Tru dat, and I'd like to suggest some step forward. The ledge can get awful crowded in here.
- HawkintheD

Where can I get a pair? They seem to be working great for you!

My eurosmurfs keep McDonoughs "One Goal" factory operational.

So, no
- Stan_Bowman

👍👍 On a serious note those Ottawa have Ryan Dzingel And a couple of those other kids not name Karlsson in play?

Tru dat, and I'd like to suggest some step forward. The ledge can get awful crowded in here.
- HawkintheD

I don't know if Q, Bowman, whoever are the right guys for the job in terms of the current or near future teams, but I know that calling for the heads of everyone just comes off as fans who became entitled and are now impatient.
- L_B_R

What does the eye test say to you? Do you see a hungry Hawk group? Do you see a club that has bought in, executes and gives consistent effort? Have you been able to sit thru every game the last few yrs? Have you seen the GM get the coach players and not use them? Have you seen the coach not use players and two of them leave and play a BIG role in their team winning a cup that very same yr? Have you seen the Hawks develop a Dman since Hammer? Can you remember a GM risk being so thin at goalie that the clown show that the position devolved into last yr happened anywhere else? Have you seen a GM announce we are going to be younger and harder to play against and at the end of that same yr we see a 4th line of floaters in Jurco and Duclair?

I don't know the answer either LBR but it's not passing the eye test for me and hasn't for awhile, it's stale. At seasons end I thought one of Q or Stan should go no opinion which. My thought is its been so long, look at Detroilet, that this management group has been in place that there is very very very very little risk having new eyes on this thing that isn't passing the eye test. It's stale.

👍👍 On a serious note those Ottawa have Ryan Dzingel And a couple of those other kids not name Karlsson in play?
- wonthecup10

Realistically what would it take to get Karlsson?

Where can I get a pair? They seem to be working great for you!
- EnzoD

Pretty much anywhere, but they won't work for realists like you.

Pretty much anywhere, but they won't work for
- HawkintheDrealists like you.

I'll test your rose colored glasses today.....


As I type.... we have a last place team with all it's "Core" Players in serious decline (minus Kaner), a #1 goalie who has not been on the ice with contact since 2017 (and now a backup goalie that hasn't been good since 2009), virtually the exact same defense group, and almost an identical forward group as last season. Barring huge trades from now until September, explain to me why it isn't "realistic" to expect them to be a last place team again?

- EnzoD

Smurfs again!
That story getting very old.
You should stop repeating yourself.

Realistically what would it take to get Karlsson?
- SoftServe

Probably this year‘s first round draft pick, and maybe have one of Schmaltz, Debrincat or maybe both, your guess is as good as mine. I think that kid is only about 25 years old, so there is one that you don’t mind spending the years and term on , But then again how old were Toews and Kane When they sign their contract? I pretty much think general managers are going to shy away from that type of stuff till after the next collective-bargaining agreement is done.

Probably this year‘s first round draft pick, and maybe have one of Schmaltz, Debrincat or maybe both, your guess is as good as mine. I think that kid is only about 25 years old, so there is one that you don’t mind spending the years and term on , But then again how old were Toews and Kane When they sign their contract? I pretty much think general managers are going to shy away from that type of stuff till after the next collective-bargaining agreement is done.
- wonthecup10

Erik Karlsson turned 28 in May

Poor season ticket holders, must be rough
- BlazinMike

Poor fans. It does appear that Rocky is trying to make sense of a situation where he has a successful marketing McDonough but he [McDonough] is showing he cannot manage hockey operations in on ice personnel and the GM coach aspect.

It all reeks of the greatest fear of all: poor play, ticket sales dwindle. Could be McDonough is afraid or doesn't know whom to blame. Nope....I think he is just postponing the bad press and is trying anything to get ticket renewals. That much Rocky plainly can recognize. My guess is that Joel goes first and the reason #1 is that he is not best with young players. Well also there continues to be problems with players being inspired to try hard. The PP too?

I'll test your rose colored glasses today.....


As I type.... we have a last place team with all it's "Core" Players in serious decline (minus Kaner), a #1 goalie who has not been on the ice with contact since 2017 (and now a backup goalie that hasn't been good since 2009), virtually the exact same defense group, and almost an identical forward group as last season. Barring huge trades from now until September, explain to me why it isn't "realistic" to expect them to be a last place team again?
- EnzoD

Might as well take a look through those glasses too, I wonder if the past is a good predictor of the future:

I'll test your rose colored glasses today.....


As I type.... we have a last place team with all it's "Core" Players in serious decline (minus Kaner), a #1 goalie who has not been on the ice with contact since 2017 (and now a backup goalie that hasn't been good since 2009), virtually the exact same defense group, and almost an identical forward group as last season. Barring huge trades from now until September, explain to me why it isn't "realistic" to expect them to be a last place team again?
- EnzoD

If you can find a post where I was claiming they're in great shape for next season, please produce it.

I've posted several times that perhaps a rebuild is in order and if Q and Stan can't turn things around it may be time for both of them to go.

I've also said I lived through 40 years of some good, mediocre and just plain bad teams and that three Cups has bought some time for them to turn it around AFAIC.

I'm glad they didn't spend, spend spend in FA and want to take a more tried and true approach of building from within. If they stink this year and the Hawks get another lottery pick, I don't think it will be the worst thing the world.

Just my thoughts, right or wrong, but I find it hard to comprehend all the anger/outrage directed at this team. You're welcome to but it ain't me...doesn't mean I can't have fun with it though.

If you can find a post where I was claiming they're in great shape for next season, please produce it.

I've posted several times that perhaps a rebuild is in order and if Q and Stan can't turn things around it may be time for both of them to go.

I've also said I lived through 40 years of some good, mediocre and just plain bad teams and that three Cups has bought some time for them to turn it around AFAIC.

I'm glad they didn't spend, spend spend in FA and want to take a more tried and true approach of building from within. If they stink this year and the Hawks get another lottery pick, I don't think it will be the worst thing the world.

Just my thoughts, right or wrong, but I find it hard to comprehend all the anger/outrage directed at this team. You're welcome to but it ain't me...doesn't mean I can't have fun with it though.
- HawkintheD

I agree completely with most of this. The only exception would be the man in charge of the rebuild. We are in direct disagreement on what Stanley Bowman has meant to the franchise, and his ability to get them back into Cup contention.

I agree completely with most of this. The only exception would be the man in charge of the rebuild. We are in direct disagreement on what Stanley Bowman has meant to the franchise, and his ability to get them back into Cup contention.
- EnzoD

That's fine. I'll never convince you he meant much of anything to two Cups in '13 and '15 and you'll never convince me he didn't.

As far as his ability to build them going forward, it remains to be seen, and if they are bad again this year and he loses his job as a result, I'm not opposed to a new set of eyes, ears and mind at the wheel.

Toews went on a South America trip?

Please tell me he’s spent the other parts of this summer training all day with one of those psycho trainers.

Keith has been going to one forever, some guys like Gary Roberts.
- ObeseOprah

i am hoping he is training with Gracie Jujitsu (sp?)

Reality is if the Hawks flop this year, they flop this year. You have to take the good years with the bad in the NHL. The Hawks started rebuilding on the fly last year, but we'll see where they end up. It will start to turn around when enough young players have filled in the holes.

What does the eye test say to you? Do you see a hungry Hawk group? Do you see a club that has bought in, executes and gives consistent effort? Have you been able to sit thru every game the last few yrs? Have you seen the GM get the coach players and not use them? Have you seen the coach not use players and two of them leave and play a BIG role in their team winning a cup that very same yr? Have you seen the Hawks develop a Dman since Hammer? Can you remember a GM risk being so thin at goalie that the clown show that the position devolved into last yr happened anywhere else? Have you seen a GM announce we are going to be younger and harder to play against and at the end of that same yr we see a 4th line of floaters in Jurco and Duclair?

I don't know the answer either LBR but it's not passing the eye test for me and hasn't for awhile, it's stale. At seasons end I thought one of Q or Stan should go no opinion which. My thought is its been so long, look at Detroilet, that this management group has been in place that there is very very very very little risk having new eyes on this thing that isn't passing the eye test. It's stale.
- Mr Ricochet

Very well stated.
I would be OK with a rebuild or at least some sort of panic mode by mngt o say hey this is no longer acceptable. I may seem very negative a lot of times but am a true fan and supporter and watch every game throughout the year and I've noticed a lack of trying, effort or complacency in the team. As a fan it's kind of makes the product not so fun to watch anymore and for that I'm disappointed. I wish the management would see the same thing that the product has indeed gone stale. I'm just a fan so won't assume what is the right course of action but it would be nice to see something of significance from ownership.

Since we all waiting for bowman to awake from his nap since he was asleep at the wheel on sunday here are a couple trade proposal for discussion until maybe something happens.

Hawks trade AA
Islanders trade a 2nd and 3rd

Hawks trade 2nd and 5th
Winnipeg trades Lowery Lemieux

Hawks trade hossa's contract 3rd forsling and hino
Carolina trades faulk and 5th/zykov
Hawks get a center in lowery plus a bottom 6 lw with grit and edge sign Lowery 4 years at 3.5 million per also hawks get a top 4 rd in faulk and hossa's contract of the books. Got give to get.

Thoughts and your trade proposals welcome

While I’m happy Stan didn’t lock the team into some overpriced contracts I am disappointed he didn’t make moves to improve the team.

I’m still not ready to give up on Forsberg, I hope Stan finds a way to keep him in the organization.

At this point I’m reserving judgement. There’s 3(ish) months until the season starts and I’ll give Stan some time before really criticizing him. That being said, if the team starts the season with this roster I will firmly be in the “fire Stan” camp.

(frank) it, it's summertime and hot as hell. Let's all go pound the suds.

While I’m happy Stan didn’t lock the team into some overpriced contracts I am disappointed he didn’t make moves to improve the team.

I’m still not ready to give up on Forsberg, I hope Stan finds a way to keep him in the organization.

At this point I’m reserving judgement. There’s 3(ish) months until the season starts and I’ll give Stan some time before really criticizing him. That being said, if the team starts the season with this roster I will firmly be in the “fire Stan” camp.
- DarthKane

I’m all for the rebuild, and I don’t hate the 3 UFA signings. Kunitz is a mother(frank)er -I mean this in a good way, he plays hockey with some nasty- and will hopefully give this team a pulse again. Cam Ward...meh. Brandon Manning I thought was a RD but he’s another lefty to go with Forsling, Gustafson, Oesterle, and Jokiharju. He’s another guy that will lay the body. It seems like they’ve accepted the rebuild, but I’d love to see them acquire Hanafin-esque young pro while shedding a cap hit like Anisimov or Seabrook. I’m sorry, but I don’t see 7 as anything more than 3rd pair moving forward so getting out from his contract and Hossa’s dead $5.5 mil has got to be the priority IMO. Let the kids play and draft in the top 5 next year.

I have loved your work since you have come on here, but I'd like to talk about 2 things. Nick Schmaltz is NOT the answer @ #2 Center UNTIL he starts winning over 50% of his face offs. How many times has he done that in a single game during his career? Until he achieves that 50% threshold, the best spot for him is wing OR move him for a Center that can do that = value for value....

GET AS MUCH AS YOU CAN FOR ANISIMOV NOW!!!! Please move him for a center in return OR pieces that can land you a center/ top 4 d-man. I am so tired of watching him fail at the dot too.... Considering what Buffalo got for O'Reilly and what we got for Hartman, there is a ton of help coming IF we can pull the trigger on this one.

What do you think?
Keep up the great work as I look forward to your column everyday.

Sincerely,
Me
- Power29

Schmaltzy can be 2C if he improves at FO but also get a winger that is good at FO's...SOLVED! But I agree Schmaltzy is a better wing

What did Sikura do last year that makes people think he is a lock for the NHL next fall? He showed me nothing more than another 170lb sub 6' player with nice hands and absolutely no grit.
- EnzoD

Sikura can make plays some that the Hayden's, Martinsen's, Wingels's (no longer) Bouma, etc can only dream of!

Sikura can make plays some that the Hayden's, Martinsen's, Wingels's (no longer) Bouma, etc can only dream of!
- D2D

And what about when he doesn’t have the puck in open ice with time and space? Can he win a 50/50 puck? Can he go to the net? Can he win board battles? Can he protect the puck at 165lbs? How many little guys can one team have???