The problem with Jurco is he would need to clear waivers to go back down. Jurco with 7 pts in 7 games Vinne with 10pts. My guess is vinie gets called up 1st. Jurco needs to play he has been a healthy scratch for 2 years.
- kmw4631

Hino isn't much of a bottom 6 guy. Maybe he earns a shot, but his game away from the puck wasn't very strong last season. I'd hope they'd call him up if there is an injury to Toews/Schmalz and let him play in a more offensive role.

Crusades are for the mentally ill

Paraphrasing so no quotes here, but no one is fanatical about convincing others that the sun is going to rise tomorrow morning. If they were fanatical about that, you'd worry more about them than the sun rising.
- kinigitt

Toews has become a whack job with his PUSH for people to eat organically grown plants......well guess what, I don't make millions a year to set up a grow house in my family room to eat supposed "health greens".....I also don't take that crap he and Keith are on.....and I'd love to see the correlation since Toews started this adventure to eat pure and his supplement intake to his down slide in production.

Anyone who wouldn't take Tavares over Toews is looking for the holy grail.........

Asking Forsling to carry Seabrook is a little to much for the youngster.
- DarthKane

I love Seabrook but yikes.....he looks very slow as do many other Hawks.

So much for getting faster. Vegas looked like they had 6-7 guys out there at times.....

Did this team peak game 1?

New Blackhawks lines:
Saad-Toews-DeBrincat
Panik-Schmaltz-Kane
Sharp-Anisimov-Hayden
Bouma-Wingels-Hartman

Blackhawks defenseman pairings
Keith-Rutta
Forsling-Seabrook
Kempny-Murphy
Oesterle-Franson
- JRoenick97

my projected lines with five minutes left and the Hawks down by 3:

Saad - Toews - Kane
Sharp - Schmaltz - Panik
Bouma - Wingles - Hayden

AA, DeBrincat, & Hartman tied to the bench

Q's lines with five minutes left and the Hawks down by 3:

Saad - Toews - Kane
Keith - Seabrook

Everyone else tied to the bench


- matt_ahrens

Fixed.

Not an effort problem. Guys literally don't know where to be or where other guys are going to be. Plus some just don't have the complimentary skill sets to be playing together.
- fattybeef

In all fairness I strongly suspect some players just do not care enough to be responsible. Which is nothing new in hockey. Stars get away with no defense or dumb plays that leave teamattes in compromising position. Kane and Panarin seemingly did this lot.

Them you notice a team like Ottawa go so far last year. One bonfire star, a few good players. Why can't Chicago be doing the same.

Because Q the HOF coach has always had issues. The core and surrounding cast stepped up in playoffs. That core is much depleted and Toews is half the player. That was then, this is now.

Some on this board think line tinkering and a Rockford shuffle could lead to us playing well enough to make the playoffs
Playing better is possible. Making the playoffs means defensemen 2-4 or 2-5 will be much better.

Can't honestly expect such improvement. You can look at Philly whom appear to be getting by with so much youth. And Nashville is darn good. But they are not Chicago.

Ok let's see how the defensemen look after 25 or 50 gp. If the defensemen are lacking reasonable facsimile of consistent play then making the playoffs is too much to be expected. Maybe if much better defensemen and Toews was his old self.

Just haven't seen enough signs that we are turning it around. Until I know otherwise the coach has to bring the club along. Q going to do that? Really?

New Blackhawks lines:
Saad-Toews-DeBrincat
Panik-Schmaltz-Kane
Sharp-Anisimov-Hayden
Bouma-Wingels-Hartman

Blackhawks defenseman pairings
Keith-Rutta
Forsling-Seabrook
Kempny-Murphy
Oesterle-Franson
- JRoenick97

Kind of head scratching on why Hartman would be demoted to the 4th line when we're playing Colorado on Saturday. Correct me if I'm wrong here but wasn't Hartman the main guy that Sakic insisted on last trade deadline to be included in any deal involving Duchene ? If that's still the case, maybe it would have been a smart idea to promote him to the 1st line with Toews and Saad and hopefully he'd have a great game against the Avs, and Sakic would still want him.

As far as I'm concerned, he can have him with Forsling and Anisimov +... if that's what it takes. Hartman has shown little to no fire this year whatsoever......and please don't respond with his big opening night with 5 points or whatever it was. The first goal was a tap-in created by a great pass by Kane, the other assists were secondary assists that were mostly meaningless.
Putting him on the new 4th line only decreases his value........ but then again...maybe that's the plan after all.

Toews has become a whack job with his PUSH for people to eat organically grown plants......well guess what, I don't make millions a year to set up a grow house in my family room to eat supposed "health greens".....I also don't take that crap he and Keith are on.....and I'd love to see the correlation since Toews started this adventure to eat pure and his supplement intake to his down slide in production.

Anyone who wouldn't take Tavares over Toews is looking for the holy grail.........

- SteveRain

They have some comparables, but can be somewhat different players. One guy more offensive and the other guy more defensive. Taveres a bit more dangerous to score goals while Toews adds more on the PK and at the dot.

Toews with his "awful" play last season scored produced 0.81 PPG while Tavares put up 0.86. Tavares about to get a big raise, so that is a big factor. Taveres is younger and would boost the offense a bit, but would further emphasize where the team is thin defensively.

IMO, If this was EA's NHL 2018, you just take Tavares, but it is a lot closer in the real world I think

Glad to see Rutta getting a shot with Keith. He has been playing better than Seabrook most the time, so why not give him a go. I think Seabrook can be more successful in the 2nd pair.

Glad to see Rutta getting a shot with Keith. He has been playing better than Seabrook most the time, so why not give him a go. I think Seabrook can be more successful in the 2nd pair.
- breadbag

Next to Keith I think Rutta has been the Hawks best defenseman. However, I likely the Forsling-Rutta duo and I don't have much faith in the Forsling-Seabrook combo.

I'd go with 2/5, 42/44 and 7/6.

I love Seabrook but yikes.....he looks very slow as do many other Hawks.

So much for getting faster. Vegas looked like they had 6-7 guys out there at times.....

Did this team peak game 1?
- SteveRain

LOL.......... looks like 3 players peaked game 1. Anisimov, Sharp, and Hartman.
Move em all somehow and give me back Hinostroza, Kampf, and Dauphin.
Those 3 hustled their asses of all preseason and that's when the team looked faster.
Sharp has had 1 burst of speed so far and that was in game 1 vs Pitt. The other 2 will never be fast. And if Q continues to use AA to kill penalties, he's off his rocker. Just because he's big and can use his length to get to puck with reach doesn't make him an effective penalty killer. SPEED is needed on the PK also to pressure the puck, not stand still in that box again !!

Next to Keith I think Rutta has been the Hawks best defenseman. However, I likely the Forsling-Rutta duo and I don't have much faith in the Forsling-Seabrook combo.

I'd go with 2/5, 42/44 and 7/6.
- DarthKane

You may be absolutely right. There isn't huge difference in actual playing time for the Hawks D at even strength, so it might happen that way.

Keith 17:21
Seabrook 16:41
Rutta 16:14
Forsling 14:55
Kempny 14:53
Oesterle 14:46
Murphy 14:27
Franson 13:38

I'm just not sold that they wan't Murphy facing the tougher competition while playing with Keith. Rutta might be able to handle it better.

New Blackhawks lines:
Saad-Toews-DeBrincat
Panik-Schmaltz-Kane
Sharp-Anisimov-Hayden
Bouma-Wingels-Hartman

Blackhawks defenseman pairings
Keith-Rutta
Forsling-Seabrook
Kempny-Murphy
Oesterle-Franson
- JRoenick97

I think Q needs to switch Lines 1 and 2. Toews is the new Second Line Center.
Add Hinnie please

I think Q needs to switch Lines 1 and 2. Toews is the new Second Line Center.
Add Hinnie please
- Colbyboy

Hinostroza replace Anisinov. Then you have a better combination of hitting and speed represented.

Later Fortin could replace Sharp. Fortin young gun who outscored old has been Sharp. Kampf and Dauphin could replace two on fourth line. Actually would be a talent upgrade on that line. I would trade Hartman and AA if I could just to exchange first round choices. My objective then is to draft the best power forward or skill center. Neither can be afraid of some contact checking.

my projected lines with five minutes left and the Hawks down by 3:

Saad - Toews - Kane
Sharp - Schmaltz - Panik
Bouma - Wingles - Hayden

AA, DeBrincat, & Hartman tied to the bench


- matt_ahrens

That's funny ,because it true or could be . Nice to see Q rearranging the deck chairs . Can't hurt .Think the Cat should benefit from playing on a more offensive line ..GO HAWKS !!!!

Fast fact: Matt Ellison, traded to Philly for Patrick Sharp, has made as many Olympic hockey teams as Sharpie himself. Will Ellison win a gold medal?

Edit: Ellison on pre Olympic team so far

That's funny ,because it true or could be . Nice to see Q rearranging the deck chairs . Can't hurt .Think the Cat should benefit from playing on a more offensive line ..GO HAWKS !!!!
- oldduffman

Be interesting to see. Of course, we can't forget Q's penchant for forcing players onto their off side. Wonder how much impact that has had on DBC's production and efficacy to-date. From Myers:

He’ll still be on the right side — keep in mind DeBrincat played on the left side during most of his time in the Ontario Hockey League.

“On the left I can open up for a one-timer right away. On the right I just gotta find space in the middle and try to have a quick release. That’s the biggest difference,” DeBrincat said.

More Chicago names on Canada's (pre) Olympic team

Ebbett
Bourque
Sikura
Klinkhammer

More Chicago names on Canada's (pre) Olympic team

Ebbett
Bourque
Sikura
Klinkhammer
- Hawkjet

Sikura has shown signs of being a real keeper. I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do with the Hawks in the spring.

Sikura has shown signs of being a real keeper. I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do with the Hawks in the spring.
- DarthKane

Hey Darth,

Did I see you're from Vancouver? We just moved to West Van a couple years ago, beautiful place, maybe the best on earth... From July to October anyway

What is this about JJ leaving. Just catching up.
Have really enjoyed your blogs.
Don't want to piss you off before you leave but TT looking good in Carolina

Best of luck JJ

Sikura has shown signs of being a real keeper. I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do with the Hawks in the spring.
- DarthKane

More rookie hype. Akim Alliu had a great camp.

(Did I do that right?)

Toews has become a whack job with his PUSH for people to eat organically grown plants......well guess what, I don't make millions a year to set up a grow house in my family room to eat supposed "health greens".....I also don't take that crap he and Keith are on.....and I'd love to see the correlation since Toews started this adventure to eat pure and his supplement intake to his down slide in production.

Anyone who wouldn't take Tavares over Toews is looking for the holy grail.........

- SteveRain

Silly. If your idea is Toews is "less productive" because he is eating healthier there isn't much reasoning to be done here. Hurry up Toews, get back on the high fructose corn syrup, the trans fat, hydrogenated veggie oil, food starch and aspartame...we want to make Toews great again.

And if you further are upset he is "pushing" his healthy alternative, why no complaining about the billions of advertising (corporate propaganda) "pushing" us to eat sludge? There is no mystery here that, of the developed nations, America is among the most obese and least healthy. Yes, eating healthy is more expensive, but that's another debate and perhaps economies of scale will actually start taking effect soon and thus moving down those prices so Americans can get into better health. Still, there is absolutely NOTHING wrong with promotion of healthy alternatives. After all, there is plenty of "promotion" of unhealthy alternatives.

Toews supposed decline I think is a legitimate discussion, but lets not concoct a boogeyman that fits our cultural/political profile.

Good luck, John.

We did have our differences, but I think I understand what you have been trying to do - and, I think, did it successfully.

Like Crawford, you have had a good team in front of you (your readers), but that doesn't detract from your running a very good blog.
- StLBravesFan

- John Jaeckel

My guess is most will follow you at the other site. Best of luck with the new venture.