I said that Martinsen is a better version of Bouma the day he was acquired....Zadorov is a big dude and that check hurt. Big board impact there.
- EnzoD

Morning Enzo! I didn't see the game but that's exactly what I was hoping to hear. Maybe a line of something like Martinsen/Wingels/Hayden next year? That line would put up a lot of hits, have some grit, and be fairly hard to play against I would think.

Here is a question for the panel? Say by some luck the hawks get the 4th overall pick and boqvist tkachuk wahlstrom are there say that dahlin svechnikov and zadina are gone who do the hawks pick? Personally I would pick tkachuck need center big physical very good skill set plus could slot in as hawks number one center and towes could be number 2 center or move to wing and doesn't have play that 200ft game like they did in phily with girox. Thoughts?

Here is a question for the panel? Say by some luck the hawks get the 4th overall pick and boqvist tkachuk wahlstrom are there say that dahlin svechnikov and zadina are gone who do the hawks pick? Personally I would pick tkachuck need center big physical very good skill set plus could slot in as hawks number one center and towes could be number 2 center or move to wing and doesn't have play that 200ft game like they did in phily with girox. Thoughts?
- Scott1977

Quinton Hughes

You'll be playing in front of 21,000 fans who want to see Bradley Tkachuk in a Blackhwak uniform next year, so consider that.
- Dieselhead

Brady got another brother?

Dahlin is the BEST the rest are great picks but none will be like Dahlin

Quinton Hughes
- DarthKane

Is that sarcasm because bowman like his smurfs or is it your honest opinion and that hughs would be your pick.

Quinton Hughes
- DarthKane

Alright DK....Question?

Are Q and Bowman still here next year?

I see the TT situation much like Toews. Playing with the right line mates matters.

But unlike Toews (and I have not checked the fancy stats) but I believe TT is not going up against the opponents top lines or checking lines and first team defenders like Toews is. Nor is he taking a lot of dzone faceoffs or playing on the 1st PK unit.
- -Doh-

He is facing opponents top pair D and their top forward groups, yes. That's what you get when J.Staal is your centre.

Like, Aho-TT are the only players on the team capable of scoring, so of course the opposition is going to match their best defensive pairing against them.

Is that sarcasm because bowman like his smurfs or is it your honest opinion and that hughs would be your pick.
- Scott1977

Yes

Alright DK....Question?

Are Q and Bowman still here next year?
- z1990z

No sarcasm here (please note how difficult this is for me).

I believe that both Q and Bowman will get one more shot. If the team misses the playoffs again or loses in the first round both will be out. If the Hawks get off to a slow start next season I could see Q getting relieved of his duties before the Christmas.

Here is a question for the panel? Say by some luck the hawks get the 4th overall pick and boqvist tkachuk wahlstrom are there say that dahlin svechnikov and zadina are gone who do the hawks pick? Personally I would pick tkachuck need center big physical very good skill set plus could slot in as hawks number one center and towes could be number 2 center or move to wing and doesn't have play that 200ft game like they did in phily with girox. Thoughts?
- Scott1977

Boquivst/Tkachuk/Bouchard/Hughes all fit from picks 4-7. (in that order for me). I'd rather not Hughes, cuz he not a biggest guy, so hopefully we get in the top 6.

Alright DK....Question?

Are Q and Bowman still here next year?
- z1990z

That was sarcasm. Beyond the top 3 I would say my preferences would be Tkachuk, Dobson then Bouchard. There are some other good potential picks in Veleno, Whalstrom and Boqvist too, but my preference would be the first 3 I mentioned.

That was sarcasm. Beyond the top 3 I would say my preferences would be Tkachuk, Dobson then Bouchard. There are some other good potential picks in Veleno, Whalstrom and Boqvist too, but my preference would be the first 3 I mentioned.
- DarthKane

Whoever gets Wahlstrom is getting themselves a steal of a pick.

Ive been down on the team and have said little about the tending, but HOLY poop...it's EVERY stinking game one of these turds give up a goal a Junior B kid could stop.

Get rid of them both.
- kwolf68

Looks like Darling would not have been any better had we kept him (for probably a lot more money). He got lit up again last night. This time for 7 goals by the lowly Oilers.
Looks like we dodged a bullet there.

Looks like Darling would not have been any better had we kept him (for probably a lot more money). He got lit up again last night. This time for 7 goals by the lowly Oilers.
Looks like we dodged a bullet there.
- 67hawks

He's been awful. No idea what happened but it looks like he's completely forgotten how to play net. I don't think he's ever in position...

Never seen a guy that big get so small when trying to make a save.

Whoever gets Wahlstrom is getting themselves a steal of a pick.
- BINGO!

He could be a solid pick. I wonder if Stan will go the CHL more in this draft in an attempt to get guys on the roster a bit faster. The CHL guys are likely still 2 years away from making the NHL, but that could be 2 years sooner than a college prospect.

@jrpullega

The Toews line decimated the MacKinnon line in possession. Saad-Toews-Kane with 61+, 61+, 64+ CF%, respectively.

something to about...
- bogiedoc

When do the possession playoffs start...?

Well there we have it ladies and gentlemen.

We all knew the playoffs were not in reach, but now that they are officially out, I will be breaking down a few things in the coming weeks.

On the roadmap include:

* Rockford Push for Playoffs (ongoing)
* Prospect watch (ongoing)
* Off-season strategies and what I would do
* A look ahead to the next 3 years of Blackhawks hockey
* ... and a couple exclusive interviews that I've been saving


Anything specific you fine folks want me to cover?

Even though the Hawks are out, I've got a lot in the works but always have room for suggestions.

Cheers,
JL

Powers has a pretty good article in today's Athletic on why the Hawks missed the play-offs - I don't think he gave enough "blame" to losing Hossa for the season, but ok....

What he really didn't mention was the stretch of games that really cost the team a spot in the tournament - the 18 games between January 10 (game 43) and February 19 (game 60).

Before the game on January 10, they were 21-15-6=48 points and in contention certainly for a play-off finish.

At game 60 (after going 4-12-2=10 points in 18 games) they were 25-27-8=58 points, and not even in the picture.

During that crawl (it certainly wasn't a run), the Hawks scored 37 goals, an average of 2.06 per game. They got to 3 goals or more 4 times out of the 18 games.

They gave up 57 goals in those 18 games, 3.17 per game, and gave up 3 or more in 11 of them.

And individually, no player other than deBrincat really have any kind of numbers going for them:

Kane - 4G+6A=10 pts., scored goals in 3 games, scored points in 6
Toews - 2+7=9, goals in 2 games, points in 7
Saad - 2+2=4, goals in 2, points in 3
Anisimov - 2+2=4, goals in 2, points in 4 (he only played 14 of the games)
Hartman - 1+3=4, goals in 1, points in 3 (he did play all 18 for Chicago)

Skaters that were adequate but not outstanding:

Schmaltz - 4+5=9, goals in 4, points in 8
Hinostroza - 3+7=10, goals in 3, points in 8

Only one player with very good numbers:

deBrincat - 8+4=12, goals in 6, points in 8

The "stars" let them down / didn't perform / didn't make anyone better / didn't lead on the ice at the critical point in the season, so I'm not consoled that Toews has hit 20 goals for however many straight years, or that Anisimov joined him at 20 and Saad has a chance, or that Kane could hit 30.

They failed completely when it was all on the line.

Looks like Darling would not have been any better had we kept him (for probably a lot more money). He got lit up again last night. This time for 7 goals by the lowly Oilers.
Looks like we dodged a bullet there.
- 67hawks

extrapolating a players performance from one team to another with so many contingencies and variables in play is pointless...

Well there we have it ladies and gentlemen.

We all knew the playoffs were not in reach, but now that they are officially out, I will be breaking down a few things in the coming weeks.

On the roadmap include:

* Rockford Push for Playoffs (ongoing)
* Prospect watch (ongoing)
* Off-season strategies and what I would do
* A look ahead to the next 3 years of Blackhawks hockey
* ... and a couple exclusive interviews that I've been saving


Anything specific you fine folks want me to cover?

Even though the Hawks are out, I've got a lot in the works but always have room for suggestions.

Cheers,
JL
- Justin Lowe

For me, I'd like to see coverage on the Hogs push for the playoffs and draft coverage. After that off-season news/predictions wold be great. Insight on the players take on this season would be a bonus.

I think this could be one of the most interesting off-seasons in a long time. The Hawks don't have to make any cap moves, but they need to make hockey trades. I also wonder if they'll look to unload Hossa's contract.

extrapolating a players performance from one team to another with so many contingencies and variables in play is pointless...
- bogiedoc

Yeah.

Also he sucks.

Powers has a pretty good article in today's Athletic on why the Hawks missed the play-offs - I don't think he gave enough "blame" to losing Hossa for the season, but ok....

What he really didn't mention was the stretch of games that really cost the team a spot in the tournament - the 18 games between January 10 (game 43) and February 19 (game 60).

Before the game on January 10, they were 21-15-6=48 points and in contention certainly for a play-off finish.

At game 60 (after going 4-12-2=10 points in 18 games) they were 25-27-8=58 points, and not even in the picture.

During that crawl (it certainly wasn't a run), the Hawks scored 37 goals, an average of 2.06 per game. They got to 3 goals or more 4 times out of the 18 games.

They gave up 57 goals in those 18 games, 3.17 per game, and gave up 3 or more in 11 of them.

And individually, no player other than deBrincat really have any kind of numbers going for them:

Kane - 4G+6A=10 pts., scored goals in 3 games, scored points in 6
Toews - 2+7=9, goals in 2 games, points in 7
Saad - 2+2=4, goals in 2, points in 3
Anisimov - 2+2=4, goals in 2, points in 4 (he only played 14 of the games)
Hartman - 1+3=4, goals in 1, points in 3 (he did play all 18 for Chicago)

Skaters that were adequate but not outstanding:

Schmaltz - 4+5=9, goals in 4, points in 8
Hinostroza - 3+7=10, goals in 3, points in 8

Only one player with very good numbers:

deBrincat - 8+4=12, goals in 6, points in 8

The "stars" let them down / didn't perform / didn't make anyone better / didn't lead on the ice at the critical point in the season, so I'm not consoled with Toews has hit 20 goals for however many straight years, or the Anisimov joined him at 20 and Saad has a chance, or that Kane could hit 30.

They failed completely when it was all on the line.
- StLBravesFan

your analysis is more succinct and spot on than his...they blitz the sens and shortly there after began to crap the bed before and after their break week...it was at that point I thought they were done. And you are correct the the so call HOF core went MIA.

Yeah.

Also he sucks.
- BINGO!

It's disappointing to see Darling fail so miserably, I truly wanted to see him succeed in Carolina. Hopefully he can bounce back next season, I don't think too many people saw this demise coming.

Yeah.

Also he sucks.
- BINGO!

and next year he could lead the mighty canes to promise land

It's disappointing to see Darling fail so miserably, I truly wanted to see him succeed in Carolina. Hopefully he can bounce back next season, I don't think too many people saw this demise coming.
- DarthKane

certainly not the canes