Around the League XXIII: Columbus fires Richards, hires Torts

[CptnSerious]

Sad to see Saad blamed for Bowman's mismanagement

So you think Bowman should have overpaid for Saad.

 

[abt424]

Man the central is just as advertised so far.

 

[DPHawk]

Man the central is just as advertised so far.

Gonna be a bloodbath in the RS again but I'm not sure that there's a team that truly scares me in the playoffs. Maybe Nashville but their center depth is still questionable and I'm not sure they have a forward that can break a game open for you in the playoffs when things are tight.

 

[Pepe Silvia]

Agree. The Preds are the biggest threat in the Central as of now.

 

[JaegerDice]

I put the Preds and Blues on roughly the same level.

They both need one element to click for them.

For Nashville, they need their young forwards to take a major step through the regular season.

For the Blues, they need one of their goalies to get hot at the right time.

Both of them are huge question marks come playoff time without one of those two things happening.

Honestly, I think the 2nd round is going to be Hawks vs Wild AGAIN, only the outcome has a larger chance of being different this time.

 

[BrianE]

Thornton looked concussed, that's one thing i fear of the Kings, you have to keep your head up at all times, like Ducks they are not afraid to hurt you.

edit: He's back out and looks ok.

 

[JaegerDice]

I fear the Kings possession game a lot more than I fear them injuring our players.

62.1% CF on the season thus far.

Obviously that's a tiny sample size, but dear lord.

 

[SAADfather]

I put the Preds and Blues on roughly the same level.

They both need one element to click for them.

For Nashville, they need their young forwards to take a major step through the regular season.

For the Blues, they need one of their goalies to get hot at the right time.

Both of them are huge question marks come playoff time without one of those two things happening.

[Honestly, I think the 2nd round is going to be Hawks vs Wild AGAIN, only the outcome has a larger chance of being different this time.

Why's that? In a playoff series the Wild still dont really scare me all that much.

 

[BrianE]

Why's that? In a playoff series the Wild still dont really scare me all that much.

Question is will Dubnyk hold up? again?

 

[BrianE]

I fear the Kings possession game a lot more than I fear them injuring our players.

62.1% CF on the season thus far.

Obviously that's a tiny sample size, but dear lord.

This season will tell what they have, they did miss the PO last year.

 

[BrianE]

I fear the Kings possession game a lot more than I fear them injuring our players.

62.1% CF on the season thus far.

Obviously that's a tiny sample size, but dear lord.

Can you imagine them and Ducks in PO? they may beat the crap out of each other, the Ducks will bring out the goon squad.

 

[DPHawk]

I put the Preds and Blues on roughly the same level.

They both need one element to click for them.

For Nashville, they need their young forwards to take a major step through the regular season.

For the Blues, they need one of their goalies to get hot at the right time.

Both of them are huge question marks come playoff time without one of those two things happening.

Honestly, I think the 2nd round is going to be Hawks vs Wild AGAIN, only the outcome has a larger chance of being different this time.

If goaltending was the only problem for the Blues I'd agree, but their biggest problem is that every forward besides Tarasenko disappears in the playoffs.

What about the Wild is going to click that makes them more threatening than the team that has lost 12 of 15 to the Hawks in the playoffs? They could win a round based on a favorable matchup but I don't see them as a legit contender to win the Central.

 

[JaegerDice]

Why's that? In a playoff series the Wild still dont really scare me all that much.

I just think the Blackhawks roster has fallen back to the pack a bit this season. It's not so much that Minnesota are better than last year, it's simply that the Blackhawks aren't as deep as they were last year. The Blackhawks may still be the better team in a 7 game series, I just think it would be closer - at least on paper.

Question is will Dubnyk hold up? again?

I think he will. I think he's solid, athletic. I don't think he'll be as ridiculous as last season, but I don't think he needs to be. He just needs to be good. The media narrative might be that Dubnyk carried them to the playoffs, but Minnesota was a great team. They were just in a tailspin mentally and in execution after their goalies couldn't buy them a save, and that led to them getting away from their system and playing like chickens with their heads cut off. Dubnyk gave them stability and confidence, and then they got back to their system and were one of the best teams in the league by almost every statistic through the second half. I think they only need him to be solid to be a great team again.

If goaltending was the only problem for the Blues I'd agree, but their biggest problem is that every forward besides Tarasenko disappears in the playoffs.

What about the Wild is going to click that makes them more threatening than the team that has lost 12 of 15 to the Hawks in the playoffs? They could win a round based on a favorable matchup but I don't see them as a legit contender to win the Central.

As I said before, it's less about what they've done to improve and more about the Blackhawks falling back to the pack a bit in terms of roster and depth.

Only one game in the series last year was decided by more than one goal. It wasn't the kind of sweep where one team being leagues better than the other, it was a case where one team was just better enough in all areas to pull off close wins. With the roster upheaval and the still-questional defense, does that small gap still exist? I don't know. If you said that the Blackhawks elite core would still make the difference, I wouldn't call you crazy. But I think the gap was closed to the point where an already close matchup is even closer.

I just think Minnesota is the all-around best team in the division aside from Chicago.

Their offensive depth is better than Nashville IMO, though that opinion may change depending on how consistent and potent their young kids are throughout the entire season. Roughly equal to Winnipeg's offensive.

Their defense is better than Dallas and Winnipeg roughly equal to St Louis.

Goaltending is better than Dallas, St Louis, Winnipeg.

I just think they handle Nashville or St Louis (again) in a 7 game series.

 

[BK]

Dubynk has actually been average to below average so far but he has been covered by the Wild's offensive surge. I don't think the offensive surge will last for them so I think there will be a fall off. They have talent but lack the star power.

 

[DPHawk]

I just think the Blackhawks roster has fallen back to the pack a bit this season. It's not so much that Minnesota are better than last year, it's simply that the Blackhawks aren't as deep as they were last year. The Blackhawks may still be the better team in a 7 game series, I just think it would be closer - at least on paper.




I think he will. I think he's solid, athletic. I don't think he'll be as ridiculous as last season, but I don't think he needs to be. He just needs to be good. The media narrative might be that Dubnyk carried them to the playoffs, but Minnesota was a great team. They were just in a tailspin mentally and in execution after their goalies couldn't buy them a save, and that led to them getting away from their system and playing like chickens with their heads cut off. Dubnyk gave them stability and confidence, and then they got back to their system and were one of the best teams in the league by almost every statistic through the second half. I think they only need him to be solid to be a great team again.




As I said before, it's less about what they've done to improve and more about the Blackhawks falling back to the pack a bit in terms of roster and depth.

Only one game in the series last year was decided by more than one goal. It wasn't the kind of sweep where one team being leagues better than the other, it was a case where one team was just better enough in all areas to pull off close wins. With the roster upheaval and the still-questional defense, does that small gap still exist? I don't know. If you said that the Blackhawks elite core would still make the difference, I wouldn't call you crazy. But I think the gap was closed to the point where an already close matchup is even closer.

I just think Minnesota is the all-around best team in the division aside from Chicago.

Their offensive depth is better than Nashville IMO, though that opinion may change depending on how consistent and potent their young kids are throughout the entire season. Roughly equal to Winnipeg's offensive.

Their defense is better than Dallas and Winnipeg roughly equal to St Louis.

Goaltending is better than Dallas, St Louis, Winnipeg.

I just think they handle Nashville or St Louis (again) in a 7 game series.

Even if the Hawks fall off (and they might) I don't see the Wild as next in line. They haven't been a possession team in the past and Dubnyk isn't someone that can be counted on to cover up for a lousy possession game at this point.

 

[SAADfather]

I just think the Blackhawks roster has fallen back to the pack a bit this season. It's not so much that Minnesota are better than last year, it's simply that the Blackhawks aren't as deep as they were last year. The Blackhawks may still be the better team in a 7 game series, I just think it would be closer - at least on paper.

Which is a completely fair point but in my opinion that still doesnt make the Wild a threat. The wild just simply dont have enough firepower to compete with the Hawks, The teams that scare me are the ones with speed and skill. The teams that are faster than the Hawks have always posed a problem for us. I think the Preds are a bigger threat and honestly if Dallas gets in I can see them being a huge problem for the Hawks, especially if they make a move at the deadline for a defenseman.

I'm still not worried about Minnesota in the playoffs. As much as I hate to say it, I would not like to see Dallas in the playoffs. Even though it would be a fantastic, high scoring series. I just dont like our odds against teams that can keep up with our speed/are faster than us

 

[hawksrule]

Honestly, I think the 2nd round is going to be Hawks vs Wild AGAIN, only the outcome has a larger chance of being different this time.

I think you're overrating Minnesota quite a bit, just as people did last year before the playoffs. They don't scare me at all. Preds are a tougher team, hands down.

 

[Hawkaholic]

I think you're overrating Minnesota quite a bit, just as people did last year before the playoffs. They don't scare me at all. Preds are a tougher team, hands down.

Agreed, Dubnyk is still the Wild goalie. Until they get someone better, they are a long shot to beat the Hawks in the playoffs.

 

[JaegerDice]

I think you're overrating Minnesota quite a bit, just as people did last year before the playoffs. They don't scare me at all. Preds are a tougher team, hands down.

Possible.

I just don't see Nashville coming out any better against Minnesota than St. Louis did last year.

In any case, the central is going to be tough for any team to make out of in one piece.

 

[x Tame Impala]

Everyone talks about how tough our division is and I agree with them. The regular season and jostling for points is pretty brutal but once the regular season ends and the real season begins I still think the Hawks are the best in the division.

Who in the central has the mental toughness to actually do anything in the playoffs?

-Yeo's Wild? Definitely not
-STL? Hilariously no
-Nashville? I think it's safe to say Rinne isn't a playoff goalie
-Dallas? Maybe. But they really need some defensive help in order for me to take them seriously. They can beat up on teams in October all they like but they have a long way to go IMO.

 

[scarchelli]

Ducks will win west again, blues win central, hawks get second wild card and beat the blues in round 1 AGAIN. I then forsee a 4th matchup with the wild in round 2.

 

[BrianE]

Everyone talks about how tough our division is and I agree with them. The regular season and jostling for points is pretty brutal but once the regular season ends and the real season begins I still think the Hawks are the best in the division.

Who in the central has the mental toughness to actually do anything in the playoffs?

-Yeo's Wild? Definitely not
-STL? Hilariously no
-Nashville? I think it's safe to say Rinne isn't a playoff goalie
-Dallas? Maybe. But they really need some defensive help in order for me to take them seriously. They can beat up on teams in October all they like but they have a long way to go IMO.

Agree.

This is where our core thrives no question about it, after Hawks eliminated Blues season before last Ken Hitchcock said it best "the Hawks have resolve like non other" knowing when to turn it on and when to let up enough to hopefully not give the game away. The Central is going to be a battle once again but i see the Hawks advancing to WCF barring injuries of course.

 

[OhCaptainMyCaptain]

After a slow start to the season, McDavid is now PPG. All aboard the McJesus hype train!

 

[JaegerDice]

Everyone talks about how tough our division is and I agree with them. The regular season and jostling for points is pretty brutal but once the regular season ends and the real season begins I still think the Hawks are the best in the division.

Who in the central has the mental toughness to actually do anything in the playoffs?

-Yeo's Wild? Definitely not
-STL? Hilariously no
-Nashville? I think it's safe to say Rinne isn't a playoff goalie
-Dallas? Maybe. But they really need some defensive help in order for me to take them seriously. They can beat up on teams in October all they like but they have a long way to go IMO.

Define 'anything'?

Win a Stanley Cup?

Get to the Finals?


I was talking more about which team has the ability to pull of a mild upset or win a 50/50 toss-up against the Blackhawks in round 1 or 2.

As far as the rest, I mean, they may all be weak-minded losers in your opinion, but somebody has to win the other series, right?

 

[UsernameWasTaken]

Everyone talks about how tough our division is and I agree with them. The regular season and jostling for points is pretty brutal but once the regular season ends and the real season begins I still think the Hawks are the best in the division.

Who in the central has the mental toughness to actually do anything in the playoffs?

-Yeo's Wild? Definitely not
-STL? Hilariously no
-Nashville? I think it's safe to say Rinne isn't a playoff goalie
-Dallas? Maybe. But they really need some defensive help in order for me to take them seriously. They can beat up on teams in October all they like but they have a long way to go IMO.

I still have us winning the cup.