Guranteeeeeed Keith hits Backes in the foot with a shot..... You know it's getting blocked anyways....
- mrpaulish

Just as long as he isn't aiming at it. We both know he will miss by a mile.

Howdy good sir.

As soon as I heard the news I thought Washington. Trotz brings Washington to the Finals getting the head case from Russia in line or out of town.

As for the keys, we can all agree it will take an A+ from all lines, goal and Q to win a cup. If Towes and Kane have to play on the same line like against the Wings...so be it. Every game there has to be 5 or more guys/plays that when in review are big momentum changers. In the end Crawford gets the Smyth or makes the first golf reservations.
- Cup-Bearer

Trotz in Washington would be as bad as Torts in Vancouver. Trotz might actually strangle Mike Green.

Does anyone else have the shakes? Damn hockey withdrawals.
- DarthKane

On the brightside. We do get some on Wednesday.

Everyone do yourself a favor and watch this video ONE LAST time before the tournament begins Thursday night . Hopefully near the end of June there will be another Hawk tribute video that ends something like his one !


Enjoy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_nu5QokaCw

- mrpaulish

Done!

Trotz in Washington? That would be hilarious!

Trotz and Ovie would be butting heads in no time...
- EKolb13

The key to game 1 is to be patient. Blues are gonna come out flying looking to lop off heads. Support the puck and don't allow a big hit to create an odd man rush the other way. 19/88 need to work the rust out and I don't want to see this BS stretch crap right off the bat. Blues do a great job of forcing us to the walls. So realize that and dump and get it using our team speed. Blues have slumped but are still a damn dangerous team. Play very tight D and counter punch. Im willing to bet the Blues may over extend to make the hit and that's when you take it the other way. This series plays to Zus and Bickel so lets get it going. I see a lot of 1 goal games so CC has to be good. We cannot have a WTF goal let in. Keep it simple boyz.. Get a clean look, let it fly. We don't need fancy extra passes. Get it on net and get dirty.... LETS GO HAWKS... CANNOT WAIT!!!!

I also think I'd go:

Bickell-Toews_Kane
Sharp-Handzus-Hossa
Saad-Shaw-Versteeg
Bolig-Kruger-Smith

I think you have to put Bickell up with Toews and Kane for protection. You can't have Toews with Hossa, Sharp. Guys will take liberties and somebody has to help out the captain.

Agree with this except for shaw and hanzus change places and maybe regin plays 3c and Bollig sits
- molly2522

I think the probability is big with these lines Q is gonna start the battle.

I agree, it should be a great series.

The last regular season stretch has really brought down expectations here in St Louis and across the NHL though for the Blues. Maybe that will be a good thing. Instead of the hunted, we become the hunter again. If we can get guys back healthy, we can be dangerous again. Big if though as so many guys have been hurt lately.
- carcus

I think I agree with you in some respect. The Hawks have had the champion bullseye all season and were the hunted. The Blues season thru early March had teams and fans "including people here" putting a target on them. This slump might make for some fun chat but let there be no doubt, it will be a blood sweat and tears series. Tears by blues fans in about two weeks

So apparently the blues have zero chance.

Enjoy the second round Chicago...

Oh wait still have to play the games.

Kind of forgot that technicality

Does anyone else have the shakes? Damn hockey withdrawals.
- DarthKane

Yes.


Been watching game 6 vs. Phili in 2010 and game 6 vs. Boston last year over and over and over and over and over and over......

Trotz had the NHL's top pairing defensemen in Suter and Weber and probably the top goalie...And couldn't get to the 2nd round of the playoffs.

He was awful in the series when they had the Hawks by the throat and was the main reason they lost the series.

Allowing Kane to score while on the power play with little time remaining was a huge blunder...That was all on him.

When I looked at the bench the players looked like a deer in headlights and so did he after Kane scored.

To have Erat on the ice at all and 2 forwards below the goal line and he was one of them, has to go on the head coach.

....And that club was never the same afterward although Suter, Weber and Rinne continued to shine.

If you are right he will get a job within the next 2 weeks...But I doubt it.

Overrated the last 5 years and like I wrote Poile is next.
- Al

You make a lot of good points, Al.

When I think of Trotz I see a guy who was saddled with a team that would not spend to the cap for almost all of his tenure. He had maybe two years where he had a talented team that had a shot to go deep (2010, 2011), and you're right, he couldn't get it done.

Then they lost Suter and dropped a ton of cash to keep Weber and Rinne. And unfortunately for them, they lost Rinne for almost the entire year.

I think he mostly squeezed blood from a rock in Nashville.

I think Nashville's predicament is more on Poile than Trotz, he made some bad moves and spent poorly on UFA day.

Others probably know more than me, and my guess is that he's highly regarded around the league. And most of the available coaches out there are retreads, has-beens or never-weres. When the coaching deck chairs are rearranged over the summer I still think he will have a job, if he wants one.

Time will tell.

Cheers.

So apparently the blues have zero chance.

Enjoy the second round Chicago...

Oh wait still have to play the games.

Kind of forgot that technicality
- sycsam

Ryan Miller is theBlues only chance.


Feel confident ?

Agree with you about the avs series but he could and should be on a short leash since for once we have a replacement in morin that can play physical
- molly2522

I have tough time trying to figure out who is faster and better defensively B52 or Morin right now

On the brightside. We do get some on Wednesday.
- Elbows15

I follow a local Junior A team in the BCHL, they're in the Championship series of their league. They are up 2 games to none and they play tonight and tomorrow. That will tide me over until Wednesday.

Ryan Miller is theBlues only chance.


Feel confident ?
- mrpaulish

Id rather face Miller then Halak. Miller has not looked good. I thought that trade was a bad one for the Blues.

Yes.


Been watching game 6 vs. Phili in 2010 and game 6 vs. Boston last year over and over and over and over and over and over......
- mrpaulish

Good to know I am not the only one who does this-

So apparently the blues have zero chance.

Enjoy the second round Chicago...

Oh wait still have to play the games.

Kind of forgot that technicality
- sycsam

The good thing is that even if the Hawks do lose in the 1st round, Hawks fans only have to listen to like 3 or 4 Blues fans (on the high end) bragging and gloating. I think this will be a good series. Obviously nothing is easy, especially in the playoffs. I like the Hawks chances.

Guranteeeeeed Keith hits Backes in the foot with a shot..... You know it's getting blocked anyways....
- mrpaulish

Ryan Miller is theBlues only chance.


Feel confident ?
- mrpaulish

Kind of???

The good thing is that even if the Hawks do lose in the 1st round, Hawks fans only have to listen to like 3 or 4 Blues fans (on the high end)bragging and gloating. I think this will be a good series. Obviously nothing is easy, especially in the playoffs. I like the Hawks chances.
- BlazinMike

Actually, there will be a few more. I won't be one of them. I will be extremely happy, but Blues fans will show up around here to peacock around if we win a first round series against you guys.

Now, I am not saying that I won't enjoy it and the troll posts that would come.

I like this. Howdy Bear!
- Elbows15

Thank you, I'm ok, having fun here and playing balalaika You?

The key to game 1 is to be patient. Blues are gonna come out flying looking to lop off heads. Support the puck and don't allow a big hit to create an odd man rush the other way. 19/88 need to work the rust out and I don't want to see this BS stretch crap right off the bat. Blues do a great job of forcing us to the walls. So realize that and dump and get it using our team speed. Blues have slumped but are still a damn dangerous team. Play very tight D and counter punch. Im willing to bet the Blues may over extend to make the hit and that's when you take it the other way. This series plays to Zus and Bickel so lets get it going. I see a lot of 1 goal games so CC has to be good. We cannot have a WTF goal let in. Keep it simple boyz.. Get a clean look, let it fly. We don't need fancy extra passes. Get it on net and get dirty.... LETS GO HAWKS... CANNOT WAIT!!!!
- z1990z

Its the playoffs. The Hawks hit back in the playoffs. The blues don't like being hit.

I follow a local Junior A team in the BCHL, they're in the Championship series of their league. They are up 2 games to none and they play tonight and tomorrow. That will tide me over until Wednesday.
- DarthKane

The local "youths" have been having pick up games in front of the house. Is it wrong to watch from the living room window? Hopefully they stick with the tennis balls. The orange and red street hockey balls have been the source of more than a few dents

Thank you, I'm ok, having fun here and playing balalaika You?
- Uncheckable21

Drinking game?

Thank you, I'm ok, having fun here and playing balalaika You?
- Uncheckable21

Pretty much the same. Well, except for the balalaika part.