When will it be enough of JC?

[Granada]

Kubalik scratched tonight... If it isn't injury related I don't get it. He has missed some chances by shooting high or wide, but even getting those chances is much better than most of the team!

I wouldn't have benched Kubalik, but I must say, he's had some glorious breakaways only to flub them. He certainly isn't the only one, but he needs to learn how to finish.

 

[Diehardfan]

Boys, it's not really that difficult. The Blackhawks were built to be a puck possesion team. They drafted that way, signed FAs with that in mind and coached them that way. They did this for 10 years. Now in roughly a year's time that has all been thrashed and they are suddenly attempting to be a dump n chase/physical team.....the vast magority of their system was not drafted for this style of play. The whole damn thing is a clusterfuck of team philosophy. They currently have the wrong system in place for the players they have or the wrong players for the system their coach wants to play.

Options? .....you can fire the coach, fire the GM or replace most of the players.

The thing is....none of the above are really to blame. It goes higher than that.

 

[vadarx]

I don't disagree with your take on JC at all and the players reactions to him. I feel like both can be true though: Toews lost the room, and Colliton never had really had it. We were all worried -- rightfully so -- about the team being receptive to him. The proof is in the pudding.

I remember the rumblings about the young guys being down on the vets, mainly Toews, in the room. There was supposedly a rift between Hartman, Schmaltz, etc. and the vet guys/Q. I feel like there still may be a residual effect from that situation, even though many of the young guys are gone and obviously Q is gone, which was the main part of the rift (Q's penchant for favoring/giving the benefit of doubt to vets but not the young guys, etc.). Pure speculation of course, but like you say, when I hear Toews speak -- even at the very beginning of the year -- the guy sounds utterly dejected.

agree to disagree, I reckon. I don't believe any of the vets have lost the room. I think the younger players absolutely listen and I feel like there is a fair amount of camaraderie between the players.

there is a reason the players you mentioned are no longer around. I am still waiting for the report as to what the hell happened in Florida in March 2017. after that trip, the team was never the same and we all saw what happened in the playoffs. there was a real rift then, but that has since been corrected.

I've said it before, but imo the thing that is never brought up as far as the compete level from all of the vets on a nightly basis is the fact that during the heyday, there wasn't a necessity to have everyone going balls out every night. Toews and Kane came up on a team with so many other good players that if they had a game or 3 without their best effort, it wasn't a big deal, others would step up. and then they would step up and others would have off nights. it allowed them all to stay fresh throughout the season, sure, but it also became a second nature. they could feel which players were feeling it on a given night and they played accordingly.

unfortunately, that method has continued since the 2015 Cup and with the roster being whittled down slowly but surely, it obviously doesn't work. but it is habit at this point, it is ingrained. I don't see it ever changing either because those guys know that it was successful and running themselves for 82 games straight will result in an empty tank come spring. sadly, the only way they make the playoffs in the spring is by doing just that....

edit: I would also add that I don't think any one player losing the room, be it Toews or Kane or any of the other vets, would cause this team to look the way they have. I think it has a lot more to do with the coach.

 

[vadarx]

.... when I hear Toews speak -- even at the very beginning of the year -- the guy sounds utterly dejected.

as far as this, I don't notice that as much from Toews as I do from Kane. he has sounded miserable most of the season, imo. Toews (and the rest of the core) sounds like he is trying to saying the right things and support the folks in charge but he isn't so sure that that is the way he feels. Seabs and Keith both are little more transparent in their feelings, lol.

 

[Granada]

as far as this, I don't notice that as much from Toews as I do from Kane. he has sounded miserable most of the season, imo. Toews (and the rest of the core) sounds like he is trying to saying the right things and support the folks in charge but he isn't so sure that that is the way he feels. Seabs and Keith both are little more transparent in their feelings, lol.

Guess everyone interprets it differently. To me, Kane sounds like he always does, which is cool as a cucumber; never too high, never too low.

 

[Raskolnikov]

I wouldn't have benched Kubalik, but I must say, he's had some glorious breakaways only to flub them. He certainly isn't the only one, but he needs to learn how to finish.

JC keeps using his press box...for restful messages.

It was a good time to rest Seabrook but he still sent the message.
They think Kuba needs some rest but still sent a half-message.

Kuba will be back just like Nylander came back.

Another thing I will point out JC is doing well, because I have kinda been a dick about all of it and he can only control some of it...

but another aspect I really like is you can tell they have tried to snuff out the "Kane Freeze" game from the deep right corner. I think this pattern just became too comfortable for opponents and JC looks to me like he has made a plan to get Kane more into actual game flow where opportunities present a little more randomly and Kane can pounce. Many of his points have come after a loose bounce and him shooting or passing with a split second opportunity. This is in stark contrast from the usual "freeze game" they seem to get lulled into playing even for long ticking seconds off their own power plays.

This is something he identified and has tried to turn around. It should have been done 4 years ago and I believe as long ago as 4, or 5 years was the last time I talked about how good Kane looks on the left...because its just different and there is no "blueprint" for how to handle Kane over there. Its a wrench so its interesting to see JC try that some and give different looks with his only nuclear weapon.

Both Kubalik and Kane have the cross hand skills to score from both sides of the ice almost equally and I've always believed Kane should be used more as a joker and just show up all over the place to add confusion. The Freeze Game truly did stop working many many years ago but I just got tired about bitching about something they didn't seem inclined to change.

 

[vadarx]

Guess everyone interprets it differently. To me, Kane sounds like he always does, which is cool as a cucumber; never too high, never too low.

depends on the interview. there have been some where he just looks and sounds very unenthusiastic. sound of his comments just don't sound like his usual hockey loving self.

 

[Granada]

JC keeps using his press box...for restful messages.

It was a good time to rest Seabrook but he still sent the message.
They think Kuba needs some rest but still sent a half-message.

Kuba will be back just like Nylander came back.

Another thing I will point out JC is doing well, because I have kinda been a dick about all of it and he can only control some of it...

but another aspect I really like is you can tell they have tried to snuff out the "Kane Freeze" game from the deep right corner. I think this pattern just became too comfortable for opponents and JC looks to me like he has made a plan to get Kane more into actual game flow where opportunities present a little more randomly and Kane can pounce. Many of his points have come after a loose bounce and him shooting or passing with a split second opportunity. This is in stark contrast from the usual "freeze game" they seem to get lulled into playing even for long ticking seconds off their own power plays.

This is something he identified and has tried to turn around. It should have been done 4 years ago and I believe as long ago as 4, or 5 years was the last time I talked about how good Kane looks on the left...because its just different and there is no "blueprint" for how to handle Kane over there. Its a wrench so its interesting to see JC try that some and give different looks with his only nuclear weapon.

Both Kubalik and Kane have the cross hand skills to score from both sides of the ice almost equally and I've always believed Kane should be used more as a joker and just show up all over the place to add confusion. The Freeze Game truly did stop working many many years ago but I just got tired about bitching about something they didn't seem inclined to change.

Yeah, seems like Colliton's go-to move is press-boxing players. It'll be interesting to see how the team responds to that as they year goes. I will say though, it's worked for the most part. Seabs, although still prone to some gaffes since, has looked better since being scratched. Guss too. Colliton needs to be careful though, because it seems like these type of coaching strategies always work initially, but eventually grow stale if overused.

 

[Marty McFly]

Per Jay Zawaski: An ivory tower "get your ass in gear" meeting between Blackhawks top brass and Jeremy Colliton occurred before the Vancouver game, apparently bringing upon the changes that have caused the team to win 7 out of the last 8 points.

 

[blackpep72]

Well they have 3 straight wins now. I hope they will keep on winning

 

[anotheridiot]

I guess Stan told him what you are doing is not working.

Someone talk to the kettle or introduce stan to a mirror.

Seemed we were close to seeing this potter go away, but he is probably safe for the year now.

Sweet win watching Rinne crawl off the ice with his tail between his legs.

 

[Raskolnikov]

depends on the interview. there have been some where he just looks and sounds very unenthusiastic. sound of his comments just don't sound like his usual hockey loving self.

it was a frustrated and exasperated voice, imo. When he broke out of his slump his emotion was very weird for him, it wasn't celibratory is was angry and frustrated.

JC's system was for lego's, and wanted 25 identical interchangable players who all behave the same way and do the same things....but reality in salary cap competetion is every team is made up of Ferrarri's and Pinto's. Kane rightly wanted them to get the puck to the Ferrari.