Theo Fox: Jaws of Defeat Summaries of the Blackhawks vs Sharks and IceHogs vs Admirals games to end November and a busy holiday weekend with 5 games in 3 days for the parent and farm teams.

Who was the Blackhawks scout keeping tabs on at the Canucks-Bruins game last night?

Who was the Blackhawks scout keeping tabs on at the Canucks-Bruins game last night?
- stutzblackhawks

Scotty Bowman.

Who was the Blackhawks scout keeping tabs on at the Canucks-Bruins game last night?
- stutzblackhawks

You could surmise from need to improve areas that the position player(s) could be.........
....any of a handful of pllayers Could also be the prelude to another trade. Maybe both minorish. A third scenario has to do with taking one bad contract. Eventually we will see that the plan remains to bring in many AHL or in other words our own guys even many on bottom lines. And a couple dmen plus (now) this Soderstrom looks good

Should we add someone outside of our own farm club, it would be an upgrade over a current player. Or it should be if a trade is consummated. I have a sense being disappointed to add anything less than a top prospect.

This much being said, look at what San Jose won with .....on defense in particular stalwart shutdown guys Burns, Karlsson. Right (sarcasm intended). With Vlasic that does represent experience. Anyway, I don't believe on paper or the eye test that SanJose is good defensively.

I just don't see adding spare parts a worthwhile endeavor. I won't try to guess any names. That would be a fruitles task..And I have gone on record btw saying I do not see anyone wanting Toews and not a fan to move Kane.

Scotty Bowman.
- mohel

Outside of Bettman, he hates the Blackhawks the most!

From Powers in The Athletic:

Those are the struggles from a team perspective. At an individual level, it’s just as bad. Jonathan Toews doesn’t have a goal in 21 games this season. Dominik Kubalik hasn’t scored in his past 15 games. Kirby Dach’s slump is at 14 games. Patrick Kane has one goal in his past 10 games. Seven players without a goal this season were in the lineup Sunday.
In the past 10 games, the Blackhawks have scored 19 goals, and 14 of those have been accounted for by Alex DeBrincat (six), Brandon Hagel (four), Jujhar Khaira (two) and Seth Jones (two).

And the top prospect (only potential top-6 prospect in the system?) in Rockfish was almost carried off of the ice last nite after a bad hit into the boards.

BTW
For Florida ex Blackhawk Carlsson has played the last eight games. Had a high 18 minutes as TOI last game. While I don't expect Carlsson is ever more than a third pair 6th dman or insurance, he does have some good attriutes

Florida has another ex Blackhawk in Forsling
He repents patience waiting for a prospect to develop. I try to focus on that wheni reading how Beaudin and Mitchell do not appear to be making progression. Kyrs and Rogula too aren't yet showing enough progress. IMHO promoting Phillips was silly, foolish. He needs two years experience then maybe

Galvas is the top dman in Rockford. I concur with Theo on that.

From Powers in The Athletic:

Those are the struggles from a team perspective. At an individual level, it’s just as bad. Jonathan Toews doesn’t have a goal in 21 games this season. Dominik Kubalik hasn’t scored in his past 15 games. Kirby Dach’s slump is at 14 games. Patrick Kane has one goal in his past 10 games. Seven players without a goal this season were in the lineup Sunday.
In the past 10 games, the Blackhawks have scored 19 goals, and 14 of those have been accounted for by Alex DeBrincat (six), Brandon Hagel (four), Jujhar Khaira (two) and Seth Jones (two).

And the top prospect (only potential top-6 prospect in the system?) in Rockfish was almost carried off of the ice last nite after a bad hit into the boards.
- StLBravesFan

So...no playoffs?

From Powers in The Athletic:

Those are the struggles from a team perspective. At an individual level, it’s just as bad. Jonathan Toews doesn’t have a goal in 21 games this season. Dominik Kubalik hasn’t scored in his past 15 games. Kirby Dach’s slump is at 14 games. Patrick Kane has one goal in his past 10 games. Seven players without a goal this season were in the lineup Sunday.
In the past 10 games, the Blackhawks have scored 19 goals, and 14 of those have been accounted for by Alex DeBrincat (six), Brandon Hagel (four), Jujhar Khaira (two) and Seth Jones (two).

And the top prospect (only potential top-6 prospect in the system?) in Rockfish was almost carried off of the ice last nite after a bad hit into the boards.
- StLBravesFan

I think this is considered secondary scoring.

So...no playoffs?
- HawkintheD

Was the war over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?

Was the war over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?
- mohel

No, but it was definitely over when the Welsh won the battle of Waterloo.

Blackhawks at 16 points in 21 games (.381 of possible points)

In King's 9 games, they've won 6 of 9 (.667 of possible points)

To get to 95 points, they need to get 79 points in the next 61 games (.647 of possible points)

So, if they keep winning 2 of 3, they've got a chance.

For perspective:

2010 Hawks earned .682 of possible points

2013 Hawks earned .802 of possible points

2015 Hawks earned .664 of possible points

For perspective:

2010 Hawks earned .682 of possible points

2013 Hawks earned .802 of possible points

2015 Hawks earned .664 of possible points
- scottak

So, the perspective is that they need to play the rest of the year like the 2015 Hawks

So, the perspective is that they need to play the rest of the year like the 2015 Hawks
- mohel

or shoot for 2013, and settle for 2015.

So, the perspective is that they need to play the rest of the year like the 2015 Hawks
- mohel

Totally doable. They got this!

Something's gotta give. Other than Dinky and Hagel, most of the rest of the team can't buy a goal. Last night was a better effort so hopefully the floodgates open soon for the offense.

Thought Borgstrom looked pretty good last night and maybe he can be this season's Hagel. They're different players but just meant it in a way where maybe he cements a spot in the lineup.

Sucks about Reichel and hopefully he's ok.

Blackhawks at 16 points in 21 games (.381 of possible points)

In King's 9 games, they've won 6 of 9 (.667 of possible points)

To get to 95 points, they need to get 79 points in the next 61 games (.647 of possible points)

So, if they keep winning 2 of 3, they've got a chance.
- scottak

Stop it. If the queen had balls she'd be the king (and no, I was not making some stupid pun on the head coach's name). This team is not good. Even with everyone healthy, they are not good. They are playing slightly better D and getting mostly lights out goaltending. It's not enough.

You don’t think they can play at .664 pace the rest of the way? Khaira, Johnson, Hardman, and Carpenter are ready to go on a roll offensively any day now.

Stop it. If the queen had balls she'd be the king (and no, I was not making some stupid pun on the head coach's name). This team is not good. Even with everyone healthy, they are not good. They are playing slightly better D and getting mostly lights out goaltending. It's not enough.
- Chunk

Um, that was the point. The Blackhawks have virtually no chance of making the playoffs, if you look at the numbers objectively.

The remainder season should be all about setting up next season, and the future.

As many have previously noted, they have only 14 players signed for next season.

The Wirtz family needs to find a new Director of Hockey OPS PDQ, and start evaluating the Blackhawk and Ice Hog rosters.

Last night was a Reimer win, but I still see plenty of signs the Blackhawks are still trying to shake the lingering effects of Colliton putrid coaching. Recovery takes time.
When King has a bit more NHL talent to work with and more time to assess I could see this team having a very strong second half.
And I will go out on a limb and say it's time to bring Connelly up and put him with Toews (and probably Kubalik).

It was a good game from them at least. Not on the score sheet or with the result but in terms of the eye test and other metrics, cant be too disappointed.

Um, that was the point. The Blackhawks have virtually no chance of making the playoffs, if you look at the numbers objectively.

The remainder season should be all about setting up next season, and the future.

As many have previously noted, they have only 14 players signed for next season.

The Wirtz family needs to find a new Director of Hockey OPS PDQ, and start evaluating the Blackhawk and Ice Hog rosters.
- scottak

Oh... well the way I read it you were laying out how they can make the playoffs. There will be no talk of that sort here.

Oh... well the way I read it you were laying out how they can make the playoffs. There will be no talk of that sort here.
- Chunk

Baby steps, let's just see if they can get to games played= points

Which means they have to win 5 more games then they lose, which will be a grind for this team

Stop it. If the queen had balls she'd be the king (and no, I was not making some stupid pun on the head coach's name). This team is not good. Even with everyone healthy, they are not good. They are playing slightly better D and getting mostly lights out goaltending. It's not enough.
- Chunk

We are now really starting to see the effects of Bowmans inability to pick a lane and stay in it. Overall, it is just a poorly constructed roster. You wanna be a skilled possession team with mobile, puck moving, offensive defenseman, fine, fill those roles. You wanna be a defensive minded club that capitalizes on a few opportunities and plays shut-down defense, ok, fill those roles. What Bowman did was try and play both sides of the equation and they are nothing. A bunch of mismatched pieces that struggle with one side or the other. Push the offense and they struggle defensively, tighten up the D and they struggle offensively.

SB went and got Strome and Connely and neither can break the lineup, so $6.5mil of wasted cap. You grab Johnson at $5mil per for the next 3 years, is he a $5mil a year player? Heck, i'm not a huge Saad fan, but Saad @ $4.5 for the next 5 seems like a better deal than Johnson. I think S. Jones is fine, he is at a level that Boqvist will never get to. Did they give up too much and is his contract too much? maybe a little, but not horrible considering the comps others signed for.

They need to make a decision soon on whether the belief is still that they can be a playoff team this year. If not, get what you can for Carpenter, Fleury, Johnson, Connelly and whichever of the other interchangeable 4th liners littering the roster. If Strome isn't gonna play, cut bait already, use the roster spot to give shots to Rockford guys.

One of my favorite plays last night was seeing Cat and Seth Jones on a 2 on 1 last night and not even able to get a shot on goal.