Tyler Cameron: I don't care what happens, this is fun! 45-42 were the shots in favour of the Blackhawks during an exciting shootout win over the 'Yotes on Saturday night.

I was thoroughly impressed with how prepared and engaged the Blackhawks were early on in this game.

Let's take a look at what's to come this week for tR

First.

Torn just like you Tyler. Want the Hawks to make the playoffs and give the younger players some playoff experience, but also would like a top 5 pick to help the rebuild.

Games above NHL .500:

Vegas - +7
Calgary - +7
Arizona - +5
Chicago - +4
Winnipeg - +3
Nashville - +4
Minnesota - +1

These are the 7 teams competing for three playoff spots (including 3rd place in the Pacific). Hawks need to beat out four of them.

Not an impossible dream - but can’t waste points.

I want two months of meaningful hockey - the draft picks will sort themselves out.

I agree the Hawks are playing exciting hockey while at the same time developing their young players, all still during the core's window. I can't understand why anyone would want them to tank for the remote possibilities that: 1) they'd get a top draft choice, 2) make the correct pick, 3) have that pick make a major contribution while the core is still effective, and 4) even if all that happened, beat the long odds any team faces to win a Cup. I went to my first Hawks game in 1958, and if there is one thing I've learned, it's to enjoy the exciting competitive seasons, because there are plenty of them that won't be exciting nor competitive.

I agree the Hawks are playing exciting hockey while at the same time developing their young players, all still during the core's window. I can't understand why anyone would want them to tank for the remote possibilities that: 1) they'd get a top draft choice, 2) make the correct pick, 3) have that pick make a major contribution while the core is still effective, and 4) even if all that happened, beat the long odds any team faces to win a Cup. I went to my first Hawks game in 1958, and if there is one thing I've learned, it's to enjoy the exciting competitive seasons, because there are plenty of them that won't be exciting nor competitive.
- BMWChiFan

There may be a difference between tanking and trading a couple of players at the deadline. Retaining Lehner by re-signing signals Bowman was not tanking for a higher pick. Trading Saad is prudent solely because he will want and get too much money in his next contract. Too much from some new team. He does not fit in the salary set aside for his slot in the lineup. I do not know if anyone would prefer this outcome:
Keep Lehner if not an overpay or just a slight overpay

Departure for Gus, Saad, Smith, Crawford

Of course rebuild on the fly entails bringing a top goaltender into the mix. The cost of a first round choice and or top prospects is prohibitive if it cuts deeply into top prospects never establishing their game for Chicago. You can't be serious to lean on Crawford, and a trio of youngsters. The key had to be to entice Lehner to re-sign a fair contract for both paries.

The groundhog is not responsible for the Super Bowl outcome nor your choice if you lost.

The groundhog cannot predict success or fix Trubinsky either

I bet some folks think the groundhog is no good at predicting as too his cousin in Rockford, the Icehog

They are 13-6 in their last 19 I believe. If they are trying to tank, it doesn't show. This does put Bowman in a weird space though. It's still hard to tell if the Hawks should be buyers or sellers at the deadline. I think these next 7 games will tell that tale because they play a lot of the teams that are battling for the wildcards in the conference. @Min, Bos, @Win, @Edm, @Van, @Cal, @Win. It has been a lot of fun, and the young kids on the team are playing tough, relevant hockey. I will say this though, if the Hawks get the WC1 and cross over to the Pacific Division playoffs, look out because it could be a surprising run.

They are 13-6 in their last 19 I believe. If they are trying to tank, it doesn't show. This does put Bowman in a weird space though. It's still hard to tell if the Hawks should be buyers or sellers at the deadline. I think these next 7 games will tell that tale because they play a lot of the teams that are battling for the wildcards in the conference. @Min, Bos, @Win, @Edm, @Van, @Cal, @Win. It has been a lot of fun, and the young kids on the team are playing tough, relevant hockey. I will say this though, if the Hawks get the WC1 and cross over to the Pacific Division playoffs, look out because it could be a surprising run.
- biskit67

Well if so then the blueline crew must become better. Gus,. Special K, Boqvist cheerleading from the bench third periods too!

The real standings:

. . GP PTS PTS/G
Blues . 53 70 1.321 1st Cen
Av's . 50 62 1.240 2nd Cen
Canucks. 53 65 1.226 1st Pac
Stars . 51 62 1.216 3rd Cen
Oilers . 52 62 1.192 2nd Pac
Flames . 53 60 1.132 3rd Pac
Knights . 54 61 1.130 WC
Yotes . 54 59 1.093 WC
Preds . 51 55 1.078
Hawks . 52 56 1.077
Jets . 53 56 1.057
Wild . 51 52 1.020
Sharks . 53 48 0.906
Ducks . 52 47 0.904
Kings . 53 43 0.811

Should be interesting to see who gets the net in Minny. Whoever does not get the net in Minny gets the net against the Bruins the next night in Chicago. Does anyone have historical data on how Lehner and Crow are against Minny and Boston?

I am thinking Crow gets the net in Minny unless historical data shows him much better against Boston. (I know he had a pretty good Stanley Cup against Boston in 2013. He gave up 6 goals in 11+ periods of hockey at the UC. He also had a pretty good playoff against Minny in 2013 also. He have up 7 goals in 5 games. But I do not know his full history against either team.)

The real standings:

. . GP PTS PTS/G
Blues . 53 70 1.321 1st Cen
Av's . 50 62 1.240 2nd Cen
Canucks. 53 65 1.226 1st Pac
Stars . 51 62 1.216 3rd Cen
Oilers . 52 62 1.192 2nd Pac
Flames . 53 60 1.132 3rd Pac
Knights . 54 61 1.130 WC
Yotes . 54 59 1.093 WC
Preds . 51 55 1.078
Hawks . 52 56 1.077
Jets . 53 56 1.057
Wild . 51 52 1.020
Sharks . 53 48 0.906
Ducks . 52 47 0.904
Kings . 53 43 0.811
- -Doh-

Why do you have the Preds in front of the Hawks and Jets? Games in hand don't guarantee victories, they need to win those games in order to to jump in front of the teams. As of right now, Preds have fewer points, and that is what matters at this moment.

Well said I am buckling in for some fun hockey GO HAWKS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Why do you have the Preds in front of the Hawks and Jets? Games in hand don't guarantee victories, they need to win those games in order to to jump in front of the teams. As of right now, Preds have fewer points, and that is what matters at this moment.
- powerenforcer

Points per game ( the last number), accounts for differences in games played. Same as percentage of points earned.

Why do you have the Preds in front of the Hawks and Jets? Games in hand don't guarantee victories, they need to win those games in order to to jump in front of the teams. As of right now, Preds have fewer points, and that is what matters at this moment.
- powerenforcer

Based on percentages of how many points they have gotten out of the games they have played. Games in hand do not guarantee victories nor do they guarantee losses. The standings I list are based on games played. I think if you ignore games in hand you are not really assessing the situation properly.

I do not envy Stan Bowman at this deadline, especially with how this team is playing. If they are in the top 8 by the deadline, I think they have to add.

Points per game ( the last number), accounts for differences in games played. Same as percentage of points earned.
- scottak

So does "games above NHL .500".

I do not envy Stan Bowman at this deadline, especially with how this team is playing. If they are in the top 8 by the deadline, I think they have to add.
- frafra

I'm not sure I envy him, but I certainly don't feel sorry for him.

Besides being in the same position as every other GM of a "bubble team", he is running an original-6 franchise in the best hockey league in the world.

Time for him to prove he deserves that responsibility....

I agree the Hawks are playing exciting hockey while at the same time developing their young players, all still during the core's window. I can't understand why anyone would want them to tank for the remote possibilities that: 1) they'd get a top draft choice, 2) make the correct pick, 3) have that pick make a major contribution while the core is still effective, and 4) even if all that happened, beat the long odds any team faces to win a Cup. I went to my first Hawks game in 1958, and if there is one thing I've learned, it's to enjoy the exciting competitive seasons, because there are plenty of them that won't be exciting nor competitive.
- BMWChiFan

All good points. But the lure of another very high pick is to form the next core with Dach and Boqvist. I agree that it is good to see the team playing well and developing young players. But to me, the question is how soon can they possibly return to Cup contender status?

Epic of all time fail by Stan getting Pace to trade up and take Trubisky over Mahomes. Will probably sign Trubisky to a long term contract next.

Tomorrow night.

We play Minny

Preds play Jets.

All we can hope, we grab 2 points....Jets or Preds win outright. No 3 point game.

Then, we are REALLY in the hunt!!!

Epic of all time fail by Stan getting Pace to trade up and take Trubisky over Mahomes. Will probably sign Trubisky to a long term contract next.
- rpeters01

Trubinsky, could be the answer to our goaltending. Wonder, would he do a 5 year 4 million per year deal???

All good points. But the lure of another very high pick is to form the next core with Dach and Boqvist. I agree that it is good to see the team playing well and developing young players. But to me, the question is how soon can they possibly return to Cup contender status?
- mohel

There's a chance this team could be both a buyer and seller if they find a trade partner willing to give up a first round pick.

Would another team looking to make a run be willing trade a first round pick for Lehner + prospect?

If so, I think you take it. Then you can load up on rentals for this year to utilize that cap space.

Unless you finish bottom 3, the odds are not likely that you get a top 3 draft pick. Last year was a fluke, we got lucky. We finished bottom 13 and got the 3rd pick. This year it looks like the hawks will finish even higher than that, reducing their chances of getting a top 3 in the draft. Might as well make a run here.

Great blog TC. Exactly what I thought when watching the third period and OT, man this is fun. Difference between the Hawks of late , and last year/earlier this season is the PK. Hawks took 2 third period penalties withing 4 minutes of each other in the third period. Last year and earlier this year, that would portend a sure loss as Arizona would of scored on 1 of the 2 power plays. The Hawks are currently 7th in the league on the PK. Carpenter leads in PK time for forwards (what a sneaky good signing by Stan, 3 years $1 mil. AAV), Kampf, Toews, Saad, then Smith. Too bad (primarily because of injuires that Kampf, and Carpenter have been slotted above their offensive capabilites. Carpenter, Kampf, Smith would be as good a 4th line as the Hawks have had since 2015. the Hawks currently have a 35% chance of making the playoffs. I would like to see Stan try to trade Gus for a forward on an expiring contract that could possibly fit with ADB and Strome, on the third line (weird to call those 2 third liners). Under the radar pickings that wouldn't cost much Conor Sheary, Tyler Ennis, maybe even a Wayne Simmonds.

I noticed Toews taking that offensive zone hooking penalty went right to the box without complaining. Previously when he took the same kind of penalty he would whine. Is that showing more confidence in the PK? Less frustration about his game?

Right now I am thinking

Oilers, Canucks, Knights from the Pacific
Blues, Av's, Stars from Central
Preds Flames as WC

Preds have too much talent and have been underperforming.
Flames have 8 games left with Sharks, Ducks, Kings, Yotes and 1 game with Wings.

Flames and Preds both have some cap space to make moves at TDL.

But the next two weeks should be plenty exciting. I would have no problem with Hawks making a run into the playoffs. That is very possible. But I think it is more likely that they fall off either in the next two weeks or in the last month of the season like they did last year and go into the lottery.

I think if the Hawks are playing well and in playoff contention Stan makes two minor moves at the TDL. One sell and one buy. It would not surprise me to see both goalies, Gus, and Saad still on the Hawks after the TDL.

It is fun to see games that matter. I hoped for a WC this season, hopefully they can get there.

I would still like to see Stan move Gustafsson out, for anything, and bring back a better defensive D-man in a separate transaction.