Do the Blackhawks....

[zack54attack]

Make the Playoffs next season?

Discuss.

 

[Tater]

Stan has a lot of work to do before that happens. Or better yet, hopefully a new GM.

 

[Ares]

I am going to say yes.

I actually like the way the team progressed under Colliton and I think after an offseason, TC, etc and a full new season they will be good enough to make playoffs next year.

They REALLY need defense to step up, or find a cheap gem FA... and they need Crow to be healthy next year.

If that happens and we can drop our goals allowed, we win plenty of games and are in the playoffs.

 

[MassHavoc]

I don't see any reason why not, barring injuries of course, but it's going to take some specific fixes and hope that the guys in there prime still are. Slow start, he'll panic and the whole place will burn.

 

[ruprecht]

Yep. Any kind of D improvement will be the reason. They can score

 

[Bigfoot]

Need to improve the D and bottom 6. Do that with competent players, and not trash bin rejects. They can make it back. Since Jan 1st they were on a 100 pt pace

 

[belmonti7]

Yeah, there are lots of room for improving. And hope he will be back his own form.

 

[Spunky Porkstacker]

Need to improve the D and bottom 6. Do that with competent players, and not trash bin rejects. They can make it back. Since Jan 1st they were on a 100 pt pace

Stan's self inflicted cap woes have positioned him into the king of the scrap heap pickers to fill out the roster. Can it get better...will he even be here or does he get the ax?

 

[LordKOTL]

I think so.

For one: dead weight like Kruger and Kunitz will be gone. Another aspect is that El Gato, Strome, Gus, Caligula, Kahun, & Hayden will be going for their next contract. Assuming none are extended this summer, you can expect any/all of them will bump their play.

Crawford is either going to be trying to go out on a high note, or go for one more contract. While a 2018 year might not happen, I expect him to be better and more dialed in than this year.

Chances are Forsling, Koekkoek, or both are gone in favor of The Joker...and possibly Boqvist. That there is a slight defensive upgrade or at worst, a wash--easily enough to cover any age-related drops in Keith & Seabrook's games. This could be made even better if Seabrook doens't see all 82 games and gets a breather here and there. At least Keith turned around his abysmal 2018 campaign into a decent 2019 campaign.

JC will actually have an entire offseason to plan.

Given all of that, I think the playoffs are a reasonable goal.

 

[MassHavoc]

I think so.

For one: dead weight like Kruger and Kunitz will be gone. Another aspect is that El Gato, Strome, Gus, Caligula, Kahun, & Hayden will be going for their next contract. Assuming none are extended this summer, you can expect any/all of them will bump their play.

Crawford is either going to be trying to go out on a high note, or go for one more contract. While a 2018 year might not happen, I expect him to be better and more dialed in than this year.

Chances are Forsling, Koekkoek, or both are gone in favor of The Joker...and possibly Boqvist. That there is a slight defensive upgrade or at worst, a wash--easily enough to cover any age-related drops in Keith & Seabrook's games. This could be made even better if Seabrook doens't see all 82 games and gets a breather here and there. At least Keith turned around his abysmal 2018 campaign into a decent 2019 campaign.

JC will actually have an entire offseason to plan.

Given all of that, I think the playoffs are a reasonable goal.

Nothing like contract years to bring out the best in players.

 

[LordKOTL]

Nothing like contract years to bring out the best in players.

QFMFT

 

[Raskolnikov]

Joker and Bovquist are the great hope. I hope Forsling can bounce back and provide depth also.

Spin the veteran D wheel another time, can't come out worse. Same with Kunitz...spin the Veteran minimum contract and try a different old bag of bones like marjle or thornton.

 

[anotheridiot]

I really dont know what happened with Joker. What was this demotion all about? Is it a clear hole JC sees in his game, or some service time thing, or trying to hold him back from getting to 4 million dollars?

Someone has to go as in Seabrook or Keith for us to get new blood and it seems our only hope is retirement. Gus has become the top PP d man, been the first on the ice with Kane and Toews in overtimes, it scares me what kind of stupid deal Bowman will give him that will just negate any money they save from Seabroke or Keith. Seems there is only one spot that is going to be open.

 

[LordKOTL]

I really dont know what happened with Joker. What was this demotion all about? Is it a clear hole JC sees in his game, or some service time thing, or trying to hold him back from getting to 4 million dollars?

Someone has to go as in Seabrook or Keith for us to get new blood and it seems our only hope is retirement. Gus has become the top PP d man, been the first on the ice with Kane and Toews in overtimes, it scares me what kind of stupid deal Bowman will give him that will just negate any money they save from Seabroke or Keith. Seems there is only one spot that is going to be open.

My best guess is that Joker was decent, not great, but still was making rookie mistakes and JC simply wasn't going to slot him in high in the lineup and let him work through the rookie jitters like Yawney did for Keith--he's be giving him less time in more bottom-pairing roles.

So they sent him down to get time in Rockford in larger roles. I don't think it's any more "gap" in his game than any other 19-year-old D prospect, but those kinds of issues are best worked out with more icetime--something JC wouldn't give him.

As for Gus, I seriously think they're going to hold him for the TDL and parlay him there, or if the 'hawks do make a playoff run, try to get something huge for his rights in the early offseason next year. You're right in that Seabrook and Keith are making roster moves difficult. Call it the price of 3 cups, but Gus is not a defensive stalwart and that's there the goatse-like hole in the 'hawks game is. With Joker, Boqvist, Mitchell, and Beaudin all coming up soon, they can kick that can down a few years to the point where we do have some cap relief.

 

[Diehardfan]

Make the Playoffs next season?

Discuss.

I think it depends on how fast the young defensemen both here and Rockford develop. The problem is the timing of when Kane and Toews hit their apex and start going the other direction. Will it be next year, two or three years....that's part of the unknown. Plus how much more will Seabrook and Keith decline....lot's of questions. Could they make the playoffs next year, sure they could.....but the safe bet is that they don't.

 

[ZOMBIE@CTESPN]

Why this offseason could (and should) be different for Blackhawks

The belief around the NHL last offseason was that the Blackhawks were going to be aggressive via free agency. They were coming off a season in which they missed the playoffs for the first time since the 2007-08 campaign and had some cash to spend. But it was quite the opposite. After John...

www.nbcsports.com

According to this we have 15mil in cap space if so what are the top fa available? I don’t think we are a playoff team going in with the current players

 

[Bigfoot]

Panarin is probably the top F/A, but there are going to be solid players hitting F/A

Tanev
Brock Nelson
Anders Lee
Jake Gardnier
Edler
Kevin Hayes
Dzingel

Are some off the top of my head

 

[anotheridiot]

they have to delete before adding. I am sure Dale will be on the phone soon, if he has not already to get Q one of his leaders. Even if they do the unthinkable and get a kings ransom for Kane, there are not spots available on the ice for 5 or 6 they would get in return.

 

[LordKOTL]

Why this offseason could (and should) be different for Blackhawks

The belief around the NHL last offseason was that the Blackhawks were going to be aggressive via free agency. They were coming off a season in which they missed the playoffs for the first time since the 2007-08 campaign and had some cash to spend. But it was quite the opposite. After John...

www.nbcsports.com

According to this we have 15mil in cap space if so what are the top fa available? I don’t think we are a playoff team going in with the current players

We got plenty of cap, but there is a logjam of slots full. Backup goalie should be an open one. We might have a few FWD slots open but givem the defense, we might be locked there--which is the area that needs the most help. I figure Forsling or KK are gone but Joker is in, and the final slot will be the 7th D-man.

Unless of course someone is sent packing.

 

[anotheridiot]

We got plenty of cap, but there is a logjam of slots full. Backup goalie should be an open one. We might have a few FWD slots open but givem the defense, we might be locked there--which is the area that needs the most help. I figure Forsling or KK are gone but Joker is in, and the final slot will be the 7th D-man.

Unless of course someone is sent packing.

I just dont want to see another Kunitz type. A team that needs a guy like that is a team that needs a guy like Keith, Toews, Kane, Seabroke, Crow, not a team that already has those guys.

We get Krueger back and Edjsell is in rockford all year. Kahun, Kampf, before guys like Nordstrom were all slated to take the slot for less money. We still ended up with the worst PK in the league with Krueger. To me its far past the time to lay off the free agents and use our guys of offense.