Post-Game Talk: Game 64: Capital Gains | Capitals @ Blackhawks | 2/28/2016 | 11:30 AM CDT | NBC

[SAADfather]

As far as value to the team the way I see it is:

Panarin >= Saad
Ladd < Sharp
Anismov >> Richards
Weise < Vermette
Flash > Versteeg

A lot can change between now and the playoffs though.

 

[OhCaptainMyCaptain]

Meh, as far as last year goes, I would say Ladd is at least = with Sharp

 

[SAADfather]

Meh, as far as last year goes, I would say Ladd is at least = with Sharp

If you just look at last year I agree but it's really hard for me to ignore Sharpie's entire body of work here.

 

[BK]

As far as value to the team the way I see it is:

Panarin >= Saad
Ladd < Sharp
Anismov >> Richards
Weise < Vermette
Flash > Versteeg

A lot can change between now and the playoffs though.

Until last year I would agree but now Ladd > Sharp.

 

[bayshoni]

I think the constant pessimism is a deep seeded reaction to being a Chicago sports fan. As a populace we are not accustomed to feeling good about our sports teams and so complaint becomes our default commentary. Our hearts have been broken too many times to be optimistic about our chances. My point of view has always been to wait for the Hawks, Bears, Cubs, Bulls, and Sox to prove my pessimism wrong. We are simply psychologically damaged and we can't help ourselves.

Only if you're a Cubs fan (or under 30, and thus can't be trusted).

 

[bayshoni]

Dont worry I normally just skim his posts too. Not worth trying to decipher the wall of terrible grammar to read the dribble. Agreed on Ladd. It's going to take a little bit to find a rhythm here. Wasnt really expecting him to blow me away tonight... or this morning actually.

Even if you skim it, you must have more time on your hands than I do.

 

[LordKOTL]

No complaints about this one. Great win boys!

Onto the Wings!

 

[Hawkaholic]

If you could pick a group of 5 forwards for a playoff run, which would you pick?

Saad, Sharp, Richards, Vermette, Versteeg

Or Panarin, Ladd, Anisimov, Weise, Fleischmann

???

Panarin >= Saad
Ladd = Sharp
Anismov > Richards
Vermette = Weise ?
Flash > Versteeg

 

[TKK]

When you add slightly deteriorating Hossa, you can say that it's basically a wash considering forwards, also, goalies are the same, so the only problem remains how to adequately replace Oduya as #4 Dman.

Are TVR, Gus, Rozi and Ehrhoff at least equal to last years Oduya, Rozi, Timmonen and whomever was the 7th defender.

I'd say none of them is better then Oduya by himself, but TVR, Gus and more healthy Rozi give us much better depth then there was last year (when you basically couldn't count on Rozi and Timmo to play more then 10 MPG).

 

[CourtneyDagger50]

Sved is also better than Rundblad.
So if we need him, he can eat some sheltered PO minutes

 

[Salvaged Ship]

When you compare last years team to this years there needs to be one other factor considered. It looks to me like the west is even better then last year. LA is back. Anaheim after a slow start looks unbeatable right now. Dallas is a great team, the Blows are better then last year, the Preds have come on strong. Its a good discussion on this years and last years team and which is better but it looks like the road to even get to the finals is much harder.

I really think winning the division is more important this year compared to last. We don't want our road to be at St Louis, at Dallas, LA or Anaheim, then at Washington. These last 18 games and where we finish may be very important.

 

[CourtneyDagger50]

When you compare last years team to this years there needs to be one other factor considered. It looks to me like the west is even better then last year. LA is back. Anaheim after a slow start looks unbeatable right now. Dallas is a great team, the Blows are better then last year, the Preds have come on strong. Its a good discussion on this years and last years team and which is better but it looks like the road to even get to the finals is much harder.

I really think winning the division is more important this year compared to last. We don't want our road to be at St Louis, at Dallas, LA or Anaheim, then at Washington. These last 18 games and where we finish may be very important.

The Hawks are more than capable of winning on the road.
Does home ice help? Yeah, probably. But once this team is in the POs, anything is possible.

 

[Salvaged Ship]

The Hawks are more than capable of winning on the road.
Does home ice help? Yeah, probably. But once this team is in the POs, anything is possible.

I agree they are capable (last year proved that), but to me it looks more important this year. If we win the west and face the last WC thats a heck of a lot better then taking 3rd in the division and having to face St Louis and Dallas on the road. We can't expect to just plow through every year no matter what just because we are the Blackhawks. This year the competition looks even better.

 

[CourtneyDagger50]

I agree, but we keep saying this every year "the central is better!" "the west is better!"
Yet... the Hawks also got better.
They will be fine

 

[crazyhawk]

I agree they are capable (last year proved that), but to me it looks more important this year. If we win the west and face the last WC thats a heck of a lot better then taking 3rd in the division and having to face St Louis and Dallas on the road. We can't expect to just plow through every year no matter what just because we are the Blackhawks. This year the competition looks even better.

It's always of benefit to have home ice no doubt but in my honest opinion I don't see Dallas, St. Louis,
Nashville, LA or Anaheim as being the better team. The games are played on the ice and time will tell as anything can happen … touch wood all our guys stay healthy! I like our chances to repeat!!

 

[BobbyJet]

When you compare last years team to this years there needs to be one other factor considered. It looks to me like the west is even better then last year. LA is back. Anaheim after a slow start looks unbeatable right now. Dallas is a great team, the Blows are better then last year, the Preds have come on strong. Its a good discussion on this years and last years team and which is better but it looks like the road to even get to the finals is much harder.

I really think winning the division is more important this year compared to last. We don't want our road to be at St Louis, at Dallas, LA or Anaheim, then at Washington. These last 18 games and where we finish may be very important.

This is where the relatively light schedule should come into play this season, and to Hawks' advantage. Q will not to be as concerned about resting key players as was the case in the past. As well Hawks are pretty comfortable about making the post season this time around - unlike in the past few years where making the PO's was an obvious priority and it was closer than ideal.... which meant (over)playing certain players in March.

I expect Q to press hard to get as high in the standings as possible - while keeping some of the work horses (Shaw, Toews, Seabs, Keith, Hammer, possibly Weise) and/or geezers (Rozy, Ehrhoff) as rested as possible.

Hossa's injury takes care of the rest time he may have needed (similar to what we have seen in the past with T/K, who have both missed time late in the season). Hopefully Kruger will be in the same boat. At least he is skating.

All in all, I like Hawks' chances of finishing 2nd, perhaps 3rd overall.

 

[Salvaged Ship]

It's always of benefit to have home ice no doubt but in my honest opinion I don't see Dallas, St. Louis,
Nashville, LA or Anaheim as being the better team. The games are played on the ice and time will tell as anything can happen … touch wood all our guys stay healthy! I like our chances to repeat!!

They may not be the better team, it's debatable but close. But if you give 2 or 3 of those teams home ice and you have to beat all of them its a mountain to climb. You can't expect every year its going to happen, you need to give yourself some advantage. I am not one of those flip the switch don't worry guys. I give these other teams more credit.

 

[theaub]

tbh I think the West is worse than last year.

That being said winning the division and getting Colorado instead of Dallas (imo it will be Hawks/Blues fighting it out for the division by April) is a nice boost

Really the big thing for me is hoping the Central winner finishes with more points than LA, since I think Nashville is a terrible matchup for them come playoff time.

 

[tdfxman]

If you could pick a group of 5 forwards for a playoff run, which would you pick?

Saad, Sharp, Richards, Vermette, Versteeg

Or Panarin, Ladd, Anisimov, Weise, Fleischmann

???

Breadman's group and it isn't even CLOSE.

 

[tdfxman]

As far as value to the team the way I see it is:

Panarin >= Saad
Ladd < Sharp
Anismov >> Richards
Weise < Vermette
Flash > Versteeg

A lot can change between now and the playoffs though.

This year and the style and where they fit, Ladd > Sharp.
Panarin > Saad.

Weise plugs a missing W hole that Vermette filled. Vermette was a scratch a few time in PO. I would say =, but we are quibbeling over nothing.

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

When you compare last years team to this years there needs to be one other factor considered. It looks to me like the west is even better then last year. LA is back. Anaheim after a slow start looks unbeatable right now. Dallas is a great team, the Blows are better then last year, the Preds have come on strong. Its a good discussion on this years and last years team and which is better but it looks like the road to even get to the finals is much harder.

I really think winning the division is more important this year compared to last. We don't want our road to be at St Louis, at Dallas, LA or Anaheim, then at Washington. These last 18 games and where we finish may be very important.

How the teams look right now is pretty much irrelevant though - right?

It's really about who raises their game in the P/O's. The Hawks will have to win 4 rough series, with it likely breaking down to some combination of STL, DAL or NASH, ANA or LA, and WASH.

At the end of the day, I don't see playing NASH instead of DAL as some huge prize. The play-off's are going to be who is playing great, and able to stay healthy. In any event, I don't see home ice as a huge factor, and we really have to hope that the Hawks can raise their play like they have done in the past when the games really start to count.

 

[clydesdale line]

Let's see what the latter does in the playoffs first. I don't see how you don't pick the first group considering we won the cup with those guys. For all we know, Panarin could struggle in the playoffs (God forbid). We'll have to see. People forget how important Vermette was during the playoff run.

 

[No Fun Shogun]

tbh I think the West is worse than last year.

That being said winning the division and getting Colorado instead of Dallas (imo it will be Hawks/Blues fighting it out for the division by April) is a nice boost

Really the big thing for me is hoping the Central winner finishes with more points than LA, since I think Nashville is a terrible matchup for them come playoff time.

Eh.... after the Yotes year, I'm not going to root for any individual matchup.

That being said, the Avs do seem like a team that gives us unusual fits, so I wouldn't exactly root for facing off against them in the first round even if that was a thing I did.

Whatever, bring on whoever we match up against.

 

[Pile]

Vermette was a scratch a few time in PO.

He was scratched once in game 3 vs ANA, along with TT. That was also one of the dumbest things Q has ever done. They in no way should have been healthy scratches, and it nearly cost us the series.

With that said, I agree with the sentiment that Weise and Vermy are comparable because they are filling/filled holes on our team.

 

[tdfxman]

When you compare last years team to this years there needs to be one other factor considered. It looks to me like the west is even better then last year. LA is back. Anaheim after a slow start looks unbeatable right now. Dallas is a great team, the Blows are better then last year, the Preds have come on strong. Its a good discussion on this years and last years team and which is better but it looks like the road to even get to the finals is much harder.

I really think winning the division is more important this year compared to last. We don't want our road to be at St Louis, at Dallas, LA or Anaheim, then at Washington. These last 18 games and where we finish may be very important.

Interesting, I have to disagree with this. I think the West is easier. And it is way easier.

LA's D is GARBAGE. Repeat garbage. They are playing Drew Daughty 31 min a night the last 6 games. We are coasting, taking games off in Feb (Minny etc) and they are burning the candle at both ends. They are NOT CLOSE to what they were. Kane has Quick's head mounted on his wall at home. They need some serious SERIOUS D help if they are going to make it to the WCF. they have 3 D that can play. that's it. I must assume they get help today on D. Verstteeg isn't the answer in LA.

I agree with Ana, but they can't score and we already showed we can out-will them.

Dal can't defend as the games tighten up. They need Hamuis to be in the picture. But yeah they took a step to MAKE the playoffs, winning rounds another issue. They have REALLY slowed down. no scared now.

Preds- Rinnie SUCKS. I know he had a good game against us.

STL I don't think will beat us in our lifetimes. I just thing David Backes could not lead them out of a wet paper bag, with power tools.

Really, the only team that would even bother me in the first round is Col. We are getting closer on their goalie but a 1-8 versus them, to me might feel like the hardest round. STL we would own.

If I could pick a team in Rd 1 it would be STL. We win that. easily

Then Dallas if they can win a wildcard round. I wouldn't mind them at all.

I think it will be Ana. They aren't as good as last year, and we are with more D depth, so yeah we can take that many hits again.

Wsh in finals. Can WSH actually do it and muster the leadership there. I think Williams is a monster add for them. And people talk about Wsh doesn't have that extra gear, well Kuznetsov is a PORCHE. That guy is elite and gives them BIG TIME balance. 2-2 in the 3rd and you are shutting down Ovi, well that guy can make a play and you lose. He walked Keith and hit the post. I think Wsh does have another gear this year, and a good coach. I woudn't mind them in the finals at all, I think experience will matter, but I hope it is Wsh.