Not disagreeing with you in principle.
However, if this is the case it won't be too much longer before there are plenty of empty seats at the UC. This city in particular appreciates and applauds hard work. And even the lowest paid amongst those Blackhawks will likely earn more in their short time in the NHL than most of us in our lifetime.

Personally, find it repulsive if this is the case. And with that attitude, not only are they going nowhere fast, it's going to be pretty difficult to turn this lumbering cruise ship around in the Chicago river.

When I watched Toews being interviewed last night, his body language and words said "I'm going through the motions, I don't care all that much what you or anyone else think about my performance and there isn't anything I'm going to do about it."


Him talking about the "we" have to . . . "we" have to . . .





Enzo got it right with the mirror pic.
Look in the mirror Jon, it starts and ends with you.
You wear the C.
You're making $9.8M this year.
While I might not expect a CUP this year or anytime soon, I do expect you to compete hard during the season for that kind of coin. And you should be setting the example with the rest of the roster. Win or Lose. Play hard.
If you can't elevate your game against the CUP champs, then when?
- savvyone-1

Toews is starting to sound more and more like our X BEAR QB ** Cutler.
Cuttler would throw 3 costly interception and fumble twice in a game that the team lost by 24 points. During the post-game interview Cutler. Would always say “The team needed to be better ,,,,,” never would he say I played poorly or this loss is on me”

It’s still an excuse. The bottom line is the core, outside of Kane, aren’t nearly the players they once were.

It’s not a subconscious issue.
- bhawks2241

So isn't this an excuse? Or is the possible subconscious issue a reason for them not being the players they once were?

Outside of Keith currently being injured there is no reason that these players should be performing as poorly as they are. Pointing out possible reasons for why they are playing this way does not excuse it. It is simply trying to rationalize why it is happening.

So, you spit on dogs you run over as well?
- Googlyeyes

Well technically he didn’t run the dog over, it was his neighbors.

Really bad. He's played 16 games with Det. One assist and -10 (for whatever that is worth) at about 10-11 mins/gm.
- Chunk

Yeah...haven't heard too many people clamoring to get him back in the lineup

It is also funny how gutless the organization is. Rather than suspending Lehner for telling the team they sucked (not untrue) after the Colorado game they said he was sick.
- fattybeef

How do you know this, and why suspend him for speaking the truth, rather than spewing BS like our captain.

Not excusing it, but has to be hard after 3 Cups to GAF on the daily if you KNOW that your team is going nowhere near that level this year or anytime soon. I'd expect most of it is completely subconscious.
- pdx2ord

Can anyone tell me what GAF means?

Can anyone tell me what GAF means?
- boilermaker100

Give A F&^%

Lankinen back to the minors.

Give A F&^%
- TheTrob

Thanks

Hawks now have the cap space to call up a forward or D in case Strome, Shaw, Keith are still out for Wednesday's game.

I was caught off guard yesterday with so many non tender by MLB teams to their previously employed players. I sure do not recall this many non tender occurred in hockey say for example just last off session (as a reference: use free agency date July 1 as a barometer).

My conclusion is (without doing the research) that there is a growth pattern in contracts offered and signed each season in both sports . The middle class and lower class contracts signs is significantly increasing while the rich big long - term deals are creating a larger money seperation in earnings than ever.

The Epansion Draft would cause the aforementioned growth cycle.to spike but not perhaps as crazy as in exponentially increments

It has yet to be determined whether Sikura or Wedin are candidates for the middle class. Saad sadly is. Not such a great second round steal. On the other hand,.DeBrincat likely needs to dedicate summer work outs to cause his body to re shape - or his muscular capacity must change so that he can perform on ice as he did in that glorious 41 goal season

I do see some middle range dmen on Chicago but the quality and quantity of middle range dmen is amazing . Teams cry out fot depth foremost at this position. The interest is more for the puck movers followed by the experienced or the cost controlled low salary dmen

Moves to make...

Saad to FLA for Hoffman (contract expires at yeara end, can be moved at TDL if needed)

Crawford to either SJ or TOR
- if SJ for Dell and Dillon (both expiring contracts)..can add Gus to the deal
-if TOR, this may be trickier. Might have to eat a little salary but it's just for the year.

Then...go hard after Hall and extend him. Offer anyone not named Boqvist/Dach. Only thing is, Hall would not be coming to play with Toews or Kampf...but with Dach. Similar to the way Hossa was brought in for Toews (their games complimented each other well) Hall can be brought in to pair with Dach

Then, the team can transition to -
Hall - Dach - Shaw
Debrincat-Strome-Kane
Hoffman- Toews- Nylander

I cannot imagine McDonough goes beyond this season - if even that much tie elapsed - without speaking to both Bowman and Toews about Toews future playing hockey. Accountability is key as Toews has regressed badly. The eye test says all you need to know.

Confirmed that Shaw out with another concussion

Caggiula, Strome, and Lehner back on the ice

Moves to make...

Saad to FLA for Hoffman (contract expires at yeara end, can be moved at TDL if needed)

Crawford to either SJ or TOR
- if SJ for Dell and Dillon (both expiring contracts)..can add Gus to the deal
-if TOR, this may be trickier. Might have to eat a little salary but it's just for the year.

Then...go hard after Hall and extend him. Offer anyone not named Boqvist/Dach. Only thing is, Hall would not be coming to play with Toews or Kampf...but with Dach. Similar to the way Hossa was brought in for Toews (their games complimented each other well) Hall can be brought in to pair with Dach

Then, the team can transition to -
Hall - Dach - Shaw
Debrincat-Strome-Kane
Hoffman- Toews- Nylander
- PatShart

I think market for goalies is going to be soft. Blues been showcasing Allen a bit, could see them trying to move him and let Husso come up. Give them some cap room to do something this year and make space for Petro resigning.

Confirmed that Shaw out with another concussion

Caggiula, Strome, and Lehner back on the ice
- pdx2ord

How can you tell with Shaw?

I cannot imagine McDonough goes beyond this season - if even that much tie elapsed - without speaking to both Bowman and Toews about Toews future playing hockey. Accountability is key as Toews has regressed badly. The eye test says all you need to know.
- jhawk59

Same thing that was said about Toews in 2016/17 and 2017/18. Then Toews had the best offensive year of his career in 2018/19.

Also what are they going to say? Try harder. Train better. Retire and leave $31.5mil on the table. Waive your NMC. I don't think so.

Toews like Keith, may not be playing at 2015 performance levels, but they are still very good players. If they were playing on a good team with a good coach they would look even better. Cap hit aside Toews would be at least a 2C on many teams. Keith would be a 1st pair / 2nd pair on many teams.

How can you tell with Shaw?
- rpeters01

Team made it official today

A feel good post from happier times

https://twitter.com/NBCSB.../1201915948866953219?s=20

Toews isnt going anywhere

It was all "cute" to people after the Hawks won the cup when Toews would say "we" but never "I". Now...hes bashed for it.

Newsflash...most all hockey players (especially captains) say "we", as the voice/representative of the "team". Doesnt mean he isnt self aware. The dude has been his own hardest critic his whole professional and non-professional career. As much as he has always annoyed me, there is no need for false narratives on a guy that has a lot of pride and has always done things "the right way"

And the organization wouldn't ask him to step away. I mean, seriously? Think about this...how much money does he make the organization off the ice with promos and team paraphernalia?

So let's stop the making things up garbage or tarnishing his rep. Bag his play all you want...but let's not make up him being selfish or a bad teammate now.

I think market for goalies is going to be soft. Blues been showcasing Allen a bit, could see them trying to move him and let Husso come up. Give them some cap room to do something this year and make space for Petro resigning.
- Gerk

Allen...probably Jimmy Howard, Ryan Miller (if he wants to leave CA)

But Crawford has won 2 cups (none other can say that)and is on an expiring contract...may make him more attractive

Team made it official today
- pdx2ord

I think it was a joke......how can one determine he has a head injury, given his generally wacky personality.....

IMO, it might be a good time to give Kane the big “ C “ . Our best player for over 12 years and still doesn’t get recognition. That is a travesty!

I think it was a joke......how can one determine he has a head injury, given his generally wacky personality.....
- mohel

I cannot imagine McDonough goes beyond this season - if even that much tie elapsed - without speaking to both Bowman and Toews about Toews future playing hockey. Accountability is key as Toews has regressed badly. The eye test says all you need to know.
- jhawk59

Sorry, No.

Toews is the least of your worries on this team. Yeah, he is not having a great year, but he is far, far, far from the biggest issue on this team.

Effective Hockey starts and ends with good transition. Two perfect examples of what I am talking about were the Hawks opponents the last games, the Avs and Blues. Gain possession, make a good pass (or 2) gain the offensive zone, generate chances, repeat. Too many times, even with no pressure, the Hawks D passes to nobody, passes behind, too high, out of reach, etc. All leading to stifled transition.

When the Hawks were good, they thrived not just on possession hockey, but on quickly transitioning from D to O. Their dominant years they had D-men that were able to retrieve pucks and make solid exit passes from the zone, or be able to use their skating ability to transition to offense.

The current Hawks completely lack the ability to transition effectively. They brought in bodies that make them marginally better than they were on D last year, but in reality they fail in the basic needs.
- Gus is horrendous in his own zone, he doesn't really compete well along the boards, and his passing is horrible. As good a skater as he is, he rarely uses the ability break down pressure and make proper passes
- Maatta and Seabrook are both way too slow at this point to retrieve pucks, and when they do happen to, they are under constant pressure and either just throw pucks away, miss handle or whiff on passes, or just make a poor decisions or poor passes. Seabrook used to be one of the best passers on the back end, no longer.
- Koekkoek - bad passer, bad decision. Game still moving too fast for him.
- Murphy and deHaan - both serviceable. If paired with competent partners they can be effective.
- Keith - not what he once was, but still can play. As he tires his game gets sloppy. Really need to manage his minutes, he can't go 28 and be effective anymore.

At this point you may as well live thru the growing pains of younger D that have higher upside. Gie guys like Boquist, Beaudin, etc. a chance. You don't have a #1 or maybe even a #2 D-man on the current NHL roster, and none that will improve and become one. You may as well give someone with an upside a chance to learn and become one.

Your offense struggles when the D can't initiate transition, which it will struggle to do against the better teams.