GDT: Blackhawks @ Senators | '#25 Goes Up The Rafters' Edition | Fri Feb 17 2023, 7PM | TSN5, RDS

[BankStreetParade]

For me it’s very simple. This team is at a stage where they need someone to take them to the next level. And that someone is a coach. Like all these things. We’re ALMOST there. You can feel it when you watch us. But just need that something extra. That little more attention detail. Little more hustle. Need a vet coach with tried and true systems and mentality.

They need better depth, across the lineup. A new coach and system can't fix Kelly, Gambrell, Brassard, Lucchini, Watson, Holden, Hamonic, Zaitsev, Brannstrom, a backup goalie. You can make the argument that players like Motte and Hamonic can fit into a lineup as depth pieces in a better system but even then it's not a slam dunk argument. I think the team expected better from some, not all, of these names. And they definitely expected guys like JBD/Thomson to be graduating into semi-permanent roster spots.

 

[Crosside]

Don’t know where to post this. If someone know why the Boston game Monday is at 13h

 

[StoicSensFan]

Don’t know where to post this. If someone know why the Boston game Monday is at 13h

Federal holiday in the states

 

[JD1]

Don’t know where to post this. If someone know why the Boston game Monday is at 13h

Because it is a US holiday

 

[Berri UQAM]

Seconds before the game-winning goal, Jake McCabe did a decent job defending a 2 on 1. He protected the middle of the ice. He didn't concede a great scoring chance or take himself out of the play. He cleared the rebound from the front of the net, setting up a 2 on 1 going the other way.

Obviously Chabot had no great options on the 2 on 1. That said, the diving manoeuvre was risky and probably not the best decision. It's really too bad that he got absolutely no support from either of the forwards.

 

[L'Aveuglette]

DJ actually had a pretty good synopsis of the plays that lead to blowing that lead.

You don't need the 4th goal. You need to make smart plays, and the safer plays. Take the opportunities you are given when the Hawks try to push.

The shorthanded goal against was unacceptable. Can't let that happen.

Of course he'd say that lol.

How many games have we lost because we sat back on a small lead? Now we can confirm it was because DJ specifically told them to sit back and play "safe".

They didn't lose tonight because they didn't just sit on a 2 goal lead, they lost because they all make boneheaded plays.

 

[Cosmix]

Neil was ass for the last third of his career. Also we are gonna be on the butt ends of a lot of peoples jokes for retiring his number.

I don't care what other people think or say! It's what I think and say that are important to me.

 

[Cosmix]

Too bad Batherson has other plans

So, Batherson likes to golf in the spring?

At this point I wouldn’t mind seeing what the Sens could get for Batherson. I’m really getting sick of his lazy game.

Coaches seem to be OK with it as Batherson keeps playing the same way.

 

[Cosmix]

Legit feel like Watson, Kelly, Gambrell and Brassard will all be out of the NHL by next season lol

Of those, only Kelly has an NHL contract for next season, so . . .

The 4th line is a net negative every game

Do you have the stats?

 

[Burrowsaurus]

They need better depth, across the lineup. A new coach and system can't fix Kelly, Gambrell, Brassard, Lucchini, Watson, Holden, Hamonic, Zaitsev, Brannstrom, a backup goalie. You can make the argument that players like Motte and Hamonic can fit into a lineup as depth pieces in a better system but even then it's not a slam dunk argument. I think the team expected better from some, not all, of these names. And they definitely expected guys like JBD/Thomson to be graduating into semi-permanent roster spots.

They weren’t always our lineup. We started the year with a third line of motte pinto and Joseph. No one was bitching about our third line then.

And a fourth line of Kelly Kastelic watson. Which some here were verrrrrrry excited about.

The fourth line needs to improve. The third line. Eh. It’s not terrible.

It’s not about “fixing”. It’s about improving. I beleive a better coach can improve this squad as is. (Doesn’t mean I don’t think the squad should be improved)

And it’s not about DJ being sub par either (I think he is). He’s run his course here. We play fine. Some lapses. We need to fine tune.

Say what you want about our depth. But the team has gotten itself into very winnable games that it lost. Nothing to do with depth. The defensive lapses we’ve had aren’t all based on talent alone. This is team. As is. Is a team that can battle for the 8th playoff spot. And can make that 8th playoff spot. With a new message we can get there.

 

[Defensefirst]

Walking away with an L. Kane walking away with the W

72 always surprising us lol

Worst contract on the team, total defensive liability. Needs to be taken behind the shed.

 

[L'Aveuglette]

So, Batherson likes to golf in the spring?


Coaches seem to be OK with it as Batherson keeps playing the same way.

I mean to be fair DJ did demote him to the third line but he still manages to screw up whenever he's on the ice.

I guarantee he's going through something in his personal life or something because this regression as far as on-ice IQ doesn't make sense. He's never been this bad at making the right decisions.

 

[DaveMatthew]

I mean to be fair DJ did demote him to the third line but he still manages to screw up whenever he's on the ice.

I guarantee he's going through something in his personal life or something because this regression as far as on-ice IQ doesn't make sense. He's never been this bad at making the right decisions.

He hasn't been able to adjust to not being the "offensive guy" on the team. Last year, pre-injury, he was 2nd amongst forwards in ice time, only behind Connor Brown (who wasn't out there to score). He got the prime minutes, felt like the star, etc.

This year? Stützle and Tkachuk have blown past him, and Giroux and Debrincat have come in and taken much of the attention away.

It's like he's decided that he's going to go out there and play pond hockey to put up some numbers, but winning doesn't matter.

 

[Dionysus]

Of course he'd say that lol.

How many games have we lost because we sat back on a small lead? Now we can confirm it was because DJ specifically told them to sit back and play "safe".

They didn't lose tonight because they didn't just sit on a 2 goal lead, they lost because they all make boneheaded plays.

Not making boneheaded plays is the big one. That is what needs to be cut out.

The team gets panicky easily and loves to revert to pond hockey style play.

Coming out of that late Powerplay 3-1 even would have been good game. Instead Chabby makes the high risk play at the line and the team is on its heels.

 

[Cosmix]

lol we got outshot by a team that’s like “we are going to do our damndest to lose every single game from here on out”.

We foiled them!!!!

I'd do that without thinking

You said it too!

 

[Cosmix]

In both cases the team was thinking more about offense than closing out a game, our situational awareness is pretty lacking which is normal for a young team but we were in the stretch where you got to think prevent. Chabot needs to get his body in front of that puck not waive at it, otherwise he has to back out.

Brannstrom in rotating in deep to keep the offence going which was the right thing to do earlier for sure but we're defending a lead with 4 mins to go play it safer.

We got too comfortable imo,

Coaching is suspect with the bonehead plays.

 

[Butchy Dakkar]

I was going to ask in today’s game thread but it’s not up yet. Can anyone confirm if the Game day buses to and from east sides and Darcy’s on terryFox still run, and if we want to have a bite to eat before the game, what time should we arrive? What time does the bus leave for the game?

I can’t believe how hard it is to find this information online.

 

[mianjo]

Kane had 2 against Ottawa now has a hattie against Toronto, only halfway thru the game,3-1 at mo.

 

[DaveMatthew]

Kane had 2 against Ottawa now has a hattie against Toronto, only halfway thru the game,3-1 at mo.

He's giving Dubas a big F-you for picking O'Reilly over him, after it went pretty public that he wanted to go to either NY or TO. Watch Tampa swoop in and somehow get him.

 

[BoardsofCanada]

The Hawks have now beaten the red hot Senators, the stacked Maple Leafs and the very dangerous Vegas Knights. The Sen played well Friday night and still lost.

 

[Micklebot]

The Hawks have now beaten the red hot Senators, the stacked Maple Leafs and the very dangerous Vegas Knights. The Sen played well Friday night and still lost.

That's all well and good, but we had a two goal lead with less than 10 mins to go and blew it by making unforced errors, one of which while on the PP, that's inexcusable no matter what other teams the Hawks have beaten. The game was lost not because the Hawks played great, but because we handed them two goals to tie it up.

 

[JD1]

That's all well and good, but we had a two goal lead with less than 10 mins to go and blew it by making unforced errors, one of which while on the PP, that's inexcusable no matter what other teams the Hawks have beaten. The game was lost not because the Hawks played great, but because we handed them two goals to tie it up.

And the week before we scored two in the last two minutes and won in OT.

Put the two together and we got three points. Play the last 10 minutes of both games over and over, we'd most likely get two points.

Worked out in the end.

 

[Micklebot]

And the week before we scored two in the last two minutes and won in OT.

Put the two together and we got three points. Play the last 10 minutes of both games over and over, we'd most likely get two points.

Worked out in the end.

There's a distinction between pulling the goalie and piling the pressure on the opposition to tie things up, and making unforced turnovers giving up odd man rushes for goals that you seem to be ignoring,

The issue isn't that we lost, it's how we lost. Any team can beat any team in this league, I don't pretend that just because we're facing a team at the bottom of the standings that losing is unacceptable. But, when you play a strong game, build yourself up a lead late in the game, then choke it away with with unforced errors like a maple leafs team in the first round facing the Bruins, well that's where I think the criticism is deserved.

 

[JD1]

There's a distinction between pulling the goalie and piling the pressure on the opposition to tie things up, and making unforced turnovers giving up odd man rushes for goals that you seem to be ignoring,

The issue isn't that we lost, it's how we lost. Any team can beat any team in this league, I don't pretend that just because we're facing a team at the bottom of the standings that losing is unacceptable. But, when you play a strong game, build yourself up a lead late in the game, then choke it away with with unforced errors like a maple leafs team in the first round facing the Bruins, well that's where I think the criticism is deserved.

I'm not ignoring anything....just saying we came out with three points when with 10 minutes left in the two games, two points is how it plays out the vast majority of times.

 

[Micklebot]

I'm not ignoring anything....just saying we came out with three points when with 10 minutes left in the two games, two points is how it plays out the vast majority of times.

Ok, so you're not ignoring it, your just not mentioning that important context that distinguishes the two scenarios, gotcha