I’d add that our top 6 really couldn’t cycle the puck and keep possession. Kubalik is a nice secondary goal scorer but he didn’t show he’s capable of playing a heavy cycle game down low.

A lot of one and done in the ozone.
- bhawks2241

couldnt agree more, except they rarely got a SOG, they were completely out matched by LV. In my opinion, this was a great, eye opener for fans and mgmt to show just how far this team has to go to be competitive. LV just smothered the Hawks both in open space and especially on the boards. When ADB is your dump and chase 1st FWD in to 'go get the puck', we were in trouble - he was totally rag dolled all night

Post mortem coming this afternoon. Sorry for the delay... still waking up after that late game.

Chat soon, friends.

Is it to early to move Boquist? Before his value ranks even more?

Also, when does FA start? Did they ever give a date estimate?
- RedRevenge

Some time around Mid-October, about a week after the playoffs are scheduled to end.

Disagree. The Hammer who was traded wasn't the same guy he was in 2015. Bowman traded an aging vet for a younger player. Good deal then and good deal now.

How were the Hawks getting "a second player who panned out" in that deal? Thought it was a fair trade for both teams.

Like you said "worn down". Add Hammer back into the Core for these past two years and exactly what are they winning?
- HawkintheD

It was a good trade for us most will never admit it still living in the past.

I actually think what they do with Seabrook depends on what they think their future is with Saad. To me, you can't keep both players.
- Bjm84

I doubt either are going anywhere.

Agree about third pair, big difference between the 2 is, Boqvist has it between the ears of how to play defense he's just not strong enough, it took a while for Leddy, I'd say his 2nd 3rd year with the Isle where he actually figured things out in his own end. 7 years or so
- BetweenTheDots

Leddy was dumber than a box of rocks. But physically quite talented. One thing he did have that you really can't coach is he never played scared.

That project to be a top-six player? Hmmm.... that’s a tough question.
- Chief4Feathers

I resemble that remark!

LOL. And since the trade the Hawks could have had #4 all those seasons, granted as worn down as #2 and #7. Disagree on the great job by Stan - if the Hawks had also received a 2nd player who panned out, it would make up for the fact that we've had to wait for Murphy for three years to turn into a decent defenseman. Bad deal then, bad deal now.
- jrsamu

We can agree to disagree but you're wrong. I love doing that to my wife ☺️...

Leddy was dumber than a box of rocks. But physically quite talented. One thing he did have that you really can't coach is he never played scared.
- rpeters01

Leddy makes more than Keith.

This team is a tweener style wise. They do not have enough talent to run a legit possession style and they are way too soft to employ a heavy game. Add to that a HC who runs a D zone scheme that has yet to show any consistency or viability in the NHL game. Those are the questions that have to be answered. Its easier to find help to play a 200 foot grind game then the globe trotter style we used to have.

Maybe JC is the right guy, but with Wirtz bringing a new team president you would have to expect some changes. Huge decisions this off season. This is where you make the turn in the road. Or they can try and stay the course and be a 500 team then next few years. One last thing on JC.. as soon as I saw Quennville out there again? What in the he!!

One easy line combo for next year... Highmore, Hagel and Entwhistle. Pure energy mixed with some skill and edge. Good 4th line. Just let them work through the growing pains.

This team is a tweener style wise. They do not have enough talent to run a legit possession style and they are way too soft to employ a heavy game. Add to that a HC who runs a D zone scheme that has yet to show any consistency or viability in the NHL game. Those are the questions that have to be answered. Its easier to find help to play a 200 foot grind game then the globe trotter style we used to have.

Maybe JC is the right guy, but with Wirtz bringing a new team president you would have to expect some changes. Huge decisions this off season. This is where you make the turn in the road. Or they can try and stay the course and be a 500 team then next few years. One last thing on JC.. as soon as I saw Quennville out there again? What in the he!!

One easy line combo for next year... Highmore, Hagel and Entwhistle. Pure energy mixed with some skill and edge. Good 4th line. Just let them work through the growing pains.
- z1990z

the team was totally gassed in the 3rd period which resulted in just watching the play, lots of standing around.

Keith played like a 37 year old defense man with too many minutes played. NBCSN national showed him on the bench late in the third, looked like he was about to or was throwing up, and just looked gassed. First time ever that I have seen Keith show even a remote sense of being tired. I think the days of playing Keith 25+ minutes a game should be over. He played great in the Edmonton series, but I think the combination of the constant pounding he took from the Knights along with all the minutes he played in the 2 series really caught up with him.
- LAHawk

9 games in 17 days after a 4 month layoff and playing 25 mins + per night is too much, even for #2. A 27 year old Keith would have felt the load and pressure. And on top of that, he gets to be paired with a junior player who really would not have dressed for any other team in the playoffs. Thats an additional mental burden and I blame Bowman most for pushing a kid into the lineup well before he is ready.

Vegas did what good playoff teams are supposed to do - pound the opponent's defence. Gimmee a Radko Gudas for 12 minutes a night and Paccioretty and Stone would not have felt so entitled to rumble thru the Hawks D zone.

I hope the Knights play the Blues because Berube won't watch and tolerate some of the crap Paccioretty got away with. He"ll use Robert Bortuzzo to send that jerk for a complete mouthful of dental implants.

9 games in 17 days after a 4 month layoff and playing 25 mins + per night is too much, even for #2. A 27 year old Keith would have felt the load and pressure. And on top of that, he gets to be paired with a junior player who really would not have dressed for any other team in the playoffs. Thats an additional mental burden and I blame Bowman most for pushing a kid into the lineup well before he is ready.

Vegas did what good playoff teams are supposed to do - pound the opponent's defence. Gimmee a Radko Gudas for 12 minutes a night and Paccioretty and Stone would not have felt so entitled to rumble thru the Hawks D zone.

I hope the Knights play the Blues because Berube won't watch and tolerate some of the crap Paccioretty got away with. He"ll use Robert Bortuzzo to send that jerk for a complete mouthful of dental implants.
- RickJ

Glad you brought that up. I was pissed with how little the Hawks responded with Patch and his pure doosh-baggery out there.

Leddy makes more than Keith.
- LAHawk

Yeah but their contracts were signed about 10 years apart. Keith loves hockey because he's not doing it for the money these days.

Glad you brought that up. I was pissed with how little the Hawks responded with Patch and his pure doosh-baggery out there.
- z1990z

Who was going to responds for the Hawks other than maybe Murphy? Patch is very brave until somebody comes along to look after the school yard bully. The Blues Dmen won't put up with the crap he got away with against the Hawks.

Who was going to responds for the Hawks other than maybe Murphy? Patch is very brave until somebody comes along to look after the school yard bully. The Blues Dmen won't put up with the crap he got away with against the Hawks.
- RickJ

Kinda comes back to the point of this team and zero identity. The other night when Patch did the full blown stick chop on the Cat after the empty net goal... geezus. One would have thought the next game that Patch would have been in the cross hairs for some nice clean how are you body checks.

Wiz, what are your thoughts on Connor Zary and Dylan Holloway, would you take one of these guys at 17?

This team is a tweener style wise. They do not have enough talent to run a legit possession style and they are way too soft to employ a heavy game. Add to that a HC who runs a D zone scheme that has yet to show any consistency or viability in the NHL game. Those are the questions that have to be answered. Its easier to find help to play a 200 foot grind game then the globe trotter style we used to have.

Maybe JC is the right guy, but with Wirtz bringing a new team president you would have to expect some changes. Huge decisions this off season. This is where you make the turn in the road. Or they can try and stay the course and be a 500 team then next few years. One last thing on JC.. as soon as I saw Quennville out there again? What in the he!!

One easy line combo for next year... Highmore, Hagel and Entwhistle. Pure energy mixed with some skill and edge. Good 4th line. Just let them work through the growing pains.
- z1990z

This is not a defense of Colliton per se, but let's all keep some perspective here:

1) The Hawks were the youngest team left in the PO's, with a 19 and 20 year old playing major parts.
2) Our best D-man is 37 year old (although I will say Murphy played very well against Vegas).
3) Your starting goalie was just coming off of COVID quarantine.
4) They were going up against what is considered the most complete team in the West if not the league.

I'll question some of JC's decisions until next season, but none of his choices would have gotten them past Vegas. NONE. They were easily the better team and they showed it.

There is a lot of work to be done to get this team back where they need to be. I'm anxious to see what guys like Mitchell, Suter, and to a lesser degree, Morrison and Kalnyuk can bring to the table. Let's hope for some more growth next year so that they can become a "proper" playoff team.

This is not a defense of Colliton per se, but let's all keep some perspective here:

1) The Hawks were the youngest team left in the PO's, with a 19 and 20 year old playing major parts.
2) Our best D-man is 37 year old (although I will say Murphy played very well against Vegas).
3) Your starting goalie was just coming off of COVID quarantine.
4) They were going up against what is considered the most complete team in the West if not the league.

I'll question some of JC's decisions until next season, but none of his choices would have gotten them past Vegas. NONE. They were easily the better team and they showed it.

There is a lot of work to be done to get this team back where they need to be. I'm anxious to see what guys like Mitchell, Suter, and to a lesser degree, Morrison and Kalnyuk can bring to the table. Let's hope for some more growth next year so that they can become a "proper" playoff team.
- Chunk

the one JC move that I am still questioning is trotting out 47, especially at the end of the game - he was pretty much useless

Wiz, what are your thoughts on Connor Zary and Dylan Holloway, would you take one of these guys at 17?
- Angotti

Those are guys I've heard mentioned being there when the Hawks pick as well as Dawson Mercer and Rodion Amirov...so also wondering who Wiz thinks the Hawks should take.

Or could Stan package Nylander and Maata with our first to send to the Rangers for #1 overall. (not needed I hope but RF)

the one JC move that I am still questioning is trotting out 47, especially at the end of the game - he was pretty much useless
- glennjpawlak22

Considering the name of the game against Vegas is to actually come away with the puck in the corners, and Hagel (and even Sikura) have shown to be adept at doing so, I will continue to question the same thing. He said that 47 played a heavy game and had a good shot. Well, that doesn't do you any good if you are not in position to lay the body and never really take a shot.

Again, I'm not defending him really. I was just saying that you could have put Q, Lavi, Trotz, Scotty Bowman, or anyone else back there and you were not winning this series.

the team was totally gassed in the 3rd period which resulted in just watching the play, lots of standing around.
- glennjpawlak22

Chasing the puck will do that to you. Can't imagine how gassed the D-men are when they constantly have to chase guys up to the blue line then pass off to a forward and drop back down. Rinse and repeat.

This is not a defense of Colliton per se, but let's all keep some perspective here:

1) The Hawks were the youngest team left in the PO's, with a 19 and 20 year old playing major parts.
2) Our best D-man is 37 year old (although I will say Murphy played very well against Vegas).
3) Your starting goalie was just coming off of COVID quarantine.
4) They were going up against what is considered the most complete team in the West if not the league.

I'll question some of JC's decisions until next season, but none of his choices would have gotten them past Vegas. NONE. They were easily the better team and they showed it.

There is a lot of work to be done to get this team back where they need to be. I'm anxious to see what guys like Mitchell, Suter, and to a lesser degree, Morrison and Kalnyuk can bring to the table. Let's hope for some more growth next year so that they can become a "proper" playoff team.
- Chunk

Well JC is the coach and he knows how his roster is constructed... so why is he trying to implement a system that he doesn't have he personnel to play? Regardless of whether the system can work he doesn't have the right guys for it.

This is like his idea to play dump and chase the first 20 games or so. This team isn't built to play a heavy forecheck dump and chase style. A good coach adapts his system to maximize his players talents.

I have yet to JC make any kind of meaningful adjustment. He changed from the dump and chase style after outside pressure forced him to...

And I hate his press conferences where he talks about how the system works if executed properly.... 1) how the frank does he know that? and 2) sports are reactionary in nature you aren't in a bubble, you are always reacting and adjusting to what your opponent is throwing at you.

Half the time I think our D coverage on the PP looks better then 5 on 5!

Kinda comes back to the point of this team and zero identity. The other night when Patch did the full blown stick chop on the Cat after the empty net goal... geezus. One would have thought the next game that Patch would have been in the cross hairs for some nice clean how are you body checks.
- z1990z

When your "enforcer" is also your 1c/3c that is difficult to do.

The Hawks were at their best last night in the first.

1) The forwards were crashing at the net and putting pucks in play around the blue paint. We spent a lot of the series trying to gain the O-zone and Vegas just kept transitioning back on the Hawks when they failed to get setup on the attack.

2) Early in the game the D were more aggressively attacking the Vegas forwards at the Hawks blueline. With support from the forwards, they can do this and it worked well until our Dmen played more passive and started giving up the line more easily as the game progressed. It's been a theme over the last few seasons, the Hawks Dzone problems get a lot better when they defend their blueline. Big tendency to make it too easy for the attacking team to gain our zone.

The bottom 6 needs some work on winning battles, which was better also in the 1st period. The team had their feet moving to win races to the puck.