For most of the time he was in Chicago, as I understand it
- John Jaeckel

I literally just finished reading his book about 3 days ago. He had incentives in his contract with the hawks to stop the drinking, drugs, and riding motorcycles. He said he stopped drinking but he keep using coke but would store clean piss at home for when the "random" drug testing.

If you guys are saying it doesn't interest you and you don't want to participate - fine, I would agree with you.

If you're saying it shouldn't be held at all - you're 100% wrong.

Too much angst over marketing and advertising programs aimed at casual fans - these are a necessary part of growing a business, and we should want the Blackhawks (and the league) to generate as much revenue and interest and TV ratings as it can - makes for more and better hockey.

As long as the marketing doesn't interfere with the on-ice product, I don't care how many "one-goal" ads McD appears in.

You are right about the Detroit Sucks comments - which, BTW, I didn't hear on TV.
- StLBravesFan

Couldn't agree more. Anything that helps grow the sport is OK with me.

Murph played HUGE around LAST CALL
- philco28

As I recall wasn't Murphy a total no show against the Hawks in 92 EDM vs CHI playoffs? I just always liked Stumpy... He wasn't the biggest guy but he never was shy about going to the net.

Bowman said Pirri and Lebanc are the centers that are most ready to make the jump to the NHL. Like it or not I'd expect to see one of them on the 2nd line to start the season.
- DarthKane

We'll see what happens in training camp.

Isn't it a bit odd that adults spend as much time as we do on an Internet board talking with (mostly) strangers about a kids game played by grown men?
- StLBravesFan

Well when you put it like that.....

...and in friggin' July no less!

We'll see what happens in training camp.
- EKolb13

Indeed. Just because they are the most ready, doesn't mean that they are ready.

I'd still like to see Krugman get a shot at it.

Thje scoop on Gerry Desjardins

http://www.legendsofhocke...chPlayer.jsp?player=18489
- scottak

>Loved Gerry, too, during his brief Hawk stay
>Was once known as, "The fastest glove in the West."
>Had a great glove, but would really slather on the mustard on some easy glove saves, as well
>As a little kid, you don't know that -- it just looks cool to you

Indeed. Just because they are the most ready, doesn't mean that they are ready.

I'd still like to see Krugman get a shot at it.
- Ogilthorpe2

Agreed.

I was just thinking about you. I just observed about a hundred small aircraft flying over Rockford in formation. Is the EAA having their airshow in Oskosh this weekend?

Feels a little stretchie, but the organization would do back flips if that were the case
- John Jaeckel

>Bernie seems to fly under the radar in post-career recognition
>475 goals, 1,200+ points
>Had two 4-goal games in a Hawk uni

Agreed.

I was just thinking about you. I just observed about a hundred small aircraft flying over Rockford in formation. Is the EAA having their airshow in Oskosh this weekend?
- EKolb13

Starts on Monday I think. Crazy week for small aircraft in the Midwest. It's like a hornet's nest.

Stan Bowman on Ryan Hartman:

“@BrianHedger: Stan Bowman compares Hartman's style to Shaw; says they'd like to get him to NHL "as soon as possible." #Blackhawks”

Don't really agree with this list other than the top 3, but it is interesting....

Rankings: The top 30 starting goalies in the NHL
http://sports.yahoo.com/n...in-the-nhl-154114642.html

Don't really agree with this list other than the top 3, but it is interesting....

Rankings: The top 30 starting goalies in the NHL
http://sports.yahoo.com/n...in-the-nhl-154114642.html
- MartiniMan

Crawford just misses top 10 and Anderson is 12

Crawford just misses top 10 and Anderson is 12
- Ogilthorpe2

I would have Anderson, Howard and Lehtonen higher than Crawford too, but I think his top 10 (4-10) is a little out of whack, too.

Brian Hedger tweeted that he asked Q about Saad moving to the 2C role. He said it looks like Saad as first dibs on the spot.

Mark Lazerus tweeted that Saad almost always works on face offs after morning skates.

It's more likely that Saad remains as the 3LW, but it will be interesting to see what happens if he gets the 2C assignment.

Bickell - Toews - Kane
Sharp - Saad - Hossa
Morin - Kruger - Shaw
Bollig - Handzus - Smith
Winchester

Edit: Q also mentioned Shaw, Kruger and Handzus as 2C options. He also said he didn't really care who grabs the role but it will be a sweet spot to have.

Between Saad, Shaw, Kruger, Handzus, Pirri and Leblanc I'm sure we'll end up with a decent second line centre. But from the list of candidates the biggest stretch is Handzus, he may play there for stretches but not 82 games.

Crawford just misses top 10 and Anderson is 12
- Ogilthorpe2

Miller at 16 seems waaaaay off.

I've never done one of these before, but with word coming out that Jesus has dibs on the #2 center spot, here goes:

FORWARDS
Bryan Bickell ($4.000m) / Jonathan Toews ($6.300m) / Patrick Kane ($6.300m)
Patrick Sharp ($5.900m) / Brandon Saad ($0.894m) / Marian Hossa ($5.275m)
Danny Cleary ($1.750m) / Marcus Kruger ($1.325m) / Andrew Shaw ($0.578m)
Brandon Bollig ($0.575m) / Michal Handzus ($1.000m) / Ben Smith ($0.563m)
Brad Winchester ($0.550m)

DEFENSEMEN
Brent Seabrook ($5.800m) / Duncan Keith ($5.538m)
Niklas Hjalmarsson ($3.500m) / Johnny Oduya ($3.383m)
Nick Leddy ($2.700m) / Michal Rozsival ($2.200m)
Sheldon Brookbank ($1.250m) /

GOALTENDERS
Corey Crawford ($2.667m)
Nikolai Khabibulin ($2.000m)
------
CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter)
(these totals are compiled with the bonus cushion)
SALARY CAP: $64,300,000; CAP PAYROLL: $64,047,628; BONUSES: $382,500
CAP SPACE (22-man roster): $634,872

Brian Hedger tweeted that he asked Q about Saad moving to the 2C role. He said it looks like Saad as first dibs on the spot.

Mark Lazerus tweeted that Saad almost always works on face offs after morning skates.

It's more likely that Saad remains as the 3LW, but it will be interesting to see what happens if he gets the 2C assignment.

Bickell - Toews - Kane
Sharp - Saad - Hossa
Morin - Kruger - Shaw
Bollig - Handzus - Smith
Winchester

Edit: Q also mentioned Shaw, Kruger and Handzus as 2C options. He also said he didn't really care who grabs the role but it will be a sweet spot to have.

Between Saad, Shaw, Kruger, Handzus, Pirri and Leblanc I'm sure we'll end up with a decent second line centre. But from the list of candidates the biggest stretch is Handzus, he may play there for stretches but not 82 games.
- DarthKane

How does all this square with Stan talking up Pirri like he has?

I've never done one of these before, but with word coming out that Jesus has dibs on the #2 center spot, here goes:

FORWARDS
Bryan Bickell ($4.000m) / Jonathan Toews ($6.300m) / Patrick Kane ($6.300m)
Patrick Sharp ($5.900m) / Brandon Saad ($0.894m) / Marian Hossa ($5.275m)
Danny Cleary ($1.750m) / Marcus Kruger ($1.325m) / Andrew Shaw ($0.578m)
Brandon Bollig ($0.575m) / Michal Handzus ($1.000m) / Ben Smith ($0.563m)
Brad Winchester ($0.550m)

DEFENSEMEN
Brent Seabrook ($5.800m) / Duncan Keith ($5.538m)
Niklas Hjalmarsson ($3.500m) / Johnny Oduya ($3.383m)
Nick Leddy ($2.700m) / Michal Rozsival ($2.200m)
Sheldon Brookbank ($1.250m) /

GOALTENDERS
Corey Crawford ($2.667m)
Nikolai Khabibulin ($2.000m)
------
CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter)
(these totals are compiled with the bonus cushion)
SALARY CAP: $64,300,000; CAP PAYROLL: $64,047,628; BONUSES: $382,500
CAP SPACE (22-man roster): $634,872
- MartiniMan

Interesting.

I wouldn't mind having Cleary for a season. Question is, can Saad hack it as a center, and be able to stay on the top two lines throughout the season?

How does all this square with Stan talking up Pirri like he has?
- StLBravesFan

In the end, is Stan setting the line-ups night after night?

I've never done one of these before, but with word coming out that Jesus has dibs on the #2 center spot, here goes:

FORWARDS
Bryan Bickell ($4.000m) / Jonathan Toews ($6.300m) / Patrick Kane ($6.300m)
Patrick Sharp ($5.900m) / Brandon Saad ($0.894m) / Marian Hossa ($5.275m)
Danny Cleary ($1.750m) / Marcus Kruger ($1.325m) / Andrew Shaw ($0.578m)
Brandon Bollig ($0.575m) / Michal Handzus ($1.000m) / Ben Smith ($0.563m)
Brad Winchester ($0.550m)

DEFENSEMEN
Brent Seabrook ($5.800m) / Duncan Keith ($5.538m)
Niklas Hjalmarsson ($3.500m) / Johnny Oduya ($3.383m)
Nick Leddy ($2.700m) / Michal Rozsival ($2.200m)
Sheldon Brookbank ($1.250m) /

GOALTENDERS
Corey Crawford ($2.667m)
Nikolai Khabibulin ($2.000m)
------
CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter)
(these totals are compiled with the bonus cushion)
SALARY CAP: $64,300,000; CAP PAYROLL: $64,047,628; BONUSES: $382,500
CAP SPACE (22-man roster): $634,872
- MartiniMan

I like it, but I'm skeptical about Jesus as 2C. I'd also worry about Cleary and Bickell killing each other in practice.

How does all this square with Stan talking up Pirri like he has?
- StLBravesFan

Pumping up his trade value?

Pirri to Berlin for Lalonde?

I like it, but I'm skeptical about Jesus as 2C. I'd also worry about Cleary and Bickell killing each other in practice.
- Ogilthorpe2

I wouldn't be. Perhaps they could collectively work together on killing assbags such as Lapierre, Backus and Cooke?

Pumping up his trade value?

Pirri to Berlin for Lalonde?
- Ogilthorpe2

Ogie, you need a new trade proposal throw in. Lalonde isn't going to cut it any longer.

I've never done one of these before, but with word coming out that Jesus has dibs on the #2 center spot, here goes:

FORWARDS
Bryan Bickell ($4.000m) / Jonathan Toews ($6.300m) / Patrick Kane ($6.300m)
Patrick Sharp ($5.900m) / Brandon Saad ($0.894m) / Marian Hossa ($5.275m)
Danny Cleary ($1.750m) / Marcus Kruger ($1.325m) / Andrew Shaw ($0.578m)
Brandon Bollig ($0.575m) / Michal Handzus ($1.000m) / Ben Smith ($0.563m)
Brad Winchester ($0.550m)

DEFENSEMEN
Brent Seabrook ($5.800m) / Duncan Keith ($5.538m)
Niklas Hjalmarsson ($3.500m) / Johnny Oduya ($3.383m)
Nick Leddy ($2.700m) / Michal Rozsival ($2.200m)
Sheldon Brookbank ($1.250m) /

GOALTENDERS
Corey Crawford ($2.667m)
Nikolai Khabibulin ($2.000m)
------
CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter)
(these totals are compiled with the bonus cushion)
SALARY CAP: $64,300,000; CAP PAYROLL: $64,047,628; BONUSES: $382,500
CAP SPACE (22-man roster): $634,872
- MartiniMan

What about moving Krueger to 2c and moving Saad to the third line. I like the scoring option and the speed that Saad would give them on the third line.