Now that there are no more games to quench our thirst, and the off season has officially begun, the craziness has gone from zero to insane in 3 seconds flat. Trade speculation, free agent speculation and personnel moves are enough bait to suck the NHL crazies in.
The Blackhawks aren't immune to the speculation, either. Over the past couple of weeks, I've thrown out my theories and thoughts on the corner they have been painted into, but we don't truly know what Bowman has planned. The Draft should be the first glimpse of just what he is trying to accomplish, because no one really knows what he was trying to accomplish last season.
After a couple of years of defending Bowman, I have come to the conclusion that it is time for him to show us this alleged expertise that we've all been fed since the day he took over. Sure, he was restricted by the salary cap following the cup, but he has had room to make moves since and left cap space on the table, only to watch the Hawks fall short in the first round two years in a row. It is enough!
Two years ago, the Blackhawks WERE the Kings. They were the young hotshot team with a talented nucleus that could dominate for years to come, but they have taken a disturbing stroll down the path of the 1985 Bears. Salary purges, lack of necessary personnel moves, and a bizarre disconnect between Coach and GM have the Hawks chasing the pack, again, after only one Stanley Cup banner. The Bears were the most dominating team in the NFL, at the time, and they let their arrogance, or ignorance, turn them into a joke within 5 years. Here the Blackhawks are, two other Cup Champions later, and they have people shaking their heads.
One and DONE
If the Hawks cannot move in a significantly positive direction this season, if there IS a season, the window will have damn near closed. Lightning in a bottle isn't a 5 season trip anymore. Teams are lucky to be able to two in a row in this modern era, so asking fans to be patient for 3 seasons is, quite frankly, unreasonable and insulting.
Currently, the Hawks have room to wiggle, and they have salaries that can be moved. There is NO excuse to sit on their hands, and watch other teams pass them by. If Bowman doesn't jump into the water while it is still warm, he may end up losing any remaining momentum. We can curse in the name of Dale Tallon, but the man built the core of a winner here in Chicago and he is building a winner in Florida. Call it dumb luck, but he is doing something right. Tell me where Stan Bowman has done anything but stand behind a team that was already built and reduce them from Stanley Cup champs to first round exits with internal conflicts and gaping holes. This sounds disturbingly similar to what Mike McCaskey did with the Bears. Sure he brought in Nick Leddy and drafted a couple of solid guys, but a blind squirrel will find the occasional nut.
As I said last night on Twitter, I'm not a Stan Bowman hater. I want him to succeed in Chicago and lead the Blackhawks to another Cup, but my patience is wearing thin. I'm really not a doom and gloom guy, but a realist. I defended the purge of 2010 vehemently, but it isn't 2010 anymore, folks. Time to make this organ-I-zation the cream of the crop, once again, not the utter embarrassment that is the Mike McCaskey era Bears.