You can make plenty of excuses for Bowmans drafting, trades and contracts that IMO has sunk this team to the bottom of the league. Not sure how anyone can defend the hiring of Jeremy Colliton. This team doesn’t defend, doesn’t score on the Powerplay, and if they don’t get Vezina caliber goaltending every night they get run out of the barn.


Jeremy Colliton is in WAY over his head and Rocky should clean house sooner rather than later. The organization needs to hit the Reset button.

Just going to leave this here....

https://www.draftsite.com/nhl/mock-draft/2020/

Schmaltz is far better defensively than Strome. Also, a poop ton faster. They produce about the same but Schmaltz is better overall.

Especially on a team that needs more speed.
- Elbows15

I'll give you faster, but Schmaltz is not much (if any) better defensively (individually) than Strome. I've seen plenty of yotes games this year and Schmaltz is the same guy he was here. He just has more confidence offensively and better awareness with where to go with the puck. AZ plays a bit of that "swarming" defense game which covers up a decent amount of individual flaws as long as everyone is on it.

Schmaltz was a decent back-checker when he was here, and still is, but positionally in his own zone, he is still a disaster, and he still gets knocked off the puck, out of the corners quite easily.

Just going to leave this here....

https://www.draftsite.com/nhl/mock-draft/2020/
- DarthKane

Typical. He always has the Hawks taking a goalie in the 1st 3 rounds.

I doubt Kane ever asks for a trade, this team has been too good to him. Kane will be a Blackhawk for his entire career.
- DarthKane

I've thought that forever, too, but now I'm wondering given his demeanor (let's face it, he does not have a poker face) and things like him skipping optional practices on the regular. He's always been the definition of a rink rat and rarely skips opportunity to be on the ice. I hope you're right, but...

I'll give you faster, but Schmaltz is not much (if any) better defensively (individually) than Strome. I've seen plenty of yotes games this year and Schmaltz is the same guy he was here. He just has more confidence offensively and better awareness with where to go with the puck. AZ plays a bit of that "swarming" defense game which covers up a decent amount of individual flaws as long as everyone is on it.

Schmaltz was a decent back-checker when he was here, and still is, but positionally in his own zone, he is still a disaster, and he still gets knocked off the puck, out of the corners quite easily.
- Chunk

Strome rarely has the puck to get knocked off of it. Schmaltz' speed alone makes him better defensively.

You can make plenty of excuses for Bowmans drafting, trades and contracts that IMO has sunk this team to the bottom of the league. Not sure how anyone can defend the hiring of Jeremy Colliton. This team doesn’t defend, doesn’t score on the Powerplay, and if they don’t get Vezina caliber goaltending every night they get run out of the barn.


Jeremy Colliton is in WAY over his head and Rocky should clean house sooner rather than later. The organization needs to hit the Reset button.
- EnzoD

It's one thing to say "clean house". It is another thing entirely to actually do it. You have to identify a new GM, scouting dept, coach, asst coaches. Not to mention, the highest salaries on this team have most of the say on if and where they go.

I've soured on JC quite a bit this year. We keep hearing "if we play the right way/our game" we have a chance to win every night. If that is truly the case, why don't we see that most nights instead of just sporadically. At the same time, it looks like a lot of the vets are either PO'd, confused, or (even worse) apathetic. I've harped on it all night. Kane with ADB and Strome is not a good hockey line. I'm happy they all like to talk hockey together and trained together, but that line spends so much time floating/drifting/waiting for plays to develop and more often than not they get railroaded, and turn the puck over.

Again, watch this year as a developmental year. You will save an ulcer.

Mark Lazerus
@MarkLazerus
Calvin de Haan (right shoulder) will fly back to Chicago. "It's not good," Jeremy Colliton said.

It's one thing to say "clean house". It is another thing entirely to actually do it. You have to identify a new GM, scouting dept, coach, asst coaches. Not to mention, the highest salaries on this team have most of the say on if and where they go.

I've soured on JC quite a bit this year. We keep hearing "if we play the right way/our game" we have a chance to win every night. If that is truly the case, why don't we see that most nights instead of just sporadically. At the same time, it looks like a lot of the vets are either PO'd, confused, or (even worse) apathetic. I've harped on it all night. Kane with ADB and Strome is not a good hockey line. I'm happy they all like to talk hockey together and trained together, but that line spends so much time floating/drifting/waiting for plays to develop and more often than not they get railroaded, and turn the puck over.

Again, watch this year as a developmental year. You will save an ulcer.
- Chunk

Apathy is an extremely apt description for 90% of the roster most nights.

Just going to leave this here....

https://www.draftsite.com/nhl/mock-draft/2020/
- DarthKane

#fadeawayforLafrenière

Strome rarely has the puck to get knocked off of it. Schmaltz' speed alone makes him better defensively.
- Elbows15

Maybe slightly. It's not like that's a high bar to clear. I'm just saying that Schmaltz is still the same guy that gave people fits here. Neither are great centers. Personally, I think Strome without ADB or Kane is just a young version of AA. I think he is decent positionally, but not strong enough (or maybe it's aggressive enough) to make a huge difference. You look at the really good centers in the league, and they attack the net. Strome attacks the boards (same with his linemates).

#fadeawayforLafrenière
- Dieselhead

This guy with Dach would be fun to watch.

https://youtu.be/sSxPbEhl0kY

Mark Lazerus
@MarkLazerus
Calvin de Haan (right shoulder) will fly back to Chicago. "It's not good," Jeremy Colliton said.
- DarthKane

Great, so the new minute king is now out for a while. It's going to get gross before getting better folks.

#fadeawayforLafrenière
- Dieselhead

The Hawks will need to lottery luck again to land Lafreniere. The Red Wings are even worse than the Blackhawks and will likely finish 31st.

This guy with Dach would be fun to watch.

https://youtu.be/sSxPbEhl0kY
- EnzoD

Do you know who would be fun to watch with Dach...

Apathy is an extremely apt description for 90% of the roster most nights.
- EnzoD

I actually really like the top line of Saad-Toews-Kubalik. Overall, they play a very direct game that holds up over the course of a year. The problem is that there is almost no one left (maybe Dach, but he is still figuring things out) that can drive possession on any of the lines.

Nylander - turnover machine and has become very indecisive
Smith - is Smith
Carpenter - good 4th line center, but is lost setting anything up offensively
Kampf - See Carpenter
Dach - still very young.
Shaw - we'll see if he has anything more when he comes back, but I wasn't in love with his game.
Caggiula - love the energy, and he might have a chance playing with two skilled guys, but he always looks surprised if the puck comes to him.
I won't even mention the AHL guys. They are what they are at this point.

Mark Lazerus
@MarkLazerus

Connor Murphy: "It’s just unbelievable what our goalies have had to deal with all year with some of these games. We hang them out to dry. It’s nice to see (Crawford's emotion) because it’s a wakeup call for us players to play better in front of them."

ETA:
"I don’t know if it just has to do with us giving up too many Grade-A chances & being irresponsible. There’s a lot of different things you can look at. But yeah, just us not playing the right brand on the road."

"He deserves to be frustrated. It’s not fair what we give up against him. It’s not just chances, it’s breakaways, 2 [and] 3-on-1s.



=======

We hear this same sentiment after every one-sided loss from many of the top guys, so 1) why the hell do you need a wakeup call at this point and 2) if you know you are hanging them out to dry, what are you going to do differently to stop doing that?

Do you know who would be fun to watch with Dach...


- DarthKane

Gus & Strome for Danault & Caufield

Gus & Strome for Danault & Caufield
- EnzoD

Do it!

Schmaltz is far better defensively than Strome. Also, a poop ton faster. They produce about the same but Schmaltz is better overall.

Especially on a team that needs more speed.
- Elbows15

The amount of speed/skill at all positions that’s been traded away by Bowman in recent seasons is inconceivable.

Gus & Strome for Danault & Caufield
- EnzoD

Losing season ticket holders will be the only motivator for this club to make serious change.
- DarthKane

Bulls attendance is down ti 19,700 per game (10th in league) - and percentage of capacity is below 90% (89.6% - 23rd).

Hawks are still on top at 21,300 and 108%.

Rocky only needs to look at his partner to see what can happen.

You can make plenty of excuses for Bowmans drafting, trades and contracts that IMO has sunk this team to the bottom of the league. Not sure how anyone can defend the hiring of Jeremy Colliton. This team doesn’t defend, doesn’t score on the Powerplay, and if they don’t get Vezina caliber goaltending every night they get run out of the barn.


Jeremy Colliton is in WAY over his head and Rocky should clean house sooner rather than later. The organization needs to hit the Reset button.
- EnzoD

100% on all points - imagine this mess without Crawford & Lehner !!

100% on all points - imagine this mess without Crawford & Lehner !!
- Colbyboy

Just a hypothetical. Suppose the Hawks part ways with McDonough, Bowman, JC, etc., how does the new GM move Seabs' and Toews deals without retaining part of the Cap hit or in Seabs' case taking on another bad deal?

Not saying Bowman can't be let go at some point, but just because you bring in a fresh set of eyes with no loyalty to the current group, doesn't make some of those contracts any more desirable.

Yes with the benefit of hindsight we can all recognize that the Hawks shouldn't have shown any loyalty to the Core and traded them off for up and coming prospects. Everyone knew Seabs' deal was foul when it was signed and the Captain's was likely a tad rich but anyone on here who claims that they foresaw the collective drop-off in play among the Core starting in 2016 or 2017 is definitely employing the power of hindsight.

I think the plan as has been stated here before is to transition youth in while the Core ages and takes on a lesser role.

If the team is near the bottom at the TDL I think it will be interesting to see if Stan designates certain players as trade chips to keep bolstering the farm. For me, the only current NHL players I would designate as potential future Core players would be Dach and Boqvist. After that, everyone else is a trade chip.

I think if they are in their current position at the TDL and Stan hangs onto everyone, maybe I'll grab a nose plug and throw in with the lynch mob who has been trying to kick him to the curb since 2012.

I think we all know where this team is currently. We don’t have a way back machine to undo all of the mistakes that have gotten us here. How does this mess get fixed?

I told my ticket rep when Q got fired, they fired the wrong guy. Still believe that. Because that roster as constructed was a total loser. Just had a conversation with my new ticket rep and told her they need a builder at GM, not a tinkerer. Because this roster as constructed is still not a winner.

So I want a new architect at the GM position. Question for me is who, when?

When? Before the trade deadline or immediately following the end of game 82 at the latest (with Bowman cut off from any trades). The hockey equivalent of the physician’s oath - first do no (more) harm.

Who? This one is trickier. Mark Hunter? Chris Chelios? McIssac? For me I want someone new to the org who will give everything a fresh eye and critical review. I want someone with scouting expertise.