>Toews said in his press comments this AM that he needs to change his off-season training habits from "preparing for playing a 'heavy' game to playing a game of "speed and skill"
>"I need to recapture the speed of my youth,'' said Toews
>(and skill)
>Other than Kane, you can question how much time Toews, Keith, and Seabs have spent on the ice in the summer during the off-season, getting better
>I'm guessing McD was shouting at somebody, "I trusted you motherfers to get it done and you took advantage of me." Kinda like a parent whose kid has a party when they are away and totally trashes the house
>Now McD will want to know what EVERY player is doing to get better and WHY what happened, happened
>And his glare will extend to Bowman and Q, as well
>Will be interesting to see how it all plays out
>Because, as of this moment, this franchise needs to prove on the ice they don't suck as bad as their last playoff series
>And that secondary ticket market just took a big hit -- especially if the Cubs have another deep run
>And doing the same things with the same players (unless they get better) won't change things much
- SnapitUpstairs

What concerns me, Snap, is that I'm quite cetain Toews said nearly the exact same thing last year around this time. He had neither speed nor power it seemed as a result

I for one am very happy to hear those comments . . . . I just wish I could believe them. I don't doubt he's upset they lost, but I'm skeptical about any big "changes" he's going to make. The team is in the situation they are in because of his contract signings, moves and non moves. Now he says he's going to be better. Exactly how does he plan to be better. The fact he had a written statement prepared just makes me wonder if he wasn't instructed to say these things to soothe the fan base and then when the draft comes around and the anger has subsided, it'll be business as usual.

As for him and Q working together, I'm even more skeptical of that. How many times has Stan traded for someone at the deadline or before the regular season, only see that player or players ride the bench or sit in the press box because Q doesn't "trust" them and won't play them and how many times has Stan had to trade someone who was brutal but Q wouldn't stop playing them (John Scott & Brandon Bollig to name a couple of examples of the top of my head).

I just have this feeling we'll hear how they tried to do this or that but it just didn't work out or they were ready to pull the trigger on a trade, but the other team backed out. Stan has his work cut out for him because he has a lot of aging veterans with big money contracts who can dictate where they want to go with their no trade clauses. He should have been better a couple of years ago. Going to be a tough time for him to be better now with both hands tied behind his back.
- RetiredGoalie

Giving out so many NMCs isn't going to make his job any easier now

What concerns me, Snap, is that I'm quite cetain Toews said nearly the exact same thing last year around this time. He had neither speed nor power it seemed as a result
- grinder10

>Players deserve well-earned "time off" and to be away from the rink
>What I recall Toews saying one recent off-season was that he "didn't even put skates on until late August" -- let alone train to get better
>Not acceptable at his salary and importance to the franchise

Hartman with cast on his right hand - something he was playing through...
- CaptainBlackhawk

probably from the (frank)n dirty slash 8 mildo worth of scum perry dished out and got no call...

the only thing i want more than the hawks winning are ducks and perry getting sacked...

>Players deserve well-earned "time off" and to be away from the rink
>What I recall Toews saying one recent off-season was that he "didn't even put skates on until late August" -- let alone train to get better
>Not acceptable at his salary and importance to the franchise
- SnapitUpstairs

Wow, almost right before camp. Sounds like prep for a house league.

Let's hope he actually means it this year when he talks about changing his regimen

>Players deserve well-earned "time off" and to be away from the rink
>What I recall Toews saying one recent off-season was that he "didn't even put skates on until late August" -- let alone train to get better
>Not acceptable at his salary and importance to the franchise
- SnapitUpstairs

that was after the 2015 cup win...

So Toews was training to play the "heavy game"???? WHAT? Now Im totally confused. You were just rag dolled into a 4-0 thanks for playing series. And you respond with, I need to get faster?

What you should have said 19 was we played like crap. It was embarassing and a total re-focus is needed. From Captain Serious to Captain What-Eva Bruh!

What would be the price tag on Hjarmasonn?
- Santo_44

IMO, if the Hawks want to reward a guy with extra $...fine. But that shouldn't come with a NMC too. A la carte...one or the other except for the most extreme cases. They seem to be overly generous with them
- grinder10

Only players who should have been given a no trade clause were Toews, Kane and Keith. That's it. All the other NMC he gave out like candy were ridiculous. It's one thing if a guy get a NMC because he takes less money to give the team cap flexibility, but it's another entire when they guy gets a big contract AND the NMC. 4.5 million PLUS a NMC for Anisimov is insane. They guy is a nice player, but not worth that money or the NMC. If he was hurt, as he may very well have been, it doesn't explain why he was and is brutal at the face-off dot. The guy doesn't even appear to work at it or take it seriously, so you have an almost 5 million dollars center who can't win a damn draw. Two for seventeen in game three says it all.

- DarthKane

The way we are hamstrung with the these huge no trade me contracts, odds are good 4 will be the one to get moved. How would Q handle that!?

This IMO needs addressed. IMO every pertinent issue stems from disinterest and effort. Address this and 7-8-9 other issues take care of themselves.
- Mr Ricochet

Love it, you always seem to come up with sober assessments.

What's that saying, "talent beats hard work only if talent works hard"? ..... Of all sports IMO hockey is a will sport. The will to win the puck battle, no small feat, that all 10 skaters participate in and affect. A sport where even just a few passengers sabotages success.

As you mention when does losing hunger happen and how do you identify that? Then how do you fix it? And who decided that and how to fix it?
- Mr Ricochet

I'm thinking it starts with identifying the passengers!

I'm thinking it starts with identifying the passengers!
- walleyeb1

The team needs a new identity. That starts with one guy. HC
Way too many passnegers on the fun bus. A new HC blows that all up.

Wondering who everyone else is "rooting" for to win the Cup now.

If the Pens win it will be 3 in 9 years compared to the Hawks 3 in 6 years but will have back-to-backs.

So then the 2nd question is, if the Pens do win it again, are they "1st Dynasty" of the salary cap era....or are the Hawks or perhaps neither.

Just food for thought as I watch the Cubs club the Reds.

Wondering who everyone else is "rooting" for to win the Cup now.

If the Pens win it will be 3 in 9 years compared to the Hawks 3 in 6 years but will have back-to-backs.

So then the 2nd question is, if the Pens do win it again, are they "1st Dynasty" of the salary cap era....or are the Hawks or perhaps neither.

Just food for thought as I watch the Cubs club the Reds.
- ILGolfer

Never thought I would say this, but Im pulling for the Blues now. Minus Back-ass and Hitch I like them alot better. They are proof of hard work and desire gets results. Especially with the trade of Shattenkirk. Wow.. they are one team on a mission.

>Toews said in his press comments this AM that he needs to change his off-season training habits from "preparing for playing a 'heavy' game to playing a game of "speed and skill"
>"I need to recapture the speed of my youth,'' said Toews
>(and skill)
>Other than Kane, you can question how much time Toews, Keith, and Seabs have spent on the ice in the summer during the off-season, getting better
>I'm guessing McD was shouting at somebody, "I trusted you motherfers to get it done and you took advantage of me." Kinda like a parent whose kid has a party when they are away and totally trashes the house
>Now McD will want to know what EVERY player is doing to get better and WHY what happened, happened
>And his glare will extend to Bowman and Q, as well
>Will be interesting to see how it all plays out
>Because, as of this moment, this franchise needs to prove on the ice they don't suck as bad as their last playoff series
>And that secondary ticket market just took a big hit -- especially if the Cubs have another deep run
>And doing the same things with the same players (unless they get better) won't change things much
- SnapitUpstairs

Give that man another 10 million dollars

- DarthKane

Hammer is not the issue.
Plenty of blame to go around, Hammer low on that list.

Hammer is not the issue.
Plenty of blame to go around, Hammer low on that list.
- Hawkster

Would really like to see how Hammer looks on his natural side

probably from the (frank)n dirty slash 8 mildo worth of scum perry dished out and got no call...

the only thing i want more than the hawks winning are ducks and perry getting sacked...
- bogiedoc

Not the case - he had a splint on that hand the day of the slash

Stan can say whatever he wants, McD and the marketing machine won't allow him to trade any of the core. This is just more hype.
- DarthKane

I'd look more at the assistant coaches, special teams have been horrible.

Toews and Panik will not play in the tournament.
- z1990z

Team needs to enforce more of this. You're signed with us you play with us, period.

What are they going to do, purchase a 'Compete -O- Meter' and measure heart and desire of every player before every game?
- RickJ

Too bad we can't ask Orval Tessier.

And then we get back to the size of the surface. Yes lock down, slow down, clog, obstruct hockey can and does win hockey games especially if your side has inferior talent.

We all know the remedy to this is an Olympic size surface and we all know NHL arenas will never refit due to costs. Or play with 8 skaters and we know that won't happen either. ........So here we are with coaches paid to win hockey games, not to entertain, doing whatever will help their side win and too often that's play slow it down hockey. And here we are with world class speed/skill not able to show you that speed/skill.

Ticket buying fan? Man I came home Thursday night and paid to watch USHL Muskegon in an elimination playoff game vs Dubuque and DVRed the Hawks in their elimination game!! .....Incredibly skilled, fast, up tempo, all out effort hockey that I can take to the bank and it means zero to me I'm watching 2-3-4-5 future NHLers.

Think I'm 5 years tired of a PP that only sets up for a cross ice one timer, a passive PK, maybe see 2 periods of effort, 4 across the blueline and the Hawks refuse to dump, Foley not knowing 1/2 the other team, shout-outs to who gives a f*$@, Eddie's old lady's cookies, how great a guys they are at Hawk Ford?

Yea, for this fan it's stale and has been.
- Mr Ricochet

Start with zebras calling RS penalties as the rule book states. Then call the PO the same way.

Wondering who everyone else is "rooting" for to win the Cup now.

If the Pens win it will be 3 in 9 years compared to the Hawks 3 in 6 years but will have back-to-backs.

So then the 2nd question is, if the Pens do win it again, are they "1st Dynasty" of the salary cap era....or are the Hawks or perhaps neither.

Just food for thought as I watch the Cubs club the Reds.
- ILGolfer

First off Mr. Golfer....CUBS WIN.

Second: I am going with NYR, TOR, MIN as who'd I would like to see win now.

Getting out there tomorrow or Mon? 70 predicted each day.

Never thought I would say this, but Im pulling for the Blues now. Minus Back-ass and Hitch I like them alot better. They are proof of hard work and desire gets results. Especially with the trade of Shattenkirk. Wow.. they are one team on a mission.
- z1990z

Yeah I think Hitch really screwed with Allens head, and that's the last thing you need to be doing with a goalie.