I mean as in both teams were counted out. Tampa would never beat Price and Montreal, oh now the won't beat The King and New York, Chicago's best days are over, they don't have as good a supporting cast. And here they both are.
- Timolis

I hear numerous members of the press make these assine statements repeatedly because they think they are experts. Many of them are resident to Toronto like Damien Cox, Steve Simmonds, Craig Button, Ron Maclean etc. They know sh$t because the glare off the Maple Leaf or Habs jersey totally distorts their view of things. And then there is the Commissioner of this site who knows even less.

Tampa beat the teams they did because they were better over 7 games in each series. They can play the game in a variety of styles. They are an excellent team who will give the Hawks all they can handle. And more importantly, it will be a series between 2 very skilled teams. I see the Hawks winning the series mainly because of their experience and drive to be remembered as a dynasty/legacy team. It won't be that easy. I just hope the ice surface in both rinks is of the highest quality possible and the officiating isn't noticeable.

I mean as in both teams were counted out. Tampa would never beat Price and Montreal, oh now the won't beat The King and New York, Chicago's best days are over, they don't have as good a supporting cast. And here they both are.
- Timolis

You're out of your mind. Context matters and so does achievment. This is the same group, less a few players, that won the cup and 2013 and just missed a shot last year.

On Crawford, bro, gets a grip. The guy has his ups and downs but he rebounds and recovers from them about as good if not better than anyone else in this league.

These kinds of guys don't rely on facts when they argue -their statements are based solely on emotion.
They are about as smart as some of the fans of expansion teams calling us band wagon fans.
- 67hawks

I'm not saying that they don't deserve to be here, as they do. I'm saying the media and hockey fans have felt this way, and made it clear on more than one occasion in more than on series that they wouldn't or couldn't do this. And here they are, both in the finals. I love it personally. As I said before this has been one of the best Stanley Cup Playoffs in recent memory. Some great series, a lot of overtime and a lot of game 7's. I don't have a horse in this race, and I like both teams, so trolling I am not.

>JJ, spot on -- you touched all the key bases
>Team with the best bottom 6 forwards usually wins the Cup -- advantage Hawks
>Q is the "matchup king" vs Cooper who does not obsess over matchups -- prefers flow -- think that is another Hawks advantage
>Q also has the ability watch how Babcock took the Bolts to 7 games and shut down Stamkos -- moving his average shot attempt distance from 15ft to 22ft
>Bolts are dangerous and have some finishers -- the Hawks PK, as well as CC need to be dialed in
>The extra days between games not only benefits the top 4 D, but also forwards Hossa, Sharp, and Richards -- guessing the Bolts will grow tired of playing against #81 fairly quickly
>On a side note -- was great to see Hammer using some deception in his endboard retrievals in Game 7 -- lots of Chelios-like head and shoulder fakes prior to cutting in the other direction -- avoided a LOT of hits doing it

I mean as in both teams were counted out. Tampa would never beat Price and Montreal, oh now the won't beat The King and New York, Chicago's best days are over, they don't have as good a supporting cast. And here they both are.
- Timolis

Still a better supporting cast than TB has after their starpower....but go ahead and keep completely ignoring that, keep bringing up the goalies...which many people have already admitted are too close to call, not really what separates these 2 teams...

How is TB gonna solve the Hawks forward depth and matchup advantages?

Hawks are one of few teams in the league that can match TBs pace and puck possession, not to mention are superior at face offs.

TB hasn't seen anything like the Hawks top 4 on D, nor a team with the added experience and know how. A hall of fame coach that will exploit TBs weaknesses in their bottom 6 and on D. Bishop has a greater chance at melting down because of all of this, not because Crawford is that much better than he is.

Paul, Paul, Paul . . . the "museum relic" title only refers to a few "key" guys: Rozsival and Kimmo. I don't recall Keith ever being called a museum relic, most were referring to him as a member of some alien race but it was unclear to this poster whether Duncan had genetic heritage to the Greys, the Nordics or the Lizards.

Oh, and hi to Biegs. I know you were worried about me at the end of John's last blog. I've been around but have been exceptionally busy with work, family and my sideline (music) gigs. Just for your (and anyone else's) info, I was asked by my teammate who would win G7 and then afterwards, asked about the Tampa series, which like John I'm saying Hawks in 6.

Hat's off to Q for maybe his finest job of coaching in G7 (G6 not bad either), still take him to task for the indigestion he caused with G3 lineup change.

Hopefully that brings y'all up-to-speed.
- savvyone-1

Required to check in more often Savvy. Truancy is not permitted on these boards!

I hear numerous members of the press make these assine statements repeatedly because they think they are experts. Many of them are resident to Toronto like Damien Cox, Steve Simmonds, Craig Button, Ron Maclean etc. They know sh$t because the glare off the Maple Leaf or Habs jersey totally distorts their view of things. And then there is the Commissioner of this site who knows even less.

Tampa beat the teams they did because they were better over 7 games in each series. They can play the game in a variety of styles. They are an excellent team who will give the Hawks all they can handle. And more importantly, it will be a series between 2 very skilled teams. I see the Hawks winning the series mainly because of their experience and drive to be remembered as a dynasty/legacy team. It won't be that easy. I just hope the ice surface in both rinks is of the highest quality possible and the officiating isn't noticeable.
- RickJ

See my post above, but yes, I agree. Thank you for attempting to see my point rather than take offense. Never said that was my opinion of either team. Just what I keep hearing.

Homer post, Tampa just beat the best defence and best goalie in the league (Yandle was a 6th defencemen). Its going atleast 7.

>JJ, spot on -- you touched all the key bases
>Team with the best bottom 6 forwards usually wins the Cup -- advantage Hawks
>Q is the "matchup king" vs Cooper who does not obsess over matchups -- prefers flow -- think that is another Hawks advantage
>Q also has the ability watch how Babcock took the Bolts to 7 games and shut down Stamkos -- moving his average shot attempt distance from 15ft to 22ft
>Bolts are dangerous and have some finishers -- the Hawks PK, as well as CC need to be dialed in
>The extra days between games not only benefits the top 4 D, but also forwards Hossa, Sharp, and Richards -- guessing the Bolts will grow tired of playing against #81 fairly quickly
>On a side note -- was great to see Hammer using some deception in his endboard retrievals in Game 7 -- lots of Chelios-like head and shoulder fakes prior to cutting in the other direction -- avoided a LOT of hits doing it
- SnapitUpstairs

Oh, Q has that Detroit tape memorized. And he has much better horses to execute that strategy than Babcock did. Stamkos will see a lot of Toews.

On Hammer, I'm also not sure how many people appreciate how hockey smart his set up was on Toews' first goal in game 7.

Homer post, Tampa just beat the best defence and best goalie in the league (Yandle was a 6th defencemen). Its going atleast 7.
- multinetwork

Goalie, yes, defense no. Chicago's top 4>> New York's, and Chicago's top 4 will play 90% of the minutes.


Keith
Seabrook
Hjalmarsson
Oduya

2 Norris Trophies, 2 Stanley Cups a piece (except Oduya's 1), 3 Olympic Gold medals, 2 Olympic Silver medals

McDonagh
Girardi
Klein
Staal

(crickets)

Oh and you want to compare the forwards, offensively and defensively?

Keep it comin'. I gotta lotta mo'.

Homer post, Tampa just beat the best defence and best goalie in the league (Yandle was a 6th defencemen). Its going atleast 7.
- multinetwork

Oh ya, the 2 Dans (Boyle and Girardi) should be co-Norris Trophy winners. And how did the Canucks let Tanner Glass escape?

Required to check in more often Savvy. Truancy is not permitted on these boards!
- TexasFlood

Nice Avi.

Nice Avi.
- biegs

Glad you approve

Glad you approve
- TexasFlood

Got to support the team!

Got to support the team!
- biegs

You betcha!

Lot's of good, interesting thoughts out there this morning.

There's really not a lot to say about the series other than it should be exciting to watch. With all of the matchups favouring the Hawks, Coach Q will able to give both Cumiskey and Rumblad more ice time, keeping the top 4 even more fresh, and with 4 very strong, balanced, 2 way lines, the Hawks should simply out chance Tampa at every turn and keep pressure on them all game.

The key to any playoff series is ALWAYS strength down the middle, which means your Centre play, your defence and your goaltending. The Hawks possess 7 guys who can play the Centre position well and 3 of the best face-off men in the game. Their top 4 D are the best in the game, and Crawford is a good goaltender. Really, all the Hawks need to do is keep an eye on Stamkos so that he is not a "killer" and then get to the net with Bishop. He is like EVERY OTHER NHL goalie, with traffic in his face, he will give up rebounds on which the Hawks can pounce and score. If the Hawks go back to their "cute" perimeter game, Tampa can make it interesting. But with the Hawks deep into their "playoff mode", I can only envision the Hawks continuing what they are doing, which will make Bishop's task very difficult!

Hawks in 4 or 5.

Does anyone know the nature of Bickell's injury?

Homer post, Tampa just beat the best defence and best goalie in the league (Yandle was a 6th defencemen). Its going atleast 7.
- multinetwork

NYR lost because their defense was terribly slow that series

Girardi, Boyle, and Staal are slow skaters to begin with. Pair that with a fractured ankle for Staal, a sprained mcl for Girardi, and a broken foot for McDonagh. Along with Yandle being a putrid defensemen in his own half of the ice and Klein just looked lost out there

The blackhawks top 4? yea, they can move, and move the puck, much better than NYR's defense can

Does anyone know the nature of Bickell's injury?
- rnewman291

I'll bet he aggravated the same knee he hurt a few years back. I believe it was a left MCL sprain.

Does anyone know the nature of Bickell's injury?
- rnewman291

Castration

Castration
- FourFeathers773

Castration
- FourFeathers773

Well played....drop the mic and sign off for the day.

- biegs

Ditto. LMAO

@ESPNChiPowers: Quenneville says Bickell and Kruger are fine and good to play in Game 1.

James Tanner says Toews isn't clutch, just lucky. he's got a lot of hockey experience to back it up too