Lady Gaga can quit her job at the post office, but she’s still a male-lady.

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.
- Chunk

THat's fair to an extent.

When I say Keith/Seabrook its top pair D men.....guys they can roll out against the league's best and win that 30-45 seconds and tilt matchup favors throughout the lineup in the Hawks favor.

I don't know what the correct time frame is regarding Boqvist. I remember the days when Yawney was heralded in helping Keith and Seabrook grow. Think that's a fair ask about the current coaching set up. Does this organization have the right assistants to work with the younger guys so the same mistakes are more educational and learned from instead of repeating? To an extent that's the only reason I can accept Keith playing out his deal IF he's willing to be a coach on the ice and accept that mentor role. Staying engaging.....is entirely on Keith. Could help transition him to a coaching role in the NHL if he wanted it.

However, great players arent' great coaches....see Gretzky

Roseanne > Jim

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

> Jim

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.
- powerenforcer

Hawks aren't the only team that does (did) this

Kings: Kopitar, doughty, Carter, Quick
Sharks:Thornton, Marleau, Pavelski
Ducks: Perry, Getzlaf

THat's fair to an extent.

When I say Keith/Seabrook its top pair D men.....guys they can roll out against the league's best and win that 30-45 seconds and tilt matchup favors throughout the lineup in the Hawks favor.

I don't know what the correct time frame is regarding Boqvist. I remember the days when Yawney was heralded in helping Keith and Seabrook grow. Think that's a fair ask about the current coaching set up. Does this organization have the right assistants to work with the younger guys so the same mistakes are more educational and learned from instead of repeating? To an extent that's the only reason I can accept Keith playing out his deal IF he's willing to be a coach on the ice and accept that mentor role. Staying engaging.....is entirely on Keith. Could help transition him to a coaching role in the NHL if he wanted it.

However, great players arent' great coaches....see Gretzky
- SteveRain

Boqvist seems to be the subject of much concern lately (myself included). What I've come to realize is that it doesn't really matter who does it as long as someone (or ideally several someones) does. If Boqvist goes up in smoke, but Kalynuk, Mitchell, Beaudin, and Carlsson (or some other combination) end up being solid or even top paring guys, then overall it's a win. If Suter ends up a solid top or middle six contributor and Altybarmakyan never sees NHL ice, again, still a win because they found someone to fill the role. Just my perspective on roster construction.

> Jim
- Rota's Rooter

YES!!!!

THat's fair to an extent.

When I say Keith/Seabrook its top pair D men.....guys they can roll out against the league's best and win that 30-45 seconds and tilt matchup favors throughout the lineup in the Hawks favor.

I don't know what the correct time frame is regarding Boqvist. I remember the days when Yawney was heralded in helping Keith and Seabrook grow. Think that's a fair ask about the current coaching set up. Does this organization have the right assistants to work with the younger guys so the same mistakes are more educational and learned from instead of repeating? To an extent that's the only reason I can accept Keith playing out his deal IF he's willing to be a coach on the ice and accept that mentor role. Staying engaging.....is entirely on Keith. Could help transition him to a coaching role in the NHL if he wanted it.

However, great players arent' great coaches....see Gretzky
- SteveRain

The only great one was Bill Russell.

And he was lucky he had a great center playing for him....

Hawks aren't the only team that does (did) this

Kings: Kopitar, doughty, Carter, Quick
Sharks:Thornton, Marleau, Pavelski
Ducks: Perry, Getzlaf
- LAHawk

I get what PE is saying and in theory I would prefer it that way. However, as we've seen in virtually all sports, marketing the individual players and their personalities is much more effective than marketing a team in terms of driving revenue and growing interest.

For instance: Edmonton Oilers!!!!

as opposed to

Gretzky, Kurri, Messier!!!

There is a more personal connection to the team and thus people spend more money (to see a specific player, specific numbered sweaters when new players arrive, additional revenue when star players change teams, etc).

> Jim
- Rota's Rooter

They're all puds. Replace them all with a talented high schooler or a small horn arrangement and call it a day.

I get what PE is saying and in theory I would prefer it that way. However, as we've seen in virtually all sports, marketing the individual players and their personalities is much more effective than marketing a team in terms of driving revenue and growing interest.

For instance: Edmonton Oilers!!!!

as opposed to

Gretzky, Kurri, Messier!!!

There is a more personal connection to the team and thus people spend more money (to see a specific player, specific numbered sweaters when new players arrive, additional revenue when star players change teams, etc).
- Chunk

Yes, what is more desirable - a great player on a bad team, or a great team with average players. I would think a great team is.

I see this team on a positive note and could see us finishing at 500 or right under by end of year.

But my thoughts are the hawks knew what they were doing and I imagine by the end of the hockey season the gelling will happen. I think 2023 Should be a year we start winning again. Gives us a year to gel all these stud offensemen set in roles. The hawks knew what they were doing with all these young kids, they just didn't realize they would need to expedite them a year due to Toews and Dach. This pushed Suter, Kurashev, and the others up a year. I think we have several 25+ goal scorers that will put points on the board, and the scores will decrease over time. We had a massive turnover in players YOY, and these guys need time to develop with one another. Plus we are also lacking on Goalie, but I see either Lankinen, or Delia taking the starting gig as they are both very firey type of guys that want to get better and improve. So they are both going to push each other to get better, and that leaves me feeling like Subban will be the back up.

The defense will improve and goaltending will improve when the defense and offense gels with one another. I think that Coliton knows what he is doing with developing these young kids.

I can't honestly say that I could see Dach do as well under Coach Q, not that I dislike Q, just that Q likes his vets and doesn't take time to work with the kids and help them mature. Even with Dach being as hyped as we thought he would have been in Q doghouse multiple games and may not have grown as much. I think the defense will come with Beaudin and we may see a wildcard in Nylander next year as he gets a year away from hockey. Maybe this will show him what he is missing and the fun they can have when they work hard. I see the Hawks turning back into potential cup contenders in 2023. Think about the offense you just saw from Florida the other night with no holds bare and add in improved goaltending, more experience, and improvement from the defense and Coliton takes us to a cup contender and then his job is done and the Hawks bring in someone else to take us back to a cup or two before Kane Retires. Idk if Toews comes back or not, but I think Coliton is a placeholder to get the young kids developed quick, and once we get to the playoffs the hawks bring in another type of Q to take the reins and lead us to the cup. I just don't see Coliton as the guy to manage and take a team to championship. I think the hawks when they fired Q they wanted to redevelop young kids, something Q is not very good at, which Coliton has a reputation for. So Coliton comes in as the scapegoat to take all the beatings to his professional coaching record while we use him to develop our team and then they can him in 2024 and they hire someone to manage a wrecking crew team that matches the 2010 Cup again.

Just my 2 cents.

Ryno

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

+1. There is no question that all the core guys save for Kane took a ton of abuse in bringing those three Cups. Hossa, Hjalmarsson and Sharp as well. The Cap, the difficulty in keeping all the pieces in Cap-World of a great young team coupled with the fact that any mistakes in contracts or trades can exponentially result in less and less key players taking more and more of the abuse. Look at Shaw - he was for the last 2 Cups one of the only guys playing in the tough spaces. Toews as well.

Great on Stan for keeping competitive to draft guys like Saad and Shaw and win the last two Cups, but bad on Stan for not having more players to take some of that high maintenance burden off those guys. And big time with Keith, Seabrook and Hjalmarsson.

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

When you trade a three-Stanley Cup defenseman (Hjammer), Murphy isn't a bad return as long as he isn't the only return. It took him three years to even stay healthy enough to talk about being in the top 4, and the only reason he is considered in the top 2 is the current state of the Hawk blue line. Not as bad as the Danault deal, but it was bad enough at the time.

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

True but Niks fundamentals were very good, Murphys not so much, Nik thought the game well, Murphys defense is like a dog chasing a bone

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

Zadorov is not a very good defender. Hits guys so that'll make everyone who gets off on guys with jam who go hard and all that crap happy but he is poor position wise (was with Colorado) and his on ice awareness and read of the play is not good.

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

None of the guys that need time got any in OT.

Two defenders (new, old, anyone that dresses) are constantly chasing the puck to the corners or behind the net. They are either being told to do that (which is a stupid way to play a professional sport) or all of the defenders on the team have absolutely no idea how to play the sport.

Getting beat because they have less talent is expected. Watching them play fundamentally bad hockey while riding veterans when it isn't appropriate is silly.

Also, not letting Boqvist do his thing and develop his talents rather than trying to make him Duncan Keith is maddening to watch. The staff is just as responsible for a potential bust as the player at this point.

I see this team on a positive note and could see us finishing at 500 or right under by end of year.

But my thoughts are the hawks knew what they were doing and I imagine by the end of the hockey season the gelling will happen. I think 2023 Should be a year we start winning again. Gives us a year to gel all these stud offensemen set in roles. The hawks knew what they were doing with all these young kids, they just didn't realize they would need to expedite them a year due to Toews and Dach. This pushed Suter, Kurashev, and the others up a year. I think we have several 25+ goal scorers that will put points on the board, and the scores will decrease over time. We had a massive turnover in players YOY, and these guys need time to develop with one another. Plus we are also lacking on Goalie, but I see either Lankinen, or Delia taking the starting gig as they are both very firey type of guys that want to get better and improve. So they are both going to push each other to get better, and that leaves me feeling like Subban will be the back up.

The defense will improve and goaltending will improve when the defense and offense gels with one another. I think that Coliton knows what he is doing with developing these young kids.

I can't honestly say that I could see Dach do as well under Coach Q, not that I dislike Q, just that Q likes his vets and doesn't take time to work with the kids and help them mature. Even with Dach being as hyped as we thought he would have been in Q doghouse multiple games and may not have grown as much. I think the defense will come with Beaudin and we may see a wildcard in Nylander next year as he gets a year away from hockey. Maybe this will show him what he is missing and the fun they can have when they work hard. I see the Hawks turning back into potential cup contenders in 2023. Think about the offense you just saw from Florida the other night with no holds bare and add in improved goaltending, more experience, and improvement from the defense and Coliton takes us to a cup contender and then his job is done and the Hawks bring in someone else to take us back to a cup or two before Kane Retires. Idk if Toews comes back or not, but I think Coliton is a placeholder to get the young kids developed quick, and once we get to the playoffs the hawks bring in another type of Q to take the reins and lead us to the cup. I just don't see Coliton as the guy to manage and take a team to championship. I think the hawks when they fired Q they wanted to redevelop young kids, something Q is not very good at, which Coliton has a reputation for. So Coliton comes in as the scapegoat to take all the beatings to his professional coaching record while we use him to develop our team and then they can him in 2024 and they hire someone to manage a wrecking crew team that matches the 2010 Cup again.

Just my 2 cents.

Ryno
- Hawk4life

What in the last +2 seasons indicates that anything will get better on the blue line, regardless of talent...

Dach is the prototypical Q center. Big bodied, holds the puck well and back checks hard. He'd thrive in a structured system.

Blackhawks are the only team with a double digit negative goal differential.

On a positive note, they’re 1 point ahead of Dallas.

Good stuff Theo.

First game, that was at least fit to watch.

Nice to check out some of the young guys, but Mitchell looked overmatched and overall it seems most the young guys are just thrown in a little too early in their careers. As long as they don't lose confidence I am sure they will learn and grow.....but, a fine line between "Baptism by Fire" and ruining a prospect.....let's hope this shiiiit-show doesn't zap our young guys in the head...and destroy their confidence.
- hawk35

Thanks, 35.

Mitchell and all the other young D will inevitably hit walls. You're right, though, that thekey is to make sure their confidence isn't shattered or they don't develop bad habits.

Boqvist is a good example yet still early enough to get him on track. Last night's game was a step in a better direction.

Blackhawks are the only team with a double digit negative goal differential.

On a positive note, they’re 1 point ahead of Dallas.
- scottak

How did The Joker play last night?

Good morning Theo and great read as always. Thanks for the game anlaysis!

Big ups again to Shaw for epitomizing what it means to give your all every shift. He was a little wrecking ball of hate throwing his body around and getting under the opponent's skin.

Here's to continued good health for Shaw so he can remain a leader and role model for the rebuilding Hawks squad while being a persistent thorn in the side of the opposition.

I really hope Shaw can remain healthy for himself but also for what you've detailed here. The Hawks have a plethora of bottom 6 guys though some of the ones, currently up can play top 9, like the Kurashev and Suter.

As you mention, I think he can be a role model for guys like that as well as Hagel and Highmore.
- HawkintheD

Thanks, D.

Players like Wallmark, Janmark, and Soderberg were brought in to role model the work ethic and competitiveness that Hawks management is seeking. Shaw already brought both in spades.

So far the young players are showing signs of both traits. Yes, they will get beat a lot but that's to be expected given their age and inexperience in the NHL. Still a good base to build upon rather than not having these traits at all.

I see this team on a positive note and could see us finishing at 500 or right under by end of year.

But my thoughts are the hawks knew what they were doing and I imagine by the end of the hockey season the gelling will happen. I think 2023 Should be a year we start winning again. Gives us a year to gel all these stud offensemen set in roles. The hawks knew what they were doing with all these young kids, they just didn't realize they would need to expedite them a year due to Toews and Dach. This pushed Suter, Kurashev, and the others up a year. I think we have several 25+ goal scorers that will put points on the board, and the scores will decrease over time. We had a massive turnover in players YOY, and these guys need time to develop with one another. Plus we are also lacking on Goalie, but I see either Lankinen, or Delia taking the starting gig as they are both very firey type of guys that want to get better and improve. So they are both going to push each other to get better, and that leaves me feeling like Subban will be the back up.

The defense will improve and goaltending will improve when the defense and offense gels with one another. I think that Coliton knows what he is doing with developing these young kids.

I can't honestly say that I could see Dach do as well under Coach Q, not that I dislike Q, just that Q likes his vets and doesn't take time to work with the kids and help them mature. Even with Dach being as hyped as we thought he would have been in Q doghouse multiple games and may not have grown as much. I think the defense will come with Beaudin and we may see a wildcard in Nylander next year as he gets a year away from hockey. Maybe this will show him what he is missing and the fun they can have when they work hard. I see the Hawks turning back into potential cup contenders in 2023. Think about the offense you just saw from Florida the other night with no holds bare and add in improved goaltending, more experience, and improvement from the defense and Coliton takes us to a cup contender and then his job is done and the Hawks bring in someone else to take us back to a cup or two before Kane Retires. Idk if Toews comes back or not, but I think Coliton is a placeholder to get the young kids developed quick, and once we get to the playoffs the hawks bring in another type of Q to take the reins and lead us to the cup. I just don't see Coliton as the guy to manage and take a team to championship. I think the hawks when they fired Q they wanted to redevelop young kids, something Q is not very good at, which Coliton has a reputation for. So Coliton comes in as the scapegoat to take all the beatings to his professional coaching record while we use him to develop our team and then they can him in 2024 and they hire someone to manage a wrecking crew team that matches the 2010 Cup again.

Just my 2 cents.

Ryno
- Hawk4life

I cannot wait until mid-season when this is one of Theo's blog titles!

Theo, thanks for validating my own opinion of Keith. It's way too early for Mitchell to be the #1, but it's pretty apparent he is on the fast track to being that. That's great news for the future.

The Hawks are definitely taking their lumps. I know it's a long season, but it's hard to see this team winning 15 games at this point. They really need to put it to Detroit and find a way to grab a couple wins to build some confidence. If they can come out of the weekend 2-3-1, the season will be looking a little better. Soderberg's leadership will help. I think they have been missing that part of Toews' game at C.
- biskit67

Yeah, I'm pretty critical of Keith. Doesn't mean I forgot about his championship pedigree and past contributions to 3 Cups. However, he has been very bad so far.

And Mitchell may not necessarily be the team's future #1 defenseman but he is arguably the best one today. Again, though, he will have growing pains.

Either way, Mitchell has the poise and hockey sense to come out stronger on the other side. I could also see him vying with Dach as potential future Hawks captain.

Nice write up and Im a big fan of the breakdown good/bad on Hawks and opponents goals in the recaps.

Kurashev looks to have the skill set to be a solid top 9 contributor. Hope this kid gets more time and playing with more skilled players to see how high his ceiling can be.

Like 90% on this board.....I accept what this team is, but I guess the only issue I have is that it's the veterans who are just playing dumb, stupid hockey....most notably 2 and 5. 2 looks to have regressed as dramatically the year we realized Seabrook was old/slow. Keith is lost in his own end in the Florida 2 game series.....how many goals was he directly responsible for? He didn't even his stick in the right spot on the OT goal, which if he did, he likely breaks up that cross zone pass. Just maddening. I truly hope Bowman can deal Keith, and the sooner the better, before his value plummets league wide. Keith was elite for so many years but it's fair to say today....his regression is in warp speed right now....and Bowman needs to show he learned that lesson with Seabrook.

4 games in so I don't think it's fair to bash younger kids or even goalies until we get closer to the half way point. Veterans are fair game as they have game experience to know better.
- SteveRain

Thanks, Steve.

Glad you and others get something out of the goal recaps. I know not everyone needs or cares to read them which is totally cool by me but some do or at least like the added perspective.

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

Don't forget Sikura is the next Stan Mikita.