The worst part about the playoffs can also the best part. If your team is doing well, it's the most exciting time of year, but if your team gets bounced in the first round, you're left to watch the excitement through others' eyes. While, I'm sure, there is plenty of back office work going on, and the players are enjoying some time to let their bodies heel, the fans are left to tear what few shreds of activity they hear to microscopic bits. Here are the latest bits and pieces:
- After Marc Bergevin accepted the GM job in Montreal, the Hawks named Norm Maciver Assistant GM for the upcoming season. I really don't know what affect this has on the grand scheme, if any. It's news, and we're bored fans.
- Now the biggest recent rumor. John Buccigross floated these tweets regarding the future of Joel Quenneville in Chicago, after it was reported the other day that Bergevin was interested in taking Quenneville with him up to Montreal:
Blackhawks announced team has promoted Norm Maciver to Assistant General Manager, Blackhawks are a mess internally. Expect more changes.
— John Buccigross (@Buccigross) May 7, 2012
I would be shocked if the Q-Stache is back in Chicago. Trust issues in Chicago. Organization needs strong hockey guy at top.
— John Buccigross (@Buccigross) May 7, 2012
Then, Puck Daddy Greg Wyshynski posted this interesting tid bit: Will Joel Quenneville become the next Montreal Canadiens head coach?
Quite honestly, I'm not so sure just what to think of this development. To put this bluntly, SHIT IS WRONG! Two years removed from hoisting the Stanley Cup, and the team that Uncle Dale built is moving backwards or, at the very least, towing a whole truck load of average around. This has become the "Chicken or the Egg" scenario, that no one really has the answer for, no matter what they say. Who is responsible for the Amtrack train to Backwardsville?
Quenneville has certainly mismanaged players, and match-ups for a good three years now. Bowman has tried to play nice, to a degree, by bring in "Quenneville guys", but Quenneville does some absolutely bizarre things like play the top free agent acquisition out of position TWICE, the second of which ended up ended Mr. Montador's season. This is just one example of some head scratching decisions by Quenneville. Dressing John Scott ahead of Montador, and Lepisto? Another face palm inducing stunt. One could also place the specialty teams disaster squarely on the coaching staff's shoulders, and the fumbling of the Goalie situation that has gone on each of the last 4 seasons, as well. Those are just a few, off the top of my head.
Bowman is far from innocent in this debacle, himself. Yes, he was stuck pillaging the Stanley Cup roster to abide by the cap, and replaced those players with some huge question marks. It could be argued that his hand was forced by Tallon, but he was supposed to be the "chosen one", who could manage these unfortunate circumstances. He has been great at unloading terrible contracts, but he hasn't replaced a departed player with someone of equal or greater value since Nick Leddy was acquired for Cam Barker. The biggest question, this season, was all the cap room they were saving for the stretch run. Brendan Morrison and Johnny Oduya were the big acquisitions that were going to put this team over the edge? This is the team that ran out and bought Marian Hossa in July of '09 to get to the Cup. Last summer, the big splash signing was Brunette and Montador. The Hawks haven't had a legit second line center in years, and both the defense and goaltending is as thin as it's been in years.
Stanley Cup or not, is this Blackhawks fan base going to go the way of the Bears and White Sox, living off the glory of years past and ignoring immediate problems? I can't answer that, but I won't support another year of mediocrity now, because of success two full years ago. This team is much closer to the Stanley Cup than it is rebuilding, but something or someone needs to give the Chicago Blackhawks a kick in the ass. The biggest problem is that if Bowman or Quenneville were to go, who can keep this team moving ahead, rather than backwards? Slim pickins out there. I don't have an answer because I'm just a loudmouthed blogger, with a day job, but a move somewhere could be reason for excitement.
