Thank you! Love this move and am terrified when other teams use it.

As you mentioned though, this strategy would require Hawks forwards to be in front/near the net.
- TyCamScore

This is why the team needs Boyle from Tampa. Park his big keister in front of the next with his stick on the ice.

Haven't read all the comments but this team IMO is more than a LW away from competitive for the cup. I think we are at least two forwards and a top 4 D away. I don't think there is anyway we can swing it t to make that happen

Hossa is an old man by NHL standards, and has lost whatever jump/finishing he had the first 20 games of the year. This team needs a major shakeup to have any realistic chance at winning the Cup this year. The Core has become far too top-heavy, complacent, and old. Also, was Marcus Kruger a healthy scratch last night? Either way, Moose and Kero are more effective offensively than Kruger, cost 1/3 the cap-hit, and are no slouches on the defensive side of the puck.
- garacat[/quote]

Unfortunately I think this is a pretty accurate assessment. I also would include Q as part of the problem. It looks to me that his old school approach just isn't working any more and many of the veteran players have basically tuned him out. His constant line juggling and head scratching use of personnel, and his inability to put together more effective PP and PK units are inexcusable for a team with this much talent. I agree a major shakeup may be in order and should likely include a new, younger, more innovative coach. It worked out pretty well for the Penquins last year.

I said at the beginning of the season, when JJ said there would be a shake up after 15 or 20 games if they were struggling . I thought there might, but it would be a coaching change IMO . I still think the HAWKS are in a very good position , and have only struggle at times and are in common spot for this time of the year . If they do have a bad road trip ,who knows every coach runs his course .You can't fire the whole team as they say .

I think we should all withhold judgement until after the trade deadline. I am not expecting much in the way of acquiring anyone via trade...I think Bowman's biggest deadline deals have been for Ladd, Vermette and Oduya. Good players....but not blockbuster. So I don't see Duchene. Hawks are good. They go through this slump every year. Let's wait and see how this plays out.

IMO, Bowman needs a border line top 4 D man
- SteveRain

Couldn't help myself.

He traded that guy.
Lives on the E coast now.
Skating about 24-25 min a night.
Since they rid themselves of Fred Flintstone as their coach, they've beat 3 top teams in a row (Caps, Habs and BlueJackets) and have banked 13 of 14 points.

Seeing #2's precipitous decline really makes it even sadder.

Couldn't help myself.

He traded that guy.
Lives on the E coast now.
Skating about 24-25 min a night.
Since they rid themselves of Fred Flintstone as their coach, they've beat 3 top teams in a row (Caps, Habs and BlueJackets) and have banked 13 of 14 points.

Seeing #2's precipitous decline really makes it even sadder.
- savvyone-1

Ya but who needs a Top Pairing NHL D-man just entering his prime with over 300 games of NHL experience and at a reasonable cap hit when you have Ville Pokka?!?! He's a top pair D-man....in the AHL.

Ya but who needs a Top Pairing NHL D-man just entering his prime with over 300 games of NHL experience and at a reasonable cap hit when you have Ville Pokka?!?! He's a top pair D-man....in the AHL.
- EnzoD

Are you serious ? This is tired . There is a salary cap. A hard one.

This is why the team needs Boyle from Tampa. Park his big keister in front of the next with his stick on the ice.
- DarthKane

Would be a good pick up

Are you serious ? This is tired . There is a salary cap. A hard one.
- mrpaulish

Kruger at $3mil and 38yr old Campbell at $2mil or Leddy at $5mil? Tired discussion, tired debate, and past tense. I know. But Nick Leddy is a talented NHL player and who is in the pipeline to play Effective big minutes on the blue line? Forsling and......

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/30-thoughts-lightnings-yzerman-not-biting-low-offers-bishop/

This news isn't a surprise, but so much for a cap increase next year...
- ArlingtonRob

If Bowman was smart and got any kind of offer for Crawford that does not take on much cap space for next year he should do it at the TDL. SEABS is ours for ever and Kruger will be much easier to move after July 1st bonus of 2MIL is paid he will be owed 4.175 over the last 2 years of the deal. Pretty easy for Budget teams to afford.

Kruger at $3mil and 38yr old Campbell at $2mil or Leddy at $5mil? Tired discussion, tired debate, and past tense. I know. But Nick Leddy is a talented NHL player and who is in the pipeline to play Effective big minutes on the blue line? Forsling and......
- EnzoD[/quote Pass

I agree. 11 goals between them is decent for a 3rd line in the playoffs in 23 games. (Plus 2 goals on the power play where they did not play together.)
- -Doh-

Sharp with 15 points in 23 playoff games too. Not the production of a slouch.

I think Stan will not do much this tdl.He will make a splash at the draft.He will sit back and watch all the rookies this playoffs and then he'll decide on what is needed for the following year including getting rid of some of the core.I think it's time for some new blood on this team,and I don't mean rookies.

Top two Power Play units for the Hawks last night were:

#1 Toews--Panik--Campbell--Hartman--Hossa
#2 Seabrook--Keith--Anisimov--Kane--Panarin

both looked horrible, and really not a fan of using Panik and Campbell on any Power Play
- etchtech

That first unit generated some chances around the net at least.

I said at the beginning of the season, when JJ said there would be a shake up after 15 or 20 games if they were struggling . I thought there might, but it would be a coaching change IMO . I still think the HAWKS are in a very good position , and have only struggle at times and are in common spot for this time of the year . If they do have a bad road trip ,who knows every coach runs his course .You can't fire the whole team as they say .
- oldduffman

Agreed. At some point, no matter how good the leader was and still is, if he is not constantly evolving, then the long-timers have a tendency to tune him out. Doubly true if those long-timers get preferential treatment to the other team members - if they know they can get away with subpar play. Q doesn't even talk to his team after games, so doesn't seem to be a motivational coach.

In almost every post game interview,you hear the players saying "we just need to play the right way." What even is the right way in their minds. Is it a new style, adapted to the skills on the team or changes in the style of play in the league generally? Doesn't appear so, at least to my untrained eyes. The other coaches have also figured out how to stop us bc we don't change.

MN and PIT both got new coaches and their teams reignited, despite having a lot of the same core players. Tend to agree there is too much talent on team to waste. Worth considering coaching change at any level (except Waite!) as a possible solution.

...and what has Tallon done since leaving to suggest he's the great GM the Hawks need?

That ship has sailed and circumnavigated the globe.

The hard cap pretty much dumps in every GM's punchbowl. Not easy.

3 cups and 2 conference finals in the bank is a nice run.

That said...the Hawks do need something of a reboot.
- ArlingtonRob

Tallon has drafted very well in FLA & had them in great shape until owner had made a DUMB move & moved him upstairs this offseason.

Dale has since been brought back to GM after they screwed up the team this offseason & season.

The best players on the Hawks all Tallon products. The Bowmans have done nothing but hand out BAD DEALS one after another.
Bickell
Crawford
Kruger
Seabrook

And Bowmans trades have been even worse. Just Brutal.

ALL HORRIBLE contracts!

Totoo Kempny Campbell all backfiring as well.

Just an awful awful job by the Bowmans.

Thank Tallon for the CUPS!

I think Stan will not do much this tdl.He will make a splash at the draft.He will sit back and watch all the rookies this playoffs and then he'll decide on what is needed for the following year including getting rid of some of the core.I think it's time for some new blood on this team,and I don't mean rookies.
- Tatoo

Tracey Myers of CSN Chicago: Chicago Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman said yesterday that trade talk is “still pretty slow.” It could be a quiet year for the Blackhawks at the trade deadline.

“I’m not expecting to make a deal this year, unlike previous years,” Bowman said on Tuesday, prior to the Blackhawks’ game against the San Jose Sharks. “I suppose anything can happen but I’ve said this from the beginning of the year and I mean it: we have a different dynamic this year because we have a lot more young players who have been with our team this year from the beginning. We’ve already seen it with a few of them: they’re better now than they were in October. And if they keep on that trend, we should be a better team even if we have the exact same lineup.”

Tallon has drafted very well in FLA & had them in great shape until owner had made a DUMB move & moved him upstairs this offseason.

Dale has since been brought back to GM after they screwed up the team this offseason & season.

The best players on the Hawks all Tallon products. The Bowmans have done nothing but hand out BAD DEALS one after another.
Bickell
Crawford
Kruger
Seabrook

And Bowmans trades have been even worse. Just Brutal.

ALL HORRIBLE contracts!

Totoo Kempny Campbell all backfiring as well.

Just an awful awful job by the Bowmans.

Thank Tallon for the CUPS!
- Goalie-33

kempny tooto and campbell have all been fine. Campbell needs to save his legs and play less. Kempny and $800K was a good deal and he needs to play more and tootoo should be sent down unless they need someone to fight. You can send down any contract under $925 K and have it not count Vs the cap.

Tallon has drafted very well in FLA & had them in great shape until owner had made a DUMB move & moved him upstairs this offseason.

Dale has since been brought back to GM after they screwed up the team this offseason & season.

The best players on the Hawks all Tallon products. The Bowmans have done nothing but hand out BAD DEALS one after another.
Bickell
Crawford
Kruger
Seabrook

And Bowmans trades have been even worse. Just Brutal.

ALL HORRIBLE contracts!

Totoo Kempny Campbell all backfiring as well.

Just an awful awful job by the Bowmans.

Thank Tallon for the CUPS!
- Goalie-33

You must be new here

Tallon has drafted very well in FLA & had them in great shape until owner had made a DUMB move & moved him upstairs this offseason.

Dale has since been brought back to GM after they screwed up the team this offseason & season.

The best players on the Hawks all Tallon products. The Bowmans have done nothing but hand out BAD DEALS one after another.
Bickell
Crawford
Kruger
Seabrook

And Bowmans trades have been even worse. Just Brutal.

ALL HORRIBLE contracts!

Totoo Kempny Campbell all backfiring as well.

Just an awful awful job by the Bowmans.

Thank Tallon for the CUPS!
- Goalie-33

You're insane .


Hossa was all Bowman . No Bowman No Hossa No Cups.

You obviously don't consider the $ portion of trades.

Dale has been gone for 7 years . Dale has won nothing in 7 years.

Tallon has drafted very well in FLA & had them in great shape until owner had made a DUMB move & moved him upstairs this offseason.

Dale has since been brought back to GM after they screwed up the team this offseason & season.

The best players on the Hawks all Tallon products. The Bowmans have done nothing but hand out BAD DEALS one after another.
Bickell
Crawford
Kruger
Seabrook

And Bowmans trades have been even worse. Just Brutal.

ALL HORRIBLE contracts!

Totoo Kempny Campbell all backfiring as well.

Just an awful awful job by the Bowmans.

Thank Tallon for the CUPS!
- Goalie-33

The guy's been gonzo for what...? 8 years?

No...

I won't thank Tallon for what's been accomplished since '09

Not a factor in the game - did anyone else notice how much smaller Cro looked with the new reg's pads - looked half the man...

Hossa is an old man by NHL standards, and has lost whatever jump/finishing he had the first 20 games of the year. This team needs a major shakeup to have any realistic chance at winning the Cup this year. The Core has become far too top-heavy, complacent, and old. Also, was Marcus Kruger a healthy scratch last night? Either way, Moose and Kero are more effective offensively than Kruger, cost 1/3 the cap-hit, and are no slouches on the defensive side of the puck.
- garacat[/quote]

Unfortunately I think this is a pretty accurate assessment. I also would include Q as part of the problem. It looks to me that his old school approach just isn't working any more and many of the veteran players have basically tuned him out. His constant line juggling and head scratching use of personnel, and his inability to put together more effective PP and PK units are inexcusable for a team with this much talent. I agree a major shakeup may be in order and should likely include a new, younger, more innovative coach. It worked out pretty well for the Penquins last year.

Funniest thing is where the Pens got their coach.

Result wasn't unexpected. This team has a massive amount of difficulty consistently scoring. You can blame this guy or that guy or whatever else, but this team can't score when it needs to and plays with a panic late in games because EVERY game seems to be a 1 goal affair late.....and then you throw in young players who make mistakes, OR get dominated on the road....and you have a goal differential of just +8, 17-14 since Thanksgiving, 20th ranked PP, 28th ranked PK, and 14th in goals per game. Was anyone truly surprised they lost? Sadly, I just sit and wait for it because this team seems to be waiting to give up a lead, then to burry a team when it has the chance.

Sorry....that's not elite, that's not top echelon. The 8 teams with goal differential of double digits are in that conversation and Minnesota and San Jose are by far the class of the west. The top 4 metro teams ,and Montreal also I would put ahead of the Hawks. Maybe even Edmonton. The Hawks on paper have sexy names and a top portion of the roster that can compete, but their depth and special teams are just a dumpster fire with no end to the burn......

So while some can sit here and keep thinking this team has some magic button to flip to get "right" or play up to their "potential" I could argue they are....they are a decent, but not great hockey team, and those type of teams need a LOT to go right to go on a long spring playoff run. Can they? Of course...never count out this core....but the core needs help and the role guys are far too bi polar to be counted on for any sort of consistent play.

lastly, that little dog/pony show yesterday by Bowman very well could be a sign that he doesn't have enough assets of value OR that he's willing to part with to obtain the pieces this team needs, and every time he OR a media guy gushes over another prospect with a limited sample size claiming they are "getting it" or are the "internal piece to fill a hole" I want to bash my head off a wall.........

Don't sleep on Nashville....they are starting to live up to the preseason hype and have a VERY aggressive GM who may have enough to pry Duchene from the Avs.
- SteveRain

As simplistic as it may seem there is no more telling stat than goal differential.

[quotes=EnzoD]This team has been on cruise control during the regular season for a long time. When the ELITE core was still in their 20s, they could coast through most games and still get at least 1 point (or 2). Hawks could not get the puck out of their own zone for at least 5 consecutive shifts before the GWG. Sharks are the bigger, faster and deeper team. Panarin has been a ghost since his contract extension, Seabrook and Campbell have been train-wrecks defensively and the list goes on and on. Patrick Kane once again was a force at BOTH ends of the ice with numerous back-checks and he should've drawn at least 2 penalties that were not called on offensive chances. 88 continues to be the most consistent Blackhawk player and is showing why he was the Hart Trophy winner last season.

Hossa is an old man by NHL standards, and has lost whatever jump/finishing he had the first 20 games of the year. This team needs a major shakeup to have any realistic chance at winning the Cup this year. The Core has become far too top-heavy, complacent, and old. Also, was Marcus Kruger a healthy scratch last night? Either way, Moose and Kero are more effective offensively than Kruger, cost 1/3 the cap-hit, and are no slouches on the defensive side of the puck.