Chicago Blackhawks 2025-2026

#301      
Illiniaaron
Old59guy said:
I like the Black Hawks just as many of you, but it seems like owners keep doing the same thing every year and the team dosen't make the playoffs. United Center is a nice place to see agame, but if you are never gonna make the playoffs, what's the use of spending all that money on tickets? Just wondering..
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I understand your frustration. At some point they will need to add some major free agent talent. Even with Bertuzzi having 25 goals through 56 games, they aren't making the playoffs this year. The way things are progressing they might be a borderline playoff team in 2027.
 
#302      
ChiIllini75
I honestly think they want at least one to two more drafts before they start trying to truly contend for the playoffs. Depending how high they pick this year, I could see next year being the inflection point with Kantserov and Frondell joining (if they don't find a way to get a couple games in this season) and a possible high end draft talent that might stick from camp.

If that is the case I could see them starting to get involved with vets at the deadline, or worst case target impactful FA the following off season.
 
#303      
KBLEE
The defense is just bad. Way too many turnovers in the defensive or neutral zone are continually leading odd-man rushes. Knight does his best to fight off as many as he can, and recent opponents have hit a lot of posts / crossbar or the results would have been even worse.
 
#304      
ChiefGritty
KBLEE said:
The defense is just bad. Way too many turnovers in the defensive or neutral zone are continually leading odd-man rushes. Knight does his best to fight off as many as he can, and recent opponents have hit a lot of posts / crossbar or the results would have been even worse.
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I really really want to not freak out about the Levshunov/Demidov thing, but that is looking very very ugly and credibility-sapping right now in terms of bad process leading to bad results.

How was everybody so wrong about Demidov's KHL timeline? Has there been good reporting on this?
 
#306      
Joel Goodson
ChiefGritty said:
I really really want to not freak out about the Levshunov/Demidov thing, but that is looking very very ugly and credibility-sapping right now in terms of bad process leading to bad results.

How was everybody so wrong about Demidov's KHL timeline? Has there been good reporting on this?
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I was a Team Demidov guy, big-time. very disappointed the Hawks didn't choose him

Thing is, 19-20 yo D in the NHL are very rare and the vast majority of them struggle. we're gonna need to revisit this comp down the road. Lev has a whole lot of learning to do, but his ceiling is sky high. In a vacuum, a stud #1 RHD is more valuable than a stud first line forward
 
#307      
bdutts
Very true. I’ll wait until he’s 24 before I call him a bust.
 
#308      
Alfonz24
Do / Should the Hawks do a blockbuster on a big time player similar to what Florida did with Matthew Tkachuk? I was looking at his brother who is in the the 5th year of his 7 year contract which has a NMC. With the cap space and stock pile of young prospect and future picks, is this something to explore. Ottawa is currently 10th in the Eastern conference. Any other possible trade targets who would move the needle?
Minnesota went all in for Quin Hughes.
 
#309      
Yes33
I’m not hockey expert by any means, but it seems to me this is a sport where the coach matters. We need a coach that not only can develop players, but has had a track record of winning by doing it. I’ll show my age, but it does no good to have an MVP like Andre Dawson (former Cub for youngsters) on a last place team. We need to go out and get the best coach before we start giving up on young talent that will blossom elsewhere. Diehard Hawks /hockey fans please jump in with any young so so players we have traded in the last 5 or 6 years that have blossomed for other teams.
 
#310      
bdutts
Yes33 said:
I’m not hockey expert by any means, but it seems to me this is a sport where the coach matters. We need a coach that not only can develop players, but has had a track record of winning by doing it. I’ll show my age, but it does no good to have an MVP like Andre Dawson (former Cub for youngsters) on a last place team. We need to go out and get the best coach before we start giving up on young talent that will blossom elsewhere. Diehard Hawks /hockey fans please jump in with any young so so players we have traded in the last 5 or 6 years that have blossomed for other teams.
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Who’s available that fits the bill?
 
#311      
bdutts
Alfonz24 said:
Do / Should the Hawks do a blockbuster on a big time player similar to what Florida did with Matthew Tkachuk? I was looking at his brother who is in the the 5th year of his 7 year contract which has a NMC. With the cap space and stock pile of young prospect and future picks, is this something to explore. Ottawa is currently 10th in the Eastern conference. Any other possible trade targets who would move the needle?
Minnesota went all in for Quin Hughes.
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Minnesota is a lot closer to the Stanley Cup than the Hawks are so to me, doesn’t make sense to do a trade like that. I could see them trading a young D man for a young forward.

Regarding Brady Tkachuk: depends on what it costs to get him. Ottawa probably wants NHL talent so someone like Vlasic and Nazar and probably two first round picks so similar to the Hughes trade. I don’t see it happening.
 
#312      
Yes33
bdutts said:
Who’s available that fits the bill?
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I’m not sure, thinking some of the dialed in hockey fans could chime in. Does anyone think our current coach has the pedigree to be a big winner?
 
#313      
bdutts
Yes33 said:
I’m not sure, thinking some of the dialed in hockey fans could chime in. Does anyone think our current coach has the pedigree to be a big winner?
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His first stint as a head coach didn’t go very well but the Red Wings were rebuilding so not surprising. He coached the last few years under John Cooper so the hope is that he learned something from him. There are retreads like John Tortatella and others but none of those guys are right for the Hawks. The hot commodity was the coach from the U of Denver but he decided to stay there. Maybe in 3 years when the Hawks are playoff caliber that a different coach will emerge but I have no idea who that is.
 
#314      
MidwesternCowboy
Just found this thread. Got a hypothetical question for you guys: Let's say we somehow miraculously end up with the 1st pick, again. Are you gunning for McKenna, Stenberg, or Verhoeff? I've heard a lot of good arguments for all three of them being the 1OA.
 
#315      
Joel Goodson
Yes33 said:
I’m not sure, thinking some of the dialed in hockey fans could chime in. Does anyone think our current coach has the pedigree to be a big winner?
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yes

MidwesternCowboy said:
Just found this thread. Got a hypothetical question for you guys: Let's say we somehow miraculously end up with the 1st pick, again. Are you gunning for McKenna, Stenberg, or Verhoeff? I've heard a lot of good arguments for all three of them being the 1OA.
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Stenberg
 
#317      
OrangeBlue98
Roundball Sage said:
Well, it WAS right by the Stockyards! And how many Bulls fans today even know that the Stockyard vibe is what inspired the actual Bulls franchise name?

I think the old Chicago Packers also played at the Ampitheater. And there was a short-lived pro basketball league that had a team called the Chicago Majors (the American Basketball League). Pro basketball failed more than once in Chicago before the Bulls finally took hold -- thanks to the original Bulls expansion draft guys and the later guys that came in like Walker, Love, Sloan, Van Lier, and Boerwinkle. And real old timers even remember going to various events at the Chicago Coliseum.

For decades, the really big winter events in Chicago were the Blackhawks and the big College basketball double-headers at Chicago Stadium that were post World War 2. The place rocked. My family members loved it.
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User name absolutely, 100% ☑️
 
#321      
2X2L
Happier times on March 2, according to AI:

1946: Max Bentley scores a hat trick in 9-1 win over Rangers.

1966: Bobby Hull becomes first player ever to score 50 goals in two different seasons.

Just thought all of you secretly wanted to know.

Go Blackhawks!
 
#322      
WolfpackIllini
Bobby Hull.jpg

I grew up watching the Golden Jet.
He was a treat to watch.
 
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