Q won't rule out Toews, Seabrook
While Jonathan Toews and Brent Seabrook didn't practice Friday morning, Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville wouldn't rule them out of Saturday night's game against Nashville at the United Center.
The two Hawks stars suffered concussion-like symptoms from hits in Wednesday's loss to Vancouver.
"(Toews) could play. We'll see in the morning," Quenneville said after Friday’s practice. "He presented well again today and we'll get a better idea tomorrow. They both could play."
Even if Toews and Seabrook don't play Saturday, Quenneville said he believes the injuries to be short-term.
Here are the potential lines if Toews can’t play:
Sharp – Ebbett - Brouwer
Byfuglien – Madden - Kane
Ladd – Bolland – Versteeg
??? – Fraser – Kopecky
The Hawks would need to recall a forward from Rockford if Toews can't play.
Cristobal Huet starts in goal against the Predators looking to bounce back from two poor performances on home ice.
“It's a good opportunity for him to get back in the net and a good opportunity for him to play at home,” Quenneville said. “He's played well against Nashville and practiced well today. He's a competitive guy, he wants the net, so let's go."
Why take Bolland off of the 2nd line with Kane? If Ebbett just takes Toews' place why move Bolland? Nothing against Madden as he has been one of our most consistent and best players, just wondering.
Skille?
Don't risk additional injury to Toews or Seabrook by rushing them back. Another hit could sideline them for weeks, a career, or worse. One or two games isn't worth it.
Not sure why Huet is starting at home. Seems he would be under a lot less pressure on the road, and with a goalie who has no confidence, less pressure would seem to be a good thing.
For sure the Hawks need to come out of the gate with a strong effort, not the slow starts they're prone to making.
Don't rush it - this could be a great opportunity to see what the farm has. Kids could be hungry to prove something and do some good work.
Also - not hoping French Fry fails, but my confidence in him mirrors his confidence in his game. I think we all have high expectations that are not being met at the moment.
Now would be a great time for a Goalie win or 2. Team is banged up a bit.... they are still deep enough to win a few games - but it is an ideal time for a Goalie to win a couple of games to keep momentum and allow the team to recover a bit.
Anyone see the overtime Goal Osgood gave up last night? I am betting that anyone who has left a post on this site today could have stopped that powder puff of a shot....From Adrian Aucoin of all people! Lots of Goaltending issues around the league right now..And FYI, if Huet gives up that kind of goal in OT tommorow night, they will need Bartman like security to get him out of the United Center...I hope he gets a shutout
Bickell or Aliu.
This is a game the Hawks should win if they play hard from whistle to whistle even with a thin lineup. Even though Dumont's back, I think Arnott's now out.
If we are without Seabrook and Toewes tonight, two of the only guys on this team not already on IR that are willing to stand up for their teammates, look for the Preds to try to run us out of our own building again. Just like Calgary pretty successfully did.
Hopefully management recognizes that we need to get a little tougher before more of our little scorers end up beat up and on IR. Hossa might end up being the only healthy one left come Thanksgiving. Agree that this might be a great time to bring someone up from the farm that could give us some of that physicality and toughness we're missing.
Other than Aliu, is there anyone down there that can help us out?
Would love to see Taz get the call up.
Just to see how he would respond at the NHL level, and to get a better feeling as to how close he really is. You need to start figuring out who is going to help replace the scoring depth. Especially, if the Hawks are hell bent on trading a Sharp or Versteeg to free up money for the big 3...
Speaking of which, very interesting that only Pierre LeBrun reports that the agent keeps on popping IN and OUT of town to talk contract. Gotta wonder what is going on, but I am happy that it hasn't been throw at those guys. What can they say? Lets hope little spoiled Stanley can get 1 of those 3 signed before X-mas, and then so on. The sooner this happens, the better for everyone. Plus, if a guy like Kane, is asking for the bank...you can start looking at trade possiblities, etc.
I hope Huet comes out strong tomorrow night. Obviously people will be looking to rip him for any reason, but for the Hawks to succeed this year, he or Niemi HAVE to be the answer. I don't think you can rely on a Roloson, Biron, Legace, etc to get this team where they need to be. Not saying Huet is a lock for a cup run, but he is still the BEST option they have.
This may be his last chance to quiet down the talk of a rotation. Quenneville can only keep coming back to this guy so many times. At some point, Huet has got to rise up and seize the opportunity.
If Toews and/or Seabrook can't play tomorrow the lines are going to look really light on the scoring side. You basically don't have a scoring center and based on Tim's lines you have a center on the first line that has been here less than a week. Time for the wingers to make something happen. I wonder if Q will try Sharp or Versteeg at center again if Toews ends up missing a few games.
And that heavy feeling in the air is the pressure that is on Huet to ratchet up his game....
Geez, I can't remember a year in the NHL with so many key injuries early in the season. The Hawks are a deep team so hopefully Toews and Seabrook will not be out for more than a few weeks. I think we can manage in the mean time. After all, we have Nashville & Minnesota in the short term so we better earn 4 points, 3 @ a minimum.
It would be nice to see Huet play strong tomorrow night. Until recently, as in last night, Nashville has been strugglin' to net some goals so hopefully we will see a nice bounce back. We need him to get in a groove, especially while we play a little banged up. If Huet sucks tomorrow, time rotate a la last year with Niemi. I thought he played great Weds night and he definitely kept them in the game.
The one thing that is kind of strange is how the Central division is not living up to its caliber. Columbus has come down to earth, barely, but I don't trust the lackluster play to continue. The Hawks really need to win the division, otherwise they could sneak in as a bottom half seed considering some of the strong starts.
It is early so who knows if the Colorado's and Phoenix's have what it takes to continue their strong play.
I do think we could use some size...I haven't been that impressed with Kopecky's play so far...little comes to memory of any impact he has had. Yes he is a role player, but I was led to believe he would make more of an impact.
Madden on the other hand has to be the best signing of the offseason, well, until Hossa lights it up. Hopefully.
Would love to see the Hawks seperate themselves a bit from a Detroit, or Columbus. Two teams I think the Hawks will be battling to the end. St. Louis just doesn't scare me too much. I know they play a very defensive minded, physical game, but I don't think they have the horses to compete against the Hawks in the long run. Nashville, the Hawks should roll. In fact, they better win tomorrow without or Toews/Seabrook. No excuses.
Hawks really need to get on a roll here. Nashville, Minn, Nashville (road), and Montreal. 4 games where I expect no worse then 6 pts. Would love 7, but the Hawks need to start to waking up and playing a COMPLETE game. Not sure if this has anything to do with the BS Europe trip, but the days of surprising/sneaking up on people are over. Everyone is bringing their A game to the UC, and the Hawks need to do the same.
Niemi may not be the answer, but he certainly earned the right to play again vs Nashville.
Huet has earned a ticket to Rockford or the KHL after all the chances he has been given to assume the #1 spot and failed.
Look at it this way (and this goes for some of the rest of you, you know who you are), why at this point should any Hawk fan root for him to fail?
But if they give him more chances now, and he does fail, it makes the move of sending him to Rockford easier (and sooner) if he does fail.