Mr. Bowman, This is your Wake-Up Call

[BiscuitintheBasket]

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/John-Jaeckel/Mr-Bowman-This-Is-Your-Wake-Up-Call/128/31212

Let's get down to it, shall we?



Marian Hossa is a great hockey player. Would his presence in the lineup last night have prevented the Blackhawks from losing to a beleaguered Devils team that had no business winning at the UC? Maybe.



But I'm not sure Hossa and/or Dave Bolland is enough of an answer for a team that isn't physical or disciplined enough night in and night out.



Give the Devils credit; they followed the age-old prescription to beat the Hawks. Jam up the center of the ice, keep them on the perimeter in the offensive zone.



But as I blogged earlier this year, the Blackhawks, especially the front office and the vast marketing apparatus, need to be aware of something: that loud flatulent noise last night was the air coming out of the balloon.



The Party is, indeed, over.



And that's the problem, the ranks are thinner, critical leaders like Duncan Keith and Jonathan Toews (after the Olympics and the playoffs last season) just . . . look . . . tired. The Hawks are simply not closing any deals. I tweeted last night that the Hawks were about to lose another game 3-2. They outshot the opposition, controlled much of the play, but lost by a late goal.



So, there are 67 games left to play. It's a bit too early to throw in the towel, is it not?



What to do?



Well, you can wait to get healthy and pray that you stay healthy (which would mitigate the larger fatigue issue). But I'm not sure that's going to work or even that it, by itself, would be enough.



The question I would ask is this? Where's this year's Kris Versteeg or Nik Hjalmarsson or Troy Brouwer of a couple of years ago? Where's the energy going to come from?



I love what Jake Dowell is bringing to the lower lines. Great. I have no problem with the role Fernando Pisani plays. Viktor Stalberg could be better along the boards, but he makes things happen in transition and in the offensive zone and his speed has to be reckoned with by the other team.



Bryan Bickell loses too many board battles for a man his size. Jack Skille brings energy (and that helped pull the Hawks to 4-3 last night, albeit too late), but makes a lot of bad defensive and puck decisions. He is fighting Radim Vrbata for the league lead in the unaccounted for stats of overhandling the puck, not passing when they should and shots into the side of the net.



Last night, John Scott and Jordan Hendry played forward, with Jassen Cullimore at defense— and Ben Smith, Ryan Potulny, Igor Makarov, Kyle Beach, Jeff Taffe and Jeremy Morin in Milwaukee playing against the Admirals.



Huh?



I am not a capologist, a cap geek or a cap gunner. But if the cap is the reason for this misapplication of talent, then Stan Bowman has some work to do. if it's not, then he and Joel Quenneville need to have their heads examined.



Simple as that.



Let me put it more bluntly. If Keith, Brent Seabrook, Brian Campbell, Hjalmarsson and Nick Boynton are healthy, then Hendry, not Cullimore, is your 6th defenseman.



That said, Scott should be in the press box most nights.



That essentially creates two roster spots for the aforementioned Ice Hogs. Taffe, a former 1st round draft pick who can play center and wing, has 8 points in 10 games for Rockford, including the game tying goal last night, and the winner in the shootout. He's also played nearly 200 NHL games.



Most Hawk fans and you'd think the Hawk brass have seen that Smith can play in the NHL.



Potulny had 15 goals last year in Edmonton.



Makarov can skate, defend, score and win pucks in the corners. He also has extensive pro experience in the KHL.



As the Hawks sink in the standings, and possibly below .500 after Friday night's game in Atlanta against the Thrash-Hawks, it's not fair to put all the blame on the Skilles and Bickells. And Scott and Hendry didn't pencil their name s in at forward last night— Quenneville did.



But the question also needs to be asked: where is the next difference maker?



Do you want to win, or prove to the world that Jack Skille can be the next Kris Versteeg— whatever that's really worth on the ice.



And let's be clear: I don't know that any of the players at Rockford will come in and light it up. I do know that there is enough talent there in terms of guys who have produced (something) at the NHL level, four former first round draft picks, guys who played well in the exhibition season— to at least take a broader look.



Or stick with a guy like Smith who brings the grit and activity around the play to help you win— as he did in Minnesota the other night and throughout the preseason.



That phone ringing, Stan? It's your wake up call. Answer it.





Thanks for reading,



JJ

 

[Chief Walking Stick]

Who ends an article with "Thanks For Reading".



I think Stan did a great job with the mess he found himself in... but there are going to be chicken littles running around no matter what.



Isn't it the coaches job to handle call-ups and send downs? How is it Stan's fault?

 

[puckjim]

Other than the fact that the Atlanta game is Saturday, JJ is spot on as usual.



PS: It's a blog post, not an article.

 

[PatrickShart]

This guy's a tool. Granted...all of this is his opinion....but watch - he'll write anything bad about Skille (who he's never liked) - critisize anything the kid does. And expresses his manlove for Byfuglien because his kid has his jersey or whatever. But Byfuglien was a 3mil dollar player who showed up for about 70% of the games last year....tops. JJ never - ever once criticised his play.....but will whine/cry about a rookie 3rd/4th liner making 500K. He points out Skille missing the net on his shots (I think he hits the net or the goalie to be more accurate), but his idol Byfuglien could never hit the net from the point on the PP and fanned/whiffed on more Kane passes than anyone.



This guy is right there with Eklund, IMO.

 

[R K]

Who ends an article with "Thanks For Reading".



I think Stan did a great job with the mess he found himself in... but there are going to be chicken littles running around no matter what.



Isn't it the coaches job to handle call-ups and send downs? How is it Stan's fault?

I think it's a collaborative effort. IE Cap and other considerations. Coaches responsibility is on the ice for the most part.



I don't read JJ much becauase like PMX he's a fucking whiner. Buff did NOT show up until the players other than a handful of games. We all know that. Other than his physicality I'm not sure how much else we miss him right now. Ladd is the one we miss.

 

[MassHavoc]

I stopped reading when he said that after the Olympics and into the playoffs, the Norris Winner and the Conn Smyth winner " just . . . look . . . tired" I don't care what else it had in it. Just shit.

 

[BiscuitintheBasket]

Other than the fact that the Atlanta game is Saturday, JJ is spot on as usual.



PS: It's a blog post, not an article.

fixed

 

[Irish Hawk]

Who ends an article with "Thanks For Reading".

That's his Ron Burgundy sign off. He does have a point though Hendry and Scott at forward??????????

Loved Pat Foley's story about one of them having to take a face off if the centre got thrown out. Only good thing about that game.

 

[JOVE23]

Stupid fucking bloggers. Idiots, the lot of them.



PS: Check out my blog!

 

[whalerhawk]

I don't really disagree with much of what he said. The Hawks do look tired. The fact that they are being cumulatively outshot in the third period this year is evidence of that. Kane and Toews both look like they are trying to do a little too much. People make a big deal about the fact that Hammer got a three million dollar raise this year, but don't bring up the fact that Kane and Toews did the same. Perhaps they are trying to justify those contracts a little bit as well.



I don't see how anyone can defend Skille. This is not his first kick at the can and while he looks flashy when he's out there skating around, he's not very productive when given the opportunity. Just 3 points in 14 games so far, 11 in 44 career games. I don't see the harm in giving other guys a shot to see what they can do.



How do you rip Byfuglien? The guy nearly won the Conn Smythe trophy last year and has 12 points in 13 games so far this year playing DEFENSE for a team that we all thought was going to suck coming into the year. Even at Skille's best, he couldn't match the supposed "70%" Buff gave us last year (which I don't believe by the way).

 

[phranchk]

I don't really disagree with much of what he said. The Hawks do look tired. The fact that they are being cumulatively outshot in the third period this year is evidence of that. Kane and Toews both look like they are trying to do a little too much. People make a big deal about the fact that Hammer got a three million dollar raise this year, but don't bring up the fact that Kane and Toews did the same. Perhaps they are trying to justify those contracts a little bit as well.



I don't see how anyone can defend Skille. This is not his first kick at the can and while he looks flashy when he's out there skating around, he's not very productive when given the opportunity. Just 3 points in 14 games so far, 11 in 44 career games. I don't see the harm in giving other guys a shot to see what they can do.



How do you rip Byfuglien? The guy nearly won the Conn Smythe trophy last year and has 12 points in 13 games so far this year playing DEFENSE for a team that we all thought was going to suck coming into the year. Even at Skille's best, he couldn't match the supposed "70%" Buff gave us last year (which I don't believe by the way).

He's been one of our most consistent players since the start of the season. 3 points and playing on the 4th line. How many points does Pisani have? Bolland? (2 and 3 respectively)

Bickell and Dowell only have 5.

Skille has brought the most energy of any player out there. He's drawn penalties with his effort. He gets pucks to the net. He wins board battles. What more do you want from a 4th line player making 500k a year?

 

[bierboy]

"FRIDAY night's game against Atlanta"....???



Huh....I must have mis-read the schedule....

 

[whalerhawk]

He's been one of our most consistent players since the start of the season. 3 points and playing on the 4th line. How many points does Pisani have? Bolland? (2 and 3 respectively)

Bickell and Dowell only have 5.

Skille has brought the most energy of any player out there. He's drawn penalties with his effort. He gets pucks to the net. He wins board battles. What more do you want from a 4th line player making 500k a year?

I agree with you. Very consistent. Consistently bad. He draws penalties with his speed and that's about all he's giving us.



First of all, I expect the 7th overall pick in the draft five years removed from his draft year to score more than 3 points for every 14 games, no matter what line he's on. Like you said, Dowell has 66% more points from the same line, so its not like he can't be productive from that spot, and Skille has more talent in his pinky finger than Dowell has in his whole body.



I also expect the 7th overall pick in the draft to have SOME offensive moves. That breakaway he had the other night was pathetic. He didn't even try to deke or anything...just shot it right in the breadbasket of Brodeur. In a game that was 2-2 with 5 minutes to go, those kinds of plays are huge. If he scores there, it could shift the momentum of the entire game.



Dude has great speed, but its totally straight line and he does nothing with it.



Its pretty evident that Bolland's been hurt all year, so to compare the two is a bit unfair to Davey. If you can't see that, you clearly aren't watching the games.

 

[phranchk]

If you want to make the arguement that he hasn't lived up to his draft position that's fine. That's a different arguement though and one I won't disagree with. It's obvious, based on his salary and contract that at this point in his career he's expected to be 4th liner. In that regard he has in no way disappointed this year. Has he reached the talent level he was expected to? No. Has lived up to realistic expectations for this season? Yes. Rag on him all you want, but he's done what he's been asked for and he's done it well. The points will start coming. Especially if he ever gets consistent linemates.

 

[R K]

I don't really disagree with much of what he said. The Hawks do look tired. The fact that they are being cumulatively outshot in the third period this year is evidence of that. Kane and Toews both look like they are trying to do a little too much. People make a big deal about the fact that Hammer got a three million dollar raise this year, but don't bring up the fact that Kane and Toews did the same. Perhaps they are trying to justify those contracts a little bit as well.



I don't see how anyone can defend Skille. This is not his first kick at the can and while he looks flashy when he's out there skating around, he's not very productive when given the opportunity. Just 3 points in 14 games so far, 11 in 44 career games. I don't see the harm in giving other guys a shot to see what they can do.



How do you rip Byfuglien? The guy nearly won the Conn Smythe trophy last year and has 12 points in 13 games so far this year playing DEFENSE for a team that we all thought was going to suck coming into the year. Even at Skille's best, he couldn't match the supposed "70%" Buff gave us last year (which I don't believe by the way).

Has nothing to do with "ripping" Buff. Not one fucking thing. His short falls the last THREE years during the regular season has been well documented. Over and Over again. Just as much as the fact he played like an All Star the last two seasons during the playoffs.



If you asked Buff he'd tell you his down fall is his "inconsistency", and that fact is probably the LONE decision as to why he's gone verses say Hjarlmarsson.



I'm not a huge fan of Skille's finish but he is busting his ass on the ice every shift. I'm also not dumb enough to slam him in a "partial" break away against possibly the best goalie of all time. Just as I wouldn't slam Kovalchuck for the two times he didn't score on the break away. Kovalchuck is so good offensively and makes 18 million a year. See how that works?

 

[bierboy]

...His short falls the last THREE years during the regular season has been well documented. Over and Over again. Just as much as the fact he played like an All Star the last two seasons during the playoffs.



If you asked Buff he'd tell you his down fall is his "inconsistency", and that fact is probably the LONE decision as to why he's gone verses say Hjarlmarsson.



I'm not a huge fan of Skille's finish but he is busting his ass on the ice every shift. I'm also not dumb enough to slam him in a "partial" break away against possibly the best goalie of all time. Just as I wouldn't slam Kovalchuck for the two times he didn't score on the break away. Kovalchuck is so good offensively and makes 18 million a year. See how that works?

Well said, Ron. Inconsistency has been Buff's failing every season...people seem to get short-sighted about that come playoff time. And I agree that Skille's certainly putting forth the effort nearly every shift. I just think he's a late bloomer....but we will see...

 

[BiscuitintheBasket]

Beyond Buff's inconsistencies, perhaps Buff also prefers to play D: http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20101105/sports/711069886/

 

[Meeble]

Well there's too ways to look at Skille I suppose. Right now he is filling a role well as an energy guy, but not really finishing or putting up the points. If that's the role they want him in, then he's doing well. It reminds me of Brouwer a season or two ago. They touted Brouwer as one of the purest scorers they had in their system, then brought him up and put him in a more physical grinder role. It was confusing, but he served his purpose. Who knows.

 

[PatrickShart]

If I just turned on the Hawks in the playoffs for the first time, I would have thought Byfuglien was a great player too. But I watched all 82 games, and he was only good in about 50 of them.

 

[bierboy]

If I just turned on the Hawks in the playoffs for the first time, I would have thought Byfuglien was a great player too. But I watched all 82 games, and he was only good in about 50 of them.

What were watching?! If he was good in 15 of the regular season games, that would be generous...