All three goalies going to Europe
It’s pretty much a certainty the Blackhawks will take both Corey Crawford and Antti Niemi to Europe along with Cristobal Huet for the final two exhibition games and the regular-season openers against Florida.
“There’s a good chance we could be bringing three over there,” coach Joel Quenneville said Monday. “With the two exhibition games before that, I think we could use another one. I still think it will be a good process evaluating, watching them practice and in games.”
Quenneville has yet to announce his goalie rotation for this weekend’s exhibition openers against Washington and Minnesota, or if he plans to give Crawford and Niemi full games.
Niemi was sharp in Monday’s head-to-head scrimmage against Crawford, allowing no goals in 25 minutes to Crawford’s 1.
I keep trying to think of a good reason to open the season in Finland. I am sure there is a good monetary reward coming to the hawks for going there, but why risk a potential bad start for money? That can't be it. Maybe it was a condition of Bettman's for the hawks getting the winter classic. That is the only thing that makes sense to me, and if so, then you make the deal. But it figures to take a toll. Hopefully a young team like the hawks will not be as affected by the travel as the other teams.
Exactly. It sounds like it may be league mandated, but I am scared this team may give away points due to the travel, that they wouldn't have if they would have opened at home. Going back and forth to Europe is going to catch up to them at some point. With Hossa out, this is the last thing they need.
How do you get excited to open in Finland vs the Florida Panthers? At least the Wings and Blues are divisional rivals. Why not Washington or a marque team?
This isn't a decision the Hawks make. This is a league mandated decision as it markets it's brand/product worldwide.
the Eurotrip, because it would take a little while for a sub to arrive if an injury takes place.
I know they already said they won't be carrying a lot of extra players on the trip and handing them plane tickets to got home as they are cut between games in Europe.
That is smart because then the other guys can go on with their commitment and future to be 'hawks later on.
But the these three were gonna play some in Chicago during the 100 games or regular and pre-season, some more than others, as they have to find someone who can stop the sharks shots, don't they?
I don't think that Niemi is traveling withe the team as an ambassador as much as a competing roster guy.
As far as picking a fight with Bettman: I don't know if he would acknowledge you were fighting him. Years of fan booing and a clear fan opinion that a second team should go in Ontario, he ignores, and coludes his owners with six already ailing team franchises in the US.
Well, yeah.
The Hawks should have at least ONE Fin on the roster for the National (Lampoon's) Hockey League's European Vacation, right?
Yeesh. Can one pick a fight with Bettman on the new EA Sports hockey game? That's the bonus feature I think fans want to see...