[A] Mental Tax: CHI 2, COL 5

[mikita's helmet]

I thought either Q would be gone over the last weekend or we'd make a trade. We got two free days till San Jose. Maybe they'll fire Q and make a trade.

 

[the canadian dream]

It is Q more than anyone. We get a goal, he tells them to press for more (or neglects to remind them to play defense) and we get scored on twice in the time it takes me to go to the fucking bathroom! He puts Shaw with TK when Victor has been doing great up there. WHY??? He ices Scott the other game. He ices Bickell, ever...USELESS. He somehow fucked up Frodo's noggin months ago and now the guy is totally useless too.

I just don't get it. How much leeway does this guy get? As for his success with the Hawks prior to this: the talent on the team won the cup and all those games for us. I could have coached them to a cup for ****'s sake!

I would hate to try and replace Q because he doesn't totally suck, but there is a lot of shit HE needs to work on and I can only hope the Bowmans are advising him on what needs to change.

I don't agree with Q being responsible for Froliks play at all. That's all Frolik. He has been given all the chances anyone in his situation would ever want. He's just not as good as we all wanted him to be. Frolik is in the same boat as Bickell and even Kruger. Both have been given the chances but have failed to make the best out of it. Frolik and Kruger simply keeps getting chances because their defensive games are better than Bickells. Other than that all 3 stink and Frolik is no mind blowing defensive forward either hes pretty average. When guys like Stalberg are able to take the chances they get and run with them and produce I don't see why guys like Kruger and Frolik and Bickel can't do it. At some point it does have to come down to actuall talents and skills of the players not just coaching..this is the NHL level. Bickell, Frolik and Kruger simply don't have the talent we want them to have and we wish they did (in my hearts of hearts I don't think they would produce on any team right now including the top coached ones). And yes I know Stalberg has been given the chance to play with Toews and Kane and top players on this club so they do have a part to play in his success. Stalberg has also earned it and that can't be taken away from him. Have Frolik, Bickell or Kruger really earned anything with their overall play? I don't think so. I really don't think that responsibility falls on Q at all.



I saw Stalberg with Kane and Toews more often than not tonight but Q's line juggling will always be there. I don't like it either..he way over juggles.



Shaw has actually fallen back to earth a little as we all predicted he would after a great start with the club. Farm players don't typically keep up the same pace. Don't get me wrong I still want this kid on the active roster for the rest of the season but he has fallen down to earth a little..expectedly so.



Agree otherwise Q needs some coaching of his own. I too like some of the things Q does but the negatives are now outweighing the positives.



Still think Bowman has to take a little heat though also. I knwo it's hard to get anyone around this board to agree with that but that's fine. I will keep thinking it in my feeble mind regardless. I'm not making it a contest btw Q and Stan..I don't like either one of them that much and I do think they make a horrible pair. I simply haven't liked the bulk of players he has brought onto this club and those who he has let go (I know cap gets into a lot of his moves so does finger printing). He isn't getting a pass from me because Stalberg and Leddy have risen to the occassion and because Mayers can play 4th line. Q has had a little to do with Stalbergs success also as he has with giving Leddy lots of ice time (Leddy is far from what he will be in the future still). Both great additions and good forsight by Stan. But boy oh boy some of the other ones? YIkes....not very good. I also know we have yet to see his prospects. I am more than willing to give that time. for that reason when a move does come..and it will at some point..Q will be the first to go....and rightfully so.



Just not happening this season. Maybe the offseason depending on what happens in the next few months. Everyone does look pretty crappy right now though with a few exceptions.

 

[Ton]

The thing is TCD, you have to see those moves for what they are--band-aids until Stans players really get a chance.



Pisani, Bruno, Morrison, OD, Carcillo, etc etc were all stop gaps until his youth is ready. He wasn't willing to commit to someone on the FA market (other than Montador, maybe because he thinks his defense is still a few years away) because anyone that is worth it wants a long-term deal and he wants to build within.



So that is why I don't blame him. Now if his talent comes through and turns out to be a bust, then the blame lies on him. Until Morin, Pirri, Hayes, Olsen, Saad, McNeill, Danault, etc etc get a legitimate chance to prove themselves, I don't think you can give Stan a proper grade or say he has failed. Remember Tallon did the same thing with gaining band-aids like Perrault, Lang, Lapointe, Hamilton, Smolinski, Bondra... the only difference is Stan has a core to build around while Tallon started from scratch. Don't let that fool you though, the core is good enough to win and stay out of the basement but it's still a rebuilding process that will take another year or so to fully blossom.

 

[EbonyRaptor]

The thing is TCD, you have to see those moves for what they are--band-aids until Stans players really get a chance.



Pisani, Bruno, Morrison, OD, Carcillo, etc etc were all stop gaps until his youth is ready. He wasn't willing to commit to someone on the FA market (other than Montador, maybe because he thinks his defense is still a few years away) because anyone that is worth it wants a long-term deal and he wants to build within.



So that is why I don't blame him. Now if his talent comes through and turns out to be a bust, then the blame lies on him. Until Morin, Pirri, Hayes, Olsen, Saad, McNeill, Danault, etc etc get a legitimate chance to prove themselves, I don't think you can give Stan a proper grade or say he has failed. Remember Tallon did the same thing with gaining band-aids like Perrault, Lang, Lapointe, Hamilton, Smolinski, Bondra... the only difference is Stan has a core to build around while Tallon started from scratch. Don't let that fool you though, the core is good enough to win and stay out of the basement but it's still a rebuilding process that will take another year or so to fully blossom.

I'm of the same opinion regarding Stan's unannounced plan. But the Montador signing doesn't belong. 4 years for a bottom pairing d-man? That one is a mystery.

 

[the canadian dream]

I'll agree with that Ton.



I don't "blame" him in so much that I really question some of the guys brought in band aid or not. I do have faith in his prospects and the scouts on this team. I see no reasons to be upset about his prospects as they all seem like legit promise. And I don't think Stan has "failed" either. I do think he could have done better though and I do question some of his moves when they happened and still do and how they have clogged areas. Does feel like a half re-build though you are right. I get that feeling too.



I totally believe in the core and always will. And I do agree the coaching isn't getting the best out of the core right now (as it's not getting the best out of anyone). I won't argue that because that is what it looks like even though Toews is still on pace for a career year, Hossa was smoking hot, Sharp was fine before his injury, Keith has been his typical up and down self and Seabs..well no real legit complaints about Seabs. The one guy that we all see having the big struggle as far as the core goes is Kane. But yah right now the core isn't playing it's best hockey and maybe it is the system I don't know. But again it's the exact same system these guys have been playing for the last 3 years and there was success with it. So it really does baffle me somewhat. Because outside of the core the only thing that has really changed over the last few years is the depth players and the goalkeeping revolving door. And that is enough to challenge any team in my opinion.



I never expected the same cup team and never will. That team was one of the best essembled teams of all time (yah I mean it) and it was indeed a well coached team despite what some want to think about any coach being able to coach it. Q beat a lot of coaches on that cup run with line match ups and getting players focused..he did play a part. I actually think Q was vital in the series win over the Canucks to be honest. I don't expect the team to ever parody that team though as far as skill and talent and cohesiveness goes. No doubt Stan walked in at a tricky time and I give him that fully.



I still don't like his beady eyes though. creeps me out. Ugh I don't like him. I know I will eat my words in the future. I know it. So it's all good.



ps im not jumping off any walls here. I know what these guys can do in playoffs. Im concerned but im not starting any riots.

 

[the canadian dream]

I'm of the same opinion regarding Stan's unannounced plan. But the Montador signing doesn't belong. 4 years for a bottom pairing d-man? That one is a mystery.

That's Q. Montador should be getting more 2nd pairing minutes and more minutes in general. Someone needs to keep mentoring Leddy and it shouldn't be Hammer. I like Hammer but he himself is more of a #5 guy. Blocking blocking blocking and he needs to start hitting hitting hitting again. That was hammers game and his future. Blocking is still there but the hitting aint.



Maybe Montador hasn't fully recovered from the injury that sidelined him? It's a fair question because his minutes seemed to have dropped since then. I can't back that up with any facts though...and im too lazy to check.

 

[BiscuitintheBasket]

Because that is more interesting than the 'Hawks play on this road trip.

 

[DBQHawkFan]

Has Q lost the team at this point? I think it is a legitimate question. Everyone knows what the problems are, but we can;t seem to fix them. It is on the coaches at this point. Our PP is non-existant. And he trots Morrison out there as the QB on the second unit. Our PK blows. Our team defense is pathetic. And it is not all on our defenseman either. I do have one question. O'Donnell has been quoted a lot about tightening up the D. Getting back to basics. Where the hell was he going on the Av's first goal. He left Keith out to dry. We turned the puck over just inside the blue line and he is going for a skate down below the circle in the zone. WHAT IS THAT? I was asking where the hell is the other D. I had to replay it several times before I saw him that low. Veteran leadership is one thing. Old, decrepid players flapping their gums and not backing it up with their play is another, Lets hope for a top 4 d-man via a trade so OD can sit and Montador can go to 3rd pair. Kane had a monster game. He was the 1st star for the Hawks. Seabs was good, but Kaner was #1. That is not even questionable.

 

[Shantz My Pants]

Just a quick fact...



Our defense is 9th in the league in payroll while being 26th in goals against.

 

[winos5]

Craptastic display of hockey. Nice phone in the opening of the 3rd. I blame the palyers on the ice. And I continue to disagree RE Stalberg. He has stretches where he is lights out, and stretches where he is perimeter shot launching turnover machine.



We are lucky that wasn't a 8-2 blowout with the number of odd man breakaways we gave up. Emery kept us in the game.



It would also be nice if the PP would show up at some point on the trip.



The only redeeming thing aboot last nights game was the pleasant surprise of the Sharp-Bolland-Kane line.

 

[Rex]

It's not the goalies. Either one of them!

I know that, I have been sticking up for Crawford every game, but Cam Ward is still the best clutch goalie in the NHL in my eyes. 5-0 record in game 7's and a Conn Smythe, rotting on a basement team

 

[bookjones]

I have officially gone on the FIRE COACH Q bandwagon. I'm gettin tired of his shit.



Special teams are horrible....the defense prob pisses me off the most with all the 2-on-1, turnovers, not covering their guy, transitions, breakaways.



Its been the same story for who knows how long now.



Hawks get ur shit together cause u guys got the talent....just need a good ass kickin and find the momentum.

You tell 'em Shade! lol



Remember how they were sucking last year and then Havi took over and started righting the ship by getting the first 4 wins of their 8 game streak under his belt? How he calmed things the **** down? Good times. That streak was the best strecth of hockey they played with the Purge Roster.

 

[LordKOTL]

Well, All I can say is that had Crawford been in net, he would have been blasted (especially on the O-boards) for letting some of those goals in and not "Stealing one for the team".



If we keep this up then Emery too will need regular injections of Thorazine.



I am hoping guys like Toews are taking note of something Bobby Hull once said in an interview. I don't remember the exact words, but it was to the effect that back in '61 they thought they were young and a dynasty team and would win more cups, but that it never seemed to come together after that. I know it's only two years out but hopefully if they didn't think he was serious after the cup win, that they are taking note of his words right now.

 

[Ashor-redtribe]

Hopfully my comment will cheer up some as much as this nightmare we are in is prolonging.



I still think some trades on D can help tremendously, and adding a forward. I feel alot of players are being overplayed and some are in the wrong lines. We wil get out of this. As much as this sucks! I would rather go through this now and then get hot for the playoffs. This is a great test and something that will stick in their minds when the playoffs come around....I hope.

 

[BigPete]

Here is a question that may shed some light on the current situation:



Why did Coach Torchetti leave? I don't have the answer other than the very obvious "better opportunity". Does anyone have an opinion or insider information?

 

[bookjones]

Here is a question that may shed some light on the current situation:



Why did Coach Torchetti leave? I don't have the answer other than the very obvious "better opportunity". Does anyone have an opinion or insider information?

I thought the gist of Torch's leaving was that he was synonymous with being in the same camp as Dudley and I thought the rumor back then was that he wasn't a "Q guy" or accolyte.

 

[Rex]

unfortunately, Kitchen is a Q guy.

 

[Pez68]

unfortunately, Kitchen is a Q guy.

Which really is all the ammunition you need to fire Q. I mean, he brought this guy here.

 

[Rex]

Which really is all the ammunition you need to fire Q. I mean, he brought this guy here.

too bad that isn't the only ammo we have.

 

[fanof19]

I told you 2 years ago that the BS that was going on would trickle down and eventually impact the product on the ice because it would find it's way into the locker room. 51 called it out when he left and was interviewed before the Hawk/Panther game.



Why did Torch leave? Really? Those that could leave, did after the BS that occurred with the dismissal of the GM as a result of the McDonough/Bowman plan.