Blackhawks fire assistant coach Mike Kitchen

[Ares]

Both were a problem. If it weren't for Crow standing on his head half the time, we would have given up a lot more. Offensively we were awful. Toews, Anisimov and Panarin were worthless. But my point stands for defense and offense. The coaching staff failed to make adjustments but what moves of significance could have been made?

Its more of a player personnel problem than a coaching problem.

IMO the Forwards are 90% of the problem in this series.

Recall game 1 when our D and Crow kept it a 1 goal game all game... they have what it takes, but when the Forwards are failing so hard they are giving up 3 on 2 and 4 on 2 rushes consistently.... and they are letting the game be played in your zone the whole game.... eventually your D and Goalie will bend/break.

Even if the D had kept everything to 2 goals or less, we still would not have won a game lol

I have criticism of Seabrook being slow, Keith failing to keep the puck in time and time again, Oduya being old, Campbell being old, Rozival still existing in any form or fashion.... but at the end of the day more of the blame goes to the forwards.... if they are pressuring Nashville and scoring at all, the D is more than adequate to win in the playoffs IMO.

 

[ClydeLee]

As a player, or coach?




I thought the same thing. Weren't they together in Colorado previously too?

St louis, and Kitchen was actually the interim there when Q got fired but also Kitch was Qs first actual AC hire since I think Haviland and Torchetti were both already apart of the staff when Q joined.

So interesting if Bowman has some outside hire like back in those 2012 Era moments when they made Barry Smith come to practice to coach or Q will just have a former connected coach hire again.

Idk it feels like this type of thing happened before of Q losing a buddy coach but I'm pretty sure Kompon left on his own after 2014 to coach the WHL.

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[anotheridiot]

To me it just seemed like Nashville was always skating forward, and it always seemed like 5 guys. When the hawks might have had a puck by the blue line, the D did not go after the puck to try and knock it back in the zone, they were back tracking.

 

[HawkWriter]

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/news/b...upset-assistants-firing-report-221533261.html

A quick read that hopefully doesn't lead to more drama. Need Q and Bowman on the same page.

 

[Tater]

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/news/b...upset-assistants-firing-report-221533261.html

A quick read that hopefully doesn't lead to more drama. Need Q and Bowman on the same page.

The plot thickens...

 

[Raskolnikov]

Whoever was responsible for the dumb ass way Hawks PK SHOULD BE FIRED!!!!

I expect Q to defend his boy, but am more curious to Crow's feelings about the defense if front of him and if they played things to his strengths well.

Cambell and Oduya did not earn their playoff roster spots during the season, imo.

 

[anotheridiot]

Has Q and Bowman been on the same page? Bowman gets or keeps Teuvo, he is dealt because Q does not like his practice intensity. Call up kids from Rockford and they are healthy scratches. Its confusing. Its like Q constantly thinks he will get his way and get a veteran. That is the clock that ran out on the hawks, not allowing enough development before replacing. Last year, after watching Keiths injury and the team continue to play defense, why would they have gone out and gotten Campbell? This team needed another righty stick, but Q allows Hammer to play the right side because he forgot how to play the left. The more you think about it the more it seems like there is not a whole lotta same page with the coach and GM.

 

[ClydeLee]

Whoever was responsible for the dumb ass way Hawks PK SHOULD BE FIRED!!!!

I expect Q to defend his boy, but am more curious to Crow's feelings about the defense if front of him and if they played things to his strengths well.

Cambell and Oduya did not earn their playoff roster spots during the season, imo.

The same dumb ass pk won two Stanley Cups. It was the same style since the latter half of 2012 they've been doing that was top 5 pk some years and apart from off horrible starts in October both this year and back in 2013-14 overall top 10 in those regular seasons.

The problems with it are slowed down options at the roster. Kero and Desji aren't good at it, kero was on for so many goals when he wouldn't rotate to cover the man quick enough... he could get better but this is part of lossing speed that's hurt. Saad, Frolik, and even Ben Smith were greater fits that trade for Desjardins was solid cause Smith was hurt and paid too much but Smith pked much better.

If hino was smarter defensively and dropped to block out shots or could win puck battles. He'd be great like Frolik on the pk. Or provide what Saad could do. Even if they change the system they need better quicker reactions. Even just in general your top 3 in Kruger, toews, and Hossa and top 3 dmen are all slower and more worn down from these years.

They need quick youth to help the pk. Maybe Hayden next year can do it, hopefully Kempny or Pokka on D. Schmaltz and Motte both did it well in college and Rockford so hopefully next year they're primmed to do it, especially will be helpful if Schmaltz can give them a right handed faceoff winner which they lacked all year since trading Shaw.

Firing Kitchen still won't change Q from coaching his players to block shots n passing lanes over hitting the guy in the crease. But the bigger issues have been the just pair decisions and overall 5on5 Defensive play the past 2 seasons with not getting a good unit together.

They've been playing the same D system most all of Crows real NHL career. At least since 2013 the teams D is what Q n Kitchen have desired in form.

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[Spunky Porkstacker]

Kitchen was in charge of the D.

Have to wonder what if any feedback from the player exit meetings had to do with his be-heading.

 

[winos5]

The Q-Bowman power struggle continues.....

 

[LordKOTL]

Both were a problem. If it weren't for Crow standing on his head half the time, we would have given up a lot more. Offensively we were awful. Toews, Anisimov and Panarin were worthless. But my point stands for defense and offense. The coaching staff failed to make adjustments but what moves of significance could have been made?

Its more of a player personnel problem than a coaching problem.

Bingo. The offense does indeed take most of the blame since we pay Toews to score a lot more than once every 748 playoff minutes, plus Kane only potted one in the last 2 playoff series, and let's not forget is was a rookie that finally scored 1st for us.

Our offensive core was on the same milk carton and Kim Johnsson this whole series...so yeah they deserve the flak for the epic fail that was the Blackhawks scoring.

The D wasn't that much better though. More than half of the goals against were because someone bailed on a play, broke coverage, did a bad pass (drop or not), or in other words failed basic defense 101--and Keith was the worst of them all.

I'm not going to say the coaches would have affected the outcome has they done their job...although the 2-day gap would have been a prime time for Q to have bag skated the *******...wait...

Dent of the Icehogs just got shitcanned...hmmm...

...back to it. I'm not going to say the coaches would have affected the outcome this much, but based on http://www.secondcityhockey.com/2017/4/24/15414824/blackhawks-coaching-change-joel-quenneville-stan-bowman-conflict-nhl-2017, I'm thinking if nothing else this was a warning shot at Q, the players, and seconded by the Dent firing in Rockford. Stan is pissed...and rightfully so.

 

[MassHavoc]

The plot thickens...

Not really, it's nothing new and nothing that wasn't already speculated here on the board, everyone knew that Q wouldn't do it, and that he would probably be upset but what's he going to do quit? They'll either move on and get over it or Q is going to go. He doesn't really have the leverage here which is funny to say from a coach that brought 3 cups.

 

[DMelt36]

And one thing about laying the blame for the offensive problems at the feet of the forwards: while they certainly have their flaws, it's worth noting that when the Hawks were in their prime, it was the D who drove the play forward by taking the puck from opposing forwards and getting it ahead to their teammates in lightning-quick transitions. That didn't happen enough this season, and the aging of guys like Keith likely affected that. This is why I've got a Top 4, puck-moving defenseman at the top of my offseason wish list for the Hawks.

 

[Spunky Porkstacker]

And one thing about laying the blame for the offensive problems at the feet of the forwards: while they certainly have their flaws, it's worth noting that when the Hawks were in their prime, it was the D who drove the play forward by taking the puck from opposing forwards and getting it ahead to their teammates in lightning-quick transitions. That didn't happen enough this season, and the aging of guys like Keith likely affected that. This is why I've got a Top 4, puck-moving defenseman at the top of my offseason wish list for the Hawks.

Any free agents or players coming available that fills that need?

 

[MassHavoc]

And one thing about laying the blame for the offensive problems at the feet of the forwards: while they certainly have their flaws, it's worth noting that when the Hawks were in their prime, it was the D who drove the play forward by taking the puck from opposing forwards and getting it ahead to their teammates in lightning-quick transitions. That didn't happen enough this season, and the aging of guys like Keith likely affected that. This is why I've got a Top 4, puck-moving defenseman at the top of my offseason wish list for the Hawks.

Not true... just patently not true... when ever Kane was on the ice all you saw was the defensiveman moving the puck to him so he can rush it across the blue line.

 

[MassHavoc]

[/B]

Any free agents or players coming available that fills that need?

Shattenkirk? Hope they pay up for Alzner instead of him? But someone will probably.

 

[ClydeLee]

And one thing about laying the blame for the offensive problems at the feet of the forwards: while they certainly have their flaws, it's worth noting that when the Hawks were in their prime, it was the D who drove the play forward by taking the puck from opposing forwards and getting it ahead to their teammates in lightning-quick transitions. That didn't happen enough this season, and the aging of guys like Keith likely affected that. This is why I've got a Top 4, puck-moving defenseman at the top of my offseason wish list for the Hawks.

So like Brian Campbell? Michal Kempny? Gustav Forsling? Erik Gustafsson even statically had that last season but he took risks to do it.

But they need is a right handed Dman to do it. Pokka is the only prospect and isn't quick which hurts and they really need a RHD to provide it of Vegas snags TVR

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[DMelt36]

Not true... just patently not true... when ever Kane was on the ice all you saw was the defensiveman moving the puck to him so he can rush it across the blue line.

Well, yeah, the Hawks would defer to him when 88 was on the ice, even if that meant Kane had to skate the back from his own faceoff circles, through the neutral zone, and into the opposing end. But when the Hawks were at their best, he'd get with a pass in full stride while on the opponent's end of the red line. Catch the pass, hit the O zone with speed, make cool shit happen. Kane's certainly capable of carrying the puck 200 feet if needed, but he's even more lethal when it's just 50 or 75 feet that he has to go.

 

[MassHavoc]

Well, yeah, the Hawks would defer to him when 88 was on the ice, even if that meant Kane had to skate the back from his own faceoff circles, through the neutral zone, and into the opposing end. But when the Hawks were at their best, he'd get with a pass in full stride while on the opponent's end of the red line. Catch the pass, hit the O zone with speed, make cool shit happen. Kane's certainly capable of carrying the puck 200 feet if needed, but he's even more lethal when it's just 50 or 75 feet that he has to go.

Sorry, I thought my sarcasm was implicit enough... to often the defenses part of the offense was to wait for the forward to circle around and then pass it to them so that he could race across the blue link in between 2 defenders with it. Then they would sit back and wait for the pinch.

 

[Raskolnikov]

Pokka just needs grow into his Finnish dwarf leg body. Should be quick but not fast like all of them if we are all on the same page about the difference there.

Tululoa or spelled a bit diferent is another Finish prospect with upside we have in the pipe. Couple more years on him I imagine. Those Swedes grow early into men.

I think when you had Smith and prime Hammer the PK functioned great. We also don't commit alot of penalties, which together I think you could make the case for good players/bad system. I haven't liked the PK method since Smith was gone who would do 90% of the work of moving the puck around with his chasing. Nobody chases anymore.

They just sit back and block shots, and I think if you look at the teams who possess a bonified howitzer, that style was exposed but also beaten by the

Weber, Ovechkin/Backstrom, Suppan,

7 years with aging vets...absolutely time for a new voice for the players to try to meet the demands of. Particularly with the M.O. on Crow, being to kick it around the blue line, junk up traffic, and then blast shots. Sure you can allow them to do that as a style,