Subban did not play well enough Period it happens . Boqvist needs time in the A or he will be concussed out of existence he was pushed way to soon what a shame .

Idk, I think it's more like he needs an injury free offseason and the ability to join the team in camp and go from there.
- HawkintheD

Jury is still out on Dach imo and personally not as high on him as the majority seem to be. Hoping he pans out as a top 6 center and eager to see him in a full season next year.

Didn’t 2 of the Hawks cups, a lot of it had to do with the great play of our goalie? Bowman needs to find NHL defenseman that are league average, and the defense will improve. When the 2 rookies you play are by far your best D, that says volumes.
- LAHawk

Boys against men if they aren't getting their asses kicked the other team isn't trying.

If the hawks are to really bottom out let’s hope it’s in the 2022-23 season. There’s a 15 year old tearing up the WHL named Connor Bedard and who just made the team Canada U18 team. Not only that but there is serious talk about him playing in the World Championships against professional men.
- paulr

Can’t see them bottoming out. We got to see the kids play and show everyone where the holes are. Fill the holes via free agency and hope Toews cones back to near-normal form and contend again.

We all know the issues this team has - and the questions that still must be answered - starting with Colliton, going through defensive breakdowns, lack of a transition game, needing both more speed and pushback, better crease play at both ends, winning more puck battles, shooting woes, a reverted to form not very good PP....losing games by having breakdowns and giving up goals in bunches....

But with all of that, while Nashville (15-5-1=31 in 21 games) and Dallas (8-3-2=18 in 13 games) have been burning it up, the Blackhawks have gone 8-8-0=16 in their last 16 games, with wins against Florida (2, yeah, without Barkov, but still), and Carolina.

In only 5 of those 16 did they give up more than 3 (also 5 giving up less than 3) using a first-year Fin and a career backup in net. Scored 40, given up 45 - given up only 15 in the 8 wins. When the defense protected, and the goalies weren’t letting in softies (like last night), they’ve been very competitive - whic has been most of the time this season.

And only 3 goals from Kane.

Not terrible for a rebuild year.
- StLBravesFan

If you're going to be realistic he deserves coach of the year votes.

How about our supposed #1 center Dach looking like he needs a year in the A to hopefully figure things out?
- LAHawk

Of the problems I see with this team... Kirby Dach is not one of them. Given his age and return from a recent injury, I see enough positives in his game to remain encouraged about his future. I’m still very happy with the Hawks selecting him as compared to the other available choices during his draft year.

Can’t see them bottoming out. We got to see the kids play and show everyone where the holes are. Fill the holes via free agency and hope Toews cones back to near-normal form and contend again.
- Assman22

I'm not even counting Toews anymore. If he does come back it's for how many years and at what level of a player? Toews replacement needs to be found.

Jury is still out on Dach imo and personally not as high on him as the majority seem to be. Hoping he pans out as a top 6 center and eager to see him in a full season next year.
- Assman22

Dach never was forecast to be a generational or star player. That draft year didn’t have anyone of that caliber. He’s a solid player who skates well but more importantly processes the game well, he passes well and he’s not afraid to engage physically. The weak part of his game in his draft year was he needed work on finishing plays. To me this was a reason he should have stayed in junior last season, to work on aspects of his game he was weak on. I’m not sure if his future is at center or on the wing but I expect he’ll be a productive 200 foot player who can play all situations but probably won’t be a star player.

Didn’t 2 of the Hawks cups, a lot of it had to do with the great play of our goalie? Bowman needs to find NHL defenseman that are league average, and the defense will improve. When the 2 rookies you play are by far your best D, that says volumes.
- LAHawk

Completely agree, i know you disagree but i like to see more of Boqvist and Kalynuk since i believe they will be a really good future d pairing in Chicago, and since we are essentially out of it...

Not writing Dach off, my comment was meant as what you said, he needs time, a year in the A, not playing with DeBrinket and Kane. I still think his calling card in the league is as a winger.

Dach never was forecast to be a generational or star player. That draft year didn’t have anyone of that caliber. He’s a solid player who skates well but more importantly processes the game well, he passes well and he’s not afraid to engage physically. The weak part of his game in his draft year was he needed work on finishing plays. To me this was a reason he should have stayed in junior last season, to work on aspects of his game he was weak on. I’m not sure if his future is at center or on the wing but I expect he’ll be a productive 200 foot player who can play all situations but probably won’t be a star player.
- paulr

Correct. I was hoping that he would get a year in the AHL so he could light the lamp on a regular basis and get enough confidence to become a consistent goal scorer in the NHL. At this point, I'm hoping that he puts on a lot of bulk and become a puck possession monster and set up his teammates for scoring opportunities.

Yes this! To everyone who thinks we're in great shape for the future enjoy your kool-aid.
- rpeters01

Agree with the talent level among the prospects. So tired of hearing how a bunch of 3rd and 4th line types (maybe a couple top out at 2nd line) along with a bunch of young d-men (mostly #2 types at the high end) will make the team Cup contenders in a couple of years. I must admit that I try to be optimistic about the potential of the future prospects, and hope they will be valuable additions, but in reality there is little top end forward talent in the pipeline.

Also factor in the reality that this the team is not bad enough to bottom out completely, and just good enough to be a bubble team in the run to the playoffs. So that translates into future draft choices in the 12-20 range. Unless it's a very deep draft, or the Hawks strike gold, chances are those picks will just be more of the complimentary type players. Then there would be a 2-3 year waiting period before they are NHL ready.

So do the Hawks trudge along in this rebuild for many years to come, or pursue the top players they need in other ways such as trades or free agency.

I have expressed my thoughts before on free agent acquisitions. I won't repeat them here. Is the following another way to accelerate the rebuild?

Kane has been not been looking happy the past few weeks. He's probably frustrated by the fact the opposing teams focus on shutting him down. Plus he's being double shifted lately on a line centered by Kampf which only adds to his frustration.

Keith's play has been indifferent for a while, too. Is he happy here or possibly playing through an injury?

Though I don't think it will happen, do the Hawks take a giant step in the rebuild by asking and getting 88 and 2 to waive their NMC's? Both are real competitors and must realize that the Hawks won't be in contention for a while. The team will definitely be worse without them resulting in higher draft picks down the road. If the trades occur, obtain NHL ready prospects in lieu of picks. In Kane's case, the return should be a couple of good prospects needed to accelerate the rebuild. Keith is on his last legs and the return for him may be a lesser prospect.

So Hawks fans what would you do to make this team better? Maintaining the status quo will just mire this team in mediocrity, IMO. Or do you somehow make a bigger splash?

Dach never was forecast to be a generational or star player. That draft year didn’t have anyone of that caliber. He’s a solid player who skates well but more importantly processes the game well, he passes well and he’s not afraid to engage physically. The weak part of his game in his draft year was he needed work on finishing plays. To me this was a reason he should have stayed in junior last season, to work on aspects of his game he was weak on. I’m not sure if his future is at center or on the wing but I expect he’ll be a productive 200 foot player who can play all situations but probably won’t be a star player.
- paulr

The Hawks forced this kid into the lineup last year because they are impatient and other than Toews they had nobody else to play in the middle - Shaw was hurt, Strome in useless and Kampf is a 4th liner at best and Carpenter is ... whatever.

This year his best possible mentor Toews doesn't play and that takes away any matchup insulation that Dach would have had. Then the injury sets him back further and he is probably playing with the effects of the wrist break now.

I say relax - the kid is 20 and 6'4" 200 lbs, the basic physical tools are there. He's learning the NHL game on an accelerated schedule. He is going to make mistakes and look overmatched some nights. Apart from a couple of small forwards, there isn't much else to help him right now. It isn't important to know if he's a center or winger right now. But if he is a center getting him a big nasty winger with a vile disposition would be very helpful - you know, somebody like a Tom Wilson.

Dach never was forecast to be a generational or star player. That draft year didn’t have anyone of that caliber. He’s a solid player who skates well but more importantly processes the game well, he passes well and he’s not afraid to engage physically. The weak part of his game in his draft year was he needed work on finishing plays. To me this was a reason he should have stayed in junior last season, to work on aspects of his game he was weak on. I’m not sure if his future is at center or on the wing but I expect he’ll be a productive 200 foot player who can play all situations but probably won’t be a star player.
- paulr

And at the same time he has all the tools to become a legit first line center. I don´t think he has anything to proof or learn from juniors or AHL. He was probably Hawks best player in the bubble or at least against Edmonton. Best way to learn and become better is playing against the best.

For all those that thinks without JC the Hawks would be a better defensive/playoff team, who do you want as coach. You have to take into consideration the same talent and the same injuries.

What some are forgetting is Stan sold at the deadline, Dallas and the Preds did not. The Preds added Gubranson for depth. As bad as he is, he is better than Murphy, Zadorov, DeHaan. Maybe if Stan picked him up, you would see better defense. Would Soderberg and Janmark have made a difference? We will never know.

For all those that thinks without JC the Hawks would be a better defensive/playoff team, who do you want as coach. You have to take into consideration the same talent and the same injuries.

What some are forgetting is Stan sold at the deadline, Dallas and the Preds did not. The Preds added Gubranson for depth. As bad as he is, he is better than Murphy, Zadorov, DeHaan. Maybe if Stan picked him up, you would see better defense. Would Soderberg and Janmark have made a difference? We will never know.
- LAHawk

No he is not.

Subban did not play well enough Period it happens . Boqvist needs time in the A or he will be concussed out of existence he was pushed way to soon what a shame .
- oldduffman

Boqvist has been their best dman for a month or more. How is time in the AHL gonna stop him from getting hit in the chin with the puck? Nothing you wrote made sense

The Penguins won 3 in 8 years. Sooooo that pretty much matches it. The Kings got 2 which is pretty good.

The Penguins are still relevant as well while the Hawks are not so much so saying that no one has matched the Hawks results post lockout is not very accurate.

While going to a game in Nashville as an opposing fan is not a great experience, the last few times I was at the United Center was pretty horrible as well. Some dude in 221 wanted to fight me after I told him and the woman he was with to sit down when they tried to get up during the run of play.

From the morons who are yelling at Keith to shoot every time he has the puck on his blade or constantly screaming "hit him" to the dumb asses who walk around to get beer or food when there isn't a stoppage - I don't know that the Hawks fans have a whole lot of room to talk crap about the Nashville fans.

For all those that thinks without JC the Hawks would be a better defensive/playoff team, who do you want as coach. You have to take into consideration the same talent and the same injuries.

What some are forgetting is Stan sold at the deadline, Dallas and the Preds did not. The Preds added Gubranson for depth. As bad as he is, he is better than Murphy, Zadorov, DeHaan. Maybe if Stan picked him up, you would see better defense. Would Soderberg and Janmark have made a difference? We will never know.
- LAHawk

Gallant would be a good start.

Selling or buying doesn't make a difference. Watching the team make the same mistakes over and over again either means that the players are not smart. Which could very well be the case. Or the coaching staff is telling them to do things that do not work at the highest level.

Two defenders pressuring the same player and abandoning the front of the net all of the time is something I'd suspect the coach is telling them to do since that isn't taught at any other level. Same for having 3 or 4 players below the goal line defensively.

JC is fine if he is there to encourage the younger lads and hand out fruit snacks and orange slices but they won't win consistently - regardless of what the roster looks like - if they keep defending as a team the way they have been the last 3 years.

Not writing Dach off, my comment was meant as what you said, he needs time, a year in the A, not playing with DeBrinket and Kane. I still think his calling card in the league is as a winger.
- LAHawk

Can't play in the A because of the age rules. It was either NHL or juniors.

So how does your last paragraph and 2 sentences connect with Colliton being an unanswered question?

If nothing else, his team has stayed in the race for the 4th spot longer than most anybody would have expected - in a division where 5 other teams have far superior roster talent. Isn't that an indication of some fairly decent coaching work?

In fact, Colliton thinks so little of the effectiveness of his roster talent options down the middle of the ice that he healthy scratches both Strome and Gaudette last night because he doesn't think their center play can help him win. That takes having some big ballz at the risk of offending his boss or is a message delivered inside the dressing room that the efforts of both players don't meet minimum expectations.

I'm not saying JC is Scotty Bowman or Al Arbour behind the bench, but a coach needs talent to win. The Hawks don't have anywhere near enough given their current talent pool.
- RickJ

It doesn't take any type of fortitude to scratch players who have been "career underachievers".

Yes they need talent to win. No they do not need talent to at least look like they're trying to make the correct plays.

Boqvist has been their best dman for a month or more. How is time in the AHL gonna stop him from getting hit in the chin with the puck? Nothing you wrote made sense
- GPHawksfan

About a month ago I posted that Boqvist takes an awful lot of huge hits. He doesn’t seem to know how to avoid taking the hits or rolling off hits. Keith in his prime seldom took a big hit, and it wasn’t like he wasn’t in the thick of things. I have no idea if playing in the AHL can help Boqvist learn to roll off or get out of the way of big hits, but if he doesn’t learn how to soon he’s flirting with a very short career.

Gallant would be a good start.

Selling or buying doesn't make a difference. Watching the team make the same mistakes over and over again either means that the players are not smart. Which could very well be the case. Or the coaching staff is telling them to do things that do not work at the highest level.

Two defenders pressuring the same player and abandoning the front of the net all of the time is something I'd suspect the coach is telling them to do since that isn't taught at any other level. Same for having 3 or 4 players below the goal line defensively.

JC is fine if he is there to encourage the younger lads and hand out fruit snacks and orange slices but they won't win consistently - regardless of what the roster looks like - if they keep defending as a team the way they have been the last 3 years.
- fattybeef

Does the NHL have the equivalent of the NFL Wonderlich intelligence test?

Boqvist has been their best dman for a month or more. How is time in the AHL gonna stop him from getting hit in the chin with the puck? Nothing you wrote made sense
- GPHawksfan

Did not make any sense So you believe Subban played well and letting in two goals a road hockey goalie would be scolded for is fine . Boqvist been the best Defensemen I guess it's a Low bar If that puck off the chin had given him a concussion he would be a lot more trouble then he is he needs to go to the A were the game is a step slower and he can become better in all aspects of the game not getting Drilled every time he retrieves a puck would be a good start .He was deprived of that learning curve and went from zero to sixty in a flash most all defenseman need sometime in the minors before they join the big club .

Does the NHL have the equivalent of the NFL Wonderlich intelligence test?
- boilermaker100

The NHL equivalent is asking the player if he can tie his own skates and the smarter ones can distinguish left from right.