Pre-Game Talk: Hawks/Flyers | 10.21.14

[UsernameWasTaken]

Chris Kuc @ChrisKuc · 2m 2 minutes ago
Kris Versteeg is skating on left wing on a line with Andrew Shaw and Patrick Kane during #Blackhawks' practice. Jeremy Morin is odd-man out.

Chris Kuc @ChrisKuc · 1m 1 minute ago
#Blackhawks' lines during practice: Sharp--Toews--Hossa; Versteeg--Shaw--Kane; Bickell--Richards--Saad; Carcillo--Kruger--Smith.

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[BigClemMacdonald]

Saad off that line? I dunno about that

 

[Chris Hansen]

I'm as big a member of the "Versteeg is back to his old self" club as anyone, but he makes the most sense on the third line.

So does Shaw. Team has the tools to have three very good offensive lines, but mix up the players in a certain way and you really only have two.

 

[Taze em]

Since when is Versteeg back? Did I miss something? He was supposed to be out for another 2 weeks.

 

[hisgirlfriday]

Versteeg and Kane showed chemistry at times during last year despite Zus centering them but maybe this is just a message to Saad to pick up his game?

Also is anybody wanting this GDT? I will do it but don't have any ideas for the moment if someone else wants the thrill and glory for themselves.

 

[OhCaptainMyCaptain]

Since when is Versteeg back? Did I miss something? He was supposed to be out for another 2 weeks.

Yeah last week they said his recovery was coming along much faster than expected.

 

[hisgirlfriday]

Since when is Versteeg back? Did I miss something? He was supposed to be out for another 2 weeks.

He started skating on his own last week and skated with the team, but not any line rushes, before Saturdays game. Its been said for a while that he would be back early.

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

Maybe putting Saad with Bickell/Richards is an attempt to get something going with that line

 

[Taze em]

Bickell-Richards-Saad just doesn't pass the smell test for me. Bickell is such a boat anchor during these regular seasons.

 

[kmwtrucks]

I think the move was done to make the 3rd line's D better. Kane and Steeg are going to get most of there starts in the OFF zone. you cannot have 2 lines that get all the starts in 0FF. Bickell and Saad are better on D then Steeg and Richards is better at the DOT. I think richards would be better with Bigger less creative player's where Shaw needs his wings to be more creative since he is not a great passer. If Steeg is healthy I'm fine with it. Also with the way Carcillo is playing i'm OK with Morin sitting at this point. Smith and Car bomb have been better. Morin has been OK as well but nothing special. IMO.

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

Bickell-Richards-Saad just doesn't pass the smell test for me. Bickell is such a boat anchor during these regular seasons.

Well we are stuck with that anchor and our 4th line is playing well right now so putting the anchor on that line would hurt team

So he is our 3rd line anchor

 

[Taze em]

Well we are stuck with that anchor and our 4th line is playing well right now so putting the anchor on that line would hurt team

So he is our 3rd line anchor

I am still of the mind that you go with playoff lines.

Bickell Toews Hossa
Saad Shaw Kane
Sharp Richards Versteeg

Those lines will all score.

 

[Marina]

I give the Versteeg on the second line experiment one period before Q changes it.

 

[puterwiz53]

I totally agree with Taze em. Bicks is not a 3rd or 4th line player and needs to be on the top line with Toews and Hossa which will force him to up his game and also give him more incentive to play harder.

 

[UsernameWasTaken]

I totally agree with Taze em. Bicks is not a 3rd or 4th line player and needs to be on the top line with Toews and Hossa which will force him to up his game and also give him more incentive to play harder.

Saying that someone "needs to be on the top line" to get the incentive to play hard is ridiculous. If this is truly the case, Bickell should be traded immediately.

 

[deytookerjaabs]

The Bickell-Shaw-Versteeg line looked great in preseason though, I still don't know why we don't roll

Saad-Toews-Kane
Sharp-Richards-Hossa
Bickell-Shaw-Versteeg

The first and third lines have obvious chemistry and the +30 club I'm sure can hang with anyone else for that matter. I'm so sick of the lines we've been rolling.

 

[BobbyJet]

I'm as big a member of the "Versteeg is back to his old self" club as anyone, but he makes the most sense on the third line.

So does Shaw. Team has the tools to have three very good offensive lines, but mix up the players in a certain way and you really only have two.

And this is the problem: Versteeg, imo, needs to be a top 6 player to be most effective. However, having KV/Kane on the same line can cause issues without the puck. Shaw at center should help that out, so we'll see how it goes, but Versteeg had better play a 2-way game.
And the third line... well it would have a different flavor with Saad there. I think it's worth a shot to go with this line-up, though I can see definite advantages to the combo of:
Saad-Toews-Kane
Sharp-Richards-Hossa
Bickell-Shaw-Versteeg

But good luck convincing Q to re-unite K/T.
.

 

[hawksrule]

It's a toss up as to my favorite excuse from the Bickell apologists --

1. He needs to be on the top line to try hard and be effective.
2. He needs to be with Shaw to try hard and be effective.
3. Once he gets past the injuries (which he supposedly has) he'll be effective.
4. Once he drops the extra weight (which he supposedly has) he'll be effective.
5. He's our only big body, so that must make him effective.
6. He can merely flip the switch in the playoffs to be effective, and let's conveniently ignore the playoff stretches when he's not.

Am I missing any?

 

[No Fun Shogun]

Can we call up Leighton and give him the start for ****s and giggles? Or wait until when we're in their barn?

 

[UsernameWasTaken]

It's a toss up as to my favorite excuse from the Bickell apologists --

1. He needs to be on the top line to try hard and be effective.
2. He needs to be with Shaw to try hard and be effective.
3. Once he gets past the injuries (which he supposedly has) he'll be effective.
4. Once he drops the extra weight (which he supposedly has) he'll be effective.
5. He's our only big body, so that must make him effective.
6. He can merely flip the switch in the playoffs to be effective, and let's conveniently ignore the playoff stretches when he's not.

Am I missing any?

7. Sure he pulled a disappearing act in the playoffs, but he's not the only one.

 

[hawksrule]

7. Sure he pulled a disappearing act in the playoffs, but he's not the only one.

Good one, I forgot about that.

 

[Chris Hansen]

Saad-Toews-Kane
Sharp-Richards-Hossa
Bickell-Shaw-Versteeg

This is the ideal top nine, I'd say. Shaw and a rejuvenated Versteeg give the third line some pop, Richards' playmaking and defensive issues are matched with the team's two best goalscoring and defensive wingers, and nothing needs to be said about how effective that first line would be.

 

[OhCaptainMyCaptain]

Saad-Toews-Kane
Sharp-Richards-Hossa
Bickell-Shaw-Versteeg

I would pay Q lots of money to make these lines!

...oh, wait...

 

[Hawkaholic]

I actually like these lines and they might be the best lines we have had in a couple of years outside of reuniting Kane and Toews.

 

[hawksfan50]

Well if Saad was demoted to line 3 as a punishment to pick up his game,shouldn't Q demoted Kane to the bench since he just was an MIA mailed it in guy last game? I mean Q has not got the cones to do that or even bag-skate Kane for such limpid disinterested performance and waste of shift time...but if we are talking about anchors. ..off last yeah game Kane certainly did nada to get our ship moving..so.lots of culprits to aim the darts at besides beaming everything wrong with the team on Bickell's..and who is Bickell's saddled with?An expired milk Richards who has shown nothing and no chemistry with any line they tried him with..Now Versteeg the healthy was supposed to fix line 3 because in health he has some speed and talent that the plodded Smith does not to merit a move to third liner..but now Q decides not to put the pressure on Versteeg to correct line 3. ..such that if Said cannot fix it the blame goes to Said or Bickell's thus savings embarrassment for Standard bringing in expired milk.But I guess if this new plan fails Q can still go to the Versteeg as solution fir line 3 as a last resort. ..and Then if that last resort fails,THEN the naked truth that Richards has totally expired and Then what? TT not exactly lighting up the AHL. .Bring back Zues? Find some AHL refugee? At some point Richards has to contribute or else all will see he is finito and messing up our team. The pressure is on Richards to be his own saviour not on Saad or Versteeg or Bickell to bail him out..