Here We Go Again? Senators 2, Hawks 1 (Preseason T-Minus 2)

Sadly, I am compelled to comment on Thursday's meaningless preseason match vs. OTT.
This is because, I am sorry to report, it did not look nor feel meaningless, as what we saw was all too familiar.
The Hawks hit the ice with a more-or-less representative lineup, squared up against a 70/30 veterans/prospects OTT squad who, I must note, were dogshit last season and that was with Eric Karlsson in the lineup.  And we lost, 2-1, which wasn't a blowout, obviously and The Sens goals only half-signaled any specific issues.  The problem is that The Hawks looked exactly like the team that curled up and died last winter.
Passing was abysmal.  That was the worst aspect of The Hawks game between about the 7th and 55th minute.  Practically everyone got in on the act to some extent, but I'll call out Keith, Gustafsson, Jokiharju and Saad as being especially bad.  Watching that occur makes one wonder if this team gives a single crap about what happens this year, 'cos that was a rerun of last year.  You know, the season that they claim was unacceptable?
Ditto for positional play, which didn't help with the passing when guys were late joining the rush or if the theoretical best passing option wasn't available 'cos the guy just wasn't there.

Dark Places
Jokiharju is not ready.  The first OTT goal was on him, too soft and too hesitant going after that puck behind the goal line.  Yep, someone should have had Duchene but Ryan shouldn't have had a puck to pass to Duke in the first place.  As mentioned, Jokiharju's passing was poor and was often rushed.  Nobody likes to get hit but the kid had better get used to it.
Kunitz appears to be a waste of time.
Kahun had his first stinkeroo as a Hawk, rarely being where he ought to be, which was unfortunate as his linemates were having a fine game in the meantime.
Gustafsson made a few nice plays, especially while breaking out, but his first pass was uncharacteristically weak for much of the night and he was lazy getting back, as was the case too often last season.
Keith was flat out bad.  As great as he was vs. DET last week, he was that BAD and more in this game.
Bright Spots?
Forsberg was actually pretty good between the pipes.  Duchene's goal was a coin-flip as to whether or not the puck hits him or not and the game winner was unfortunate as Bergie is usually better at tracking that goal crease stuff.  Still, an okay outing.
Toews and DeBrincat look ready to roll. Loving their chemistry, so far.
Manning had his strongest game, even if he spent too much time distracted by second generation shitbird Brady Tkachuk.

The Hawks need a strong effort tonight.  They don't even need to win, they just need to do something different than what they did on Thursday, which was a replay of the last 40 games of 2017-18.  Even if they found new & unusual ways to fail it would be improvement.

Kampf and Kane in for Johnson/Sikura?
Davidson in for Jokiharju?
Saad - Schmaltz - Kane in practice this AM.

Final 2017-18 wrap/season preview coming in the next few days

Post 2017-2018 Blackhawks Report Cards: In The Twine

The Hawks used a whopping six goaltenders this season which offers a clue as to what the hell went on back there.  Two of these six guys did practically everything that was asked of them while the others blew warm and cold over the course of the season.  Yes, warm....merely warm.
With the caveat that these lads worked behind a ridiculously inconsistent defense group, here we go.

J-F Berubé 

Only one of the six men mentioned here today is a bona fide NHL-quality netminder and J-F Berubé is not that guy.  He failed to distinguish himself over two seasons in The Islanders' bullpen and, while he played his way into the #1 role in Rockford, he maintained his NHL-level mediocrity over 10 starts in Chicago.  J-F would likely have seen more action had he not himself been injured when Corey Crawford went on the Disabled List.  Sorry to be harsh but Berubé is a third-stringer, at best, his effort rating a C.

Corey Crawford

In a mere 27 starts Crow managed 16 wins.  That in itself is not especially great, but consider that the other Hawks goaltenders combined took only 17 wins in twice as many games and it looks a lot more impressive.  Crawford did have a couple of pretty rough outings but, aside from those, did everything we expect from him and stole more than a few wins on his own.  At the time of his injury Crow's Save Percentage (SP) and Goals Against Average (GAA) were 0.929 and 2.27, both of which exceeded his career averages.  Things could have been different had Crow been around all year.  A

Collin Delia

Young Delia had only two NHL starts in this, his first pro season, but showed well enough to suggest that there may be something there for the future, if not the present.  Delia was outstanding in his debut vs. WPG despite leaving late in the game due to dehydration/cramping, but much less so in his second start vs. COL.  This is a guy, though, who started the year in The ECHL, assumed the starter role in AHL Rockford during the winter and, as mentioned, had a brief look in Chicago, so even though he didn't set the NHL world on fire the progress he'd made is admirable.  Delia was on the bench for The IceHogs last several playoff games, however, so we hope that both he and The Hawks organization judge his overall perfomance and not just his last few starts.  I wouldn't be shocked to see Delia nab the backup role in Chicago, come September.   Incomplete, but promising.

Anton Forsberg

Bergie enjoyed the most starts of all of The Hawks' goalies this season....even if we didn't always find them enjoyable.  He may be the most frustrating netminder I've ever witnessed, often making saves he had no business making and ably surviving far-too-long goal mouth scrambles, yet he allowed at least one soft goal in every game he played.  Still, he posted the second-best stats after Crawford (0.908 / 2.97) setting career-bests along the way.  His inability to put together even one complete game all year is a problem, though.  B-

Scott Foster

Talk about exceeding expectations.  Foster provided the single-most entertaining fifteen minutes of The Hawks' miserable season.  Probably should be Incomplete but fuck it A++

Jeff Glass

Prior to Scott Foster's unlikely three-deep ascension to the NHL spotlight it was Jeff Glass, the 32-year-old rookie who had captured the imagination of the fans and sports media alike.  A handful of herioc performances aside, like J-F Berubé, old Glasser had no real business being in The NHL.  I'm happy for the guy, enjoyed the story and admire his determination, but there it is.  C.

Yes, The Hawks' defense were largely rubbish the the team offense anemic, but this was not a good year on the backline.  Maybe if Crow had not been injured we would have had a better result, as not only did The Hawks lose their All-World netminder but I believe they lost a ton of confidence as a group, because once Crawford went on the DL The Hawks' scoring went in the pooper, too.  It cannot have been just a coincidence.  Maybe if Forsberg stole more than one win, all season, that confidence could have been bolstered, somewhat, but no joy there, I'm afraid.

The complete collapse that occurred when Crawford was hurt is going to affect this team until such time that they have a reliable starter and backup, this group is that fragile.  I haven't heard a peep about Crow's health since he did a bit of skating in practice back in March, so we can only assume he'll be back in September and ready to lead from the back, as he's done for so long, but who knows?  Forsberg and Delia look to be the realistic backup options, perhaps with Delia beginning the season in Rockford and finishing in Chicago.  I wouldn't be alarmed or disappointed if Stan Bowman trades for a backup upgrade, but I expect whether he goes that route depends a lot on Crawford's readiness.
This is undeniable, though: if Crawford is unavailable or is injured during the season we'll be looking at a repeat of this year, barring the unlikely possibility of  Forsberg / Delia / whoever stepping forward in a very big way.  Not a very cheerful outlook.

Cam Ward

He's new.  He's old.  He's great when he plays against The Hawks but, so far, not so great when playing for The Hawks.  It's early days, Q is obviously handing Ward the keys until such time that Crow is fit to play.  That's just the way it is, folks, and we have to hope that if the netminding falters the rest of the team are able to pull some slack, 'cos if The Hawks get themselves in a hole, standings-wise, early on, this thing could be done before it even starts.

Post 2017 - 2018 Report Cards and Season Preview of Sorts: Forwards, The Young Ones, The Guys and The Bubble Boys

Part I of The Hawks' Forwards review, this time the players who are by no means guaranteed a job in The 312.  Some, you will see, are more likely to cast a shadow on United Center ice than others.  Again, maybe I'll spew some bile toward / shower with praise a player or two who may have left for other locales or that are just arriving in Chicago.

Lance Bouma

I wasn't buying Foley & Olczyk's enthusiasm for this guy.  Sure, he laid a big hit here and there and dislodged a few pucks, but that was small compensation for a fella that a) has no apparent hand skills, b) took far too many undisciplined penalties and c) was worthless as a penalty killer.  That last fact would have been of no consequence except that Coach Q insisted on trotting Boomer out on the PK on a regular basis, waving his stick around, not minding his gaps and accomplishing nothing.  And just like that, he's sent down to Rockford.  Regular shift and PK unit one day....AHL the next.  C and off to Géneve and not our problem.

Anthony Duclair

Tragically less than the sum of his parts, as Duc posesses great speed, good hands and a pretty decent shot, but not often within the same 30 seconds or so.  He likes to carry the puck which is a shame, because his closing move is awfully weak and rarely fooled opposing d-men.  The guy could be a real contributor for someone, I think, if he musters some discipline and a willingness to involve his linemates occasionally.  A generous B-.

Victor Edjsell

He's got all the size and reach you could want, even he seems a bit lightweight for 6'5"/214 lbs and perhaps a bit lead-footed.  Apparently had some excellent games with The IceHogs during their cup run....along with some stinkeroos.  Too soon to tell but I expect he'll be on The Hawks roster to start the season.  Incomplete but I'm cautiously optimistic.
TRAINING CAMP UPDATE: assigned to Rockford today and that's entirely fair.  He hasn't been bad but every forward still in camp has outplayed him.

John Hayden

Hayden is a puzzler: some nights he's absolutely everywhere, rubbing guys out, camping out in the opposition's slot and making safe but effective plays.  Other nights, though, he just kinda plods up and down the wing with no plan, no purpose in mind.  He's big, he's quick enough, is okay on the PK and has shown a little offensive flash now & again.  There's probably something there, and I wonder if his demotion to Rockford was more about getting him icetime during an otherwise lost season than an indictment of his play.  With more consistent application & concentration Hayden could stick and be a useful bottom-six+ guy.  Averages out to a B.

Matthew Highmore

"Charlie Bucket" or maybe "lunchbucket" is more apt, 'cos this fella is a hard working, prototypical blue-collar Guy.  All the work ethic in the world cannot make up for lacking any one really dynamic quality, though, and I'm not sure that Highmore posesses one.  He's ostensibly a center but played wing almost exclusively while with The Hawks, which is where he'd end up, anyway, with Kruger returning.  At present he's a serviceable mucker and okay PK guy but not much more than that, although he's an undrafted player who worked his way to the NHL pretty quickly, so who knows what other surprises he might spring? At any rate, his work is cut out for him as he'll be duking it out with Hayden, Schroeder and Kahun for a roster spot.  Not bad, not great, call this a B-.
TRAINING CAMP UPDATE: returned to Rockford despite playing pretty well vs. DET.  As above, Highmore is a fine plugger but The Hawks don't need that guy right now.

Vinnie Hinostroza

I'm very sorry to see Vinnie Hinnie leave, but I can kinda see why The Hawks got talked into parting with him (dumping Hossa's salary aside).  When Vinnie is switched on he's a ton of fun, creative and effective.  The problem is, a lot of the time he's not fully engaged or, as I pondered last winter, maybe the things that worked for him simply stopped working.  We saw him struggle when the going got physical, found himself overmatched and couldn't always skate out of trouble.  Anyway, I like his style and hope he'll figure out how to get it right more often than he has done.  A solid B.

Luke Johnson

The Hawks are clearly giving him a long look.  Despite modest offensive numbers in Rockford earned a leadership role there and is likely a greater-than-the-sum-of-his-parts guy who uses his noggin and is positionally sound.  Typically plays center but had some good shifts on the wing last weekend.  I see him sticking around, having a slight edge over Sikura if it comes down to that.


Tomas Jurco

Despite a strong finish to the season I expected Jurcs would not be invited back.  He's quick, shifty and hard-working, but he's neither quick nor shifty enough to offset his utter inability to fight through any checking, being possibly the weakest 6'1"/185 I've witnessed at this level.  I expect it unlikely that he'll ever bulk up sufficiently at this stage of his life, so he'll top out in The AHL or Europe I'm afraid.  A reluctant C for Jurcs.

Dominik Kahun

Kahun is now the fourth potential diamond in the rough unearthed by The Hawks' European scout, Peter Sundstrom.  Kahun is a small forward who has produced well in The German Elite League, for whatever that's worth.  He's had some experience on North American ice, having played two seasons for Sudbury in The OHL, where he was a 2nd/3rd liner.  Kahun is a proven winner, finishing atop the DEL with Munich in 2016 and was a member of the German team that kinda fell ass-backward into a Silver Medal in last winter's Olympics.  Even with that track record, though, he has to overcome Q's resistance to accept these obscure finds that are parachuted into his realm.  An entirely unknown quantity that could be something or nothing at all.
TRAINING CAMP UPDATE: quite good, as it turns out, displaying good chemistry with different linemates in each preseason game he's played.  He'll be around in October.


David Kampf

Last year's Euro-find, David Kampf joined The Hawks in December just in time to participate in The Hawks' spectacular free-fall.  That wasn't on him, by the way. "Baby Huey"'s game is remarkably similar to that of John Hayden's, albeit somewhat more subtle, with a lot less bombast but far greater attention to the specific tasks he's been given.  Kampf won't knock any fillings loose with big hits but he's no pushover, either, playing a quiet, large-player kind of game.  Defensively responsible and surprisingly good at the dot, Baby Huey was a fixture on the PK during the last half of the season.  Brief flashes of offensive creativity suggest that there may be more to Kampf than we've seen, and that he's been held back by weak linemates and strict adherence to the instructions given to him.  I dunno, is B too much?
TRAINING CAMP UPDATE: Kampf has been excellent in preseason and I can easily picture him alongside Kruger in a role much like Ben Smith's, in which Krugs would take draws on one side and Kampf on the other.  The bonus is that Kampf is good at the dot and better all-round than Smith.
Photo credit: alamy


Andreas Martinsen

Likely the only player to threaten John Hayden's place on the roster, Martinsen is a big, big piece of furniture, with just enough speed and agility to really lay some hurt with his hits.  His offensive skills are inferior to Hayden's, which ain't great news.  The Hawks clearly want the guy around, whether there's a firm plan for him or merely as a solid spare part, having granted him a contract extension.  That said, the only way I see Martinsen usurping Hayden is he can show the coaches that he'll not be a defensive liability while he's tearing around making opposing d-men nervous.  B-, because of his limited game.
TRAINING CAMP UPDATE: will one great game be enough to secure a roster spot?  Maybe, 'cos Q always wants a large, violent man around.  Destined for the RW with Kruger & Kampf?


Jordan Schroeder

Obtained prior to The Hawks trading for Marcus Kruger, this Ryan Gosling lookalike is probably surplus to the team's needs at this point.  Yet another small forward, Schroeder puts up above-average stats....in The AHL.  Mediocre at the dot and never a go-to guy for the PK, only a ton of determination and putting his high-energy style out there will get him on the roster next month.  We've seen this episode before and it was "The One With Andrew Ebbett", which was over in 22 minutes.  No rating, will be surprised to see any sign of him, barring injuies down the middle.
TRAINING CAMP UPDATE: jettisoned to Rockford rather quickly.


Dylan Sikura

Now this, I like.  Sikura is the 208th and last small forward on this list which kinda makes me roll my eyes, but this kid is so quick, so darty, I think he might get away with being 160 lbs.  Sikura The Younger (older brother Tyler is also getting a long look after a breakthrough season in Rockford) had a five game stint last spring which was easily the best straight-from-college to The NHL audition that we've seen in this Hawks era. Smooth-skating and slippery enough to not get killed, he's also great with the puck as his 3 assists in five games seem to bear out.  His destiny, I think, is in The Hawks' top six.  Incomplete but woweewowwow.
TRAINING CAMP UPDATE: he's been okay in a couple of preseason matches but not outstanding.  Might stick partly due to The Hawks having high hope for him, as long as we carry two spare forwards to begin the season.