Unfortunately for us fans you're probably right about JC. I think Stan should be relieved first along with his coach if they keep losing. What bothers me is that they play a good decent period and that's it they coast the rest of the way. No Passion or drive to do the things needed to win and this disturbing trend has been a staple of this team for a while now.
- BGKarras

BGK, it is very frustrating to watch. The one thing I will say is that there is always another team on the ice. They could have just had a bad period or slow start, and turned it around in the second. I’ve never actually played hockey, but I don’t know how realistic it is to go full bore for 60 minutes in a game. Not everyone has Keith’s (young Keith at least) endurance.

Agree with your assessment, Karras. The obvious question is why is there no drive and passion? Does everyone on the roster feel as though their jobs are secured? That's crazy, if true. No matter their personal feelings, they should attempt to go balls out on every shift. The paying public has been getting stiffed in that department. You are spot on when you imply this isn't a new development.
- gabriel

Well said totally agree with you!

Well said totally agree with you!
- BGKarras

Not sure if anyone watched the intermission where Steve konroyd came out in between periods 1 and 2 and said Chicago just needs to sit back and coast to protect their lead?

On paper Chicago is much better talent wise than last year. However Chicago seems to be lacking any drive , intensity , consistency.

JC never seems upset and he comes across as not having any sense of urgency.
I dunno but maybe that lack of emotion isn't helpful in getting his teams attention .

BGK, it is very frustrating to watch. The one thing I will say is that there is always another team on the ice. They could have just had a bad period or slow start, and turned it around in the second. I’ve never actually played hockey, but I don’t know how realistic it is to go full bore for 60 minutes in a game. Not everyone has Keith’s (young Keith at least) endurance.
- Chunk

This team at times is very difficult to watch it's not a lot to ask for every player to go balls out every shift after all they are trained professional athletes that are well paid and taking care of. They have the same issues over and over again. Missed defensive assignments, bad penalties, always trying to make the cute play instead of the right one. Is it the Coaching staff and the systems they are trying to implement or the players one thing is for certain they better figure it out soon before they put themselves in a bigger hole and the season is lost I would like to see how Rocky and McD gonna address this imoving forward with the fan base

Not sure if anyone watched the intermission where Steve konroyd came out in between periods 1 and 2 and said Chicago just needs to sit back and coast to protect their lead?

On paper Chicago is much better talent wise than last year. However Chicago seems to be lacking any drive , intensity , consistency.

JC never seems upset and he comes across as not having any sense of urgency.
I dunno but maybe that lack of emotion isn't helpful in getting his teams attention .
- Taylorst1

Hey Taylor I did hear that how absurd to hear it from that dolt!

This team at times is very difficult to watch it's not a lot to ask for every player to go balls out every shift after all they are trained professional athletes that are well paid and taking care of. They have the same issues over and over again. Missed defensive assignments, bad penalties, always trying to make the cute play instead of the right one. Is it the Coaching staff and the systems they are trying to implement or the players one thing is for certain they better figure it out soon before they put themselves in a bigger hole and the season is lost I would like to see how Rocky and McD gonna address this imoving forward with the fan base
- BGKarras

Well said . Last year when they made the change normally you see a team respond however they didn't. Then it was one excuse after another.

I'm starting to think its the coach , JC came in with no true NHL head coaching experience. Reminds me of YEO who had some brief luck but in the end was awful.

Hey Taylor I did hear that how absurd to hear it from that dolt!
- BGKarras

I couldn't believe my own ears when I heard that. In any sport when a team is leading you never sit back and coast, you always keep attacking and still play smart.

Pathetic 2nd period. Guys look gassed again. 1 good 20 minutes is all they got ???? What the heck is going on ? Really starting to doubt Colliton if this continues.
- Hawkytalk

Why wouldn't you doubt the players? Our #1 center was ranked 19th in the league last month...

Unfortunately for us fans you're probably right about JC. I think Stan should be relieved first along with his coach if they keep losing. What bothers me is that they play a good decent period and that's it they coast the rest of the way. No Passion or drive to do the things needed to win and this disturbing trend has been a staple of this team for a while now.
- BGKarras

believe it or not they played that way during their cup years but turned it on during the the cup runs...

they were more than good enough though to get away with it...

hawks typically started strong in oct-dec built up a points cushon and then meandered their way the rest of the season...

they were very good flip the switch team because they were very good...not anymore...

I couldn't believe my own ears when I heard that. In any sport when a team is leading you never sit back and coast, you always keep attacking and still play smart.
- Taylorst1

what is so surprising about that it happens all the time in all sports..its tough to keep it going full throttle with a big leads

the Blackhawks looked flat in pre season. It has carried forward. I don't read into analytics, but had and still think this is not a quality 200 feet team overall. An aging, huge cap hit core; it's easy to see why independent experts rate this team and it's near future dim. Defence is weak but so are some forwards in our own end, that includes those two guys that had career years last year. We have no Hoss on this team

For those of you who care...

Just attended the Halifax vs Val d’Or game. This was the first Junior game I’ve ever attended, and as a ten-year Hawks season tix holder, I have to say that this was a lot of fun and solid entertainment value for your dollar.

Alex Gravel, Hawks prospect, was in goal for the Mooseheads - he gave up two goals but looked really good for the majority of play - particularly in killing a 5v3 penalty.

Another standout was Raphael Lavoie, 2019 2nd rd pick of the Oilers. Kid is 6’4”, moves very well for his size and has an impressive shot. He scored two goals, but more impressive was his play on the PK and in creating turnovers. It appears the Oilers got very good value by getting him in the 2nd round.

All-in-all, had a great time and will definitely be looking forward to attending another Junior game when the opportunity arises.

On paper, they replaced most of the AHL guys on the roster last year with low to middling level NHL players.

Shaw and Lehner are the above average talent additions. The problem is that they likely improve to losing more close games than getting blown out.

Dach’s own commentary suggests he isn’t comfortable with AHL tier play yet. Nylander is still very raw and a net liability. Perlini is....Perlini. No other top six forward talent visible yet in Rockford, and the young D prospects need more time in the oven. Like at least another year.

Maatta and DeHaan add some talent but not outcome shifting talent. On balance the defensive scheme is not better than last year. Still hordes of aggregate SOG against and perhaps even more HQ SOG given up.

One would have hoped from a fan perspective that things would look a lot better already.

BTW - Earth calling Captain Serious.....

I have optimism but it’s over a much longer arc. As in three years minimum. Because by then the dead weight and guys that are busts (including JC) will be gone, more cap space freed up, and bad performance will garner more talented prospects.
- Return of the Roar

Shaw is not an above average player on a cup team so if we don't have 6 forwards better than him it kind of tells you where we are.

This team at times is very difficult to watch it's not a lot to ask for every player to go balls out every shift after all they are trained professional athletes that are well paid and taking care of. They have the same issues over and over again. Missed defensive assignments, bad penalties, always trying to make the cute play instead of the right one. Is it the Coaching staff and the systems they are trying to implement or the players one thing is for certain they better figure it out soon before they put themselves in a bigger hole and the season is lost I would like to see how Rocky and McD gonna address this imoving forward with the fan base
- BGKarras

That’s why I prefaced it with I’ve never played. I don’t know how realistic it is to go 100% every shift.

One thing I will say is that the 3rd and 4th lines seem to carrying their weight. The 4th won’t be anything spectacular, but they did a good job of clearing the zone and not letting up a lot of scoring chances. Now if we could just get the first and second lines going.

Shaw is not an above average player on a cup team so if we don't have 6 forwards better than him it kind of tells you where we are.
- rpeters01

What do you base this statement on? Points? Defensive ability? Just trying to get a frame of reference.

That’s why I prefaced it with I’ve never played. I don’t know how realistic it is to go 100% every shift.

One thing I will say is that the 3rd and 4th lines seem to carrying their weight. The 4th won’t be anything spectacular, but they did a good job of clearing the zone and not letting up a lot of scoring chances. Now if we could just get the first and second lines going.
- Chunk

Not to harp on this, but does 100% at the beginning of the game look the same as 100% at the end of it?

At least they’re better than MIN. Here’s the record of the WC teams that missed the playoffs last season.

EDM 5-0-0
ANA 4-1-0
LAK 2-2-0
VAN 2-2-0
ARI 1-2-1
CHI 0-2-1
MIN 0-4-0

#CollitonSucks
- scottak

One Goal (means be better than Minnesota ...) - I can live with that - I always hated the North Stars ---so what if it is the Wild now...

I couldn't believe my own ears when I heard that. In any sport when a team is leading you never sit back and coast, you always keep attacking and still play smart.
- Taylorst1

Seriously I know man.....Kondolt must have been stoned...lol

believe it or not they played that way during their cup years but turned it on during the the cup runs...

they were more than good enough though to get away with it...

hawks typically started strong in oct-dec built up a points cushon and then meandered their way the rest of the season...

they were very good flip the switch team because they were very good...not anymore...
- bogiedoc

And you are very correct in what you stated. However this is not that team and we don't have the horses to do that anymore. Someone should wake these donkeys up its 2019

Don’t most (if not all) teams have a couple guys who are not really NHL ready, or could be upgraded significantly?

I agree with most of this, although I think the cumulative effect of adding de Haan and Maatta is/will be much greater than their individual contributions. Maatta and Seabrook is a very good, solid second pair. I honestly think if de Haan was paired with KK the D would have been even better.

The early results are very concerning, but I still think this team has more to give.
- Chunk

Good post. I have the same feeling especially what you wrote in the bolded part.

While Gustafsson does drive offense, his lack of defensive awareness and commitment makes the trade off really difficult to stomach.

If the team could find an offensively driven D-man who plays decent defense from the right side, then it does make for an overall stronger blueline. Something like:

Keith - Murphy
Maatta - Seabrook
de Haan - NEW
Koekkoek/Gilbert

I get what you are saying about Versteeg, but they can’t have all prospects on the team. They (apparently) need to have some vets on the team to help everyone along, or at least that is what we hear every year.
- Chunk

Veteran presence on the AAA team is critical. Versteeg could very well provide leadership. He definitely adds experience.

I guess my argument is that he's no longer top 6 caliber even for the minor league squad. Same goes for Nilsson.

The top 6 for the Hogs should be Sikura, Highmore, Kurashev, Hagel, Saarela, Quenneville, and Dach (at least for his 14-day assignment).

Good post. I have the same feeling especially what you wrote in the bolded part.

While Gustafsson does drive offense, his lack of defensive awareness and commitment makes the trade off really difficult to stomach.

If the team could find an offensively driven D-man who plays decent defense from the right side, then it does make for an overall stronger blueline. Something like:

Keith - Murphy
Maatta - Seabrook
de Haan - NEW
Koekkoek/Gilbert
- AEL_Fox

Ahhhh, the ever present NEW player! 😁Anyone other than who we currently have. I truly think that if Gus keeps playing the same for the next 3-5 games, his butt will be stapled to the bench. I know Colliton likes him, but he’s already demoted him for a player who is more defensively oriented (and it payed immediate dividends).

I know it would not be for a while, but from what I’ve seen personally and also read, I think Mitchell will be the next d-man to really make an impact. Not overly offensive, but he knows how, and his D is very good right now.

And you are very correct in what you stated. However this is not that team and we don't have the horses to do that anymore. Someone should wake these donkeys up its 2019
- BGKarras

BGKarras, this isn't aimed at you, I just have a general gripe about the "don't have the horses" argument that gets brought up time to time even when Q was still coach.

My take is that if the team doesn't have the right horses to do X, then stop doing X as the strategy and philosophy to compete. Change X to Y or Z or whatever.

Evolve the team based on player personnel, warts and all. Maximize the strengths and group players on F lines and D pairs who can cover for each others' deficiencies.

What do you base this statement on? Points? Defensive ability? Just trying to get a frame of reference.
- Chunk

Overall play he's bottom 6 on Pitt, Washington, Tampa, even Chicago we keep saying 3rd line.

Ahhhh, the ever present NEW player! 😁Anyone other than who we currently have. I truly think that if Gus keeps playing the same for the next 3-5 games, his butt will be stapled to the bench. I know Colliton likes him, but he’s already demoted him for a player who is more defensively oriented (and it payed immediate dividends).

I know it would not be for a while, but from what I’ve seen personally and also read, I think Mitchell will be the next d-man to really make an impact. Not overly offensive, but he knows how, and his D is very good right now.
- Chunk

I can see Mitchell being that guy plugged in to the "NEW" role. Boqvist would be nice and is closer to the NHL than Mitchell by virtue of being in the AHL versus NCAA.

However, is Boqvist an instant upgrade over Gustafsson this season? If not, just wait another year for Mitchell to finish up at Denver and/or Boqvist to develop more in Rockford.