Here is a question for JJ since its his blog,, any way we can get a monthly Rockford update. Whos playing well/not etc? I still think we have some really good kids down in there with Ross, Hartman, Baun, Danault, Gusto etc.. Maybe work that out with whoever sees the Hogs play. Just an idea..
- z1990z

Eli usually handles that . Not so regular this year but in years past he has done a great job of giving us the Rockford update

Here is a question for JJ since its his blog,, any way we can get a monthly Rockford update. Whos playing well/not etc? I still think we have some really good kids down in there with Ross, Hartman, Baun, Danault, Gusto etc.. Maybe work that out with whoever sees the Hogs play. Just an idea..
- z1990z

Yes, great idea. I used to do it more in years' past. I will try to tap into Eli, Hofmeister and doe others who see the Hogs regularly, and maybe take in a few more games myself. I believe they play at home tonight?

Jets fan here, its nice to read another teams site chatting up our team, i'll throw in my opinions.
-good game last night, only difference your power play went 2-5 ours went 0-5
-everything I'm hearing has Buff and Ladd asking for boat loads of money and term. I think Chevy knows both these guys will only be worth their contracts for the first 2-3 years and everything over that will be like so many other horrible contracts around the league...anchors. I for one say trade them both!! but it seems Winnipeg fans are 50/50 on trade or sign
-I think Chevy's plan from day one was to build this team around his draft picks ( Sheiffele, Trouba, Morrisey, Lowry, Ehlers, Hellybuck, Comrie, Petan, Conners and Raslovic) not the guys that came over Atlanta ( Buff, Ladd, Pav, Enstrom, Stuart, Little ) now some of those guys have been re-signed in past years but i see that more as a bridge than them thinking cup.
-we do have one of the best prospect pool in the NHL, so as a fan i do have patience because I never saw this team competing with our best players being the ones from Atlanta.
-someone said we only have one line, in past years yes, but Sheif, Perrault and Stafford have been very good this year
-someone asking about season tickets, season ticket contracts had to be renewed last year and they were 95% renewed, so no worries there
- Ross77

Building thru the draft is very reasonable.

SO Ladd and Buff probably traded before the TDL huh ?

I agree JJ Preds greater than Jets, it also appears 30 games in the WC isn't what it was, 6 really good teams, LA, Stars, Blues, Preds, Wild and Blackhawks?

Stars don't have the depth or the blue line
Blues is Allen the answer and other than Tarasenko can they score in the playoffs
Kings no depth and defensively thin
Wild, Dubnyk okay plus small team
Preds great blue line but forwards okay
Then the Blackhawks most complete team on this list

The Hawks are a young team but they are a young talented team that's going to have growing pains, problem with young players is consistency.
- BetweenTheDots

Kings have dealt with their own issues in regard to personnel. They lost Justin Williams, Jarred Stoll. Robin Regehr, and basically filling them in with 23 year old kids. They're playing with two rookies right now on the 3rd and fourth lines. They have another rookie Derek Forbort on the D. Despite this they're 19-5-1 after the 3 losses to open the season. I don't think it's accurate to say they have no depth. I still think the Hawks are the most dangerous team in the NHL if they make the playoffs which they will.

Not true pal.

They are the definition of a bubble team

One good game . One bad game . Already have more games played that the teams in front of them .

If a 7 game series started tomorrow and you're the opposition , your top pairing D goes against the Kane line , and then you have to like your chances , don't ya ?
- mrpaulish

LOL!

If a 7 game series started tomorrow between the Hawks and anyone else in the league, very few teams would like their chances.

Definition of a bubble team if you blindly look at the small gaps between teams 3-8 in the standings without A. properly judging the quality of those teams in every facet of the game compared to one anther(leadership, experience, coaching all included), or B. properly evaluating the likely playoff scenarios out West.

I'll tell you what John. This will be my last post on here. I thought you were a little bigger than this.

Sorry you felt that you're being attacked.
- paulr

He apparently thought i had some hidden motive as well. Or at least thats what i thought he was eluding to. I just dont get it...

Jets fan here, its nice to read another teams site chatting up our team, i'll throw in my opinions.
-good game last night, only difference your power play went 2-5 ours went 0-5
-everything I'm hearing has Buff and Ladd asking for boat loads of money and term. I think Chevy knows both these guys will only be worth their contracts for the first 2-3 years and everything over that will be like so many other horrible contracts around the league...anchors. I for one say trade them both!! but it seems Winnipeg fans are 50/50 on trade or sign
-I think Chevy's plan from day one was to build this team around his draft picks ( Sheiffele, Trouba, Morrisey, Lowry, Ehlers, Hellybuck, Comrie, Petan, Conners and Raslovic) not the guys that came over Atlanta ( Buff, Ladd, Pav, Enstrom, Stuart, Little ) now some of those guys have been re-signed in past years but i see that more as a bridge than them thinking cup.
-we do have one of the best prospect pool in the NHL, so as a fan i do have patience because I never saw this team competing with our best players being the ones from Atlanta.
-someone said we only have one line, in past years yes, but Sheif, Perrault and Stafford have been very good this year
-someone asking about season tickets, season ticket contracts had to be renewed last year and they were 95% renewed, so no worries there
- Ross77

If the Jets could work something out with Ladd much like the Habs did on term with Plekanec I think they would be very happy to keep him. But if he and his agent insist on a Ryan Kesler deal then he is long gone either at the deadline or as a UFA.

Buff - will be traded somewhere to the highest bidder in February. With Trouba and Myers he becomes a luxury too expensive to retain. I'm sure Chevy has Dale Tallon's mobile number.

Building thru the draft is very reasonable.

SO Ladd and Buff probably traded before the TDL huh ?
- mrpaulish

If I had to guess, I'd say Buff is traded and Ladd is re-signed for too much for too long. I think Ladd is a bit over rated because he has been playing on a weaker Jets team where he gets a lot of ice time and pp, but as you saw last night our power play sucks balls

LOL!

If a 7 game series started tomorrow between the Hawks and anyone else in the league, very few teams would like their chances.

Definition of a bubble team if you blindly look at the small gaps between teams 3-8 in the standings without A. properly judging the quality of those teams in every facet of the game compared to one anther(leadership, experience, coaching all included), or B. properly evaluating the likely playoff scenarios out West.
- SimpleJack

Definition of a bubble team is a team that's a loss or two from being out of the playoffs or a win or two from being in. Always has been. Always will be.

Not about calling anyone "blind." OK?

He apparently thought i had some hidden motive as well. Or at least thats what i thought he was eluding to. I just dont get it...
- SimpleJack

Sweep under your own chair.

You don't know what I "think." Don't put words in my mouth.

If I had to guess, I'd say Buff is traded and Ladd is re-signed for too much for too long. I think Ladd is a bit over rated because he has been playing on a weaker Jets team where he gets a lot of ice time and pp, but as you saw last night our power play sucks balls
- Ross77

Ladd probably isnt they type to carry a team all by himself but he does all the little things right and can score , tough as hell , I know he desperately wanted to be the Captain of a Cup winner but unless memory serves me wrong he hasnt even won a playoff GAME since leaving the Hawks right ?

LOL!

If a 7 game series started tomorrow between the Hawks and anyone else in the league, very few teams would like their chances.

Definition of a bubble team if you blindly look at the small gaps between teams 3-8 in the standings without A. properly judging the quality of those teams in every facet of the game compared to one anther(leadership, experience, coaching all included), or B. properly evaluating the likely playoff scenarios out West.
- SimpleJack

How so ?
Toews and Hossa have been off . WHoever has been 1LW has been useless for most of the year .

The D is 3 deep

You'd be betting on Crawford to win the series which he can do , but he can lose it too ( Phoenix 2012)

If the Jets could work something out with Ladd much like the Habs did on term with Plekanec I think they would be very happy to keep him. But if he and his agent insist on a Ryan Kesler deal then he is long gone either at the deadline or as a UFA.

Buff - will be traded somewhere to the highest bidder in February. With Trouba and Myers he becomes a luxury too expensive to retain. I'm sure Chevy has Dale Tallon's mobile number.
- RickJ

I've thought the same thing about Florida, Tallon has a ton of money available next year to re-sign Buff if he wanted so why not try and get him in there early. I'd be interested in one of their young roster players if i'm the Jets. i also think Washington makes a ton of sense for Buff, they are a good team and Buff could put them over the top. I'd like Madison Bowey straight up.

Definition of a bubble team is a team that's a loss or two from being out of the playoffs or a win or two from being in. Always has been. Always will be.

Not about calling anyone "blind." OK?
- John Jaeckel

I get it. Technically we are on the bubble right now in the standings.

Now refer to my A and my B from that previous post.

In the grand scheme of thing its a joke to call the Blackhawks a bubble team. It really is. Its insulting, in fact. They deserve more praise than that from their fans. The chances of this team missing the playoffs with a relatively healthy roster and getting beat out by the likes of the Jets/Sharks/whoever for that 8th spot is very unlikely, when you factor in my A and my B.

LOL!

If a 7 game series started tomorrow between the Hawks and anyone else in the league, very few teams would like their chances.

Definition of a bubble team if you blindly look at the small gaps between teams 3-8 in the standings without A. properly judging the quality of those teams in every facet of the game compared to one anther(leadership, experience, coaching all included), or B. properly evaluating the likely playoff scenarios out West.
- SimpleJack

I WANT TO BELIEVE like you do ( AND IM USUALLY MR (frank)ING OPTOMISTIC) , but this season seems doomed unless the Hawks find a way to add talent .

Price would be high for him, as it should be.
- John Jaeckel

Would love Ladd back with the Hawks but I don't know if i want to include TT in a trade for someone who will be a rental. He would help solve some problems the Hawks have though. The Hawks are lacking team toughness n I don't mean fighting necessarily

Ladd probably isnt they type to carry a team all by himself but he does all the little things right and can score , tough as hell , I know he desperately wanted to be the Captain of a Cup winner but unless memory serves me wrong he hasnt even won a playoff GAME since leaving the Hawks right ?
- mrpaulish

you are correct,
he also takes a ton of bad penalties which is one of our biggest issues where you need your captain to lead by example.

How so ?
Toews and Hossa have been off . WHoever has been 1LW has been useless for most of the year .

The D is 3 deep

You'd be betting on Crawford to win the series which he can do , but he can lose it too ( Phoenix 2012)
- mrpaulish

I dont know what to tell you. Why dont you ask fans of some other teams what they think about a possible 1st round matchup with the Hawks. See what they say. See if they agree that our only chance would be having our goalie stand on his head.

I dont know what to tell you. Why dont you ask fans of some other teams what they think about a possible 1st round matchup with the Hawks. See what they say. See if they agree that our only chance would be having our goalie stand on his head.
- SimpleJack

Crawford has been bad in the playoffs before . Think the standings are a little different if he wasnt so brilliant so far ?

you are correct,
he also takes a ton of bad penalties which is one of our biggest issues where you need your captain to lead by example.
- Ross77

I think teams that really arent in it take a ton of bad retalitory penalties since they have nothing to play for ,

Hawks stars get pummeled all the time and we always want blood but no one ever retaliates they just keep playing . Thats the difference between bad teams and Champions .

Would love Ladd back with the Hawks but I don't know if i want to include TT in a trade for someone who will be a rental. He would help solve some problems the Hawks have though. The Hawks are lacking team toughness n I don't mean fighting necessarily
- HamiltonHawk

Ladd would fit perfectly.

Would you give up a #1 Dano and __________ for a Ladd rental ?

Kings have dealt with their own issues in regard to personnel. They lost Justin Williams, Jarred Stoll. Robin Regehr, and basically filling them in with 23 year old kids. They're playing with two rookies right now on the 3rd and fourth lines. They have another rookie Derek Forbort on the D. Despite this they're 19-5-1 after the 3 losses to open the season. I don't think it's accurate to say they have no depth. I still think the Hawks are the most dangerous team in the NHL if they make the playoffs which they will.
- arh777

You are probably right , but the current team is not as dangerous as Champions past

I WANT TO BELIEVE like you do ( AND IM USUALLY MR (frank)ING OPTOMISTIC) , but this season seems doomed unless the Hawks find a way to add talent .
- mrpaulish

Its hard for me to predict a repeat, but we have a legit chance and there is no way we're missing the playoffs.

The defense when healthy is deeper than what we had last year during the finals, only our #4D specifically isn't as good as Oduya was. But remember we had zero 5th or 6th defenseman of any quality until TVR returned during the SCF. A healthy improved TVR, Daley, Rozsival, and possibly Svedberg/Gus is better than Rozsival, Rundblad, and Timonen. And our top 3 aren't too shabby either.

TT-Toews-Hossa has slowly been coming on. I know Toews and Hossa will show up when it counts, and if TT continues to improve then we have arguably the NHL's best top 6 forward group, at least top 3-4. Very, very good 4th line as well which is always critical come playoff time. We need to figure out a 3rd line with Shaw/Bickell/Rasmussen/Dano/possible TDL addition?? who knows. But we will figure it out.

Our goaltending is rock solid.

Our coaching is impeccable.

Just deal with bumpy ride on the way to the playoffs, it gets rough at times but you need to maintain confidence in the big picture.

Crawford has been bad in the playoffs before . Think the standings are a little different if he wasnt so brilliant so far ?
- mrpaulish

I wouldn't call him brilliant.

He's had a few amazing games, but also a few where he lets in softies. Inconsistent but better of late. When it matters though i believe our goaltending will be very solid as usually, starting with CC.

Overall we're 8th in 5v5 CF%, so its not like we're getting dominated as far as shots/chances go and our goaltending is bailing us out and creating a misleading record.

You are probably right , but the current team is not as dangerous as Champions past
- mrpaulish

Last years team wasn't as dangerous as 2013 or 2010. Fans on this board reminded me of that all year long. Guess what we still did?