Hawks looking very ordinary
GLENDALE, Ariz. - The Blackhawks need to wake up and snap out of it starting Friday night in Denver. A pretty good start to the season has turned into an ordinary 8-5-1 record.
The Red Wings had a bad month of October and yet here they are tied with the Hawks with 17 points, 1 behind first-place Columbus.
What's happened to the offense?
The Hawks have scored 11 goals in the last six games and not more than 3 in a game since Oct. 14. And it's not all because the power play is 2-for-32 after a 0-for-6 performance in Thursday's 3-1 loss to the Coyotes.
Only Patrick Sharp (6) and Dustin Byfuglien (5) have scored more than 4 goals.
Patrick Kane needs to step up. Byfuglien has looked more like the inconsistent Byfuglien from last season. Sharp is up and down. Andrew Ebbett is not cutting it by any means and could be back on waivers soon.
And why is Jordan Hendry still playing wing? General manager Stan Bowman said the other day it wasn’t a money issue, not recalling a forward from Rockford. Sorry, don’t buy it. Every time the Hawks dress Hendry as a forward they are not putting their best lineup on the ice.
After next week's four-game homestand the schedule gets really tough with six in a row on the road. Heck, the Hawks are only 4 points ahead of Nashville.
The Hawks were plain bad against the Coyotes and deserved to lose.
They missed the net with shots 15 times, including breakaways by Sharp and Kane.
Cristobal Huet let in a soft goal. Brian Campbell made a turnover that led to a goal. They were outhit by the Coyotes 25-16.
"I think our game had a lot of holes in it, be it technically or energy wise," coach Joel Quenneville said. "We need something to ignite our offense and the power play is probably the place to start."
Watching some 'Legends of Hockey' clips today about Bobby Hull, Glenn Hall and Ted Lindsay...these guys were tough players. Combative in every sense. Of course, they were also extremely skilled.
Lindsay said something very revealing. "In those days, the tough players WERE the best players."
Who are the best players on the Blackhawks right now?
Because there's very little evidence of toughness.
Losing Burish (and Eager) has hurt a lot more than anyone wants to admit. As did letting Wisniewski and Walker go, without adequate replacements for their toughness.
The Hawks are soft right now. And soft teams don't win.
And they certainly don't win Stanley Cups.
They lost last night's game against Colo because they were beaten to pucks and outworked in the corners all night.
I felt sorry for Seabrook out there, the only guy that was hitting, protecting his goatender in the crease and being a physical presence.
Foley kept praising Fraser for tough, physical play - but outside of getting his but kicked during the first shift of the game and generally getting pushed around by the entire Avalanche teanm for the rest of the night, I saw nothing other than a little yapping and whining to the refs by Fraser in between the multiple muggings he took. The Avs looked like they held a drawing to see who would get the opportunity to kick Fraser's butt next.
Once again, Versteeg was probably the best Hawk on the icea, along with Sharpie and Ladd. Steeger had two assists, live in the corners, behind the net and in all the traffic spots (where many of the Hawks seem to be afraid to stay in for very long), and sticking up for teammates who were getting mugged all night long.
On the other side of the ledger, Big Puff plays like he is 5'2" and 125 pounds. Being big doesn't matter when you are lazy, unaggressive and play like you're waiting for your paycheck to arrive.
Bickle was literally invisible. Why not bring up Jake Dowell when it is pretty obvious to apparently every coach in the NHL -- except Quennville and/or Bowman -- that we are vulnerable to physical play.
Hopefully we get some of our concussed players back before we lose a few more to concussions because, based on what I saw last week, there will be more to come. Keep your head up Kane - you might be next on this very fast and very talented, but extremely soft and heartless Hawks team.
The posters are acting like Chicken Little, running around saying the sky is falling!!!
Fact - The difference between the top team in the Western Conference and the top team to miss the playoffs will not be that much. Usually the top teams that miss the playoffs have had significant injuries.
Fact - Take the two leading scorers (Toews and Hossa) and the leading enforcer (Eager) and one of your key penalty killers (Burish) off any team in the league and see if they do not struggle.
Fact - Every team has warts. Go to any blog in the city of that team and you will hear about them.
I am as interested and concerned as anyone. But lets not panic or go into a frenzy. We are still in good shape. There is plenty of time to right the ship and adjust the roster.
Lets not act like idiots or stupid school girls in a tither. Look at the bigger picture. The first 14 games were ok. Lets look at it again after 28 games. I think we will still be in the thick of it. Hopefully we get a respite from key injuries for a while.
Lets keep this blog at a more intellectual and even keeled level.
What's a tither?
Here is an example:
Imagine a School Girls favorite designer jeans suddenly don't fit. This upsets her. This leads to the following chain of events to take place (in her head!):
Her Life is All but Over
Her Parents hate her and are trying to destroy her
Her boyfriends is a jerk and has probably been secretly texting her best friend behind her back
Numerous other absurdly crazy things flow from her mouth, statments like "Huet is the best goalie in the NHL"
>Jac -- Check my copy -- nobody said you were wrong about Versteeg's gaffes yesterday -- he also scored the only Hawks goal BTW
>Nothing like changing the facts to try to prove your point
>You are wrong about his value to the Blackhawks -- he is coachable -- and is the 4th best forward on the team -- behind #81, #19, #88
>You were the last one to the "dump Huet" party -- the party started last year
>I agree with your concerns about the Center position on the Hawks and moving Barker
>Nothing is more boring to me than these types of volleys -- my bad for getting involved with you
>I'm off to play hockey -- far more interesting and fun than blah-blahing about it
No problem getting involved. And you are right that I was late getting in on the Frenchman's Lynching Party. I'll also admit when I was wrong.
You put him ahead of Sharp and Buff? Dunno about that.
Listen, he has talent and guts. But don't tell me he doesn't make mistakes. And unless you've coached him personally, how can you say he's coachable. When he eliminates the mistakes, it proves he's coachable.
Have a good practice/game whatever. No hard feelings, bud.
As a few of us posted at the start, but were outshouted by those who "knew" better lol.
The loss of Khabi and weaker goaltending depth is clearly a problem - the first goal last night was another weak one by Huet & worse, it was also early in the game.
And despite posts by some here ridiculing Havlat already missing games in Minny & his lower production, it is clear the hawks are missing the offensive threat he posed last year & the production he put up. Hossa will be looked to replace that when he eventually plays, but ironically he's missed more games this season than Havlat & when he returns, he'll have a ton of pressure on him to produce & lift this team not just because of his outrageous contract, but apparently because of the hawks' "unexpected" pp & offensive woes...
Hossa's ridiculous contract, after splurging on Campbell & Huet is not only going to strangle this team's flexibility to make moves going forward, but also endanger their ability to resign young core players Keith, Kanes & Toews, at least without having to move big salaries with little or nothing in return.
The pp hasn't been just a recent problem - it was an obvious concern right from game 1 when they had a 5 on 3 for almost two full minutes vs. Florida but couldn't score (which would have given them a 2 goal lead & likely won that game) & again vs. Detroit a week later (where they could have taken a two goal lead & may have changed the outcome of that game) & again vs. Vancouver (another game where they led but lost).
Campbell & Barker, who have been getting the bulk of pp minutes on the hawks D have been ineffective. Barker is (& always has been) a defensive liability, going -2 again last night despite playing less than 9 mins at even strength - if he can't produce regularly on the pp, he is using up over $3M in cap space (for the next 3 years) for basically less than squat. Campbell was brought in to help the pp - but hasn't done much this year - maybe the pp's relative success last year had more to do with Havlat's ability to control the play?
to that end, Bolland has looked ordinary & certainly not worth the 5 year $15M+ deal he signed - if his back is preventing him from playing at top form, why did they sign this guy to a 5 yr term when they knew he had a bad back all of last year??? Is missing Havlat also contributing to his lack of effectiveness? i'm sure it isn't helping.
Kane, Byfuglien, Campbell, Barker & Sharp lead the hawks in pp time, both per game & total for the season, but clearly aren't getting it done. their percentage has fallen from about 20% to 15% in the last couple of weeks which puts them at 23rd in the league (tho still 8th on the road with 20% despite last night's blanking). sure JT would help, but even when he was in the lineup, he wasn't scoring & the pp had problems.
if the offense isn't there at even strength, the hawks need to rely on their pp to score but they aren't getting it - a poor pp obviously puts more pressure on the defense & Huet to give up fewer goals. and a good pp actually also indirectly benefits the offense since defenders are more reluctant to commit restraining fouls if the hawks pp was effective. Torchetti is the pp coach - if he can't figure out how to get goals with the talent available, the hawks need to find a new pp coach & frankly, i've never been impressed with this guy - he is a holdover from the old Wirtz & Savard days & very expendable imo.
Anyone who bothered to look closely at the schedule to start the season realized not to read too much into any early "success".
Take away the Hawks miraculous come back from 5-0 down vs. Calgary & the SO win vs Colorado that took 9 rounds and the hawks have not yet beaten a team that is over .500 this year, despite the favorable schedule since returning from Europe, both in terms of home games & "tough" opponents. 8 of their 14 games have been against teams that are .500 or worse, 5 of those at home & they've gone 6-1-1 in those games. Against teams over .500, the hawks are 2-4-0 (going 2-2-0 at home). That is the definition of ordinary.
You would expect a team that came back from 5-0 down to win to gain a lot of confidence & momentum from such a result, but after the hawks beat edmonton & nashvile (two weak teams), the lost the following two games at home vs. Dallas & Vancouver - mainly because of bad goaltending & the special teams.
No team has played fewer road games than the hawks in the western conference. Their two road wins have been vs. Florida & Nashville so far. 4 of their next 5 games are against Colorado (twice), LA & SJ - four top teams at the moment. that is followed by a game in Calgary where you can bet the Flames will be out to make amends for blowing a 5 goal lead, that kicks off the 6 game circus road trip which also includes SJ, LA & Vancouver.
We'll know better by the end of this month where this hawks team stacks up...all those early season posts heralding the Hossa signing & displacing Detroit & winning the western conference, blah, blah, blah already look pretty foolish & may look even more foolish by the end of November.
JT & Hossa have their work cut out for them.
You are right about one thing. We'll know where this teams stacks up by the end of the month. And furthermore, I hope the mid-talent regulars from last year step it up a notch. If they can't do it on the next road trip I'm afraid we'll be in jeopardy of missing the playoffs.
The first was on the bad goal that you correctly blame on Huet. The second was when Campbell pushed the puck passed Barker resulting in the bang bang tip in. Two classic examples of where the plus minus statistic lies.
No question storm clouds are gathering with the contracts.
No question the road trip is a concern.
But they have not had a game in which they have been blown out. The goals against are really very impressive with bottom third on paper goaltending and Barker, Sopel and Campbell who are eviscerated daily here.
PPs are fickle and a hot streak moves a team 10 spots in a week. I am surprised how dependent they are on JT scoring down low.
The majority of passionate bloggers here realize that for a team that let their two top performers from last season in Havlat and Khabi go for nothing and is relying on a bunch of 24 and unders to not only play but lead, it's not yet time for wrist cutting.
As a fan this is great theatre.
I would be worried if I was on the coaching staff.
It's not going to be farts and giggles in the locker room as Q stews his way to his inevitable implosion.
I don't think everyone thought the goaltending was solid, but what can you do? You had/have to hope that Huet lives up to the billing, or that the replacement is in-house. That falls on those in management. You couldn't blow money an aging and injury proned (groin) Khabibulin.
However, the depth and talent on this roster should be able to make up for shoddy goaltending at times. They should score a TON of goals, but haven't. Especially the PP which falls on the coaching. It's redundant and is inexcusable.
We still dont' know how good this team is until Hossa arrives. That should take a lot of pressure off of guys like Buff, Sharp, and Versteeg who then can fit into secondary roles and take advantage of mismatches against slower lines.
Let it go, man.
You are absolutely right that expectations were too high. We might disagree a bit on why.
...i know it's never too early to get better, but 14 games in does not need knee-jerking...
However, the Hawks right now are out of the playoff race. that needs to be painted in Big Red Letters in the dressing room.
The most glaring aspect of the Hawks play, has been their checking, or lack thereof. When they finish their checks, you can see the Whole Game shift in their favor.
Bolland's been a real disappointment. and that comes from his biggest fan. Fix it. Scratch him, put him on LTIR let him get it in order and bring Skille up. Put Kopecky into the #2 (i know, but who else?) Maybe it lights a fire under his (Kopecky) arse.
I agree with the wakeup calls these guys need. Send Barker down. Wake his brain up. Show guys their jobs are not a given. Maybe we lose a couple games, but at least they get their games in order when they come back.
oh. and great Lyrics YP!
I know playoff hockey is a different animal, but all they have to do review what brought them success last year. Watch their playoff series' where by taking the body they were able to force turnovers, keep the puck in the oppositions end, tire out defensman, and ultimately SCORE. When guys are scraping themselves off the ice, they aren't in position to defend. Thats how you get open ice and great scoring chances. This team has it in them, they just have to want to do it.
Oh, and the power play...i thought we were a bit more skilled than to just try and hammer it in from the point all day long. How about getting some movement, trying to find passing lanes and getting some pretty/skilled goals. Heck, doing that may actually open up the point shots more. If the basic hockey 101 strategy insn't working, might as well take a chance and get some creative flow going. Just a thought.
Thanks
I tried to capture the spirit of the thing
Finishing checks? What is that? haven't seen any since Eags and Burrish went down.
I swear, if Buff was Versteeg's size he would not be a professional athlete.
This is a momentum game. Taking the body gives us momentum. Right now, we have none.
Just sit right back & you'll hear the tales, the tales from the fateful fans
Rooting for this Chicago team and ripping the son of Stan's
The Coach is seasoned hockey man, the Owner brave & sure
The team set off this year to win a Stanley Cup
Win a Stanley Cup
The season started pretty well, but the tiny team was hurt,
If not for the courage of a fearless few
The season would be lost
The season would be lost
The Bloggers started going nuts
All know what to do
They'd get another D-Man
And a better goalie too
So this is the tale of the Blackhawk team, they've been here a long, long time,
They'll have to make the best of things, it's an uphill climb.
Rocky and Quenneville too, will do their very best,
To make the team worthy of the emblem on their chest
No Trades! No Power Play, not a single luxury
Like the good old days, as primitive as can be
So join is here each day my friends, you're sure to get a smile
From Between the Circles' Bloggers, here on Sassone's Isle
That's hysterical Yellowpages1!
Yea, I'm really missing goalie Khabby, Walker and Wiz on D from last year.
YellowP, hats off for this little ditty. I almost wet myself at work.
I tried to capture the spirit of the thing.
Thanks
Players need to be challenged. Bring up and play Bickel regularly, even if on a 4th line. Rotate who sits out if they aren't doing their job. Kane could be better; I like Makita post. Kane would score how much if he had a true skilled, big time point producing center? You win with a center like that , and outclass everyone with Toewes rotating between #1 and #2 center depending on the match up against the other team's line. Bolland is not what this team needs long term, although maybe he could be a very good #3 center (but I like size and speed personally at #3center/sorry Bolidrev post). The post that mentioned Big Buff should be parked in front of the net -- bingo -- no other place. I don't gamble with his shot on the point, not when he falls down and mishandles bouncing pucks -- please, I've seen that from him countless times at Rockford and here. Maybe Buff with Barker and St Pierer setting up them and Brouwer (Brouwer goals from face offf circle) -- that's fine, they succeed in the AHL, not NHL.
Hard to make a call on Bolland, because maybe it's his bad back? Bolland was a mistake to sign to that contract; a wise GM offers less and let him sign elsewhere for more considering he has the bad back. He is just too unreliable and most likely only produces when he has good wingers. I would prefer a #2center who can produce more points due to his ability and not so much based on his linemattes. Yes, it's dreaming if we could send Bolland and Ladd to Minny for their keeper -- I'd even give them Aliu and a #1 -- just to have a goalie for this team/imagine that? I bet you'd make that move, Steve Rain & Bdm34 -- where have you been/Wirtz GM around, too.
Down under dept:Klinkhammer, BTW, would bring a lunchbox mentality. He looks too slow -- slower than Brouwer, and he won't score much. He did lead off in the OT shootout(or was 2nd, and Davis was first?), so maybe he does have some skill, but he won't make you like him for anything other than his 3rd line at best workmanlike game. Dowell should be here with Toewes out -- sorry but Bowman's got this one wrong. I still would like to see Dowell for a stretch of games over Fraser..then decide if you want to continue with that. REALWiz is correct about Ebbet, he fits for a reason -- his style darting in and out and his salary. But I see him more as insurance, due to Toewes concussion and Bolland's bad back. Oh yeah, I am not seeing on paper any progress from Brophey (AHL); steve from Chicago is right we don't have much down there ...for this year...maybe Aliu and a couple of the defencemen will develop. Crawford is back up material; the other goalies too far away/developmental time is at least through 2011. For those who are excited about Lalonde, he needs at least two AHL seasons and if he is on top pair for his team, despite PP time and early on he has lots of points; nonetheless, for whatever reason(s) he's already a -9. Lastly, if this team is blown up this summer, why not give incentive ladden contract to Makarov? And does Beach and Aliu both need one full season and part of another in Rockford? Jacukel: I would really appreciate it if you tell what are your top young players/prospects on Phoenix, and do you think Blum will be very good soon in NHL (you used to cover the Pred's). Chicohawk: you haven't weighed in on things for a while!
Good to hear from you...Haven't seen 6628 or some other guys on here in awhile. I took a break for a bit, as I was traveling, and the wife is expecting..
Not ready to write off Bolland totally, but I think #3 center is where his future lies. Problem is, he's being paid as a top 6, and he's no where close to being that.
Really interested to see what Bowman does to spark this team.....They need to find a correct mix on that 4th line, and I don't know if Fraser can keep getting 9 lives. I would love to see a younger kid come up, and get experience, yet not have high expectations on him by playing a lesser role.
I won't be at the UC at all in November, but will be there in December......
>Jac -- you are a pretty predictable analyst -- and smart, too
>You have your pets and protect them to the point of ridiculousness -- like Huet
>You have players you loathe for their combination of talent and potential lack of good-decision-making -- like Versteeg
>You beat the drum over and over for your pets and push to dump players in your doghouse
>Versteeg has real talent -- something that cannot be coached -- and has an upside greater than Bolland, Sharp, or any other Hawk forward other than #81, #19, and #88
>His mistakes last night can be corrected with coaching -- whether he allows it to happen -- we'll see
>There is a truckload of players to deal before Versteeg
I was all for sending Huet down to Rockford when he was stinking it up, effectively ending his time in Chicago.
Does that somehow not count?
Or more likely you just didn't read that here and on my blog.
But I was. So, you're incorrect, and a bit over the top in your indictment.
I call em like I see 'em. I have no personal issue with Versteeg or Skille or personal love for Huet.
Tell me how I'm factually wrong about Versteeg's gaffes.
And some guys aren't coachable.
>One of the few Hawks that is currently generating his own offense
>A generous, not huge, contract for the next three years
>Has shown some jam and appears not to be injury-prone
>Mentioned a week or so ago that this team needed a "shake-up" trade -- too many young, comfortable players ($$) that are taking playing in Chicago for granted
>Injuries and the uncertainty of recoveries have probably delayed moves
>Frankly, I am already tired of the whole "Cubs-on-Ice Approach" of McD -- from Eddie O's constant Cub references in telecasts to the endless marketing and overrating of almost every player
>Win a Cup First -- Just a Reminder -- 1961 is the last time it happened
Watching the snoozer last night, Versteeg's name was probably mentioned more than any other Hawk. Sure, he had a couple probable goals roll of his stick, but the guy was in position to make plays.
Something that impressed the hell out of me is that, after Mitchell hit Toews (clean hit IMO), the guy to get in his face (and subsequently get thrown to the ice because Steeger is 180 and 165 is his heart) was Versteeg. Brower was on the ice, but seemed like he didn't know what happened.
I'll take a guy like Versteeg that is willing to get his butt kicked for a teammate anytime over most anyone else.
To me, Versteeg shouldhave an "A" on his sweater soon.
Kid plays with tons of heart and he has talent.
But you can apply the same argument to him that is applied to Huet. He'll make the highlight reel play and he'll break your heart the next minute.
Honestly, I've seen SOME improvement in him. But I think fans fall way too in love with his hands and speed and miss the bad plays he makes: not getting puck deep at critical times, overhandling the puck and trying to be a one-man team, etc.
A turnover is as bad as allowing a goal if it leads to a goal. Period.
But - as a fan - I'll take a guy with his heart anyday over a guy who watches the world go by.
His upside is enormous - because of his desire.
Not overall a bad player.
Will help you with aggressiveness and his obvious one on one skill. Will kill you with dumb plays.
Way offside on a 3 on 2 break last night. Missed a breakaway on a nice pass by Huet. Went 1 on 4 (again) instead of peeling off and setting up a nice chance (watch KANE!), didn't get back on D, leading to an odd-man rush that Phoenix converted.
You can not have that night in and night out.
Huet gave up a soft goal after not playing for five days. If the Hawks lost 1-0 or 2-1, fine you can blame him. The "psychological" angle is pretty much baloney. And don't give me the "you never played hockey" crap. I did. By comparison only, if I had to play in front of a goalie as bad as Khabibulin was at handling the puck outside the crease, I might have a psychological issue. But you guys and Olczyk are making way more of that than is accurate.
The Hawks scored ONE fricking goal. Bryzgalov was great (better than Huet for sure). But:
Kris Versteeg. Gets a goal, generates turnovers, but makes five really dumb plays in 60 minutes.
Campbell. When the power play is this bad, you're not remotely earning your money.
Buff? Sleepwalking.
Bolland. Sorry fellas, he's playing hurt. No excuses. I think he's a marginal second line center regardless. But C has to be a concern for this team.
Last night, Sopel, Hjalmarsson and Kopecky (I don't know why you guys go off on him like you do) were the best players. Sadly, those three shouldn't be the best players. Sharp was OK too.
And going back to a previous blog, even if they aren't talking to TO about Kaberle (for say Barker and Vertsteeg), they should be.
Finally, bringing the Dads on a road trip is really great from a marketing/CSNC angle, but it is really dumb as far as winning critical road games. A disturbing example of p.r. trumping the on-ice product. Sorry, the team looked unfocused and undisciplined last night. Partying in the desert with your Dad? Nah, that has nothing to do with it.
It's just continuing on.....This is all McDonaugh and mark it down....IF this team doesn't win the cup this year, or maybe next, he'll walk. He loves coming in and proclaiming titles, and will overpay to make a team on paper look invinceable, but if this team fails....McDonaugh will walk. He always does. He's already hiding after being booed for firing Tallon back in July. No more video board cameos, for McEgo.
Agreed on the dad's trip. I don't get it. I really don't. Takes guys out of their routine, and especially since besides a trip to Detroit, or Nashville, what bonding has this team had on the road? Just an idiotic mistake. Why not do this during the olympic break for the guys who aren't participating? How about that?
We differ on Versteeg. I know he makes stupid plays, but he doesn't take as many stupid/lazy pentalies as Bolland does.
Trading Versteeg will haunt this team.
Ultimately, I hope Versteeg changes my mind. if he does, I owe Grinder an apology. it's hard not to like the kid's heart and he has a ton of skill.
I think Bolland is playing hurt.
I know Bolland's back is an issue, but I'm pretty sure some other guys are banged up as well.
Like Kane, you have to take the Versteeg turnovers or positional mishaps, with the good. The only difference is, is that Eddie O loves to call out Versteeg but never calls out Kane when he's not backchecking, or loafing back......
Like you, I am very excited to see Hossa come back. You really don't know how good this team will be until they are as close to healthy as possible with their top core players. I don't expect everyone to be healthy, but I can allow for an Eager, Burish, etc to be out if the top 6 or 9 are intact.
Niemi tonight?
We saw a team game from Them , we may have some skill , but we were not very tough! No one stood up , no big hits , not too many hits either . Lets just score , not! Skate around and show em how fast we are . Oops , soft goal , and here we go again . Huet will not be in tonite , thats for sure . Hope someone comes up, probably too soon for Toews . Not worth the chance , he is really our heart and soul. I think he can really inspire the guys , hard work and you can see the respect he gets from the other players on other teams. I mean after the play . they play him tough , but don`t get into the bs , because he plays like old time hockey . i also think it is a mistake , with Versteeg. i don`t think this team has seen all he has to offer . Every time trade rumors come up , it seems he is the one going. Heck , if i was a gm , i would try to steal him too ! that guy has a lot of skill. And plays a pretty complete game. Put him with Hossa , and see what happens !
This year or last year whenever I don't see a hard forecheck I know the Hawks are in trouble. Last night the forecheck was virtually non-exsistent. They need to start hitting.
Yep, no forecheck, they need to protect Huet now. All hands on deck, we no longer have Habby to bail us out.
Mr. S. Rain. The 10-12 points we fail to accumulate now, will be the ones we wished we had once springtime rolls in. Every goal, every point matters-THEY ARE CRITICAL.
We all know this is a young team that showed they were hungry last year. THAT WAS THEN - LAST SEASON IS OVER. Perhaps the money many of these guys received over the summer replaced that hunger with self-satisfaction,ease, comfort, complacency, etc.
If the urgency doesn't come from the players or the coaching staff, then it needs to come from mgmt. They need to "turn this ship around" before they find themselves on the outside of a playoff spot looking in.
Very nervous that they aren't playing well on the road. This month and January could derail this team unless they start to put it together.
Tonight is a huge game. They need to realize they played like crap, and bring everything to the table tonight and get the 2 pts.
Why did anyone think this was an elite team heading into the season? The current record is padded since playing 75% of their games at home and most road games against joke teams. Hawks will be out of a playoff spot by Thankgiving as road games will bring us back to reality.
At forward I don't see anything but a bunch of second tier players. Hawks don't even have a single player in the top 50 of scoring in the entire league. Patrick Kane is not and never will be an elite player. He is a 75 point guy which is great but won't win you a Cup.
Goaltending is brutal as we how stud goalies can steal games from us every other night.
This team should win this division. That should/better happen, or that better lead to somebody getting canned. Unless this team goes on MASH patrol, that's the expectation. It's not a matter of how good the Hawks are, but look at the division. Detroit is destroyed by injuries, and has just as bad goaltending as the Hawks. St. Louis and Nashville are off to horrid starts, and Columbus is still a few players short.
Agreed on Kane. He's been very good, but he's not an elite player....yet, and thus shouldn't get a 6 million+ deal. Until he gets over 82 pts, I don't want to hear him mentioned in the likes of Ovechkin, Crosby, or Malkin.....ever. Then again, if you are paying Dave Bolland 3.25, what is Kane worth, considering Bolland is on pace for a monsterous 40 pt season and 8 goals.
That my friends, is the contract that will kill this team. If you are going to rip on Campbell, and rightfully so, remember Dave Bolland. I almost punched a hole through my wall in June watching the draft when that was announced.
Bolland is playing hurt so I can give him a pass. When a player is not practicing, but playing in games you know the guy is not 100%.
Detroit will win the division running away since they still have 5 of the top 50 players in the world playing 20 minutes every night.
I heard that Hossa and Toews will return next week and play on the same line affectionately called the Maryann and (still a little) Ginger line.
Maybe that will help the Skipper (Quenneville) and Gilligan (McDonough) avoid a shipwreck.
This is two weeks in a row where I thought we should have an advantage over a team that had to play the previous night (Nashville & Phoenix) and then travel home to play us. Both games resulted in losses that were very difficult to watch.
The power play has me hoping for an option to decline penalties.
When Campbell and Barker are on the ice together I have this feeling that something bad is going to happen particularly at the end of a power play when they seem so tired that they cannot get the puck out of our zone in a safe manner.
Our lines have been changing a lot which cannot help the team.
I do not agree with playing a defenseman such a Hendry at forward as he looks lost.
Buff should remained parked in front of the net and not on the point on power plays as more is to be gained from his size to screen. I also worry about his mishandling of the puck or his tendency to fall down.
These two road games have me very concerned particularly with the second half of November so near.
--Kane: I really think he's playing well. He's been the Hawks most consistent forward and he's just not finishing.
--Sharp: Besides last night and the goal against Montreal, this guy has been a ghost. I don't know if he's hurting, or what....but he better snap out of it. How about making a deke on a breakaway? Can you do that? Because god knows your shot accuracy is pathetic.
--Versteeg: Amazing talent, just needs to finish. He has been bringing it a lot, and I know Eddie O loves to chastise him at every opportunity, but at least this guy is hustling.
--Bolland: Any day this guy wants to start earning his paycheck, I would appreciate it. It's gotten so bad, that this pet of somebody upstairs, has FINALLY been removed from the powerplay. I would keep Versteeg over him without thinking twice. I don't care if he lit up the OHL, he can't score here unless he's getting fed point blank chances, and that's not going to cut it for a supposedly #2 center. Accept the fact he's a 3rd line center, and then curse whoever gave this moron that ridiculous contract last June. Out of Versteeg, Sharp, and Bolland.....I would trade Bolland today. Versteeg has talent you can't coach...Sharp is going to come around....but what has Bolland done at the NHL level to gain an untouchable status? Pray somebody still covets this guy.
I dont' know....too many guys aren't carrying their weight. Keith? Where are you? Seabrook? How about not getting turned around? Barker? Can you outskate ANYONE in the NHL? Campbell? Can you please take a hit and not throw the puck away like a grenade?
Guys like Ebbert, Fraser, Brouwer, and Hendry better start playing better. IF not, you bench them and play guys from Rockford who will bring energy, passion, and give this team a much needed spark and not be content.
They better show up tonight......
First, thanks to Tim for being one of the only hockey reporters in town for several of the Hawks dull years. Second, I agree with everything you said other than Kane having to step it up. I think he's doing his best and he's definately been the best player for the Hawks. But I also think that MANY other Hawks have failed to step up. Getting to the semis last year should have taught everyone that it takes that extra effort to get to that level. That experience should have made everyone better. But they are not. Buff, Barker, Bolland, to name a few are not better than last year. The new acquisitions are nearly invisible. Only Kane, Keith and Versteeg have picked up where they left off. Too many look like satisfied millionairs instead of kids hungry for a cup.
image if we never signed hossa, lost toews tofree agency, never had eager or burrish, now you got a team that is at best 9-10th in the conference, put down the kool aid for a minute boys and girls, you know how the coyotes won last nite, besides the soft goals, watch the game again today on comcast, they went to the net, won board battles, didn't try to stick handle through 10 guys (devin hester brain versteeg), some of it has to do with size, yes stan, size! the kings and the yotes have young guys that have size and also have something some our bigger young guys don't have and that is the willingness to get dirty, pay the price get a bloody nose once in a while, like saavy used to say!until scotty and stan realize this isn't detroit the current team will continue to play this soft, on the peramiter ballerina style hockey. even the wings had maltby, macarty,probert, stu grimson konstantinov, ect, ect, ect !! you have certain guys that it seems are more worried about being noticed at pr. appearances and how they look walking down michigan avenue than playing the blue collar hockey that blackhawk fans of the 80"s were used to seeing. part of that i blame on the pussification of the nhl by bettman. bottom line fellow fans ,after this trip is over and all the daddys and grand daddy's go home, the gm has some work to do, and no i don't mean anymore 5"6 waiver pick ups, i mean a trade of consequence to add some grit! for the 100th time, carcillo, colton orr, excelby , and yes, tuomo ruutu if he is available! i don't know ,something like that. you fans are smart, what do you think? who would you want, that is with in reason? not some stupid request that some of the posters on the hawks website make at 3 in the morning when they are sitting at their computer half shot and rolling a blunt! but you are right tim! the team looks very ordinary! also i had no problem with savvy behind that bench either!
Shake up this 4th line and give this team some heart. This team is DYING for a mean streak. There simply aren't enough guys banging bodies.
I'm sorry but Fraser, Hendry, and Ebbett just aren't cutting it. Bring up Danny Bois to go along with Bickell who was recently brought up. You could keep Fraser between them. Tell those guys to go out and get in people's faces and start taking runs at people. Take the body HARD!!!
Wear the Black jerseys tonight and make a statement.
At the end, Tim mentions Huet letting in a soft goal and the Campbell give-away that lead to a goal.
Huet has GOT to make that save. Yes, Sopel got schooled one-on-one right before, but so what? Versteeg (more on him later) just missed an open net at the other end. A goal against after that is deflating for any team, even the come-back kids.
Then there's Soupy. Folks, I am scared any time he is on the ice. Not concerned, not nervous -- scared! At the end of the First last night Pat Foley, in his unique style "mentioned" that Campbell was without a point and a minus 4 (I think) in his past however many games. Well, add to that another pointless game and another minus-2. I'm ready to start booing the guy every time he touches the puck.
Let's also not forget Versteeg continuing to make poor decisions. On the third goal Versteeg made an ill-advised pass at the offensive blue line that Phoenix picked off and quickly headed the other way. Then Versteeg needlessly chased the puck-carrier behind the net. This is nothing new, BTW. How many times do we see No. 32 coughing up the puck at or just inside the opponent's blue line?
Also, what's up (or down) with Bolland. Virtually no PP time last night? Is he still hurting or is he in Q's doghouse?
Niemi in the nets, and shake up the lines. Radically. Get somebody from Rockford to play wing, maybe Bryan Bickell. If Bolland's back still hurts, sit him down for awhile. Play Campbell 11 minutes or so for a couple games and see if that wakes him up. Put Barker in the pressbox and let Aaron Johnson play. Or did we trade him for Ebbett? Anyhow, SHAKE IT UP, Q.
he's in Calgary. Ebbett was a waiver claim.