Amazing to me how much anguish on this board for currently the 13th best forward on the team. And he would be the 14th best if they hadn't sent Rasmussen down.

Injuries will happen, Weise will play eventually. We aren't talking Guy Lafleur, Cam Neely or Rick Middleton here.
- RickJ

It's because success occurs in the margins. We know who the best 11 forwards are... it's the 12th and 13th where the marginal win/fail difference could exist... We talk about this spot, because there is not much debate about the front of the lineup.

And, I would argue that most of the anguish is because Mash just doesn't belong in the lineup. How many giveaways, or missed assignments etc. does it take to get knocked out of the toughest contest in sports? Just one. Sure it can happen to anyone, but it is far more likely to happen when you insist on entering a ham-handed lunkhead into a spot on the roster that could otherwise be filled by a contender.

It's because success occurs in the margins. We know who the best 11 forwards are... it's the 12th and 13th where the marginal win/fail difference could exist... We talk about this spot, because there is not much debate about the front of the lineup.

And, I would argue that most of the anguish is because Mash just doesn't belong in the lineup. How many giveaways, or missed assignments etc. does it take to get knocked out of the toughest contest in sports? Just one. Sure it can happen to anyone, but it is far more likely to happen when you insist on entering a ham-handed lunkhead into a spot on the roster that could otherwise be filled by a contender.
- DirkGraham

The fact that Mash is playing ahead of Weise is an abomination.

JJ,

Well done as always. TG has been caught up with life, but all is good.

The most salient point you made, in my humble opinion, is that the Hawks are the team to beat...until they are beat.

If they are able to traverse the stormy playoff waters and sail into shore with yet another cup, dare I say that this group would not only solidify themselves as the best team of this decade/generation, but would have to be considered in the conversation with the Canadiens of the 70's and the Isles and Oilers of the 80s as the best of all time.

We can split hairs and give them bonus points for how they have had to do it in a salary cap era, but the highest degree of hockey immortality awaits this group if they can win yet another.

With that said, and it goes without saying, it is not going to be easy.

JJ,

Well done as always. TG has been caught up with life, but all is good.

The most salient point you made, in my humble opinion, is that the Hawks are the team to beat...until they are beat.

If they are able to traverse the stormy playoff waters and sail into shore with yet another cup, dare I say that this group would not only solidify themselves as the best team of this decade/generation, but would have to be considered in the conversation with the Canadiens of the 70's and the Isles and Oilers of the 80s as the best of all time.

We can split hairs and give them bonus points for how they have had to do it in a salary cap era, but the highest degree of hockey immortality awaits this group if they can win yet another.

With that said, and it goes without saying, it is not going to be easy.
- TrueGrit

Encouraging statement by Q yesterday about Crawford—Hawks will need him to be dialed in and on top of his game. That's priority #1.

Hossa sounds ready to go, bum knee and all. Also good news because that line looked good enough before he went out to present a matchup problem in a 7-game series.

Shaw back and says he's ready. also good, because the Kruger line was huge last year just doing what it did. And they were showing signs again before Shaw got hurt.

All this is good and necessary because to my eye, the big ??? is on D. TVR should be OK. But the third pair is kinda scary and when Rundblad is the cavalry . . . . ugh.

Off ice subject here. NHL just released the top 10 jersey sales for 2015-16 season. Those folks who are clamoring for anyone but Kaner to win the Hart because of the "wrong message" it sends to the fans......

#1...The Captain
#2...The Hart winner

Nuff said.

So Q puts a muzzle on his new dog (Weise), and when he doesn't bite anyone, he puts him in the dog crate for a timeout....

It's because success occurs in the margins. We know who the best 11 forwards are... it's the 12th and 13th where the marginal win/fail difference could exist... We talk about this spot, because there is not much debate about the front of the lineup.

And, I would argue that most of the anguish is because Mash just doesn't belong in the lineup. How many giveaways, or missed assignments etc. does it take to get knocked out of the toughest contest in sports? Just one. Sure it can happen to anyone, but it is far more likely to happen when you insist on entering a ham-handed lunkhead into a spot on the roster that could otherwise be filled by a contender.
- DirkGraham

As I said previously, marginal players like Mashinter, Reaves, Jordan Nolan, Tanner Glass, Bollig etc ultimately don't make a shred of difference in a 7 game playoff series. They see a little ice time early on, flex their biceps and occasionally drop the mitts (even though there is almost no fighting in the playoffs). And then they go on with watching the game while the real hockey players decide the series.

Every team has 23 alpha males in the dressing room and 3 more who do the coaching. Clearly Q doesn't like what he sees from the guy wearing #25, considers him a weak link (or call it what you want). This isn't house league hockey where mommy and daddy pay for their kid to get equal ice time, win or lose and everybody is friends. If Weise is upset or shocked by his treatment he will have to get his head out of his butt and do something on the ice to prove Q has been wrong about him all along.

As I said previously, marginal players like Mashinter, Reaves, Jordan Nolan, Tanner Glass, Bollig etc ultimately don't make a shred of difference in a 7 game playoff series. They see a little ice time early on, flex their biceps and occasionally drop the mitts (even though there is almost no fighting in the playoffs). And then they go on with watching the game while the real hockey players decide the series.

Every team has 23 alpha males in the dressing room and 3 more who do the coaching. Clearly Q doesn't like what he sees from the guy wearing #25, considers him a weak link (or call it what you want). This isn't house league hockey where mommy and daddy pay for their kid to get equal ice time, win or lose and everybody is friends. If Weise is upset or shocked by his treatment he will have to get his head out of his butt and do something on the ice to prove Q has been wrong about him all along.
- RickJ

I wish there was a "Hard Knocks" for the NHL, other than the show that used to be on HBO before the Winter Classic. I would love to see what Q and Dineen don't see in Weise's game right now.

As far as the crusher>rusher>usher, I thought Weise played a lot of north/south hockey and was not trying to play a pretty game. I have to be missing something in terms of defensive assignments or turnovers.....right?....

I wish there was a "Hard Knocks" for the NHL, other than the show that used to be on HBO before the Winter Classic. I would love to see what Q and Dineen don't see in Weise's game right now.

As far as the crusher>rusher>usher, I thought Weise played a lot of north/south hockey and was not trying to play a pretty game. I have to be missing something in terms of defensive assignments or turnovers.....right?....
- phantasmo

Its the Q blender.....a little dash of Mash, remove Weise, add a little Bicksie, maybe a little Run-bads for spice and before you know it.....you got yourself an April concoction.

I wish there was a "Hard Knocks" for the NHL, other than the show that used to be on HBO before the Winter Classic. I would love to see what Q and Dineen don't see in Weise's game right now.

As far as the crusher>rusher>usher, I thought Weise played a lot of north/south hockey and was not trying to play a pretty game. I have to be missing something in terms of defensive assignments or turnovers.....right?....
- phantasmo

With Q, and many coaches for that matter, one single turnover could be the end of a player like Weise. By contrast, a baker's dozen of turnovers by a guy like Mashinter/Tuevo/TVR and Q still trots them on the ice. I agree with you phantasmo. Weise has chipped the puck in the zone and put hard low shots on goal. Comparing Weise to Mashinter isn't even worth the time. It's 100% crystal clear who best helps this hockey team win games, and he is in the press box. This mental warfare with Vermette last year helped Antoine play his best hockey after being a healthy scratch. Let's hope the same thing plays out with Dale Weise, who is playing for a new contract after all....

Could somebody explain to me how to grown men pulling on each others jersey's and swinging wildly in the wind till they fall on the ground stops anything from happening In the course of a game let alone a playoff game. What makes guy hesitate and short arm things is getting rocked legally with a hit. Ask Kane, TT, Dano ETC. so instead of taking a worthless fighting penalty vs there 12th forward make a clean hit on the ice and make there best forwards have a little fear in there eye's. Anybody thinks that Fighting reeves because he made a big hit is going to make anyone pause on the ice is ridicules. Heck Panarin hit a guy harder the Mash did after someone hit him. I kmow we are talking about the 12th forward but with Mash in it makes TT and Flesch less effective as well. TT is one of the best passers in the league but Mash cannot get up the ice. Weiss is going to be paid 3-4 mil per year after this season for a reason and Mash will be in the AHL next year if we do not resign him (please lord). The fact that Q benched TT and Vermette last year could have lost the series for us. He is not a genius for putting them back in, he was a ego maniac for benching them. I think this is all on Q. We give away a top 4 d men in his prime for SCUDS because Q wanted him then he finds out he is terrible and you cannot do Scuds and Roz the same night (q should have known this) We should have moved Daley without any salary coming back. Q wants to be a GM and it cost us 1.2 mil in dead cap space in 2016.

Encouraging statement by Q yesterday about Crawford—Hawks will need him to be dialed in and on top of his game. That's priority #1.

Hossa sounds ready to go, bum knee and all. Also good news because that line looked good enough before he went out to present a matchup problem in a 7-game series.

Shaw back and says he's ready. also good, because the Kruger line was huge last year just doing what it did. And they were showing signs again before Shaw got hurt.

All this is good and necessary because to my eye, the big ??? is on D. TVR should be OK. But the third pair is kinda scary and when Rundblad is the cavalry . . . . ugh.
- John Jaeckel

For d-zone draws and in road games, I could see the Hawks employing a system where they rarely play a true "third pair". I think they could try and pair Keith/Jammer/Seabs with one of the bottom guys until the d-zone is cleared and then give more "third pair" starts for o-zone draws and after opponent icing. You would have to think Rosy/Erhoff/Gus would be less exposed in these situations.

Could somebody explain to me how to grown men pulling on each others jersey's and swinging wildly in the wind till they fall on the ground stops anything from happening In the course of a game let alone a playoff game. What makes guy hesitate and short arm things is getting rocked legally with a hit. Ask Kane, TT, Dano ETC. so instead of taking a worthless fighting penalty vs there 12th forward make a clean hit on the ice and make there best forwards have a little fear in there eye's. Anybody thinks that Fighting reeves because he made a big hit is going to make anyone pause on the ice is ridicules. Heck Panarin hit a guy harder the Mash did after someone hit him. I kmow we are talking about the 12th forward but with Mash in it makes TT and Flesch less effective as well. TT is one of the best passers in the league but Mash cannot get up the ice. Weiss is going to be paid 3-4 mil per year after this season for a reason and Mash will be in the AHL next year if we do not resign him (please lord). The fact that Q benched TT and Vermette last year could have lost the series for us. He is not a genius for putting them back in, he was a ego maniac for benching them. I think this is all on Q. We give away a top 4 d men in his prime for SCUDS because Q wanted him then he finds out he is terrible and you cannot do Scuds and Roz the same night (q should have known this) We should have moved Daley without any salary coming back. Q wants to be a GM and it cost us 1.2 mil in dead cap space in 2016.
- kmw4631

You're probably right about that, and I never thought I would long for Trevor Daley back in the lineup...

As I said previously, marginal players like Mashinter, Reaves, Jordan Nolan, Tanner Glass, Bollig etc ultimately don't make a shred of difference in a 7 game playoff series. They see a little ice time early on, flex their biceps and occasionally drop the mitts (even though there is almost no fighting in the playoffs). And then they go on with watching the game while the real hockey players decide the series.

Every team has 23 alpha males in the dressing room and 3 more who do the coaching. Clearly Q doesn't like what he sees from the guy wearing #25, considers him a weak link (or call it what you want). This isn't house league hockey where mommy and daddy pay for their kid to get equal ice time, win or lose and everybody is friends. If Weise is upset or shocked by his treatment he will have to get his head out of his butt and do something on the ice to prove Q has been wrong about him all along.
- RickJ

I disagree, Putting mash out the means TT and flesch/Weiss/panic will be ineffective as well. And saying that running 3 lines in a playoff series is fine has been proven wrong in 2011,2012,2014.

You're probably right about that, and I never thought I would long for Trevor Daley back in the lineup...

- EnzoD

At this stage in the game (to the team), isn't Trevor Daley = David Rundblad?

So I signed up me and my 9 year old daughter for the bracket challenge. I am notlookinggood and she is bellas and I can guarantee that she will beat me

At this stage in the game (to the team), isn't Trevor Daley = David Rundblad?
- powerenforcer

Daley is weak defensively but you cant argue with his success in Pittsburgh playing 20 minutes a night. Rundblad and Daley are both poor defensively, but Daley has been an NHL player for 10 years for a reason....

Could somebody explain to me how to grown men pulling on each others jersey's and swinging wildly in the wind till they fall on the ground stops anything from happening In the course of a game let alone a playoff game. What makes guy hesitate and short arm things is getting rocked legally with a hit. Ask Kane, TT, Dano ETC. so instead of taking a worthless fighting penalty vs there 12th forward make a clean hit on the ice and make there best forwards have a little fear in there eye's. Anybody thinks that Fighting reeves because he made a big hit is going to make anyone pause on the ice is ridicules. Heck Panarin hit a guy harder the Mash did after someone hit him. I kmow we are talking about the 12th forward but with Mash in it makes TT and Flesch less effective as well. TT is one of the best passers in the league but Mash cannot get up the ice. Weiss is going to be paid 3-4 mil per year after this season for a reason and Mash will be in the AHL next year if we do not resign him (please lord). The fact that Q benched TT and Vermette last year could have lost the series for us. He is not a genius for putting them back in, he was a ego maniac for benching them. I think this is all on Q. We give away a top 4 d men in his prime for SCUDS because Q wanted him then he finds out he is terrible and you cannot do Scuds and Roz the same night (q should have known this) We should have moved Daley without any salary coming back. Q wants to be a GM and it cost us 1.2 mil in dead cap space in 2016.
- kmw4631

I don't disagree with you. Just me, but I'd prefer Dineen as coach and Snapitupstairs as his assistant.

As I said previously, marginal players like Mashinter, Reaves, Jordan Nolan, Tanner Glass, Bollig etc ultimately don't make a shred of difference in a 7 game playoff series. They see a little ice time early on, flex their biceps and occasionally drop the mitts (even though there is almost no fighting in the playoffs). And then they go on with watching the game while the real hockey players decide the series.

Every team has 23 alpha males in the dressing room and 3 more who do the coaching. Clearly Q doesn't like what he sees from the guy wearing #25, considers him a weak link (or call it what you want). This isn't house league hockey where mommy and daddy pay for their kid to get equal ice time, win or lose and everybody is friends. If Weise is upset or shocked by his treatment he will have to get his head out of his butt and do something on the ice to prove Q has been wrong about him all along.
- RickJ

This.

AND on a team with real expectations of competing for a Cup - AND with real options for this spot (Weise, Panik, Mashinter[?]) - each of the possibles has to get his head out of butt on his own - Q has no time or patience at this point - it's "what have you done for me lately without my help". Each has to show it in the 5 minutes of gametime they will get, and in the practices.

Could somebody explain to me how to grown men pulling on each others jersey's and swinging wildly in the wind till they fall on the ground stops anything from happening In the course of a game let alone a playoff game. What makes guy hesitate and short arm things is getting rocked legally with a hit. Ask Kane, TT, Dano ETC. so instead of taking a worthless fighting penalty vs there 12th forward make a clean hit on the ice and make there best forwards have a little fear in there eye's. Anybody thinks that Fighting reeves because he made a big hit is going to make anyone pause on the ice is ridicules. Heck Panarin hit a guy harder the Mash did after someone hit him. I kmow we are talking about the 12th forward but with Mash in it makes TT and Flesch less effective as well. TT is one of the best passers in the league but Mash cannot get up the ice. Weiss is going to be paid 3-4 mil per year after this season for a reason and Mash will be in the AHL next year if we do not resign him (please lord). The fact that Q benched TT and Vermette last year could have lost the series for us. He is not a genius for putting them back in, he was a ego maniac for benching them. I think this is all on Q. We give away a top 4 d men in his prime for SCUDS because Q wanted him then he finds out he is terrible and you cannot do Scuds and Roz the same night (q should have known this) We should have moved Daley without any salary coming back. Q wants to be a GM and it cost us 1.2 mil in dead cap space in 2016.
- kmw4631

Yeah - it would have been OK if they had won the Cup last year, but....

We know who the top 2 lines are

? TT Flash
Shaw, Krugs, Dezi

Weise
Panik
Mash

Take a deep breath guys, I have faith Q won't play his long lost love child unless those 2 other forwards are hurt
- BetweenTheDots

I agree..playing 53 when the roster is healthy is dumb/stupid/insane. Take your pick. As far as Weiss...who knows what the deal is. From my very far away vantage point. He looks lost out there...just not sure of what to do or where to be when. And in this game that is a very dangerous way to play. Off ice stuff...none of us has a clue.

I disagree, Putting mash out the means TT and flesch/Weiss/panic will be ineffective as well. And saying that running 3 lines in a playoff series is fine has been proven wrong in 2011,2012,2014.
- kmw4631

So the ship is going down if Mash dresses and Weise doesn't?

If that's the case, after the ship is brought up from the bottom I think the engineers will discover other major problems - like the D group wasn't good enough.

Could somebody explain to me how to grown men pulling on each others jersey's and swinging wildly in the wind till they fall on the ground stops anything from happening In the course of a game let alone a playoff game. What makes guy hesitate and short arm things is getting rocked legally with a hit. Ask Kane, TT, Dano ETC. so instead of taking a worthless fighting penalty vs there 12th forward make a clean hit on the ice and make there best forwards have a little fear in there eye's. Anybody thinks that Fighting reeves because he made a big hit is going to make anyone pause on the ice is ridicules. Heck Panarin hit a guy harder the Mash did after someone hit him. I kmow we are talking about the 12th forward but with Mash in it makes TT and Flesch less effective as well. TT is one of the best passers in the league but Mash cannot get up the ice. Weiss is going to be paid 3-4 mil per year after this season for a reason and Mash will be in the AHL next year if we do not resign him (please lord). The fact that Q benched TT and Vermette last year could have lost the series for us. He is not a genius for putting them back in, he was a ego maniac for benching them. I think this is all on Q. We give away a top 4 d men in his prime for SCUDS because Q wanted him then he finds out he is terrible and you cannot do Scuds and Roz the same night (q should have known this) We should have moved Daley without any salary coming back. Q wants to be a GM and it cost us 1.2 mil in dead cap space in 2016.
- kmw4631

In the space of one post, I agreed with you completely to disagreeing with you completely. Well done, sir!

Yeah - it would have been OK if they had won the Cup last year, but....
- StLBravesFan

History tells us that benching TT and mette was the wrong thing to do. If he would have kept doing it we probably lose the series. They were both huge last year. Playoff series are a coin flip most times. Think about how close we were to losing to NASH on 2010, DET in 2013, ANA in 2015 and did lose to VAN in 2011 and LA in 14. When you are talking about series where you might be favored 53% to 47% making one line ineffective and playing your top 2 lines to much can swing the game the other way.

I really hope Q is just raising my blood pressure for his own amusement and when LADD is back on the ice today Mash is out.

History tells us that benching TT and mette was the wrong thing to do. If he would have kept doing it we probably lose the series. They were both huge last year. Playoff series are a coin flip most times. Think about how close we were to losing to NASH on 2010, DET in 2013, ANA in 2015 and did lose to VAN in 2011 and LA in 14. When you are talking about series where you might be favored 53% to 47% making one line ineffective and playing your top 2 lines to much can swing the game the other way.

I really hope Q is just raising my blood pressure for his own amusement and when LADD is back on the ice today Mash is out.
- kmw4631

Q is not infallible. He does a lot of things that make my head hurt.

But it seems we're blaming him for something he didn't do: he didn't lose the Cup last year. This move, that move, could have, would have - evaluate all of them on what actually DID happen.

History tells us that both TT and Vermette played better AFTER the benching, and the Hawks won the Cup: you could just as easily say that if they weren't benched, they wouldn't have played as well, and the Hawks would have lost to Anaheim.