Post-Game Talk: Hawks def Canes in shootout

[No23]

I guess the Blackhawks will be making the playoffs.

Saad is a very good and talented player.

 

[BobbyJet]

The top two lines each have an anchor weighing them down. Handzus was a total joke out there.

Yes, he was. Handzus is slow at the best of times but when he’s trying to get back into top shape, his sluggish play is very obvious …. But he also made up a lot on the PK. Those 2 key faceoff wins late in the game were crucial (and something that has been missing for a while)

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

He was good the last minute. The rest of the game he was flubbing passes or turning the puck over and not picking up his man.

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

And anyone who thinks we looked good in the first... It's relative. We played decent hockey. The Canes were sweating the alcohol out. Their play got better. Ours didn't.

 

[hawksfan50]

Sharp and Hossa broke out in a BIG way? Really, since when is a one goal and out a BIG way breakout? Compared to Spezza's hattie for Ottawa last night? Or to Thornton's 4 pt night last night? OR to St. Louis' 2G 1A night last night? Tell me when any of our "stars" break out with 3 or 4 pt nights before ever using "big way" to descrobe their production impact to a game..You realize that Toews Sharp and Hossa all have less goals than MARCEL GOC? Hardly earning their lofty pays..we expect a lot better..5 shots...no goals or points for Kane..meanwhile Spezza gets 5 shots and gets a hattie...what gives with all our 1 goal and out or Zero goals and points for our vainted poster boy stars? OK O can see all the Cup half full optimists telling us that it is not the performance in October that is critical but how you finish in the spring and peak for the playoffs...bit still all this UNDER SCORING so early is worrying.. Take away Game1's "BIG WAY" scoring outburst and honestly our offendive production the next 5 games has been PUTRID for a team allegedly thought to be a Team Dynasty..So yes..a won is a won...but when the #1 line gets a big way ZERO and when again Team Dynasty wilts the last 2/3 of the game, when AGAIN opposing goalies fail to have their one bad night of the week against our Hawks and instead turn into walls reducing our vaunted shot totals to futile efforts...and when AGAIN we lose thitd periods blowing 2 goal leads..well I for one will not get excited about what Iam seeing from this team or any "big way" breakout games where our guy or guys can only muster 1 goal each in regulation time in a team 2 goal "outburst" in 3 periods of play.. EKEKING out 1 goal SO victories in low scoring games may excite you but to me such FAIL in offense is a big disappointment. But as the optimists among you tell us, we can only get better from this slow scoring early set of games...I hope you are correct...because if this trend persists..we can forget the "D" moniker for this team unless we convert its meaning to Team Disappointing.

 

[cassac]

Sharp and Hossa broke out in a BIG way? Really, since when is a one goal and out a BIG way breakout? Compared to Spezza's hattie for Ottawa last night? Or to Thornton's 4 pt night last night? OR to St. Louis' 2G 1A night last night? Tell me when any of our "stars" break out with 3 or 4 pt nights before ever using "big way" to descrobe their production impact to a game..You realize that Toews Sharp and Hossa all have less goals than MARCEL GOC? Hardly earning their lofty pays..we expect a lot better..5 shots...no goals or points for Kane..meanwhile Spezza gets 5 shots and gets a hattie...what gives with all our 1 goal and out or Zero goals and points for our vainted poster boy stars? OK O can see all the Cup half full optimists telling us that it is not the performance in October that is critical but how you finish in the spring and peak for the playoffs...bit still all this UNDER SCORING so early is worrying.. Take away Game1's "BIG WAY" scoring outburst and honestly our offendive production the next 5 games has been PUTRID for a team allegedly thought to be a Team Dynasty..So yes..a won is a won...but when the #1 line gets a big way ZERO and when again Team Dynasty wilts the last 2/3 of the game, when AGAIN opposing goalies fail to have their one bad night of the week against our Hawks and instead turn into walls reducing our vaunted shot totals to futile efforts...and when AGAIN we lose thitd periods blowing 2 goal leads..well I for one will not get excited about what Iam seeing from this team or any "big way" breakout games where our guy or guys can only muster 1 goal each in regulation time in a team 2 goal "outburst" in 3 periods of play.. EKEKING out 1 goal SO victories in low scoring games may excite you but to me such FAIL in offense is a big disappointment. But as the optimists among you tell us, we can only get better from this slow scoring early set of games...I hope you are correct...because if this trend persists..we can forget the "D" moniker for this team unless we convert its meaning to Team Disappointing.

Man, find the enter key and make some breaks. Your post looks like the wall opposing goalies are to the Blackhawks that you rant on about in your post.

 

[Kurtosis]

Once and for all people...that is what Fiddy does, he is not going to change the way he posts because you guys ask him to. He has been rambling on like that for over a decade on various Hawks message boards, not just this one.

 

[Illinihockey]

If anyone thought Bryan Bickell was ever going to be a 4 million dollar player in the regular season, then I have some beachfront property in Nebraska to sell you.

The physical game he brought in the playoffs doesn't exist in the regular season. If you don't understand the difference in playoff hockey from regular season hockey, and how it relates to Bickell's game - then I don't know what to say to you.

Exactly, was going to say the same thing. People complained about Buff and then he went into beast mode in the playoffs. Its really hard to play a grinding physical game for 82 games and then have something left for the playoffs.

 

[No Fun Shogun]

Man, find the enter key and make some breaks. Your post looks like the wall opposing goalies are to the Blackhawks that you rant on about in your post.

It's a lost cause, give up.

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

I'm not asking for the physically dominant Bickell we saw in the playoffs. I'm looking for a guy that plays some defense buries a few dirty ones playing with two all-stars.

 

[Fortyfives]

I'm not asking for the physically dominant Bickell we saw in the playoffs. I'm looking for a guy that plays some defense buries a few dirty ones playing with two all-stars.

We are on the same page. He needs to show something soon.

 

[UsernameWasTaken]

Exactly, was going to say the same thing. People complained about Buff and then he went into beast mode in the playoffs. Its really hard to play a grinding physical game for 82 games and then have something left for the playoffs.

Still, Buff's play wasn't enough to keep him here when the salary purge came.

I don't expect Bickell to score in the regular season at the same rate he was at the playoffs or be as physically dominant every game - but his overall play needs to be better than it is right now, especially if he is taking up a spot on the first line. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt a bit longer, but if his recent play reflects what we're going to be seeing from him all year then imo being good in the playoffs alone isn't enough.

 

[Sevanston]

Seems like Bickell and Saad will swap places in the lineup sooner than I thought.

 

[Fortyfives]

Seems like Bickell and Saad will swap places in the lineup sooner than I thought.

The Stalberg/Shaw/Bickell line did pretty well last year. For a good while Shaw and Bickell had some great mojo between them.

Could Bickell/Shaw/Nordstrom duplicate that?

 

[krazyhawk]

The Stalberg/Shaw/Bickell line did pretty well last year. For a good while Shaw and Bickell had some great mojo between them.

Could Bickell/Shaw/Nordstrom duplicate that?

A few games back on the 3rd line might remind Bickell of what he had to do to get promoted in the first place.Plus Saad's level of play at the moment would bring an intriguing element to the 1st.However,looking ahead to what will most likely be a physical contest against an angry Blues team,I suspect Bickell gets another chance to be a physical presence on the 1st.If so,and he fails to show up again,The following game might see a change.Then again it might not,never can tell with Q

 

[ChiHawk21]

Bickell is the exact same player that he has been throughout his years here. Although he will be better in the playoffs when everything is tighter and more physicall (like handzus). He was highly overpayed and is a third liner. JUST LIKE WE KNEW BEFORE THE PLAYOFFS.

Handzus is not a 2nd line center. He is a fourth line center. He is a penalty killer. He can not keep up with or play that many minutes with hossa and sharp.

I think Q has to give pirri a shot right now. Early in the season points are rolling in without the team playing great. He needs to give him a stretch of games to see if he can play in the NHL. If he still doesnt like him look to trade him or just send him back to the AHL but there is no reason to have him in the press box. He scored at a high pace in the AHL. IIIII feel that he has shown that he can play. If he can get the most points in the AHL he certaily can play at a level equal to handzus right now.

Sharp is looking awesome. Crawfords looked good but is still payed way to much for too long.

2CENTS

 

[ChiHawk21]

I think that we should look into trading with the flyers for a center. If couturier is available i would look into what he costs because he is defensivly responsible like Q wants also into max talbot for some PK help.

Saad-Toews-Kane
Sharp-Couturier-Hossa
Bickell-Shaw-Morin
Bollig-Kruger-Smith
Handzus

Next Year

Sharp-Toews-Kane
Teravainen-Couturier-Hossa
Saad-Shaw-Bickell
Bollig-Kruger-Smith


Couturier for Hayes brothers and one of top D prospect

 

[Sarava]

He did not get paid 4 million dollars to perform only in the playoffs. There may be a difference in play but you're overstating it. That's great if the Hawks get booted in the 1st round and Bickell was paid for 5 or 6 games by your estimation.

I for one was not happy with the contract because I how inconsistent he has been over the years. He earned the contract on a relatively short sample size. It's a gamble but it's still way early in the season. I want to see more from him. To give him a pass until the playoffs is ridiculous. Get a couple other players on that program and you don't make the postseason.

I'm not saying I was happy or unhappy with the contract. Just why they gave him the money they gave him.

Nobody said he has a total pass in the regular season. He will be contributing throughout the regular season. Just not to the level of a 4 million dollar player. It will probably be at the level of a solid third liner.

He got the money he got because what he has done and what they hope he will do again in the playoffs. And you've now twice mentioned they might not make the playoffs. I'm sorry, but this team is too loaded to not make the playoffs (barring catastrophic injuries).

 

[BobbyJet]

Seems like Bickell and Saad will swap places in the lineup sooner than I thought.

When Q eventually wakes up, he will realize that 29 is best utilized on the 1st line against physical teams, especially teams like St Louis who try and target our star players (namely Toews). For the balance of the games, especially before the stretch drive when the intensity gets turned up, Saad should be there, IMO. This is not rocket science but in typical fashion, Q will do it his way. I reckon, he should get there though.

 

[Sevanston]

When Q eventually wakes up, he will realize that 29 is best utilized on the 1st line against physical teams, especially teams like St Louis who try and target our star players (namely Toews). For the balance of the games, especially before the stretch drive when the intensity gets turned up, Saad should be there, IMO. This is not rocket science but in typical fashion, Q will do it his way. I reckon, he should get there though.

Yup, which was why I had the over/under at 30 games before the season started. Not due to the difference between Bicks and Saad, but due to Q.

It hasn't bitten us yet, which is nice. But Saad has outplayed Bickell in every way and clearly belongs on the top line in his place.

As for the 3rd line, I think that Bickell/Shaw/Smith will be effective enough. I don't think Nordstrom has yet earned that 3RW spot just yet. I also wouldn't mind seeing Morin get a tryout there, but I won't lose any sleep over it.

 

[chicagoskycam]

Good news is this team is far from their best hockey, at least for 60 minutes in 1 game. 4-1-1 is not a bad way to start out but keep in mind the schedule has fairly soft.

 

[EbonyRaptor]

Here are games 1 through 9 from last season:

W 5-2
W 6-4
W 3-2
W 3-2 OT
W 3-2
W 2-1 OT
L 1-2 SO
L 2-3 SO
W 3-2 SO

So after the first two games last season, the Hawks had seven 1-goal games in a row, with 5 of those games going to overtime. Furthermore, 16 of the 24 game streak last season were 1-goal games.

Let's calm down and have some perspective.

 

[hawksfan50]

Yes it is good news that the tram has yet to play its best hockey for60 minutes...all 4 linrs in the same game
...so we can look for great improvement...BUT...next up STL..who got embarrased by SJ in their own barn last night..Halak with a stinker getting yanked after the 4th SJ goal...You KNOW they wil be snarely and focused to right thrir ship again...so expect theor "A" level compete effort snd expect Halak instead of beong a seive instead becomes a eall again..if the Hawks only show up for 1 period and/or if they stop filling the net after JUST 2 goals in regulation again...then this game is likely not the series of laugher make-up to improve the stats game that the expected improvement will Eventually provide...Eventually still could be a long wait ahead to get to Team Dynasty level..

 

[chicagoskycam]

Yes it is good news that the tram has yet to play its best hockey for60 minutes...all 4 linrs in the same game
...so we can look for great improvement...BUT...next up STL..who got embarrased by SJ in their own barn last night..Halak with a stinker getting yanked after the 4th SJ goal...You KNOW they wil be snarely and focused to right thrir ship again...so expect theor "A" level compete effort snd expect Halak instead of beong a seive instead becomes a eall again..if the Hawks only show up for 1 period and/or if they stop filling the net after JUST 2 goals in regulation again...then this game is likely not the series of laugher make-up to improve the stats game that the expected improvement will Eventually provide...Eventually still could be a long wait ahead to get to Team Dynasty level..

That's the complaint, getting the team to Dynasty level. Some people will never be satisfied. This team won the cup with a similar amount of close games last year.

 

[massivegoonery]

Yes it is good news that the tram has yet to play its best hockey for60 minutes...

Who is the tram? Is it Bickell?