Or they want him to practice with the team as long as possible before starting the 9 game clock.
- mohel

I agree with this.

I agree with this.
- LAHawk

So do i

Or they want him to practice with the team as long as possible before starting the 9 game clock.
- mohel

Or, IMO the most likely reason, he needs to prove to everyone that he is ready to play an NHL shift. He looked good in Traverse City. Positive step, but not proof of anything. He did not have really any training camp and is just now getting up to speed and practicing with the team. I wouldn't put him in until he was "more than ready".

Kubalik for now is a forward I'd have on the PK, Sikura is another one,

Toews wouldn't play PK since he magically can't block a shot anymore

Smith would have a seat, 6 and 7 would be my first pairing to see the ice

(frank)ing Murphy tries so hard but is always behind the play because he has no hockey IQ.

Can't wait for DeHaan to play, and can't wait for Gusto to go, he's so bad and the worst part about him, what Murphy has in compete, Gusto has none, it's so bad he must have a non compete clause in his contract.
- BetweenTheDots

Agree on Toews, and your forward choices. Carperter, too. I thought Smith was supposed to contribute there. They did a lot to fix the PK, so far with no success. But, its early.

New Blackhawks lines today:

DeBrincat-Toews-Caggiula
Shaw-Strome-Kane
Saad-Kampf-Kubalik
Smith-Carpenter-Perlini

Why no Dach yet - how many practices does he have to have before slotting in at 3C or a try?

ETA: At least he put that 3rd line back together. Dach appears to have been in a regular jersey at practice. Maybe he will play.
- pdx2ord

D-pairs:

Keith-Murphy
Maatta-Seabrook
de Haan-Gustafsson
Koekkoek rotating in on that last pair too

I get they want him to earn it, but Perlini on that 4th line is a waste. Same as when AZ put Strome on the 4th. They are not built/wired for that kind of work.

I'm intrigued by Shaw-Strome-Kane. Unless it clicks like ADB-Toews-Kahun last year, that first line will get blown up quick.

New Blackhawks lines today:

DeBrincat-Toews-Caggiula
Shaw-Strome-Kane
Saad-Kampf-Kubalik
Smith-Carpenter-Perlini

Why no Dach yet - how many practices does he have to have before slotting in at 3C or a try?

ETA: At least he put that 3rd line back together. Dach appears to have been in a regular jersey at practice. Maybe he will play.
- pdx2ord

Just stupid. Offense isn't the issue. Why would you flip Dcat and Kane? Bench Nylander after two games? Maybe coach the kid on how to play for 10-15 games and see if he gets it.

That top line of Nylander Toews Kane was bad b/c Toews is up to his usual slow start nonsense.

Nylander appears to have some high end skill and puck possession but he looks pretty weak out there. Another post mentioned he back checks real hard but then just stops and floats in the Dzone but he probably doesn't know what to do like everyone else on the team.

Agree on Toews, and your forward choices. Carperter, too. I thought Smith was supposed to contribute there. They did a lot to fix the PK, so far with no success. But, its early.
- mohel

It is a free for all for the point men on the opposing PP.

This is like when Q went to the passive box and we just watched shots be peppered onto Crow from the point. Only difference is under Q the players blocked a few more of them.

Who in there right mind thinks its ok to let Brent Burns fire uncontested shots from the point?

Just stupid. Offense isn't the issue. Why would you flip Dcat and Kane? Bench Nylander after two games? Maybe coach the kid on how to play for 10-15 games and see if he gets it.

That top line of Nylander Toews Kane was bad b/c Toews is up to his usual slow start nonsense.

Nylander appears to have some high end skill and puck possession but he looks pretty weak out there. Another post mentioned he back checks real hard but then just stops and floats in the Dzone but he probably doesn't know what to do like everyone else on the team.
- bhawks2241

Are you in favor of dropping Nylander from the lineup or not? In the first sentence, you seem to be questioning the move, and in the last paragraph, you outlined all the reasons why he should be benched.

Or, IMO the most likely reason, he needs to prove to everyone that he is ready to play an NHL shift. He looked good in Traverse City. Positive step, but not proof of anything. He did not have really any training camp and is just now getting up to speed and practicing with the team. I wouldn't put him in until he was "more than ready".
- Chunk

Agree that he needs to be ready, but I think he'd already be back in Juniors if he hadn't shown in practice that he's good enough for the 9 game trial. The games will tell the tale, though.

[quote=pdx2ord]New Blackhawks lines today:

DeBrincat-Toews-Caggiula
Shaw-Strome-Kane
Saad-Kampf-Kubalik
Smith-Carpenter-Perlini

Didn't Perlini have most of his limited success last season playing with Strome and Debrincat?

D-pairs:

Keith-Murphy
Maatta-Seabrook
de Haan-Gustafsson
Koekkoek rotating in on that last pair too

I get they want him to earn it, but Perlini on that 4th line is a waste. Same as when AZ put Strome on the 4th. They are not built/wired for that kind of work.

I'm intrigued by Shaw-Strome-Kane. Unless it clicks like ADB-Toews-Kahun last year, that first line will get blown up quick.
- Chunk

Glad to see those pairs. Gus is a specialist only, imo. 3rd pair 5 on 5, big PP minutes, big minutes if behind late.

Just stupid. Offense isn't the issue. Why would you flip Dcat and Kane? Bench Nylander after two games? Maybe coach the kid on how to play for 10-15 games and see if he gets it.

That top line of Nylander Toews Kane was bad b/c Toews is up to his usual slow start nonsense.

Nylander appears to have some high end skill and puck possession but he looks pretty weak out there. Another post mentioned he back checks real hard but then just stops and floats in the Dzone but he probably doesn't know what to do like everyone else on the team.
- bhawks2241

Maybe they just want him to watch a few games, and to get Perlini in. A lot on the board say the team looks flat, maybe JC sees it the same way and is trying to shake things up, seems Strome/ADB and Toews/Kane familiarity is leading to complacency.

Just stupid. Offense isn't the issue. Why would you flip Dcat and Kane? Bench Nylander after two games? Maybe coach the kid on how to play for 10-15 games and see if he gets it.

That top line of Nylander Toews Kane was bad b/c Toews is up to his usual slow start nonsense.

Nylander appears to have some high end skill and puck possession but he looks pretty weak out there. Another post mentioned he back checks real hard but then just stops and floats in the Dzone but he probably doesn't know what to do like everyone else on the team.
- bhawks2241

This is an outstanding post

We need answers to the things you mentioned. Or as far as Nylander goes, he may need further instruction. I personally would like him to play 20 games Rockford practicing where to go, how to react through an entire shift. The initial backcheck then floating is not good enough.

D-pairs:

Keith-Murphy
Maatta-Seabrook
de Haan-Gustafsson
Koekkoek rotating in on that last pair too

I get they want him to earn it, but Perlini on that 4th line is a waste. Same as when AZ put Strome on the 4th. They are not built/wired for that kind of work.

I'm intrigued by Shaw-Strome-Kane. Unless it clicks like ADB-Toews-Kahun last year, that first line will get blown up quick.
- Chunk

Powers:

"De Haan could play tomorrow, according to Colliton. Said it was a positive to get him through the practice today."

Ideally, pairs listed above get the corresponding ice time. I wonder which one of the bottom pair KK was rotating with.

I agree. My point is that it seems a bit strange to say Kampf is bad and he's centering the line playing the best on the team. How can both really be true at once?
- mohel

Cause it just is! Ok Pal? Enough out of you already!

Cause it just is! Ok Pal? Enough out of you already!




- HawkintheD

Maybe Elbows can explain it to me! Anyway, what have you done with Paulie?

Maybe they just want him to watch a few games, and to get Perlini in. A lot on the board say the team looks flat, maybe JC sees it the same way and is trying to shake things up, seems Strome/ADB and Toews/Kane familiarity is leading to complacency.
- LAHawk

I don't have a problem with him sitting to learn but he wasn't the reason the top line stunk outside of a few Kane shifts.

The team isn't flat. They were pretty juiced up to start the game. The problem is the second half the game they couldn't get the puck out of their own end or sustain possession.

It isn't hard to become "flat" when you chase the puck the second half the game. I get tired watching them chase the puck around the D zone.

Also the same poop from last year is happening again. Two D back and neither takes the center of the ice and the opposing forward just splits them, waltz in and rips a shot on Crow.

I don't have a problem with him sitting to learn but he wasn't the reason the top line stunk outside of a few Kane shifts.

The team isn't flat. They were pretty juiced up to start the game. The problem is the second half the game they couldn't get the puck out of their own end or sustain possession.

It isn't hard to become "flat" when you chase the puck the second half the game. I get tired watching them chase the puck around the D zone.

Also the same poop from last year is happening again. Two D back and neither takes the center of the ice and the opposing forward just splits them, waltz in and rips a shot on Crow.
- bhawks2241

so have we burned 2 of Dach's 9 games...or is he formally on some type of IR list?

so have we burned 2 of Dach's 9 games...or is he formally on some type of IR list?
- glennjpawlak22

Hawks have burned 0 of Dach's games.

Unlike most people here it feels good knowing that I have the patience to wait another 20 games before I turn into an insufferably miserable clone of Arlington Rob.

Or - he is still feeling concussion effects, real or feared.
- StLBravesFan

Either way, I don't have a problem with it. In fact it might be a good thing in long run with him spending time with the coaching staff figuring out what he needs to work on.

Hawks have burned 0 of Dach's games.
- mohel

Can they have him up indefinitely before starting the 9-game trial?

Hawks have burned 0 of Dach's games.
- mohel

Foreshadowing?

Charlie Roumeliotis‏Verified account @CRoumeliotis · 2h2 hours ago

Kirby Dach is taking a few spins on the top line with Jonathan Toews, alternating with Caggiula and DeBrincat. #Blackhawks

Can they have him up indefinitely before starting the 9-game trial?
- tvetter

I believe they could, but I'd imagine they want him to play regularly at some point.

Was thinking about that and the backslide (to early last season) that we have seen...what has changed for JC and the team? They were lighting it up for the latter half of last season. The players seemed to be buying in and enjoying themselves, even if not successfully executing on D / PK.

Is Stan really letting JC have full control of line/pairing and playing time decisions? Nylander seems like the antithesis of a player that JC would like, but Stan has an obvious reason to give him a bigger role.

Is it the players being resigned to not winning the Cup (and if not that, why bother?) Mohel mentioned? That makes some sense.

I'd also say that, regardless of how they try to spin it, bringing in Marc Crawford was a vote of reduced confidence in JC by the FO. The players are not going to miss that. I do wonder how that dynamic is working behind the bench and in the room. Do the players have any question to whom they should be listening/responding? Wasn't he brought in for D and PK? What has he done (with Brookbank) to change those up?

When the camera pans the bench, Crawford is in JC's ear pretty regularly. Is the team seeing him challenge JC or telling him what to do regularly?

I know it's still very early, but those who were here for the Savvy-->Q swap may be expecting it to happen again.
- pdx2ord

The Crawford in Colliton ear remarks is worth to keep a running tab upon. Not a very smooth or proper grammaticly but you get the point i am making. I do not think players will ever revolt, maybe just not enthusiastic play the system how Collitom instructs. The bigger the star, the more the player COULD get away with. But players know they do not want to cross a line and have Bowman pissed off. So no i do not think Colliton would ever loose the room. And if Bowman manages to get rid of Gus and find a partner for Keith, the imperfect Colliton system will not be such a big deal.

And to be perfectly honest, Keith and Gus issues - ok, blunders in particular - would cause problems no matter whom the coach or system used.[url]