Stan Bowman - Hot or Not?

[R K]

DING DING DING DING DING.........................WE HAVE A WINNER

It's a two way street. On many nights Crawford was just not good, on many others the Defense was not good. On several both were not good, Edmonton, Calgary.....



If Crawford and the Defense pick up their game less pucks will go in the net.



Either way with Toews out almost the entire last 1/4 of the season this team STILL had over 100pts. Playing some damn good hockey down the stretch, without their Captain.



Unfortunately that took it's toll when the playoffs came around and the Hawks faced an extremely hot goalie who took two rounds to cool off.

 

[R K]

I would like for them to admit Kaner isn't a center. Sharpie at C ain't bad, but that aint perfect either. We all know top 2 C's aren't all over the place, and even if a team was willing to part with one, it would cost at least of our top 6. So, Sharpie at center, get kane back to his RW position, and see what happens. Maybe they win a couple of games.

That has nothing to do with off season transactions though and is not really the GM's job. It's the Coaches job.



Again my question is what could Stan have done better since July 1st. He locked up Oduya up at an extremely reasonable rate compared to other UFA D men and added a physical decent lower pair D man to replace the crap of Odonnell and Lepisto.



They won a lot of games with Kane at Center and finished over 100pts(I don't like him there but the facts remain contradictory). 4-5 more wins out of 82 games they'd have won the Presidents Trophy.

 

[IceHogsFan]

I was saying that what did happen or did not happen this summer has just been in addition to last season .



since the TDL, nothing to give me any confidence that this season is going to be any different.

 

[jakobeast]

That has nothing to do with off season transactions though and is not really the GM's job. It's the Coaches job.



Again my question is what could Stan have done better since July 1st. He locked up Oduya up at an extremely reasonable rate compared to other UFA D men and added a physical decent lower pair D man to replace the crap of Odonnell and Lepisto.



They won a lot of games with Kane at Center and finished over 100pts(I don't like him there but the facts remain contradictory). 4-5 more wins out of 82 games they'd have won the Presidents Trophy.

And still be booted out in the first round. Again.



Kane is ok at C. Not full time though. as a fill in for an injury, sure. But 82+ games? Nope.

 

[Shantz My Pants]

I was saying that what did happen or did not happen this summer has just been in addition to last season .



since the TDL, nothing to give me any confidence that this season is going to be any different.

For the most part I feel the same way.



The only thing I can hope (and it may or may not happen) is that Q grows a set of balls and becomes the coach that held players accountable like he was when he first got to Chicago; that Savard wasn't.



One game I remember Sharp and Kane were playing like shit and he sat both of them for most of the 2nd period. That not only sends a message to them but to the whole team that if you aren't going to play your best, I don't care who you are, you can become the grocery stick on the bench. Q has become too passive it seems and obviously with the Hawks inconsistent effort they have given throughout the season (Being the best in the league, to middle of the pack) he needs to tighten up and take charge like he used to.

 

[Shantz My Pants]

I do (I know check my pulse) agree with RK on the fact that outside of a few FA's, there wasn't much out there the Hawks really could of gone for to change the current line up and helped this team.

 

[R K]

And still be booted out in the first round. Again.



Kane is ok at C. Not full time though. as a fill in for an injury, sure. But 82+ games? Nope.

Every single on of those games could have gone either way other than gm 6. I do not think he's a Center but can play there from time to time. Again for this purpose Stan does not put players in certain positions, Q does.



Kane didn't play 82 games at C infact up until JT's injury he was back on RW. It's up to Q to place the 2nd line C slot to someone, not Stan.

 

[Ton]

Every single on of those games could have gone either way other than rnd 6. I do not think he's a Center but can play there from time to time. Again for this purpose Stan does not put players in certain positions, Q does.



Kane didn't play 82 games at C infact up until JT's injury he was back on RW. It's up to Q to place the 2nd line C slot to someone, not Stan.

Maybe I'm reading this wrong, but Kane played C before JT's injury... in fact he centered Hossa and Carcillo at the beginning of the year for a good stretch of time before Carcillo was injured.

 

[R K]

For the most part I feel the same way.



The only thing I can hope (and it may or may not happen) is that Q grows a set of balls and becomes the coach that held players accountable like he was when he first got to Chicago; that Savard wasn't.



One game I remember Sharp and Kane were playing like shit and he sat both of them for most of the 2nd period. That not only sends a message to them but to the whole team that if you aren't going to play your best, I don't care who you are, you can become the grocery stick on the bench. Q has become too passive it seems and obviously with the Hawks inconsistent effort they have given throughout the season (Being the best in the league, to middle of the pack) he needs to tighten up and take charge like he used to.

At the time Savard was being questioned as to his favortism. Ironically right after that he benched them both for several minutes in a game on the road.



Again though this is Q, not Stan that makes those decisions. Do I think Stan has done anything great, not really. But like you agreed with there wasn't much available to help the certain aspects this team needs addressed. The only player I would have liked at the TDL last year was Vermette and it's quite clear with the Jackets not even giving the Wings a SNIFF at Nash they were NOT trading within the Division.



If anything he's done a good job of not going off the wall trying to change to much. If Saad comes out of the gate and "Q" figures out what's happening on the 2nd line in the middle, barring injury, this team should roll pretty well. Just like they were last year before injury.



Without one of the best players in the World for 1/4 of the season this team still played pretty competative. Gotta give Mike Smith some credit for what he accomplished. Especially in game 6 when the Hawks pumbled the SHIT out of him with MANY quality shots only to be denied.

 

[R K]

Maybe I'm reading this wrong, but Kane played C before JT's injury... in fact he centered Hossa and Carcillo at the beginning of the year for a good stretch of time before Carcillo was injured.

He played there some but remember they moved him back off. Not until JT went out with his concussion did he go back.



We all agree he's not a center and to get the best production out of him he needs to be properly slotted. That said after JT went down his role at C helped this team without question. And he was not playing poorly there it just changed his game, meaning it also changed his production IMO.



No one in the FIRST round performed well. Hossa, Sharp, Toews, Kane, Keith all played sub par. Stan can't control that.

 

[jakobeast]

Every single on of those games could have gone either way other than gm 6. I do not think he's a Center but can play there from time to time. Again for this purpose Stan does not put players in certain positions, Q does.



Kane didn't play 82 games at C infact up until JT's injury he was back on RW. It's up to Q to place the 2nd line C slot to someone, not Stan.

We agree. Stan doesn't slot players, Q does. But when Stan doesn't get players to help, whether it is a strong C or a damn good wing to allow Sharpie to C, it forces Q to put players in slightly foreign positions.



Mind you, I am not really defending Q, as his constant line juggling can't be good.



I know Kane didnt play all season there last year. It seems though that the Hawks believe he can, and I fear he will.

 

[Rex]

He played there some but remember they moved him back off. Not until JT went out with his concussion did he go back.



We all agree he's not a center and to get the best production out of him he needs to be properly slotted. That said after JT went down his role at C helped this team without question. And he was not playing poorly there it just changed his game, meaning it also changed his production IMO.



No one in the FIRST round performed well. Hossa, Sharp, Toews, Kane, Keith all played sub par. Stan can't control that.

It's easier to name the players that didn't play like shit in the playoffs



Toews

Bolland

Frolik

Seabrook

 

[R K]

We agree. Stan doesn't slot players, Q does. But when Stan doesn't get players to help, whether it is a strong C or a damn good wing to allow Sharpie to C, it forces Q to put players in slightly foreign positions.



Mind you, I am not really defending Q, as his constant line juggling can't be good.



I know Kane didnt play all season there last year. It seems though that the Hawks believe he can, and I fear he will.

And again I specifically asked what players would you get? Nothing Stan did forced Q to do anything. Other than Richards there were NO Centers availabe last year and at the TDL those who were, IE Vermette, were not coming into the same Division from a rival team.



So those that want to slam Stan I have no problem, but not being a GM who would you target and what makes you think the other team would deal? What do you think the other team would want in trade? Kane, Sharp, Toews, Keith... That good of a player coming if I'm a opposing GM I'm asking for one of our CORE.



I think part of the Q-Haviland issue was Kane at Center. It will be interesting to see just where he plays.

 

[R K]

It's easier to name the players that didn't play like shit in the playoffs



Toews

Bolland

Frolik

Seabrook

Toews was not himself and if you asked him he'd agree he was still not near 100%. None of the Stars played to the level they could have IMO other than Seabrook.

 

[R K]

One step further Holland has been said to be one of the best GM's in the league. Somene remind me what he's done this off season to fill some VERY glaring holes in his Roster.



They've lost Lidstrom, Holmstrom (hasnt signed anywhere yet) Stuart, Hudler....



And I'm not trying to defend Stan his jury as GM is still out as he's still only been doing it for two years. Coming from a team that literally lost half their roster after the Cup run. So in a sense, while I personally don't think he has what it takes, my jury on him is still out.

 

[Shantz My Pants]

One step further Holland has been said to be one of the best GM's in the league. Somene remind me what he's done this off season to fill some VERY glaring holes in his Roster.



They've lost Lidstrom, Holmstrom (hasnt signed anywhere yet) Stuart, Hudler....



And I'm not trying to defend Stan his jury as GM is still out as he's still only been doing it for two years. Coming from a team that literally lost half their roster after the Cup run. So in a sense, while I personally don't think he has what it takes, my jury on him is still out.

I saw this after I posted my article... You will enjoy the final line.

 

[jakobeast]

And again I specifically asked what players would you get? Nothing Stan did forced Q to do anything. Other than Richards there were NO Centers availabe last year and at the TDL those who were, IE Vermette, were not coming into the same Division from a rival team.



So those that want to slam Stan I have no problem, but not being a GM who would you target and what makes you think the other team would deal? What do you think the other team would want in trade? Kane, Sharp, Toews, Keith... That good of a player coming if I'm a opposing GM I'm asking for one of our CORE.



I think part of the Q-Haviland issue was Kane at Center. It will be interesting to see just where he plays.

I am not saying it's easy, and honestly, i don't know who he could have gotten. But then again, that's not my problem. As a gm, it is his job to help improve the team. And keeping Kaner at C is not helping the team.



I am like you. The jury is still out. I don't have a lot of faith in him, as he hasn't proven a whole lot to me yet. Oduya wasn't a bad move.

 

[Rex]

Toews was not himself and if you asked him he'd agree he was still not near 100%. None of the Stars played to the level they could have IMO other than Seabrook.

I never said he played fantastic, just that he was one of a few that didn't play like shit lol

 

[R K]

I am not saying it's easy, and honestly, i don't know who he could have gotten. But then again, that's not my problem. As a gm, it is his job to help improve the team. And keeping Kaner at C is not helping the team.



I am like you. The jury is still out. I don't have a lot of faith in him, as he hasn't proven a whole lot to me yet. Oduya wasn't a bad move.

Again he doesn decide what slots a player plays, Q does. Obviously there was a power struggle as Haviland was Stans guy, not Q's. So I guess you are suggesting he should have fired Q. That said I'm pretty sure the back and forth has put Q on notice. This is his season to pass or fail.



He is the one that plays players in certain slots, not the GM. I asked for examples of what makes him a bad or good GM, or how he can be graded. Personally only his drafts can be graded to date IMO. Playing Kane at Center is not an example because ultimately that's Q's call, not Stan. Stans job is to improve the team, IE drafts, trades, ect ect... From what I've seen there haven't been a whole lot of options via the trade or sign. Maybe Mueller is an exception but he's injury prone.



I don't think alot have faith in him but I'm saying there not enough evidence to have a real opinion either way.

 

[R K]

I never said he played fantastic, just that he was one of a few that didn't play like shit lol

He didn't play very well the first couple of games. Not until game 5 did he have a good game IMO. Then in game 6 he was non existant again.