I agree Toews is (was) an elite player and leader, but Crosby's skills are that much better. Crosby has been under the microscope since he was a kid because of his elite talent and being Canadian, similar to when MacDavid first burst onto the scene as a kid.
- LAHawk

I agree Crosby is the better player. But he also has some character issues/flaws that have had a negative impact on players on his team or his locker room. All around I would easily still take Crosby over Toews or any other player of his era, but we should not lose sight of the fact that Toews has been very influential on and off the ice and critical to winning 3 cups.

I agree Crosby is the better player. But he also has some character issues/flaws that have had a negative impact on players on his team or his locker room. All around I would easily still take Crosby over Toews or any other player of his era, but we should not lose sight of the fact that Toews has been very influential on and off the ice and critical to winning 3 cups.
- -Doh-

Care to elaborate?I have never heard that, doesn't mean it is not true, just I have read the opposite about him.

Hossa bobble head night, Bolland one last shift, think 17 seconds will be shown on the scoreboard?
- LAHawk

Gonna miss the damn game, hopefully they bring it again and are tough to play against tomorrow night.

Care to elaborate?I have never heard that, doesn't mean it is not true, just I have read the opposite about him.
- LAHawk

Its not true. He's talking out of his ass like many others on the thread

Hossa bobble head night, Bolland one last shift, think 17 seconds will be shown on the scoreboard?
- LAHawk

And hopefully Hoss' OT goal agaisnt the Predators.

Care to elaborate?I have never heard that, doesn't mean it is not true, just I have read the opposite about him.
- LAHawk

Complete BS if ya ask me

Yea i don't know, a little dramatic to say this is it their final year to win anything.

The league didn't pass us by, we had to play AHLers because of the cap

And Bowman just keeps finding these gems like Panarin, Kahun, Kubalik

In 2 to 3 years he's done a real nice job of putting talent back into the minor league system that he depleted to win championships.

In 1 year with cap space he's made this team harder to play against, in 1 year.

Watching a lot of hockey this year and honestly a lot of teams look like poop, Avs were nothing special last night, they might make ther playoffs but their AHL goalies won't cut it in the playoffs.
- BetweenTheDots

Hey BetweenThedots , you could say it's a bit dramatic , however looking at the age of the core and each players stats the only player we can alk agree upon who realistically still has a lot of of upside is Kane.

Seabrook with the addition of maatta so far has seemed to make him look better

Keith I'll agree he should be dropped down in the line his age amount of games and just his style of play

Toews sure last year was his best year in a long time since the last cup run. His start this year hasn't been overally impressive and he did have Kane paired with him.

The cap has always been in place , the problem was Stan and management were not thinking long term or even a year or 2 years out , that's obvious from the trades of picks, prospects and contracts they handed out.

Those simple mistake for the moment are starting to show up .
Sure we won 3 cups and that's awesome and all, but it is so hard once you fall from grace to rebuild the organization from the bottom up and the amount of time that goes by is not a year or 2 it's quite possible 10 years or more and lots of luck along the way in obtaining high draft picks and then hoping your pick pans out .

Is it possible Chicago has a window open longer than this year maybe but that would mean having cap space available to upgrade your roster come juky1st and next summer Chicago will have just enough cap to sign strome and Lehner after that your hoping your prospects can carry you , highly unlikely in the short term.

I agree Crosby is the better player. But he also has some character issues/flaws that have had a negative impact on players on his team or his locker room. All around I would easily still take Crosby over Toews or any other player of his era, but we should not lose sight of the fact that Toews has been very influential on and off the ice and critical to winning 3 cups.
- -Doh-

What negative impact? I'd argue Toews wasn't the most influential on any of the cup teams.

Crosby has as many cups and more hardware. He is also playing at the same high level and is older than Toews and has played just as much, if not more hockey. He has also had several more serious injuries than Toews too. And all 3 of the Hawks Cup teams were probably more talented than the Pens cup teams.

Yet many on the board like to make up excuses for Toews. The dude isn't 40. He is still in his prime years.

Hey BetweenThedots , you could say it's a bit dramatic , however looking at the age of the core and each players stats the only player we can alk agree upon who realistically still has a lot of of upside is Kane.

Seabrook with the addition of maatta so far has seemed to make him look better

Keith I'll agree he should be dropped down in the line his age amount of games and just his style of play

Toews sure last year was his best year in a long time since the last cup run. His start this year hasn't been overally impressive and he did have Kane paired with him.

The cap has always been in place , the problem was Stan and management were not thinking long term or even a year or 2 years out , that's obvious from the trades of picks, prospects and contracts they handed out.

Those simple mistake for the moment are starting to show up .
Sure we won 3 cups and that's awesome and all, but it is so hard once you fall from grace to rebuild the organization from the bottom up and the amount of time that goes by is not a year or 2 it's quite possible 10 years or more and lots of luck along the way in obtaining high draft picks and then hoping your pick pans out .

Is it possible Chicago has a window open longer than this year maybe but that would mean having cap space available to upgrade your roster come juky1st and next summer Chicago will have just enough cap to sign strome and Lehner after that your hoping your prospects can carry you , highly unlikely in the short term.
- Taylorst1

Thinking long term? They were thinking Cups and got 3 more than 25 teams in the last 10 years.

A Championship in any league is very hard to accomplish

They have some good looking D prospects in the pipe line, Bowman's ability to unearth forwards and recognizing which ones to keep that will help win playoff games is truly an art form, many many many thought after 2010 no way the Hawks win another, and here we are again.

Love him or hate him, THIS is why they chose Colliton. On a team full of young, skilled but borderline NHL guys and upcoming prospects who will have to fill void vets are leaving, you have to have a development coach at NHL level, too.

https://www.nbcsports.com...liton-and-role-blackhawks

Is what is really happening for Hawks and NHL overall similar to what happened in NBA? Bringing up young players before ready bc there is really no other option thanks to cap? Hawks just one of teams feeling it first.

Love him or hate him, THIS is why they chose Colliton. On a team full of young, skilled but borderline NHL guys and upcoming prospects who will have to fill void vets are leaving, you have to have a development coach at NHL level, too.

https://www.nbcsports.com...liton-and-role-blackhawks

Is what is really happening for Hawks and NHL overall similar to what happened in NBA? Bringing up young players before ready bc there is really no other option thanks to cap? Hawks just one of teams feeling it first.
- pdx2ord

Glad to see hands on coaching
I love this line in the other article

Jeremy Colliton said. "But we definitely want to be physical when we have the chance and force the opposition to make plays before they're ready, and we can create turnovers and transition and offense and get out of D zone. We have some guys who like to play that way and I think it helps our team." 

I also wonder where does Dach end up slotting in all this

I also wonder where does Dach end up slotting in all this
- BetweenTheDots

1C. Toews to 3C, where he belongs!!!!

1C. Toews to 3C, where he belongs!!!!
- mohel

I love it when a plan comes together

1C. Toews to 3C, where he belongs!!!!
- mohel

Not that Dach is a better or more deserving 1C, but if he has an instant impact and can win some faceoffs I wouldn’t mind trying this to spread out the firepower and create matchup problems for opponents:

Nylander/Caggiula-Dach-Kane
DeBrincat-Strome-Kubalik/Shaw
Saad-Toews-Shaw/Kubalik
Caggiula/Nylander-Kampf-Carpenter

That would be one hell of a “3rd” line that could score AND defend. But this all requires Dach being ready for a big role as a rookie which I’m not sure of yet. Though I bet he’d really be able to flash some potential playing along side 88.

Not that Dach is a better or more deserving 1C, but if he has an instant impact and can win some faceoffs I wouldn’t mind trying this to spread out the firepower and create matchup problems for opponents:

Nylander/Caggiula-Dach-Kane
DeBrincat-Strome-Kubalik/Shaw
Saad-Toews-Shaw/Kubalik
Caggiula/Nylander-Kampf-Carpenter

That would be one hell of a “3rd” line that could score AND defend. But this all requires Dach being ready for a big role as a rookie which I’m not sure of yet. Though I bet he’d really be able to flash some potential playing along side 88.
- SimpleJack

I think their ideal is to have three scoring lines (2 of which are at least solid defensively); and a 4th line that is hell to play against and also has very good PK players.

I am a known optimist, but I think they are pretty close to having the forward depth to do this.

Not that Dach is a better or more deserving 1C, but if he has an instant impact and can win some faceoffs I wouldn’t mind trying this to spread out the firepower and create matchup problems for opponents:

Nylander/Caggiula-Dach-Kane
DeBrincat-Strome-Kubalik/Shaw
Saad-Toews-Shaw/Kubalik
Caggiula/Nylander-Kampf-Carpenter

That would be one hell of a “3rd” line that could score AND defend. But this all requires Dach being ready for a big role as a rookie which I’m not sure of yet. Though I bet he’d really be able to flash some potential playing along side 88.
- SimpleJack

https://twitter.com/NBCSB.../1184954207301984257?s=09

I don't see them being broken up anytime soon

https://twitter.com/NBCSBlackhawks/status/1184954207301984257?s=09

I don't see them being broken up anytime soon
- BetweenTheDots

Maybe it is time to experiment with Toews on left wing.

Toews-Dach-Kane

Hossa bobble head night, Bolland one last shift, think 17 seconds will be shown on the scoreboard?
- LAHawk

Right before Bill Mosienko’s 3 goals in 12 seconds....

Right before Bill Mosienko’s 3 goals in 12 seconds....
- StLBravesFan

21.

I also wonder where does Dach end up slotting in all this
- BetweenTheDots

Saskatoon.

21.
- Elbows15

I got the numbers right - at my age, order doesn’t matter.

1C. Toews to 3C, where he belongs!!!!
- mohel

Obviously this is a joke, but I bet that's what the Hawks hope will happen in 3 years.

What is going on in Minnesota?

How's that not a 5 minute major against Hall, WTF