Kane, DBC, Schmaltz and maybe Saad are the only untouchables in my book. The rest of the roster needs a major turn over. Rough 2 years ahead.
- z1990z

Theoretically I agree with this, but NO ONE should be untouchable. Promote it, couch it that way, tell other teams that's your view, but listen to all offers. The RIGHT trade could move ANY of those aforementioned players. Not saying I want to move them or they will be moved, but if someone wants to "overpay" then do it.

Shaw moving on was an absolutely massive (and underestimated) loss to this team. And Q and the players definitely knew it when he left. As a group, the team has never carried themselves on the ice the same way. There's no blood and snot, cursing and swearing, homophobic slurs or hits to retaliate anymore. They just couldn't pay him what he was going to get elsewhere.

But there are some very nice ballerinas on this team skating around out there playing non contact hockey.
- RickJ

Q stated after 2016 season that shaw was "indespensable"

At season's end, Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville called restricted free agent Andrew Shaw an "irreplaceable" kind of player.

"(Shaw) is one of those players that you appreciate and he's so versatile and the intangibles jump off the page," coach Joel Quenneville said.

huge loss...so far not replaced...not even close...hartmann from last year looked to be his replacement

this team has some extremely critical hockey and business decisions this summer..

1. saad and toews are track for a 90 point combined season at cost of almost 17 mildo...combined 2 pts in their last 11 games.

this can't happen going forward; they have to decide is this just an outlier year for saad; this will be the 3rd strt down year for toews...tough decsions here.

2. seabs at 7 mildo for the next 6 years is intolerable....some way some how they have to cut their loss and get him to waive his NMC...

3. hartmann is a UFA...in or out...he should not get more than 2 years at 1.5 - 2 mildo per...is he worth it...clearly up and down and not a Q fav

4. kempny UFA = gone

5. bouma out...wingels stays

6. murphy??? what is the deal with him...he should be playing yeah he makes bonehead plays atr times...but he is the only big dman they got next to seabs...he should be playing...and he is cost controlled

7. goalie: craw is an elite goalie and cost controlled however now you got 2-3 year of injurys and concussion...can they count on him as their starter

forsberg in or out; has glass moved ahead of him?? gotta play forsberg and decide what you got...keep him or find another...

8. oesterlie is a defensive mess...he gets cought up ice as the first flame goal indicated...not strong around the net at all....convert him to forward if you like his speed and offensive skills...
- bogiedoc

Hartman is an RFA not UFA.

And whats that - 3 games in a row he has taken a minor penalty on the other team's side of the center stripe. Q don't like that for sure.

Hartman is an RFA not UFA.

And whats that - 3 games in a row he has taken a minor penalty on the other team's side of the center stripe. Q don't like that for sure.
- RickJ

oopss yep...mis typed that...

i think hartman gets moved in a package...

Kane, DBC, Schmaltz and maybe Saad are the only untouchables in my book. The rest of the roster needs a major turn over. Rough 2 years ahead.
- z1990z

I keep these guys, 100%. I have to believe that Saad will bounce back, he had a down year during his first season in Columbus but improved in his second. Maybe he takes a while to adjust to a trade (even though Chicago wasn't totally new for him).

I would keep some of the other young guys too - Hinostroza, Duclair, Kampf, Hartman, Forsberg, Murphy and Forsling. I would lean towards keeping Keith too, even though he's having a down year he's still a top defenseman. Other than that, anyone else on the roster could be fair game.

I might even want to keep Jurco for one more season depending on the team's plans. He's been solid with Kampf and Hinostroza and could be useful on the 4th line.

oopss yep...mis typed that...

i think hartman gets moved in a package...
- bogiedoc

Hasn't had a good season but would rather keep him, he's the only irritant they've got.

I'd like to see what the attendance actually was if the seats purchased by companies and not single/season ticket holders were made available to the general public again. It bet the UC would be almost half empty. The wheels are definitely coming off the bandwagon.
- Murph76

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.

Q stated after 2016 season that shaw was "indespensable"

At season's end, Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville called restricted free agent Andrew Shaw an "irreplaceable" kind of player.

"(Shaw) is one of those players that you appreciate and he's so versatile and the intangibles jump off the page," coach Joel Quenneville said.

huge loss...so far not replaced...not even close...hartmann from last year looked to be his replacement
- bogiedoc

One missed attribute of Shaw was his relentless motor and tenacity. While maybe not as tenacious but more defensively sound, Danault also had an endless motor and was unrelenting whether on the forecheck or backcheck. Supposedly Highmore is like that and same with Soderlund. Highmore is of course closer to making the team as early as a cup of coffee this season while Soderlund needs to be signed and may be a few years away.

Add either or both Highmore and Soderlund to young guys like Hartman, Hayden, Hinostroza, and Kampf and you have a great starting point for at least the bottom 6 forward ranks.

[quote=DarthKane]As frustrating as this season is I am still feeling good about the future of this team. They have so many quality young guys making their way through the ranks and I have to believe that some (maybe most) of the vets will bounce back next season.

Well said DK. This team is just what we thought they were at the beginning of the season.
No Hossa
A core that is not getting any younger
Young / inexperienced dmen
Young forwards
inexperienced back up goalie

The difference between winning and losing in this league is razor thin. If you do not believe that you were not watching 2015. In so many of their wins the opposition could not believe they lost the game to the Hawks. But the Hawks had that little something that allowed them to win. Strong will? Determination? Compete level? Hockey IQ? Coaching? This team does not have that. But I am not giving up on them and saying that they cannot make a run with this core, plus the development of the younger players, plus a few wise trades or signings.
- -Doh-

Nice post

one last thing on the flames second goal...johnny h's celebration sure indicated his stick touched the puck...from the replay its tough to see..i think he missed it....but his reaction says no...

anyway..when things are going bad and it ain't your year...stuff like this happens...

hawks chances hit cross bars and hawk goal get reversed by phantom goalie int..

Shaw moving on was an absolutely massive (and underestimated) loss to this team. And Q and the players definitely knew it when he left. As a group, the team has never carried themselves on the ice the same way. There's no blood and snot, cursing and swearing, homophobic slurs or hits to retaliate anymore. They just couldn't pay him what he was going to get elsewhere.

But there are some very nice ballerinas on this team skating around out there playing non contact hockey.
- RickJ

Outhit 32-7 last night at home in a 4 pt. game against one of the teams they're chasing...I thought this year's Hawks were supposed to be tougher to play against

Shaw moving on was an absolutely massive (and underestimated) loss to this team. And Q and the players definitely knew it when he left. As a group, the team has never carried themselves on the ice the same way. There's no blood and snot, cursing and swearing, homophobic slurs or hits to retaliate anymore. They just couldn't pay him what he was going to get elsewhere.

But there are some very nice ballerinas on this team skating around out there playing non contact hockey.
- RickJ

Yep to pretty much all of this.

Um...In 2105 the best line in hockey BY FAR was Saad-Toews-Hossa. So I don't get your point there.

All I can say is they've given up. Maybe for the better. That Monahan empty netter was laughable. The puck was bouncing around the in the slot and there were 4 hawks just watching it. I've never seen a player react so slow as Seabrook did. They're done.
- thepld

I think people underestimate how much hossa brought to that line in helping toews and saads overall game

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

yep began to notice that after the wings loss before the break...

nobody wants to pay 150 bucks for 300 level seat anymore to watch to team play .500 @ home and go 1-6-1 in its last 8 home games

I keep these guys, 100%. I have to believe that Saad will bounce back, he had a down year during his first season in Columbus but improved in his second. Maybe he takes a while to adjust to a trade (even though Chicago wasn't totally new for him).

I would keep some of the other young guys too - Hinostroza, Duclair, Kampf, Hartman, Forsberg, Murphy and Forsling. I would lean towards keeping Keith too, even though he's having a down year he's still a top defenseman. Other than that, anyone else on the roster could be fair game.

I might even want to keep Jurco for one more season depending on the team's plans. He's been solid with Kampf and Hinostroza and could be useful on the 4th line.
- DarthKane

Keith is still by a mile the best Dman they have. He's just doing things on the ice that are basically out of his on ice character or borne out of frustration in the situation.

Put him with a really good D partner and you've got a 25 minute a night #1 pair. A team like the Kings should be chasing him to pair with Doughty or Washington to play with Carlsson or Florida to pair with Ekblad. #2 has many years left.

Outhit 32-7 last night at home in a 4 pt. game against one of the teams they're chasing...I thought this year's Hawks were supposed to be tougher to play against

- Davewn

Hawks haven't out hit anyone in 8 years. Hits don't mean much in today's game. Calgary didn't win because they hit us.

Outhit 32-7 last night at home in a 4 pt. game against one of the teams they're chasing...I thought this year's Hawks were supposed to be tougher to play against

- Davewn

tougher to play against can be accomplished other ways than hits...hawks have never been and never will be a "hit" team...they had a huge 7 year run being out hit.

they did block over 25 shots last night...shot blocking has not been strong this year

When can we sign Sikura? He along with Highmore will be the next big rookie contributors I think.
- z1990z

Sikura was a nice 6th round find by the scout team. I am optimistic about Dalhstrom (D) as well. Hopefully, Colliton can have an impact in Rockford.

The main question about this team is "who is going to step up?" The Hawks almost have the opposite problem that they had a few years ago when Kevin Hayes walked. Now, there are open spots on the NHL roster for someone who has the talent. I just do not think the organization has any high-powered prospects who will regularly move the needle at the next level.

I could see the management team on Madison sending some of these near-NHL prospects for better picks. They need to improve the quality in Rockford, not necessarily the quantity. Unfortunately, that strategy will probably mean a two-year hiatus from the playoffs.

Outhit 32-7 last night at home in a 4 pt. game against one of the teams they're chasing...I thought this year's Hawks were supposed to be tougher to play against

- Davewn

This team has never been one to consistently have the puck, this is an overrated stat. If the Hawks have the puck they won't be hitting their opponents. I couldn't care less about the number of hits the Hawks have on any given night, that wasn't the reason they lost.

Hartman is an RFA not UFA.

And whats that - 3 games in a row he has taken a minor penalty on the other team's side of the center stripe. Q don't like that for sure.
- RickJ

That's an area where Hartman is Shaw's equal - taking bad penalties

Trades!!!!!

Anisimov and Rutta aren’t on the ice for the Blackhawks practice. Crawford isn’t practicing with the team yet either.

— Scott Powers (@ByScottPowers) February 7, 2018

tougher to play against can be accomplished other ways than hits...hawks have never been and never will be a "hit" team...they had a huge 7 year run being out hit.

they did block over 25 shots last night...shot blocking has not been strong this year
- bogiedoc

I think Keith blocked 4 on the 5-3 PK alone. But blocked shots also means don't have the puck and the team is playing in their own zone.

One thing this team really doesn't do well is pass and receive pucks. Lot of work required in that area to improve.

Just curious to those out there, what teams in the NHL this year do you think have a legitimate chance at winning the cup?
I would think these would be on my list:
East: Wash, Pit, Tampa, Boston, Toronto
West: Nash, Veg, Winn (maybe)

Out of those teams (and the others in the playoff) The Hawks need to look at their rosters and figure out what needs those teams have, and how the Hawks can match up with them.

For example, the Pens are looking for a center - AA fits what they are looking for. The Leafs needs defense help, maybe Seabrook for a team desperate for a cup (wishful thinking I know), and so on. I don't care if the Hawks trade within their conference at this point. They should have this on their mind, how can they get younger, faster, and cheaper? They need to get rid of the past, and focus on obtaining as many feature assets as possible, whether that be young players in another team's system, or draft picks.

Now he can be a healthy scratch.

Connor Murphy, who missed yesterday’s morning skate with an illness, is back on the ice with the team for practice. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/vi9lMfN2QZ

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) February 7, 2018