Has it been different under King? the BOD still declares the Hawks don't have a system. Maybe the players are incapable of playing a system? Could someone tell me what defensive system McCabe was playing on Arizona's second goal? Gave away the blue line, backed all the way in on Lankinen, then pirouetted out of the way as Boyd took the puck right down Broadway. I had to check and make sure that was #6 not #56, but then again it really does not surprise me.
- LAHawk

It remains JC's fault. It will take years for these players to recover from the "lessons" he taught. Some things cannot be unlearned.

Has it been different under King? the BOD still declares the Hawks don't have a system. Maybe the players are incapable of playing a system? Could someone tell me what defensive system McCabe was playing on Arizona's second goal? Gave away the blue line, backed all the way in on Lankinen, then pirouetted out of the way as Boyd took the puck right down Broadway. I had to check and make sure that was #6 not #56, but then again it really does not surprise me.
- LAHawk

At least he didn't screen the goaltender.

It remains JC's fault. It will take years for these players to recover from the "lessons" he taught. Some things cannot be unlearned.
- mohel

Better yet, I wonder what effect that had on Seth after having just played for Torts.

Better yet, I wonder what effect that had on Seth after having just played for Torts.
- 333inthe3rd

I'm sure the poor fella has whiplash!

I'm sure the poor fella has whiplash!
- mohel

That does it, Torts will be hired here this summer.

Let's try Raddyish with DeBrincat and Strome
Put Kane with Toews and Dach.
Put Johnson with Lafferty and Katchouk
That leaves Borgstrom, Entwistle, and R. Johnson.
Sit Kubalik and Kurashev.
Give it five games and see what you've got.
Oh, put King in the press box.

Has it been different under King? the BOD still declares the Hawks don't have a system. Maybe the players are incapable of playing a system? Could someone tell me what defensive system McCabe was playing on Arizona's second goal? Gave away the blue line, backed all the way in on Lankinen, then pirouetted out of the way as Boyd took the puck right down Broadway. I had to check and make sure that was #6 not #56, but then again it really does not surprise me.
- LAHawk

I fully agree. Coaching was never the issue. It was and is a collection of bad players who can’t think the game. That said had to go.

I still think getting a strong coaching staff is important to instill a culture of smart energetic hockey and to develop what little talent the Hawks have.

Let's try Raddyish with DeBrincat and Strome
Put Kane with Toews and Dach.
Put Johnson with Lafferty and Katchouk
That leaves Borgstrom, Entwistle, and R. Johnson.
Sit Kubalik and Kurashev.
Give it five games and see what you've got.
Oh, put King in the press box.
- bjphawkfan

Why?

I fully agree. Coaching was never the issue. It was and is a collection of bad players who can’t think the game. That said had to go.

I still think getting a strong coaching staff is important to instill a culture of smart energetic hockey and to develop what little talent the Hawks have.
- paulr

I agree, and as far away from having anything associated with being a part of the Hawks organization the better. Fresh eyes as they say. It just frustrates me, that some think the Hawks actually have a good roster, and all they need is a Tortz as a coach, and all the mental mistakes will just go away. Even if they did, talent alone, the Hawks are still near the bottom of the league.

You have to think the cat is gonna want Toews money since they got it at his age, right? (I did no research)

Strome deserves to be an integral part of the rebuild.

as do the other five defenseman they find...

and the forwards.

I decided as I ready for this 2022 draft to make sure the heights weights and new positions become the norm and have added

RHLW
LHRW
RHC
LHC
LtD
RhD

to my mock....along with adding the weight-height onto the guys who I added a few years ago...

https://www.lines.com/nhl/draft
Onto 2023!

It remains JC's fault. It will take years for these players to recover from the "lessons" he taught. Some things cannot be unlearned.
- mohel[

...and his cursed system

I agree, and as far away from having anything associated with being a part of the Hawks organization the better. Fresh eyes as they say. It just frustrates me, that some think the Hawks actually have a good roster, and all they need is a Tortz as a coach, and all the mental mistakes will just go away. Even if they did, talent alone, the Hawks are still near the bottom of the league.
- LAHawk

Who has been saying "all they need" is a better coach? We've all been saying they need a new everything for a while now.

People key on the coaching, because it's lacking and it's likely the easiest thing to change.

Is anyone saying good things about the bottom half of the Hawks roster?

You have to think the cat is gonna want Toews money since they got it at his age, right? (I did no research)

Strome deserves to be an integral part of the rebuild.

as do the other five defenseman they find...

and the forwards.

I decided as I ready for this 2022 draft to make sure the heights weights and new positions become the norm and have added

RHLW
LHRW
RHC
LHC
LtD
RhD

to my mock....along with adding the weight-height onto the guys who I added a few years ago...

https://www.lines.com/nhl/draft
Onto 2023!
- wiz1901

I really hope Debrincat doesn’t get Toews money. I love the guy but we’ve seen what happens when two players take up a quarter of your available salary cap. Tampa had a few years of Point at $6, which changes to $9 next season. They’ll have to ditch some talent (palat, killorn, or Cirelli) to remain under the cap.

The Hawks cup years had Hossa and Keith getting rather underpaid on massively long term. Hjalmarsson also was likely in that category of underpaid. If we pay debrincat $10, we’ll be in the same pickle as the last seven years.

Who has been saying "all they need" is a better coach? We've all been saying they need a new everything for a while now.

People key on the coaching, because it's lacking and it's likely the easiest thing to change.

Is anyone saying good things about the bottom half of the Hawks roster?
- Chunk

Is the coaching lacking? or is the lack of grey matter between the ears make it look like the Hawks "system" is nothing but a dumpster fire.

Is Caleb Jones blind pass in the system? Is Kubalik flying out of the zone with no chance of having a pass completed in the system? Was McCabe rolling out the red carpet so the Arizona forward could just walk in to 10 feet up the slot uncontested in the system? Is the fact Stillman can't execute a 6 foot pass onto the tape of a wide open teammate in the system? I can go on.

What coach is going to correct this? I said this in a previous blog. I have in my 60 years of watching hockey never seen a team with a complete lack of hockey sense. This must of been how watching the 62 Mets must of been like.

People talk about bringing in Trent Yawney now coaching as head coach. Guess what system the Kings run, the same EXACT system King/Crawford tries to run, the difference is, the Kings players (including the forwards) have brains between their ears.

But s the old saying goes, you can't fire all the players, so fire the coach.

I really hope Debrincat doesn’t get Toews money. I love the guy but we’ve seen what happens when two players take up a quarter of your available salary cap. Tampa had a few years of Point at $6, which changes to $9 next season. They’ll have to ditch some talent (palat, killorn, or Cirelli) to remain under the cap.

The Hawks cup years had Hossa and Keith getting rather underpaid on massively long term. Hjalmarsson also was likely in that category of underpaid. If we pay debrincat $10, we’ll be in the same pickle as the last seven years.
- ObeseOprah

Why won't we? One of the top goal scorers in the league the last few years? He would get that in free agency easy.

There is no such thing as home town discounts.

Is the coaching lacking? or is the lack of grey matter between the ears make it look like the Hawks "system" is nothing but a dumpster fire.

Is Caleb Jones blind pass in the system? Is Kubalik flying out of the zone with no chance of having a pass completed in the system? Was McCabe rolling out the red carpet so the Arizona forward could just walk in to 10 feet up the slot uncontested in the system? Is the fact Stillman can't execute a 6 foot pass onto the tape of a wide open teammate in the system? I can go on.

What coach is going to correct this? I said this in a previous blog. I have in my 60 years of watching hockey never seen a team with a complete lack of hockey sense. This must of been how watching the 62 Mets must of been like.

People talk about bringing in Trent Yawney now coaching as head coach. Guess what system the Kings run, the same EXACT system King/Crawford tries to run, the difference is, the Kings players (including the forwards) have brains between their ears.

But s the old saying goes, you can't fire all the players, so fire the coach.
- LAHawk

OK, but is it not the coaches job to do all that he can to improve that? Has there been any improvement in those aspects at all? That is where my problem lies. I personally could care less what "system" they run. There are a few different styles that can win in this league.

Look at Trotz in NYI. It's not his system that is the key. It's that he gets everyone to buy into it and understand their responsibilities. Even this year as they've struggled, they are still like 7th in goals allowed. He came in and got a group that was close to dead last in the league in defense to top five with virtually the exact same roster.

That is what I mean by coaching. Yes they need new/improved/better players. They also need someone who knows how to get the entire team to play as one.

OK, but is it not the coaches job to do all that he can to improve that? Has there been any improvement in those aspects at all? That is where my problem lies. I personally could care less what "system" they run. There are a few different styles that can win in this league.

Look at Trotz in NYI. It's not his system that is the key. It's that he gets everyone to buy into it and understand their responsibilities. Even this year as they've struggled, they are still like 7th in goals allowed. He came in and got a group that was close to dead last in the league in defense to top five with virtually the exact same roster.

That is what I mean by coaching. Yes they need new/improved/better players. They also need someone who knows how to get the entire team to play as one.
- Chunk

Flip the Hawks defenseman and the Islanders, and lets see how Trotz or any other coach does.

Reminds me of when Yzerman took over the Red Wings, and everyone said Blashill was a goner. Well he is still the coach.

I really hope Debrincat doesn’t get Toews money. I love the guy but we’ve seen what happens when two players take up a quarter of your available salary cap. Tampa had a few years of Point at $6, which changes to $9 next season. They’ll have to ditch some talent (palat, killorn, or Cirelli) to remain under the cap.

The Hawks cup years had Hossa and Keith getting rather underpaid on massively long term. Hjalmarsson also was likely in that category of underpaid. If we pay debrincat $10, we’ll be in the same pickle as the last seven years.
- ObeseOprah

So you want a team of mediocre players? You got it!

Why?
- paulr

Why not. What they are doing now doesn't work. Time to throw it against the wall and see what sticks. Dach can't be the lead guy on a line. He has velcro on his stick. The first line played together once before. Can't hurt to try it again. Maybe Kane can make Toews relevant again and make Dach better. If you have a better idea, throw it out there. I'm not saying it's going to work but it doesn't hurt to try.

Why not. What they are doing now doesn't work. Time to throw it against the wall and see what sticks. Dach can't be the lead guy on a line. He has velcro on his stick. The first line played together once before. Can't hurt to try it again. Maybe Kane can make Toews relevant again and make Dach better. If you have a better idea, throw it out there. I'm not saying it's going to work but it doesn't hurt to try.
- bjphawkfan

Ever hear the phrase “re-arranging deck chairs of the Titanic”?

All that I hope for is the players to play hard and on some nights they aren’t even doing that. Shuffling lines won’t do anything until the team has better talent and better coaching and the first thing they need to do is find ways to acquire young prospects and lots of draft picks.

Flip the Hawks defenseman and the Islanders, and lets see how Trotz or any other coach does.

Reminds me of when Yzerman took over the Red Wings, and everyone said Blashill was a goner. Well he is still the coach.
- LAHawk

So why did they get so much better after he came on board? Did the players stop being stupid? it was virtually the same roster.

Why was JC considered a bad coach, but King is OK?

Back to back 3+ goal leads given up.
Four straight games giving up at least four goals and two of them to teams that are theoretically worse than the Hawks.
Same mistakes over and over again.

I guess I'll end with this. What on the ice is the coach responsible for?

So you want a team of mediocre players? You got it!
- rpeters01

Not saying I want debrincat to walk. But if we give him $10 while Jones is getting $9.5 we are going to have more cap crunches on a team that isn’t even winning. Jones’s deal hasn’t even kicked in yet and it’s considered one of the worst in the league. I like Debrincat a lot but there could be an argument for him playing with Kane, one I don’t agree with but it exists.

Not saying I want debrincat to walk. But if we give him $10 while Jones is getting $9.5 we are going to have more cap crunches on a team that isn’t even winning. Jones’s deal hasn’t even kicked in yet and it’s considered one of the worst in the league. I like Debrincat a lot but there could be an argument for him playing with Kane, one I don’t agree with but it exists.
- ObeseOprah

According to who?

According to who?
- rpeters01

I would think that.

I really hope Debrincat doesn’t get Toews money. I love the guy but we’ve seen what happens when two players take up a quarter of your available salary cap. Tampa had a few years of Point at $6, which changes to $9 next season. They’ll have to ditch some talent (palat, killorn, or Cirelli) to remain under the cap.

The Hawks cup years had Hossa and Keith getting rather underpaid on massively long term. Hjalmarsson also was likely in that category of underpaid. If we pay debrincat $10, we’ll be in the same pickle as the last seven years.
- ObeseOprah

Sounds just like Dollar Bill.

Better not to have good players.....