Theo Fox: Comic Tragedy Game summaries of the Penguins 5-2 trouncing over the Blackhawks and the IceHogs 5-3 victory over the Wolves.

Plus, a look at team defense and thoughts on whether Lukas Reichel's dominant debut weekend in the AHL has him poised to be like a certain future Hall of Famer.

Whats there to say that hasnt been said already...what I found myself wondering when watching the game was 1) Do these guys actually get paid to do this and 2) Do they even like to play this game. They have to cut the cord with at least Colliton, maybe Stanley too, and right now, or this is going to be truly a season to remember for all the wrong reasons...this is laughable and pathetic and kind of stuff that just destroys.

Its even hard to be excited about Reichel and company when this is the end product at the time...I am afraid they will look exactly as bad in this team as the team does now if there is no burning it down first. Couldnt even watch the after game pressers and listen to all the horsepoope they stuttered...

Pretty bleak, yeah.

I have heard commentators and read sports writers hint that Toews thinks Colliton is not an NHL ready coach or that the implementation of his system has been sub par. I think/hope Colliton is gone. I know Babcock and Julien are unpopular names on this blog, but I could see either of them being the replacement. Not Torts.

At the moment this team is a absolute dumpster fire.
No structure, No compete level ( at least not until it’s to late), No fundamental defensive play.
All coaching related issue IMO. I haven’t like JC since his first game with this team. I think he’s grossly under qualified and way outta his league. He should be coaching a Peewee team, he’ll have a better chance motivating 10 year olds a posed to Pro athletes.

If he’s not gone by game 10 this season will be another wash.
Sure they might string together a couple 7 and 3 runs during the season the quickly follow those up with 2 and 8 runs to remind everyone once again that JC systems don’t consistently work in this level hockey!

I’ve been praying to the hockey gods that he is fired from this team and I highly doubt when that happens that he’ll ever coach a NHL team again…

You're right Theo. It is comical that if a Hawk fan is not watching from the opening face-off they're probably going to miss the 1st goal.

The players may not be as talented as the competition but they should at least be competitive which ain't happening. On paper, the Hawk team should be pretty okay.

At this point, you have to think about a coaching change since regardless of the roster, we are seeing the same mistakes over and over. JC has run out of excuses. He's had a full training camp, I assume he's had input on the type of players he wants to acquire, his in game adjustments are minimal. Seriously how much rope do you give this guy?

And I'm sorry but Gus shouldn't even be an option for him to insert into the line up.

Theo: * In his first 3 games back after missing all of last season, Jonathan Toews is without a point and a -4 (-3 last night).

Me: What’s worse is that he only had 3 SATs in the 3 games, 2 on net.

Plus / minus -
Kane, Murphy, DeHaan: -5
deBrincat, McCabe, Toews: -4
Jones, Johnson: -3

Together those 8 have 3 goals (1 at 5x5] 8 assists = 11 points

Those are your vets, your team leaders.

https://www.secondcityhoc...ontract-extension-signing

Blackhawks, coach Jeremy Colliton agree on two-year contract extension. The deal carries through the 2022-23 season.


“Jeremy has shown an innate ability to develop young talent throughout his two seasons as head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks,” said Stan Bowman, President of Hockey Operations and General Manager. “This, coupled with his vast knowledge of the game, exceptional communication skills and determination to win, makes us extremely confident Jeremy has what it takes to lead our team back to an elite level as we continue to build a roster that can compete year in and year out.”


Not sure where I read this but it's been decades now and something I never forgot due to its simplicity. "If you put a 300lb man in center field you can't expect him to get to balls in the gap".

It's not Colliton's fault he's that 300lb center fielder. And it's probably not Stan's fault either he's a 275lb center fielder.

After 5-6 yrs(?) of not making the playoffs instead of bringing in fresh eyes, like a Davidson or Lamoriella, from outside the organIzation the Hawks promote the architect of those yrs of going for it to rebuilding back to going for it, StanBow, to Prez of Hockey Ops in 2020. https://www.nbcsports.com...tion-president-hockey-ops

All I know is StanBow is at the tip of the pyramid of hockey minds in the organIzation and that's all I need to know.

Theo: * In his first 3 games back after missing all of last season, Jonathan Toews is without a point and a -4 (-3 last night).

Me: What’s worse is that he only had 3 SATs in the 3 games, 2 on net.

Plus / minus -
Kane, Murphy, DeHaan: -5
deBrincat, McCabe, Toews: -4
Jones, Johnson: -3

Together those 8 have 3 goals (1 at 5x5] 8 assists = 11 points

Those are your vets, your team leaders.
- StLBravesFan

Not downplaying them but these stats aren't surprising considering the game results. There will a whole day of posts picking on coaches, individual players and numbers. Not much of it matters,

The only number that matters is 5 - i.e. hockey is a game played on the ice in groups of 5. A team that puts out 4 lines that play cohesively in groups of 5 on a nightly basis is almost always in the upper half of the NHL standings. At the rate the Hawks are going, they will be running with the chumps - Arizona, Buffalo, Detroit.

The best seat to witness how bad the Hawks play isnt in front of a TV, it would have been in the last row of the nose bleed seats or in the press box right above the ice. And watch things like line changes, positioning of the centermen without the puck in the Hawk D zone and what the Dmen are looking at with the puck on their stick under forecheck pressure deep in their own zone. In short, it won't be a pretty reflection on Colliton or his 'system'.

The Islander's have started very poorly, Barry Trotz and his disciplined team will be getting the tonic they need Monday night.

Interesting post Rico. Technically isn’t the GM spot open? Stan was promoted to President., and I believe at the time of the announcement they said they woulld look at a new GM when “the time was right?” Or am I confusing the Hawks with the Cubs.

If you’d told me a week ago that after 3 games the PP would be converting at a 40% clip, and that the PK would still be perfect, I certainly would’ve thought the record would be better than 0-2-1.

Unreal.

Interesting post Rico. Technically isn’t the GM spot open? Stan was promoted to President., and I believe at the time of the announcement they said they woulld look at a new GM when “the time was right?” Or am I confusing the Hawks with the Cubs.
- LAHawk

At some point as I age I finally realized why advertisers target 25 to 54ish olds. After awhile you've seen enough where you're just not fooled anymore and in sports especially so.

Back when I posted on NHL boards my position 5 yrs ago was the ball was in Rocky's court, not McD's, StanBow's or Q's. That hasn't changed. He is the man who hires people in the organIzation and the proverbial buck stops at his desk.

If he deems StanBow as being the top hockey mind in the organIzation after a huge sample size, does not think he needs a hockey related boss, then I don't need a crystal ball to figure out results. I'm old.

At some point as I age I finally realized why advertisers target 25 to 54ish olds. After awhile you've seen enough where you're just not fooled anymore and in sports especially so.

Back when I posted on NHL boards my position 5 yrs ago was the ball was in Rocky's court, not McD's, StanBow's or Q's. That hasn't changed. He is the man who hires people in the organIzation and the proverbial buck stops at his desk.

If he deems StanBow as being the top hockey mind in the organIzation after a huge sample size, does not think he needs a hockey related boss, then I don't need a crystal ball to figure out results. I'm old.
- Mr Ricochet

I agree, but now I'm thinking it's a collaboration between Rocky and Danny.

Thought some may find this helpful. Lotsa places to get fancy stats boxscores and traditional ones. I find Dobber's a nice easy one stop of both especially stats of each line.

https://frozenpool.dobber...2&game_type=R&game_num=26

Only three highlights so far this year: (1) PP has been very good); (2) OK has been very good; (3) John Wiedeman was very good. Sad when your announcer is one of your highlights.

I agree, but now I'm thinking it's a collaboration between Rocky and Danny.
- BetweenTheDots

I guess Rocky has given his boy much more responsibility reducing his own role. .... What I've been watching for the last 5ish yrs is who Rocky inserts as the top hockey mind in the organIzation after the cap sent the Cup players packing, pretty much after the Preds destroyed the Hawks in the playoffs 5-6 yrs ago. Basically who is in charge after the trust fund of players that won the cups evaporated.

Rocky brought McD in as Prez to maximize every nickel and he did but he was not a hockey mind. Since the trust fund of players has gone away Stan has been the hockey mind of the organIzation and it seems it will stay that way until Rocky gets tired of empty seats and reduced revenue.

I guess the saying these days is it is what it is. StanBow is the guy and with his underlings are the same stale eyes and decision makers working out the same 5-6 yr old problems.

The team changed course strategically during the offseason. “Win Now” or whatever you want to call it - they reconfigured the roster with some veterans and other established players and spent prospects/rookies and draft capital to get it.

So, one would have to think that Stan is not in a position to accept a season where this team is “done” by US Thanksgiving. So, a dump of Colliton is more likely now than it has been in the past. Also, given the new focus on being competitive “now” - the next HC hired is more likely going to be a proven commodity (and available). A Babcock, Julien, or Torts type of choice.

I have to think Danny is already talking to Stan about these contingencies.

If you’d told me a week ago that after 3 games the PP would be converting at a 40% clip, and that the PK would still be perfect, I certainly would’ve thought the record would be better than 0-2-1.

Unreal.
- Ogilthorpe2

New strategy… commit a penalty at the starting face off. Increases the team’s chances of not giving up a goal in the first seconds of the game.

If savard can be fired after 4 games than this idiot can be fired after 3. What does JC have to warrant more time? His 1 year in the ahl?

Some ridiculous narrative that this also happened under quenneville? No.

It’s bowman not wanting to admit he hired a guy and it completely has imploded in his face.

Keep him and you’l burry yourself further from any chance to rebound and contend this year with a roster built to win now….

But alas it’s Seth Jones fault….I know that now.

Time to clean house! Retooling never works, Time for a rebuild! Goodbye Colliton and Bowman.

If the Hawks FO wants to try to make the playoffs, they can't wait until Thanksgiving to get a new coach. The players have quit on the coach. Many here think that's a good thing. I think it says something about the players who have done so; and it is not a good kind of something. The organization has two choices, imo. They can fire JC now and bring in a disciplinarian retread who will not accept the crap. Or they can publicly say JC is the coach all year, and that any player who wants out can come to the front office to ask for a trade.

I think they will choose option #1. I would, too. I choose the firing route because the team defense has been bad his whole tenure. I am very tempted by option #2 because I loathe rewarding players who quit. And that's what I see so far.

Time to clean house! Retooling never works, Time for a rebuild! Goodbye Colliton and Bowman.
- Shady1962

Penguin fans may differ, eh?

I agree, but now I'm thinking it's a collaboration between Rocky and Danny.
- BetweenTheDots

I was glad to see the team follow your advice to try not to score. That worked out well.

Penguin fans may differ, eh?
- mohel

Bruin fans too. They haven't won a Cup since but they've been to one.

I have come around there needs to be a coaching change. Especially after Shaw’s comment that the Hawks don’t know where to go on defense (paraphrasing). Shaw was brought back partially to change the room. Even though retired, if JC has lost Shaw, I am sure he has lost the rest of the team.

Stan is on the road trip. Besides seeing what is going on on the ice, hopefully he is hearing what is going on in the room.

I was glad to see the team follow your advice to try not to score. That worked out well.
- mohel

I also said they need to play good defense and protect the house. Which they did none of. This is a team coached to cheat up ice at every moment. They are constantly on the wrong side of the puck until they are getting their asses kicked. But you wouldn't know any of that, did you see where 44 was on that first goal, wtf? And he's someone who's supposed to be teaching these guys this system