Have watched all of the Tampa playoff games and they are a very nice team but can be quite inconsistent from game to game. The Red Wings blew a great opportunity to knock them out in the 1st round, going all the way with their #2 goalie. Q will have had the tapes of those games sliced and diced every which way.

IMO the Achilles heel of the Lightning is the general lack of speed on their back end. Hedman is a tremendous defenceman who will be out there every time Toews is - just like the Bruins did with Chara. Stralman has fit in exceptionally well and can really move the puck. Hopefully Bickell is healthy enough to lay the body on Stralman regularly so that halfway thru the series he is playing with pain and uncertainty.

Colbourn and Carle date back to the 2010 Flyers series and neither have gotten faster or better. Garrison has a big shot but is otherwise an average defenceman. There is a reason why Cooper is dressing 7 defenceman now.

Should be a very good series and fun to watch. The Lightning are a little bit like Nashville in reverse - excellent speed and talent up front, slower on the backend. They should have taken Seth Jones in the draft instead of Drouin.
- RickJ

I watched a few Tampa games against Detroit and NY and didn't notice the speed, or lack thereof, of the Tampa defense. I was impressed with the two way game the forwards were playing. If you're right and Tampa's defense is a weak link you know Q and the coaching staff have a game plan to try to take advantage of it.

Not sure what Hedman can do that Chara couldn't? When Toews decides he wants something only jumping on his back a la Zetterberg seems to stop him. And Hedman is a hothead who can be goaded into scrums and penalties and this is where Shaw can step up and accompany him to the box.

I too didn't understand the selection of Drouin over Jones but we'll know better in about 5 years as to who really won the draft. But big good skating defensemen are rare commodities.

Check out the article Paul McCann just wrote about the Chicago media....

Check out the article Paul McCann just wrote about the Chicago media....
- tboucher77

It is a tired retread of his previous columns about the same subject - to the point where he actually says (paraphrasing) --he only left out Nashville needs the out of town business...-- Same stuff different day. Yawn.

Appreciate the insight. Zero knowledge is an over statement. We may all be surprised to know how much goes on behind the scenes. Players receive all kinds of perks and opportunities outside the Cap. Enjoy the finals. Next tyear will be next year. Time as someone else stated to "Smell the Roses"
- Colbyboy

Little things mean a lot and can add up. Spending where you can and being first class all the way is huge. Things like sending Keith on the private jet so he can be there for the birth of his first child in the middle of the playoffs mean a lot, send a message and get noticed by other players not just those on the team.

Check out the article Paul McCann just wrote about the Chicago media....
- tboucher77

I take it you already clicked and read it. Copy and past here so he doesn't get more clicks. If he's so hell-bent on not wanting Chicago fans in "his team's arena", why on God's green earth should he earn any Chicago fans blog clicks.

Come on guys, try to refrain from going there. This is a desperate attempt to get attention. Often folks who have limited writing creativity, try to make up for it with controversial topics, without a whole lot to back it up.

Certainly there are other bloggers who can generate a discussion without stepping to such childish levels every single time.

I take it you already clicked and read it. Copy and past here so he doesn't get more clicks. If he's so hell-bent on not wanting Chicago fans in "his team's arena", why on God's green earth should he earn any Chicago fans blog clicks.

Come on guys, try to refrain from going there. This is a desperate attempt to get attention. Often folks who have limited writing creativity, try to make up for it with controversial topics, without a whole lot to back it up.

Certainly there are other bloggers who can generate a discussion without stepping to such childish levels every single time.
- blackhawk24

All of this. That's why he does it. The most clicks/ comments he gets is when he badmouths Chicago.

Now that's what I call pick'n a nit.
- ArlingtonRob

Sometimes, these things just come to me........................

Dandelion greens are delicious, but I prefer them cooked.
- Ogilthorpe2

thought they were kind of bitter

New blog is up.

thought they were kind of bitter
- vabeachbear

Wouldn't cooking them reduce some of that? I know it does with Brussles Sprouts.

Wouldn't cooking them reduce some of that? I know it does with Brussles Sprouts.
- HawkintheD

This summer is going to come down to one thing, how much will it take to keep Saad and eventually, Seabrook. The causalities of those contracts will be Crawford and Patrick Sharp. There’s no getting around it, I’d be shocked if it didn’t happen.

The fact of the matter is that Crawford signed a contract that’s 1-2 million dollars more than he should have. You can argue market value, but the fact of the matter is, I think if Crawford could go back in time, he would have done something closer to 4.5-5 million. It doesn’t help that Toews and Kane’s contracts came out to be maybe 1-2 million more than Stan would have wanted, but it is what it is. They deserve it, I’m not debating that. Crawford deserved to get paid.. but maybe for a little less.

Crawford doesn’t deserve to be shipped off. It’s going to break my heart because I think he doesn’t get the praise he deserves on the ice, but off the ice.. People also forget that the Hawks hung him out to try when he lost the ability to use stairs properly this season. The Hawks protect their stars against the media (Patrick Sharp string of ladies nights) and they didn’t do that for Crawford. Plus, the media/fans/hawks/Q all love Darling. Something has changed in the locker room when it comes to Crawford. I remember hearing how he was the future in the net before and now.. not so much. Didn’t Q make a comment about he expects to see Raanta and Darling both next year?

And you can argue that maybe if Bryan Bickell played the way he did in the past during the playoffs, someone would be willing to take him, but we’re stuck with Bryan unless we add him onto another package. Everyone calling for Versteeg to be shipped off is just silly. The dollar amount you get for him still outweighs the issues he has. Before he got hurt, he was on fire.

http://www.csnchicago.com...lackhawks-are-lot-trouble

Well, if Thunderlips believes the hawks in trouble, they must be.

http://www.csnchicago.com/blackhawks/hulk-hogan-believes-blackhawks-are-lot-trouble

Well, if Thunderlips believes the hawks in trouble, they must be.
- Crawford

Your 'roids are calling HH. Pud whack.