Speculation: Don't look now, Hawks 2 points from the 5th place in the lottery

[hawksfan50]

Hawks are 5 back I'm points from Vancouver which is now the last Wold Card in the West ...Hawks at 40 pts ...Van at 54 pts...But Van has 4 more ROWs than us..so we actually require 6 pts to overtake them for the wild card..And they have played less games than us..

As goaltending g has failed them so they have kept losing g and are now out at 53 points..Maybe they keep losing. .Most other teams close are not looking like they can go on big WI streaks ...So to me it looks like the streaking Canucks vs. The streak g Hawks ..who can keep it up longer and can the Hawks make up 4 ROWS on Vancouver and maybe win a tie-breaker...cannot remember what the 1state breaker woukd bebif tiedvi ROWs and points ...or beat them in final points?


Not impossible. .but probably unlikely..

Not sure if VAN or another close team for last wildcard would be buyers to help themselves..but Hawks should Not go that route and give up any good prospect or picks for a shory-term help that Maynor may not barely get them a last wildcard spot only to fizzle
Nout early I the playoffs. .because we still have too many holes to be a real Co tender.

I'm other words it will take a lot of help from all other close teams to the last wild card to lose a lot while we win a lot ..And we should ask who has the tougher remaining g so he duke. ..us or Vancouver ?

Making up 4 ROWS on Vancouver is going to be real tough ..

 

[coolhand]

The "let's tank to get a good pick and then we will compete" thinking is dangerous and would be a disaster. It's a similar mindset to the 2016-17 team that played great all year until the final 2 weeks because they thought they could tun it on for the playoffs. Well, what happened? The 8th seed, who sucked most of the season, came in on a hot streak and kicked our ass. I was glad to hear Toews last night say they play to win every game. With a young team that is the message that needs to be brought into the locker room everyday. You never know what might happen if you can make the playoffs. Play hard, play smart, give a 100% effort every night is the message I see JC trying to send to the team. A nice change from Q's seeming indifference to the effort put out each game.

 

[AmericanDream]

We’ll just have to wait and see what happens. When you’re on a win streak, it seems like you’ll never lose again. Impressive seasons from Kane and Toews though, brings a lot of hope for the future knowing those guys are still at the top of their games.

Nevertheless, don’t do anything stupid thinking this team is a contender. If we’re not going to sell, just leave it alone or make some hockey trades that make us better now and going forward.

exactly this.

we have already seen trades like that with Schmaltz/Strome.

we can easily do the same with Anisimov who would look better on a deeper contender than us, if you can move out AA and get a younger guy like a Bennett or Burakowsky back in some manner, then that is the type of deals you make..the ones that still add bodies right now but will help even more so in the future with more free'd up cap space and younger players going to be around here for years to come.

Hawks are in a tough position right now, lets see what pressure bowman starts feeling from the top to either make a push or stick to the plan.

 

[hawksfan50]

Just looked at next 3 games for us and for Vancouver
..

Van @PHI
Van @ WASH
Van @ CHI*

CHI @ EDM
VAN @ CHI*
DET @ CHI

So if Philly and the Caps just do their jobs and win the home games in regulation ...if the Hawks beat Edmonton on the road and then come back to win both home games vs. VAN and Detroit .in ROW ..THEN we are 1 point ahead of Van and just 1 behind in ROW..


At that point all bets are on ...Yes Avs could win 1 of their next 3 and if that is all we still are ahead of them by a point to ..so the clog would be on for the wildcard ..it would be very tight in the races. .


So the next 3 games are crucial ..and it so happens the Van at CHI showdown game could set the tone forwhether or not the Hawks are there or not..

Van's win streak could end with 3 losses on the road before they play us..but our win streak could extend if we beat Edmonton in Edmonton before coming home to play the Canucks.

It could set the psychological condition for both teams ifctgeycaspirecto the playoffs. .

It will be a "statement" game ..should be WAR out there.and tell us lots about who wants it.

Or it might not matter much if Van beats PHI and Washington on the road before they get to us..They would be coming in sky high and very confident I themselves in that case when they play us...and if we list to Edmonton then if Van wins both their 2 games on the road before fact g us ,we would be 6 Rows behind them.

So if you hope for a Hawks tank ...pray Edmonton beats us and Van wins 2 o the road before they meet us. IN such case we would probably see "lost cause/task impossible ...give up and Van vliescusvoyt at home.However If you wish Hawks to make the blast wildcard then hope PHI and WASH win at home in regulation such that Van doubts themselves when they play is. .and if we won in Edmonton the sjy-high team confidence resides with our team recognizing they CAN actually climb the mountain and get to playoffs with most cylinders functioning well (not all..because we Know that is impossible with 2 not invested in. ..7 incompetent to play well anymore ...and Toews caring less in the defending his own slot well but saving his energy just for the o-zone.....still lots of holes von this team ..but the other contenders for the wildcard have their own problens.

Let us re-assessment in 3 games for each of Van and CHI ...right there or still a mountain too high for the Hawks?

We shall see..who really "wants it".

 

[AmericanDream]

The standings are so weird this year. The Hawks are still right there for a bottom 5 finish but they also aren’t too far out of a WC spot???

I still think they should tank and get Hughes/Kakko at all costs. This is the ONLY
year they’ll have a shot like this because next year they’ll be way too good

i think the reason for this is the insane schedule the Hawks have played that very few of us truly realized. since December 27th against Minny, I think they have only played 4 games with teams currently outside of the playoffs in a 15 game stretch...that is f***ing crazy. we have played some of the toughest teams in the league during that stretch and many in back to back games..this Hawks team is now only finally going to have a stretch of hockey with teams not fully established in a playoff spot/run..if the Hawks continue to play like this during this next stretch they most certainly will climb back into the playoffs - we weathered an absolutely tough schedule for over a month, now lets see what this team can do against the teams we should be beating.

 

[x Tame Impala]

All of this just makes me extra mad that Q wasn’t fired in the off-season like he should’ve been. Instead Stan dicked around with the Manning and Kunitz signings (Q guys) and let things go off the rails. Imagine where the team would be with an entire training camp and practices with JC.

I hate that the Hawks suck. The only saving grace this year when I watch them is that I love seeing Toews and Kane do so well. It’s important for us Hawks fans to see our two best and highest paid players doing well. Other than that, it sucks watching them lose. Even if the Hawks are a great team next year and go on a great playoff run, it’ll still have been FOUR YEARS since we last saw them play good, meaningful, playoff hockey.

They need to finish this season out with a top 5 pick, hopefully a top 2, and then never come back to this mediocre to terrible play we’ve been seeing since 2016.

 

[Toews2Bickell]

Not sure Stan is to blame for Q starting the season. Seems like the people above him wanted Q to have a chance to have a roster with Crawford before firing him.

 

[OTC]

Ya, I think if they made the coaching/systems switch in the offseason, then this team is in a nearly certain playoff spot.

However, what does that do for us? This roster isn’t better than Nashville’s, Winnipeg’s, Toronto’s, Washington’s and certainly is not better than Tampa’s.

While I think we would’ve had a better season if the move had been made in the offseason, I’m going to look at the bright side, and that’s a top-10 pick rather than a first round exit.

In 2010 Philly won last wild card spot on the last day and played the Hawks for the cup, anything can happen.

 

[Hattrick Kane]

Maybe temper your expectations people. They’re only five points out right now? But they have to leapfrog over SIX teams. Those teams aren’t all going to lose 85% of their games. It is extremely unlikely the Hawks make the playoffs, even if they do win 66% of their games.

 

[Malagahawks]

Maybe temper your expectations people. They’re only five points out right now? But they have to leapfrog over SIX teams. Those teams aren’t all going to lose 85% of their games. It is extremely unlikely the Hawks make the playoffs, even if they do win 66% of their games.

It is like being between a rock & a hard place. It seems the team is just not going to give up and die on the season. So that may mean with some huge measure of luck they can squeak into the playoffs on a WC. But the downside is that guarantees a pick of maybe in the 10-15 which while not terrible is not the top 3 pick many had hoped for because of the terrible play during the first 3 months.

 

[Hattrick Kane]

It is like being between a rock & a hard place. It seems the team is just not going to give up and die on the season. So that may mean with some huge measure of luck they can squeak into the playoffs on a WC. But the downside is that guarantees a pick of maybe in the 10-15 which while not terrible is not the top 3 pick many had hoped for because of the terrible play during the first 3 months.

That’s why I think you have to make guys like Keith, Saad and Anisimov available at the deadline and if a good deal comes up, move them. And if they still make they playoffs, good for the team.

But the plan needs to move forward regardless of this year. Clear up a ton of cap space, go sign whatever big free agent you want, and clear up spots on defense for next year.

We are not contenders and Bowman needs to understand this. Stick to the plan as if we were 15 points back. It will be beneficial to the future.

 

[Joe Scaduto]

That’s why I think you have to make guys like Keith, Saad and Anisimov available at the deadline and if a good deal comes up, move them. And if they still make they playoffs, good for the team.

But the plan needs to move forward regardless of this year. Clear up a ton of cap space, go sign whatever big free agent you want, and clear up spots on defense for next year.

We are not contenders and Bowman needs to understand this. Stick to the plan as if we were 15 points back. It will be beneficial to the future.

Not contenders ....most likely .But anytime you make the playoffs is good for the team especially to bring experience to the younger players who have not experienced playoff hockey.We do have the veterans who have battled and won cups that being said making the playoffs is good to develop winning culture.The playoffs is a new season and anything can happen .

 

[chrispw1]

I wonder if last April the top brass sat down with Q and basically said you have most likely run your course here and offered him basically the Tom Coughlin mutual parting of the ways deal but he was bull headed and turned it down. I was really surprised to see him launched like that 15 games in after making a big deal about bringing him back, I thought maybe just Dineen would have gotten the boot. Really aside from that 23 game calamity including they have gone 17-8-6 and one thing that has changed from prior years is their performance in games before and after a long break, go back to last year with the Detroit and Islanders games, going in they had won four of five and were I believe a point or two from a playoff spot with games in hand and lost them by a combined 11 to 3 and from there their season torpedoed. It seemed the Carawford injury last year gave him a mulligan but with a short leash, I wonder if Q would have got the boot last April had Ceawford been healthy and maintained his play and they missed the playoffs by one or two points.

 

[sugoi88]

The standings are so weird this year. The Hawks are still right there for a bottom 5 finish but they also aren’t too far out of a WC spot???

I still think they should tank and get Hughes/Kakko at all costs. This is the ONLY
year they’ll have a shot like this because next year they’ll be way too good

They will not be tanking on purpose- try this season to tell Toews and Kane that. 3 seasons since the last good playoff run. They're getting older now and I don't think you can count on them to be the same impact players 2-3 seasons from now.
If you can get to the playoffs this season do it and get these young guys experience. They need to know how to win. Enough with the losing and even worse doing it on purpose!

“I want to dominate all my opponents. I want to take their will away to play the game.” - Quenton Nelson/Indianapolis Colts

 

[coolhand]

I wonder if last April the top brass sat down with Q and basically said you have most likely run your course here and offered him basically the Tom Coughlin mutual parting of the ways deal but he was bull headed and turned it down. I was really surprised to see him launched like that 15 games in after making a big deal about bringing him back, I thought maybe just Dineen would have gotten the boot. Really aside from that 23 game calamity including they have gone 17-8-6 and one thing that has changed from prior years is their performance in games before and after a long break, go back to last year with the Detroit and Islanders games, going in they had won four of five and were I believe a point or two from a playoff spot with games in hand and lost them by a combined 11 to 3 and from there their season torpedoed. It seemed the Carawford injury last year gave him a mulligan but with a short leash, I wonder if Q would have got the boot last April had Ceawford been healthy and maintained his play and they missed the playoffs by one or two points.

Why Q NEVER put Cat on the PP to replace Panarin I'll never understand. He is a natural in that spot with Kane and Toews.

 

[AmericanDream]

Why Q NEVER put Cat on the PP to replace Panarin I'll never understand. He is a natural in that spot with Kane and Toews.

no f***ing clue either...

 

[saluki]

If this team ends up making the playoffs I'm drinking a bottle of Jack every game they stay alive.

I will enjoy the ride.

 

[Pez68]

All of this just makes me extra mad that Q wasn’t fired in the off-season like he should’ve been. Instead Stan dicked around with the Manning and Kunitz signings (Q guys) and let things go off the rails. Imagine where the team would be with an entire training camp and practices with JC.

I hate that the Hawks suck. The only saving grace this year when I watch them is that I love seeing Toews and Kane do so well. It’s important for us Hawks fans to see our two best and highest paid players doing well. Other than that, it sucks watching them lose. Even if the Hawks are a great team next year and go on a great playoff run, it’ll still have been FOUR YEARS since we last saw them play good, meaningful, playoff hockey.

They need to finish this season out with a top 5 pick, hopefully a top 2, and then never come back to this mediocre to terrible play we’ve been seeing since 2016.

Third in the central and safely in a playoff spot, is my guess.

 

[Pez68]

Why Q NEVER put Cat on the PP to replace Panarin I'll never understand. He is a natural in that spot with Kane and Toews.

Because he's never been a great x's and o's coach, in my opinion. He is a great matchup coach, and a great player's coach, but that's where it ends.

 

[TheSting]

If this team ends up making the playoffs I'm drinking a bottle of Jack every game they stay alive.

I will enjoy the ride.

If they make it to the playoffs that would only mean they are on a torrid points pace (hottest team going into the dance...) and could quite possibly take that same momentum and win it all. It's been done before.

 

[ClydeLee]

Why Q NEVER put Cat on the PP to replace Panarin I'll never understand. He is a natural in that spot with Kane and Toews.

He did, but not always and with either Keith or Seabs usually at the point which was the problem.

Though I'm still finding it funny how on postgame/pregame shows Sharp was defending and claiming to prefer how Kane was playing on the left boards to shoot from there... silly as he made thriving double digit pp goal years by being there getting those cross crease passes to score.

 

[bwana63]

I wonder if last April the top brass sat down with Q and basically said you have most likely run your course here and offered him basically the Tom Coughlin mutual parting of the ways deal but he was bull headed and turned it down. I was really surprised to see him launched like that 15 games in after making a big deal about bringing him back, I thought maybe just Dineen would have gotten the boot. Really aside from that 23 game calamity including they have gone 17-8-6 and one thing that has changed from prior years is their performance in games before and after a long break, go back to last year with the Detroit and Islanders games, going in they had won four of five and were I believe a point or two from a playoff spot with games in hand and lost them by a combined 11 to 3 and from there their season torpedoed. It seemed the Carawford injury last year gave him a mulligan but with a short leash, I wonder if Q would have got the boot last April had Ceawford been healthy and maintained his play and they missed the playoffs by one or two points.

Definitely possible. Q knew that this was his last chance. I don't think Bowman had the green light to fire him at last season's end (a mulligan w/Crawford going down and Q's stature). Hence, the odd offseason signings. Would it have been better to have JC at the helm all season? Does a bear dump in the woods? That said, the FO giving Q one last chance was understandable.

 

[Enyaw]

From Scott Powers (Athletic)

"So, I turned to Luszczyszyn. I sent him a message during the second intermission Saturday, when the Blackhawks were leading 2-1. I wrote him on Slack, “Dom, do you have an idea what the Blackhawks would have to do to get into the playoff conversation?”

His notifications were already snoozed, so I wasn’t sure if he’d answer me right away. But he did and replied, “oh boy lol,” which was a fair response.
He followed that up with, “Would say probably play at a 110-point pace the rest of the season. That would get them to around 88-90 points and that seems to be the cutoff.”

Let’s do some math. The Blackhawks improved to 20-24-9 with 49 points after Saturday’s victory. They have 29 games left. To get to 88 points, they’d need to go something like 19-9-1 the rest of the season. To get to 90 points, they’d need something like a 19-8-2 record.
Improbable? Probably........... Impossible? Odds are against them, but no."

 

[Toews2Bickell]

That’s why I think you have to make guys like Keith, Saad and Anisimov available at the deadline and if a good deal comes up, move them. And if they still make they playoffs, good for the team.

But the plan needs to move forward regardless of this year. Clear up a ton of cap space, go sign whatever big free agent you want, and clear up spots on defense for next year.

We are not contenders and Bowman needs to understand this. Stick to the plan as if we were 15 points back. It will be beneficial to the future.

This throws away next year. Doesn’t make much sense to do that with a big UFA class and a ton of cap space. Need to give JC, 19/88/12/17/2 etc a chance to have a full camp and see what they look like next year. Everybody that can be moved has term. Theres no rush.

 

[Toews2Bickell]

Agree. Would’ve been nice to watch a dead last pp for the entire season.