So now: who do the Hawks start in net in game 4?

They have a back-to-back Friday (game 4) and Saturday (game 5).

Do you start Crawford in game 4, hoping to close it out - but then - do you B-to-B him on Saturday? Or go with Subban / Delia in a game 5?

Or do you start Subban (or Delia) in game 4, hoping for a decent effort, keeping Crawford ready for a possible game 5?

Keeping in mind the Crawford is coming off of an “unfit to play” stint - and may not be in his best shape.
- StLBravesFan

Unless injured or he falls of the rails they will start Crawford and Crawford IMO.

Actually Strome and Nylander stand as "very little to no value added" all on their own this series. Or maybe Stan is now building his roster without the playoffs in mind.

As for Debrincat, yep, he is having a hard time scoring as well. It happens in the playoffs. Small players and players who play small have a really hard time when the opponent is giving little space and finishing checks with purpose everywhere they can. And if they are a defensive liability, well that is the icing on the cake.

So the more of those kind of players the team has, the less likely they are going to make it let alone go very far.

It can take Kane time to hit his stride in the playoffs. This year he may not have much more time.
- jrsamu

The play-in and hopefully extended playoffs is going to contribute significantly to Strome's next contract. He is not providing much value. Someone else suggested it but could see a one-year "show me" deal being an option.

That buys time for a center prospect like Kurashev to marinate for one more year and/or see if any gem pivots are selected in the draft. Lundell would be perfect as a middle 6 center.

Nylander has at least one more season to improve to prove his worth or else cut bait with him when he hits free agency. Not sure what he would garner in a trade.

Agree, DeBrincat needs to be deployed as and put in situations where he is a sniper. I disagree that he plays small, though, as he is willing to engage physically.

still can't figure out how the canes win with the goalie tandem they have...riemer in G3?
- bogiedoc

Mrazek has simply battled to be better, still. to all that good up high, and he was probably spent so Reiner played.

I would hold off calling Dach the best player in his class, but right now, he certainly is the most dominant in his draft class.
You have to look at Hughes in the same way you look at defenseman Boqvist: smaller super quick and skilled, but still in the process of seeing, doing and being the player he is drafted to be.
And with Kakko, he is a skilled bigger body but he has to take the step that the announcers kept saying they thought Dach had taken, that Dach COULD play with the team’s skilled star players and was one.

Kakko really wasn’t throwing hits in his three games against the Hurricane, and his total canvas can hardly be judged on his play, but again, he and his team sees him as an offensive guy, and he starts with a whole lot less savvy as a two-way guy while Dach was held accountable and responsible throughout his Saskatoon career.
I am sure he too will start figuring out that he has to add that part because even the guy they instantly started comparing Kakko to, Laine, started learning he needed to do it too.

I just think back on the couple sites I visit, how many Hawk draft fans where talking trade up, or too bad they don't select second, etc. as those Central scouting and Draft hypers had it perfect…they never do.

They're leading the series sooooo probs gonna have at least a few more games.

The point totals for your top two centers 3 out of the 4 wings leading the team is kind of what you want to see here. Complaining about players who are being productive seems kind of silly at this point.

Dominik Kubalik
5
Jonathan Toews
5
Kirby Dach
4
Patrick Kane
4
Alex Debrincat
3
- fattybeef

Add in that Olli Maatta currently leads d-men in points for the current tourney. And look, Koekkoek tied for 2nd with several others.


http://www.nhl.com/stats/

Oilers team that lost just once in regulation (29-1-2) during the regular season when leading after two periods...impressive

I didn’t see it as a knee-on-knee collision - but I’ll try to watch a replay again and look for that.
- Chief4Feathers

Best case for Ennis is bad ankle sprain. Can't tell if knee gave out or if it jammed his ankle in bad position on boards.

I was sort of surprised EDZO did not pick up on that while it happened.

still can't figure out how the canes win with the goalie tandem they have...riemer in G3?
- bogiedoc

They generally don't allow a lot of shots and the defenseman are REALLY good at cleaning up rebounds.

Not very good at fighting guys off in front of the net though.

Mrazek has simply battled to be better, still. to all that good up high, and he was probably spent so Reiner played.
- wiz1901

Mrazek is so wild to watch sometimes. Really has to work to keep himself in control. If he gets even a little complacent he gets sloppy, but he's a gamer.

Elliotte Friedman said this AM that at the draft last year, although there were all these names that the Hawks were going to draft (Byram, Turcotte), there was no question in Chicago's mind that Dach was their guy.
- LAHawk

What i do know and i really appreciate is Dach plays defense and in front of the play unlike Strome who is always behind the play. He definitely will keep getting minutes as my coach always preached defense and effort never slump

Since Tripp Tracy has started his own podcast, one of the stories that has been coming out that may interest you guys is that Teravainen apparently HATES to practice. Like, hates hates it.

Apparently he and Brind'amour have an understanding that he can give 75% or whatever in practice so long as he doesn't slack off in the weight room or in games.

Brind'amour loves his attention to detail and his competitiveness in games, so lets him get away with maybe not practicing as hard as he could.

The Blackhawks are still bad at clearing the zone, making extra moves rather than making a quick pass out.

This allows the Oilers to close passing lanes and create unforced errors in their O zone.

And it tends to mean the forwards in the neutral zone are having a tough time getting open.
- AEL_Fox

Been watching that for years. Some coaches, especially Trotz and Sutter, dummy the hawks. They know what's coming and it just keeps coming. And no adjustments except line juggling. Q had hall of fame players in their prime so it worked out more than not for him. Colliton doesn't have that luxury as the HOF guys left are getting up there. If he's the tactical guy they have said then I expect to see systematical adjustments.

The Blackhawks are still bad at clearing the zone, making extra moves rather than making a quick pass out.

This allows the Oilers to close passing lanes and create unforced errors in their O zone.

And it tends to mean the forwards in the neutral zone are having a tough time getting open.
- AEL_Fox

Are the “extra moves” because the forwards aren’t getting themselves open and in position to get the outlet pass?

In other words - is your first point causing your second - or is your second causing the first?

The play-in and hopefully extended playoffs is going to contribute significantly to Strome's next contract. He is not providing much value. Someone else suggested it but could see a one-year "show me" deal being an option.

That buys time for a center prospect like Kurashev to marinate for one more year and/or see if any gem pivots are selected in the draft. Lundell would be perfect as a middle 6 center.

Nylander has at least one more season to improve to prove his worth or else cut bait with him when he hits free agency. Not sure what he would garner in a trade.

Agree, DeBrincat needs to be deployed as and put in situations where he is a sniper. I disagree that he plays small, though, as he is willing to engage physically.
- AEL_Fox

If AdB is only generating assists - as important as they are - he’s not providing full value for a skater who scored 69 in his first 164 games.

Did the official scoring get changed on the winning goal from Murphy to Toews? I thought is glanced off Toews from the replay last night but then is was attributed to Murphy so I thought the camera angle might have fooled me.

Add in that Olli Maatta currently leads d-men in points for the current tourney. And look, Koekkoek tied for 2nd with several others.


http://www.nhl.com/stats/
- Rota's Rooter

That's great about Maatta but at the same time all the goals last night scored against us were from his position he needs to defend not vacate or casually get back to when the puck is behind the net. He was awful last night defensively

Did the official scoring get changed on the winning goal from Murphy to Toews? I thought is glanced off Toews from the replay last night but then is was attributed to Murphy so I thought the camera angle might have fooled me.
- EbonyRaptor

It should be Bear, hahaha, i don't think it touched Toews

Unless injured or he falls of the rails they will start Crawford and Crawford IMO.
- breadbag

I agree, i mean he made so many great initial saves last night. If you flipped goalies, Oil win going away last night.

For those wondering about Ennis. Out indefinitely.

https://twitter.com/Jason...tatus/1291442091134824448

That's great about Maatta but at the same time all the goals last night scored against us were from his position he needs to defend not vacate or casually get back to when the puck is behind the net. He was awful last night defensively
- BetweenTheDots

Oh I agree. But, 2020 has been such a bizarre cluster so far, why not Olli turning into all offense - no defense.

Oh I agree. But, 2020 has been such a bizarre cluster so far, why not Olli turning into all offense - no defense.
- Rota's Rooter

Bizarre is the right word for it. I'm all for it

For those wondering about Ennis. Out indefinitely.

https://twitter.com/Jason...tatus/1291442091134824448
- Rota's Rooter

Bigger question will Adam Larsson play?

poop i can't believe we are in a position to eliminate anyone in a 5 game series, incredible

Are the “extra moves” because the forwards aren’t getting themselves open and in position to get the outlet pass?

In other words - is your first point causing your second - or is your second causing the first?
- StLBravesFan

Guessing a lot of the extra moves is because the forwards aren't getting or can't get open. If the forwards can get open consistently, then outlet passes to quickly clear the zone would get the Hawks out of the danger zone.

There are also times when players over handle the puck inches from clearing the zone and either cough up the puck or are really close to doing so which extends time in purgatory between defending and transitioning.

Again, if teammates can get open for each other, that would be huge to relieve pressure and generate a faster transition game to get the other team on its heels.

Otherwise, it's a lot easier to defend against a slowly developing transition. That's telegraph central.

It should be Bear, hahaha, i don't think it touched Toews
- BetweenTheDots

It seemed to graze Toews’ uniform - changing direction as it passed him.