Now is the time where I start staring at schedules....

Hawks have 32 games left. 17 at home, 15 on the road. 11 against the division (3 vs STL, 2 vs win, 1 vs Dal, 2 vs Minny, and 2 vs Col). They have a HUGE 8 game home stand coming up. They need to make hay here. I'd say 14 of 16 points is the minimum to catch Nashville.

Nashville has 33 games left, 19 at home, and 14 on the road. 4, 3 game road trips, an 4, 3 game home stands, and a 1, 4 game home stand. 9 against the division (2 vs Win, 2 vs Dal, 3 vs Minny, and 2 vs Col). Already done with hawks and STL. AND they get Rinne back....going to be tough to catch with that Home record of 19-2.

STL...33 games left, 16 at home, 17 on the road. They have a 5, and a 6 game road trip left. 15 against the division (3 against the Hawks, 3 vs Win, 3 vs Dal, 3 vs Minny),.

Again, I don't know how important home ice is, and with the west being so deep, if the Kings end up as a wild card or even Winnipeg would you rather face those teams, given the Jets success vs the hawks OR do they want STL?

Point is.....there is no easy opponent in the west come playoff time. No 2013 Minnesota waiting for you.
- SteveRain

I see the Hawks finishing where they did a year ago ....3Rd in the Divison. First round Match up will be the Blues or Preds. Pick your poison. To make it to the West final against the Ducks or Sharks they will need to beat both the Blues and Preds.
Can they do it...yes
Will they do it...if they add a Depth DMan at the Deadline, TVR comes back and is healthy by April,they avoid injuries up front and CC plays like he can.

The Hawks don't have any cap space, so I don't see how they are going to be able to trade for someone, unless it is someone off of their main roster. Who does that leave? Erickson for a rental? Not Stan's style, he only trades for players that will stick around for awhile. How many one year rentals has he traded for? Unless the Hawks can get a young, big guy, that makes less than 1 mil per season for Erickson and a b to c level prospect I don't think Stan makes a trade.
- BearsnHawks

Now if he can trade Lablanc, Regin, Cumiskey, Bass, Mashintor, Brennan or Leighton for draft picks/young prospects I think that would be the type of trade we will see.

No it isn't the cheapest. The cheapest hits are when you are trying to hurt someone. Backes made a mistake by not letting up with the other guy not facing him, but he wasn't trying to hurt him.

Backes is not gutless, he is reckless sometimes. That was the case yesterday and it cost him and the team by missing the rest of the game.

The same can be said about most physical players though, that they can be reckless. Such a fast game and it is bound to happen when you are hitting opponents.
- carcus

Wasting your time trying to defend Backes here.

Wasting your time trying to defend Backes here.
- CBHawks88

Yes, I know. The hate is to strong and people are beyond reason.

Yes, I know. The hate is to strong and people are beyond reason.
- carcus

Seems more a case of love is blind...or devout homerism is at the very least.

Tallon loves hard working kids. Remember all the damn love for Ethan Moreau and how he'd be a NHL captain some day? I think the WJ sealed it for Tallon about Toews. As much as Kane was a no a brainer unless you argue JVR, selecting Toews wasn't. So everyone, not saying you, who says Toews/Kane were no brainers, eh....not so much.

Then again, he missed badly on some picks...........Jack Skille.....Cam Barker.....
- SteveRain

You will love my next blog also

You will love my next blog also
- John Jaeckel

I love all of your blogs.....

Seems more a case of love is blind...or devout homerism is at the very least.
- HawkintheD

Maybe. Probably both actually.

Devout homerism from both sides.

No it isn't the cheapest. The cheapest hits are when you are trying to hurt someone. Backes made a mistake by not letting up with the other guy not facing him, but he wasn't trying to hurt him.

Backes is not gutless, he is reckless sometimes. That was the case yesterday and it cost him and the team by missing the rest of the game.

The same can be said about most physical players though, that they can be reckless. Such a fast game and it is bound to happen when you are hitting opponents.
- carcus

I don't know - if a skater sees the numbers on his intended victim - has time to stop - doesn't try to let up - keeps his arms relatively high (not head high but high enough so that the head will be impacted) - stick up so no intent to play the puck - and continues to ride his opponent up and into the glass head first - what other intent would he have had other than to hurt?

But - no suspension - the league must have other ideas of how to minimize serious head injuries than the obvious.

Maybe. Probably both actually.

Devout homerism from both sides.
- carcus

To-may-toe...to-mah-toe...

I see the Hawks finishing where they did a year ago ....3Rd in the Divison. First round Match up will be the Blues or Preds. Pick your poison. To make it to the West final against the Ducks or Sharks they will need to beat both the Blues and Preds.
Can they do it...yes
Will they do it...if they add a Depth DMan at the Deadline, TVR comes back and is healthy by April,they avoid injuries up front and CC plays like he can.
- Colbyboy

I am more worried about the Blues, Predators and Kings than the freaking Sharks, and Skunks too.

The ace Nash has is their goalie. And now they have some offense to go with a very good D and a brilliant goalie.

St. Louis I think is a better overall team than Nash, but they don't have the goalie Nash does.

Either way will be a dogfight.

BTW- I think Deslauriers would be a great pickup if the Hawks can pull it off. Affordable and brings a certain physical element to the ice while not being a oaf or pylon out there. He's still only 23 or 24 and this could be a nice player to take a flier on.

Honestly, we can't go after any big names...this player is EXACTLY what the Hawks need to be looking at

-youngish (or young)
-affordable
-can skate
-provides needed role (in this case, physical play)

I just read there will be no supplemental discipline for Backes...

I just read there will be no supplemental discipline for Backes...
- Glenman12

Why would there be, he's a saint it appears. Guys like him and Coochie Perry are really good players, but they are such major tools on the ice.

I just read there will be no supplemental discipline for Backes...
- Glenman12

He probably deserved a game but what can you do

See ya Sunday

BTW- I think Deslauriers would be a great pickup if the Hawks can pull it off. Affordable and brings a certain physical element to the ice while not being a oaf or pylon out there. He's still only 23 or 24 and this could be a nice player to take a flier on.

Honestly, we can't go after any big names...this player is EXACTLY what the Hawks need to be looking at

-youngish (or young)
-affordable
-can skate
-provides needed role (in this case, physical play)
- kwolf68

I also like him, but what would it take to get him? Trading one of our 3 young d man (I would love if they would take Roszival off our hands instead) in Rundblad, TVR, or Erixson and who else? I think if they do a swap of Erixon or Roszival and a guy in Rockford not named Danault, Johns, Pokka, McNeill, Dahlbeck, Darling or Hartman the deal would be done already (if the Hawks are in talks with them). Anything more than that and I think Bowman will shy away (unless they want a pick in the draft two years from now).

Who would win, a team full of Patrice Bergeron's, or a team full of Jeff Carter's?

Literally, in an alternate universe where every member of the team is the same player, with the same name.

Both teams are in their prime and play their "A-game" throughout the series.

The goalie for both teams is a healthy Pekka Rinne (alternate universe, so he can play for both teams at the same time there).

Who would win, a team full of Patrice Bergeron's, or a team full of Jeff Carter's?

Literally, in an alternate universe where every member of the team is the same player, with the same name.

Both teams are in their prime and play their "A-game" throughout the series.

The goalie for both teams is a healthy Pekka Rinne (alternate universe, so he can play for both teams at the same time there).
- BlazinMike

My money goes on the team of Patrice Bergerons.

My money goes on the team of Patrice Bergerons.
- paulr

That's what I think too, but Jeff Carter on his A game is a pretty damn lethal sniper, and not horrible defensively.

My money goes on the team of Patrice Bergerons.
- paulr

what if the goalie was a healthy Jimmy Howard?

That's what I think too, but Jeff Carter on his A game is a pretty damn lethal sniper, and not horrible defensively.
- BlazinMike

Bob MacKenzie had an analogy to compare Bobby Orr and Wayne Gretzky. You clone both players twenty times give each team a comparable goalie and play a seven game series. Who would win and why? Team Orr would win in four straight because Orr could stop Gretzky, there is no chance Gretzky could stop Orr.

Same for this scenario. Bergeron can stop Carter, Carter can't stop Bergeron.

what if the goalie was a healthy Jimmy Howard?
- BlazinMike

The goalie isn't a factor. A solid two way player can beat a mostly offensive player every time.

Bob MacKenzie had an analogy to compare Bobby Orr and Wayne Gretzky. You clone both players twenty times give each team a comparable goalie and play a seven game series. Who would win and why? Team Orr would win in four straight because Orr could stop Gretzky, there is no chance Gretzky could stop Orr.

Same for this scenario. Bergeron can stop Carter, Carter can't stop Bergeron.
- paulr

Ya, but what about Phaneuf vs Bickell?

Might be a scoreless tie to infinity or they just go fishing.

Ya, but what about Phaneuf vs Bickell?

Might be a scoreless tie to infinity or they just go fishing.
- RickJ

Nope. Phaneuf would change the radio station and give Bickel the Phaneuf grim look, Bickell would fall asleep and Phaneuf would find a way to lose with no one on the ice.

Nope. Phaneuf would change the radio station and give Bickel the Phaneuf grim look, Bickell would fall asleep and Phaneuf would find a way to lose with no one on the ice.
- paulr

That sounds riveting! Will this be available on NHL '15?