Like I said, the arrow for this team is decidedly pointing down, and now injuries have caught up to this team. Everyone here knew they weren't as good as their record indicated earlier in the season, and in less than a week, they have gone from 1st in the conference to 6th. If StanBow continues to sit on his "prized" prospects, by the time the trade deadline DOES come around, it could be too little too late. Time to HELP this team is NOW!!!
- hawks2010

With your rationale you would probably trade the farm plus the next 5 drafts to pick up a #4 defenseman. NOBODY is making trades right now. Teams out of contention are asking for the world, because they can at this point. They want to see if anyone is stupid enough at this point to give em whatever they want. Give it some time, as the trade deadline approaches, the sellers will back down their prices as it will be time to panic for both sides. Then you will see stan make your moves. Relax............the hawks could be the oilers for crying out loud

I'm thinking more like 31-35 points. Highly unlikely. At least if they hold on to 6th, they would draw a more favorable draw in San Jose in the first round.
- hawks2010

Expecting this team get 30 plus points on the road over the next 2 months....no way. They just had one of softest 2 month schedules of any team in the NHL. Home for holidays, nice holiday breaks, all single road games between 20 @ home and they only got 28 of those 40 home points.

You gotta have the Preds, Blues and Wings hit the wall a few times to keep hope alive!!

I'm thinking more like 31-35 points. Highly unlikely. At least if they hold on to 6th, they would draw a more favorable draw in San Jose in the first round.
- hawks2010

They're not going to get 31 points in 20 road games - that's the equivalent of 15+ wins.

And are one or two new additions going to right this ship? I don't think so. If the coaching philosophy doesn't change (what would make you think it would) then we will see more of this.
- Gasboy

Until the Chicago Black Hawks decide that shoulder pads are for HITTING...they're going be vulnerable. If the team had a style of hitting, this game would have been won for fun. But we're a track meet, skating, don't finish checks team, that lives on the perimeter and is a fire drill inside it's own zone. That is not a recipe for a deep playoff run. We're obviously down key guys, but even with 10 and 19 healthy, we're PRETENDERS.

And are one or two new additions going to right this ship? I don't think so. If the coaching philosophy doesn't change (what would make you think it would) then we will see more of this.
- Gasboy

Would love to see Kitchen shown the door tomorrow....shortens the leash on Q and serves him notice that he needs to do better too.

There are up and downs in a season and we are in a down... They are playing poor hockey and could use some help at the deadline but lets not jump the shark here people and start going over the top with the "suck" bombs. Rinne kept the Hawks from picking up a point tonight with some good goalkeeping. Remember they are without their captain as well as one of their most lethal scorers and their goalie is playing with little confidence. (Emery should get a couple starts it seems the team plays better in front of him)

So lets remember they still have

1) Possibly the first half NHL MVP and one of the best leaders in the game in 19
2) One of the best all around players in 81 who is finally 100% healthy.
3 One of the best pure snipers in 10
4) One of the better playmakers in 88. (Saw some flashes tonight but he needs to pick it up.)
5) A top pairing most teams would kill to have.

What I like is the kids are getting some great experience and when the team gets healthy and hot (they'll get hot again) the bottom two lines will be much improved because of it. I'm staying glass half full and I definitely don't think they suck.
- mvp0207

Sounds like we have everything we need?? Tick, tock??

Expecting this team get 30 plus points on the road over the next 2 months....no way. They just had one of softest 2 month schedules of any team in the NHL. Home for holidays, nice holiday breaks, all single road games between 20 @ home and they only got 28 of those 40 home points.

You gotta have the Preds, Blues and Wings hit the wall a few times to keep hope alive!!
- bogiedoc

My point exactly.

Not so much the air coming out of their balloons as coming bak to reality - neither is a 40 goal scorer at this point.

Crawford was good in the 2nd and 3rd - made one great glove save on Fischer, I think.

Still only one win with less than 3 goals.
- StLBravesFan

Hawks only have 1 win giving up less than 3 goals?

Until the Chicago Black Hawks decide that shoulder pads are for HITTING...they're going be vulnerable. If the team had a style of hitting, this game would have been won for fun. But we're a track meet, skating, don't finish checks team, that lives on the perimeter and is a fire drill inside it's own zone. That is not a recipe for a deep playoff run. We're obviously down key guys, but even with 10 and 19 healthy, we're PRETENDERS.
- philco28

Box score says they out-hit the Preds - led by Hayes and Shaw (and Kruger and Montador) with 3 each.

And are one or two new additions going to right this ship? I don't think so. If the coaching philosophy doesn't change (what would make you think it would) then we will see more of this.
- Gasboy

this is a possibility i dont want to consider

Would love to see Kitchen shown the door tomorrow....shortens the leash on Q and serves him notice that he needs to do better too.
- hawks2010

If Kitchen got a PINK SLIP, i'd buy everyone on this Hawks blog a drink, but since the former ain't gonna happen and the latter is financially impossible, i'll just say Kitchen's LOSER record speaks for itself.

Hawks only have 1 win giving up less than 3 goals?
- bogiedoc

Only one win with 2 goals (LA, I think) - and, since they have no shut-outs (only team in league), obviously no wins with only one goal.

If Kitchen got a PINK SLIP, i'd buy everyone on this Hawks blog a drink, but since the former ain't gonna happen and the latter is financially impossible, i'll just say Kitchen's LOSER record speaks for itself.
- philco28

funny

Sounds like we have everything we need?? Tick, tock??
- Gasboy

Not saying that they are perfect. Im not happy with the last two and there are some holes to fill. They are not going to win a cup as is or better yet as they are playing. But Im saying they dont "suck"

They could use the same things we've been talking about for a while. A #2 playmaking center and a more serviceable 6th defender. Or better yet make one of the guys we have a 6th defender and pick up a good 3 or 4. I think Shaw and Hayes are bringing some grit in the second half in the bottom 6.

Box score says they out-hit the Preds - led by Hayes and Shaw (and Kruger and Montador) with 3 each.
- StLBravesFan

Paddy cake hits. Preds moved with serious impunity ALL NIGHT.

Expecting this team get 30 plus points on the road over the next 2 months....no way. They just had one of softest 2 month schedules of any team in the NHL. Home for holidays, nice holiday breaks, all single road games between 20 @ home and they only got 28 of those 40 home points.

You gotta have the Preds, Blues and Wings hit the wall a few times to keep hope alive!!
- bogiedoc

Its simply how you look at things. I look at this way in order to get to 96 points they need to play .500 hockey in the last 32 games. This guarantees a play-off spot, and should be entirely possible.

More likely I think if they play just over .500 on the road or pick up 22 points (out of 40 possible) and in their 12 home games play .750 hockey and pick up 18 points (out of 24 possible) They finish with 104 points and should be contending for the division

They're not going to get 31 points in 20 road games - that's the equivalent of 15+ wins.
- StLBravesFan

31 points in 32 games total puts them at 95, the cut off for the playoffs last year. If they can get 20 points on the road in 20 games and 16 in 12 home games, they finish with 100 points, just for one example.

Don't know whether it was our collective stupidity in shot selection or the Preds' collective brilliance in defending (which was top notch on this night), but we couldn't get a shot through OR, on net from the point, to save our life.
- philco28

I definitely agree with this. There were multiple times where it seemed like the Preds were pinned in their end for over a minute and it just didn't seem like many shots were getting through, either they were blocked in traffic or went wide of the net.

I definitely agree with this. There were multiple times where it seemed like the Preds were pinned in their end for over a minute and it just didn't seem like many shots were getting through, either they were blocked in traffic or went wide of the net.
- ZappBrannigan

I don't know if there are available stats for this, but I would be curious to see where the Hawks rank in the league on percentage of shots taken that miss the net.

Only one win with 2 goals (LA, I think) - and, since they have no shut-outs (only team in league), obviously no wins with only one goal.
- StLBravesFan

Yeah it was LA in LA 2-1; one of there best road effort wins.

Only Columbus has allowed more goals than the Hawks. Hawks are tied with the Aves and Ducks @ 144.

That must change...the games are going to tighter and their scoring is going go down so they better stop helping teams fill their net.

I don't know if there are available stats for this, but I would be curious to see where the Hawks rank in the league on percentage of shots taken that miss the net.
- NewToHockey

I posted the other day showing our top 6 d and their shooting percentages.....Monty had the best pct....the others were all below 5.0 which is PATHETIC. And O'D didn't even have a shot on goal this year. Not one.
How we gonna with that utter schit?

Don't know whether it was our collective stupidity in shot selection or the Preds' collective brilliance in defending (which was top notch on this night), but we couldn't get a shot through OR, on net from the point, to save our life.

And the too many men call (a Q staple the last few years) with 1:50 left in a 1 goal game? 'UCK OFF.
- philco28

Preds are very good in the lanes and quick with sticks, I will go with Preds collective brilliance.

Leddy often chooses periods 1, 2 and 3 to take his pre-game/in game NAP. NOT A NICK LEDDY FAN.
- philco28

Hey Phil,

I'm not a fan of Leddy...getting 2nd pair minutes. That's way too much pressure on a young player. The demands on Leddy are huge this year and the results have been mixed.

We NEED a stud, stay at home, bad ass defender for the 2nd pair. And I would add another depth guy with size. Enough added D help to keep J. Scott off the bench forever.

Yeah it was LA in LA 2-1; one of there best road effort wins.

Only Columbus has allowed more goals than the Hawks. Hawks are tied with the Aves and Ducks @ 144.

That must change...the games are going to tighter and their scoring is going go down so they better stop helping teams fill their net.
- bogiedoc

This is a point JJ has made repeatedly. The defense has been bad, and the PK has been bad. No team with these combined problems will do anything in the playoffs. And I'm not sure this team is even gonna make the playoffs. This road will tell the tale.

31 points in 32 games total puts them at 95, the cut off for the playoffs last year. If they can get 20 points on the road in 20 games and 16 in 12 home games, they finish with 100 points, just for one example.
- NewToHockey

Well while we all play point-o-matic with the remaining schedule...the key issue is defense they must clean it up and straighten out or no matter where they finish or they are first round exit again.

The wings have had a rabbits foot up there a@!##ss with all the shoot out and OT wins as they are 8-1 in OT and SOs! Nobody can beat them home right now and they have a very favorable schedule after the break. Look for the Hawks to be 5 points behind after the Wings take care of the Canadians Wed nite.