Justin Lowe: The Importance of Connor Murphy
You all know that I'm not huge on game previews or recaps, I like to delve into the more interesting.

While we're on the subject though, the Hawks exploded in the 3rd period for 5 goals and defeated the Edmonton Oilers at home 6-2.

Now we got that out of the way, I want to tell you a story about Connor Murphy.

First!

Nicely done,

Murphy, like many Hawks, are not going anywhere. He especially, since probably your biggest need is to find a player like him.

Would make no sense.

Justin Lowe: The Importance of Connor Murphy

You all know that I'm not huge on game previews or recaps, I like to delve into the more interesting.

While we're on the subject though, the Hawks exploded in the 3rd period for 5 goals and defeated the Edmonton Oilers at home 6-2.

Now we got that out of the way, I want to tell you a story about Connor Murphy.
- Justin Lowe

Great story, Mother Goose, but better piece. A 5 game win streak is crazy. A 3rd period onslaught, that's old hawks. Respect for Hayden being the catalyst that led to Talbot being pulled.

When the Hjalmarsson trade was first announced, I didn't like it. After I saw Murphy play, I liked it. I wasn't trying to compare him (though sometimes when they lost, I did.) It was a younger and cheaper return of a different skillset. I would hate to see him go. Yes, defense is a problem, but he's not part of the problem. Just stay out of the box.

I like Murphy a lot. He has really stepped up this year.

The issue I see is the crowd of right handed defenseman. Seabrook is nearly immovable, Joker should be full time next season and obviously Murphy slotting in his poop down role. How does one convince Michell and Boqvist that their is an opportunity? I would personally like to sign Mitchell this summer and let Boq play another summer in the O. That is all only if the opportunity can present itself.

I like Murphy a lot. He has really stepped up this year.

The issue I see is the crowd of right handed defenseman. Seabrook is nearly immovable, Joker should be full time next season and obviously Murphy slotting in his poop down role. How does one convince Michell and Boqvist that their is an opportunity? I would personally like to sign Mitchell this summer and let Boq play another summer in the O. That is all only if the opportunity can present itself.
- zm333

Seabs shouldn't be moved. I am sure he is dealing with some sort of injury. He will be back as the Seabs we know next season, and his contract will not look so bad then.

quotes not working

Seabrook's deal will look bad no matter where he is slotted and no matter how he works out in the off season. He knows it too, but he's getting paid for what he did not what he can do. Injuries are a bigger part of an older defenseman's term. Ya just don't bounce back like ya did 5 yrs ago.

Murphy may have found himself with Jeremy, as have several other players. So there is hope Gus will too. Maybe one of the up and coming will pair with him and be his Dahlstrom. Keith and Seabs drop to 5/6.

If you can have Saad 6M, Krooger 3.3M, and AA 4.5M playing bottom 6 roles why not have a 12M 5-6 tandem on D?

Oh my. Will this winning never end!!!! Gonna screw up our future. Stan is already taking back offers and moving from a "Sellers" mode, and thinking of buying. Oh me nerves!!! Next thing he will trade 2-3 young prospects for a high cost expiring veteran to make a playoff run.
Please no. Stop this madness. Winning is nice, but enough is enough.....

The Coyotes have made some head scratcher moves with the Hawks, loved Hammer but his better days were behind him, Murphy is going be a stalwart d man, not even remotely coming into his prime yet, Strome, amazing pick up as well, gotta give SB credit on some of the moves he's made in the last couple years, yes there've been bad ones, but some definite gems too, and as painful as Gus is on d, his o on the pp is sick, seriously look at him at forward then maybe d on pp.

Oh my. Will this winning never end!!!! Gonna screw up our future. Stan is already taking back offers and moving from a "Sellers" mode, and thinking of buying. Oh me nerves!!! Next thing he will trade 2-3 young prospects for a high cost expiring veteran to make a playoff run.
Please no. Stop this madness. Winning is nice, but enough is enough.....


- hawk35

This is my fear too. Management look at the last 20 games and decide to throw the future to the wind and go all in for a playoff run to try for one last championship. The team wasn't as bad as the first part of the season indicated and they're not as good as they have shown lately. I think they are more in the middle and with the moves for Strome, Caggiula etc. they are a little closer to what we see now. Once we're out of the dog days of the season and when other teams' have scouted the Hawks' tendencies we'll see who the real Blackhawk team is.

Have you looked at the Hawks next 10 or 12 games? They play all the other last place teams in the league, plus Detroit twice, Anaheim, Vancouver, and a struggling Columbus team. That's 8 winnable games. They could really start to get into playoff contention.

It's a tough situation for Bowman now. If he is going to sell, he needs to do it quick or they are going to drop out of the top 5 of the draft. Worst case scenario would be to finish like 10th in the conference. You don't make the playoffs, and you end up drafting 9th.

Lord knows we need a "physical" player, not sure if Murphy is capable of taking the place of Shaw in our hearts but I sure hope so. However, he has to get control over the stupid penalties he takes. I was hoping in your statistics that there'd be something in there about the # penalties vs TOI. Didn't he get 2 in the previous game?

Have you looked at the Hawks next 10 or 12 games? They play all the other last place teams in the league, plus Detroit twice, Anaheim, Vancouver, and a struggling Columbus team. That's 8 winnable games. They could really start to get into playoff contention.

It's a tough situation for Bowman now. If he is going to sell, he needs to do it quick or they are going to drop out of the top 5 of the draft. Worst case scenario would be to finish like 10th in the conference. You don't make the playoffs, and you end up drafting 9th.
- biskit67

As a fan I don't want to see the Hawks try to get a top 5 draft pick. I want to see the team play to the best of their abilities and get whatever draft pick they get. I also don't want to see the team make bad trades for older veterans and move young guys or draft picks to get them.

Lord knows we need a "physical" player, not sure if Murphy is capable of taking the place of Shaw in our hearts but I sure hope so. However, he has to get control over the stupid penalties he takes. I was hoping in your statistics that there'd be something in there about the # penalties vs TOI. Didn't he get 2 in the previous game?
- ktsparks

I think Caggiula can fill that Shaw role fairly well and already appears to be doing so.

They could use another guy like him for the 2nd line and move Kahun down with Saad and get them a 3rd line center in the offseason.

Kind of makes one wonder how Michal Kempny would have faired under Colliton. A similar situation where Coach Q destroyed Kempny's confidence, no ?

Kind of makes one wonder how Michal Kempny would have faired under Colliton. A similar situation where Coach Q destroyed Kempny's confidence, no ?
- StutzBlackhawk

I think so, loved Q but he could stubborn in his ways and that usually meant young players in his dog house, look what Kempny did with the Caps last year, top 2 minutes and won a cup.

Kind of makes one wonder how Michal Kempny would have faired under Colliton. A similar situation where Coach Q destroyed Kempny's confidence, no ?
- StutzBlackhawk

I think Kempny was plenty confident, just Q didn't like his game or maybe more accurately, wouldn't live with Kempny's mistakes. It's not like he played scared when he went to the Caps last year.

Good comeback win against the oilers! Thanks for entertaining me thinking of how bad it is in Edmonton right now.

Lord knows we need a "physical" player, not sure if Murphy is capable of taking the place of Shaw in our hearts but I sure hope so. However, he has to get control over the stupid penalties he takes. I was hoping in your statistics that there'd be something in there about the # penalties vs TOI. Didn't he get 2 in the previous game?
- ktsparks

Let me dig up those PIMs stats.

when the trade was made for hammy it was gutsy and forward looking...
better to trade a guy like hammy a year or two early than later...
it was high risk because it involved the a warrior and 3 cup guy like hammy...
yes hammy brought a huge toughness and shot blocking but he was on the downside of his metrics and still is..

all right for all you tankites: last nights win and this 5 game win streak were nice and enjoyable but its time to resume the losing

He's no Joe Murphy but he'll do.

I think Kempny was plenty confident, just Q didn't like his game or maybe more accurately, wouldn't live with Kempny's mistakes. It's not like he played scared when he went to the Caps last year.
- Davewn

That is the huge distinction between JC and Q. How many mistakes did Gus make before being a scratch? The answer is right around the crap ton range. Q will go down in coach history and gave us 10 amazing years, I give credit out equally to the rest that made 3 cups happen. Q liked seasoned vets and had shorter leashes for rookie mistakes. I'm not holding it against him, I'm just saying that is a huge dividing line between the 2 coaches. The jury is still out on if JC will make it far, but I've liked the turnaround. It might be that he's younger, or knows these guys from Rock, or wants to highlight people for trade as he's told to do, or give big minutes to help them into their prime, or just thinks heavier loads can be handled with a lot of confidence, even if mistakes are piling up. Maybe some or none, idk. He's not quiet and is always instructing/trying to bond with the guys after their shifts.

I like Murphy a lot. He has really stepped up this year.

The issue I see is the crowd of right handed defenseman. Seabrook is nearly immovable, Joker should be full time next season and obviously Murphy slotting in his poop down role. How does one convince Michell and Boqvist that their is an opportunity? I would personally like to sign Mitchell this summer and let Boq play another summer in the O. That is all only if the opportunity can present itself.
- zm333

These things have a way of working themselves out. I like a situation where the young guys are not rushed and they have to fight their way onto the roster and fight of playing time.

Seabs shouldn't be moved. I am sure he is dealing with some sort of injury. He will be back as the Seabs we know next season, and his contract will not look so bad then.
- powerenforcer

I have no idea if Seab's is injured, too old, out of shape, or what. But I know that for the last two years posters on this blog said Toews was finished, and the eye test and his number seemed to agree with them. But he has made a stunning comeback this year. So like you (and we are probably alone) I think Seabs may still have a couple of decent years. Maybe not like being in his prime, but better than last year and this year. Hopefully a solid 2nd pairing or at worst a very very good 3rd pairing RD.