Expectations for 21/22 season

[hawkinmontreal]

I am not sure, who has been watching preseason, and yes it’s only preseason, but the Hawks have looked pretty good. The defence as always seem to be struggling with some basic fundamentals, however that comes down to coaching and we know what to expect from JC.
The offence has looked good, from the vets to the kids. If and I say if the kids can progress and help Toews, Kane and the Cat in the goal department and the PK this team can be on to something. Hagel, Borgstrom, Gaudette have shown they can contribute and be apart of a team that seems to be heading in the right direction. Dach in my humble opinion has only been ok, Kubalik had a strong showing Strome well, if he wants to be aaprt of this team he needs to start showing it.
The goalies, Fleury has looked good and Kevin has looked good.
All in all, the Hawks should be battling for a playoff spot if everything falls into place and JC doesn’t run Toews and Kane to the ground, as well, health issues for Kane and Toews stay status quo. There is a ton of ???? but so far from what I have seen in preseason, it should be an exciting season.
DeHaan and Nylander still suck.

 

[Raskolnikov]

I like the forward group. Being one top 6 guy short is normal for a good team before trade deadline. Plus Johnson, Reichel, Hagel, Dach, Strome offers more stop gap answers than we have gotten used to going without.

The unknown to me is the defense.

Does Mitchel make a huge leap? Will Seth Jones keep the post-Keith Colliton defense from collapsing? Can we build a penalty kill?

I guess one blue liner short isn't unusual either. Kalynuk and De Haan and Mitchel and Beudin provide attempted answers.

 

[HSBOB]

I'll enjoy watching Kane,JT and D-Cat on the PP all year,play em together and we might see a 300 point line but then what do we have for balanced scoring? D-Cat doesn't get his due around the league,he wasn't even considered a top ten LW recently! We saw a 50 goal pace last year and we also saw and still see a guy who's skatin' around the O-zone with the puck like Kane and dishing the puck like Kane too. We also see him taking the puck from good players on the back-check and who was it protecting the the net when MAF went out to break up a play?
Johnson looks okay with Kane and D-Cat on the cycle because he can still win a FO and a puck battle but he struggles to keep up on the rush.
VERY encouraging last night,the D didn't look lost and we had transition most of the night. The team should be better than last year by a good margin.

 

[hawkinmontreal]

I'll enjoy watching Kane,JT and D-Cat on the PP all year,play em together and we might see a 300 point line but then what do we have for balanced scoring? D-Cat doesn't get his due around the league,he wasn't even considered a top ten LW recently! We saw a 50 goal pace last year and we also saw and still see a guy who's skatin' around the O-zone with the puck like Kane and dishing the puck like Kane too. We also see him taking the puck from good players on the back-check and who was it protecting the the net when MAF went out to break up a play?
Johnson looks okay with Kane and D-Cat on the cycle because he can still win a FO and a puck battle but he struggles to keep up on the rush.
VERY encouraging last night,the D didn't look lost and we had transition most of the night. The team should be better than last year by a good margin.

I think the team has more than Kane, Toews and the Cat, for balancing, Johnson will be fine, Kubalik is very good at what he does, and as I mentioned if, Dach can make that leap, which the Hawks organization is expecting then we may have something cooking. Hagel, Bogstrom and Gaudette have certainly surprised during the preseason, so it will be Interesting to see how that translates into the regular season. Can Strome provide anything in the bottom 6?
I agree that the team should be better than last season. Can Dach center the 2nd line between the Cat and Kane, Tazer will play with Kubalik and Johnson will be played with Hagel on the third, the 4th you have Carpenter with whoever at this point. The team has a lot more options than they did a year ago.

 

[Tater]

The second half of last nights game gave me a little more hope for the season. Still a lot of question marks though, and Nylander has got to go. I'd raher see Carp in over him.

 

[Diehardfan]

From what I've seen and how JC used these guys....I'd say the Borg is in and Nylander is out. Until Kal and Jones get healthy, unfortunately DeHann and Mitchell are temporarily in. I really liked Kalynuk's work on the PP....he will be a welcome addition when he heals up. I agree with @hawkinmontreal, Dach has been unwhelming at best....I'd try him between Kane and the Cat as Johnson hasn't worked as well as I had hoped. But fucking Dach can't win a FO to save his life....by losing a FO, you lose shift time with your scorers playing D trying to regain possession. So I guess you go with Johnson and hope they develop some chemistry.

If they can just tighten up a bit on D, they could be a playoff team and anyone who gets there can get hot....so who knows?

 

[hawkinmontreal]

From what I've seen and how JC used these guys....I'd say the Borg is in and Nylander is out. Until Kal and Jones get healthy, unfortunately DeHann and Mitchell are temporarily in. I really liked Kalynuk's work on the PP....he will be a welcome addition when he heals up. I agree with @hawkinmontreal, Dach has been unwhelming at best....I'd try him between Kane and the Cat as Johnson hasn't worked as well as I had hoped. But fucking Dach can't win a FO to save his life....by losing a FO, you lose shift time with your scorers playing D trying to regain possession. So I guess you go with Johnson and hope they develop some chemistry.

If they can just tighten up a bit on D, they could be a playoff team and anyone who gets there can get hot....so who knows?

I like your opinion on Dach, I certainly forgot to mention how bad he is at the dot, and yes, I am in total agreement, when your top goal scorers are on the ice, you don’t want to be playing on the defensive side of things.
I like Kalynuks game as well, he is certainly a surprise starting from last year and we can add in the fact that he has the intangibles to be in the top 4, maybe not yet, but in the foreseeable future.

 

[Raskolnikov]

Cooliton is married to Dach-Hagel, so you either give them Johnson or Borgstrom. He needs faceoff help, and a scorer let's Dach be the entry man and a defensive difference maker.

 

[Bigfoot]

Gus is back on a 1yr deal

 

[Raskolnikov]

Kurashev/Johnson-Toews-Kubalik
Cat-Strome/Borg-Kane
Hagel-Dach-Borg/Johnson
Jar-Carp-?

 

[LordKOTL]

Expectations:

If the 'hawks over-utilize the vets and slash the icetimes of all of the kids, they're going for it, and it should be WCF or bust.

If the 'hawks are a rebuild-in-situ, then we gotta see some icetime for the young kids, as well as making the playoffs

If the 'hawks are rebuilding, then the kids get the lion's share of the icetime, and then how the kids progress is paramount.

Also: Pick one for the whole year--none of this flip-flopping shit when stuff isn't going as planned.

 

[Tater]

Gus is back on a 1yr deal

Whhhyyyyy!!!!!!????
So Stillman, Knuk, Galvas or Mitchell can wallow in Rockford?

Kurashev/Johnson-Toews-Kubalik
Cat-Strome/Borg-Kane
Hagel-Dach-Borg/Johnson
Jar-Carp-?

I think Johnson centering Kane and Cat is already decided. To start at least.

 

[Raskolnikov]

Whhhyyyyy!!!!!!????
So Stillman, Knuk, Galvas or Mitchell can wallow in Rockford?



I think Johnson centering Kane and Cat is already decided. To start at least.

WHYyyyyy though!!!

 

[hawkinmontreal]

Gus is back on a 1yr deal

Why?

 

[Raskolnikov]

Gus is back on a 1yr deal

Wat

 

[Raskolnikov]

 

[Raskolnikov]

Spread the news. He is fallen. The immortal prince sent to the ice house slaughter.

 

[Tater]

WHYyyyyy though!!!

Cuz Stan.

 

[HSBOB]

I think the team has more than Kane, Toews and the Cat, for balancing, Johnson will be fine, Kubalik is very good at what he does, and as I mentioned if, Dach can make that leap, which the Hawks organization is expecting then we may have something cooking. Hagel, Bogstrom and Gaudette have certainly surprised during the preseason, so it will be Interesting to see how that translates into the regular season. Can Strome provide anything in the bottom 6?
I agree that the team should be better than last season. Can Dach center the 2nd line between the Cat and Kane, Tazer will play with Kubalik and Johnson will be played with Hagel on the third, the 4th you have Carpenter with whoever at this point. The team has a lot more options than they did a year ago.

They should be much better my friend and I shoulda been born rich too but I settled for handsome!LOL! I can see a 90pt team if things go right and maybe more if things go real well. PO's are anyone's guess.
Kubs will finish a bunch of JT's sweet dishes this year and I see Hagel as so much more than a grinder but few teams will ice three better forwards than Kane,DeBrincat and Toews if he's 100%.
I see a HUGE year for D-Cat especially if he's left with Kane........40 plus and enough assists to reach 100pts while playing a great all-around game and killing penalties. NOT one of the top 10 LW's in hockey? What a fucking joke!

 

[HSBOB]

Expectations:

If the 'hawks over-utilize the vets and slash the icetimes of all of the kids, they're going for it, and it should be WCF or bust.

If the 'hawks are a rebuild-in-situ, then we gotta see some icetime for the young kids, as well as making the playoffs

If the 'hawks are rebuilding, then the kids get the lion's share of the icetime, and then how the kids progress is paramount.

Also: Pick one for the whole year--none of this flip-flopping shit when stuff isn't going as planned.

With all the $$$ and assets spent this summer I see the first possibility as the only possibility. I dunno about the WCF but a solid 90+ point season and a good first round would be quite the improvement.