I think our biggest problem is there’s no forecheck. We let teams exit their zone uncontested. By the time they get to our zone they are flying.
- walleyeb1

Biggest problem - too many forwards - especially top-6 - who never learned how to play defense - too many defenders who haven’t learn how to not make critical mistakes, or how to recover when the do.

When teams struggle regardless of the sport, you need to simplify things. How basic is it to cover the front of the net on D? Yet they cant. Dont understand what JC is doing here. This is JV hockey on the pond behind the house. No structure. No sense of a scheme/plan anything.
- z1990z

I'm curious to see what they look like after a JC-led training camp. The D is pretty bad. Dahlstrom has to play tomorrow, right? But who sits? Forsling probably, but Koekkoek made strong case for sitting today too.

No points from Kane, Toews, DeBrincat, Saad, or Gustafsson today. One assist from Strome. This team doesn't win if they don't score.

Biggest problem - too many forwards - especially top-6 - who never learned how to play defense - too many defenders who haven’t learn how to not make critical mistakes, or how to recover when the do.
- StLBravesFan

They are making mistakes at simple hockey. How many times do you see forwards vacate the points after a d-man has gone down low. That is basic hockey. All 3 forwards getting stuck behind the puck in the O-zone?

Not to mention how many times the D-men let someone get behind them.

Biggest problem - too many forwards - especially top-6 - who never learned how to play defense - too many defenders who haven’t learn how to not make critical mistakes, or how to recover when the do.
- StLBravesFan

Good point, a lot of those critical mistakes are stupid mistakes, but a lot of them are a result of pressure by opponents with no outlets available. Which is primarily due to forwards not making it back to the zone.

Bottom line is this is a much bigger problem than just bad Dmen.

They are making mistakes at simple hockey. How many times do you see forwards vacate the points after a d-man has gone down low. That is basic hockey. All 3 forwards getting stuck behind the puck in the O-zone?

Not to mention how many times the D-men let someone get behind them.
- Elbows15

Which means - if they are going to be (or have the ability to be) good hockey players, four weeks in September will be very important.

The best thing that could happen now, like others have suggested, even though a professional athlete will never purposely lose, is them to get a good draft pick, Stan Bowman put his money where his mouth is in the summer unlike Theo Epstein,And the most important is let the coach have a say on the roster, I believe there are four or five players on this team that he is playing out the string with and will be nowhere near this team come September and a couple of them are probably defenseman. He inherited this mess or whatever we want to it.Give him the chance to fix it, and I hope for his sake he gets at least one assistant coach that has had prior head-coaching experience. Todd McLellan or maybe even Mark Crawford if he is not retained in Ottawa. Brookbank is an experienced, and Dan Granato is a beer league coach They probably got the job because of his last name. I am using those as examples.
If anybody just heard the post game on WGN, Jeremy sounded like he was ready to blow a gasket. But kept an even keel

I'm curious to see what they look like after a JC-led training camp. The D is pretty bad. Dahlstrom has to play tomorrow, right? But who sits? Forsling probably, but Koekkoek made strong case for sitting today too.

No points from Kane, Toews, DeBrincat, Saad, or Gustafsson today. One assist from Strome. This team doesn't win if they don't score.
- matt_ahrens

Imo, JC should start next year's program as soon as they're comfortable acknowledging this year is toast. That program should be a public and private commitment to defense by all skaters. Guys should sit if they don't commit.

Which means - if they are going to be (or have the ability to be) good hockey players, four weeks in September will be very important.
- StLBravesFan

This group needs OTAs.

Imo, JC should start next year's program as soon as they're comfortable acknowledging this year is toast. That program should be a public and private commitment to defense by all skaters. Guys should sit if they don't commit.
- mohel

So, now?

So, now?
- Elbows15

I'd be fine with now, or several weeks ago. I'm assuming some in the organization want to keep the playoff hope alive as long as possible. Point is that they should base PT on defensive commitment for the rest of the year. All players. No free lunch for anyone.

This group needs OTAs.
- Elbows15

This group needs more talent.

If you take the 7th defenseman from the leading Stanley Cup contender, and he immediately moves into your top 6, you’re just not good enough.

In fairness to JC, there are just too many bad players on the current roster.

Imo, JC should start next year's program as soon as they're comfortable acknowledging this year is toast. That program should be a public and private commitment to defense by all skaters. Guys should sit if they don't commit.
- mohel

Defense is so yesterday. We want modern hockey where everyone focuses on scoring and the defense will take care of itself. After all if you have the puck the other team can't score and the object of the game is to score more than the other guy.

Defense is so yesterday. We want modern hockey where everyone focuses on scoring and the defense will take care of itself. After all if you have the puck the other team can't score and the object of the game is to score more than the other guy.
- paulr

It’s so simple.

I'd be fine with now, or several weeks ago. I'm assuming some in the organization want to keep the playoff hope alive as long as possible. Point is that they should base PT on defensive commitment for the rest of the year. All players. No free lunch for anyone.
- mohel

I don't see how playing 2 against 5 helps anyone.

Biggest problem - too many forwards - especially top-6 - who never learned how to play defense - too many defenders who haven’t learn how to not make critical mistakes, or how to recover when the do.
- StLBravesFan

yeah...its not the forecheck...hawks have never been an aggressive forechecking team...

team D: a combination of talent, experience, structure and will...and to many damn unforced error and giveaways

the goaltending can no longer cover up for all these deficits; the scoring has to some degree...

they have coughed 4 or more goals in regulation almost 30x...WTF this team would be last in the league if not for their scoring and improved pp the last 6-7 weeks...

The best thing that could happen now, like others have suggested, even though a professional athlete will never purposely lose, is them to get a good draft pick, Stan Bowman put his money where his mouth is in the summer unlike Theo Epstein,And the most important is let the coach have a say on the roster, I believe there are four or five players on this team that he is playing out the string with and will be nowhere near this team come September and a couple of them are probably defenseman. He inherited this mess or whatever we want to it.Give him the chance to fix it, and I hope for his sake he gets at least one assistant coach that has had prior head-coaching experience. Todd McLellan or maybe even Mark Crawford if he is not retained in Ottawa. Brookbank is an experienced, and Dan Granato is a beer league coach They probably got the job because of his last name. I am using those as examples.
If anybody just heard the post game on WGN, Jeremy sounded like he was ready to blow a gasket. But kept an even keel
- wonthecup10

Totally agree. JC needs to be given the opportunity to succeed or fail. He's done some good things - improved the PP - and there is a lot he hasn't addressed - PK / everything else.

He absolutely needs more experience behind the bench. Brookbank is a rookie too and Granato is in his second season as an NHL assistant. That's not enough.

So I missed the game.

I noticed
Perlini had two goals, Murphy the other with assists coming from Kunitz, Slater and CooCoo (plus Strome).

With that line how did the Hawks not score 10?

So I missed the game.

I noticed
Perlini had two goals, Murphy the other with assists coming from Kunitz, Slater and CooCoo (plus Strome).

With that line how did the Hawks not score 10?
- kwolf68

so did the hawks and craw

another abysmal start and effort...

so did the hawks and craw

another abysmal start and effort...
- bogiedoc

the kind of game that leads to looking at the standings and wondering how low they can go before the end of the year.

so did the hawks and craw

another abysmal start and effort...
- bogiedoc

yeah...its not the forecheck...hawks have never been an aggressive forechecking team...

team D: a combination of talent, experience, structure and will...and to many damn unforced error and giveaways

the goaltending can no longer cover up for all these deficits; the scoring has to some degree...

they have coughed 4 or more goals in regulation almost 30x...WTF this team would be last in the league if not for their scoring and improved pp the last 6-7 weeks...
- bogiedoc

This may be true as far as actual checking, but they use to be much better at contesting opponents exits from their zone.

Got this from an article in the Athletic back in August of 2018.

This group needs more talent.

If you take the 7th defenseman from the leading Stanley Cup contender, and he immediately moves into your top 6, you’re just not good enough.

In fairness to JC, there are just too many bad players on the current roster.
- scottak

I tend to believe this. You can't jump into a horse race and expect to win with donkeys. Just like you can't win a gunfight with a spoon. If you have a bunch of hockey players, both forwards and defensemen, who are adverse or unable or unwilling to play defense, your not going to win consistently.

The team's D sucked with a HOF coach and they continue to suck with a rookie coach. Its the players, not the coach. The one saving grace for JC, so far, is that he managed to revive a PP that had been sheet for so long.

"It was just a sloppy game overall in Anaheim and a sloppy game overall here," defenseman Duncan Keith said. "I don’t know why. I certainly don’t think we’re in a position where we can’t respect our opponents. If anything, they should not be having respect for us the way we’ve been playing."

its been the story of this year and last year: sloppy, careless and undisciplined while routinely getting outplayed in the 1st period...

Return from California

Bring up the kids
Sit Kunitz- Kruger- Crawford

Return from California

Bring up the kids
Sit Kunitz- Kruger- Crawford
- Colbyboy

SimpleJack posted this recently but it’s too good...



Now watch them beat San Jose....maybe, possibly, ahhh still don’t think they have a prayer tomorrow given their goalie and defense play.

7-4 Sharks