Runblad, Cumiskey or pickem(IceHog)?

[EricRealm]

Runbland will dress game 1; get Bladly Run over over. Cuminsky will be in for game 2; also suck. Then Q will go will Rundblad the rest of the way.

 

[Hawkaholic]

Here's how I work this. Play Rundblad. Put Rundblad on PP1, Put Timonen on PP2. Sharp and Richards are the other D on each PP. That buys the top 4, 4-8 mins of rest per game.

Then you steal 2 offensive shifts per period for Rundblad and Timonen with Keith or Seabrook. That should get them each to about 8 minutes. That means there are 104 minutes distributed between the top 4.

Keith 29
Seabrook 24
Oduya 24
Hammer 26.

So what happens when Rundblad inevitably gives up a SHG because he's terrible?

 

[JaegerDice]

Q played Rundblad 40-some games.

He played Cumisky 7.

I think he'll go with Rundblad, we'll see.

Rundblad played an average of 13 sheltered minutes a night. That's 13 minutes we can use, along with a step up in the minutes for Timonen.

Spread the rest around the top 4, and everything is fine.

 

[Easton Modano Curve]

If Kimmo and the new guy can combine for 20 minutes a game, I really think the big 4 can make up the remaining 100 minutes. Kimmo might need to be closer to 10 mins a game.

When Keith was suspended in LA, Rozy gave the Hawks 25 mins in a win. When Seabrook was suspended against St. Louis, Brookbank stepped up and ate minutes.

Hate to say it, but I think Kimmo is the guy most likely to step up...which makes me nervous. This is why you get vets.

I rooting for the scratch defenseman to do well...I just hope Keith is babysitting him at all times.

 

[cherrypik]

Here's how I work this. Play Rundblad. Put Rundblad on PP1, Put Timonen on PP2. Sharp and Richards are the other D on each PP. That buys the top 4, 4-8 mins of rest per game.

Then you steal 2 offensive shifts per period for Rundblad and Timonen with Keith or Seabrook. That should get them each to about 8 minutes. That means there are 104 minutes distributed between the top 4.

Keith 29
Seabrook 24
Oduya 24
Hammer 26.

That might get them through the WCF but I'm willing to bet they will be gassed by the Finals. I think their 5 and 6 needs to eat up at least 25 minutes total per game.

 

[Hawkscap]

I threw this togther last Tuesday after wondering how Q played his 5-6 Dman in the playoffs.

Playoffs

Player TOI/GP
2009-10
1 Duncan Keith 28:11:00
2 Brent Seabrook 24:10:00
3 Niklas Hjalmarsson 21:00
4 Brian Campbell 19:34
5 Brent Sopel 18:29
6 Dustin Byfuglien 16:15
7 Nick Boynton 8:22
8 Jordan Hendry 8:08

2010-11
1 Duncan Keith 26:55:00
2 Brian Campbell 26:26:00
3 Brent Seabrook 22:57
4 Chris Campoli 18:56
5 Niklas Hjalmarsson 18:55
6 Nick Leddy 14:36

2011-12
1 Duncan Keith 30:15:00
2 Brent Seabrook 30:01:00
3 Johnny Oduya 23:14
4 Nick Leddy 20:01
5 Niklas Hjalmarsson 18:09
6 Sean O'Donnell 10:18
7 Sami Lepisto 6:40
8 Dylan Olsen 4:56


2012-13
1 Duncan Keith 27:37:00
2 Niklas Hjalmarsson 23:14
3 Brent Seabrook 23:04
4 Johnny Oduya 22:44
5 Michal Rozsival 19:15
6 Nick Leddy 14:20
7 Sheldon Brookbank 6:50

2013-14
1 Duncan Keith 27:49:00
2 Brent Seabrook 23:22
3 Niklas Hjalmarsson 22:57
4 Johnny Oduya 21:53
5 Michal Rozsival 17:36
6 Nick Leddy 15:49
7 Sheldon Brookbank 14:50

2014-15
1 Duncan Keith 30:54:00
2 Niklas Hjalmarsson 24:47:00
3 Johnny Oduya 24:42:00
4 Brent Seabrook 24:17:00
5 Michal Rozsival 18:52
6 Kimmo Timonen 10:00

 

[LordKOTL]

I think Runblad gets the nod, but the leash will be short.

The major difference between the Wild Series and the Preds series with respect to this is our team D playing up to their salary. As such, the argument shouldn't be "Can Bladdder's O mitigate his lack of D?" It should be "Can bladder Play a fundamnetals-firt Defensively should game where, like Hendry, he's invisible at the worst?"

If not I can see Cumiskey coming in. I think Q is not going to take the tack of "well, our D just got weaker, so we'll try to up the O". It will be to keep the D shored up.

On a side note--sucks for Rosival. The last 3 games or so he was trending up and wasn't the complete liability in the playoffs he was last year.

 

[Hawkaholic]

Q ** played Rundblad 40-some games..

** = reluctantly

 

[BobbyJet]

I'm going to echo those who are saying Rundblad. Not that I'm happy with it, but he's the only RD who has any note worthy nhl experience.

Still, I wouldn't be surprised if Q played around with Cumisky as a RD through some practices. See if he can adapt to that position.

We also have Paliotta, but he lacks any sort of experience. He'd need to show a hell of a lot in practice to garner a chance.

Johns is also a possibility (he's been playing phenomenal in Rockford), but it's asking a lot to have the guy play his first NHL game in the WCF.

In his (very) brief appearance, I think Paliotta showed he wasn't ready for RS in the NHL, never mind the PO's.

I reckon we will get burned somehow, it's Q's task to try and minimize the hurt without burdening Keith with 30+ minutes a game.

It would have been nice to get Johns up here for at least a few games in the RS, but it didn't happen.

 

[Hawkaholic]

It's too bad Johns got hurt so much throughout the year, I have a feeling he would be playing 10+min right now if not.

 

[Taze em]

I understand why Johns isn't an option on one hand, but on the other hand I don't. He has no games in the NHL, yes, but we are talking about Cumiskey and Johns played with Cumiskey all year and it isn't even close who thebetter defender is. Johns is the man.

 

[JaegerDice]

I understand why Johns isn't an option on one hand, but on the other hand I don't. He has no games in the NHL, yes, but we are talking about Cumiskey and Johns played with Cumiskey all year and it isn't even close who thebetter defender is. Johns is the man.

He hasn't played one game under Q.

I don't watch much of Rockford, do they play the same system? Like does Q just tell the coaches down there what he wants them doing so they're ready when they get called up? Or is there an adjustment period (beyond the obvious adjustment to greater speed/size/skill around you).

The idea that Q would use a guy he's never seen play outside a training camp in the Western Conference Finals seems highly unlikely.

But on the other hand, I guess there's no harm in calling him up and having him there running practices so Q can see what he looks like.

 

[Hawkaholic]

I can't see any NHL coaches playing a Dman who has never touched foot in the NHL before, in the WCF.

I think he would only come up if we lost a Seabrook, or Oduya.

 

[Enyaw]

Q is NOT going to use a player who has never seen the NHL ice in the 3rd round of the playoffs

He has Rundblad and Cumisky to deal with now

 

[Taze em]

I can't see any NHL coaches playing a Dman who has never touched foot in the NHL before, in the WCF.

I think he would only come up if we lost a Seabrook, or Oduya.

Krug played one NHL game before playing 15 great playoff games on their way to the SCF vs the Hawks. But I get your point.

It's just frustrating because I know that Johns is better than Rundblad, Timonen and absolutely 100% positive without a shadow of a doubt he's better than Cumiskey and Paliotta.

 

[Easton Modano Curve]

I threw this togther last Tuesday after wondering how Q played his 5-6 Dman in the playoffs.

Playoffs

Player TOI/GP
2009-10
1 Duncan Keith 28:11:00
2 Brent Seabrook 24:10:00
3 Niklas Hjalmarsson 21:00
4 Brian Campbell 19:34
5 Brent Sopel 18:29
6 Dustin Byfuglien 16:15
7 Nick Boynton 8:22
8 Jordan Hendry 8:08

2010-11
1 Duncan Keith 26:55:00
2 Brian Campbell 26:26:00
3 Brent Seabrook 22:57
4 Chris Campoli 18:56
5 Niklas Hjalmarsson 18:55
6 Nick Leddy 14:36

2011-12
1 Duncan Keith 30:15:00
2 Brent Seabrook 30:01:00
3 Johnny Oduya 23:14
4 Nick Leddy 20:01
5 Niklas Hjalmarsson 18:09
6 Sean O'Donnell 10:18
7 Sami Lepisto 6:40
8 Dylan Olsen 4:56


2012-13
1 Duncan Keith 27:37:00
2 Niklas Hjalmarsson 23:14
3 Brent Seabrook 23:04
4 Johnny Oduya 22:44
5 Michal Rozsival 19:15
6 Nick Leddy 14:20
7 Sheldon Brookbank 6:50

2013-14
1 Duncan Keith 27:49:00
2 Brent Seabrook 23:22
3 Niklas Hjalmarsson 22:57
4 Johnny Oduya 21:53
5 Michal Rozsival 17:36
6 Nick Leddy 15:49
7 Sheldon Brookbank 14:50

2014-15
1 Duncan Keith 30:54:00
2 Niklas Hjalmarsson 24:47:00
3 Johnny Oduya 24:42:00
4 Brent Seabrook 24:17:00
5 Michal Rozsival 18:52
6 Kimmo Timonen 10:00

A good reminder of how many playoff games go to OT. Defenesman are needed for many than 120 minutes a game on average in the playoffs.

 

[TorMenT]

Q is NOT going to use a player who has never seen the NHL ice in the 3rd round of the playoffs

He has Rundblad and Cumisky to deal with now

Exactly, and I think Q made it extremely clear that he prefers Rundblad. We will be seeing Rundblad to open up the WCF. Cumiskey will step in if Rundblad plays horrible (maybe). No Icehogs will come up unless both of those guys get beat so bad, multiple times, that even Q can't stick with his favorites.

 

[Easton Modano Curve]

Krug played one NHL game before playing 15 great playoff games on their way to the SCF vs the Hawks. But I get your point.

Seidenberg, Ference, and Redden went down for Boston that year. I guess a blessing in disguise. I don't think Krug was the top option though initially. He wasn't even the first call up.

 

[needle]

Obviously Rundblad. Cumiskey has played 7 NHL games in the past 4 years. You want his 8th game to be Game 1 of the WCF? I hope not.

 

[Taze em]

Seidenberg, Ference, and Redden went down for Boston that year. I guess a blessing in disguise. I don't think Krug was the top option though initially. He wasn't even the first call up.

Yea, but Chicago has lost their top two 3rd pairing D in TVR and Rozi. Does anyone watch the Ice Hogs here? Am I crazy? Johns has been the best Hogs D of the last 5 years by a good margin and it isn't like we're asking him to cure cancer. 8-12 mins of easy icetime.

 

[Nothingman*]

Broken ankle for Rozy per twitter. Very sad for the guy...

 

[TorMenT]

Yea, but Chicago has lost their top two 3rd pairing D in TVR and Rozi. Does anyone watch the Ice Hogs here? Am I crazy? Johns has been the best Hogs D of the last 5 years by a good margin and it isn't like we're asking him to cure cancer. 8-12 mins of easy icetime.

You know Q would not play a rookie that has not practiced or played with the team in the WCF. It will be a player that he trusts more (rightfully or not). That player will be Rundblad to start. Cumiskey may take over if/when Rundblad plays poorly.

 

[Taze em]

You know Q would not play a rookie that has not practiced or played with the team in the WCF. It will be a player that he trusts more (rightfully or not). That player will be Rundblad to start. Cumiskey may take over if/when Rundblad plays poorly.

He played Saad.

 

[Easton Modano Curve]

Yea, but Chicago has lost their top two 3rd pairing D in TVR and Rozi.

Not exactly, the Hawks traded for Timonen when TVR went down a long time ago. Net, they've lost 1 defenseman. They gave ice to Runblad, Erixon, Cumiskey when they were previously down a defenseman. I suspect the two guys still on the roster with experience will get the nod.

Boston lost 3 defenseman they started the playoffs with. Completely different situation. They were dressing 3 rookie defenseman.

Does anyone watch the Ice Hogs here? Am I crazy? Johns has been the best Hogs D of the last 5 years by a good margin and it isn't like we're asking him to cure cancer. 8-12 mins of easy icetime.

I don't watch the Hogs much. Cumiskey was given the best defenseman award by the coaches this year though. Maybe just the guy they prefer at this point.

 

[JaegerDice]

He played Saad.

Yeah, but Saad played game 2 of the regular season, not game 1 of the WCF.

I'm not going to rule Johns out entirely. I personally think Stan would come down on the side of Johns over Cumiskey if he and Q were to discuss it.

But I think Rundblad gets the first crack.

And I think he'll be fine with sheltered minutes.

Even with Rozsival in the line-up, I think we all expected the top 4 were going to be carrying even more of the load in the WCF and SCF if we got so far.