Well Mo, you'd have to admit, Stan has continued to operate like the smug, arrogant chip-eating GM who is not worried about his job security in the least.

I cannot wait for this board to IMPLODE when McDonut announces that "Stan has led this team to 3 CUPS, the team of the decade, and as a reward for our faith in him, we've re-signed him to a new 7 year contract. The stability it brings this org-an-I-zation is critical to our ongoing success as one of the best NHL clubs and destination markets for players."

Ready to throw up?
- savvyone-1

Not at all. I'm okay with Stan staying.

Exactly. I'm sure Colorado had similar thoughts. At the end of the day, Colorado and Carolina chose not to outbid Vegas. Some want to blame Stan for that, which seems highly illogical....
- mohel

HA! Kool Aid drinker it’s obviously Stan’s fault. We all know Uncle Dale would have found a way to make Colorado and Carolina outbid Vegas!

From today’s ‘The Athletic’ trade deadline review. Note the bolded.

Chicago Blackhawks: C

Goalies are tough to trade on the last day of the deadline. That GM Stan Bowman found a taker for Robin Lehner and got a second-round pick was a positive. But the return for Erik Gustafsson was a little light (a 2020 third-round pick) for a 27-year-old defenseman coming off a 60-point season. But the market is what the market is.

“Nobody wants to give up assets for a guy who can’t play defense,” said an NHL source.

The deal with Vegas for Lehner was probably the only one on the board, so the Knights insisted on Subban going back. No big deal, he'll play 5-6 games the remainder of the year (if Crawford stays healthy) and probably will not be QO'd this summer. Like you said the Hawks have a few goalie prospects and Subban is taking up a 50 man roster space.
- boilermaker100

Agreed. Stan waited too long by the looks of other deals. Was really hoping for a 1st for Lehner. Krebs for Lehner was never going to happen especially since they weren’t desperate to obtain a goalie anyway. Gus fetching a 3rd was probably about right considering he turned back into a pumpkin this season.

Agreed. Stan waited too long by the looks of other deals. Was really hoping for a 1st for Lehner. Krebs for Lehner was never going to happen especially since they weren’t desperate to obtain a goalie anyway. Gus fetching a 3rd was probably about right considering he turned back into a pumpkin this season.
- Assman22

Or nobody wanted the vaunted Gus or a rental goalie.

Could that be why they were the last chosen?

Naaaaah.......

So in years past when Detroit was the team we measured ourselves and seemed to chase to be as good if not better. Well that happened back in 13 and to be honest was my favorite Hawks team to win the Cup because we beat Detroit and advanced to play Boston talk about two bird's (team's) that I hate because of original 6 rivalry with one stone.Now we are chasing Detroit again to be the worst of the worst talk about how the mighty have fallen.

stans' number # 1 goalie next year...you heard it hear first..HOLTBY..
- bogiedoc

Oh god I hope not, he's been garbage.

If CC is the starter I'd still prefer a young netminder to play backup and be eased into the starter role when #50 retires. If Stan goes the veteran route for a backup I'd go with Greiss or Khudobin.

Markstrom will be a good signing for whichever team gets him. He's not as good as Lehner but he's probably the next best UFA goalie. Markstrom has a history of injuries which is a bit concerning.

The time has come for Rocky Wirtz to step in at the end of the season and launch McDonut and Bowman. It truly apparent McDonut and company can not move this team forward. I feel like this team is going to be a bottom feeder for the next decade.
- mmurray892

McDonough was a major / an important reason (along with others) that Rocky is in charge of a franchise worth more than $1Billion. He ain't goin' nowhere.

Also - the extent of his meddling in hockey affairs has net yet been definitively shown. The state of the on-ice product is all on Stan, as far as I'm concerned.

My goaltender wish list.

1. CC resigned for a couple of years @ $3 M (ish)

2. Go get Spencer Knight from FLA. with Bob sign for large dollars and long term, with an untradeable contract, Spencer has no path to NHL #1 with FLA

3. If #2 proves unworkable this summer, sign FA Jacob Markstrom from VAN. The Canucks have younger goalies on the way, and Markstrom is likely cheaper than either Holtby or Lehner.

20-21 CC backed by Subban or one of the Ice Hogs
21-22 CC backed by Knight
22-23 Knight backed by CC on an additional 1 year deal

Or

20-21 CC & Markstrom 1a & 1b
21-22 Markstrom backed by CC
22-23 Markstrom backed by ??
- scottak

Got to think ahead to the expansion draft. If Crawford is extended he cannot be given a NTC. If your 2nd 21-22 scenario is the case, you have to expose Markstrom if CC has a NTC. Then you likely lose him and have to start from scratch with the goalies the following year.

Edit the 2nd 20-21 scenario involving Markstrom and CC.

From today’s ‘The Athletic’ trade deadline review. Note the bolded.

Chicago Blackhawks: C

Goalies are tough to trade on the last day of the deadline. That GM Stan Bowman found a taker for Robin Lehner and got a second-round pick was a positive. But the return for Erik Gustafsson was a little light (a 2020 third-round pick) for a 27-year-old defenseman coming off a 60-point season. But the market is what the market is.

“Nobody wants to give up assets for a guy who can’t play defense,” said an NHL source.
- scottak

yes there ya have it...the other teams know what you got...

HA! Kool Aid drinker it’s obviously Stan’s fault. We all know Uncle Dale would have found a way to make Colorado and Carolina outbid Vegas!
- paulr

I wonder how happy Q is with his boss today - his group is fighting for a playoff spot, and is not better today than it was yesterday.

I guess its not the worst value I have seen. maybe 65% to the other team 35% us in value. But in comparison Dale wiese and Timmo got more value individually then we got for both guys. basically the same value as Runblad and Jurco cost us at the trade deadline.

The bigger issue is how is this team going to be better next year? Teows Kane Keith and goaltending will all probably be worse.

Matta, SAAD, Murphy Keokee kubalik carpenter will be the same. (cumulatively as a group)

strome and Cat are probably 1/2 way between this year and last so a small bump up. Strome is to slow to be a real difference maker and CAT is not good at any other aspect other then shooting so he is not really a difference maker either.

Dach and boquist nylander could get better

Mitchell in reality is not going to better in year one then GUS. and unless we luck out in the draft pick 6-8 is not really a difference maker in year 1-2.

Shaw and Dehaan could both have more impact next year but more then likely those are LTIR cap hits for 2 more seasons.

with all of the above it looks like a net even. which means we are the 27tg-20th best team on paper again. tell me were I went wrong?

right now we are the 24th best team with no cap space. everything goes 5% better we are 18-20 everything goes 5% worse we are 26-28.

we clearly have no plan RED WINGS and LA OTT are bad but they have a plan on how to get better. in 2 years those teams will probably be better then us.
- kmw4631

Man. You really see the cup as 1/2 empty. Here is a cup 1/2 full version.
Toews, Kane, Keith, Crow could be very similar to this year which is still pretty good.
Defense could be Keith, Murphy, deHaan, Boqvist, Carlsson, Seabs, and Mitchell / K4. That would be the best we have had in a few years.
Kubalik can be a perennial 30 goal scorer, especially if they keep him on the 1st PP unit.
Dach could be trending up and could be a decent 2nd C.
Strome is only 22 and could be a good 3C.
ADB could find his groove again and be a 30 goal scorer.
Caggiulla Carpenter, Highmore are good 4th line players (but could move up if needed for short periods of time).
If Shaw is healthy that would be significant and a bonus.
Nylander is 21. Jury is still out.
Backup goalie is unknown. I am hoping Lankinen is more Darling/Niemi than Forsberg.
The will have a top 10 pick in the draft (and maybe much better if they get lucky again in the lottery).

My view would have the Hawks moving Maatta at the draft for a 3rd round pick, Smith being moved or bought out, Kampf being moved or going back to Rockford, and Colliton being terminated.

I like the Hawks future much more than the Wings or the Kings.

From today’s ‘The Athletic’ trade deadline review. Note the bolded.

Chicago Blackhawks: C

Goalies are tough to trade on the last day of the deadline. That GM Stan Bowman found a taker for Robin Lehner and got a second-round pick was a positive. But the return for Erik Gustafsson was a little light (a 2020 third-round pick) for a 27-year-old defenseman coming off a 60-point season. But the market is what the market is.

“Nobody wants to give up assets for a guy who can’t play defense,” said an NHL source.
- scottak

Even ignoring the NHL source's comment, Gustafsson is NOT coming off of a 60 point season - he is coming off of a season projecting to 8+28=36 over 82 games.

I wonder how happy Q is with his boss today - his group is fighting for a playoff spot, and is not better today than it was yesterday.
- StLBravesFan

Q would be happier if Dale obtained Wiese for the stretch run.

I wonder how happy Q is with his boss today - his group is fighting for a playoff spot, and is not better today than it was yesterday.
- StLBravesFan

Q, the guy who is dressing 8 defenseman and playing 2 of them on the 4th line? I guess he doesn't know what he is doing either.

McDonough was a major / an important reason (along with others) that Rocky is in charge of a franchise worth more than $1Billion. He ain't goin' nowhere.

Also - the extent of his meddling in hockey affairs has net yet been definitively shown. The state of the on-ice product is all on Stan, as far as I'm concerned.
- StLBravesFan

Agree for the most part. One caveat is the extent they have tied his hands on speed and depth of the "gutting" process. Did they trade for de Haan and Olli to appear to be trying to make the playoffs, or because it would make them a better team at the end of the process?

Man. You really see the cup as 1/2 empty. Here is a cup 1/2 full version.
Toews, Kane, Keith, Crow could be very similar to this year which is still pretty good.
Defense could be Keith, Murphy, deHaan, Boqvist, Carlsson, Seabs, and Mitchell / K4. That would be the best we have had in a few years.
Kubalik can be a perennial 30 goal scorer, especially if they keep him on the 1st PP unit.
Dach could be trending up and could be a decent 2nd C.
Strome is only 22 and could be a good 3C.
ADB could find his groove again and be a 30 goal scorer.
Caggiulla Carpenter, Highmore are good 4th line players (but could move up if needed for short periods of time).
If Shaw is healthy that would be significant and a bonus.
Nylander is 21. Jury is still out.
Backup goalie is unknown. I am hoping Lankinen is more Darling/Niemi than Forsberg.
The will have a top 10 pick in the draft (and maybe much better if they get lucky again in the lottery).

My view would have the Hawks moving Maatta at the draft for a 3rd round pick, Smith being moved or bought out, Kampf being moved or going back to Rockford, and Colliton being terminated.

I like the Hawks future much more than the Wings or the Kings.
- -Doh-

I applaud your optimism but you have a lot of "if's" and "coulds" in your thoughts. Some will happen and some won't. Chances are next year at this time the Hawks will be in the same situation as they are now.

These two TDL moves in no way reflect Bowman’s competency, positively or negatively. While we go on about if Gus as worth a second instead of a third or Lehner was worth a first instead of a second the fact is the market dictated their worth not Bowman. Bowman’s competence and ultimately his job will be determined by the expectations and timeline of what the Chicago front office have set. If we set the beginning of the rebuild at 2018-19 then Bowman is in year three of the rebuild. You have to factor he has his hands somewhat tied to the core players contracts, and the fact that trying to keep the championship window open along with trying to navigate the cap has left the prospect cupboard bare. He’s made some mistakes to be sure, Seabrook’s brutal contract and some bad trades but he’s also made some very good moves.

Bowman’s job of managing the team to the 2013 and 2015 cups is getting him more slack than another GM may get but I’m sure he’s got some milestones he has to meet to maintain his GM position and getting into the playoffs, possibly by next year being one of those milestones. I expect if the Hawks don’t show a big improvement next season many here will get their wish, as he’ll be canned. But keep in mind a new GM may bring the team backwards before they can move forward and certainly won’t guarantee anything.

Bad GM
Average team
Adding an extra 2nd rounder will change absolutely nothing...same 500 team will be back next year.
Ho hum...

Agree for the most part. One caveat is the extent they have tied his hands on speed and depth of the "gutting" process. Did they trade for de Haan and Olli to appear to be trying to make the playoffs, or because it would make them a better team at the end of the process?
- mohel

My guess Olli and De Haan were brought in as veteran filler who perhaps could help secure a playoff spot. I don’t see either being part of, or linked to, the rebuild process

Agree for the most part. One caveat is the extent they have tied his hands on speed and depth of the "gutting" process. Did they trade for de Haan and Olli to appear to be trying to make the playoffs, or because it would make them a better team at the end of the process?
- mohel

Perhaps both - Maatta is only 25, deHaan is almost 29.

Certainly (I say with no inside knowledge) they traded for Maatta before knowing that deHaan would be available - I would guess that the Maatta acquisition wouldn't have happened had they known. Certainly (same disclaimer) the Shaw move was to make the playoffs.

I have no idea how much the officers above Stan either tied or forced his hand - but again certainly it would be very difficult to do a tear-down complete "gutting" rebuild with Kane, Toews, Keith, Seabrook, even Crawford with large legacy contracts that would be difficult to move even without the NMCs/NTCs - altho I would guess that Rocky / McDonough would need to be convinced that moving any of those fan favorites would be the right thing to do.

The time has come for Rocky Wirtz to step in at the end of the season and launch McDonut and Bowman. It truly apparent McDonut and company can not move this team forward. I feel like this team is going to be a bottom feeder for the next decade.
- mmurray892

Stan signed a two-year contract extension in June according to Jay Zawaski. He’s going no where.

Of all the coaching changes that have been made, the best one has been Rick Bowness in Dallas, who except for a short stint in Phoenix, hasn't coached in 20 years, and has the Stars playing like a team 20 years ago, stingy on defense,, nothing flashy, greasy goals.

Tampa made moves to get grittier, Boston has always been gritty. I am starting to believe that you have to have a bunch of Hans Brinke'sr in order to play today's game is way overstated. If you have a team that can play and think the game, you will be a good team.

I have said it before. The Hawks are bad because for the most part, the team is deficient between the ears, not in talent. Doesn't matter what the system is, when you make a stupid play out of the defensive zone and turn it over at your blue line time after time you are going to be a bad defensive team. If you station yourself on the wrong side of the puck in the defensive zone, you are going to be a bad defensive team.

That is what made the 4 horseman of Jammer, Oduya, Keith and Seabrook. It wasn't pure hockey skill (although they had it, it was the hockey smarts. Hossa was the smartest of them all, always in the right place, rarely made a mental error with the puck.

Dallas reminded me of this. You can argue the Hawks have more skill than Dallas, but Dallas has way smarter players than the Hawks.

That is why I would trade Saad. He makes the same mistakes that he made when he was a rookie. He doesn't have a Hossa to cover for them. I think Saad is a dumb hockey player with great skill, but you do not win with a Saad being anything more than a complementary piece.

ADB is turning into a Saad, but he is still young and hope he learns to make the CORRECT play instead of getting his cross ice passes picked off at his own blue line.

Man. You really see the cup as 1/2 empty. Here is a cup 1/2 full version.
Toews, Kane, Keith, Crow could be very similar to this year which is still pretty good.
Defense could be Keith, Murphy, deHaan, Boqvist, Carlsson, Seabs, and Mitchell / K4. That would be the best we have had in a few years.
Kubalik can be a perennial 30 goal scorer, especially if they keep him on the 1st PP unit.
Dach could be trending up and could be a decent 2nd C.
Strome is only 22 and could be a good 3C.
ADB could find his groove again and be a 30 goal scorer.
Caggiulla Carpenter, Highmore are good 4th line players (but could move up if needed for short periods of time).
If Shaw is healthy that would be significant and a bonus.
Nylander is 21. Jury is still out.
Backup goalie is unknown. I am hoping Lankinen is more Darling/Niemi than Forsberg.
The will have a top 10 pick in the draft (and maybe much better if they get lucky again in the lottery).

My view would have the Hawks moving Maatta at the draft for a 3rd round pick, Smith being moved or bought out, Kampf being moved or going back to Rockford, and Colliton being terminated.

I like the Hawks future much more than the Wings or the Kings.
- -Doh-

the problem is the sum of those parts does not play a very good team game across the board....need you frickn goalies to turn aside 35-40 shots a game to have a chance..

These two TDL moves in no way reflect Bowman’s competency, positively or negatively. While we go on about if Gus as worth a second instead of a third or Lehner was worth a first instead of a second the fact is the market dictated their worth not Bowman. Bowman’s competence and ultimately his job will be determined by the expectations and timeline of what the Chicago front office have set. If we set the beginning of the rebuild at 2018-19 then Bowman is in year three of the rebuild. You have to factor he has his hands somewhat tied to the core players contracts, and the fact that trying to keep the championship window open along with trying to navigate the cap has left the prospect cupboard bare. He’s made some mistakes to be sure, Seabrook’s brutal contract and some bad trades but he’s also made some very good moves.

Bowman’s job of managing the team to the 2013 and 2015 cups is getting him more slack than another GM may get but I’m sure he’s got some milestones he has to meet to maintain his GM position and getting into the playoffs, possibly by next year being one of those milestones. I expect if the Hawks don’t show a big improvement next season many here will get their wish, as he’ll be canned. But keep in mind a new GM may bring the team backwards before they can move forward and certainly won’t guarantee anything.
- paulr

(frank)ing A, Bubba. Well said.