Theo Fox: In the Eye A forecast for the impending offseason storm that may hit the Blackhawks once the Stanley Cup Playoffs are over.

The price they paid to stay in contention and under the cap was players and draft picks. Now they need to reload on both.
I still hold incorrect assumptions on cap growth (it didn't grow) was as key a factor as any in the 'Hawk decline.

The price they paid to stay in contention and under the cap was players and draft picks. Now they need to reload on both.
I still hold incorrect assumptions on cap growth (it didn't grow) was as key a factor as any in the 'Hawk decline.
- 35Tony0

I totally agree as I also thought it was gonna explode and not cause the issues of so many of those Blackhawk player's contracts so early on the after the first Championship.

Great write up l, Theo!

I’m ready for the whirlwind that is coming for the Hawks this summer. I am actually excited that Davidson - not Bowman - is the one making these moves.

The Hawks have needed this rebuild for a while as we know and we’ll get the true taste of how GM KD operates really soon.

I think we hear about a head coach shortly.

Who is everyone’s favourite for the Blackhawks next coach?

Thanks Theo - I was kind of surprised you did not mention naming a coach in the flurry of activity. Doesn't the coach kind of dictate what type of players (or what type of play) the team will employ? Do you think a coach signing will happen before the draft?

I agree that if 12 is traded, 88 will ask out.

Thinking about it more, those two could potentially net 3 high level assets EACH.

Potentially those 2 could net the future lines 1 & 2.

Heck, Hagel got 2 firsts ++. Four assets for one.

Add in the current D prospects already in the system and the “rebuild” could be expedited.

Plus K Dach & Reichel.

KD only been on the job less than a year and it’s a make or break offseason, potentially.

Thanks Stan!

Exhale.

Let Kane reunite with the Breadman. We'll take Lafreniere and a 2nd. Both teams are happy. Kane is happy.
We have the pieces to get some serious building blocks for the future.

Great write up l, Theo!

I’m ready for the whirlwind that is coming for the Hawks this summer. I am actually excited that Davidson - not Bowman - is the one making these moves.

The Hawks have needed this rebuild for a while as we know and we’ll get the true taste of how GM KD operates really soon.

I think we hear about a head coach shortly.

Who is everyone’s favourite for the Blackhawks next coach?
- Tyler Cameron

How's it going TC?

Anyone but King. I just want the Hawks to go outside the organization to bring in a new perspective. If they want to stay loyal to King, find a position for him somewhere.

Supposedly Luke Richardson had an interview last week and has already been invited back for a 2nd. Don't know if Vancouver granted Hawks permission to talk to Brad Shaw. Maybe Davidson has his eye on someone on TB's staff and has to wait til the playoffs are over to talk to him.

In the 2016-17 season, the Colorado Avalanche were the worst team in the NHL. They finished with 48 points, 21 less than the Vancouver Canucks, who finished 1 slot higher in the overall NHL points ranking.

5 seasons later, the Avalanche appear to be the best team in the NHL. The Avalanche are 14-2 so far in this year's playoffs, have defeated the 2 time defending Champions soundly in the 1st 2 games of the Finals, and are 2 wins away from capturing the Stanley Cup.

5 seasons, from by far the worst to a dominating 1st.

In the 2016-17 season, the Colorado Avalanche were the worst team in the NHL. They finished with 48 points, 21 less than the Vancouver Canucks, who finished 1 slot higher in the overall NHL points ranking.

5 seasons later, the Avalanche appear to be the best team in the NHL. The Avalanche are 14-2 so far in this year's playoffs, have defeated the 2 time defending Champions soundly in the 1st 2 games of the Finals, and are 2 wins away from capturing the Stanley Cup.

5 seasons, from by far the worst to a dominating 1st.
- scottak

All with the same coach also. So maybe King could be the guy?

Cumulative numbers from the 1st 2 games, from Natural Stat Trick (5v5):

Corsi 104-66 Avs
SOG 52-24 Avs
xGoals For 4.18-1.58 Avs
Scoring chances 48-25 Avs
High Danger SC 20-9 Avs

All with the same coach also. So maybe King could be the guy?
- powerenforcer

Patrick Roy resigned as GM/HC on August 11, 2016, Jared Bednar was hired August 25th, after leading the Cleveland Monsters to the AHL Championship the previous season.

Great write up l, Theo!

I’m ready for the whirlwind that is coming for the Hawks this summer. I am actually excited that Davidson - not Bowman - is the one making these moves.

The Hawks have needed this rebuild for a while as we know and we’ll get the true taste of how GM KD operates really soon.

I think we hear about a head coach shortly.

Who is everyone’s favourite for the Blackhawks next coach?
- Tyler Cameron

Luke Richardson.

I’m with you, I’m ready for a crazy offseason. Anyone and everyone is on the table, which is the way it should be. I’d like to see Kane be a Hawk for life, but if he wants to go and the return is great then KD should deal him.

I think one of Murphy and McCabe will be gone too, if not both.

In the 2016-17 season, the Colorado Avalanche were the worst team in the NHL. They finished with 48 points, 21 less than the Vancouver Canucks, who finished 1 slot higher in the overall NHL points ranking.

5 seasons later, the Avalanche appear to be the best team in the NHL. The Avalanche are 14-2 so far in this year's playoffs, have defeated the 2 time defending Champions soundly in the 1st 2 games of the Finals, and are 2 wins away from capturing the Stanley Cup.

5 seasons, from by far the worst to a dominating 1st.
- scottak

I don't know if you're making some kind of point or just stating a fact. But this doesn't mean poop to the Hawks rebuild. That team already had MacKinnon, Landeskog,Rantanen. They made three good trades and got extremely lucky in the draft that Makar was the prize of his draft. The Hawks aren't in the same position and its gonna take way longer to re-build this team.

Can’t imagine anyone taking on that Murphy contract.

In the 2016-17 season, the Colorado Avalanche were the worst team in the NHL. They finished with 48 points, 21 less than the Vancouver Canucks, who finished 1 slot higher in the overall NHL points ranking.

5 seasons later, the Avalanche appear to be the best team in the NHL. The Avalanche are 14-2 so far in this year's playoffs, have defeated the 2 time defending Champions soundly in the 1st 2 games of the Finals, and are 2 wins away from capturing the Stanley Cup.

5 seasons, from by far the worst to a dominating 1st.
- scottak

On the flip side look at Vancouver, they don't appear any closer to being a dominant playoff team, so there's that.

Great write up l, Theo!

I’m ready for the whirlwind that is coming for the Hawks this summer. I am actually excited that Davidson - not Bowman - is the one making these moves.

The Hawks have needed this rebuild for a while as we know and we’ll get the true taste of how GM KD operates really soon.

I think we hear about a head coach shortly.

Who is everyone’s favourite for the Blackhawks next coach?
- Tyler Cameron

Great to see you on the boards as always, Tyler!

My preference for next head coach is Luke Richardson. Players relate to him. They respect him immensely where they would go through brick walls.

Richardson also demands a lot without the abrasiveness and abrupt shelf life of a Gerard Gallant or John Tortorella where the message and influence get stale.

Then again, Richardson has only been an assistant so who knows what his staying power is at the head coach level. I'd be willing to wait and see.

Thanks Theo - I was kind of surprised you did not mention naming a coach in the flurry of activity. Doesn't the coach kind of dictate what type of players (or what type of play) the team will employ? Do you think a coach signing will happen before the draft?
- powerenforcer

Good call on no mention of a head coaching decision this offseason as a pivotal factor. I was only focusing on players for this blog but the head coach should be named soon as Tyler mentioned.

Personally, I would like the coaching hire made first then let them contribute to player personnel decisions.

No coach should ever have final say or a ton of weight put into decisions but some input in the process would be ideal.

Maybe Davidson has his eye on someone on TB's staff and has to wait til the playoffs are over to talk to him.
- boilermaker100

Lightning assistant coach Jeff Halpern has been rumored to be someone to watch. Elliotte Friedman even said Halpern may be a head coach candidate for some teams.

I really enjoy the story lines out there, so we are to believe that Ottawa will trade for Cat, give up all those assets and pay Cat? Common now if they are going to make up stories they should actually make them plausible.

Shaw or Richardson

Let Kane reunite with the Breadman. We'll take Lafreniere and a 2nd. Both teams are happy. Kane is happy.
We have the pieces to get some serious building blocks for the future.
- Hawkeynation

Rangers not trading Lafreniere if and only if Kane is traded to the Rangers I think it would be at the tdl and the package would most likely be 2023 1st Kappo kakko ++ what the other pieces would be who knows but that be the start.

Make or break time for sure and having a somewhat inexperienced GM should make the Hawks fan base nervous. Hawks are looking at making a young team even younger. Hawks are willing to make deals, but I really don't think they can afford to gut the whole roster. Need some vets to lead by example and play some of the rough minutes.

Finding a good coach will be the biggest step here. They need to get some of the younger guys to turn the corner and become able to slot into the top 9 or top 4. Some coaches get the most out of their roster but lately the Hawks have had coaches who are the opposite. Lots of unknowns and the team won't get better until we find out if KD can make some good deals, if the Hawks can draft and develop better or if they find an actual good coach.

Rangers not trading Lafreniere if and only if Kane is traded to the Rangers I think it would be at the tdl and the package would most likely be 2023 1st Kappo kakko ++ what the other pieces would be who knows but that be the start.
- Scott1977

KD can throw in a sweetener, like Borgstrom to close the deal.

How's it going TC?

Anyone but King. I just want the Hawks to go outside the organization to bring in a new perspective. If they want to stay loyal to King, find a position for him somewhere.

Supposedly Luke Richardson had an interview last week and has already been invited back for a 2nd. Don't know if Vancouver granted Hawks permission to talk to Brad Shaw. Maybe Davidson has his eye on someone on TB's staff and has to wait til the playoffs are over to talk to him.
- boilermaker100

No complaints over here! How are you?

Is that confirmed Richardson is back for round 2 already? I didn't see that.

When I heard his name surface, I thought he could be a great option.

He has experience working with younger players, can relate to players as a former player of 1,400+ games, and is a guy that could put some fear into guys when they aren't falling in line with the game plan.