I think (only think) that his shot % is down at least partly (if not mainly) because (a) he’s as much getting the puck in the mid-slot, where his shot is so effective, and (2) that cross-ice pass to him at the dot is not working as well and is not getting to him at the right point for an accurate one-timer.
- StLBravesFan

One thing is sure the league will adapt/change the way it defends a player. They know OV is gonna 1 time it but still can't stop him. Same with Panarin. Is Dcat in that orbit?

You could very well be correct, they know a shot is coming from a certain area and are now stopping/defending it. Could very well be cuz his 5 on 5 expected GF per 60 and high danger chances for are nearly identical to last yr, only change is the shooting percentage.

If, if the goalie is expecting the east west pass from Kane to Dcat and the goalie is cheating to stop it a few short side shots from Kaner will get that goalie to play honest.

He is.

He’s a proven 40-goal scorer - there aren’t many of those in the league and you win games by scoring goals - you don’t want to give that up completely to become an all-around player.

But AdB has improved other areas of his game - this season (last season full season)

Assists - total - 13 (35) - primary 10 (17)
On ice goals - 29 (114 - on pass)
On ice GA - 13 (76 - better pace)
Shot % - 8.3% (18.6% - way down)

And the eye test (mine) show that he is getting involved in more puck battles, especially below the goal line, and carrying the puck in more, backchecking more.

My eyes tell me (and they may be wrong) that he isn’t getting to his scoring area as often as before - carryin or getting the puck in the mid-slot and getting off the quick hard accurate wrister - too much emphasis on the one-timer from the left dot after a cross-ice pass from Kane (which opponents seem to have figured out)

Is he a better player this season? More complete, I think - but 40 goals is a lot to sacrifice for that.

But - he’s been a streaky scorer - many multi-game droughts (like the current 8-gamer) followed by goal bonanzas. Let’s see how it plays out.
- StLBravesFan

bingo on all points...

also if that line can't get the transition entries and odd man's they end up playing defense the whole shift in the dzone...they have a hard time getting the puck back...

like sharp he is a very streaky goal scorer...he could have one of those goal/game streaks for 8-10 games at any time

One thing is sure the league will adapt/change the way it defends a player. They know OV is gonna 1 time it but still can't stop him. Same with Panarin. Is Dcat in that orbit?

You could very well be correct, they know a shot is coming from a certain area and are now stopping/defending it. Could very well be cuz his 5 on 5 expected GF per 60 and high danger chances for are nearly identical to last yr, only change is the shooting percentage.

If, if the goalie is expecting the east west pass from Kane to Dcat and the goalie is cheating to stop it a few short side shots from Kaner will get that goalie to play honest.
- Mr Ricochet

i would like to see more play from behind the net from that line both 5v5 and on the pp...the cross ice through 4 sticks and bodies is really difficult to nail and bad things can happen when its missed or flubbed..like odd mans the other way...

i have noticed the passes to adb for that one timer have been off or his positioning has been off: shanks, stick breaks, pass hits the skates, or just a clean miss...and to my eyes also, as you pointed out, the goalies are cheating on that play...

Like anyone else I like to see skill create or score and the kid has shown that with limited TOI and linemates. But what got me excited was the sequence along the boards vs TB. Kid showed feet, hands, balance, strength and most importantly WILL to win the puck with two Bolts draped on him and still won the puck and got it off the boards. Reminded me of a young Toews in that he willed pucks to the net and has the skills, strength and hunger to do so out numbered.

I like the path. Having the 18 yr old with heavy guys like Smith and Carpenter is not best for his scoring and creative skills but it insulates him a bit from funk and the opponents top pairings and lines as he develops at a reasonable pace...... His confidence grows and in theory he's safer from getting creamed/targeted.

I think Dach should be getting PP minutes today but very much like the small progress he's showing on the 4th line. He'll show you when he's ready for a top 6 role and if I had to guess maybe around game 50 he will.

And yes despite the Dcat-Strome-Kane line having a 10-2 goals for advantage together Strome is the weak link but it's working right now. Having Dach center that line adds a lot of responsibility for the 18 yr old. Look at Wheeler's offensive numbers since WPG switched him from wing to center and Dach is a similar player but played 1,000 less NHL games. ....... Add Kaner and Dcat are not defensive stalwarts that's a big ask for Dach although I could envision that trio spending way more time in the Ozone than Dzone.

If I had to guess He'll play wing with Johnny when they the move him up.
- Mr Ricochet

The reason I'd (reluctantly) like to see what Dach can do as the #2 pivot is because this team just can't score enough against even middling teams to win.

They just played games against 2 backup goaltenders and a very average #1 (Marazek) and in total posted 5 goals. Not going to beat NHL teams consistently with at that GF rate. And it isn't Strome's fault totally, but there is nothing offensively coming or expected from Kampf or Carpenter or Saad or Shaw or Kubalik or Smith.

Been a week since I've read here and really surprised, shouldn't be though, at the negative reactions. Indeed, last night was a damn fun game and 2 points would have been great happy to get 1.

Dallas is now 9-0-1 last 10, are 8-3-1 at home and the Hawks came in and played this surging talented team damn near dead even. 50% at the dot, SOG 39-41, each club 20 blocks, each 0-4 on the PP, the hometown stats keeper was way off on the hits giving DAL a 23-14 edge in hits, DAL the edge in scoring chances 31-26 and high danger chances 15-11.

Best of all for me was the Hawks, both teams really, gave a hungry 60 minute effort. Great game and considering how well the Stars have been playing I'll take the point.

As far as the lines Kane-Strome-Dcat have scored TEN and allowed TWO as a line!! 83% GF!!! Yes they are way under water on the fancies together and their 17% shooting percentage is high but 10 for and 2 against that line stays together.

And Dcat is shooting 8.3% so far. His other 2 yrs in the NHL he shot 15.5% and 18.6%. That will even out over 82 games to a degree.

Saad. Hawks fans know what this guy is and we have 7-1/2 seasons of data and eye test to show us. A 50+ point two way player who is a + player. A responsible middle 6 guy, not a 60-70 point top 6 guy.

That said the Hawks unquestioned best line the first 8 or so games was Saad-Kampf-Kubalik. They took the opponents top line every game, had 37% Ozone starts yet were 56-33 SOG, 43-35 scoring chances and 21-12 high danger chances for!

In my limited mind I take those two lines that are successful together and build around them. Take what is good and leave it alone and build around what works not what you WANT to work.

Guess Duff and I are in the minority, I very much liked last night's game and their chances moving forward despite what are obvious weaknesses, which every team has in the hard cap world.
- Mr Ricochet

I agree more games like that HAWKS will be ok .Kampf line should never been broken up . And no more 7 D unless Gus is playing forward ,

60 yard pass completion negated by questionable hands to face penalty by Leno.

Edit penalty on Whitehair.

60 yard pass completion negated by questionable hands to face penalty by Leno.
- boilermaker100

I said I wouldn't watch anymore ... I lied. Was that call horse poop or what?

I said I wouldn't watch anymore ... I lied. Was that call horse poop or what?
- I Am The Breadman

It's a conspiracy. Refs out to get the Bears.

It's a conspiracy. Refs out to get the Bears.
- boilermaker100

Hahaha!! ALL refs hate Chicago teams. Last night into today is proof.

Been a week since I've read here and really surprised, shouldn't be though, at the negative reactions. Indeed, last night was a damn fun game and 2 points would have been great happy to get 1.

Dallas is now 9-0-1 last 10, are 8-3-1 at home and the Hawks came in and played this surging talented team damn near dead even. 50% at the dot, SOG 39-41, each club 20 blocks, each 0-4 on the PP, the hometown stats keeper was way off on the hits giving DAL a 23-14 edge in hits, DAL the edge in scoring chances 31-26 and high danger chances 15-11.

Best of all for me was the Hawks, both teams really, gave a hungry 60 minute effort. Great game and considering how well the Stars have been playing I'll take the point.

As far as the lines Kane-Strome-Dcat have scored TEN and allowed TWO as a line!! 83% GF!!! Yes they are way under water on the fancies together and their 17% shooting percentage is high but 10 for and 2 against that line stays together.

And Dcat is shooting 8.3% so far. His other 2 yrs in the NHL he shot 15.5% and 18.6%. That will even out over 82 games to a degree.

Saad. Hawks fans know what this guy is and we have 7-1/2 seasons of data and eye test to show us. A 50+ point two way player who is a + player. A responsible middle 6 guy, not a 60-70 point top 6 guy.

That said the Hawks unquestioned best line the first 8 or so games was Saad-Kampf-Kubalik. They took the opponents top line every game, had 37% Ozone starts yet were 56-33 SOG, 43-35 scoring chances and 21-12 high danger chances for!

In my limited mind I take those two lines that are successful together and build around them. Take what is good and leave it alone and build around what works not what you WANT to work.

Guess Duff and I are in the minority, I very much liked last night's game and their chances moving forward despite what are obvious weaknesses, which every team has in the hard cap world.
- Mr Ricochet

I’m right there with you. Keep the two lines that are/were working and go from there. Our defense is playing fairly well, I really like DeHaan and Maatta has been fairly solid. Seabrook playing with a professional partner has helped his game, he’s keeping it simple. In my book we are still a bubble team that played a good road game last night. We lost because we only scored one goal, whether it was lack of offense or outstanding goaltending. The gimmick could go either way, whether your goalie is good at the SO or not. I say 6 minutes of OT and then a tie, the heck with the SO, it seems so minor league.

It's a conspiracy. Refs out to get the Bears.
- boilermaker100

It all goes back to Ed O’Bradovich yelling at the refs in the 60’s.

Hawks played well last night. 1 point better than none, but Hawks needed 2 points in reg to gain ground against Dallas. They have another chance against them Tuesday. As long as they put forth the effort like last night I have no complaints. Crow probably in net Tuesday.

Then B2B against Avs Friday and Saturday then home against Blues a week from Monday. Eight points on the table against division opponents. Probably need them all to have a chance to get into a playoff spot.

There's a a statistic saying if you're not in a playoff spot by US Thanksgiving you only qualify something like 30% of the time.

It all goes back to Ed O’Bradovich yelling at the refs in the 60’s.
- Angotti

Wasn't O'Bradovich Lysiak's great uncle in his mother's side?

Hawks played well last night. 1 point better than none, but Hawks needed 2 points in reg to gain ground against Dallas. They have another chance against them Tuesday. As long as they put forth the effort like last night I have no complaints. Crow probably in net Tuesday.

Then B2B against Avs Friday and Saturday then home against Blues a week from Monday. Eight points on the table against division opponents. Probably need them all to have a chance to get into a playoff spot.

There's a a statistic saying if you're not in a playoff spot by US Thanksgiving you only qualify something like 30% of the time.
- boilermaker100

I’m going out on the limb and predicting a Hawks win on Tuesday, if we dress seven defensemen all bets are off.

Wasn't O'Bradovich Lysiak's great uncle in his mother's side?
- boilermaker100

I thought it was his Dad’s side.

That Giants kicker worse than the Bears

The reason I'd (reluctantly) like to see what Dach can do as the #2 pivot is because this team just can't score enough against even middling teams to win.

They just played games against 2 backup goaltenders and a very average #1 (Marazek) and in total posted 5 goals. Not going to beat NHL teams consistently with at that GF rate. And it isn't Strome's fault totally, but there is nothing offensively coming or expected from Kampf or Carpenter or Saad or Shaw or Kubalik or Smith.
- RickJ

Curious why you picked L2 for Dach replacing Strome instead of L1 with Toews?......... Also looking at last yrs fancies I wanna walk back a bit my take on Strome. Yes the lines fancies are much better without him this yr but not as pronounced last yr. This yrs fancies as a complete line and with and without each player: https://www.naturalstattr...8440&p3=8474141&p4=0&p5=0

Also a nice look at the big board of Hawk numbers: https://frozenpool.dobber...oard&reportdata_length=30

Being on a line with Kane is not working for ADB and/or Strome from a goal-scoring standpoint
- pdx2ord

Because they’re average players. Cat is nothing without his shot(which has disappeared this season). An average nobody just like every other 3rd liner on bad teams. Strome is a weak center. Can’t win face offs. Can’t win puck battles. Doesn’t score goals. His vision is okay but his passing has been off this year. Neither Cat or Strome can skate that well either. There’s really not much high end skill whatsoever with those 2. If I don’t see vast improvements by the TDL I would look to move them both.

I’m right there with you. Keep the two lines that are/were working and go from there. Our defense is playing fairly well, I really like DeHaan and Maatta has been fairly solid. Seabrook playing with a professional partner has helped his game, he’s keeping it simple. In my book we are still a bubble team that played a good road game last night. We lost because we only scored one goal, whether it was lack of offense or outstanding goaltending. The gimmick could go either way, whether your goalie is good at the SO or not. I say 6 minutes of OT and then a tie, the heck with the SO, it seems so minor league.
- Angotti

Did I meet you at a Hawk game maybe 5ish yrs ago on the smoke deck? I was wearing a white Angotti jersey and you asked if I was an Angotti, that you were. I told you no, just a fan of Lou's.

Yes to all of your post especially Seabs. Paired with de Haan he's a totally different player. I'd add I can't even remember Keith playing so well. Most every shift I find myself saying nice, 2-3 times a shift. And what can be said about the goaltending? What's better is 27 yr old Lehner should be the goalie for 5 more yrs........

Sure the bottom 6 has been lite on the scoresheet but Good God it's a 1,000% improvement over last yrs bottom 6, and they play physical, and the team has legit centers 4 deep, and fans haven't had a rookie to get excited about with Dach since Kane and Johnny, and the addition of legit NHL Dmen in Maata and de Haan are huge improvements over a Dahlstrom or Forsling, and most reasonably thought Boqvist would get overwhelmed in his callup but handled himself nicely.

And yes selfishly I loved the Saad-Kampf-Kubalik line. North-south man, take 10 SOG from everywhere as Kubalik did in a game this yr, go get the thing/rebound, people and pucks to the net and they create chances/havoc/breakdowns/momentum like the one Kubalik got robbed on yesterday. ....... I understand moving Saad up to get Johnny going but it ain't working, reunite that 3rd line that shuts down the opponents top line.

I mean they crushed in the fancies while taking on the opponents #1 line while outscoring it 3-1. I mean these are freakish stats on all counts: https://www.naturalstattr...7330&p3=8480144&p4=0&p5=0

Because they’re average players. Cat is nothing without his shot(which has disappeared this season). An average nobody just like every other 3rd liner on bad teams. Strome is a weak center. Can’t win face offs. Can’t win puck battles. Doesn’t score goals. His vision is okay but his passing has been off this year. Neither Cat or Strome can skate that well either. There’s really not much high end skill whatsoever with those 2. If I don’t see vast improvements by the TDL I would look to move them both.
- SimpleJack

Dcat is on a 64 point pace, last yr had 76 points. Last yr had 24 PP points this yr on a pace for 14 PP points. If the PP was going at last yrs pace the difference in his PP last yr and PP this yr is 10 points, add those 10 points to his 64 point pace and he hits 74 points this yr, 2 points less than last yr. https://frozenpool.dobber...Pace&reportdata_length=30

Dcat oozes offensive IQ but does not create his own shot. His release is elite, his shot is very good and his feel (IQ) for scoring is damn near, if not, elite.

Wtf is this nonsense?

It's a conspiracy. Refs out to get the Bears.
- boilermaker100

is this Powerenforcer...

Wtf is this nonsense?
- I Am The Breadman

That's more like it.

That's more like it.
- boilermaker100

That's the Mitchie I've gotten accustomed to.

Did I meet you at a Hawk game maybe 5ish yrs ago on the smoke deck? I was wearing a white Angotti jersey and you asked if I was an Angotti, that you were. I told you no, just a fan of Lou's.

Yes to all of your post especially Seabs. Paired with de Haan he's a totally different player. I'd add I can't even remember Keith playing so well. Most every shift I find myself saying nice, 2-3 times a shift. And what can be said about the goaltending? What's better is 27 yr old Lehner should be the goalie for 5 more yrs........

Sure the bottom 6 has been lite on the scoresheet but Good God it's a 1,000% improvement over last yrs bottom 6, and they play physical, and the team has legit centers 4 deep, and fans haven't had a rookie to get excited about with Dach since Kane and Johnny, and the addition of legit NHL Dmen in Maata and de Haan are huge improvements over a Dahlstrom or Forsling, and most reasonably thought Boqvist would get overwhelmed in his callup but handled himself nicely.

And yes selfishly I loved the Saad-Kampf-Kubalik line. North-south man, take 10 SOG from everywhere as Kubalik did in a game this yr, go get the thing/rebound, people and pucks to the net and they create chances/havoc/breakdowns/momentum like the one Kubalik got robbed on yesterday. ....... I understand moving Saad up to get Johnny going but it ain't working, reunite that 3rd line that shuts down the opponents top line.

I mean they crushed in the fancies while taking on the opponents #1 line while outscoring it 3-1. I mean these are freakish stats on all counts: https://www.naturalstattr...7330&p3=8480144&p4=0&p5=0
- Mr Ricochet

Rico, no that was not me. Like you I’m just an Angotti fan, used to listen to Lloyd Pettit on my transistor radio, loved the late 60’s early 70’s Hawks and was heart broken by the Canadiens in 71 and 73.