Yeah, but what did he bring to the table other than that?
- mohel

I heard he was a great guy to have a beer with.

Maybe Dach can be a Selke finalist at C - which Hossa should have been often as a W.
- StLBravesFan

Agree on both counts, Sage.

Agree with the post except for this. They led the league in too many men pims every year.
- 6628

Better to be safe than sorry😁, they had to call them for something, wink wink even out the penalties in a game.

A 30 year old Hossa would make them a Playoff team. (Adding a 41 year old Hossa in a shortened season would move them closer to being a playoff team.) But Cup contender no. He is great, but not God or Gretzky.
- -Doh-

I don't know? As great as Hossa was playing RW, did this move make the 3rd and 4th line better, sure but is it enough to flip the ice in games? I don't think it would be enough, i think a 30 year old Keith would have more impact

Great post Theo.

In the early days of the "glory years", the Hawks had a great cycle game going on along the boards. They had the players with the grit and speed to be able to do it.

The last few seasons, they have pretty much lost all their grit, and most of their team speed. They need some fearless players as well, not afraid to go into the corners, or the front of the net, who are willing to take a hit to make a play.

The one guy who was strong, fast, and never afraid to get his hands dirty was Marian Hossa. A lot of fans say that Toews and Kane were the straws that stirred the drink for the Hawks, but i always thought that Hossa was the one who set the tone for the team.
- plyrs99

Thanks, plyrs99.

Finding the next Hossa will be rather tough. However, in lieu of having a singular player like Hossa is to have a team philosophy built around how he played the game.

Still easier said than done but having a team with solid work ethic and competitiveness up and down the lineup is a good start.

The headlines are always as good as the articles--thanks Theo!
- RaleighHawk

Thanks, Raleigh.

I try to add some creativity whenever I can to keep making what we do here distinctive in the crowded marketplace.

So - from One Goal to ... One Headlight?

Good that there is this emphasis on teaching young players how to play - at least I’m assuming that Colliton is placing as much emphasis on it as you (Theo) are. Clearing the dzone and transitioning, winning the puck battles and transitioning, driving the net - all require five players in good position to do something positive whatever happens on the ice - ready to go in either direction to help create a chance or stop one.

Hockey is a game of short shifts - two or three rushes up and back and off for a change. Making the most of each shift means being in the right place and making the right decision - which too often hasn’t happened in the recent past - which continually changes....

It’s less about system and more about hockey sense - knowing where your teammates are and where you need to be to complement and cover up.
- StLBravesFan

I would have to agree to a large part, particularly on your last paragraph.

Systems will inevitably breakdown, even for the best of teams. When that happens, that's when teams get exposed and scored upon.

How do you prevent that? By always making smart, safe, fundamental plays. Hockey sense and IQ definitely help as you let instinct guide you until you can restore structure.

I like the saying "You can get past me or the puck can get past me, but not both".
- -Doh-

That is an excellent mantra, one that the Hawks need to adopt.

In recent past it seems more like "Go ahead, you can get the puck past me and my teammates."

Thanks, plyrs99.

Finding the next Hossa will be rather tough. However, in lieu of having a singular player like Hossa is to have a team philosophy built around how he played the game.

Still easier said than done but having a team with solid work ethic and competitiveness up and down the lineup is a good start.
- Theo Fox

When is Hossa going to come back to the Org as a coach?!

This is really the Achilles heel of this team, it has been since 2016. Over the past couple years father time has caught up to both our prominent defenseman.

Forwards wise Stan has showed me he's got a clue. I think as many of our Forwards get older the better and tougher they will be to play against and he does a great job of adding pieces here and there.

Is he finally out from under the cap? For 9 years he's constantly had to do a juggling act, last year he was finally in a position to bring in some players taking on salary and really giving nothing up.

I like these young dmen, as I've said before watching Heiskanen and Lindell they really make their partner so much better defensively because they are that good and that team is going to be a pain in the ass to play against, i really hope a couple of pieces on our back end are the real deal that'll be the key to all of this.

Watching the Blackhawks Cup years i always thought of them as a great boxer, they would just methodically wear you down with their boring cycle game, safe line changes, and patiently wait for the opponent to break down, slip up or a bad line change and damn the puck would be in the back of the net. Those years it was common for them to score within a minute or 2 after they scored the 1 goal. Mental breakdown again or trying to hard to get that goal back exposing their defense.
- BetweenTheDots

Right on, Dots.

A younger, more mobile defense is also where it starts in my book as you alluded to. I think the Hawks have good to great candidates to get the team back to that level of reliable defense and consistent ice flipping.

Boqvist, Mitchell, Beaudin, Carlsson, Krys, Kalynuk, Regula, Vlasic, Galvas, and Kaiser have potential to fill spots as the older D cycle out. All of them are mobile and can at minimum move the puck reasonably well.

Like Kaiser, Phillips and Krutil are ones to watch, too, from the 2020 draft class. Kaiser could be a real steal, though. Perhaps the Mitchell of this year's draft crop.

Happy Holidays everyone. Very nice write up Theo. I can't say I'm surprised at the current events regarding rockys new choices to lead this team.

I can only assume with the financial situation and uncertainty of the league for the foreseeable near future, its easier to deal with the devil you know ( stan ) then the devil you don't.

I'll just chalk this up to making the most of a bad situation. Personally having stan as in both roles that might be ok for now but in the future accountability has to be a huge part of chicago orginization structure.
- Taylorst1

Thanks, Taylor.

One concern that has come up in a lot of articles and comments I've read is that Bowman as his own boss (i.e. simultaneously president and GM) means he's not accountable to anyone. I beg to differ.

Bowman still reports to the Wirtzs, i.e. Danny as CEO (just like Faulkner reports to him) and Rocky as owner. While we can't spell out what those accountability measures are exactly, Bowman will be held accountable even though he has a really long leash predicated on trust and alignment of values.

Also, Bowman is surrounded by great people in the player personnel suite of the front office. He's as good as his people because he hired them. Barring any egregious rogue acts, if your people fail, that's on you as the head honcho.

When is Hossa going to come back to the Org as a coach?!
- ToewsdNKanefusd

Perhaps within a few years? My gut says he'd start off more as a behind-the-scenes coach like Campbell and Kunitz than behind the bench.

However, Campbell and Kunitz have spent some time helping with the Hogs coaches during games. Their bread and butter, though, is non-game coaching.

Dach named captain of Team Canada for the WJC. Cozens and Byram with the A's.



Great job predicting that one, Tyler! Now, can you give me today's lottery numbers?

That is an excellent mantra, one that the Hawks need to adopt.

In recent past it seems more like "Go ahead, you can get the puck past me and my teammates."
- Theo Fox

In recent past it has been "I want to play like Kane and Keith. Use my stick but avoid contact." That works for Kane and Keith. They are great players, but they are the special and unique players.

Zadorov, Murphy and even Seabs (if healthy) could set the example. We have a few forwards who could set the example. Toews can go back to playing a more physical game. Maybe Highmore and Kampf, Suter, the Marx brothers. Hagel and others may be a year away. Shaw if healthy and is smart about how he plays.

@ByScottPowers

Stan Bowman said he wants to see out his vision now, but he could possibly look into hiring a general manager underneath him in the future.

In recent past it has been "I want to play like Kane and Keith. Use my stick but avoid contact." That works for Kane and Keith. They are great players, but they are the special and unique players.

Zadorov, Murphy and even Seabs (if healthy) could set the example. We have a few forwards who could set the example. Toews can go back to playing a more physical game. Maybe Highmore and Kampf, Suter, the Marx brothers. Hagel and others may be a year away. Shaw if healthy and is smart about how he plays.
- -Doh-

Exactly, you need a few who do it well to set the example then coach up a team-wide philosophy to play that way. Ideally, things will start to fall into place from there.

The players you identified as the ones to set the example are on point.

I heard he was a great guy to have a beer with.
- -Doh-

Now, that would be a blast!!

@ByScottPowers

Stan Bowman said he wants to see out his vision now, but he could possibly look into hiring a general manager underneath him in the future.
- Theo Fox

@johndietzdh

Stan Bowman was asked if he might hire a GM down the road. Sounds like it could be a possibility, but right now team is "embarking on a new approach." He wants to "see that out."

Wonder if this may be related to having 3 assistant GMs, i.e. a group effort to GMing versus relying on one?

So - from One Goal to ... One Headlight?


- StLBravesFan

Now that's funny right there.

Back in the day we used to call cars with only one working headlight a "Padillo". Maybe when the team acquiesces and changes the name they could leverage the "One Headlight" motto and go with Chicago Padillo's. Then change the Indian head logo to a picture of the grill from a '59 Edsel with a broken headlight.

Just sharing some out of the box thinking.

@johndietzdh

Stan Bowman was asked if he might hire a GM down the road. Sounds like it could be a possibility, but right now team is "embarking on a new approach." He wants to "see that out."

Wonder if this may be related to having 3 assistant GMs, i.e. a group effort to GMing versus relying on one?
- Theo Fox

Some additional insight per Ben Pope:

Stan Bowman just now:

"The biggest change is going to be looking forward with how I operate internally. Hockey-wise, things will continue on as they've been. But part of leadership is to play an active role in the development of your staff."

Wants to guide people in new roles.

Thanks, Taylor.

One concern that has come up in a lot of articles and comments I've read is that Bowman as his own boss (i.e. simultaneously president and GM) means he's not accountable to anyone. I beg to differ.

Bowman still reports to the Wirtzs, i.e. Danny as CEO (just like Faulkner reports to him) and Rocky as owner. While we can't spell out what those accountability measures are exactly, Bowman will be held accountable even though he has a really long leash predicated on trust and alignment of values.

Also, Bowman is surrounded by great people in the player personnel suite of the front office. He's as good as his people because he hired them. Barring any egregious rogue acts, if your people fail, that's on you as the head honcho.
- Theo Fox

Theo i like your optimistic outlook. I'm not enamoured with this team and who is leading the ship.

We have 3 more years of being saddled with a aging core and there massive contracts in a scenario that the league is at a standstill regarding revenue.

I'd love to see more prospects in Rockford and for the organization to focus heavily on stockpiling young future assets in Rockford with a system that chicago will use .

Stan maybe its loyalty and the fact his dad is a scout for the team that allows him a football field of leeway.

I also think the timing and market isn't in rockys favor to either offer someone this huge challenge or qualified in there eyes.
THATS my take , its a opinion but I'm just trying to look at the big picture and understand all the obstacles chicago faces.

Some additional insight per Ben Pope:

Stan Bowman just now:

"The biggest change is going to be looking forward with how I operate internally. Hockey-wise, things will continue on as they've been. But part of leadership is to play an active role in the development of your staff."

Wants to guide people in new roles.
- Chunk

To me it sounds like he wants to defer and scouting decisions abroad to people there including the actual viewing....

Someone may have drafted one of the top players in the 2019 draft class.

That counts for something

To me it sounds like he wants to defer and scouting decisions abroad to people there including the actual viewing....

Someone may have drafted one of the top players in the 2019 draft class.

That counts for something
- wiz1901

I bet there will be more difficult decisions Madde in regards to core players.

That might have been why there seemed to be shock by Stan's hard ball stance last year and no more $ to you for CC.

I think the hammer will fall a few more times.

I bet there will be more difficult decisions Madde in regards to core players.

That might have been why there seemed to be shock by Stan's hard ball stance last year and no more $ to you for CC.

I think the hammer will fall a few more times.
- wiz1901

Looking at the league its not in a stable place revenue wise for at least 3 years , so I do agree something has to give in order to restock prospects and obtain. Some high draft picks.

Keith and kane are probably the next shoes to drop after this season is my guess.

I bet there will be more difficult decisions Madde in regards to core players.

That might have been why there seemed to be shock by Stan's hard ball stance last year and no more $ to you for CC.

I think the hammer will fall a few more times.
- wiz1901

I hope so. It's either that or a lot longer wandering in the wilderness.