Maybe. But Kubalik, Boqvist, Dach, have come a long way since the beginning of the year, before those guys were injured. So if the young guys developed and the veterans stayed healthy I think it would have made a difference.

This is not a horrible roster.
Saad, Toews Kubalik
ADB Strome Kane
Dach Kampf Shaw
Caggiula Carp Highmore
Nylander, Sikura, Smith Quenneville

Keith Boqvist
deHaan, Murphy
Maata, Seabs
K4, Gus

Lehner
Crow
- -Doh-

That second line as constructed is poop and it has been proven many times.

On paper this looks like a middle of the pack team. On the ice it is a different story. ADB is playing horribly. Last night's goal aside, he looks lost in the NZ and his own zone. He also is having a hard time receiving passes and stickhandling. The line of ADB-Strome-Kane is a disaster. The first line you put up there would easily be their best. The bottom six would be a crap shoot. I like Carpenter, and Dach for what is expected of them thus far.

While the D as you wrote it is not bad ad would likely be above average, we all know that there is no way in hell that Gus sits on this team as long as JC is coach. I've defended JC a lot, but trotting 56 out there and giving him the minutes he is getting is inexcusable after seeing the results on the ice.
- Chunk

I really think if they put Debrincat on the right wing to get out of his zone he'd be way batter off. All players switch in the offensive zone anyway for those that will complain he can't one time it from the right side

You getting Nihilistic on us? Are you basically saying that it does not matter who the GM is as long as McD and Rocky are in charge?

While I can appreciate that those two likely can make it difficult at some point changes need to be made (ideally smoother than when Q was dumped).

I'm normally not one to like the "recycle" method, but Laviolette being available makes things interesting.
- Chunk

I ask the "who replaces him" question for a couple reasons. One is that we live in a bubble, with lots of focus on one team; we have VERY little knowledge of how Stan compares overall with most GMs. Being a frustrated fan allows us to thrash around complaining about those running the show. The guys evaluating Stan have to be confident they can find a better GM for the team as it stands today. Not some theoretical person - a real live person with a name.

Second, nobody on this board likes or respects McD, yet they're signing up for him to hire Stan's replacement. Which he likely will, because he's made Rocky tons of money and ain't going anywhere.

It's possible, but looking at how this season has turned out and sometimes people change their minds after having time to rethink their situation.

But IMO it should be a fire sale and the front office should face reality that this team can no longer compete ,
- Taylorst1

You're the biggest flip flopper on here. If they win six in a row you'll be singing a different tune.

One example is Trotz. Odd how his teams always play incredible D. Have to start somewhere. Either way, we can call enjoy the win 2, lose 3 vibe to finish this year out. .500 team and back into the draft lottery.
- z1990z

I will give you Trotz, so that is 2 out of how many changes have been made in the past couple of seasons? But the Isle's also had just hired Lamariello, who after Tavares left was able to remake the team into his /Trotz style of play. Laviolette, DeBoers have been hired and fired multiple times, Marc Crawford probably has more experience than either. I don't see them as coach turning around the trajectory of the team. What assistant/recently fired GM/other candidate do you see that can turn around this team? I don't see any Theo Epstein's out there.

But, you’re missing the difference. Sharp competed and engaged. Nylander doesn’t compete and is not engaged.
- scottak

Hindsight.

Philly gave up on Sharp because he wasn't producing. He developed. Will Nylander? I don't know, but I don't think the board GM's do either.

You're the biggest flip flopper on here. If they win six in a row you'll be singing a different tune.
- GPHawksfan

Not sure how you can make that statement? I've been crystal clear with my feelings all season long , I even said in November that on paper this team looked improved , however I also said I was wrong.

I also have been pointing out JC lack of experience and his record that he never should have been hired full time as the head coach, and nothing has changed with this team to instill confidence that he is the right person.

Every time Hawks lose it's Nylander's fault.
- rpeters01

It's him and Dylan Sikura. T-Cam pointed out that Toews is playing his ass off lately. Why not to start the year? Probably the coach's fault.

On paper it's a solid team. Probably a bubble Playoff team like we thought they might be going into the season and quite frankly have been to this point. However, the product on the ice healthy or not, they are clearly not a playoff team because they can only ever show flashes of their talent.

I said awhile back that they look more like a collection of talents more than the look like a good team which is why on paper they look really good. You see the names and you think that's a team that should be pretty good. However, the chemistry just isn't there. It could be a mix of the players, the Coach and his scheme, or a combination of both. We can sit here and all argue til we're blue in the face, but it's not gonna change the fact that as long as this team is good enough to be close in contention for the Playoffs they will continue to sell this to fans and they'll get away with it for a bit longer because of the cache they built up with 3 Cup wins.

More than likely by the time fans are sick of it we'll be right when Toews, Kane, Keith's contracts are all about to expire and they can either retire, move on, or sign on the cheap and a new GM can retool the team.

In the meantime, they will continue to patch and plug and hope that they can find that right combination to be a Playoff team again.
- Savetheembers33

Great points

I ask the "who replaces him" question for a couple reasons. One is that we live in a bubble, with lots of focus on one team; we have VERY little knowledge of how Stan compares overall with most GMs. Being a frustrated fan allows us to thrash around complaining about those running the show. The guys evaluating Stan have to be confident they can find a better GM for the team as it stands today. Not some theoretical person - a real live person with a name.

Second, nobody on this board likes or respects McD, yet they're signing up for him to hire Stan's replacement. Which he likely will, because he's made Rocky tons of money and ain't going anywhere.
- mohel

This!!, Kings replace presidnet/GM/Coach with Robitaille/Blake/McLellan saying they are going to rebuild.

this is what the Board said is needed, a President and GM with player experience and a experienced coach. So the new rebuuilding GM signs Doughty for 8 years at $11 mil. which takes him to 37 years old. They sign Ilya Kovalchuk for 3 years north of $6 mil. that they end up buying out and eating the cap hit for the next 2 years because he was 35 when he signed. the Coach is trying to institute the same defensive system that JC was trying to run at the beginning of the year, and the teams W/L record has not improved, and a lot of games they look worse than the games the Hawks got dominated in this year.

So I also ask the same question as Mohel, for those saying they need to clean house, who replaces them?

I would look at Ron Hextall who was building up a nice pipeline of players before he was fired. Why was he fired? because Hextall didn't make enough changes to cause headlines, and additional ink and TV time talking about the Flyers. That is one of the reasons the Flyers signed Hayes for that ridiculous contract, because it made the new GM (Chuck Fletcher, another guy who has been around the block a few times) look like he was doing something, making a change.

People were saying Jim Benning was a fool as GM of the Canucks. With the young talent he has assembled, and retooling after the Sedins left, he is not considered a fool no more.

I really think if they put Debrincat on the right wing to get out of his zone he'd be way batter off. All players switch in the offensive zone anyway for those that will complain he can't one time it from the right side
- GPHawksfan

Could very well. be. He just looks so off this year. Hesitant to shoot, fumbling passes and just poor awareness on the ice. Who knows. Maybe he is pressing a little now that he has a bigger contract.

I ask the "who replaces him" question for a couple reasons. One is that we live in a bubble, with lots of focus on one team; we have VERY little knowledge of how Stan compares overall with most GMs. Being a frustrated fan allows us to thrash around complaining about those running the show. The guys evaluating Stan have to be confident they can find a better GM for the team as it stands today. Not some theoretical person - a real live person with a name.

Second, nobody on this board likes or respects McD, yet they're signing up for him to hire Stan's replacement. Which he likely will, because he's made Rocky tons of money and ain't going anywhere.
- mohel

Got it. Not so much a question of should they do it, but more "existential" question asking the board why they want change if you don't trust the guys pressing the buttons.

I'm basically indifferent about McD (as I am about virtually all guys in that position). While he may have a small amount of "input" into some decisions, I don't think he is one that signs off on trades/signings. No one likes marketing guys, because they try to put a positive spin on everything that happens. That is their job though. To make their product appealing. It's the same reason that most of the time coaches on either side of a bad hit say opposing things.

This!!, Kings replace presidnet/GM/Coach with Robitaille/Blake/McLellan saying they are going to rebuild.

this is what the Board said is needed, a President and GM with player experience and a experienced coach. So the new rebuuilding GM signs Doughty for 8 years at $11 mil. which takes him to 37 years old. They sign Ilya Kovalchuk for 3 years north of $6 mil. that they end up buying out and eating the cap hit for the next 2 years because he was 35 when he signed. the Coach is trying to institute the same defensive system that JC was trying to run at the beginning of the year, and the teams W/L record has not improved, and a lot of games they look worse than the games the Hawks got dominated in this year.

So I also ask the same question as Mohel, for those saying they need to clean house, who replaces them?

I would look at Ron Hextall who was building up a nice pipeline of players before he was fired. Why was he fired? because Hextall didn't make enough changes to cause headlines, and additional ink and TV time talking about the Flyers. That is one of the reasons the Flyers signed Hayes for that ridiculous contract, because it made the new GM (Chuck Fletcher, another guy who has been around the block a few times) look like he was doing something, making a change.

People were saying Jim Benning was a fool as GM of the Canucks. With the young talent he has assembled, and retooling after the Sedins left, he is not considered a fool no more.
- LAHawk

LA is an excellent example. Lombardi was canned after the Kings began to decline. How's that working out? Be careful what you wish for......

It's him and Dylan Sikura. T-Cam pointed out that Toews is playing his ass off lately. Why not to start the year? Probably the coach's fault.
- mohel

The only way they would say the "JC experiment" worked is if he won the Cup. You will know if it is working by whom the coach is next season.

LA is an excellent example. Lombardi was canned after the Kings began to decline. How's that working out? Be careful what you wish for......
- mohel

LA and Chicago are the same team. Toffoli is Saad. Kopitar Toews. Dougherty Keith albeit younger. Quick they wish was Crow in his last year.

Got it. Not so much a question of should they do it, but more "existential" question asking the board why they want change if you don't trust the guys pressing the buttons.

I'm basically indifferent about McD (as I am about virtually all guys in that position). While he may have a small amount of "input" into some decisions, I don't think he is one that signs off on trades/signings. No one likes marketing guys, because they try to put a positive spin on everything that happens. That is their job though. To make their product appealing. It's the same reason that most of the time coaches on either side of a bad hit say opposing things.
- Chunk

No. I don't think they should do it unless and until they identify a better candidate. Nobody has a name, except Hextall (who would be an intriguing option).

LA and Chicago are the same team. Toffoli is Saad. Kopitar Toews. Dougherty Keith albeit younger. Quick they wish was Crow in his last year.
- rpeters01

Kopitar has 4 more years. Brown and Carter two more years. Quick has three more, Crow done this year. And Doughty has double Keith's cap hit for seven more years to Keith's three. Kings are worse off.

Kopitar has 4 more years. Brown and Carter two more years. Quick has three more, Crow done this year. And Doughty has double Keith's cap hit for seven more years to Keith's three. Kings are worse off.
- mohel

And ready to fire coach and GM .... Again.
We also have Kane.

https://thehockeywriters.com/new-blackhawks-dominik-kubalik/

“Immediately when he arrived in the National League (Switzerland) during last season, we could see that he’s got something special,” Swiss blogger Damiano Cansani recently told Blackhawk Up. “He’s very fast, an excellent skater, and he can score a lot. I mean, he’s a real sniper!”

Yes, its a blogger, but there are a few other ones out there that have said he skates very well and has some speed. He's not MacKinnon, but he isn't Seabs either.
- Chunk

Yeah I don't think anyone is gonna confuse him with MacKinnon speed, but I can say in most games I watch there's at least one play where Kubalik separates himself from the defender to make a play which shows he's got another gear and is above average as far as speed goes

Great points
- RaleighHawk

Thank you

But, you’re missing the difference. Sharp competed and engaged. Nylander doesn’t compete and is not engaged.
- scottak

So you are saying you followed Sharp closely when he was 21 and played 3 games in 02/03 and when he was 22 and played 41 games in 03/04. Did you also follow Sharp closely when he played 04/05 with the Philly Phantoms in the AHL?

Per Ben Pope:

RobinLehner talked about contract extension possibility, saying he wants to stay with Blackhawks but that the market is promising this summer and he's not willing to take another discount.

Just load up the top line with Kane, Toews and Kubalik so that Hawk fans can enjoy at least 15 minutes of every game while the other 45 minutes are spent developing the youth.

Per Ben Pope:

RobinLehner talked about contract extension possibility, saying he wants to stay with Blackhawks but that the market is promising this summer and he's not willing to take another discount.
- Chunk

In the immortal words of soon-to-be Hall of Famer The Hawkaroo, "he gone".

And ready to fire coach and GM .... Again.
We also have Kane.
- rpeters01

And they have $11M against the cap next year for Richard's, Kovy, and Dion. Oof.