I miss the joy's of Norris division playoff Hockey.... Sick battles with St. Louis, Detroit or Minnesota every year. Good tough nasty hockey!!!! Nothing wrong with waiting to kick some vancouver a*s in the WCF!!!! BRING BACK THE NORRIS...
- moots

Agreed.

Disagree.

The Hawks got back into both the Vancouver series in 2011 and the Phoenix series last year when they stopped letting themselves get checked out of the building.

Much harder to get to 16 victories in the postseason with a track team than a balanced skill/pop team. Much harder. Look at the teams that win it, year after year.

Like it or not, Carcillo and Bollig could get some TOI in the playoffs. Not to fight, but to hit some people.
- John Jaeckel

JJ...good points but who do you take out for Bolling or Carcillo....not Kruger or Frolik....maybe Shaw but Q trusts him more than Carcillo and Bolling. I agree they need to be more physical and I wish they would've added that at the deadline. But, changing the way you play when the strength of the team is puck possession and playing fast is the wrong move. Someone mentioned before the biggest team to fear is the Hawks themselves...completely agree. If Bickel and Seabrook can use there body like they have at times.......if Bolland becomes the rat again.....and if Hammer can lay a few hits that will be huge.....but those are a lot of if's.

JJ...good points but who do you take out for Bolling or Carcillo....not Kruger or Frolik....maybe Shaw but Q trusts him more than Carcillo and Bolling. I agree they need to be more physical and I wish they would've added that at the deadline. But, changing the way you play when the strength of the team is puck possession and playing fast is the wrong move. Someone mentioned before the biggest team to fear is the Hawks themselves...completely agree. If Bickel and Seabrook can use there body like they have at times.......if Bolland becomes the rat again.....and if Hammer can lay a few hits that will be huge.....but those are a lot of if's.
- UnnamedSource

IF the PP can be ept.

This has been what, 3 seasons now of finding reasons to bash Stalberg? Now the reason to let him walk is because he doesn't finish offensively. Last year it was because he was a defensive mistake waiting to happen and a big woosy.

Michael Frolik may have found a role on the PK he's good at but he couldn't finish a ham sandwich if you ate half of it for him. Stalberg can really make defenceman work hard in their own zone and they are very leery of him catching them cheating up ice in the offensive zone. And he is a big body, which Luca Sbisa found out when he stepped up to hit #25 in open ice.

If all it took to resign Stalberg was to give him Frolik's bloated contract, Baby Jagr would be on a plane back to Prague real fast.
- RickJ

Wouldn't mind if either or both stay but with Vik being a UFA and us having a few RFA's to sign (Leddy and Kruger) it depends on what someone's going to pay and we likely won't be able to afford/keep him.

If that is the case, Frolik's bird like appetite notwithstanding, I could see him filling Vik's role on the 3rd line.

Hey, do I wish the Hawks had Cam Neely and Milan Lucic? Or even Troy Brouwer and Ben Eager (circa 2010)? Yes.

But they don't. If they just blaze past everyone all the way tot he Cup, no one will be happier than I will.

But I still see a team that struggles against a physical forecheck and can be checked hard into timid play up and down the ice. And their power play doesn't exactly make opponents pay for misdeeds.

All I'm saying is, like them or not, Bollig and/or Carcillo could have roles with this team in certain part of the playoffs.
- John Jaeckel

This is really the only way they can beat a physical team.......improving the PP goes a long way.

IF the PP can be ept.
- Ogilthorpe2

Yep...the best way to make a physical team pay is keep scoring on the PP. If I were coaching against the hawks....I would want 3-5 penalties a period from my team.....let them prove to me they can score with man advantage.

JJ...good points but who do you take out for Bolling or Carcillo....not Kruger or Frolik....maybe Shaw but Q trusts him more than Carcillo and Bolling. I agree they need to be more physical and I wish they would've added that at the deadline. But, changing the way you play when the strength of the team is puck possession and playing fast is the wrong move. Someone mentioned before the biggest team to fear is the Hawks themselves...completely agree. If Bickel and Seabrook can use there body like they have at times.......if Bolland becomes the rat again.....and if Hammer can lay a few hits that will be huge.....but those are a lot of if's.
- UnnamedSource

"puck possession" and "more physical" are not mutually exclusive.

Problem is NOT that Hawks are a puck possession team AND THUS not physical, problem is the are BY COACHES' (and FO?) DESIGN not physical.

And unlikely to change much now no matter who's skating each nite b

Yep...the best way to make a physical team pay is keep scoring on the PP. If I were coaching against the hawks....I would want 3-5 penalties a period from my team.....let them prove to me they can score with man advantage.
- UnnamedSource

It's my biggest concern, it will likely be this teams downfall IMO, just like last year.

Yep...the best way to make a physical team pay is keep scoring on the PP. If I were coaching against the hawks....I would want 3-5 penalties a period from my team.....let them prove to me they can score with man advantage.
- UnnamedSource

Assuming you're not being a bit facetious, you would really want YOUR offense to be dormant for 6-10 minutes per period - AND be at a man disadvantage for that long? You better hope your goalie is one of the best in the league.

No matter how bad the Hawks' PP, they are more likely to score the more chances they have, if only by accident.

It's my biggest concern, it will likely be this teams downfall IMO, just like last year.
- Ogilthorpe2

Yes, but in the normal course of events - not by opponents not carrying how many penalties they take.

Assuming you're not being a bit facetious, you would really want YOUR offense to be dormant for 6-10 minutes per period - AND be at a man disadvantage for that long? You better hope your goalie is one of the best in the league.

No matter how bad the Hawks' PP, they are more likely to score the more chances they have, if only by accident.
- StLBravesFan

A bit facetious but also serious. The Hawks PP is a momentum killer and more times than not barely gets off a shot on goal. How many times has the PK of the other team kept the puck in the Hawks zone. The Hawks have one PP goal in there last 20 or so chances and the Hawks at even strength are incredible....not as crazy as you think.

"puck possession" and "more physical" are not mutually exclusive.

Problem is NOT that Hawks are a puck possession team AND THUS not physical, problem is the are BY COACHES' (and FO?) DESIGN not physical.

And unlikely to change much now no matter who's skating each nite b
- StLBravesFan

It doesn't matter at this point what they are or who they are and by this design or that design......the issues is how do they win a cup. My feeling is play to what you know and your strength, don't try to be something they are not.

Or....and just thinking out loud.......if the hawks want to solve the PP issues....after the other teams gets a penalty and is shorthanded....a second after the face off trip, interfere do whatever to make it a four on four......just a thought.

Hey, do I wish the Hawks had Cam Neely and Milan Lucic? Or even Troy Brouwer and Ben Eager (circa 2010)? Yes.

But they don't. If they just blaze past everyone all the way tot he Cup, no one will be happier than I will.

But I still see a team that struggles against a physical forecheck and can be checked hard into timid play up and down the ice. And their power play doesn't exactly make opponents pay for misdeeds.
All I'm saying is, like them or not, Bollig and/or Carcillo could have roles with this team in certain part of the playoffs.
- John Jaeckel

Totally agree First thing we should do is take the OBVIOUS hit. So many times we all yell hit `em, I mean no need to glide 1.5 sec. to make a hit just the quick ones. Second when on the boards push more ecspecially when you when the puck is starting to come free, Boston is a master of this. Third we are having the worst time when teams send a third man in to take options away. therefore we will need as much muscle as we can get. Could someone slip Bicks & Stal a note that reads "There`s more money in it if you hit?"

Or....and just thinking out loud.......if the hawks want to solve the PP issues....after the other teams gets a penalty and is shorthanded....a second after the face off trip, interfere do whatever to make it a four on four......just a thought.
- UnnamedSource

I like this one.

Maybe Doug is the one who ends up trading for his rights?
- EKolb13

Don't expect draft picks in this draft from Doug Wilson.

yeah he has got three second rounders, but there is a whole lotta replensug=hment needed in their long term plan too.

Hey, anything is possible I guess.

If I were the one looking to looking to sell Stalberg, I would think about which franchises are thinking they are on the verge of making noise and which teams might really value that speed, and if Stalberg had played well against that interested club, even better.

and then I would play them against each other as the drfat approaches.

i am thinking Isles and Blue Jackets.
Isles really don't have extra picks or a second rounder but might be hungry if they can agree with the agent and Viktor to actaully sign there.

And although their is a new regime in Columbus, I am thinking that Jarmo Kekalainen would love to keep his season ticket holders and add some by actually signing another piece that their fans may know by name.

Granted Kekalainen is gonna want to have lots of fun and draft lots of prospects, you gotta think that the see having the three first rounders as more than assets for their long term future. I am not sayi ng he is gonna foolishly impulsive and sqaunder them, but it might let them be a little more conducive :
a) to a 2nd or 3rd rounder, or
b) maybe switch our first rounder for a lower one?

Even a few slots means more options in a really good draft class.

Or....and just thinking out loud.......if the hawks want to solve the PP issues....after the other teams gets a penalty and is shorthanded....a second after the face off trip, interfere do whatever to make it a four on four......just a thought.
- UnnamedSource

Or...fix the F'ing PP.

I see that Montador is not in the Icehogs lineup again tonight. Did he get concussed again in that scrap a couple games ago? That would be just great.

Is an amnesty buyout possible for an injured player?

I see that Montador is not in the Icehogs lineup again tonight. Did he get concussed again in that scrap a couple games ago? That would be just great.

Is an amnesty buyout possible for an injured player?
- 67hawks

I doubt it. If he is injured again, I'm sure they'll find a way to stash him away on LTIR.

Or...fix the F'ing PP.
- Ogilthorpe2

not likely....

I doubt it. If he is injured again, I'm sure they'll find a way to stash him away on LTIR.
- EKolb13

Is there a free stream of the game?

Is there a free stream of the game?
- UnnamedSource

I get the Icehogs via my local cable provider. Hockeystreams maybe?

Esplen has placed 4:1 odds on Vancouver winning the cup. He also gives the Hawks even less of a chance to win the cup. No surprise there.

Why do they let this guy post a blog?


- EKolb13

I'm surprised he didn't say 1:1. 4:1 is good for him.

Esplen has placed 4:1 odds on Vancouver winning the cup. He also gives the Hawks even less of a chance to win the cup. No surprise there.

Why do they let this guy post a blog?


- EKolb13

Because he's the intellectual equal of the 99.5% of Canuck fans who are complete dolts. I still hold out hope for the other .5%.

Because he's the intellectual equal of the 99.5% of Canuck fans who are complete dolts. I still hold out hope for the other .5%.
- Ogilthorpe2

I think you're being really generous with that half a percent. It's probably way less than that.