You are entitled your opinion and so am I. Toews has been playing like Toews since he recovered from injury. Top 20 in scoring since then, which is pretty typical of him given that he has only finished top 15 in scoring twice in his career (once 12th and 13th).

I can see how many people remember a few highlight plays from early in his career as moments that stand out when wearing rose colored glasses, but he is who is. The Hawks would be in a sorry state without him. Sure, he may never hit his career high again, because of age and the fact that Chicago will never replace Hossa. (not in Toews' career anyway)

Toews is playing like typical Toews right now. The Hawks as a group need to puck up their game, but the #1 line is one of the bright spots.
- breadbag

I have watched nearly all 82 games of Blackhawks hockey every season of Toews career. Jonathan Toews used to be an explosive skater and a force on the puck. He has been looking more like a grinder in terms of skating ability since 2015. The top end speed, acceleration, change of direction and overall bulldog type of play on the puck significantly diminished over the last 2 seasons. He is definitely not what he once was, but he is still a damn good player.

As for this season, Toews line has been effective, but everything beyond that has been extremely inconsistent. The forward group does not concern me nearly as much as the defense from top to bottom. The real question is whether Keith-Seabrook can effectively defend against Playoff Team's Top Lines over a 7 game series. Thus far, the results are discouraging.

And more importantly. ..where are all the teammates to come to his aid.....same ol Hawks, No pushback.....Hartman gets rag dolled and thrown down to the ice and nobody backs him up ??????
- Hawkytalk

And Nick Schmaltz standing right by him .....and nothing, today when it got tough Nick Schmaltz disappeared..... Again, Nick Schmaltz is a P U SSY !!! I fricken hope any trade of significance that little C - - t is included out of here. Everybody kissing his ass but when it comes time to play big boy hockey he is nowhere to be found. At least Debrincat , when he got hammered by the Blues D ,he got back in there.
Sooner or later Q will see he is totally ineffective when it get going out there. F him!

Guess I picked a good night to completely miss a Hawks game.

Oh well...

Should be interesting seeing how they respond against the Oil.
- ArlingtonRob

indeed you did...i think Q would have liked to have missed it...

“They played well and we were brutal,” coach Joel Quenneville said. “That was a bad start, a bad middle and even [though] it was a little excited at the end it wasn’t very good. That’s as close to brutal as you can get.”

I guess we should call Kane Dr. Obvious...have heard this far to many times the last 2 years: “Obviously it wasn’t good enough for two periods. If you take any positives out of this game, it’s the way we played in the third,” Patrick Kane said. “At least we know we can do it. Just gotta do it before our backs are against the wall.”

I stated earlier if this team having some "chemistry" and flourish depended on smaltz they are in trouble. thats alot to ask of a smurf 20 year old 2nd year player

noticed also that the ass hat blues were targeting ADB and Smaltz.

i agree with enzo toews looks like he has the last 1-2 years...thats not good news

and WTF...after the 2nd goal hartman gets grabed around the head/neck and thrown WWF style to the ice and the GD refs refuse to make at least an unsportsman or roughing call...

player safety my (frank)n hairy ass....

indeed you did...i think Q would have liked to have missed it...

“They played well and we were brutal,” coach Joel Quenneville said. “That was a bad start, a bad middle and even
- bogiedoc[though] it was a little excited at the end it wasn’t very good. That’s as close to brutal as you can get.”

I guess we should call Kane Dr. Obvious...have heard this far to many times the last 2 years: “Obviously it wasn’t good enough for two periods. If you take any positives out of this game, it’s the way we played in the third,” Patrick Kane said. “At least we know we can do it. Just gotta do it before our backs are against the wall.”

I stated earlier if this team having some "chemistry" and flourish depended on smaltz they are in trouble. thats alot to ask of a smurf 20 year old 2nd year player

noticed also that the ass hat blues were targeting ADB and Smaltz.

i agree with enzo toews looks like he has the last 1-2 years...thats not good news

This team keeps getting worse since we beat Tampa for The Cup.

Some on this board will make excuses or see the situation for what it is not.

There are some good young players but no one is replacing the good players who were performing well only a couple or so years ago, even for a while after we beat Tampa for The Cup.

It is inevitable that a painful reality will hit home as this team flounders and misses the playoffs. A new core needs to be constructed. Trading a #1 choice and or one of your prospects is only going to mask the problem and we still might miss the playoffs.

There is also the fact that Q does not appear to be tuned in or willing to change the course of many systematic on ice problems. That Dineen - McDonough meeting is going to be viewed as foreshadowing the end of the good times.

One way to put this in perspective is to ask if what was good is still good or has been replaced by the equivalent good players. I'll list the good bad comparison:

* Toews is the same tower of strength
* Keith and Seabrook are a top pair, one of the best in the league
* Hjalmarsson, Oduya, Hossa were very good, and Sharp was scoring goals, not punching a teammate
* Kreuger and Shaw outplayed the other team's line.
* although we won with Bickel (whose temporary Superman transformation from Clark Kent was really only one playoff year), we never replaced the presence of a Brouwer or Big Buff. Those two had a huge impact in 2010.

Last night two newbies were lightweights and no heavyweights retaliated.

Last night our CAPTAIN couldn't right the ship. Crawford is not carrying a team alone, and someone who could be huge [Kane] is not set up with linemates to be.....huge. Saad and the new tough to play against, push the puck up ice is not going to flourish if there is a lackluster effort. It is only a matter of time before the next disappearing act is not just players, but their coach.

McDonough cannot go buy a new set up overnight. McDonough - like the fans - will have to bear down. Sorry but if you don't see this as all so true, then you will just find out later and your pain will surface after much aggravation. Playoffs....in your dreams.

because it's not 100-0 with six games played
- Kewl1

Yeh it couldn't possibly be 8 sog through 2 games -while giving up 26 and 3 of those wound up in the net ...

Seriously, you show up to play the last 10 minutes at any level -and if the team you are playing doesn't match your effort - chances are that you are going to lose more than you win.

As for the coach thing- I read about 'trades' -the thing is, I remember hearing Foley saying something about this when they eventually got rid of Tessier - while it wasn't really anything Tessier had done wrong, you couldn't trade an entire team -so it was the coach that ended up paying the price.

Now granted Tessier never had the same resume as Quennville, but in general, if players give up on a coach .... deservedly so or not, the coach is usually the one moved. This is just a general statement an in no way a prediction.

Yeh it couldn't possibly be 8 sog through 2 games -while giving up 26 and 3 of those wound up in the net ...

Seriously, you show up to play the last 10 minutes at any level -and if the team you are playing doesn't match your effort - chances are that you are going to lose more than you win.

As for the coach thing- I read about 'trades' -the thing is, I remember hearing Foley saying something about this when they eventually got rid of Tessier - while it wasn't really anything Tessier had done wrong, you couldn't trade an entire team -so it was the coach that ended up paying the price.

Now granted Tessier never had the same resume as Quennville, but in general, if players give up on a coach .... deservedly so or not, the coach is usually the one moved. This is just a general statement an in no way a prediction.
- steve-hist-sdc

Game last night looked like the Nashville playoff series in April. The blueprint for Central Division teams when playing the Hawks is public knowledge - forecheck like crazy in their D zone, hit them and play with strong defensive structure in your own end. Dallas will be the next team to follow the same plan.

Firing Q isn't the simple quick fix for that right now, but if he and his coaching staff can't find a solution and a counteraction plan, then the temperature is going to get extremely hot for the coaches and the GM.

And Nick Schmaltz standing right by him .....and nothing, today when it got tough Nick Schmaltz disappeared..... Again, Nick Schmaltz is a P U SSY !!! I fricken hope any trade of significance that little C - - t is included out of here. Everybody kissing his ass but when it comes time to play big boy hockey he is nowhere to be found. At least Debrincat , when he got hammered by the Blues D ,he got back in there.
Sooner or later Q will see he is totally ineffective when it get going out there. F him!
- wonthecup10

I would have hoped that Harvey Weinstein - not to mention the man in the White House - would have lessened the desire for some of your language.

Guess not.

And if some don’t like this social interlude - it’s time we stood up for common human decency.

I would have hoped that Harvey Weinstein - not to mention the man in the White House - would have lessened the desire for some of your language.

Guess not.

And if some don’t like this social interlude - it’s time we stood up for common human decency.
- StLBravesFan

Totally outdated concept.

Thankfully missed the game so can't comment. Not sure I'd have wanted to.

What I see from Tows is not fake but factual...he is a good player now but not a great player like he was the first 7 years as a Hawk. Your like CNN having a hard time facing reality.
- spanky

This seems like reality. After many years of taking hits, getting concussions, etc., it was bound to happen.

Then why even bring it up???

I mean seriously, you just answered your idiotic trade proposal!!!!!! SMFH!!!!


- dahawks8819

Another clueless one.
Got any better ways to get out of these contracts & term?

Lets see your moves?

SMH!

Bad viewing from Moms basement?

Then why even bring it up???

I mean seriously, you just answered your idiotic trade proposal!!!!!! SMFH!!!!


- dahawks8819

And reading is a skill. Follow along if you can read?

It was a response.

No wonder why you cheerleaders are so lost.

Then why even bring it up???

I mean seriously, you just answered your idiotic trade proposal!!!!!! SMFH!!!!


- dahawks8819

Dont bother, he's stuck on a loop