I agree. Caggiula isn't filling the net but he's playing his role and if it ain't broke - don't fix it.

Speaking of the Hawks scoring so well this season - scoring is up across the league and I'm wondering what the reason for it is. There are currently 34 guys averaging 1 point per game of better and although maybe some of them tail off before the end of the season - that is a whole lot more players than in the past bunch of season. Looking at the scoring leaders and figuring anything 82 points and above for the entire season would be the cutoff for ppg scorers. Look at the past few seasons:

2018/19 - 34 players averaging 1+ ppg
2017/18 - 20 players with 82+ points
2016/17 - 7 players with 82+ points
2015/16 - 5 players with 82+ points
2014/15 - 3 players with 82+ points

Was there a change in goalie pads or something?
- EbonyRaptor

Combine your stats with a league wide increase in scoring from typically 2.75 GPG from 2010 on to 2.97 last season to 3.05 this season - an increase of “only” about 10% - and I come to a conclusion:

Your stats are at least somewhat due to the hard cap and that the league much more one of a bunch of excellent players at high cap hits and a bunch of younger, inexpexperienced, less skilled, less complete but cheaper players - and the “middle class” - good, well rounded but too expensive for the cap - is disappearing.

The “upper classes” have fewer good defensive players to stop them.

As for the 10% increase in scoring (and some of what you’re seeing) - I think they did reduce the pad sizes and the extra fabric in the goalie sweaters that stopped a lot of pucks.

Caggiula has NOT been the perfect fit. Whatever effectiveness he showed with Kane and Toews to start has wavered. He is simply not a top 3 or top 6 player. Few are. He simply does not score enough. Time to flip-flop for Saad or trade for a top-flight winger.
- Z3Hawk

That's a joke. No one has or is saying Caggiula is a top 3 or even a top 6 player on the team. What he has done since being put on the top line is fit and play his role very effectively. Fighting on the boards, playing relentlessly going after the puck, going to the front of the net, clearing space for both Kane and Toews to be freed up to make plays and score goals as they both are doing VERY well this year. Caggiula "doing the dirty work" is allowing them to continue produce at the higher level that we all wanted them to play at.

The days of the Hawks having an All-Star stacked Top 9 and Top 4 are OVER. The days of being a super stacked elite team are OVER. However, that doesn't mean we need to completely blow the team up as some seem to think. They don't suck enough to get a top draft pick. Not with the five guys we got right now and our secondary scoring. So those who want us to tank its out the window. Ain't gonna happen.

What this team can do is develop and find some good talent to surround Kane, Toews, Cat, Strome, and Saad and improve the backend by adding in a piece or two AND developing the guys we have while the build chemistry together playing JC's system. Successfully doing so would allow for the Hawks to be a Playoff team (this is goal the team should ALWAYS be shooting for) and have a chance to compete every year. Ya can't win the Cup if you don't get it. As we've all seen ya never know what can happen when you do get in especially when you have a core of elite players at the front of it

No I just know how to think big picture and not get suckered in to the moment. Might as well draft as close to #1 as possible if we aren’t gonna win the ultimate prize. That’s why I’m rooting for losses. I mean...is it really that hard to understand?

You act like I’m the one who’s losing his mind here when in reality it’s you and the countless other fans that seem to lack the ability to grasp such a SIMPLE concept. Winning games/making the playoffs does nothing for the future of the franchise. And while losing doesn’t 100% guarantee us a better draft pick, it at the very least puts us closer mathematically to landing one. And at this point(not good enough to win the Cup) what else could you possibly want? We’ve got a lot of nice pieces to build with. So let’s go and land another future asset instead of fighting for the present which inevitably leads us nowhere.
- SimpleJack

Call it what you want but if you're not enjoying this at all, I don't know what to tell you.

Picking closer to the top would be great, but as a fan, I'm not rooting for them to lose.

Are they good enough to win a Cup now? No. You can't tell me that there's no value to Cat, Strome, Joker, Kahun, others playing meaningful games and trying to get into the playoffs this time of year. Well, I suppose you can, but I disagree.

I get the bigger picture and your SIMPLE concept, but if it were actually that simple, I think more teams would be trying to get to the bottom and reverse their fortunes.

Call it what you want but if you're not enjoying this at all, I don't know what to tell you.

Picking closer to the top would be great, but as a fan, I'm not rooting for them to lose.

Are they good enough to win a Cup now? No. You can't tell me that there's no value to Cat, Strome, Joker, Kahun, others playing meaningful games and trying to get into the playoffs this time of year. Well, I suppose you can, but I disagree.

I get the bigger picture and your SIMPLE concept, but if it were actually that simple, I think more teams would be trying to get to the bottom and reverse their fortunes.
- HawkintheD

Let me help you understand what he is saying in SIMPLE terms. Whats the use of getting out of bed today, since I am not going to sleep with a super model today. May as well lay in bed all day. Why bother.

While i sort of respect everyone's opinions and post and discount for emotion. His rationale may be the most ass backwards. Like all people who live in the future, their fatal flaw is their assumptions. The premise from which they start.

In this bizarro world, somehow losing and drafting a pubescent teen ager is going to change the trajectory of your organization. When, over the past 10 years, we have seen multiple teams draft multiple times in the top 5 and still not make the playoffs!

Meanwhile the team and all its young players are playing playoff games right now (which some do not even recognize or consider). These are what you would call meaningful hockey games, that help mold, develop and discover character. Not only in players but your group.

I have said too much.

Preach brother! You can’t promote a guy to HC of an NHL Original 6 team with zero experience as an NHL Assistant or HC. Huge fail by Stan. I’ve said it before, JC will not be the HC when the Blackhawks are again contending for the Stanley Cup.

Historically, the best HC in all sports are guys who have gotten fired at least once. Belichick got fired in Cleveland, he’s now one of the greatest coaches in sports history. Pete Carroll got fired in NE, and has done well in SEA. Q was an assistant, and was fired before winning 3x with the Hawks.

The NHL is not the place to have a HC figure out which end is up. JC’s strategy seems to be playing KANE 25+ minutes a night, and hope he scores a couple.
- scottak

Oh so if JC gets fired he'll be a successful coach?

I cant say if he'll be a great head coach but i can say this team has responded to him. Isn't that what a coach is suppose to do? Get the best out of the players he has? Forever in a day i wondered why is Keith was on the PP?

I liked Q, appreciated all he had done, but JC has this team playing better warts and all. What i enjoy is if we aren't going to be very good at least be entertaining. Run and gun hockey isn't going to get it done in the playoffs but it's better than watching them be down by 3 or 4 goals at the end of the 1st period.

Call it what you want but if you're not enjoying this at all, I don't know what to tell you.

Picking closer to the top would be great, but as a fan, I'm not rooting for them to lose.

Are they good enough to win a Cup now? No. You can't tell me that there's no value to Cat, Strome, Joker, Kahun, others playing meaningful games and trying to get into the playoffs this time of year. Well, I suppose you can, but I disagree.

I get the bigger picture and your SIMPLE concept, but if it were actually that simple, I think more teams would be trying to get to the bottom and reverse their fortunes.
- HawkintheD

You may as well root for them to lose. There is a conspiracy by Bettman to favour the Penguins. Not sure what proof there is or what was ever done to demonstrate that but PE is adament that Bettman hates the Hawks and favours the Pens, so in our age of conspiracy propogation, the rejection of science, not believeing what we see with our own eyes etc. I'm guessing he must be right. I'm off now to an anti vax demonstration then it's off to a flat earth convention.

Let me help you understand what he is saying in SIMPLE terms. Whats the use of getting out of bed today, since I am not going to sleep with a super model today. May as well lay in bed all day. Why bother.

While i sort of respect everyone's opinions and post and discount for emotion. His rationale may be the most ass backwards. Like all people who live in the future, their fatal flaw is their assumptions. The premise from which they start.

In this bizarro world, somehow losing and drafting a pubescent teen ager is going to change the trajectory of your organization. When, over the past 10 years, we have seen multiple teams draft multiple times in the top 5 and still not make the playoffs!

Meanwhile the team and all its young players are playing playoff games right now (which some do not even recognize or consider). These are what you would call meaningful hockey games, that help mold, develop and discover character. Not only in players but your group.

I have said too much.
- TrueGrit

Stop with all this logic!!

That's a joke. No one has or is saying Caggiula is a top 3 or even a top 6 player on the team. What he has done since being put on the top line is fit and play his role very effectively. Fighting on the boards, playing relentlessly going after the puck, going to the front of the net, clearing space for both Kane and Toews to be freed up to make plays and score goals as they both are doing VERY well this year. Caggiula "doing the dirty work" is allowing them to continue produce at the higher level that we all wanted them to play at.

The days of the Hawks having an All-Star stacked Top 9 and Top 4 are OVER. The days of being a super stacked elite team are OVER. However, that doesn't mean we need to completely blow the team up as some seem to think. They don't suck enough to get a top draft pick. Not with the five guys we got right now and our secondary scoring. So those who want us to tank its out the window. Ain't gonna happen.

What this team can do is develop and find some good talent to surround Kane, Toews, Cat, Strome, and Saad and improve the backend by adding in a piece or two AND developing the guys we have while the build chemistry together playing JC's system. Successfully doing so would allow for the Hawks to be a Playoff team (this is goal the team should ALWAYS be shooting for) and have a chance to compete every year. Ya can't win the Cup if you don't get it. As we've all seen ya never know what can happen when you do get in especially when you have a core of elite players at the front of it
- Savetheembers33

You have diagnosed the psychosis of the board right there. This assumption that they are entitled to an olympic roster. Anything short of that and they are indignant.
The nonsense of saying this guy isn't this or isn't that, because the hawks don't win every game 5-0.

Then it is post after post of every other team trading us their core players for Marcus Kruger and 2nd.


I would hate to see how these guys react to their wife cooking a bad meal. Imagine the dominos from that transgression.

Oh so if JC gets fired he'll be a successful coach?

I cant say if he'll be a great head coach but i can say this team has responded to him. Isn't that what a coach is suppose to do? Get the best out of the players he has? Forever in a day i wondered why is Keith was on the PP?

I liked Q, appreciated all he had done, but JC has this team playing better warts and all. What i enjoy is if we aren't going to be very good at least be entertaining. Run and gun hockey isn't going to get it done in the playoffs but it's better than watching them be down by 3 or 4 goals at the end of the 1st period.
- BetweenTheDots

I can't understand the JC hate other than people still pining for Q. This team is playing well and quite frankly A LOT harder than they did under Q from top to bottom. The JC bashing is just ridiculous. He's learning the gig and has made improvements to his coaching as any rookie in ANY situation should and would do.

I for one want to see this team play well and build towards the ultimate goal and see if they can make the Playoffs this year. I for one am VERY excited to see how this team coming off a building season and adding more pieces does after a full Training Camp with him.

Oh so if JC gets fired he'll be a successful coach?

I cant say if he'll be a great head coach but i can say this team has responded to him. Isn't that what a coach is suppose to do? Get the best out of the players he has? Forever in a day i wondered why is Keith was on the PP?

I liked Q, appreciated all he had done, but JC has this team playing better warts and all. What i enjoy is if we aren't going to be very good at least be entertaining. Run and gun hockey isn't going to get it done in the playoffs but it's better than watching them be down by 3 or 4 goals at the end of the 1st period.
- BetweenTheDots

Before debating further, perhaps we need to read from the Original 6 Coaching Opportunity Qualifications Check list?

If Scottak could just share that, it all may make sense.

I wonder how it differs from the WHA Merger Coach qualification Checklist, or Expansion team coach qualification checklist?

You have diagnosed the psychosis of the board right there. This assumption that they are entitled to an olympic roster. Anything short of that and they are indignant.
The nonsense of saying this guy isn't this or isn't that, because the hawks don't win every game 5-0.

Then it is post after post of every other team trading us their core players for Marcus Kruger and 2nd.


I would hate to see how these guys react to their wife cooking a bad meal. Imagine the dominos from that transgression.


- TrueGrit

I've been wanting to get that off my chest for awhile now. People are riding the waves game in and game out WAY to much and either think they need to completely blow it up or build another super star team. Neither is gonna happen while we still have Toews, Kane, and Keith. All they can do is try and build a Playoff team around those guys and HOPE that one year they can get a little lucky and have the right pieces together to maybe win one more.

This Golden Era of Blackhawks hockey we just got to see as fans is something we likely will not see in our lifetimes ever again. We were spoiled by seeing as many great HOF talents in their primes surrounded by very good players who played their roles to allow those players to play that much better. Spoiled to the point of being rotten IMO that fans can't even appreciate that they are watching a team be competitive and fighting in meaningful games for a Playoff spot or just enjoying how fricken special of a player Patrick Kane is. This guy is ridiculous and is working his way to becoming the greatest Blackhawk EVER.

Be appreciative of what we've got to see and enjoy what we are now because before you know it these guys will be no longer playing and we might end up with another "dark era" that will have you longing for a taste of these days now

What's the deal with Evan Barrette? I see that he has fallen in the college scoring race and his name is not appearing in Penn State scoring summaries. Injured?

Before debating further, perhaps we need to read from the Original 6 Coaching Opportunity Qualifications Check list?

If Scottak could just share that, it all may make sense.

I wonder how it differs from the WHA Merger Coach qualification Checklist, or Expansion team coach qualification checklist?


- TrueGrit

Not sure I understand that point either. Somehow there is a bench of coaches only designated or worthy of O6 coaching assignments while the other 25 teams are only allowed to pick from the leftovers?

To your other point in regard to an All Olympic team, hell, even when we had that there were people here that felt the team was too flawed to compete for Cups in ‘13 and ‘15...until they weren’t.

I can't understand the JC hate other than people still pining for Q. This team is playing well and quite frankly A LOT harder than they did under Q from top to bottom. The JC bashing is just ridiculous. He's learning the gig and has made improvements to his coaching as any rookie in ANY situation should and would do.

I for one want to see this team play well and build towards the ultimate goal and see if they can make the Playoffs this year. I for one am VERY excited to see how this team coming off a building season and adding more pieces does after a full Training Camp with him.
- Savetheembers33

To me it's pretty impressive and I've heard the great Belichick always coaches to the new NFL league rules. Wonder if JC is coaching to the reduction of goalie gear sizes.

You have diagnosed the psychosis of the board right there. This assumption that they are entitled to an olympic roster. Anything short of that and they are indignant.
The nonsense of saying this guy isn't this or isn't that, because the hawks don't win every game 5-0.

Then it is post after post of every other team trading us their core players for Marcus Kruger and 2nd.


I would hate to see how these guys react to their wife cooking a bad meal. Imagine the dominos from that transgression.


- TrueGrit

Well put by both

I can't understand the JC hate other than people still pining for Q. This team is playing well and quite frankly A LOT harder than they did under Q from top to bottom. The JC bashing is just ridiculous. He's learning the gig and has made improvements to his coaching as any rookie in ANY situation should and would do.

I for one want to see this team play well and build towards the ultimate goal and see if they can make the Playoffs this year. I for one am VERY excited to see how this team coming off a building season and adding more pieces does after a full Training Camp with him.
- Savetheembers33

Spot on save, even when they were losing with JC, you could see intensity and very entertaining hockey. he made them not look like the worse team in the league, and he has done it with one of the best, Crow on the shelf. I can only assume they bad blood JC because we are not going to get a top five pick

Not sure I understand that point either. Somehow there is a bench of coaches only designated or worthy of O6 coaching assignments while the other 25 teams are only allowed to pick from the leftovers?

To your other point in regard to an All Olympic team, hell, even when we had that there were people here that felt the team was too flawed to compete for Cups in ‘13 and ‘15...until they weren’t.
- HawkintheD

It's a bizarro world D, with bizarro people. In fact the whole world is bizarre but you and me ..... and I have my doubts about you.

I've been wanting to get that off my chest for awhile now. People are riding the waves game in and game out WAY to much and either think they need to completely blow it up or build another super star team. Neither is gonna happen while we still have Toews, Kane, and Keith. All they can do is try and build a Playoff team around those guys and HOPE that one year they can get a little lucky and have the right pieces together to maybe win one more.

This Golden Era of Blackhawks hockey we just got to see as fans is something we likely will not see in our lifetimes ever again. We were spoiled by seeing as many great HOF talents in their primes surrounded by very good players who played their roles to allow those players to play that much better. Spoiled to the point of being rotten IMO that fans can't even appreciate that they are watching a team be competitive and fighting in meaningful games for a Playoff spot or just enjoying how fricken special of a player Patrick Kane is. This guy is ridiculous and is working his way to becoming the greatest Blackhawk EVER.

Be appreciative of what we've got to see and enjoy what we are now because before you know it these guys will be no longer playing and we might end up with another "dark era" that will have you longing for a taste of these days now
- Savetheembers33

well said. It is healthy to balance the emotion of today vs history to put things in proper perspective.

It is also important to point out that in most sports leagues' for all Chicago teams there are 30 odd teams striving for the same goal. Frustrating as a fan. The 80s as a Bears fan, the 90s as a bulls fan and the 10s as Hawk fans. Chicago Fans are blessed to have enjoyed competitive eras in multi sports.

It's a bizarro world D, with bizarro people. In fact the whole world is bizarre but you and me ..... and I have my doubts about you.
- paulr

And well you should.

Call it what you want but if you're not enjoying this at all, I don't know what to tell you.

Picking closer to the top would be great, but as a fan, I'm not rooting for them to lose.

Are they good enough to win a Cup now? No. You can't tell me that there's no value to Cat, Strome, Joker, Kahun, others playing meaningful games and trying to get into the playoffs this time of year. Well, I suppose you can, but I disagree.

I get the bigger picture and your SIMPLE concept, but if it were actually that simple, I think more teams would be trying to get to the bottom and reverse their fortunes.
- HawkintheD

Apparently you don't see any value in short term misery and sacrifice as a Hawks fan. What he is preaching is faith because he knows that there is a huge reward at the end of the journey soon to be experienced, as an example, by the Edmonton Oiler and Florida Panther faithful.

To me it's pretty impressive and I've heard the great Belichick always coaches to the new NFL league rules. Wonder if JC is coaching to the reduction of goalie gear sizes.
- BetweenTheDots

I am not downplaying the importance of team defense in your zone as many astutely point out, but what many may be slow to understand is that the game has NEVER been faster. It is not enough to have tough meat head defensemen, it is as important and even more important to have fast players capable of retrieving pucks fast and taking away time and space, with the ability to make a first pass and transition the puck the other way. There is a fine line in there.

One way to neutralize an opponents offensive pressure is the fear that in an instant, the ice will flip and they will be pulling out of their own net. Watch other NHL games and you will see most teams and coaches realize that their d have to be active and take chances in OZone.

While some of Coliton's moves are curious, who are we to determine if he's capable of coaching an NHL team? Quenneville, one of the most accomplished coaches of all time, wasn't able to do much with the group you are complaining about. As you pointed out the defensive ranks are pretty bare. With the exception of Keith none are second pairing defensemen, they'd all be in the third pairing or the AHL on a good NHL team. Also the goaltending is average at best with some hope Delia can develop into an NHL calibre goaltender.

While Coliton doesn't have much with work with on the backend he has some serious firepower up front. So he coaches to that strength and has the team play a high risk, high reward game of pond hockey where the Hawks try to outscore the opponent while not being able to take care of their own zone. As we saw last night, the high risk, high reward game became high risk, no reward because defensive lapses and poor goaltending resulted in a loss in a game the Hawks were in control of.

There isn't a coach anywhere that can get much out of this Hawk team. There are just too many players who aren't NHL calibre. The saying "You can't make chicken salad out of chicken poop" applies here.
- paulr

Watch yourself, Pallie. You and your (frank)ing logic. Cripes.

Spot on save, even when they were losing with JC, you could see intensity and very entertaining hockey. he made them not look like the worse team in the league, and he has done it with one of the best, Crow on the shelf. I can only assume they bad blood JC because we are not going to get a top five pick
- holyJumpin_NL

They are playing hard - not quitting on games - certainly running out two and a half scoring lines - winning record over the last 30 games (17-9-4=38) with a very flawed roster - he’s put players like AdB, Strome, Caggiula, Saad in positions to succeed....

Can’t really complain, hoping that somehow he can get them off to better starts in games - get them to stop all of the skating in confusion by all six on the ice in the d-zone - perhaps use Jokiharju more than 7 minutes total (and the fourth line less than 5 minutes total)....

Hopefully a talent infusion next season - and a full training camp - will help.

Not sure I understand that point either. Somehow there is a bench of coaches only designated or worthy of O6 coaching assignments while the other 25 teams are only allowed to pick from the leftovers?

To your other point in regard to an All Olympic team, hell, even when we had that there were people here that felt the team was too flawed to compete for Cups in ‘13 and ‘15...until they weren’t.
- HawkintheD

I figured it out. go to

www.original6coachingprospects.com

There is a list of coaching prospects and their qualifications.

Plus I heard they are putting that language in the new CBO. Just so this sort of thing does not happen again.

Before debating further, perhaps we need to read from the Original 6 Coaching Opportunity Qualifications Check list?

If Scottak could just share that, it all may make sense.

I wonder how it differs from the WHA Merger Coach qualification Checklist, or Expansion team coach qualification checklist?


- TrueGrit

I can tell you what it doesn’t include. Coaching 4 years in the Tier 2 Swedish league where your team finished 6th, 6th, 7th & finally, 1st. So it took him 4 years to turn around a bunch of quasi-hockey players, so he’s qualified to then coach in the NHL?

He’s a lost little boy, competing with men.