It's only because the Blues are a good team and the Hawks most bitter rival. St Louis is physical and talented, and a threat for the Cup.
- howiehandles

Beg to differ. THey are the fourth or fifth best team in the conference if they stay healthy.

Don't disagree but you at least have to make a motion. When you have guys like Konroyd and Mayers visibly puzzled on the post game show hoping the hawks chirped him right after or on the ice.....I think you can the response was pretty bad outside of Kane...and truthfully, no opponent is worried about kane doing anything.

And he's right about the PP.....the point play is a joke....especially on the 5 on 3...Hossa and Keith going back and forth with no movement and not opening lanes by attacking the defense or planting a guy right in front of the goalie for screens.

Did you see 2 and 7 completely F up the point and allow Boston to clear? I also saw a Boston player, want to say Marchand, shadowing Keith as he half @assed it into the neutral zone and the guy damn near picked off the telegraphed drop pass to Kane.

A pp is all about quick movements to get the D out of their spots and expose lanes and allow guys to pop into areas for prime scoring. The hawks routinely fail at this, instead banking on some very inaccurate point guys blasting away wide, or into a guys shin pads. Their best point guy in regards to an accurate shot is probably Seabrook.
- SteveRain

Anybody see Ladd/Landeskog last night. Ouch!

http://www.hockeyfights.com/fights/126335

I wouldn't want to be Landeskog in the rematch. Ladd can bring it and chances are his jersey will cooperate next time.

Agreed......

What drives me NUTS is when I go and watch him peel off a check and not finish it. He starts finishing 75% of those, the bad turnover from a pressured D man paranoid he's going to get hit by 29 will add up....Instead he peels off and the D man doesn't get the message.

Buff was great at this. As was Brouwer.

Not this goof......want to talk about buyer's remorse.....
- SteveRain

Agreed, dunno what it is about Bickell but there is a serious difference between regular season Bickell and playoff Bickell. Playoff Bickell is the ONLY thing remotely justifies his contract or makes me hesitate about dealing him. Same was somewhat, SOMEWHAT, true of Byfuglien, but i think you got way more effort from him and certainly better, more physical play night in and night out.

Byfuglien absolutely destroyed some guys in the regular seasons: Dallas Drake, Pronger (with the Ducks), and perry come to mind. Remember once in Anaheim, it looked Perry was gonna cry before he quit on the bench after Byfuglien hit him.

Funny thing about Bickell is I heard from a good source he would've signed for about $2 million per in March 2013 but the Hawks balked. What I heard.

Anybody see Ladd/Landeskog last night. Ouch!

http://www.hockeyfights.com/fights/126335

I wouldn't want to be Landeskog in the rematch. Ladd can bring it and chances are his jersey will cooperate next time.
- tredbrta

Still love Laddie...wish we still had him here.

Still love Laddie...wish we still had him here.
- DK002

Agreed, dunno what it is about Bickell but there is a serious difference between regular season Bickell and playoff Bickell. Playoff Bickell is the ONLY thing remotely justifies his contract or makes me hesitate about dealing him. Same was somewhat, SOMEWHAT, true of Byfuglien, but i think you got way more effort from him and certainly better, more physical play night in and night out.

Byfuglien absolutely destroyed some guys in the regular seasons: Dallas Drake, Pronger (with the Ducks), and perry come to mind. Remember once in Anaheim, it looked Perry was gonna cry before he quit on the bench after Byfuglien hit him.

Funny thing about Bickell is I heard from a good source he would've signed for about $2 million per in March 2013 but the Hawks balked. What I heard.
- John Jaeckel

I believe it last contract he got looked in at 550K for a long time.

Agreed on Buff but I'd take Buff 365/24-7 over bickell....Playoff Buff > Playoff Bickell and that isn't even up for a debate. Buff destroyed guys. I'd take Brouwer over Bickell. Including playoff Brouwer over playoff Bickell.

Oh well.....take Bickell's cap hit, give it to Saad, replace Saad with McNeil and I' OK with it. Saad is gong to sniff 4 million. Bickell is gone.

I also think 27 is gone based on Hawks younger D men showing they can play...Especially TVR and Dahlbeck. No room in the INN for 27 next summer.

16 will be interesting. Can't afford much more.

Agree on Carcillo. Thought he got a bad rap the first time around, but then again, he was to blame for eventually taking a stupid penalty. He can skate, and knows what to do with the puck. Wish they had another guy or two, but preferably larger, with a bit more skill. A guy like how Bickell should be.
- howiehandles

Agreed and maybe you make that deal with Raanta and Morin going the other way. Another serviceable, banger who can play 3rd or 4th line minutes.

Agreed, dunno what it is about Bickell but there is a serious difference between regular season Bickell and playoff Bickell. Playoff Bickell is the ONLY thing remotely justifies his contract or makes me hesitate about dealing him. Same was somewhat, SOMEWHAT, true of Byfuglien, but i think you got way more effort from him and certainly better, more physical play night in and night out.

Byfuglien absolutely destroyed some guys in the regular seasons: Dallas Drake, Pronger (with the Ducks), and perry come to mind. Remember once in Anaheim, it looked Perry was gonna cry before he quit on the bench after Byfuglien hit him.

Funny thing about Bickell is I heard from a good source he would've signed for about $2 million per in March 2013 but the Hawks balked. What I heard.
- John Jaeckel

Bickell had some moments in Nashville and spots last night but his fly bys are really getting old.. Wish we could put Nordstrom's heart in that guy's frame. Thought playing with Shaw helped but he is starting to go passive again.

I remember being told Jaques Demers used to assign a player that he thought was passive a hit "mark" he expected him to achieve by a certain shift. Told him to focus only on hitting until he reached the mark. Said it would get them involved whether they liked it or not.

No physicality at all... No BAlls....Dont get me wrong, I love the cups.....I just saddens me when these grown men dont stand up for each other. Toews is going to end up watching the game he loves from a rocking chair one day soon if his brothers dont start defending themselves..........Just sad to watch sometimes......
- Gary0301

Every season has a game, sometimes a single play, where the tides of fortune turn. Last night was exactly that for the Hawks. Toews gets pushed 10 feet, like shovelling rink snow, into the boards head first AGAIN! Little Patty glides up to accept a hug of consolation from the perp still standing over the fallen captain. NO ONE else! A timid team with a lowsy power play will never stay on top for long in the NHL. The writing is on the wall for teams game-planning the Hawks - take big free runs at Toews and Kane, there's no reason not to. Only a matter of time till the grinding on gimpy old Versteeg, Richards and Hossa starts neutralizing them too. Rosi? Already gone. Time to be proactive. Kesler was and still is the answer. Fights and will be a legit 2C that will still be there in May. Young emerging depth at goalie makes it possible to make it happen: Crow and Sharp for Kesler.

So why have I seen 2 of the 4 or 5 Blows fans on HB trolling about this play?

At least Seidenberg showed some class after the game waiting outside the Hawk locker room. I have never, ever seen a similar act by the Blues under Hitch. See it all the time by the Hawks - on and off the ice - showing concern for hurt players. Blues love to injure - it is their MO under Hitch. Exactly why they got the "wakey, wakey" treatment.
- tredbrta

Not a malicious hit but dangerous yes. Judging by Seidenberg's actions when Kane came up to him, he knew he got JT in a bad way, even looked a bit apologetic.

Every season has a game, sometimes a single play, where the tides of fortune turn. Last night was exactly that for the Hawks. Toews gets pushed 10 feet, like shovelling rink snow, into the boards head first AGAIN! Little Patty glides up to accept a hug of consolation from the perp still standing over the fallen captain. NO ONE else! A timid team with a lowsy power play will never stay on top for long in the NHL. The writing is on the wall for teams game-planning the Hawks - take big free runs at Toews and Kane, there's no reason not to. Only a matter of time till the grinding on gimpy old Versteeg, Richards and Hossa starts neutralizing them too. Rosi? Already gone. Time to be proactive. Kesler was and still is the answer. Fights and will be a legit 2C that will still be there in May. Young emerging depth at goalie makes it possible to make it happen: Crow and Sharp for Kesler.
- meta_puck_luck

So then if Toews is too injured to return and Kane takes a retaliatory penalty, then we are without our two most lethal players and a 5-3 becomes a 4 on 3. Dont see much logic in that. But when in reality has Q been an advocate for his team fighting since he came here? I agree that Toews of anyone needs to be protected. But that should have been done when Sidenberg came out of the box and would have to answer to carbomb or shawzer or Bicks If you want players who dont use their brain then go ahead and be a fan of the Blues.

What's dirty or not.

No one loves Toews more than I do.
Not AT ALL A dirty hit.

What was dirty a certain Comcast Tracey Myers decided to tweet here feelings about what happened. (Hey I have no problem with she having an opinion though rather odd since she has contributed LITTLE to Chicago hockey scene except for in game quotes the payers gave her earlier...no real hockey understanding or knowlede just regurgitation. Wait she did leak that Hayes was moving on and after the Hawks let her know they weren't pleased with thepreading of that news, she basically refused to EVER sya or tweet another word. Real hockey journalist stand by their leaks and liv or die by what management and fans think when the dust settles.)
What is even DIRTIER: the media especially the hammer heads on NHL Sirius radio for using Myer's tweet as the basic for reporting the incident.

I just know what I saw. A clean hard hit where the hitter if he truly was worried about head hits would have let up.
I saw Johnny Toews go to his bench from the ice answer questions about his health.
I am not a lip reader but he sold it.
I think probably we can get a consensus that we all KNEW when he committed the dumber that Johnny hook, that he was not in fact right.
Right after the penalty he was amde to go to the quiet room.

All day wrong heard everyone saying management should have "called down" to the bench and TOLD then to get him to the room right after.
That the Hawks were selfish in not making him come off right then and there, because they knew his history and saw the ferociousness of the pop.

I think the bench tried, and they bought the bull, and the fact their captain was ready to avenge the hit with a scoring play more than they were being selfish.


But if you look at what is tragically dirty, it is that the league can simply come up with league wide protocol so all the players, see colissions as like it is their brother on the receiving end, and there is less intensity there. I would love to see the same players bashing bodies inmid ice where the boards don't act as the third man in.

Anybody see Ladd/Landeskog last night. Ouch!

http://www.hockeyfights.com/fights/126335

I wouldn't want to be Landeskog in the rematch. Ladd can bring it and chances are his jersey will cooperate next time.
- tredbrta

I still remember Ladd giving it to Kesler in the playoffs. Love me some Ladd. Wish he still wore the Indian head.

Don't disagree but you at least have to make a motion. When you have guys like Konroyd and Mayers visibly puzzled on the post game show hoping the hawks chirped him right after or on the ice.....I think you can the response was pretty bad outside of Kane...and truthfully, no opponent is worried about kane doing anything.

And he's right about the PP.....the point play is a joke....especially on the 5 on 3...Hossa and Keith going back and forth with no movement and not opening lanes by attacking the defense or planting a guy right in front of the goalie for screens.

Did you see 2 and 7 completely F up the point and allow Boston to clear? I also saw a Boston player, want to say Marchand, shadowing Keith as he half @assed it into the neutral zone and the guy damn near picked off the telegraphed drop pass to Kane.

A pp is all about quick movements to get the D out of their spots and expose lanes and allow guys to pop into areas for prime scoring. The hawks routinely fail at this, instead banking on some very inaccurate point guys blasting away wide, or into a guys shin pads. Their best point guy in regards to an accurate shot is probably Seabrook.
- SteveRain

Combined NHL Reg season career PIM 2063
I think they had there share of backing up teamates

Do the Bowmans know anything about football? Jesus Christ, the Bears need some help, bad

What's dirty or not.

No one loves Toews more than I do.
Not AT ALL A dirty hit.

What was dirty a certain Comcast Tracey Myers decided to tweet here feelings about what happened. (Hey I have no problem with she having an opinion though rather odd since she has contributed LITTLE to Chicago hockey scene except for in game quotes the payers gave her earlier...no real hockey understanding or knowlede just regurgitation. Wait she did leak that Hayes was moving on and after the Hawks let her know they weren't pleased with thepreading of that news, she basically refused to EVER sya or tweet another word. Real hockey journalist stand by their leaks and liv or die by what management and fans think when the dust settles.)
What is even DIRTIER: the media especially the hammer heads on NHL Sirius radio for using Myer's tweet as the basic for reporting the incident.

I just know what I saw. A clean hard hit where the hitter if he truly was worried about head hits would have let up.
I saw Johnny Toews go to his bench from the ice answer questions about his health.
I am not a lip reader but he sold it.
I think probably we can get a consensus that we all KNEW when he committed the dumber that Johnny hook, that he was not in fact right.
Right after the penalty he was amde to go to the quiet room.

All day wrong heard everyone saying management should have "called down" to the bench and TOLD then to get him to the room right after.
That the Hawks were selfish in not making him come off right then and there, because they knew his history and saw the ferociousness of the pop.

I think the bench tried, and they bought the bull, and the fact their captain was ready to avenge the hit with a scoring play more than they were being selfish.


But if you look at what is tragically dirty, it is that the league can simply come up with league wide protocol so all the players, see colissions as like it is their brother on the receiving end, and there is less intensity there. I would love to see the same players bashing bodies inmid ice where the boards don't act as the third man in.
- wiz1901

I don't care that Myers said that about Hayes. She got a scoop she ran with it.

What is BS is that a team that touts and rolls out some doctor like he's a celebrity, Dct Michael Terry, his staff wouldn't force Toews to come off. I could care less what line he sold. This is a December game against an Eastern Conference opponent. The points mean jack. HE should have been pulled off for precautionary reasons and everything should have been fine.

Instead he takes the draw, is damn lucky he didnt' get smoked again, took a penalty and was showed shaking off the effects in the box. NOT surprising was AFTER that motion, he goes to the tunnel.

Hawks can't have it both ways....can't tout your medical group as some top tier group and then NOT held them accountable when they allow your franchise star to take the ice with maybe 2 mintues in between from having his skull and face crash into the end boards. At worst he had some whip lash.........

Do the Bowmans know anything about football? Jesus Christ, the Bears need some help, bad
- BlazinMike

George McCaskey loves Trestman. I highly doubt outside of firing the OC/DC and maybe special teams coordinator nothing else happens. From Phillips to Cutler this whole thing needs to be nuked.

The bears like the Hawks pre 2007, desperately need Virginia to die so the kids will cash out and this team can move into the real world. .

George McCaskey loves Trestman. I highly doubt outside of firing the OC/DC and maybe special teams coordinator nothing else happens. From Phillips to Cutler this whole thing needs to be nuked.

The bears like the Hawks pre 2007, desperately need Virginia to die so the kids will cash out and this team can move into the real world. .
- SteveRain

Virginia doesnt have a damn thing to do with the coaching personell or player personell. Top to bottom, like you said, there needs to be a reset.

Its (frank)ing hopeless right now. Maybe Virginia dying would bring about some kind of change, but i really dont think she does a damn thing when it comes to players or coaches.

Every season has a game, sometimes a single play, where the tides of fortune turn. Last night was exactly that for the Hawks. Toews gets pushed 10 feet, like shovelling rink snow, into the boards head first AGAIN! Little Patty glides up to accept a hug of consolation from the perp still standing over the fallen captain. NO ONE else! A timid team with a lowsy power play will never stay on top for long in the NHL. The writing is on the wall for teams game-planning the Hawks - take big free runs at Toews and Kane, there's no reason not to. Only a matter of time till the grinding on gimpy old Versteeg, Richards and Hossa starts neutralizing them too. Rosi? Already gone. Time to be proactive. Kesler was and still is the answer. Fights and will be a legit 2C that will still be there in May. Young emerging depth at goalie makes it possible to make it happen: Crow and Sharp for Kesler.
- meta_puck_luck

Just one problem...actually two. Cap numbers way out of whack for the Ducks on that trade. Plus the have Anderson and future star John Gibson in net. Why the hell do they want Crawford? Oh, wait...they don't.

Every season has a game, sometimes a single play, where the tides of fortune turn. Last night was exactly that for the Hawks. Toews gets pushed 10 feet, like shovelling rink snow, into the boards head first AGAIN! Little Patty glides up to accept a hug of consolation from the perp still standing over the fallen captain. NO ONE else! A timid team with a lowsy power play will never stay on top for long in the NHL. The writing is on the wall for teams game-planning the Hawks - take big free runs at Toews and Kane, there's no reason not to. Only a matter of time till the grinding on gimpy old Versteeg, Richards and Hossa starts neutralizing them too. Rosi? Already gone. Time to be proactive. Kesler was and still is the answer. Fights and will be a legit 2C that will still be there in May. Young emerging depth at goalie makes it possible to make it happen: Crow and Sharp for Kesler.
- meta_puck_luck

One of the most inane comments in a long time. 2 Cups and a Conference finals in 5 years, all done with a poor PP and a "timid" team. By all accounts still a top team. How long exactly is "never staying on top for long"?

Why would the Ducks want Crow and Sharp for Kesler exactly?

Do the Bowmans know anything about football? Jesus Christ, the Bears need some help, bad
- BlazinMike

I have my doubts that Jesus Christ could help out the Bears...

Virginia doesnt have a damn thing to do with the coaching personell or player personell. Top to bottom, like you said, there needs to be a reset.

Its (frank)ing hopeless right now. Maybe Viginia dying would bring about some kind of change, but i really dont think she does a damn thing when it comes to players or coaches.
- BlazinMike

McCaskeys care about money. that's it. Always have, always will. No care in the world about winning. That's why they won't fire Trestman or cut/trade (eat salary) of Jay.

Just awful. Biggest laughing stock in Chicago. Worse then the Cubs.

One of the most inane comments in a long time. 2 Cups and a Conference finals in 5 years, all done with a poor PP and a "timid" team. By all accounts still a top team. How long exactly is "never staying on top for long"?

Why would the Ducks want Crow and Sharp for Kesler exactly?
- TheTrob

Exactly, #1 PP's don't get you a cup. Possession, Defense, and great goaltending win cups. At least that seems to be the theme in the Cap Era of the NHL.

[quote=wiz1901]

Dude, ease up, I'd hate to see you get banned. I agree with your analysis. Not a dirty hit. Kane was wise not to throw. But thats the kind of play that gets the whole League's attention when everyone's trying to stop a major skill and skating binge. The borderline hits will keep coming and get worse; standing pat and relying on some Band-of-brothers code of gallantry to protect skill players is more an "imaginary tale" than anything I posted. Bickell is not scaring anyone. Richards will never hold as 2C. Recent streak proves Crawford and Sharp are expendable. Hawks need cap relief. Ducks need sniper fwd w Perry hurt anf goalie help. What of this tale doesnt ring true. The happy ending to my tale? Kesler!

McCaskeys care about money. that's it. Always have, always will. No care in the world about winning. That's why they won't fire Trestman or cut/trade (eat salary) of Jay.

Just awful. Biggest laughing stock in Chicago. Worse then the Cubs.
- SteveRain

Thats what i dont understand. The fans in Chicago, diehard or otherwise, are still going to watch the games/go to the games and buy merchandise. The Bears are a business that you or I could run simply by sitting back and watching the money pour in.

So with that in mind, why not blow this dumoster fire up in an attempt to put a winning team together and make EVEN MORE money.