Why was Colliton extended again?
- frafra

He's cheap and the league has an uncertain financial future. Also, an experienced coach would not do much better with the current ingredients.

You need to stop thinking like they want/need Colliton to win now. They don't (especially with Toews and Dach out). There is no expectation that they win now and very little impetus to do so. Maybe if they can put a streak together by the end of the year there is some goodwill that gets built up among the fanbase, but that's about it. Right now, it is all about getting young guys experience and finding out who on the roster is worth keeping.

Why was Colliton extended again?
- frafra

Because the front office believes he is the right person to coach this team?

Because the front office believes he is the right person to coach this team?
- paulr

exactly.....a patient younger coach to understand what he has and hopefully can develop them into being able to take the next step..

3 wishes for the season

1. they end up with a top 3 pick
2. The younger players progress and not regress, and veterans are dealt for pieces that are needed. Younger prospects and/or picks
3. Anyone BUT the Leafs wins the cup....F the leafs.

How quickly we forget what Hammer looked like when he left. He wasn't the same player as the glory years either.
- powerenforcer

As players right now (and when the trade happened) it is a wash, which means the Hawks "won" the trade since Murphy was/is cheaper. Not to mention that Hammer just got a $5M/yr contract that the Hawks would not have been able to offer and thus lost him for nothing.

The unfortunate truth here is that Hammer is just as broken down as Seabrook. He's an absolute warrior, and will give everything he has until his last game, but I've watched plenty of AZ games. He's not the same guy he was.

He's cheap and the league has an uncertain financial future. Also, an experienced coach would not do much better with the current ingredients.

You need to stop thinking like they want/need Colliton to win now. They don't (especially with Toews and Dach out). There is no expectation that they win now and very little impetus to do so. Maybe if they can put a streak together by the end of the year there is some goodwill that gets built up among the fanbase, but that's about it. Right now, it is all about getting young guys experience and finding out who on the roster is worth keeping.
- Chunk

I agree with you 100%. I will add that maybe he will understand this situation better than a bigger name coach (who would expect to win now) and can "teach" these young players to become NHL players. Just as Keith/Seabs talked about Yewney being a great coach for their development, maybe in a few years Colliton will be held in the same way. Only time will tell.

exactly.....a patient younger coach to understand what he has and hopefully can develop them into being able to take the next step..

3 wishes for the season

1. they end up with a top 3 pick
2. The younger players progress and not regress, and veterans are dealt for pieces that are needed. Younger prospects and/or picks
3. Anyone BUT the Leafs wins the cup....F the leafs.
- SteveRain

HAHA!!

1. Yes! But I will still cheer them on to win every game.
2. Yes!
3. (frank)ing right!

As players right now (and when the trade happened) it is a wash, which means the Hawks "won" the trade since Murphy was/is cheaper. Not to mention that Hammer just got a $5M/yr contract that the Hawks would not have been able to offer and thus lost him for nothing.

The unfortunate truth here is that Hammer is just as broken down as Seabrook. He's an absolute warrior, and will give everything he has until his last game, but I've watched plenty of AZ games. He's not the same guy he was.
- Chunk

What many Hawk fans don’t seem to realize is these guy broke down bringing the Hawks, and us, three championships.

Brandon Saad wasn't saving this team. Hawks need young NHL ready D men and lets hope Zadorov's ceiling can be elevated as he's given more responsibility. We know what Saad is......a nice piece for cup contending teams who can contribute here and there.....but no where near his current cap hit and future cap hit on a team going no where in the immediate future. If you want to be angry about Saad being gone, than question Stan who continues to trade for veteran D man when he supposedly has all younger D man "in the system"....see Dehaan, Murphy, Zadorov...and that's on top of an aging Keith and a broken down Seabrook.

Can we please have a ceremony or blog where we rehash EVERY single trade since 2008 so people can mourn about their favorites and bash Dale or Joel or STan or Jeremey on they did said player(s) wrong and how this board knew before professional NHL caliber evaluators?

We can even have a two part blog for Saad......
- SteveRain

Not upset that they traded Saad. Just amused that so many people thought Z was a good defenseman.

Lady Gaga doing the National Anthem.

They coulda had Cornellison....
- StLBravesFan

Wayne is/was/will always be > Jim

Not upset that they traded Saad. Just amused that so many people thought Z was a good defenseman.
- Ogilthorpe2

Understood....I just hope that Z turns into a piece on the blue line the Hawks can build around......and lets hope Bowman is the guy who can rebuild this team as his guidance is going to be crucial as without the right talent evaluator this team won't climb out of the hole.

Lady Gaga doing the National Anthem.

They coulda had Cornellison....
- StLBravesFan

The Hawks hired Gaga for the anthem?

What many Hawk fans don’t seem to realize is these guy broke down bringing the Hawks, and us, three championships.
- paulr

Oh 100%. Seabrook was and always will be my favorite Hawk. I've always loved his demeanor, and his play on the ice. I was livid when Stan offered that contract to him. If he was totally healthy at the time it still would have been bad because you don't pay a 38-39 year old defenseman $7M/year. You aren't going to get that return.

I am forever grateful for the Cups. I also fully expected the Hawks to be exactly where they are now because of the picks and prospects that were traded in trying to go for it. I don't like it, because I love seeing my team win. I fully accept it and will watch, root and hope for quick improvements to get back to being competitive again.

Wayne is/was/will always be > Jim
- Ogilthorpe2

Thank you and seeing the all star game anthem.....from 91 was great.

It was never about Wayne.....it was about the anthem. Met him at a northside bar with Foley after the Sharks-Hawks game in 2007 when Borque's goal was negated. The Hull, Mikita, Espo "back" game in the red car. Great guy.

Can't say the same about Jim.

HAHA!!

1. Yes! But I will still cheer them on to win every game.
2. Yes!
3. (frank)ing right!
- paulr

Same...until it gets closer to the point they have a chance to lock in better odds for a great pick.

Wayne is/was/will always be > Jim
- Ogilthorpe2

100%

Oh 100%. Seabrook was and always will be my favorite Hawk. I've always loved his demeanor, and his play on the ice. I was livid when Stan offered that contract to him. If he was totally healthy at the time it still would have been bad because you don't pay a 38-39 year old defenseman $7M/year. You aren't going to get that return.

I am forever grateful for the Cups. I also fully expected the Hawks to be exactly where they are now because of the picks and prospects that were traded in trying to go for it. I don't like it, because I love seeing my team win. I fully accept it and will watch, root and hope for quick improvements to get back to being competitive again.
- Chunk

Way too rational Chunk. More yelling and throwing things please.

Wayne is/was/will always be > Jim
- Ogilthorpe2

Roseanne > Jim

The kids who forget the words and have to be helped > Jim

Roseanne > Jim

The kids who forget the words and have to be helped > Jim
- StLBravesFan

Gotta call you on an earlier post...exactly which musical luminaries have you referenced that don’t pre-date the 80’s. Just askin’

Way too rational Chunk. More yelling and throwing things please.
- HawkintheD

Sure. Do you remember that one time, when that one player, who makes too much money, made a mistake that led to a goal against a way better team? That was irritating to me..

Gotta call you on an earlier post...exactly which musical luminaries have you referenced that don’t pre-date the 80’s. Just askin’
- HawkintheD

Some alt.country like Turnpike Troubadors and Old Crow, some blues and blues rock like Joe Bonamassa and Guy Clarke....

Yeah, we all like the music we were formed by - for me, blues, R&R, rockabilly - but there is some newer stuff on my various playlists.

And I figured someone would call me on that post.

What many Hawk fans don’t seem to realize is these guy broke down bringing the Hawks, and us, three championships.
- paulr

Oh I agree with you and PE that Hammer isn't the same that he "was"

My point is if we are trading guys on the down swing, which I really don't have a problem with, my beef lies in what we get back.......younger, cheaper similar players.

This team still doesn't have an heir apparent to either Seabrook or keith to play top pair minutes on this team. That's where my beef lies. I know Keith like Kane is a generational talent.....Im not asking for a HOF player, but I am concerned when we keep swinging for more and more D men and limiting valuable playing/evaluation time for younger D man......that to me isn't what a rebuild is about. Play the kids. Lets see what they have, sprinkle in some veterans to show the "right way" and slowly add pieces you need that you don't have internally.

Oh I agree with you and PE that Hammer isn't the same that he "was"

My point is if we are trading guys on the down swing, which I really don't have a problem with, my beef lies in what we get back.......younger, cheaper similar players.

This team still doesn't have an heir apparent to either Seabrook or keith to play top pair minutes on this team. That's where my beef lies. I know Keith like Kane is a generational talent.....Im not asking for a HOF player, but I am concerned when we keep swinging for more and more D men and limiting valuable playing/evaluation time for younger D man......that to me isn't what a rebuild is about. Play the kids. Lets see what they have, sprinkle in some veterans to show the "right way" and slowly add pieces you need that you don't have internally.
- SteveRain

Nobody knows this. We have no idea, right now, who will or will not be 1st pair defensemen because we need to see all of these prospects against NHL competition. They are all still very young and we didn't know how good Keith and Seabrook were until they had a few years in the league either.

I would also caution against the idea of replacing "Keith and Seabrook" as opposed to simply replacing 1st pair defensemen. I wouldn't want to try and pigeonhole any of the prospects into being an exact replacement for Keith or Seabrook's skills (I'm not saying you specifically are doing this. I'm just making a point). As long as they develop into solid D-men who can defend and contribute to the offense, that is what I am looking for.

Oh 100%. Seabrook was and always will be my favorite Hawk. I've always loved his demeanor, and his play on the ice. I was livid when Stan offered that contract to him. If he was totally healthy at the time it still would have been bad because you don't pay a 38-39 year old defenseman $7M/year. You aren't going to get that return.

I am forever grateful for the Cups. I also fully expected the Hawks to be exactly where they are now because of the picks and prospects that were traded in trying to go for it. I don't like it, because I love seeing my team win. I fully accept it and will watch, root and hope for quick improvements to get back to being competitive again.
- Chunk

well said and as committed as Bowman was to going for "it" by trading younger assets, picks, etc to win "now".....he needs to do the reverse and accumulate as many picks/younger assets as he can to start to identify the next "core" that will lead this team into the next championship contender window.

The worry I have concerning Bowman is he has ties to the older guard, and I worry he wont be able to let go and make those tough calls as it become clearer that they won't be key contributors when this team is ready to win.......and I even think Kane falls into the group.....I will never doubt his skill, or his drive, but father time catches up to us all at some point.

I know some other posters are excited that the Hawks have played a lot better than anticipated, and I don't disagree with that sentiment, but it's early in the season and some of these better/veteran teams like Tampa aren't operating at full throttle right now, and yes...the Hawks will get better, hopefully, as the season goes on.....my whole point is lets see the measuring mistake as we get into the 20s+ of games played vs some of the better teams in the division. See how large that gap in talent is. It's fair to say Tampa doens't get up for the Hawks, the same way they may for Carolina or Dallas when they play this regular season. Same way the Hawks were when they were winning cups.....

What many Hawk fans don’t seem to realize is these guy broke down bringing the Hawks, and us, three championships.
- paulr

I won't forget, and I hope other posters won't either.

Oh I agree with you and PE that Hammer isn't the same that he "was"

My point is if we are trading guys on the down swing, which I really don't have a problem with, my beef lies in what we get back.......younger, cheaper similar players.

This team still doesn't have an heir apparent to either Seabrook or keith to play top pair minutes on this team. That's where my beef lies. I know Keith like Kane is a generational talent.....Im not asking for a HOF player, but I am concerned when we keep swinging for more and more D men and limiting valuable playing/evaluation time for younger D man......that to me isn't what a rebuild is about. Play the kids. Lets see what they have, sprinkle in some veterans to show the "right way" and slowly add pieces you need that you don't have internally.
- SteveRain

Maybe, the issue is that the trades are not happening soon enough in a player's career. As much as fan's admire players, now that McD is out of the picture maybe the team will not promote players so deeply like Toews and Kane have been promoted. Sometimes trading value for value is the way to go, not just for monetary reasons.