Trainwreck is a bit harsh
- riozzo

it's may....but 1 game over and a rotation that is getting shelled on a daily basis, and some guys (not Bryant) hitting like crap......I think it's fair.

Even Maddon is getting a bit frustrated with what he's watching.

it's may....but 1 game over and a rotation that is getting shelled on a daily basis, and some guys (not Bryant) hitting like crap......I think it's fair.

Even Maddon is getting a bit frustrated with what he's watching.
- SteveRain

I have zero expectation of a repeat - they need a bit of adversity back in play

I cannot stand Stellek and Simmer. They are both horrible at interviews and just plain awful on the air. I was shocked they were not fired after their first season last year. Much preferred Hockey This Morning with Mike Ross and Mick Kern. Heck I'd even take Scott Laughlin back in the mornings.
- tyweb69

+1

I cannot stand Stellek and Simmer. They are both horrible at interviews and just plain awful on the air. I was shocked they were not fired after their first season last year. Much preferred Hockey This Morning with Mike Ross and Mick Kern. Heck I'd even take Scott Laughlin back in the mornings.
- tyweb69

I agree. I liked Mike Ross and Shawn Lavigne as well in the mornings.

Ahhh.....good morning. See it was spirited last night......

--Watching that Sens game I had a flash back to the good ole leader of the Church of Keith, Mr. Pat Foley himself, ripping Karlsson a few years back when he was in contention to beat out Keith for the Norris, and how it shouldn't be awarded to an offensive guy who doesn't play against the opponents top guys....my goodness. This along with the mysterious case of Duncan Keith's missing Vapor skates late in 2010 are exactly what torpedos the intellect of so many Blackhawks fans. I would take Erik Karlsson today over Keith and I wouldn't think twice about it. That kid is a game changer in every sense of the word, and does things offensively that pea shooter couldn't do if he was playing against AHL players. Can anyone name a few times Keith joined the rush or rushed the puck up to set up a play? Because I sure as hell can't.

--My point is this: We can sit here and debate trading Seabrook, or AA or Crawford or Hammer or Hossa or Toews or Panarin or whoever else but trading any of them leaves you with a gaping hole in return. Who is ready to become a #2center on this team? NIck Schmaltz? Who on D is ready to play top 4 minutes? The overhyped Michael Kempny? Another veteran retread because we as fans can't distance ourselves from the Johnny Oduya of 2015 vs the present one or Brian Campbell?

IMO....you have ONE untouchable on this roster and that is 88.....he's your generational player and you aren't trading him for Kovy and a #1 pick who isn't a lock to be a Mcdavid type player. sorry....Unless Kane goes off the deep end off the ice OR wants to end his career in Buffalo, he isn't leaving.

Point is this organization has nobody to blame but themselves. We have media who routinely shelter executives and pass the blame on a Gm who has been long gone OR a HOF coach who apparently dictates to a GM who to get, which is so laughable if true that Q can run over Stan in that regard if you think about it.

They lost 2 young players who WOULD have filled holes left by a departure of a Seabrook or somebody else in Saad/Leddy. They did find Panarin but what is his AAV going to look like in 2 years if he's already at 6 and proven he's only about 1 thing....and that's putting up huge points to get his $$$$.

To me the blame lies squarely on the "pissed off" management bunkered away at 1901 w Madison. THey have zero cap flexibility, aging core, and an X factor of something gone sour in that room......blame it on the message from coaching not being delivered, blame it new faces, but I contend it's something much worse.

Please dont' come at me with how entitled I sound or how grateful I should be for the past 10 years.....I am. However, I don't market the "One goal" express and portray an image of supposedly cup or bust, that's what THE team DOES....so now it's time to see how serious they are and IF they ARE willing to make a bold/hockey smart move that gets them right back to where they were in June of 2015, and the hell with if the court of public opinion doesnt' like it.....because a fine tune of ditching Marcus Kruger, signing more aging retreads to cap friendly dollars, firing MIke Kitchen and Ted Dent isn't what I envisioned when this season ended.
- SteveRain

Just catching up, but this is spot on! The only thing I'd add is it's also infected the locker room. Something is definitely wrong down there as well, not sure what/who it is but something is amiss.

The only thing I had a problem with was Foley openly ripping the guy and singling him out while he was just back from a high ankle sprain. Very tired of Foley's spin-atrics and who he will/wont' call out. Getting very old and again......I LOVE national Eddie O....if only we could get him on a nightly basis it would be best for all.
- SteveRain

Time for Foley to hang them up. Too much cliche and too many mistakes now. Yeah, Eddie O is better on the national stage, but he kow-tows to Foley on the local broadcasts. The National broadcast is pulled down by Pierre and they give him way too much Mic time.

All that being said, I have been in the car a bunch lately and happen to turn on some of the game broadcasts on NHL Radio while driving, typically the home team call, and man have they been brutally bad. Listened to part of the Caps v. Pens game the other day and you could barely figure out what was happening in the game.

Edzo to the rock! He's such a great teacher!

(red font)

I cannot stand Stellek and Simmer. They are both horrible at interviews and just plain awful on the air. I was shocked they were not fired after their first season last year. Much preferred Hockey This Morning with Mike Ross and Mick Kern. Heck I'd even take Scott Laughlin back in the mornings.
- tyweb69

That my friend could not be closer to the truth. I look at it this way, I have two sports choices:
1. WSCR Mulley and Hanly - Bulls Sox centered regardless of the performance of other sports teams. Brad Biggs seems forced on them. Mulley has not met a question he can ask in under 5 minutes leaving the responded often dumbfounded in trying to figure out if a question was even asked. Hanly -comes off as your best buddy in college who wants to chirp in on every topic. Might have been a great writer in his time, however . .
And that 1-800 donation commercial is like nails on a chalk board.

2. Stellek and Simmer - Poor hosts who seemed to have lucked out. Only positive - its all hockey and they seem to be reasonable fair to the Hawks good and bad. Today was mind numbing in that one of them could not remember his pick for second star. After listening to the whole bit it seems producers pick those stars the night before and the talking heads read away...

So when face with two bad choices I go with the least worst alternative - like picking between Soupy and Rozifal. I went with hockey

Time for Foley to hang them up. Too much cliche and too many mistakes now. Yeah, Eddie O is better on the national stage, but he kow-tows to Foley on the local broadcasts. The National broadcast is pulled down by Pierre and they give him way too much Mic time.

All that being said, I have been in the car a bunch lately and happen to turn on some of the game broadcasts on NHL Radio while driving, typically the home team call, and man have they been brutally bad. Listened to part of the Caps v. Pens game the other day and you could barely figure out what was happening in the game.
- TheTrob

Agreed.....the broadcasts have been awful league wide.

Foley was at his best when he called games in joint, when he was forced to be more attentive because he was also describing games on the road for the radio listener. Now we get grab @ss, the stupidity of the 3, 33, left in the 3rd, and him showering Eddie O with praise. IT is time to kick Foley to the curb. I actually look forward to a national game to hear an "honest" take on the team and not an artificial one.

Pierre is Pierre. he just wants everyone to be aware of the prep school in MN St....where Toews played and good ole Red Deer and whatever obscure Canadian developmental program he spout off. God willing Caps win tonight and we get to see Pierre tear up as Sid skates away for the year..........

The absolute WORST pair are Tampa Bay radio announcers.

Just catching up, but this is spot on! The only thing I'd add is it's also infected the locker room. Something is definitely wrong down there as well, not sure what/who it is but something is amiss.
- walleyeb1

Agreed and when a team looks that disinterested it's time management fixes that problem.

We shall see....but count me in as one that will be pleasantly surprised if they make some bold, smart moves. Not because I don't like McDonough but because I honestly don't think they have pieces they are comfortable with giving up that teams will actually want.

instead I fully expect to see and read more about how the WC helped developed TVR or Schmaltz or how Panarin is tearing this up.......it's all spin control..........

The absolute WORST pair are Tampa Bay radio announcers.
- glennjpawlak22

Boston, OMG bad

Time for Foley to hang them up. Too much cliche and too many mistakes now. Yeah, Eddie O is better on the national stage, but he kow-tows to Foley on the local broadcasts. The National broadcast is pulled down by Pierre and they give him way too much Mic time.

All that being said, I have been in the car a bunch lately and happen to turn on some of the game broadcasts on NHL Radio while driving, typically the home team call, and man have they been brutally bad. Listened to part of the Caps v. Pens game the other day and you could barely figure out what was happening in the game.
- TheTrob

You mean good morning, good afternoon, good evening, good night? Good Bye, I hate that announcer.

Agreed.....the broadcasts have been awful league wide.

Foley was at his best when he called games in joint, when he was forced to be more attentive because he was also describing games on the road for the radio listener. Now we get grab @ss, the stupidity of the 3, 33, left in the 3rd, and him showering Eddie O with praise. IT is time to kick Foley to the curb. I actually look forward to a national game to hear an "honest" take on the team and not an artificial one.

Pierre is Pierre. he just wants everyone to be aware of the prep school in MN St....where Toews played and good ole Red Deer and whatever obscure Canadian developmental program he spout off. God willing Caps win tonight and we get to see Pierre tear up as Sid skates away for the year..........
- SteveRain

Here is where Pierre is very good - he is frequently on TSN Radio 690 Montreal at about 4:10 P.M. Chicago time and they have him on there to make critical assesments of the Habs as a team and their management. He does a great job doing that even though he has to be careful what he says because he's a Montrealer and has plenty of old hockey cohorts listening. Unlike his TV gig B.S. act, he's very insightful assessing the strength and weaknesses of every NHL team.

Here is where Pierre is very good - he is frequently on TSN Radio 690 Montreal at about 4:10 P.M. Chicago time and they have him on there to make critical assesments of the Habs as a team and their management. He does a great job doing that even though he has to be careful what he says because he's a Montrealer and has plenty of old hockey cohorts listening. Unlike his TV gig B.S. act, he's very insightful assessing the strength and weaknesses of every NHL team.
- RickJ

I think he is just OK when not trying to step over "Old Softserve" competing for air time...

You mean good morning, good afternoon, good evening, good night? Good Bye, I hate that announcer.
- riozzo

How many good ones are there really doing home team radio?

I listened to the first period of the Rangers game last night in the car and those 2 guys were very good - critical assessment of the Ranger's play and especially certain players like McDonagh, Kevin Hayes, Kreider, Nash. They were excellent and didn't pull punches.

You think MTL may be interested in Anisimov? They need C, size...he has Radulov, Markov there
- PatShart

Anisimov & Panarin for Pacioretty and Danault & ??? & cap space

You mean good morning, good afternoon, good evening, good night? Good Bye, I hate that announcer.
- riozzo

I don't listen enough to know if that's who you are talking about. From what I heard, its a guy with no excitement in the call, and you absolutely cannot tell what is going on in the game. On the second Caps goal the other night the call was something to the effect of "Burakovsky has the puck.......it's in the net". No semblance of where he was on the ice, when, how, or if he shot it, nothing. You don't have to be excited when the opposition scores, I get that you are the home team call, but at least a "Shot and a goal" or "He, Scores" or something to at least let it be known that a goal was scored.

Driving I like to listen to games, regardless of whom the teams are, but so many of the broadcasts are just a complete S*&t show that it's a useless endeavor.

Foley is nothing what he used to be, but on the TV broadcast I can see what is going on. Wideman is good on the radio.

That my friend could not be closer to the truth. I look at it this way, I have two sports choices:
1. WSCR Mulley and Hanly - Bulls Sox centered regardless of the performance of other sports teams. Brad Biggs seems forced on them. Mulley has not met a question he can ask in under 5 minutes leaving the responded often dumbfounded in trying to figure out if a question was even asked. Hanly -comes off as your best buddy in college who wants to chirp in on every topic. Might have been a great writer in his time, however . .
And that 1-800 donation commercial is like nails on a chalk board.

2. Stellek and Simmer - Poor hosts who seemed to have lucked out. Only positive - its all hockey and they seem to be reasonable fair to the Hawks good and bad. Today was mind numbing in that one of them could not remember his pick for second star. After listening to the whole bit it seems producers pick those stars the night before and the talking heads read away...

So when face with two bad choices I go with the least worst alternative - like picking between Soupy and Rozifal. I went with hockey
- riozzo

For sure, I stick with Stellek and Simmer for the same reasons but man oh man I do need to turn the channel more often times than I'd like. They interviewed someone from Pitt this morning then asked Pierre McGuire the EXACT same questions 20 minutes later. Frickin bush league!!

For sure, I stick with Stellek and Simmer for the same reasons but man oh man I do need to turn the channel more often times than I'd like. They interviewed someone from Pitt this morning then asked Pierre McGuire the EXACT same questions 20 minutes later. Frickin bush league!!
- tyweb69

True Dat - I have to kill 70 minutes each way. In the summer its horrible, they replay the same 2 hours over and over in August. Its like I am flossing between my ears with my dogs knotted rope...

Anisimov & Panarin for Pacioretty and Danault & ??? & cap space
- matt_ahrens

I would expect anything this summer. This team needs a jolt.

Yep, 42 points playing with two of the best point producers in the world. He likely would have commanded north of $8 million per.

I respect the fact that you like Bowman and take a positive point of view. But that assertion is pretty much wrong.

If after 42 points, playing with those guys, Anisimov was anything but grateful, you tell him to go test the market and see if anyone gave him $5 million a year to go play in Arizona or something.

He's a nice enough player for what he does below the circles, and in that regard he supported the play and made space for those guys. But you miss the point.

PANARIN was really the addition that made that line special. You re-up with Brad Richards (on fumes) for less money, you probably get the same or likely more production.

SIGNING him was not the issue. He's a decent enough player.

Signing him for that kind of money when you didn't have to for another year, with a NMC, especially a guy whose consistency and commitment had been questioned with two previous teams, is highly questionable, especially when your cap situation was/is/and will be completely bollocksed up.

It's just not smart.
- John Jaeckel

I don't know ,think there would have been some pretty upset HAWKS fans if he walked the next year .Take a Center off the best line or close to it in the league ,might seem like a good idea to a few teams that had some wingers in need of what he brought .And he did have a decent part on that line , maybe not on th points side ,but we all know that PTS are not everything . Also bring in Richards on fumes ,well we have seen how that has worked out a few times . This team has been in Cap hell forever ,something will be done to straighten it out . My move would involve Panarin and Hammer . Could bring in a decent player ,and save some cap space ..

Agreed and when a team looks that disinterested it's time management fixes that problem.

We shall see....but count me in as one that will be pleasantly surprised if they make some bold, smart moves. Not because I don't like McDonough but because I honestly don't think they have pieces they are comfortable with giving up that teams will actually want.

instead I fully expect to see and read more about how the WC helped developed TVR or Schmaltz or how Panarin is tearing this up.......it's all spin control..........
- SteveRain

Were they "disinterested" in February /March when they rose to the top of the Western Conference or were they just "disinterested" for 4 games in April, the ones that "really" matter. One of which they lost 1-0 another that they lost in OT on the road.

Were they "disinterested" in February /March when they rose to the top of the Western Conference or were they just "disinterested" for 4 games in April, the ones that "really" matter. One of which they lost 1-0 another that they lost in OT on the road.
- -Doh-

I will agree some of the games were close. Where the issue was the Preds challenged them to be more physical and go get the puck. Hawks did not do that. If the Hawks were more focused on getting after the puck and creating chaos in front of Rinne then I think we do much better in that series. Preds D scheme was come get it..

Hawks response was........... And the Hawks looked gawd awful slow in that series.

I don't know ,think there would have been some pretty upset HAWKS fans if he walked the next year .Take a Center off the best line or close to it in the league ,might seem like a good idea to a few teams that had some wingers in need of what he brought .And he did have a decent part on that line , maybe not on th points side ,but we all know that PTS are not everything . Also bring in Richards on fumes ,well we have seen how that has worked out a few times . This team has been in Cap hell forever ,something will be done to straighten it out . My move would involve Panarin and Hammer . Could bring in a decent player ,and save some cap space ..
- oldduffman

42 points in 64 games for Anisimov. Prorated that would be 54 points inf he played a full 82 games. Only 37 centers scored more than 52 points in 2016/17. If you look at centers with 52 points and a +8 that number gets much smaller. I think Anisimov is a decent #2c, but something has to be done about his face offs.