I've been thinking the same thing TBH. I wanna see more of Kane and Cat together with AA centering them and then let Toews drive his line with Schmaltz to be a playmaker and someone else. While Saad seems logical, I'd prefer to have someone else step up so Saad can drive the third line. Something like..

Schmaltz-Toews-Sikura
Cat-AA-Kane
Saad-Kuhn-Fortin
Checking Line - Kruger, Kampf, Kunitz, Hayden, Johnson, etc.
- Savetheembers33

I want Saad to play his bulldog off-wing RW - better angles for his physical runs at the net and his shots. Toews needs someone high-end like Saad as his RW. To have 2 productive, hopefully very productive, lines would lead to lots of wins. Lots left to put together the 3rd and 4th lines.

Charlie Roumeliotis
@CRoumeliotis

This appears to be an optional #Blackhawks practice. No Kane, Keith, Toews or Seabrook.

Understand it being after a game and Toews getting a nasty shot to the face, but do wish our leadership team had decided to show up today.
- pdx2ord

I had the same reaction. Why those 4? Hopefully that doesn't mean there's a problem in the locker room.

I'll stick with my criticism of Seabrook last night. Absolutely Gus hung him out to dry and dragged the pairing down and that's not Seabrook's fault. But Seabrook made a lot of bad passes that had nothing to do with Gus. He had more than his fair share of puck control problems and those times he did get the puck on his stick his passing sucked. Seab's quickness seems better this season than last but last night he looked like he did last season.

The fact is we have only (2) top-4 dmen on this team - Keith and Joki - so the options are limited and Seabrook is the best of the rest. But, strictly from a defensive play perspective, Gustafsson isn't the best partner for Seabrook. It's a conundrum. Good luck Jeremy.
- EbonyRaptor

ER - man come on. It’s admirable that Seabs hasn’t had a mental breakdown playing with Gus. Gus may not be an AHL D-Man.

Charlie Roumeliotis
@CRoumeliotis

This appears to be an optional #Blackhawks practice. No Kane, Keith, Toews or Seabrook.

Understand it being after a game and Toews getting a nasty shot to the face, but do wish our leadership team had decided to show up today.
- pdx2ord

Maybe it was more a practice for the younger skaters to impart some special wisdom

Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.

I had the same reaction. Why those 4? Hopefully that doesn't mean there's a problem in the locker room.
- EbonyRaptor

I believe you are reaching there...

I had the same reaction. Why those 4? Hopefully that doesn't mean there's a problem in the locker room.
- EbonyRaptor

Well Toews suffered a face injury around his eye. Kane played 27 mins with only one day in between games and recently had a very bad flu. Keith could use a maintenance day and Seabs is taking time to go to a Psychiatrist from the stress of playing with Gus.

I want Saad to play his bulldog off-wing RW - better angles for his physical runs at the net and his shots. Toews needs someone high-end like Saad as his RW. To have 2 productive, hopefully very productive, lines would lead to lots of wins. Lots left to put together the 3rd and 4th lines.
- Z3Hawk

I see what you mean, and I'm all for him playing on his off wing but I worry with basically being a team with six guys who can score that loading them all up on the top two lines will hurt the team more than help. Idk they've been trying to spread it out and it hasn't worked maybe they do need to just go two overload lines, have a third speed line, and the checking like and see how it goes. If they team is going anywhere the kids are gonna need to take a next step. Defensive play obviously has got to get better as well.

A few pages ago, there was discussion about the D-men. Anybody on the active roster not named Keith, Jokiharju, or Seabrook is a placeholder. Murphy and Forsling should be back soon, and that is an upgrade over what is in place for spots 4-7 now.

Rutta's deal is one year. I mentioned in a previous thread that I thought he was dealing with something. He was losing the icing footraces badly over a short stretch this season. No way he is that slow when healthy. Otherwise, that salary was the going rate (even Manning got about the same salary, yikes), unfortunately, and they had a desperate need. D is at a premium in the NHL right now. But it's only for this year. Not the end of the world.

Back to the placeholder theory, how many of the D prospects have a chance of being ready for the NHL next year? Will Boqvist or Beaudin be here next season? I have to think that's part of why so noncommittal with the contracts.

I'm far from the first person to say this, but Gustafsson needs to be converted to forward. He can pass, and he can shoot. He did make a few defensive plays, but he had some horrible lapses that can't happen.

Wonder if we could convince to Pittsburgh to take back Kunitz MAYBE (with a Christmas miracle) take Manning with him too and get someone like Hagelin back. Has tons of speed. Could be VERY effective on any of our lines really. Idk throwing ideas against the wall lol
- Savetheembers33

Hagelin for both Kunitz and Manning is not enough. I would go for this if the pens threw in either Crosby, Maklin or letang.

I believe you are reaching there...
- riozzo

Probably correct - I was just stating my initial reaction to reading the report the 4-core guys were skipping the optional practice.

Then talk about AdB too - one goal in 9 games, no goals and 1 assist in the last 6.

He was streaky like that last year, too.

I’m seeing that maybe he’s either not able to get to his “slot spot” during the slump - he seems to be farther out from the goal than when he was productive - by design or by force of the opposition, I don’t know.

Perhaps a downside of coming to the Show too soon - he hasn’t learned how to get himself out of short slumps before they become long. There could be benefits to spending time in the minors even for very talented 19 year olds.

Just speculating....
- StLBravesFan

Patrick Sharp did the same thing. Bang in a bunch and then hit a lul. Pretty common with goalscorers. He'll still hit 30.

I had the same reaction. Why those 4? Hopefully that doesn't mean there's a problem in the locker room.
- EbonyRaptor

Patrick Kane skated 27 minutes last night and they have a game tomorrow?

"There is so much parody now, I think the Hawks need to worry about their own game, implementing as much as Colliton's messaging bit-by-bit and not worry about their opponents as much."

Parity, not parody! Given the state of the organ-I-zation, clearly a Freudian slip!
- Hanrahan

ER - man come on. It’s admirable that Seabs hasn’t had a mental breakdown playing with Gus. Gus may not be an AHL D-Man.
- Z3Hawk

Again, I think Seabs is better this season than he was last season and no doubt he's is being dragged down by having to cover for his d-partner - but he makes unforced errors that can't be attributed to his d-partner and he had more than the normal number of unforced errors in the game last night.

Doubt it Colliton goes anytime soon unless the team just does not respond to him at all. If/when Stan goes, more than likely someone from within will replace him. IF McD gets fired by Rocky, then all bets are off cuz you'll see someone come in as the new President of the team and they'll wanna hire their GM and they'll want their Coach etc.
- Savetheembers33

Don't worry, McD won't be fired by Rocky. In addition to the value of the Hawks increasing from $200M to $1B since he became President, McD takes care of the day-to-day running of the Hawks, which is something Rocky does not want added to his plate in view of him running the other family businesses (liquor, real estate and banking). When Stanbo is fired (it will happen, the sooner the better), I agree with you that someone in the organization (McIver? Kelley? Chelly?) will be the new GM. Or God forbid McD will decide that he has learned enough, and will appoint himself as the new GM!

Don't worry, McD won't be fired by Rocky. In addition to the value of the Hawks increasing from $200M to $1B since he became President, McD takes care of the day-to-day running of the Hawks, which is something Rocky does not want added to his plate in view of him running the other family businesses (liquor, real estate and banking). When Stanbo is fired (it will happen, the sooner the better), I agree with you that someone in the organization (McIver? Kelley?) will be the new GM. Or God forbid McD will decide that he has learned enough, and will appoint himself as the new GM!


- BMWChiFan

Sammy Sosa will be AGM then......

- conwell

I believe that is Bickel exhibiting symptoms that would eventually be diagnosed as MS.

I believe that is Bickel exhibiting symptoms that would eventually be diagnosed as MS.
- Z3Hawk

Oh, my apologies...I couldn't read the numbers very well...I don't mean any disrespect...

Just don't sign a NMC, Breadman!
- Hawks_49

Hahahaha!

Sammy Sosa will be AGM then......
- powerenforcer

Whereupon all Blackhawks will be required to use 'roids and corked sticks and bleach their skin.

Whereupon all Blackhawks will be required to use 'roids and corked sticks and bleach their skin.
- BMWChiFan

If it helps them score goals, why not!

I see what you mean, and I'm all for him playing on his off wing but I worry with basically being a team with six guys who can score that loading them all up on the top two lines will hurt the team more than help. Idk they've been trying to spread it out and it hasn't worked maybe they do need to just go two overload lines, have a third speed line, and the checking like and see how it goes. If they team is going anywhere the kids are gonna need to take a next step. Defensive play obviously has got to get better as well.
- Savetheembers33

I see what you are getting at with wanting Saad to anchor the 3rd line to have 3 offensive lines instead of loading up in the top 6 only. Yet, I do think the best option is a mix of what both you and ZS are discussing with the best players in the top 6, a speedy 3rd line (yet defensively sound too), and a checking line for the 4th. Maybe something like:

Schmaltz - Toews - Saad
DeBrincat - Anisimov - Kane
Fortin/Highmore - Kahun - Sikura
Johnson - Kruger - Kampf
Kunitz/Martinsen/Hayden

Do agree with ZS that Toews needs a playmaker and Schmaltz fits that bill while Kane needs a shooter and DeBrincat fits that bill.

I still don't get enough from Fortin besides his speed to see why he's in the lineup rather than refining his overall game in Rockford. If he was healthy, I'd prefer Highmore in that position. He's fast, strong on defense, and has offensive skills.

Wasn't he available this summer as a FA? $4.55M per year for 4 years is what he signed for, and Stan signed Manning and Davidson for a total of $2.9 M. So, for an extra $1.65 Hawks could have had deHaan instead of those 2 stumble bums.

#StanMustGo
- scottak

Breaking....The Hawks defense is a trainwreck. Take a look at Stan the Sham's last two offseasons...if they wanted to go a different direction they should have done it in the offseason. Again I'm not saying a change shouldn't have been made at some point. But this was a gutless move.

And I loved how McD doubled down the other night when he was on the Score here in Chicago. This is a playoff team...in what universe are you living dude. The Hawks have what some say is a few winnable games here before the schedule really starts to get heavy.

The Hawks currently have a line and a half of scoring and then...?
The defense which Bowman's answer to a bad problem was Manning...please.

It'll be interesting to see how many guys are ready to waive when the time comes this spring. But again what are you going to get? Does anyone want 7's deal? Doubtful. But make no mistake they can say whatever they want the rebuild is on.
Embrace the tank.

Best of luck to the new coach he seems like a nice guy and he's bright. We'll see if he's still here when the music stops as well as Stan...

on a side note, how can Jokiharju see when he is squinting all the time?

Breaking....The Hawks defense is a trainwreck. Take a look at Stan the Sham's last two offseasons...if they wanted to go a different direction they should have done it in the offseason. Again I'm not saying a change shouldn't have been made at some point. But this was a gutless move.

And I loved how McD doubled down the other night when he was on the Score here in Chicago. This is a playoff team...in what universe are you living dude. The Hawks have what some say is a few winnable games here before the schedule really starts to get heavy.

The Hawks currently have a line and a half of scoring and then...?
The defense which Bowman's answer to a bad problem was Manning...please.

It'll be interesting to see how many guys are ready to waive when the time comes this spring. But again what are you going to get? Does anyone want 7's deal? Doubtful. But make no mistake they can say whatever they want the rebuild is on.
Embrace the tank.

Best of luck to the new coach he seems like a nice guy and he's bright. We'll see if he's still here when the music stops as well as Stan...
- DK002

Did you expect him to say otherwise? I suspect they are very leery of using the term rebuild from a marketing perspective for sure. They probably do not think that the team has a lot of "credit in the bank" so to speak with the wider Chicago audience.