Preds and Blues are at 3 GA per game. The defensively challenged Hawks? 3 GA.

Meanwhile, the Hawks are last in the league in Goals scored, three fewer than the Devils.

This clearly indicates that JC's defensive system is the main problem.

I agree with your points. Just a Public Service Announcement- the Hawks have given up the 8th fewest goals in the league.
- mohel

In all fairness, I think Lehner has A LOT to do about that stat. To provide some clarity to my previous statement, I referred to them playing like trash by their inability to clear the puck out of their own zone effectively and quickly which is leading to more shots and scoring chances for opposing teams. They've got better players on the back end all around with the additions they've made. The system however is not helping and I hope is changed soon OR they need to unload the guys they have to clear cap space and bring up guys the can mold in the system they wanna play.

In all fairness, I think Lehner has A LOT to do about that stat. To provide some clarity to my previous statement, I referred to them playing like trash by their inability to clear the puck out of their own zone effectively and quickly which is leading to more shots and scoring chances for opposing teams. They've got better players on the back end all around with the additions they've made. The system however is not helping and I hope is changed soon OR they need to unload the guys they have to clear cap space and bring up guys the can mold in the system they wanna play.
- Savetheembers33

Yep. It is also fair to point out that the sample size is still very small.

Thye did not play the same system last year as it was more run and gun. Colliton did say that during camp he was going to implement the man on man more on d and so far Train wreck.
- dirt4949

Murphy, Maata, Seabrook (slow, slower, slowest), Keith (2019 version), de Haan, Gus (shudders) and a bunch of defensively challenged forwards- talk about pounding square pegs into round holes...The respectable goals against numbers are more a result of Lehner's Vezina caliber goaltending than good team defense, IMO.

Preds and Blues are at 3 GA per game. The defensively challenged Hawks? 3 GA.

Meanwhile, the Hawks are last in the league in Goals scored, three fewer than the Devils.

This clearly indicates that JC's defensive system is the main problem.
- mohel

I think its a fair point to make that the Hawks forwards are more to blame for the lack of success of this team than anything. Poor passing has led to too many opportunities for opposing teams. Not enough shots on goal. Seems like they can't control the puck for more that 5 to 10 seconds at a time before it gets turned over.

JC needs to pick his lines and stick with them for like five games and let the guys build some chemistry and consistency together.

I agree with your points. Just a Public Service Announcement- the Hawks have given up the 8th fewest goals in the league.
- mohel

They're still given up too many quality chances IMO. How many great saves has Lehner made in recent games.

Hawks are at bottom of the league in goals scored. In fact the bottom 7 teams in goals scored are near the bottom of the standings.... Hawks, Devils, Senators, Wings, Wild, Blue Jackets, Stars. Hawks got to get the offense clicking.

Preds and Blues are at 3 GA per game. The defensively challenged Hawks? 3 GA.

Meanwhile, the Hawks are last in the league in Goals scored, three fewer than the Devils.

This clearly indicates that JC's defensive system is the main problem.
- mohel

If you sort this by most average shots against,, it does appear it is a goal scoring problem more so than a defensive problem so far this year.

https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/statistics#/team-stats

Yep. It is also fair to point out that the sample size is still very small.
- mohel

Very true. We're all obviously very reactionary when it comes to the results. Their play as of now does not mean that this is how the team is gonna play the rest of the year. It's not a good sign considering the factors we all discussed all offseason including a seven game home stand that they finished under .500 and the star players aren't playing well. They need to get a spark somehow to get them going. Otherwise most of the Core guys need to go so they can try and start new.

If Gus and Bovquist are both dressed, guess who's power play time probably gets reduced (DK).
- LAHawk

Good!! however, I don't want 27 and 56 playing at the same time.

I think its a fair point to make that the Hawks forwards are more to blame for the lack of success of this team than anything. Poor passing has led to too many opportunities for opposing teams. Not enough shots on goal. Seems like they can't control the puck for more that 5 to 10 seconds at a time before it gets turned over.

JC needs to pick his lines and stick with them for like five games and let the guys build some chemistry and consistency together.
- Savetheembers33

Well asking P. Kane to play dump and chase is the dumbest thing I've heard all week... including the nonsense that comes from my own mouth.

As he should! But is it wise to take a chance with their development to sell a few tickets now?
- paulr

They are selling "hope" make no mistake. They are showing you what could be in a few years as they let these kids learn at the big level (I don't agree with it but Im not in hockey operations for THE Chicago Blackhawks)

My main issue with this team since Nashville took them to woodshed in the 2017 playoffs is pick a lane......Either you have a core that you can still win with NOW and you put pieces around them to succeed OR you trade guys now you can sow the rewards of and speed up the time you are done.

IMO, the Hawks will never do it....but you have 2 generation of fans who witnessed the Hawks walk from Hull and then watch them clam up when it was time to pay Belfour and Roenick…...I would bet money this team is scared poopless NOT to go down that same path and deal off their core players NOW until the public perception is favorable to do so.

I'll say it again....McDonough used Sosa to fill Wrigley for years and once it became apparent he could out underneath him he released the infamous security footage at the end of 2004 and Sosa was traded shortly after to Baltimore.

Look to the marketing campaign of faces you see and more importantly faces you don't see.....the ones you don't they can trade in a whim.

PREDICTIONS:
1 They dont' fire Bowman or Colliton regardless of expectations were at seasons beginning.
2. They don't trade anyone worth much 2/7/19/20/50/88 during the season UNLESS said players goes Perlini and asks for it.
3. They will be a lottery team

Im perfectly ok with playing young guys but if they are brought up here they better play every night.

Biggest mistake i felt the Hawks made vs Preds was the forwards not skating back to the pass/puck, standing along the boards and the Preds did a great job of anticipating the pass coming around the boards and intercepting it over and over and over again.
- BetweenTheDots

Lavvy and Trotz are two guys who have the hawks tendencies pegged and have for years now. Years ago it just didn't matter as the hawks were too good and came out on top eventually. The last few years, not so much as we have seen. It's a problem.

Preds and Blues are at 3 GA per game. The defensively challenged Hawks? 3 GA.

Meanwhile, the Hawks are last in the league in Goals scored, three fewer than the Devils.

This clearly indicates that JC's defensive system is the main problem.
- mohel

What about total scoring chances against for those teams plus the Hawks? I will bet Hawks have given up a LOT more and maybe, just maybe, have better overall goaltending that has enabled them to survive and have the numbers skewed?

Hawks should have given up at least 8 on Tuesday. They lost but that display by Lehner trumps Emery in Calgary in 2013.

They are selling "hope" make no mistake. They are showing you what could be in a few years as they let these kids learn at the big level (I don't agree with it but Im not in hockey operations for THE Chicago Blackhawks)

My main issue with this team since Nashville took them to woodshed in the 2017 playoffs is pick a lane......Either you have a core that you can still win with NOW and you put pieces around them to succeed OR you trade guys now you can sow the rewards of and speed up the time you are done.

IMO, the Hawks will never do it....but you have 2 generation of fans who witnessed the Hawks walk from Hull and then watch them clam up when it was time to pay Belfour and Roenick…...I would bet money this team is scared poopless NOT to go down that same path and deal off their core players NOW until the public perception is favorable to do so.

I'll say it again....McDonough used Sosa to fill Wrigley for years and once it became apparent he could out underneath him he released the infamous security footage at the end of 2004 and Sosa was traded shortly after to Baltimore.

Look to the marketing campaign of faces you see and more importantly faces you don't see.....the ones you don't they can trade in a whim.

PREDICTIONS:
1 They dont' fire Bowman or Colliton regardless of expectations were at seasons beginning.
2. They don't trade anyone worth much 2/7/19/20/50/88 during the season UNLESS said players goes Perlini and asks for it.
3. They will be a lottery team

Im perfectly ok with playing young guys but if they are brought up here they better play every night.
- SteveRain

Good post Rainer. Your first line is right on.

I will say this as well in support of Boqvist, I know it is the AHL and not NHL, but he is a +1 playing for an Ice Hogs team that is not very good at all to begin the season.

Murphy, Maata, Seabrook (slow, slower, slowest), Keith (2019 version), de Haan, Gus (shudders) and a bunch of defensively challenged forwards- talk about pounding square pegs in round holes...The respectable goals against numbers are more a result of Lehner's Vezina caliber goaltending than good team defense, IMO.
- Davewn

Great response. 100% agreed.

Did you catch Lehner's quote about this year's team and learning the style he needs to play to adapt to it? He mentioned playing in Buffalo and always having 2 on 1s against.....

This guy is going to lose his damn mind and be palms up way too often. Especially in a contract year when he wants the big pay day.

Good post Rainer. Your first line is right on.
- 6628

Thanks and hope you are well.

You think JC is legit NHL coach or saddled with turds that he can't show what he could truly do with the right players OR some where in between?

They are selling "hope" make no mistake. They are showing you what could be in a few years as they let these kids learn at the big level (I don't agree with it but Im not in hockey operations for THE Chicago Blackhawks)

My main issue with this team since Nashville took them to woodshed in the 2017 playoffs is pick a lane......Either you have a core that you can still win with NOW and you put pieces around them to succeed OR you trade guys now you can sow the rewards of and speed up the time you are done.

IMO, the Hawks will never do it....but you have 2 generation of fans who witnessed the Hawks walk from Hull and then watch them clam up when it was time to pay Belfour and Roenick…...I would bet money this team is scared poopless NOT to go down that same path and deal off their core players NOW until the public perception is favorable to do so.

I'll say it again....McDonough used Sosa to fill Wrigley for years and once it became apparent he could out underneath him he released the infamous security footage at the end of 2004 and Sosa was traded shortly after to Baltimore.

Look to the marketing campaign of faces you see and more importantly faces you don't see.....the ones you don't they can trade in a whim.

PREDICTIONS:
1 They dont' fire Bowman or Colliton regardless of expectations were at seasons beginning.
2. They don't trade anyone worth much 2/7/19/20/50/88 during the season UNLESS said players goes Perlini and asks for it.
3. They will be a lottery team

Im perfectly ok with playing young guys but if they are brought up here they better play every night.
- SteveRain

I think Real hockey fans want to see development not hope. That said it is a business and it is McD's job to sell tickets. One shortfall of Capitalism is it can be shortsighted to make a quick buck instead of thinking long term to make more bucks. I think it's better to spend time and money on R&D (aka development) and sacrifice the short term to give the team a better chance long term.

Thanks and hope you are well.

You think JC is legit NHL coach or saddled with turds that he can't show what he could truly do with the right players OR some where in between?
- SteveRain

Show me a good coach, I'll show you a good team. I'm not sure JC can be judged with this team who are very weak on the back end and where the best forwards on the team are on the downsides of their careers.

The Florida Panthers, with a certain mustachioed legend behind the bench, have given up 15 more goals, in two more games.

Maybe the talented Panthersare struggling with the new system?
- mohel

FLA on pace for 101. points, and ahead of TB and TOR.

I don't care if the Hawks win every game 8-7 or 2-1, as long as the win the f'ing games.

He did... and it was delicious.
- Tyler Cameron

Red or Golden?

Per Kelly in that pod above, it's not that the JC system can't work in the NHL. It's that the system has not been designed to exploit the skills we DO have and minimize deficiencies. Maybe it is the best system for the bottom 6, but it's not designed to get best production out of Kane, Toews, DBC.

His emphasis was that JC and coaching team need to design some kind of possession/dump and chase hybrid.
- pdx2ord

Yeah, this makes sense to me and, of course, it's idiotic to have Kane dumping and chasing. Certainly a hybrid system is necessary here, but I have no understanding why it would be only one or the other. Favor carries into the zone and dump it if the carry isn't there.

It's equally bad to try to force carries into the zone. Anyone else remember under Q when teams would stack the blue line / neutral zone and the Hawks would continue to try to skate through and fail over and over? I specifically remember the Hawks being virtually powerless to cleanly enter the zone on the powerplay vs the Red Wings. Opposite problem, but equally as frustrating.

If JC really is trying to force Kane to play dump and chase, this reeks of someone who is not secure in their position and is trying to be a hard ass to "show them who is boss."

Thanks and hope you are well.

You think JC is legit NHL coach or saddled with turds that he can't show what he could truly do with the right players OR some where in between?
- SteveRain

Hey Rain Man,
I know what the problem is: Dunc's custom Bauer skate order was messed up again this year and it's thrown him and whole team for a loop!

Though you didn't ask me, I'll give you my 2 centavos on Colliton.
Not a legit NHL coach.
Evidence: Barry Trotz leading an Islanders team that had just lost Tavares and never replaced him with any equivalent talent. Took a team that played horrendous defense and molded them into the top GA/Jennings trophy team, got them into the playoffs and past the 1st round.

Trotz loses Lehner to the Hawks in FA, Isles sign the wife-beater and they are still amongst the top GA teams again this year. Look at their record thus far. Appears they will make the playoffs again based on early season results. How far they go will be the question but it's clear to me that Colliton does not have the respect, the attention and the capability to do the same here. Again, IMO.

FLA on pace for 101. points, and ahead of TB and TOR.

I don't care if the Hawks win every game 8-7 or 2-1, as long as the win the f'ing games.
- scottak

Last season, in a much longer stretch than the Panthers have played so far this year, the Hawks also played at or near a 100 point pace. They were out-scoring teams while playing crap defense. This board pooh-poohed that stretch - saying it was a mirage because they gave up too many goals. Were you one of them?

Preds and Blues are at 3 GA per game. The defensively challenged Hawks? 3 GA.

Meanwhile, the Hawks are last in the league in Goals scored, three fewer than the Devils.

This clearly indicates that JC's defensive system is the main problem.
- mohel

How much of that is due to very good play (at least 5x5) by Lehner and Crawford?

Where do the Hawks stand on SOG against, SC against, HDSC against - certainly, on the PK?