Pretty much agree with everything JJ wrote here.

Hawks may be successful in trying to delay the inevitable this year, but the full-scale teardown is coming soon.
- BINGO!

Nah, too much money with the season ticket holders and stuff coming in now.

There would need to be a huge adjustment ticket wise if they scorched the earth. Plus, its not like they can just unload Toews or Kane or Seabs for futures. Stuff has to go the other way salary wise.

They'll ride out the next 5 years, how ever that goes, and then fade away into a mediocre team. Unless something significant happens with the next CBA that allows the to spend more or dump junk.

Nah, too much money with the season ticket holders and stuff coming in now.

There would need to be a huge adjustment ticket wise if they scorched the earth. Plus, its not like they can just unload Toews or Kane or Seabs for futures. Stuff has to go the other way salary wise.

They'll ride out the next 5 years, how ever that goes, and then fade away into a mediocre team. Unless something significant happens with the next CBA that allows the to spend more or dump junk.
- fattybeef

They're well on their way to fading into mediocrity right now, but I see your point. They may have salvaged something this year, but with each year that passes the decline becomes harder to counteract.

They got real lucky... And Toews and Kane are not Crosby and Malkin, as much as one would like them to be.

That and the Pens didn't have a bunch of D men on long term contracts with NTC's either.
- BINGO!

It just slays me when posters talk about the god-like Crosby and Malkin, who went from doormats to all-world again overnight. The reality is the East is weaker. Any team in the East that finds a clue can come out of the East. Coach Sullivan gave the Pens a clue. Look at the other teams competing in the East. Washington implodes EVERY PLAY-OFFS. The Sens weren't a great team - and so on.

The West, on the other hand, is loaded with quality teams that are tough. The team coming out of the West gets the snot beat out of it. The last two years surprise teams got to the Final and had nothing left and seemed happy just to be there. The Pens took advantage. The previous years the Western teams had enough talent and energy left that they could still handle the Eastern teams.

Give Coach Sullivan credit - his objective, no conscience, "what have you done for me lately" approach has worked. However, the Pens were lucky beyond comprehension too - there were teams in the West that the Pens would not have beaten the last two years but they all stumbled. Hopefully, the West has had enough of this chaos and again asserts its position as the superior Conference.

Just hope Stan has the deal(s) in place for when Hossa's $$$$ is freed up in October. If spent wisely the addition or two it can bring can make this a very competative team. A top line LW...a decent LW and depth D-man....a solid 3-4 D-man. Any move like that could make us a tough team to beat.

I don't see LOADS of new, young guys playing with us this year, but I am interested to see the progress of Schmaltz and Hartman in particular, as well as Forsling and Kempny on the back end. If those 4 can contribute some, and be improved from last year, I think we have a decent roster to begin the year.

It just slays me when posters talk about the god-like Crosby and Malkin, who went from doormats to all-world again overnight. The reality is the East is weaker. Any team in the East that finds a clue can come out of the East. Coach Sullivan gave the Pens a clue. Look at the other teams competing in the East. Washington implodes EVERY PLAY-OFFS. The Sens weren't a great team - and so on.

The West, on the other hand, is loaded with quality teams that are tough. The team coming out of the West gets the snot beat out of it. The last two years surprise teams got to the Final and had nothing left and seemed happy just to be there. The Pens took advantage. The previous years the Western teams had enough talent and energy left that they could still handle the Eastern teams.

Give Coach Sullivan credit - his objective, no conscience, "what have you done for me lately" approach has worked. However, the Pens were lucky beyond comprehension too - there were teams in the West that the Pens would not have beaten the last two years but they all stumbled. Hopefully, the West has had enough of this chaos and again asserts its position as the superior Conference.
- Z3Hawk

This exactly. The East is weaker up and down. There are two teams that generally have a legit chance to make it to the stanley cup year in and year out in the east, kind of like the NBA eastern conference. In the West there's probably 5 teams with a legit chance to make it to the Cup finals this next season.

It just slays me when posters talk about the god-like Crosby and Malkin, who went from doormats to all-world again overnight. The reality is the East is weaker. Any team in the East that finds a clue can come out of the East. Coach Sullivan gave the Pens a clue. Look at the other teams competing in the East. Washington implodes EVERY PLAY-OFFS. The Sens weren't a great team - and so on.

The West, on the other hand, is loaded with quality teams that are tough. The team coming out of the West gets the snot beat out of it. The last two years surprise teams got to the Final and had nothing left and seemed happy just to be there. The Pens took advantage. The previous years the Western teams had enough talent and energy left that they could still handle the Eastern teams.

Give Coach Sullivan credit - his objective, no conscience, "what have you done for me lately" approach has worked. However, the Pens were lucky beyond comprehension too - there were teams in the West that the Pens would not have beaten the last two years but they all stumbled. Hopefully, the West has had enough of this chaos and again asserts its position as the superior Conference.
- Z3Hawk

What?

I have no idea how you see things this way, either.

Were the Hawks looking at resigning Oduya at all for defensive depth or was he out of price range?

Great article as usual too.

Some more ifs into the mix. As far as the penalty killers, you have Toews, Saad, Anisimov, Kero. Generally, the bottom six is where your penalty killers come from, so the top six can save themselves for 5 on 5 and the power play. So they will need some PK forwards to come from the lower lines. Check out Lance Bouma on youtube and I was poking around in the NHL stats from the past year or two. Bouma is quite the shot blocking forward, with many coming on the PK. He will hit anybody and has decent speed too. I think your penalty killers from the lower lines will come from the likes of Kero - Bouma and Wingels. But they will have to earn it of course

JJ, thoughts on how effective Dauphin can be as a (semi) Kruger replacement?

The Shaw/Kruger/Desi line was instrumental to cup success. Shutdown Town.

Can Wingels/Bouma/Hayden/whoever centered by Dauphin come relatively close? That would be YUGE.
- ItHossaGood

Granted I have not seen Dauphin a LOT. But what I HAVE seen tells me he will be a nice lower line/penalty killing forward for Chicago. In 24 NHL games last year he was around 46% on face-offs and he is a natural center. If he can get that 46% closer to 50%, that would be YUGE.

He also brings a lot of sheer speed.

Were the Hawks looking at resigning Oduya at all for defensive depth or was he out of price range?

Great article as usual too.
- BlackhawkMike

Felt like Hossa issue was impacting any potential signing. Guessing Oduya didn't want to wait around till start of the season to be signed.

That took two years. Truth is the Canes didn't have a lot to take apart in the first place.

Last year was build year #1

this is build year #2
- BINGO!

I like the work Ronnie Francis is doing.

Hawk fans need to accept the teardown IS coming. Question is when.

Bowman is trying this summer to see if he can do what Rutherford did and extend the viability and return on his core a couple years or more longer.

I think if the Hawks get bounced out in round 1 this year or worse yet blown out like they were last year, management may decide it is a good time to sell high on assets like Keith or even Kane and seriously rebuild with elite prospects and high picks.

That is my opinion, I have not heard that.

And it may well be the team will take the Detroit/Slow downgrade route.

My preference as a fan would be they not do that—just really tank for 2-3 years and come back strong with another period of dominance.

They're well on their way to fading into mediocrity right now, but I see your point. They may have salvaged something this year, but with each year that passes the decline becomes harder to counteract.
- BINGO!

Better to be a has-been (3 Cups in 5 years) than a never-was (Hurricanes). Your typical contribution to the blog is expected and GREATLY appreciated. Here is a prediction for your next post....."Hawks are franked and Carolina will help Bowman take Hossa's contract off the books for Schmaltz, Hartman, Debrincat and a 1st"

Nah, too much money with the season ticket holders and stuff coming in now.

There would need to be a huge adjustment ticket wise if they scorched the earth. Plus, its not like they can just unload Toews or Kane or Seabs for futures. Stuff has to go the other way salary wise.

They'll ride out the next 5 years, how ever that goes, and then fade away into a mediocre team. Unless something significant happens with the next CBA that allows the to spend more or dump junk.
- fattybeef

If Bowman doesn't jumpstart the team with what he's doing now, they'll be mediocre before 5 years is up.

You may be right that they'll go the Detroit route—and the reasons you cite above are precisely why they did. They didn't want to take the revenue hit. All that said, Rocky is a smart businessman and he might be willing to ride out a serious teardown/rebuild but i do agree not in the next couple of years in all likelihood. So next season is probably unlikely. 2019? Whole different story.

Better to be a has-been (3 Cups in 5 years) than a never-was (Hurricanes). Your typical contribution to the blog is expected and GREATLY appreciated. Here is a prediction for your next post....."Hawks are franked and Carolina will help Bowman take Hossa's contract off the books for Schmaltz, Hartman, Debrincat and a 1st"
- EnzoD

The salt level on this board is through the roof lately. Can hockey just start soon?

Were the Hawks looking at resigning Oduya at all for defensive depth or was he out of price range?

Great article as usual too.
- BlackhawkMike

Thx Mike.

I heard NOTHING about Oduya or Campbell. I thought based on their play last year, that the Hawks might try to being Campbell back for league minimum, and because his pal Sharp is back. But that was just a hunch, nothing more. And not what happened obviously.

This exactly. The East is weaker up and down. There are two teams that generally have a legit chance to make it to the stanley cup year in and year out in the east, kind of like the NBA eastern conference. In the West there's probably 5 teams with a legit chance to make it to the Cup finals this next season.
- mnhockeyguy

The east was 233-158-57 vs the West last season....

Conversely, the West was 215-185-48 vs the East.

That means the west took 478 points of a possible 896 off the East, whereas the east took 523 points off the West.

So... I dunno... maybe the East is actually better?

Lots of Western point totals were buoyed by some pretty awful teams in Arizona, Vancouver and Colorado too.

Only one team in the east had 70 or fewer points... there were 3 in the West.

Better to be a has-been (3 Cups in 5 years) than a never-was (Hurricanes). Your typical contribution to the blog is expected and GREATLY appreciated. Here is a prediction for your next post....."Hawks are franked and Carolina will help Bowman take Hossa's contract off the books for Schmaltz, Hartman, Debrincat and a 1st"
- EnzoD

Canes don't want Hossa's contract. I don't see them taking him off their hands.

Also, you okay? I was saying that I thought Bowman's done a pretty good job of salvaging the current situation.

The east was 233-158-57 vs the West last season....

Conversely, the West was 215-185-48 vs the East.

That means the west took 478 points of a possible 896 off the East, whereas the east took 523 points off the West.

So... I dunno... maybe the East is actually better?

Lots of Western point totals were buoyed by some pretty awful teams in Arizona, Vancouver and Colorado too.

Only one team in the east had 70 or fewer points... there were 3 in the West.
- BINGO!

I would have been on board with the West being better than the East argument 1-2 years ago, but last season, the East was the better conference.

Just hope Stan has the deal(s) in place for when Hossa's $$$$ is freed up in October. If spent wisely the addition or two it can bring can make this a very competative team. A top line LW...a decent LW and depth D-man....a solid 3-4 D-man. Any move like that could make us a tough team to beat.

I don't see LOADS of new, young guys playing with us this year, but I am interested to see the progress of Schmaltz and Hartman in particular, as well as Forsling and Kempny on the back end. If those 4 can contribute some, and be improved from last year, I think we have a decent roster to begin the year.


- hawk35

Well, what's interesting is everyone sees the cap room Hossa's LTIR creates, but not the assets that will have to be traded to go get the guy9s) to take up the cap space.

POINT BEING,

I don't think Bowman can or will wait too long to pull the trigger. Because 45 games in to an NHL or AHL season, MOST teams are going to know the good and the BAD of Forsling, DeBrincat, Fortin, Hayden etc 45 games better than they do now.

The guy(s) Bowman wants to part with are going to be the guys the other teams don't want as much.

Knowing how these things go and drawing on what I have heard this summer already, Bowman is probably already lining up a few possible deals at least. Those teams' GMs and scouts are going to be hitting Chicago and Rockford a lot (that's how it goes), watching, taking notes, deciding which guy they want (or don't want) and why.

I like the work Ronnie Francis is doing.

Hawk fans need to accept the teardown IS coming. Question is when.

Bowman is trying this summer to see if he can do what Rutherford did and extend the viability and return on his core a couple years or more longer.

I think if the Hawks get bounced out in round 1 this year or worse yet blown out like they were last year, management may decide it is a good time to sell high on assets like Keith or even Kane and seriously rebuild with elite prospects and high picks.

That is my opinion, I have not heard that.

And it may well be the team will take the Detroit/Slow downgrade route.

My preference as a fan would be they not do that—just really tank for 2-3 years and come back strong with another period of dominance.
- John Jaeckel

To me it's easier to sell a rebuild than to try and recover from the apathy that grows around an average/below average team. Hopefully Rocky sees that you can build excitement around a rebuild, rather than have fans walk away as the team slowly falls apart.

Getting a little defensive? It's just his opinion.
- JRoenick97

Settle down, just looking for a compare

Canes don't want Hossa's contract. I don't see them taking him off their hands.

Also, you okay? I was saying that I thought Bowman's done a pretty good job of salvaging the current situation.
- BINGO!

GMRF tell you that? Personally?

I'm not sure he has even categorically said that in the media (and even then, caveat emptor, GMs say a lot of things they're not gonna do then turn around and do them).

Not to pick on you, but I HATE when fans say their team is or isn't going to do something when they don't know—it's just what they WANT to believe.

I hear a lot of legitimate things and even I try to always keep the door open that something I'm hearing might not happen, could be a smokescreen or if it doesn't make sense to me as a fan—it may later on.

I would have been on board with the West being better than the East argument 1-2 years ago, but last season, the East was the better conference.
- JRoenick97

Yeah two years ago for sure. 1 year ago it was pretty balanced. Last year I think the transition really began. A lot of the powerhouse teams in the west were made up of older players...

The real problem is, after Seabrook and Keith, 3-4 are not what they were a couple of years ago. Not yet anyway. THAt is the bigger issue.

It's gigantic to me. 4/27 were frequent PO shutdown guys on the '13 and '15 cup teams. To me, it's unfair to expect Kemp/Murph to come remotely close to that in 9 months.

Well, what's interesting is everyone sees the cap room Hossa's LTIR creates, but not the assets that will have to be traded to go get the guy9s) to take up the cap space.

POINT BEING,

I don't think Bowman can or will wait too long to pull the trigger. Because 45 games in to an NHL or AHL season, MOST teams are going to know the good and the BAD of Forsling, DeBrincat, Fortin, Hayden etc 45 games better than they do now.

The guy(s) Bowman wants to part with are going to be the guys the other teams don't want as much.

Knowing how these things go and drawing on what I have heard this summer already, Bowman is probably already lining up a few possible deals at least. Those teams' GMs and scouts are going to be hitting Chicago and Rockford a lot (that's how it goes), watching, taking notes, deciding which guy they want (or don't want) and why.
- John Jaeckel

What is going on with Vegas and their surplus of Dmen? Doesn't McPhee still have about 12 Dmen on 1-way NHL contracts?? There are a handful of guys Vegas drafted that would be upgrades for the Hawks 3rd pair. One would think that StanBo has something brewing with Vegas once the season starts.....