Exactly. We now get to see who earns it. Who's plays hard when the going is tough.
- 6628

And we’ll get to see if those who play hard and earn it can stand up to Winnipeg, Nashville, St. Louis, Colorado, etc.

Or at least give hope that they will in a year or two.

I've been wondering for some time now, why don't you just follow boxing?
- BobP.

I do as well as mma.

https://thehockeynews.com...on-the-2018-19-nhl-season

“Chicago Blackhawks
Outlandish prediction: The Hawks finish last overall.
Reality check: Three years removed from their three-Cups-in-six-years mini-dynasty, the Blackhawks are a shell of their former selves. Corey Crawford’s status is up in the air, Jonathan Toews has slowed down, Brent Seabrook has really slowed down, and the supporting cast ain’t what it used to be. If anything happens to Patrick Kane, look out below.”


Jack Hughes new 1C!
- EnzoD

This seems more likely than the other direction and being Stanley Cup Champions.

I'm worried about Crawford. They need him at top form to have a prayer this season and that looks doubtful, at least out of the gate. I'm guessing/hoping Toews, Seabrook, and Keith will improve over last season's performances, but I'm not sure how much better they can be anymore. Which brings me to my main point: we need to stop thinking about the core and the supporting cast. The group of guys formerly know as the core can still be be effective players on a winning team, but the roster is going to need a few players who are better than them - at least better than all but Kane - before the Blackhawks will win another championship.

I'm not a fan of "the baby core" idea either because 1) it isn't clear who they are yet, and 2) it isn't clear how good they'll be, and 3) it isn't clear how long it'll take for them to be in their prime.

This team needs some acquisitions to improve, most likely via trade.

But, for right now, this looks like a team in limbo. They don't seem willing to take on any players with contract term right now; probably because they aren't sure what is going to happen with Q or how well the core bounces back or how good the young guys perform.

This seems more likely than the other direction and being Stanley Cup Champions.

I'm worried about Crawford. They need him at top form to have a prayer this season and that looks doubtful, at least out of the gate. I'm guessing/hoping Toews, Seabrook, and Keith will improve over last season's performances, but I'm not sure how much better they can be anymore. Which brings me to my main point: we need to stop thinking about the core and the supporting cast. The group of guys formerly know as the core can still be be effective players on a winning team, but the roster is going to need a few players who are better than them - at least better than all but Kane - before the Blackhawks will win another championship.

I'm not a fan of "the baby core" idea either because 1) it isn't clear who they are yet, and 2) it isn't clear how good they'll be, and 3) it isn't clear how long it'll take for them to be in their prime.

This team needs some acquisitions to improve, most likely via trade.

But, for right now, this looks like a team in limbo. They don't seem willing to take on any players with contract term right now; probably because they aren't sure what is going to happen with Q or how well the core bounces back or how good the young guys perform.
- matt_ahrens

Agree on all your points. To me too many hands in the cookie jar. A lot indecision to what the plan is and right i don't think the hawk's brass knows either. Bowman wants to this , Q wants to this scounting wants this so fourth and so fourth. Hawks need a plan and go with it, personally its time to rebuild will it happen probably not but just make a decision and go with it. One last thing bowman and company need to plan like Crawford is not coming back at least not the start of the season. A lot of questions marks and what if's for the upcoming season. The roster as currently constituted is not a playoff contender more like a bottom 3RD team in the West.

Agree on all your points. To me too many hands in the cookie jar. A lot indecision to what the plan is and right i don't think the hawk's brass knows either. Bowman wants to this , Q wants to this scounting wants this so fourth and so fourth. Hawks need a plan and go with it, personally its time to rebuild will it happen probably not but just make a decision and go with it. One last thing bowman and company need to plan like Crawford is not coming back at least not the start of the season. A lot of questions marks and what if's for the upcoming season. The roster as currently constituted is not a playoff contender more like a bottom 3RD team in the West.
- Scott1977

IMHO, I feel Hawks management feels they have a plan but it just seems to be a non-commital one that has a firm, clearly articulated direction at every step. In other words, I feel they have "a choose your own adventure" plan that has options in place at every turn and fork in the road.

One example is the decision to have Crawford, Ward, and Forsberg in the goalie stable. I disagree that the Hawks haven't planned for Crawford to be out for significant time if not the entire season because they wouldn't have signed Ward (or say another UFA goalie like Bernier) otherwise. If Crawford is 1a, then Ward is 1b with Forsberg as the backup.

I'm not a fan of "the baby core" idea either because 1) it isn't clear who they are yet, and 2) it isn't clear how good they'll be, and 3) it isn't clear how long it'll take for them to be in their prime.
- matt_ahrens

While the Hawks shouldn't necessarily invest in a new baby core exactly as they did in the current core (including departed or retired members like Hjalmarsson, Hossa, and Sharp), I think they still need to at least invest in certain young starters and prospects to help facilitate transition from the current core to the new guard or whatever we want to call them.

Not saying that this is what you're stating; your thoughts just got my mind jogging on how the team should handle the youth. In my perspective, riding out the final members of the core until they're done without a concurrent plan to smartly and patiently weave in youth is a path towards an eventual tear down and rebuild, i.e. a true rebuild as opposed to a soft rebuild on the fly, and not a good way to optimize time with youth development.

Prediction time... how many goals will the Blackhawks forwards score this year?

Player-by-player breakdown: https://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=94314