Jaeckal Blog - Power Struggle at the top of the Organ-I-zation

[Ton]

Man this is like a soap opera. If that was true, don't ya think they would... I don't know... fire him?



Bowman has to be a puppet to McD, but Q can reign free and childishly ignore everyone. I believe that, which one is it?



All of them are trying to figure this out. Funny, we lose 9 games and it's Q fucking up the lines... we win 4 straight and its "he listened to Scotty Bowman"... now we lose a few more and the whole organization hates each other and Q won't listen to anyone again. Real believable.

 

[supraman]

Any team that loses has issues, any team that loses also gets backlash from the media/fanbase. If they were winning, no one would say anything. Let me get this straight, according to that article:



Players hate Q

Q hates Bowman

Scouts hate management

Bowman hates McD



Blow it all up! The team is in an apocalyptic state! Get out while you can! Why the **** are all these people working for something they hate? Next they're going to talk about how Toews and Kane hate each other, and how badly Seabrook wants to leave for Vancouver.



Sure, there are some problems in the organization, but holy crap are things getting blown out of proportion or what? Also, are some of these things really such a big surprise? Like Rocky placing a cap on Bowmans spending?



What's the real issue here besides losing?

The window for cups is closing daily. Kane and Toews though not yet in their primes are getting older. The window will remain open so long. These guys are good enough for another cup at least. Coaching is holding them back.

 

[Maiden]

To me this organization has lost focus what it took to become an elite team and win a Cup.

Bringing in old retreads was a theory used in the past administration.

No reason for O'Donnell, Brunette, etc etc to be signed. This team was built with young energetic players.

Get back the focus of building this organization from the bottom up.

 

[Pez68]

Man this is like a soap opera. If that was true, don't ya think they would... I don't know... fire him?



Bowman has to be a puppet to McD, but Q can reign free and childishly ignore everyone. I believe that, which one is it?



All of them are trying to figure this out. Funny, we lose 9 games and it's Q fucking up the lines... we win 4 straight and its "he listened to Scotty Bowman"... now we lose a few more and the whole organization hates each other and Q won't listen to anyone again. Real believable.

What good does firing him now do? There's simply not enough time left to changes things, even if you just promote Havi and don't hire a new coach. He's signed through 2014, and is one of the highest paid coaches in the NHL. They fire him and they still have to pay him next season and the season after. You don't think that plays into this? If the Hawks miss the playoffs(and that is becoming ever more likely), he's gone.

 

[Ton]

Don't you think they are doing that Maiden? Which young players did they have in the system that were ready for a Cup run this year?



It's quite clear what happened this year and everyone refuses to acknowledge it as a rebuilding phase. All those retreads are just stop-gaps... band-aids... one year deals waiting for the youth to take their jobs. I'm perfectly fine with that because they are only here for one year, hoping next season the youth will be ready.

 

[Ton]

What good does firing him now do? There's simply not enough time left to changes things, even if you just promote Havi and don't hire a new coach. He's signed through 2014, and is one of the highest paid coaches in the NHL. They fire him and they still have to pay him next season and the season after. You don't think that plays into this? If the Hawks miss the playoffs(and that is becoming ever more likely), he's gone.

If he was running amok causing such damage to the organization like everyone is dramatically whining about, then they would fire him. Period.



It's never too late Pez.

 

[Pez68]

There really was no reason to bring those guys in to begin with. OD, Brunette, Lepisto? It was apparent to most people that these guys cannot contribute much... Why not just let the kids fill those spots for the season and get some experience? Olsen has outplayed OD and Lepisto pretty drastically. Hayes has outplayed the shit out of Brunette, Frolik, and Bickell. This team made mistakes bringing in all these well past their prime players. Those 3 never should have been signed.

If he was running amok causing such damage to the organization like everyone is dramatically whining about, then they would fire him. Period.



It's never too late Pez.

Who said that? What I heard when I asked why Scotty went on the second part of the road trip was "Q is extremely stubborn, and Scotty was really pissed." He wouldn't elaborate any more than that. I don't find it hard to believe at all that Q will not listen to any advice. It is obvious when you hear him talk that he believes the shit he says. Is there any question at this point that he has lost the team, with the effort we are seeing?

 

[mikita's helmet]

The biggest issue right now is Q's ego has become so large (Ditka like) that he won't listen to anyone. And I mean anyone.

Take it for what it's worth.

 

[Ton]

The two guys you mentioned are getting ice-time, regardless of those 3 players. Not sure I understand your point.



Hayes has never played a full pro season before and Olsen had only played half a season in Rockford. Shaw was a 5th round pick that was just drafted. If Bowman had filled his roster with these players at the beginning of the season, people would have freaked out.

 

[roshinaya]

I think Lepistö hasn't even gotten a fair shot. Am I supposed to think that OD is a better defenseman? And Scott being dressed instead of Lepisto? Please.

 

[mikita's helmet]

I think Lepistö hasn't even gotten a fair shot. Am I supposed to think that OD is a better defenseman? And Scott being dressed instead of Lepisto? Please.

Typical Finn response.

 

[Ton]

I think Lepistö hasn't even gotten a fair shot. Am I supposed to think that OD is a better defenseman? And Scott being dressed instead of Lepisto? Please.

I agree.

 

[mikita's helmet]

I agree.

you're suffering from The Helsinki Syndrome.

 

[Pez68]

Montador hasn't gotten a fair shot either. Nothing but third pairing minutes and no PK usage.



Keith/Seabrook

Montador/Hammer

Leddy/Olsen

Scott



Stalberg/Toews/Hossa

Sharp/Bolland/Kane

Bickell/Kruger/Frolik

Shaw/Mayers/Carcillo



How exactly did this team need Brunette and BOTH OD and Lepisto? They didn't. A lot of teams run rookies out as their third pairing, and spot them on the PP and PK. Most teams do, actually... It's how you acclimate them to the NHL. Most teams have some rookies on their fourth line too. This is not something off the wall.



Mistakes this offseason from Bowman:



Frolik contract

Brunette

OD

Lepisto



Balanced out by:

Stalberg

Carcillo

Mayers



Still in the red.

 

[Ton]

Alright Pez, I'm sure you would have been real happy with two 20 year olds on the third pairing, and 4 rookie forwards instead of Frolik, Brunette, Bickell going into the season.



Hindsight is 20/20. No one knew these guys would be ready after none of them have played a full pro season except Pirri, Smith, and Morin.

 

[winos5]

Agree Ton.



At the end of last season I was pretty happy with the Bickel/Bolland/Frolik line. Was also sure Ben Smith would make the team out of camp. Thats why they play the games though.

 

[Pez68]

I would have been fine with Leddy and Olsen to start the season over OD and Lepisto... I think I mentioned one rookie forward, Shaw. Nobody knew that Bickell and Frolik would suck it up as bad as they have, but Frolik didn't earn a penny of that contract he was given. Especially for three years as an RFA that had NO options. Nobody was going to fucking offer sheet Frolik. You offer him the qualifying offer and see how he works out. Now the Hawks are stuck with his dead weight.

 

[Ton]

I would have been fine with Leddy and Olsen to start the season over OD and Lepisto... I think I mentioned one rookie forward, Shaw. Nobody knew that Bickell and Frolik would suck it up as bad as they have, but Frolik didn't earn a penny of that contract he was given. Especially for three years as an RFA that had NO options. Nobody was going to fucking offer sheet Frolik. You offer him the qualifying offer and see how he works out. Now the Hawks are stuck with his dead weight.

You mentioned Shaw and Hayes... plus remember Kruger is a rookie that made the line-up. I said 4 because without Bruno, Bickell, Frolik + Kruger that would be 4 rookie forwards. Shaw was just drafted in the 5th round over the summer, you wouldn't of even known who the hell he was and probably would have complained that the Hawks didn't sign anyone and forced a rookie into the line-up. Hayes has never played a pro season. There's no way these guys would have made the team out of camp -- with or without the 3 you mentioned.



Look at it this way. The Hawks have given time for these guys to develop rather than throwing them into the fire. We've had some pleasant surprises this year and certainly now the future looks as bright as it did in 07-08. Next year the band-aids will be gone, guess who will be winning their jobs? I'll give you a hint... they are fighting for a spot right now. No one ever won a Cup for adding the most pieces at the deadline or making the most moves in the off-season.

 

[Pez68]

I mentioned Shaw and Hayes as the options. Smith was also an option... All guys that played pretty well in camp. Along with Saad. I never said anything about not having Bickell and Frolik on this team. I just mentioned how Hayes has outplayed them... I mentioned not having Brunette, OD, and Lepisto. They're all garbage and they were ALL total crap shoots. After it was obvious they weren't contributing, losses should have been cut, and the kids should have been brought up. There was NOT ONE roster spot open for ANY rookies coming out of training camp, unless you count Leddy and Kruger, who were penciled in from day one. Unless you think Kruger was brought back from Sweden to play in Rockford? That never should have been the case. Brunette was a total and complete waste as was OD. Lepisto, fine, as insurance. Then you add in Morrison, who was also another terrible waste of roster space? Come the **** on. This team has not only been coached poorly, but also managed poorly from day one.



Nevermind Ton, you're right. Stan and Q and the entire Hawks' organization has done a great job of managing the team this season. I guess that's why they're currently only 3 points away from being out of the playoffs, and playing like total dogshit. It's all on the players. The guy that built this roster and the guy that coaches this roster have nothing to do with it. There, happy?

 

[Ton]

Meh, I didn't like picking up Morrison either, that was probably the dumbest move made.



Other than that, I just can't see what Stan could have done differently in the off-season without handing out longer terms/more money. It is what it is.



As far as Q, he has a crappy roster at the moment. Not because of Stan, but because of irreplaceable injuries.