No, missing Keith, the team’s best defenseman, won’t be a problem (sadly shakes head). With De Haan hurt, the best Blackhawk defender is now Seabrook.

And for you Q bashers, FLA is 3rd in the Atlantic, 1 point behind BUF, with 2 games in hand. And they’ve gotten the statistically worst goaltending in the NHL this season.

Last year FLA finished with 1 more point than the Hawks.

The difference? FLA added Q, the Hawks retained JC.

The 1st step in recovery is admitting your mistakes.

#FireColliton

New Blackhawk advertising tag line: We’re better than the Kings!

And it would be nice if Brookbank could teach Gus how to defend a 2 on 1. Take the guy without the puck, eliminating the cross ice pass & leaving the shooter to the goalie.

The teach that in Pee Wees.
- scottak

I thought he did a very nice Baryshnikov move on that goal....

But the marketing machine is still in full speed ahead mode..... Versteeg starring in the "One More Shift" act Sunday night.

And for you Q bashers, FLA is 3rd in the Atlantic, 1 point behind BUF, with 2 games in hand. And they’ve gotten the statistically worst goaltending in the NHL this season.

Last year FLA finished with 1 more point than the Hawks.

The difference? FLA added Q, the Hawks retained JC.

The 1st step in recovery is admitting your mistakes.

#FireColliton
- scottak

There are very few Q bashers on this site. I am a big Q fan but his time in Chicago was clearly over. He got stale, as most coaches do, and he became stubborn and refused to change up how the team played in their hay day. Florida has more talent and a younger team and Q can work better with that as he no longer has loyalty to players he had in Chicago. It's wait and see with Colliton. He really doesn't have a good team. A core that are no longer elite players. Younger guys who are good but not great. A very weak defense and a fan base who deluded themselves into believing the team was allot better than they are.

But the marketing machine is still in full speed ahead mode..... Versteeg starring in the "One More Shift" act Sunday night.
- boilermaker100

Still have to sell their product, no? Maybe now more than ever til some of the other recent picks graduate.

But the marketing machine is still in full speed ahead mode..... Versteeg starring in the "One More Shift" act Sunday night.
- boilermaker100

13% probability to make the playoffs.
Projected 85 points and 7th from the bottom in points.

DET projects to 59 points, no one is catching them.

13% probability to make the playoffs.
Projected 85 points and 7th from the bottom in points.

DET projects to 59 points, no one is catching them.
- scottak

Good. I'd rather have Byfield anyway. Yield for Byfield! (ok, maybe that needs some work)

There are very few Q bashers on this site. I am a big Q fan but his time in Chicago was clearly over. He got stale, as most coaches do, and he became stubborn and refused to change up how the team played in their hay day. Florida has more talent and a younger team and Q can work better with that as he no longer has loyalty to players he had in Chicago. It's wait and see with Colliton. He really doesn't have a good team. A core that are no longer elite players. Younger guys who are good but not great. A very weak defense and a fan base who deluded themselves into believing the team was allot better than they are.
- paulr

True, Q’s time here was done and there’s a chance Bowman isn’t around the next time the team is relevant. For obvious reasons and also for deviant ones would love to see some of Stanbo’s picks become cornerstones on a Cup team.

13% probability to make the playoffs.

- scottak[img]Projected 85 points and 7th from the bottom in points.

DET projects to 59 points, no one is catching them.[/img]

i have been projecting 83-87 since the season began...however don't count out the possibility that of a 70 pt type of season...

this team has no depth and they are getting wacked with injuries...hawks have avoided injury riddled years for the most part...

That is very true. During that last conversation with my ticket rep she commented about a lot of season ticket holders calling their reps and yelling. So ah yeah. (Not that it’s doing any good as far as I can tell.)
- Marlowe

Good to see you back on the board. Always value your opinion and insights. Still believe that Q had run his course here, too, but agree that Stan shouldn't have survived. The NMCs and loyalty, in particular, killed us.

Not sure what they could do right now, as I'd be hesitant to pull trigger unless there are two obvious candidates for GM and/or HC out there and available, but I hope they are listening.

The other challenges: 1) how to make Chicago a desirable destination again for the best players (assuming "want to win" is #1 consideration), and 2) how to fix what has been poor development and "sticking power" of the promising prospects that we've had. Maybe it's solely due to placement in draft, but then where are the Saads, Shaws, Keiths, Crows, etc. who were great finds at their position and developed into good-to-great players.

And for you Q bashers, FLA is 3rd in the Atlantic, 1 point behind BUF, with 2 games in hand. And they’ve gotten the statistically worst goaltending in the NHL this season.

Last year FLA finished with 1 more point than the Hawks.

The difference? FLA added Q, the Hawks retained JC.

The 1st step in recovery is admitting your mistakes.

#FireColliton
- scottak

Oh, if were that simple.

This group played like crap for Q, too.

Still have to sell their product, no? Maybe now more than ever til some of the other recent picks graduate.
- HawkintheD

Wrong. They should cancel all promotions now, and runs ads advising fans to stay away.

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.
- Marlowe

Agree with you on all fronts!! Yes bowman has done some good things but he is not the one build a team fill around the edges on a contender yes but rebuild a team no. For me if the hawks are clearly out of the playoff picture by the new year then its time for bowman to be let go. The only internal guy I would consider would be macvier otherwise hunter hextall fitzgerald. Question is mcego and rocky so blinded by their loyalty to the bowman that will give him one more chance the hawks turning into the sox with Williams and the bulls with Paxton and forman.

*NEW* blog up: http://bit.ly/35cly2T

Hawks stink in Las Vegas, de Haan injured and trade rumours.

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

Let the kids play

No, missing Keith, the team’s best defenseman, won’t be a problem (sadly shakes head). With De Haan hurt, the best Blackhawk defender is now Seabrook.
- scottak

Murphy and Maatta say hi

Well said. Second city wrote a article just recently discussing 4 possible candidates Chicago could look to as potential GM candidates.

We can debate if it was the the right move to fire hall of fame coach Joel quenville.

I think Stan should have been fired years ago just because he created this mess , from depleting his prospects, to bad contract signings , weak drafting , poor free agent signings and awful trades that where so unbalanced .

Coach Q deserved better and his record of accomplishments proved he could still win with a weak team.

JC is in way over his head and his post game interviews are just the same in terms of speech , if we play the right way we can win, who's job is it to implement systems and coach these players to achieve ,

Their is no magic wand to fix this team right away that is a process, but change is long overdue and welcomed.
- Taylorst1

To be fair to JC, he's now saying the same thing that Q did at virtually every presser, "play the right way." Didn't understand what that meant then and still don't. When JC was much more specific early on about the issues and his approach to fixing them, it came back to bite him with fans, players, and the media. Maybe he has decided that bland, non-committal statements is the way to go.

Wrong. They should cancel all promotions now, and runs ads advising fans to stay away.
- mohel

No worries, P.T. McDonough is on the case