Hawks have become. The Hawks would beat Minnesota who mauled Carolina, let alone Carolina.

Blackhawks assign Carl Dahlstrom to Rockford.
- walleyeb1

What happens now when Rutta gets injured....and he will get injured.

I watched Rutta last night and saw a player still learning, still trying to show he should even be in the NHL - and we just gave him $2.25M. Based on what? Well not team hierarchy - there is absolutely nothing to suggest he is twice as valuable as Gustafsson who plays higher in the pairings - and I thought Gus was overpaid with his contract. It is not just overpaying large contracts that fill a Cap but overpaying small contracts too. StanBo’s job is to sign these players for as little as he can. If Gus and Rutta weren’t on the Hawks they’d be easily replaceable. Prior to a short time ago Gus was in Rockford. Rutta actually was signed while injured for a period of time during which he wasn’t missed at all.
- Z3Hawk

I think this is the crux of the Hawks' perennial cap problems, Stan overpays EVERYBODY, be it star or role player. Overpaying AAV might be justified if it came with term length or movement clause concessions, but he always seems to hit the trifecta.

The old saw about the politician referring to budget woes and proclaiming "a million here, a million there, and soon you're talking about real money" are words StanBo never seems to take to heart. Especially ironic, given his ascension to GM was in large measure due to his predecessor's perceived problems managing the cap.

I watched Rutta last night and saw a player still learning, still trying to show he should even be in the NHL - and we just gave him $2.25M. Based on what? Well not team hierarchy - there is absolutely nothing to suggest he is twice as valuable as Gustafsson who plays higher in the pairings - and I thought Gus was overpaid with his contract. It is not just overpaying large contracts that fill a Cap but overpaying small contracts too. StanBo’s job is to sign these players for as little as he can. If Gus and Rutta weren’t on the Hawks they’d be easily replaceable. Prior to a short time ago Gus was in Rockford. Rutta actually was signed while injured for a period of time during which he wasn’t missed at all.
- Z3Hawk

More importantly, how does Keith feel, even subconsciously, seeing this guy paid almost 50% what he is?

Yeah, he signed that long-term contract, but he's also human.

At the 10 second mark of this……..https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kp-j6GJJgJ8
- BobP.

I can watch that scene 100 times and still get a tear in the eye...

He's one of our best two-way players. Strips guys of the puck constantly and is the first forward back most of the time.

You don't have to drill a guy into the boards to get the puck away from him. As long as you get the puck it amounts to the same thing.
- BINGO!

Let’s just re-write history completely regarding TT. He is just a freakin’ dynamo who stays in North America, in the off-season and works out like crazy. Like Kane. Also he is strong on the puck and steals the puck, all the time and posts incredible offensive stats.

Actually he is the same player we traded who still believes golfing in Finland is actual training, weighs nothing, has no musculature and whose increased offensive numbers are a direct result of getting lots of ice-time because Carolina has nobody else to play. Please note that in spite of TT’s otherworldly play Carolina is still out of the play-offs in the awful East, where teams can’t shoot themselves in their collective feet fast enough.
[img][/img]

I can watch that scene 100 times and still get a tear in the eye...
- riozzo

Me too……….my reference tho was the comment Herb Brooks makes about the Russian coach…."he doesn't know what to do"………..same applies to both Q and Bowman in my opinion.

More importantly, how does Keith feel, even subconsciously, seeing this guy paid almost 50% what he is?

Yeah, he signed that long-term contract, but he's also human.
- pdx2ord

What a fantastic point for reference. Further fantastic evidence that StanBo has lost his mind.

Me too……….my reference tho was the comment Herb Brooks makes about the Russian coach…."he doesn't know what to do"………..same applies to both Q and Bowman in my opinion.
- BobP.

Tough spot to be in when you have the talent and they don't respond.

More importantly, how does Keith feel, even subconsciously, seeing this guy paid almost 50% what he is?

Yeah, he signed that long-term contract, but he's also human.
- pdx2ord

Or more importantly, seeing a guy getting paid nearly 50% more than he is while being a fraction of the player Keith is today.

BTW, did anyone else see/watch Jamal comment on the recent signings of Gus and Rutta? I almost fell over -- can tell he's fed up, bet he caught hell for his comments. Said he did NOT understand why either of them needed to be signed now, season is not over, the D has been a dumpster fire, why not take some time sort things out and determine the right moves going forward to improve the D group.

The Royd-man (who is a nice guy but I cannot stand because of his ass-kissin' ways) tried to explain these as good, low-cost, low-risk moves.

Oh yeah Royd, low risk indeed. No risk at all ensuring the D is garbage again in another year since these guys were 2 key cogs.

Just brutal.

I think this is the crux of the Hawks' perennial cap problems, Stan overpays EVERYBODY, be it star or role player. Overpaying AAV might be justified if it came with term length or movement clause concessions, but he always seems to hit the trifecta.

The old saw about the politician referring to budget woes and proclaiming "a million here, a million there, and soon you're talking about real money" are words StanBo never seems to take to heart. Especially ironic, given his ascension to GM was in large measure due to his predecessor's perceived problems managing the cap.
- Davewn

IMO Stan chronically overpays in order to avoid as many competitive situations as possible where he would be at a powerful disadvantage due to having to try to face off with smarter more accomplished GM's

No Carolina is not a competitive team - they are not even a play-off team in the weak East. Carolina had just been mauled by Minnesota 6-2. That the Hawks cannot beat Carolina shows how far the Hawks have fallen, how truly unprofessional the Hawks have become. The Hawks would beat Minnesota who mauled Carolina, let alone Carolina.
- Z3Hawk

Okay, sure a one game performance against Minnesota is indicative of how they play.

Canes are 11-12-5 versus the west. Wins against Vegas, Nashville(x2), Minnesota, Dallas, L.A, Chicago, Colorado...

It's almost as if there's no rhyme or reason for the results vs some teams as opposed to others, and that they've gone as their goaltending has gone.

Of the 14 games they have remaining, half of them are against divisional opponents.

They have to play the Flyers (x2), Rangers (x2), Senators (x2) Islanders, Devils, Bruins, Panthers, Capitals, Arizona, Oilers and Lightning.

Almost like they have a bunch of games left against the crappy teams or something...

Tough spot to be in when you have the talent and they don't respond.
- riozzo

Too many question marks, especially going forward. Will Crow return, at all? Will the "core" regain some semblance of past performance? Someone on here a blog or two ago alluded to a comment Burich allegedly made about "a problem in the room". Is that true? Do you trust Bowman and or Q to fix this? Does anyone believe this is going to be a quick fix, 'cuz i don't. And on and on it seemingly goes. i certainly hope Hawk hierarchy can get things pointed in the right direction, because it sure has been a fun ride. Thanks.

Let’s just re-write history completely regarding TT. He is just a freakin’ dynamo who stays in North America, in the off-season and works out like crazy. Like Kane. Also he is strong on the puck and steals the puck, all the time and posts incredible offensive stats.

Actually he is the same player we traded who still believes golfing in Finland is actual training, weighs nothing, has no musculature and whose increased offensive numbers are a direct result of getting lots of ice-time because Carolina has nobody else to play. Please note that in spite of TT’s otherworldly play Carolina is still out of the play-offs in the awful East, where teams can’t shoot themselves in their collective feet fast enough.

- Z3Hawk[img][/img]

Nobody's called him otherworldly... even he himself says it's been a process for him. And he's 4th among forwards in ice time, though most of the top 6 plays around the same amount of minutes. But I doubt anyone is going to convince you of much so I'm not going to bother.

Enjoy the reality where the soft, weak, Teravainen on the very bad hurricanes in the very bad eastern conference is outproducing the Ultimate Captain in Jonathan Toews, who plays 3 minutes more per night on average.

Okay, sure a one game performance against Minnesota is indicative of how they play.

Canes are 11-12-5 versus the west. Wins against Vegas, Nashville(x2), Minnesota, Dallas, L.A, Chicago, Colorado...

It's almost as if there's no rhyme or reason for the results vs some teams as opposed to others, and that they've gone as their goaltending has gone.

Of the 14 games they have remaining, half of them are against divisional opponents.

They have to play the Flyers (x2), Rangers (x2), Senators (x2) Islanders, Devils, Bruins, Panthers, Capitals, Arizona, Oilers and Lightning.

Almost like they have a bunch of games left against the crappy teams or something...
- BINGO!

My point was that the Hawks have been their own worst enemies losing to teams like Carolina that they should beat. This occurs because of mind-numbingly stupid play. This dovetails with the comments of True Grit who points out that it is Q’s responsibility to ensure the Hawks don’t play with mind-numbing stupidity. Watching the Hawks self-destruct in so many games is awful - it’s embarrassing.