Justin Lowe: Crawford's Return Shows Promise and Bad Habits The excitement of Corey Crawford's return this weekend was dampened a notch after losing 2 of their last 3 games.

It wasn't exactly how it looked on the scoresheet with a 4-1 loss on Thursday to Arizona (Crawford's 1st game of the year), followed up with a 4-1 win on the road vs. Columbus and ending the weekend with a 6-3 thump to TB.

Looking beyond the scores, the most concerning part was how the Blackhawks actually played.

Team D is horrid. No other way to say it. To allow 30+ shots in a single period???
Be lucky to hit 80 points this year.

Great piece, Justin. Glad Schmaltz got a goal, he was shooting a lot more than usual. Saad, definitely his best game. Crow and Ward are making a nice tandem, but they need better defence in front of them. Keith and Joki, still looking great. Toews and Kane, still great.

We're still in the very early stage of the season, but the defecencies of the team are glaring. I'm glad the bottom 6 is chipping in, the last two games. When do you think we will see a trade and what area gets improved first?

Great piece, Justin. Glad Schmaltz got a goal, he was shooting a lot more than usual. Saad, definitely his best game. Crow and Ward are making a nice tandem, but they need better defence in front of them. Keith and Joki, still looking great. Toews and Kane, still the great.

We're still in the very early stage of the season, but the defecencies of the team are glaring. I'm glad the bottom 6 is chipping in, the last two games. When do you think we will see a trade and what area gets improved first?
- I Am The Breadman

Think Schmaltz might be reading this blog??

Think Schmaltz might be reading this blog??
- 67hawks

Yes, and Saad too.

For those not wanting the Murphy's and Manning's in the lineup, what are you thinking about the 6 whacks at the puck before the opponent forces the puck through our goalie? This is what happens when you load up the back end with soft players.

Do you think we would get the same opportunity at the other end without being placed on our rear ends after the first whack?

restating my response to vshun from previous thread about Craw and Coopers ref to him and the HOF.

Crawford was great last 3 years but I thought that 2015 match-up against Tampa was not his finest - he let a few softies from sharp angle not fully covering the closest goalpost. I remember just Tyler Johnson scoring twice that way during this games. The most unusual thing Crawford did during that series was to toss Kucherov into the net that broke dude collarbone and maybe costed Tampa that cup:-)
- vshun


hmm really....he stoned stamkos at least 5x in that series but you remember a "few sofities" wow...nice try

allowed 10 goals on 159 shots = .937 save% and 1.82 GA and allowed only 3 goals the last 3 games with a shut out in G6..and carried the hawks to 4 strt wins after being down 2-1..

stoned the bolts during numerous surges...that's cooper's point...

For those not wanting the Murphy's and Manning's in the lineup, what are you thinking about the 6 whacks at the puck before the opponent forces the puck through our goalie? This is what happens when you load up the back end with soft players.

Do you think we would get the same opportunity at the other end without being placed on our rear ends after the first whack?
- 67hawks

no question that bolt player needed to checked into next week before taking all those whacks..again the hawks quit thinking a whistle was coming...but the ref was right ward never had the puck covered...only a quick whistle saves them there

Team D is horrid. No other way to say it. To allow 30+ shots in a single period???
Be lucky to hit 80 points this year.


- z1990z

Later in the year we may be lamenting those points that we were celebrating during the first 5 games. Especially if we are just a couple short of the first overall draft pick.

no question that bolt player needed to checked into next week before taking all those whacks..again the hawks quit thinking a whistle was coming...but the ref was right ward never had the puck covered...only a quick whistle saves them there
- bogiedoc

I want Murph back, big time. Fors will be an added improvement as well.

That 4th line looked good last night, Martinsen leveled a couple of guys.

Later in the year we may be lamenting those points that we were celebrating during the first 5 games. Especially if we are just a couple short of the first overall draft pick.
- 67hawks

Why lament, the ball drawing is rigged anyway? Haha.

Team D is horrid. No other way to say it. To allow 30+ shots in a single period???
Be lucky to hit 80 points this year.


- z1990z

once again they are at the top of the league SOG against...been this way for 3 years now..shot suppression is awful, shot blocking is non-existent since hammy left, poor pinches, young dmen making alot of positioning mistakes...oh and davidson fit in last night with a very poor game...rockfish here he comes

I want Murph back, big time. Fors will be an added improvement as well.

That 4th line looked good last night, Martinsen leveled a couple of guys.
- I Am The Breadman

Martinsen is one of very few who demonstrated any heart and pushback last night. Notice how Q increased his ice time as a result? More of that needs to happen on this team.

Nothing will change when you have between four and six guys that have no business on an NHL roster or couldn’t make another teams NHL roster playing significant roles on your team. That was absolute garbage last night no excuses. Thank God for Corey Crawford and Cam Ward this weekend. This is not on the coach, Stan Bowman put this hot mess together. Until he is shanghaied out of there you will continuously see the same old same old. Every analyst an announcer said the same thing last night, no response, dead play, not in their DNA, and this is what Stan Bowman calls National Hockey League type hockey. Far as Nick Schmaltz goes, I’ll beat the drum if his value is so high then I would look to trade him And hopefully there is another general manager out there that is dumber than Stan Bowman that would take him. And maybe give us a halfway decent defenseman. I agree with you Justin no way in hell I give that kid a long-term contract.

Top Heavy (haha) and D Light!

1. When Kane, Toews, and Debrincat in that order do not produce in points, Hawks will struggle. That is not to say, they played bad.

2. The Toews line (even individually in Toews and Debrincat) has come down to earth and I think this will be their look and production moving forward over a course of the season. They are still the best line!

3. Time to move Saader back up to Toews line to spread wealth on woeful 3rd line.
Saad/Toews/Debrincat
Schmaltz/AA/Kane
Kunitz/Kampf/Kahun(not a demotion); also Dylan Sikura in another month
Martinsen (nice physical presence)/Krueger/Hayden; Fortin rotates in here as well

4. Team D is ASTROCIOUS thus EXPOSED. Someone please protect the "HOUSE"

5. Davdison slight improvement over Manning but not much

6. Crow and Ward are a formidable pair yet overworked!

Crawford still give me nightmares... he was excellent against us in 2015.

Apparently, Ward can play a whole game in a period, too, and do decently well.

No push back at all. Especially on D.

Mean while Stamkos is taking runs at Schmaltz. Schmaltz was lit up 3-4 times. Including one dangerous hit up high.

Aside from Martinesen and Kunitz I don't think any other Hawk threw a real check. Saad and Toews had a couple opportunities to but instead came in a stick checked. Kampf too.

I know it isn't their game but if Stamkos can be out there laying big hits Saad and Toews can on occasion.

once again they are at the top of the league SOG against...been this way for 3 years now..shot suppression is awful, shot blocking is non-existent since hammy left, poor pinches, young dmen making alot of positioning mistakes...oh and davidson fit in last night with a very poor game...rockfish here he comes
- bogiedoc

I was glad to see Davidson put into the lineup, but in the last couple of games I can see why no one else was offering him a one way contract this past summer. He can be this year's Cody Fransen in Rockford.

Top Heavy (haha) and D Light!

1. When Kane, Toews, and Debrincat in that order do not produce in points, Hawks will struggle. That is not to say, they played bad.

2. The Toews line (even individually in Toews and Debrincat) has come down to earth and I think this will be their look and production moving forward over a course of the season. They are still the best line!

3. Time to move Saader back up to Toews line to spread wealth on woeful 3rd line.
Saad/Toews/Debrincat
Schmaltz/AA/Kane
Kunitz/Kampf/Kahun(not a demotion); also Dylan Sikura in another month
Martinsen (nice physical presence)/Krueger/Hayden; Fortin rotates in here as well

4. Team D is ASTROCIOUS thus EXPOSED. Someone please protect the "HOUSE"

5. Davdison slight improvement over Manning but not much

6. Crow and Ward are a formidable pair yet overworked!
- D2D

I said your third point once or twice. I really want Saad and Toews together. They do on the pk, look at those chances they had last night. But still, it's a good line, and don't fix what ain't broke yadda yadda. I would like to see the switch once. I don't like Kunitz in the 12 man rotation, 13th forward is fine, I would swap him and Fortin.

No push back at all. Especially on D.

Mean while Stamkos is taking runs at Schmaltz. Schmaltz was lit up 3-4 times. Including one dangerous hit up high.

Aside from Martinesen and Kunitz I don't think any other Hawk threw a real check. Saad and Toews had a couple opportunities to but instead came in a stick checked. Kampf too.

I know it isn't their game but if Stamkos can be out there laying big hits Saad and Toews can on occasion.
- bhawks2241

Stamkos has just... kinda been like that this season, so far. He seems to be in an ornery mood and playing as physical as I've ever seen him.

No push back at all. Especially on D.

Mean while Stamkos is taking runs at Schmaltz. Schmaltz was lit up 3-4 times. Including one dangerous hit up high.

Aside from Martinesen and Kunitz I don't think any other Hawk threw a real check. Saad and Toews had a couple opportunities to but instead came in a stick checked. Kampf too.

I know it isn't their game but if Stamkos can be out there laying big hits Saad and Toews can on occasion.
- bhawks2241

I did see that hit up high, wtf? Is he trying to take out our best passer?

Where does Saad fit in the top 6 if you're keeping Schmaltz on wing? Do you bump Kahun down to the third line? Or Kahun down to second line center?

Where does Saad fit in the top 6 if you're keeping Schmaltz on wing? Do you bump Kahun down to the third line? Or Kahun down to second line center?
- SoftServe

I want to see Kahun-a at 2nd center, personally.
I bounce either way: keep the top line the same or bounce Saad to top line.

No push back at all. Especially on D.

Mean while Stamkos is taking runs at Schmaltz. Schmaltz was lit up 3-4 times. Including one dangerous hit up high.

Aside from Martinesen and Kunitz I don't think any other Hawk threw a real check. Saad and Toews had a couple opportunities to but instead came in a stick checked. Kampf too.

I know it isn't their game but if Stamkos can be out there laying big hits Saad and Toews can on occasion.
- bhawks2241

A team plays to its HC expectations. Both in style and scheme. I cant stand this baby poop soft team out there. No push back. No anchor. Nothing. And it will remain this way as long as Q is running the show. Q was fine when he had stud line ups that could do it all. Now that he has to X/O to match up, he fails. PP is a joke. PK is a joke. Team D is a circus. Players get run with no response. Comical.

Justin Lowe: Crawford's Return Shows Promise and Bad Habits
The excitement of Corey Crawford's return this weekend was dampened a notch after losing 2 of their last 3 games.

It wasn't exactly how it looked on the scoresheet with a 4-1 loss on Thursday to Arizona (Crawford's 1st game of the year), followed up with a 4-1 win on the road vs. Columbus and ending the weekend with a 6-3 thump to TB.

Looking beyond the scores, the most concerning part was how the Blackhawks actually played.
- Justin Lowe

You simply can’t play certain players and then be surprised when they play a certain way. Rutta is never going to engage - it is not in his DNA. This also applies much of the time to Gus. The PK is a total disaster. The PK is passive in its approach. Never pressures anywhere on the ice and certainly never pressures the points. Teams have so much time to set up plays.

Time to swap Saad for Kahun or Kane for Kahun (nuclear oprion).