Blackhawks fire assistant coach Mike Kitchen

LordKOTL

Scratched for Vorobiev
Joined:
Dec 8, 2014
Posts:
8,604
Liked Posts:
3,088
Location:
PacNW
My favorite teams
  1. Portland Timbers
  1. Chicago Blackhawks
I doubt this is the only change...but expected it to happen.
 

Ares

CCS Hall of Fame
Donator
CCS Hall of Fame '19
Joined:
Aug 21, 2012
Posts:
41,429
Liked Posts:
39,631
I hope they bring back Jamie Kompon to piss off fisch
 

anotheridiot

Well-known member
Joined:
Jul 15, 2016
Posts:
5,935
Liked Posts:
799
Coaching staff did not seem to make any adjustments between games 1 and 4 so I figured one would go. Always enjoyed him waiting for the third period, but we need a staff that wont bench the rookies for one mistake, some of them only get 1 for their Blackhawk career.
 

DJMoore_is_fat

New member
Joined:
Aug 26, 2012
Posts:
4,143
Liked Posts:
1,789
Had to start somewhere. Although I'm more disappointed in the players than the coaching staff. The coaching staff was pretty limited on what could be done with so many old and injured tortoises.

When our D-men consisted of Oduya (finished), Seabrook (finished), Keith (near finished, finished), Campbell (near finished) and a bunch of young, unproven and not particularly talented young guys -- what is the coaching staff going to do?

Although allowing Anismov to take the final face off in the last minutes of game 3 was probably the most appalling decision I've seen Q do in his time here. But we never should have been in that position to begin with.
 

MassHavoc

Moderator
Staff member
Joined:
May 14, 2010
Posts:
17,576
Liked Posts:
2,626
Also, isn't Sutter available now... hah. Maybe someone could check in on Trent Yawney.
 

HawkWriter

New member
Joined:
Aug 18, 2011
Posts:
3,491
Liked Posts:
1,341
Coaching staff did not seem to make any adjustments between games 1 and 4 so I figured one would go. Always enjoyed him waiting for the third period, but we need a staff that wont bench the rookies for one mistake, some of them only get 1 for their Blackhawk career.

I keep seeing you call for Rookies...but what rookies are ready to help the Blackhawks? Q played more rookies this year than he ever has and gave them all plenty of time. I don't really see any guys in Rockford that were sent down for making a mistake or guys that should have been in the NHL instead of the AHL. Those guys in the AHL have to force the hand of the Blackhawks.

Really, over the years what rookies/young players have the Blackhawks not given a chance that have gone on to succeed tremendously with other teams? The only one, that I can recall, that hurts is trading Danault for Ladd even though Danault was getting a chance but the Blackhawks felt he was stuck behind Kruger (which doesn't look like that after this last season). Pirri, J Hayes, Clendening, Dahlbeck and others that fans were yelling for, that fans were saying should be in the NHL, haven't done much to prove that.

EDIT: Danault was not traded for Ladd, complete brainfart on my part on that one. Was in the same series of deals but was to Mon obviously.
 

MassHavoc

Moderator
Staff member
Joined:
May 14, 2010
Posts:
17,576
Liked Posts:
2,626
I keep seeing you call for Rookies...but what rookies are ready to help the Blackhawks? Q played more rookies this year than he ever has and gave them all plenty of time. I don't really see any guys in Rockford that were sent down for making a mistake or guys that should have been in the NHL instead of the AHL. Those guys in the AHL have to force the hand of the Blackhawks.

Really, over the years what rookies/young players have the Blackhawks not given a chance that have gone on to succeed tremendously with other teams? The only one, that I can recall, that hurts is trading Danault for Ladd even though Danault was getting a chance but the Blackhawks felt he was stuck behind Kruger (which doesn't look like that after this last season). Pirri, J Hayes, Clendening, Dahlbeck and others that fans were yelling for, that fans were saying should be in the NHL, haven't done much to prove that.
Well... and not just that, but the only one that is benching "rookies" for one mistake, is Q and he's not going anywhere.
 

HawkWriter

New member
Joined:
Aug 18, 2011
Posts:
3,491
Liked Posts:
1,341
I doubt this is the only change...but expected it to happen.

I doubt this change actually changes much. The Blackhawks defense wasn't really the problem this past playoffs series. On top of that, lets be honest here, Q is the one that is really in charge of everything and a guy like Kitchen just manages and runs it for him. If Q wanted something different - different players, strategies, set ups, etc then it would have happened.
 

DMelt36

Bolland > You
Joined:
May 27, 2010
Posts:
13,969
Liked Posts:
8,434
I believe that Kitchen has always been Q's guy, too. Interesting that he's the one who got the ax and not Dineen, IMO.
 

Ares

CCS Hall of Fame
Donator
CCS Hall of Fame '19
Joined:
Aug 21, 2012
Posts:
41,429
Liked Posts:
39,631
Had to start somewhere. Although I'm more disappointed in the players than the coaching staff. The coaching staff was pretty limited on what could be done with so many old and injured tortoises.

When our D-men consisted of Oduya (finished), Seabrook (finished), Keith (near finished, finished), Campbell (near finished) and a bunch of young, unproven and not particularly talented young guys -- what is the coaching staff going to do?

Although allowing Anismov to take the final face off in the last minutes of game 3 was probably the most appalling decision I've seen Q do in his time here. But we never should have been in that position to begin with.

How is the D the problem.... we scored 3 goals in 4 games lol
 

HawkWriter

New member
Joined:
Aug 18, 2011
Posts:
3,491
Liked Posts:
1,341
I believe that Kitchen has always been Q's guy, too. Interesting that he's the one who got the ax and not Dineen, IMO.

Was just gonna point that out. Not to mention, Kitchen and Q are close off the ice - something I know for a fact. Should be interesting to see what comes of this.
 

MassHavoc

Moderator
Staff member
Joined:
May 14, 2010
Posts:
17,576
Liked Posts:
2,626
I believe that Kitchen has always been Q's guy, too. Interesting that he's the one who got the ax and not Dineen, IMO.

I think it's more of Bowman again trying to send a message to Q who's team it is again... Didn't he do this once before when he made Q fire one of his guys.
 

DMelt36

Bolland > You
Joined:
May 27, 2010
Posts:
13,969
Liked Posts:
8,434
How is the D the problem.... we scored 3 goals in 4 games lol

It's all a problem, really. But I can see an easier solution in fixing the forward problem than I can in fixing the defense problem.
 

anotheridiot

Well-known member
Joined:
Jul 15, 2016
Posts:
5,935
Liked Posts:
799
I keep seeing you call for Rookies...but what rookies are ready to help the Blackhawks? Q played more rookies this year than he ever has and gave them all plenty of time. I don't really see any guys in Rockford that were sent down for making a mistake or guys that should have been in the NHL instead of the AHL. Those guys in the AHL have to force the hand of the Blackhawks.

Really, over the years what rookies/young players have the Blackhawks not given a chance that have gone on to succeed tremendously with other teams? The only one, that I can recall, that hurts is trading Danault for Ladd even though Danault was getting a chance but the Blackhawks felt he was stuck behind Kruger (which doesn't look like that after this last season). Pirri, J Hayes, Clendening, Dahlbeck and others that fans were yelling for, that fans were saying should be in the NHL, haven't done much to prove that.

They supposedly replaced Danault with Ladd, but then had Ladd playing wing. They traded Danault for Fleishmann and Weiss.

Forsling and Gustaffson both played well, as well as Kempny. But instead of allowing those players to get more time early, they brought Soup back just because he was a veteran and just because they were getting him cheap. What did they really get out of him? Then they resign Rosival half way thru the season due to the draft. Your third best d man is a lefty that can no longer play the left side, so you put the lefty kid with the lefty veteran and expected crisp passing.

The worst decision made for the playoffs was keeping AA on the ice where he showed he was weeks away from being hockey ready. Even after he lost 15 out of 17 faceoffs game 3 or whatever that stat was, I know he only won 2. Oduya and Soup beat badly on D, they kept all 3 in game 4. I dont know where the trust the kids starts out, but look at next year with Fortin, DiBrinkat, Hayden, will Motte get another chance, Vinnie H and his speed, while Pokka, Forsling and Gustaffson will either get a shot or be traded for a cheap veteran again. Kero looks more than ready to replace Kruger, but look at the guys that popped up and down this year, Motte and Kero were getting PK time. Those are kind of mixed messages arent they?

Teuvo was given away to get rid of Bickell, and apparently it was because of how he handled practice.

So whether it was them actually taking advantage of their chances, or not given enough of a chance, it points to quick hooks or poor scouting when the deals or draft was done. We all know we need to hit on a few kids every year to keep this 60 million dollar core, this year they had little choice than to play too many. Gain a position a season over the past 4 and you are not playing 5 or 6 of the kids in a series.
 

DJMoore_is_fat

New member
Joined:
Aug 26, 2012
Posts:
4,143
Liked Posts:
1,789
How is the D the problem.... we scored 3 goals in 4 games lol

Both were a problem. If it weren't for Crow standing on his head half the time, we would have given up a lot more. Offensively we were awful. Toews, Anisimov and Panarin were worthless. But my point stands for defense and offense. The coaching staff failed to make adjustments but what moves of significance could have been made?

Its more of a player personnel problem than a coaching problem.
 

Top