Hawks had to trade TT to unload ONE year of Bickell at 4MYA. There aren't enough prospects in our system to get someone to take the boat anchor Seabrook deal. Hawks are stuck.
- kwolf68

totally true

Fire Q because replacing Q with "___" makes the Hawks a much better right away!
Replace Q with "_____" because "____" has won cups with just a good team!
- -Doh-

Stan will find a high school coach in the suburbs and sell the sizzle so hard in the summer that the UC will be full again every night.

All say it again,start by getting rid of Q.I don't think Stan Will trade any members of the core at tdl.Lets see if a new person behind the bench will shake up this team.

Hawks had to trade TT to unload ONE year of Bickell at 4MYA. There aren't enough prospects in our system to get someone to take the boat anchor Seabrook deal. Hawks are stuck.
- kwolf68

And that's why I'd like to see them do a total house cleaning, front office and bench. I can't see McD kicking Scotty's boy out, but they need a fresh set of eyes on this team. Outside of dealing Kane, all the poster boys have too much tread on their tires to be part of a bold move. I have zero confidence he'd be able to turn around this cluster anytime soon.

Those who are viewing Sikura as a future NHL star may want to temper those expectations. Sikura wanted to play for Canada’s Olympic team and was unsuccessful in making the team. If he was truly guaranteed star material one would think the team should have been makeable.

So our hair pulling friend Burrows got 10 games for those knees he was throwing at Hall the other nite. Canuck fans still defending him?

Those who are viewing Sikura as a future NHL star may want to temper those expectations. Sikura wanted to play for Canada’s Olympic team and was unsuccessful in making the team. If he was truly guaranteed star material one would think the team should have been makeable.
- Z3Hawk

My expectations were tempered after watching him in the Spengler Cup against washed up pros. He may become a decent pro but I am not expecting a saviour.

Wrong again !! Toews just threw that pass in the middle of the ice with a prayer !! At least you're consistent I'll give you that.
- Hawkytalk

he came around the net and sent a pass that had to avoid 3 flames and their sticks to get to ADB or hartman...it was also high risk being on an angle not toward the net but toward the neutral...cal defended and puck deflected toward the neutral zone and done...

So our hair pulling friend Burrows got 10 games for those knees he was throwing at Hall the other nite. Canuck fans still defending him?
- 67hawks

wow that was attrocious...hall should press charges for that assault...using his knees to batter halls head...another flagrant blackeye for the nhl...

how about 25 for that cowardly exhibition of sucker punching...

and he was only assessed a double minor for that...and the refs didn't throw his ass out of the game

Those who are viewing Sikura as a future NHL star may want to temper those expectations. Sikura wanted to play for Canada’s Olympic team and was unsuccessful in making the team. If he was truly guaranteed star material one would think the team should have been makeable.
- Z3Hawk

I do not feel that you can connect the dots and assume he wasn't good enough. Good deserving players get left off teams each year in various tournaments. I will agree we should temper our expectations to begin with; it should be evident that he has the ability once we see him ourselves. How it goes though may take a while. Who he plays with, what line, whom he bumps .....things take time to develop.

Hawks had to trade TT to unload ONE year of Bickell at 4MYA. There aren't enough prospects in our system to get someone to take the boat anchor Seabrook deal. Hawks are stuck.
- kwolf68

I know, but the price is higher at the TDL, and Seabrook's leadership and playoff experience could tip the scales in our favor. Also, in order to be traded, he'd have to waive his NMC. Once waived, can he be traded without having to waive again?

That being said, I don't see him going anywhere unless we're allowed a compliance buyout in the new CBA.

I do not feel that you can connect the dots and assume he wasn't good enough. Good deserving players get left off teams each year in various tournaments. I will agree we should temper our expectations to begin with; it should be evident that he has the ability once we see him ourselves. How it goes though may take a while. Who he plays with, what line, whom he bumps .....things take time to develop.
- jhawk59

AdB couldn’t make the US World Junior team last year - a perceived issue with his skating, IIRC.

I'm beginning to wonder are the refs beginning to steer these games. I think back to the way the Preds abused the Blackhawks especially Subban slew footing, cross checking, holding, slashing Toews throughout the entire series, is it a coincidence last night they call the goalie interference then allow the high stick goal taking 10 seconds to observe the video. If I wanted to watch something scripted ill watch WWE or boxing...
- BetweenTheDots

Ypu are finally seeing what the NHL is all about.

wow that was attrocious...hall should press charges for that assault...using his knees to batter halls head...another flagrant blackeye for the nhl...

how about 25 for that cowardly exhibition of sucker punching...

and he was only assessed a double minor for that...and the refs didn't throw his ass out of the game
- bogiedoc

just watched the video of what Burrows did for the first time. disgusting. at one point it looks like Hall was yelling for the refs to get Burrows off him because of the knee to head, and I thought Burrows might have been trying to choke him. 100% should be suspended more than ten games. what a joke.


I don't think Q is the problem with this team. I thought a while ago they should move him out. But I am more up for the idea of moving some veteran players with bigger contracts and reloading with more youth.

I look at a few things with this core...
1. They have played a LOT of hockey over the past ten years.
2. every year since 2010 they have had to play with constant turnover of the roster.
3. The loss of Hjalmarsson and Hossa is glaring now.

At some point this season was bound to happen. To expect these guys to have success with just anybody is foolish thinking IMO. Have Toews, Saad, Seabrook, Keith played to their contracts? Absolutely not. But the quality of depth on this years team, and even the past two seasons isn't anywhere near what it was on the teams they won cups with. This year has been a massive youth movement. It also does not help in my opinion that they don't play any physical style of game at all and are all virtually the same style of player. I love the speed they have added, but they need more youth who will sit in front of the net, go into corners, and play a physical brand of hockey.

I have said this a few times on this thread and others...if I was Stan Bowman, I would be looking hard to move Anisimov, and Hossa's contract. If they are going to be sitting Murphy, move him as well. That frees up a lot of money. I don't see any teams taking Seabrook, and moving a Schmaltz, Debrincat or Forsling to get rid of his contract isn't worth it to me.

So our hair pulling friend Burrows got 10 games for those knees he was throwing at Hall the other nite. Canuck fans still defending him?
- 67hawks

Explain to me how that gets 10 games but Malkin kneeing a goalie who is freezing the puck is only a 2 minute penalty?

Yea, I thought so.

Explain to me how that gets 10 games but Malkin kneeing a goalie who is freezing the puck is only a 2 minute penalty?

Yea, I thought so.
- powerenforcer

cmon PE you must see the difference between an assault felony like burrows vs malkins in the flow of play...malkin should have been penalized maybe suspended for the head hit...

the refs (ohallorhan) who handled the calgary game in cal and missed alot of calls gave burrows a double minor and no misconduct and didn't throw him out.

I do not feel that you can connect the dots and assume he wasn't good enough. Good deserving players get left off teams each year in various tournaments. I will agree we should temper our expectations to begin with; it should be evident that he has the ability once we see him ourselves. How it goes though may take a while. Who he plays with, what line, whom he bumps .....things take time to develop.
- jhawk59

Agree with you man. It will take time to see if the kid is gonna be an everyday NHL player or not.

Hayden has a powerplay assist tonight. Just wondering how he might look on the Blackhawks Pp.

Oh wait a second....that was Colliton/his coaches and Rockford Pp.

On Chicago those involved will screw it up

Btw Highmore with two tallies gives the rookie pro 20 on the campaign

@MarkLazerus

Joel Quenneville: "When we assess everybody's performance this year, I don't think anybody's exceeded expectations or come close to it, especially the top guys. But that's across the board this year. I don't think anybody should be satisfied with where they're at in their play."

would have preferred to see this quote a few weeks ago prior to pssing away 8 home games

hmmm...post game presser when asked about the "core" said they have been fine all year.

seemed to be covering for them by stating unmet expectations across the board...i disagree

crawford, smaltz, and ADB have played very well...they both could reach 20 goals and actually out goal toews and saad

cmon PE you must see the difference between an assault felony like burrows vs malkins in the flow of play...malkin should have been penalized maybe suspended for the head hit...

the refs (ohallorhan) who handled the calgary game in cal and missed alot of calls gave burrows a double minor and no misconduct and didn't throw him out.
- bogiedoc

My issue is, and I hope you can see this, is a blow to the head is a blow to the head. IWhy was there not even a review of Malkin's play? In the broad scope of things, if a player is skating through the neutral zone and a player elbows him in the head, there will most likely be a review by the DOPS. Why should a goalie have different rules applied to him?

@MarkLazerus

Joel Quenneville: "When we assess everybody's performance this year, I don't think anybody's exceeded expectations or come close to it, especially the top guys. But that's across the board this year. I don't think anybody should be satisfied with where they're at in their play."

would have preferred to see this quote a few weeks ago prior to pssing away 8 home games

hmmm...post game presser when asked about the "core" said they have been fine all year.

seemed to be covering for them by stating unmet expectations across the board...i disagree

crawford, smaltz, and ADB have played very well...they both could reach 20 goals and actually out goal toews and saad
- bogiedoc

Yeah, posted that earlier and said throwing all the players under the bus was not a good move. I do think he has lost a good portion of the room (if not all of it) and I think he knows it. He started publicly blaming the players (while never owning up to poor decisions he or the other coaches made) with the StL series.

Another quote from the same article.

“The best form of leadership we can have is everybody playing their best hockey,” Quenneville said. “Other guys can absorb some leadership as well, not just the captains.”

http://www.chicagotribune...ering-20180207-story.html

So, let's see - the play-by-play, the radio guys, the color commentators, the Sun-Times and the Tribune (amongst others) all making unusually strong statements about the poor play of the core this year.

Yes, it is hard to miss and an easy story, but with this, the FO is definitely pushing a narrative ("look how many of our last goals were scored by the young guys!!!") to help sell the trade of a popular core player or two.

Yeah, posted that earlier and said throwing all the players under the bus was not a good move. I do think he has lost a good portion of the room (if not all of it) and I think he knows it. He started publicly blaming the players (while never owning up to poor decisions he or the other coaches made) with the StL series.

Another quote from the same article.

“The best form of leadership we can have is everybody playing their best hockey,” Quenneville said. “Other guys can absorb some leadership as well, not just the captains.”

http://www.chicagotribune...ering-20180207-story.html

So, let's see - the play-by-play, the radio guys, the color commentators, the Sun-Times and the Tribune (amongst others) all making unusually strong statements about the poor play of the core this year.

Yes, it is hard to miss and an easy story, but with this, the FO is definitely pushing a narrative ("look how many of our last goals were scored by the young guys!!!") to help sell the trade of a popular core player or two.
- pdx2ord

ETA: Toews in the post-game interview definitely visibly upset/verge of tears. FWIW, he still GAS.

As a season ticket holder I can tell you that the secondary market suuuuucks. It wasn't great last year either. The last 2 increases have really pushed the limits.
- Quicky72

You can buy lower level tickets for tomorrow night for $84 plus fees less than half the price of a season ticket.

And that's why I'd like to see them do a total house cleaning, front office and bench. I can't see McD kicking Scotty's boy out, but they need a fresh set of eyes on this team. Outside of dealing Kane, all the poster boys have too much tread on their tires to be part of a bold move. I have zero confidence he'd be able to turn around this cluster anytime soon.
- howiehandles

McD is the first that should go...the next decision Stan makes by himself will be the first.

I agree. I think Q gets one more year with the kids to see what he can get going. People say it's his fault he isn't instilling the guys with the drive to win, but all the kids are the ones doing well. His message is getting through to them, but not the core? I don't buy it.
- JRoenick97

If they fire Q this year they owe him $12M plus another $2-$3M for a new coach, I just don't see Rocky approving $14-$15M in dead money.