Yup. People keep asking why the first line isn't contributing offensively and I think that is squarely on toews. He is just off this year. I don't know if it's exhaustion with so much hockey the last few years or an injury he's hiding but he hasn't been good.
GDT: Game 17: at St. Louis Blues | 11/14/15 | 7:00 PM | He's BACCCCCKKKKKKKK
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Yup. People keep asking why the first line isn't contributing offensively and I think that is squarely on toews. He is just off this year. I don't know if it's exhaustion with so much hockey the last few years or an injury he's hiding but he hasn't been good.
Blackhawks win on the road, Blues get zero points, Jets get annihilated so Blackhawks climb into their playoff spot with a game in hand on them, Keith is back, Kane continues his goal-scoring streak, Crawford was spectacular..... all in all a good night.
Toews2Bickell
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BK
"Goalie Apologist"
Toews2Bickell
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He didn't skate all summer he said. IDK, I'll get worried if he's still not himself by say March?
BK
"Goalie Apologist"
Toews2Bickell
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Our bottom 6 sucks right now. At times last postseason the 4th line was the best line going. IDK what they need to do to get it going. Tikhonov should be in the lineup too. He has done nothing to warrant sitting in the press box for someone like Mash. Desi has sucked so I understand that message being sent.
CourtneyDagger50
Resident Pig Expert
HEH. Blues thought they could beat him again. NAAAHHH.
I forgot what this team looked like with Duncs back there. WORLD of a difference.
Rozy wasn't too bad either aside from that one play that led to Vlad's 1st.
Salvaged Ship
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Except for the shift where the Blues had them pinned in and maybe one more towards the end I thought the Hawks played very well defensively in the third. Yes they sat back a bit on the lead but with Keith back and playing solid they got away with it. We won the game on the road against one of the best teams in the NHL this season, no need to complain about too much.
JaegerDice
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Wait, you're willing to give Toews till March to get his **** together, but not the 4th line?
Wouldn't they be every bit as exhausted and/or non-plussed by early-season hockey?
Everybody needs to play better if the team is going to make the playoffs.
Toews and the 4th line have both been fine, but not great. And unfortunately, given the cap casualties, we need them to be even BETTER than they have been, not simply OK.
I think Toews, Krugs, Shaw, and Desi will all shape up over the course of the season. The question is will it be quick enough given the 82-game knife fight that is the central division?
Don't forget that Saad is not here, he made more of a difference than some may think. I think Toews frustrations are showing that. Dano could help ease the pain but that won't happen overnight.
Time will tell and still early.
BobbyJet
watch the game, everything else is noise
Salvaged Ship
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Isn't Tiko like -5 on the season with zero points? I agree Mashinter has no use out there but Tiko is solving nothing. We have no answer there.
JaegerDice
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Toews was an elite player uplifting the likes of Troy Brouwer and Viktor Stalberg on the top line while Saad was still riding buses with Saginaw.
The loss of Saad is not the reason Toews is struggling. Toews is the reason Toews is struggling. Even when the points aren't coming easy for him, he's always been a dominant possession player. This season, thus far, he's been an above-average possession player.
Whoever is on his wing is a complementary piece, at best. Interchangable. It comes down to his ability to get back to his usual standards.
I think he will.
Toews2Bickell
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Toews hasn't really concerned me to this point. The bottom 6 production won't cut it. The "fourth line" has really become the third line this year and the Kero line is the fourth. That's not really to our benefit. 3 scoring lines to 2 scoring lines. The Kero line really has no identity or role. They aren't scoring and they're not going to be a shutdown line. Rather have Vinny up as he brings more offensive potential than Kero. TT needs skill to play with. And play Tik.
JaegerDice
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And Hossa is -5 with 4 points, with a ton more ice time. Shall we sit him next based on points and +/-?
Statistically, Tikhonov is a far better option than any of the alternatives. He's been one of the better players both possession wise and generating scoring chances per 60 minutes on the team thus far this season.
His shooting percentage is in the toilet, which by now, given all the nonsense we went through last year with Versteeg-Richards-Kane, most hopefully understand comes and goes essentially at random. He's not going to challenge Kane for the art ross, but he's also not going to sit at 0 points for long if he keeps getting ice time.
There is zero reason for Mashinter to be playing over Tikhonov. One actually has the potential and the LIKELIHOOD of helping the team offensively once his shooting percentage regresses, the other will never help the team in any capacity, period.
That's a real problem if he needs over half the season to get up to speed. Also Kane didn't hit the ice this summer either but it hasn't hurt his game. I keep wondering if he has an injury like Keith did but it's not known yet.
deytookerjaabs
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Xinji
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Mashinter literally has 0 reason to be in the lineup. Absolutely wasted spot. Sooo glad Keith is back. TVR with a fantastic game. I was surprised with Rozi's play, as this was his first game in quite some time. His positives and negatives pretty much cancelled each other out. Toews line not very noticeable at all. Hope something clicks with them soon, as we know the 2nd line isn't going to be lights out all year.
Also thank God the Blues didn't come back to tie this and then win it just so that we don't have to hear about roar bacon or whatever the **** it is again.
Toews2Bickell
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Toews2Bickell
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If we're gonna light a roster spot on fire by playing Mash then lets just bring Burish out of retirement.
Salvaged Ship
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I have no problem with Tiko in for Mashinter, its just not likely to provide any production. Don't compare him to Hossa, Hossa has history on his side. At some point Hossa, Toews, and the first line will produce.
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