Just to play Devil's Advocate: How many players on the 09-10 team had proven they could do it consistantly prior to, say, Spring of 09?

I agree with you in principle. I think Shaw is headed for a bad rep and a career of questionable actions. I don't foresee Stalberg having a future here, especially with what's coming at wing in the next few years. Both have relatively high value now. Move them for a center if possible.

If you can fill the 2/3 center slot with Bolland and an acquisition for this season, then you just need one wing to play top 6 and hopefully keep a spot warm for TT.
- NewToHockey

Q has to install a serious discipline program. If Shaw, Carcillo, Bollig or anyone else PHUCKS UP by taking self-destructive penalties...a MESSAGE MUST BE SENT. I love tough teams...but tough teams CANNOT equate to stupid teams. The lesson of 1991 is forever ripe.

Q: 1 Cup

Lovie: multiple eggs on his face.

Who do you want to coach us Ogie ?
- philco28

I don't know enough about avilable coaches to know who would be a good replacement. What I do know is that Q is either unwilling or unable to adapt his style to the hand Stan as dealt him post cup. Blame Stan all you want for the quality of the roster (I sure do), but it's the coach's job to make the most of what he has. Q is hell bent on playing "his" style whether he has the right personnel or not. He doesn't always play the best players available to him (ie, Lepisto over Scott), his doghouse is irrationally difficult for some to get out of and virtualy impossible some deserving of his wrath to get into, and the respected coaches who he won the cup with (or because of?) are gone, only to be replaced by the perrenial losers of his own choosing.

A monkey could have won the cup with the team Q had in 2010, what has he done since? Zero.

Q has to install a serious discipline program. If Shaw, Carcillo, Bollig or anyone else PHUCKS UP by taking self-destructive penalties...a MESSAGE MUST BE SENT. I love tough teams...but tough teams CANNOT equate to stupid teams. The lesson of 1991 is forever ripe.
- philco28

Shaw has a chance to be a solid NHL player but if he follows a bonehead script he will be just another guy.

Carcillo is in a very interesting spot...We will see.

If Bollig makes the roster he has to be the main sheriff in town.

Jeez, we sit for months waiting for a new season and most of you, go back to your playbooks from last April. Really, the Eyore crowd is out in full force. Figured many of you would have been able to come up with one new and creative idea/thought for the new season...but nope..just more sky is falling hysteria.
- TrueGrit

Somethings never change...fandom...gotta luv it.

for some creativity: 1.) Crawford will lead the league in shutouts with 7.

2. Kane finds his old form back at wing and leads the Hawks in points and goals (52 pts - 22 goals)

3. Frolik has no empty net goals this year.

4. Leddy has a monstor season.

5. And the surprise of the year....not on the roster yet!

Q has to install a serious discipline program. If Shaw, Carcillo, Bollig or anyone else PHUCKS UP by taking self-destructive penalties...a MESSAGE MUST BE SENT. I love tough teams...but tough teams CANNOT equate to stupid teams. The lesson of 1991 is forever ripe.
- philco28

You mean be a real coach? Good luck.

I missed you guys.

Shaw has a chance to be a solid NHL player but if he follows a bonehead script he will be just another guy.

Carcillo is in a very interesting spot...We will see.

If Bollig makes the roster he has to be the main sheriff in town.
- Al

I really like Bollig, but he is another that needs to learn discipline.

I went out to Rockford to see the Hogs and Wolves right after Christmas. Totally one sided affair for most of the game. Hogs up 2-1, outshooting them around 30-15 late in the second and the only pressure the Wolves mounted was a nice, back door PP goal in the first. Five minutes left in the second and one of the Wolves puts a HUGE, totally clean hit on a Hog and Bollig has to charge over and play enforcer.

Result? Double minor and 10 minute misconduct. Wolves tied the game on the ensuing PP. Fortunately, the Hogs scored shortly after getting back to even strength and a scoreless third led to a 3-2 win.

We saw it with Shaw and Carcillo several times last year. These guys need to learn that there is a time and a place for that. Sadly, I don't see Q as the coach to teach them how to pick those spots.

You mean be a real coach? Good luck.
- Ogilthorpe2

+1

#2 Center and a #1 Goalie. Who is is going to be and what are the Hawks going to give up to acquire these pieces ?

Stanley Boy, Q, and McD are on the clock ! They know the rules, the cap and the agreement is for 10 years ! The NHL level roster better be improved, along with the power play .

I cant wait for hockey !

*wakes up in a pool of his own piss*

*googles 'hawk roster'*

I guess your condescending attitude hasnt changed either.

And just what as changed for the better since April that would change anyone's opinion?

Same $hitty GM, same $hitty Coach, same holes in the roster (2C, G)...what's there to be positive about?
- Ogilthorpe2

I guess I am in mid season form myself. I am just glad there is some hockey finally.

Like the bears finally getting rid of Lovie, I would love to see the same for Q.

Somethings never change...fandom...gotta luv it.

for some creativity: 1.) Crawford will lead the league in shutouts with 7.

2. Kane finds his old form back at wing and leads the Hawks in points and goals (52 pts - 22 goals)

3. Frolik has no empty net goals this year.

4. Leddy has a monstor season.

5. And the surprise of the year....not on the roster yet!
- bogiedoc

That is all I am saying.

Sir...

You appear to be in the exact same situation as many Bear fans...

....As they hoped for the team to collapse so Lovie would be dispatched.

That's where you are at....If the team wins a playoff round Q. will be back to finish out his contract. If they don't make the post season or are one and done he probably will be out.
- Al

Q took a stand after the season and survived to coach another season reporting to the bean counter G.M. who shouldn't be in that job. He also got what he wanted - a couple of veteran defenceman like Roszival and Brookbank and also got the authority to axe Haviland, warranted or not.

Q will return to being a genius if he gets solid NHL goaltending and the type of seasons the Hawks expected when they threw big money at Keith, Kane, Sharp and Hossa.

If Q gets the gate after this year, I suspect quite a few more names we are familiar with will be joining him on the unemployment line. And Q will get re-employed in the NHL before Stan Bowman and a few others do.

I am a Wings fan but let me tell you, the Hawks are LOADED with young forward prospects who can flat out play, and play right now. Pirri, Saad, Shaw, Bickel, Hayes, Bolig and Kruger are the deepest bunch of forward prospects in the game this side of Edmonton. And that is not even mentioning Teravainen who is a year or two away. And dont forget Kane is only 23 and Toews is only 24.
Any blue line that starts with Keith, Seabrook and Leddy is gonna be solid.

It comes down to goaltending though, and while I think Chicago has one of the most talented teams in the league I dont see Crawford as a Stanley cup goalie. Not now, not ever. If you guys can add a Ryan Miller, an aging vet looking for a cup it could be over for the other 29 teams in a hurry. If not, with Crawford in goal second round is best case. He is too old to be a prospect, he is only two years younger than Emery for Gods sake. As a Wings fan I hope you guys stick by your boy one more year. Good luck this year.
- yave1964

I'm going to take the middle ground here.

Pirri has proven nothing.

Saad is still a year or two away. The best thing for his development was to have a very so-so rookie season at Rockford—the hype among the kool-aid drinkers should be tamped down now. Bowman will just look like an idiot if he rushes him now.

Bryan Bickell can be as good as he wants to be. He can skate, shoot and hit—when he wants to.

Shaw is a winner, all depends where he plays.

Hayes, to me, is a tweener in every respect and will struggle to find a regular NHL role.

Bollig is the kind of rank and file dog face guy you win with on your lower lines. Tough, responsible, well-liked by teammates and will occasionally surprise you with a "skill" play.

Kruger is a useful NHL player but the question remains where and how, 2nd, 3rd or 4th line, C or W.

Also Philip Danault could make an impact in Chicago before a lot of these guys. All that said, none of these guys are going to be high offensive production players, except maybe (at some point) Saad.

Teravainen will be but he is a couple of years away.

On the goalie argument I disagree and your Wings prove my point. Put Chris Osgood behind Niklas Kronwall and Ian White and you don't win any Cups with him. His numbers and productivity were always enhanced by the kind of shots he saw—which Lidstrom et al helped make sure were bad, outside shots. Jimmy Howard is going to have to be titanic this year—not to mention the Wings getting characteristically VERY lucky with regard to injuries to their top guys—for the Wings to have much of a chance. Point being, Good, not great goaltending can win you a Cup if you have a great defense in front of your goalie. Antti Niemi proved this as well. He was good in the 2010 playoffs, but not overall great.

Somethings never change...fandom...gotta luv it.

for some creativity: 1.) Crawford will lead the league in shutouts with 7.

2. Kane finds his old form back at wing and leads the Hawks in points and goals (52 pts - 22 goals)

3. Frolik has no empty net goals this year.

4. Leddy has a monstor season.

5. And the surprise of the year....not on the roster yet!
- bogiedoc

Ha.

Dude, they're not going to be that bad. Kane can play 2C and play it well. They can try Kruger there again. Sharp can play there. Bolland could maybe play there and Kruger can play the 3C.

There is all kinds of parity in the league. Detroit will have an interesting D corps, worse off than the Hawks on paper. St Louis still wont be able to score when it matters. Vancouver and San Jose are the same teams (for now).

The Hawks are in a really good position even with the holes they have, they are under the salary cap and don't have to panic. If they wanted to add a rent-a-player like Iginla, maybe any of Anaheim's top 3 players, maybe Elias if anything is left in the tank and the Devils dig themselves a hole they definitively can. Kind of depends on Bowman and Co having a willingness to win this year to try and buy another 1 or 2 of good grace.

Edit: Anaheim is really interesting as perry getzlaf selanne and koivu are ALL in contract years. They could be looking to rebuild... Just saying....

Ha.

Dude, they're not going to be that bad. Kane can play 2C and play it well. They can try Kruger there again. Sharp can play there. Bolland could maybe play there and Kruger can play the 3C.

There is all kinds of parity in the league. Detroit will have an interesting D corps, worse off than the Hawks on paper. St Louis still wont be able to score when it matters. Vancouver and San Jose are the same teams (for now).

The Hawks are in a really good position even with the holes they have, they are under the salary cap and don't have to panic. If they wanted to add a rent-a-player like Iginla, maybe any of Anaheim's top 3 players, maybe Elias if anything is left in the tank and the Devils dig themselves a hole they definitively can. Kind of depends on Bowman and Co having a willingness to win this year to try and buy another 1 or 2 of good grace.

Edit: Anaheim is really interesting as perry getzlaf selanne and koivu are ALL in contract years. They could be looking to rebuild... Just saying....
- fattybeef

ANA will do everything to sign Perry. Getzlaf however, could be had at some point.

I really like Bollig, but he is another that needs to learn discipline.

I went out to Rockford to see the Hogs and Wolves right after Christmas. Totally one sided affair for most of the game. Hogs up 2-1, outshooting them around 30-15 late in the second and the only pressure the Wolves mounted was a nice, back door PP goal in the first. Five minutes left in the second and one of the Wolves puts a HUGE, totally clean hit on a Hog and Bollig has to charge over and play enforcer.

Result? Double minor and 10 minute misconduct. Wolves tied the game on the ensuing PP. Fortunately, the Hogs scored shortly after getting back to even strength and a scoreless third led to a 3-2 win.

We saw it with Shaw and Carcillo several times last year. These guys need to learn that there is a time and a place for that. Sadly, I don't see Q as the coach to teach them how to pick those spots.
- NewToHockey

I think Bollig will learn to pick his spots. When an enforcer comes up from the minors I think they feel a need to make a name for themselves. I'm interested in seeing how Q incorporates Bollig, Shaw and Carcillo in the line up. Does he play Carcillo on the top two lines and what about Shaw third line or is he a fourth line agitator.

I don't know enough about avilable coaches to know who would be a good replacement. What I do know is that Q is either unwilling or unable to adapt his style to the hand Stan as dealt him post cup. Blame Stan all you want for the quality of the roster (I sure do), but it's the coach's job to make the most of what he has. Q is hell bent on playing "his" style whether he has the right personnel or not. He doesn't always play the best players available to him (ie, Lepisto over Scott), his doghouse is irrationally difficult for some to get out of and virtualy impossible some deserving of his wrath to get into, and the respected coaches who he won the cup with (or because of?) are gone, only to be replaced by the perrenial losers of his own choosing.

A monkey could have won the cup with the team Q had in 2010, what has he done since? Zero.
- Ogilthorpe2

Some interesting and valid points Ogi. The good news is...you'll still have Q to kick around in 2013...as long as we get off to a decent start.

I'm going to take the middle ground here.

Pirri has proven nothing.

Saad is still a year or two away. The best thing for his development was to have a very so-so rookie season at Rockford—the hype among the kool-aid drinkers should be tamped down now. Bowman will just look like an idiot if he rushes him now.

Bryan Bickell can be as good as he wants to be. He can skate, shoot and hit—when he wants to.

Shaw is a winner, all depends where he plays.

Hayes, to me, is a tweener in every respect and will struggle to find a regular NHL role.

Bollig is the kind of rank and file dog face guy you win with on your lower lines. Tough, responsible, well-liked by teammates and will occasionally surprise you with a "skill" play.

Kruger is a useful NHL player but the question remains where and how, 2nd, 3rd or 4th line, C or W.

Also Philip Danault could make an impact in Chicago before a lot of these guys. All that said, none of these guys are going to be high offensive production players, except maybe (at some point) Saad.

Teravainen will be but he is a couple of years away.

On the goalie argument I disagree and your Wings prove my point. Put Chris Osgood behind Niklas Kronwall and Ian White and you don't win any Cups with him. His numbers and productivity were always enhanced by the kind of shots he saw—which Lidstrom et al helped make sure were bad, outside shots. Jimmy Howard is going to have to be titanic this year—not to mention the Wings getting characteristically VERY lucky with regard to injuries to their top guys—for the Wings to have much of a chance. Point being, Good, not great goaltending can win you a Cup if you have a great defense in front of your goalie. Antti Niemi proved this as well. He was good in the 2010 playoffs, but not overall great.
- John Jaeckel

I agree that average goaltending can win a cup, Niemi, Osgood to name a few. However, I dont see Crawford as being in the same class as either of the above. He is undoubtedly the weak link here. Chicago is my favorite non Wings team to watch, the skill on all four lines and kids pushing for playing time and d-men who can handle the puck makes for same damn exciting Hockey. But Crawford got the job because there was nobody else. Again, as a Wings fan I hope he keeps the job but as a hockey fan I think that with a veteran goalie who knows how to play this could be the best team in the league, bar none.

Shaw has a chance to be a solid NHL player but if he follows a bonehead script he will be just another guy.

Carcillo is in a very interesting spot...We will see.

If Bollig makes the roster he has to be the main sheriff in town.
- Al

Agreed on all 3 counts Al...Carcillo may be too emotional for our own good.

I really like Bollig, but he is another that needs to learn discipline.

I went out to Rockford to see the Hogs and Wolves right after Christmas. Totally one sided affair for most of the game. Hogs up 2-1, outshooting them around 30-15 late in the second and the only pressure the Wolves mounted was a nice, back door PP goal in the first. Five minutes left in the second and one of the Wolves puts a HUGE, totally clean hit on a Hog and Bollig has to charge over and play enforcer.

Result? Double minor and 10 minute misconduct. Wolves tied the game on the ensuing PP. Fortunately, the Hogs scored shortly after getting back to even strength and a scoreless third led to a 3-2 win.

We saw it with Shaw and Carcillo several times last year. These guys need to learn that there is a time and a place for that. Sadly, I don't see Q as the coach to teach them how to pick those spots.
- NewToHockey

Excellent post


BB pulled a similar stunt in Toronto last Saturday. He stupidly went looking for trouble in a tight game and ended up with a 10 minute misconduct. I love what he brings, but Bollig has to be smarter. And you're right, Q gives some of these guys way too long a leash when it comes to taking dumb penalties.

ANA will do everything to sign Perry. Getzlaf however, could be had at some point.
- John Jaeckel

The player I look to be moved from Anaheim is Bobby Ryan....

On Twitter@AlCimaglia

(I just spent about 3 hours typing this on the OTHER blog, so I hope no one minds I shift it here...)

I have to agree that Stan has to be on the lookout for a NHL centre, and just let the futures develop.

But all this continued talk about "second line centre" amuses me...they are one hit away from lossing their franchise centre in any game, in any season for the rest of Tazer's contract. I am not saying it because I like it, wish it, but you cannot ignore it.

But if you look up and down the NHL rosters, there simply isn't a surplus available, unless you make a blockbuster deal, or sudden;y one of the early choices like Strome and Huberdeau waltz into Isles & Panther camps and TAKE away a centre position.

I really think the plan in both cities is to start them as wings, because they skate well enough to become stop/start players as well as the can play fluid always moving centreman.
Then I take a step back, see that Huberdeau wilted, disapppeared and disappointed as a World Junior wing, and the highly skilled shooter Strome plays undisplined against under twenties.

I have combed the NHL rosters for some time and the guy I liked more than a season ago, Frans Niesen of the Islanders had a 17 goal season and probably pumped his value past the point where he could be acquired without significant trade payout.
He's about 28, and really good with the puck, and has good touch, instincts, and sniperablity. More of a finese player, but certainly no wussy.
But again there would have to be a total Brooklyn Isle commit to Ryan Strome as a major league centre position for his to even be thought of as a chip they could trade.

The same concept of "some young rookies steps up before the vet centre becomes a trading chip" applies to Florida.

and also to Ottawa.
Mika Zibanejad would HAVE to be ready for prime time. (They already told him to not got to the world Juniors so he could play minor pro and develop.)
The Senators plan on Jakob Silfverberg to PLAY here and play on the top two as a RW.
Both Swedes are at Binghamton (AHL) but the almost three year older Silfverberg is leading the team in scoring and Zibanejad has ONE goal.

I just don't see JJ suggestion of Zack Smith for hawk players as a possibility, since that weakens THEIR middle much more than one of our defenseman strengthens their back end.

The Hawks purposefully brought in to penalty-killing defenseman in Brookbank and Rozsival for one reason: they take away much of the duties from the others.

The FIVE others get to play even strength more.

Whomever suggested the hawks suit up seven defenders a game may be on the right track. If they don't get fair and eaqual return on any of the group, I don't suppose they are bargain basementing them.

Long term they have to be concerned about developing a top line centre.
Teraveinen (a year younger than most participants) played Left wing and a few shifts at RW when they double shifted wing Armia & the later injured centre Miro Aaltonen.

(the younger Granlund also played wing in his tourney and was then eleveated to centre.)

But at this juncture TT is a good stop start. reposition, fluid mover, but not a guy who ever plans to go into the corners to win puck battles.
Don't get me wrong I saw him strip both US & canada defenseman of pucks they were trying to pass out, but it wasn't with physiclal engagement.
McNeill has the physical part but they hands may be along time coming, and Danault is a defense first centreman.

Whether you play Beach, Saad, or older Hayes at pivot to see them as more "motion players" as opposed to wings, there doesn't seem like the Toews replacement guy is in the system, just slowly developing.

I think whenever the chance permits they will take a run at Ryan Getzlaf.
They will ask, wait, ask again later...no dire need in Bowman's tone.

But whether you see Getzlaf as declining, full of two plus seasons of barin farts, he still is you best alternative to a long term fill if the the worst happens to Jonathan Toews.

I really believe the Cap will never be an issues on acquiring him. They will just make space.

Oh, and Philip Danault being pushed inot the line up now doesn't really put this team over any humps.
He is never gonna be a big offensive contributer, just a solid hockey player.

No if one of the Icehogs could catch fire and score, check and skate at the major league level...then I agree.

I'm really interested about the 2 buyouts each team is able to use in the coming offseasons. I think there are a number of players with monster contracts that could be bought out soon and look quite good in a blackhawk sweater.

- prd797

You cannot use them until the season's end.
Yeah so IF you want to trade for a guy with a BIG $ paycheck, you get the option to toss it after your team and the player underwhelm expectations in the spring playoff...