Your Chicago Blackhawks offseason thread

[LordKOTL]

I think they both earned it before they kicked in.. but either way the timing wasn't on bowman. If he doesn't sign them and waits and they win a 3rd cup as ufas... they could of actually got the 12 they wanted

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I agree, up until 2015 both earned and deserved the 10.5.

Since then Toews' game has taken a downturn. Now that's not saying "trade the bastard", that's saying "step it up!"

Even so, we got a lot of money locked into only a few players, signed for the duration, with ironclad NMC's; I think any rebuild has to be deferred until after that.

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[Raskolnikov]

I don't understand how a skill guy falls off a cliff to the point he can't even shoot, when he was a snap shot assassin with those top corner laser flicks...not saying slap shot...I'm saying Toews was a skill guy with few equals.

He must really have low T...which effects everything, even your eye sight and hand eye coordination...just lights everything on fire when you juice, maybe he used to juice?

idk...but its frustrating watching a skill guy unable to elevate the puck repeatedly over a stick that is on the ice, you know is going to be on the ice, and is required to elevate over to score.

 

[LordKOTL]

I don't understand how a skill guy falls off a cliff to the point he can't even shoot, when he was a snap shot assassin with those top corner laser flicks...not saying slap shot...I'm saying Toews was a skill guy with few equals.

He must really have low T...which effects everything, even your eye sight and hand eye coordination...just lights everything on fire when you juice, maybe he used to juice?

idk...but its frustrating watching a skill guy unable to elevate the puck repeatedly over a stick that is on the ice, you know is going to be on the ice, and is required to elevate over to score.

Who knows why...could be re-focus on his girlfriend, could be the paleodiet he was on, could be the fact he bulked up for strength and not for speed. Could be just burned out.

I don't think the reason is that important--it's like why Keith had a brutal 2011. "Why?" was less important than "Fix It", which, he ended up doing. That's all Toews needs to do: fix it. This year he's been given the best opportunity to fix it--he should have 2 wingers that scored more goals than him last year (Saad/Panik), and both he's got chemistry with. 30/70 should be his goal--and is very achievable. Toews should be able to pot 30 himself (anyone making 10.5M should), Panik should be able to pot 20, and Saad should be in the very high 20's or 30's. (Saad should probably hit 30 as well).

And as for low T, Toews has gotten in fights before--so I wouldn't say it's low T--that dishonor is saved for the Kumbaya Anti-fighting coalition.

 

[ClydeLee]

I don't even get this... after his surgery on his back recovered he was back to being phenomenal... the fall off nonsense has gotten really silly as if he wasn't great the last few months

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[Raskolnikov]

Who knows why...could be re-focus on his girlfriend, could be the paleodiet he was on, could be the fact he bulked up for strength and not for speed. Could be just burned out.

I don't think the reason is that important--it's like why Keith had a brutal 2011. "Why?" was less important than "Fix It", which, he ended up doing. That's all Toews needs to do: fix it. This year he's been given the best opportunity to fix it--he should have 2 wingers that scored more goals than him last year (Saad/Panik), and both he's got chemistry with. 30/70 should be his goal--and is very achievable. Toews should be able to pot 30 himself (anyone making 10.5M should), Panik should be able to pot 20, and Saad should be in the very high 20's or 30's. (Saad should probably hit 30 as well).

And as for low T, Toews has gotten in fights before--so I wouldn't say it's low T--that dishonor is saved for the Kumbaya Anti-fighting coalition.

12 year old boys have low T and get in the exact same petulant child face fights Toews does. He just gets irritated by shit nobody even understands and fights people untll they tell him not to.

its interesting....

its one thing to be a boyscout captain at 24. Everyone respects your straight arrow shit together boy scout. At 30....though...does a straight arrow have the experience? The empathy and the been through it?

A 30 year old boy scout is just weird, at that age its the prodigal sons, the reformed bad boys, the superstars who grew some humility over time and experience that bring a little extra character to the table.

If his boyscout message gets old do we eventually make Kane the captain?

 

[LordKOTL]

I don't even get this... after his surgery on his back recovered he was back to being phenomenal... the fall off nonsense has gotten really silly as if he wasn't great the last few months

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1 goal in over 700 playoff minutes is hardly "great". He had a very great February and petered off from there. He had his lowest goal total this past year and his lowest G/GP this year in his entire career. His +/- was the worst of his career (granted, that's not all on him). He had his worst year at the dot since 2009.

He's not pointless trash like Stalberg, Morin, or Pirri, but for 10.5M he should be closer to his 2011 & 2015 campaigns in complete output as opposed to the past couple of years--as well as being able to take the team on his back when they need him the most--something he failed to do these past 2 playoffs.

 

[Raskolnikov]

I don't even get this... after his surgery on his back recovered he was back to being phenomenal... the fall off nonsense has gotten really silly as if he wasn't great the last few months

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no...Kane is phenomenal. Toews has been noticeably just an above average hockey player with elite competitiveness for a while now. 2.5 years and counting.

 

[ClydeLee]

1 goal in over 700 playoff minutes is hardly "great". He had a very great February and petered off from there. He had his lowest goal total this past year and his lowest G/GP this year in his entire career. His +/- was the worst of his career (granted, that's not all on him). He had his worst year at the dot since 2009.

He's not pointless trash like Stalberg, Morin, or Pirri, but for 10.5M he should be closer to his 2011 & 2015 campaigns in complete output as opposed to the past couple of years--as well as being able to take the team on his back when they need him the most--something he failed to do these past 2 playoffs.

Most of that regular season drain was because of the first 3 months of the year.

But part of why him with Kane didn't work as well during the year is he has been more adjusted to playing around the strength and net work opposed to playing loose

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[LordKOTL]

Most of that regular season drain was because of the first 3 months of the year.

But part of why him with Kane didn't work as well during the year is he has been more adjusted to playing around the strength and net work opposed to playing loose

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Still doesn't explain the playoffs for the 2nd year in a row. Now, granted, Toews isn't the only one to blame for the clusterfuckery that was the 'hawks play in the playoffs--not by a long shot. But even so, a geriatric Hossa outplayed Toews all year in almost every respect while lugging Kruger up and down the ice.

Kane, on the other hand, has driven the team's O these past 2 seasons--that's something you expect out of a 10.5M player. We may not expect the same O output out of Toews, but he's gotta be better than he has for the past 2 seasons overall.

 

[Raskolnikov]

This all assumes that Toews and Keith and Kane want to be here forever even if the team is broken beyond repair. I would think another year or two of scuttling and being financially stuck somebody might agree to end the lock jaw.

Either Toews will do what is best for all involved, or Kane back to Buffalo, or Keith will decide he wants to move on and has unfinished Canadian business or something.

Personally I think the Coaching staff seat is hot for 2017-18. If things don't change, a new voice will be the right move. This should buy the core another year, but after a year or two in new regime I would imagine all bets are off, and moves will be forced one way or another.

 

[Ares]

Rask, you do realize we were the #1 seed in the Western Conference.... we made the playoffs and had a terrible playoff series.

We didn't miss the playoffs....

There are coaches and players who stick around on teams who can't even make the playoffs....

We have made the playoffs 9 straight years and won 3 Cups.

It will take alot worse for this team to start breaking apart.

 

[Raskolnikov]

Rask, you do realize we were the #1 seed in the Western Conference.... we made the playoffs and had a terrible playoff series.

We didn't miss the playoffs....

There are coaches and players who stick around on teams who can't even make the playoffs....

We have made the playoffs 9 straight years and won 3 Cups.

It will take alot worse for this team to start breaking apart.

You aren't sensing things are very tense with Q?

Huge changes were just made...are you guys gaslighting me? I mean we just traded Hammer and Panarin, and lost Hossa.

Drastic changes were just attempted, and it sure fucking seems to me like the coaching staff is next. They are on notice, not much else can be done with the team.

I realize we were the one seed, had the best line in hockey, and some promising youth. This rebuild is entirely up to the youth continuing to progress, because the 3 guys sucking up 28 million aren't going to change much.

We need to get lucky on a Hayden, Debricat, or Smaltz elevating there game to all-star level.

 

[Ares]

You aren't sensing things are very tense with Q?

Huge changes were just made...are you guys gaslighting me? I mean we just traded Hammer and Panarin, and lost Hossa.

Drastic changes were just attempted, and it sure fucking seems to me like the coaching staff is next. They are on notice, not much else can be done with the team.

I realize we were the one seed, had the best line in hockey, and some promising youth. This rebuild is entirely up to the youth continuing to progress, because the 3 guys sucking up 28 million aren't going to change much.

We need to get lucky on a Hayden, Debricat, or Smaltz elevating there game to all-star level.

No... I don't.

We have shake up almost every year now because of the salary cap.

I think you are overstating the drama here.... we had some turnover in the offseason.... things change, but I don't think the Hawks are on the verge of firing Q and trading away Kane/Toews...

 

[ClydeLee]

As rumor has had it, another rumor now saying Cody Franson has signed a pto with the Hawks, then they'll be able to sign him I guess after game 1 when Hossa ltir happens.

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[winos5]

As rumor has had it, another rumor now saying Cody Franson has signed a pto with the Hawks, then they'll be able to sign him I guess after game 1 when Hossa ltir happens.

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Being reported on TSN now.

 

[LordKOTL]

I'm liking the Franson angle...he can either push the rookies or possibly be a better RHD presence on the 3rd pairing over Rosie. PTO is the icing on the cake.

Something interesting happening out here. March 10th the Portland Winterhawks are having a 20 year "reunion" of the 1998 memorial cup team...so hopefully I'll get to see guys like Brenden Morrow, Andrew Ference, Matt Walker, Jason LaBarbera, Josh Green, and of course the most successful player from that team....Marian Hossa.

 

[Tater]

I'm liking the Franson angle...he can either push the rookies or possibly be a better RHD presence on the 3rd pairing over Rosie. PTO is the icing on the cake.

Something interesting happening out here. March 10th the Portland Winterhawks are having a 20 year "reunion" of the 1998 memorial cup team...so hopefully I'll get to see guys like Brenden Morrow, Andrew Ference, Matt Walker, Jason LaBarbera, Josh Green, and of course the most successful player from that team....Marian Hossa.

Cool!!! If you talk to Hoss, try to get a feel for if he will be playing anytime soon or if ever.

And as long as Franson will keep Rosie out of the line up, I'm all for it.

 

[Raskolnikov]

Cool!!! If you talk to Hoss, try to get a feel for if he will be playing anytime soon or if ever.

And as long as Franson will keep Rosie out of the line up, I'm all for it.

has nothing to do with Rozy. hahah lol. He is to be paired with Rozy and whoever gets chosen for NHL development out of Kempny, Pokka, Gus,

Rozy will never die.

 

[The Hawk]

I'm liking the Franson angle...he can either push the rookies or possibly be a better RHD presence on the 3rd pairing over Rosie. PTO is the icing on the cake.

Something interesting happening out here. March 10th the Portland Winterhawks are having a 20 year "reunion" of the 1998 memorial cup team...so hopefully I'll get to see guys like Brenden Morrow, Andrew Ference, Matt Walker, Jason LaBarbera, Josh Green, and of course the most successful player from that team....Marian Hossa.

I am still in mourning for the Hoss. He was the lifeblood for the Hawks. I am still praying for a cure to his skin malady.

 

[LordKOTL]

Cool!!! If you talk to Hoss, try to get a feel for if he will be playing anytime soon or if ever.

And as long as Franson will keep Rosie out of the line up, I'm all for it.

Will do *if* we do meet him I think my wife will try to blow his mind by talking to him in Slovak.

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