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Post by jimc on Jul 25, 2019 13:27:05 GMT
So...the off-season is pretty much complete. Most teams look now as they will come opening night.
I think most of us agree the Hawks will be much more solid in their own end...goaltending, D and F positions have all been addressed with this in mind.
So the team will likely be better...somewhat. They are going to score less, but the corresponding drop in GA should produce more wins...im thinking 3 or 4.
So what does that 6 to 8 points possibly mean in the standings?
They finished last year 6 pts behind Colorado and 9 behind Dallas. Those are the 2 teams to focus on. I dont see them catching the Preds, Blues or Jets.
Hawks need 6 pts just to catch Colorado...and the avs are significantly better...I dont see the hawks getting there. Even of the Hawks win 4 more games, and the stars do nothing, it wont be enough.. Stars have made a couple good ads, most notably Pavelski, and are going to be healthier on the back end this year. I think they are improved.
Vegas has Colorado around 5th and Dallas around 9th in cup odds...and the Hawks outside the top 16.
I think it's going to be really difficult for the Hawks to get in. Basically nothing that happens in the Pacific division even matters.
I think you might need 96 pts to even sniff a WC this year. Are the Hawks there?
That's a 12 pt improvement on last year...AND somebody else has to regress.
I think they come up JUST short
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Post by jrsamu on Jul 25, 2019 14:11:08 GMT
The Hawks can make the playoffs. Personally I think Colliton is going to become an impediment to success with his system defensively given the defensive assets the team has, unless they have top 5 team goaltending all season. Too many things have to go right.
The Hawks will be better. The Blues will drop IMO, but probably not enough for the Hawks to surpass them. The Wild should be worse than Chicago. Dallas is on the bubble but on paper look better. Colorado could take a step back before a step up, but I doubt it. The Jets could also be caught if they don't improve in goal and behind the bench - they have had some big losses as well.
No vote from me.
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Post by garyu on Jul 25, 2019 14:30:42 GMT
No. a coupla teams will have to drop like rocks.
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Post by Merpes on Jul 25, 2019 14:38:03 GMT
Miss by a wide margin. Crow will get hurt. Lehner will prove playing with Trotz inflates your stats. DeHaan will suffer a set back after his surgery. Keith will miss a lot of time due to injury for the first time. Seabrook will make the fan base pine for Roszvial. Maatta is diagnosed with mono and misses half the season. Shaw develops a weird rash on his face and it takes the Hawks’ medical staff all year to realize Shaw has been wearing a long lost Hossa jock strap on his head at home in hopes it will turn him into a Hall of Famer. Shaw is isolated from team due to fears on contagion and Stan replaces him with Kyle Beach on a PTO. Colliton doesn’t make it through the season and Crawford is labeled as interim coach. Toews regresses to his normal 55-60 points. Kane, ABD, and Strome are the only reason to tune in. Debrincat demands a trade. Dach is sent back to juniors after a 9 game audition. Anisimov scores 30 goals in Ottawa. Forsling plays top 4 minutes in Carolina. Joker makes the skills err All-Star competition. Nylander punches Derek King in the face after a practice and is sent away from the team. Akim Aliu makes his NHL debut and dominates. Stan trades a 1st round pick for him. Stan gets contract extension. Scott Darling returns to Chicago to drive the zamboni during his heritage night and gets a DUI.
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Post by jimc on Jul 25, 2019 15:38:08 GMT
That was very well done
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Post by Giovi on Jul 25, 2019 15:51:22 GMT
Im really not sold on the idea they will. Such a tough division. Theyll be improved by at least 6 points, maybe more, but as has been said, it may not be enough in this division.
I voted yes simply because i think it is possible. And id rather be right about that than right about them missing.
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Post by lari on Jul 25, 2019 17:08:25 GMT
Well the goaltending is there.
It depends on the big boys. If Toews has a steak-free year again, then no.
But if we're getting meat-Toews, rape-rage-Kane and not-dead-just-yet Keith, then yeah they're in.
I voted 'yes'. But if one of those three take any steps back, or gets injured, the team is screwed.
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Post by jimc on Jul 25, 2019 17:22:21 GMT
I honestly haven't seen enough to get them 6 points plus to catch Colorado, or 9 points plus to catch Dallas. They certainly aren't 15 points better to catch the big 3 in the division.
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Post by lari on Jul 25, 2019 17:26:11 GMT
You don't need to catch anyone when everyone starts at 0.
Stop staring at last year's standings.
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Post by stbhawks19 on Jul 25, 2019 18:05:43 GMT
I voted yes. Of course it’ll be a tough climb to get in, but I think they come into this year with some more skip in their step compared to years past.
Coaching situation and goaltending with Lehner as a backup now will provide some more stability. D will be better and the bottom 6 forward depth has improved.
I can’t pinpoint who takes a step back in the division but I say someone will enough to get the Hawks in the 7/8 WC.
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Post by jimc on Jul 25, 2019 19:04:13 GMT
You don't need to catch anyone when everyone starts at 0. Stop staring at last year's standings. You seem unclear on the concept.
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Post by gadi on Jul 25, 2019 20:04:26 GMT
Lari is right, though. You can't assume that even a team like the Avs that improved in the offseason will win the same games they won last year and/or won't have other shit go against them. That isn't an argument that the Hawks make the playoffs, I think they still miss it, but win increases don't occur in a vacuum. If the Hawks win more games, those wins have to come from somewhere. Maybe it's at the expense of Eastern Conference teams or the Pacific Division, but it's fair to think if the Hawks are getting better, someone in the division is getting worse.
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Post by lari on Jul 25, 2019 20:21:16 GMT
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Post by jimc on Jul 25, 2019 20:42:02 GMT
I think the division is tougher this year...I could see hawks taking a few more points vs Pacific and East, and actually being worse vs their own division. They will be better than minny tho.
Vegas very much doesn't consider the hacks a playoff team...but that us hardly proof positive.
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Post by Merpes on Jul 25, 2019 21:05:16 GMT
Hawks change their goal song to “If I Could Be Where You Have Gone” by Enya to reflect the fact they haven’t been in the playoffs for what will be a half decade.
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