2008 Season Thoughts: Chicago O 6
I'll start my year end report stating that I was the closest in the pre-season predictions of 4th in conference, 2nd in division and missing the point total by 1.
It was a better year at the UC. We saw a lot of good things.
- a good power at 19.3%, I can't recall a Hawks team that had more power play opportunities than kill opportunities (12th overall)
- decent penalty kill at 80.6% with 10 short handed goals (18th overall)
- 99.9% efficiency on specialty teams, which why I list both as good things.
- 2.5 GAA (5th overall)
- 3.2 GFA (4th overall)
- +51 goal differential
- Winter Classic and its associated buzz
Then there is the bad.
- Way too many games lost in overtime or in shootout, 12. 3rd most in the league.
- Decent penalty kill at 80.6% with 10 short handed goals (18th overall). It goes on both good and bad.
Concerns
My biggest concern is complacency. I look at the roster and see a need for 5 or 6 defense man and 1 top six forward. Both of these things are a need every year, unless you have won back to back Cups. For me, this is turning from addition by subtraction and drafting into trying to nurture and turn great young players into NHL elite players.
The Good
We made the playoffs and succeeded in them on a team effort. Coaching, forwards, defense and goal tending played a substantial roll. And let's be honesty, we got beat by the measuring stick for the Campbell Cup. We learned and now we need to apply what we learned.
The offense was better. Players became better at the two-way game. We still need work at shifting from offense to defense; no team is ever prefect at this.
The defense improved. Last year the Hawks were good for at least 1 bad goal a night, this year it was 1 every 2 or 3 games, but when they gave up 1 bad goal, they tended to give up another and another and another.
Coaching. Q installed accountability. You could see it on the ice that players knew (for the most part) what their rolls were and where they were to go. My only problem was that creativity was lacking and against the better teams in the league, Savard's creativity often trumped a system. (On the other hand, his team's creativity often showed bad results against lesser teams.)
DT and staff did a good job. We can all debate the moves, but his guys (players) got the Hawks to the playoffs and in my book that equals success for a GM. He didn't trade or lose anything major and as a whole, got good value on the players that were received.
And down on the farm. Other than the early exit by the Hawgs, the Hawks farm system is in great shape. The biggest problems are no top flight goalie, no NHL elite prospects, and not enough top club rolls for the players in the system. Yes, some guys that are pegged potential top six will never make it to the every night healthy scratch. This is good problem to have.
Personnel Changes
The current roster looks promising, but the roster needs tuning. Guarantees include a backup goalie and #5 or #6 defense man. The goalie should be a in-house reward and the defense man really can come from anywhere. I would like to see Hendry play with Campbell though.
Cap money is going to get tight. A priority system needs to be created and adhered to. Players that were bright spots this year will diminish. It is time to identify these players, bundle them and go get the ‘star' or elite player. The farm system has the players to replace these guys, but there are no true elite natural talent players among them. The players in the system are going to have to work for it (not a bad thing).
The Hawks have made big free agent splashes the last couple of years and this year will end that streak.
This years draft is a 2 player draft. There will be a lot of surprises and this may be the year that good old fashion (where both teams improve) trades are made. Hopefully, the Hawks will benefit from this.
Conclusions
As I look back at 2009, it will be with warm memories. Toews, Kane, Seabrook and Keith finally showed that the Hawks farm system can produce and all 4 can be(come) NHL elite players. Toews may be that world class player everyone wants him to be. Time will tell. The Hawks skated better, shot more, scored more and gave up less shots and goals. I look forward to the off season and next year knowing that the foundation for recovery is firmly in place and now it is about rearranging the other blocks so that they all fit together. Moving forward toward the Cup, GO HAWKS!
Chicago_O_6
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