It's Khabibulin's net
Coach Q said after Friday's morning skate that it was time to ride goalie Nikolai Khabibulin, starting with Friday's game against Edmonton.
"We want to get him playing games here," Joel Quenneville said. "We need to give him the net for a while to get on a roll here. I think just prior to him getting hurt it looked like he was going to get the ball and go. The first time he got hurt the same thing.
"He's positioned himself to get this opportunity and we're going to rely on him to get the net."
Cristobal Huet is 2-5 in his last 8 starts with a no-decision in a game Antti Niemi relieved and lost against Pittsburgh.
Quenneville called the Hawks' goaltending recently just "OK."
Cam Barker practiced Friday morning and will face the Oilers despite the lower body injury he suffered at Columbius.
Patrick Sharp is close to returning from his knee sprain. Maybe Sunday, but more likely next Wednesday against San Jose.
Especially over the course of goaltending careers. They're both very similar goaltenders in style and production.
Both have been hot this year, both have been lousy. Matt Walker has been exposed. he's a good kid but he's playing way over his head on the second pairing. As a result, we're seeing what a lot of people knew about Campbell; he needs a Steve Smith-style partner in his own end.
Too bad Hjalmarsson isn't a couple of years older, because that's the kind of d-man he's going to be.
Might as well move Buff back, though I still think he's better at forward. I will say, he's pretty darn good on the point on the PP. If he plays 10 minutes a night even strength, third pairing, AND plays a lot on the point on the PP, it might not be bad away to use him.
I like Hjalmarsson but the next Steve Smith?
Flip a coin both of them seem vulnerable. But in their defense who would have thought our backline would have turned out to be so pourous.
No Walker or Barker at practice this morning. Big Buff playing defense. Now that Sharp is back or soon to be something has to give.
Sharp Toews Brouwer
Kane Pahlsson Versteeg
Ladd Bolland Havlat
Eager Fraser Burish
Seabrook Keith
Campbell Hjalmerson
Johnson Byfuglin or Barker
Q said in Jan. that the situation would play itself out, looks like it has.
Check this line of reasoning out:
1). The Bulin Wall needs repair; in the last game it appears he hasn't recovered FULLY from injury and may not be in game condition. We already have another goalie who could not not hold the fort when given the opportunity to be the man heading into playoff overdrive. Even with a Campbell playing well (with Hjalmarson pair they were solid, according to many who saw the last game), we cannot give away the game. That is what we would be doing with Walker and either of our starting goaltenders. Hope may be found in the strength of Khabby's fine play earlier this campaign; however, will he be in top form in the next few games...because if he isn't, that last playoff spot becomes precarious. Might as well open that bottle of Johnny WAlker -- that's nasty stuff, isn't it?
2). Earth to DT: You can call up the only healthy goaltender playing well: is that Niemi or Crawford? Is Scotty B watching the pay feed of Rockford Icehog games? Imagine if one of them had a rocky outing. Then you look toward Joe Fallon....then you have the free fallin' Black Hawks. The 1980's song "free fallon'" (purposefully sic -- like the Blackhawks) would suffice as the between period music theme for the season, because that great start, waxed over by John McD in the interview on XM radio (see Blackhawks site), would go for naught. You are forced to consider a healthy fresh J Hendry (as in he's playing and playing well) over A Johnson. Not to mention PLUS an AHL goalie just to assure you aren't giving away the game. Or do you risk giving away the game, allowing Khabby to maybe round into shape & maybe that injury never heals? This injury is ironic...because Tallon kept Khabby, yet Khabby injury is the final blow attributed to Tallon's masterful grand plan (Not!). If even a playoff birth, expect an early ouster....due to (point three)
3). Tim Sassone should check for the pulse in the locker room. Who were the only players talking to the media after the last loss? Is the team in panic mode? At this time of the year why can't Queeneville motivate Bufuglien and others to play like kamikazee pilots? I mean the playoffs are slipping away....loose to LA and it may almost be a mortal blow....the next games are New Jersey, San Jose, in Montreal against another desperate team. Maybe the theme music should be "Desperado" (was that the title or just a word in an old Eagles song?). McDonough said he wasn't especially worried, that all teams go through bumps in the road. Well, Chicago has fallen hard into a deep Chicago street pothole and the city isn't repairing that pothole this weekend.
A positive lately is Hjalmarsson and Seabrook. Hard to fathom Sharp will be sharp upon his return. This team is in panic mode, Tim, please verify that is as heard and seen ...unless you can't report certain things until after the fact. While you're at it, I'm sure you've already wrote an outline for why Havlat can only play on the line he is on. It has something to do with Toewes and Kane. It won't come out unless Havlat leaves the organization. The salary cap, the free fallin' out of the playoffs (?) team -- Dt will pay the price/I'd take decisive action NOW before it is too late. I don't know you can depend on Detroit resting veterans and we beat them to secure a playoff spot. In fact, I can envision the venerable (?) Chellios beating us in that last end of game season. Curtain call anyone?
Luckily for the Hawks you were wrong and Sharp had a great game. The empty net goal was cool but if it went the length we would have had a draw in our own end. Regardless he played great and provided spark.
Marty is playing like he wants a lucrative extension. Give it to him. Would the Hawks be anywhere near the point they are at without him? I certainly dont think so.
I think the people that have been freaking out lately are a little early in their despair. The team is now 100% healthy and they have 11 games to get their bearings back. Bulin is getting readjusted and we finally have our faceoff man and an offense with both Marty and Sharp. Im also glad we face tough teams here with NJ-SJ-Vancouver and the Red Wings remaining. Keep the team on its heals and force them to raise their game.
Good to finally take care of those pesky Kings.
This Habby looks a lot like the one I have watched for the last three years. This Habby is why Tallon felt it necessary to go out and sign Huet. Both goaltenders are looking shaky but the defense isn't doing them any favors either. We played well in front of Habby for a vast majority of the game but still get the breakdowns. Habby and Huet both have made some great saves but they have also had soft goals against.
Understandably....Khabby looks rusty and he will need a few more starts to shake off that rust....but more worrisome right now is the fact he looks so shaky....he's looking behind himself a lot...almost like he's expecting the puck to trickle through him at this point....hopefully with more crease time his confidence and timing will come back....
Chico,
In my opinion, it's the other way around. Huet puts too much pressure on the defense. Guys can score from anywhere on him and have, but he also leaves the rebounds right out front. So the defense needs to be everywhere all at once. I think the D feels that they can't give up a shot on goal because it just might go in, and that has a weak defense anyway running all over the place and forgetting the basics. Coaches always say go back to basics, but if the goalie doesn't stop stop the shots he should stop, he can't be trusted to stop anything. From my perspective, they all play a lot more nervous with Huet in net, and with good reason.
That said, it seems to me you might have been a goalie once upon a time. I don't always agree with ya, but I can usually follow your logic and I think your opinions have more merit than some others here. Take care.
I enjoy reading your posts here, even when we disagree, since you usually have good insight and/or support your thinking. and yea, i was a goalie for an intramural university team many moons ago (one known for making the "tough" save and letting in a few weak ones, ok, maybe more than a few... oops ;-)
not to compare my experience (or certainly ability) with huet's, but from my perspective as a former amateur goalie, if you are exposed a lot (i.e., there is no defense and you are essentially on your own), you develop a sort of siege mentality where you end up at least subconsciously doing too much and certainly more than you are capable of, trying to cover up for a poor (or in my case no) defense - that tends to get you to into bad habits of over thinking the play, often getting out of position, flopping, etc. and ultimately, makes you vulnerable to giving up softies, often looking bad in the process. think dominik hasek but with tons more soft goals.
while intramural hockey is a long, long way from the nhl, i think even the best nhl goalies can be over-exposed and made to look bad if the guys in front of them aren't in synch. guys like hasek & brodeur may be the exception, but even brodeur gave up a couple of softies yesterday where he had gone down early and didn't stand up and he is certainly a much more proven goalie than huet.
i do agree with you that nothing kills a team as much as a goalie not playing well or getting outplayed by the guy at the other end - and there have been games where the hawks have carried the play but lost because the other goalie outplayed ours. (there have also been several games the hawks have won where our goalie was the main reason - first road win in columbus & an early home win vs. anaheim (both with huet in net) come to mind.
i just don't think huet is as bad as a lot of people are making him out to be, (citing his recent success in both montreal & washington as reasons why). khabi no doubt has outplayed him this season, but there are a couple of extenuating circumstances, imo.
1. little was expected of khabi going in this season - he was roundly criticized during his first three years for the same things that huet is being dumped on now - bad goals, inconsistent play, etc., but at the same time the hawks never provided a lot of offensive support for the guy - he had to hold a team to 2 or less to give the hawks a chance to win the past 3 years. then he gets waived to start the year, reducing expectations & pressure even more and when he doesn't get moved as expected, there is more focus on the hawks goaltending given the $12M salary tied up in net & $5M+ sitting on the bench for 60 mins every night.
2. with another training camp under Savard, & the addtion of campbell & emergence of kane, toews, sharp last year & rookie versteeg this year, the focus is again on offense at the expense of defense. khabi, more familiar with the team & D and finally with some offensive support to take off some pressure, has an early edge on huet & outplays him and gives the team more confidence in their "run & gun" style, while huet's #1 status is put in doubt. khabi increasingly gets the call, despite missing camp, while huet has to sit back & wait for his chance, adding to the pressure on him. so the adjustment period for both the team & huet to each other is delayed, and perhaps even hindered by the fact that khabi is playing better of the two and allowing the D to "cheat" a bit and focus more on offense (and imo get into some bad habits in the process).
ultimately, the hawks need to adjust to huet, since he is going to be the guy going forward based purely on his unmovable contract. i think it would have been better to start that "adjustment" process this year while getting something for khabi, rather than getting ahead of themselves and risk taking a step (perhaps a big step) back next year.
i'd love to see the hawks win a round in the playoffs and khabi gives them a better chance to do that, but imo, he isn't going to be enough to make up for the overall playoff inexperience of this team, when physical, defensive hockey usually comes out on top over a "run & gun" type team.
we will see. regards
the headline to come...
Khabby is just getting adjusted again - I agree he was not sharp since coming back. But he is only chance the Hawks have in the playoffs, thanks to management. Look at how long it took Luongo to get his form back. Maybe there is more pressure now - that Khabby will have to play every night and bail this young Hawks team defensive woes every night. Dont' know.
the hawks will make the playoffs - maybe. They do have a tough schedule at least in the next few games and they have not risen to the occasion. But every team has their ups and downs. Look at San Jose and boston now. And Vancouver is on a hot streak right now. NOt sure if i want to play Vancouver in the first round - Luongo could be the difference. I like to play Calgary or even San Jose.
I never thought Huet was good and a healthy Khabby won many games for the Hawks. As he made several big saves at timely points of the game - Khabby hasn't in the last few games. Huet rarely made those big saves.
I was never big fan of this goalie tandem - many of you bloggers loved it. I just hated to see 6 million on the bench every night and another 7 mil liability Campbell on defense.
I am pleasently surprised with Hjalmerson's play.
Tallon should be fired. He has totally messed the future of this team for years to come.
Khabby will not get a long term contract - not for an aging veteran who is prone to injuries especially in these salary cap days.
Well it is in between 2nd and 3rd periods and I have turned off the tube.
38 is not a solid goalie for any long period of time. We knew that.
So down the stretch, the Hawks look to 39. He has stepped in and given up 11 goals in 8 periods since coming back from injury.
It begins and ends between the pipes, and Tallon will surely be fired for this goaltending debacle down the stretch.
Maybe the Hawks stumble to an 8th place finish riding this dynamic goalie duo down the standing ladder. But they will need luck and a non interested Red Wing team at the end of the season to do it.
Maybe they win tonight. But they cannot consistently need to score 4-5 goals to do it down the stretch.
Goodbye Dale.
Knabby will NOT want a short term deal will he?
Will he take less to stay?
Figure two years more on Crawford and Niemi.
So where is Huet and his over-inflated contract (Just remember this is a guy who was saying yes to a deal about 850,000 less with the Capitals until Tallon & Company saw a critical weakness in net because the FIRST guy they over-paid only plays well in contract years. (Phoenix, Tampa, Chicago a fact,eh?)
So they jumped in, figuring he (Huet) was at very least a good stop gap guy for a developing team (which NEVER would have been a top six standing team).
THEY CANNOT COMMIT that much money to two 'tenders and build a team.
We knew it.
Does he know just try and convince us Knabby is unsignable and take our heat?
Admit that Huet "didn't work they way we thought?"
Or just expect the 20,000 fan base to buy seats for a team on the rise at every position except GOAL??????
To toss Huet, who will have to GIVE a prospect to get rid of the contract and maybe you get a journeyman tough defenseman or something.
I don't think any Hawk fan saw Huet as a super star goalie coming in, just an UPGRADE over Knabby.
You have to ask yourself:
would Tallon admit he was wrong about the long range potential of Huet or was he just supposed to be the finger in the deke of a fair and middling NHL team?
Up until the past two weeks or so Huet probably exceeded what the Hawks thought they were getting when they signed him. He's been bad since but it could be that he just needs someone to push him for playing time. Or maybe he simply isn't an every game goaltender. Most guys aren't. Multiple spectacular saves followed in the same game by weak goals like the three that occurred on Wednesday come from poor concentration in my book and that is hard to fix when someone is asked to play the majority of the games.
Oh well....We'll find out more either way next year when Bulin is gone. In the meantime let's hope that Bulin becomes what he was before his last injury. If he is that guy again the Hawks will regain their home ice dominance between now and the end of the season and this recent up and down play will be a memory.
Also good to hear that Sharp will be back on the ice within a week. That will give him 2-3 weeks to round into playoff shape and give Q plenty of time to figure out what the lines are going to be.
I would think the Hawks brass is dissapointed in Huet. Id say Huet has fallen below expectations after they signed him. Remember their giving him 5 million a year, there has to be high expectations when giving a guy that kind of money.(more then Broduer makes)
Huet was to be the number 1.
Im not happy with his play and im also not paying him, Hawks cant be happy or satisfied with his play, especially with that kindof money being paid to him. When Habby went down with injury the first time Huet played really good with alot of help from the posts. Since then, Huet has been pretty bad.
Kudos to Glenn Hall....the last Hawks tender to win a Stanley Cup....as for Khabi getting the nod from Coach Q....it's a very interesting move in the sense that as "Smellthegoalieglove" points out....the Hawks really seemed to thrive when Quenneville had an alternating game pattern with both of these highly overpaid goaltenders....SO...to go away from that at this point is interesting. At the same time...i endorse the move on the grounds that Huet is and always will be a LOSER...and at least Khabi has gone the distance during Tampa's Cup run.
I'm hoping with the imminent return of Sharp, Pahlsson getting more comfortable and maybe Khabi rediscovering his mojo....that the good ship Tomahawk will right itself and finish the season strong.
It starts tonight !!!! Let's go lads !!!
but I was thinking Huet is the reincarnation of Thibault?
Anyway - glad to see Bulin getting the nod to the end.
wishes he WAS EVER as good as Huet, and you know I think Huet is average.
Fans better be ready to give the full-throated roar - biggest of the year - for a guy who tended to the pipes for years, better than any of these pretenders. Glenn Hall on April 1. 502 consecutive complete games played. Restore the ROAR for this guy, please.
He not only played 502 consecutive games, he did so without a mask (most here probably weren't even around to remember players without helmets, much less goalies playing without masks.
This is one player truly worthy of the honour of a "night" - unlike bob probert or tony amonte, etc.
by the fact that Bill Mosienko's grandson has joined & is playing for the Rockford Icehogs. Tyler Mosienko was brought aboard due to NHL player recall and injuries @ Rockford. The youngblood had some nice scoring numbers this year while in the ECHL. There is a Rockford feed of the game off the AHL site -- go to saturday's games/schedule and link on the Rockford match up. Or go to Icehogs site directly -- all can be through NHL.com Blackhawks team, then their affiliate site on top of screen. The Icehogs appear to be slipping away from 2nd place and not sure if they will make playoffs. Tight race here along with Wolves. Milwaukee (Nashville's team) is the best in AHL West Conf this year. Jackucel must be happy. PS Can go to frid results and see the lne up, stat's and three stars. The Icehogs site now or eventually has write up of games. There is a live feed from Rockford (bar?) on some monday's. I think the coach, Peeters, is always present. Old time fans: T Mosienko was in one of the previous rookie camps in Bensenville. Hey, is Denis-Pepin going to sign, Mr Tallon?
didn't do so hot.
Mr. Goalie was the GREATEST GOALIE of his era, better than Sawchuck (my #2) and Plante (My #6).
This guy took the puck out of the corners with this glove hand move that was amazing.
He was such a difficult autograph as he was too upset prior to the game, and never signed for fans on the glass (but noadays no playetrs do), and slipped out a different exit and not out gate 3 1/2 where the afns would wait for the players to get autographs.
In my 8th year elementary school I was able to arrive and run from the Madison Ave. Side of the Stadium to the Warren side (where the players descended the stairs to the locker room).
He was just about to start down. I asked he signed, and never made eye contact, like, "Here, now go...I gotta go."
The throwing up prior to each game was fact, and the more he heaved the tougher he player.
Nobody in today's game including the over-padded Roy, Broduer could EVER do what he did.
...and he was basically sent packing to the Hawks because the GM in Detroit wanted Ted Lindsey gone and added Hall because he wanted Hank bassen, one of the only descent commodities the Hawks had in 1957 (who wasn't a St. Catherine Teepee prospect), so the 26 year old hall became a Blackhawk
a Glenn Hall autograph truly is a prized possession and getting it must have been a personal thrill as it would have been for any kid growing up a hawk fan. I only managed to get Bobby Hull's on one of his pictures, but I suspect there are a lot more Hull autographs out there (since he seemed much more approachable/available).
as for polls, they are just popularity snapshots taken at a point in time - like all star voting - they don't really mean much, imo. most of the people voting probably never saw any of those older guys play. Sawchuk & Plante would get a lot of votes on T(oronto)SN because they played on Canadian teams & Sawchuk was the goalie (along with Bower) the last time the Leafs won the cup.
Hall's record for endurance will never be matched - Brodeur has recently gotten a lot of praise for playing so many games every season and being so durable over the years - but the last goalie to play all games in a season was eddie johnston, a couple of years after hall's 7 year+ streak came to an end.
if Hall had played for a Canadian team or the hawks had managed a few more cups as they should have with those great teams in the 60s & early 70s, those poll results would have looked a lot different imo.
To The REALWiz and to Chicohawk, Thank you for proving there are more than 2 Hall fans that have web access! As noted in my comments to the Arlington Park article, I feel Glenn was the greatest Hawks goalie ever, based on his contributions to the team and the conditions of pro hockey in the '50's and '60's. This may date me, but it wasn't until my sophmore year in college when our coach told me I could no longer play without a goalie mask. Those times were rough, and with Glenn's salary, he would have to play until the year 2155 to match the 1 year salary Huet gets this year. I remember meeting him at the old ice arena on Lawrence Ave. (the rainbow? Remember the alpine mural?)
I would love to see the entire team run a full practice with the old '50's gear, including the sticks. They really should know how good they have it.
I guess I'm in your age range. I always thought Hall was the best. When you think about the equipment he played with and the quality of players he played against it is frightening.
Rainbow was great. Used to get ice time at either 5:30 AM or 11:00 PM...if we were lucky. Yep the alpine mural was still there in the early 70's. Last time I went there was I think 1972. Skated with my first sweet heart there during open ice skate on a Friday night.
Can't imagine these kids today playing with straight blade sticks, or having to manufacture their own curve the way Bobby Hull and Stan Mikita did.
Hey RELWiz and longtime,
Good to hear from other "experienced" hockey fans. May have played with or against either of you back in the old days when the Rainbow was around and the Polar Dome was just a dome held up with air pressure. Which one of you shot at me from the opposite side of the mural? The side with the seats? The seating area was so dark that any shot higher than the boards dissapeared. I still have the gash on my chin.
Back in those days you would never know who you you would run into there. Glenn Hall, Lou, Reggie Fleming, Bill White, etc. They were regular guys away from the Stadium.
We would have to schedule practice and games at like 5:30 a.m., the only time ice was available.
It later became a roller rink and then the KINETIC PLAYGROUND, where for $7.00 I saw ELO, Santana, and the the lead band, LED ZEPPLII would love to read this Arlington park article, you mean the Herald?
Oh, I asked Eric Nesterenko to rank the goalies and he had Hall first, Sawchuck Second, Bower third, Plante fourth, and Gumper 5th.
but it beat him five hole.
Big game Tonight!!
Oilers looked good last night, obviously (8-1 W vs. Avalanche).
But, if we beat them up a little, they could be ready for sleepy time by the 10 minute mark of period 3!
Go Get "Em Boys!!!
It's about time, coach. Stick to one goalie and let him shake off the rust in time for the playoffs. Unfortunately, recent history doesn't appear to condone this strategy. Huet's play seemed to suffer when it was clear to him that there was no threat to his position during Khabi's medical leave.
When the coach (does anybody else see Quenlin's resemblance to Mr. Pewterschmidt on the Family Guy?) started rotating Khabi and Huet, I rescheduled my vacation to the first week of the playoffs, figuring the Hawks would continue their trend of taking the playoff season off.
I stood corrected when K & H went toe to toe trying to prove to the Coach they were the man. The whole team benefitted fron this strategy. Now I'm confused. I'm on the fence. Comments? Opinions? I welcome additional thoughts.
if they weren't planning on that, they should have traded him.
as for all those bashing Huet, I can't help but wonder how many of the same people were doing the same to Khabi his first three years in Chicago and have forgotten their tirades against #39?
Khabi has been better this year than Huet, but unless he plays great, the hawks don't win consistently - that tells me (& should tell you too, imo) that the hawks have a problem with their defensive game and give up too many good scoring chances against.
Huet was the number 1 goalie for Montreal most of last season, a team that finished first in the eastern conference - gainey dealt him to washington, because he figured carey price was ready to step in - check out how that is working out for montreal now...
Huet won 9 of Washington's last 10 games down the stretch to make the playoffs for the first time in a long time & then helped take eventual conference finalist philly to 7 games in the first round of the playoffs.
This guy is a good goalie, but he also needs proper support, and when the defense in front of him routinely runs chinese fire drills & leaves him hanging out to dry, it shouldn't come as a surprise that he allows the occasional untimely soft goal.
I always thought Q looked like Dennis Farina!
Well lets see what he can do. At this point it can not hurt to let him run with it. We have seen what Huet did with the ball. Let's see if he remembers how to win.