Not sure - I'm sure it's on the interweb somewhere - but JC was the coach last year when they went to the finals.
- mohel

They went to the Conference Finals, not the AHL Finals. And they were limping along until Stan sent down some NHL talent to help.

If JC is going to be the coach next year, they should keep Gus. They'll need all the offense they can get and Gus is exactly what JC likes in players

We are DOOMED to 20 years near the bottom of the league? No Toews, Kane, Keith, Seabrook or Hossa anywhere in sight. Hope you enjoyed the ride (many here seemed not to), it won't be back soon.
- mohel

Only 20 years? Somebody is being optimistic!

Well, the "personnel" doesn't seem too committed to defense. They'd be much improved if they were.
- mohel

Yes. Saying it is a personnel problem is a bit generic and doesn't make sense really. The Hawks as a team had a bad year defensively, but it's unlikely that so many dmen and forwards are suddenly bad at defense. The Hawks have tried a lot of different defensemen over the last 2 seasons. How they are playing is more of an issue than ability.

If JC is going to be the coach next year, they should keep Gus. They'll need all the offense they can get and Gus is exactly what JC likes in players
- PatShart

I think they have to keep Gus only because they have nobody better. Unless Stan finds a way to improve the defense via trade or free agency.

This is just my take on the topic.

The Hawks need one more top 6 piece to probably be in good shape there or they need someone like Kahun to take another step in effectiveness at the NHL level.

Complaints about Gus defensively are over-stated. He makes mistakes, but has started to make more positive plays. He probably will never be good in his own end, but #8 in dman scoring, means he would have a role on pretty much any NHL team. For the right price, he should remain a Hawk unless there is a great trade offer.

Delia needs to spend less time on his knees still. The book on him was out early and some teams really went to school on him upstairs because of it. He looks like he might be a legit NHL goalie for the Hawks, but I think he needs work.

To me, the Hawks need a #1 or #2 dman, unless one of the prospects Joki, Boqvist, Beaudin, Mitchell makes huge progress. Being realistic, it is unlikely that any of those guys would be a top 4 next year on a contender.

The bottom 6 does need to be more effective. If they can't chip in offensively, they need to be bullet-proof defensively and take a defensive load. The Hawks bottom 6 just not good all around.

Kampf is borderline, but works really hard.
Sikura is not NHL ready and should not be a bottom 6 forward, because he isn't made for that style of play.
Caggiula seems effective on any line.
AA needs to be traded as soon as they can manage it.
Kruger just didn't have enough left in his tank to be effective.
Hayden is looking like a bust, man was he bad yesterday.
Kunitz is too old.
Perlini just seems to lack hockey IQ and vision.

I think "making the playoffs" is the wrong measuring stick to use. Obviously there is a business angle that makes making the playoffs important and the notion that "anything can happen if you get to the dance" is more myth than some fans want to accept - but the reality is some of the playoff teams are closer to non-playoff teams than they are to the teams at the top. The only measuring stick that ultimately matters is winning the Cup.

The Hawks may find a way to make the playoffs next season or the season after but I'd say they're pretty far away from having a legitimate chance of winning the Cup.

Only 20 years? Somebody is being optimistic!
- DarthKane

Well, maybe a couple less. Last time it was like 45 years between Cups, and it is clear from reading here that the Hawks are run by marketing people, can't draft worth a darn, couldn't develop McJesus if he fell into their lap, have no idea what type of system to implement in today's NHL, and hire a total imbecile to coach the team. As soon as the players gifted to Stan are spent it's gonna be a long dry spell. I mean even if McD throws Stan in the garbage, he'll just hire another yes man idiot to replace him, because he wouldn't know a hockey guy from Elbows, ffs.

This is just my take on the topic.

The Hawks need one more top 6 piece to probably be in good shape there or they need someone like Kahun to take another step in effectiveness at the NHL level.

Complaints about Gus defensively are over-stated. He makes mistakes, but has started to make more positive plays. He probably will never be good in his own end, but #8 in dman scoring, means he would have a role on pretty much any NHL team. For the right price, he should remain a Hawk unless there is a great trade offer.

Delia needs to spend less time on his knees still. The book on him was out early and some teams really went to school on him upstairs because of it. He looks like he might be a legit NHL goalie for the Hawks, but I think he needs work.

To me, the Hawks need a #1 or #2 dman, unless one of the prospects Joki, Boqvist, Beaudin, Mitchell makes huge progress. Being realistic, it is unlikely that any of those guys would be a top 4 next year on a contender.

The bottom 6 does need to be more effective. If they can't chip in offensively, they need to be bullet-proof defensively and take a defensive load. The Hawks bottom 6 just not good all around.

Kampf is borderline, but works really hard.
Sikura is not NHL ready and should not be a bottom 6 forward, because he isn't made for that style of play.
Caggiula seems effective on any line.
AA needs to be traded as soon as they can manage it.
Kruger just didn't have enough left in his tank to be effective.
Hayden is looking like a bust, man was he bad yesterday.
Kunitz is too old.
Perlini just seems to lack hockey IQ and vision.
- breadbag

This is just my take on the topic.

The Hawks need one more top 6 piece to probably be in good shape there or they need someone like Kahun to take another step in effectiveness at the NHL level.

Complaints about Gus defensively are over-stated. He makes mistakes, but has started to make more positive plays. He probably will never be good in his own end, but #8 in dman scoring, means he would have a role on pretty much any NHL team. For the right price, he should remain a Hawk unless there is a great trade offer.

Delia needs to spend less time on his knees still. The book on him was out early and some teams really went to school on him upstairs because of it. He looks like he might be a legit NHL goalie for the Hawks, but I think he needs work.

To me, the Hawks need a #1 or #2 dman, unless one of the prospects Joki, Boqvist, Beaudin, Mitchell makes huge progress. Being realistic, it is unlikely that any of those guys would be a top 4 next year on a contender.

The bottom 6 does need to be more effective. If they can't chip in offensively, they need to be bullet-proof defensively and take a defensive load. The Hawks bottom 6 just not good all around.

Kampf is borderline, but works really hard.
Sikura is not NHL ready and should not be a bottom 6 forward, because he isn't made for that style of play.
Caggiula seems effective on any line.
AA needs to be traded as soon as they can manage it.
Kruger just didn't have enough left in his tank to be effective.
Hayden is looking like a bust, man was he bad yesterday.
Kunitz is too old.
Perlini just seems to lack hockey IQ and vision.
- breadbag

Maybe a bottom six next year of Kampf, Highmore, The Drake, and 3 new players.

This is just my take on the topic.

The Hawks need one more top 6 piece to probably be in good shape there or they need someone like Kahun to take another step in effectiveness at the NHL level.

Complaints about Gus defensively are over-stated. He makes mistakes, but has started to make more positive plays. He probably will never be good in his own end, but #8 in dman scoring, means he would have a role on pretty much any NHL team. For the right price, he should remain a Hawk unless there is a great trade offer.

Delia needs to spend less time on his knees still. The book on him was out early and some teams really went to school on him upstairs because of it. He looks like he might be a legit NHL goalie for the Hawks, but I think he needs work.

To me, the Hawks need a #1 or #2 dman, unless one of the prospects Joki, Boqvist, Beaudin, Mitchell makes huge progress. Being realistic, it is unlikely that any of those guys would be a top 4 next year on a contender.

The bottom 6 does need to be more effective. If they can't chip in offensively, they need to be bullet-proof defensively and take a defensive load. The Hawks bottom 6 just not good all around.

Kampf is borderline, but works really hard.
Sikura is not NHL ready and should not be a bottom 6 forward, because he isn't made for that style of play.
Caggiula seems effective on any line.
AA needs to be traded as soon as they can manage it.
Kruger just didn't have enough left in his tank to be effective.
Hayden is looking like a bust, man was he bad yesterday.
Kunitz is too old.
Perlini just seems to lack hockey IQ and vision.
- breadbag

Most of the goalies in the league could benefit from less time on their knees, especially when the puck is at a sharp angle to the net. Short side high has been a gimme since the butterfly came in.

Isles went from a bottom of the NHL defense to a top tier D, plus they lost Tavaras. System and coaching seems to be the key to that turnaround - D is essentially the same? Coaching!!!

Isles went from a bottom of the NHL defense to a top tier D, plus they lost Tavaras. System and coaching seems to be the key to that turnaround - D is essentially the same? Coaching!!!
- glennjpawlak22

I tried that logic yesterday, but the gloomers weren't ready to hear it.

Yesterday's game really frosted me, and JL's blog confirmed it. The Hawks are not a playoff team! WTF? And they knew it the whole time? Another WTF? Why didn't they tell us, the liars? I can't believe I fell for the "this is a playoff team" crap. I mean, I've been watching hockey my whole life - I shoulda known better, but that McD is soooooo smooth. I'm done with them.

Yesterday's game really frosted me, and JL's blog confirmed it. The Hawks are not a playoff team! WTF? And they knew it the whole time? Another WTF? Why didn't they tell us, the liars? I can't believe I fell for the "this is a playoff team" crap. I mean, I've been watching hockey my whole life - I shoulda known better, but that McD is soooooo smooth. I'm done with them.
- mohel

take that...call me when you get good...

I tried that logic yesterday, but the gloomers weren't ready to hear it.
- mohel

You're ahead of your time, Mo. A whole 24 hours.

Well, maybe a couple less. Last time it was like 45 years between Cups, and it is clear from reading here that the Hawks are run by marketing people, can't draft worth a darn, couldn't develop McJesus if he fell into their lap, have no idea what type of system to implement in today's NHL, and hire a total imbecile to coach the team. As soon as the players gifted to Stan are spent it's gonna be a long dry spell. I mean even if McD throws Stan in the garbage, he'll just hire another yes man idiot to replace him, because he wouldn't know a hockey guy from Elbows, ffs.
- mohel

3 out of the 4 division finalists are the worst teams in the league this year. The other Montreal will barely make the playoffs. I don't think think it is the drafting, but the realities of a hard cap league

I tried that logic yesterday, but the gloomers weren't ready to hear it.
- mohel

You know that allot of people on this site are not happy unless they are unhappy. From 2008 to 2016 the Hawks were the best team in hockey, they won 3 cups yet the doom and gloom on this board would make one think they were a bad hockey team. Some posters were more focused on Dale vs. Stan, Q hating kids and not being able to coach a good powerplay, on the Meddling McD, they hated Chelsea Dagger as the post goal song and they couldn't stand the damn anthem singer totally oblivious of the best years in Blackhawk hockey history.

I think they have to keep Gus only because they have nobody better. Unless Stan finds a way to improve the defense via trade or free agency.
- DarthKane

You've been hitting the #15 post mark with more regularity ... what happened? Your account got hacked?

Hawks need to go all in for Erik Karlsson this offseason. He is not going to make the team better defensively but he'd be the ultimate mentor for Boqvist and Beaudin.

You've been hitting the #15 post mark with more regularity ... what happened? Your account got hacked?
- I Am The Breadman

He turned over a new leaf during your dalliance with the 40 year old single mom.

Isles went from a bottom of the NHL defense to a top tier D, plus they lost Tavaras. System and coaching seems to be the key to that turnaround - D is essentially the same? Coaching!!!
- glennjpawlak22

True, a good coach molded NHL capable defensemen and implemented a team defensive system. Problem is the Hawks don't have the defensemen and thet don't have the forward depth the Islanders have.

Hawks need to go all in for Erik Karlsson this offseason. He is not going to make the team better defensively but he'd be the ultimate mentor for Boqvist and Beaudin.
- hankscorpio

No thanks!

Hawks need to go all in for Erik Karlsson this offseason. He is not going to make the team better defensively but he'd be the ultimate mentor for Boqvist and Beaudin.
- hankscorpio

Hank, why would he come here? The joint is run by Jabroney's.

As long as you have Brent Seabrook playing over 14 minutes a night, you are not a playoff team. He cannot keep up with any NHL forward and especially playing a Man-to-Man Defense scheme....he is positioned to fail.


Duncan Keith is still a solid 2nd pair guy (Most nights). But Hertl dancing him like a cone last night shows that he is no longer an Elite 1st pairing dman.


Foley was right, Kane is being overplayed. There is NO REASON to be triple shifting your 30 yr old to the point where he has no legs. The season is over. I'm back with Simple Jack, Team Tank!