Dallas has a Cup winning goalie...They added some winning know how and have some hungry talented players.

Loading up to win now often doesn't work...It has here but Dallas is set to win now, because they will have some serious cap issues soon.
- Al

Miss the links for your visits with Boomer on Sirius nhl. Are you two still visiting on line or have things changed?

As few do, it's old and stale. But what I find interesting, is how most folks here are dismissing Dallas as an easy out in the playoffs. I beg to differ. This is a good team with the cap space to add what they need at the deadline, but their much maligned defense is really not that bad.

And now you add in the much respected Jim Nill as their GM. Hmmm. The Hawks have yet to play their five games against Dallas yet. I have tickets for all three down here, but they are VERY good and quite frankly shouldn't be dismissed quite so easily.

It's a long season boys. Let's see how it all plays out. And honestly, how many of you have watched Dallas this year? Just saying.
- TexasFlood

I'm not dismissing them, every year there is a team that has no playoff experience that comes out of nowhere, few come to mind like the Preds last year, Avs the year before, Ducks the year before that. I don't care for Nill to me he's an NHL retread

My bad Nill good GM, I meant Ruff retread

Hey TF

Hard to dismiss their talent. Not sure they can play tight enough defense for the POs yet though. Nill probably will make some deal by the TDL with that excess of young D men he has in the AHL and in Dallas.
- tredbrta

We need to hook up near the ovals or the channel and go fishing dude! I know some good fishing holes as well.

Miss the links for your visits with Boomer on Sirius nhl. Are you two still visiting on line or have things changed?
- TexasFlood

There was a shuffling of shows on the channel...I haven't been on with Boomer. Hopefully will be in months to come.

There was a shuffling of shows on the channel...I haven't been on with Boomer. Hopefully will be in months to come.
- Al

They shuffle stations too: the Bluegrass Channel became the Chanukah Channel.

I assume it will be back to Bluegrass on Monday.

They shuffle stations too: the Bluegrass Channel became the Chanukah Channel.

I assume it will be back to Bluegrass on Monday.
- StLBravesFan

No clue but I would bet on you to know!

Oduya would be the most crucial this year. His being here would put TVR and Daley at 5-6 and that would make their D among the deepest.

Sharp didn't "have fun" playing hockey here the last few years anyways. After the sulky post olympics and playoffs of 2014 I would definitely not take him over Saad or Ladd. Either would be the LW that would put the Hawks over the top. Sharp not so sure.
- tredbrta

I suspect Sharp's not fun comment had more to do with all the off ice rumors that swirled around him his last couple of seasons here then the team.

Aside from one shot, Ladd was invisible against the Hawks.

To me, it wasn't a wonder that Vermette and TT were suddenly integral part to the Cup win last season. Once Sharp was on their line.

After watching Ladd and Buff play against the Hawks twice during the last week, I come to the conclusion that both players are definetly regressing. Ladd doesn't seem to be a threat in front of the net like he use to. Buff is still overweight and turns it on only when he wants to.. And most of all still takes stupid penalties. Furthermore, both players want bigger contracts even though their production on the ice have gone down. Under no condition would I trade Dano or TT for rentals.

After watching Ladd and Buff play against the Hawks twice during the last week, I come to the conclusion that both players are definetly regressing. Ladd doesn't seem to be a threat in front of the net like he use to. Buff is still overweight and turns it on only when he wants to.. And most of all still takes stupid penalties. Furthermore, both players want bigger contracts even though their production on the ice have gone down. Under no condition would I trade Dano or TT for rentals.
- spanky

Agreed. And for a rental with little chance or re-upping. Nope.

I suspect Sharp's not fun comment had more to do with all the off ice rumors that swirled around him his last couple of seasons here then the team.

Aside from one shot, Ladd was invisible against the Hawks.

To me, it wasn't a wonder that Vermette and TT were suddenly integral part to the Cup win last season. Once Sharp was on their line.
- TTtime

A good way to evaluate how good an opposition player is to watch them matched up against Toews and Hossa when those 2 are playing for keeps.

Ladd can't handle that for very long; Getzlaf and Perry can't, Mikko Koivu can't, Tavares has real trouble and you can name a bunch of others who are otherwise excellent players.

A good way to evaluate how good an opposition player is to watch them matched up against Toews and Hossa when those 2 are playing for keeps.

Ladd can't handle that for very long; Getzlaf and Perry can't, Mikko Koivu can't, Tavares has real trouble and you can name a bunch of others who are otherwise excellent players.
- RickJ

Ladd on a very good team is on the 2nd or 3rd line....More likely on the 3rd line.

Ladd on a very good team is on the 2nd or 3rd line....More likely on the 3rd line.
- Al

Yup, exactly where he played in 2010.

Q may not even be convinced that Dano is an NHL capable player, now or into the future. And based on this year to date doubt the Jets would show much interest.
- RickJ

Dano is 21 and though I question his offensive upside, I think we need to give him some more time. TT is as proven a playoff performer as you can have with his age and experience level and if he gets traded, we better get back a high end scorer because we are likely giving one up.

Dano is 21 and though I question his offensive upside, I think we need to give him some more time. TT is as proven a playoff performer as you can have with his age and experience level and if he gets traded, we better get back a high end scorer because we are likely giving one up.
- busmaster

TT will not be traded. Too hard to replace a player like that playing on an ELC under team control. Just have to live with his on ice mistakes and frail build until he grows up and gains more experience.

And if they wanted to trade him they would need to get young players back like Drouin, Monahan, Bennett, Strome, Domi - those types.

A good way to evaluate how good an opposition player is to watch them matched up against Toews and Hossa when those 2 are playing for keeps.

Ladd can't handle that for very long; Getzlaf and Perry can't, Mikko Koivu can't, Tavares has real trouble and you can name a bunch of others who are otherwise excellent players.
- RickJ

I am kind of tired for the pining of players from the 2010 team tbh. I was as disappointed as everyone else that the team had to be broken up. Maybe more then most since i waited my whole life for the Hawks to have a team like that.

Really wasn't saying Ladd isn't a good player. My point was more that the Hawks have won 2 Cups since those guys have left and Sharp was a huge reason why.
I think he tends to be undervalued as a player by a lot of Hawk fans.

Dano is 21 and though I question his offensive upside, I think we need to give him some more time. TT is as proven a playoff performer as you can have with his age and experience level and if he gets traded, we better get back a high end scorer because we are likely giving one up.
- busmaster

Teravainen and Dano are young kids breaking into the league. They have the potential to be very good but they will take time and they will make mistakes as they learn. Even Kane and Toews weren't perfect when they started.

Trading Teravainen because he's too small or Dano because he hasn't stuck in the NHL yet would be a big mistake. That being said, any player is tradable and if the return for 86 or 56 somehow made the team better then it's a good move. But at this point I'd say a deal like that is unlikely, so give the kids some time.

TT will not be traded. Too hard to replace a player like that playing on an ELC under team control. Just have to live with his on ice mistakes and frail build until he grows up and gains more experience.

And if they wanted to trade him they would need to get young players back like Drouin, Monahan, Bennett, Strome, Domi - those types.
- RickJ

TT hasn't played a full season in the NHL. He isn't being traded for some short term fix.

TT suffers from the perception he is a similar player to Kane. He isn't. Never has been. I watched him quite a bit in Europe. Yeah yeah, hockey addiction is a problem.

I digress. My point is even in Europe he wasn't a guy who wanted the puck on his stick a lot. His game was more move the puck quickly and move himself. Even as a frail youngster, Kane has always wanted the puck on his stick as long as he could hold on to it until he saw the best play.

Also, it may be time to realize that when its all said and done, Kane will end up being one of the 3-5 American born players. If not the best.

I still hold my position, no trades just yet don't know exactly what we have but starting to get a pretty good idea. Let the big pot of soup keep cooking 2 weeks before the trade deadline we'll have a real good idea of what the team exactly is but for now let Q do what he does which is teach and enjoy the ups and downs of a young team

I am kind of tired for the pining of players from the 2010 team tbh. I was as disappointed as everyone else that the team had to be broken up. Maybe more then most since i waited my whole life for the Hawks to have a team like that.

Really wasn't saying Ladd isn't a good player. My point was more that the Hawks have won 2 Cups since those guys have left and Sharp was a huge reason why.
I think he tends to be undervalued as a player by a lot of Hawk fans.
- TTtime

You won't hear me arguing that Sharp wasn't a very valuable piece of the Hawks - on and off the ice. He is noticeably missed and had to be virtually given away. Age and the salary cap are not nice things in the NHL. Hope guys like #10 and Justin Williams can hang in the league for a few more years.

TT hasn't played a full season in the NHL. He isn't being traded for some short term fix.

TT suffers from the perception he is a similar player to Kane. He isn't. Never has been. I watched him quite a bit in Europe. Yeah yeah, hockey addiction is a problem.

I digress. My point is even in Europe he wasn't a guy who wanted the puck on his stick a lot. His game was more move the puck quickly and move himself. Even as a frail youngster, Kane has always wanted the puck on his stick as long as he could hold on to it until he saw the best play.

Also, it may be time to realize that when its all said and done, Kane will end up being one of the 3-5 American born players. If not the best.
- TTtime

I'd say he is already pretty much already there now unless you think he has a ways to go to outdo Modano, Roenick, Lafontaine, Lecalir, Chelios. He may be a jerk off the ice but he's one helluva talent although it didn't hurt to end up on a team with 4 or 5 HOF'ers.

And sorry, Brett Hull is not an American for comparison purposes.

I'd say he is already pretty much already there now unless you think he has a ways to go to outdo Modano, Roenick, Lafontaine, Lecalir, Chelios. He may be a jerk off the ice but he's one helluva talent although it didn't hurt to end up on a team with 4 or 5 HOF'ers.

And sorry, Brett Hull is not an American for comparison purposes.
- RickJ

Just needs to put up the numbers for a career. I have Leetch and Housley as my top 2 as of now. Kane is closing rapidly. It also didn't hurt those 4 or 5 to play with Kane either.

Come on. I threw rocks with Hull as a kid once. How much more American can he be?

Just needs to put up the numbers for a career. I have Leetch and Housley as my top 2 as of now. Kane is closing rapidly. It also didn't hurt those 4 or 5 to play with Kane either.

Come on. I threw rocks with Hull as a kid once. How much more American can he be?
- TTtime

I was never much of a Housley fan but I guess he deserves consideration with about 1500 games played but he never stood out to me for winning anything. Leetch was a heckuva player.

And as you know, given a good enough offer Brett Hull would have played for the Slovenian National team for a paycheque and a lark.

I was never much of a Housley fan but I guess he deserves consideration with about 1500 games played but he never stood out to me for winning anything. Leetch was a heckuva player.

And as you know, given a good enough offer Brett Hull would have played for the Slovenian National team for a paycheque and a lark.
- RickJ

IMO the list starts with Chelios...But Kane can be ahead of them all if he keeps rolling...

Didn't get a chance to post today, so I'll chime in now...

Teuvo wasn't gun shy last night. I hope we see more of that. I still believe he had an injury that made him more hesitant, as I saw him getting up time and time again at UC against the Kings after they kept knocking him on his ass. I love his vision. I think he needs to watch tapes of Gretzky and how he was always able to stay on his skates.

Regarding Buff and Ladd, I agree that there is too much romanticizing of the 2010 bunch. Getting one of them at the trade deadline would be insanely expensive. Anybody who thought Vermette was expensive, oh man, just wait for the sticker shock on those two. Welcome Back Steeger sounded so cool when it happened, getting back to romanticizing 2010, but I don't think too many of us minded when he was dealt to Carolina this time around. Granted he had some freak injuries this time around, also, so probably not completely fair to bag on him.

Another vote here for Oduya on which former Hawk would be the most meaningful to this team right now, but I say that not knowing the extent of the injury against Tampa and the effects of it going forward. The other caveat is we don't know how much further along the learning curve TVR will be come playoff time. I could be singing an entirely different tune then. Saad would probably be the second choice, and I think his best years are still ahead of him, but I think injuries are a more likely culprit than Saad's absence as to why Toews and Hossa haven't been on the scoresheet that much this year. I find it hard to believe they have had a lot of games at 100%. They're just too good for this dropoff in production. I tend to give stars the benefit of the doubt in such pronounced slumps, I guess.

Regarding their chances of making the playoffs, I'd guess that they're pretty good. This is not 2013, mind you, but it's not 2011, either. You could also look at how they flatlined for awhile in the second half last year and see that happening again, too. I'd put them at 85% chance to get in. Also consider that Winnipeg is looking at writing off this season, and the Pacific just looks incredibly weak. To me, the most likely Pacific story to deny the Hawks is Boudreau gets fired and Anaheim wakes the (frank) up and San Jose starts playing well again, and one of the other teams is still good enough to be a wild card at the end. I think it's hard to see a way for the Hawks to not make it, unless they just beat themselves out of contention with game after game of the intermittent sloppiness we have seen from them this year.

Friend of mine who used to be Buff's agent once said to me, around 2005: "he can be an ok defenseman; he can be a hall of famer as a wing."

I think he was right.
- John Jaeckel

Lets give him a chance to prove that with 19 and 81!