The Hawks put up 8 goals yesterday on the reigning Champs, the Capitals. The only problem was that Hawks gave up 5 in their own net.
Chicago now sits 13th in NHL for goals for with 3.06 per game. Once again, the problem is the Hawks can't keep the puck out of the new. They are 30th in the league with a horrendous 3.74 goals against average per game.
If we look at this, the easy conclusion is that the opposition is scoring more on the Hawks than the Hawks are scoring themselves. Easy enough, just start to stop a few more pucks from going in and this would be a better hockey team.
Well, it's not that easy, but this should be a main focus of Bowman. This team defence needs to be corrected and that starts right now – with an important trade deadline coming up, followed by an entry draft and then free agency. Those are the key events on Stan's calendar.
The big questions is what makes a team in today's NHL, a great defensive team?
From my untrained eye, it would be coaching schemes, overall team defence (IQ and commitment) and goaltending.
Coaching – I mentioned pros and cons to a system like the man-on-man style that the Hawks are playing now under Colliton a couple of blogs ago. If you missed it, here are a couple key points - ‘Man on Man' (source: nhlguides.net):
"This system relies on constant puck pressure and denying time and space to the opponent."
"There is no confusion with the man-on-man system with regard to who a player is covering, but if the opposition is fairly creative and incorporates lots of motion, then it becomes harder to stay with your check. The new rules preventing clutching and grabbing have made it harder to play a true man-on-man system, but it can be very effective if the defenders are good skaters because the offensive team has minimal time with the puck before being pressured, and players away from the puck have trouble finding space to get open for a return pass."
I'm not 100% sold on man-on-man over zone defence. My biggest concern is those chances in front of the net and in the slot that are happening – multiple times – per game. It's hard on the goalies and has been resulting in a lot of tallies for the other team.
If you're going to play this style, the attention to details MUST be the biggest focus when playing without the puck and when I hear comments from a guy like Saad saying (and I'm paraphrasing) that "we're not giving a full effort for 60 minutes" then there's a massive issue there.
I can still be convinced that man-on-man defence is the way to go, but until further notice, you can call me a sceptic.
Team Defence – when I say "team defence" I'm not just singling out the players playing the "defence" position, the forwards play a big role in keeping the puck out as well.
For now, let's start looking at the D and then we'll move to the forwards.
If Bowman is looking at the same stats and watching the same games as I am, I hope he's got a top 4 all-around/stay-at-home-dman eyed up. I don't care how he acquires said dman, but it needs to happen.
They need to stop trying to rush their defenders and only have them join the NHL when ready. Forsling might be ruined forever or maybe he was never supposed to be a top 4. Jokiharju was a healthy scratch last game so not sure what the plan is for him.
There are not many UFAs that are too appealing in terms of age, skill set and the projected salary demands so my suggestion to Bowman would be to set a priority to trade for a dman vs. signing one.
Not many teams will be looking to hand over a top 4 guy for David Kampf and a draft pick, so the Hawks will have to give-to-get.
I'm not an advocate of moving Brandon Saad, but it may take a guy like him (plus some) to get the best possible fit for this team.
Then, you have some options moving forward and into next season:
Keith-Jokiharju
Top4-Murphy
Gustafsson-Seabrook
Dahlstrom
If the Hawks land a younger, top 4 defenceman, maybe trading Keith this offseason or next year becomes more viable? Maybe Gustafsson is a guy that they can part with as well next season is Jokiharju shows enough competence from the point on the PP?
All I know is there are a lot of question marks on the backend and I know acquiring ONE top 4 defenceman might not fix everything, but it'll put them in the right direction.
Also, a training camp to learn systems and flush out bad habits, plus a full year of Connor Murphy (who's been very good) and guys like Jokiharju and Dahlstrom getting more experience, I think will do them wonders.
As mentioned above, team defence is dictated by the forwards as well. Colliton put a line together of Kruger-Kampf-Saad yesterday with the theory that this is a line that can be a "shutdown" trio of sorts. Well if that's the best they have, Stan needs to evaluate his forwards.
Quenneville used to love his shutdown line(s) but he also had a lot better supporting cast around him to do so. It looks like Kruger-Kampf-Saad is the best Colliton has right now.
If Bowman is going to go out and spend some money on free agency, Mark Stone is a guy I would target over almost anyone. Panarin can help with more goals but we just evaluated that scoring goals isn't the Hawks biggest issue.
In Stone, the Blackhawks could possibly get a lighter, Canadian version of Marian Hossa. He could slide onto a line with Toews and Saad. Then you have DeBrincat-Strome-Kane and then fill in the rest with the Kampf's, Kahun's and Perlini's + a couple role players that Bowman can round out the depth with.
From there, you have the personnel (hopefully) to know how to play defence, then it just comes down to actual commitment. I've liked the way a guy like Drake Caggiula has come in here and thrown his body into opponents and pucks and doing whatever he can to help the team win, that type of play is infectious.
Goaltending – This is an area that got a little bit of good news on the weekend when Corey Crawford was spotted on the ice. I'm a little surprised, to be honest as I thought Crawford would take some time away from the rink and evaluate his future.
Obviously, the last line of defence is your goaltender. Delia had his first game yesterday where his play was less than inspiring. Sure, he made some 10-bells saves, but overall, he gave up some weak goals that I've sure he'd love to have back.
Delia's play has come back to Earth a bit after starting out so well. Still, he's proving he can play in the NHL and will be strongly considered, for the backup position next year if Crawford is 100% healthy.
If I'm Bowman, I sign Delia this summer to a 3-year deal with 2019-20 a two-way contract then 2020-21 and beyond a one-way. This will give the Hawks some flexibility in the position and if Crawford's status is up in the air, you need to bring in a guy similar to Cam Ward as insurance.
We'll see how this plays out but with Delia's emergence, I feel much better about the depth of this position. Then, if the Hawks can figure out how to defend man-to-man (especially out front of their net), as well as add a couple impact players (offensively and defensively), then goaltending doesn't need to have as much pressure on it as it has in the past 3 years.
Thoughts on the above? How would you improve the defence?
See ya out there,
JL
Chicago Blackhawks Blogger • 
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