I heard Grapes prefers Joni Mitchell.
- Beaver-Warrior

I don’t think he liked Leonard Cohen.

I agree with your assessment. A marginal playoff team with great goaltending and a lot of young players. Trending up as players new to the team get used to playing together, younger players start to figure it out how to play at the NHL level and find their place, and coach finds out how to put them in position to win (though the jury is still out on Colliton).

Zach Smith - Like Toews and Seabs you cannot separate cap hit and performance. But I like Zach Smith to fill out the 3rd or 4th lines. I also think Seabs is a decent 2nd or 3rd pair dman playing some PK with ATOI about 18 miuntes. Toews is still a decent 1C/Captain, though he probably should be earning more like $8mil.

4 rookies to the NHL. Dach, Nylander, Highmore, Kubalik (plus Boqvist whom we could see again later this year).
- -Doh-

For me, dwelling on cap hits in the NHL is a pointless exercise. The player has a contract he negotiated fair and square at the time. The team has only one option if they don't think they are getting value - buy him out. Win or lose with the roster you have.

Toews making too much based on performance - sure, but it isn't gonna change. Would I trade him for Nathan Mackinnon - of course but thats never happening. Is Mackinnon worth relatively more than Jack Eichel or Auston Mathews or Mitch Marner or Anzi Kopitar - of course, but nothing going to change there either.

Hawks will win or lose with what they have.

Didn’t Darryl Sutter rough up Tyler Arnason in a bar on a road trip when he was the Hawks coach?

Forget how it ended for both......

For me, dwelling on cap hits in the NHL is a pointless exercise. The player has a contract he negotiated fair and square at the time. The team has only one option if they don't think they are getting value - buy him out. Win or lose with the roster you have.

Toews making too much based on performance - sure, but it isn't gonna change. Would I trade him for Nathan Mackinnon - of course but thats never happening. Is Mackinnon worth relatively more than Jack Eichel or Auston Mathews or Mitch Marner or Anzi Kopitar - of course, but nothing going to change there either.

Hawks will win or lose with what they have.
- RickJ

Totally agree. Every team has overpaid and underpaid players if you are looking at pperfromance/stats versus their cap hit. We should look at the role they are playing and how well they are playing it. Seabs and Smith are playing their roles fairly well. Toews is underrated on this BOD. I would like to see him play with Kubalik on his RW.

Totally agree. Every team has overpaid and underpaid players if you are looking at pperfromance/stats versus their cap hit. We should look at the role they are playing and how well they are playing it. Seabs and Smith are playing their roles fairly well. Toews is underrated on this BOD. I would like to see him play with Kubalik on his RW.
- -Doh-

Underrated? He isn't getting the toughest matchups anymore and has 12 pts in 24 games. On pace for a nice 41 pt season. Lets blame it on his linemates though.....Kubalik has 9 points in 22 games. Not sure he is going to resurrect Toews season.

Is Toews a middle 6 center now? Because that is how he is playing. He doesn't have an impact most games, doesn't tilt the ice in the Hawks favor, and does not have the ability to take over a game anymore. Instead he is out there fumbling pucks, falling on his ass, and complaining to refs.

Happy Pre turkey day hawks fans. I didn't watch the last couple of games because the hawks just aren't as exciting and the reality is they are pretenders.

Kudos to Crawford for the shutout and Kane for extending his point streak.

I'm not sure this team and coaching staff have the chemistry , players or enough skill to go on a run and leap 5 teams to position themselves in at minimum a wild card spot.

Crawford seems to have found his groove , maybe it was the amount of time off that he looked shaky .

Lehner was Stans best off season signing and Stan should resign him .

Chicago's future in 3 to 4 years looks positive with Dach, Nylander , cat , strome .

So if they play to their better ability each night, the rotation of CC and RL continues to be successful, by game 80 you are in the playoffs, Do you continue rotating the goalies in the playoffs?

Underrated? He isn't getting the toughest matchups anymore and has 12 pts in 24 games. On pace for a nice 41 pt season. Lets blame it on his linemates though.....Kubalik has 9 points in 22 games. Not sure he is going to resurrect Toews season.

Is Toews a middle 6 center now? Because that is how he is playing. He doesn't have an impact most games, doesn't tilt the ice in the Hawks favor, and does not have the ability to take over a game anymore. Instead he is out there fumbling pucks, falling on his ass, and complaining to refs.
- bhawks2241

What do you suggest the Hawks do?

Underrated? He isn't getting the toughest matchups anymore and has 12 pts in 24 games. On pace for a nice 41 pt season. Lets blame it on his linemates though.....Kubalik has 9 points in 22 games. Not sure he is going to resurrect Toews season.

Is Toews a middle 6 center now? Because that is how he is playing. He doesn't have an impact most games, doesn't tilt the ice in the Hawks favor, and does not have the ability to take over a game anymore. Instead he is out there fumbling pucks, falling on his ass, and complaining to refs.
- bhawks2241

Fantastic and spot on analysis . I appreciate everything Toews did for this team but he has regressed and is no longer a impact player.
Imo hossa made toews a better player and you can correlate my argument with hossa being removed and toews decline looking at his numbers.

Even if Chicago wanted to trade toews and he waited his NMC any team that would be looking for a guy with his experience , etc you have a salary cap that has put a lot of teams at the ceiling and next year it isn't going to increase enough to absorb his cap hit.

I think it might have as you stated, bt this kid's game and success will be tied to stripping pucks using his size and fluidity and hands, so better we get him in against quality opponents and see him cope.

Even early on, I thought the entire team swarmed and was always close to most opponents in the middle and defensive zones, but got scored on.

I am not saying it is cyclic but the hard work of the system is paying off a bit.

Yeah, I think the Smith Ottawa put on waivers was a banged up one and he seems pretty much in terrific game shape now.

Lots like in their play as a team.
- wiz1901

I like this quote Wiz and agree. Dach fights for the puck and if he doesn't get it he will try and take it back. I noticed with him that he's pretty good at it. As opposed to Schmaltz, who let the opponent have the puck and then was adept at taking it away. Dach with his bambi legs now is a potential good playoff performer. Schmaltz might be smoother but in my opinion will never be an in your face good playoff performer. We'll see how that plays with Tocchett (sp?) if the dogs make the playoffs. I am glad Dach is here.

Didn’t Darryl Sutter rough up Tyler Arnason in a bar on a road trip when he was the Hawks coach?

Forget how it ended for both......
- mike7076

Bryan Sutter. In Tootsies bar in Nashville. With the candelabra.

Underrated? He isn't getting the toughest matchups anymore and has 12 pts in 24 games. On pace for a nice 41 pt season. Lets blame it on his linemates though.....Kubalik has 9 points in 22 games. Not sure he is going to resurrect Toews season.

Is Toews a middle 6 center now? Because that is how he is playing. He doesn't have an impact most games, doesn't tilt the ice in the Hawks favor, and does not have the ability to take over a game anymore. Instead he is out there fumbling pucks, falling on his ass, and complaining to refs.
- bhawks2241

If the only criteria you look at is points then Toews is definitely a middle 6 center. If you are saying he does not have an impact then you are only looking at the box score. Not everything shows up in the box score.

And linemates do matter. Kubalik has been playing with Kampf and a variety of wingers. IMO if he played regularly on the Toews line with Saad, Nylander or Caggiula his numbers and Toews number would both improve significantly.

Fantastic and spot on analysis . I appreciate everything Toews did for this team but he has regressed and is no longer a impact player.
Imo hossa made toews a better player and you can correlate my argument with hossa being removed and toews decline looking at his numbers.

Even if Chicago wanted to trade toews and he waited his NMC any team that would be looking for a guy with his experience , etc you have a salary cap that has put a lot of teams at the ceiling and next year it isn't going to increase enough to absorb his cap hit.
- Taylorst1

Your a nut. Toews best offensive year was last year and Hossa did not play last year.

Your a nut. Toews best offensive year was last year and Hossa did not play last year.
- -Doh-

One year doesn't make toews a superstar again. This is year 5 of his massive 8 year contract. Hossa made toews a better player , look at his numbers playing with hossa and without.

Also toews played with Kane most of last year , kane can make just about anyone look better than what their true value is hands down.

Their comes a point in any sport where the player who was once a impact player becomes a liability.

This notion that guys have to retire as a hawk is noble and great if the team was buildt to still be winning .

Keith , Seabrook and toews are no longer a impact player to help this team.

Their salaries and contracts are hurting this team from just moving on and rebuilding and restocking picks and young prospects for the next generation .

4 and 5 more years locked into the guys with no available salary to resign guys or go to free agency for a young free agent and a farm system that doesn't scream talent.

As long as the goaltending holds up and Kane stays healthy this is probably an 8 seed team. Maybe as high as six depending on how the loser points break.

One year doesn't make toews a superstar again. This is year 5 of his massive 8 year contract. Hossa made toews a better player , look at his numbers playing with hossa and without.

Also toews played with Kane most of last year , kane can make just about anyone look better than what their true value is hands down.

Their comes a point in any sport where the player who was once a impact player becomes a liability.

This notion that guys have to retire as a hawk is noble and great if the team was buildt to still be winning .

Keith , Seabrook and toews are no longer a impact player to help this team.

Their salaries and contracts are hurting this team from just moving on and rebuilding and restocking picks and young prospects for the next generation .

4 and 5 more years locked into the guys with no available salary to resign guys or go to free agency for a young free agent and a farm system that doesn't scream talent.
- Taylorst1

Keith is fine. As he's shown. At 5 million with a competent partner he can still contribute.

Seabrook bad.

Toews, meh. Is he really going to shoot 6.7% the whole year? Maybe but probably not.

Toews and Kane are only 3 years after this one. Keith only 3 years. Seabrook has 4 which is dumb but not the end of the world.

Quite a bit of young talent both in the minors and on the team now.

Keith is fine. As he's shown. At 5 million with a competent partner he can still contribute.

Seabrook bad.

Toews, meh. Is he really going to shoot 6.7% the whole year? Maybe but probably not.

Toews and Kane are only 3 years after this one. Keith only 3 years. Seabrook has 4 which is dumb but not the end of the world.

Quite a bit of young talent both in the minors and on the team now.
- fattybeef

Keith would be fine if he were a #4D. Problem is he’s the #1D on this roster and gets utilized that way. In that role he’s become detrimental. Not having a true top pairing defenseman is KILLING our Dcore as a whole. Hopefully Boqvist or Mitchell can one day become that guy.

As long as the goaltending holds up and Kane stays healthy this is probably an 8 seed team. Maybe as high as six depending on how the loser points break.
- fattybeef

We will find out in the next 4 games if this team can compete for a playoff spot or not. These are critical games for not only points but building confidence.

Take this for what it's worth, but over on the Montreal blog, a poster mentioned that Canadiens GM Bergevin was at the Hawks game last night.

Hmmm.
- boilermaker100

Good, as Gus played a decent game last night.

Toews for Caufiled hey darth?>
- SaskHawkFan

Well said, sir. The last few yrs the Hawks have not had 3 pairs that could skate an NHL shift but they do now. The additions of de Haan and Maatta give them that and in theory that will make a Keith better cuz he doesn't have to skate stupid minutes. And add slotting is more in line with the talent and you have an improved group.

Assuming a system is constructed around the talent that is given and not trying to jam a player into a slotting/system his skills can't conform to.
- Mr Ricochet[/quote
Now JC needs to stop playing Kane crazy minutes, okay do double shift last five minutes of game if down a goal, other than that roll four lines.

I don’t think he liked Leonard Cohen.
- StLBravesFan

He never wore a poppy.

What do you suggest the Hawks do?
- paulr

I think management the coaching staff need to sit down with Toews and figure out what style he wants to play and get him linemates that compliment his style and then he needs to stick with it. He still looks confused on the ice to me as if he is between styles of play. A winger that can open up space for him would be nice. Saad is supposed to do that but I have yet to see it since he was brought back.

I believe in the 15/16, Toews is on record saying he put on too much muscle and felt restricted/stiff while skating. He then decided to slim down and focus on speed and quickness.

I honestly think if he goes back to playing a heavier style and moving away from the speed game he will be just fine (if his body can handle it). I want to see him attack the net like he used to. That is the biggest thing (aside from his strength on his skates) that seems to be missing.

I know the league is transitioning into a fast paced game where guys can fly up and down the ice but there is also a ton of clutching and grabbing and teams trying to clog up the ice and slow things down. Guys like Giroux and Tavares are still really good players in this league even though both are average skaters.

If not then put Kane on his line and tell the two of them to figure it out. They are the faces of the franchise.


I still think he has a lot of good hockey let in him but he needs to figure it out. He's my favorite Hawks player and watching him struggles flat out sucks.

Keith is fine. As he's shown. At 5 million with a competent partner he can still contribute.

Seabrook bad.

Toews, meh. Is he really going to shoot 6.7% the whole year? Maybe but probably not.

Toews and Kane are only 3 years after this one. Keith only 3 years. Seabrook has 4 which is dumb but not the end of the world.

Quite a bit of young talent both in the minors and on the team now.
- fattybeef

Keith is still solid and he can bring it when he wants too. He is still the least of the Hawks problems. Just get him off the PP.

If the only criteria you look at is points then Toews is definitely a middle 6 center. If you are saying he does not have an impact then you are only looking at the box score. Not everything shows up in the box score.

And linemates do matter. Kubalik has been playing with Kampf and a variety of wingers. IMO if he played regularly on the Toews line with Saad, Nylander or Caggiula his numbers and Toews number would both improve significantly.
- -Doh-

I know what Toews brought outside of points in the past. He doesn't have the same impact on the defensive side of things anymore. I am not sure he would even make Team Canada if the NHL still sent guys to the Olympics.