Good news regarding Sharp
There was encouraging news out of Blackhawks practice on Sunday.
Coach Joel Quenneville said Patrick Sharp was making “rapid progress” from his left knee injury, which could mean the Hawks will indeed get their leading goal scorer back before the end of the regular season.
“I won’t say exactly when he’s hitting the ice, but he’s making some rapid progress here,” Quenneville said. “We’re really pleased and encouraged he’s been able to ratchet up his off-ice training and conditioning as well. I don’t have a number of days when he can get back on the ice, but we’re happy with his progress.”
Quenneville jugged his lines the day after Saturday’s 2-1 loss to Anaheim but said he wasn’t sure if that’s how they would look Monday at Detroit. The lines were:
Brouwer – Toews – Kane
Bickell – Kruger – Hossa
Kopecky – Dowell - Frolik
Stalberg – Johnson – Pisani
“These lines today, I’m not exactly sure, we’ll see going into tomorrow if we go back to the way we finished the game last night,” Quenneville said. “It’s an option. There could be a makeup of more of a traditional checking line.”
Quenneville knows he needs to get Brouwer going offensively. Brouwer hasn’t scored a goal in 17 games and has just 1 assist in that stretch.
“Whether it’s him or (Bickell), we need more physicality up front,” Quenneville said. “We need more of a net-front presence in zone or on the attack. We need those guys to be more involved.”
i hope that big john scott is in the lineup tonight ,leddy was not seen on the ice the third period last night maybe it's just my imagination i never notice him, i will bet they will play scott tonight instead of leddy you mark my word we need toughnest tonight against does big bad bruins.
6 minutes of ice time for mr leddy last night you may as well play scott he might play 4 tough minute and 20 minutes in the sin bin.
1. What a fantastic game last night. Perfect that it was the "network" showcase. That game is why I am a fan of hockey.
2. Crawford was awesome last night. They said he was working hard to see through traffic, and they were right. Love his composure, positioning and size. We really hit the jackpot the last two years with Niemi and Crawdog. Big props to Waite.
3. Top line looked dominant. Again. They can't prevail every night, guys. But when they are on, wowzers. Strap yourself in.
4. Defense is looking very solid. Campoli's horn was tooted a lot and for good reason. Some snarl in Seabrook's game. Keith made some gutsy and fantastic plays. Regardless what some of you think about Bowman, he did a fine job of landing Campoli.
5. Hands down, Hjalmarsson's penalty in the third period was the worst one taken by a Blackhawk this season. Absolutely terrible. He owes Hoss a steak dinner.
6. Amway on the Joe Louis boards? Oh, Detroit, how the mighty have fallen.
7. Cheese, if you can offer any proof that I post as anyone other than eternal_fields, I will give you $10,000 cash. Proof would include similar IP addresses (if you know what that means), the admission you claim I made (which doesn't exist outside your clammy imagination) . . . If you have any tangible (look it up) proof, I will pay. If you can't come up with any in, say, six months, will you please shut up and come up with a new conspiracy theory? Time to put up or shut up, beyotch!
8. The Hawks are defending Stanley Cup champions, so it's only logical that fans should act accordingly. This means not soiling yourself every time your Hawks - gasp - drop a game, such as the Anaheim game. The pants-wetting that inevitably follows losses (even those of the 2-1 variety) is unseemly and beneath you, "alleged" Hawks fans.
Some random kudos to some guys that really stood out to me:
Seabrook was a rock back there, both defensively and also physically. He is the backbone back there, not Keith, and worth whatever we are paying him in his new contract. You build defenses around guys like him.
Hjallmarsson has my utmost respect as being fearless back there. There is no way of knowing how many goals he saved this year by putting his body in front of everything. There was one play last night where Crawford was jammed at the left side of the cage and Jalmy knelt in front of the right side while Wings were trying to tee one up. His courage is incredible. Character.
Stalberg. Wow. What this guy can turn into with a little seasoning. That penalty he drew late in the game should have turned a light on for him. With that kind of size and speed, he could draw tons of penalties like that over a season. Game-chaging penalties.
Johnson. Another courageous guy. Almost gets his head taken off by Bertuzzi, misses a couple of shifts while being checked for a concussion and probably conducting a personal inventory of his body parts, then comes back to throw his body in front of a shot face first in the 3rd.
Kaner. He takes an incredble amout of sheet on this blog, but in my eyes this guy has grown up in front of us this season. He is taking the body, backchecking, forechecking, and generally creating havoc all over the ice. This is not the same player that wore 88 in November. His best days are ahead of him, if we can keep him out of the emergency room or the morgue.
Finally, #16. Kid looks he's 28, not 18. Did not look out of place there at all. Looks like a keeper.
You know I want to see a little more sandpaper on this team, but these guys showed a tremendous amount of heart last night and I was really proud of 'em.
Good post, EF.
Eternal,
Whatever became of your call into Mitch Rosen about Bernstein's Kane comments.
Not much, unfortunately . . .
Without the e-mails, it's sort of an exercise in conjecture.
I'm still up for turning the heat up on Bernstein if you are willing to forward the e-mails (or scans of them with your e-mail obscured).
I don't think I should forward it here again. Don't need to cause another ruckus with the blog police.
Not here . . . I will give you an e-mail.
In fact, just shoot them to eternal.fields.art.project_at_gmail_dot_com if you wish. (Remove underscores and replace with standard e-mail formatting; i'm just trying to avoid the deluge of uggs offers from spambots)
No need to burden the board with this project. Be patient . . . I'll get back to you.
your ramblings, money, multi personnas, or name calling.
The last of which make for a petty, small, person.
I have way more than enough money to not waste what little spare time I have on the likes of an imbalanced guy like you.
You are protesting WAY too much.
I don"t even want to beat the living crap out of you anymore (like I have been trained to do for the last 25 years) because you are not well.
Please seek help, for your own well being.
Dear Tim,
This is my first post, but I've been a long time fan of your work and a longer Blackhawks fan. Is it possible to give the blogers who attack each other a seperate forum?
As I took a job in Florida, you and the NHL package are my only media outlets I have to follow the Blackhawks. Thanks for keeping me close and in-touch with my team.
Tim has turned into an extension of the Marketing Dept at 1901 West Madison Street. I don't know what happened to him, but McDope jumps on board and he gets scared....real scared. Much like the efforts on the ice, Tim has had an off year.....maybe a Stanley Cup Hangover for him too. Here's hoping he returns to form next year....because he clearly is afraid to write what anyone who watches this team night in and night out sees.
Ridiculous post.
Sassone has hands down been the best hocley writer in this town for the past decade.
Was the best....you are correct. You get absolutely nothing out of what he writes nowadays. It's all puffery. He's scared to death to call anyone out or ask criticizing questions. He even indicted himself several weeks back when he responed to another post by someone else saying he was the only one who spoke out or ripped the organziation back in the day when no one else covered the team (something to that effect anyway....I'll try to find it & clarify if I was stone drunk when I read that). He has gone soft, and for good reason...he wants the same front row seat in the press box next year....and the coveted press pass from McDope! Hopefully next season he get back to being Tim and not TIMid.
Swiss, you're the one that really needs the help around here. I have to side with Eternal on this one.
1. Why would Eternal create a character that claims to his own MC brother Ben Ben? Then Ben Ben claims he’s beaten, burned, locked up & absolutely abused in the worst way, by EF. Also just tears EF apart in many other ways.
2 .That makes zero sense. But then again, in your twisted head, it somehow does. You claim one person is EF, but EF is really 5 people, but the same person…that is what’s churning around your noggin.
3. Whoever Ben Ben may be, is a really, really SICK SICK person. That hates EF…hmm wonder who that may be? Oh wait. It’s you. SICKO ! I really hope you get the help you need, I really mean it.
4. I value you as a passionate Blackhawkfan, that's why I would like to see you get well, you seem violent, dillusional and confused. I do hope I am wrong though about the violent part.
God Speed
Jeff
That makes perfect sense.
Funny.
Very funny.
Please get help.
Go Hawks!
Gotta go win some business on the West Coast.
Reg and Philco. Keep an eye on this crazy person.
I've been voicing my displeasure with Kieth & Seabrook on this board quite a bit this past year, but realized after watching last nights game that I should have been cutting them a little slack. They look so much better when they have forwards back checking consistently and good puck support as well. A lot of their turnovers occur when there isn't a forward within 40 feet to help out. I still don't know why Kieth has been so bad covering the slot, but Seabrook is making me eat crow with those two big goals the last couple of games.
What a way to start a morning. reading that cat fight. I think I need to hit the cardiac ward at Stroger. Thanks ladies, I have tears streaming down my face!! hahahahahaha
Jeff
You would find the carnival atmosphere cage match funny, right Mr Sham? You of all posters, who leads the league in instigation, agitation, and all around world class insolence. It's a shame that this blog has become once again the Romper Room of the internet. Of the 120+ posts, about 25% concern hockey. The rest are cockamamy attempts at name calling, bullying, and playground type threatening remarks. Where's Tim? Time to get out the blog eraser again.
Very entertaining game last night....end-to-end action for the majority of the contest.
Nice to see Hossa bury the game winner ....he really has been coming on of late.
I tuned into WSCR this morning and the guys were talking Bulls? Did they not watch this game?
Nice to see Hossa go UPSTAIRS to score for a change. And the guys at the Score are better off not talking about hockey at all. Most of the guys here know more about brain surgery than the Score knuckleheads know about the game.
Well, I'll tune in at 9am. Danny Mac always talk about his Hawks.
He's the only one
Yeah, Mac is the only regular that consistently talks about the Hawks. Rosenbloom and Rozner also like to talk hockey but those two aren't on the station much. Instead, we get the two goofballs in the afternoon who love to push their views on others and berate their callers if they disagree with them.
Hey Wiz,
If a goal is scored 4 on 4, is it a special teams unit goal?
If it is termed a 'special teams' goal, obviously it counts as a plus, but does it count as a minus?
Cheese, 4 on 4 is even strength, not special teams. As far as special teams goals, powerplay goals do not count, shorthanded goals do count.
I hate that line...but anyway...
So if I am killing a penalty, and they score it is not a minus for me, correct?
But if I score a shorty, it is a plus, correct?
Conversley, if I am on a powerpaly and I score it is a plus for me, correct?
And if I give up a shorty, it is a minus, correct?
1) you are shorthanded, other team scores PP goal, not a minus or plus for either team
2) you are shorthanded, you score a shorty, plus for you and minus for team with advantage
3) you have advantage, you score PP goal, not a plus for you or minus for team shorthanded
4) you have advantage, other team scores a shorty, minus for you and plus for shorthanded team
You should replace Stan Fischler.
Thanks again.
....and I come to this post to read about it and I am instead treated to a combo of UFC and Biology class!! yeesh!!
I think Johnson made his bones tonite. Best gm as a Blackhawk by far. Fourth line was responsible and even dangerous on a few shifts. Kane and Brouwer ea had a bad blueline turnover, that can't happen in the playoffs.
Hoss needs to go on a tear the remainder of the year. Played well but still needs to finish more for his pay.
Let's hope Crow is not beat up for the back to back start number 2 vs the Bruins. We need at least 1 point frOm that game. Anaheim just keeps winning. Ok, Nuff rambling for tonite.
U other guys need to take ur cat fight somewhere else and stop subjecting us Hockey fans to your childish behavior. This is THE BEST Hawks post there is provided by hands down THE BEST Hawks beat writer. Don't ruin it for the rest of us, eh?
I think they get the award for "Streakiest" team. I just never know what to expect from them anymore. Seems like they continue to alternate hot and cold streaks all season long...
They have almost the best home record in the league (22-8-7) 2nd only to Vancouver's (25-8-5). The fact that they are only 2 games above .500 on the road (19-17-3) makes me think they might struggle in the first round if they don't have home ice. I'm guessing they like to get their match-ups @ home.
I didn't think they played all that bad against Anaheim, but they played even better tonight.
1) Great shot blocking...(definitely made a difference in the shot totals and made Crawford's life easier)
2) Very good at tying up the Wings down low and in the crease. (Didn't need some crease clearing D man to do it either.)
3) Love that Hossa has changed it up and is blasting the puck from all over. His normal quick release wrist/snap shots are good,(never bad to get the puck on net in a hurry) but he is giving goaltenders something else to think about when he has the puck.
4) Kruger made about 4 great back-checking plays tonight (that I counted anyway). He looks to be one of the better back checking forwards on the team already. The effort is there and he doesn't really look out of place. This kid might be the new #3 center and allow the Hawks to either a) Keep Bolland in the #2 role when he returns or b) trade Bolland if they need the salary. Now, I said "might be", because obviously he needs to play more and show what he can do, but I think the Hawks were right to want him in the lineup.
5) Leddy is looking more consistent and steady. He doesn't look like a rookie lately and he seems to be pretty good at shouldering guys off or at least tying them up and keeping them to the outside.
They played a very solid Detroit team and gave them life by taking some bad penalties (the worst being Kopecky needlessly shooting the puck over the glass) but came out on top. Wings had their chances to get the lead, but both teams were getting great goal-tending tonight.
What is your take on Frolik? A lotta guys are falling in love with him because he is not Skille.
And while that is just fine, I see a slight player with skills and little finish who falls down an awful lot. Like even more than Kopecky. . . .
Doesn't seem like a natural scorer . . . doesn't seem very strong on his skates . . . iffy on his potential as a center . . .
Where is the upside on this guy on a team that has been derided much of this year as being rather soft?
I do think Frolik is an upgrade over Skille and I like his compete for loose pucks. I don't think he can be a regular at the center position but obviously has some skill. He doesn't bring grit, but seems to be able to create some plays with the puck on his stick. Personally, I think he is someone that can play with top guys and won't hurt you really, or he can bring a bit of offense to a grinding line in the bottom 6. I think he needs to change it up a bit and maybe have a few games of "pass first" mentality. I thought there was a couple opportunities where he could have passed it, but decided to just wrist it on net. One specifical sticks out to me, where Campoli had speed going wide and was open to take the puck to the net.
If the Hawks keep him around for next season, it will be interesting if his game will change after some more time under the Chicago coaching staff. I often think that we speculate on things, but we don't get to really hear what the coaches are telling these guys, other than the generalizations about things like "pace", "gap", etc...
Troy Brouwer needs a goal in the worst way. Right now, I know Q wants him on the top line, but I think if he doesn't score soon, you gotta put someone who has a hot hand with Kane and Toews. I know Brouwer helps create space, but he has to chip in a goal or two here and there. I'm sure they put him on line 1 to get him going, and he came close in front of the net tonight, but he needs a godl. Maybe Sharp will be back sooner than later and the problem will be solved a bit.
Who sits when Sharp and/or Bolland (hopefully this season!!!) come back? My vote would be Stalberg and then Pisani (in that order)
F"N Bickell! hands down&pisani, not stalberg!
has played really well on the 4th line for awhile even if he didn't look great with 19/88 against Ducks. Great effort by him to draw the penalty on Ericsson (?) in the third even though the subsequent PP sucked. No way he sits. Pisani on the other hand is invisible. He provides nothing.
If Sharp comes back sit Pisani.
If Bolland comes back sit Dowell.
Don't really matter right now though, because neither are coming back this week.
Sharp up? Pisani down.
Bolland up? Dowell down.
Stan Bowman made 2 very good moves in picking up Campoli and Frolik.
They have helped the club.
Campoli definitely.
Baby Jagr would like to see more from, but not exactly missing Skille. Thought he had the winner last night, but Joey stoned him.
Freddy has been fine so far. Good positionally and willing to battle.
Pull your head out of the stats and quit acting like you know this team by looking at the standings and the faceoff circle stats. Brouwer is fine. He's getting opportunities. If he wasn't and was playing out of position that would be different. He kept a puck alive tonight and that led to a goal. No stat for keeping the puck alive, though, so how would you know right?
I'm sorry that I choose to try and back up what I see with some of the stats. I do watch the games, but you can't ignore the numbers. I mentioned that Brouwer is getting opportunities, but I question having a guy who is on a long goal slump(now 18 games) on the top line when Kane and Toews are hot. You don't want to see that line cool down because Brouwer is in a slump offensively.
I'm not even going to comment about the all the personal attacks posted below.
Maybe if everyone who posted here met up at a bar at years end there wouldn't be so much angry threats tossed back and forth - or how about if we all published our addresses. Me thinks some of the guys who like to threaten on here wouldn't dare do it in person. Then again - if both guys are 5'7", 155lbs. it might be a fair fight. Anyone can call anyone a name on the internet you idiots.
maybe a week after the cup final at 1 of the joints on madison street by johnnies ice house east. probably once every one meets you won't have all of that crap& who knows some people may turn out to get to be pretty good friends. chicago hockey fans are like philly, boston, ny rangers, montreal the wings ect. they know their stuff!let's see how it shakes out.
i know myself if we get bounced in the 1st round or missed i'm gonna be steamed for awhile about not having enough case of the ass on this team! what gets me is the gm hasn't even acknowledged such and knows exactly what is missing! another thing is john& jay were visible when the times were good last year, but where are they now to be telling these guys to grab your stones & play big. i hope rocky & mc cub put their foot down & tell jun ior after the season to get rid of some of these ballerina
s and get us a couple of al secords & a steve smith or dave manson on the blue line! it could be done! it won't be easy but a good gm will find a way!
i'm glad to see that some are starting to realize that troy brouwer isn't a good enough skater to be playing top 6. he's a great 3rd line 15-20 goal 1mill a year crasher thats all! if his agent thinks different and starts asking for stupid money then let him walk. they'll be others out there. bickell? lock him in a room all summer, kind of like summer school, make him sit down and watch tapes of al secord, curt fraser, milan lucic ect! have the teacher tell him, " now brian, you got boy parts between your legs, this is how someone your size should play hockey!not like you did in 10-11"!this year was your free pass because some say you are a rookie! no pass come sept!
i still think ( and don't get me wrong i like 51 but he's 33-34 now) bowman should see if there is a match back in buffalo over the summer for campbell! paul gausted & ?? would be fine by me to come back this way to free up some doe! the new guy up there says anything goes so why not see whats up!
hjalmersson, you go to scholl with bickell, you get to watch tapes of manson, bryan marchment, scott stevens and a few others! put down your feather duster and play like your 6'3 , 215!........................you guys add your own thoughts but yeah someone coordinate a season end have a few beers right before free agency and the draft! i'm in if i am not working that day!!
Is this your way of trying to find out how "big" people are? I suppose skin color is the next skin you'll bring up. Typical post from a punk who dances around the issue. I never threaten anyone and haven't done so tonight. Just reacted to a hater who posts lies about sports athletes he doesn't know. That makes him a punk too. If he ever posted anything real about the game of hockey I'd cut him slack but his energy and game are both in the dirt. Look...it's online and if someone with some intelligence pisses you off then that says more about you doesn't it? If someone calls out your post and says nothing personal at all and you react personally, that says more about you that it does anyone else. Now this one might be tough for you oldschool but it "is" online and verbage rules. If you aren't a wordsmith and have no game you are gonna get beatdown with a font. Word.
If a wordsmith is a spewer of keyboard diarrhea....you win hands down knob. Like i said, you're a broad, talking in circles all the time, probably asking yourself out loud, what purse should i wear today? Now you have the nerve to bring up skin color and threatening...neither of which have i ever touched on, nor would i. You're ignorant enough for the both of us.
But to my fellow bloggers.....I APOLOGIZE TO ALL OF YOU for being baited by this schizophrenic jellyfish, pizza chit.
Along with a plethora of other personnas he has to stip up trouble.
Next time you see BenBen, Shantz, RonyMexico, NIUDave, Kane88, DrTruth, Eternal Fields, or the latest; NoNameAvailable, be advised it is the same guy/girl/other.
He gives himself away with his vitriolic spewage, which is present in all personnas he uses.
He even admitted to being Kane88 once, and busted himself.
He used to piss me off.
Now I just shake my head at him because:
A) I knew a guy like his personnas once and sadly, that guy committed suicide.
B) His true colors are out and they are ugly.
Hey, when you went to that Hawks game in Toronto the other week, did you go to the Hockey HOF?
Every year they do a real cool HD movie of the Cup Finals in their movie theater.
Sure would like to see the 2010 Cup Finals on the big screen at the HHOF.
Oh lord, Swissy & Philco you 2 need some serious help with your paranoia. I’m mot EF, Dr Truth , Ben Ben…. Your heads are so twisted I have no clue how the 2 of you function on a daily basis. Your tin foil helmets aren't working, maybe you should call TEPCO for uranium ones.
Anyhoo, back to hockey….Hawks need the same effort tonight, their speed and agility will out class the physicality of the Bruins. It seems the Hawks play better in back to back games, maybe because they stay focused, who knows.
GO Hawks!
Jeff
Your 1st paragraph? No one is buying it.
Your 2nd? Very lucid.
Lithium can do that.
Don't doubt your hypothesis Brother Swiss....no wonder he was so quick to go to the 'voices in his head' line of attack. LOL. If true, it's too bad in one respect though.. i'm a big fan of BenBen and his infantile style ramblings. They make me LMFAO.
Didn't want to drag any other posters into this because Madam No IQ will then say we are the same person. Hilarious i know.
As for the Toronto game...i have of course been to the HHOF and it's AWESOME....but not in a few years, so no i haven't seen the HD movie if there is one. I'm sure it's WICKED GOOD though.
Big win last night...hope the boyz can pull it off again tonight.
So we have two weeks to see it.
PS: Here is how you know you are dealing with Fields, Shantz, NoName, DrTruth, etc.
Fields brought my wife into his blog posts after being asked not to. It pissed me off.
I am a big, tough, trained, South Side SOB (really) who will always protect his loved ones.
I called him out to meet me.
Guess where?
Under the 'L' at the corner of Lake and Wood Street after Hawks night game.
He declined of course, telling me he would 'consider my offer.'
Notice the similarity in some of NoName's recent postings challenging you yesterday?
Forget about that guy, Philco. He has major problems.
He has even been derogatory to Wiz, who is the smartest hockey guy on this blog.
Talk to me instead. I like your posts.
Thanks for the notes bro...let me know if you're coming up to watch the video....