Theo Fox: Game 14 @ Stars
A preview to the Blackhawks concluding contest of the current series against the Stars.

Plus, perspectives on how to handle Boqvist's return from COVID protocol and what to make of the statuses of Seabrook and Toews.

First

Doesn’t Subban earn the right to play again?

Wayne Gretzky, as great a hockey player he was, was a lousy head coach.

I feel awful for Seabrook, Whatever happens i hope he's able to heal and live pain free. Much to young.

What and Why is Toews injury a big secret? When something is kept this confidential there never is a good ending. I hope the best for him.

Seabrook and Kieth good make excellent D coaches. I can see Kieth becoming a head coach.

Send Keith to Coach the Wings it wouldn’t hurt.

The team has been playing really well with the lineup that has been in there. I hope Colliton doesn't mess with that right away by putting Boqvist back in there. Beaudin and Mitchell have earned their roster spots. Going to 7D also would remove that grinding 4th line that has been dominating shifts lately. I say either send him to Rockford or put him on the taxi squad until we play Detroit next week.

I hate to hear that about Seabs. I had high hopes he would be a serviceable 3rd pairing guy, but it sounds like he might be better hanging up the skates at this point.

The goaltending situation has become a lot tougher than anyone imagined before the season. Again, they may just wait until they play Detroit to put Delia back out there, but at this point, he can't afford to give up more than 2 goals in his next start.

as a side note, one player I was hoping to hear about was cam morrison. one of the few larger players that can skate. he was a scratch on the first game but the coach came out and said he was a little banged up so maybe that was why.

First

Doesn’t Subban earn the right to play again?

Wayne Gretzky, as great a hockey player he was, was a lousy head coach.
- LAHawk

Bill Russell may be the only superstar player to have success as a coach - and he had the advantage of having a pretty good center on the floor.

I don’t know how good a coach Seabrook would / could be, but as a player and room leader, he seems to have the background to be successful - not a superstar on the ice, a hard worker who played with discipline and seems to have been a good resource and mentor to young skaters.

If - as you say (and I think you are correct, Theo) Boqvist wasn’t Show-ready last season (rumors that McD forced his call-up) and still isn’t - why isn’t he being rostered in Rockford, playing high minutes and developing at a level where he isn’t overmatched?

Mitchell and Beaudin still have a lot to learn, but they don’t look overwhelmed playing with and against the best players in the world. Boqvist does.

No one is giving up on him - he’s 20, plenty of time to develop at the proper level - develop physically and mentally. Let him grow where there is more emphasis on development rather than winning - even tho Chicago is in the rebuild mode with many young still-prospects, I would think that growth opportunities for someone not-yet-ready-for-the-NHL would be better 90 miles west.

Theo said this about Toews....."It would be expected that news on his status should be publicly available this week".

Is this something you heard or read someplace, or an assumption? Either is worthwhile, just wondering why it would be now that we would hear something.

Thanks for all the hard work, Theo.

If - as you say (and I think you are correct, Theo) Boqvist wasn’t Show-ready last season (rumors that McD forced his call-up) and still isn’t - why isn’t he being rostered in Rockford, playing high minutes and developing at a level where he isn’t overmatched?

Mitchell and Beaudin still have a lot to learn, but they don’t look overwhelmed playing with and against the best players in the world. Boqvist does.

No one is giving up on him - he’s 20, plenty of time to develop at the proper level - develop physically and mentally. Let him grow where there is more emphasis on development rather than winning - even tho Chicago is in the rebuild mode with many young still-prospects, I would think that growth opportunities for someone not-yet-ready-for-the-NHL would be better 90 miles west.
- StLBravesFan

Two thoughts. One is that the limited number of games Rockfish is going to play may not provide a lot of development. Playing and practicing with and against NHL players may give more and better reps. Just a thought.

Second, if he goes down and just plays okay, what does that do to his emotional state? If he struggles in the show, that is expected for a young defenseman. If a #8 pick gets sent down after struggling in the show, and then struggles in the minors.....

Two thoughts. One is that the limited number of games Rockfish is going to play may not provide a lot of development. Playing and practicing with and against NHL players may give more and better reps. Just a thought.

Second, if he goes down and just plays okay, what does that do to his emotional state? If he struggles in the show, that is expected for a young defenseman. If a #8 pick gets sent down after struggling in the show, and then struggles in the minors.....
- mohel

Lots of “ifs and maybes” - but we can see that he continued to struggle this season here before he went into Covid protocol with only marginal improvement over last season - I don’t see how a player can improve if he is continuously unsuccessful on the ice. Player can improve their play through games and practice in the NHL if they are ready to have success here - I don’t think that Boqvist had shown that he is, as Mitchell and Beaudin (and some of the young forwards) have.

If he struggles in the “A” as he has here - I don’t have an answer for that - perhaps then it’s time for a re-evaluation of his prospects.

The team has been playing really well with the lineup that has been in there. I hope Colliton doesn't mess with that right away by putting Boqvist back in there. Beaudin and Mitchell have earned their roster spots. Going to 7D also would remove that grinding 4th line that has been dominating shifts lately. I say either send him to Rockford or put him on the taxi squad until we play Detroit next week.

I hate to hear that about Seabs. I had high hopes he would be a serviceable 3rd pairing guy, but it sounds like he might be better hanging up the skates at this point.

The goaltending situation has become a lot tougher than anyone imagined before the season. Again, they may just wait until they play Detroit to put Delia back out there, but at this point, he can't afford to give up more than 2 goals in his next start.
- biskit67

Delia should be given the same chance the other 2 guys got after the team's bad opening season start. Part of the reason Lankinen and Subban are performing better is that they are getting better defensive support now. All 3 guys are relatively the same age with similar contracts so there is no reason to favor any one of them over the others.

Two thoughts. One is that the limited number of games Rockfish is going to play may not provide a lot of development. Playing and practicing with and against NHL players may give more and better reps. Just a thought.

Second, if he goes down and just plays okay, what does that do to his emotional state? If he struggles in the show, that is expected for a young defenseman. If a #8 pick gets sent down after struggling in the show, and then struggles in the minors.....
- mohel

Every time posters discuss Boqvist's struggles, I cannot help but lament the fact that we were 1 pick away from Quinn Hughes.

Nice blog Theo, you are #1 in HB. We are six deep in young D if you count Vlasic and Regula. Eventually a couple of these guys will have to be traded along with a couple of veterans, hopefully we upgrade talent on top six forward group as we seem to have plenty of grit and talent for bottom six. I would think that they would keep Boqvist and Mitchell as good RD’s are hard to acquire. I also like Beaudin, hopefully he’s a keeper. Do you think that a young D, plus Nylander, plus a veteran D will get us a good top six forward?

Does anybody know the scoop on these games in Hoffman Estates, why are they playing there and who is the home team?

If you gave Lankanin successive starts because he played well, shouldn't you give Subban the same opportunity? Especially since Lankanin's start have mostly been at home, Subban's have all been on the road.

Every time posters discuss Boqvist's struggles, I cannot help but lament the fact that we were 1 pick away from Quinn Hughes.
- 67hawks

Quinn Hughes is having quite the struggles in his sophmore season.

Quinn Hughes, also hasn’t resembled his dominant rookie form from last year. Yes, Hughes currently leads all NHL blueliners in points with 16, but those stats don’t tell the entire story. His defensive game has struggled mightily this season; according to Natural Stat Trick, the Canucks are currently giving up 5.57 goals against per 60 minutes with him on the ice, which is the highest number on the team for players who’ve appeared in more than one game.

Quinn Hughes is having quite the struggles in his sophmore season.

Quinn Hughes, also hasn’t resembled his dominant rookie form from last year. Yes, Hughes currently leads all NHL blueliners in points with 16, but those stats don’t tell the entire story. His defensive game has struggled mightily this season; according to Natural Stat Trick, the Canucks are currently giving up 5.57 goals against per 60 minutes with him on the ice, which is the highest number on the team for players who’ve appeared in more than one game.
- LAHawk

I still gladly trade him for Boqvist and have him in Keith's spot on the PP and in overtime 3 on 3's. Hughes' current struggles are the byproduct of his team' struggles.

I still gladly trade him for Boqvist and have him in Keith's spot on the PP and in overtime 3 on 3's. Hughes' current struggles are the byproduct of his team' struggles.
- 67hawks

Considering how much bigger Adam got from one year to another, Adam might become the much tougher dman to play against.

Quinn Hughes is having quite the struggles in his sophmore season.

Quinn Hughes, also hasn’t resembled his dominant rookie form from last year. Yes, Hughes currently leads all NHL blueliners in points with 16, but those stats don’t tell the entire story. His defensive game has struggled mightily this season; according to Natural Stat Trick, the Canucks are currently giving up 5.57 goals against per 60 minutes with him on the ice, which is the highest number on the team for players who’ve appeared in more than one game.
- LAHawk

But he scores a lot

Speaking of the north division, all those teams blue lines are pretty poopty

Bill Russell may be the only superstar player to have success as a coach - and he had the advantage of having a pretty good center on the floor.

"Stop yourself," Lou Boudreau!

I would be in favor of 6D for multiple reasons.
1) 7D causes constant in game changing or D pairings.
2) If I were playing I would rather play 15 minutes in 2 out of 3 games with the same partner on each shift than 10 minutes in 3 out of 3 games with different partners on different shifts.
3) You know if they go 7D, Kane is going to be double shifted and play 25 minutes. I think that is totally uncalled for in a season focused on developing young players.

I would be really disappointed if Subban or Lankinen were not in net tonight.

If Darling is somewhat ready I would let him sit on the taxi squad and/or be the in game backup on the bench. Then send Delia to Rockford to get some games in net.

First

Doesn’t Subban earn the right to play again?

Wayne Gretzky, as great a hockey player he was, was a lousy head coach.
- LAHawk

With that logic, Johnson should of gotten another start.

I hope for the best for Seabs and Toews.

A back injury can be very hard to predict. Seabs could stretch it out in a couple of weeks or a month, or it could require surgery. In any case there is no rush to bring him back. They could move him to LTIR.

I do not need to know why Toews is out or when/if he is coming back. In a year focusing on player development where the team is playing pretty well it is not a huge issue.

If at some point it is determined that Toews, Seabs and Smith will be out for the full year Stan has $20 mil in cap space to militarize. Near the TDL there will be plenty of teams wanting to dump expiring contracts.