Wanna blog? Start your own hockey blog with My HockeyBuzz. Register for free today!
 

Recall Candidates

October 19, 2021, 3:42 AM ET [271 Comments]
Theo Fox
Chicago Blackhawks Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT

The Blackhawks look for a reversal of fortune with some home cooking as they begin a 4-game homestand this evening against the Islanders then host the Canucks, Red Wings, and Maple Leafs over the next week. It's imperative to start the game ready to compete from puck drop.

As documented on Blackhawks news sites, it's being predicted that head coach Jeremy Colliton is likely to be welcomed by the home crowd with a chorus of boos. This not-so-warm reception may be the result of not being likeable in general plus the team's poor start to the season.

The blogosphere has been lit up with conjecture on Colliton's job security and premature selections on who should replace him as the next bench boss. Coaching candidates have ranged from the recycled mulch of veterans to recently retired Hawks with no coaching experience.

Should the Hawks consider the well traveled like Bruce Boudreau, Mike Babcock, Claude Julien, or even associate coach Marc Crawford? Or go with a beloved legend like Marian Hossa who is still young enough to be a playing contemporary with the current players on the team?

One possibility that doesn't get a lot of airplay is not just relieving Colliton of his duties as the Hawks head coach but returning him to his previous gig as the head coach of the farm team in Rockford which would then slide current IceHogs skipper Derek King back to an assistant.

Yet, what if King was elevated to an assistant coach role with the big club after paying his managerial dues in the minor leagues. Taking this a step further, could King also be at least on the long list of potential candidates to consider as the next Hawks head coach?

Again, it may be too early to ponder any of this. The stark reality, though, is Colliton is rightfully being criticized. Is he on the hot seat? Public comments by his players doesn't seem to point at that but they're also not going to throw their coach under the bus.

Regardless of anyone's status with the organization, Colliton, his coaching staff, and the roster of skaters and goalies have a lot to prove collectively. But if the current state of affairs don't improve, then something's going to give and changes could come sooner than later.

--

Roster Moves

Of the forwards on the IceHogs, Mike Hardman was a good choice for the first recall. During the opening weekend for the Hogs, he was one of the most effective forwards with his heavy forecheck, physicality, and defensive responsibility plus growing confidence to create offense.

Lukas Reichel was definitely the best player for the Hogs in the first few games but he needs to marinate as long as possible in the AHL before even being considered for his cup of coffee. Josiah Slavin may be the next recall candidate playing a similar style as Hardman.

With Hardman back with the Hawks, it would be worth exploring a 4th line of MacKenzie Entwistle centering him and Jujhar Khaira: big, strong, hard to play against. They will make youthful mistakes but it's not like the rest of the team is playing mistake-free hockey right now.

What about Ryan Carpenter and Adam Gaudette? Carpenter is an ideal depth forward to have in the 13th spot as a veteran spare part who can contribute whenever called upon. Gaudette may be better suited on the 3rd line but there's just no room at the inn with better options.

As for Ian Mitchell, getting sent down to Rockford is best for his long-term development but the timing is odd. One would think that another move could be coming because there's now only 6 healthy defensemen on the roster with Erik Gustafsson being one of them.

Before the injuries happened to Caleb Jones and Wyatt Kalynuk, Mitchell wasn't expected to be with the Hawks to start the season anyway so no surprise with his reassignment to the AHL. Mitchell should be playing top 4 minutes and in all situations (ES, PP, PK) with the Hogs.

Chad Krys may be out again with a leg injury after a freak accident in Saturday's game so that would make the top D pairs a combination of Mitchell, Nicolas Beaudin, Jakub Galvas, and Alec Regula. Isaak Phillips and Ryan Stanton would then round out the Rockford blueline.

--

Probable Lineup

Kubalik - Toews - Kurashev
Hagel - Dach - Kane
DeBrincat - Borgstrom - Hardman
Khaira - Entwistle - Johnson

Scratches: Carpenter, Gaudette, Strome

At least as far as the forwards go, yesterday's practice lines could be what we see in tonight's first home game of the season versus the Islanders. But this is what has been seen at time of print so today's practice could have a different set foreshadowing the starting lineup.

Assuming that the healthy scratches are the same, I personally would swap Tyler Johnson and Hardman in the RW spots in the bottom 6. And though it may not matter on paper but more so on game deployment, I would make Patrick Kane's unit Line 1 and Jonathan Toews' unit Line 2.

Hagel - Dach - Kane
Kubalik - Toews - Kurashev
DeBrincat - Borgstrom - Johnson
Khaira - Entwistle - Hardman

The D pairs may be relatively easier to predict especially now with an exact 6 of blueliners on the roster who are healthy enough to suit up so there aren't as many permutations to experiment with that wouldn't create more liabilities than what currently exist with this team.

de Haan - S Jones
McCabe - Murphy
Gustafsson - Stillman

This may be crazy but I would consider tweaking the pairs to look more like what's outlined below. While Seth Jones does like to activate, he and Riley Stillman seem to be most consistent with protecting the net or at least sticking close to it when in their defensive end.

Gustafsson - S Jones
McCabe - Murphy
de Haan - Stillman

Why in the world would Gustafsson be promoted to the top pair when he should be playing sheltered minutes at even strength? One thought is having players simplify their games, i.e. let Jones be a rock on the back end while letting Gustafsson excel at rushing the puck.

Jones could still be the PP1 quarterback and Gustafsson has that role on PP2. Connor Murphy and Jake McCabe are a package deal that the coaching staff wants to leverage as the shutdown pair. Then let Calvin de Haan and Stillman be another defensive duo but against lower QOC.

--

Goalie Depth Chart

As expected, Cale Morris has been reassigned to the Indy Fuel of the ECHL clearing up the goalie jam in Rockford with Malcolm Subban, Arvid Soderblom, and Collin Delia. Morris joins Tom Aubrun with the Fuel. For the IceHogs, the goalie tandem has been Subban and Soderblom so far.

In the event that one of Subban or Delia gets traded at some point, Morris would then rejoin the Hogs as the 3rd string. He could also be back in Rockford if any of the current Hogs goalies get recalled to the Hawks, get injured, or get sick including going into COVID protocol.

--

See you on the boards!

Join the Discussion: » 271 Comments » Post New Comment
More from Theo Fox
» One Last Shift
» What's the Plan?
» Teaser Ad
» Power Source
» Cut the Mustard