“It was maybe something that kind of seeped into the team the last couple of years, that losing mentality,” Kane said Thursday. “You’re kind of just hoping to win instead of going out and making it happen.”
- pdx2ord

Losing used to piss off the vets. Now, not so much. Maybe they just can't do anything about it anymore.

WTF!!! How can you possibly blame Bettman for hockey trades the two teams made???
- paulr

Bettman forces the trades. He's a puppet master, pulling all the strings. Everything in the league is choreographed. How do you not see it?

It's hard to take guys like him, Steve, LNL et all seriously. They actually female doged louder and more often when the team was winning if that can be believed.
- paulr

I get it to a point...not the part about female doging through three Cups. By the time some came around to realizing the Hawks were a great team the window was shut and they'd pissed and moaned through the best part of it.

The team isn't good right now and it can be tough to watch at times. If Stanbow or JC or whoever gets punted to the curb and a new group comes in or he has a plan to make them better and Rocky's on board????...either way, I don't care, whatever works.

But to female dog about paying for season tickets??? Excuse me. Here's a thought, don't buy them. Nobody is putting a gun to your head. Don't like the on ice product and it churns your stomach to watch a bunch of guys skate aimlessly around on the ice? As a consumer you can choose/not choose to fork over your cash to go see them.

Can't watch the bad times, can't actually enjoy the good times...why the (frank) buy them in the first place???

WTF!!! How can you possibly blame Bettman for hockey trades the two teams made???
- paulr

I'm blaming Bettman for keeping the Arizona franchise on life support all these years. You do realize there was a time ALL the nhl franchises were keeping that franchise alive? All for a TV contract he will still screw up!!

I don’t think Tom Ricketts will stand Pat, he seems to be a more hands-on owner. I think Epstein is gone if he Doesn’t get it straightened out fast.
Rocky?????? Fill in the blanks. With the foundation this team had they would’ve won three Stanley cups with Peter owning in the team. He would have put all the games on TV and did a lot of the other stuff minus hiring the public relations know nothing about hockey genius. I have to say that Peter probably would fired Stan Bowman by now, and definitely would not have fired Joel Quennville. Or better yet would’ve never hired Stan Bowman to be the general manager. Dale would probably still be the GM.
- wonthecup10

From everything I've read (I know, don't believe everything you read), Peter would have stayed the course like the old man did. It was pretty much speculated at the time that he was going to take the reins and it would be business as usual.

And good lord are we really still pining for (frank)ing Uncle Dale??? Let it go man. I credit him for picking some guys but like any GM he BADLY missed on some of his high first round picks. Remember when he signed a bunch of slow as molasses (frank)s and the league got faster. I know Stan has two goalies sucking up $11M but they aren't signed for 3 mores years like when Dale was GM.

I saw you give credit to Mike Smith for selecting Keith and Seabs. I do too, but I'm curious how much you liked all his Russian first round misses? Alpo as GM?

Bunch of revisionist history bullpoop.

Whoever said that theBlackhawks didn’t miss Duncan Keith, you can go stand in the corner.

This is what it looks like when you lose a HOF defenseman, and guys like Gus & KK, plus rookies, have to skate major minutes.

Only 7 points out of the 2nd WC, with 2 games in hand.

I’m sure Colliton can get them there. Lulling the rest of the Conference into a false sense of security, the rocketing up the standings in the 2nd half of the season.

#CollitonIsGod

I'm blaming Bettman for keeping the Arizona franchise on life support all these years. You do realize there was a time ALL the nhl franchises were keeping that franchise alive? All for a TV contract he will still screw up!!
- powerenforcer

While it is very important to the league, let's put the TV contract aside for a moment. Do you not see the larger picture of the Arizona franchise staying wher it is? Young boys in non traditional markets now look at hockey as a viable sport to play. Do you think Austen Matthews would be playing hockey now if there were no team in Arizona? He'd probably have grown up playing baseball, football or basketball. Now what do you think happens in 20 years? Grassroots hockey attaracts players and fans. Kids grow up watching the game they continue to love it as adults then they hopefully purchase tickets and support the team. That's called growing the game and Bettman has done an amazing job of it.

And look at it another way. International hockey. With more of the United States' best athletes playing the game what do you think that does for U.S hockey? Do you think I as a Canadian want to see the U.S team have a bigger and bigger selection of it's best athletes opting for Hockey?

Whoever said that theBlackhawks didn’t miss Duncan Keith, you can go stand in the corner.

This is what it looks like when you lose a HOF defenseman, and guys like Gus & KK, plus rookies, have to skate major minutes.
- scottak

Elbows.

While it is very important to the league, let's put the TV contract aside for a moment. Do you not see the larger picture of the Arizona franchise staying wher it is? Young boys in non traditional markets now look at hockey as a viable sport to play. Do you think Austen Matthews would be playing hockey now if there were no team in Arizona? He'd probably have grown up playing baseball, football or basketball. Now what do you think happens in 20 years? Grassroots hockey attaracts players and fans. Kids grow up watching the game they continue to love it as adults then they hopefully purchase tickets and support the team. That's called growing the game and Bettman has done an amazing job of it.

And look at it another way. International hockey. With more of the United States' best athletes playing the game what do you think that does for U.S hockey? Do you think I as a Canadian want to see the U.S team have a bigger and bigger selection of it's best athletes opting for Hockey?
- paulr

No.

Only 7 points out of the 2nd WC, with 2 games in hand.

I’m sure Colliton can get them there. Lulling the rest of the Conference into a false sense of security, the rocketing up the standings in the 2nd half of the season.

#CollitonIsGod
- scottak

Kind of a stretch from people saying "Give him a chance", or "I'll give him 20 games". Even the biggest of Kool Aid drinkers (someone mentioned pomegranate yesterday-yum) have never deified him.

I'm sure I've missed a post or a thousand here but never read that.

*NEW* bog up: http://bit.ly/34gSCWd

"What if" the Blackhawks flame out?

--

Or have they already?

I tried not to make this too much of a "sky is falling" piece but realistically, things aren't good in Chicago right now.

While it is very important to the league, let's put the TV contract aside for a moment. Do you not see the larger picture of the Arizona franchise staying wher it is? Young boys in non traditional markets now look at hockey as a viable sport to play. Do you think Austen Matthews would be playing hockey now if there were no team in Arizona? He'd probably have grown up playing baseball, football or basketball. Now what do you think happens in 20 years? Grassroots hockey attaracts players and fans. Kids grow up watching the game they continue to love it as adults then they hopefully purchase tickets and support the team. That's called growing the game and Bettman has done an amazing job of it.

And look at it another way. International hockey. With more of the United States' best athletes playing the game what do you think that does for U.S hockey? Do you think I as a Canadian want to see the U.S team have a bigger and bigger selection of it's best athletes opting for Hockey?
- paulr

That still does not make it right to have that franchise drain the league for decades before it becomes successful. If a company has a division that is draining money, how long should it keep it? And in real terms, Austin Mathews is no better than Nail Yakupov - has not led his team to the Stanley Cup.

Lehner, after last nite’s loss (quoted from The Athletic):

It’s frustrating losing, especially in this manner,” said goaltender Robin Lehner, who’s given up 16 goals in his past four starts. “We’re making it difficult for ourselves. We’re giving up way too much. … I mean, there’s odd-man rushes — how many is it per period? Can’t keep track. It’s breakaways, two-on-ones, three-on-ones, three-on-two. The three-on-twos are awfully common right now. If we’re going to turn this around, we need to be on the right side of the puck and defend together and give ourselves a chance. Because we’re an offensively talented team, but we’ve got to protect our zone first.”

Threw everyone under the bus there (deservedly) - except himself.

He was pretty bad, too....

From everything I've read (I know, don't believe everything you read), Peter would have stayed the course like the old man did. It was pretty much speculated at the time that he was going to take the reins and it would be business as usual.

And good lord are we really still pining for (frank)ing Uncle Dale??? Let it go man. I credit him for picking some guys but like any GM he BADLY missed on some of his high first round picks. Remember when he signed a bunch of slow as molasses (frank)s and the league got faster. I know Stan has two goalies sucking up $11M but they aren't signed for 3 mores years like when Dale was GM.

I saw you give credit to Mike Smith for selecting Keith and Seabs. I do too, but I'm curious how much you liked all his Russian first round misses? Alpo as GM?

Bunch of revisionist history bullpoop.
- HawkintheD

No. Uncle Dale felt it was the right thing to do to sign a 31 y.o Sergei Bobrovsky to a 7 year, $10 million per year contract with a full NMC his 1st 5 years.

since crows whitewash of the stars 3-0 over 2 weeks ago...wow have things gone south...

My son and I were at the game, the UC was buzzing, they played a very good all around game (a rarity this year) and took 3 of 4 points vs the hottest team in the league and allowing only 1 goal in 6 periods. You begin to think maybe just maybe this team can get it going. And then came the aves/blues blitz coughing up 16 goals in 3 games.

Since then the hawks have allowed the following regulation goals: 7 5 4 3 1 3 5 5 = 33 goals in 8 games = 4 plus/game. And most of those games they continued to get stellar netminding. They have scored 2 3 0 3 2 3 1 2 = 16 goals = 2g/game and half those goals came after the game was decided. Record: 2-5-1 no regulation wins.

amazing how things turn in this league or as Q would say: things change quickly in our business...

after the stars games the crow/lehner were a top 4 goalie tandem despite facing the highest number of high danger chances and sog against. Expecting that type of netminding to continue was delusional given the play in front of them. And boy has reality hit. Now games coming up vs blues, aves 2x, and jets...well merry christmas

While it is very important to the league, let's put the TV contract aside for a moment. Do you not see the larger picture of the Arizona franchise staying wher it is? Young boys in non traditional markets now look at hockey as a viable sport to play. Do you think Austen Matthews would be playing hockey now if there were no team in Arizona? He'd probably have grown up playing baseball, football or basketball. Now what do you think happens in 20 years? Grassroots hockey attaracts players and fans. Kids grow up watching the game they continue to love it as adults then they hopefully purchase tickets and support the team. That's called growing the game and Bettman has done an amazing job of it.

And look at it another way. International hockey. With more of the United States' best athletes playing the game what do you think that does for U.S hockey? Do you think I as a Canadian want to see the U.S team have a bigger and bigger selection of it's best athletes opting for Hockey?
- paulr

Investing in youth hockey in your own market is the single best way (outside of winning) to grow your fan base.

Big part of why the Hurricanes ticket sales didn't last. Yeah, they were losing, but the old owner didn't want to invest much in local rinks or developing new youth programs.

It all takes time. It's going to take more than 20 years to grow a strong market when you land in a spot where nobody played the game to begin with.

Lehner, after last nite’s loss (quoted from The Athletic):

It’s frustrating losing, especially in this manner,” said goaltender Robin Lehner, who’s given up 16 goals in his past four starts. “We’re making it difficult for ourselves. We’re giving up way too much. … I mean, there’s odd-man rushes — how many is it per period? Can’t keep track. It’s breakaways, two-on-ones, three-on-ones, three-on-two. The three-on-twos are awfully common right now. If we’re going to turn this around, we need to be on the right side of the puck and defend together and give ourselves a chance. Because we’re an offensively talented team, but we’ve got to protect our zone first.”

Threw everyone under the bus there (deservedly) - except himself.

He was pretty bad, too....
- StLBravesFan

That seems to be the trend lately , as good as he’s been, I’d trade him at TDL, tired of him blaming everybody but himself. Not saying the other guys don’t deserve the challenge, but look at yourself in the mirror as well.

That seems to be the trend lately , as good as he’s been, I’d trade him at TDL, tired of him blaming everybody but himself. Not saying the other guys don’t deserve the challenge, but look at yourself in the mirror as well.
- Angotti

Someone has to call out. Seems everyone else including the core are just going thru the motions. Ditch the aging core already and reload. Kane is the only one of the big 5 I’d keep.

Losing used to piss off the vets. Now, not so much. Maybe they just can't do anything about it anymore.
- mohel

I’ve often thought over tge past couple seasons that the core guys are just protecting their legacies. They were warriors way back but they were also beaten up and lots of mileage on those bodies. Can’t hang onto these guys anymore or we’ll end up like the Red Wings after their long run. In fact, we’re already there and need to blow it up asap. Let the kids play, see what you have, trade for prospects at the deadline, and fill holes in the offseason.