Follow me @jaeckel
A great Stanley Cup Final continues tonight in Chicago with a critical Game 5.
The Bruins don't want to guarantee a game 7 in Chicago, or a possible end to their season on home ice in Game 6. The Hawks certainly don't want to go back to Boston down 3-2 and in need of another huge (and less probable) road win. So while this isn't a Game 7, the stakes are almost as high.
The temperature at gametime in Chicago is supposed to be around 82 degrees. It will be interesting to see what the ice quality is like at the United Center and how that affects play. In my opinion, bad ice favors the Bruins slightly.
Tactically, the Hawks need to do what they did in game 4: tilt the ice toward Boston's end with speed, forecheck and backcheck pressure, smart pinches and rotations—and establish and maintain net front presence.
The Hawks need to tighten it up a bit defensively, but more importantly, Corey Crawford needs to stop more pucks that he sees—period.
Another factor for the Hawks is the health of Marian Hossa. Hossa did not skate with the team in practice yesterday, but that appears to have been for rest/rehab on his mysterious injury.
I was told last night Hossa's injury was not, as reported in the media, to his groin. What I heard from a separate source is that the injury was to his hip and that team doctors have not been able to pinpoint the exact cause or nature of the injury. Regardless Hossa was able to play, somewhat well, though not at 100% (to most observers) in game 4. Will the injury stiffen up before Game 5? Will Hossa be closer to 100%?
Will Nick Leddy play and how much? Joel Quenneville said Leddy's absence for much of Game 4 was not due to injury. Still the Hawks will likely need more than 5 defensemen tonight.
As far as the trade rumors surrounding Leddy first reported here a few days ago, they were bolstered by a second source yesterday.
Some more detail. Essentially, the Hawks and Neil Sheehy, Leddy's agent, are far apart on what they think Leddy is worth. This is widely known throughout the league. Obviously, Leddy will not be dealt before the end of the Finals, if at all.
Sheehy is alleged to want an offer sheet for his player. There are teams eyeing Leddy.
Depending on how much the Hawks want to keep Leddy, other factors come into play: the impending reduction in the cap, the cost of re-signing Bryan Bickell (which is a virtual must—more on this later), compliance buyout candidates (and I am hearing from one source—though one source only—the Hawks are now leaning toward using a CBO on Hossa—but only if they win the Cup). And any qualifying offer made to Leddy is a minimum cap commitment for subsequent years—assuming Leddy re-ups in Chicago and isn't traded or offer-sheeted.
The important thing for the Hawks is not to get outmaneuvered and lose Leddy for minimal compensation—in a manner similar to the way they lost Antti Niemi three summers ago.
While the Hawks are drafting well these days, draft pick compensation (from an unmatched offer sheet), is a much more iffy proposition than real return in a trade. The Hawks are a really good team, but they are that in spite of some flaws: faceoffs, meaningful size upfront, goaltending.
All for now,
More as I have it,
JJ
Chicago Blackhawks Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»