mayers was the ultimate team player but another 15-20 seconds longer raffi would have probably landed a couple of more bombs on jammer ultimately ending the scrap. bollig will get his shot at raffi 4/20 at the UC .
switching gears WTF stan? keaton ellerby was of no use to us? a young big physical D man that you would potentially have for the next 5-6 years for a bowcrap 5th round pick? I know, I know, you're saving it up for the next brendan morrison!

Stan was clearly sleeping at the wheel again...come on Stan, we could have offered a 4th round pick!
- DarthKane

So when every trade gets announced, we assume Stan came in second in the negotiations even though he was incredibly interested in that player. And in this case, that's after Tallon confidentially tells him he really, really wanted to keep Ellerby but had to choose between him and 2 other superstars to be in Tyson Strachan and Mike Caruso.

I suspect Ellerby has been on waivers about 200 times in the past few years and that Tallon decided a 7th rounder was a great deal as a return for him. Stan's got Olsen, Lalonde, Stanton and others down in Rockford. Its not like Ellerby was going to be needed anywhere in the organization.

The coaches respect for one another shouldn't really matter. It's not like Tippett told Torres to go out and nail someone like that back in April.

The end-the-bad-blood agreement should have been with Bollig spilling some of Torres blood, at least along the lines of what McQuaid did.
- blackhawk24

I'm sure by the time PHX comes back to the UC, BB's hand will be healed and still might take Torres out dancing "staged" or not. We know how that will turn out mainly Torres will either duct the fight or be left for dead at center ice by the hands of Big Bad Bolling. On the other hand I could pontentialy see Car-Bomb who's more Torres's size and speed trying to see if he'd like to throw down...mainly this is plain Chicagoian meatball mentality which all of us can be at times!

But, aside from beating Vancouver I would say beating a team like Phoenix is so sweet especially how we did last night is far better than a minute brawl.

So when every trade gets announced, we assume Stan came in second in the negotiations even though he was incredibly interested in that player. And in this case, that's after Tallon confidentially tells him he really, really wanted to keep Ellerby but had to choose between him and 2 other superstars to be in Tyson Strachan and Mike Caruso.

I suspect Ellerby has been on waivers about 200 times in the past few years and that Tallon decided a 7th rounder was a great deal as a return for him. Stan's got Olsen, Lalonde, Stanton and others down in Rockford. Its not like Ellerby was going to be needed anywhere in the organization.
- RickJ

You need to re-adjust your sarcasm detector.

I'm sure by the time PHX comes back to the UC, BB's hand will be healed and still might take Torres out dancing "staged" or not. We know how that will turn out mainly Torres will either duct the fight or be left for dead at center ice by the hands of Big Bad Bolling. On the other hand I could pontentialy see Car-Bomb who's more Torres's size and speed trying to see if he'd like to throw down...mainly this is plain Chicagoian meatball mentality which all of us can be at times!

But, aside from beating Vancouver I would say beating a team like Phoenix is so sweet especially how we did last night is far better than a minute brawl.
- CaptnSerious

As much as I would enjoy that bout, I think I would be even more excited if we were without a regulation loss at that point.

It takes a lot of confidence to make a trade when your team has picked up 20 of 22 possible points.
- Al

I would call it a depth move. What is the game plan if 2-4-7-27 go down with a high ankle sprain?

You need to re-adjust your sarcasm detector.
- Ogilthorpe2

Thank you.

I would call it a depth move. What is the game plan if 2-4-7-27 go down with a high ankle sprain?
- Beaver-Warrior

YOU HOLD YOUR TONGUE GOOD SIR!!!

YOU HOLD YOUR TONGUE GOOD SIR!!!
- CaptnSerious

Sorry Bro, just speaking my mind.

I would call it a depth move. What is the game plan if 2-4-7-27 go down with a high ankle sprain?
- Beaver-Warrior

Leddy, Rosival, Brookbank, Olsen.

Sorry Bro, just speaking my mind.
- Beaver-Warrior

And you FOUGHT for the Red, White and Blue so you EARNED that right.

Sorry Bro, just speaking my mind.
- Beaver-Warrior

God forbid something goes down...we're all holding The Beav here accountable!!! Everyone grab your pitchforks & torches...assemble the mob!

I would call it a depth move. What is the game plan if 2-4-7-27 go down with a high ankle sprain?
- Beaver-Warrior

Just read your last post...

If what you said happens.....There would be plenty of reasons to wait for next season.....Can't prevent bad luck like that from screwing things up.

As hard as it would be to believe I think Calgary lost 3-4 dman at once a few years ago....Canucks had issues too.

In a dominant effort, Blackhawks unhinge Coyotes - My Fox Chicago:http://bit.ly/11UkhKg

Wonderful win. Rumor has it that Bollig has a bum hand and that's why Mayers was out there the last couple of games. I think Carcillo replaces both when he returns. But that's for another time.

Gotta love what the third line is doing. Stalberg on the right has been a god send. And I think Saad drew his 6th and 7th penalty this road trip just by continuing to skate.

So many good things happening.

20 out of 22. Unreal.
- yahoodi

"I think Carcillo replaces both when he returns. But that's for another time."


That would be atrocious! Were that to happen, we would have a grand total of 1 person on our team with any sort of deterrent factor/grit at all and would absolutely be the soft-Hawks all over again. Let's be honest, Shaw doesn't intimidate anyone. Bollig > Mayers, like Mayers...but his time is almost up.

Leddy, Rosival, Brookbank, Olsen.
- AceRatbang

True, Leddy is the logical move to make. So then fills his spot on the third pairing?
Rosival is already down for the count. For how long? You're guess is as good as mine.
Brookbank is filling Rosival spot right now on the third and no way is he moving up.
That leaves Olsen and Stanton. Olsen has how many seasons of NHL experience?
Stanton has yet to play a meaningful game at the NHL level. The King just picked up a Dman with 3 years experience for a 5th rd pick. As I stated before, Depth move.

That Toews goal was sick. Real sick. And Kaner's pass to Bolland was nice.

I bet Sharp had a 'Nam like flashback to the Vancouver playoff series when he hammered the back door into Smith's pads.
- eburgio

Toews and the goalies 5 hole is something to behold. They know its coming but can't stop it. How he does time after time is amazing. He is very deceptive and deadly accurate with that shot. Like a pitcher who can change speeds at will.

God forbid something goes down...we're all holding The Beav here accountable!!! Everyone grab your pitchforks & torches...assemble the mob!
- CaptnSerious

Well if it comes to that, I'll have the Keg cold and waiting.

Just read your last post...

If what you said happens.....There would be plenty of reasons to wait for next season.....Can't prevent bad luck like that from screwing things up.

As hard as it would be to believe I think Calgary lost 3-4 dman at once a few years ago....Canucks had issues too.

In a dominant effort, Blackhawks unhinge Coyotes - My Fox Chicago:http://bit.ly/11UkhKg
- Al

You can't prevent bad luck but you plan just in case it comes knocking on your door.

Another thing I'm liking so far this year is this team's ability to convert 5 on 3. Last couple of years they blew lots of chances to win and/or put teams away with their inability to score in those situations. Law of averages, better team play, or Kompon? Doesn't really matter why, just happy to see it.

I have no problem with how it was handled. Perhaps Mayers was sent as he's a grizzled vet. Many female doging on radio about staged fights, and how fighting is so passe. There's a protocol in hockey, especially with regards to fighting, and that's yet another thing I love about the sport. Also, getting the fight out of the way earlier is certainly better than having people try to crush Torres through the boards, possibly throwing themselves out of position, resulting in bad goals by Phoenix. Props to Torres to stepping up, and hopefully he wakes up and stops this crap that he's known for.

Another thing I'm liking so far this year is this team's ability to convert 5 on 3. Last couple of years they blew lots of chances to win and/or put teams away with their inability to score in those situations. Law of averages, better team play, or Kompon? Doesn't really matter why, just happy to see it.
- Ogilthorpe2

Special teams in general have been a huge improvement, especially the PK. It's nice to see some guys focusing one the penalty kill and excelling in that role, I'm thinking of Kruger and Frolik mainly.

True, Leddy is the logical move to make. So then fills his spot on the third pairing?
Rosival is already down for the count. For how long? You're guess is as good as mine.
Brookbank is filling Rosival spot right now on the third and no way is he moving up.
That leaves Olsen and Stanton. Olsen has how many seasons of NHL experience?
Stanton has yet to play a meaningful game at the NHL level. The King just picked up a Dman with 3 years experience for a 5th rd pick. As I stated before, Depth move.
- Beaver-Warrior

What team has more avaliable defensive depth than the Hawks right now?

You can't prevent bad luck but you plan just in case it comes knocking on your door.
- Beaver-Warrior

Other needs later, only so many roster spots.

Special teams in general have been a huge improvement, especially the PK. It's nice to see some guys focusing one the penalty kill and excelling in that role, I'm thinking of Kruger and Frolik mainly.
- DarthKane

Yeah, the PK has been great too. Would still like to see more success 5 on 4, but the PK and 5 on 3 have been outstanding thus far.

"I think Carcillo replaces both when he returns. But that's for another time."


That would be atrocious! Were that to happen, we would have a grand total of 1 person on our team with any sort of deterrent factor/grit at all and would absolutely be the soft-Hawks all over again. Let's be honest, Shaw doesn't intimidate anyone. Bollig > Mayers, like Mayers...but his time is almost up.
- Murph76

Carcillo didn't "replace" Bollig when the season started. So there is a bit of a hole in that logic to start with. Some people still think Ice Follies hockey is what it's all about, how many shots a player takes (even if most of them miss the net), arcane (mostly offensive) statistics, etc.

I'll never forget the ASININE argument put forth here by one of the acolytes of soft hockey (who is currently enjoying his ban elsewhere) that my admiration for pavel Datsyuk over Kane a couple of years back was because I am enamored of "Selke Award" type players and I can't see, therefore, the superiority of an offensive whiz like Kane. While there is some truth to mty appreciation of defensive hockey, the "logic" behind it is laughable.

The truth is, two -way players are much more valuable than one-way players. Guys who give effort every shift every night are more valuable than those who don't—even usually, those with more "talent." And physical hockey, not just fighting but es[-especially hitting—even if you're a "puck possession" team—matters. Especially in the playoffs.

So a guy like Bollig even if he is the 23rd most "skilled" player on the Hawks, might merit a roster spot because he not only can settle some scores and keep some guys honest, but he can also actually hit someone with a hard, clean check once in a while, something, oh, half the current Hawk (and Ice Hog) roster struggles with.

So, come April, you will need Carcillo AND Bollig (or similar) and probably another guy to mash some defensemen. And if you're thinking Jimmy Hayes is going to be a physical force in the playoffs, I think you might be disappointed.

But anytime they want to bring up Phillippe Paradis for that particular job, I'm fine with it.