I was not referring to any drama with the Tarasenko thing, not any spat part with Hitch.

I'm saying the actual tactical use of Tarasenko by Hitch was VERY deliberate and in many quarters controversial to minimize your top scorers ice time and go with your checking defenders in his place. And the most often cited player taking his time was Brouwer.
He was criticized and questioned for it, he stuck with it, and it worked.

The Hawks had the passion, they have the experience, they just don't have the horses like years past. Keith can't do it all, their D core is mediocre beyond him and he will soon be a huge cap problem. Seabrook is past his spring line and soon another cap problem. The Blues shut down Kane and Toews and that left Panarin and Shaw and it wasn't enough. Playing thru June last year doesn't help either.

The better team, deeper team, won.