With extremely disappointing times upon this organization, I'm interested in what the board thinks started this horrific decline :

A. 4 game sweep by Nashville in
April 2017 after winning the
Division.
B. The trade of Panarin for Saad
and others that followed that.
C. The Seabrook contract
D. The Bickell / TT trade to
Carolina
E. The Q firing/JC hiring.
F. The Crawford concussions

Wow. .....there's a few more that I could add to this but why bother.
For me.......one stands out but I'm curious what others think.
- Hawkytalk

How about the hiring of StanBo as GM. Bad decision after bad decision (talk about the domino effect!)

Blackhawks lines:
Saad-Toews-Nylander
DeBrincat-Strome-Kane
Wedin-Kampf-Kubalik
Carpenter-Dach-Smith

Olli Maatta is not practicing today. Fluish.

That third line is interesting. I haven't seen Wedin play yet, but I like Kampf and Kubalik together. I still don't like the second. Just my opinion.
- Chunk

I don't know what Wedin has done to deserve an extended look on the 3rd line. He is pretty meh. Skates fast but isn't in position often. Too small to make an impact physically. He was just bouncing off Blues players.

Sikura and Highmore both bring more than he does in terms of overall game.

What is an Entry Level Slide?
If a player who is signed to an entry-level contract and is 18 or 19 years of age (as of September 15 of the signing year), does not play in a minimum of 10 NHL games (including both regular season and playoffs; AHL games do not count), their contract is considered to ‘slide’, or extend, by one year. For example, if a player signed an ELC for three seasons from 2015-16 to 2017-2018, and their contract slides, their contract is now effective from 2016-17 to 2018-19. An exception to this rule is that if the player is 19 on September 15 of the first year of their contract, and turns 20 between September 16 and December 31, their contract does not slide.

Players who sign at 18 years old are eligible to have their contracted extended for 2 seasons. This extension does not apply if the player turns 20 between September 16 and December 31 in his signing year. Signing bonuses do not slide, and are paid to the player regardless of a slide, this causes the annual average of the players contract to change, and therefore the cap hit decreases for this player.

wow thats complicated.
- SaskHawkFan

AHL games don't count. 10 NHL games.

‘‘Twas the cap that killed the beast.

None of the bad things listed above happen without a hard cap - after 2010, when they wound up right up against the cap even after moving out Ladd, Versteeg, and Byfuglien (partly due to not mailing qualifying contract offers on time) with replacements no where near equal in talent.

Also after the Cup year of 2013 - which was also the year of the new CBA - which mandated reducing the cap from a proration of $70MM for 2013 to $64MM for 2013-14.

The only hard cap in North American sports.

Add in the cap not reaching the league’s projections since then....

Some bad decisions were made because of the cap, but I wonder what they’d look like the past 4 years with a more flexible spending limit.
- StLBravesFan

True, because I will take the Saad we have today over the Panarin we would not have. No way three $10m players on the team. Stan knew that and also needed to replace some of Hossa's defense which is why he made the trade.

Danault trade hurts the most. 18 minutes a night in all situations on pace for 60 points for Montreal.
- EnzoD

That would make him our #1 center..

That would make him our #1 center..
- rpeters01

2nd behind Kampf.

2nd behind Kampf.
- mohel

3rd behind Carpenter

3rd behind Carpenter
- PatShart

All of whom belong behind the immortal Zack Smith.

Which young players did Q run off - which young players have been moved out by Bowman - who have been important successes elsewhere?

Danault, yes - moved in a TDL deal that absolutely didn’t work out - but the deal was what TDL moves are - a prospect with potential and a pick for presumably immediate short-term help. Danault was 1+4=5 points in 30 games here that season in fourth-line minutes.

Teravainen was playing middle-six minutes before being used as a necessary sweetener in moving Bickell’s contract - he played 78 games for Q that last season, 15 minutes per game.

Wish both were still here, especially since the return for them wasn’t good - but it doesn’t seem that Q couldn’t handle them.

Leddy played 2nd-3rd pairing minutes here behind a loaded defense at the time - he had to be moved for cap reasons.

Schmaltz is playing well in the desert - but they got value back for him. Hartman playing 4th line minutes for his third team since playing for Q - with less production.

Which other players that Q mishandled are excelling elsewhere? I don’t see any all-stars - or top-line (except for TT) / top-pairing (maybe Leddy) skaters excelling for other teams whose careers took off after leaving Q.

Meanwhile - important young Cup-contributors developed their careers here under Q - Saad, Shaw, Hjalmarsson, Kruger, Crawford, add Bickell. You could even include Kane and Toews and Versteeg - who were both 20 and in their second NHL seasons when Q took over.

Yeah - what is wrong with you people.
- StLBravesFan

Was Q who used Sharp all over the ice.

Was Q who used Sharp all over the ice.
- rpeters01

And Shaw. And Saad. And Hammer.

OOOOOOOO YAAAAAAA
- 6628

It was Q who kept sending Montador out there to get into fights I'd like to understand how Carbomb Monty's buddy rationalizes that?

I don't know what Wedin has done to deserve an extended look on the 3rd line. He is pretty meh. Skates fast but isn't in position often. Too small to make an impact physically. He was just bouncing off Blues players.

Sikura and Highmore both bring more than he does in terms of overall game.
- bhawks2241

None of them are NHL players you can win with which is why we suck...

It was Q who kept sending Montador out there to get into fights I'd like to understand how Carbomb Monty's buddy rationalizes that?
- rpeters01

Yes...that's what Q does/did. Send Monty out for fights....while he had John Scott on the team

Q was very well known for having his teams goon it up

None of them are NHL players you can win with which is why we suck...
- rpeters01

I've seen this argument a number of times from a number of people. What constitutes, or is required to be considered an NHL player?

I don't know what Wedin has done to deserve an extended look on the 3rd line. He is pretty meh. Skates fast but isn't in position often. Too small to make an impact physically. He was just bouncing off Blues players.

Sikura and Highmore both bring more than he does in terms of overall game.
- bhawks2241

JC and Stan both seem to have a soft spot for Swedes

It was Q who kept sending Montador out there to get into fights I'd like to understand how Carbomb Monty's buddy rationalizes that?
- rpeters01

You could ask him on Twitter - he seems pretty responsive to people if they ask in a respectful way. He's acknowledged his own part in all of this and his own past as a not so great human.

I've seen this argument a number of times from a number of people. What constitutes, or is required to be considered an NHL player?
- Chunk

I'm obviously not a scout. What I've noticed in 60 years is that great players, aka winners are great young. Toews, Kane, Hossa, even Saad at a different level. Yes there are occasional exceptions like Sharp. Much more are the Mike Bossy type great young. Secondly, none of them have shown the ability to dominate in the minors and our minor league team has not won very much for a long time. I would not blame that on being raided by the big league team. Lastly, I don't see too many other boards getting excited about our farm system? After Boquist and Beaudoin, I don't see much down there to get excited about. Perhaps a goalie?

I'm obviously not a scout. What I've noticed in 60 years is that great players, aka winners are great young. Toews, Kane, Hossa, even Saad at a different level. Yes there are occasional exceptions like Sharp. Much more are the Mike Bossy type great young. Secondly, none of them have shown the ability to dominate in the minors and our minor league team has not won very much for a long time. I would not blame that on being raided by the big league team. Lastly, I don't see too many other boards getting excited about our farm system? After Boquist and Beaudoin, I don't see much down there to get excited about. Perhaps a goalie?
- rpeters01

Fair enough. My only follow up is that there is a different set of skills required for 4th line vs 1-2. What would dominating the minors look like for an "NHL level" 4th liner? Something like Entwhistle, Barrat, etc? Most of the high end guys end up playing in the NHL much earlier. ADB, Dach, etc. D-men I guess take a bit longer to develop into NHL level.

I'm not going to argue that we have more talent in the minors than we do (as I also am no scout), but there is also no chance that "all" of our guys in the minors are going to make it to the big club. I'd venture to guess that about 50% will be part of trades for more immediate upgrades.

Fair enough. My only follow up is that there is a different set of skills required for 4th line vs 1-2. What would dominating the minors look like for an "NHL level" 4th liner? Something like Entwhistle, Barrat, etc? Most of the high end guys end up playing in the NHL much earlier. ADB, Dach, etc. D-men I guess take a bit longer to develop into NHL level.

I'm not going to argue that we have more talent in the minors than we do (as I also am no scout), but there is also no chance that "all" of our guys in the minors are going to make it to the big club. I'd venture to guess that about 50% will be part of trades for more immediate upgrades.
- Chunk

I'm much more worried about replacing the top 6 than the bottom 6 but I suspect most of the bottom 6 in general are in the league by 23. Wasn't Leddy playing NHL at 20? Not exactly a first pairing Dman. It's kind of like baseball very few will actually make the major leagues.

This didn't look good

https://twitter.com/Mario.../1202277265956102146?s=20

JC says he should be fine, but...

Yep. Context does matter. Anyone watch NCIS? Gibbs used to slap the back of DiNozzo's head. Abuse? I say no.
- mohel

Why don't you walk up to one of your coworkers and slap them on the back of the head, then let me know what happens

Why don't you walk up to one of your coworkers and slap them on the back of the head, then let me know what happens
- StutzBlackhawk

If I walk up to someone at work and trip them from behind...do I sit in a penalty box for 2 min?

Hey Theo - Have you seen any comments from King about the D-men in Rockford and who he thinks is playing well, and/or what certain players need to improve?

Just trying to figure out why Gilbert was chosen. Thanks.
- Chunk

Chunk, nothing in particular from Derek King and the Hogs coaching staff which does include Brian Campbell who helps at practices and stands behind the bench during many (not all) games.

The only specific feedback I read and heard recently was in respect to Boqvist needing to work on his game and situational awareness of when to activate on offense and when to play more conservatively.

Even when he is in a defensive position on the ice such as in the slot or low circles, Boqvist is so fixated on tracking the puck that he forgets about who he needs to cover. So many times does the other team get behind him for easy scoring chances in close.

A lot in prospects and picks for a guy who is already 28 y.o. and will probably want 8 years x $80mm to stay long term which means they will have to move out more bodies to fit him in salary-wise.

We'll then lament the contract in 2-3 years when his production begins to decline.
- Rota's Rooter

Hall is injury prone yes he is a good player and was mvp but is he better than stone McKinnon but 10 million a year pass. Someone will overpay.

Why don't you walk up to one of your coworkers and slap them on the back of the head, then let me know what happens
- StutzBlackhawk

Errr, that was TV...