First of all,it's been a very good 1st week for the Hawks.Is there things that have to improve, yes.Saad has to get going,Ward has to stop a puck,and please get the PP going.. I like most fans,I don't understand why year after year the Hawks have a terrible PP.We have good players on it but we can't seem to get it going.Its either our coaches system,or we don't have a legit powerplay QB.

Out of nowhere Saad will go on a hot streak. Because at some point, soon I hope, he will realize that he doesn't want to be finished (yet). Watch for it.
- Savoy

He'll go on a run for another contract eventually. Maybe he'll show signs of life some time this year. He'd be wise to figure it out sooner rather than later.

Is it too early to put Cam Ward on waivers? Forsberg or Delia can give up 7 goals while saving the team a ton of cash.

First of all,it's been a very good 1st week for the Hawks.Is there things that have to improve, yes.Saad has to get going,Ward has to stop a puck,and please get the PP going.. I like most fans,I don't understand why year after year the Hawks have a terrible PP.We have good players on it but we can't seem to get it going.Its either our coaches system,or we don't have a legit powerplay QB.
- Tatoo

Normally, we get the PP QB who isn't too good in his own zone. Joki and Gus seem to be fine/working through kinks in their games (Gus is the latter) but I would love to see them run the PP. Q relies to heavily on his vets and that is a huge problem with the PP. Keith blasts the puck intentionally or unintentionally looking for a redirect, doesn't happen. He is 50/50 when it comes to pinching to keep the puck in the zone. Seabs has a cannon of a shot, but can't run a PP. He got the A for locker room leadership, him on the ice is not that good of a leader. Plus time is not on their side, and that has changed their effectiveness on the ice. Keith is still a horse, but everyone can see what continual long playoff runs has done to him. I want to see some young guns on the PP. Wingers and centers are not the problem, they can get the job done.

Kane has had a lot of success early, and no mention of Saad. Also, what the hell was Stan doing with Connor Carrick being available? He has been fantastic with Dallas and does all his off season training in Chicago. Sitting on his hands again!

Back to Saad. He needs to be moved in a deal to Toronto for Nylander.
- nickmo2699

Yes I would LOVE to trade Nylander for Saad

Yes I would LOVE to trade Nylander for Saad
- twiztedmike

Unless Saad really gets going, he will become unmovable. I was stoked to get him back and am totally perplexed as to why he is in this funk.

Cam Ward's $3MM contract is meaningless - the money doesn't mean anything since the Hawks are not close to the cap at this point. and it's a one-year deal anyways. Time to stop discussing $$$ when discussing players. His

More important to talk about his NMC, which may hinder moving him at the TDL.

As for Keith's TO on the first goal - yeah, not good - but just as bad was the inability to clear the zone on the PP which led to the 2nd goal (IIRC) - as well as Kane's TO in OT which led to the game winner (can't give up possession 3X3).
- StLBravesFan

Kane's wasn't really a turnover, the Leafs D-man stepped up and made a play, and they cycled the puck back into their zone before coming up ice. There wasn't an odd man break or even an uncovered man, Rielly threw a nothing shot at the net and it went in.

Unless Saad really gets going, he will become unmovable. I was stoked to get him back and am totally perplexed as to why he is in this funk.
- z1990z

I like Saad more than I do Nylander. Trying to sign Nylander would get in the way of Adb and Schmaltz resigning.

I like Saad more than I do Nylander. Trying to sign Nylander would get in the way of Adb and Schmaltz resigning.
- I Am The Breadman

I also am not ready to give up on Saad. He still drives play at a 'very good' level, he just can't finish (10% Shooting in his career, was down last year, worse this year). He's even in terms of Corsi and Fenwick this year, but I think he'll get back to top level once he breaks his drought.

When Crawford comes back, the Hawks won't carry three goalies. They can't send Ward down because he has a NMC.

Forsberg has to pass through waivers... few serviceable goalies have made it through waivers so far this year (McIlhenney, Pickard, one other I can't remember).

Forsberg will likely get claimed and we'll get nothing for someone who I still think is our best chance of a future goalie. More than Delia, Lankinen, or Peters. They can either pass him through waivers or trade him before he gets snagged, yikes Stan.

Is it too early to put Cam Ward on waivers? Forsberg or Delia can give up 7 goals while saving the team a ton of cash.
- hankscorpio

Ward has NMC!

Ward has NMC!
- MjulQvist

Couldn't a player waive it though?

Toews named NHL 2nd Star of the Week. Matthews got 1st Star and Bishop with 3rd.

https://www.secondcityhoc...awks-maple-leafs-nhl-2018

Kahun's reaction was priceless.

#KahunFace

Couldn't a player waive it though?
- powerenforcer

He could waive it to be traded. Do you mean could he waive it to be sent down? The answer is no. The Hawks can release Ward, but his cap hit will stay on the books.

edit: my mistake. He can be waived/sent down with his agreement.

https://twitter.com/CapFr...tatus/1014497570310246401

Kane's wasn't really a turnover, the Leafs D-man stepped up and made a play, and they cycled the puck back into their zone before coming up ice. There wasn't an odd man break or even an uncovered man, Rielly threw a nothing shot at the net and it went in.
- TheTrob

Kane had the puck - and then he didn't - whether he "turned it over" or the Leaf "took it away" - it's a situation where the Hawks can't give up the puck - OT 3X3 - possession is too important in the OT to give up the puck.

Full Metal Jacket’s R. Lee Ermey (RIP)
- scottak

I would have loved to hear that guy go off on players if he was a ref.

Kane's wasn't really a turnover, the Leafs D-man stepped up and made a play, and they cycled the puck back into their zone before coming up ice. There wasn't an odd man break or even an uncovered man, Rielly threw a nothing shot at the net and it went in.
- TheTrob

Awful goaltending skews everything. The OT goal was a “nothing” shot as you say - 2 mph. If you can’t expect your goalie to stop that shot can’t expect anything.

Kane had the puck - and then he didn't - whether he "turned it over" or the Leaf "took it away" - it's a situation where the Hawks can't give up the puck - OT 3X3 - possession is too important in the OT to give up the puck.
- StLBravesFan

True enough. I think it was actually Matthews who took puck. There should hsve been no consequences as easy shot. Kane was likely exhausted - seemed he was on the ice constantly at end of game.

https://www.secondcityhockey.com/2018/10/7/17949508/dominik-kahun-reaction-alex-debrincat-goal-blackhawks-maple-leafs-nhl-2018

Kahun's reaction was priceless.

#KahunFace
- AEL_Fox

That made my day last night

I would have loved to hear that guy go off on players if he was a ref.
- 6628

There was a Nashville game where a ref had his mic on when he called an embellishment penalty. Watch it on Youtube, hilarious. The refund sees a pred clearly fake it, and the ref, loud around the stadium, "F you, you're getting an f'ing penalty." It made me think of Ermey if he was a ref.

Kane had the puck - and then he didn't - whether he "turned it over" or the Leaf "took it away" - it's a situation where the Hawks can't give up the puck - OT 3X3 - possession is too important in the OT to give up the puck.
- StLBravesFan

Yes, possession is the name of the game in OT, but there are 2 teams out there. The leafs aren't just sitting back admiring Kane. It was a contested puck along the boards and both Kane and Toews were there. Toronto chipped the puck back into their own zone and started the breakout. Toews and Keith are both covering their men, and Kane is with the late man into the zone. It's a goal that just shouldn't happen. C'mon now. Toronto has some firepower and there are no doubt some high quality chances given up all night long, but you just can't recover from multiple soft goals in a game. # if not 4 of the goals should have been stopped. Yeah, he made a few nice stops and some big saves on a breakaway and some re-directed pucks, but they mean nothing when you let in the softies. Sparks with his share of softies also, he just happened to make one more save than Ward did.

Forseberg for Ritchie or something like that just using that trade proposal as an example. IMO forseberg has the potential to be a number one goalie just needs to get over the mental part of the game. Crawford had the same problem.

True enough. I think it was actually Matthews who took puck. There should hsve been no consequences as easy shot. Kane was likely exhausted - seemed he was on the ice constantly at end of game.
- Z3Hawk

Agree can not put this on anyone Ward should have stopped. Ward lets in soft goals every game , even years ago. . Didnt like the signing when it happen and really dont like it now

He could waive it to be traded. Do you mean could he waive it to be sent down? The answer is no. The Hawks can release Ward, but his cap hit will stay on the books.

edit: my mistake. He can be waived/sent down with his agreement.

https://twitter.com/CapFr...tatus/1014497570310246401
- TheTrob

Cam Ward signed a 1 year / $3,000,000 contract guaranteed. They can release him but will have to pay him.

such was the price for him only agreeing to a year.

The hawks are not there yet...but if he continues to have these numbers...forsberg will get a serious look.

listen he will play better and the hawks won't continue filling the net like this...

ya gotta win those 2-1 and 3-2 games...not sure Ward can do that