GDT: Defending Stanley Cup Champ Blues vs. Chicago - 7:30| My How The Turn Tables|

[MortiestOfMortys]

Kinda feels like we may have found a diamond in the rough with Walker right now. Even before the season, we had a gap in the lineup at LW2. There are a lot of people talking about a big-splash trade for Hall, but what if Walker is that guy? He’s been very productive at just about every level he’s been at besides the NHL, so a breakout performance wouldn’t be that unusual. In that way, he’s very similar to Sundqvist prior to his breakout, or maybe even Marchessault, who was also a late bloomer at the NHL level. If Walker turns into a 40-50 point guy, that’s huge value for us, even if it forces us to make hard decisions further down the lineup.

We’re 3 games into the experiment, so I’m not anointing him as a permanent fix or anything, but I’ve liked his game, and Berube seems to have a soft spot for him. He plays our style, and while none of his points have been “clean” per se, he’s not pulling a Rattie and scoring points off his bum either. I figured he would just be good AHL depth, but he could legitimately be more than that, which is great. Happy he’s getting a chance.

 

[Falco Lombardi]

Kinda feels like we may have found a diamond in the rough with Walker right now. Even before the season, we had a gap in the lineup at LW2. There are a lot of people talking about a big-splash trade for Hall, but what if Walker is that guy? He’s been very productive at just about every level he’s been at besides the NHL, so a breakout performance wouldn’t be that unusual. In that way, he’s very similar to Sundqvist prior to his breakout, or maybe even Marchessault, who was also a late bloomer at the NHL level. If Walker turns into a 40-50 point guy, that’s huge value for us, even if it forces us to make hard decisions further down the lineup.

We’re 3 games into the experiment, so I’m not anointing him as a permanent fix or anything, but I’ve liked his game, and Berube seems to have a soft spot for him. He plays our style, and while none of his points have been “clean” per se, he’s not pulling a Rattie and scoring points off his bum either. I figured he would just be good AHL depth, but he could legitimately be more than that, which is great. Happy he’s getting a chance.

The other thing is I believe he'd have to clear waivers to go back down and I don't think you want to risk losing him right now.

 

[MissouriMook]

The other thing is I believe he'd have to clear waivers to go back down and I don't think you want to risk losing him right now.

Not until he has played 10 games or been on the roster for 30 days if I am remembering the rule correctly.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

They hung you out to dry and it didn't break you. It just made you work harder for your SHUT OUT WIN.

Take a bow Jake Allen

 

[Falco Lombardi]

Not until he has played 10 games or been on the roster for 30 days if I am remembering the rule correctly.

You very well could be right. I'm not entirely familiar with the rules for guys on one way deals.

 

[542365]

Congrats to Toews for a well-deserved 3rd star of the game

If any Hawk deserved it Saad did. Seemed like the only guy engaged. Dach too, I guess, but Saad generated more.

 

[Bluesnatic27]

Can we all just appreciate how great the Blues defense is right now? All of Dunn, Pietrangelo, Parayko, Bouwmeester, and Faulk is a blessing for this team.

 

[Itsnotatrap]

Very rare a win in a game rivalry game makes me feel nothing but pity, but then I remember the team they were in the day and just chuckle.

The one thing I heard Cardinals fans say a lot, and it drove me nuts, was “it’s more fun when both teams are good”, back when the Cards were ahead of the Cubs in the division every year for about a decade.

I don’t think we’ll hear that from too many Blues fans anytime soon, and if we did, they would be getting corrected swiftly by their peers. This is much more fun.

 

[Linkens Mastery]

Jake Allen has the same Save% at Binnington, that's entertaining.

 

[Blueston]

What a delightfully boring win.

 

[Blueston]

You very well could be right. I'm not entirely familiar with the rules for guys on one way deals.

Doesn’t matter whether they are on one way or two way deals. Once a player has cleared waivers they can be sent down without needing to be exposed again so long as they don’t exceed game and roster time limits.

 

[Brockon]

I mean, you could probably get a small mint for him right now but I'd like to keep him a very capable backup if he would take a pay cut. I still think he's overpaid.

I'd like to see Jake extend for another 2 years for 2-3M AAV, give Husso more time to develop if these are the quality of starts we can expect from Allen when deployed strategically. It would seem having less pressure on him and more practice time is serving as a calming influence - Jake hasn't been looking as scrambly for his recent starts. If the cap hit were lower his numbers are really good for a backup.

Nonetheless, there's going to be some movement off our roster this summer in order to deal with our cap crunch - and Jake is doing a great job of raising his value with a number of guys faltering around the league. I'd be very surprised if one of Bozak or Allen isn't moved to gain cap space by August - 15 guys signed, 7.8M in cap with Petro, Dunn, JBo and Blais being the notables to re-up. Mind you, JBo's next deal should be cheaper (ideally 2M or less, similar to Gunny's).

 

[EurlichBachman]

Things you hear in the 300 level at the United Center...
“The Blackhawks don’t get the benefit of the doubt anymore. The refs have been horrible all year.”
“Toews is a real asshole”
“I’ve always liked babcock. He’s not just a great coach but a real class act”

And my personal favorite... “the Blackhawks basically saved the NHL in 2010 when they won the cup. The NHL was fading before that”

Things you don’t hear... Chelsea Dagger

 

[Falco Lombardi]

If you subscribe to the Athletic, check out Mark Lazerus’ piece tonight on the Hawks looking up at the Blues.

Damn near orgasmic honestly.

 

[Blueston]

I'd like to see Jake extend for another 2 years for 2-3M AAV, give Husso more time to develop if these are the quality of starts we can expect from Allen when deployed strategically. It would seem having less pressure on him and more practice time is serving as a calming influence - Jake hasn't been looking as scrambly for his recent starts. If the cap hit were lower his numbers are really good for a backup.

Nonetheless, there's going to be some movement off our roster this summer in order to deal with our cap crunch - and Jake is doing a great job of raising his value with a number of guys faltering around the league. I'd be very surprised if one of Bozak or Allen isn't moved to gain cap space by August - 15 guys signed, 7.8M in cap with Petro, Dunn, JBo and Blais being the notables to re-up. Mind you, JBo's next deal should be cheaper (ideally 2M or less, similar to Gunny's).

I can’t see Allen moved during the season. Army values backup too much. Teams like Leafs got cute there and losing every start with backup is killing them. But if we resign Petro gonna need to clear cap space and as you say Bozo and Allen are likely candidates. Maybe Steen. We have a few guys overpaid but nobody if we dumped we wouldn’t miss. So I think dumping $ should wait. Let’s win another Cup this season and then deal with it in July.

 

[Mike Liut]

I don’t think we’d have trouble moving Jake, but we’d be a worse regular season team by it.

 

[Falco Lombardi]

Moving Allen is a poor idea without having a solid replacement in mind.

Jordan Binnington has played a LOT of hockey over the past 12 months. As many days off as we can give him, we should. Allen is basically the top goalie in the league when playing on the road. Yeah the contract is high for a backup and he’s burned us before as the starter but who cares? He’s not the starter nor will he be again and because Binnington is below average money wise for a starter, it’s not an albatross and he’s playing well.

Re-evaluate at the end of the season I’d say.

 

[Ginger Papa]

Things you hear in the 300 level at the United Center...
“The Blackhawks don’t get the benefit of the doubt anymore. The refs have been horrible all year.”
“Toews is a real *******”
“I’ve always liked babcock. He’s not just a great coach but a real class act”

And my personal favorite... “the Blackhawks basically saved the NHL in 2010 when they won the cup. The NHL was fading before that”

Things you don’t hear... Chelsea Dagger

Things you see outside the United Center after tonight's game:

Too bad the car with the Missouri plates was an out of town Hawks fan

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

This is what you get when you FIND A STRANGER IN THE ALPS!

 

[TheDizee]

the hawks and wings are so bad now, i love it.

 

[Stopsight]

You very well could be right. I'm not entirely familiar with the rules for guys on one way deals.

as mentioned previously one way doesn't affect waiver eligibility. One way just refers to receiving an NHL salary no matter what, if they are two-way they will have a lower salary if they are sent down.

 

[simon IC]

Who is that?

 

[Meatball]

If you subscribe to the Athletic, check out Mark Lazerus’ piece tonight on the Hawks looking up at the Blues.

Damn near orgasmic honestly.

The part about the "Let's Go Blues!" chant filling the UC? Dreams do come true!

 

[i aint Dunn yet]

The part about the "Let's Go Blues!" chant filling the UC? Dreams do come true!

 

[TheDizee]

also walker looks like he is a NHL level player. coach is gonna have a very tough problem to solve once we get healthy on what to do. good problem to have.

this team has good leadership right now which is why they are not skipping a beat while dealing with massive injuries up front