In today's Off-Season Game Plan for the Devils, TSN has the Hawks trading Murphy for Severson claiming that Murphy "fell out of favor in Chicago." Would any of you do that trade?
- AEL_Fox

I like Murphy but I would certainly make that trade.

It's also funny that Q is consistently voted - by players - year in and out as a coach they'd want to play for yet its assumed here they don't want to with zero supporting facts
- PatShart

Ya that is funny ,And only because he runs the least amount of practice in the league . Scotty brought him in and fed him info ,Joel was nothing but a glorified Assist coach . Now that he going rogue with his power trip and huge contract and war against Scotty boy, the proof is in the pudding . The last two and a half seasons have been a train wreck . He continues his stubborn bull head style

In today's Off-Season Game Plan for the Devils, TSN has the Hawks trading Murphy for Severson claiming that Murphy "fell out of favor in Chicago." Would any of you do that trade?
- AEL_Fox

Only fell out favors because coach Q had a hard on for Jhammer .Murphy is just what this team needs .Q the one that should go he is no judge of talent.

I like Murphy but I would certainly make that trade.
- DarthKane

Ditto. Be awesome if the Hawks could have both.

How do you like us now?

Good as gold is Vegas. Investment in Reeves had dividend and it is not really Reeves. Sure it can be helpful to have his character in the lineup. It keeps your other players focused entirely upon their extraordinary effort and not upon thuggery. But really it is the investment in themselves merely continued or maybe we should say it is extrapolated each new chapter in their season.

Meanwhile the " Capital"s expenditure has been on the Kempny addition. As well, the addition of Holtby through subtraction of Grabhauer is their dividend.

So whom do you like MORE now that you have digested the battle and it is knotted at one game apiece.

Oh btw even Johnny B Good again (Toews) appearing as Superman and Crawford draw in as Fleury like in goal, is not enough to direct the Blackhawks into the playoffs.

Bowman answers an SOS and they sort of tread water, maybe make runs toward .500 then fall back. Bowman needs to have more youngsters to fall back on and he needs to rid the team of second line talent big ticket salary Toews - then truly the rebuild with more and more kids coming aboard may lead them toward the second season aka playoffs.

In today's Off-Season Game Plan for the Devils, TSN has the Hawks trading Murphy for Severson claiming that Murphy "fell out of favor in Chicago." Would any of you do that trade?
- AEL_Fox

Don’t think Murphy fell out of favour with StanBo or team scouts or most fans just Q. Interesting that Team USA wanted him as an “A” in spite of Q’s treatment. Murphy had actually worn the “C” the year before. When watching Q’s arrogance and craziness the Hawks just seem so dysfunctional. I don’t see Murphy a young, controlled, talented, former First Round D-Man and great team-mate being traded and if it happens it is a terrible idea. Keep Murphy get rid of Q. Can’t believe Q is returning.

Don’t think Murphy fell out of favour with StanBo or team scouts or most fans just Q. Interesting that Team USA wanted him as an “A” in spite of Q’s treatment. Murphy had actually worn the “C” the year before. When watching Q’s arrogance and craziness the Hawks just seem so dysfunctional. I don’t see Murphy a young, controlled, talented, former First Round D-Man and great team-mate being traded and if it happens it is a terrible idea. Keep Murphy get rid of Q. Can’t believe Q is returning.
- Z3Hawk

I think that sometime after the draft and the dog nand pony show (Convention) Q will resign, knowing that there is a rift between him and everyone else.

I think that sometime after the draft and the dog nand pony show (Convention) Q will resign, knowing that there is a rift between him and everyone else.
- powerenforcer

Why not do it after the season then? Why prolong the agony? Never say never, but I don’t think that happens at all.

Ditto. Be awesome if the Hawks could have both.
- AEL_Fox

Ya, perfect world, would be them having both!

Only fell out favors because coach Q had a hard on for Jhammer .Murphy is just what this team needs .Q the one that should go he is no judge of talent.
- oldduffman

Murphy gives a great effort, all in all the time. Love the way he plays. But anyone that judges his talent level as ordinary at best is in my opinion more right than wrong. Even if that's Q.

Why not do it after the season then? Why prolong the agony? Never say never, but I don’t think that happens at all.
- HawkintheD

I agree Q has a death grip on the head coaching job .And Rocky is loyal to a fault . Q will continue to drive good players out ,and this team will be in a bigger mess then anything Stan did with contracts ..

I agree Q has a death grip on the head coaching job .And Rocky is loyal to a fault . Q will continue to drive good players out ,and this team will be in a bigger mess then anything Stan did with contracts ..
- oldduffman

3 cups will do that...

Anybody liking the save Holtby made near the end of the game last night topreserve the victory?

If it's true that the Hawks have sit down meetings and do things as a collective group, then these comments can't be further from the truth. Q, Bowman and others as a whole feel the same way about a player, they give them a chance to become part of the system and one they show they can't digest it, off they go

How do you like us now?

Good as gold is Vegas. Investment in Reeves had dividend and it is not really Reeves. Sure it can be helpful to have his character in the lineup. It keeps your other players focused entirely upon their extraordinary effort and not upon thuggery. But really it is the investment in themselves merely continued or maybe we should say it is extrapolated each new chapter in their season.

Meanwhile the " Capital"s expenditure has been on the Kempny addition. As well, the addition of Holtby through subtraction of Grabhauer is their dividend.

So whom do you like MORE now that you have digested the battle and it is knotted at one game apiece.

Oh btw even Johnny B Good again (Toews) appearing as Superman and Crawford draw in as Fleury like in goal, is not enough to direct the Blackhawks into the playoffs.

Bowman answers an SOS and they sort of tread water, maybe make runs toward .500 then fall back. Bowman needs to have more youngsters to fall back on and he needs to rid the team of second line talent big ticket salary Toews - then truly the rebuild with more and more kids coming aboard may lead them toward the second season aka playoffs.
- jhawk59

I may be misreading this but are you saying Reaves being in the line up is preventing dirty play and thuggery? Cause I don't know what two games you've watched so far, but that is really far from the truth. Wilson is still being Wilson by being predatory on smaller, unsuspecting players, and like half the Vegas team is playing Kings style of "do it so often, the refs can't call it all" hockey with the cross-checking, boarding, and many many many slashes. I never thought I'd feel sympathy for Oshie, but the abuse he's been taking is ridiculous and not real hockey imo

If that is not what you mean, then sorry for the confusion.

PS. The Hawks currently have a lot of kids on the team - they were 13th in age last season in January but were 5th youngest by the end of the season.

Anybody liking the save Holtby made near the end of the game last night topreserve the victory?
- 6628

I did. This writer seems to not like it...

http://www.espn.com/nhl/s...ncredible-save-game-2-nhl

I may be misreading this but are you saying Reaves being in the line up is preventing dirty play and thuggery? Cause I don't know what two games you've watched so far, but that is really far from the truth. Wilson is still being Wilson by being predatory on smaller, unsuspecting players, and like half the Vegas team is playing Kings style of "do it so often, the refs can't call it all" hockey with the cross-checking, boarding, and many many many slashes. I never thought I'd feel sympathy for Oshie, but the abuse he's been taking is ridiculous and not real hockey imo

If that is not what you mean, then sorry for the confusion.

PS. The Hawks currently have a lot of kids on the team - they were 13th in age last season in January but were 5th youngest by the end of the season.
- L_B_R

And Ovi can sure finish a check better than both of our 10.5M players - yeah I know its not Kanes game but seriously.

And Ovi can sure finish a check better than both of our 10.5M players - yeah I know its not Kanes game but seriously.
- riozzo

I mean, Ovechkin's cap hit isn't even 1m less than Toews/Kane, both of whom got their contracts after two cups and a Conn Smythe win each, so idk I'll take that over good checking, personally. Not that I want to reopen the contract debate lol.

Ovechkin plays hard but he's not typically dirty, so Reaves wouldn't be a deterrent for him anyway.

And Ovi can sure finish a check better than both of our 10.5M players - yeah I know its not Kanes game but seriously.
- riozzo

When Ovi had a contract bigger than Kane or Toews', and we were winning cups, things were way different.

Only fell out favors because coach Q had a hard on for Jhammer .Murphy is just what this team needs .Q the one that should go he is no judge of talent.
- oldduffman

If Q's total mismanagement of Murphy is not the final straw, then Q's brutal handling of Kempny should be. Many people saw Kempny's abilities, a big man who can skate, hit, and shoot the puck, yet Q took every opportunity to sit him in the press box, instead of playing him. How would Kempny and Murphy look as your 3rd and 4th d-men, with a coach who actually had a clue as to what to do with them. Need we rehash Q's crap with Daley as well?

I think Q would probably sit Bobby Orr.

Murphy gives a great effort, all in all the time. Love the way he plays. But anyone that judges his talent level as ordinary at best is in my opinion more right than wrong. Even if that's Q.
- 6628

I agree with you. I think for the most part didn't greatly help or hurt the team when on the ice. He did his job, but I think the expectation from fans may have been higher and the coaching staff probably expected him to be able to handle some more difficult assignments.

Thoughts on the Jacob Nilsson signing?

Thoughts on the Jacob Nilsson signing?
- breadbag

Euro smurf

Thoughts on the Jacob Nilsson signing?
- breadbag

5'10" 168 forward. Sounds about right. Bowman upset at himself that Kahun was too big.

Kidding aside, go mining long enough and sooner or later you unearth a diamond in the rough.

Given that Rockford is stocked with bottom 6 forwards, it would be ideal if any free agent signings of Euros, college kids, etc. have top 6 potential. Tough to go from potential to realistic performance.

I did. This writer seems to not like it...

http://www.espn.com/nhl/s...ncredible-save-game-2-nhl
- riozzo

I understand analyzing goalies because I was a goalie coach years ago. Never have been a strict butterfly guy. The play was quick and Holtby was set for the shot, except a pass to the weak side was made and the net was wide open for that shooter (Tuch). As the writer points out (and doesn't seem to like), Holtby was deep in his net. But that's a good thing because it allowed Holtby to be able to reach Tuch's shot, desperate though it was. Great theatre no matter who you pull for. I'm sitting on the couch and I'm thinking goal but my eyes don't see the puck and I'm yelling how does that not go in? Then I see the replay and wow. Most people don't ask how you stopped it, just did you stop it. Like it or not, it was a great save when it was needed the most. Good on Brayden Holtby.