Theo Fox: Game 1: Hawks 1, Bolts 5
The Blackhawks lost the first game of the new season 5-1 against the Stanley Cup champion Lightning. A veteran tried to set the tone with his work ethic and competitiveness while a rookie had a steady debut.

First

GM Theo! Great write up and analysis of defensive breakdowns. Was good to finally see Mitchell in his first NHL game and look forward to hopefully seeing him in the lineup all season.

I know it's one game, but it played out I would guess how most of us figured it would. It's going to be a rough year, maybe two, but that's ok.

The rebuild's been announced so play the kids when you can and hopefully the balls bounce the Hawks way where they can end up with a top 3 pick in the next draft.

I think when Soderberg gets here, that will help a little down the middle, but if Strome's your 1C, your team is likely no gouda. Still hoping for some growth from him this season and maybe he can score enough fluky goals like last night to pad his stats and entice someone to give up a first for him.

That last statement is mostly a mix of wishful thinking and red font.

It's been discussed here at times by numerous posters but I think Lazerus (Athletic) says it pretty well in terms of a good guideline on how to watch games this season...

After a strong start, the Blackhawks looked slow, sometimes overwhelmed, sometimes disinterested. It led to too many penalties and odd-man rushes. It really wasn’t great.

But if you come into every game with that attack mindset, just waiting to point out all the team’s obvious flaws, you’re not going to enjoy this season very much. Why not accept the reality of the situation — no Corey Crawford, no Jonathan Toews, no Kirby Dach, no Alex Nylander — and look for those little signs of progress, of identity, of hope. I mean, honestly, aren’t there enough awful things to dwell on these days?

He forgot to mention no Saad and no Soda but you get the gist.

When your 4th line is your best line, you are in real trouble as a team. Through 2 periods, last year’s 30 goal scorer (Kubalik) played 8 minutes, what the hell is that? Move Kubalik and Suter up with Shaw. Get Hagel or Kurashev in for Pirri ASAP. One game, but man it was tough to watch!! Boqvist needs to relax some or spend some time in the AHL. Talent is there, but defensively, damn!! Did like the play of Shaw and Zadorov, thought Mitchell was fine too. Just can’t imagine Keith and Kane buying into this very long. They are not going to like being on a team that has no chance to chase the prize.

Some good news after last night's game is the Hawks only play the Lightning 7 more times this season.

It's been discussed here at times by numerous posters but I think Lazerus (Athletic) says it pretty well in terms of a good guideline on how to watch games this season...

After a strong start, the Blackhawks looked slow, sometimes overwhelmed, sometimes disinterested. It led to too many penalties and odd-man rushes. It really wasn’t great.

But if you come into every game with that attack mindset, just waiting to point out all the team’s obvious flaws, you’re not going to enjoy this season very much. Why not accept the reality of the situation — no Corey Crawford, no Jonathan Toews, no Kirby Dach, no Alex Nylander — and look for those little signs of progress, of identity, of hope. I mean, honestly, aren’t there enough awful things to dwell on these days?

He forgot to mention no Saad and no Soda but you get the gist.
- HawkintheD

A good way to look at the season to come, but can’t we expect players to at least be where they’re supposed to be?

Theo’s write-up is full of both defensemen going to the board leaving no one covering the slot and weak side, and two covering one opponent, and losing inside position and....

And that’s the veterans.

Third year now for Colliton’s scheme - enough about not enough camp time and too many new players. I don’t expect wins this season - I do expect playing the right way.

Well, for now, I’ll go back to assuming (hoping) they will be better in May....

The “United” helmet logo: paid for by UAL - or Biden’s campaign?

Colliton, on the PP:

“I think ultimately we need more movement,” Colliton said. “When it’s static and guys are stuck in their spots … I mean, they have a great kill and do a good job. Have big bodies, great sticks, so we got to make them move. When you don’t, it’s easy for them to sort out their routes and roles and what they’re taking away. It just becomes easier for us to make plays we want to make and do some interchanging and movement with those guys. That’s something we’ll continue to talk about.”

(Question to Scott Skiles: What does Curry need to do to be a better rebounder?
Skiles: Jump.)

How long had everyone talked about needing more movement on the PP? Shouldn’t moving - and making the opponent move - be obvious and automatic?

Thanks very much for the breakdown of last night's game. I especially appreciate the video as I want to be a better viewer of the game since I am going to get my money's worth out of watching the Hawks since playing in the Central/Eastern time zones means fewer late nights for me.

It is going to be a long year, but knowing that going in mitigates the inevitable disappointment of not winning a lot of games or making the playoffs.

I wonder how long the Kane-Strome-Debrincat line is going to remain together. I do not think it is a bad line, but I just wonder if it is better to put Kane somewhere else to force other teams to try to defend two lines instead of one.

Colliton, on the PP:

“I think ultimately we need more movement,” Colliton said. “When it’s static and guys are stuck in their spots … I mean, they have a great kill and do a good job. Have big bodies, great sticks, so we got to make them move. When you don’t, it’s easy for them to sort out their routes and roles and what they’re taking away. It just becomes easier for us to make plays we want to make and do some interchanging and movement with those guys. That’s something we’ll continue to talk about.”

(Question to Scott Skiles: What does Curry need to do to be a better rebounder?
Skiles: Jump.)

How long had everyone talked about needing more movement on the PP? Shouldn’t moving - and making the opponent move - be obvious and automatic?
- StLBravesFan

21 years. Alpo preached it when he came in.

https://www.chicagotribun...-23-0005230315-story.html

21 years. Alpo preached it when he came in.

https://www.chicagotribun...-23-0005230315-story.html
- Rota's Rooter

I think I just threw up in my mouth!!

21 years. Alpo preached it when he came in.

https://www.chicagotribun...-23-0005230315-story.html
- Rota's Rooter

Nice find, how much free time do you have? Damn

I think I just threw up in my mouth!!
- ChicagoHope

Yes. The memories of Alpo and his brief time here will do that.

However, if you think about it, a lot of what he preached then is common now. Just about every team plays a constant movement game. Move the puck, move yourself as Olcyzk says. I mean isn't that simply what the cycle is? Maintaining possession, keeping control, try to catch the defense out of position with constant puck/skater movement.

It was certainly counter to how the game was played back then when most teams had 2-3 enforcers in the line up every night.

Nice find, how much free time do you have? Damn
- BetweenTheDots

I'm WFH right now. As long as crap gets done, I get sidetracked much too easily.

Theo - The defenders running around like kids in an under 6 soccer league has been consistent since JC took over.

It has to be part of the silly high pressure \ man to man scheme he tries to play which is counter intuitive to anything that anyone learns about any sport.

It was going to be a rough year to watch regardless but woof. Pretty awful start even with another full training camp to learn whatever nonsense this guy is peddling.

A good way to look at the season to come, but can’t we expect players to at least be where they’re supposed to be?

Theo’s write-up is full of both defensemen going to the board leaving no one covering the slot and weak side, and two covering one opponent, and losing inside position and....

And that’s the veterans.

Third year now for Colliton’s scheme - enough about not enough camp time and too many new players. I don’t expect wins this season - I do expect playing the right way.

Well, for now, I’ll go back to assuming (hoping) they will be better in May....
- StLBravesFan

This is going to look like a double host but defenders have been chasing guys high and to the corners leaving the front of the next exposed and creating all manner of problems with their shape so they cant break out since JC started.

JC has to be telling them to do that because at no other level, in really no other sport (except NBA basketball where they force you to play some kind of man - man hybrid because zone works too good) do you chase players at the professional level.

Bad because lack of talent isn't necessarily a bad thing as long as it looks like guys are trying to do the right thing. Horrid to watch because there isn't even anything fundamentally sound about what anyone is doing is no bueno.

Cannot believe the Hawks extended Colliton two more years...hopefully he doesn't ruin the development of any of these young defensemen. Truthfully, these guys are going to suck for a bit. Let them play and grind through it...similarily to what Keith and Seabrook experienced in their early days.

I just want to say, i know we are in a rebuild, i know to have lower expectations, i agree with all this.

Now when i say what i say its not because we traded Nik for him, blah blah blah

He's just a bad defenseman , i speak of Murphy he's been in this league for how long? Just going to point out 3 things last night

Murphy finally gets the puck on his stick in his own end after a long battle, there's a wide open forward misses him like Mitch misses with the deep pass, icing, lose faceoff back of our net

2, 1 deflected goal he's standing in front of Subban while the forward is in front of the net, covered him like the Bears zone defense

3 they are on a PK and the he gets caught to far up ice which allows a 2 on 1 which is miffed by the opponent

He's just a bad defenseman he has zero intuition, blah blah blah he trains really hard , but it's really no coincidence the Hawks since he's been here haven't sniffed the playoffs
Not saying it's all his fault just saying he does nothing to help you win games

Not sure what everyone was expecting.

It was pretty much a known that even with Toews and Dach this team was going to struggle some. Subtract them and Saad, and consider that there were ZERO pre-season games, expectations should not be much.

I would give it a couple of weeks and some games before we start proclaiming booms and busts. There are a few vets we can see have not really changed their perceptions. Pirri is them same player he has always been, a fringe NHLer who should not be taking anyone's spot. You think there is a reason he has played for 5 teams over 10 years and has averaged less than 30 games a season? Subban's game last night was a perfect example of what he is. Capable of making some fantastic saves, just as capable of giving up some soft goals, inconsistent rebound control and positioning. There is a reason his career GAA is 3+ and his Save Pct is sub .900.

As I said to someone while watching last nights game. You are facing arguably on of the top teams in the NHL with a team that has ONE top line player, ZERO top pairing defensemen and a average at best backup goalie. What was the expectation?

I think the Hawks need to find a way to get Kane on a line with guys that can get the puck to him, same goes for dcat and Strome, that line just doesn’t work. Put Kane with Shaw and maybe try Suter? I don’t know, the forward talent is not good right now.

As far as the young defense, Mitchell didn’t do anything too bad which is good for a defender, and even created a bit of offense making good breakout plays a few times.

Boqvist looks okay but where is the high end talent everyone always talks about? If he wasn’t a too 10 pick I wouldn’t watch him and think he oozes with talent, maybe he will continue to come out of his shell, he is still young but so far I haven’t seen that skill level on display too often.

Nice write up Theo. You got it down exactly.

They didn't look too bad for the first half of the first period, well until TB scored on the PP. For a second there, I thought this season isn't going to be too bad.

Scoring is going to be a major issue this year. The Marks Brothers and Shaw really should be a third line so we have two checking and two scoring lines and the Kubalik and Suter line should be a scoring line.

It'll be too easy for teams to control one scoring line of DCat, Strome and Kane, who didn't look great last night. Maybe spread the wealth even more by putting Kane with Suter and Kubalik?

I know on one of the 5-5 goals, TB put a Harlem Globetrotters type puck control show with the Kubalik, Suter, Pirri line on the ice, but I don't necessarily agree with only giving Kubalik less than 12 minutes of ice time. As to Pirri, I would rather see Kurashev playing.

I liked watching Mitchell, he plays with confidence, passes well, has good awareness on the ice and near the end of the game, I liked that he got a good shot off from the point.

I think the Hawks will play better in the next 5 games or so. I know every team needs to get it together and gel after no preseason but the Hawks even more so with 6 new faces, including a Shaw who was out a significant part of last season and a newer platoon of goalies, no Toews, Dach and Nylander (yes Nylander, at least he's familiar with Colliton's chaotic system) and the loss of Saad, Crow/Lehner.

No expectations here, so I'll look forward to watching Suter, Mitchell, Boquist and other new faces develop. If we get a top five pick, which is highly likely, we'll be on a good course with Dach, Kubalik, DCat, Mitchell and Boquist.

Not sure what everyone was expecting.

It was pretty much a known that even with Toews and Dach this team was going to struggle some. Subtract them and Saad, and consider that there were ZERO pre-season games, expectations should not be much.

I would give it a couple of weeks and some games before we start proclaiming booms and busts. There are a few vets we can see have not really changed their perceptions. Pirri is them same player he has always been, a fringe NHLer who should not be taking anyone's spot. You think there is a reason he has played for 5 teams over 10 years and has averaged less than 30 games a season? Subban's game last night was a perfect example of what he is. Capable of making some fantastic saves, just as capable of giving up some soft goals, inconsistent rebound control and positioning. There is a reason his career GAA is 3+ and his Save Pct is sub .900.

As I said to someone while watching last nights game. You are facing arguably on of the top teams in the NHL with a team that has ONE top line player, ZERO top pairing defensemen and a average at best backup goalie. What was the expectation?
- TheTrob

Thank you and I was thinking the exact same thing as i watching this.

See how long Kane can compose himself as Im sure getting his ass rollled each and every night will tax him. Especially if those around him cant convert when he gives them opportunities.

The criticism of JC is valid as this could easily be the same situation of where Nagy is trying to impose a system when he doesn't have the right pieces. The only thing I really worry about are

1. Young guys who will be on the ice getting exposed, not losing confidence in their own abilities
2. Young players developing bad habits because of JC's system. Lets all remember November of 2008 in Arizona when Q, freshly on the job, chained Sharp and Kane to the bench for making bonehead plays.

I am perfectly OK with trial and error and young guys gaining experience at the NHL level, but they need to be learning it the right way.

That game was 10-1 last night if not for some very nice saves by Suban and some posts being hit. I dont see how this team doesn't lead the league in goals against, in a bad way this year.

Agree that Shaw was pretty much the best Hawks. Suter was pretty decent too. The "top" line was pretty awful. Didn't mind Wallmark in general too, he was doing his job I thought.

On the back end, Murphy, De Haan and Mitchell were the better guys in my books. Zadorov did what he does best but seems to me he runs around a bit much. Keith had his moments but a lot of mistakes last night. Boqvist is not an NHL dman at this point.

I just want to say, i know we are in a rebuild, i know to have lower expectations, i agree with all this.

Now when i say what i say its not because we traded Nik for him, blah blah blah

He's just a bad defenseman , i speak of Murphy he's been in this league for how long? Just going to point out 3 things last night

Murphy finally gets the puck on his stick in his own end after a long battle, there's a wide open forward misses him like Mitch misses with the deep pass, icing, lose faceoff back of our net

2, 1 deflected goal he's standing in front of Subban while the forward is in front of the net, covered him like the Bears zone defense

3 they are on a PK and the he gets caught to far up ice which allows a 2 on 1 which is miffed by the opponent

He's just a bad defenseman he has zero intuition, blah blah blah he trains really hard , but it's really no coincidence the Hawks since he's been here haven't sniffed the playoffs
Not saying it's all his fault just saying he does nothing to help you win games
- BetweenTheDots

I think i have accepted what he is.....when he plays physical, and in control hes fine as a 2nd pairing d man. He does have his warts as you pointed out and the miss fire on the exit pass wasn't even close....especially when it looks like JC was working on this during the short camp from what I read on twitter.....passing....and the 1st game he airmails a guy by 20 ft.

I was always told if you are going to stand in front of your goalie you damn well better block the shot because with your screen, it's likely he won't.