Plenty of teams use that play (Look at Laine, Ovechkin, Panarin, etc.). Its not necessarily that they catch on to it or not. Most if not all teams know it is coming. They also have to contend with Kane having the puck on the other side and Toews down low (and apparently now Gus roving and having an accurate shot. You can't just take away the backdoor play, or Kane will ruin your day.

It all comes down to maintaining movement and Cat actually finding the opening. we see it over and over again, when the PP is stagnant and guys don't move their feet, they get embarrassed.
- Chunk

That’s part of the adjustment - AdB into the slot, puck going from low to high instead of east to west, others - which also reopens the back door.

Can’t just run (or try to run) the same play over and over and have OT continue to work.

Quotes not working.

"I'm hoping this dude Cole Caulfield (https://www.eliteprospect...ayer/316168/cole-caufield)
slides down on draft day and the pens retain their first pick and get him.

This guy plays an awful like debrincat and teams will hesitate based off his size, but he's putting up ridiculous totals for the USTNDP (surpassing Matthews/Eichel &co)"

After DeBrincat's early success I'm sure lot's of NHL GM's are thinking the exact same.

This Cole kid (and DeBrincat for that matter..) can flat out score.

Yes DBC 40 goals is great ,had a feeling about this kid .I remember watching the draft and suddenly realizing he was available and the HAWKS could and better take him .Love his on Ice attitude plays with some edge . Sounds like off ice works hard on his game . What's not to like. Another one of Stan underrated moves .
I know I am waving tater pomp poms but there still is hope .This team cannot play defense no kidding, but the offense is fine .They have to pin back their ears and go full on offense ,let Crow look after the back end ,he likes that . Play every period like it the last . It been a roller coaster year maybe this win is the beginning of another win streak .If so win out get some help and were in the door to the dance .See it just that easy .. GO HAWKS !!

A couple corrections: Kurashev is on Quebec and Red Deer lost their series 0-4.
- EbonyRaptor

Thanks EB... been a busy morning. Will update.

That’s part of the adjustment - AdB into the slot, puck going from low to high instead of east to west, others - which also reopens the back door.

Can’t just run (or try to run) the same play over and over and have OT continue to work.
- StLBravesFan

It is ingrained in this cores head. Gus on the PP gives it new life though. When it was Sharp looking for the one-timer and Seabs and/or Keith up top we tried to force feed that play every PP.

That is why our PP was middle of the pack most of the time. It is beautiful when it works but you have to have other counters when a team is taking that cross ice pass away. I love when they have Kane dish down low to Toews or Strome and then a quick little pass to either Toews or Strome camped in the low slot. Make teams choose between covering that play and the cross ice one timer.

Quotes not working.

"I'm hoping this dude Cole Caulfield (https://www.eliteprospect...ayer/316168/cole-caufield)
slides down on draft day and the pens retain their first pick and get him.

This guy plays an awful like debrincat and teams will hesitate based off his size, but he's putting up ridiculous totals for the USTNDP (surpassing Matthews/Eichel &co)"

After DeBrincat's early success I'm sure lot's of NHL GM's are thinking the exact same.

This Cole kid (and DeBrincat for that matter..) can flat out score.
- Q-stache

Can you imagine the fuss on this site if Bowman selects a guys who's 5'6"?!?1

I was skeptical of el Gato just as many others were and I'm glad he's proved me wrong.

Another thing to remember about him is he played in all 82 games last season and looks as if he'll play in all 82 this season. Durable to say the least and I know I've seen him get rocked several times over the past 2 seasons. Almost Steve Larmer-like in that regard.

Can you imagine the fuss on this site if Bowman selects a guys who's 5'6"?!?1
- paulr

It would be great.

I was skeptical of el Gato just as many others were and I'm glad he's proved me wrong.

Another thing to remember about him is he played in all 82 games last season and looks as if he'll play in all 82 this season. Durable to say the least and I know I've seen him get rocked several times over the past 2 seasons. Almost Steve Larmer-like in that regard.
- Rota's Rooter

Larmer is a great comparison, both not known for their skating skills, thinks the game at a very high level, and is the last guy you would catch taking a shift off. Both have great hands, and scored most of their goals with wristers and one timers. Larmer was much better defensively.

Larmer is a great comparison, both not known for their skating skills, thinks the game at a very high level, and is the last guy you would catch taking a shift off. Both have great hands, and scored most of their goals with wristers and one timers. Larmer was much better defensively.
- LAHawk

I know. That's why I qualified it as almost Larmer-like. Good ole #28 was certainly one of those guys you wanted out there with a 1 goal lead and less then 2 minutes to play.

Debrincat strikes me as a player who will work on his defense though to try and bring himself to that level. A player to be counted on in all situations.

For Guelph he has mainly played wing. He did play C for Canada in the WJC and from what I recall did fine at the dot and was defensively responsible.

For sure can play on the PK and seems like he will do whatever the team and coaches need him to do.
- Black Raven

He was the 4C on team Canada. I think he plays both C and RW depending on team needs.

Isn't he too small and have a terrible attitude to be "worth it"?
- paulr

You are correct, Stan should trade him ASAP

Back in the day, Sharp had the dot on that back door play. Opponents caught on and took it away (witness game 7 OT PP in 2011 against Luongo).

AdB will be able to figure out and adjust, I think - can Colliton?
- StLBravesFan

i would like to see kane and cat play below the goal line; keep moving and get the defenders looking at them and cheating...that opens numerous slot off to the side and infront of the net for the center and point guys to slide in and out of.

When the dust settles this year and this team ends up around 82 points I think it's fair to say this year really wasn't much of a step forward.

last year the excuse was CC was hurt, the core didn't step up, etc.

Well....they will get an additional 12 games out of CC, brought in a veteran to sure up the net and not rely on a Forsberg like last year, and your core as a whole was arguably better....yet, their defensive numbers are dismal. Approaching an all time worst PK since the 88 Leafs, and a similar goal differential to last year.

Media, fans, etc need to take a deep breath and look at the season as a whole and not the desperation run they have been on for the last few weeks as they tried to squeak in with a historically low pt total for the WC since the Wild at 87 points. Usually it's 91-99 (5 times), and mainly in the mid 90s (3 times)

I laughed seeing some moronic blogger suggest they should take a run at Danault. Sure....lets bring back a retread and overpay for a guy who will be a 3C when your defense men are a disaster. Smart move.....I guess Toews, Strome and Kampf and possibly 15 don't fill that gap before even looking at 4c. A joke.

Bowman has to sign this summer the following RFAs...Perlini, Kampf, Sikura, Forsling, and Koekoek. Then after 7/1 he can look at DeBrincat, Strome, Caggiula, Kahun, Hayden......and possibly Crawford and Gus who are UFAs after next year.

Point is how does free up the cap room to add to the defense and free up spaces for possibly young D men to get their feet wet? If you look in 2/5/7/56 you have 2 spots for rookies or UFAs. At most you carry 7.

As ROR said, this is in fact a rebuild and I don't think they are that much closer to the playoffs after this year as they were after last year without making a major trade to free up cap space (assuming they don't take any back OR one of the NMCs guys waives his right)

Curious to see what the talking points will be after the season after this roster again failed miserably.

Man I love the cat, but I think Connor is a more rounded player. 12 is a nasty sniper but needs to be fed the puck. I think Laine is more of the same type of player. All I know is 40 goals in this day and age is really impressive for a young kid.
Let's hope the cap keeps climbing.

When the dust settles this year and this team ends up around 82 points I think it's fair to say this year really wasn't much of a step forward.

last year the excuse was CC was hurt, the core didn't step up, etc.

Well....they will get an additional 12 games out of CC, brought in a veteran to sure up the net and not rely on a Forsberg like last year, and your core as a whole was arguably better....yet, their defensive numbers are dismal. Approaching an all time worst PK since the 88 Leafs, and a similar goal differential to last year.

Media, fans, etc need to take a deep breath and look at the season as a whole and not the desperation run they have been on for the last few weeks as they tried to squeak in with a historically low pt total for the WC since the Wild at 87 points. Usually it's 91-99 (5 times), and mainly in the mid 90s (3 times)

I laughed seeing some moronic blogger suggest they should take a run at Danault. Sure....lets bring back a retread and overpay for a guy who will be a 3C when your defense men are a disaster. Smart move.....I guess Toews, Strome and Kampf and possibly 15 don't fill that gap before even looking at 4c. A joke.

Bowman has to sign this summer the following RFAs...Perlini, Kampf, Sikura, Forsling, and Koekoek. Then after 7/1 he can look at DeBrincat, Strome, Caggiula, Kahun, Hayden......and possibly Crawford and Gus who are UFAs after next year.

Point is how does free up the cap room to add to the defense and free up spaces for possibly young D men to get their feet wet? If you look in 2/5/7/56 you have 2 spots for rookies or UFAs. At most you carry 7.

As ROR said, this is in fact a rebuild and I don't think they are that much closer to the playoffs after this year as they were after last year without making a major trade to free up cap space (assuming they don't take any back OR one of the NMCs guys waives his right)

Curious to see what the talking points will be after the season after this roster again failed miserably.
- SteveRain

Rain man in a sunny mood today. Anyway, I think you can counter that whole thing by looking at where they end up in the second half of the season. They had been at a 100 point pace for about half the season. This is after adjusting to a new coach and some new players acquired during the 1st half.

Just pointing out another view if you're interested - not trying to force you out of your comfort zone.

Rain man in a sunny mood today. Anyway, I think you can counter that whole thing by looking at where they end up in the second half of the season. They had been at a 100 point pace for about half the season. This is after adjusting to a new coach and some new players acquired during the 1st half.

Just pointing out another view if you're interested - not trying to force you out of your comfort zone.
- mohel

Could be...….

Or you could look at 164 games with pretty much the same roster on defense and realize it may not be the system prior or the new system currently......Could be the guys on the ice...……...

Rain man in a sunny mood today. Anyway, I think you can counter that whole thing by looking at where they end up in the second half of the season. They had been at a 100 point pace for about half the season. This is after adjusting to a new coach and some new players acquired during the 1st half.

Just pointing out another view if you're interested - not trying to force you out of your comfort zone.
- mohel

1st, 41 games: 15-20-6

2nd, 41 games: 19-13-4 (5 left)

Could be...….

Or you could look at 164 games with pretty much the same roster on defense and realize it may not be the system prior or the new system currently......Could be the guys on the ice...……...
- SteveRain

Looks like for the last 43 games, they're on a 99 point pace. Not awful, imo, especially since Strome, Drake, Perlini and Murphy were not playing in much of the first half. They also switched coaches and had to adjust to that.

When the dust settles this year and this team ends up around 82 points I think it's fair to say this year really wasn't much of a step forward.

last year the excuse was CC was hurt, the core didn't step up, etc.

Well....they will get an additional 12 games out of CC, brought in a veteran to sure up the net and not rely on a Forsberg like last year, and your core as a whole was arguably better....yet, their defensive numbers are dismal. Approaching an all time worst PK since the 88 Leafs, and a similar goal differential to last year.

Media, fans, etc need to take a deep breath and look at the season as a whole and not the desperation run they have been on for the last few weeks as they tried to squeak in with a historically low pt total for the WC since the Wild at 87 points. Usually it's 91-99 (5 times), and mainly in the mid 90s (3 times)

I laughed seeing some moronic blogger suggest they should take a run at Danault. Sure....lets bring back a retread and overpay for a guy who will be a 3C when your defense men are a disaster. Smart move.....I guess Toews, Strome and Kampf and possibly 15 don't fill that gap before even looking at 4c. A joke.

Bowman has to sign this summer the following RFAs...Perlini, Kampf, Sikura, Forsling, and Koekoek. Then after 7/1 he can look at DeBrincat, Strome, Caggiula, Kahun, Hayden......and possibly Crawford and Gus who are UFAs after next year.

Point is how does free up the cap room to add to the defense and free up spaces for possibly young D men to get their feet wet? If you look in 2/5/7/56 you have 2 spots for rookies or UFAs. At most you carry 7.

As ROR said, this is in fact a rebuild and I don't think they are that much closer to the playoffs after this year as they were after last year without making a major trade to free up cap space (assuming they don't take any back OR one of the NMCs guys waives his right)

Curious to see what the talking points will be after the season after this roster again failed miserably.
- SteveRain

Not a step forward? I’d look at these steps:

A new coach who may - or may not be - a quality NHL coach. He’s had them playing hard, competitive hockey for over half of a season - +9 to “Bettman” .500, +5 to “real” .500. May be good going forward.

Resurgence of Toews into a true top-line center (if not still in the picture for best center in the league. No reason he can’t continue going forward - he’s only 31 next season - should be able to have a couple more quality seasons.

Debrincat is for real - we know that now.

Strome is quite possibly (likely?) going to be a quality 2C going forward.

Saad has returned to pre-Panerin play - good as a trade piece to get needed defense help, or staying in the fold.

Sikura, Kampf, Kahun show promise and the potential (with experience and development) to be contributors to a Cup contending team somewhere in the lineup. Perlini? Shows possibilities - who knows.

Kane.

Closer to the net:

Murphy looks like a quality top-4 defenseman, Dahlstrom has potential - still work needed. Goalie seems to be a problem when Crawford stops (or is forced to stop) playing well (and what do they do with him after next season?).

On balance - all of this year’s issues were there last year - but the positive steps (actual and potential) weren’t.

I don’t expect a Cup contender next season - but certainly I expect a playoff team and a competive first round (even if ousted there). Even without considering any summertime moves.

Yeah, steps forward this season.

When the dust settles this year and this team ends up around 82 points I think it's fair to say this year really wasn't much of a step forward.

last year the excuse was CC was hurt, the core didn't step up, etc.

Well....they will get an additional 12 games out of CC, brought in a veteran to sure up the net and not rely on a Forsberg like last year, and your core as a whole was arguably better....yet, their defensive numbers are dismal. Approaching an all time worst PK since the 88 Leafs, and a similar goal differential to last year.

Media, fans, etc need to take a deep breath and look at the season as a whole and not the desperation run they have been on for the last few weeks as they tried to squeak in with a historically low pt total for the WC since the Wild at 87 points. Usually it's 91-99 (5 times), and mainly in the mid 90s (3 times)

I laughed seeing some moronic blogger suggest they should take a run at Danault. Sure....lets bring back a retread and overpay for a guy who will be a 3C when your defense men are a disaster. Smart move.....I guess Toews, Strome and Kampf and possibly 15 don't fill that gap before even looking at 4c. A joke.

Bowman has to sign this summer the following RFAs...Perlini, Kampf, Sikura, Forsling, and Koekoek. Then after 7/1 he can look at DeBrincat, Strome, Caggiula, Kahun, Hayden......and possibly Crawford and Gus who are UFAs after next year.

Point is how does free up the cap room to add to the defense and free up spaces for possibly young D men to get their feet wet? If you look in 2/5/7/56 you have 2 spots for rookies or UFAs. At most you carry 7.

As ROR said, this is in fact a rebuild and I don't think they are that much closer to the playoffs after this year as they were after last year without making a major trade to free up cap space (assuming they don't take any back OR one of the NMCs guys waives his right)

Curious to see what the talking points will be after the season after this roster again failed miserably.
- SteveRain

You care far too much about the message.

Looks like for the last 43 games, they're on a 99 point pace. Not awful, imo, especially since Strome, Drake, Perlini and Murphy were not playing in much of the first half. They also switched coaches and had to adjust to that.
- mohel

In keeping with the BOD mantra, I'd prefer to ignore the second part of the season and focus on the bad part only.

Rain man in a sunny mood today. Anyway, I think you can counter that whole thing by looking at where they end up in the second half of the season. They had been at a 100 point pace for about half the season. This is after adjusting to a new coach and some new players acquired during the 1st half.

Just pointing out another view if you're interested - not trying to force you out of your comfort zone.
- mohel

Hawks definitely trending up. The issues with lack of compete level early in the season are pretty much gone. The effort is there and they are in pretty much each game.

Last 45 games 25-15-5 for 55 points with is that 100 points pace. There is still work to do to improve the team, but it is pretty clear this team is well above the basement dwellers like Ottawa, LA, NJ, Detroit.

Perlini can go. JC has been giving him the same message all season. Its not that complicated. Play like you care. If he is brought back, its a 1 year deal for the same money in my world. Guy has a ton of talent that he should be a 20/20 guy easily.

In keeping with the BOD mantra, I'd prefer to ignore the second part of the season and focus on the bad part only.
- paulr

Yeah, lost my poop for a moment there. Apologies.