So the impact of your 10 Olympic players on the Hawks only matters when it serves to bolster your argument?????? Otherwise it is to be ignored?

BTW I believe the Red Wings, with the coach you point to as a shining example for Q, also has 10 Olympians. Care to explain why they are fluttering around looking for a playoff spot?
- paulr

Easy - Jimmy Howard.

Would rather have Ladd over Bickell all day long . TT looks good ,but we have enough finesse players already . 1st round pick will be very late , plus , don't we have a boat load of prospects at Rockford and in Jr. ? Make the Trade
- falcon44

For now. TT is obviously a plan for the future and although I would agree that we have lots of prospects, none are as highly touted as this kid is. Ladd doesn't add enough to sacrifice the future plans of this team. Especially when the only problem we have is not talent related but rather its playing with our heads in the clouds (or some with their heads up their butts).

Easy - Jimmy Howard.
- RickJ

Who's in olympics....

Animal...Collie/Black Lab
- UnnamedSource

Looks exactly like one of the muts my family had when i was in diapers. Name was Tripod, reference to my dad being a photographer, she had all four legs.

Who's in olympics....
- UnnamedSource

Jimmy likely made the team because they got a better deal on airline tickets out of Detroit buying 10 not 9. He certainly didn't make it on the basis of his play this year.

Jimmy likely made the team because they got a better deal on airline tickets out of Detroit buying 10 not 9. He certainly didn't make it on the basis of his play this year.
- RickJ

Or maybe TG will say anyone of us could make the U.S Olympic squad!!

Jimmy likely made the team because they got a better deal on airline tickets out of Detroit buying 10 not 9. He certainly didn't make it on the basis of his play this year.
- RickJ

This is the only possible scenario.

Or maybe TG will say anyone of us could make the U.S Olympic squad!!
- paulr

I knew I should have tried out. At 4'3", I'd be a heck of a wildcard.

So the Ducks roll into Chi off a 9-1 beatdown of the Nucks.....hope the boys can replicate the effort they showed in that 1-0 win over L.A., which IMO was maybe our finest game all season.

But with Perry, Getzlaf and Selanne....it will be hard to blank them for 60.

So the Ducks roll into Chi off a 9-1 beatdown of the Nucks.....hope the boys can replicate the effort they showed in that 1-0 win over L.A., which IMO was maybe our finest game all season.

But with Perry, Getzlaf and Selanne....it will be hard to blank them for 60.
- philco28

Stay out of the penalty box and put Rantaa in net.

So the Ducks roll into Chi off a 9-1 beatdown of the Nucks.....hope the boys can replicate the effort they showed in that 1-0 win over L.A., which IMO was maybe our finest game all season.

But with Perry, Getzlaf and Selanne....it will be hard to blank them for 60.
- philco28

Stay out of the penalty box and put Rantaa in net.

Point 1 first paragraph. While I know it is somewhat true that people want to beat the Hawks. However, in this day and age, every single point is huge. The assumption in this remark is that teams mentally raise and lower their energy based upon opponent. While totally ignoring the fact that every team and coach wants to and needs to win every game. It is intellectually dishonest to think the 2 points against the hawks are worth more than 2 points against everyone else.

Respectfully, thank you for making my broader, flick the switch assumption. That is this rest and cruise control thing is good and healthy. I am not saying they should be perfect all year at all. Slumps will happen. But this save it for the playoffs is a great recipe for first round upset.

The blues and ducks play a far more consistent game than the Hawks have so far. Does not mean anything later, but to me, it gives teams the intangible advantage when faced with adversity. They have that consistency to refer to. The hawks...this year...not as much. Hawks had it and used it vs Detroit last year.
- TrueGrit

Do you really think the ultra high intensity and competitiveness it requires to win a game is really present every time every team hits the ice? No. Every player will take plays off. Some will even take games off. And in the dog days teams will take games off. Not everyone does it at the same time, and it really only means throttling the intensity down a bit. I've never played hockey in my life, yet I know that. Its human nature. Doesn't matter what you're paid, doesn't matter what your motivation. You just can't. Humans are not machines.

How do you decide which games to take it easy on? You don't. Your body does. It knows, as you say, a point is a point; So consider perhaps one might put more into assuring a win against the average or sub-par teams, but also take a run at the Champs when they come to town for the glory for a true measuring stick. Not as much against the other top teams in the league so you save your energy - maybe just a little.

Human nature. Doubting that - is intellectually dishonest.

Ducks are a little more focused on D and make their goalie look better. Who knows. maybe he is. Hawks have the propensity - always have - to want to fly and look pretty. But they are more than capable of shutting down any team. Much like the Wings of years past. To me the Ducks are a carbon copy of the Blues, except I can't seem to figure out where their scoring seems to come from.

So I'm not saying take your foot off the pedal... Perhaps I'm saying just simply don't gun it just yet. Any momentum you try to gain will be lost during the Olympics anyway.

Stay out of the penalty box and put Rantaa in net.
- paulr

I think you just gave away your alter ego.

This Ducks team is scary. They've got the skill, defence, goaltending and toughness/physicality to go all the way. I'm scared Friday in CHI
- Arjun_AJB

Its just a game, dont be scared. The Ducks are good but the Hawks are due for a bounce back soon. You'd think they'd be able to get pretty hyped up to play the top team in the league right now. I think the Hawks win 3-2

Stay out of the penalty box and put Rantaa in net.
- paulr

you can say that again...

Its just a game, dont be scared. The Ducks are good but the Hawks are due for a bounce back soon. You'd think they'd be able to get pretty hyped up to play the top team in the league right now. I think the Hawks win 3-2
- BlazinMike

The Ducks are just as good as they were last year, and look what happened in the playoffs. I'm not saying it will happen again but anything is possible.

Jimmy likely made the team because they got a better deal on airline tickets out of Detroit buying 10 not 9. He certainly didn't make it on the basis of his play this year.
- RickJ

True.....but even when he was out with injury the Wings were not that good.

Looks exactly like one of the muts my family had when i was in diapers. Name was Tripod, reference to my dad being a photographer, she had all four legs.
- Vark37

To beat the Ducks maybe they need to Stay out of the penalty box and put Rantaa in net

I agree. However, the problem it seems is that no forward sits because the Hawks have chosen to carry 8 defensemen and the "13th forward in case of emergency" seems to be Brookbank.

Either Q needs to be rotating Brookbank in at forward, or their needs to be a 13th forward here. Given, I wouldn't expect Bowman to jettison defensive depth - it just doesn't seem to be his thing. But what has Kostka done for this team? At this point, I wouldn't be afraid to put Kostka on waivers to send him to Rockford. If the Hawks lose him, so what? With watching Dahlbeck over the past season and a half in Rockford, I would think that Dahlbeck could possibly be on this team now as a 7th defenseman and not hurt this team.

At this point I'd assign Kostka to Rockford and call up one of Morin or Nordstrom.
- EKolb13

They can call up one of the Rockford guys and keep Kostka, at least from a cap perspective.

For now. TT is obviously a plan for the future and although I would agree that we have lots of prospects, none are as highly touted as this kid is. Ladd doesn't add enough to sacrifice the future plans of this team. Especially when the only problem we have is not talent related but rather its playing with our heads in the clouds (or some with their heads up their butts).
- PhilMeister89

Been getting caught up on the thread. I gather the Ladd move comes down to management deciding to win now over next year or the year after. Not that bringing Ladd in would guarantee that either. Considering SB's moves after the last cup I would not be surprised if he stands pat and bets on Bickell to come back next year and that TT may be ready by next year's playoffs.

Someone made a good point about the Isles and Wings dynasties shifting their bottom 6 role players and that may have kept the energy level higher. That may be a problem with this Hawks roster.


The Hawks are in a lull right now. Who can blame them with the intensity level they have been at the last 100 - 120 games. Who picks up the energy level?

Bickell is obviously off this year.
Zus is a waste in the RS and he really does not look like an energy guy.
Ben Smith is a decent role player and bring some energy.

Who did they replace? Stals - no matter what he was in the room in the reg season his speed brought energy. Bolland - on the ice - particularly in big games - energy and nasty. Frolik - energizer bunny.

I doubt they do the Ladd deal. What would make it really attractive would be to make it Bickell, TT and a 1st (and maybe Kostka) for Ladd and Frolik. Obviously, they would need to keep some of Frolik's salary to make it happen but he is in the final year of his deal so no big deal.

That trade would be a game changer this year and would justify TT going to the Jets.

They can call up one of the Rockford guys and keep Kostka, at least from a cap perspective.
- mohel

Kostka would also not clear waivers if they sent him down.

Ha 72, I almost remembered it well
- vabeachbear

72 is ok, 73 would have been way too much

But you're right, the small glasses are a little bit dangerous and if it tastes that good like Schumacher you have a problem rather sooner than later

Why 10 days in May once every 10 years?

Did anyone ever point out that the two biggest glaring underachievers on the team are the two guys who just signed the biggest contracts?

Taking the foot off the gas now that you got the $$$ or can't handle the added pressure. That darn human nature thing again...

True.....but even when he was out with injury the Wings were not that good.
- UnnamedSource

Can't win at home; Z and Datsyuk injuries; weak defence group and injuries; Howard stinks. That's all I've got.