Jammer out 3 months with a broken fibula blocking a shot.

Jammer out 3 months with a broken fibula blocking a shot.
- LAHawk

Ouch

Hawks defense was much better last game compared to the 1st 2, so I'm okay with CC starting with 5 NHL dmen
- BetweenTheDots

I agree with that . But I'd also mention Lehner played great as well to give Chicago a chance , that of which Crawford hasn't done respectfully.

Also cat with toews and drake? The earlier poster was correct cat looks lost and toews hasn't shown up yet to play . Toews has no excuses he was paired with Kane and we haven't seen any results.

Nylander I'm not ready to give up on him just yet, that kid has a ton of skill and he is the type of player that needs the puck , like Kane to dictate the play.

Remember Kane in his early years he was rough or mia when it came to playing defense over time that was corrected.

Gus needs to ride the pine

Jammer out 3 months with a broken fibula blocking a shot.
- LAHawk

Get well soon, Hammer!

Get well soon, Hammer!
- 35Tony0

I guess Vikings can be hurt in extreme circumstances. Best of luck to one tough SOB.

Switch Kubalik and Kane and I can go for this.
- LAHawk

Kubilak and Saad have been showing good chemistry together. Why not just keep them together?

Really would like

Saad-Toews- Kubilak
Debrincat- Strome-Kane
Caggulia-Shaw-Nylander/Perlini/Dach
***Figure out this third line but keep the other 3 lines "as is"
Wedin-Kampf-Carpenter

This is smelling a lot like they are not playing to win, playing to develop

Im okay with Nylander or Perlini playing 4th line minutes the message is you have to play defense on this team and be responsible with the puck.

Cat signed his contract but Strome did not? Cat and Strome separated hmmm

Murphy and Keith paired again

Gus? With de Haan again, is JC still going to try to make Gus something he's not?
- BetweenTheDots

Short of a call up/demotion what else do they do?

We've seen that Keith with Gus doesn't work.

Maata with Seabrook seems to be their most reliable and steady pairing. I wouldn't want that pair split.

You want de Haan in so almost by default he's stuck with Gus.

de Haan with Murphy would be nice but then you're back to square one.

Kubilak and Saad have been showing good chemistry together. Why not just keep them together?
- PatShart

Because Saad, Shaw and Kane has been dynamic as a line also, I also don't see ADB, Strome, Kane mesh.

Based on same logic that is keeping two 5x5 scoreless lines together and putting in statistically (so far this year) worse goalie in against hottest team in NHL?

I really don't get what is happening this year. Trying to keep open mind and was always in the JC camp, but I'm scratching my head at the chaos.
- pdx2ord

I also was in the JC camp and like you am trying to keep an
open mind, but it's mighty frustrating to see what is going.

It's head v tails for how this will work out

Because Saad, Shaw and Kane has been dynamic as a line also, I also don't see ADB, Strome, Kane mesh.
- LAHawk

I think those 3 meshed under Q...because he would use that line together to get favorable matchups in a playoff series. JC doesnt match lines so I could see that being an issue

I dont think Shaw should be a C, actually- even though I put him as that in my preferred lines. I think as they are just rolling lines out there, that was as best makeshift of the leftovers until they actually get a 3rd line center

Debrincat was lost playing with Toews

The lines should be -
Debrincat-Strome-Kane
Caggulia-Toews-Nylander/Perlini
*Let either Perlini/Nylander play the full game the next 2-3 games until Dach is healthy then put him on this RW
Saad-Shaw-Kubilak
Wedin-Kampf-Carpenter

Wedin has speed and can kill penalties. Smith us useless and should be waived
- PatShart

To be fair everyone so far seems to be lost playing with Toews....

To be fair everyone so far seems to be lost playing with Toews....
- bhawks2241

"Captain Buyout"

Hawks defense was much better last game compared to the 1st 2, so I'm okay with CC starting with 5 NHL dmen
- BetweenTheDots

But was it?

They were still a disorganized mess.

A lot of comments on line combinations. Doesn't really matter if dudes aren't skating around with a whole lot of purpose. They were bad at times with Q but at least they looked organized even if the talent pool was bad.

If the goaltending gets hot while Kane rides a point streak they'll win some games. Otherwise, they'll continue to look like a bad daytime soap that you just cant stop watching.

I don't think going balls out for 82 games is practical. But looking organized and like they know what they're doing is not at all an unreasonable ask.

It is pretty hilarious how much of a poopshow it is again. Even with "training camp" and the "new defensive guys" it is still a mess.

Not having the lads playing like a team is kind of on the coach. Wonder at what point in time the Mark Crawford experience happens.
- fattybeef

I agree it cannot be sustained for the entire season however play like you have a clue instead of running around like chickens with no head on. If they keep slipping and sliding losing games especially when you have an extended home stand a coaching change may come sooner than we all expected. It seems like no one is holding the players accountable for their mental mistakes that we all see every game for the last couple of years.

Looks like Crawford is starting. I would have gone with Lehner.
- DarthKane

Same here!

Looking at Monday, what is happening to the once lowly Oilers? 5-0 to start and 3-0 on the road. Are they truly that good, or have the hockey gods given them a few assists to get them off to a perfect start? Haven't watched them yet. Outside of McDavid, what is going on?
- gabriel

They had the #1 pick in the draft like 12 years in a row so it was only a matter of time....

To be fair everyone so far seems to be lost playing with Toews....
- bhawks2241

He is back to avoiding contact. Watch him in isolation tonight.

He may go to the boards to retrieve a dump in, but he immediately either throws it up the boards to the wing (sometimes without looking, often when the wing is double teamed), or loses possession rather than fighting for the puck or going to the net if he wins it.

When he is not on the boards doing that he just floats in the slot.

Not the same player by any stretch. Still good, but likely no longer great.

Without a legit grinder on that line, they will struggle to score unless Kane gets a gift turnover or they get an odd man fast break.

He is back to avoiding contact. Watch him in isolation tonight.

He may go to the boards to retrieve a dump in, but he immediately either throws it up the boards to the wing (sometimes without looking, often when the wing is double teamed), or loses possession rather than fighting for the puck or going to the net if he wins it.

When he is not on the boards doing that he just floats in the slot.

Not the same player by any stretch. Still good, but likely no longer great.

Without a legit grinder on that line, they will struggle to score unless Kane gets a gift turnover or they get an odd man fast break.
- Return of the Roar

Part of what made him so great was that he had higher end skill and simply worked harder then every other guy on the ice too. He maximized his talent.

He just doesn't do that consistently any more. 3 cups, millions of dollars, and finding other causes in life he is passionate about. I just don't think he has the same edge to him anymore. That compete level may be there at times but you can just see it in his play.

Jammer out 3 months with a broken fibula blocking a shot.
- LAHawk

At least we don’t have to worry about any Blackhawk forward breaking his fibula while blocking a shot. My positive for the day.

#CollitonSucks

But was it?

They were still a disorganized mess.

A lot of comments on line combinations. Doesn't really matter if dudes aren't skating around with a whole lot of purpose. They were bad at times with Q but at least they looked organized even if the talent pool was bad.

If the goaltending gets hot while Kane rides a point streak they'll win some games. Otherwise, they'll continue to look like a bad daytime soap that you just cant stop watching.
- fattybeef

Root cause of the problem is allowing too many SOG against. Averaging 35 per game over first three.

It will never matter who the goalie is in the current state.

Unsustainable. The new system and new acquisitions were supposed to fix that. Not working.

Root cause of the problem is allowing too many SOG against. Averaging 35 per game over first three.

It will never matter who the goalie is in the current state.

Unsustainable. The new system and new acquisitions were supposed to fix that. Not working.
- Return of the Roar

It's not just the number of SOG - it's the "relativity".

Through a "small sample size" 3 games, 5X5 (naturalstattrick):

CF% - 42.9%
SF% - 46.9%
SC% - 39.7% - tells me that more of Chicago's SOGs are from the perimeter
HDCF% - 38.9%
SV% - 92.9% - good for 8th in the league - goalies are keeping them in games
SH% - 6.7% - bad for 24th in the league - again, perimeter shooting, too many shots not in prime scoring areas.

They had the #1 pick in the draft like 12 years in a row so it was only a matter of time....
- Blackwater13

If this means we are to assume many '#1 picks are playing BETTER this season, i doubt that is why they are off to a great start. Has D Nurse been much improved? Doubtful. Has McDavid and Draisalti been that much better. Probably not

I bet you made an assumption and cannot support it. I do not know what the explanation is for the great start. I might look at the Edm blog later today. I will peruse this blog and maybe you or someone else can provide an explanation for their strong start. One part of the answer might be coaching change; another is Klefbom playing extremely well?

ALSO: Raanta returned from over one year injury time off in his start Saturday. Always have rooted for him. Q never gave him much time in net. Speaking about Q, he has a strong line up maybe not good enough on defense. I want to zee uf Florida finishes much above .500. They have a good goaltender so let us see what Q and Tallon can do to bring them even to a playoff berth.

Follow Icehogs by checking AHL site this afternoon. See what Dach and Boqvist do. Beaudin
was '#1 star in lloss Saturday

Short of a call up/demotion what else do they do?

We've seen that Keith with Gus doesn't work.

Maata with Seabrook seems to be their most reliable and steady pairing. I wouldn't want that pair split.

You want de Haan in so almost by default he's stuck with Gus.

de Haan with Murphy would be nice but then you're back to square one.
- Rota's Rooter

I agree, Whoever is with Gus looks bad, we obviously can see this. Im not questioning JCs system but consciously having Gus start a defensive zone draw in the 3rd period is horrible coaching. deHaan will realize Gus and the forwards will evacuate the front of their own net as soon as the puck is skated or passed away from it.

To be fair everyone so far seems to be lost playing with Toews....
- bhawks2241

Except Caggiula

If this means we are to assume many '#1 picks are playing BETTER this season, i doubt that is why they are off to a great start. Has D Nurse been much improved? Doubtful. Has McDavid and Draisalti been that much better. Probably not

I bet you made an assumption and cannot support it. I do not know what the explanation is for the great start. I might look at the Edm blog later today. I will peruse this blog and maybe you or someone else can provide an explanation for their strong start. One part of the answer might be coaching change; another is Klefbom playing extremely well?

ALSO: Raanta returned from over one year injury time off in his start Saturday. Always have rooted for him. Q never gave him much time in net. Speaking about Q, he has a strong line up maybe not good enough on defense. I want to zee uf Florida finishes much above .500. They have a good goaltender so let us see what Q and Tallon can do to bring them even to a playoff berth.

Follow Icehogs by checking AHL site this afternoon. See what Dach and Boqvist do. Beaudin
was '#1 star in lloss Saturday
- jhawk59

Mc David and Drisaitill 1,2 in scoring. James Neal 7 goals in 5 games, they are giving up an average of .5 goals against less so far this year.