Hawks' injury list is growing

Hawks were fortunate last year to have Havlat the entire year (except for a couple of crucial playoff games vs. detroit) that helped overcome injuries to Sharp & Kane. they also had a healthy D corps & some good goaltending depth that helped overcome injury to Khabi.

They also have a real head coach who knows how to handle teams when injuries unexpectedly strike - he coached the avalanche into a playoff spot despite missing sakic, smyth & stastny & lesser players for large stretches of the season a few years back.)

the trip to europe, the compressed schedule thanks to the Olympics and a short off-season for big minute (& obviously important) guys like keith & seabrook (who along with other teammates Toews, Kane & Hossa, may not get the Olympic "break" off) is going to increase the vulnerability of this team to injury & the weak depth in goal is going to expose that vulnerability more and the lack of cap flexibility will not permit management to do much to help if & when injuries hit.

expectations for this team based on the overachievements of last year are too high - i'm thinking a fall back to 6th place and perhaps a disappointing 2nd (or even 1st) round playoff exit as quite plausible and realistic.

I wouldn't put much stock in the Euro curse of teams starting slow once they get back.. The Rangers went 10-0 after coming back last season while the Pens started slow and won the Cup...

I look at it as the league spotting us 2 games.. it's the Panthers FFS.

Oh my......should Klinkhammer make this team it will be great as I will get to dust off the many Hogan's Heroes analogies that have been collecting dust for far too long. The business of nicknames as well as getting to paint many a picture with Hogan, Klink, Schultze and LeBeau as backdrops could be a daily event that would bring extra joy (at least to me) to what we hope will be a great season.

Thank God for CHF and Lord Stan.

Listen, if this team is .500 when Hossa gets back, they're still in great shape to a) make the playoffs and b) potentially take it all.

Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Patrick Sharp, John Madden, Dave Bolland, Andrew Ladd, Troy Brouwer, Ben Eager are all healthy. The defense is all healthy. The power play, although it didn't score til game 3, is going to be deadly. The PK is better than last year. That's a team you can win with.

Skille is not instrumental to this team's success.

I KNOW NO-THING about Colonel Klink-Hammer, but I would be fine with Bryan Bickell getting some regular fourth line minutes. He has NHL skill and he's very physical. Don't forget Aliu is still at Rockford and he can play.

Doesn't sound like Byfuglien or Versteeg's injuries are terribly serious either. Though this team is much better with those guys playing, no doubt.

I can hear it all ready....

"You know it was a tough year for us, we had a lot guys trying to play through some injuries we were missing Marian for half the season as well. These injuries started in the preseason and some of these guys never really had the chance to get healthy. With that being said we'll get them rehabbing be ready for the next season and hopefully we'll have everyone healthy, it's unfortuneate but injuries are a part of the game and my hat goes off to these guys for giving it their all and playing through them, now it's time to get the guys rehabbing and healthy and be ready for next season."

Upper body injury....is it the shoulder does it mean that he's going to be hesitant to go into the corner or fight off checks to get the puck. What about the back problems, yeah he played all year with the problem was that a good thing to do? Does it mean he misses half this season now? All I can think of is Eric Daze. Groin issues, those are a problem for the season with all the hard stops, trying to get leverage in front of the net etc. There is no good that comes from injuries and to say I would rather have them in the pre season than in the regular season is silly, now these guys are going to be a step behind because they haven't gotten the work in during this time to get in game shape, we'll probably hear that one also. It's very frustrating and injuries are part of the game but this is no good, leave these guys at home don't bring them to europe and let's not fall behind to start this season.

Although the many dings and owies aren't necessarily a happy thing I won't get too worried unless they start the regular season 3-8. Until then.....play everybody and keep preseason ice time for the big guys at a minimum until the Florida games.

Hasn't anyone noticed that pro teams that make these "Ambassador" like trips to Europe and Asia usually have jet lag to the tune of a dreadfully slow start to their seasons?

I hope as many guys as possible are "Too injured to make the trip" and just stay home in prep fro the North American City!

Isn't it hard enough that we are not an East cost city where the travel schedule is negligent?

Why are we going to Europe anyhow, Gary Bettman? Hockey is already pretty popular where we are going. Why aren't we spending more time to make hockey more popular in the states? Especially in markets where teams already exist and have a woeful following! (Does Glendale, AZ ring a bell Mr. Bettman?)

This whole Phoenix Coyote fiasco and the NHL in Europe deal are just two more solid reasons that prove two things:

1. The NHL front office could foul up a one car funeral down an alley way.
2. I have absolutely no confidence that the NHL and players union are going to figure it out in time to avoid any work stoppage whatsover and thus an end to the greatest sport there is!

If they are expecting Versteeg, Byfuglien and Skille to make the trip to Europe, these injuries don't sound too bad. Good news is that Bolland will be playing and the Hawks are getting rid of Petiot and Bois, who both seem to be dead weight so far. I assume Bickell and Klink will end up going back to AHL instead of making the trip to Europe. I'm excited for the games in Europe because of the larger ice surface. I don't know about you, but I like seeing the speedy guys get more room to make things happen. With the Hawks rather speedy team, I think the Pathers will be on the short end more than the Hawks. Kane and Sharp are my picks to play the best for the Hawks in those two games. Maybe Versteeg if he is back from his injury.

Were Doomed...Looks like it may be a slow start.