Pre-Game Talk: Chicago vs. Dallas- 12/3 (7:00 CST)

[Callidusblackhawk]

I would bet it's a very large piece. As shocking as it may be, the goal isn't always icing your best lineup for some random game in December.

Drouin would have made TBL if they were trying to ice the best lineup, he's playing in the OHL so that they get an extra year on his contract.

Is it really so far fetched that a team would suppress a player's statistics for favorable contract negotiations? Yea... go ahead and give Morin and Pirri some extra "seasoning" in the minors. Detroit did it forever.

Pretty sure the Hawks aren't going to potentially risk stunting Pirri's growth as a player just to keep his contract down.

As for the bolded, color me underwhelmed when it comes to Detriot's development of their young players in recent times.

 

[hisgirlfriday]

If there is some grand strategy to put Handzus at 2C to keep somebody's numbers down to make the next contract more affordable, I think it's to try to keep Patrick Kane's numbers down.

He and Kane have like negative chemistry on the ice. Zero points together I believe

@Marina: I don't disagree with this general sentiment but I believe Zus and Kane both had assists on that Hammer goal last game, FWIW.

Part of what I don't understand is the utter outrage over two secondary scorers on the Blackhawks. Sorry, might be offending some here, but Brandon Pirri is not in my eyes (or will ever be) an offensive catalyst to this team. He is a NICE player. I think he could even hit 60 points in a good year. But every freaking thread turns into a debate about Handzus and Pirri - two guys just under 0.5 ppg in the past two year. I get it, the linemates are different! Newsflash - everyone but Kane, Toews, Hossa, and Sharp are moved up and down the lineup. I don't understand why Pirri gets to ride into town annointed to lineup next to Patrick Kane every game. I also get that Q likes Handzus - it's weird, whatever, the production really isn't that much different than anyone else we've put there (and I do think Handzus looks horrible).

@EastonModanoCurve:

I don't support Pirri over Handzus because I have "anointed" him as getting to play next to Patrick Kane. And in fact I'm perfectly fine with rolling with Saad-Shaw-Kane if that will get Zus off the line.

For me the offensive production that matters re: Pirri vs. Handzus is not whether Pirri or Handzus scores more but whether Patrick Kane scores more with one or the other on the line with him.

Maybe it is a total coincidence, but we had that great Patrick Kane point streak going with Pirri at 2c and not Handzus. And when Handzus was inserted at 2c, Kane's streak almost died in Calgary until Zus was taken off that line in the 3rd period. Q stuck with Zus on the 2nd line throughout the game in Dallas and Kane's point streak came to an end. Just gives me a feeling like the only person in the NHL who can stop Patrick Kane is Michal Handzus or Q for putting him next to him. And as for the +/- issue and that being why Zus is better than Pirri, Kane's +/- actually improved after Zus got hurt and during the stretch of games where he had Pirri as his 2C. Don't disagree that by eye test that Zus is a better and more responsible defender than Pirri, but just pointing out the stats on that for this season.

 

[Bubba88]

yet kruger is still on the 4th line and will be dumped soon!

for all your complaining about Pirri, he will have a much better career than your bro!

why will Krüger be dumped and Pirri won't? I expect Pirri to leave the team before Krüger does. Teräväinen will join the team soon as #2 Center.


Really, the only person to blame for Pirri getting less and less icetime is Pirri himself. 0 Points on the circus trip and his play wasn't good overall. He was our worst player during the circus trip.
Lets hope that he will get back to form soon but the way he plays right now isn't worth the #2 C spot - Handzus or not.


just for the lulz...

Krüger played most of the time this season with Bollig + Smith/Nordstrom/Mills and has 1 more point than Pirri has while playing PP and on a line with Kane/Saad/Versteeg/Shaw.
Maybe we shouldn't talk that much about Krüger who plays his role nicely, improved big time on the draws and still is a big part of our PK while providing solid secondary scoring from the 4th line with Smith and Bollig. Not to mention that Krüger is one of those players that almost never start in the offensiv zone but ends his shifts there. His percentage is among the leagues best in this regard.
There is no line in the NHL that starts less in the offensiv zone than our 4th line does.
The Corsi of this line is better (all players alone) than any other player with 10 GP and starting in the offensiv zone with 36% or less.

speaking about that, our 4th line provided some good offense so far with Bollig/Krüger/Smith having 3 goals each


Going by the stats alone, our 4th line is the best and most reliable in the NHL... and the guys most of you want out of the lineup (Krüger and Bollig) are a part of it.

 

[Kurtosis]

So how about that Hawks-Stars tilt today guys?

 

[hisgirlfriday]

Sounds like Seguin skated prior to their practice but didn't practice yesterday. He's not expected to play per the Dallas Morning News.

 

[ndgt10]

Hawks 4-2

 

[Marina]

@Marina: I don't disagree with this general sentiment but I believe Zus and Kane both had assists on that Hammer goal last game, FWIW.

For me the offensive production that matters re: Pirri vs. Handzus is not whether Pirri or Handzus scores more but whether Patrick Kane scores more with one or the other on the line with him.

You're right, I forgot about that one. Still, a shared assist on one goal isn't much to write home about.

Also 100% agree with this.

 

[Salvaged Ship]

Handzus was traded for as a #4 center last year. Earned his way (not much competition) to the #2 center last year. He was even the extra attacker when the Hawks were down 2-1 in Boston. I agree that Pirri looks better than Zus. But I do believe that Zus earned his way onto this team more than you're giving him credit for. Played through the entire playoffs injured in a spot no one expected him to and eventually helped raised the Cup. Pirri was the leading scorer in the AHL last year - there was a reason Zeus was traded for and we didn't call up Pirri last year.

The funny thing about a lot of my posts is that I'm not really on the other side as much as you guys think. I'd rather have Pirri at #2C than Zus - at the very least for development sake at this point in the season. I guess why it seems like I'm rushing to Q's defense is that I'm frankly appalled by the arrogance of some of the Hawks fans on this board. I don't pretend to know all the answers (despite my posts ), but I am starting to find it a little comical some of the posts on this board regarding Q. We are a bunch of guys positing on an internet board. We only watch the games - no practice, no film room, no dry land, no team dinners, no performance evals no hanging at the hotel. Yet we think we know exactly what is right for the team. I know you don't like this argument but this team is first place in the NHL with 2 recent Stanley Cups. There might be some bad decisions on Q's part, but this board sure hasn't highlighted the many good decisions he's made to contribute to our success.

I was in your position a week ago and was blasted for it, being called a Q lover. Exactly what you said, we don't know what is going on behind the scenes. What we do know is facts like defending champs, 20-4-4 this season, 56-11-9 the last 2. I would rather have Pirri at 2c and do not agree with everything our coach does but am not going to call him an "idiot" because of that. The fans of the Chicago Blackhawks are now spoiled beyond belief, and one day in the future when the team stinks (sorry, the circle of life applies and it will eventually happen) I can only imagine the response. Actually, it may not be much different. The amount of negativity thrown around here at times resembles a last place team, not champions.

Time to get ripped again!

 

[No Fun Shogun]

Per ESPN Chicago Twitter, Pirri on the 2nd line, Kostka on June 3rd, and Zeus not on the ice during practice.

 

[hisgirlfriday]

Patrick Kane was named NHL first star for November.

 

[clydesdale line]

Per ESPN Chicago Twitter, Pirri on the 2nd line, Kostka on June 3rd, and Zeus not on the ice during practice.

I'm assuming you meant Kostka is on the third line.

 

[No Fun Shogun]

Yup, iPad autocorrect.

 

[Chris Hansen]

One defenseman didn't work on the third line? Try another!

 

[Hawkaholic]

Brookbank will be the "3rd line" RW. Which isn't really 3rd line RW, it's just a rest for Hossa, Kane and Versteeg.

 

[HawkinMI]

Per ESPN Chicago Twitter, Pirri on the 2nd line, Kostka on June 3rd, and Zeus not on the ice during practice.

I find this fascinating.

Kostka can't be any worse than Brookbank, but I can't help but feel that we'd be much better off pairing Kostka with Leddy and keeping Brookbank at RW if we're really that thin on the wing.

Did Zeus get hurt again? Or is this another maintenance game? Either way if he's not playing it's not a bad thing that Q's favorite toy gets taken away longer. Saad-Pirri-Kane was really starting to work and hopefully we see some more of that tonight.

Brookbank will be the "3rd line" RW. Which isn't really 3rd line RW, it's just a rest for Hossa, Kane and Versteeg.

Ah, I see. Well, that's better. Is Kostka even back yet?

 

[Hawkaholic]

The scary thing is that if he finds a coach that has the same hockey strategies/principles as himself this team could be even BETTER.

I'm sure the rest of the hockey world would love to find that coach as well.

Every coach in the league does the same **** as Q, it's not subject to just the Blackhawks.

 

[HawkinMI]

^ Yep. Coaches have their favorite players and make decisions that seem contrary to the obvious. If you talk to St. Louis and Colorado fans they'll tell you Q did the same things in his tenure there.

There's a reason we're not coaches, and despite us questioning Q's decisions they are working. The two best starts in Blackhawk history and two Cups. That speaks for itself.

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

My viewpoint on Pirri is that if Q is not sold on him then Bowman should be using him (and other Hawk assets) as trade chips to bring in a #2C who fits what Q wants

Maybe the Isles would be open to moving Frans Nielsen in future. That is guy who fits Q ideal of a #2C more IMO

 

[hisgirlfriday]

Apparently Zus is out with an illness and even though Kostka skated as a forward, he's still inactive. So it will be Brookbank on that 3rd line and Rozsival is playing.

Also Lehtonen should play. Seguin wound up staying in Dallas.

 

[Hawkaholic]

All I have to say about he Pirri situation is that he deserves it more than Handzus and Kruger.

If it were me, I would line it up like this.

Saad Toews Hossa
Sharp Shaw Kane
Bickell Pirri Versteeg
(Handzus/Bollig) Kruger Smith

I still think Shaw is the best suited for #2C, him and Kane seem to work pretty well together.

 

[No Fun Shogun]

Game day up.