CC should have won the Conn Smythe last year marshmallow lid

- philco28

He is Mister Softee......

Todays article....


Everyone wants to beat the champs. Last night the Wild proved they could: My Fox Chicago: http://bit.ly/Hnj2vw

On Twitter@AlCimaglia

(frank) that, I'm still enjoying this one too much
- SotaPopinski

Congrats to your guys, Sota. They deserved the W last night.

Todays article....


Everyone wants to beat the champs. Last night the Wild proved they could: My Fox Chicago: http://bit.ly/Hnj2vw

On Twitter@AlCimaglia
- Al

Very fair assessment, IMO. The better team won.

Very fair assessment, IMO. The better team won.
- NewToHockey

Thanks...and they played well.

Interesting club Minny....Playing with some injuries too...

Everyone wants to beat the champs. Last night the Wild proved they could: My Fox Chicago: http://bit.ly/Hnj2vw

Thanks...and they played well.

Interesting club Minny....Playing with some injuries too...

Everyone wants to beat the champs. Last night the Wild proved they could: My Fox Chicago: http://bit.ly/Hnj2vw
- Al

Tough break (pun intended) with that kid's jaw. It will be interesting to see how Suter responds to losing his partner for a period of time.

Congrats to your guys, Sota. They deserved the W last night.
- NewToHockey

Thanks man. Always a huge boost to beat the champs. Looking forward to Monday night

Tough break (pun intended) with that kid's jaw. It will be interesting to see how Suter responds to losing his partner for a period of time.
- NewToHockey

Luckily it was his cheekbone, not jaw. He's already back on the ice and is expected back against Mtl next week. Effin hockey players...gotta love 'em

First off, congrats to the Wild because they outplayed the Hawks and deserved the win.

I actually agreed who looked at the Blackhawks glass as half full. But I'm not sure what there is to do about it other than wait (hope) that the team snaps out of it. Their breakouts as a whole are awful, but you can't bench the whole team.

Kane leads the team in scoring but is a -9. Are we gonna start up the trade Kane rumors again? Please don't.

We can debate Brookbank vs. Roszival vs Kostka but if Seabrook insists on playing worse than all of them then what's the point. Guy is peeing away his Olympic spot (if he had one in the first place, which is debatable).

There's a lot not going right with the Blackhawks so far. But the record is still pretty good considering. The question is which things are just "slow start" problems" and which things are legitimate problems......

First off, congrats to the Wild because they outplayed the Hawks and deserved the win.

I actually agreed who looked at the Blackhawks glass as half full. But I'm not sure what there is to do about it other than wait (hope) that the team snaps out of it. Their breakouts as a whole are awful, but you can't bench the whole team.

Kane leads the team in scoring but is a -9. Are we gonna start up the trade Kane rumors again? Please don't.

We can debate Brookbank vs. Roszival vs Kostka but if Seabrook insists on playing worse than all of them then what's the point. Guy is peeing away his Olympic spot (if he had one in the first place, which is debatable).

There's a lot not going right with the Blackhawks so far. But the record is still pretty good considering. The question is which things are just "slow start" problems" and which things are legitimate problems......
- yahoodi

This is what I've been struggling with the last week or so. I didn't want to overreact to a slow start, but the trends are disturbing.

This is what I've been struggling with the last week or so. I didn't want to overreact to a slow start, but the trends are disturbing.
- NewToHockey

The trend is these guys are not mentally/physically there yet and may not be for some time. The desire/ability to stay with the D scheme for 60 minutes is gone. Call it fatigue, hangover... whatever but a lot of guys are just plain out to lunch. What these guys did last year was incredible, but they played a schit load of hockey in a very short amount of time. Add to that a long playoff run and Cup win. Mix in a short off season with several guys coming off surgeries and you get this. They are just plain tired. Oh yeah and when you are the Cup champs twice in four years, every team is amped up to take it to you. Sets up to be a pretty difficult year unless they shake off the cob webs and get the legs going all game. Gotta hope the new guys start to gel and Q finds some consistent lines.

Missed the game last night... How did Morin and Mills look?

The trend is these guys are not mentally/physically there yet and may not be for some time. The desire/ability to stay with the D scheme for 60 minutes is gone. Call it fatigue, hangover... whatever but a lot of guys are just plain out to lunch. What these guys did last year was incredible, but they played a schit load of hockey in a very short amount of time. Add to that a long playoff run and Cup win. Mix in a short off season with several guys coming off surgeries and you get this. They are just plain tired. Oh yeah and when you are the Cup champs twice in four years, every team is amped up to take it to you. Sets up to be a pretty difficult year unless they shake off the cob webs and get the legs going all game. Gotta hope the new guys start to gel and Q finds some consistent lines.

Missed the game last night... How did Morin and Mills look?
- z1990z

Right now, I'm more worried about the downtick in performance by the likes of Leddy, Roszival and Kruger than I am about the new guys. The only reason I give Sharp a pass on this is history of his being streaky. I would hope that he has one of his 10G/8A 15 game stretches pretty soon.

Morin looked good. There was a disallowed goal on a scrum that he started. Mills was out for a minute and a half shorthanded and I didn't notice him (which I take to be a good thing) and threw the body around (5 hits) fairly effectively. Morin was +1 and Mills even on a bad night for the team. Not sure, but I don't think either were on the ice for any of the goals against.

Off to Rockford. See some of you in a few hours.

Right now, I'm more worried about the downtick in performance by the likes of Leddy, Roszival and Kruger than I am about the new guys. The only reason I give Sharp a pass on this is history of his being streaky. I would hope that he has one of his 10G/8A 15 game stretches pretty soon.

Morin looked good. There was a disallowed goal on a scrum that he started. Mills was out for a minute and a half shorthanded and I didn't notice him (which I take to be a good thing) and threw the body around (5 hits) fairly effectively. Morin was +1 and Mills even on a bad night for the team. Not sure, but I don't think either were on the ice for any of the goals against.
- NewToHockey

Rozy like Zus could have the "Check Engine" light on. Maybe age has caught up to them. Rozy was a rock last year, but now looks lost. Zus simply cant keep up in that #2 C role. Don't know what the issue is with Kruger. Call me whacky but I think Shaw may have more ability to handle the #2 C then Kruger.

First off, congrats to the Wild because they outplayed the Hawks and deserved the win.

I actually agreed who looked at the Blackhawks glass as half full. But I'm not sure what there is to do about it other than wait (hope) that the team snaps out of it. Their breakouts as a whole are awful, but you can't bench the whole team.

Kane leads the team in scoring but is a -9. Are we gonna start up the trade Kane rumors again? Please don't.

We can debate Brookbank vs. Roszival vs Kostka but if Seabrook insists on playing worse than all of them then what's the point. Guy is peeing away his Olympic spot (if he had one in the first place, which is debatable).

There's a lot not going right with the Blackhawks so far. But the record is still pretty good considering. The question is which things are just "slow start" problems" and which things are legitimate problems......
- yahoodi

My question is why Kane is -9. He is definitely trying harder.

My question is why Kane is -9. He is definitely trying harder.
- faustus1500

Its shows the bigger issue right now. Team D is struggling across the board.

We all knew Frolik would be missed but I didn't think it would be this much. At this rate we'll see Danault here by Christmas.

We all knew Frolik would be missed but I didn't think it would be this much. At this rate we'll see Danault here by Christmas.
- DarthKane

Looks like Frolik is playing well for the Jets. Good for him. He has a fabulous motor and is a demon on the PK. Would liked to have kept him. I thought the better move last summer was to keep Rozy, but who could have seen this coming. Rozy's play has totally come apart.

Rozy like Zus could have the "Check Engine" light on. Maybe age has caught up to them. Rozy was a rock last year, but now looks lost. Zus simply cant keep up in that #2 C role. Don't know what the issue is with Kruger. Call me whacky but I think Shaw may have more ability to handle the #2 C then Kruger.
- z1990z

You're whacky...but not about that. I thought this last year that Shaw showed some chem with Kane and Sharp the few times he centered the 2nd line. Would like to see Q revisit this.

Just pointing out the consistency of delusion in all this. First that CC is a good goalie, and second that they can score three goals in 60 second with a horses**t power play, and thirdly that they even have anyone on the team that seems able to score this year.
- fvineze

Huh, huh and...huh!?!

Crawford good as in good enough. I guess I should be happy that Crawford is no longer the sole object of your ire. You do realize that Kane, Toews, Hoss and Bickell all have 4 goals or more...or not?

You're whacky...but not about that. I thought this last year that Shaw showed some chem with Kane and Sharp the few times he centered the 2nd line. Would like to see Q revisit this.
- HawkintheD

Why not... Need to wake this team up. I hope they come out with a better effort tomorrow in Minny.

We all knew Frolik would be missed but I didn't think it would be this much. At this rate we'll see Danault here by Christmas.
- DarthKane

You guys need to look at this stuff on another level.

That is nobody is talking about the fact that what the Hawks did on the PK last season, was studied by every team in the nhl. Teams figure out what they were doing and devised a strategy to counter it. Just like many think that no other team has any idea what players other teams have in the system and what they are capable of (ie the showcase nonsense), every team studies what works and prepares and adjusts.

I am not pretending to know the exact x's and o's but its more likely the scheme is being exposed and not the personnel.. At the very least you have to factor in what everyone is doing.

You're whacky...but not about that. I thought this last year that Shaw showed some chem with Kane and Sharp the few times he centered the 2nd line. Would like to see Q revisit this.
- HawkintheD

Kruger grinds nice, but does not net you more than a more agile Handzus at 2C. It may come for him.

You guys need to look at this stuff on another level.

That is nobody is talking about the fact that what the Hawks did on the PK last season, was studied by every team in the nhl. Teams figure out what they were doing and devised a strategy to counter it. Just like many think that no other team has any idea what players other teams have in the system and what they are capable of (ie the showcase nonsense), every team studies what works and prepares and adjusts.

I am not pretending to know the exact x's and o's but its more likely the scheme is being exposed and not the personnel.. At the very least you have to factor in what everyone is doing.
- TrueGrit

Teams have finally figured out how to beat us on draws?? We are phucked. I get what you are saying, but I still see effort/legs issues out there as the game wears on. This is where you where your coaching staff earns its $$$$$$$

You guys need to look at this stuff on another level.

That is nobody is talking about the fact that what the Hawks did on the PK last season, was studied by every team in the nhl. Teams figure out what they were doing and devised a strategy to counter it. Just like many think that no other team has any idea what players other teams have in the system and what they are capable of (ie the showcase nonsense), every team studies what works and prepares and adjusts.

I am not pretending to know the exact x's and o's but its more likely the scheme is being exposed and not the personnel.. At the very least you have to factor in what everyone is doing.
- TrueGrit

Then it would be Q's fault for not adjusting.

I know Q is still experimenting and trying to find the right combination in the bottom 6 and PK. Chemistry doesn't happen overnight, last season the team had been together a while and we don't have that luxury this year. For me I'd say Saad or Smith should be paired with Kruger and Kruger needs to work more on his faceoffs (yes, I know that's obvious).

Hindsight is 20/20, and I know trading him was the right move but Frolik would sure look good on the 3rd line this year.