I am all in for executing Dylan Strome.
- RickJ

I hope they deal him to Toronto...just add to my disdain of the Leafs.

Sure Pierre LeBrun will mark said hypothetical trade as a "steal" for the Leafs even if they gave up multiple assets for him.

I have to admit he's so soft, he's a healthy scratch last year, can't get on the ice this year, finally gets a chance to play and he does his patented move on the forecheck where he's headed at the puck carrier and peels off at the last minute to intercept a pass along the boards that never happens. So (frank)ing soft, i guess he doesn't really want to play.
- BetweenTheDots

It's his "patented move", which in my book means he does it a lot. When other guys do it once, you dog them forever; when your boy Dylan does it, it is okay for 2+ years. #dotshockeyanalysis101.

Could be. Maybe the herd mentality of "the coach is an idiot" is overblown. You say that the players don't know where to be, yet for a couple straight games the results suggest that they do know where to be. Do we ignore these "inconvenient" facts? Maybe the real question should be "if they can limit high danger scoring chance for a couple games, why doesn't it happen much more often"? Maybe the "players don't know where to be" is excuse making?
- mohel

That's exactly the question I would like answered. Just like when I mentioned I would like Toews to explain his "when we buy-in, when we execute the system we succeed" by talking about why that buy-in and execution appears so inconsistent.

For me, I don't think the coach is an idiot, but I do question his fundamental coaching skills - holding the guys to account, adapting in game when things aren't working, etc...

I was really happy when he was hired, I supported him until late last year, and this year has not rekindled my enthusiasm yet.

If you’re convinced this is on the players and not the coach then what does that say about the GM and the roster he’s assembled? Must be pretty awful to be winless with hardly any 5v5 goals and never once holding a lead…

So either the coach/system isn’t working.

Or the GM has assembled such a pathetic roster that it doesn’t even matter who coaches.

Either way someone needs to go.

IMO the roster/talent is underachieving. We should be MUCH better than what we show on the ice. This roster should be capable of making the playoffs. And if you think otherwise then I’d expect you to be extremely unhappy with our GM/front office.
- SimpleJack

I don't think you or the GM expected that Toews and Kane would then be at the top of the list of people needing to change or go? Doubt it.

Hawks have to be one of the worst if not the worst team at converting on high danger chances. They aren't play badly the last couple games, but need to find a way to finish.

And, while I'm thinking of the sub-posts (of the nature of a sub-tweet) on the last blog:

It's quite possible to both believe that a player, regardless of stature, should have to take responsibility for their lapses or their poor play

AND

Worry that, depending on who the player is and how strongly he reacts, it could have a detrimental effect on the locker room dynamics

People and situations are multi-dimensional and worrying only about their play on the ice fails to recognize that fact.
- pdx2ord

Not sure, really, what this all means, but it sounds like an attempted explanation for the hypocritical approach on this board toward the coach's handling of "discipline" for players failing to play the right way. It read like players should take responsibility for poor play, unless it would make the team sad. But, as I said, I'm not positive that is what you meant.

I am all in for executing Dylan Strome.
- RickJ

What happened to "once I get in I'm not coming out?" OMFG was he full of it. My mother always said "talk is cheap, actions speak louder than words."

Hawks have to be one of the worst if not the worst team at converting on high danger chances. They aren't play badly the last couple games, but need to find a way to finish.
- breadbag

Or being out goaltended?

That's exactly the question I would like answered. Just like when I mentioned I would like Toews to explain his "when we buy-in, when we execute the system we succeed" by talking about why that buy-in and execution appears so inconsistent.

For me, I don't think the coach is an idiot, but I do question his fundamental coaching skills - holding the guys to account, adapting in game when things aren't working, etc...

I was really happy when he was hired, I supported him until late last year, and this year has not rekindled my enthusiasm yet.
- pdx2ord

Could you define "holding guys to account"? What would that look like if you were the coach?

Here is the issue (or one of them). This ridiculous "man and 1/2 on man" or whatever he calls it that JC seems to want to stick to regardless of the results leads to several problems. First off, as we have seen over JC's tenure, the defensive breakdowns and high danger chances consistently allowed are not conducive to a winning team. Whether the system just outright sucks, the players can't grasp or execute it, or a combination of all of the above, it doesn't matter, it's not working consistently.

Secondly, and maybe more important thru the first few games of this season, that even if the system is working on the defensive side and limiting chances like it has the last 2 games, it is also serving to stifle the offensive side of the game.

I think the reason is that the man-to-man chasing by everyone on the ice, means that when pucks are retrieved, players are no longer in desired spots to execute good breakouts and transition. It means wingers are not in traditional areas to receive passes, they are receiving passes on the backhand side instead of forehand side (hence as someone said previously so many passes being mis-handled), being forced to make passes backhanded because of it, etc. All of these things lead to poor transition and poor 5-on-5 structure and pressure.

Scrap the system. Go back to the vanilla d-zone coverage that everyone has more or less been playing since they were mites. Once they build some consistency in coverage and generate offensive pressure you can add wrinkles.
- TheTrob

Introducing TheTrob, Chicago Blackhawks Head Coach…..

Exhale…..

That's exactly the question I would like answered. Just like when I mentioned I would like Toews to explain his "when we buy-in, when we execute the system we succeed" by talking about why that buy-in and execution appears so inconsistent.

For me, I don't think the coach is an idiot, but I do question his fundamental coaching skills - holding the guys to account, adapting in game when things aren't working, etc...

I was really happy when he was hired, I supported him until late last year, and this year has not rekindled my enthusiasm yet.
- pdx2ord

Sometimes JC has to much of the Nagy "I'm the smartest guy in the room" vibe. Try and explain it anyway you want, but why would you ever start Khaira on a line with Toews and Kubalik? Why, down 2 goals with 5 minutes left are Carpenter, Khaira and Entwhistle on the ice? He has chances to swap out bad match-ups but fails to do so. They get offensive zone draws and he fails to make the proper switches.

Hawks have to be one of the worst if not the worst team at converting on high danger chances. They aren't play badly the last couple games, but need to find a way to finish.
- breadbag

Actually, I checked and we are just outside the worst 5 in that regard overall, but 5v5 even worse, we are near the bottom of the league at shooting 6.90% from high danger areas. On the flip side, the Hawks high danger save % is 66.67% at 5v5. So the opposition is converting on high danger chances about 33.33% of their shots, or about 5 times more often right now at 5v5.

They need to make it harder on the goalies, generate some rebounds and get some of those goals from 2 feet out of the crease, because they are generating chances, but have to get more effective.

Not sure, really, what this all means, but it sounds like an attempted explanation for the hypocritical approach on this board toward the coach's handling of "discipline" for players failing to play the right way. It read like players should take responsibility for poor play, unless it would make the team sad. But, as I said, I'm not positive that is what you meant.
- mohel

No, the players need to be held to account if they are playing poorly, whether by lack of effort or just a streak of bad decision-making, etc.

However, it's natural that the coach will need to think about how making those players accountable might affect the dynamic on the bench and on the ice.

Like it or not, the Seabs situation caused some issues even though he did deserve to sit at that point. Keith phoning it in from time to time after the Q firing could have, maybe should have, led to him sitting more - can imagine his reaction to that would have some influence on the other players.

Same could be said for Kane and Toews this year. Do they deserve some shifts off? Kane does, IMO. Is he a "good soldier" - yes, seems to be, but JC would have to consider the way in which it will play out in the room and on the bench/ice. Maybe end up a positive, but could easily go the other way.

One of many factors why I don't envy his job during this era.

ETA: to answer your question on how it would look, holding to account could include/should include, depending on severity of the impact caused by the lapse or other issue: shifts off, special team assignments yanked, sitting a game or two, etc.

Could you define "holding guys to account"? What would that look like if you were the coach?
- mohel

JC could spank them but we've already got one lawsuit.

Introducing TheTrob, Chicago Blackhawks Head Coach…..

Exhale…..
- mike7076

Maybe me.......or your kids' team coach.

Seem to have the same ideas, protect the house, break the puck out........lather, rinse, repeat.

No, the players need to be held to account if they are playing poorly, whether by lack of effort or just a streak of bad decision-making, etc.

However, it's natural that the coach will need to think about how making those players accountable might affect the dynamic on the bench and on the ice.

Like it or not, the Seabs situation caused some issues even though he did deserve to sit at that point. Keith phoning it in from time to time after the Q firing could have, maybe should have, led to him sitting more - can imagine his reaction to that would have some influence on the other players.

Same could be said for Kane and Toews this year. Do they deserve some shifts off? Kane does, IMO. Is he a "good soldier" - yes, seems to be, but JC would have to consider the way in which it will play out in the room and on the bench/ice. Maybe end up a positive, but could easily go the other way.

One of many factors why I don't envy his job during this era.

ETA: to answer your question on how it would look, holding to account could include/should include, depending on severity of the impact caused by the lapse or other issue: shifts off, special team assignments yanked, sitting a game or two, etc.
- pdx2ord

Hard to hold players accountable when they are doing the things you tell them to do.

That chaos and confusion gave up three high danger scoring chances the whole game. And a low number the night before.

Hopefully these numbers mean something in all the games, not just those that they make the team or the coach look bad.
- mohel

The numbers could be misleading. The last two games the teams built 3 goal leads and then went into a very defensive posture.

Hard to hold players accountable when they are doing the things you tell them to do.
- BetweenTheDots

So you have been in on the meetings to know what Colliton is telling them to do? Appears contradictory to what Toews said about playing Jeremy's way a couple of days ago?

Hard to hold players accountable when they are doing the things you tell them to do.
- BetweenTheDots

Yep, that's true

However, it's pretty obvious when some of the players are floating through the game and not engaging. That needs to be nipped in the bud if you're trying to build a team that is relentless.

The numbers could be misleading. The last two games the teams built 3 goal leads and then went into a very defensive posture.
- Ztra

The Hawks had chances at that point still and were out-chancing them before that point.

So you have been in on the meetings to know what Colliton is telling them to do? Appears contradictory to what Toews said about playing Jeremy's way a couple of days ago?
- LAHawk

Don't need a meeting, when every shift looks the same by every line, yea i do

In life i watch what people do never listen to what they say, like did you know all 50 governors are vaccinated

I have to admit he's so soft, he's a healthy scratch last year, can't get on the ice this year, finally gets a chance to play and he does his patented move on the forecheck where he's headed at the puck carrier and peels off at the last minute to intercept a pass along the boards that never happens. So (frank)ing soft, i guess he doesn't really want to play.
- BetweenTheDots

Strome reminds me of a guy named Gregg McKegg who is still playing in the NHL. He was a huge point producer in junior hockey but his skating was very suspect. So naturally the great Maple Leafs drafted him with the idea they could turn him into a hockey playing version of Scott Hamilton or Brian Boitano. As usual with the Maple Loafs, FAIL.

So McKegg has now also played for Florida, Tampa, Pittsburgh, Boston, Carolina and the Rangers. And all of their AHL farm teams. He plays 4th line, minimum wage and does the best he can with his sh$tty skating. But he keeps getting chances because he works hard.

Unfortunately, with Strome his skating is worse than McKegg's, his drive. determination and work ethic is nowhere near McKegg's but because he was a #1 round pick it seems he feels entitled to a playing spot on the roster.

He will be gone soon I'm sure. But it isn't an easy trade for Stanbo because the league knows what Strome is all about. He may have to decide to send him to Rockford and hope he gets waiver claimed.

Don't need a meeting, when every shift looks the same by every line, yea i do

In life i watch what people do never listen to what they say, like did you know all 50 governors are vaccinated
- BetweenTheDots

I don't and is not a concern of mine. Why do you participate in this blog if you never listen to what anyone says?

What happened to "once I get in I'm not coming out?" OMFG was he full of it. My mother always said "talk is cheap, actions speak louder than words."
- rpeters01

I think he was at a concert waiting in the washroom line when he said that. And a toilet does remind me of his on ice performances.

What happened to "once I get in I'm not coming out?" OMFG was he full of it. My mother always said "talk is cheap, actions speak louder than words."
- rpeters01

My best guess is that hooking penalty he took behind the Canucks net will be the last penalty he is called for as a Blackhawk.