Patrick Kane, Blackhawks Extinguish Flames In Decade Finale
In the final game of the most successful decade in franchise history, the best player in the NHL over the past 10 years made a statement.
Patrick Kane, the Blackhawks’ best player of the decade, collected two assists to open the game and added two goals to blow the doors open in Calgary. The goals gave Kane 378 regular season goals in his career, passing Denis Savard into fourth in franchise history.
Kane put up the stats, but Robin Lehner stole the highlights.
Olli Maatta scored the first goal of the night for Chicago.
Kane and Dylan Sikura picked up the assists.
On the power play 71 seconds later, Alex DeBrincat added to the Blackhawks’ lead.
Kane and Dylan Strome were credited with the helpers.
The two assists gave Kane exacty 800 points in the decade. He is the only player in the NHL to reach that milestone.
It took seven minutes for the score to change again, but it was Kane once again. This time he handled the scoring part of the equation.
Kane’s goal tied Savard and gave him three points in a game for the 87th time in his Hall of Fame career. Sikura added a second assist on Kane’s goal; Ryan Carpenter was credited with the second assist on Kane’s 21st of the season.
But a save by Lehner moments later lit up Twitter.
ARE!
YOU!
KIDDING!
ME!
ROBIN?!#RockinRobin pic.twitter.com/kIcdK646Wl— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) January 1, 2020
At the end of the first period the Hawks had a 14-10 shot advantage and the line of Kane, Sikura and Carpenter had built a three-goal lead.
One stat of note from the first period: all six of the Blackhawks’ defensemen skated between 6-7 minutes in the first period. Duncan Keith (6:20) was the lowest; Connor Murphy led the team with 6:51.
Calgary attacked early in the second but Lehner was up to the task. In the middle of the second period Zac Rinaldo went to the box for being Zac Rinaldo. Unfortunately, Kane went to the box shortly after to create a 4-on-4 situation. Chicago took advantage. Strome scored to give Chicago a 4-0 lead.
DeBrincat and Murphy were credited with the assists on the Strome goal. Strome and DeBrincat joined Kane and Sikura with a multi-point night to close out the decade.
Sam Bennett, who apparently hates shutouts, scored with six seconds remaining in the second period to cut the Hawks’ lead to three.
After 40 minutes of hockey, Calgary had a 26-24 shot advantage. Lehner was outstanding.
In the middle of the third period with the score still 4-1 Chicago, Bennett started running people. First, he went knee-to-knee with Kane. Dennis Gilbert had words with him later while Bennett was on the Calgary bench before a puck drop. But on Bennett’s next shift he trucked John Quenneville. The Hawks didn’t take the bait, however.
With under five minutes left in regulation and with Rasmus Andersson in the box for Calgary, Keith coughed up the puck and Michael Frolik scored short-handed to cut the Hawks’ lead to two.
Calgary pulled goaltender David Rittich with 3:35 left in regulation in hopes of scoring two more times to tie the game.
Sean Monahan scored at 16:48 to pull Calgary within one. Would the Blackhawks blow another three-goal lead in the third period?
Lehner kept making big saves and the Flames – specifically Milan Lucic – kept taking cheap shots. Thankfully the Blackhawks added a late insurance goal off the stick of Kane to make the final score 5-3.
Kane finished with a four-point night. His empty net goal passed Savard into sole possession of fourth in franchise history.
Maatta picked up an assist on Kane’s empty net goal in the closing seconds, making him the fifth Blackhawks skater with a multi-point night.
Lehner made 41 saves in the victory.
Keith led all Blackhawks defensemen with 22:04 on the ice. Four of the other five defensemen finished with between 18-19 minutes on the ice. Murphy, who skated 20:41, led Chicago with four blocked shots.
Next game against them, 93 needs to be hit and more then once. Play hard on him the whole game.
Not saying anything, we have played good in 7 of 9 games.
When Dunks was out we were 3-7, from +2 to -2 I think.
It’s hard to trust this team but they have closed the gap, and for that they deserve credit.
Kaner!!!! The Best!!!!
Alot closer than it shoulda been, Lehner, Kane show for sure but good team effort too. Sikura alot easier to watch out there, couple of pts., some good shots on net, good fore check and effort in both ends of ice. Deserves to stay in lineup.
88 and 40 were spectacular.They are entertaining to watch.Teamwise,they won the game and for now I guess that’s the important thing.They played 1 period of hockey and then put their tales between their collective legs and hoped to hang on.Pushed around and manhandled for 40 minutes.2 and 19 were especially terrible in the 3rd.A couple of pez dispensers spitting out pucks to the Flames.If 39 is not going to take the body he is not maximizing his talent.At some point 5 is going to have to respond to getting a fist and stick to his head.Its a win but does not look or feel good.
I’ll go a little farther than Tim and say we played 30+ minutes of really solid hockey. Thought this was the best game Boqvist has played and also thought Highmore was very good. I have not been a big Sikura fan but he was much more responsible than Nylander. Lehner continues to be incredible – amazing that he isn’t an all-star. Looking forward to the Gilbert/Bennett bout next Tuesday.
Didn’t see game but glad to see positive Boqvist comment
I’ve been saying to try him on PP 1 and it looks like JC did – was that all game long?
Can I assume for 1 game anyway it was improvement on Gus’ adventures in puck mismanagement?
Gotta realize too that Toews is playing with 2 rookies, Kane playing with a rookie and young 1st year Blackhawk filling a role he is not really cut out for. Plus other 2 lines have a rookie, Keith and Maatta paired with rookies and Murphy babysitting Gus, mistakes are going to happen and not all are rookies fault agree on that. As long as we are seeing effort mistakes are tolerable.
Sikura looked like Larmer compared to Nylander. Nylander can watch the next game from the press box in Vancouver. Same goes for Koekoek, Maata Norris Trophy candidate based on tonight’s game.
We are lucky as fans to have Kane on the team at Hall of Fame caliber all these years. The Hawks are winning despite the coach; the multiple third period blown lead disasters are mostly coaching issues. Good teams w good coaches don’t consistently have fire drills in their own zone in the third period.
Happy New Year to all. Colliton too.
Like the progress of BoQ looking better and Dach gets better every wk.
These two, elite players of the future, get established enough the first 40 games, they could be good the 2nd 40 games and that makes a difference to this roster.
Still need things fixed. Man could we just get one more top 5 skill draft player.
Wrap,Unfortunately,no.He was a big part of the turnover brigade.Not many took a hit to make a play in the last 40 minutes tonight.He had about 3 horrifying hand grenades up the middle of the ice.
Mo, I agree top 3. They have three really good lines with Kane as the assassin goal scorer. Maybe a top 3 center with Sikura and Kane. I remember Sikura had success with kane last year.
Kane/Sikura/?
Toews/Kubs/Saad
Dach/Strom/Dcat
Kampf,Carp/Highmore or anyone of the others.
I am not saying that Sikura is Top 3 but his style seemed to fit last year with Kane.
I also like Gilbert and Boqvist instead of my man Seabrook. i doubt he plays next year. Keith just seems slow on his decision making and each year it is getting worse. Like he is in slow motion while the others around him are at full speed. Anyone else see this or is it just me.
The Hawks may or may not make the playoffs this year with half the season to go. It will make for an interesting new year.
Stiull don’t like Kane having to play with Carpenter! BAD! Try Dach there or we need to trade for a 3rd line center that we once had named Danault! Maybe Sam Gagner or Nugent Hopkins or travis Zajac for half a season, anyone but 22!
Sikura! Don’t get too excited, he’s an AHL player at best! Versteeg is still better than him. Gilbert is headless!
Well we go 25-15 like last yr 2nd 40 we could make playoffs at +11. Well be top 8 in conference, not with the central division. TB or TOR might not make it in this division.
I not saying anything.
Dach is doing just fine, getting a little more as he goes along. When Dach gets sailing then I want to see him with 19 and 20/8.
Hull65, why are you even a Hawks fan? Kane can play with anyone and make them look good. To me, again to me, Kane is one of only a handful that can create something from nothing almost every game and score. His Shootout goal last game still has me shacking my head in disbelief. He needs space and people that can get him the puck. Three lines are set, Kane needs a center or a wing. I would rather have Sikura than Sam Gagner who cant even play for Edmonton.
Why do we have dumb fans like Iceman who shit on JC no matter what? Ridiculous. Winning those 3 Cups sure brought out a lot of dumb fans post 2010.
Iceman, blame Keith not the coach. He was the guy who casually stood there with the puck in his own end which got stolen and they scored shorthanded. Sikura at the end of the 2nd needs to ice that puck but did not with just a few seconds left. Not on the coach, that is lack of attention by two players.
Some thoughts on 2020 and the future…..
1. Keep this line together, its basically the future.
12, 77, 17
2. Get this line back together once Saad is healthy, this could possibly be your second or third line for a long time coming.
20, 64, 8
3. Use all that LTIR money to do two things
A. Find a left wing for 19, 88 until they retire.
B. Find a defense man to replace Dehann and Seabrook. This could be a blessing
in disguise. Sort out the cap issues with it next year.
4. Trade Boqvist, I don’t see it sorry guys but I just don’t see it. This guy is perfect trade bait. Gustafson is also another guy that is perfect trade bait, but has been 50/50 this year. Alot of upside with both of these guys offensively, for teams that need offense from the back end.
5. How long do you think Crawford is going to play? Is he retiring or not? Lehner is younger, probably a lower cap hit. I don’t think he is better than Crawford, but how long will Crawford be better than Lehner in the long term. This is a huge for us long term, the correct decision needs to be made. I’m kinda leaning towards Lehner, but Crawford right now is the better goalie.
6. Ian Mitchell? When do we get to see our best defensive prospect in years, he is 20 years old.
7. Evan Barratt? Has some pretty good skills, another guy that is 20 years old.
8. Is Shaw done?
9. Cagguila should not be resigned.
10. Gustafson should be traded before we don’t resign him.
9. There are really two directions to go the second half of this year.
A. Use that LTIR money to go for a playoff spot and see what happens. I don’t
think this is really a great option. I just don’t see the coach, GM, team, defense,
offense etc coming together to go deep at all or make the correct decisions. I hate
to say it but this team this year just doesn’t add up. Alot of positives but more
negatives.
B. Sit on the LTIR money get Strome, Crawford or Lehner, Kubalik signed for the
future. Finish hopefully in last place and draft Alexis Lafreniere.
This is the problem when your team is giving away 30 and 40 LBS in physical battles to protect the puck or to absorb the hit to make the proper play.The Hawk wingers, as the team is comprised now,are going to cough up the puck as they attempt to hurriedly make plays against teams that are bigger and take the body.Tonight Bennet,Lucic,Anderson,and a couple others rag dolled the Hawks in the 3rd.You throw in a hesitant couple of smaller Defensemen who dont want to take a hit and are not capable of clearing the front of the net sprinkle in your bigger d men puck watching and you have your perfect recipe for these defensive zone fire drills and barrages on Lehner.They won tonight but we all know that against a team thats interested and starts on time this type of play is not sustainable to win games.
It’s Robin’s team now
let Me see if I got this straight the number 3 pick in the draft is playing on the 4th line most of the yr we have some injuries hawks call up a sikura over 50 games no goals and quinviille 2 carrier miner leaguers and put them on the first 2 lines the HC needs to go he’s a arragent prick and he hired coach’s that are even more clueless then him, Sheldon brookbank please, sikura just plan sucks he’s not good he’s playing with one of the best players in the world picks up a couple asst and now ppl think he’s a player,he’s bad
Alright I’ve been thinking it since week 2….
Does anyone else agree it’s time to give someone else a shot at Smith’s roster spot? He’s not made many mistakes in our own zone and I love that but it feels like that’s the only good thing I can say about him. Thought he was supposed to bring some grit? I haven’t seen it…. Gilly b (as I’ve taken to calling him) brought more of that in his first 2 games than Smith has all season. Hey, we’re burning contracts this year so give someone else a shot eh? Agree? Disagree?
P.S. I’m so glad that their still fun to watch win or lose.
Dakine…. I wish. Wouldn’t a lehner resign and a crow trade be lovely?
Tim…. Who won that game bud? Agreed we desperately need some forwards who play on the invisible physical line but the past two Chicago cups were won by these kinda teams. I’m ballparking but I’d say from the second cup to the third we were prly out-hit 3 to 1 consistently. It’s not a necessity when you have such speed and talent.
Tab or someone said it-this team is too good to finish low enough to get Number 1 or 2 pick. (Some games, even a group of games they tease us that they are that bad-Lehner, Kane too good!)
But too many holes to do damage and make the playoffs–small chance. Win in the playoffs-smaller chance. I hate that they have to hang on for dear life when they have the lead. But the young guys need to see what the playoffs are like. They need a better culture , that wins and believes in themselves.
So it looks like 8 to 17 pick which is a real crap shoot. Middle of the road. The $/trades at deadline just ensure a pick in the mid teens.
Think February could decide how hard they sell at tdl. They start month after 10 day break with 2 road games, come home for 1 game and then 5 game road trip which begins and ends in Winnipeg and in between Oilers and Canucks back to back plus Flames. Then home for 2 and finish with 4 on road, pretty tough month.
If going with current group, wouldn’t be against leaving 12,77, 17 together and putting 8 and 20 when healthy with 64 or 22. Then 19 and 88 and try 95,47, 92 maybe somebody else that works good with them. If a winger worked with 88 and 19 and 8, 64, 20 regained early season chemistry would be pretty good balance. Agree if Smith going to stay in lineup needs to be nasty when required and lay the body on other team. Thought lately since Gilbert called up, teams stopped taking so many liberties but last night that was prevalent again.
It’ll be interesting to see if Stan signs Lehner in new year thus allowing a crawford trade which could bring back a nice return – there will be a number of teams of think they could make run that could use a playoff proven goalie like CC
My feeling is that Lehner will continue to show that he is the future in net if he’d sign in CHI
Alot of what happens signing wise depends on Seabrook, Dehaan and Shaw status for next season. Dehaan 5th surgery on a hit like what caused it, is there any reason to believe a 6th won’t happen if he returns. Shaw concusion, likely out for awhile, may or may not play again. Seabrook having one successful surgery is hard enough let alone 3, so all most likely miss time next season. Thing is if they all try a comeback and play only a few games that would mean any off season use of ltir wouldn’t be available as room would be needed to bring them back to active roster when ready to try playing. If one or 2 aren’t going to be able to play next year flexibility with ltir and accept the limitations it brings could allow for some roster adds.
Noonan, not only is this roster, with good players out/dunks out for 10 games and 3-7, to good to get top 2 pick. DET and NJ are complete shit teams. I wouldnt want to say it about NJ, but those two teams shouldnt be caught by any team.
3rd is highest we could get to, and that would require stuff like Dunks being out for 10 games at a time, both goalie being out-like Crow was for time last two yrs, also 44 did and 6 help D group.
If we go back to ‘playing’ in 50/50% of the games, then we might with getting lucky have a chance at 3-5 pick, but I would say 5-15 is prob the range.
Trading 56, one of the goalies/not sure if we would trade both, someone else maybe. That might make us better.
DET infinity
NJ 5
LA 4
SJ 4
ANA 3
OTT 3
gap
BUF 0
CHI -1
MTL -2
MIN -2
CAL -3
NYR -3
CLB -4
EDM -4
NAS -4
Noonan, I agree with things you say. We need a good culture/system/idnetity and roster adjustment. Basically get a new Defensive coordinator in here and he runs it his way/good system.
Knox, good layout. Pretty much what we should do.
Ian, I would like for those guys tom come back and be 100%. I am just thinking they prob do not so that swhy I saying that stuff other wk.
Someone said if those guys do not, it is a blessing disguise for us. We Need to take advantage of that and we deserve to. Do it Do it. Need to take salaries on for picks and good enough prospects/add to those trade so we get good picks.
The comments by Konroyd regarding the goalie situation were interesting. The one thing he seemed to miss was that he made it sound like it was the Hawks’ decision only as to which goalie to sign. Many of us question whether Lehner will sign with Chicago as he is going to have his pick of where to go. He is tremendous. There is no way that Crow gets picked over Lehner. Crow is outstanding but Lehner is better and younger. Crow would be an exceptional rental for somebody, if he agrees. The problem with that scenario is that the Hawks are going to need two good goaltenders to make the playoffs and management can’t throw in the towel yet on making them. Even though they will lose in the first round, this is a business and the playoffs mean more revenue for Rocky and he won’t give up on that.
Sikura over Nylander any day. Sikura was good last night. One of these days one of those quality attempts is going to go in. I’m not saying he is an answer, but he is closer to an answer than Nylander. It would be shocking if Nylander plays tomorrow.
Once again, the league is lax about protecting players. Bennett’s legal hits required some push back but the cheap cross checks by Lucic were intolerable and I can think of two that were absolutely, unquestionably penalties and bordered on dangerous. Given the situation the Hawks couldn’t really respond because they could not take any penalties since the third period was not going well. These need to be in the memory bank and at some point there needs to be retribution and you live with the penalties at that point. Getting pushed around is not a ticket to success, but the refs let the Hawks, the players and the fans down.
These wins are good but almost every one of them feels like they wouldn’t be wins without Lehner’s incredible play.
I could see the Hawks trading Gus before the TDL if Boqvist continues to grow and expand his role. I doubt they trade either Robin or Corey because I think the Hawks are looking at the playoffs and $10M in cap space. Could add a solid DEF or a top 6-9 Forward or both if they trade someone like Smith or Shaw.
Whatever we do coach/gm system wise for the long run, we need to get a good system and good coach that were going with for next 10 yrs. Because we cannot trade away anymore good D or D prospects like Kempny or Buckaroo and then just watch the coaches go/who are the reason those D guys are not here.
We get good system and roster adjustments. Then the young guys stay because we have who were going with, whos good for the big picture system.
Getting players like Nylander for coach to be happy. Same with Kempny who did we get for him. I know we got Kempny for free because Bowman is good at thta,
But what did we get for Kempny and Buckaroo, Nylander and a 5th?
Think one move ahead. Like chess. We cannot sign a goalie until after TDL or in the off season. If we sign a goalie before TDL it diminishes our return on the other. Teams will know we need to get rid of the other or they can sign them later.
Cannot blame either Shaw or deHaan if they hang them up. Shaw so he can have a better future with his family. deHaan just because enough is enough of surgeries and also health. Seabs, well it’s up to him. Which ever decision he makes is alright with me. He has earned it people. I am still 99.9% he will let Seattle draft him. Though our thank you package is going to be heavy.
Thinking you’re right Ian. Teams know when we’re vulnerable to physical play. Those are the reason I do like Lemieux Lowry Kassian Delauseirs etc etc. Feb 24 can’t come fast enough.
Robs, good to hear about refs and Blackhawks not being able to give it back at that momement in the game. If league and refs wont call it right, suspend-what does that do any good/were not playing them during those games anyways. We then need to nail them back/boarderline clean, cant get away with that.
When Gilbert drilled, who was it? oh that #1 pick player Hughes, one of their guys asked to fight or took a hit back and continued on with class.
We need to hit back like other teams did to us when we nailed them clean. Its the cross checks in back and boarding stuff that really piss me off, besides being penaltys not called/which hapen all the time.
Its that they are dangerous and it shoudlnt matter if a player is hurt, the league needs to introduce cross cheking/borading into borads or close to it, like they did for slashing and faceoffs that other yr. Those are hte two things ti implement not slashing/faceoffs. Completely backwards, league.
For us making playoffs and not wining 1st round. Sure we got problems and even though we have done good overall since 3-6 first 10 game segment, which was after a terrible preseason/getting to know new system-sure. That made us worse.
I was going off a very good 2nd 40 games last yr, which I think was because we played good and sch was a little easier then 1st 40 games, but to me it was mostly that the sch was more properly spread out. Sort of like it was this yr after first 10-15 games or something/not a coincidence thats when we started to play good.
3-6
6-1-1
2-3-1 vs top 5 teams
50/50 & dunks out 3-7
6-3 playing good in 7 of 9 games
My point is, other divisions do have as many top teams in them as central. We could win 1st round in other division, depending on seeds. The other division you only have to play a top 5/10 team in one of the 1st two rounds.
In the central your playing a top 5/10 team in both 1st two rounds. Our problems and that make it harder. So I would rather be prepared better then we are this yr. Want to use ltir/cap space to our advantage and the more young wave get established the better were going to get.
Look at SJ CAL they were top teams not long ago. We need the young wavers and flow to our team game.
Roaman/Ian, we need those players you talk about. Nothing agasint 91 65 15 but lets get the next version of those guys in here. The kind of players Hull puts in the press.
Bowman got these kind of players, last yr at game 30/roster adjutments-91, 65 15 summer. Injurys happen to players that arnt already have history. It was still good to get those 5 or 6 good players in summer and have a full roster for the first time ion 2 yrs. We should be good this yr, just not ready yet and arnt connected together like we should be. Young wave coming no matter who likes it.
Seabs can do what he wants hes earned it and were at a point that whatever he does its not going to salary cap us, because young wave doesnt need bridges until hes good on caphit.
Good system, GM adjustments 91/65/15 for those nasty guys, one of the goalies, take on caphits for picks, trade players that arnt staying mid term, do it do it.
Good day, eh.
If 7 of first 8 games are on the road, after break, unless were rusty we might win most of them. Were much better team on road this yr. That could put us to +5 over .500 and thats not good for top 5 skill pick.
I am good with adding a top pair guy or top 6 FW with size at deadline if its a guy ready for long term yrs with us. We needs those spots at some point by the time we get deep with young wave. Only have so many chances to get those kind of players.
Sellers market and were not ready for the Cup, yet.
Robs agree on penalties, Refs doing as league wants alot of times. Dumbest penalty, encouraging players to purposely loosen grip on sticks and when they get touched, they fly out of their hands and it’s a slashing penalty, should be making them hold on to their sticks or put their team in trouble. Yes two handed overly aggresive whacks can be called but get rid of the blanket call on dropping the sticks.
Then as you mentioned late in game teams trailing knowing they can get away with more, take liberties, often bordering on causing serious injury and the whistles are put in the refs pockets with league blessing, doesn’t make any sense.
Mo and Ian, regarding the penalties, Mo had the best idea. Go to no tolerance on boarding and cross checking. It may result in the calling of penalties that cause players to go palms up, but that is irrelevant. They will learn to adapt. Toews has not been called for hand slashing lately because he has quit doing it because they kept calling it despite his unbecoming whining. The same would happen with boarding and cross checking.
I think the league fears that there is still a significant percentage of the fans that would not be interested if the game was less brutal. The league probably has data on this but I question what percentage of the fan base craves that. It is probably very small. Seeing players out because of concussions does not do anybody any good and the league has a moral responsibility to try to prevent CTE. These are not just individual referee failures. They are sanctioned by the league, IMHO.
Another big thing to me on this is, in the playoffs, the refs stop calling half/50% of penaltys that are in the rules. Thats BS because it helps certain kinds of teams.
I know they should allow, say more light to hard scale 1 to 10, a higher scale on number for all penlatys in playoffs but still call every kind of penalty there is.
What they do of throw half/50% of actual penaltys out the window and only call high sticks slashing when stick breaks over the glass tripping. Theres no boardking or cross check unless someone goes throught the glass and goes out on a stretcher. WTF.
Goe back to normal slashing and faceoffs and implement no tolerance for cross checking and boarding, from behind. The front or side is fine.
Robs not talking about sticks in hands, that is what slashing is and should be called. What i mean is when a defender touches his stick in mostly an attempt to tie it up, a foot or more from his hands and stick explodes apart or player immediately drops and his hands go up in the air and refs arm goes up too. How is that slashing, dumb to me.
Latest trade buzz,Mike Green &Anthansiou to the Hawks for Delia and Nylander.
Came from a Detroit source guys.Dont blame me.
Hoss never got called for slashing. He was the king of lift stick.
to me unless the stick breaks its not slashing unless its between the gloves/on the gloves.
Freidman said Blackhawks have decision to make. Lehner likes being in Chicago.
Tim, that was pure and utter speculation done by a writer trying to sell copies. I wouldn’t even call it “buzz”. There’s nothing substantiated there. Whereas the Boston rumors have some merit with the GM actually attending and scouting games.
Also, it’s an extreme rarity for any speculation or rumor on the Hawks to be accurate. The only 2 I can think of were Ladd and Vermette. And even that one wasn’t hard to predict. What everyone got wrong were the players the Hawks sent back.
This team is notoriously tight lipped and anything you hear, lest it come from a damn good source is pure fan fodder to hold us over until the next game.
Lastly, this team is somehow back in a possible wild card run. And that’s without Saad. Any Saad trade will and should have a big ask. One teams will be reluctant to make.
Ok I lied.
Charlie Could posted 28 points in 60 games and netted the Wild Ryan Donato and a 5th Rd pick.
Brandon Saad has 19 points in 36 games. Roughly the same production.
Mo current roster with 7, 65 and 44 included no ltir. Smith moved and Cagguila not resigned, with no bonus overages would be around 70m, needing Strome, Kubalik and 2 goalie spots to fill. So room could be there if they want.
Assuming Gus is moved as expected too.
Miller is to slow, slower then Maatta. Moore is faster like Haan. When it comes to those two D. Moore is the same as Haan except Haan is a better passer. If Haan retire or goes for 6th shoulder then we need spot maybe. Moore is better then Maatta.
Hawks have played the toughest schedule according to Hockey reference. Which means there’s Hope for a little run. Which also means it’s time for a letdown because that’s how this team is
You might be right. We have ‘played’ 50/50% of the games. But for the first time since we went 6-1-1, we have played in more then 75%, playing good in 7 of 9 games.
Does that mean we have a longer streak coming or keep going. The last time we went 6-1-1, we then play like 6 games against top 5 teams/I know DAL isint but good and went 2-3-1 then back to 50/50 shit. This time we play 4or5 of 7 agasint teams that arnt top10/midteir, these are bottom 10 teams.
Still though after that shitty start/and preseason of going 3-6 in first 10 games we have done well, with shitty in there to.
3-6-2 shitty
7-1-1 (had that wrong before thought it was 6)
0-2 shitty
2-3-1 vs top 5 teams
1-0-1
0-2 shitty, theres yuor 50/50 action
6-3 playing good in 7 of 9
At the looks of that we usually go for some shit 2 ganes at a time then play for 2 games. Then go streaking. So based on this, since after the first 10 games, were due for 2 shitty games at some point coming up then, streaking? again.
I havnt looked at the sch, except for fist 20 games and it was terrible. For the spacing of games. Maybe worse then last yrs first 20 games. It was that last yr that got us on a roll in the 2nd 40 games, not just a little/how ever much weaker teams.
I do not know what the sch looks like for that, if what your saying is true, that sounds a lot like last yr. And last yr we didnt come from behind down -9 games under .500, we were what -2 this yr. Not sure if we go 25-15 though.
I just want us to get full advantage of having 2 top 10 goalies/and or Saad in a trade to get big return. Then have the dudes come back to Chicago in the summer anyways.
Mo after Canucks tomorrow home for 4 then 3 road games, Habs, Leafs and Sens then 2 home. 10 day break then 11 of 14 on road in Feb., not as many tough teams maybe but alot of travel.
Yea I just looked a mth ago and saw we played 5 or 6 against mostly good teams, then bottom teams, then good teams, then bottom teams. Like around 5 games each back and forth. So before this all started thought we could split better teams and round up bottom teams and do good gain in these 20 games.
Didnt look at how well or not games were spread out.
For what weve seen so far, after first 10 games, we play 50/50% no matter who were playing. We are going good again playing 7 of 9 games. Weve only done that when we went 7-1-1 in games 10-20.
Just be nice if we knew by deadline so we can maximize what were doing. Being a sellers we should sell and maybe add. Definitely take on caphits for picks.
They do the east Canada trip, then after break start in Arizona, then 5 game west Canada, then last road trip 2 of 4 games in Florida, cover alot of ground. I expect rollercoaster year to continue until i see some consistency 0which is tough with all these young players in lineup.
Well we have had two sections, consistency wise. The 7-1-1 in games 10-20 and the 6-3 were on now were we have played good in 7 of 9. Other then these two so far, yea 50/50%. Could set your watch to it.
I do not think we will make playoffs, but we havnt been conststant in any way other then that 7-1-1 in games 10-20, until the last 9 games.
Thats just for winning and ties, not for other things we need should be better at regularly. Which is pretty amazing for how many problems we have had.
The addition of Vermette for the playoff run – entire league knew we needed a 3C to win it. Vermette comes in and immediately plays 3 LW. Then press box. Back and forth. Even with good results. I guess the entire league was wrong cuz the HOF coach didn’t think he was good enough to play 3C on HIS team.
Vermette came through BIG in the playoffs, even while getting press box time then too. We won a cup – despite the league being entirely wrong, cuz we know Q wasn’t. He’s a HOF coach, without an ego.
I’ve said it before and will say it again – Bowman and Q didn’t get along. THAT was a perfect example. TEVO another. Q got that one right too – ask Carolina.
Are we still clueless why TEUVO was traded?
Silent, agree with you. I do think Q had war tacktits going on with that though. At least in the first 2 playoff games. Not sure about deadline to game 82. That he liked to not have best lineup/per say, for the first 2 games. Then both teams settle in, at that level. Then Q brings out vermette and someone else to I think and other team couldnt go to matching that.
Matching it head to head, so we have the upper hand from then on in series. Works very well as long were up 2-0 or 1-1. Would backfire if were down 0-2.
Teravainen won game 1 of finals for us. Score sneaky snappers from strange locations to tie game 1-1. Then made the steal and pass to Vermette for game winner.
Love Teuvo.
Teuvo good example of being ok to have a few skinny guys, that have sweet skill.
Would like to have 88 86 and 12. Not Bicks fault.
Silent Q was 2nd winningest coach alltime and led a 3 time cup winning dynasty, lol i think history shows he got it right, just some people like think it’s not hindsight perfect enough.
Go back and remember the Teuvo isn’t good enough band wagon that was happening before the trade, you think a narketing President maybe said thats the guy your moving, can’t say he did but quite possible he could’ve.
Whens 86 a ufa.
What kind of caphit would 86 be looking at for his prime of prime yrs stretch.
Can see 86 on the line with
86 19 88
12 17 86
Teuvo be 29 or 30 and hes at 5.4m when hes ufa.
We could add him then.
Just saw the clean and classy Perry hit.
Whats a suspension. Whats a headshot. Whats a cross check. Whats a boarding. (NHL league speaker)
Why doesnt someone just put this guy to bed. I am more shocked that there isint a goon squad to go around and take care of the douchknees. Like Dexter.
Theyu should have made him stand outside for the rest of the game, in the corner. No piss breaks or water until end of 3rd.
Should get Carcillo in charge of suspensions.
Probably half the coaches in the league could have gotten us cups during that time, some perhaps even more. Q had a lot of attitude toward young players, and it showed in his comments and benchings. He – like Keith (as he stated last year, but now apparently has changed his tune)- doesn’t believe that anyone should be getting taught at the NHL level. Q ALWAYS preferred veterans, regardless of their skill, when it came to choosing between a youngster and a veteran. See Hanzus, Roszival and so on. That was fine 20 years ago, but the cap era doesn’t allow for veteran packed teams any more. Have kids and teach them, or go somewhere else.
We were EXTREMELY lucky to have a bunch of quality younger role players come through Chicago and play on the same team. Guys like Frolic, Bolland, Krueger, Ladd, Versteeg …. Hammer and Oduya did all the hard work, while Keith and Seabrook got most of the credit. Those guys didn’t need to be the stars, just happy to do their part on a team that was blessed with some top talent for the era. We don’t win without every one of those players doing their part. Most took less money in a smaller, key role on the team. That’s why some got paid to come back here and play another year, as a thank you to their sacrifice for the greater good of the team. Rocky understood the sacrifices.
If we had effort from our stars this year that matched the effort from those role players in the winning years, we likely would be in a playoff position right now. But instead we pouted and whined for the first 25 games. We had the talent to start the year, but the stars had different agendas than playing for the team. It takes 6 guys on the ice to protect the net, not 1 or 2. Yeah, it is more fun to score goals than to defend against them, but most people prefer to win rather than lose too. It’s tough for me to respect players that don’t want to play for the team, regardless of whether they like the coach or not.
No Rusty, I understand that TT was an add-on to the Bickel trade. You apparently didn’t see his time with Chicago the same way as I did. TT just couldn’t learn fast enough and grow into his body quickly enough to satisfy Q. TT was a talent we needed to nurture so we didn’t get all of these lean years, but Q wasn’t up for that kind of a job.
As for being the 2nd winningest coach – good for him. Me, I am not a statistics person, so I don’t really care! Statistics never tell the truth and can be used to argue too many points that really are not relevant to the situation. The plus/minus is a perfect example. Also a hitter who continuously moves runners along in baseball via a fly ball or hitting behind the runners. Statistics are for fans to chat about, not to indicate the value of a player to the team.
I seriously doubt Las Vegas players cared about statistics their first year in the league.
The only statastic i mentiined was winning, the omly one that counts,if you believe you have a better answer to winning i would like to hear it.
As for the current team until this coach can come up with a system the other 30 coaches can’t cause to breakdown at will, i will continue to say he is the wrong coach to be there now.
Silent some good points and we have been lucky about our role players to compliment the gifted core-hopefully who ever is in charge we have to build from youth out, not the other way around like we have for about the last 4 or 5 years.
Bowman can only be here if he gets that and I’m not sure he does or more accurately wants to, as he want to keep his job.
Like Q, and all of us have a shelf life, including Bowman, and there comes a time to move on.
I really wish someone would have gone off on Lucic. That guy is a big POS and needs to be dropped. Bring back Seabrook for the next Calgary game and let him go all “Backes” on him before he retires from the “shoulder and hip issues” *wink*.
Q was obviously an important part of the success of the Blackhawks. I think what Silent is trying to point out is Q also had a part in the current state of the team. Q didn’t try to groom younger players, he preferred to get vets that he could just point out there and make adjustments with. With the younger players he had to teach and let them make mistakes, which Q did not take well to. Thus making the player acquisition phase difficult for Stan. Stan was looking into the future, and Q was looking at the now. If Q looked into the future a little, he would probably still be with the organization and leading the rebuild and regroup, but due to Q’s ego and stance he can’t be the coach to do that. His stubbornness to teach and groom younger players set the organization back in a big way. Instead of being able to build within, we had to find players outside the organization, which in turn costs the assets inside the organization. Hence where we are at now, with a gap between years of having assets NHL ready. Remember to get something, you have to give up something. And when you are continuing to attempt to win a cup each year you aren’t acquiring long term assets, you are selling those (top prospects, picks, etc).
Has Stan made mistakes, yes. But his hand was also forced due to the coach that was in place. Now with JC (a coach known for teaching), Stan can focus on acquiring long term assets that will help for years to come, versus only looking for the one guy that can set the team over the edge for 40 games and then leave.
Any system can be beaten. Any. All it takes is for the best players on the team to decide they don’t want to play and you simply won’t win.
Tell me this team doesn’t look different when Patrick Kane is back checking? Are we even watching the same teams on TV? No coach can MAKE players play. That comes from inside the player. Kane chooses when he back checks – JC, not even the great Q can make him do it. That is entirely on PK to make the effort. If $10m isn’t worth the effort, especially when you can see the results so easily, then PK is a lazy player and isn’t helping his team to the best of his ability.
2 words. Marian Hossa.
Great players make others look good around them. Kane has been doing that recently. And you know what – he looks even better when he plays both ends of the ice.
Are you giving JC ALL the credit for the recent surge in wins? I haven’t seen anyone on the board do it. Why? Because the players are responsible for the wins. Oh yeah – and the losses.
Does Patty Kane really need someone standing in his ear to play hockey at both ends of a rink? What would that say about him?
Wow Higgins….. That was well said.
Can you pull a statistic out of that? No. Sometimes reality can suck!
Perhaps Q earned the ability to coach only teams ready to win Stanley Cups. He WAS the perfect coach for the moment he arrived. The players were ready to be led, and Savard wasn’t able to do that. Yes, Q was able to do that. But once that team got pointed in the right direction, it was the players who won the cups. Q will always be a part of that experience, and he has gotten a lot of credit for it too. It’s not about rewriting history. It’s about player accountability. It works on winnings team AS WELL AS losing teams.
Klas Dahlbeck played 200 games developing in Rockford and then 4 games in Chicago. He even scored a goal in Boston. And after those 4 games Q, for no reason I ever knew of, gave up on him. I never got that – Dahlbeck played a simple, disciplined, stay at home game. He was overall fine in those 4 games. It wasn’t like he was lost out there. Far from it.
Q not sticking with him was the reason we got Kimo. (I know Dahlbeck was part of the Vermette deal, but it could just as easily have been someone else if we had wanted to keep him). Dahlbeck could easily have played the minutes Kimo did in 2015.
The handling of Dahlbeck and Kempny were both very perplexing. Dahlbeck is playing in the K now (I thought he would stick in Arizona, but maybe the league got too fast for him).
Q didn’t play young guys, lol ask Saad, Bickell, Shaw, Teuvo, Schmaltz, Joki, Panarin, Crawford, Hartman, Hino to name a few about that. Resurrected Darlings career for him. Didn’t play everyone no but saying he wouldn’t play any is ridiculous. How many games did Toews and Kane pkay before he took over, he certainly did his share of teaching and development, thing was the fans and organization wanted a winner and knew that was what was expected from him and he delivered time after time. Sitting around whining about how he did it is insane.
When Timonen was acquired, they didn’t need a top 4 guy who could play pp and pk. He wanted a veteran 3rd pair guy who could play a few shifts a game and not hurt the team. That is exactly what Bowman got him and mission accomplished stanley cup delivered, what more could you ask for. Why would you second guess that on who may or not be ok.
Silent i’ll give Colliton credit when i see 3 or 4 goal lead is safe and teams can’t turn it on at will and cause havoc in tbe defensive zone eliminating those leads, until then i will doubt his philosphy.
Are you blaming JC for the Keith turnover that ended up behind Lehner and seriously turned the momentum of the game? I agree – JC should be fired for having Keith make that play, and I am more curious why Keith would follow that advice from his coach. Has JC been ordering Gus to cough up the puck as often as he does, particularly in front of the net? Oh yeah – and don’t forget to fall and have the guy go around you to the net unchallenged. I know Dcat has spent 3 years making soft, totally piss-poor passes out of the offensive zone, but I am more than happy to credit JC for those atrocious plays too. The list goes on and on and on and on… As JC put it in post game when asked about benching poor play – If he benched everyone making a mistake, he wouldn’t have anyone playing on the ice. And yes – JC also has made plenty of questionable line moves this year. He should be benched too. This board LIT UP when Seabrook got sat. I can’t imagine what it would do if Keith got sat, or Kane or Dcat. Turns out Seabrook wasn’t Seabrook.
Players play the game. Players are responsible for their actions on the ice.
Sarcasm aside – Q was the right coach when hired because the players didn’t need to be taught, just better organized in how to play. Yes, that is/was his strength as a coach, and not Savard’s. Right now, the majority of Hawks need to be taught how to play, and when your stars don’t want anything to do with going through the pain of the players around them learning, then you are going to look EXACTLY how we looked for the first 25 games – an uninterested core with kids running around making mistakes, while the new vets work their butts off to make a favorable impression. As the core has accepted the need to pick up the younger players and help teach them to play (Keith now mentoring, Toews, Seabrook seen explaining), then the team comes together as a unit. This team was split into a core (19, 88, 2, 7), a new group of vets trying to find their place (deHaan, Smith, Maata), and a mass of young talent (or not so talented) that needed to learn the game (which is anything but Q’s strength, but in the wheel house of JC). With a split of 3 distinct groups, how possibly can you play as a team with so many agendas? The core needed to lead. They are finally doing that. Everyone needs to do their part. JC needs to teach. The new vets need to play well and responsible. Then they form a bond as a group, synergy or whatever you want to call it. Everyone rowing in the same direction. They BUILD a team unit.
We should all be grateful that Bowman signed Lehner. Can you imagine what this shit show would have been without him? His post game comments calling out the offense on the ice each shift was spot on, putting blame where there was no defense (literally and figuratively). 5 skaters need to work together. He said – We have a system. We just don’t play it. Next game – things got MUCH better. Next game – Keith returns and chews out the team for their crappy efforts. That’s leadership from 2 guys. KAne starts back checking and immediately gets a steal that results in Kubalik with a snipe. Positive reinforcement via results – nothing is better for the soul.
One team – one goal.
Q had no choice but to dress kids – don’t give him credit he doesn’t deserve. Bowman didn’t give him another option. When you only have 20-22 players available to dress each night and 4 of them are kids because of the cap era, the coach is FORCED to put kids out there if that is what the GM has employed. Some of them even survived the time, mostly because the core was there to help teach and support in-game. The list of castoffs is obvious to see. Q had no patience for developing Dmen or young, softer offensive players. It was the ‘give’ the organization was forced to make in order to ‘get’ what Q offered to the team. Those dynamics changed last year into a need to ‘get’ more than Q could ‘give’ with respect to teaching. That’s on Q for not being flexible. He accomplished his goals and also a lot of the goals of the Chicago Blackhawks. He just didn’t want to do the grunt work of instruction to develop another group of players. His choice.
The cap era works as designed.
Dont have a good feeling about tonight in Vancouver. Crawford starting and Vancouvers Centers usually kill 19 at the faceoff circle.Canucks well rested also.
Ian – at no time did I state that Q didn’t play young guys. I stated he didn’t like young players, sometimes he got stuck with them because that is all that was available. He still didn’t like having to play them and deal with the mistakes. How many times did Saad or Teuvo end up in the press box, how many times was Saad switching from wing to wing, how does that teach a young player? I would say Toews and Hossa had more to do with the formation of Saad than anyone else. Saad plays a strong two way game, just like those two players did. As for Teuvo, he never had any confidence as a player with the hawks. He couldn’t because the coach would rather beat him down than help him. As for resurrecting Darling’s career, I don’t think Q did that, I think Darling did that. Q didn’t the shots, make great and timely saves, Darling did. I find it interesting how it is easy to give Q the credit for the successes but nothing that went wrong is his fault. The failure to make the playoffs was Bowman’s fault, not Qs. In my opinion it is the players fault or success, They are the ones on the ice playing the game. Q is there to guide the team, did he do that well, Yes is some respects he did, in others I believe Q came up very short.
Q is a strong coach don’t get me wrong, but helping and teaching the younger generation he is not. Example, Gus blows the game and series against STL to end playoffs with a turnover at own defensive blue line, Gus doesn’t see the NHL next year. Do you think Gus isn’t aware of his mistake? I don’t think the guy can go to bed without reliving that every night. So instead of helping him understand we waste a year of his development by punishing him for a mistake. If that was the tactic JC took we wouldn’t have enough guys to dress each game. Let’s face it, Q is a good coach for a veteran team that is ready to win the cup, not a team full of young inexperienced players. I am taking nothing away from the job Q did for the team and organization. He was the right coach for the scenario, but he is not the fix all coach for every team in every situation.
Silent,I am right with you on Keith and Gus.If they are not capable or are unwilling to take a hit to make the proper play,they should not be out there.Tired of the young guy b.s too.These are all elite players who have been making these simple plays their whole lifes.No excuses for some of these plays and fire drills when pressured.Colliton is starting to hold some accountable.He stopped putting Gus out on the 1st powerplay unit.He should never be the lone d man on the ice.
I see so a coach who likes playing young players, scratches Kubalik the top scoring rookie to play 8d and double shift Kane all game and play Keith 25 mins anyways. Runs a good rookie dman in Joki out of town because he likes playing him too much, got it.
I was not debating whether JC has done a great job or even agree with the decisions he has made. I was simply arguing Q would not be any better in this situation and has helped cause the situation we are. We were stating that Q gets all the accolades for the achievements but no one mentions the shortcomings he had as a coach. Does JC have shortcomings? Sure he does, he is human too, just like every one of us. He has made bad lineup decisions, he has had the wrong guys out in the wrong situations, failed to make adjustments in game that seem clear to everyone else. But to continue to rag on JC for the play of players and blame him for everything that goes wrong and then not give him any credit when things are going well seems a bit hypocritical… As was stated, winning is the only stat that matters so by that statement no matter if the hawks struggle with a three goal lead JC did a great job if the hawks win the game… but yet JC still gets ripped on. But we cannot acknowledge the shortcoming of another coach because he won 3 cups and turned the franchise around.
LOL, Kimo was anything but a reliable defender in 2015. In the end he was good for about 6 sheltered minutes a game during which time everyone held their collective breath. We won in spite of him, not because of him. Dahlbeck easily could have filled that role and probably done more.
All I am hearing is more excuses as to why this mess is not Bowman and JC fault. JC was a division 2 coach in Sweden. What are his coaching accomplishments to say he should be a head coach in the NHL. Other than Stan saying it. What young players has he developed?He started the yr having this team play a dump and chase. Imagine 88 playing this game. Or dressing 7 d’s . Keeping Nylander in the line up , then putting him with 88. If the core did not step up to change the type of game they play , where would this team be. Before his time with the hawks , how many millionaires did JC coach. Q knew how to handle his players. He was a players coach. Everyone from Hossa to Sharp loved playing for Q. Can the same be said for JC. This core won 3 cups. They deserve some respect , and also knowledge of how the game should be played.all the experts say coaching young millionaires is totally different today than in the past. What experience does JC have in that aspect. He should have been brought in as an assistant , not head coach.
Tim – The apparent allergic reaction to body contact is nothing new for Hawks Dmen. With the exception of the first cup, most of our Dmen avoided contact in the corners or along the boards to the extent that you would swear they actually did NOT want to play defense. Keith has always been a stretch-your-stick-arm-out defender along the boards (probably smart on his part considering his preference to bash guys with his stick and get suspended after a hard hit). And I did cheer him on for the elbow to Sedin’s head!! Seabrook likes to skate toward the puck in the corner and slow down to allow the offensive player access first to the puck, then pin him on the boards. Hammer would take the hit to make the play most of the time. Oduya didn’t understand how to play defense the Chicago way cuz he would play the puck ALL of the time, but eventually got the hang of the non-contact side of being a Hawk defender. When the playoffs came around, the Dmen got a bit more willing to participate in the contact. I guess this was their way of saving their bodies from injury through the season, but it sure did/does cough the puck up a lot, and frankly – they’ve had plenty of time to recuperate in the past couple of off seasons.
The 2019-20 roster was built with a bit more contact by our Dmen, and as fans we appear to like it. Don’t expect Keith to get involved – it just doesn’t fit his game. Gus can rub a guy off, but he doesn’t punish. Really, most of the rest do a good job of playing the body and even hitting some players. Seabrook was more physical this year before he left the team.
Unfortunately for the offensive side – when we hit guys on defense, it also makes the other team hit our guys. Toews, Kane, Dcat and other smallish forwards aren’t built to get hit any more than Keith is. Injuries will happen because of the contact – it goes with the game.
But it is nice to see guys other than Toews stand up when someone gets a cheap shot. Crawford was subjected to a lot of abuse in the past without retribution dished out. He deserved better teammates, especially when he got to take 15 odd-man breaks against him each game!! What an island he has lived on the past few years.
I have mixed feelings on the Q with youngsters debate. I don’t think young or old ever came into the equation for Q. I think all he cared about was if the player could do what was asked of him in the moment. If he could he played, if not, he sat. Q did not have time to “develop” anyone, he was hired to win Cups now, anything less was not acceptable.
For every young player that Q did not play you can find an example of one he did. Saad, DeBrincat, Kane, Toews even Teuvo and Leddy are all examples of players who earned Q’s trust to varying levels and played more often than not. They all got playing time because Q trusted that they would do what was asked of them.
There were plenty of veterans that were unable to earn that trust. Some with good reason and others proved that they could be valuable members of a Cup winning team. Guys like Timonen, Vermette, Daley, Kempny, Murphy even Frolik when he first came to the Hawks all had plenty of healthy scratches under Q’s tenure. When guys like Frolik and eventually Vermette embraced the role that Q asked of them, they played. Those that could or would not, got sat. Daley and Kempny eventually were traded off the team but showed they could be effective on a Cup winning team elsewhere. So Q wasn’t perfect in his assessments either, but I think he was consistent that if he trusted you, you played. Age didn’t matter.
SAARELA no points a the junior tournament. Teply no goals 5 assists against the weaker teams! Thx Kelley and Bowman, another great scouting job! And still no prospect goalie opr power forward in sight!
Regarding the Q and young guys debate….how many young guys did he not play that went on to do something?
Morin?
Hayes?
Dahlstrom? Seriously we’re criticising his use??
Pirri?
Hartman…how many teams has he been on?
The only argument that could be made would be Teravainen. And he was YOUNG. And slight. He left before his age 21 season and played 78 games.
Regarding Colliton. I’m not convinced he has it yet. However, he has shown a willingness to adapt. Something lots of coaches (Nagy) are too stubborn to do. What this team has been and continues to be is FRAGILE. I don’t think they’re soft. But fragile where they let things snowball and can’t stop. That goes back to Quenneville as well.
youtube.com/watch?v=Pmxb9CKEeCA
Hull Teply played the toughest teams in the tournament, USA, Canada, Russia, Sweden, only team he didn’t play was Finns who coasted until today anyways. He was picked as one Czechs top players in tournanent was impressive playing 5 on 5, pp and pk.
You see this team dominate a period. Using that somewhat loosely as I think a lot of puck luck has happened when they go up 3-0. Then suddenly just lose it. Is it leadership? Players? Youth? Puck luck regressing to the mean? Perhaps a combination. Maybe it’s the old adage of having to learn how to win.
Coaches can have blind spots regarding players like Q with Kempny or JC with Joki or Babcock with Justin Holl who is now a regular in TOR but couldn’t get into a game under Babs and on it goes with every coach ever I’m sure
I happen to think that the head coach is very important to winning and losing -ask the NYI fans – Q did his job winning 3 cups and now it’s JC’s turn
So far the results speak for themselves IMO – the coaches job is to get the most out of the roster period end of story – JC hasn’t done that so far but maybe things are turning around here
I was on the fire JC bandwagon earlier but it’s not going to happen so let’s see what does happen – maybe we’ll be surprised
Wrap i would gladly admit it if Colliton proves me wrong, can’t believe you just compared him to Q and Babcock though, lol. As Craig i believe said, your as good as your record, applies to coaches too. I don’t think he is the guy at this point in time, anyways.
Rusty think you can add confidence in what they are doing will work, to what happens too.
Believing in what your doing has wonderful way of cleaning up unexplained mistakes too.
I still think getting Timo was in part to get him a Cup. He wasnt better then 3rd pair guys/same. Extra depth sure.
Q was really good at coaching loaded teams, not saying he sucked at any other kind, jus that he was better then anyone else, when the team was loaded.
Look at TB TOR and others that have had loaded rosters, not like our dynasty rosters, but loaded somewhat. Nothing yet for those teams.
It is the players that need to play, what ever the system is, but I do think the system has to be a good one in order for it to work as good as it could. When the players arnt buying in, the system isint good/per say.
You need both.
Someone said we needed everybody to win those yrs. Sure we, but we would have won anyways I think. What we had was that good of quality deepness that if we had to do it harder we could have. We had more to give, the other teams did not. We just werent pushed to that extreme, other then 1-3 DET with refs and waive off goal and the 1-2 look yourself in the mirror game 4 s we played and won.
Now we do not, when were deep again, and other top temas do not have that kind of deepness. So its tuff with salary cap.
That shows you we were really loaded those yrs to stay on top of the cap, that way.
&
Hoss is a fukking machine.
There an impressive pk going, unexplainedly Debrincat out killing last 30 seconds of penalty, all of a sudden Canucks seem to get alot room and shooting lanes, then score. Sorry but thats on the coach.
Miro, good post, think same on Q.
Hull, I know are guys arnt doing good this world juniors and only 2 there. But dude we had lots and lots world juniors last yr and a good amount of them were key players or top scorers in the Tourn.
Ian – on the pk goal Gilbert has a chance to take a man hard to knock him off the puck. For some reason he was not physical and the guy continued around the net before sending the pass out that led to the goal.
Mo Teply had a very good tournament, playing in an unusually strong group in round robin, even named group of death. Picked as one of Czechs top 3 players by the coaches, that statement by Hull is completely false. Par for the course, i guess.
Ms yes but they had no zone time on pp until Colliton decided not to use his pk guys to kill penalty. All of a sudden they get lots of puck movement in zone and breakdown happens. Thats on Colliton.
Ian, let me know if Teply or Saarela ever make the NHL? Hard group? Don’t care, if you are a prospect than you can a score a few goals? Or atleast a 1 each! Both did not!
And by the way, no goals for SIKURA or QUENNEVILLE again tonight! Let’s play SIKURA every game right JC? He deserves ice time! Gilbert is an AHL bottom 6 dman! Let’s face it. Once again, a poor draft pick. Clueless out there.
Morrison, yes last year at the Juniors but remember Enthwistle was not our draft pick. Fact remains, when was the last time, for instance, did we have a goalie at that tournament, and I don’t mean for Slovakia or Denmark? Talking Canada, USA, FInland or Sweden? How about a power winger?
And enough with 88 having to play with Sikura and Carpenter, this is embarassing! Those 2 players are not even making the worse roster in the NHL? That’s how bad that is. JC is simply a deer in head lights! You have the best player on the team, top 3 in the NHL stuck with those two guys? Double shifting him! Kane will be done by March! And he is saving both Bowman and JC’s ass once again! This is all on GM and coach. Honestly, would you see OVIE being dropped off the first line to play with players like Carpenter and Sikura! Kane is playing with a winger who does not have a goal in 3 NHL seasons and Carpenter a career AHL player who is barely a 4th line player in the NHL. Can you imagine what 88 feels like before every game ? He needs 4 points that he creates on his own without the help of those two worthless players to give the Hawks a chance. Let’s get serious!