Tyler Cameron: Blackhawks "make" the playoffs Hey, look at that, the Blackhawks are a "playoff team"… well kind of.

Note the quotation marks surrounding playoff team.

The official Phase 2 has been confirmed by Gary Bettman and the NHL and it has the Hawks as the 12th seed in the West playing the Edmonton Oilers, who are the 5th seed.

Let's break it down.



*REMINDER* NO POLITICS TALK

First... at political talk.

It looks like ESPN and every outlet was licking it chops to see a league and its employee players to agree and start proceeding carefully.

Remember if the play-in starts, and after game one, what Boqvist thinks is symptoms of his 4th concussion turns out to be a positive result of the Cooties-19,( that he mistakenly thinks in caught from festering space in Drake Caggiula's mouth, who room is next to his in the pod.)

Players like Jonathan Toews make conscious decision to oft-out of play-in, a first step into his exit and fall from Grace in the organization.

The Hawks fills of Black Aces prove that Dylan Sikura and Philipp Kurashev probably not going to be long term help if their showing against the Oilers lesser lights is any indication.

The player comments halt the motion of the re-start.

After extensive meetings the players and league decide the individual rights and concerns of the players will take precedent, but the league soldiers on for the sake of the business of sports, because at this point, with so much positive momentum and hockey love in the press, getting the country back to normal is clearly all Unbcle Gary was trying to do, because the fans deserve it.

Well. I Called it!!!

I said...if the Hawks youth progressed well...and Toews still had a lil something left...and if kane was still "top flight"....and if a Pandemic hit...We had a chance!!!

Bring on the Oil.

But, somehow...I get this feeling in the pit of my gut. They try to squeeze this in...people crowded together....and a surge hits within the league and we shut down again. Hope not. And surely hope no player get severely sick or worse....but, I just got this feeling all will not go well.....

As Dubnyk said, nothing happens without a testing protocol. I can't see the current testing protocols working, get tested twice a week than get results in 24-48 hours. What happens if someone tests positive? Then you have to test everyone that he has come in contact with (including an opposing team if they played again), and all have to wait 24-48 hours for a result? Is the team(s) shut down and "super" quaranteened until those results are back? What happens if 10 players test positive? If 28 on the roster, then only 18 suit up?

Too bad Abbott's 15 minute test is unreliable. I can't see this working until Abbott, or someone else can come out with an accurate test that can have results back in lets say 4 hours.

Also wonder if the NHL and the teams are going to make the players sign some sort of hold harmless agreement before playing.

As Dubnyk said, nothing happens without a testing protocol. I can't see the current testing protocols working, get tested twice a week than get results in 24-48 hours. What happens if someone tests positive? Then you have to test everyone that he has come in contact with (including an opposing team if they played again), and all have to wait 24-48 hours for a result? Is the team(s) shut down and "super" quaranteened until those results are back? What happens if 10 players test positive? If 28 on the roster, then only 18 suit up?
- LAHawk

They can opt out as I said above and the idea of Balck Aces has always been there to bolster the line ups without any Cap in the way.

Concerning g unreliability and my doctor hasn't won a noble Prize in medicine, but my wife have since our 30's given blood like clockwork every 6 - 8 weeks because it is right thing to help without judging.
So, we wondered after the March 9th DisneyWorld trip if the possibility we are in fact silent donors (but are very health 70 years olds) that the people reported in the Disneyworld parks days before us you dies, that maybe we were just that(...imagine these much younger stronger athletes, and how THEY easily could dismiss these symptoms or not feel anything)...so asked the doctor about antibodies teasing so maybe we could help the research and ultimately a possible help so the 100,000 deaths actually flatten to nothing...the DOCTOR said,

I understand you wanting to help, but I have consulted with others and the antibodies testing at this point that's IS being done throughout the state is really not as reliable as expected...peole are flocking to get these free tests, and the negative results might bring the patients relief, but I am not sure they prove ANYTHING conclusively yet. A concerted co-ordinated effort is what is needed to get somewhere with this before you really should evil yourself as a possible solution.

Seems like they could just use the tests that they are using in Germany for the Bundesliga or South Korea for Baseball.

Maybe follow the example of something that seems to be working rather than reinventing the wheel would be a good idea.

Anyway, Chicago works from an infrastructure perspective. Plenty of ice rinks and hotels. I'm not sure how you can sell it based on the number of cases here and everyone going bonkers with the weather being nice but we will see I guess.

Kind of surprised they didn't push for training camps in mid June to try and get some games on July 4th.

They try and pull this bull crap and something happens and they have to shut down .Then what next year is in jeopardy .Big waste of time money and possibly medical expertise and equipment .Just to try and have a Cup winner ,bogus no problem shutting it down to shove a salary cap down the players throats.
This is driven by GREED and nothing more ,tying to gain market share on the back of a pandemic is a sad state affairs

Sorry Tyler we are not TRYING to evoke at political discourse but right now it comes with these unchartered waters.

I promise to hold back on voicing any frustrations at hawk fans, so this play-in should be the focus when it happens.

I started thinking about it, and let's say you are a fan of one of the teams forced to go in the play-in round even though your team was sitting pretty to make the play-off one March 12th, not far from the season end in April....

If you lose that first play-in round, you get to pick in the top 15.

Does this mean I will soon have to wake up from my hockey-less slumber? Actual hockey news has got my hockey jones juices flowing this morning ... and it feels good.

Go Hawks!

Does this mean I will soon have to wake up from my hockey-less slumber? Actual hockey news has got my hockey jones juices flowing this morning ... and it feels good.

Go Hawks!
- EbonyRaptor

I'm in the camp that thinks it's better for the youth on the Hawks to get some playoff experience vs. the chance at a high draft pick. The experience from being swept and embarrassed by the Oilers will be invaluable to DeBrincat, Strome, Dach and Boqvist.

Seems like they could just use the tests that they are using in Germany for the Bundesliga or South Korea for Baseball.

Maybe follow the example of something that seems to be working rather than reinventing the wheel would be a good idea.

Anyway, Chicago works from an infrastructure perspective. Plenty of ice rinks and hotels. I'm not sure how you can sell it based on the number of cases here and everyone going bonkers with the weather being nice but we will see I guess.

Kind of surprised they didn't push for training camps in mid June to try and get some games on July 4th.
- fattybeef

But will comrade Chair Person Lightfoot allow it?

so do I have this correct? hawks would be team b if they and Montreal lose in the 1st round and team A if they lose and Montreal wins? lets say Montreal is down 2-0 and team b jumped from number 9 to number 1. wouldn't the hawks put out a lineup that would lose? I know people don't like to tank but if you knew tanking would get you the # 1 or even top 3 (lafererne, byfield , stutzle compared who might be available at 16 17?

I don't think they would reveal which slot for the 8 teams that made the play-in won a lottery position, if it happens.

so do I have this correct? hawks would be team b if they and Montreal lose in the 1st round and team A if they lose and Montreal wins? lets say Montreal is down 2-0 and team b jumped from number 9 to number 1. wouldn't the hawks put out a lineup that would lose? I know people don't like to tank but if you knew tanking would get you the # 1 or even top 3 (lafererne, byfield , stutzle compared who might be available at 16 17?
- kmw4631

I am not sure...but I believe A, B, C....are not known to the 8 teams at the time they play, they are just arbitrary letters that are matched up or disclosed AFTER the "Play-in" is done. I may be wrong...wife says I mostly am...but, that's what I thought...

Does this mean I will soon have to wake up from my hockey-less slumber? Actual hockey news has got my hockey jones juices flowing this morning ... and it feels good.

Go Hawks!
- EbonyRaptor

Or you may have just knocked over the glass of water on your nightstand.

On a serious note, I'm with you. I'd love to see hockey start back up. If nothing else, the act of going through the exercise of trying to starting back up is beneficial. At the very least it provides some incite on how to handle situations like this in the future (of course hoping that this is a rare occurrence and not the norm).

Sorry Tyler we are not TRYING to evoke at political discourse but right now it comes with these unchartered waters.

I promise to hold back on voicing any frustrations at hawk fans, so this play-in should be the focus when it happens.

I started thinking about it, and let's say you are a fan of one of the teams forced to go in the play-in round even though your team was sitting pretty to make the play-off one March 12th, not far from the season end in April....

If you lose that first play-in round, you get to pick in the top 15.
- wiz1901

Wiz, if memory serves, you were not very high on Lundell as a top 10 prospect (my apologies if it was someone else). If it was you, would you consider him a value at 15-20?

Under the MLB plan, Lester forfeits $22.5 mil. of his $27.5 million salary. I can't see the MLBPA going for that. Owners are saying their losses for playing the season is $4 billion.

As Dubnyk said, nothing happens without a testing protocol. I can't see the current testing protocols working, get tested twice a week than get results in 24-48 hours. What happens if someone tests positive? Then you have to test everyone that he has come in contact with (including an opposing team if they played again), and all have to wait 24-48 hours for a result? Is the team(s) shut down and "super" quaranteened until those results are back? What happens if 10 players test positive? If 28 on the roster, then only 18 suit up?

Too bad Abbott's 15 minute test is unreliable. I can't see this working until Abbott, or someone else can come out with an accurate test that can have results back in lets say 4 hours.

Also wonder if the NHL and the teams are going to make the players sign some sort of hold harmless agreement before playing.
- LAHawk

Let me try to make sense this time. According to Northwestern the equipment isn't the problem as much as the people administering the tests? Who knows

Funny I've never heard Ricketts talk about how much money he was making when times were good?

They try and pull this bull crap and something happens and they have to shut down .Then what next year is in jeopardy .Big waste of time money and possibly medical expertise and equipment .Just to try and have a Cup winner ,bogus no problem shutting it down to shove a salary cap down the players throats.
This is driven by GREED and nothing more ,tying to gain market share on the back of a pandemic is a sad state affairs
- oldduffman

I just don't see it happening. If i were an agent I'd be telling my client go out say all the right things, but behind closed doors you may be sacrificing your career by playing.

Let me try to make sense this time. According to Northwestern the equipment isn't the problem as much as the people administering the tests? Who knows
- BetweenTheDots

No, the equipment is the problem, because right now the tests go to labs, and it takes 24-48 hours to process the results. There is no machine (yet), that can process the assay within minutes.

No, the equipment is the problem, because right now the tests go to labs, and it takes 24-48 hours to process the results. There is no machine (yet), that can process the assay within minutes.
- LAHawk

Well if that's truly the case then no hockey

Carryover from the last blog. Someone mentioned "screech", something used in Newfoundland. To the uneducated like me, what is it?

401 for TC. Congrats. No sophomore slump for you

I'm torn. I'm so excited for hockey & will cheer like no other, but I'm so worried that this is a quick & unhealthy decision.

Now onto politics ... because there wasn't enough today, yesterday, or the day before ...

Funny I've never heard Ricketts talk about how much money he was making when times were good?
- BetweenTheDots

He is running a business for profit. He doesn't own the team as a charitable entity.

The uniform player contract, as detailed in MLB’s collective bargaining agreement, contains language specific to the financial ramifications of a national emergency. The clause in paragraph 11 of the contract effectively allows MLB Commissioner Robert Manfred to suspend player contracts in situations where government orders force the cancellation of games.

Based on that clause, it might behoove MLB as a business to just cancel the season, would probably lose less than if they tried an 82 game season, and playoffs with no fans.