The Hawks roster is one of the slowest in the NHL. The Vegas roster last year was one of the fastest.

Remember when the Hawks teams won because of depth? There is no depth now. I agree the comparisons needs to stop. If this Hawks team goes anywhere it will be because the big name players tap into the fountain of youth.

Would anyone from our bottom 6 even make the Vegas roster?
- bhawks2241

This fountain of youth analogy also has to stop, it ain't happening people. With the exception of Kane the elite level of Toews, Seabs,Keith and CC have passed them by...live with it. Your may get some value on Keith and CC if he returns to form other than that we are stuck with these players and their contracts either for the good or the bad of it. Hate to say it but tanking and getting a number one pick could turn around this franchise back to the top one day. As it stands no such player in the pipeline.

The Vegas comparisons really need to stop. We’re two entirely different teams. They have much more team speed and depth at forward and defense. They play an entirely different style.
- SimpleJack

The point is everyone thought they were going to suck. So many people are so last year because it happened. Many people also gave a lot of credit to MAF? Crawford coming back from injury? So many think the coaching change was the difference in LA last year, no, not really it was a healthy Quick. If you have a top 10 goalie you can be a fringe playoff team, just ask Montreal.

But is it a hopeful team?



Can you not let Cornellison get you up for the beginning of games? (He doesn't do it for me, but that's just me.)
- StLBravesFan

How about a clean sweep. When Q and Bowman are shown the door, send Corneliuson, Foley, and Chelsea Dagger with them.

This fountain of youth analogy also has to stop, it ain't happening people. With the exception of Kane the elite level of Toews, Seabs,Keith and CC have passed them by...live with it. Your may get some value on Keith and CC if he returns to form other than that we are stuck with these players and their contracts either for the good or the bad of it. Hate to say it but tanking and getting a number one pick could turn around this franchise back to the top one day. As it stands no such player in the pipeline.
- Hawkster

There may be a lack of elite talent on this team, but if this team plays as one unit and is relentless, provides net front presence and is able to not give up odd man rushes they will compete in every hockey game this year.

I heard Kane, Cat, and Schmaltz all trained with the same trainer, sounds like Kane is in the best cardio he's ever been.

As usual, you missed my point.

I did not say the Hawks won because of Q. My examples showed that teams with great talent can and will fail with the wrong coach behind the bench.

But thanks for playing. Keep trying, one day you might get it.
- dahawks8819

Here is question for now this basically a hypothetical so here we go. Say this season goes south in an hurry and by x mas its clear the hawks are out of it, does coach q remain as coach for the duration if the season or is relieve of his duties and if who replaces not in season but after the season is done. Same question but pertains to bowman.

The Vegas comparisons really need to stop. We’re two entirely different teams. They have much more team speed and depth at forward and defense. They play an entirely different style.
- SimpleJack

I'm not one for the comparison myself, but it's not really supposed to be direct team to team comparison. It's the idea of a team being marked as bad by everyone but breaking expectations.

Let's be real, absolutely no one thought Vegas was a deep team going into last season or that they would be fast. It was literally a team of cast-offs and not even always the best available player. Not even Vegas' management thought they were going to do anything of merit because they predicted it'd be 3-4 years before they were really competitive. They "proved people wrong" is a phrase oft associated with Vegas.

That's how people are using that comparison - who knows what a team might do until they are on the ice, even one that looks bad on paper.

Again, I don't personally care to make such a comparison - I'm optimists for improvement but don't have high expectations - but the theory behind the comparison is often accurate.

Looks like the Hawks will open the year with a lineup as such:

DeBrincat-Toews-Kahun
Saad-Schmaltz-Kane
Kunitz-Anisimov-Kampf
Kruger-Johnson-Martinsen

... a little surprised that Hayden is looking like the scratch. He's had a solid camp.

There may be a lack of elite talent on this team, but if this team plays as one unit and is relentless, provides net front presence and is able to not give up odd man rushes they will compete in every hockey game this year.

I heard Kane, Cat, and Schmaltz all trained with the same trainer, sounds like Kane is in the best cardio he's ever been.
- BetweenTheDots

To me too many holes in this team and was never built on net presence but rather speed which they posses very little at this time. This can change and yes great that some players are improving but then again Cat, Kane and Schmaltz are not the issue.

Looks like the Hawks will open the year with a lineup as such:

DeBrincat-Toews-Kahun
Saad-Schmaltz-Kane
Kunitz-Anisimov-Kampf
Kruger-Johnson-Martinsen

... a little surprised that Hayden is looking like the scratch. He's had a solid camp.
- Justin Lowe

Why play an up-and-coming prospect like Hayden when you can play an aging veteran like Kunitz or career AHLer like Martinsen. That's smart coaching.

To me too many holes in this team and was never built on net presence but rather speed which they posses very little at this time. This can change and yes great that some players are improving but then again Cat, Kane and Schmaltz are not the issue.
- Hawkster

The Hawks speed was always related to their passing transition game, not necessarily skating speed though, and the Hawks were still one of the best in that regard last season. It's why they were a top shot metric team, times possession team, successful zone entry team, etc etc.

The problem was what they did once in the OZ zone and then how often they turned the puck back for one-off killer rushes (they led the league for that as well, both for shots and goals against). You can play the rush gun style when the goalie is great (see: 2015) but it doesn't work without an elite goalie which they don't currently have (and won't unless Crawford comes back at the level he left).

Looks like the Hawks will open the year with a lineup as such:

DeBrincat-Toews-Kahun
Saad-Schmaltz-Kane
Kunitz-Anisimov-Kampf
Kruger-Johnson-Martinsen

... a little surprised that Hayden is looking like the scratch. He's had a solid camp.
- Justin Lowe

That bottom 6 is where offense goes to die.

That bottom 6 is where offense goes to die.
- L_B_R

when a bottom line jumps the board....i hit the head....nothing to see here

when a bottom line jumps the board....i hit the head....nothing to see here
- glennjpawlak22

Ok, quick change of topic - who scores the first goal of the season? I am taking 19!!!

Ok, quick change of topic - who scores the first goal of the season? I am taking 19!!!
- glennjpawlak22

19 still scores?

19 still scores?
- Hawkster

Ok ok I'll be nice.....

I say Saad!

19 still scores?
- Hawkster

Game 1 he will.

Here is question for now this basically a hypothetical so here we go. Say this season goes south in an hurry and by x mas its clear the hawks are out of it, does coach q remain as coach for the duration if the season or is relieve of his duties and if who replaces not in season but after the season is done. Same question but pertains to bowman.
- Scott1977

I can give you five million reasons why Quenneville will not be fired this year.....

Ok, quick change of topic - who scores the first goal of the season? I am taking 19!!!
- glennjpawlak22

Watch, the first goal will be scored by someone in the anemic bottom 6.

I'm not one for the comparison myself, but it's not really supposed to be direct team to team comparison. It's the idea of a team being marked as bad by everyone but breaking expectations.

Let's be real, absolutely no one thought Vegas was a deep team going into last season or that they would be fast. It was literally a team of cast-offs and not even always the best available player. Not even Vegas' management thought they were going to do anything of merit because they predicted it'd be 3-4 years before they were really competitive. They "proved people wrong" is a phrase oft associated with Vegas.

That's how people are using that comparison - who knows what a team might do until they are on the ice, even one that looks bad on paper.

Again, I don't personally care to make such a comparison - I'm optimists for improvement but don't have high expectations - but the theory behind the comparison is often accurate.
- L_B_R

You nailed in terms of the thought process behind it. Nobody is saying Chicago's situation is exactly like Vegas in terms of their roster or players. Some teams just beat expectations and others flop. Vegas was a pretty extreme case of surpassing nearly everyone's expectations.

This is why they play the games.

That bottom 6 is where offense goes to die.
- L_B_R

Agreed LBR.

It's going to be a grind for those guys to produce goals.

A guy like Hinostroza would look nice on that 3rd line to provide a spark offensively.

19 still scores?
- Hawkster

I've been dogging Toews as much as anyone, but there is an interesting stat related to his shooting percentage.
He's consistently been a 14% shooter in his career, and the last two years he's been 10% and 9%. If he ticks that up even 2 or 3% he'd have many more goals. I don't expect him to get back to 30 goals, but high 20's isn't out of the question.

With the number of shots he took last year (211) times his career shooting percentage (14%) he would've had 29 goals. I expect a surprising uptick in his production this year, same with Saad. Saad was 7% last year while he's a career 10% shooter. Hopefully Saad can eclipse his career high point total this year of 53.

The Hawks speed was always related to their passing transition game, not necessarily skating speed though, and the Hawks were still one of the best in that regard last season. It's why they were a top shot metric team, times possession team, successful zone entry team, etc etc.

The problem was what they did once in the OZ zone and then how often they turned the puck back for one-off killer rushes (they led the league for that as well, both for shots and goals against). You can play the rush gun style when the goalie is great (see: 2015) but it doesn't work without an elite goalie which they don't currently have (and won't unless Crawford comes back at the level he left).
- L_B_R

Which proves that Q really has to go, he never adjusts the system
he just blends the line combo's.

As Edzo get's right, good goaltending hides a lotta other deficiencies

That bottom 6 is where offense goes to die.
- L_B_R

I might have gone a bit further --- fossilize maybe. Point taken though.

Which proves that Q really has to go, he never adjusts the system
he just blends the line combo's.

As Edzo get's right, good goaltending hides a lotta other deficiencies
- gazza53

It's because the system works if all the forwards and defenseman are doing their job.

I also want to point out it was nice to see Cat playing 200 feet of hockey in the pre season, consistently, i sure hope the rest of the forwards are willing to do this.

Agreed LBR.

It's going to be a grind for those guys to produce goals.

A guy like Hinostroza would look nice on that 3rd line to provide a spark offensively.
- Justin Lowe

Because he scored so much