Yeah, like those requirments can be filled in a whim....refer to my above post.
LOL
- wiz1901

Actually they can't be filled on a whim. Filling those requirements will take some guts and knowing you will have to overpay for them. Is a team poised as one of the best in the league worth the gamble?

if he comes back (which he is welcome to, BTW) I will post the Kronwall devastation of Havlat video—done en route to the Stanley Cup.
- John Jaeckel

to the finals, but not a finals win.

not to be a jerk, just sayin...

If we determine that fast, skilled teams cannot win then the Hawks need to rebuild from scratch and the Cup is not possible for this core.

BTW - the snark of "your great Hawks team" was unnecessary.
- mohel

My apologies

How can you say we determine "fast, skilled teams cannot win : when I cite the 2009 Wings and the 2010 Hawks (and 2008 Pittsburgh, for that matter).

Fast and skilled, but also physical as hell.

If we determine that fast, skilled teams cannot win then the Hawks need to rebuild from scratch and the Cup is not possible for this core.

BTW - the snark of "your great Hawks team" was unnecessary.
- mohel

No one I have read is suggesing this. Everyone agrees the Hawks need to tweak the line up to improve it.

to the finals, but not a finals win.

not to be a jerk, just sayin...
- dr_boloney

Correct, had theirs and Pittsburgh's last Cups backward, sorry, late night

He lives behind Pony Bar...you see him in there night after night?

Nope.

They purged many party boys in Burish, Madden, and Steeger...
- wiz1901

They purge you Wiz ?

JJ,

Your preaching to the choir. Mentioned it earlier this week, Hawks have 4 players with over 40 hits, Bruins have 7.
- Beaver-Warrior

Hits are one indicator but its also winning board battles, finishing checks (some are scored hits others are not), taking the body off the puck rather than the puck off the body, net presence.

Here's what's laughable. Your implication that the Hawks applied as much pressure as the Ducks did. The Ducks applied more generally and certainly more when it counted. Go back and watch the Phoenix series again. I'm certain Boudreau (and others) have.

0-1-1
- John Jaeckel

Yes but the reality of it is that could easily be 2-0-0. The games have been relatively even.

Tell me one team, just one, that won the cup with a total lack of any physical play. Do you really think the Hawks speed, skill and complete lack of a physical game will be the first? I don't blame you for running from the debate, you'll have an impossible task finding many buyers for what you're selling.
- paulr

I was where you are two seasons ago..there is a change in the paradign... in my humble opinion, and in some of the brightest minds coaching and even inside the short past ex-players circles, that having more scorers, all around quickness, and a desire to play fearless now out-weigh the old paradign of big physical guys being dressed over smaller better skilled guys.

If you are able to have both, like drafting a second round Saad, and if he develops into a scorer, then great.

But you cannot load up on Winnicks, Shaubitz, and Steckels at the cost of skill.

Fortunately when skill comes in a big package that plays fast Getzlaf, Perry, and Ryan, you get both....

You cannot make it appear...Frolik & Kruger cannot get thicker by much.

Yes but the reality of it is that could easily be 2-0-0. The games have been relatively even.
- Blackwater13

Close only counts in Hand grenades.

Thanks, but I'll argue, the real metric is the big hits. Numbers of hits, I will concede, often don't matter as much.
- John Jaeckel

Unfortunately there's no subcategory titled "Big Hits". So this turns into a shade of grey debate. I'll argue the odds of more big hits will greater with more hits being delivered.

Hits are one indicator but its also winning board battles, finishing checks (some are scored hits others are not), taking the body off the puck rather than the puck off the body, net presence.
- moylander

The only consistent truth about hits is
the etam with most
Hits taken
means
they were good enough to have the puck longer.

In the playoff, if go back and look at hits,
you will see that team getting further along seem to fix their hit totals...
by puck possession being more balanced and players knowing the real season is post season.

I thought the fair outcome was overtime and I thought we played better against a very good Ducks team than we have in many of our wins this year

With two wingers in our top 6 out plus whatever is up with Carcillo I suspect the Hawks are in on the Iggy soap opera with Pitts and Boston


With Sharp and Hossa in the lineup....up the middle looks like a priority.

I also suspect the discussion is not only what it would take to obtain Iggy but what also it would take to sign him for the next three years in Chicago

Yes but the reality of it is that could easily be 2-0-0. The games have been relatively even.
- Blackwater13

Meh . . . OK, but who's been better? really?

Actually they can't be filled on a whim. Filling those requirements will take some guts and knowing you will have to overpay for them. Is a team poised as one of the best in the league worth the gamble?
- paulr

I think it is far less simplistic than paying out.

they aren't gonna be there.

The only consistent truth about hits is
the etam with most
Hits taken
means
they were good enough to have the puck longer.

In the playoff, if go back and look at hits,
you will see that team getting further along seem to fix their hit totals...
by puck possession being more balanced and players knowing the real season is post season.
- wiz1901

Like I say, I don't think hit count is best metric for a team that is meaningfully physical. it can sort of half way get you there. The 2010 Hawks, I'm not sure, had the highest hit count. But their hits were meaningful, set the tone and they won the battles . . . and thus the war.

Unfortunately there's no subcategory titled "Big Hits". So this turns into a shade of grey debate. I'll argue the odds of more big hits will greater with more hits being delivered.
- Beaver-Warrior

True

I was where you are two seasons ago..there is a change in the paradign... in my humble opinion, and in some of the brightest minds coaching and even inside the short past ex-players circles, that having more scorers, all around quickness, and a desire to play fearless now out-weigh the old paradign of big physical guys being dressed over smaller better skilled guys.

If you are able to have both, like drafting a second round Saad, and if he develops into a scorer, then great.

But you cannot load up on Winnicks, Shaubitz, and Steckels at the cost of skill.

Fortunately when skill comes in a big package that plays fast Getzlaf, Perry, and Ryan, you get both....

You cannot make it appear...Frolik & Kruger cannot get thicker by much.
- wiz1901

There are many bottom 6 players who can skate and play physical hockey. I saw Steckle play for the Leafs and other than faceoffs he doesn't bring anything else. I am not talking a major redo, never have, I like allot of what comprises the Hawks have right now, all I am saying is they need a couple of physical players. You disagree. I asked you to show me a team that had no physical players that won the cup and you didn't.

Point out one team, just one that didn't have a couple of physical players the opposition had to have their heads on a swivell and be concerned about. When you do I'll consider changing my opinion.

I was where you are two seasons ago..there is a change in the paradign... in my humble opinion, and in some of the brightest minds coaching and even inside the short past ex-players circles, that having more scorers, all around quickness, and a desire to play fearless now out-weigh the old paradign of big physical guys being dressed over smaller better skilled guys.

If you are able to have both, like drafting a second round Saad, and if he develops into a scorer, then great.

But you cannot load up on Winnicks, Shaubitz, and Steckels at the cost of skill.

Fortunately when skill comes in a big package that plays fast and hard Getzlaf, Perry, and Ryan, you get both....

You cannot make it appear...Frolik & Kruger cannot get thicker by much.
- wiz1901

Fixed. Add Toews to that.

I think it is far less simplistic than paying out.

they aren't gonna be there.
- wiz1901

OK, if you say so.

Close only counts in Hand grenades.
- paulr

And farting near an adversary

Close only counts in Hand grenades.
- paulr

No doubt but my point is that the blog and the tone of the comments in here make it seem as if the Hawks were not worthy of even being on the same sheet of ice with the Ducks. The great and powerful Ducks.

if he comes back (which he is welcome to, BTW) I will post the Kronwall devastation of Havlat video—done en route to the Stanley Cup.
- John Jaeckel

That one hit won the Cup? I hadn't known...

Meh . . . OK, but who's been better? really?
- John Jaeckel

Either team could have won either game and neither dominated. To me thats even.

No doubt but my point is that the blog and the tone of the comments in here make it seem as if the Hawks were not worthy of even being on the same sheet of ice with the Ducks. The great and powerful Ducks.
- Blackwater13

Who said that?

Most of what I have read are arging the Hawks need some pushback in the physicality department.