Who is the player you'd mostly like to see as a Hawk

[RacerX]

Kucherov, Mcdavid, Hedman, Point, Crosby in no particular order, but number one has to be Connor the best player currently in the world.

Did you misspell Alex Nylander?

 

[hawkinmontreal]

Did you misspell Alex Nylander?

Shit thanks for the reminder, how dare I forget.

 

[Granada]

I'm talking in general.

McDavid is not better then Hedman imo.

Put McDavid on the Hawks and they're the exact same team as they are currently.

Put Hedman, and the Hawks are Cup contenders

So in essence, you believe the Hawks are one solid defenseman away from being a Cup contender? I'm sorry but, no. That's not just off-base; that's in another dimension.

This team has a looonngg way to go, period.

 

[RacerX]

Shit thanks for the reminder, how dare I forget.

 

[KBIB]

Ok, it's a mindless thread....for laughs, I get it. But anyone who thinks adding one player to a bad hockey team makes them a contender is simply a fan being a fan. Sure, a hot goalie can win you a round but the teams that win a very high percentage of the time are teams that are deep. They roll 3 good lines, sometimes 4....they don't over rely on one defensive pairing. I'm not saying adding a good player won't help but it's not the world beater fans think it is.

The Hawks aren't a bad hockey team.

The problem is the system. You have a coach who doesn't have the respect of the veterans and refuses to play the players he has to their strengths.

If I recall correctly, the system JC wants this team to play was implemented at the beginning of the year against the Oilers and the Hawks looked impressive as a grinding forecheck team. The players didn't want to play that way and you have the mess currently.

Get a better coach and the Hawks are a playoff team easily

 

[KBIB]

So in essence, you believe the Hawks are one solid defenseman away from being a Cup contender? I'm sorry but, no. That's not just off-base; that's in another dimension.

This team has a looonngg way to go, period.

No, I'm saying if the Hawks had the best defenseman in the game they would be a cup contender

 

[JimAKABlkhwks918]

For about 20 goddamn periods Bickell beat the shit out of everyone and scored in the playoffs at will.

I hope we all remember for eternity that one of those cups never happens without Bickell. No chance. Bickell carried Kane and Toews and everyone else.

Dude was a real power forward who came into his own that year and was robbed of a solid career by a disease. Feel awful for him...I hope he battles it well and lives a good life...I'll never forget his toothless celebration after the first of the 17 seconds goals...

 

[JimAKABlkhwks918]

The Hawks ARE a bad hockey team. Here's what they have:

Kubalik Toews Saad
Debrincat Dach Kane
(disposables for the next two lines)

(disposable) Duncan Keith
(older, injured, disgruntled Seabook) (disposable)
(beyond disposable next 4 dmen)

Maybe Crawford
Maybe goalies who haven't performed for squat at the NHL level

 

[hawkinmontreal]

The Hawks ARE a bad hockey team. Here's what they have:

Kubalik Toews Saad
Debrincat Dach Kane
(disposables for the next two lines)

(disposable) Duncan Keith
(older, injured, disgruntled Seabook) (disposable)
(beyond disposable next 4 dmen)

Maybe Crawford
Maybe goalies who haven't performed for squat at the NHL level

Just insert Hedman and you have a cup contender, you don’t need a 3rd or 4th line, no PK or PP, and don’t forget Hedman can play 60mins a game. Lol Man there are some real clueless posters.

 

[hawkinmontreal]

So in essence, you believe the Hawks are one solid defenseman away from being a Cup contender? I'm sorry but, no. That's not just off-base; that's in another dimension.

This team has a looonngg way to go, period.

Don’t feel the trolls Granada, they just keep coming back.

 

[ruprecht]

Hedman.

It's like you don't even watch hockey, dude

 

[Granada]

No, I'm saying if the Hawks had the best defenseman in the game they would be a cup contender

That's the same thing as saying they're one solid d-man (Hedman) away from being a Cup contender.

They're not. You can insert any top-1-2 D-man you want, they're light-years away from being a Cup contender. This isn't Basketball where one player makes a monumental difference, it truly is a team game -- and this team would need a lot more than Hedman to be a Cup contender.

 

[Diehardfan]

That's the same thing as saying they're one solid d-man (Hedman) away from being a Cup contender.

They're not. You can insert any top-1-2 D-man you want, they're light-years away from being a Cup contender. This isn't Basketball where one player makes a monumental difference, it truly is a team game -- and this team would need a lot more than Hedman to be a Cup contender.

He sounds like another guy whose hockey knowledge comes from EA Sports.

 

[HSBOB]

There was nothing mediocre about Maatta in the playoffs.
CDH? Sure. But Maatta was a beast. Kookoo too.

Maata's a decent starter without much speed and his experience helped in the PO's,I dunno about a beast but he was pretty good which should allow a decent GM to get a return for him. TB signed Shatenkirk for 1.7M and Maata makes 4M. Kook would only be considered a "beast" here my friend.........where no bird sings,even a fart is a meadowlark!

 

[LordKOTL]

You would think the fact that a Hawks team that eliminated McDavid's Oilers fairly handily before being themselves eliminated handily by a balanced Vegas squad with no real superstar would illustrate the fact that simply having the best player on your roster does not equate to success in the NHL would be evident...

This. In spades.

Connor McDavid together with Kaner would be unstoppable

...except when they get behind the blueline and are forced to play D. Now while neither of them are liabilities like Gus, that puck is going to be hemmed in for a long while while the 'hawks still look like a Chinese firedrill in the backend...which is exactly what's happening now.
~~~
Conn Smythe notwithstanding, Hedman helps the 'hawks even though it doesn't make them a cup contender. The 'hawks simply aren't that good and don't have the critical mass: Hjalmarsson is out. Seabs is virtually aged out. Keith shows a ton of wear-and-tear and mileage. Hossa is gone. No single player can replace all of *that*. Hedman, however, is a pretty good replacement for Hjammer and Seabs. Big body defenseman with some O upside and great in the backend. He can clear the crease (something we haven't seen since Seabrook circa 2014). He can also play a lot of minutes, and he can help take the "defense against the superstars" pressure off of Keith a bit. Given his age he has mileage left so like Toews & Kane he can also help mentor while still playing at a high/superstar level to help bring on some of the youth.

In order to make the 'hawks a contender? I doubt a single player could do it--there are just too many too big holes.

 

[blackpep72]

Hedman, however, is a pretty good replacement for Hjammer and Seabs

Pretty good

 

[blackpep72]

Shit thanks for the reminder, how dare I forget.

So did he , its Alexander Nylander

 

[KBIB]

I'm just wow with some of these comments.

Some of you here have no clue about hockey.

I want to keep reading the Hawks only have two lines when Kampf had a 47 Corsi while taking 61% of his starts in his own zone, or that Hedman, one person, wouldn't suddenly help the biggest problem the Hawks have, the penalty kill, or that a 9.5 point share player wouldn't have a huge impact on the team.

Carry on, children, this is fun.

 

[Diehardfan]

You know what's even more fun....putting trolls on ignore.

Imagine a troll showing up but no one can see his tripe.....

 

[Granada]

This. In spades.

...except when they get behind the blueline and are forced to play D. Now while neither of them are liabilities like Gus, that puck is going to be hemmed in for a long while while the 'hawks still look like a Chinese firedrill in the backend...which is exactly what's happening now.
~~~
Conn Smythe notwithstanding, Hedman helps the 'hawks even though it doesn't make them a cup contender. The 'hawks simply aren't that good and don't have the critical mass: Hjalmarsson is out. Seabs is virtually aged out. Keith shows a ton of wear-and-tear and mileage. Hossa is gone. No single player can replace all of *that*. Hedman, however, is a pretty good replacement for Hjammer and Seabs. Big body defenseman with some O upside and great in the backend. He can clear the crease (something we haven't seen since Seabrook circa 2014). He can also play a lot of minutes, and he can help take the "defense against the superstars" pressure off of Keith a bit. Given his age he has mileage left so like Toews & Kane he can also help mentor while still playing at a high/superstar level to help bring on some of the youth.

In order to make the 'hawks a contender? I doubt a single player could do it--there are just too many too big holes.

Right -- people (namely Martini) need to remember that Hedman was huge but he certainly didn't do it all on his own, especially on the back-end. McDonough was also huge, as was Sergachev. Their blue-line as a whole was terrific, it wasn't solely Hedman. You need a legit top-4 to even think about being a Cup contender.