I agree about how the difference between winning and loosing can be razor thin. It wasn't last year. What Nashville has going into each series is a blue line corp as good or better. Rhine runs hot and cold, but stay the course and he will probably be worth his salary. They have Johansson ready to emerge as a pivatol, bigger scorer. They have more younger, improving, aggressive players hungry to reach the next level in their game. We do not yet know how well Toews back holds out. Just looking at the facts, we might compare much better after the regular season reveals more about our team capability than the present uncertain moment
- jhawk59

Johansen may become a bigger scorer, but his last 4 years 63, 71, 60 and 61 points. His strengths are like Toews are not scoring. They both play a 200' game and often match up against the opponents top line (or a checking line with a center shadowing them) and top defensive pairing .
Rinne is similar to than Crawford.
Preds blue line is good and deep.
Preds goals against was 15th in the league. (Chicago 11th)
Preds were 11th in the league in scoring. (Chicago 9th)
The Hawks were 4W and 1L against the Preds in the regular season.
The Preds are a very good young team who may be getting better. The Hawks have a lot of question marks. But I think losing the way the Hawks did in the playoffs make some Hawk fans think the Preds are much better than the Hawks. I do not think there is that much difference.

Could have made up an All-Slacker Russian team in Chicago over the years.
- 6628

The list would be long and distinguished.

Could have made up an All-Slacker Russian team in Chicago over the years.
- 6628

For fun - who would be the captain of that team.

I vote Potsy.

For fun - who would be the captain of that team.

I vote Potsy.
- powerenforcer

Him, or SlowBo.

Most of you know that the Flyers are retiring Lindros' #88 this season. Yahoo Sports had an interesting article yesterday about what if the Hawks had pulled the trigger on trading for Lindros. Some of you may remember this. The supposed deal centered on Lindros for Belfour, Larmer, and Steve Smith (plus some other assets and cash).
- AEL_Fox

Would you have made the trade? Sure because the Blackhawks would have entered their new building with TWO solid impact centres.
But I ma fairly certain that the pick they used to select Krivokarsov was in the deal with Smith, and not necessarily Belfour (but maybe since they had Hasek in the wings)

maybe lindros wouldnt have gotten hurt as a hawk...

https://sports.yahoo.com/...te-history-181346365.html

repeat

Johansen may become a bigger scorer, but his last 4 years 63, 71, 60 and 61 points. His strengths are like Toews are not scoring. They both play a 200' game and often match up against the opponents top line (or a checking line with a center shadowing them) and top defensive pairing .
Rinne is similar to than Crawford.
Preds blue line is good and deep.
Preds goals against was 15th in the league. (Chicago 11th)
Preds were 11th in the league in scoring. (Chicago 9th)
The Hawks were 4W and 1L against the Preds in the regular season.
The Preds are a very good young team who may be getting better. The Hawks have a lot of question marks. But I think losing the way the Hawks did in the playoffs make some Hawk fans think the Preds are much better than the Hawks. I do not think there is that much difference.
- -Doh-

There was a huge difference when it came to desire to win that series. The Preds were on a mission and the Hawks didn't have much fire in their belly. Preds are not more talented but they had the compete level.

There was a huge difference when it came to desire to win that series. The Preds were on a mission and the Hawks didn't have much fire in their belly. Preds are not more talented but they had the compete level.
- breadbag

I can't argue with that. I also think they put the setting on "coast" for the last two weeks and that caused the Hawks to come into the playoffs flat. By the time they got going it was over.

There was a huge difference when it came to desire to win that series. The Preds were on a mission and the Hawks didn't have much fire in their belly. Preds are not more talented but they had the compete level.
- breadbag

Hopefully the combination of new blood (rookies, trades and free agents), returning players (Saad and Sharp), and the humiliation the core experienced provide the motivation required for a deeper playoff run.

Hopefully the combination of new blood (rookies, trades and free agents), returning players (Saad and Sharp), and the humiliation the core experienced provide the motivation required for a deeper playoff run.
- DarthKane

I agree.

I also doubt the Hawks win the Western Conference with two weeks left in the season this year and are able to take the last two weeks of the season off. That is a good thing. They may be fighting for the 8th spot in the last game of the season. (Though I think they could finish higher.) If they make the playoffs this year they should go in with their pedal to the metal. That could make a big difference. Usually they get better as the playoffs progress.

Him, or SlowBo.
- John Jaeckel

You talkin Boris? That guy pretty much lived at Belomanies in Hinsdale. Place went out of business and I'm thinking him leaving had something to do with it.

Johansen may become a bigger scorer, but his last 4 years 63, 71, 60 and 61 points. His strengths are like Toews are not scoring. They both play a 200' game and often match up against the opponents top line (or a checking line with a center shadowing them) and top defensive pairing .
Rinne is similar to than Crawford.
Preds blue line is good and deep.
Preds goals against was 15th in the league. (Chicago 11th)
Preds were 11th in the league in scoring. (Chicago 9th)
The Hawks were 4W and 1L against the Preds in the regular season.
The Preds are a very good young team who may be getting better. The Hawks have a lot of question marks. But I think losing the way the Hawks did in the playoffs make some Hawk fans think the Preds are much better than the Hawks. I do not think there is that much difference.
- -Doh-

Expanding on this, like the Hawks winning in Game 5 of the 2010 series with NSH, the difference in one game could have changed the series. Had the Hawks held on to their 2-0 lead in Game 3 in Nashville, there's a good chance they could have won the series I think. Huge mental difference between 3-0 and 2-1, especially taking the first game in Nashville. Inevitably due to the cap Breadman, and maybe Hammer, had to go. That's how close these series are. The teams aren't too far apart and yes, Johansen was out for the Stanley Cup final, but the Pens aren't that much, if any, better than the Hawks.

You also could say that had Keith not been suspended for Game 1 against the Blues in the 2056-2016 playoff, the Hawks could have pulled that off too.

You talkin Boris? That guy pretty much lived at Belomanies in Hinsdale. Place went out of business and I'm thinking him leaving had something to do with it.
- 6628

Didn't they call him Krispy Creme? Bad memories when Smith had reigns and the Hawks picked the wrong Russian players in the draft and to trade for. There was one bright year in that span but they screwed it up by letting Amonte leave and then trading Nylander for Nikolishin (another not correct Russian addition) and Chris Simon.

Expanding on this, like the Hawks winning in Game 5 of the 2010 series with NSH, the difference in one game could have changed the series. Had the Hawks held on to their 2-0 lead in Game 3 in Nashville, there's a good chance they could have won the series I think. Huge mental difference between 3-0 and 2-1, especially taking the first game in Nashville. Inevitably due to the cap Breadman, and maybe Hammer, had to go. That's how close these series are. The teams aren't too far apart and yes, Johansen was out for the Stanley Cup final, but the Pens aren't that much, if any, better than the Hawks.

You also could say that had Keith not been suspended for Game 1 against the Blues in the 2016-2016 playoff, the Hawks could have pulled that off too.
- Popsghostly

The little things always make the difference and sometimes it is just the hot streak at the right time. in 2017 Rinne was a huge factor with those extra stops he made (as opposed to some of the soft goals he gave up later in the finals) Rinne wasn't tested as much as he should have been but still the guy (A career 0.917%-0.918%) goalie put up a 0.976% with two shutouts in those 4 games. As the playoffs went on Rinne cooled off and then the Pens did to him what they did to Holtby and Bob. Craig Anderson was the only goalie to give the Pens any real trouble.

Didn't they call him Krispy Creme? Bad memories when Smith had reigns and the Hawks picked the wrong Russian players in the draft and to trade for. There was one bright year in that span but they screwed it up by letting Amonte leave and then trading Nylander for Nikolishin (another not correct Russian addition) and Chris Simon.
- Popsghostly

And to see people here clamoring for a Russian player whose only reason to be coming to the NHL is he got kicked out of the KHL for a banned substance is mind boggling. Leave that turd in another bowl.

And to see people here clamoring for a Russian player whose only reason to be coming to the NHL is he got kicked out of the KHL for a banned substance is mind boggling. Leave that turd in another bowl.
- kwolf68

Agree. That's the problem with Hawks and Russians. For every Breadman, they screw it up with a Nabokov, Yakupov, Nikolishin or Karpotsev. To come to think of it, I think the only success they've had with Russians is the Breadman. Perhaps Zhamnov too, but he was damned the minute the trade occurred. Very few could replace JR in the hearts of fans- an American born player who gave everything every shift he had.

And to see people here clamoring for a Russian player whose only reason to be coming to the NHL is he got kicked out of the KHL for a banned substance is mind boggling. Leave that turd in another bowl.
- kwolf68

You paint a picture

And to see people here clamoring for a Russian player whose only reason to be coming to the NHL is he got kicked out of the KHL for a banned substance is mind boggling. Leave that turd in another bowl.
- kwolf68

I think if it only costs us the same as a Rockford player then what is the risk. He can score goals, he had a down year last year but a huge playoff. if he does not work out you can send him to Rock and then he probably voids his contract out and goes to EURO.

SAAD-T-PANIK
?-AA-KANE
Sharp-NICK-HART
WINGELS-Boama-KERO-Jurco-

of all the above only Nick can be sent down,

Looks like our 12 of 13 forwards. if sharp moves up then who goes to 3LW of those Jurco would make the most sense, Dauphin, HINO, HAYDEN,FORTIN, can all go to ROCK for a year.

Agree. That's the problem with Hawks and Russians. For every Breadman, they screw it up with a Nabokov, Yakupov, Nikolishin or Karpotsev. To come to think of it, I think the only success they've had with Russians is the Breadman. Perhaps Zhamnov too, but he was damned the minute the trade occurred. Very few could replace JR in the hearts of fans- an American born player who gave everything every shift he had.
- Popsghostly

I'd add AA and the original Russian Kravchuk. After them Panarin and AZ, you can have the rest.

I'd add AA and the original Russian Kravchuk. After them Panarin and AZ, you can have the rest.
- HawkintheD

Forgot about Kravchuk... He was the first Russian the Hawks got from my memory when it was the Soviet Union and all those players were defecting. Can't remember what happened to him.

As an aside, you could see through the packages of Topps hockey cards for Kravchuk's rookie year (he was part of a Russian stars insert set) and for some reason, Kravchuk's rookie card was in a packaging sequence that put his card as the first card of a pack. My pops and me spent hours at Ventures, K-Marts and Oscos in the area looking through boxes of Topps obtaining Kravchuk rookie cards. We must have had 35 at one point. Funny thing is that I still have at least 15 Topps Kravchuk rookie Russian insert cards still. Back in the day you could sell them for 3 bucks... Now they are only worth the story I just told you guys.

You talkin Boris? That guy pretty much lived at Belomanies in Hinsdale. Place went out of business and I'm thinking him leaving had something to do with it.
- 6628

One and the same. Boris Smirnoff.

One and the same. Boris Smirnoff.
- John Jaeckel

" Good riddance "

While Nashville has a good team I don't see them as a long-term legit Cup contender. I think they got hot at the right time last season just like San Jose did the season before.







Before anybody proclaims Nashville as the king of the division, EVERY TEAM HAS QUESTION MARKS going into the season. They lost Neal, one of their top scorers, Fisher, leader and valuable two way player. The entire central division is competitive. Nashville will be tough, but as us Hawk fans know too well, its easier said than done, to get back to that top level you played last spring. Not impossible but wait and see. Ulf Samuelsson, I read, has reputation for getting through to younger defensemen ... just what Hawks need ... but let's wait and see. Bouma is not afraid to hit anything moving, kills penalties, shot blocker - one of the top guys among forwards. Appears to be a good fit on fourth line ... but once again ... we will have to wait and see







I think this year's team can be better that last year, despite all the changes. The core of Toews, Kane, Keith, Seabrook, and Crawford should be a good as last year with Toews improving with the addition of Saad. I think that Toews+Saad will have a greater positive impact on the team than Kane+Panarin (not taking anything away from how awesome the Breadman is).

Panik I expect to stay around the same level but I think it's reasonable to expect improvement from Schmaltz and Hartman next season.

Losing Hossa is the real killer, hopefully the addition of Sharp helps fill some of that void.

Murphy and Kempy should be solid on defense, but after that the team is hoping 1-2 young guys step up or Stan makes a move.

Wingels improves the 4th line and hopefully Kero continues to improve his game.

If 1-2 of Jurco, Hayden, Hinostroza, Debrincat oe Dauphin can step up that will help the depth as well.

I'm not sold on Bouma, hopefully I am wrong but I don't see him contributing much.
- DarthKane

The "next" Duncan Keith is in all likelihood not in the organization at present.

That's why the organization has to consider—and fans will have to exhibit the patience necessary—to go the more drastic tear down and rebuild route. Yes, Keith was acquired at the end of the second round in his draft year but that was a one in a million lottery ticket.

Franchise level players are far more often found at the head of draft classes than unearthed later on.

The "soft landing" model (ie Detroit of the last handful of years) just slows your slide to mediocrity.
- John Jaeckel

You are probably right JJ .... next Duncan Keith not in the organization yet. But Ian Mitchell sounds pretty good and some what similar to Keith. Don't forget that Keith was pretty thin (about 170 lbs) when he first came up, but worked hard to get himself into shape and worked on his game too. The "next Duncan Keith" might be in another body at the moment. The Hawks have several defensemen in the organization that could benefit from bit more LBS and some seasoning.

This schedule makes absolutely no sense to me!!!

http://chicago.suntimes.c...e-dame-for-training-camp/