The Hawks have managed to leap frog just one team for the last playoff spot. They got 6 more teams to jump for the last spot.
seasons over boyz . . . tank?
The Hawks have been one of the better teams in the league since King took over. I don’t think tanking is an option any more.
Are they bad? Sure, but not a Colonton coached bad. One thing King has done is focus on the players positives and is a lot better at hiding their negatives outside of pairing Murphy with McCabe. Having Strome on the ice trying to hold onto a lead was a brain fart, tho.
I’m liking Caleb the more he plays. He’s bringing some speed and skill from the back end, I like Strome actually getting a chance but his distribution needs a bit of tweaking, and Dach has been excellent these last few games. His puck protecting skills are elite already at a young age. And while he’s still really green offensively and his pass first crap really needs an intervention, you are looking at a kid who’s borderline elite at everything but goal scoring and faceoffs.
Flower has been as good as advertised to the point he gets a mulligan when he lets in a softie. He’s been almost as good as Crawford was with nothing in front of him to help, and I’m sorry Flower fans, Crow was just on another level being a human back stop.
Colonton really did a number on this team, and if Blowman knew he lost the room he should have fixed that and not been such a selfish prick about it. Watch the interviews after he was launched, Toews was looking down and smirking and Cat shat all over him, those are your locker room leaders.
If this team can make it interesting up until the last game, I really think you can call this season a success. If they can get to 500 then anything is possible. I don’t think they are playoff team good, but fighting for a playoff spot team good.
But, if they can make the playoffs, with Kane, anything is possible. And Seth is a playoff player himself.