Also signed Saad to $4.5M AAV, that’s a good cap hit for Saad, he was really good for the Avs in last year’s playoffs. Hawks need to use that comparison for Kubalik’s next contract.
- Angotti

Armstrong has been a GM in Dallas and St. Louis since 2002. He has made his own bad trades (remember when he was going to win the cup trading for Ryan Miller and Steve Ott). Catches lightning in a bottle, they win a cup, and now he is king of the GM's? I guess compared to David Poile he is.

EDIT: Dean Lombardi is available, he won 2 cups SMH

Shoot, we have 20 year old busts.
- Angotti

You say that like it’s a bad thing.

DACH: Needs to spend time at the AHL level - too much loafing and plays pretty much die on his stick, as teams just let him skate into the zone to the boards, then just take the puck away from him. he obviously has no confidence right now - anyone seeing the same? Or is this my COVID evaluation?
- glennjpawlak22

Yes I agree with imo he has hit that rookie young player wall. Either put him in Rockford or put him on wing to lessen the defensive responsibility. Imo he plays lazy and uninspired hockey at times. Maybe taking him away from Kane and putting him on wing with towes and kubalik would be better for his development going forward. I personally don't see him as a center going forward.

There would be plenty of teams who give something to get him, especially if salary were retained. Might not be a huge get, but other than salary retained, the Hawks wouldn’t need to add assets to move Toews.
- Ogilthorpe2

I could see towes with half retained getting a 2nd and couple good solid prospects. What teams are looking for a center of his type and how desperate are they. Calgary rangers avs Ottawa Winnipeg but its up to towes if wants to leave.

I could see towes with half retained getting a 2nd and couple good solid prospects. What teams are looking for a center of his type and how desperate are they. Calgary rangers avs Ottawa Winnipeg but its up to towes if wants to leave.
- Scott1977

If we have to retain salary, and a team really wants Toews, I would want an overpay. If not, he can still play for the Hawks. I don't see either Toews or Kane leaving, unless some team seriously overpays for their next contract. Any team in serious Stanley Cup contention won't have the cap space to pay them mega-bucks, Hawks will match any offer.

That took a lot of courage right there, hahaha

That's not good about the high danger chances for sure. But is it with no one around them, like the Hawks were letting up or is it with a defender there who doesn't allow someone much space and time, stick follow through. All those little details matter. I know the Hawks got outshot in the 3rd period the other day but some shots were just thrown on hoping for a rebound, others were contested, others were with little little time to me all these things really matter.
- BetweenTheDots

I'm not saying your post was wrong, Dots. Reading about NYR the complaint this yr is the same as late last yr that the forwards were not getting back and as much as Gallant sees that, coaches em up, harps on it the group still ain't getting it.

Assuming you have a competent NHL coach would he run the same systems with the 2015 Hawk cup team as the 2021 squad? Or the same system as NYR's with the AZ roster? ...... The cup teams were possession monsters and played a system where their best defense was playing with the puck 150-200 ft from the goalie. Same thing with Cooper's Lightning. You can't do that with AZ's or MTL's rosters.

Everyone has variations of the same systems. Depending on YOUR roster you run a 1, 2 or no man forecheck. Every team has a 3rd man high Ozone look. Every team has a trap drawn up and practiced. Every team has some kinda hybrid Dzone system with their Dmen, every team. Every team has a fly the zone exit, chip out, triangle formation set up and out, sag 5 below the circles, attack the puck high, overload a side, have set plays for a faceoff in all 3 zones and every team has variations on all of the above..... All the way back to Jrs these players were in these systems.

Q wouldn't coach the 2021 Panthers the same way he would say the Kraken, Coyotes or Sens. He, and any competent coach, has variations on systems everyone has and plays. Comes down to a coach understanding his roster, putting in systems that his players' abilities can execute, coaching them up and the players buying in and executing.

Nobody no matter how good is reinventing the wheel. Just variations to the 32 individual wheels in the NHL.

Yes I agree with imo he has hit that rookie young player wall. Either put him in Rockford or put him on wing to lessen the defensive responsibility. Imo he plays lazy and uninspired hockey at times. Maybe taking him away from Kane and putting him on wing with towes and kubalik would be better for his development going forward. I personally don't see him as a center going forward.
- Scott1977

Dach has barely played in the NHL. If you take him out of your top six centers who do you replace him with, Strome? Borgstrom? He is, like it or not, our #1 center already or very soon. He has the wingspan and puck control to do it, give him time to develop on a non-Colliton team before banishing him to Rockford. I’m usually someone who advocates for letting prospects develop in junior or AHL, but for a guy who has played parts of three seasons already and has chemistry with Patrick Kane… I think it would be bad for him. I thought he looked good last game, terrible the game before. He’s already one of our five best forwards, so he’s not going down so that [checks notes] Adam Gaudette can get more time.

Dach has barely played in the NHL. If you take him out of your top six centers who do you replace him with, Strome? Borgstrom? He is, like it or not, our #1 center already or very soon. He has the wingspan and puck control to do it, give him time to develop on a non-Colliton team before banishing him to Rockford. I’m usually someone who advocates for letting prospects develop in junior or AHL, but for a guy who has played parts of three seasons already and has chemistry with Patrick Kane… I think it would be bad for him. I thought he looked good last game, terrible the game before. He’s already one of our five best forwards, so he’s not going down so that
- ObeseOprah[checks notes] Adam Gaudette can get more time.

What chemistry? The last time Dach showed any chemistry was when he played 3C with Saad and Kubalik.

What chemistry? The last time Dach showed any chemistry was when he played 3C with Saad and Kubalik.
- LAHawk

Maybe they can trade for Saad to get Kirby going again, worked for Toews right

Dach has barely played in the NHL. If you take him out of your top six centers who do you replace him with, Strome? Borgstrom? He is, like it or not, our #1 center already or very soon. He has the wingspan and puck control to do it, give him time to develop on a non-Colliton team before banishing him to Rockford. I’m usually someone who advocates for letting prospects develop in junior or AHL, but for a guy who has played parts of three seasons already and has chemistry with Patrick Kane… I think it would be bad for him. I thought he looked good last game, terrible the game before. He’s already one of our five best forwards, so he’s not going down so that
- ObeseOprah[checks notes] Adam Gaudette can get more time.

It's just my opinion but it wouldn't hurt to try him on wing to build up some of his confidence.

Maybe they can trade for Saad to get Kirby going again, worked for Toews right
- vabeachbear

Please bite your tongue until it bleeds.

Dach has barely played in the NHL. If you take him out of your top six centers who do you replace him with, Strome? Borgstrom? He is, like it or not, our #1 center already or very soon. He has the wingspan and puck control to do it, give him time to develop on a non-Colliton team before banishing him to Rockford. I’m usually someone who advocates for letting prospects develop in junior or AHL, but for a guy who has played parts of three seasons already and has chemistry with Patrick Kane… I think it would be bad for him. I thought he looked good last game, terrible the game before. He’s already one of our five best forwards, so he’s not going down so that
- ObeseOprah[checks notes] Adam Gaudette can get more time.

Instead of sending Dach down to develop further what do you think of slotting him as the 3C to give him relief from top defensive opponents? ...... When Johnson comes back gonna be interesting to see where Kings slots him. Will he go back to 1C/top 6 or bottom 6? Either way the center position will be more talented, and at least deeper, with Johnson back.

And after playing him 2 games and then some practice days what does King think of Strome?

Instead of sending Dach down to develop further what do you think of slotting him as the 3C to give him relief from top defensive opponents? ...... When Johnson comes back gonna be interesting to see where Kings slots him. Will he go back to 1C/top 6 or bottom 6? Either way the center position will be more talented, and at least deeper, with Johnson back.

And after playing him 2 games and then some practice days what does King think of Strome?
- Mr Ricochet

Ben Pope
@BenPopeCST
Blackhawks lines in practice:

DeBrincat-Dach-Kane
Kubalik-Toews-Khaira
Kurashev-Strome-Gaudette
Hardman-Carpenter-RJohnson
Borgstrom
Translate Tweet

Ben Pope
@BenPopeCST
Blackhawks lines in practice:

DeBrincat-Dach-Kane
Kubalik-Toews-Khaira
Kurashev-Strome-Gaudette
Hardman-Carpenter-RJohnson
Borgstrom
Translate Tweet
- LAHawk

Interesting about Borgstrom. Had to look it up but King has not coached Borgstrom yet. Would love to see him get an extended look at some point. ........ So far King is buying in on Strome. Khaira on L2 again! Guess scoring goals gets you another audition.

Ben Pope
@BenPopeCST
Blackhawks lines in practice:

DeBrincat-Dach-Kane
Kubalik-Toews-Khaira
Kurashev-Strome-Gaudette
Hardman-Carpenter-RJohnson
Borgstrom
Translate Tweet
- LAHawk

Would like to see Borgstrom in the lineup over anyone in the bottom six.

Instead of sending Dach down to develop further what do you think of slotting him as the 3C to give him relief from top defensive opponents? ...... When Johnson comes back gonna be interesting to see where Kings slots him. Will he go back to 1C/top 6 or bottom 6? Either way the center position will be more talented, and at least deeper, with Johnson back.

And after playing him 2 games and then some practice days what does King think of Strome?
- Mr Ricochet

Doug Gilmore was put on a checking line for his first few years. He turned into an amazing two way center man. But he came out of junior as a prolific scorer where Dach didn’t.

Ben Pope
@BenPopeCST
Blackhawks lines in practice:

DeBrincat-Dach-Kane
Kubalik-Toews-Khaira
Kurashev-Strome-Gaudette
Hardman-Carpenter-RJohnson
Borgstrom
Translate Tweet
- LAHawk

Man… Translate Tweet can’t catch a break, King really hates him.

Mark Lazerus
@MarkLazerus
Derek King starts talking about the Blackhawks' 1-2-2 and how it's designed to slow opponents down in the neutral zone (and how it hasn't yet). Catches himself.

"Maybe I shouldn't say that, the other team might be listening. Uh... it's a 1-3-1 we're playing..."
11:12 AM · Nov 11, 2021·TweetDeck

Do we know what Bob Murray did to get shown the exit?

I haven't seen details other than he was mean to others in the office.

Doug Gilmore was put on a checking line for his first few years. He turned into an amazing two way center man. But he came out of junior as a prolific scorer where Dach didn’t.
- paulr

And Dach came as an already accomplished 2 way player that IMO thought defense first from what little I saw of him in jrs. He always seemed to make sure he didn't get caught above the puck. I'd even say you could notice him leaning back sometimes in the Ozone. He did not have gaudy numbers in jrs.

I thought then and do now kid came with a really really high floor more so than a high ceiling. No doubt the physical skills to be a 70+ pt player who can take the other teams top C. I still see his floor as a 55 pt defensively sound Johansen outa NSH.

Check out the scouting reports his draft yr and before although I disagree with the guy who says he had an offense first mentality but that was written when he was 16 and the others when he was 18. I think every Hawk fan would agree with the scouting reports: https://www.eliteprospect.../player/268089/kirby-dach

Do we know what Bob Murray did to get shown the exit?

I haven't seen details other than he was mean to others in the office.
- mohel

Substance abuse - the bottle

https://www.espn.com/nhl/...oll-alcohol-abuse-program

Substance abuse - the bottle

https://www.espn.com/nhl/...oll-alcohol-abuse-program
- glennjpawlak22

He didn't get fired for being a boozer. Apparently, he created a hostile working environment, but no more than that.

And Dach came as an already accomplished 2 way player that IMO thought defense first from what little I saw of him in jrs. He always seemed to make sure he didn't get caught above the puck. I'd even say you could notice him leaning back sometimes in the Ozone. He did not have gaudy numbers in jrs.

I thought then and do now kid came with a really really high floor more so than a high ceiling. No doubt the physical skills to be a 70+ pt player who can take the other teams top C. I still see his floor as a 55 pt defensively sound Johansen outa NSH.

Check out the scouting reports his draft yr and before although I disagree with the guy who says he had an offense first mentality but that was written when he was 16 and the others when he was 18. I think every Hawk fan would agree with the scouting reports: https://www.eliteprospect.../player/268089/kirby-dach
- Mr Ricochet

All I’d read about Dach was in junior he was strong defensively, he had good playmaking ability but had difficulty scoring. He should have stayed in junior like Gilmore did and where he learned to score and did put up big numbers especially in his later years in junior.

He didn't get fired for being a boozer. Apparently, he created a hostile working environment, but no more than that.
- mohel

No one is saying why he was fired or forced to retire …. yet ….

No one is saying why he was fired or forced to retire …. yet ….
- paulr

I wonder if it was more hostile than the work environment created by McD?