Starting from scratch, who would you prefer to coach the team next year?
- Chunk

Barry Trotz.

That’s good, because the team that Stan has constructed is about to miss the playoffs for the second consecutive year. And unless he pulls off a miracle, and get Seabrook’s contract off the books, the 2019-20 season doesn’t look promising.

I understand your view of the future is all rainbows and unicorns, but, how many more years do you allow Stan and JC to turn it around? Stan’s on year 2, JC’s on year 1.

And, Jerry Reinsdorf doesn’t own the Hawks, so Stan isn’t going to get as many chances as Paxson has.
- scottak

The Hawks have 3 choices.

1. Trade anyone over 28, including Toews, Kane and Keith and get as much in return to begin a rebuild from the ground up. The only trades are for younger players and stay away from UFAs. If all goes well during the drafts a rebuild will take 2 or 3 years before the team is a playoff contender and another 2 or 3 years, again if all goes well, to be a cup contender. This way is how the Hawks were a dominant, if not the premier team in the NHL for a decade. The downside for the fans is we have to go through a very dry spell as the team is built.

2. Keep Toews, Kane and Keith, start adding proven guys by trading away all young assets and draft picks. The team will probably make the playoffs but it's unlikely they are anything more than a team capable of winning a round or two. The downside is the team is never a cup contender and when a rebuild is needed there are few assets requiring a longer rebuild.

3. (What is happening) Keep Toews, Kane and Keith, make strategic trades for younger players. Try to promote prospects to fill vacancies in the lineup, add a UFA or two and possibly make trades to bolster the lineup. The challenge in this case is while Kane and Toews are still productive and still legit top line forwards, there are no defensemen capable of playing as top pairing guys on a cup contender. Also other than Keith, no defenseman is capable of playing on anything but the third pairing. This option is unlikey to do anything other than make the Hawk playoff contenders and delay the inevitible rebuild with the young assets and draft picks intact.

I still think if the team wants to be a cup contender more quickly, a ground up rebuild is the best way to go. By the time the Mitchells, Boqvists, Jokis, etc are ready to contribute and provide the team with 1st and 2nd pairing defenders, assuming any of them prove to be NHL ready the current core will no longer be elite players. No matter what the Hawks do I can't see Toews or Kane lifting another cup while they're wearing the Indianhead. And while I as a Hawk fan am forever grateful for what all of these guys have done, I want to see the Hawks be contenders again before being loyal to any individual player.

Barry Trotz.
- Flying Puck[/quote

Not an option as he was under contract at the time of Q's firing, as you know.

Board of Fairy Tales has been eclipsed again by the Board of Doom!
- mohel

Yeah, I knew it couldn't last...but what a glorious 48 hour run it was!

Starting from scratch, who would you prefer to coach the team next year?
- Chunk

Dale Hunter, President & HC of the London Knights, OHL

Sheldon Keefe, HC Toronto Marlies, AHL

[quote=Flying Puck]Barry Trotz.
- Davewn[/quote

Not an option as he was under contract at the time of Q's firing, as you know.

The question was who would I pick to coach the Hawks next year if we were starting from scratch, not pick a coach who isn't under contract to coach the Hawks if we were starting from scratch.

I think the Hawks (and other teams) could take advantage of some teams' cap problems this summer.

For instance, Vegas, with the Stone signing, will be at 82M next year with 17 players signed. So they are already near next year's projected cap, have to renew William Karlsson who'll be asking for at least 7M, and still need to add a few to fill out the roster.

Trade for one of their D such as a Miller (3 years 3.875M) or McNabb (3 years 2.5M) and a 3C like Eakin (1 year 3.8M). In return send a Koekkoek and/or Forsling or Dahlstrom or another AHLer. Hawks can flip Eakin at next year's TDL if not in contention or use him as a placeholder until hopefully Entwhistle is ready in 20-21.

Vegas gains about 5M in cap space. Hawks fill 2 slots in exchange for a depth defenseman or two and alleviate their log jam at that position.

There will be possible similar situations with WPG, TOR, TBL.
- boilermaker100

This is exactly the kind of thing Stan needs to do this summer. They need more reasonably priced NHL level players in the middle of the roster. They also need a top D-man or two.

Dale Hunter, President & HC of the London Knights, OHL

Sheldon Keefe, HC Toronto Marlies, AHL
- scottak

I'm not trying to grill here, but what have these two proven that make them so much better than JC?

The question was who would I pick to coach the Hawks next year if we were starting from scratch, not pick a coach who isn't under contract to coach the Hawks if we were starting from scratch.
- Flying Puck

I should have been clearer in the question. I did mean who would you choose that was actually available.

I'm singing from the same hymn book - no problem with Stan standing pat.

Now what? They still have a shot to make the playoffs which is more about the weakness of the teams above them than anything that can be attributed to the Hawks. So I guess that means the mindset of Colliton/Stan is to try to climb up the standings rather than dedicate the remaining games to player evaluation and development. In other words we'll probably see Kunitz and Kruger suiting up for games rather than some guys who have a shot to be part of the Hawks future. Oh well - not that big of a deal considering there's no prospect beating down the door to get his shot in the NHL with the exception of Jokiharju and the Hawks probably don't want him to play that 40th game and knock a year off his RFA-UFA transition period.

So I'm going to enjoy these last 19 games which is a whole lot better than not having Hawks games to watch which will start to be the case soon enough. I'm enjoying the individual success of some of the players which is enough considering I wasn't even sure that was going to be the case coming into this season.
- EbonyRaptor

I think this is why they were neither buyers nor sellers this TDL. They didn't want to weaken the roster more and reduced the chances of a playoff run with Kane and Toews and DeBrincat and Strome playing so well. Something important is happening with the team trying to make the playoffs. (I doubt they'll make it, but it'll be fun to watch.) And, they didn't want to trade any of the future for a short term rental because they can't add enough to go all the way. It makes sense.

Neutral on Stan. Some great trades this year. Some not so good previously. They’ve been well documented on the blog by others. He’s also the guy that signed Seabrook to his current contract, when almost all here said was too long/expensive. He’s also the guy that hands out NMCs like candy on Halloween.

JC is not a qualified NHL coach. 4 years with Tier 2 Mora and 1 in Rockford don’t cut it.
- scottak

JC is as qualified as anyone. Why keep bringing up re-tread and never-beens.

Plenty of coaches with little experience who are successful coaches. Mike Sullivan had one year on AHL before coaching the Bruins. Maurice was a head coach at 28, Marc Crawford won a Cup at 33. Lots of guys went straight from playing to head coaching jobs, Al Arbour, Glen Sather, Gary Cheevers, Pat Burns, Terry O'Reilly, etc.

Either you can coach or you can't. Prior experience in other leagues or levels does not necessarily mean anything.

The Hawks have 3 choices.

1. Trade anyone over 28, including Toews, Kane and Keith and get as much in return to begin a rebuild from the ground up. The only trades are for younger players and stay away from UFAs. If all goes well during the drafts a rebuild will take 2 or 3 years before the team is a playoff contender and another 2 or 3 years, again if all goes well, to be a cup contender. This way is how the Hawks were a dominant, if not the premier team in the NHL for a decade. The downside for the fans is we have to go through a very dry spell as the team is built.

2. Keep Toews, Kane and Keith, start adding proven guys by trading away all young assets and draft picks. The team will probably make the playoffs but it's unlikely they are anything more than a team capable of winning a round or two. The downside is the team is never a cup contender and when a rebuild is needed there are few assets requiring a longer rebuild.

3. (What is happening) Keep Toews, Kane and Keith, make strategic trades for younger players. Try to promote prospects to fill vacancies in the lineup, add a UFA or two and possibly make trades to bolster the lineup. The challenge in this case is while Kane and Toews are still productive and still legit top line forwards, there are no defensemen capable of playing as top pairing guys on a cup contender. Also other than Keith, no defenseman is capable of playing on anything but the third pairing. This option is unlikey to do anything other than make the Hawk playoff contenders and delay the inevitible rebuild with the young assets and draft picks intact.

I still think if the team wants to be a cup contender more quickly, a ground up rebuild is the best way to go. By the time the Mitchells, Boqvists, Jokis, etc are ready to contribute and provide the team with 1st and 2nd pairing defenders, assuming any of them prove to be NHL ready the current core will no longer be elite players. No matter what the Hawks do I can't see Toews or Kane lifting another cup while they're wearing the Indianhead. And while I as a Hawk fan am forever grateful for what all of these guys have done, I want to see the Hawks be contenders again before being loyal to any individual player.
- paulr

I agree loyalty puts butte in the seats, but it will not put the banner we all want to the rafters. Stan is criticized for it now but loyalty gave Seabs that contract just has he did with kane toews, CC and Keith. ie reward for the Cups. I still say Keith's contract is manageable though

I should have been clearer in the question. I did mean who would you choose that was actually available.
- Chunk

In that case JC.

I'm not trying to grill here, but what have these two proven that make them so much better than JC?
- Chunk

Hunter was successful in his season as HC in Washington. He left when his family bought London. He has a history of developing Juniors that went on to the NHL. I’d have to check, but I also think he’s been involved in coaching Canadian national teams.

Not sure Hawks could lure him away from London, but he’d be a home run.

By most accounts, Keefe is the most successful coach in the AHL. Coached and developed player’s with the Soo Greyhonds in the OHL. I believe the Marlies won the AHL last year. He’s stuck behind Babcock in TOR, so he’s not getting the Leaf job any time soon.

JC on the other hand, had one winning season with Mora in the Swedish Tier 2 league, and 1 season in Rockford, where he made a playoff run after the Hawks sent him a few NHL vets at the end of the season.

This is exactly the kind of thing Stan needs to do this summer. They need more reasonably priced NHL level players in the middle of the roster. They also need a top D-man or two.
- matt_ahrens

Yes, I would rather see a couple of experienced players at a combined 7 or 8M instead of a high priced free agent signing at 7 or 8M.

Have to fine trading partners with defense depth. Carolina comes to mind. Carolina needs offense. Pesce for Anisimov and Gustaffson?

Dale Hunter, President & HC of the London Knights, OHL

Sheldon Keefe, HC Toronto Marlies, AHL
- scottak

And between the 2 of them you have one (Hunter) who was a NHL HC for 6 months and then quit.

I'm not trying to grill here, but what have these two proven that make them so much better than JC?
- Chunk

agree. JC has made team interesting and has added value to a lot of players

That sentence is factually incorrect! The object of the game of hockey is to make trades, the more the better. Anything else like wins, championships etc. are window dressing. The team making the most trades wins!
- paulr

I would trade you my worst player for your worst player today. Let’s swap them back tomorrow. And repeat the cycle every two days thereafter. Under this scenario, you and I would fight it out for the cup. Great idea, and we don’t even have to worry about the cap.

Hunter was successful in his season as HC in Washington. He left when his family bought London. He has a history of developing Juniors that went on to the NHL. I’d have to check, but I also think he’s been involved in coaching Canadian national teams.

Not sure Hawks could lure him away from London, but he’d be a home run.

By most accounts, Keefe is the most successful coach in the AHL. Coached and developed player’s with the Soo Greyhonds in the OHL. I believe the Marlies won the AHL last year. He’s stuck behind Babcock in TOR, so he’s not getting the Leaf job any time soon.

JC on the other hand, had one winning season with Mora in the Swedish Tier 2 league, and 1 season in Rockford, where he made a playoff run after the Hawks sent him a few NHL vets at the end of the season.
- scottak

So one guy who's largest body of work is in the OHL (and a partial NHL season at 30-23-7), and another guy who has been in the AHL for a number of years, vs a guy with a few years overseas and one in the AHL.

I can see the argument for number of years coached, but at the end of the day, I think it comes down to how the players respond to the coach and is the system employed sound?

We can all rag on JC, but he was thrown into the situation in the middle of the year with no time to implement his philosophy. Not to mention, the HOF coach who preceded him didn't get much better out of this team. I'm perfectly happy to let JC run the duration of his contract (especially give him a full offseason and preseason to get everyone on the same page). The players seem to have warmed up to him and they are playing their tails off (they just aren't good at it yet).

Hunter was successful in his season as HC in Washington. He left when his family bought London. He has a history of developing Juniors that went on to the NHL. I’d have to check, but I also think he’s been involved in coaching Canadian national teams.

Not sure Hawks could lure him away from London, but he’d be a home run.

By most accounts, Keefe is the most successful coach in the AHL. Coached and developed player’s with the Soo Greyhonds in the OHL. I believe the Marlies won the AHL last year. He’s stuck behind Babcock in TOR, so he’s not getting the Leaf job any time soon.

JC on the other hand, had one winning season with Mora in the Swedish Tier 2 league, and 1 season in Rockford, where he made a playoff run after the Hawks sent him a few NHL vets at the end of the season.
- scottak

Isn't JC three wins from being a winning coach in the NHL after inheriting this mess that was left for him? How many NHL wins does Keefe have in his coaching career?
I think it's 20 less than JC. How do you know that Keefe would be a better coach than JC?

Not to mention, we likely just wasted career years for both Kane and Toews
- nickmo2699

Initially that was my feeling. I expressed also that for Kane and Toews' sake, Bowman should do something at the trade deadline. Even if it was only to improve the bottom 6.
But now in hindsight when athletes sign these obscene contracts handicapping their management teams, I feel less so. How can they not know that this is a distinct possibility when they sign off on those deals for their prime years. Enjoy your trips to the bank.

I am ok with Bowman doing nothing at the TDL. He made his opportunistic moves earlier this season. (Strome, Caggiula, Kubalik)

The most important item on the agenda now has to be changing the defensive scheme, system, and commitment. If it does not change nothing else matters. There is no way to even assess the defensive skills of Koekkoek, Dahlstrom, Gus, Joki in this beer league man to man system. I would hold onto Gus and Koekoek a little longer. I like Colliton, but if he insists on that D system he has to go. My guess is that after the season Scotty Bowman and the Hawks braintrust convince Colliton his defensive scheme has to go or he has to go.

The next most important thing is hoping that Crawford is healthy all year and returns to his elite form. The concussion experts that have personal insight to Crow's medical records will say otherwise, but I think it is possible. If that does not happen nothing else matters. We are not contending for a cup with Delia (at this stage in his career) and Ward.

The Hawks play 3 tough games now and the end of their schedule is very tough. I can see them getting a pick around #5. They need to draft a RW. I would separate Kane and Toews. Kane is on an offense first line with Strome and ADB. Saad and Toews are joined by the #5 pick on a 200’ line with pretty good offense. That creates tough matchup decisions for every team in the league.

Then they need to find a top 4 defender through free agency or trade. They have plenty of cap space for a FA and few young defenders and draft picks as trade chips. Hamilton? Trouba? Stralman? Pesce? Faulk? Other???

Of course, you hope there is a rookie or two to blow you away in training camp and force his way onto the team. (Boqvist? Beaudin? Entwistle? Kubalik? Kurashev? Barratt? Mitchell? Hagel? a draft pick? Euro FA?). But you do not want to rush them and hurt their development.

You keep Gus for one more year or at least until the TDL. Then you asses his role and how much it would cost you to resign him. I like him as a 6th defender and PP QB. But if during the year you decide Joki can QB the PP you may not need to keep Gus. If Gus is putting up a ton of points (and asking for a boatload of money) he could be a very attractive trade chip at the next TDL. Also in the interim you can measure/monitor Boqvist’s, Beaudin’s, development and ready date, without rushing them.

Saad-Toews-5th pick in the draft
DeBrincat-Strome-Kane
Anisimov-FA signing - Kahun
Caggiula – Kampf- ???? (Hayden?(Perlini? Sikura? Highmore?, prospect? FA? )

Keith- Joki
FA Stud defender - Murphy
Gus/Seabs
Koekkoek
(Forsling/Dahlstrom both are natural left side – one of them probably gets traded before the draft or are not resigned)

Crawford
Delia

I would trade you my worst player for your worst player today. Let’s swap them back tomorrow. And repeat the cycle every two days thereafter. Under this scenario, you and I would fight it out for the cup. Great idea, and we don’t even have to worry about the cap.
- Spec41971

I think you’re onto something. I like it a lot!!!

Neutral on Stan. Some great trades this year. Some not so good previously. They’ve been well documented on the blog by others. He’s also the guy that signed Seabrook to his current contract, when almost all here said was too long/expensive. He’s also the guy that hands out NMCs like candy on Halloween.

JC is not a qualified NHL coach. 4 years with Tier 2 Mora and 1 in Rockford don’t cut it.
- scottak

The Hawks have nine players with no movement or no-trade clauses. Four of them are gone after the season. This leaves Kane, Toews, Crawford (10 team trade list, one year left), Keith and Seabrook. Each of those guys won at least two Cups.

That's really handing 'em out like candy, eh?

And I'm the ignorant one, eh?

Kampf? He played the PK regularly before he got hurt.....
- bhawks2241

Yep. 1:55 SH TOI per game this year.