If he's healthy, I have no issue with him practicing with the club. He could be a nice depth option down the line.
- John Jaeckel

Absolutely.

Really hope he gets well and stays well.

I had an exchange with Al a few days ago, and this I believe is the Hawks identity. Embracing who they are (speed and commitment to compete on the puck on both ends of ice) and are daring teams to play physical and clog up things. They realize they have the chips on their side (again my perspective) which is superior talent, and are not worrying about what style everyone else is playing, because outside this board and fan base teams/hockey people are in awe of what they are doing right now.
- TrueGrit

I don't disagree with your perspective regarding talent and skill. But the age old way to defeat speed and skill has and always will be physical and dirty play and specific strategy and tactical play.

Early in the season if I am coaching an opposition team my game plan is to hit, rough up and get in the face of 4 Hawk players, Kane, Toews, Hossa and Keith. Each time one of these players touches the puck I'd instruct my team to hit them. After whistles I'd instruct my players to confront and antagonize these players in much the same way we antagonize the Sedins. If we take penalties, so be it, but if we can kill these penalties then I ramp it up. All this is done early in the season and a loss is acceptable because it will be the third game onwards that will see this strategy take hold.

So yes we have a ton of speed and a ton of skill but it can be taken away by teams wearing the Hawks down. And if more than one team gets into the act, I'll bet my rent money that the Hawks speed and skill won't be as prominent as it is now.

Chicago need to bolster the lineup with a couple of guys who can balance the skill with some grit.

From all the Ducks I fear the "Finnish Flash" most. Great to see him doing so well but let´s hope off night to Teemu this time though. Amazing player and such a class act he is.
- MjulQvist

The Ducks have 3-4 very strong dudes in their top 6. Will pose a challenge for Q in terms of matching up.

The Ducks have 3-4 very strong dudes in their top 6. Will pose a challenge for Q in terms of matching up.
- John Jaeckel

And how would you match them up?Line to line or our 3rd against their 1st?

The Ducks have 3-4 very strong dudes in their top 6. Will pose a challenge for Q in terms of matching up.
- John Jaeckel

Yes, and maybe even more when Saku Koivu is having a great start so far. As a Finn I must mention that too

And how would you match them up?Line to line or our 3rd against their 1st?
- eagle50

You don't, you ask Boudrea what he plans to do against the Hawks. The Hawks strategy is to control the puck. Play in Ducks zone and problem solved.

Chicago need to bolster the lineup with a couple of guys who can balance the skill with some grit.
- paulr

Respectfully, like most other theories about the team and its players, this one too will be proven incorrect.

It is a popular theme, and not one without merit, but without names to obtain and who you have to give up, an analysis of the benefits of this strategy is indeterminable.

Does anyone recall what the big holes were on the 2010 team? Goaltending and defense, a little more experience and grit on bottom 6?

Now I am doing what I think is the biggest mistake, that is making the 2010 team the standard and the goal. This team has a much better defense.

Anyhow, that is my 2 cents. Only time will tell.

Off topic anecdote time. I was once at a Cubs game during Kerry Wood's rookie season. Guys in the LF bleachers were taking bets on how many strikeouts he would get that game. As I was watching him warm up, and seemingly had zero control, bouncing pitches two to three feet in front of the catcher, I turned to my buddy and said, "I'm guessing one and that he gets rocked in the first inning." What happens? Woodie calmly goes out, strikes out 20 Astros and is a blown Kevin Olie grounder away from a no-no.

Point of the story: Sometimes gameday practice doesn't translate into gameday play.
- QStache

Nice anecdote...my buddy from Toronto was in the same bleachers and has a framed pic of himself i think from USA Today

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGDBR2L5kzI


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGDBR2L5kzI

Iverson on practice
- PEIHawkFan

This was a CLASSIC...but FF to 2013

the molla folla is broke...from too many tokes...
and in today's headlines, he's become a joke.

As far as the game tonight, stay out of the box because the Ducks have a lethal PP and play the bulk of the game in the Ducks zone and take advantage of the Ducks slow defensemen. If the Hawks do that they'll be fine. 4-2 Hawks.

I don't disagree with your perspective regarding talent and skill. But the age old way to defeat speed and skill has and always will be physical and dirty play and specific strategy and tactical play.

Early in the season if I am coaching an opposition team my game plan is to hit, rough up and get in the face of 4 Hawk players, Kane, Toews, Hossa and Keith. Each time one of these players touches the puck I'd instruct my team to hit them. After whistles I'd instruct my players to confront and antagonize these players in much the same way we antagonize the Sedins. If we take penalties, so be it, but if we can kill these penalties then I ramp it up. All this is done early in the season and a loss is acceptable because it will be the third game onwards that will see this strategy take hold.

So yes we have a ton of speed and a ton of skill but it can be taken away by teams wearing the Hawks down. And if more than one team gets into the act, I'll bet my rent money that the Hawks speed and skill won't be as prominent as it is now.

Chicago need to bolster the lineup with a couple of guys who can balance the skill with some grit.
- paulr

Ducks have been in since early Saturday and have been waiting for the Hawks. However, Boudreau was out coached quite a bit in Washington. Tonight wiill be a barometer for both teams. All in all, like mentioned before, Selanne loves playing the Hawks and he scares me the most. But for a team with bigger D who arent the quickest, it is tough to come through the door every shift knowing that each line can wheel as hard as the last. 4-2 Hawks.

On McMarketing:

It's a lot like the ongoing debate over our first line LW. His high profile is fine . . . as long as the team is winning.

One thing I APPRECIATE about McDonough is the size of his ego and the resulting commitment to winning another Stanley Cup. No matter what his motivation is, I firmly believe he, Scotty, Stanley all desperately want to win another Cup so they can have their names on it (figuratively speaking) and not Tallon's.

Now, that said, wanting it and being able to get out the way of what's necessary to get it, are two different issues.

This start in 2012-13 is the best thing that ever happened to John McDonough. The Hawk brand—the thing he owns for better or worse—was really suffering this summer.

And McDonough's One Goal commercial about himself and "appearances" at practice to buttonhole Q during the losing streak were not helping. At all. Fans saw through it, and maybe more importantly, I'm hearing players didn't like it.

Only an idiot wouldn't be able to see how it might make players question the priorities of the organization, and therefore on some level, undermine their morale and commitment.

And that's where it does affect things on the ice. I've heard from multiple sources, there was some bad juju out there about the Hawks' organization in the league, among players. Lookno further than PUBLIC statements made by brian Campbell last year. And there was more, on and off the record from numerous ex-Hawks.

Does it hurt free agency recruiting? You bet. If McDonough is the hand holding Bowman back from pulling the trigger on deals, that could also be hurting the Hawks' ability to find dance partners for trades.

Again, bringing Foley back, Cornelison, the commercials, Ambassadors, etc., would not have made a lick of difference if this was still a 13th seed team.

Winning is what it's all about. Winning, more than anything else, rebuilt this brand. Everything else he did was basically a layup from a marketing perspective, and few teams spend on marketing like the Hawks do. Few, if any.

All this right now is good for the brand and therefore good for McDonough. But expectations are now building again. Some people out there are talking like this is a team of destiny and the Cup will be a cakewalk. Those who have followed hockey for a while know the leader at the quarter pole usually is not the team that gets its name on the big prize.

I hope they realize that at 1901 W. and will not hesitate to improve this team given the opportunity. I suspect they now realize it is about winning.
- John Jaeckel

Talk about being fixated on something that means absolutely nothing......

Nice anecdote...my buddy from Toronto was in the same bleachers and has a framed pic of himself i think from USA Today

- philco28

Thanks.

If you squint really hard, you can see me and my buddy in SI behind the guys holding the K signs that day. It was an awesome day to be at the ballpark ...

Thanks.

If you squint really hard, you can see me and my buddy in SI behind the guys holding the K signs that day. It was an awesome day to be at the ballpark ...
- QStache

yeah...my buddy is a dot in his pic too...what a day for K-Wood...and i'm a Sox fan.

Thank you. And, whatever.
- John Jaeckel

Ace got a feeling you might be a long time pony player...But your correction of John is not really correct.

In a mile race the 3/4 pole signifies the last 1/4.
The first 1/4 mark is just that...the first 1/4.

Ace got a feeling you might be a long time pony player...But your correction of John is not really correct.

In a mile race the 3/4 pole signifies the last 1/4.
The first 1/4 mark is just that...the first 1/4.
- Al

Sorry Al...i'm in the business...and the 3/4 pole means there are 6 furlongs left in the race...and the 1/4 pole (where most of the real running begins) means there is a 1/4 mile or 2 furlongs, left in the race.

Unless...you're talking harness racing..where announcers often mention 3/4 times with a 1/4 mile left in the race.

From all the Ducks I fear the "Finnish Flash" most. Great to see him doing so well but let´s hope off night to Teemu this time though. Amazing player and such a class act he is.
- MjulQvist

This. Teemu Selanne never fails to impress me, or in the case of tonights game, scare the sh!t outta me

Really though this should be a great game and a much better test to see where the Hawks really are at with a fresh team that isn't playing their third game in 4 nights.

Respectfully, like most other theories about the team and its players, this one too will be proven incorrect.

It is a popular theme, and not one without merit, but without names to obtain and who you have to give up, an analysis of the benefits of this strategy is indeterminable.

Does anyone recall what the big holes were on the 2010 team? Goaltending and defense, a little more experience and grit on bottom 6?

Now I am doing what I think is the biggest mistake, that is making the 2010 team the standard and the goal. This team has a much better defense.

Anyhow, that is my 2 cents. Only time will tell.
- TrueGrit

I will be proven incorrect? No, I may be proven incorrect just as you may be.

The difference in the 2010 team and this one is that 2010 team was better balanced and deeper with exactly the components I refer to. That 2010 team had a balance of toughness, grit, speed and skill. This team is more top heavy in the skill department and has far less grit and toughness.

The 2010 could play any style including a dump and chase game, this year’s team not really.

The 2010 team could go hit for hit, punch for punch, speed for speed, skill for skill with any team in the league. This team can match skill and speed with any team but not physicality. Remember what brute force did to the Hawks, and specifically Toews and Hossa last year?

The 2010 team had some question marks but nowhere near as many as this team. That 2010 may have had the most balance and depth in terms of skill and grit of any team that has won the cup in the last decade.

So yes you may be correct and maybe SB does nothing other than cross his fingers and hopes for good health and that no one runs the Hawks out of the building. Or he may realize the team is pretty special and needs a few tweaks to give it better balance to give it a better chance to go all the way.

As far as the game tonight, stay out of the box because the Ducks have a lethal PP and play the bulk of the game in the Ducks zone and take advantage of the Ducks slow defensemen. If the Hawks do that they'll be fine. 4-2 Hawks.
- dan9189

I was thinking this was the day the 'Hawks [5-4] PP got healthy. Duck's D are not the fastest and they're 29th on the kill.

Talk about being fixated on something that means absolutely nothing......
- Blackwater13

Well, maybe you missed the point. And maybe the context. Dunno. The question was raised, what does his profile mean to the team, that was my response. Next time, don't read it.

Your opinion of what means nothing is just that. Entirely subjective. And it can also be said of your opinion.

It certainly contributed absolutely nothing to the discussion. Hope the rest of your day is more productive.

I will be proven incorrect? No, I may be proven incorrect just as you may be.

The difference in the 2010 team and this one is that 2010 team was better balanced and deeper with exactly the components I refer to. That 2010 team had a balance of toughness, grit, speed and skill. This team is more top heavy in the skill department and has far less grit and toughness.

The 2010 could play any style including a dump and chase game, this year’s team not really.

The 2010 team could go hit for hit, punch for punch, speed for speed, skill for skill with any team in the league. This team can match skill and speed with any team but not physicality. Remember what brute force did to the Hawks, and specifically Toews and Hossa last year?

The 2010 team had some question marks but nowhere near as many as this team. That 2010 may have had the most balance and depth in terms of skill and grit of any team that has won the cup in the last decade.

So yes you may be correct and maybe SB does nothing other than cross his fingers and hopes for good health and that no one runs the Hawks out of the building. Or he may realize the team is pretty special and needs a few tweaks to give it better balance to give it a better chance to go all the way.
- paulr

This I agree with, and anyone failing to see that needs to put the kool-aid down.

Sorry Al...i'm in the business...and the 3/4 pole means there are 6 furlongs left in the race...and the 1/4 pole (where most of the real running begins) means there is a 1/4 mile or 2 furlongs, left in the race.

Unless...you're talking harness racing..where announcers often mention 3/4 times with a 1/4 mile left in the race.
- philco28

Geez, where's Sulky Sam when you need him?

The 2010 team could go hit for hit, punch for punch, speed for speed, skill for skill with any team in the league. This team can match skill and speed with any team but not physicality. Remember what brute force did to the Hawks, and specifically Toews and Hossa last year?
- paulr

This always makes me laugh. What would more physicality have done to prevent Hossa getting maimed by Torres? These aren't offensive linemen for skill players to hide behnd. It doesn't matter if you have 6 brutes that can put everyone on the other team into the third row, quit pretending like that puts a halo of safety around other the Hawks skill players..

No matter how many big guys you have on your team, no one can be protected on the ice from another player all the time. If you sent out Toews on a line with Probert and Domi you'd still have no guarantee that Toews won't get ran (legally or illegally). Torres almost killed Hossa with our toughest guy 10 feet from the collision.

I couldn't agree more that the Hawks could use another physical force up front but let's stop acting like adding toughness guarantees the safety of important skill players. The Hawks need a tough guy to punish the other team physically and disrupt play with the body and give them a net presence. I know what you are saying about providing a deterrent to taking liberties with stars, but that's more of just a nice thought than a reality. Look at teams who's physicality us Hawk fans have been jealous of: Philly, Boston, LAK, et al...that didn't prevent guys like Giroux and others from getting their eggs scrambled. I'm all for some more bangers in the Indianhead, but let's stick to quanitifiable reasons.

Geez, where's Sulky Sam when you need him?
- John Jaeckel

LOVE HORSE RACING

This always makes me laugh. What would more physicality have done to prevent Hossa getting maimed by Torres? These aren't offensive linemen for skill players to hide behnd. It doesn't matter if you have 6 brutes that can put everyone on the other team into the third row, quit pretending like that puts a halo of safety around other the Hawks skill players..

No matter how many big guys you have on your team, no one can be protected on the ice from another player all the time. If you sent out Toews on a line with Probert and Domi you'd still have no guarantee that Toews won't get ran (legally or illegally). Torres almost killed Hossa with our toughest guy 10 feet from the collision.

I couldn't agree more that the Hawks could use another physical force up front but let's stop acting like adding toughness guarantees the safety of important skill players. The Hawks need a tough guy to punish the other team physically and disrupt play with the body and give them a net presence. I know what you are saying about providing a deterrent to taking liberties with stars, but that's more of just a nice thought than a reality. Look at teams who's physicality us Hawk fans have been jealous of: Philly, Boston, LAK, et al...that didn't prevent guys like Giroux and others from getting their eggs scrambled. I'm all for some more bangers in the Indianhead, but let's stick to quanitifiable reasons.
- PhatJoeSki

It's not really quantifiable, but when the other team has to keep their heads up in order to avoid getting crushed, they tend to not headhunt as much themselves. When one team comes out mashing people (see Vancouver, game 1, 2011 playoffs) they set a tone and they end up delivering all the punishment. Not always, hard to quantify, but the tone-setting thing—that the Hawks did so well in 2009 and 2010, is not to be discounted.