Open question to the hawks fans out there. The team has a five game winning streak going, it seems like they are starting to gel, and the prospects seem to be growing. However, and this is a devil’s advocate type of question, I’m inclined to ask one. Is it actually in the best interest of the hawks to make the playoffs this year? Let me explain my rational.

First and foremost, I do believe this team needs another top prospect or two to round out the next generation. One definitely needs to be a dman in my opinion and of course we need a long term Kane replacement. However, I also believe this team needs to get the cap situation more clarified. Is Crawford coming back? Cuz he doesn’t want to retire. Can lehner be resigned? Cuz he ain’t taking a discount. How bout Shaw, Seabs, and de haan? Shaw and de haan have been quiet but both their injuries suggest they’re done. Then there’s Seabs who does not intend to stop playing. If Seabs comes back, does that screw with Mitchell, boqvist, or beaudin and their chances? How about Stan bowman? Is this really the guy we should trust with the salary cap with how he’s butchered it in the past?

I know, I know, lots of questions about the future and not enough enjoying the moment. But hey, if you don’t learn from the past, isn’t the future just as dark?

I would like a top 10 draft pick this year. I don't see us winning the cup. It sucks hearing myself say that as I always want to win but the reality is even with Kane and Toews producing, our defence is still a work in progress. Boqvist keeps getting better defensively which is what I think the focus was on this year. His offence comes naturally and just needs time to adapt to the NHL, Dach is much the same and I know you are not the biggest fan but this year for both of them is a development one whether they should be in Juniors or AHL is an entirely different question and debate.

Personally I don't think Crow is coming back, I think we should look to get a prospect or pick in this years draft. He still has a lot to give a contender who needs reliable goaltending and experience of winning a cup. I do think Lehner can be signed, if we make the playoffs I suggest his cap would be higher than initially thought which was approx 7-7.5M and particularly if he carries us through say a 1st round or deep into a 1st round playoff series. We have to assume that they will all come back from a cap perspective and can't live in the fantasy world where we write them off. With Seabs coming back that doesn't hurt Boqvist, Mitchell or Beaudin. Mitchell and Boqvist will be in the NHL next year and ahead of seabs in the depth, Beaudin should have another year in AHL at least I think with maybe a couple of opportunities depending on injuries and trades but I don't think he will be ready full time for NHL next year. More likely 21-22 season.

There are varying arguments for Stan and I think that will ultimately be answered by what happens this season. I don't know if the expectations truly are playoffs but if they are and we don't make it then we could have a new GM. I personally think he will stay this draft and if we start poorly next year he could end up like Coach Q.

It is in the Blackhawks best interest to make the playoffs this year if they can perform like this at a consistent level. There has been enough disappointment the past few seasons. Get into the playoffs and anything is possible. The hawks have a top 5 goalie, a superstar RW, some rookies starting to find their game. Strome and Shaw returning to the line up would make this team much deeper. This season appears to be wide open. Colorado hasn't been as consistent as most thought they'd be, the entire pacific division is struggling. If the hawks get the 1st wildcard spot and face a pacific division team for the first two rounds, there's a real possibility the hawks end the season very close to equal with those teams. Who knows what will happen, but enough is enough with the losing. This team can be competitive, so why not go for the playoffs?

The biggest reason I say don’t go for it YET, is because you run the risk of becoming the Minnesota Wild, okay, but never good enough. We still need a piece or two, and Bowman isn’t the guy to get the big name at a responsible price in free agency. I get that enough is enough losing, but we’ve suffered through worse, and I don’t mind losing if it means being better than ever later on.

Making the playoffs would help the younger guys grow so much. Even if they got knocked out first round. Just experiencing playoff hockey could be huge for them. Also I think it'd help attract those bigger free agents. It sounds a lot better if you go to a free agent and say "you're what we need to be a true contender" instead of "you're what we need to just make the playoffs".

Either way...playoffs or no playoffs, move Crow if he will waive; he should fetch a 2nd with 1/2 salary retained to a competitor like Carolina or Toronto. Toronto fans are delirious at the moment thinking they can get a great backup (frankly that's what they absolutely need given Andersen's streaky and average play), so avoid proposing a trade to them on here as you will get jumped on by the usual homer boys.

With the injuries to De Haan and Seabs and Gilbert showing he's not quite ready for game in and game out action, I don't think we will trade Gus at this point if we win against 2 out of the next 3 (Florida, Arizona, Minnesota). After that the Hawks face a uphill battle with the schedule; Bos, WPG, EDM, VAN, CGY, WPG, NRY, NSH,DAL, STL, TBL, FLA. The month of March is a much easier schedule and Hawks for sure could go 10 wins out of 15. So going into that uphill battle the Hawks have to win the next 2 out 3 because that next 12 games going 50/50 would be good enough. All said, that's 18 more wins and let's say 2 losses in OT = 38 points. Then the two in April they split a win and loss so 40 points being a likely scenario putting them at 94 points for the season. Should be enough to make the wild card but will be tight.

How do we do it....
Kubalik has been a needle in the haystack and now with Saad back; the line of Saad - Toews - Kubalik is going to be downright dangerous. All 3 of those guys are also very good defensively, very tough line to play against.

Debrincat and Strome need to find their games, that is obvious. When Strome comes back, he and debrincat better start lighting it up otherwise I'd say either or both are trade bait. I know many are going to disagree but if we need to save on a cap, it's not something out of the cards to move one of them.

Kampf has looked really good recently, love his game. Very solid pickup. Highmore has stepped in nicely. Carps is playing pretty solid. Dach is playing great for being so young. Caggs has re-energized the guys. Maatta and Koekko...WOW have they looked solid. This team has everyone playing really well right now and with that many players clicking they could be dangerous in the west.

Next season...
Going into the offseason there are HUGE questionmarks around Shaw and De Haan. Shaw with multiple serious concussions and De Haan with his 4th shoulder surgery, if either of them come back do we really want them back at a collective $8.5M cap hit? I would venture to say we all agree no. Seabs is interesting and he will probably not be ready till December'ish so there is some prorated cap savings there at the beginning of next season. He's perfectly fine as a 7th guy, better then 95% of 7th guys on any other team and his contract is what it is, but no...he should not replace Mitchell, Boqvist and definitely not Murphy...that should be your right side locked and loaded. On the left Keith, Maatta and potentially Seabs if Dehaan is done or De haan in and seabs in the pressbox.

I get what your saying. It does help with free agents, and yes, playoff experience is good for the prospects. However, as we’ve seen in the past, teams who depend on free agency too much get burned sometimes. Also, all the successful teams make their teams in the draft. That’s your backbone. Sure, hossa and sharp came from a free agent signing and trade respectively. But that’s the things to get over the top, not to actually get into position. I genuinely believe we need at least one more high draft pick, and I’m willing to pass on the playoffs one more time.

It's really pick your poison. Do you want to miss the playoffs and hope you win the lottery a second straight year while wasting another year of toews and kane or do you want to make the playoffs where any team can get hot and all kinds of crazy things can happen? I'll take my chances with playoffs, especially since it's such a deep draft this year so a late first rounder can still be a really good piece.

First I think Stan and Jeremy need to go both of them. Stan has had multiple chances and has just missed to many times. He over complicated things and just need to keep it simple. I say the same for Jeremy the system just doesn’t work for our team. Owners have already told him once to dumb it down or else. I think it starts there. I do agree though that what this team needs is Alexander Holtz or Lucas Raymond. A top end forward prospect with the ability to play top 6 Holtz is a goal scorer so he would kind of be out future Kane while Raymond is more two way forward and kind of reminds me of Hossa a bit in his ability to play in any situation PP PK and 5v5 and thrive.

My biggest hope is that we trade Lehner and Saad. The haul we could get for Lehner is a top prospect and a first or second depending on the prospect and Saad gets us a first easy and maybe a prospect. I am in the minority in saying I would also trade for a struggling or mid range goalie. Why can’t we roll into next year with Crow and Lank/Delia or a Crow and Domingue/Riemer/Mrazek combo I also think Martin jones gets bought out.

No Crow is not a stud anymore but he proved he could stay healthy and he should sign a much smaller deal saving us a ton in the cap not having 11M ties up in goalies

Lots of great thoughts here.

To the original question...is it in the best interest for the Hawks to make the playoffs this year?...

I personally don't think so, but I can understand the prospect development position and 100% respect that opinion. Truthfully, we'll see how things play out until Feb 24th. It's a month away and we play WPG x2, EDM, NSH, CGY, AZ, BOS, DAL, VAN, MIN etc... They're all quality teams...or teams CHI is going up against for a playoff spot. THIS is the make or break month, not March. So I hear what @ChiHawk is saying that the schedule gets easier in March, but for me...that doesn't cut it. If you're not in the playoffs by Feb 23rd...sell and sell hard. At the very least all the pending UFAs including Lehenr. (more below) I personally don't think it's reasonable to expect a team that's hot right now, to get even hotter. This is their best hockey so far this year and if you can't beat these teams by Feb 23rd...your very likely not going to beat them in a 7 game series. So that's why I say, I don't think so. BUT if we're in the playoffs come Feb 23rd. I can understand not selling.

Sell ALL the pending UFAs because we need to address the other items you guys bring up. A.) We need another difference making winger developing in our system. B.) We need trade chips incase we need to shed cap. C.) It's entirely possible we can still sign Lehner next year. He wants a fair price wherever he goes. CHI can still do that it, but refer to B because we might need to shed cap. D.) We can't afford Gus or Crow next year Their replacements are literally on the Chicago's NHL roster already. E.) See what you can get for Saad and make a judgement call. YES he's a quality hockey player, but the TDL is the time to sell and there's always the risk of decreasing your value by having an off year...cough cough Gus...

***EDIT*** I know this is getting a bit long winded, but IMO this situation sets up PERFECTLY. The team will decide whether they're true contenders or not. Stan doesn't even need to make bold moves. He's just going to let the situation play out and he'll react. If CHI has a losing record against those teams...they'll be further out of the playoffs than they are now. If they have a winning record...they'll likely be in. Oh and a lot of these games are on the road too! Likely on the road for any playoff hopes too.

The hawks are lightyears better than the Minnesota Wild. The Wild have never had a true superstar player. Parise and Suter are good, not great. Kane, Toews, and Keith are all locks for the hall of fame. The hawks have also done a much better job in drafting than the Wild have, with tons of D prospects in the system. Also, Minnesota doesn't have the goaltending the hawks have had for the past 10 seasons.

This schedule is not as bad as people are making it out to be. With 5 pacific teams within a point of each other, it's hard to decipher which are quality and which are not, in my opinion, the hawks are equal to all of those teams (They've beaten most of these teams before). They beat Dallas in Dallas. They even beat Boston in Boston. There is a strong possibility this team is in a playoff spot by the deadline. There are many winnable games. However, I don't know if there's any need to be buyers. There is depth at every position. Strome coming back will solidify the forward depth, do you go after a rental D man? There's not much available, and there's no way anyone's trading a 1st as a wildcard team after what happened to Columbus. It will be interesting to see, but I think it's very possible. Florida is on a back to back and likely starting Montembault tonight, who struggles in the bigs. I expect a strong game from the team tonight.

I think they'd be crazy to trade Lehner. If they have any shot at competing the next few years Lehner is a must resign. Crawford is old (for hockey) and one concussion away from retirement. If you don't resign Lehner you spend the next few seasons trying to find another Lehner. It makes no sense. The last thing you want to be is one of those teams that cycles through the talbots, elliotts, and berniers, of the nhl.

Get what you can for Gus even if they are in a playoff spot. With Boqvist on the roster you don't need Gus anymore.

I hear what you're saying about MIN in the previous post. BUT they have to prove it! That's just my opinion as outlined previously. Do it in February...not wait until March. For every win you mention above...they have bad losses too. NJD, LAK, twice to SJS. Also their record against the central isn't great either. 0-2 vs STL. 1-3 vs the Aves. 1-2 vs NSH. 1-1 vs DAL. 2-1 vs WPG, 1-0 vs MIN.

1,000% agree CHI can't be true buyers. Although I could see Stan saying... Guys, STL was in a bad spot and won it all last year AND if the season ended today CBJ would be in the playoffs. That's why we're buyers. Stupid outlier facts/stats forced to prove a specific point only made to reinforce a preconceived notion. That's not truly looking at your team.

He's been vocal that he wants a fair contract. and I'm 100% A-ok with that. Get what you can while you can. Good for him. That can mean pay me now OR it can mean I'm going to test the market. Remember, that he "tested" the market last year and well...he's on a 1 year $5M UFA deal. There aren't truly that many teams that can afford Lehner without themselves making other serious moves. If he's a UFA then there's zero reason he wouldn't mind coming back to CHI in the off season.

It all depends on what the offer is @ the TDL and what his extension might look like. If he wants $10M like BOB. Adios Muchacho!

The way I took his quote is he just doesn't wanna take a pay cut. He's done that already in the past and it hasn't benefitted him. He wants market value. So if the hawks offer him a market value deal right now I bet he'd sign. I think 6-7 years at 7-8 mil would do it. With crow coming off the books you still save a couple mil in goaltending. You said there's zero reason he wouldn't sign here in the offseason. Well let's not give him a reason by trading him away to a bad situation or worse, trading him to a team he ends up liking more and resigning with. He wants to be respected. I don't think he'd feel very respected if the hawks traded him.

I hear ya, but if the Hawks go on a losing streak (entirely possible with this roller coaster team) then it shouldn't be a hard conversation at all to say. Hey Robin, the Hawks this year were injury plagued arguably more than any other team in the NHL. (3) new LTIRs this season that are out for the year and multiple guys down for months already in this short season so far. It just wasn't our year. We're going to get an F ton to trade you away as a rental. We REALLY hope you keep us in mind when you hit free agency. We Thank You for your time here. I'm (Stanley is) the one that ultimately gave you the deal you have right now. I'd like to be the one that signs you to your next deal.

If they keep winning...then we're going to do exactly as you're suggesting.

If they keep winning...then we're going to do exactly as you're suggesting.[/quote]

I get where you're coming from but I just wouldn't risk it. I just think about how long Philly (among other teams) has needed a number one goalie and how long it's taken them to find one. I don't want to be one of those teams that just needs a goalie to be contenders. That's when you do something stupid like sign a 30 year old to a 8 year 10 mil deal.

I agree, STL was on a hot streak, however they are carrying it over into this season, they found consistency. Regardless, I rather compare this hawks run to last season's where they got hot in March. This team is starting to find it's stride much earlier in the season which will be a huge help down the road to get into the playoffs, if they can keep this consistency they will be in it no question. Imagine if DeBrincat hits his stride with Strome, the hawks would be sitting real pretty then. This team is on a 5 game win streak and DeBrincat has one goal. I truly don't think there's much this team could do in terms of buying. They have great forward depth. I could see them looking for a 2nd pair RD, but there's not much available.

Like I said earlier, that 1st wildcard spot is definitely available, hell, 3rd in the division is as well. If the hawks get that 1st wildcard spot, we could see them make a strong playoff run.