I’m glad we’re not in 24th or 25th. We need top pick talent. If you’re not going to make the playoffs you might as well have the best chances of a top pick. Islanders have been a bubble team for ten years and they still terrible. Picking 14-25 in the draft won’t get you far unless you make great selections. Hawks are guaranteed a 4th overall at least as of right now.
- ObeseOprah

The problem with tanking creates a negative culture , as well as diminishes any value in all the playersmwhich then limits or makes it next to impossible to trade or get a better return on certain players.

The other problem it creates is with its paying fans and any potential players should this team decide to pursue what player wants to be apart of a losing team and negative culture.

If anyone thinks that a potential player would pass up Chicago due to the coach. Coach Q has a great reputation , what player is going to be thrilled to come to Chicago with a inexperienced unproven Coach?


Tanking doesn't guarantee anything when it comes to the draft, it just creates a negative culture and instills bad habits into young developing players.

I’m glad we’re not in 24th or 25th. We need top pick talent. If you’re not going to make the playoffs you might as well have the best chances of a top pick. Islanders have been a bubble team for ten years and they still terrible. Picking 14-25 in the draft won’t get you far unless you make great selections. Hawks are guaranteed a 4th overall at least as of right now.
- ObeseOprah

The problem with tanking creates a negative culture , as well as diminishes any value in all the playersmwhich then limits or makes it next to impossible to trade or get a better return on certain players.

The other problem it creates is with its paying fans and any potential players should this team decide to pursue what player wants to be apart of a losing team and negative culture.

If anyone thinks that a potential player would pass up Chicago due to the coach. Coach Q has a great reputation , what player is going to be thrilled to come to Chicago with a inexperienced unproven Coach?


Tanking doesn't guarantee anything when it comes to the draft, it just creates a negative culture and instills bad habits into young developing players.

Gustafsson out sick. Sikura and Dahlstrom will be in the lineup tonight vs. Pittsburgh. Crawford in net.

Kunitz and Jan Rutta are out.
- walleyeb1

Rutta just seems to shoot himself in the foot every time he plays with key bad penalties and bad play.

Hands down the Phil Esposito trade was not only the worst in Hawks' history- but one of the worst in Chicago sports history ... you can flip a coin with that and the Cubs trading Lou Brock to the Cardinals.
- steve-hist-sdc

It's all a matter of perspective. As a sox fan, I loved the Lou Brock trade and consider it one of the best in Chicago sports history.

I thought the same thing Fatty. Watching the second and third period, this team has the fight in them. The first period blunders continue to baffle me, I simply dont get it.

I listen to that Hawks Talk Podcast and was surprised how opinionated Mayers was allowed to be on there. He made a fantastic point, that 75% of the struggles are on this system. The reason for that, is these players need to be thinking while playing in their own zone. That's no way to play the game because it causes you to play tight and not instinctively. Colliton has been been handed some poopty cards, but he has brought in a system that is a complete 180 from Q's. Not really a recipe for quick success.
- nickmo2699

Good for Mayers. It is interesting with Mayers. While Konroyd and others are only capable of analysis with the depth of pond scum he actually analyses. When Q was Coach, Ulf’s risky D System was pinching too much. Needed this addressed. I actually thought the Coaching Staff had addressed it towards the end of last year. Ulf trashed Q this year because he went right back to the crazy pinching this year.

Tweaking was needed, not this idiotic Colliton D System in which the goal seems to be to leave the points and front of the net OPEN! Mayers is dead on that this System is the problem but I’d go higher than 75%, I’d go 100%. This System is ridiculous with no touchstone, fallback positioning. There should still be responsibilities based on position.

With the way JC likes to double shift Kane - push him a little harder:

Saad-Toews-Kane
DeBrincat-Strome-Kane
Kahun-Kampf-Kane
Sikura-Kruger-Kane
- EbonyRaptor

I don't know....four $10.5M forward -- not counting toews -- is pretty hard to swallow..

Yes Colliton blame the team you weak, no talent. No doubt the team has no respect for you and your Tier 2 Swedish Beer League resume. That you fooled Nepotism Bowman, who knows all about having a job he doesn’t deserve, was only the first step. You have no novel, special coaching skills, coaching ideas. The rest of the NHL is just laughing.
- Z3Hawk

Well, nothing was working before, and nothing is working now. He was thrown in with no preparation time and is doing what he can to get them to play. At some point the players needs to buck up and play some hockey. Maybe not having three players converge on the puck, or fly the zone before securing possession, or maybe the goalies making the stops they should (I'm not putting much on Crow and Ward, but you have to admit there have been some really bad goals let in recently).

It's not like he has any leverage on the job to force Bowman to hire him. They poop canned Q and filled that immediately with Colliton.

If the team is truly tanking, Kane should not see more than 16 minutes of wear and tear a night. This double shifting is just nuts.
- riozzo

Not to mention, statistically ineffective, and produces no different results.

I don't know....four $10.5M forward -- not counting toews -- is pretty hard to swallow..
- Spec41971

technically it is 10.5 mil/4 =
2.625 mil per line assignment...

Rutta just seems to shoot himself in the foot every time he plays with key bad penalties and bad play.
- Z3Hawk

Yeah sure does.

Good for Mayers. It is interesting with Mayers. While Konroyd and others are only capable of analysis with the depth of pond scum he actually analyses. When Q was Coach, Ulf’s risky D System was pinching too much. Needed this addressed. I actually thought the Coaching Staff had addressed it towards the end of last year. Ulf trashed Q this year because he went right back to the crazy pinching this year.

Tweaking was needed, not this idiotic Colliton D System in which the goal seems to be to leave the points and front of the net OPEN! Mayers is dead on that this System is the problem but I’d go higher than 75%, I’d go 100%. This System is ridiculous with no touchstone, fallback positioning. There should still be responsibilities based on position.
- Z3Hawk

Great, what system will work with THIS group of players? You now have had Q and Colliton try with these guys (not to mention the Schmaltz trade to get some new players in). After almost every game, Colliton has lamented the fact that guys are still not in the right position or making mistakes.

technically it is 10.5 mil/4 =
2.625 mil per line assignment...
- steve-hist-sdc

You are right...But I liked my math more..

Yes Colliton blame the team you weak, no talent. No doubt the team has no respect for you and your Tier 2 Swedish Beer League resume. That you fooled Nepotism Bowman, who knows all about having a job he doesn’t deserve, was only the first step. You have no novel, special coaching skills, coaching ideas. The rest of the NHL is just laughing.
- Z3Hawk

I don't know ... I think he does have some novel, innovative coaching techniques, as he seems bent on imposing a system that has been proven never to work in beer league developmental teams, and then somehow gets actual pro players to try doing this.

Naturally, it still never works at the NHL level, because ... well ... let's just not go there...

That has to be a special skill. Otoh, a special skill does not necessarily mean a desired skill.

The center (strome) is almost never supposed to be covering the point guys in the defensive zone. The center acts as a 3rd defensemen to help defend down low, while the wingers have responsibility for the two points.
- hereismike1

This is what is supposed to happen when the D-Zone System makes sense. Colliton’s System doesn’t make sense that is the problem. There are no fallback positions, no building blocks. Instead it is a total mess. No matter what you call your System players should still have fallback or default responsibilities based on what position they play. The childish chase the puck bullcrap where both D are in one corner and both wingers also down low is ridiculous. Maybe it worked in the Tier 2 Swedish Beer League but it doesn’t work in the NHL where the puck ends up your net in the blink of an eye. The team must actually stop following Colliton’s craziness to have success.

This is what is supposed to happen when the D-Zone System makes sense. Colliton’s System doesn’t make sense that is the problem. There are no fallback positions, no building blocks. Instead it is a total mess. No matter what you call your System players should still have fallback or default responsibilities based on what position they play. The childish chase the puck bullcrap where both D are in one corner and both wingers also down low is ridiculous. Maybe it worked in the Tier 2 Swedish Beer League but it doesn’t work in the NHL where the puck ends up your net in the blink of an eye. The team must actually stop following Colliton’s craziness to have success.
- Z3Hawk

How do you tell the difference between the system being bad and the players not properly executing the system?

So can we go the rest of the way, with:
Saad, Toews, Sikura
Cat, Strome, Kane, as the top 6!

How do you tell the difference between the system being bad and the players not properly executing the system?
- Chunk

It's pretty easy to dissect on the goals and blown coverage who was out of position and who missed their assignment if you understand the schemes

Its also about who was supposed to be in the right spots as a help outlet depending on where they read the pressure coming from. It's a fluid situation

Same thing with forecheck and neutral zone pressure. Depends on who is pursuing puck carrier, first man in on forecheck, etc

Dylan Sikura looks a lot like Ezra Miller, just shorter hair. Dylan Strome can be Logan Lerman. Perks of Being a Blackhawk.

This is what is supposed to happen when the D-Zone System makes sense. Colliton’s System doesn’t make sense that is the problem. There are no fallback positions, no building blocks. Instead it is a total mess. No matter what you call your System players should still have fallback or default responsibilities based on what position they play. The childish chase the puck bullcrap where both D are in one corner and both wingers also down low is ridiculous. Maybe it worked in the Tier 2 Swedish Beer League but it doesn’t work in the NHL where the puck ends up your net in the blink of an eye. The team must actually stop following Colliton’s craziness to have success.
- Z3Hawk

Keith if traded should be traded at tdl or at the draft. And bowman should not be able make any more TRADE decisions. Hawks should imo make any trades until the season is over unless a team comes to hawks with an offer they cannot refuse.

Not defending Colliton, but was there a coach available that you believe would have gotten better results that Q when fired? From all indications, Hitchcock would only go to Edm (not sure if he would have made much of a difference either).
- Chunk

Anyone else. For the Hawks Colliton should have rated out the same as he did for every other NHL team, namely NOT AT ALL. No other team had him listed as Head Coach material based on no resume. As for alternatives, there are always respected, experienced Coaches available. How did Vegas get Gallant? Edmonton Hitchock?

Edmonton was floundering. A respected, experienced Coach makes a difference.

It's pretty easy to dissect on the goals and blown coverage who was out of position and who missed their assignment if you understand the schemes

Its also about who was supposed to be in the right spots as a help outlet depending on where they read the pressure coming from. It's a fluid situation

Same thing with forecheck and neutral zone pressure. Depends on who is pursuing puck carrier, first man in on forecheck, etc
- Stan_Bowman

Right, so is the problem that the scheme puts them out of position to cover, or that the players made the mistakes?

How do you tell the difference between the system being bad and the players not properly executing the system?
- Chunk

Or the system doesn’t fit the players, like Seabrook is to slow and can’t stay with his man and someone tries to help him and leaves their man.

But IMHO it’s neither, the majority of goals they’re giving up are on turnovers. Just plain sloppy play. Jets commentators couldn’t believe the stupid mistakes coming from Keith and Seabrook last night.

Anyone else. For the Hawks Colliton should have rated out the same as he did for every other NHL team, namely NOT AT ALL. No other team had him listed as Head Coach material based on no resume. As for alternatives, there are always respected, experienced Coaches available. How did Vegas get Gallant? Edmonton Hitchock?

Edmonton was floundering. A respected, experienced Coach makes a difference.
- Z3Hawk

Agreed, but we had an experienced, very respected coach, and they were still having the same problems (granted, not as often). Why didn't he do something to change the horrid d-zone coverage? Did he not think about that, or were the players not executing the system properly?

How do you tell the difference between the system being bad and the players not properly executing the system?
- Chunk

No D-Zone System on the planet should be forcing both D-Men into one corner “chasing the puck”, leaving the front of the net totally open. Nor should both wingers be forced down low “chasing the puck” leaving the points totally open. As Mayers says this is SYSTEM not player mistakes. In a game there should NEVER be a time where both D-Men are in one corner where ONE pass traps both of them. In a game there should NEVER be a time where both wingers are very low where ONE pass traps both of them. This is totally on Colliton.

Or the system doesn’t fit the players, like Seabrook is to slow and can’t stay with his man and someone tries to help him and leaves their man.

But IMHO it’s neither, the majority of goals they’re giving up are on turnovers. Just plain sloppy play. Jets commentators couldn’t believe the stupid mistakes coming from Keith and Seabrook last night.
- walleyeb1

That's kind of the point I am making with all of my comments. The players are lazy, disinterested, bad, slow, whatever. I don't think you can hang a whole lot on coaching right now (or even when Q was still here). We seem to be running a horse race with armadillos.