Blackhawks '18-'19

#176      

Joel Goodson

respect my decision™
I'm so ready for Bowman to be gone. Yes he was an above average GM during the cup window, but retreads like Kruger were some of the more annoying things he did later on. I get when the well runs out internally, and cap space is extremely tight, you do what you can, but this team should've been in full rebuild mode when Crawford got hurt last year and neither backup looked ready to fill his still underratedly large shoes.

Q and Bowman will be (and are) Chicago sports legends, but you've really got to be special to guide a team through both success and failure and come out of it.

lol, Bowman should get the GM award on the Manning trade alone.

Kruger is on the last year of his deal. Needed to take his contract in order to move Hossa's contract. Which was a very high priority item.

Help, in a major way, is coming.
 
#177      
lol, Bowman should get the GM award on the Manning trade alone.

Kruger is on the last year of his deal. Needed to take his contract in order to move Hossa's contract. Which was a very high priority item.

Help, in a major way, is coming.
Talon set up most of the pieces for Bowman. All the core guys and signed Sharp. I can't remember who was responsible for Hossa, but I think that was Talon too. I think there's quite a few other GM's that could've put us in a similar situation as Bowman did during the first half of his tenure. I think there's also a quite a few other GM's that could've put us in a better spot than we are right now and where we are headed.

I will say, I think people underestimate how well Bowman's drafted (mostly cause he's traded a lot of the top guys away). Letting Niemi go might have been his best move as a GM. The Keith contract was great too, and obviously retaining Kane/Toews was huge, regardless of how much of an albatross Toew's contract may or may not be now. He deserves a lot of credit for not letting a major piece leave, but I have a hard time thinking of a FA signing or trade that was truly spectacular. Like I said, an above average GM for sometime, but I question whether he can right the ship again.

And there is some big talent on the way, and some young pieces in place. If Delia is legit, then we've got a shot sooner rather than later. But Keith/Seabrook are finished, Toews isn't elite anymore (though this year is definitely promising), and we don't have any real scoring outside Debrincat and Kane. They will have to get lucky in the lottery to hope to compete anytime soon.
 
#178      
It is the win now mentality in pro sports. With free agency, expansion and salary caps, the future is beyond this year is not guaranteed. I am very happy and appreciative of the 3 cups in 6 years. And a couple of close calls in the other years.

Look at the Cubs after the WS win and what the 2019 season looks like with questionable pitching, Kris Bryant shoulder, etc. Same with 2003 when they had Kerry Wood and Mark Prior, a 1-2 punch for a decade. If you have any chance the current year, I believe the GM should go all out.
 
#179      

bdutts

Houston, Texas
It is the win now mentality in pro sports. With free agency, expansion and salary caps, the future is beyond this year is not guaranteed. I am very happy and appreciative of the 3 cups in 6 years. And a couple of close calls in the other years.

Look at the Cubs after the WS win and what the 2019 season looks like with questionable pitching, Kris Bryant shoulder, etc. Same with 2003 when they had Kerry Wood and Mark Prior, a 1-2 punch for a decade. If you have any chance the current year, I believe the GM should go all out.

Baseball is different than hockeywith no cap and hockey having a hard cap.
 
#180      

bdutts

Houston, Texas
Talon set up most of the pieces for Bowman. All the core guys and signed Sharp. I can't remember who was responsible for Hossa, but I think that was Talon too. I think there's quite a few other GM's that could've put us in a similar situation as Bowman did during the first half of his tenure. I think there's also a quite a few other GM's that could've put us in a better spot than we are right now and where we are headed.

I will say, I think people underestimate how well Bowman's drafted (mostly cause he's traded a lot of the top guys away). Letting Niemi go might have been his best move as a GM. The Keith contract was great too, and obviously retaining Kane/Toews was huge, regardless of how much of an albatross Toew's contract may or may not be now. He deserves a lot of credit for not letting a major piece leave, but I have a hard time thinking of a FA signing or trade that was truly spectacular. Like I said, an above average GM for sometime, but I question whether he can right the ship again.

And there is some big talent on the way, and some young pieces in place. If Delia is legit, then we've got a shot sooner rather than later. But Keith/Seabrook are finished, Toews isn't elite anymore (though this year is definitely promising), and we don't have any real scoring outside Debrincat and Kane. They will have to get lucky in the lottery to hope to compete anytime soon.

How about Artemi Panarin?
 
#181      

Illiniaaron

Geneseo, IL
I really don't understand why there is any disagreement on the fact that pretty much all of the talent that mattered in the Hawks' Cup run was put together by Talon.
 
#183      

Joel Goodson

respect my decision™
Very nice comeback road win last night against the Pens. Hawks are playing a lot better lately: 6-3-1 in their last 10. Great to see a competent PP again. Good test tonight versus Calgary.

Heckuva WJC, as usual. Hawks' 7 prospects acquitted themselves quite well. Kurashev was outstanding. Think Mitchell makes the team next season. Barratt will probably start his pro career too.
 
#184      
The 2010 season, sure. 2013 & 2015, not nearly as much.
Who was a major contributor on the 13 or 15 season that was purely a Bowman guy? Saad, Shaw, I guess guys like Richards or Oduya too. Those are nice pieces and we don't win without them, but the core was still going strong in both those years, and the aforementioned guys were all secondary options (though I will concede Saad as a critical piece in 13).
 
#185      

Joel Goodson

respect my decision™
Who was a major contributor on the 13 or 15 season that was purely a Bowman guy? Saad, Shaw, I guess guys like Richards or Oduya too. Those are nice pieces and we don't win without them, but the core was still going strong in both those years, and the aforementioned guys were all secondary options (though I will concede Saad as a critical piece in 13).

Nice Bowman pieces: Saad, Shaw, Bickell (13), Oduya, Rozival (don't laugh, he was good in 13), Handzus (slow as molasses, but good in 13), Kruger, TT (15), Desjardins. Leddy was a VG acquisition, but pretty much a non-factor in the POs. Remember, Bowman was drafting at the back end every year. Plus, he was in win-now mode (i.e., rentals), which further weakened our drafts.

Tallon: deserves a lot of credit, but, then again, the #1 and #3 picks (plus, luck (Toews still available at #3)). Signing Hossa was a master stroke (effectively trading Havlat for Hoss). Campbell was a good, albeit expensive, signing. Sharp blossomed beautifully when he got to Chicago. Same with Keith. But he also had a major paperwork faux pas (Hammer, Versteeg, Niemi?). Years and years of really bad teams, paid huge dividends with high draft picks.
 
#186      
Nice Bowman pieces: Saad, Shaw, Bickell (13), Oduya, Rozival (don't laugh, he was good in 13), Handzus (slow as molasses, but good in 13), Kruger, TT (15), Desjardins. Leddy was a VG acquisition, but pretty much a non-factor in the POs. Remember, Bowman was drafting at the back end every year. Plus, he was in win-now mode (i.e., rentals), which further weakened our drafts.

Tallon: deserves a lot of credit, but, then again, the #1 and #3 picks (plus, luck (Toews still available at #3)). Signing Hossa was a master stroke (effectively trading Havlat for Hoss). Campbell was a good, albeit expensive, signing. Sharp blossomed beautifully when he got to Chicago. Same with Keith. But he also had a major paperwork faux pas (Hammer, Versteeg, Niemi?). Years and years of really bad teams, paid huge dividends with high draft picks.
I'll give Bowman credit for keeping the window open as long as he did, but he made plenty of mistakes too. But now I'm just repeating myself. yes Tallon benefited from being awful and having cash to spend (though he deserves credit for picking whom to spend it on).

My only real argument is that I think people paint Bowman as some sort of omnipotent savant. 2010 onward, all you heard was how masterful he was at making moves and staying under cap. He obviously deserves credit for a lot of it, but he made plenty of mistakes. Would another GM have done better? I have a very hard time saying anything other than unequivocally yes, but that opens a lot of other conversations, like could the hawks have even gotten one after Tallon (that question is a lot murkier). I'm not going to be upset seeing Bowman get a chance at a rebuild (I think Q deserved it too, but scapegoats and such), but this is uncharted territory for him (though he did go through the lean years in the org).

I dont see the hawks realistically competing for the cup again for another half decade. I'm not sure Bowman survives that long, though if they can take a young, controllable team to the playoffs soonish, he probably buys himself a few years. I just think the talent deficit, especially on the defensive end (even with guys like Boqvist, Beaudin, and Jokiharju), is just too young and too thin to automatically project this defense to go from arguably the worst group in the NHL to a point where, an also very thin young offensive group, can propel them far enough.
 
#187      

ChiefGritty

Chicago, IL
I think people paint Bowman as some sort of omnipotent savant.

Eh, I'm not sure I've ever really seen that. You win 3 Stanley Cups and you get a lot of praise, and deservedly so. But in a theoretical world in which Tallon and Bowman were the same person and it was all one tenure from 2005-present, I think that GM would be an untouchable Theo Epstein-like demigod who got almost entire credit for the dynastic era, as opposed to Bowman who along with Rocky Wirtz and John McDonough, and Joel Quenneville shared the good press for a winning organization.
 
#189      

Illiniaaron

Geneseo, IL
Hey, the Hawks are last in the Western Conference, tied with Ottawa for fewest points in the NHL, and have the fewest wins in the league. These guys do kind of stink. :poop:
 
#192      

Joel Goodson

respect my decision™
Or the Finnish winger.

Yeah, Kakko (or the Roosky) would be great, but Hughes is the grand prize (even if he is a smurf). Need some lotto luck.

Unbelievable that Manning was moved, for a useful player, no less.

Hawks are going to be sellers. Anisimov, Forsling or Gus are on the block. Wouldn't surprise me if Saad is dealt too. Gobs of cap space for the offseason.

Finally, yeah, the Hawks are bad. But they're markedly better than the dumpster fire they were when Colliton took over. Most of their recent games they've been competitive. This was always going to be a development year and some guys have taken big steps forward (Gus, Jokiharju, Strome, Delia). Cat may get 40 goals. The PP has been VG lately.
 
#193      

bdutts

Houston, Texas
Yeah, Kakko (or the Roosky) would be great, but Hughes is the grand prize (even if he is a smurf). Need some lotto luck.

Unbelievable that Manning was moved, for a useful player, no less.

Hawks are going to be sellers. Anisimov, Forsling or Gus are on the block. Wouldn't surprise me if Saad is dealt too. Gobs of cap space for the offseason.

Finally, yeah, the Hawks are bad. But they're markedly better than the dumpster fire they were when Colliton took over. Most of their recent games they've been competitive. This was always going to be a development year and some guys have taken big steps forward (Gus, Jokiharju, Strome, Delia). Cat may get 40 goals. The PP has been VG lately.

It’s much better than when he took over. Not sure what they are going to do at the TDL and off-season. I am looking forward to it.
 
#194      

Illiniaaron

Geneseo, IL
Entertaining 1980s-style hockey win for the Hawks today. Delia was not good though. Caps goalies were worse.
 
#195      

Joel Goodson

respect my decision™
Entertaining 1980s-style hockey win for the Hawks today. Delia was not good though. Caps goalies were worse.

Delia was great/terrible. Two softies, can't happen. OTOH, he stoned the Caps repeatedly. Need a much larger sample size, but the Hawks may have found their new #1.

Bad day for tank commanders, lol.
 
#196      

South Farms

near Ogden & Rt 83
just how possible or likely is a new 4-5 team Euro NHL division with teams say in London-Berlin-Moscow-Stockholm-Helsinki ?

I heard some radio guys talking about this - seems very intriguing, yet almost impossible to pull off.
 
#197      

Joel Goodson

respect my decision™
just how possible or likely is a new 4-5 team Euro NHL division with teams say in London-Berlin-Moscow-Stockholm-Helsinki ?

I heard some radio guys talking about this - seems very intriguing, yet almost impossible to pull off.

File this under "Pie in the sky" (at least until supersonic travel is readily available). Euro franchises would, in all likelihood, thrive, but scheduling would be beyond the pale. The elasticity of ticket pricing would be put to the test, no doubt.
 
#199      

Joel Goodson

respect my decision™
5 points out of a wildcard berth. The West sucks!

Minny Boring tonight. Real tug of war between my inner tank commander and winning.
 
#200      

bdutts

Houston, Texas
5 points out of a wildcard berth. The West sucks!

Minny Boring tonight. Real tug of war between my inner tank commander and winning.

I’ll take winning every time. Playing much better these days. Also looks like Seabrook was asked to waive his no trade clause and said no.

6 points out of last place in the league and 7 points out of a wild card as of today. And other teams have game(s) in hand on the Hawks. Playoffs will be a stretch.