I wouldn't be. Perhaps they could collectively work together on killing assbags such as Lapierre, Backus and Cooke?
- EKolb13

That would be nice. I'm guessing those are the types of games Winchester dresses for as well.

That would be nice. I'm guessing those are the types of games Winchester dresses for as well.
- Ogilthorpe2

I would think so. Between him and Bollig, they should get playing time against the likes of Minnesota and St. Louis.

I would think so. Between him and Bollig, they should get playing time against the likes of Minnesota and St. Louis.
- EKolb13

Would not be surprised to see them carry just 21 or 22 players with The Rockford Shuffle back in play this year as well.

Would not be surprised to see them carry just 21 or 22 players with The Rockford Shuffle back in play this year as well.
- MartiniMan

It will be 22 to 23 players. No way do the Hawks carry 21, unless Bowman is signing another player to a contract, and are up against the cap.

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

I remember drinking with him and seeing him drink at Cheli's Chili Bar after games when he was suppose to be sober.

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

I think Q is just pumping up everyone's tires.

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.
- InjunJoe

Really...DAMN, he had me fooled.

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

11th best goalie, 29th highest cap hit. For those thinking Crawfors is more in the 15-20 ranking that still means he should earn around $4 million per.

11th best goalie, 29th highest cap hit. For those thinking Crawfors is more in the 15-20 ranking that still means he should earn around $4 million per.
- DarthKane

Maybe the reason Crawford doesn't get rated higher is because people think the team in front of him is so good they make him look like a better goalie than he is. I'm not bashing Crawford and he certainly had a great chance to win the Conn Smythe. Would the Hawks have won the Cup with some of those guys rated after Crawford like Jimmy Howard for example maybe or maybe not but I think he's perceived to be a slightly above average goalie on a great team.

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

Ya gotta point, but the time and money and effort invested in attending a fan convention really isn't comparable to this type of web based forum.

Convention attendees seem to want to be near, proximity wise, to their "heroes". Perhaps they're autograph seekers or just really intense fans who want to be "close" to the guys.

I personally couldn't care less about meeting, or shaking hands with players or execs. I'm just pleased they're good at their jobs and provide me with entertainment.

I suppose I'm a bit obsessed with the game, and player personnel moves, but that's not much different than any other interest. I enjoy film and watching movies new and old, but I don't want to meet actors or collect their autographs.

Everyone is different though and to each their own. Like I said earlier, fan conventions are great for kids and marketing the game, and specifically the Blackhawks as a team, so in that sense I'm all for it.

Just not my cup 'o tea...

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

Hockey, including talking on boards like this, is a great escape from the troubles and stress of real life. I've gone through a lot over the past several years (as I'm sure many others have) but hockey (specifically the Blackhawks) have been a great distraction and provided some entertainment and stress release during difficult times.

Maybe the reason Crawford doesn't get rated higher is because people think the team in front of him is so good they make him look like a better goalie than he is. I'm not bashing Crawford and he certainly had a great chance to win the Conn Smythe. Would the Hawks have won the Cup with some of those guys rated after Crawford like Jimmy Howard for example maybe or maybe not but I think he's perceived to be a slightly above average goalie on a great team.
- jhawk159

Howard has three .920 SV seasons, Crawford has one and it was behind like the 4th best possession team since the lockout. Don't really see a logical way Crawford is behind Howard, other than what have you done for me lately, but Howard carried Detroit for long stretches of the season. Also anyone who has Leightonen kill the Hawks knows how underrated that guy is

you guys are all trumping up this , smith,pirri & morin stuff all in the line up at once, don't think that is gonna happen. I think the #2 line center will once again go to Q's flavor of the evening for what ever he's see fit for that particular match up. Saad may take some shifts there but I think he mostly will play wing,& winchester & Bollig will be 2/3rds of your 4th line 7/8ths of the time. Brad Winchester fits every thing what they were looking for , good size, 6'5 230! can play, has red ass, can throw em if needed & can play center or wing . those 2 match up against any team that will try to run over the hawks skilled guys. this was bowmans "danny cleary type on the cheap find" as they wait for a couple of more kids to develope in Rockford.

Hockey, including talking on boards like this, is a great escape from the troubles and stress of real life. I've gone through a lot over the past several years (as I'm sure many others have) but hockey (specifically the Blackhawks) have been a great distraction and provided some entertainment and stress release during difficult times.
- DarthKane

Bingo! Nail right on the head with a sledge hammer!!!
while we're talking about the convention, the hockey bimbo show there is entertaining, it really get's interesting when ma bimbo shows up & leaks out her wild escapades of the 80's & the topper is when gramma bimbo shows up in the tighties & whispers to her friends how she "did" Bobby Hull in the 60's!! as they say, "thats hockey!!"

hello Eli...hey Ogi!!!

you guys are all trumping up this , smith,pirri & morin stuff all in the line up at once, don't think that is gonna happen. I think the #2 line center will once again go to Q's flavor of the evening for what ever he's see fit for that particular match up. Saad may take some shifts there but I think he mostly will play wing,& winchester & Bollig will be 2/3rds of your 4th line 7/8ths of the time. Brad Winchester fits every thing what they were looking for , good size, 6'5 230! can play, has red ass, can throw em if needed & can play center or wing . those 2 match up against any team that will try to run over the hawks skilled guys. this was bowmans "danny cleary type on the cheap find" as they wait for a couple of more kids to develope in Rockford.
- wonthecup10

Speaking of whom ...

Speaking of whom ...
- TommyHawk

go back to some ones cap geek post, all 3 are in the line up. if I read it wrong then my bad! maybe 2 of 3, but no way pirri, smith & morin all in there at once.

are these guys looking at cleary? if they are, that would be a hell of a find. phuck, him & winchester, throw in bollig & the "little sh it",THAT gets about as nasty & griity as you could want. no way Backes & some of the other stu nods rake over tazer any more.

you guys are all trumping up this , smith,pirri & morin stuff all in the line up at once, don't think that is gonna happen. I think the #2 line center will once again go to Q's flavor of the evening for what ever he's see fit for that particular match up. Saad may take some shifts there but I think he mostly will play wing,& winchester & Bollig will be 2/3rds of your 4th line 7/8ths of the time. Brad Winchester fits every thing what they were looking for , good size, 6'5 230! can play, has red ass, can throw em if needed & can play center or wing . those 2 match up against any team that will try to run over the hawks skilled guys. this was bowmans "danny cleary type on the cheap find" as they wait for a couple of more kids to develope in Rockford.
- wonthecup10

What Bowman is doing is ensuring he has about 30 players at his disposal who can play some at the NHL level, which is far more than every other team in the league has. Smith, Pirri, Morin, Winchester, Bollig, Hayes, Kostka, Lalonde, Stanton, Danault, McNeill will all get a crack at playing a little with the Hawks and most of them will also pull on the IceHogs jersey.

Great way to develop the kids without throwing them to the wolves before they are ready. And a guy like Hossa may only play 55-60 games during the season - just want him ready to roll on April 15. Same with Roszival - 40 -50 games at most, be ready for the playoffs.

What Bowman is doing is ensuring he has about 30 players at his disposal who can play some at the NHL level, which is far more than every other team in the league has. Smith, Pirri, Morin, Winchester, Bollig, Hayes, Kostka, Lalonde, Stanton, Danault, McNeill will all get a crack at playing a little with the Hawks and most of them will also pull on the IceHogs jersey.

Great way to develop the kids without throwing them to the wolves before they are ready. And a guy like Hossa may only play 55-60 games during the season - just want him ready to roll on April 15. Same with Roszival - 40 -50 games at most, be ready for the playoffs.
- RickJ

good point rick, but for 8 mill year, hossa better play more than 55 games, 70 would be expected, allowing for a few minor aches & pains.
if this danault, mcneil & TT & a couple more are all that, then I expect #10 to possibly be making his way out of town next summer, or shortly after that, given that they have to re up with 19,88 & 4 & 50. the cycle continues!! probably 81 sometime in "15" also.

are these guys looking at cleary? if they are, that would be a hell of a find. phuck, him & winchester, throw in bollig & the "little sh it",THAT gets about as nasty & griity as you could want. no way Backes & some of the other stu nods rake over tazer any more.
- wonthecup10

Toews will get run at his whole career. Bollig being on the ice didn't stop Torres from lighting up Hossa. Goons don't prevent guys from getting hit - at best they exact revenge.

good point rick, but for 8 mill year, hossa better play more than 55 games, 70 would be expected, allowing for a few minor aches & pains.
if this danault, mcneil & TT & a couple more are all that, then I expect #10 to possibly be making his way out of town next summer, or shortly after that, given that they have to re up with 19,88 & 4 & 50. the cycle continues!! probably 81 sometime in "15" also.
- wonthecup10

Toews and Kane have to retire as Hawks or at least get extended for another 7 or 8 years next year. Sharp would be the One out of the big 4 to move on. Hossa will be here a long time with the Cap stuff. Sharp really is an important guy on this team. Will be interesting to see how they would fill the hole of him leaving. At least he would still have a lot of value. Get a nice return for him

Off-topic but I'm watching an old Av\Oiler game from 1996. Damn was forsberg a beast. That line of him, Kamensky, and lemieux was unstoppable. Hard to believe they only won 2 Cups. Just shows how amazing it is with this core winning 2 already. Pens won 2 with lemieux. I think new jersey won 2 with brodeur and Stevens. Hawks are in great company

Personally, I have no interest is these marketing events. I suppose the convention is great for kids, but for adults...a bit odd in my opinion.

I heard it mentioned that fans were chanting "Detroit sucks" early on?!?

If that's true it's embarrassing, and tiresome...

...move the F' on, they're not even in our division anymore.
- ArlingtonRob

I couldn't agree with you more. I went the first year, checked out all the xhibits and the shooting and passing areas were cool. i went the second year because my younger bro wanted to go. and i went this year for 1 hour before it even started and had to leave because it was annoying and sell my pass for wayy under value. sorry to be a downer. unless you like waiting in lines for everything, or for a specific signature, it really is just a mob of people acting wierd, which is cool if you are a kid or a woman.

Off-topic but I'm watching an old Av\Oiler game from 1996. Damn was forsberg a beast. That line of him, Kamensky, and lemieux was unstoppable. Hard to believe they only won 2 Cups. Just shows how amazing it is with this core winning 2 already. Pens won 2 with lemieux. I think new jersey won 2 with brodeur and Stevens. Hawks are in great company
- tomcat24

good points.