John Jaeckel: "All Teams Have Flaws"

Coach and Captain

Coach? Maybe. But who's better who's also available. And does that mystery coach come in and make this a top 4 team in the league? That's a pipe dream.

Captain? In what regard? He's doing everything you wanted Jonathan Toews to do.

The most obvious area to address is the third line, and the D.

Bang on JJ.....

Good team, not cup contending as it stands.

What can be done to put them over the top?

Two thoughts in my "post game panic" were that I wonder if Q's shelf life is close to an end, and it may be time to move Seabrook (yes I know he has NMC) for a center. Pipe dream would be RNH for Seabs. Not sure realistic with salaries and ages, probably some other pieces to include.

Coach? Maybe. But who's better who's also available. And does that mystery coach come in and make this a top 4 team in the league? That's a pipe dream.

Captain? In what regard? He's doing everything you wanted Jonathan Toews to do.

The most obvious area to address is the third line, and the D.
- John Jaeckel

Captain? In many regards, respectfully. Many.

Coach? No solution there. But he's accountable for the state of hawks play, and it's been stagnant for 2 years.

If you wanna be the new Red Wings, by all means stick with Q and go "la la la la" everytime people notice Toews is now low calorie Toews at twice the markup.

Zetterberg has declined with age, but he didn't break the team's piggy bank doing it. Datsyuk became brittle with age and retired.

There's your Toews and Kane, except they both rake in 21M of cap space.

They're still an ok team, why not change the system to take advantage of the makeup, instead of sticking with stick-a-fork-in-it DONE game plans that rely on aging superstars?

What happened to Franson? Is he injured?

2 points in 2 games

edit: I realize he's slow and I'll show myself out.

JJ

Coach, teams usually practice to rectify these issues.
Coach, PP=Insanity
Coach, the blender hasn't been tried, Cat has a TO at the
blueline every PP, most would be banished to the neverland
for lesser.
Coach, kids need to grow up

Miserable power play. Anemic, no traffic in front of the net, minimal player movement, the puck circling the perimeter.

Horrible zone exits.

Careless with the puck, too many turnovers in bad areas.

The defensive pairings don't look right. Probably because there's too much reliance on inexperienced players. Just as Gustav Forsling starts to show a little consistency, Jan Rutta turns back into a pumpkin. And vice versa.

Spot on JJ

Many will fire off today 10.5 million reason why Toews is the problem. Is his contract that bad or is it negatively impacted by Bentman's lack of ability to grow revenue thus driving a flatter increase YOY to the cap? At 85M cap would 10.5 for Toews be OK? 95M? Is Toews value really 9.5, 8.5, 7.5?

Additionally, the entire league is starting to realize playing in LV is going to be a trap game LV flu what have you...

My thoughts on the captain...

He's a great player and everyone would love to have him... but not at 10.5 million. At this point he's taking up too much cap space for the amount he produces (A player making that much shouldn't need to ask the GM for a trade to get someone to "make him better" (Saad)). You can get his point totals for half the price, (look at a guy like Tavares, 5.5 cap hit this year). And spare me the greatest captain in sports BS. Having the greatest captain doesn't guarentee you cups, having the best team does and it's pretty hard to put together the best team when you have such high cap players performing at roughly half their worth. Toews was ranked 25th in points for Centers last year and 98th out of a 100 for face-off percentage. Not nearly good enough for someone taking up space that could be helpful elsewhere.

Young players who remain in Chicago only will improve if they receive playing time. With playing time often there are peaks and valleys. Queeneville is not the ideal coach for young players; he does appear to understand he must play some of them after meeting with Bowman and the organizational pow wow after last season.

As the league trends ever more towards speed and size, there has to be a good, proper way to fit a Schmaltz and DeBrincat in the line up. Anyone who believes that Schmaltz is a cut above TT in the physical compete category is basing that on some training camp sample. Better see it going forward.

It is questionable how much Schmaltz and DeBrincat may help, anyway. At least Queeneville needs to employ a more effective, practical system. The onset of a new so called hard to play against style is for the most part an erroneous propaganda statement. Who actually is playing that way. Only the fourth line.

You and I can sit around and ponder all day why there are passengers more than hard workers among some veterans. If this team is to make headway that has to change. Each game. I do not believe that Queeneville can get this to happen. Not in 2017 -18.

Teams need big centers. Teams do not need what AA has,been so far. One solution would be to reunite with Kane. Personally I would like to dump his salary and when the time is right a draft choice or trade might yield a fast big center with at least some compete.

You do not need a mirror to see the differences in this team to past seasons. Particularly when Keith and Sesbrook and sometimes hammer were good. And Shaw and Kreuger were effective warriors. You do not need to hear it again: net front presence. Why Bowman and Queenrville cannot get players to do that? I only partially believe that the personnel for it is not appropriate. Cmon' Stan and Joel maybe you need lambasting daily in media like in Canada. McDonough would notice.

Bowman and Queeneville is making one other huge mistake to which I barely mentioned in a post a while back

Look at Ottawa. They got how far last season? They get the most out of their star, Karlsson the dman. Kane isn't in his class. Not this year, anyway, so far as this season goes.

Go ahead and trade the #1 2018. So you think then that you might make playoffs. I guess then you are picking when to take poison as far as when you will get fired.

Someone please call out the PP whipping target. Is it the players themselves, certain ones perhaps, and or not proper personnel who will park in front of the net.

A fine mess this team. It was bound to happen after such prolonged success. Is the bottom out missing playoffs and at least one firing?

Solid write up as always John...

lots of folks calling for Q's head...lol...guy's a 3 time Cup winning HOF coach. And sure a new voice in the room might be needed at some point, but who's out there that you'd bring in...yeah the PP is total crap - isn't that Dineen's area? Sure but ultimately on Q. I think Q's is still trying to see what he has to work with...has Schmaltz (who's apparently already been named a Saint) looked good since the injury...and yes both he and the Cat are being targeted - shocker there. Wonder how long before the Rockford shuttle starts running?

Roster still needs work. I said before the season started you needed another scorer and another quality dman to make a decent run here.

Stan had a nice summer this year and has added some younger defensemen (who need time to develop) and some grit/depth to the bottom lines. However NMCs and overpays certainly have had an effect on shaping the roster. It'll be interesting to see what he does here by the TDL or sooner. Despite the 10-1 shellacking of the pens on opening night...this team doesn't look like it gets out of the first round. Especially when you look at how they've played against the Central so far.

I agree 100%, All to often teams ride the past until they die. I think Q's style has been outgrown in the NHL to a point.. and he is not the best for player development. Not saying hes a Mike Keenan, but he does rely on his aged veterans too much.

Stan better have a game plan or else he is going to look real stupid at the post season podium again saying this can never happen again. I think Chicago as a whole falls in love with its superstars too much.....like they cant stand the thought of selling that 72 Chevy with 300,000 miles on it because its been good to them in the past.

However on the flip side of that, I still feel the pain of the Roenick for Zhamnov trade....that completely ruined my Hockey world....not to mention when they let Chelios go. I know it was a different regime....but my point is I guess be careful what you wish for. Maybe Toews is no longer a first line center....88 is still going up and up...while he is somewhere stuck in mediocre land.

I thought we would have seen Laurent Dauphin by now. I guess I was wrong.

I digress now and go back to being a fan................JJ are we headed for that dreaded .500 season?...those seasons are worse than a sister kisser.........

Felt like the Hawks were on the PK all game again. The Hawks need more skill upfront. Period. It seems like the Hawks never have the puck. Can any of the metrics nerds back this up with fancy stats ? Hope everyone is well. Time to spend that Hossa $

I am now convinced that the style of play is our biggest shortcoming more so than our players. Watching our players being outplayed by inferior VGK players is embarrassing. We get out shot every game simply because when teams have possession in our end, they have open point men because our wingers take to much of a defensive drop toward our goalie. Teams get extended time in our zone and extra shots and than we finally get possession, our players are spent are just are looking to get the puck out and dump it in and get a change. Then the situation starts all over again. Game in game out that is an issue. Watch other team vs us in their defensive zone. Our point men are locked up. I don't know where and when I heard but someone mentioned that Coach Q is coaching like it is 2009. The game has evolved. Being one of the winningest coaches of all time the owner of three Stanley cups seems like Q can be steadfast in his decisions. I think it is time for The Coach Q situation to come full cycle as he was named head coach in a shocking manner replacing a black hawk legend. Coach Q is our legendary coach but we need someone with new ideas of the more modern way of playing hockey. Blackhawks fans deserve better than the lackluster, going through the motion performances we have seen in atleast half of our games. Sorry I don't want to be the one to overreact on one game, but this has been going on for two years, getting worse yearly. Last night was the night I just couldn't take it anymore and did something I have never done before and became ambivalent towards the Hawks winning a game.

Felt like the Hawks were on the PK all game again. The Hawks need more skill upfront. Period. It seems like the Hawks never have the puck. Can any of the metrics nerds back this up with fancy stats ? Hope everyone is well. Time to spend that Hossa $
- mrpaulish

I was expecting the D to struggle to start the season. I thought we had a stacked forward group. It has been pretty meh. Don't agree that Sharp has looked like a 13th forward. He is dragging around a clearly slowed Anisimov and Dcat (who I am more and more thinking needs to go to the A... he shows flashes but he physically isn't ready to compete you can see him get drained on shifts and he just does not have the physical strength yet). Sharp is not the problem. He looks like a solid 3rd line wing.

There is a reason 7 has not been used in a shutdown top line roll in a while. It was 4 and 27 and then 2 and 4.

Toews is what he is at this point. I don't think he is as good as he was 2012-2015.

Anytime Q wants to give Hayden a look on the top 2 lines I am all for it. If your top 6 is not beating out other top 6s 5 on 5 night in and night out you are in trouble.

And the PP wow. The crap umbrella scheme is brutal. Bunches up Hawks on one side of the ice and opposing PK are cutting off the across ice pass. Only option is to go get buried in the corner or put a shot on net from a terrible angle.

Thanks for the good read JJ.

I've said it since summer that I feel this year is about finding what pieces are gonna stick here for our last Cup run with this Core group of guys before we look to move pieces out and start to retool this team going forward.

It's only ten games in but you can see that this team is missing the impact players we've had in years past. We need at least another scoring forward and we need another 100% reliable (or two) D-men on this team Q can trust to play the big minutes. Not to mention another Center who can win a draw.

This is the price you pay when you're a team trying to win a Stanley Cup team year in and year out BUT you don't put a main emphases on developing players as well. We're relying on guys like Schmaltz, Hartman, DeBrincat, Forsling, Rutta, Kempny etc. to play KEY roles on this team and we've seen that they have been either put into roles they are unfamiliar with or (i.e. playing outta position) or are unready for.

Now they have ALL shown flashes at times but if we want to be a serious Cup Contending team with this Core of guys we need to see at least one of the Forwards mentioned and one or two of the D-men take it to the next level because the chances of making a trade to impact the team or signing a FA at some point isn't likely to happen without a key piece or two being traded which will defeat the purpose of what they're trying to do now.

I'm willing to give this team the time to gel and build chemistry. My goal is to see them obviously win a Cup again but I'm realistic in that I at least want to see them be in the Playoff's once again BUT this time at least being a competitive team and putting up a fight. Idk we'll see what happens though

I think carrying 8 defensemen has hurt the team. Kero is the extra forward and he shouldn't be playing ahead of anyone else, it would be nice for Q to have another option.

I would send down Oesterle and recall Hinostroza, give him a shot at the bottom 6.

Oesterle would have to clear waivers to get sent down. That doesn't seem to be likely.

The PP looks terrible and completely disorganized. I'm of the school where if something doesn't work, go back to basics. Stick Panik or Hartman in front of the goalie and shoot as much as necessary. The pretty passing plays are great, but if the other team has a tight box going, you can't get the passes through, so you are stuck on the perimeter.

I think AA would be the most likely to be moved. This team has gone back to a more speedy game, and he drags a boat anchor around the ice. At a minimum, you should be able to get back a decent d-man for him. Or, quick 3rd line C with a decent FO %. If necessary, you could throw in some of the new defense depth the team has now.

Other than those 2 things, it seems like we have to deal with the kids learning on the job. Hopefully they can bank enough points to survive that and make the playoffs.

Agreed that Hino needs to be up. For all the neg comments on Evander Kane, that guy with his skill/nasty is greatly needed for the 2nd line. Biggest issue for the Hawks? Zero identity. Just kind of skating around with small stretches of hustle/urgency. Are we a possession style team? Yes in theory, but can't play that way with current mindset/make up. Hard to play against? Nope.

Hard fore check team? So what kind of team are we? The late 2000 Wings teams? That aging once great team? Yeah. No longer the skilled race horse. And then we get dogged by the expansion team last night. Have Q go watch the Pens to see how to change the scheme up.

Would love to send AA to the Habs for Shaw. We need that kind of crazy/unstable element out there.

Why no bodies to the net? I can remember in Games 1 and 2 of this here season getting up off my couch, clapping, and saying "they are finally getting guys to the net".

When they struggle, are they regressing back to what they know, which is play with the puck on the outside, look for a hole in the defense (that usually isn't there), and wait for the perfect shot?

Oesterle would have to clear waivers to get sent down. That doesn't seem to be likely.
- biskit67

I am ok with that.

Why no bodies to the net? I can remember in Games 1 and 2 of this here season getting up off my couch, clapping, and saying "they are finally getting guys to the net".

When they struggle, are they regressing back to what they know, which is play with the puck on the outside, look for a hole in the defense (that usually isn't there), and wait for the perfect shot?
- DMCsPulledHammy

Yeah. First two games show they can play that way.

Few things here...

1. I'm not ready to can Q. At some point, players need to pull their weight and live up to their massive contracts.

2. This isn't "losing to an expansion team, time to panic" territory. The Knights are a good team and have had an incredible start. What they do well, and something the Hawks should try to replicate is they play a simple game. Non-household-name-guys are finding tremendous success in Gallant's system. Why? Because it focuses on doing the basics and nothing fancy. Vegas players put themselves in good positioning, but what they do even better is they don't over-complicate anything. They forecheck hard and make it difficult for opposing teams to break out of their own zone. They use some speed to get teams on their heels and when they're on the attack, they make good passes--nothing is cute or forced. They get traffic to the front of the net and put pucks on. They also play pretty solid defense--taking pressure off their goaltender. There were many times the Hawks couldn't even get setup in their zone to have sustained pressure and offensive opportunities.

3. Hawks have a good team. They just need to figure out how these new/young guys fit into their system and how to utilize them to give them the best opportunity to succeed.