The Chicago Blackhawks Thread

Indifference71

mca47 said:

Indifference71 said:

Well the playoffs won't be happening this year...they've been really tough to watch lately. 2-7-2 in their last 11 games coming out of the all star break.  Just awful.

It's definitely time for the Hawks to make some significant changes....Q has to be on the hot seat.  I know it sounds crazy, but I think they should trade Toews...him and Kane both having these $10-11M cap hits are killer.  Or maybe they can trick some team into taking on Seabrook's contract...that one still has 6 more years left with a cap hit around $7M!!!  They have to do something major.

They are really, really hard to watch this year.  They are in town tonight.  In the past, I would never miss them...but I didn't even really consider it much this year.  The team is average at best.  It's really just a couple of guys who are good, a bunch who are ok, some position fillers and a couple who's good days occurred years ago.  Q make no adjustments at all, their PP is garbage, their transition play is garbage and it seems like everyone just stands around waiting for someone else to make a big play.

Good call not going last night.  That was embarrassing.  I have a feeling that I'll be moving up quite a few spots on the season ticket waiting list this offseason...

HesCalledDyer

Wasn't Arizona on a worse skid than the Hawks are?  That should tell ya everything...

Indifference71

HesCalledDyer said:

Wasn't Arizona on a worse skid than the Hawks are?  That should tell ya everything...

Oh yeah.  Coyotes are the worst team in the league by far.  

Indifference71

So Crawford STILL isn't 100% yet and they don't know if he'll be ready for training camp.  There's something fishy about this "upper body injury".  If it was concussion related, not sure why they wouldn't just come out and say it.  There's a lot of rumors out there that he was in rehab for substance abuse issues, but who the hell knows what is really going on with him.  Hopefully he gets himself right and gets back out on the ice soon.

HesCalledDyer

I actually kinda like that the NHL generically discloses injuries as upper/lower body.  It sucks when it's your guy and you don't know what's going on, but it keeps the goons from targeting specific body parts when the injured player returns.

We do need Crawford but we also need a healthy Crawford.  I'd rather him miss camp and a few opening games than come back to soon, re-injure himself, and be gone for yet another season.

Indifference71

HesCalledDyer said:

I actually kinda like that the NHL generically discloses injuries as upper/lower body.  It sucks when it's your guy and you don't know what's going on, but it keeps the goons from targeting specific body parts when the injured player returns.

We do need Crawford but we also need a healthy Crawford.  I'd rather him miss camp and a few opening games than come back to soon, re-injure himself, and be gone for yet another season.

Oh yeah I agree with you on not having to disclose the specific injury because of players possibly targeting it.  But with Crawford everyone knows it's most likely concussion or vertigo so seems kinda silly to keep being secretive about it.  Who knows.

The Crawford stuff aside, the fact that the Hawks are coming into the season with essentially the same roster doesn't really get you excited here.  Losing Hinostroza in the trade with AZ to dump Hossa' salary cap hit was rough.  Still waiting for Bowman to make some sort of move with this new salary cap space.  

HesCalledDyer

Indifference71 said:

HesCalledDyer said:

I actually kinda like that the NHL generically discloses injuries as upper/lower body.  It sucks when it's your guy and you don't know what's going on, but it keeps the goons from targeting specific body parts when the injured player returns.

We do need Crawford but we also need a healthy Crawford.  I'd rather him miss camp and a few opening games than come back to soon, re-injure himself, and be gone for yet another season.

Oh yeah I agree with you on not having to disclose the specific injury because of players possibly targeting it.  But with Crawford everyone knows it's most likely concussion or vertigo so seems kinda silly to keep being secretive about it.  Who knows.

The Crawford stuff aside, the fact that the Hawks are coming into the season with essentially the same roster doesn't really get you excited here.  Losing Hinostroza in the trade with AZ to dump Hossa' salary cap hit was rough.  Still waiting for Bowman to make some sort of move with this new salary cap space.  

Yeah, completely agree.  Adding an aging Kunitz and an average defenseman in Manning isn't exactly much to get riled up about.  With Seabrook on steady decline for the last 5 season and Keith getting up there in the years, and Crawford's health I think we might just see more of the same this year.

MayDay10

Dont forget Nashville is as good as there is, Winnipeg is a Conference Finalist and possibly at the beginning of a good run of years, St. Louis is investing heavily in the present, and Minnesota and Dallas are never easy outs.  Colorado over-performed, but they have a lot of young upside and hit 95 points.  Brutal division.

HesCalledDyer

Crawford back in net tonight!  Welcome back, ol' buddy!

Indifference71

That's awesome!  Almost 10 months since he last played...hopefully he is 100% and ready to go.  Never want to see a guy risking his future...these concussions are scary stuff.

HesCalledDyer

Well, that didn't go as hoped.

HesCalledDyer

Coach Q fired. WTF?

Indifference71

Wow.  Apparently Stan Bowman is untouchable...crazy.

mca47

So dumb.  On the list of problems this team has, I'm pretty sure Q was near the bottom.  

HesCalledDyer

Yeah, I'm pretty sure Joel isn't the one who signed a bunch of guys headed for decline to rich, long-term contracts. These core guys have been around for a decade.  Sure we're only 3 years removed from the last Stanley Cup but that was on the apex of their peak.  In the meantime we've had to let every bit of young talent go because we can't afford to keep them for paying the old guys. Stan Bowman loves to take all the credit for success but won't check himself at the door when failure occurs.  The core team was built by Dale Tallon and the early success Stan had was when his daddy made the calls for him. 

Meltdown99

Joel will not be out of work long unless he chooses.

Indifference71

HesCalledDyer said:

Yeah, I'm pretty sure Joel isn't the one who signed a bunch of guys headed for decline to rich, long-term contracts. These core guys have been around for a decade.  Sure we're only 3 years removed from the last Stanley Cup but that was on the apex of their peak.  In the meantime we've had to let every bit of young talent go because we can't afford to keep them for paying the old guys. Stan Bowman loves to take all the credit for success but won't check himself at the door when failure occurs.  The core team was built by Dale Tallon and the early success Stan had was when his daddy made the calls for him. 

Exactly.  This is just a desperate attempt by Bowman to save his own ass.  He has had to make a lot of tough moves with the cap, but he has made so many bad moves.  I have a feeling he will be next to go after this season because this roster is not making the playoffs.  They should have just cleaned house completely in the offseason because this felt inevitable.  

Indifference71

Welp it turns out the Hawks still suck even with a different coach.  Bowman is such a clown.  He needs to go.

Schmaltz trade was surprising.  He has struggled this year.  I've also read a few things saying that he's kinda an asshole and isn't always going at it 100%.  Hopefully it works out with Strome and Perlini but as usual I have zero confidence in anything Bowman does.  

MayDay10

I think that trade was absolute robbery on Chicago's end.  

HesCalledDyer

Last night was depressing.