Idk, I think I’d include Kubalik and Saad as legit top 6 guys. Keith still provides value to contract and is a number one on this team.

Kubalik has just the one season but he’s continued scoring as the game’s have gotten tighter.

I don’t see Keith going anywhere unless someone decides he’s the piece to have in the off-season and make the Hawks an unrefusable offer.

The off-season will be interesting as always. Maybe they make a somewhat significant trade. No room for UFA contracts and I think they are counting on:

Suter fitting in somewhere in the top 9 and producing somewhere between the likes of Kubalik and Kahun.

Mitchell competing for a spot on D.

Growth from within the current ranks and maybe a guy or two advancing from RFD.

I think on an earlier post from you, I don’t really have an issue with letting Boqvist collect his thought and regroup for a game. Hopefully they go right back to him.

At least they replaced him with another guy who possibly figures into the future with Carlsson vs say giving Seeler any minutes.
- HawkintheD

I like what you are laying down. Keith to me, has really stepped things up in the return to play. I feel like he is playing more like the Keith we remember than he has in the last couple seasons.

The amount of poop vegas got away with last night was ridiculous. Just to mention a few, elbow to Saad the slash that should have been a double minor and an obvious boarding penalty.
- Bhawks2585

That's playoff hockey since the beginning of time.

so this playoff this board has decided #50 is the big problem..he may not be his typical stud self but if you look at these numbers from Scott Power. You see defensively not much has changed about this team in the last 3 years. They give up way to much and the goalies have to stand on head to win...

"But what happened in overtime wasn’t a surprise to anyone who has watched enough of the Blackhawks this season. The Golden Knights had some sustained offensive possession, caught the Blackhawks out of position in the defensive zone and scored a relatively easy game-winning goal in front of the net.

It’s the type of goal that has played out often against the Blackhawks in recent years. The trend started under Joel Quenneville and has continued under Jeremy Colliton. Based on that, it’s difficult to say this is simply a system problem.
The reality is the Blackhawks probably aren’t going to be much more than they are now unless they figure out their issues defending the net in the coming years. They might be able to beat other offensive-minded teams like the Edmonton Oilers while running and gunning, but they’re going to struggle more often than not against teams like the Golden Knights.

For a number of years now, the Blackhawks have allowed way too many chances around the net.

>>the worst team this regular season giving up 12.91 high-danger chances per 60 minutes
>>the worst team last season at a rate of 13.66.
>>fourth-worst in 2017-2018 (12.09 chances),
ninth-worst in 2016-17 (10.67)
>>seventh-worst in 2015-16 (10.65).

so far this playoff
> a playoff-worst 14.55 high-danger chances against per 60 minutes in six games. >>Flames are the best team at 6.77.
>>70 total high-danger chances =11 high-danger goals.
The Oilers are the only team to give up more than the Blackhawks’ 2.29 high-danger goals against per 60 minutes in the playoffs.

G2: Three of the Golden Knights’ four goals were scored from high-danger chances.

the hawks are a pss poor defensive team and avg possession team (maybe)...not gonna win no matter who you have in goal...

JC: “They’re a good team, they make you work, and obviously we want to hold the slot a little bit longer if we’re not sure,” Colliton said when asked about the breakdowns. “They got some good chances out of that. For most of the game, we were pretty good. Third period, they generated a little bit more.”

A little bit more..WTF...knights had 17 scoring chances to the hawks 3 and craw stopped them all just to get OT...

Nor should have 12 other teams......but they are, and they are gaining an even better evaluation on many players they need so this ONLY helps their retool even better. Dach is a prime example......August Dach is so much better then Sept-March Dach that it makes Strome expendable. Couldn't have said that back in March. Dach added some muscle, and looks more confident, stronger, and is noticeable each shift.....likely even gets better before the 2021 season starts in December or January....

I just don't get this mindset. Take the gift that was this crazy covid tourney, hope the younger guys gain experience to help become more consistent NHL players, and enjoy.

I don't think anyone here expects them to win 16 more playoff games. I sure as hell don't. Could they? Sure....NHL has proven you can ride a hot goalie and go on a run. Numerous 8 seeds do it.

I said it yesterday....I expected them to win 2 games in this series....I also believed if they got A games from 2/19/50/88 they could pull the upset. THey win Saturday and this series still isn't over.

Im sorry.....everyone can shower Vegas with whatever accolades they want, but I don't see it. They are better then the Hawks. Their D isn't overly impressive, and Lehner was there for the taking last night. I will bet anyone here they aren't winning the cup. Not happening.
- SteveRain

Yeah, that said, it's still highly debatable was it worth 8 draft spots? I suspect the hockey people didn't need this to evaluate Strome, watch Dach grow, see Boqvist get his ass handed to him every night.

Yeah, that said, it's still highly debatable was it worth 8 draft spots? I suspect the hockey people didn't need this to evaluate Strome, watch Dach grow, see Boqvist get his ass handed to him every night.
- rpeters01

Is it guaranteed that who you pick at #9 is going to be (that much) better than #17?

Unless several of our forward prospects are ready to contribute in the middle 6 and play a solid 2 way game... then yes I think so.

Then again Smith and Shaw were supposed to be those pieces. Right now both are dead salary. Need to move out both those salaries and Maatta.
- bhawks2241

If he can play next year, and he says he's going to, Shaw checks a lot of boxes for the Hawks.

Jesus H. Christ

All people have been saying is Crawford had let in some weak goals.

Hes 35 and won 2 cups. No one (that I have read) had tarnished his legacy. Hes near/at the end of his career and did what no other Hawks goalies have done

He simply let in some bad goals - that cant happen - if you're a 12th seed, youngest team in the playoffs trying to beat a number 1 seed

Why is it sacrilegious to say he has given up bad goals in this series? I'm a big fan of his and can admit it.

Agreed. I think Dcat is a luxury and the Hawks don't have the cap space for that. If I am choosing between him and Kubalik. I am taking Kubalik everytime.
- bhawks2241

How is a still-very-young player who has scored 28 and 40 goals in a season a luxury?

Seems to me you want to figure out how to get him back to 30-40, rather than give up on him for just an 18.

Cam Morrison from ND (drafted in the second round by/40th overall by COL)...becomes a FA if not signed tomorrow

6'2 200lb LW...maybe a power winger

I wonder if the Hawks have picked the tires on the Notre Dame-r

I havent seen him play so I have no idea if he is any good. Not sure if anyone has or if Wiz has notes on him

Yeah, that said, it's still highly debatable was it worth 8 draft spots? I suspect the hockey people didn't need this to evaluate Strome, watch Dach grow, see Boqvist get his ass handed to him every night.
- rpeters01

But the players needed it.

Flash back to 2008-09 and go back and watch some of those losses throughout the run.

I can single handely remember Game 2 where they lost in OT where Kane literally quit skating on a back check and it led to goal against Khabibulin.

The younger players need to see what big boy hockey is, so they realize being good in in the regular season doesn't hold a candle to being in good in the playoffs. From an effort, attention to detail stand point.

Trial and error. It has to happen. The more games this team plays, the more these kids learn and if they still make the same dumb ass plays heading into next year....then you start booting guys off the island.

NOT every single prospect is going to hit. You know it, I know it, and teh Hawks are a helluva lot smarter then us posters here.

continueing with Scott Powers and the hawks defensive woes...so it must be all those young guys for the coughing up high danger chances...umm no.

>>Toews: Among players with at least 250 minutes in 5-on-5 ice time this season, Toews was on the ice for the eighth-most high-danger chances per 60 minutes at 14.31.

>>Seven other Blackhawks were among the 25 worst this season: Dennis Gilbert (14.39), Brent Seabrook (14.28), Adam Boqvist (14.28), Brandon Saad (13.96), Patrick Kane (13.78), Andrew Shaw (13.7) and Duncan Keith (13.53).

seabs, keith, toews, shaw, saad and kane are in among the 25 worst

Those are your big minutes guys accounting for 50% of the payroll....

Many continue to female dog about JC and his sytem: "Some fans want to say it’s Colliton’s system, but his system really isn’t anything unusual. Plenty of teams play similar man-to-man systems. It does come to executing that system, and the Blackhawks have struggled with that with their personnel. If players who are taking up major minutes now and are expected to in the future are on the ice for a bulk of the high-danger chances against, that’s a real problem for the organization.

Given the hawks commitment to the "aging core" expect more of the same next season and beyond

Cam Morrison from ND (drafted in the second round by/40th overall by COL)...becomes a FA if not signed tomorrow

6'2 200lb LW...maybe a power winger

I wonder if the Hawks have picked the tires on the Notre Dame-r

I havent seen him play so I have no idea if he is any good. Not sure if anyone has or if Wiz has notes on him
- PatShart

Hawks could use a power forward with that size but can he skate and what is the info on him.

Does Scott Powers say where an .890 save percentage lands in rankings?

Crawford is one of the big dollar guys, is he not? Can he be called out?

Idk, I think I’d include Kubalik and Saad as legit top 6 guys. Keith still provides value to contract and is a number one on this team.

Kubalik has just the one season but he’s continued scoring as the game’s have gotten tighter.

I don’t see Keith going anywhere unless someone decides he’s the piece to have in the off-season and make the Hawks an unrefusable offer.

The off-season will be interesting as always. Maybe they make a somewhat significant trade. No room for UFA contracts and I think they are counting on:

Suter fitting in somewhere in the top 9 and producing somewhere between the likes of Kubalik and Kahun.

Mitchell competing for a spot on D.

Growth from within the current ranks and maybe a guy or two advancing from RFD.

I think on an earlier post from you, I don’t really have an issue with letting Boqvist collect his thought and regroup for a game. Hopefully they go right back to him.

At least they replaced him with another guy who possibly figures into the future with Carlsson vs say giving Seeler any minutes.
- HawkintheD

As crazy as my posts my are.....I really enjoy this time watching young guys develop. Its fun. You see spurts when you say "poop.....if this guy figures it out watch out...."........

All we can compare to is the last decade's run. There was a game in STL where I saw Buff man handle guys on a line with Lang where you could see the potential. Same with Versteeg in Phoenix. You saw the flashes.

I think the reasoning in skating Kubalik with Saad and Toews is to teach him how to well round his game. I think that's coming. Guy has a PLUS NHL shot, and imagine if he limits the amounts of shots he toes, or flat out whiffs on. Jesus.

Keith seems energized. I know in the past he was anti teaching but seems to have found his groove there. Who better to learn from if you are boqvist? That's why while I despise Seabrooks cap hit, Mitchell paired with him would also be nice. Learn there.

When the window to win cups was open, I was very critical of prospects. I didn't mind some going to win NOW. In a retool, play them and let them develop. Two different scenarios....IMO...neither is a wrong mindset to have.

IF CC wants to sign a 1 year deal for say 3-4 AAV, split time with Delia, go right ahead.

I'll be shocked if this team is dead come Monday am. Most likely down 3-1, but I think it's more likely they are even, than swept.

so this playoff this board has decided #50 is the big problem..he may not be his typical stud self but if you look at these numbers from Scott Power. You see defensively not much has changed about this team in the last 3 years. They give up way to much and the goalies have to stand on head to win...

"But what happened in overtime wasn’t a surprise to anyone who has watched enough of the Blackhawks this season. The Golden Knights had some sustained offensive possession, caught the Blackhawks out of position in the defensive zone and scored a relatively easy game-winning goal in front of the net.

It’s the type of goal that has played out often against the Blackhawks in recent years. The trend started under Joel Quenneville and has continued under Jeremy Colliton. Based on that, it’s difficult to say this is simply a system problem.
The reality is the Blackhawks probably aren’t going to be much more than they are now unless they figure out their issues defending the net in the coming years. They might be able to beat other offensive-minded teams like the Edmonton Oilers while running and gunning, but they’re going to struggle more often than not against teams like the Golden Knights.

For a number of years now, the Blackhawks have allowed way too many chances around the net.

>>the worst team this regular season giving up 12.91 high-danger chances per 60 minutes
>>the worst team last season at a rate of 13.66.
>>fourth-worst in 2017-2018 (12.09 chances),
ninth-worst in 2016-17 (10.67)
>>seventh-worst in 2015-16 (10.65).

so far this playoff
> a playoff-worst 14.55 high-danger chances against per 60 minutes in six games. >>Flames are the best team at 6.77.
>>70 total high-danger chances =11 high-danger goals.
The Oilers are the only team to give up more than the Blackhawks’ 2.29 high-danger goals against per 60 minutes in the playoffs.

G2: Three of the Golden Knights’ four goals were scored from high-danger chances.

the hawks are a pss poor defensive team and avg possession team (maybe)...not gonna win no matter who you have in goal...

JC: “They’re a good team, they make you work, and obviously we want to hold the slot a little bit longer if we’re not sure,” Colliton said when asked about the breakdowns. “They got some good chances out of that. For most of the game, we were pretty good. Third period, they generated a little bit more.”

A little bit more..WTF...knights had 17 scoring chances to the hawks 3 and craw stopped them all just to get OT...
- bogiedoc

All I will say on 50 is this......

2/19/88/50/20....these guys have been through the wars of yester year. We have seen where they can be....We have seen this year CC rebound back to his "normal" self where he gave this team wins they had no business getting...Same with Lehner.

IMO....he's been average to below average in 5 of the 6 "play in/playoff" games. yes, he had covid....likely still doesn't have his stamina/legs under him. I get that.....but......that's no different then guys at F in years past skating with injuries and battling through them. Crawford has let him in some HORRID goals. Just awful. Like 2011 vs Phoenix bad. That's where/why I was disappointed because those to me seem mental. He stood on his head in the 3rd period last night, so you can't say it's 100% physical.

Those 5 guys are the key to this team winning games. We need them at their best. The other 4 have been on par with what they usually are in teh playoffs. Mistake here or there, but overall...very good.

So far to me....Crawford has been very average over the course of the playoffs and that's one of the MAIN reasons they are down 2-0 right now. Hes not THE or the SOLE reason, but he's large part why.

Vegas has won in spit of Lehner. I cant think of 1 stretch where he made a HUGE save.....he's gotten lucky with posts, whiffs in prime areas and his D getting a putrid hawks forecheck in and out of the zone quickly.

And you wonder why Kane looks disinterested at times. Makes you wonder if they knew beforehand that they would win 1 series only.
- powerenforcer

So the script writers at WWE also work for the NHL?

Does Scott Powers say where an .890 save percentage lands in rankings?

Crawford is one of the big dollar guys, is he not? Can he be called out?
- PatShart

Out of remaining teams....

Hes ahead of Binnington, and then backups in Halak, Fleury, and Bishop (whos split time)

Boylen out on the hardwood side of the UC.

So the script writers at WWE also work for the NHL?


- Rota's Rooter

Could be children or grand kids.......

Is it guaranteed that who you pick at #9 is going to be (that much) better than #17?
- LAHawk

Not if Ryan Pace is picking.

How is a still-very-young player who has scored 28 and 40 goals in a season a luxury?

Seems to me you want to figure out how to get him back to 30-40, rather than give up on him for just an 18.
- StLBravesFan

Cat nailed his 40 with a very bad team and then, as is always the case, the NHL coaches decided they were going to make him prove he is Rocket Richard 2. Which of course he isn't, he is a small player with a signature move of coming up the middle late in the O Zone with a laser beam shot. The only problem is the laser beam seems to be coming out of a pop gun now and rarely hits the target anymore. And with that development, ADB is no positive factor for the Hawks on any line JC puts him on.

At his new salary, the Hawks have no choice but to keep working with him because to move him out will just result in a bad contract coming back.

Does Scott Powers say where an .890 save percentage lands in rankings?

Crawford is one of the big dollar guys, is he not? Can he be called out?
- PatShart

Geez, hard to get on Crow with no camp and getting Covid19. That's harsh.

Cat nailed his 40 with a very bad team and then, as is always the case, the NHL coaches decided they were going to make him prove he is Rocket Richard 2. Which of course he isn't, he is a small player with a signature move of coming up the middle late in the O Zone with a laser beam shot. The only problem is the laser beam seems to be coming out of a pop gun now and rarely hits the target anymore. And with that development, ADB is no positive factor for the Hawks on any line JC puts him on.

At his new salary, the Hawks have no choice but to keep working with him because to move him out will just result in a bad contract coming back.
- RickJ

Yesssssssssssss!

What can the hawks get for Decrincat?
- Bhawks2585

4th round pick, maybe 3rd if the retain some salary.

Do you think Kubalik is a 5-6 mil player with the stagnant cap? He is a 30g guy but on a legit cup contender is he a top line player? No.

He probably is a 25-30g guy who doesn't bring much else. He really doesn't do any of the little things that help a team win.

Edit: I think the Hawks only have 2 legit top line players in Kane and Toews. They are really missing a legit top line power forward.
- bhawks2241

No, on the likes of Colorado and Vegas Kubalik would be a 4th liner, possibly a 3rd liner if there were injuries.