Keith played like a 37 year old defense man with too many minutes played. NBCSN national showed him on the bench late in the third, looked like he was about to or was throwing up, and just looked gassed. First time ever that I have seen Keith show even a remote sense of being tired. I think the days of playing Keith 25+ minutes a game should be over. He played great in the Edmonton series, but I think the combination of the constant pounding he took from the Knights along with all the minutes he played in the 2 series really caught up with him.
- LAHawk

Totally agree with this. Keith played like 2010, 2013 and 2015 Keith in the EDM series and the first few games of the VGK series. He was on ice for all 4 goals scored last night and just seemed out of gas. He missed the stick check and I saw him fall over. Not to say he's not a good D still with flashes of his former greatness. Part of it was being paired with Boquist too at times who just didn't have the strength at his age to compete with the Knights.

Those are guys I've heard mentioned being there when the Hawks pick as well as Dawson Mercer and Rodion Amirov...so also wondering who Wiz thinks the Hawks should take.

Or could Stan package Nylander and Maata with our first to send to the Rangers for #1 overall. (not needed I hope but RF)
- HawkintheD

It would take a lot more than that for 1 overall

Through the 2 playoff series, the Blackhawks had 1 line that played well consistently, Toews - Saad - Kubalik. They were very good against the Oilers, and were the closest line to decent against the Golden Knights.

Why, in holy hell, would #FireColliton take Saad off that line, and replace him with an AHLer for the 2nd elimination game?

There's no fixing stupid. Collition is the Jim Boylen of the Blackhawks. He's in way over his head.
- scottak

Yep. Terrible decision. Quenneville couldn't field passes and was a step behind. Even if he wasn't being a liability, he couldn't contribute offensively which diminished the chances of success over the course of a game. Poor coaching on the call and continuing to play him throughout the game. At one point with like 2:45 seconds left I saw him out on the ice. Even Carpenter would have a better chance of contributing to tying the game at that point.

This is not a defense of Colliton per se, but let's all keep some perspective here:

1) The Hawks were the youngest team left in the PO's, with a 19 and 20 year old playing major parts.
2) Our best D-man is 37 year old (although I will say Murphy played very well against Vegas).
3) Your starting goalie was just coming off of COVID quarantine.
4) They were going up against what is considered the most complete team in the West if not the league.

I'll question some of JC's decisions until next season, but none of his choices would have gotten them past Vegas. NONE. They were easily the better team and they showed it.

There is a lot of work to be done to get this team back where they need to be. I'm anxious to see what guys like Mitchell, Suter, and to a lesser degree, Morrison and Kalnyuk can bring to the table. Let's hope for some more growth next year so that they can become a "proper" playoff team.
- Chunk

I am really excited to see Entwistle/Kurashev/Hagel some more as they get closer. I think those are some of the guys that could bolster our bottom 6. It wasn't the NHL, but I remember Entwistle being considered a very solid role player (swiss army knife) for his coach when playing for team Canada. I hope he can bring that style to the Hawks in the next year or two.

The guy who was playing in the playoffs in 2017 for the Hawks turned the puck over quite a bit and wasn't the same guy as 2015, so I'm not sure again how you're getting a top prospect in addition to Murphy in that trade...though you said "a guy that pans out" so maybe a throw in? How many of those guys pan out?

Like it or not but I think the Hawks went into rebuild/retool mode after those playoffs.

They traded an aging dman to get younger. I think it's worked out more than ok.

So agree to disagree.
- HawkintheD

There was actually a throw in with Murphy: Laurent Dauphin. At the time Dauphin was touted as a solid bottom 6 center, i.e. great on draws, 200-foot play, shadowing capability.

Dauphin hasn't hit that potential but could end up being a decent 4th liner/13th forward.

Hawks traded him back to the Coyotes in the Panik for Duclair deal. Dauphin is now with the Habs.

I am really excited to see Entwistle/Kurashev/Hagel some more as they get closer. I think those are some of the guys that could bolster our bottom 6. It wasn't the NHL, but I remember Entwistle being considered a very solid role player (swiss army knife) for his coach when playing for team Canada. I hope he can bring that style to the Hawks in the next year or two.
- breadbag

Same here. Some tough choices in the off-season.

Kampf and Highmore played much better than I expected them.
Maata played well too.
What do we do about Crawford?
Same with Strome?
How much will Kubalik ask for?
How does Seabrook affect the cap? He's on LTIR, right? Now that he's done with surgery, he'll be off, right?

Totally agree with this. Keith played like 2010, 2013 and 2015 Keith in the EDM series and the first few games of the VGK series. He was on ice for all 4 goals scored last night and just seemed out of gas. He missed the stick check and I saw him fall over. Not to say he's not a good D still with flashes of his former greatness. Part of it was being paired with Boquist too at times who just didn't have the strength at his age to compete with the Knights.
- Popsghostly

In these 9 games Keith played more like he was 32 than 37. The guy isn't perfect, but he was a lot more like his old self than we've seen in 2-3 years. In this little bonus run, he was tutoring on the job, facing 2 of the best individual offensive players vs Edmonton and then the relentless pressure of Vegas. He battled hard and won a lot of board battles and while it isn't the most meaningful, he leads all Dmen in the playoffs in takeaways. Keith deserves a lot of credit. he shouldn't be expected to be first pair anymore at his age, but the Hawks don't have any better LD yet.

Reflecting on this series, 1 thing i miss is the 3rd and 4th lines ability to cycle the puck and just keep offensive zone pressure just like the Knights did to us last night. We used to be that team that would just wear teams out. All this talk about size is a bit overstated, what we don't have is a combination of 3 forwards who can just keep possession and cycle. It's a young team, with the blue line blooming and young forwards and with Bowman's ability to see and understand this, i believe is just a matter of time and experience
- BetweenTheDots

Agree, don't necessarily need size in the bottom 6 but forwards who are industrious and who hustle, compete, and contest every puck.

Entwistle centering Highmore and Hagel would be ideal in the near future. Fine with Kampf centering for now so Entwistle can marinate more in Rockford.

Other 4th line candidates include Johnson, Soderlund, and Barratt.

Hagel and Barratt have a little more upside to play 3rd line.

This team is a tweener style wise. They do not have enough talent to run a legit possession style and they are way too soft to employ a heavy game. Add to that a HC who runs a D zone scheme that has yet to show any consistency or viability in the NHL game. Those are the questions that have to be answered. Its easier to find help to play a 200 foot grind game then the globe trotter style we used to have.

Maybe JC is the right guy, but with Wirtz bringing a new team president you would have to expect some changes. Huge decisions this off season. This is where you make the turn in the road. Or they can try and stay the course and be a 500 team then next few years. One last thing on JC.. as soon as I saw Quennville out there again? What in the he!!

One easy line combo for next year... Highmore, Hagel and Entwhistle. Pure energy mixed with some skill and edge. Good 4th line. Just let them work through the growing pains.
- z1990z

Kinda comes back to the point of this team and zero identity. The other night when Patch did the full blown stick chop on the Cat after the empty net goal... geezus. One would have thought the next game that Patch would have been in the cross hairs for some nice clean how are you body checks.
- z1990z

Shortly after Hawks gave up that disheartening tying goal at the beginning of second, Pacioretty slashed at CC’s glove very late. When, at that moment in the game and with that being him of all people, the weak response was very telling. I know most of the guys on the ice were tired after being forced into an icing (Määttä), but when else do you show some pushback?

It was interesting to hear Toews during post-game when he talked about guys throwing the body and even mentioned Kaner doing that too. Reminded me of the times when they asked for Carcillo-type to be brought in. This is a flawed team with many holes right now, but no doubt they were too small and too soft compated to Vegas and did not have anything to offset this disadvantage other than Crow.

It would take a lot more than that for 1 overall
- Bhawks2585

I know. Can see you are newer here.

RF = Red Font = Sarcasm or total BS

or...

RF = Red Font = Sarcasm or total BS

Deputy Fife taught me that before he went all bad cop.

It was a good trade for us most will never admit it still living in the past.
- rpeters01

I like the trade but admit I was on the fence if Mirphy didn't perform better. Last season and this just concluded campaign Murphy emerged from his cocoon.. Murphy had some rough time under Q which included playing on both side (RD, LD). But now he is a keeper.

In a league continually trending to a greater emphasis on speed, eventually Murphy could be hurt by this. But with his style and experience, I envision him to be a valuable two or three pair complementary mate for a new age dman. A fair contract with the way he performed this season and playoff, is desirable since everyone always wants more defense or upgrade their defense. His skating is not ideal (at least he skates good enough) but teams will live with it since he is valuable as i have explained.

I am tempted to say I would rather Keith leaves before Murphy. Nope, Keith is our best no matter his bonehead moves/plays he commits always each season.

There have been whispers that Murphy is moved come expansion. I would hope not. Although young kids could very likely emerge on defense, Murphy contract and his style is too valuable to part company. It is a good development as we saw Maata and KK perform better than we expected in the post season. Yet
they will or should change address before Murphy.

Same here. Some tough choices in the off-season.

Kampf and Highmore played much better than I expected them.
Maata played well too.
What do we do about Crawford?
Same with Strome?
How much will Kubalik ask for?
How does Seabrook affect the cap? He's on LTIR, right? Now that he's done with surgery, he'll be off, right?
- Popsghostly

What happens with Shaw?
Smith seems like a for certain buy out.

the team was totally gassed in the 3rd period which resulted in just watching the play, lots of standing around.
- glennjpawlak22

This isn't dumping on your post or for you specifically to answer but just a rhetorical question to a comment I've read many times today: why exactly were the Hawks gassed, especially in only their 9th game of the post season (not the 15th or 20th)?

Part of the issue could be subpar conditioning which Paul Goodman and staff need to work on with the entire team if that's the case.

Part of it could be coaching schemes that just have the team running around with no order, i.e. players still not knowing how to execute every single shift or adjust on the fly.

And another part are the players, with some aging while others are still too green.

Same here. Some tough choices in the off-season.

Kampf and Highmore played much better than I expected them.
Maata played well too.
What do we do about Crawford?
Same with Strome?
How much will Kubalik ask for?
How does Seabrook affect the cap? He's on LTIR, right? Now that he's done with surgery, he'll be off, right?
- Popsghostly

Heck of a lot of questions for sure. Hawks are a bit handcuffed with some guys who could be injured at any time. Crawford, Seabrook, Shaw, Smith, de Haan... I think each of these guys are a big risk to be on the shelf again with a little bad luck. If it were me.

Trade Maatta (he showed well in these 9 games, has won cups, and is only 25, they shouldn't have an issue trading him)

Sign Crawford who likely will want to wind down his career in Chicago. I doubt he wants to go chasing money and move. Hawks treated him well with his injury and that injury also means he can't command the money he would normally.

Strome, they need to play a bit of hardball with him and not give him too much $$$. He has value and upside, but I guess depends what cap space they can manage. I think Stan has to wait him out, options for team to sign him for more will disappear as team fill up their roster. The longer it takes to get a deal, the less Strome will get IMO.

I hope they can get Kubalik for 3.5-4 million for couple years. When he can get free of coverage to shoot, he will score his share of goals. He showed he can play a bit of a two way game and cycle with Toews/Saad. Hawks need guys that can finish chances like he does.

Seabrook...it sounds like he will be ready to go but who knows. He seemed to say he was ready physically and feeling way better. I assume he will be off LTIR unless he suffers some kind of setback.

This isn't dumping on your post or for you specifically to answer but just a rhetorical question to a comment I've read many times today: why exactly were the Hawks gassed, especially in only their 9th game of the post season (not the 15th or 20th)?

Part of the issue could be subpar conditioning which Paul Goodman and staff need to work on with the entire team if that's the case.

Part of it could be coaching schemes that just have the team running around with no order, i.e. players still not knowing how to execute every single shift or adjust on the fly.

And another part are the players, with some aging while others are still too green.
- AEL_Fox

You nailed it with this part of your response!!! Part of it could be coaching schemes that just have the team running around with no order, i.e. players still not knowing how to execute every single shift or adjust on the fly.

i kept thinking this a lot last night, especially in the last 10 minutes of P3 - many times i noticed 5 guys standing and looking around - kind of asking...who do i check, what do i do...

*NEW* blog up: https://bit.ly/3aELE1Q

My thoughts on Blackhawks' end of season / game #5 loss to Vegas.

I believe........

That Bowman with Kelly and the organizational share an objective to get bigger and more combative particularly among forwards on all lines 1-4

That the objective is still to draft the best player but is hopeful a fiesty, gritty (first choice) center or forward would fall to their earlier selections.

That there is a shift from expecting the big time skill forwards usually being those who drive the offense. A new age majority of our dman corps will be the primary or minimumly share the role of driving the offense through their smarts skating and skill.

That Seabrook will be given however long he needs to get in shape to hopefully share a third pair and depth dman role.

I am sure even if Wiz had connections he could not say if Bowman really is impressed enough to draft a Russian goaltender in round one

This isn't dumping on your post or for you specifically to answer but just a rhetorical question to a comment I've read many times today: why exactly were the Hawks gassed, especially in only their 9th game of the post season (not the 15th or 20th)?

Part of the issue could be subpar conditioning which Paul Goodman and staff need to work on with the entire team if that's the case.

Part of it could be coaching schemes that just have the team running around with no order, i.e. players still not knowing how to execute every single shift or adjust on the fly.

And another part are the players, with some aging while others are still too green.
- AEL_Fox

Weren’t the Hawks being praised for their conditioning during the Edmonton series?

I think the answer is more your “coaching schemes” point - the excessive time spent chasing opponents and pucks on defensive because the can’t get the puck out and limited time in the offensive zone - defense is much harder on the legs than offense.

This isn't dumping on your post or for you specifically to answer but just a rhetorical question to a comment I've read many times today: why exactly were the Hawks gassed, especially in only their 9th game of the post season (not the 15th or 20th)?

Part of the issue could be subpar conditioning which Paul Goodman and staff need to work on with the entire team if that's the case.

Part of it could be coaching schemes that just have the team running around with no order, i.e. players still not knowing how to execute every single shift or adjust on the fly.

And another part are the players, with some aging while others are still too green.
- AEL_Fox

Most were giving away at least 20# which made them work much harder.