Being the glass half empty guy that I usually am, I have a few expectation tempering observations before we think the "system" finally paying dividends, the and the "star" players are re-engaged:

1. The system is NOT paying any dividends - in fact it is getting worse

The sheer volume of SOG against is just inexcusable, and unsustainable. Look at the stats. The Hawks beat the Leafs ONLY because Hutchinson crapped the bed in the first period. They did not deserve to win that game.

This is reminiscent of last year's desperation attempt to turn things around by going to an all offense focus.

2. The star players are not re-engaged - they momentarily benefited from abandonment of the 200 foot game and got some chances.

Call me when the "star" players sacrifice the body to get/keep possession with regularity, when they stop whining at the refs, and when they get back to playing a full rink game.

We are what...17 games in and we applaud our salary cap suck captain for maybe one good game??

No matter how many hits this Hawk team registers, other teams still push this squad around with impunity in the areas where it matters the most - fighting to keep/maintain the puck.

There are some bright spots from a much longer term perspective with respect to some of their younger players, but you just have to wonder what the immediate future brings when Ryan Carpenter at $1MM/yr has quite handily outplayed the $10.5MM/yr "star" just about every game this season.
- Return of the Roar

It all depends on perspective. They have been getting points in the last few games and thus - in my mind - that is paying dividends. They have admitted to changing the system to allow for more offense. They were better against Pitt, and gave up a ton (as many other teams do ) to TOR. Before the change they just bled shots and didn't generate much either. If they can figure out a happy medium and find away to be better at clearing their zone they will be much better.

Yes, and 29% Corsi probably was as good as anybody...
- rpeters01

Oddly enough, Kane, ADB, Strome and Dach were the only forwards at or over 50% for the game.

Who will replace him? Smart money is probably on Burkie, but I'm voting for Peter Puck.
- paulr

1)Brian Burke if they want controversy; 2)Elliot Friedman if they want inside info/rumours; 3) a hockey sharp female reporter if they want to increase their viewer base on a Saturday night.

Ironically at the end of Cherry's stupid rant they showed a clip from last year where he was in France at the burial ground of many men who had lost their lives in the war. He was very eloquent (for him), empathetic and compassionate for their sacrifice. He loved the men and women of the military, police and firefighters. So they will throw support behind him.

But it was time for him to be moved out.

There prime minister can were black face and nothing happens. Don Cherry didn’t really say anything that bad. I know he is past his time but people are so ready to jump on anything. Grow up People.
- Hockeygirl222

There, their, they’re.
Where, wear, were.

Maybe don’t post if you don’t have a rudimentary grasp of the language.

Good lord.

But....got the "no" , "know" right. or...is that write???
- hawk35

You want to discriminate on a blog based on someones in ability to use correct grammar at times? Typos and spelling errors occur all the time. Even our wonderful blogger has a few now and then.

I get what you are saying, but Joki does have about 20 lbs on him. That will just come down to learning what he can and can't handle/get away with.
- Chunk

Very true on that last part. All young players need to learn what they can and cannot do at the pro level and adjust their play accordingly. What they did in juniors or in college may not cut it anymore in order to make it to the NHL.

Very true on that last part. All young players need to learn what they can and cannot do at the pro level and adjust their play accordingly. What they did in juniors or in college may not cut it anymore in order to make it to the NHL.
- AEL_Fox

So true. Bolland was a great example of what you describe. Big time scorer in Juniors, shut down guy in the show (he did score quite a few big NHL goals).

So true. Bolland was a great example of what you describe. Big time scorer in Juniors, shut down guy in the show (he did score quite a few big NHL goals).
- mohel

3rd liner on two cup winning team,a 1st liner on the current Hawk team.

3rd liner on two cup winning team,a 1st liner on the current Hawk team.
- Beaver-Warrior

Actually a 4th liner in 13 with Kruger and Frolik

So true. Bolland was a great example of what you describe. Big time scorer in Juniors, shut down guy in the show (he did score quite a few big NHL goals).
- mohel

He actually had some solid numbers before all his injuries took a toll. If healthy I think he would’ve been a 20g 40pt center. 08-09 season is likely what he would’ve been if healthy. It’s a shame his back couldn’t hold up.

He was also a weird dude. I think he enjoyed harassing other teams best players more so than scoring goals and accumulating points.

So true. Bolland was a great example of what you describe. Big time scorer in Juniors, shut down guy in the show (he did score quite a few big NHL goals).
- mohel

One of my favorite players, we sure could use him now. Although our defensemen have been upgraded from last year, what is hurting the Hawks now is defensive help from our forwards. They all need to be aligned and engaged on the defensive side.

He actually had some solid numbers before all his injuries took a toll. If healthy I think he would’ve been a 20g 40pt center. 08-09 season is likely what he would’ve been if healthy. It’s a shame his back couldn’t hold up.

He was also a weird dude. I think he enjoyed harassing other teams best players more so than scoring goals and accumulating points.
- bhawks2241

Like when he told one of the Sedin’s, “Man, your brother sure is ugly”

So true. Bolland was a great example of what you describe. Big time scorer in Juniors, shut down guy in the show (he did score quite a few big NHL goals).
- mohel

Great example in Bolland, Mo. LAHawk mentioned Frolik who I think fits this description as well.

On the opposite end of the spectrum are the great Skille, Morin, and Pirri.

When the Hawks took Dan Cleary in the 1st round of the 1997 draft, he was a tad arrogant thinking he could make it to the NHL on his skill alone. After toiling a bit with the Oilers, he evolved his career with the Wings as an impact 20/20 top 6 winger who was a pain in the ass to play against.

1)Brian Burke if they want controversy; 2)Elliot Friedman if they want inside info/rumours; 3) a hockey sharp female reporter if they want to increase their viewer base on a Saturday night.

Ironically at the end of Cherry's stupid rant they showed a clip from last year where he was in France at the burial ground of many men who had lost their lives in the war. He was very eloquent (for him), empathetic and compassionate for their sacrifice. He loved the men and women of the military, police and firefighters. So they will throw support behind him.

But it was time for him to be moved out.
- RickJ

For all the stupid poop he said over the years he's been credited with ten or twenty times as many good, kind acts. My friend's father was in hospital and cherry not only called him to wish him well but drove to the hospital and spent an hour chatting to him, when my friend's father was skeptical it was him. But hockey and life has passed him by.

For all the stupid poop he said over the years he's been credited with ten or twenty times as many good, kind acts. My friend's father was in hospital and cherry not only called him to wish him well but drove to the hospital and spent an hour chatting to him, when my friend's father was skeptical it was him. But hockey and life has passed him by.
- paulr

Good to remember the good with the bad. We are complex critters. Well, most of us are....

Colliton explains the change in adherence to the "system:"

"All it is is, our weak side forward, we pushed him up higher in defensive zone coverage," Colliton said. "Before, we had four low a lot of times, to try and overload in certain situations. That's good, it gets you out of D-zone, but the problem is when you win the puck back, a lot of times you're very close together and it's harder to make clean plays, it's harder to exit with space to make plays. So we were having trouble entering the zone.

"There's been a lot of talk about how we have been dumping too many pucks in. Well, we're not trying to dump the puck in, but when you're attacking and you don't have numbers, you don't have space in behind, you have to, you're forced too. I think we're doing a much better job of getting from D-zone clean, because we have a forward a little bit higher, there's a little more space, it happens quicker. And then I think we've done a good job with the low three [of] someone jumping by and then we can create a little bit more space off the rush and we don't have to chip it in. We can enter clean, make some plays and I think the guys are doing very well."

Patrick Kane, who has erupted for seven points (four goals, three assists) in the past three games since the change, sees the change opening up more opportunities for the Blackhawks on offense.

"I think a lot of us probably stressed that there wasn't as much flow to it, for whatever reason that was," Kane said. "They made a change and all of a sudden it seems like we have more options coming out of our end, we have more motion, more speed coming out of our end, which is always a good thing."

[...]
"We kind of felt it was time," Colliton said. "I mean, we're always talking with them for sure and guys, they want to score more. They want to produce, guys want to make plays. And so we're just trying to find the balance. We want to continue to work on being good defensively, but we've got to score more than them. I think we can still hold onto those defensive gains we've made and score more goals."

So, the change appears to have been a collaborative effort between coaches and top guys. We'll see if they can find the balance and get better on D side. Murphy coming back should help.

https://www.nbcsports.com...nd-why-blackhawks-made-it

Colliton explains the change in adherence to the "system:"



So, the change appears to have been a collaborative effort between coaches and top guys. We'll see if they can find the balance and get better on D side. Murphy coming back should help.

https://www.nbcsports.com...nd-why-blackhawks-made-it
- pdx2ord

So, the coach does in fact communicate with the players? Weird.....

Colliton explains the change in adherence to the "system:"



So, the change appears to have been a collaborative effort between coaches and top guys. We'll see if they can find the balance and get better on D side. Murphy coming back should help.

https://www.nbcsports.com...nd-why-blackhawks-made-it
- pdx2ord

My thought has been that the “D and C” was more forced on them than a plan / strategy for getting the puck into the ozone - bad spacing, not clean drone exits, etc.

Actually a 4th liner in 13 with Kruger and Frolik
- LAHawk

Even better, thanks for the correction.

My thought has been that the “D and C” was more forced on them than a plan / strategy for getting the puck into the ozone - bad spacing, not clean drone exits, etc.
- StLBravesFan

Sounds like you were right, though there were times where guys seemed to cough it up for a dump-in when they didn't necessarily need to do so. Maybe because it's just not a style some were ever used to playing. Skill like any other.

Even better, thanks for the correction.
- Beaver-Warrior

Will always remember the "yard sale" when Bolly scored in that 17th second.

Actually a 4th liner in 13 with Kruger and Frolik
- LAHawk

That was a fantastic 4th line, Hawks fans were spoiled that year. I love the way Kruger and Frolik embraced their defensive role and excelled on the PK. But the line had some skill too and they could produce, as we saw, 17 seconds later.

If only Kruger put on that 20lbs of muscle he could have been another Connor McDavid.

That was a fantastic 4th line, Hawks fans were spoiled that year. I love the way Kruger and Frolik embraced their defensive role and excelled on the PK. But the line had some skill too and they could produce, as we saw, 17 seconds later.

If only Kruger put on that 20lbs of muscle he could have been another Connor McDavid.
- DarthKane

If Fro had a bit better puck luck he could have been Brandon Saad. That's ok, I'm happy he embraced his role and that Stan got him from the Builder for Jack Skille.

My thought has been that the “D and C” was more forced on them than a plan / strategy for getting the puck into the ozone - bad spacing, not clean drone exits, etc.
- StLBravesFan

Doesn't keeping the weakside winger higher expose the scheme to more guys getting to the net unimpeded/covered? And guys slipping behind the winger for across ice one timers below the dots?

I know it allows for more spacing and cleaner breakouts... this is why the system being run is flawed.

Doesn't keeping the weakside winger higher expose the scheme to more guys getting to the net unimpeded/covered? And guys slipping behind the winger for across ice one timers below the dots?

I know it allows for more spacing and cleaner breakouts... this is why the system being run is flawed.
- bhawks2241

All systems are flawed, as are the players trying to execute them. If there was a perfect system, everyone would play it. They are doing their best to fit the scheme to the talents (and flaws) of the current roster. I'm happy they are currently trending up.

The team is playing slightly better but the amount of shots given up is still preposterous.

At least they stopped dumping the puck and getting more chances but still pretty pretty bad in their own end.