GDT: 12/31/24 4pm Winter Classic blues @ Hawks TNT

[hockeydoug]

A 5 year rebuild is basically unheard of, and completely unrealistic.

I agree it's nonsense. My point was Danny doesn't look like he knows what he's doing and could have bought into a bunch of nonsense like a 5 year rebuild.

 

[BobbyJet]

A 5 year rebuild is basically unheard of, and completely unrealistic.

On a team that has hit rock bottom, agreed..... but I doubt any org management wants to hear anything longer than 5 years and especially from a rookie GM.

 

[hockeydoug]

"Not good." You say. That all depends on if you think that's intentional or not.

Davidson said in his official hired presser. This rebuild may take 3, 5, however many years I don't want to put a timeline on it.

Yeah, best thing he's done is convince Danny to go along with it.

Good point on whether it's intentional or not but it's definitely bad.

He's breaking the mold on some rebuild practices and some accomplishments.

On a team that has hit rock bottom, agreed..... but I doubt any org management wants to hear anything longer than 5 years and especially from a rookie GM.

Not disagreeing.

But after the bad PR hire and lawsuit, the unconventional hires, the questionable hires, the tv fiasco, questionable allocation of responsibilities, etc. I'm not ready to make any assumptions about Danny other than he likes his toy and doesn't mind spending money.

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

It doesn't take 7-8 years to build a competitive team

If the plan is for it to be 7-8 years than Bedard will want nothing to do with organization and already be gone or want out by then

Feels like alot of people just dont want to acknowledge there are legit concerns with Davidson at this point

This offseason/next season are make or break for him and his "Plans" IMO. If team is a f***ing embarrassment again this time next year, then he should be out

 

[BLKHKhockey]

Supposedly, KD laid into the players after the game.

 

[Hawkaholic]

It doesn't take 7-8 years to build a competitive team

If the plan is for it to be 7-8 years than Bedard will want nothing to do with organization and already be gone or want out by then

Feels like alot of people just dont want to acknowledge there are legit concerns with Davidson at this point

This offseason/next season are make or break for him and his "Plans" IMO. If team is a f***ing embarrassment again this time next year, then he should be out

It most certainly does take a good 7 years to build a decent team, I'm not sure what makes you think otherwise. There was literally nothing on this team when they drafted Bedard at the start of the rebuild.

This team will most definitely be one of the worst teams in the league next year, people who think this should be a good team in 5 years from the start of a rebuild are delusional and don't understand how NHL prospects grow.

 

[Hattrick Kane]

Supposedly, KD laid into the players after the game.

Kyle is having a tough time, I’m not surprised he’s giving it to the team.

I mean last year, his team was so decimated with injuries he had to pick guys up off waivers just to put a team on the ice.

He wants to make sure that doesn’t happen again. So he signs a bunch of vets and blocks the kids from playing essentially. The vets in return do nothing but dog it up and down the ice. And his coach played a system from the dead puck era.

So yeah Kyle has definitely made mistakes. But I’m guessing he’s had enough and a lot of these vets are about to be shipped out the door. Hence the calling up of the kids. I expect a very young team next year.

 

[CanadianHawks]

Kyle is having a tough time, I’m not surprised he’s giving it to the team.

I mean last year, his team was so decimated with injuries he had to pick guys up off waivers just to put a team on the ice.

He wants to make sure that doesn’t happen again. So he signs a bunch of vets and blocks the kids from playing essentially. The vets in return do nothing but dog it up and down the ice. And his coach played a system from the dead puck era.

So yeah Kyle has definitely made mistakes. But I’m guessing he’s had enough and a lot of these vets are about to be shipped out the door. Hence the calling up of the kids. I expect a very young team next year.

He should get started soon. No one wants to watch a bunch of washed up has beens down the stretch.

Supposedly, KD laid into the players after the game.

In the words of that scout from our YouTube series “where will the goals come from”

 

[BobbyJet]

It most certainly does take a good 7 years to build a decent team, I'm not sure what makes you think otherwise. There was literally nothing on this team when they drafted Bedard at the start of the rebuild.

This team will most definitely be one of the worst teams in the league next year, people who think this should be a good team in 5 years from the start of a rebuild are delusional and don't understand how NHL prospects grow.

As has been mentioned, define when a re-build is over. Is it when they make the playoffs? Is it when they make the playoffs, and don't get swept in the first round? Is it when they win a PO series? When? If it takes 7 years just to make the PO's and lose in the first round, well that is one deliberate GM, and one patient organization. I doubt that describes KD or the Blackhawks organization, especially if the fans stop attending.

 

[Dead Meat]

I expect them to compete for a playoff spot during the 2026/2027 season. Davidson dropped a turd on the roster named Brodie but if he can somehow get Jones off of this roster before the start of next season then he's golden. I don't understand why everybody is so down on him all the sudden - they just don't belong in a showcase game but that's not his fault.

 

[GIADF]

I expect them to compete for a playoff spot during the 2026/2027 season.

I think if the rebuild was going as planned they'd be in the mix for the 8 seed by that season.

I don't think they will actually be in the mix that season, though. I just don't think we'll have the forwards unless we somehow get Rantanen, Marner, or Kaprizov.

In the event the Hawks end up with anyone other than Schaefer from this draft I'm not sure any of them are making big enough impacts in year 2 of their career to be a needle mover for the playoffs. Even if they do end up with Schaefer the same idea is likely to apply to him given how much longer defenseman take.

 

[Hawkaholic]

As has been mentioned, define when a re-build is over. Is it when they make the playoffs? Is it when they make the playoffs, and don't get swept in the first round? Is it when they win a PO series? When? If it takes 7 years just to make the PO's and lose in the first round, well that is one deliberate GM, and one patient organization. I doubt that describes KD or the Blackhawks organization, especially if the fans stop attending.

I would say when they have a good core of players who are legit NHLers to build around. Competing for the playoffs is a start, but it's never over until you are a contender, which probably isn't for at least another 5 years.

 

[BobbyJet]

I think if the rebuild was going as planned they'd be in the mix for the 8 seed by that season.

I don't think they will actually be in the mix that season, though. I just don't think we'll have the forwards unless we somehow get Rantanen, Marner, or Kaprizov.

In the event the Hawks end up with anyone other than Schaefer from this draft I'm not sure any of them are making big enough impacts in year 2 of their career to be a needle mover for the playoffs. Even if they do end up with Schaefer the same idea is likely to apply to him given how much longer defenseman take.

From what I have seen from the kid, the prospect of acquiring Schaefer is very exciting. His potential seems unlimited.

 

[Sarava]

It most certainly does take a good 7 years to build a decent team, I'm not sure what makes you think otherwise. There was literally nothing on this team when they drafted Bedard at the start of the rebuild.

This team will most definitely be one of the worst teams in the league next year, people who think this should be a good team in 5 years from the start of a rebuild are delusional and don't understand how NHL prospects grow.

He inherited a mess from Stan. But a lot of the gutting was done on purpose by KD (Debrincat, Dach, Kane, Hagel, etc.). He made a very specific choice to have a roster with literally nothing on it.

In hindsight, maybe this type of rebuild doesn't work as well in hockey as in other sports?

 

[Hawkaholic]

He inherited a mess from Stan. But a lot of the gutting was done on purpose by KD (Debrincat, Dach, Kane, Hagel, etc.). He made a very specific choice to have a roster with literally nothing on it.

In hindsight, maybe this type of rebuild doesn't work as well in hockey as in other sports?

How do we know if it works or not? It's like year 2.5.

 

[Malagahawks]

 

[nmgrbhfn]

Too bad they missed the fight!

 

[No Fun Shogun]

Crowded sports day + nobody outside of Chicago caring about the Hawks anymore + barely anyone in Chicago caring about the Hawks anymore as well + those that do care probably assumed a Hawks game wouldn't be on TV as usual + the Blues = no duh bad ratings.

 

[GIADF]

Crowded sports day + nobody outside of Chicago caring about the Hawks anymore + barely anyone in Chicago caring about the Hawks anymore as well + those that do care probably assumed a Hawks game wouldn't be on TV as usual + the Blues = no duh bad ratings.

Was it crowded? 0 NFL games and only 1 CFB playoff game which wasn't until 2.5 hours after the Hawks/Blues game.

Hosting it on a day that not everyone gets off and starting it during business hours was just dumb. Not to mention how many viewers you miss out who are getting ready to go out, host for NYE, or whatever.

If you were stuck working a 9-5 that day on the west coast the game was basically over before you even got home. I'm honestly impressed the managed to botch this as bad as they did.

 

[HeisenBaez]

Serves the NHL right for putting the Hawks in the Winter Classic.

 

[Paul Allen]

Embarrassing for the NHL marketing department.

 

[No Fun Shogun]

America in a nutshell:

Always nice to dust off a meme I made a year or two ago.

 

[ytsejam]

Ban the Winter Classic or have it.on the 4th of July!

 

[Northernhawk]

Activate Craig Smith and Alex Martinez

Send down Crevier, Nazar and Anderson(he’s still waiver passed)

Kurashev traded for a 2nd or 3rd

Call up Cole Guttman and Colton Dach

Reunite Smith with Reichel and Maroon

Bedard Bertuzzi Hall
Teravainen Mikheyev Dickinson
Foligno Donato Guttman/Dach

Jones Kaiser
Vlasic Martinez
Murphy Allan
Brodie spare

Soderblom over Mrazek

Smith activated…check!

Kurashev not traded but scratched…check!

Dach called up…check!

Reichel would have been a better choice and sit Nazar for a game