This was a good win and certainly something to build on...

IMO, I would rather the Hawks get off to a slow start and finish strong rather than start strong and finish slow.... I mean this team has many new faces and I predicted the Hawks would get off to a slow/sluggish start because it takes time to form chemistry - not only that but adapt to JC's "system" (not a huge fan)...

JC needs to let the guys play their game instead of his game.. Last season the Hawks were rolling after the New Year. Perhaps JC should revert back to that game plan?... If I were Bowman I would certainly keep JC on a short leash if he cant get it together soon and I could see Marc Crawford taking over if the Hawks don't turn it around by Christmas... TBH, the brass should have never fired Q to begin with. It wasn't Q's fault the salary cap decimated the roster... You can only do so much with 1/2 an NHL roster, and there is no doubt in my mind the Hawks would be in a better position at this point had Q not been fired.

At any rate last night was a good win and hopefully the Hawks can string a few together and maybe that will be the boost they need to take it to the next level..

If we can get Kane, DeBrincat, Strome and Toews hot this team will be tough to beat...
- Savard2Secord

Agree. Unless the team was going through a total rebuild, Q should have been part of the solution, but nothing one can do about that now. We'll see what JC does over next few weeks, I think team has a shot to get going, though still not overly confident in the D. DeHaan asked a lot last night to play with Seabs, who still looks like burnt toast to me.

Game 9 for is vs buffalo on 11/17... that is the window for murph's return..

they are not going with 8 dman with bokie sitting...gus and seabs are not going to be sitting or traded...

odds are bokie goes back after or before the sabre game...
- bogiedoc

I believe the earliest return for Murphy is the 16th against the Preds. But it is no guarantee he will be ready physically on that date.

In reference to the chip and chase;

I have never seen JC use chip and chase at all last year, nor have I seen any evidence he used it down at the Rock, so why do people keep attributing the play to JC?

I get he is the head coach and he has the final say. Still this isn’t like him to use and abandon what worked last year or at his other tenures. I think it’s the experienced coach behind the bench giving him bad advice.
- gifman

True. Still don't like the D system but maybe I shouldn't heap the blame for the dump and chase on JC. I don't recall the Icehogs ever using that while he was there.

A certain poster who shall remain nameless (because he is sensitive) recently posted the standings to show Vancouver is ahead of the Hawks in the rebuild - said a 14 game sample is dispositive.....

How about a 1 game sample? 5-2, baby!!!

In reference to the chip and chase;

I have never seen JC use chip and chase at all last year, nor have I seen any evidence he used it down at the Rock, so why do people keep attributing the play to JC?

I get he is the head coach and he has the final say. Still this isn’t like him to use and abandon what worked last year or at his other tenures. I think it’s the experienced coach behind the bench giving him bad advice.
- gifman

Unless the possession game consistently isn’t working and the dump is rue only way to get the pick into the zone and possibly (altho rarely) chase to get it back.

Why Poehling, slated in the NHL as a third line center, we are pretty strong at center (Toews, Strome, Dach, and Kampf), I would rather they try and get Primeau the goalie prospect.
- LAHawk

Hmmm? Interesting,Would the Canadians entertain that? Depends on what happens with our goalie situation towards the end of the season.Probably all of that have died down since Mark Bergiven was spotted in a couple of Icehog games and nothing has been said since then

I know many count how many shots against and some nights they give up so many, i don't like it either but I'd rather they give up 50 shots on goal with defenders in front of the goalie as opposed to 7 to 10 breakaways or 2 on 1s in a game like they did the last couple of years.
- BetweenTheDots

Really need to look at Corsi, which includes blocks and shots that miss the net, plus scoring chances and high danger scoring chances.

For what it's worth I use Natural Stat Trick, which has season stats plus stats from each game. From last night, not just 5v5 but the entire game:

Corsi for - Blackhawks 50.93% VAN 49.07%
Scoring chances for 50/50
High Danger scoring chances CHI 38.1%, VAN 61.9%
Expected Goals for CHI 53.87%, VAN 46.13%

The Panthers couldn't get a save last year, thu the $10 mil. Bobrovsky signing.
- LAHawk

Love watching "Bob" when he's in the groove! Gonna keep FLA close in a lot of games.

Agree. Unless the team was going through a total rebuild, Q should have been part of the solution, but nothing one can do about that now. We'll see what JC does over next few weeks, I think team has a shot to get going, though still not overly confident in the D. DeHaan asked a lot last night to play with Seabs, who still looks like burnt toast to me.
- kwolf68

There was tension between what kind of players Q wanted, and what Stan envisioned the Hawks being. Before firing Q, obviously McDonough and Rocky had to sign off on it. Thus it came down to whether to keep Q or Stan, and the boys in the C suite picked Stan.

I think the man to man defensive scheme does not work for the team ... hence the high number of shots on goal and dangerous chances given up. On the other hand, for years when the Hawks were a speed and skill team, teams started to counter that and gummed up the neutral zone, so they could not move through with speed. Realistically .... a team needs to do both. Yes good outlet passing ... head man the puck and if you have the time and space, carry the puck in like we have gotten accustomed to the Hawks doing. HOWEVER .... if you try that and the neutral zone is plugged up, you have turnovers in the neutral zone that many teams can counter with speed into the Hawks zone. If the neutral zone is clogged ... then YES dump and chase the puck in !! That should loosen up the neutral zone and eventually they should be able to skate through with speed. It's not that complicated .... take what they give you at the time and go with it !!

That experienced coach that Forsberg, Deadmarsh, Simon, Drury and Ricci that could retrieve pucks chipped in?
- Popsghostly

23 years ago, that’s why one of the comments about him from players was the game had past him by.

Does that apply to Boqvist since he is in the AHL?
- bhawks2241

No, ELC's are waiver exempt...

I believe the earliest return for Murphy is the 16th against the Preds. But it is no guarantee he will be ready physically on that date.
- -Doh-

A great sign today was to see Murphy skating.

Connor Murphy (groin) is skating on his own while #Blackhawks practice on main rink.

He’s eligible to come off long-term injured reserve on Nov. 16 vs. Nashville. pic.twitter.com/aOLpMafwHY

— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) November 8, 2019

They were probably bag-skated until 2:00 last night for losing to the Hawks.
- mohel

Happy to reveal my ignorance here. Other than wanting to barf afterwards in the corner of the ice, what occurs during a bag skate? Have heard this for years, but never have asked until now.

Really need to look at Corsi, which includes blocks and shots that miss the net, plus scoring chances and high danger scoring chances.

For what it's worth I use Natural Stat Trick, which has season stats plus stats from each game. From last night, not just 5v5 but the entire game:

Corsi for - Blackhawks 50.93% VAN 49.07%
Scoring chances for 50/50
High Danger scoring chances CHI 38.1%, VAN 61.9%
Expected Goals for CHI 53.87%, VAN 46.13%
- scottak

This might be an LBR question, but why would expected goals for favor the Hawks when high danger scoring chances so heavily favored Chicago?

Happy to reveal my ignorance here. Other than wanting to barf afterwards in the corner of the ice, what occurs during a bag skate? Have heard this for years, but never have asked until now.
- gabriel

You pretty much have it. Like the scene in Miracle when they had to do sprints until they got the right answer.

Happy to reveal my ignorance here. Other than wanting to barf afterwards in the corner of the ice, what occurs during a bag skate? Have heard this for years, but never have asked until now.
- gabriel

No pucks, lots of skating drills, purpose is similar to detention in school, to make you reflect on your own performance.

This might be an LBR question, but why would expected goals for favor the Hawks when high danger scoring chances so heavily favored Chicago?
- mohel

I’d think they have their methodology on the website. I just pulled the numbers quickly.

Maybe the HD were very low relative to the total attempts? I didn’t see the 1st 2 periods, so no eye test comp for me.

No pucks, lots of skating drills, purpose is similar to detention in school, to make you reflect on your own performance.
- LAHawk

This is pretty much it. Actually an outstanding synopsis of what a bag skate is.

Oh joy, invited to the game tomorrow night. Glutton for punishment I have accepted.

I’d think they have their methodology on the website. I just pulled the numbers quickly.

Maybe the HD were very low relative to the total attempts? I didn’t see the 1st 2 periods, so no eye test comp for me.
- scottak

I believe you on the numbers, just trying to learn something for once.

Oh joy, invited to the game tomorrow night. Glutton for punishment I have accepted.
- kwolf68

Putting the new, relaxed Wolfie to the test, eh?

Agree. Unless the team was going through a total rebuild, Q should have been part of the solution, but nothing one can do about that now. We'll see what JC does over next few weeks, I think team has a shot to get going, though still not overly confident in the D. DeHaan asked a lot last night to play with Seabs, who still looks like burnt toast to me.
- kwolf68

I agree. Q should not have been fired, if they were going to fire someone it should have been Stan. Stan is responsible for managing the cap, but even in that hypothetical situation Stan shouldn't be fired.... Look, when your team is successful the players are going to want to get paid, so there is really nothing you can do about that... Yes, Stan has made some questionable signings Seabrook, Bickell but could Stan really have let Seabrook walk after all he's done for this franchise?? I don't think so. I will say the term on Seabrook's contract should have been different tho, perhaps 3-4 years, but if Stan let Seabrook walk the fans would have been pissed...

IMO, Q is one of the few guys in history that got fired for doing his job too well. lol

Like I said when a team is successful the players will want to get paid and in a cap era you only have so much.

The Hawks demise the past couple of seasons have really been no ones fault.. I mean what moves could have prevented this? not many..

I just wish some Hawks fans understood this, but no - they wanted "change", so now we have JC who is playing "dump & chase" with a high skill "run & gun" hockey team..

If I were Bowman I would have JC on a very short leash and if the Hawks are not at .500 (SO losses included) come Christmas I would replace him with Crawford... And you know what? I wouldn't be shocked if that was Bowman's game plan or "plan B" all along... Crawford has plenty of experience and success coaching skilled teams like this...JC is a rookie coach, and IMO the Hawks need a veteran coach that know what he's doing and takes advantage of the Hawks assets and uses them properly...

23 years ago, that’s why one of the comments about him from players was the game had past him by.
- gifman

Yep now I see. Forgot to add Lemieux to the list. Wow what a team. One of the pre-cap years I remember they added Selanne and Kariya too. Wow.

I agree. Q should not have been fired, if they were going to fire someone it should have been Stan. Stan is responsible for managing the cap, but even in that hypothetical situation Stan shouldn't be fired.... Look, when your team is successful the players are going to want to get paid, so there is really nothing you can do about that... Yes, Stan has made some questionable signings Seabrook, Bickell but could Stan really have let Seabrook walk after all he's done for this franchise?? I don't think so. I will say the term on Seabrook's contract should have been different tho, perhaps 3-4 years, but if Stan let Seabrook walk the fans would have been pissed...

IMO, Q is one of the few guys in history that got fired for doing his job too well. lol

Like I said when a team is successful the players will want to get paid and in a cap era you only have so much.

The Hawks demise the past couple of seasons have really been no ones fault.. I mean what moves could have prevented this? not many..

I just wish some Hawks fans understood this, but no - they wanted "change", so now we have JC who is playing "dump & chase" with a high skill "run & gun" hockey team..

If I were Bowman I would have JC on a very short leash and if the Hawks are not at .500 (SO losses included) come Christmas I would replace him with Crawford... And you know what? I wouldn't be shocked if that was Bowman's game plan or "plan B" all along... Crawford has plenty of experience and success coaching skilled teams like this...JC is a rookie coach, and IMO the Hawks need a veteran coach that know what he's doing and takes advantage of the Hawks assets and uses them properly...
- Savard2Secord

Imo, this is an outstanding observation.