I see everyone's perspective, and you're not wrong. But at some point the club needs the young guys to step up and take command of the team while Toews and Keith move to a supporting role. The Hawks needs to see what they have in certain players and how they perform in pivotal situations. I think these playoffs were a good opportunity for that. They were all unexpected/bonus games anyway, why not try? I know we all want the Hawks to win, but the young guys need this experience.
- DarthKane

Good point, Darth.

I think that's more palatable as long as the entire team knows in advance that this is the strategy.

But if it was a decision made in the moment, then I could see a lot of WTF expressions from the veterans and the youngsters.

Maybe even from Marc Crawford.

I see everyone's perspective, and you're not wrong. But at some point the club needs the young guys to step up and take command of the team while Toews and Keith move to a supporting role. The Hawks needs to see what they have in certain players and how they perform in pivotal situations. I think these playoffs were a good opportunity for that. They were all unexpected/bonus games anyway, why not try? I know we all want the Hawks to win, but the young guys need this experience.
- DarthKane

Then why not just play Beaudin, Boqvist, and Carlsson the entire playoffs? Why put Toews and Saad on the PK? Make Highmore and Dach your 1st PK unit.

Why play Ryan Carpenter over Hagel? Why have Toews and Kane on PP 1? Why have Keith on PP1?

Why send Toews out on the PK in the 3rd period of game three?

Unless Toews was hurt he needed to be on the ice. There is no excuse for not calling the timeout.

Carlsson and Kalynuk have reputations of being able to get shots through. Not sure about Boqvist, though, despite having one of the more lethal shots.

During his freshman yeat at Denver, Mitchell had the same issue as Keith by constantly being thwarted with his point shots but has since then improved for it not to be a problem anymore.
- AEL_Fox

Maybe Mitchell can work with Keith this summer on his point shots

Isnt Boqvist known for his ability to get shots through?
- just69sayin

ya, but he is a rookie and having a tough game and it is crunch time. He was cautious and would pass that opportunity up instead of taking a chance a make something happen or take a hit to make a play. He was timid and playing it safe, concussions and confidence level has something to do with that.

He also didn't use his timeout.... not sure there is a good reason for that one.
- bhawks2241

Isn't that also why Marc Crawford is supposed to be there for? He is quite experienced running an NHL bench. Do you think Crawford said something and JC ignored him? Or did Crawford not say something which is shame on him also.

I see everyone's perspective, and you're not wrong. But at some point the club needs the young guys to step up and take command of the team while Toews and Keith move to a supporting role. The Hawks needs to see what they have in certain players and how they perform in pivotal situations. I think these playoffs were a good opportunity for that. They were all unexpected/bonus games anyway, why not try? I know we all want the Hawks to win, but the young guys need this experience.
- DarthKane

Ya, during the season or during the game, but not in the last minutes of a elimination game.

That hawks team was super flawed and they didn't have the horses to keep up for 60 minutes. That happens. At least they had the opportunities and were in those games.

This team isn't that much less talented than Columbus. Other than Seth Jones being a monster the Hawks are probably a deeper team. But Columbus was organized, played hard and played as a team even though they were out classed. They had the run of play but weren't able to close out games 4 or 5. They made adjustments and have something to build on.

The Hawks got smoked, didn't make any tactical adjustments aside from superficial line up changes and other than Crow they were embarrassingly bad. The kids looked scared and the veterans looked pissed. Lot of that starts with the guy behind the bench
- fattybeef

We disagree on an important aspect here. I say that Hawks team was flawed, but this Hawks team is more flawed. You disagree with that. I say there is much more potential on this team, but it is not yet realized potential.

You say they had opportunities. They carried the play (looking mostly at shots) in game 1 after surrendering the lead. And in Game 4 after being down. Outside of that, they got manhandled. https://www.naturalstattr...team=CHI&team2=All&rate=n

Take a look at the gameflows for each one. It's not a pretty picture. They got abused in that series with what I call a better team than they have now (and had a better coach).

Correct me if I am wrong, but you said that wins/losses are not the issue here. It is how they played, and that Colliton is mostly responsible for the lack of success in that area. I submit that yes, Colliton did have a rough series and is likely not the best long term coach, but right now - with this team - you would not have gotten any better results (be it wins/losses or overall play) with another coach. They are too green and were intimidated by a bigger, better, faster team.

We disagree on an important aspect here. I say that Hawks team was flawed, but this Hawks team is more flawed. You disagree with that. I say there is much more potential on this team, but it is not yet realized potential.

You say they had opportunities. They carried the play (looking mostly at shots) in game 1 after surrendering the lead. And in Game 4 after being down. Outside of that, they got manhandled. https://www.naturalstattr...team=CHI&team2=All&rate=n

Take a look at the gameflows for each one. It's not a pretty picture. They got abused in that series with what I call a better team than they have now (and had a better coach).

Correct me if I am wrong, but you said that wins/losses are not the issue here. It is how they played, and that Colliton is mostly responsible for the lack of success in that area. I submit that yes, Colliton did have a rough series and is likely not the best long term coach, but right now - with this team - you would not have gotten any better results (be it wins/losses or overall play) with another coach. They are too green and were intimidated by a bigger, better, faster team.
- Chunk

Does that mean that JC is a better coach then Tippet. I remember wOilers going to win because JC will be outcoached, which definitely didn't happen in that series.

Fun exercise. I think Dach will be a notably better hockey player next year, but I think his offense will come along slowly. I see him as a 20-20 guy next year.
- Chunk

I think he will have closer to 40 assists he gets his stick on the puck a lot. Goals, who knows?

Does that mean that JC is a better coach then Tippet. I remember wOilers going to win because JC will be outcoached, which definitely didn't happen in that series.
- LAHawk

I would say no. That was two equally flawed teams that did not (could not) play defense. But that's just me.

I think he will have closer to 40 assists he gets his stick on the puck a lot. Goals, who knows?
- rpeters01

So 41 pts.

Then why not just play Beaudin, Boqvist, and Carlsson the entire playoffs? Why put Toews and Saad on the PK? Make Highmore and Dach your 1st PK unit.

Why play Ryan Carpenter over Hagel? Why have Toews and Kane on PP 1? Why have Keith on PP1?

Why send Toews out on the PK in the 3rd period of game three?

Unless Toews was hurt he needed to be on the ice. There is no excuse for not calling the timeout.
- bhawks2241

I hear ya. My guess is that JC was trying to balance giving the young guys a chance with trying to remain competitive with the vets.

Ya, during the season or during the game, but not in the last minutes of a elimination game.
- Topshelf2010

You are not wrong. But the pressures of a game like this cannot be duplicated int he regular season. It was a high risk move for sure, and one that will be difficult to see the positive in.

My point is the winning and losing is irrelevant. They lost both but in one of those series, even though they couldn't score, they had the run of play in 2 of them. The big guns didnt score.

This time around Toews and Kane and Crow were able to hide a lot of warts but the hawks had zero run of play, zero complete games, and got smoked on paper and with the eye test against Vegas.
- fattybeef

So winning and losing is irrelevant? Run of the play around the perimeter maybe? To bad Toews and Kane couldn't hide all those warts in 2011 and 12 when they were better players. After game 1 the Oil had the run of the play yet the Blackhawks won the series? Look i get what you're saying but to really believe that the Hawks could of done better with a different coach is bull poop. Or i guess Toews and Kane could of done better with a different coach is i guess what you are saying, but at the same time winning is irrelevant so.....

Does that mean that JC is a better coach then Tippet. I remember wOilers going to win because JC will be outcoached, which definitely didn't happen in that series.
- LAHawk


I would say no. That was two equally flawed teams that did not (could not) play defense. But that's just me.
- Chunk

I would also say it is about matchups, and the Hawks deficiencies were not as exposed. Oilers lost Larsson and Kleffbom seem to be off. And the Hawks were fresher, definitely Toews and Keith. But as you see with Vegas, Keith eventually lost an edge and Toews was exposed in the Vegas series, but still had his moments.

I hear ya. My guess is that JC was trying to balance giving the young guys a chance with trying to remain competitive with the vets.
- DarthKane

People just don't understand we didn't have the horses, like we didn't in 2011, 2012, 2016, 2017 and 2020. This illusion some guy from the AHL was going to save the Hawks playoffs is just that. We need experience, check, and probably a few more horses, and strength which will come with age

Does that mean that JC is a better coach then Tippet. I remember wOilers going to win because JC will be outcoached, which definitely didn't happen in that series.
- LAHawk

JC is also a better coach than Mike Sullivan because at least the Hawks tried hard and the Penguins apparently didn't, so Rutherford fired all of the assistant coaches after discussing things with #87.

IMO coaching in the NHL is overrated to a large extent. Roster composition, draft expertise and cap space utilization is far more important and thats all on the GM. Gimmee a Don Sweeney, Doug Armstrong or even Uncle Lou and you would see a better 'proportioned' and coached team on the ice in Chicago.

Yes, excellent examples. Thank you for sharing and elaborating.

Agree, nuclear time no matter what in those situations. You don't go with which line or pair is next in line.

If Colliton had a strategy in mind for why he made those decisions, it would be interesting to hear it.
- AEL_Fox

I get the sense too often that Colliton, as a development coach, focuses on rewarding the "effort" of the player, regardless of skill or situation, even at critical moments in critical games.

While it will motivate the developing players to play up to his expectations, it has to have some of the savvier skilled players questioning his sanity and coaching abilities.

ya, but he is a rookie and having a tough game and it is crunch time. He was cautious and would pass that opportunity up instead of taking a chance a make something happen or take a hit to make a play. He was timid and playing it safe, concussions and confidence level has something to do with that.
- Topshelf2010

That's too bad. I remember his first NHL goal was from far out with traffic. Upper corner. Looked like he had a knack for getting the puck through traffic. Was hoping to see a goal or assist from him in that series. Oh well. I thought we did decent considering our youth. Now he knows what to expect with playoff hockey

You are not wrong. But the pressures of a game like this cannot be duplicated int he regular season. It was a high risk move for sure, and one that will be difficult to see the positive in.
- DarthKane

The more you win, the more you play - how much experience in pressure games would a game 6 against Vegas have provided?

They weren’t going to get to 4 wins against Vegas this year, but they might have gotten to two, and then been playing for three.

You play games to win - you show the young players what it takes to win by putting the best players on the ice that suit the situation - you also show your vets that you are putting them in the best position to win. You’re still going to be working with Kane, Toews, Keith, Crawford (??) for a couple more years.

You show them all that you’re a coach who doesn’t give up.

Just saw video of Niskanen’s cross check that broke Gallagher’s jaw.

One game suspension.

Not enough.

So 41 pts.
- Chunk

Yes, 40 more than Sikura.

I would say no. That was two equally flawed teams that did not (could not) play defense. But that's just me.
- Chunk

Anyone who says JC is a problem is underestimating how far this team needs to go in personnel upgrades.

Just saw video of Niskanen’s cross check that broke Gallagher’s jaw.

One game suspension.

Not enough.
- StLBravesFan

Agree, should have been suspended for at least the 2 games that could be played to finish this series.

But the NHL Player Safety Dept always argues that a 1 gamer in the playoffs is equal to 2 in regular season. And of course Coach Vigneault said "it was a hockey play that unfortunately cut him a little bit".

Wilson is going to kill or paralyze someone 1 day