No, no, no. These pretzels are making ME thirsty!
- Jocelyn26

This was supposed to be the "Summer of George"....."Summer of George"

I just think Stalberg isn't a top 6 player on the Hawks with any measured consistency.

He can get those minutes elsewhere and obviously wants those minutes. The guy wants to play and have a bigger role. That is a bad thing?

Really not a measure of cowardice or some obscure observation. It just is what it is. It happens all the time. I don't understand how this is a big deal.
- fattybeef

I agree. I never felt him being upset with sitting was selfish....maybe he went about it the wrong way but everything I've heard is, he's well liked in the locker room and even a few of his teammates were questioning the move. A lot of players who are top six elsewhere would not be a top six guy on the Hawks. That is what happens when you have four spots taken up by world class players. I wish him the best and look forward to watching him on his next team.

Arthur Staple ‏@StapeNewsday 5m
Devils are among Briere's finalists, same source says.

I saw that one coming. Really wants to stay close to his kids.
- teh_HAWKZ

Think Danny boy was saying he's talked to the Sabres also, not too far from the family also! Full circle wouldn't be bad for Briere. Love to see him in our sweater, especially come playoff time "IF" healthy.

.....and how do we know this? Did the same teammates lose respect for Hossa when he refrained from retaliating during this past season? Or how about Kane?.......it's been a topic of discussion on this board before and Stalberg is not the only one who has done this.
- UnnamedSource

Ever play the game? If you have you'd know what your teammates would be saying and yes a better player does get the exception but a grunt does not. And even star players get critisized especially when they know a teammate will back them up.

This was supposed to be the "Summer of George"....."Summer of George"
- vabeachbear

Gilbert and Kuba could be interesting options to replace Rozsival if he can't be re-signed. Both are in the process of being bought out.

Disagree a billion percent
- fattybeef

Wasn't Cooke back to his same doo-doo during the playoffs? I don't trust him, and want no part of him.

TG has never played at a level where you appreciate a teammate for having your back. Crawford scored huge points with his teammates for being there for Toews, Stalberg lost a whole lot of respect with his teammates for his cowardly display.
- paulr

You make some big assumptions about me. What secret conversation did I miss regarding how the guys liked or disliked Stalberg? Like all this stuff about how the room felt about CC, or how the team just liked playing more for Emery.

Is that all just understood as part of the game that some nuanced fans get and most of the guys playing dont' even understand?

I have played plenty of tournament hockey whereby more than a few guys came to my defense and vice versa. It is not that complicated. Believe it or not, in my baseball days, as mostly the teams best hitter, often found myself in situations getting the tower buzzed, but there is a time where as a leader, you determine if the time is right for retribution..or you just let it ride.

Can you assure us all that Bicks did not tell 25 he was good at that moment as it was pretty much over by then?

I know it is much more fun to pile on a guy with circumstancial interpretation from a thousand miles away.

Gilbert and Kuba could be interesting options to replace Rozsival if he can't be re-signed. Both are in the process of being bought out.
- DarthKane

Kuba is a career -56. He's 36 years old and is not very good defensively (he's more of an offensive defense-man.) He's 6'4" and 226 pounds and doesn't use his body.

Gilbert is also not very good. A player that is 6'3" and 210 LBS should be laying the body much more than he does.

I'd be much more satisfied bringing back Rozsival at a slightly higher price than those two guys.

Ever play the game? If you have you'd know what your teammates would be saying and yes a better player does get the exception but a grunt does not. And even star players get critisized especially when they know a teammate will back them up.
- paulr

Yes I've played the game......and you're wrong.

Kuba is a career -56. He's 36 years old and is not very good defensively (he's more of an offensive defense-man.) He's 6'4" and 226 pounds and doesn't use his body.

Gilbert is also not very good. A player that is 6'3" and 210 LBS should be laying the body much more than he does.

I'd be much more satisfied bringing back Rozsival at a slightly higher price than those two guys.
- TommyHawk

Rozsival is my first choice too, but he may be out of our price range for a 6D.

I agree. I never felt him being upset with sitting was selfish....maybe he went about it the wrong way but everything I've heard is, he's well liked in the locker room and even a few of his teammates were questioning the move. A lot of players who are top six elsewhere would not be a top six guy on the Hawks. That is what happens when you have four spots taken up by world class players. I wish him the best and look forward to watching him on his next team.
- UnnamedSource

You can't say that. The board has decided what 25 is and will ever be. You are foolish to stick your neck out. I just always found it ironic that when Q would sit 25, things looked a little out of whack, yet, he would revert to playing 25, the worst player in the nhl, and the team won. Probably, because as you suggested, there were likely more guys questioning the benching than were for it. Even after Bickel wrestled with Charra.

Perhaps his Swedish buddies just felt sorry for him and included him in all the celebration.

As far as being selfish, all professional athletes want to play. Nobody after the minn series said, hey Vic looks out of place, we better sit him next round. Nobody was able to point out anything he did in the first series to warrant such a move. Other than Q making a change. But like Pavlovs dogs, we heard all the Vic talking points to justify the move.

Bottom line Vic did everything asked of him all year. It is hilarious, most of the same people knocking the PP all year, will knock 25 for complaining about the PP. That is so selfish!

You can't say that. The board has decided what 25 is and will ever be. You are foolish to stick your neck out. I just always found it ironic that when Q would sit 25, things looked a little out of whack, yet, he would revert to playing 25, the worst player in the nhl, and the team won. Probably, because as you suggested, there were likely more guys questioning the benching than were for it. Even after Bickel wrestled with Charra.

Perhaps his Swedish buddies just felt sorry for him and included him in all the celebration.

As far as being selfish, all professional athletes want to play. Nobody after the minn series said, hey Vic looks out of place, we better sit him next round. Nobody was able to point out anything he did in the first series to warrant such a move. Other than Q making a change. But like Pavlovs dogs, we heard all the Vic talking points to justify the move.

Bottom line Vic did everything asked of him all year. It is hilarious, most of the same people knocking the PP all year, will knock 25 for complaining about the PP. That is so selfish!
- TrueGrit

Wonder who's going to be the new whipping boy next year.

You can't say that. The board has decided what 25 is and will ever be. You are foolish to stick your neck out. I just always found it ironic that when Q would sit 25, things looked a little out of whack, yet, he would revert to playing 25, the worst player in the nhl, and the team won. Probably, because as you suggested, there were likely more guys questioning the benching than were for it. Even after Bickel wrestled with Charra.

Perhaps his Swedish buddies just felt sorry for him and included him in all the celebration.

As far as being selfish, all professional athletes want to play. Nobody after the minn series said, hey Vic looks out of place, we better sit him next round. Nobody was able to point out anything he did in the first series to warrant such a move. Other than Q making a change. But like Pavlovs dogs, we heard all the Vic talking points to justify the move.

Bottom line Vic did everything asked of him all year. It is hilarious, most of the same people knocking the PP all year, will knock 25 for complaining about the PP. That is so selfish!
- TrueGrit

There are certain clicks on every team and the Swedes were very tight. Stals was also very tight with Sharp and Toews. There were other players throughout the season who didn't "back up" other players so this idea that Stals was disliked by his teammates and selfish is just not true. A lot of players understood his disappointment during the playoffs and even a few "coached" him to stay positive.

Gigantic overpay for a goalie like Rask IMO but the Brutes must be banking on the cap going up after next season.

Jeremy Jacobs led the owners in the lockout looking for fiscal sanity - all of a sudden there's lots of extra cash around.
- RickJ

Bingo.

The Pens and Flyers too. No other way to rationalize the money being thrown around.

You can't say that. The board has decided what 25 is and will ever be. You are foolish to stick your neck out. I just always found it ironic that when Q would sit 25, things looked a little out of whack, yet, he would revert to playing 25, the worst player in the nhl, and the team won. Probably, because as you suggested, there were likely more guys questioning the benching than were for it. Even after Bickel wrestled with Charra.

Perhaps his Swedish buddies just felt sorry for him and included him in all the celebration.

As far as being selfish, all professional athletes want to play. Nobody after the minn series said, hey Vic looks out of place, we better sit him next round. Nobody was able to point out anything he did in the first series to warrant such a move. Other than Q making a change. But like Pavlovs dogs, we heard all the Vic talking points to justify the move.

Bottom line Vic did everything asked of him all year. It is hilarious, most of the same people knocking the PP all year, will knock 25 for complaining about the PP. That is so selfish!
- TrueGrit

My question is.....to guys like PaulR...what level of hockey do you have to play at to understand the cohesiveness of a team?

Wonder who's going to be the new whipping boy next year.
- Beaver-Warrior

I'm worried about the PK next season. I hope Stan signs a decent 4C who can pair up with Kruger. I'm going to miss the Kruger/Frolik pairing on the PK, we were lucky to have that duo last season.

Wonder who's going to be the new whipping boy next year.
- Beaver-Warrior

Saad, Bickell if he reverts, Pirri if he makes the team, Brookbank if he's skating a regular shift....plenty of options, don't you sweat it.

My recollection is he choked pretty bad in the two years the Hawks eliminated them and he also became a head case in 2011 when the Hawks came back from being down 3-0.
- GoHawks63

In 2010-11 he had two bad games in the series vs the Hawks, pulled in game 4 after allowing 6 goals in 2+ periods, and as a mid game injury replacement for Schnieder in game 5, when he then gave up 5 goals. So yes, two very crap games. Then he recovered to shut down the Hawks with a .969 save percentage in game 7 to clinch the series. That same year he had 15 playoff wins, one short of a Cup, and had a .914 save percentage overall including those two crap games.

Two consecutive bad games (one in relief) followed by 12 wins isn't choking. The year before when the Hawks defeated Vancouver on the way to winning the Cup, yep, Luongo had a bad playoffs overall.

His other playoff seasons have been good. I'm just saying, it's amazing the power the media has to brainwash people into thinking something. Just because he's on the enemy team doesn't mean he sucks or chokes, etc. You can not like him, that's fine, but he's still one of the elite goalies in the league.

You make some big assumptions about me. What secret conversation did I miss regarding how the guys liked or disliked Stalberg? Like all this stuff about how the room felt about CC, or how the team just liked playing more for Emery.

Is that all just understood as part of the game that some nuanced fans get and most of the guys playing dont' even understand?

I have played plenty of tournament hockey whereby more than a few guys came to my defense and vice versa. It is not that complicated. Believe it or not, in my baseball days, as mostly the teams best hitter, often found myself in situations getting the tower buzzed, but there is a time where as a leader, you determine if the time is right for retribution..or you just let it ride.

Can you assure us all that Bicks did not tell 25 he was good at that moment as it was pretty much over by then?

I know it is much more fun to pile on a guy with circumstancial interpretation from a thousand miles away.
- TrueGrit

547 miles or 881 kms from my door to the UC door to be exact!

My question is.....to guys like PaulR...what level of hockey do you have to play at to understand the cohesiveness of a team?
- UnnamedSource

If you understood team chemistry you wouldn't be saying what you're saying. Even in men's rec hockey as a 50 year old, if a teammate is getting roughed up you show up and put a stop to it. I guess I could be like TG and find out if my teammate is OK first?

Wonder who's going to be the new whipping boy next year.
- Beaver-Warrior

We'll find someone.

If you understood team chemistry you wouldn't be saying what you're saying. Even in men's rec hockey as a 50 year old, if a teammate is getting roughed up you show up and put a stop to it. I guess I could be like TG and find out if my teammate is OK first?
- paulr

Alway, ALWAYS a head for an eye!

Saad, Bickell if he reverts, Pirri if he makes the team, Brookbank if he's skating a regular shift....plenty of options, don't you sweat it.
- Ogilthorpe2

Not sweating it brother. I'm not really into the lemming like piling on.

If you understood team chemistry you wouldn't be saying what you're saying. Even in men's rec hockey as a 50 year old, if a teammate is getting roughed up you show up and put a stop to it. I guess I could be like TG and find out if my teammate is OK first?
- paulr

I understand the essence of team chemistry but obviously this does not apply to stals because he was well liked by his teammates.