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

DeBrincat was left off of the 2017 USA World Juniors team and he's turning out to be pretty good.

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.
- ElkgroveMcD

Sunk cost for the $12. What's the cost of missing the playoffs and STHs not renewing? If, in fact, their falling off a cliff is due in part or large part to Q's style of coaching and/or his having lost the room, do you risk that for another year?

Sunk cost for the $12. What's the cost of missing the playoffs and STHs not renewing? If, in fact, their falling off a cliff is due in part or large part to Q's style of coaching and/or his having lost the room, do you risk that for another year?
- pdx2ord

Also if Q gets a new job you are off the hook for his salary.I am not in the fire Q clique but if they are going to do it and are concerned about the $ than sooner is better so that he can find a new gig.

DeBrincat was left off of the 2017 USA World Juniors team and he's turning out to be pretty good.
- matt_ahrens

The USA Under 20 is highly political. He had made as a younger player but took match penalty. This was Team Canada in a non-NHL year - not comparable. I’m taking a wait and see attitude re: signing and how good he will be.

The USA Under 20 is highly political. He had made as a younger player but took match penalty. This was Team Canada in a non-NHL year - not comparable. I’m taking a wait and see attitude re: signing and how good he will be.
- Z3Hawk

Wait and see is best for all prospects. Why isn't Team Canada political? It's all political to some degree. Hopefully we get to see him later this season.

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.
- ElkgroveMcD

I may be wrong about this...but if Q signs a new coaching contract the hawk contract is void. If Q were fired and decides to take a break from coaching...which I doubt...then the hawks pay him.

i continue to maintain he does not get fired...but a big IF...should this team completely blow up into something like a 10-19 finish...then you wonder

i also continue to maintain since the wing loss, this team will be a 85 point or less team... a .500 for the remaining 29 games get them there...

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.
- RickJ

I'm free on weekends. Saw some photos on Schmaltz's instagram and the kid looks like a 6'1"
12 yr old. Not nearly enough strength training for #8 and he has still been probably the Hawks best forward the last few weeks. If 8 decides to work hard in the gym this summer, he's going to surpass 60 points next year and be a real force. Unbelievable speed and great hands/vision.

Debrincat has really thrived with top 6 minutes the last month and he's proving to be a legit NHL scorer that plays tough for a tiny man. He may top 30 goals as a rookie on a bad team.

Duclair has physical tools but was ineffective last night with the puck on his blade.

Ultimately, this team will continue to play .400 hockey with Oesterle who couldn't make Edmonton's team, and Gustafson/Rutta/Kempny who should be in the Euro league. Combine that with your 1C who can't score, your 1LW who can't score, and backup goalies playing....should any of us be surprised?

Trade AA for a 1st or 2nd+Prospect bc that's about the only guy Bowman can, and might actually consider, moving. I just don't see Bowman having the ability or guts to trade any other big $ player considering how terribly his big moves from last summer worked out....

The USA Under 20 is highly political. He had made as a younger player but took match penalty. This was Team Canada in a non-NHL year - not comparable. I’m taking a wait and see attitude re: signing and how good he will be.
- Z3Hawk

Kyrs was left off team USA three years in a row, used sparingly as a 17 yr old. Elite ability on one area, weak and gets pushed off puck in another area of his game. Does this portend that he will not develop and become a solid NHL dman

Hopefully you read some of wiz comments about the new age fast dmen with their drawback. Wiz mentioned how there are so many on many teams in junior and, in fact, several could go in the Entry Draft round one 2018

So how does one analyze this. Some of these type guys will develop into better than you figured, and some will never get too far. I have mentioned that Chicago has several of these type dmen, or close enough in style throughout their pipeline. I suggested that one of them might make for a very good, sneaky offensive catalyst on a third pair. Play with Murphy if possible. And one of them on a third pair could be traded if another comes along.

Kyrs, Snuggerud, Dahlstrom and AT NHL level if you play the following guys, they are third pair: Gus, Kempny, Probably Rutta because he disdains physical play.

Too early to say much about the two freshman collegiate teamattes Mitchell who is Keith lite or big mean B Hillman. D Gilbert is an enigma to me...what's his style? L Carlsson particularly and Tuuolola - bring them over. Olafsson? Norrel and Raydash are in a numbers game.

I'm free on weekends. Saw some photos on Schmaltz's instagram and the kid looks like a 6'1"
12 yr old. Not nearly enough strength training for #8 and he has still been probably the Hawks best forward the last few weeks. If 8 decides to work hard in the gym this summer, he's going to surpass 60 points next year and be a real force. Unbelievable speed and great hands/vision.

Debrincat has really thrived with top 6 minutes the last month and he's proving to be a legit NHL scorer that plays tough for a tiny man. He may top 30 goals as a rookie on a bad team.

Duclair has physical tools but was ineffective last night with the puck on his blade.

Ultimately, this team will continue to play .400 hockey with Oesterle who couldn't make Edmonton's team, and Gustafson/Rutta/Kempny who should be in the Euro league. Combine that with your 1C who can't score, your 1LW who can't score, and backup goalies playing....should any of us be surprised?

Trade AA for a 1st or 2nd+Prospect bc that's about the only guy Bowman can, and might actually consider, moving. I just don't see Bowman having the ability or guts to trade any other big $ player considering how terribly his big moves from last summer worked out....
- EnzoD

Debrincat particularly has really impressed lately, when McDavid said that kid can play he was absolutely right. At same time, he's a 19 yr old rookie and makes mistakes which shouldn't be a surprise. The NHL eventually exposes kids for their inexperience - growing pains.

The D group - quantity but not much quality. Hard to compete with 5 or 6 new guys who are constantly being switched around. Might get away with it during the season if the forwards could outscore the defensive mistakes but they can't. I'd move any of them except Keith for the right return.

AA for a 1st - not likely to happen unless there is all kinds of movement at the trade deadline and another deal establishes that return as fair value.

the joke would have been on him when he had to sign Panarin and the Cap wouldn't have room in the wallet for yet another 9-10 million dollar player...don't doubt someone will pay him either, Sandy.
- wiz1901

Correct me if I am wrong then - but Panarin's contract was up at the same time as Hossa's was done --- ie his cap hit came off the books. I thought that was the entire reason for a 2 season contract.

If so - there's a total of 11 mil right there.

Correct me if I am wrong then - but Panarin's contract was up at the same time as Hossa's was done --- ie his cap hit came off the books. I thought that was the entire reason for a 2 season contract.

If so - there's a total of 11 mil right there.
- steve-hist-sdc

Nope. Panarin's contract expires in 2018/19. Hossa's runs through 2020/21.

The USA Under 20 is highly political. He had made as a younger player but took match penalty. This was Team Canada in a non-NHL year - not comparable. I’m taking a wait and see attitude re: signing and how good he will be.
- Z3Hawk

Understatement

Has Q tried Saad-Toews-Duclair? I think he did when 91 first came over, but I can't remember. What about:

Saad-Toews-Duke
ADB-AA-Kane
Hino-Schmaltz-Hartman
Sharp/Bouma-Kampf-Wingels

Has Q tried Saad-Toews-Duclair? I think he did when 91 first came over, but I can't remember. What about:

Saad-Toews-Duke
ADB-AA-Kane
Hino-Schmaltz-Hartman
Sharp/Bouma-Kampf-Wingels
- tvetter

yes he did after a few after the break...

I really like Kampf's motor and think he is in the NHL to stay.

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

Q seems to be taking the "team" is bad approach rather than calling out individuals...but he and his coaches are excluded...

well another chance to see if they have a pulse vs the stars... a team they have not even had a lead against in 3 games...but getting a lead doesn't seem to matter much recently.

yes he did after a few after the break...
- bogiedoc

Thought so, but that was ages of bad hockey ago

as Q likes to say over the last few weeks.."let's get excited"...another chance for some excitement and take the first step toward 29-0-0 run....

good news a win and they pick up ground vs the entire division...they are the only game scheduled tonight...

How close to the bottom of the standings do the Hawks have to be to have a shot at winning the draft lottery?

Has Q tried Saad-Toews-Duclair? I think he did when 91 first came over, but I can't remember. What about:

Saad-Toews-Duke
ADB-AA-Kane
Hino-Schmaltz-Hartman
Sharp/Bouma-Kampf-Wingels
- tvetter

Now these are the lines I have wanted to see all along . ADB Needs to be with Kane ,and for all the slow crap about AA he adds the defensive reasonability to that line ,and get[s in front with two snipers out there . Vinny Schmaltz and Hartman were great last year . Toews line will be fine .Bring Hayden back with Wingles and Kampf ..Wa la playoff bound .. JK

How close to the bottom of the standings do the Hawks have to be to have a shot at winning the draft lottery?
- HamiltonHawk

I think it is bottom 5 , still doable with Coach Q up

Has Q tried Saad-Toews-Duclair? I think he did when 91 first came over, but I can't remember. What about:

Saad-Toews-Duke
ADB-AA-Kane
Hino-Schmaltz-Hartman
Sharp/Bouma-Kampf-Wingels
- tvetter

I believe Q has tried everything short of Cro at C. its not the lines. We can juggle all we want, its team composition and a core that fell of the cliff early.

I believe Q has tried everything short of Cro at C. its not the lines. We can juggle all we want, its team composition and a core that fell of the cliff early.
- riozzo

He could play the hand he's dealt and devise a system to fit. I believe you're right, it's not just the line blender.

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...
- bogiedoc

Agreed.....and with the goalie pulled you can not make a "prayer" pass between multiple defenders. Just another terrible play from the Captain.... but I'll repeat that Quenneville's continued decisions are as bad as that pass. Pulling the goalie down by 1 goal with 2:10 left in the game is just plain dumb. What happened to the days of pulling the goalie with a minute left to attempt to tie the game ? It doesn't take over 2 minutes to set up and put the panic attack on. Headshaking decisions continue.

How close to the bottom of the standings do the Hawks have to be to have a shot at winning the draft lottery?
- HamiltonHawk

All non playoff teams have a shot at the number 1 pick but your odds increase the worst your record.The best record of the non playoff teams have like a 1 percent chance while the worst has a 18 percent chance of winning the right to draft first.