Disclaimer: I'm not a season ticket holder - which means my allegiance to the Hawks doesn't cost a huge monetary investment. Maybe if it did I would feel differently.

Wins and losses. That's it. On the 1 or 2 times a year I go to the UC to watch the game, I really couldn't care less if it happens to be a Bobble Head night or other some such McD side show stuff. While I pay relatively little monetarily - I pay hugely with my attention and the only thing I want in return is for the Hawks to give their best effort to win. That's it. Period.
- EbonyRaptor

Same for me. I'll include management in there, too, as I'm sure you do. I want to see them making a real effort to have the best team possible. Now, whether I agree that every move is the right one is another story. And I think they do - Rocky has proven that to me in his time. The days of Dollar Bill are gone.

Perspective.

74 games ago – did anyone expect much from the team this season? No, our hopes were focused more on the individual parts than the sum of those parts. So now it’s almost over and it looks like the team is going to fall short of the playoffs, kind of like we thought at the beginning. And the hopes we had for the individual parts have gone pretty well, haven’t they?

We knew this was going to be a process and it has been and will continue to be.

Patience.
- EbonyRaptor

agree...expectation were for 78-82 pt team...however how they got there was surprising

1. a defensive trainwreck allowing the most goals in the league
2. a pk last in the league
3. a pp that was last in the league and then supercharged for month race as high as 7th
4. two 40 goal scores, toews and saad having rebound years although toews has been the stronger of the two

Teravainen hits the 70 point mark for the first time in his career.

Never thought THAT would happen.
- BINGO!

point inflation this year...pucks are going at higher rate across the league

point inflation this year...pucks are going at higher rate across the league
- bogiedoc

The pucks are juiced!

True, offense is up, but I think it's fair to say TT continues to develop.

agree...expectation were for 78-82 pt team...however how they got there was surprising

1. a defensive trainwreck allowing the most goals in the league
2. a pk last in the league
3. a pp that was last in the league and then supercharged for month race as high as 7th
4. two 40 goal scores, toews and saad having rebound years although toews has been the stronger of the two
- bogiedoc

Hawks have given up the 2nd most SOGs per game - 34.9.

They have the 5th worse save % - .896.

Not surprising, then, that they’ve given up the 2nd most GA per game - 3.41.

Being 7th in the league in goals scored (3.3 per game) has not been enough to overcome all of that.

Hopefully - with some new talen next season and a full summer and training camp to let Colliton implement his system(s) - they can begin to turn that around.

point inflation this year...pucks are going at higher rate across the league
- bogiedoc

His points per 60 in Carolina:

2016-17 - 1.9 (42 points)
2017-18 - 2.8 (64 points)
2018-19 - 3.2 (70 points so far)

I don’t think you can minimize his progression by pointing to goal inflation.

His points per 60 in Carolina:

2016-17 - 1.9 (42 points)
2017-18 - 2.8 (64 points)
2018-19 - 3.2 (70 points so far)

I don’t think you can minimize his progression by pointing to goal inflation.
- StLBravesFan

I agree he has progressed...but scoring is up around the league; that can not be disputed.

kane was on pace for 50 just 8 games ago and has hit scoring drought
Cat was on pace for the mid 40's before his scoring went south...

c'mon know one expected that based on history...
offense and scoring is up as the reasons...who know: less emphasis on defense, a lack of dman talent, goalie hardware changes, skilled snipers getting even better...

I agree he has progressed...but scoring is up around the league; that can not be disputed.

kane was on pace for 50 just 8 games ago and has hit scoring drought
Cat was on pace for the mid 40's before his scoring went south...

c'mon know one expected that based on history...
offense and scoring is up as the reasons...who know: less emphasis on defense, a lack of dman talent, goalie hardware changes, skilled snipers getting even better...
- bogiedoc

Nobody disputes that scoring is up, just your suggestion that TT's results this year were to be discounted because scoring is up. Unless, of course, we make the same correction to every player's stats.

The pucks are juiced!

True, offense is up, but I think it's fair to say TT continues to develop.
- mohel

Interesting thing is that he really started to take off once they started using him on the PK and then even more when they took him off Aho's line.

It's like the more responsibility they give him, the better he gets. Dude was toying with the Wild last night and got up in the face of Ryan Donato after he threw a late hit on Svechnikov.

Kane goes over 100
Toews rebounds big time
DCat probably over 40
Saad about where hoped for
With the exception of Crawford and Murphy (early), relatively injury free season
Western Conference total to reach playoffs in years

And yet...not even really close to a playoff team.

Kane goes over 100
Toews rebounds big time
DCat probably over 40
Saad about where hoped for
With the exception of Crawford and Murphy (early), relatively injury free season
Western Conference total to reach playoffs in years

And yet...not even really close to a playoff team.
- RaleighHawk

On the bright side, we are 2 points out of the top 5 in the lottery standings. Hopefully we don't go on a pointless win streak now. I think we take today's game (hopefully not) but after that the schedule favors us for losses.
Can this team do this part right at least?

Kane goes over 100
Toews rebounds big time
DCat probably over 40
Saad about where hoped for
With the exception of Crawford and Murphy (early), relatively injury free season
Western Conference total to reach playoffs in years

And yet...not even really close to a playoff team.
- RaleighHawk

Arizona, Colorado, Minnesota, Chicago - add in Edmonton and Vancouver - is there really much difference in the talent level - or the results of the season?

Wild Card bubble teams all - first round and done contenders all - within 6 points (3 wins) of a playoff spot all....

Yeah, I’d say all six are about equally close to being a playoff team. Not anything more - but that. Perhaps not much of a distinction - but that.

Kane goes over 100
Toews rebounds big time
DCat probably over 40
Saad about where hoped for
With the exception of Crawford and Murphy (early), relatively injury free season
Western Conference total to reach playoffs in years

And yet...not even really close to a playoff team.
- RaleighHawk

Not to be a pessimist, but what are the chances of all or most of the above occurring next year?

Career years possible again for 88. 19, 12?
Another mostly above average year for Saad?
Another relatively injury free year?

Not to mention 2 and 7 will be another year older and I think you got what you got defensively with Gus, Forsling, Dahlstrom and Koekkoek.

Team needs a lot of changes, both in personnel and defensive mindset, if they want to make the playoffs next year.

On the bright side, we are 2 points out of the top 5 in the lottery standings. Hopefully we don't go on a pointless win streak now. I think we take today's game (hopefully not) but after that the schedule favors us for losses.
Can this team do this part right at least?
- 67hawks

I respectively disagree ,win tonight HAWKS are still very much alive .Never say die ,playoffs are all that matter ,get in anyway possible . GO HAWKS GO

Not to be a pessimist, but what are the chances of all or most of the above occurring next year?

Career years possible again for 88. 19, 12?
Another mostly above average year for Saad?
Another relatively injury free year?

Not to mention 2 and 7 will be another year older and I think you got what you got defensively with Gus, Forsling, Dahlstrom and Koekkoek.

Team needs a lot of changes, both in personnel and defensive mindset, if they want to make the playoffs next year.
- boilermaker100

Injury free ? HAWKS were missing a top 5 goalie for most of the season and one of their top 4 d man for the 1st 1/2 of the season . A coaching change that should have been made in the summer or maybe even the summer before done at the quarter poll .A lot of bumps in the road ,but still with a chance ..I don't think their will be huge change on the HAWKS ,but the rest of the league due to teams hitting the cap yes

On the bright side, we are 2 points out of the top 5 in the lottery standings. Hopefully we don't go on a pointless win streak now. I think we take today's game (hopefully not) but after that the schedule favors us for losses.
Can this team do this part right at least?
- 67hawks

Lets hope so as only one of the picks on Tankathon listed in positions 8-13 is NOT committed to a college. Meaning most likely they are all four years away.

Lets hope so as only one of the picks on Tankathon listed in positions 8-13 is NOT committed to a college. Meaning most likely they are all four years away.
- Return of the Roar

Yep, lots of players drafted in the top of the 1st round do 4 years of college. Like that Toews guy....

Yep, lots of players drafted in the top of the 1st round do 4 years of college. Like that Toews guy....
- mohel

Not what this team needs. At this time.

This team needs a guy who can play NHL hockey in the fall. Those guys are at 1-5.

On the bright side, we are 2 points out of the top 5 in the lottery standings. Hopefully we don't go on a pointless win streak now. I think we take today's game (hopefully not) but after that the schedule favors us for losses.
Can this team do this part right at least?
- 67hawks

There we go ... now we're talking.

If the Hawks go 0-8 in the remaining games AND EDM/VAN get at least 1 point, ANA at least 3 points, BUF/NYR at least 4 points - the Hawks will be in the 5th spot which means they have the 5th best chance to get the #1 pick. The plan is falling into place perfectly.

Not what this team needs. At this time.

This team needs a guy who can play NHL hockey in the fall. Those guys are at 1-5.
- Return of the Roar

Yeah - let's just win the draft lottery, take Kakko and call it a day.

Not what this team needs. At this time.

This team needs a guy who can play NHL hockey in the fall. Those guys are at 1-5.
- Return of the Roar

That's the drafting approach that leads to bad choices. The team needs the best player it can get. Don't matter when he's ready.

Injury free ? HAWKS were missing a top 5 goalie for most of the season and one of their top 4 d man for the 1st 1/2 of the season . A coaching change that should have been made in the summer or maybe even the summer before done at the quarter poll .A lot of bumps in the road ,but still with a chance ..I don't think their will be huge change on the HAWKS ,but the rest of the league due to teams hitting the cap yes
- oldduffman

Sure they had injuries, but even though I don't have the actual stats, I would say the Hawks are below the league average in man-games lost this season.

Love your optimism Duffie, but if the same team comes back next year they probably won't make the playoffs, even with JC coaching for a full season.

Interesting thing is that he really started to take off once they started using him on the PK and then even more when they took him off Aho's line.

It's like the more responsibility they give him, the better he gets. Dude was toying with the Wild last night and got up in the face of Ryan Donato after he threw a late hit on Svechnikov.
- BINGO!

No one cares about the Canes. Maybe you should share these thoughts with your fellow Cane fan in their thread.


Oh wait...

That's the drafting approach that leads to bad choices. The team needs the best player it can get. Don't matter when he's ready.
- mohel

ITS BEEN 4 YEARS!

Also, its rather disturbing that you recall my comments from before my hiatus and can't remember why you went into another room.

Sure they had injuries, but even though I don't have the actual stats, I would say the Hawks are below the league average in man-games lost this season.

Love your optimism Duffie, but if the same team comes back next year they probably won't make the playoffs, even with JC coaching for a full season.
- boilermaker100

I don't think its ever been the plan to bring the same team back next season.