Some people will see all the negative others will see all of the positives with GM, Coach, and players. Putting aside whether or not they will or should change the GM and/or Coach the Hawks could break camp next year with 16 players 26 years and under next season. This is a very young team now.

To make the playoffs next year:
1) shore up the goaltending. A healthy Crow, if not Crow then Raanta, (Berube and Forberg need to improve also, maybe Forsberg playing most games in Rockford).
2) Sikura is the real deal
3) Ejdsell is the real deal
4) Jokiharju is the real deal
5) re-sign Hayden and Hino (maybe Duclair/Jurco - I would hope they sign elsewhere for more than $1.3mil per and the Hawks get a 3rd round pick)
6) sign, trade, or get lucky in the draft lottery and get a top pairing defender
7) Continued improvement by the fourteen 25 years and under players currently on the roster (including Forsling)
8) Toews, Seabs, Kieth are out of favor now. They certainly need to raise their games for the Hawks to succeed next year.

The sixteen players 26 years and younger (ages at some point next season). Probably 13 or 14 will be on the opening night roster.
Saad 26
Duclair 23
Hayden 24
Schmaltz 23
Kampf 23
Jurco 26
Debrincat 21
Highmore 23
Hino 24
Murphy 25
Gus 26
Oesterle 26
Forsberg 26
Sikura 23
Forsling 22
Ejdsesll 23

To make the playoffs next year:
1) shore up the goaltending. A healthy Crow, if not Crow then Raanta, (Berube and Forberg need to improve also, maybe Forsberg playing most games in Rockford).
2) Sikura is the real deal
3) Ejdsell is the real deal
4) Jokiharju is the real deal
5) re-sign Hayden and Hino (maybe Duclair/Jurco - I would hope they sign elsewhere for more than $1.3mil per and the Hawks get a 3rd round pick)
6) sign, trade, or get lucky in the draft lottery and get a top pairing defender
7) Continued improvement by the fourteen 25 years and under players currently on the roster (including Forsling)
8) Toews, Seabs, Kieth are out of favor now. They certainly need to raise their games for the Hawks to succeed next year.
- -Doh-

1) Agree, but not sure Raanta would want to come back to Chicago. Also don't know how well he would fare as a #1.
2) Sikura is likely the only one of him, Ejdsell, and Jokiharju to make the lineup next year, but that also assumes he signs this spring and lives up to the hype (even if a little bit with a glimpse of what he may become in the NHL).
3) See #2, but Ejdsell is a dark horse to make the team. I prefer he spend some time in Rockford first; maybe a mid-year call up instead if truly ready.
4) See #2. He is best spending a year in Rockford; like Ejdsell, maybe a mid-year call up instead if truly ready.
5) Yes, I feel Hinostroza and Hayden can form a pretty good 3rd line with Anisimov or Schmaltz centering them. Prefer Schmaltz centering a top-6 line, so likely Anisimov or a new center if #15 is traded this summer (not likely but possible).
6) Agree, fingers crossed.
7) Agree, although the exact number of 25 and under players may vary.
8) Agree.

I think it was smart hockey by the Bruins to give Marchand a rest day Sunday. They'll need him for the playoffs and he will likely incur a career ending injury one of these days.

I think it was smart hockey by the Bruins to give Marchand a rest day Sunday. They'll need him for the playoffs and he will likely incur a career ending injury one of these days.
- 35Tony0

Watch him make a sudden recovery and play 20+ minutes on Tuesday.

I think it was smart hockey by the Bruins to give Marchand a rest day Sunday. They'll need him for the playoffs and he will likely incur a career ending injury one of these days.
- 35Tony0

I also think it’s crafty because: 1) prevents retaliation from the Hawks, likely still hot about it less than 24 hours later (and Hayden has broken a guys face those year); and 2) says to player safety oh look - he really didn’t mean to take out Duclair because see he got hurt too!

4 of our Tank competitors are playing tonight. I would think all of them will be underdogs going into those games though.

EDIT: Actually it is 5 but still all underdogs.

I think it was smart hockey by the Bruins to give Marchand a rest day Sunday. They'll need him for the playoffs and he will likely incur a career ending injury one of these days.
- 35Tony0

If I were Rocky, I would call the next team on Boston's Schedule and pay off a player to injure Marchant. WTF will Bettman do if he was ever to find out? I bet alll of the players, off the record, would think it was about time somethng happened to him, even his teammates.

I think it was smart hockey by the Bruins to give Marchand a rest day Sunday. They'll need him for the playoffs and he will likely incur a career ending injury one of these days.
- 35Tony0

Was totally thinking the same thing. Haha.

I also think it’s crafty because: 1) prevents retaliation from the Hawks, likely still hot about it less than 24 hours later (and Hayden has broken a guys face those year); and 2) says to player safety oh look - he really didn’t mean to take out Duclair because see he got hurt too!
- Marlowe

I was thinking about #2 yesterday as Mike Milbury was pumping Marchand's tires. Might have worked this time but his days are numbered if he keeps playing like that. The League and his Boston supporters cannot get away with protecting him indefinitely.

Total #TANK Move by Bowman. Same with Crawford, in all likelihood. Does anyone here doubt for a second that if the Hawks were in playoff contention that #50 would be in goal already?
- EnzoD

No way. Crow is still not physically ready to play. He hasn't even been back on the ice, except for a short practice about 4-5 weeks ago. The Hawks want him to play before the season ends if and when he is physically able to do so, since they don't want him (or the organization) to be wondering about his abilities over the summer.

Not a good enough skater to ever be a true Top 4 Dman. Playing with Keith is the best option for him, especially in this lost season. I still cannot fathom WHY Bowman made this trade. Hammer, though also declining, is a much better defender than Murphy and only made SLIGHTLY more money. I would've rather gotten AZ's 1st for Hammer. Murphy's "upside" is #4 D, due to his skating.
- EnzoD

He keeps trying to make "hockey trades" and keeps failing. I can't remember the last non-minor trade that he made that he won.

No way. Crow is still not physically ready to play. He hasn't even been back on the ice, except for a short practice about 4-5 weeks ago. The Hawks want him to play before the season ends if and when he is physically able to do so, since they don't want him (or the organization) to be wondering about his abilities over the summer.
- BMWChiFan

Ehhhh lots of speculation here from everyone involved (including myself). It's very possible that Crawford had a setback last month when practicing a few days in succession. Given the Hawks status at that time, it's possible they made the decision to shut him down for the rest of the season to not risk further injury. However, I'm speculating that IF the Hawks were in a playoff spot or in a battle for a spot, he would've been reevaluated again over the last week since the last setback was 5 weeks ago. It's also possible that he is STILL going through the side effects of the concussion now, and it's irrelevant where the Hawks are in the standings bc his head is mush right now. If it is the latter, it's very possible that Corey Crawford's career is in serious jeopardy.

so gustaffsson is the current fair haired offensive dman. first it was rutta, then forsling, then oesterle, and now gustafsson. none of them can play stand up, lock down defense. at their ages it is not likely or reasonable to expect that the light will go on for rutta, oesterle, or gustafsson and they will turn into above average defensive players. forsling is younger, but a small guy and no matter if he figures it out a little will always be pushed around. none of them are effective defensively in the slot. they all could probably be acceptable second pairing puck carrying dmen if they had a hjalmarsson to play with to protect them. BUT THEY DON'T. murphy was supposed to be that guy, but he is not good enough and doesn't skate well enough to play in a top four dman pairing. no sense beating the drum on seabrook. he was once a warrior, but it is over for him. until they fix this defense with at least two players capable of playing top four defense they will be a mediocre team. considering that bowman is at the front of trying to fix this and that in almost nine years as a gm he has produced one and one only, oduya, top four dman this is not a situation that looks like it will be solved soon. their top dman prospects in juniors and college have been lauded for their puck moving abilities, but none are described as shut down defensive guys. an ugly situation.
- hawks29

You nailed it. I am curious to see what we have in L.Carlsson, who has been described as a shut down type. He may be on the fast track in development which can be good or a hindrance if he is not ready at the next level he lands. Summer rookies camp could provide more information, but it looks like fewer games, more individual and group practice and teaching is the theme in mid July. If he plays at all in exhibition season then that perks our curiosity.

What's the word on Chicago's netminder? Is Crawford coming back anytime soon? You think Forsberg and Berube will alternate games or just let Forsberg hold the net til Crawford is ready?
- avsfaninmn

most likely craw is done for the year...not even skating at this point

i think they continue to split; both have shown flashes they can play, both have technical and positioning weaknesses that cost bad goals

both have gotten hung out to flap in the breeze in several games with awful defense and giveaways and facing 40 SOG's a game

Question to the advanced stats folks here.

Is there someone publishing a 'high-danger' Corsi percentage?

I never put much faith into Corsi, because it values an unscreened wrist shot from the point the same as a tip off a cross-ice pass through the slot. I do like the 'high-danger' shot concept.

If a HD Corsi exists, can you please point me in it's direction?

Murphy is a guy that gets dogged by the majority of people here, but I think they need to hang on to him. I believe there is a lot of potential there and that he'll grow into a pretty legit stay-at-home guy with physicality.

Gotta' just get through these growing pains right now.
- Hank3Henshaw

Would rather have Joe Murphy, good old #17 1993-1994 season was superb.

most likely craw is done for the year...not even skating at this point

i think they continue to split; both have shown flashes they can play, both have technical and positioning weaknesses that cost bad goals

both have gotten hung out to flap in the breeze in several games with awful defense and giveaways and facing 40 SOG's a game
- bogiedoc

Maybe with Crawford's issue(s) they draft a goaltender but not in first round. How has Delia progressed ...how nhl legit is his upside?

Question to the advanced stats folks here.

Is there someone publishing a 'high-danger' Corsi percentage?

I never put much faith into Corsi, because it values an unscreened wrist shot from the point the same as a tip off a cross-ice pass through the slot. I do like the 'high-danger' shot concept.

If a HD Corsi exists, can you please point me in it's direction?
- scottak

Natural stat trick is one place that has it. Hawks are below average in that regard because they give up a lot of those types of chances. Just look for HDFC HDFA and HDCF%. They also show the # of HD goals for and against.

Maybe with Crawford's issue(s) they draft a goaltender but not in first round. How had Delia progressed ...how nhl legit is his upside?
- jhawk59

That might be the biggest question needing an answer this summer. Is CC coming back???

If Scott Darling were offered back to you for 50% of his cap hit retained, would you take him back?

If Scott Darling were offered back to you for 50% of his cap hit retained, would you take him back?
- BINGO!

I would. Love Darling.

I would. Love Darling.
- z1990z

He seems like a great guy, but unless he goes on a run here I have a hard time seeing him come back next season. Not sure he'll be able to put it back together in Raleigh.

He seems like a great guy, but unless he goes on a run here I have a hard time seeing him come back next season. Not sure he'll be able to put it back together in Raleigh.
- BINGO!

I think he will. The guy has been in a lot of leagues and cities and likely adjusts. He isn't a bad goalie.

I think he will. The guy has been in a lot of leagues and cities and likely adjusts. He isn't a bad goalie.
- breadbag

He sure has been this year. Dunno what happened but the guy has had a real hard time staying in his crease. Maybe he's just trying to do too much. Dunno.

He sure has been this year. Dunno what happened but the guy has had a real hard time staying in his crease. Maybe he's just trying to do too much. Dunno.
- BINGO!

Considering we now have a goalie concern with CC's health, I could see Stan trying to swing a deal to bring Darling back.