Versteeg questionable for opener?
Notes from Friday’s morning skate…
Kris Versteeg took part in the skate but won't be in the lineup for Friday night’s game against Minnesota.
Versteeg, who suffered an upper body injury in the preseason opener against Washington, is hoping to be ready for the regular-season opener next Friday, but that's no guarantee.
"We're aiming, obviously, for the start of the season, but it all depends on how it comes along," Versteeg said.
Speculation is Versteeg suffered a mild concussion in the Sept. 19 game against the Caps.
Dustin Byfuglien (groin) and Jack Skille (lower body) didn't practice Friday but are expected to be ready to play next week, according to coach Joel Quenneville.
Here is how the lines and defense pairings looked at the morning skate:
Brouwer-Toews-Kane
Ladd-Bolland-Sharp
Eager-Fraser-Kopecky
Bickell-Brophey-Klinkhammer
Keith-Seabrook
Hjalmarsson-Campbell
Barker-Hendry
Huet starts in goal
Marian Hossa talked to reporters for the first time this training camp and said his rehab from shoulder surgery on July 24 is going as scheduled for a late November return.
“It was my decision (to have surgery) because I thought when I tried to lift something it was getting really bad,” Hossa said. “I think the smartest idea was to do it ahead of time and I’m happy with the decision.”
Marty Havlat is expected to be in the lineup for Minnesota.
According to a report, the Calgary Flames have cut former Hawk Theo Fleury, who was trying to make a comeback at age 41.
Don't expect this team to start the year with a bang, goaltending will cost them a few right from the start. They will be searching for a goaltender and have one by christmas. I just do not have any confidence in Huet and Niemi and Crawford are not ready. On another note watch Alex Auld steal Turco's job in Dallas. The Hawks should be looking at pulling off a deal with the Canucks for Cory Schneider. Teams go nowhere without being solid in goal. I hope I am wrong about Huet but it is just a gut feeling. He will be the only real weak link.
are at home, against teams like colorado, edmonton, dallas & nashville - i.e. teams that didn't make the playoffs last year & minny & montreal should also be winnable games.
I expect them to get off to a good start - at least 8 wins of their first 13. if they don't, well, they've got more problems than I think they do.
They won't be looking for a goalie (at least until the trade deadline) unless Huet is hurt (possible) or badly falters (doubtful) & if niemi or crawford start showing signs they can assume more workload, then given their cap situation and the slim pickings of available & cheap goalies, fwiw, they may not make any move.
elliotte friedman suggested the hawks were interested in UFA biron, but missed getting him before the islanders snagged him. that said, the islanders also have roloson & dipietro so the hawks might be able to pick up biron @ a pro-rated $1.4M at the deadline for veteran insurance.
You hit the nail on the head straight on, my friend RealWiz.
Here's my biggest concern (actually two-fold):
1) Last year our puck moving, mobile defense helped us transition well and caught the opponent reeling. Good thing, because we don't have a lot of really scary good, slippery talented, skilled guys -- talent up front last year yes, and although upgraded forward lines this year, just whom is going to be a really productive, #2 center? Bolland you say --- warning Will Robinson, warning ...he has back issues and is he really going to be a point per game center if he doesn't have a Havlat on his line? Who knows. But I do know that he could be great as a number three center, although I always have a bias for a tough and big, good skating center as a #3 center.
This year we could roll three, even four scoring lines because players like BollaND, mADDEN, eAGER, and Kopecky are experienced, skilled enough and capable of doing well when moved from line -to- line. Even someone like Fraser, who skates poor and has marginal skill, he has smarts and can score some goals for you when he is on a line with good players (he has done so from time-to time in minors). It would be a real advantage to be able to roll three or four scoring lines for one very big reason other than the obvious one -- which is that it causes match up problems for the opponent.
The other reason: it should motivate players to perform well, perform consistently, perform up to Quenneville's expectations -- else you are demoted to a third/fourth line/even the press box.
The other concern is how well Huet will perform IN THE PLAYOFFS. He has ability and he is capable of rising up to the opportunity at hand to be a Number one goaltender. But is Huet good enough game -to- game to help his team win in the playoffs? Due to the salary cap, it appears very unlikely we can add any goaltender better than Huet via trade. Sure, it has been suggested to acquire Giguere -- bet B Murray would like to unload that albattoss contract for a #1. Question becomes: Whom is liable for that contract dollar wise even if we released Giguere (a trade deadline purchase to minimize the dollars)? Not sure how salary cap works when you release a player.
I would be very hesitant to trade drafted players whom have a great deal of upside, but that is just me -- I love having prospects and absolutely believe a strong farm system makes going for the Cup a reality. A strength to deal from -- does Scotty have that in place? If upgrading the goaltender position is what you are looking at, I don't want to trade my best goalie to you for almost anything you could offer me -- goaltending is the most critical position for any team that aims for the holy grail. I realize last year the Penguins and Red Wings did not have the ideal sort of goalie in net insofar as going after the Cup. Then again, look at the great players and experience they had around their goaltender. Detroit was talented and veteran ladden. Penguins had two superstar centers and a capable defense. Don't see Chicago comparing as favorably as those two teams of last year. So yeah, Fluery is the penguins future in net, and Osgood has demonstrated he can come up big. Both played well when they absolutely had to, although not ideal as your Stanley Cup goalie. So...can Huet perform as well?
Just saying: If I were a betting man, I wouldn't wager on Huet in the playoffs. This may well be the deepest set of very good teams in the Western Conference playoffs in many years. Seriously, compare Huet to a rested Kiprusoff, Luongo, Osgood, SJ goalie, even Turco if Stars get in.
Something surely can be said for having depth and having quality depth at all positions entering the playoffs. Sometimes it is also said that the team that best survives all the injuries is the team that advances far -- it's a marathon to get to the final Cup round.
But does having the best players -- not the best depth -- make the difference in the end? Maybe, maybe not. Except in the goaltender position. Which is why I don't like Huet enough to lead us to the final. And the road there won't be as easy this year. Calgary's Sutter will be under extreme pressure -- already a better team this year -- he'll upgrade his team even if he has to sacrifice player drafts/prospects -- because his job security is on the line. I also say his brother will get more out of that team in his first year behind the bench than Keenan did in his whatever (3rd ?) year as Calgary bench boss. Can't expect a team to be as crippled as Calgary in the playoffs, and any team to sacrifice offense/game plan like Vanc and Calgary both did at times. They handed the playoffs to us...we didn't exactly seize the opportunity, but we did win out. So... we could be a better team on paper this year even maybe with Huet as the man...yet another formidable team under even more pressure to win is SanJose. They added a difference maker in Heatley. Thorton finally going to step up in playoffs?
So you think a player like Big Buff will ride to the rescue. His big hits and skill and his net presence, too, will be the difference? You don't think the other teams would have someone who would do the exact same thing if that is making the difference between winning and loosing games. Not saying we can't go far, but the competition looms tougher than ever. Kiprusoff and Luongo, by the way, have something to prove.
I generally agree with you on Huet. he's not as bad as some think & not as good as others do - Khabi was clearly the better, more proven goalie & huet will have to prove that he can get the job done as khabi's replacement.
He doesn't face much pressure from niemi or crawford in terms of losing his #1 spot, but he does face the pressure of providing top calibre goaltending for a team with lofty expectations.
he showed himself to be pretty good in montreal his last year there, helping them to first in the conference before gainey inexplicably dealt him to washington, so I expect he'll do ok this year, tho he isn't playing for a contract like he was then and i think the canadiens played a more defensive oriented game than the hawks do.
it will obviously be important for him (& the team) that he gets off to a good start, especially until Hossa returns. Based on the hawks schedule, I think Q has him penciled in as the starter in 11 of the first 12 or 13 games to get him & the team settled, perhaps giving crawford or niemi the home start vs edmonton/khabi? & saving huet for divisional rival nashville. Also, if the hawks win the opener vs. fla, Q may give european niemi a shot in the 2nd game in his native country, tho i suspect Q comes back with huet if they lose game 1.
as for Byf - he was a force in the playoffs last year & was a key contributor to the team's success. they need to find a way to get that effort from him during the season as well.
Yeah, he's Matt Walker who can't fight......
The guys need a full effort tonight.. Last game before the big trip, they need some confidence
I'd much rather see Little Scottie go find a dman from the cut list around the league than spend another day thinking about Sopel. I was told, by a reliable source that in the home pre-season opener, that Sopel was just aweful.
Can't we just make this guy go away? Somebody, please, wave a magic wand or something.
Yeah Jordan Henry is what he is...Cap space.
Either all the Cap info is incorrect or there are many many teams over, OR they know the Cap is going to bump up.
I wouldn't expect a defenseman move or any move other than shedding $ now.
I think that Lil Scotty (I am glad to see my nickname for him is sticking) will steal a page from the decades of Detroit teams that waited until right before the deadline with one specific defenseman in their sights, talked deal for a month with his team, asked permission to talk longer team deal with the guy about to come over, traded for him with the idea this guy could stick for a few as a minor role defender. Vet guys who want to win a Cup before getting their pension check are always willing to do this as are even the younger fellas who crave winning.
Stuart, now on the Wing defense is a perfect example.
Fans always want more trades and envision one-sided ones to bolster the home team.
I suspect that after a little more than half the season is over, Bowman and his staff will know exactly who is staying (re-signing) and who is going (not in the plans due to Cap or poor performances).
They will then formulate whether they attempt to load up for a true CUP (where they REALLy think they can beat the west division teams) or start tweaking the roster for the next run in 2011.
So expect the defender and or goalie to come then.
and try to watch objectively you will realize the Sopel isn't as bad as many think. Its the same rap Huet has. People dislike him but when you show them the numbers there is no dispute (Huet). Get a pad of paper and write the good, safe plays and bad plays EVERY D man makes and you'll see he is not at the bottom
Huet's numbers before last year and the year before are BACKUP numbers. So do not compare him to a goalie that plays over 50 games a season. A true starting goalie, Huet has never done that in his career. Why is that? I am a hawks fan and I really hope he plays out of his mind this year or the Hawks are dead. We can knock Khabby all we want but he has a cup. Huet has to step up and play like a starter period. No excuses of a large contract, just play the game.
He's not worth $2.5 million. He's slow as molasses in January, but he's pretty smart with the puck and a good teammate.
$2.5 million this year and $2.5 million next year.
it's about the contract. I also think he's basically Matt Walker.