Just wondering, in the past week I've been getting, congrats you are a winner or my smartphone is so many% damaged you should download blah blah blah, and it only pops up while I'm on hockey buzz, this happening to anyone else?
- BetweenTheDots

Yeah im getting that too I always seem to have problems with this site it's either that or havg to log out and log back in. getting to point I may have to stop going to this site

Mr. R, CC stats might seem a bit off right now but don't you think it is a little too soon to call him below average? Compared to some goalies, he is above average, based on his record. He shows up at big times. Who I am most concerned about is AA. Guy looks kind of out of it and lazy. His defensive play seems to be a bit slow so far. Hopefully he picks it up.
- 93Joe

You misunderstand, Joe. I'm not saying Crow is below average, I'm saying the opposite. Crow IMO is elite and as such devise your PK scheme with that in mind. Go ahead and be aggressive, not passive, cuz you have an elite goalie if you have a miscue due to being aggressive to take away time and space.

Like any other player you devise schemes to their strengths or weaknesses. Kane gets tons of Ozone starts, Kruger tons of Dzone starts. You play to their strengths and cover for their weaknesses. ......... Same thing with Crow. He doesn't need sheltered on the PK. Attack the puck!!!

I was only able to see the first period of game. Yes, the PK must, must, must improve. Does anyone have numbers on 5 on 5 for these first five games? If so, please provide. I know that was a big deal last year for the Hawks....and they seem to be much improved in that area this year, which bodes well IMO.

While I agree on most of JJ's analysis over the course of past few years, I do take some issue with this constant nagging on the top six issue. Prior to the season we heard Panik should never be considered a top six winger. But he sure has played like one to me. Now Motte is not a top six winger, the morning after he played his fifth pro game and scored his first NHL goal.

With the cap what it is and with some of the salaries we have, we can't just trade for a typical top six winger like JVR, Malkin, Stamos, Nash. We have to be creative and trade for Panik and have the rookies play.

And jeez, lets give these kids more than five games to judge them. IMO Vinny Hinostroza has actually been doing fine....so not sure why we sat him and played 7 defensemen. My guess is Campbell was going to sit, then the media made a big stink about his consecutive game streak, and Q decided to play him. I think Q wanted TVR to get some ice time...so for some reason he sat Vinny. With Hossa out that made no sense to me whatsoever. Oh well, with TVR out now 5-6 weeks...we should not have an issue rolling out the same 6 d-men...and getting both Vinny and Hoss back in the lineup.
- onehundredlevel

So scoring a goal makes someone a top 6 winger? Hmmm.

He's probably going to end up a decent third liner. Speed is not exceptional. Hands are not exceptional. He plays hard and makes good decisions over 200 feet. Good enough offensively. What does that sound like to you?

You guys just stand up and be counted a couple of years from now. I recall all too well being one of the few voices of reason on "TT Time."

Forsling looks like he can be a very good player. Getting better every game.

Panik is rough around the edges but he is showing they may have "something" in him. I'm just not sure what "something" is yet.

Kempny looks like a nice player as the year goes on, but he and Panik are also 26 and 25 respectively.

Motte is serviceable. But his skills suggest—third liner and there's nothing wrong with that. let me ask you, other than scoring a goal on a fat rebound in a wide open side, (yippee) give me the clear-eyed, well-supported assessment of Motte's ability that says he is a top 6 NHL winger on a good team. Other than the "youth movement" narrative.

Schmaltz has obvious upside. He's just not ready to play in the NHL in the role he needs to when he arrives.

Hinostroza to me looks like Adam Burish 2.0, with less grit.

So I will own up on those things and I have already admitted that Forsling and Motte have exceeded my expectations.

I just have to be honest and try to limit the fanboy crap in what I write. And there is a LOT of fanboy crap surrounding a few of these kids. Not unusual. But . . .

I think not getting the deal done for Yak is going to come back and really hurt us he has 2 goals already and would allow Motte and Hossa to drop down to the 3rd line and then have Des, hino hart, moose Tootoo, scmaltz battle for the 4th line. How are we ever going to find a winger that is not a rental that can play in the top 6? Also I was worried panik would come out hot and could be looking for a big Bump next year. I think we should have at least gotten him for 2 years at 1 mil.

Just wondering, in the past week I've been getting, congrats you are a winner or my smartphone is so many% damaged you should download blah blah blah, and it only pops up while I'm on hockey buzz, this happening to anyone else?
- BetweenTheDots

I get this all the time on hockeybuzz - update a fake firefox on the laptop and 4 virus notification on the tablet. They pop up when I'm in the comments sections. Very annoying.

Major flaws.

I think not getting the deal done for Yak is going to come back and really hurt us he has 2 goals already and would allow Motte and Hossa to drop down to the 3rd line and then have Des, hino hart, moose Tootoo, scmaltz battle for the 4th line. How are we ever going to find a winger that is not a rental that can play in the top 6? Also I was worried panik would come out hot and could be looking for a big Bump next year. I think we should have at least gotten him for 2 years at 1 mil.
- kmw4631

While he is not a big-time "scorer," Andrew Desjardins is missed by this team. He and Hossa in and a couple of other players resultantly slotted in the right ways would have made a big difference last night.

While he is not a big-time "scorer," Andrew Desjardins is missed by this team. He and Hossa in and a couple of other players resultantly slotted in the right ways would have made a big difference last night.
- John Jaeckel

JJ--- Every team has bumps and bruises along the way. No excuse exist if the Hawks can't overcome a team like CBJ, who have nothing but a bunch of kids at defense without Hoss and a 4th liner. Hossa is EXPECTED to miss games here and there. I do like Desi...the problems are all over...down the middle, sloppy defense, and inconsistent line play marred by constantly changing combinations and players not good enough or ready yet to play at this level.

Lets see where they are after 10...there are NO trades to be made either. The farm system is completely barren. And the good players on this team that are marketable almost all have unmovable contracts, even assuming they also didn't include NTCs. The FEW players that are good with nice contracts (Hammer, Panarin) would create a massive hole if they were to be moved. Seriously, what can they do?

Off to see some college hockey to see my oldest son play...enjoy the game tonight.

Does Hawks management realize this could be a learning/retool type of year? If not then what? And if the Hawks continue to struggle? The PK is down right brutal. Go back to 2009 when Savard goy yanked very early in the year. If this team stumbles to a very rough start, do we see a HC change? As crazy as it sounds, its easier to swap Q out with say a Dineen then it is to trade a core guy with a big salary.

The story the other day about Toews and his comments about chemistry and the revolving door at wing. With so many guys playing poorly, has Q been tuned out? If Q cant hit the right buttons? If he cant motivate them? This team is still a damn talented team with all star players.

Every HC has a shelf life. Maybe Q's has finally arrived here. Maybe the blender has worn these guys out. Dont know....
- z1990z

Actually I see this as a learning/retooling year. It's part of the price you pay with the cap, especially when you have two players taking up almost 30% of your salary cap.

The question is can Q become a teaching/retooling coach?

You misunderstand, Joe. I'm not saying Crow is below average, I'm saying the opposite. Crow IMO is elite and as such devise your PK scheme with that in mind. Go ahead and be aggressive, not passive, cuz you have an elite goalie if you have a miscue due to being aggressive to take away time and space.

Like any other player you devise schemes to their strengths or weaknesses. Kane gets tons of Ozone starts, Kruger tons of Dzone starts. You play to their strengths and cover for their weaknesses. ......... Same thing with Crow. He doesn't need sheltered on the PK. Attack the puck!!!
- Mr Ricochet

My mistake then. I misinterpreted your post. Agreed 100% on a giving little time and space and attacking the puck.

So scoring a goal makes someone a top 6 winger? Hmmm.

He's probably going to end up a decent third liner. Speed is not exceptional. Hands are not exceptional. He plays hard and makes good decisions over 200 feet. Good enough offensively. What does that sound like to you?

You guys just stand up and be counted a couple of years from now. I recall all too well being one of the few voices of reason on "TT Time."

Forsling looks like he can be a very good player. Getting better every game.

Panik is rough around the edges but he is showing they may have "something" in him. I'm just not sure what "something" is yet.

Kempny looks like a nice player as the year goes on, but he and Panik are also 26 and 25 respectively.

Motte is serviceable. But his skills suggest—third liner and there's nothing wrong with that. let me ask you, other than scoring a goal on a fat rebound in a wide open side, (yippee) give me the clear-eyed, well-supported assessment of Motte's ability that says he is a top 6 NHL winger on a good team. Other than the "youth movement" narrative.

Schmaltz has obvious upside. He's just not ready to play in the NHL in the role he needs to when he arrives.

Hinostroza to me looks like Adam Burish 2.0, with less grit.

So I will own up on those things and I have already admitted that Forsling and Motte have exceeded my expectations.

I just have to be honest and try to limit the fanboy crap in what I write. And there is a LOT of fanboy crap surrounding a few of these kids. Not unusual. But . . .
- John Jaeckel

What they have in Panik is a player with size, speed and some ability to put the puck in the net. Whether he can continue doing it is the question. At this point he gives them similar to what Stalberg did a couple years ago, maybe with a little more intelligence. And they need that because I'm pretty sure Hinostroza, Tootoo, Rasmussen and even Desjardins won't be providing any offence at all. Motte might be able to get them 10-12 goals which would be good.

Motte has some growing to do. I agree he doesn't look like a top 6 guy at this point, but his work ethic is good. I see many times that he just isn't strong enough to accomplish what he is trying to do. He tries to get body position but just can't handle NHL D like he could at the college level.

I'm not hitting the Panik button yet, I think a little adversity will help this team gel and learn.

Actually I see this as a learning/retooling year. It's part of the price you pay with the cap, especially when you have two players taking up almost 30% of your salary cap.

The question is can Q become a teaching/retooling coach?
- walleyeb1

Sure he can.. but will the yo-yo blender hurt the development of these kids??

Actually I see this as a learning/retooling year. It's part of the price you pay with the cap, especially when you have two players taking up almost 30% of your salary cap.

The question is can Q become a teaching/retooling coach?
- walleyeb1

The question in my mind is how many years of cap growth will it take for the Blackhawks to have enough salary outside of its top two players to be competitive. The next highest paid duo is Crosby and Malkin at $18.2M, which is $2.8M less than Chicago's duo of Kane and Toews. Wouldn't a $3.7M forward help this team right now? (adding, say, Schmaltz' entry level salary to that cap space.)

I don't think either or overpaid by much and I do think the signings were understandable at the time. The problem is that there are two of them on the same team! I hope both stay, but if they do, I can't see how the team competes for a cup again unless the a few of the 3rd to 9th highest paid players are swapped out for lower paid options. Another way of framing the forward depth problem, IMHO, is that there isn't enough money for better 10th & 11th, maybe 12th highest paid players. In other words, how many under $1m / year players can you have on a championship contending roster?

I agree that AA is looking overpaid at the moment. He'd be the one I'd try to move first. Center depth is a problem too though so probably need one in return.

The question in my mind is how many years of cap growth will it take for the Blackhawks to have enough salary outside of its top two players to be competitive. The next highest paid duo is Crosby and Malkin at $18.2M, which is $2.8M less than Chicago's duo of Kane and Toews. Wouldn't a $3.7M forward help this team right now? (adding, say, Schmaltz' entry level salary to that cap space.)

I don't think either or overpaid by much and I do think the signings were understandable at the time. The problem is that there are two of them on the same team! I hope both stay, but if they do, I can't see how the team competes for a cup again unless the a few of the 3rd to 9th highest paid players are swapped out for lower paid options. Another way of framing the forward depth problem, IMHO, is that there isn't enough money for better 10th & 11th, maybe 12th highest paid players. In other words, how many under $1m / year players can you have on a championship contending roster?

I agree that AA is looking overpaid at the moment. He'd be the one I'd try to move first. Center depth is a problem too though so probably need one in return.
- matt_ahrens

I actually don't have a problem with AA, he had his 2nd most productive year last season, I'm not freaking out over one game. He's got five points in five games thus far this year. If he keeps that up I'd be stunned, and thrilled.

If the Hawks had a PK above 75% they would probably be undefeated. Lack of chemistry?? Hmmmmm I wonder why there are 6 rookies in the lineup...oh ya...the absurdly top heavy Salary Cap distribution. Fix the PK and they will be a playoff team. Motte and Panik are ready for the big leagues. Schmaltz and Forsling have a lot of talent but are basically learning on the fly. TWT if they can be effective NHL players this year. Same with Kempny who has had several bad offensive blue line decisions...

What they have in Panik is a player with size, speed and some ability to put the puck in the net. Whether he can continue doing it is the question. At this point he gives them similar to what Stalberg did a couple years ago, maybe with a little more intelligence. And they need that because I'm pretty sure Hinostroza, Tootoo, Rasmussen and even Desjardins won't be providing any offence at all. Motte might be able to get them 10-12 goals which would be good.
- RickJ

And a lot more testosterone.

Motte has some growing to do. I agree he doesn't look like a top 6 guy at this point, but his work ethic is good. I see many times that he just isn't strong enough to accomplish what he is trying to do. He tries to get body position but just can't handle NHL D like he could at the college level.

I'm not hitting the Panik button yet, I think a little adversity will help this team gel and learn.
- breadbag

I think Motte is going to be a useful player. Most likely a third liner. Nothing jumps out skill wise and says he's special in that regard. Motte plays a more solid, man's game than Schmaltz right now, but you can see the skill Schmaltz has—problem is, he's less ready than Motte is. I think a lot less.

Panik should be a man on a mission versus the Leafs tonight, BTW

Panik should be a man on a mission versus the Leafs tonight, BTW
- John Jaeckel

Looks like Hinostroza is scratched and and Hossa is in.

Yeah im getting that too I always seem to have problems with this site it's either that or havg to log out and log back in. getting to point I may have to stop going to this site
- HamiltonHawk

Thanks to all that replied, yeah it does get annoying, just wanted to see if I was the only one and it was time to upgrade.

Frickin web poachers out there

Thanks to all that replied, yeah it does get annoying, just wanted to see if I was the only one and it was time to upgrade.

Frickin web poachers out there
- BetweenTheDots

It will be ok now - the Ecuadorian shut off Assange's internet access.

What a play by Panarin
Then what a horrible unforced error by Panarin

Crawford for Trouba

It will be ok now - the Ecuadorian shut off Assange's internet access.
- StLBravesFan

Nothing on my smart phone worth digging into