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

Honestly I could see this team sleepwalk through most of the season and then turn it on when the playoffs roll around. There's a lot to be said about knowing how to win and how to bring out the "A" game when it matters the most.

Remember Sharp last season? He was pretty bad at times yet was one of the team's best players through the playoffs.

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.
- DarthKane

I knock Q a lot, but if you really want to see big picture, just realize how small the margin is in the game. How an extra second of time and space makes such a huge difference. Also how puck luck evening out humbles a team in a hurry. If you really think about that, you really can start to appreciate the streak last year at the beginning of the season. That is how 7th or 8th deviation our puck luck was. That is so far outside the norm. Yes the boys worked for it, but in regular life, the distribution of luck/opportunity is often 50 50.

That is another part of the take away. In all those close games last year, how we avoided the bad bounce.

Again, look at the NHL. Look each night at teams giving up leads. It is not so much giving up leads as the game is set up to allow teams to be in games, the speed of game makes everyteam a threat.

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

I liked both of them. Morin had no apprehension, he got in there like he belonged. No hesitating. Wanted the puck, wanted to get his shot off. Took the body. Think he compliments that line well.

Mills too, think he has a great skill set and understanding of his role. Skates fast, takes body. Would love to see him aside Kruger. With Bollig, nice combo again.

I knock Q a lot, but if you really want to see big picture, just realize how small the margin is in the game. How an extra second of time and space makes such a huge difference. Also how puck luck evening out humbles a team in a hurry. If you really think about that, you really can start to appreciate the streak last year at the beginning of the season. That is how 7th or 8th deviation our puck luck was. That is so far outside the norm. Yes the boys worked for it, but in regular life, the distribution of luck/opportunity is often 50 50.

That is another part of the take away. In all those close games last year, how we avoided the bad bounce.

Again, look at the NHL. Look each night at teams giving up leads. It is not so much giving up leads as the game is set up to allow teams to be in games, the speed of game makes everyteam a threat.
- TrueGrit

Afternoon TG. You are still not in the club. Good post.

Afternoon TG. You are still not in the club. Good post.
- rtang415

Darn it, how are you there? Just peaking in between getting some work done.

I knock Q a lot, but if you really want to see big picture, just realize how small the margin is in the game. How an extra second of time and space makes such a huge difference. Also how puck luck evening out humbles a team in a hurry. If you really think about that, you really can start to appreciate the streak last year at the beginning of the season. That is how 7th or 8th deviation our puck luck was. That is so far outside the norm. Yes the boys worked for it, but in regular life, the distribution of luck/opportunity is often 50 50.

That is another part of the take away. In all those close games last year, how we avoided the bad bounce.

Again, look at the NHL. Look each night at teams giving up leads. It is not so much giving up leads as the game is set up to allow teams to be in games, the speed of game makes everyteam a threat.
- TrueGrit

In the world of hockey as it is with other sports. "Someday peanuts someday shells", let us hope for the Hawks it is more peanuts than shells.

Seems every game the Hawks are thwarted by great goalie play.

I don't buy it.
- ArlingtonRob

Sharp alone hits the goalie square on the crest at least 5 times a game. Our shooting as a whole has been aweful. Then we have to listen to those tweenie girls Pat & Edzo yell "GREAT SAVE!"

I knock Q a lot, but if you really want to see big picture, just realize how small the margin is in the game. How an extra second of time and space makes such a huge difference. Also how puck luck evening out humbles a team in a hurry. If you really think about that, you really can start to appreciate the streak last year at the beginning of the season. That is how 7th or 8th deviation our puck luck was. That is so far outside the norm. Yes the boys worked for it, but in regular life, the distribution of luck/opportunity is often 50 50.

That is another part of the take away. In all those close games last year, how we avoided the bad bounce.

Again, look at the NHL. Look each night at teams giving up leads. It is not so much giving up leads as the game is set up to allow teams to be in games, the speed of game makes everyteam a threat.
- TrueGrit

In my opinion luck or good fortune follows speed

Ok I'm gonna chime in on this. I can already hear the calls of "Rose-Coloured Glasses". Oh well. Here goes:


To start the year, it seems that a lot of weird/strange/crappy/tired/stupid (you choose the word) stuff is happening.......

1. Blown ref calls
2. Good goals brought back.
3. Backups playing terrible.
4. Hands of stone.
5. Too many penalties and can't stop them.
6. Goal-scoring
7. Wrong timing d-pinches.
8. Pucks don't go on net.
9. Domination and still tie/lose (except maybe tonight, they weren't that good)
10. Opposite teams goalies playing out of their minds.

But yet, the Blackhawks are still 6-2-3. Not too shabby in my books. Can they be better, darn right they can. Will they? I really do think so. I don't think those 10 things will continue to happen.

On the Shaw non-goal. Let me ask a question. If Shaw hit the puck with a high stick the blue line. The puck drops and the Wild d-man gets the puck and skates away is the whistle blown? Nope

What if next that same Wild d-man turns to his goalie and shoots it at him, the puck goes in. Is it a goal?

Hmmmmmmm.
- robhawks

How come noone in the media ever questions the calls from the warroom? Am I the only one who thinks they drink themselves silly and then when they are called, have to scramble for some kind of rule because they don't know the rules? Where was there ever a rule that said a puck had to be in a defenders possession if the puck went off him into his own net? Have you ever heard of that one before?

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

The issues are consistently the same....They will be called legitimate problems in the eyes of most when they start costing points. That time could be coming soon as the schedule won't be any easier than it has been.

...And it is more than Seabrook, when the Hawks can't pass they play a lot slower....The last two games they looked really slow at times.

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

On Twitter@AlCimaglia

How come noone in the media ever questions the calls from the warroom? Am I the only one who thinks they drink themselves silly and then when they are called, have to scramble for some kind of rule because they don't know the rules? Where was there ever a rule that said a puck had to be in a defenders possession if the puck went off him into his own net? Have you ever heard of that one before?
- powerenforcer

The call last night was correct....Although not an easy one to understand.

The non review the other day in TB I wrote a good portion of my piece about. That is a systemic problem with NHL reviews because not every play involving a goal is eligible for review.

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

On Twitter@AlCimaglia

The call last night was correct....Although not an easy one to understand.

The non review the other day in TB I wrote a good portion of my piece about. That is a systemic problem with NHL reviews because not every play involving a goal is eligible for review.

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

On Twitter@AlCimaglia
- Al

Al, what was correct about it? They should have ruled the play dead since it was hit by a high-stick. But because they did not rule that dead, it went off a Minnesota player. That is a goal, no need for the player to have possession. The player had control, the puck changed direction after it hit him. Control=possession.

Al, what was correct about it? They should have ruled the play dead since it was hit by a high-stick. But because they did not rule that dead, it went off a Minnesota player. That is a goal, no need for the player to have possession. The player had control, the puck changed direction after it hit him. Control=possession.
- powerenforcer

The puck hit the Minny player as a result of high stick and a deflection in this case was not considered control. The original cause for the puck to head toward the net was not legal.

Bigger issue by far is the play in TB which wasn't even eligible for review.

Stamkos went into the crease on his own and although touched by Rozsival he stayed in the crease and did not get out of the way.

Tough play to call on the ice but it wasn't eligible for review....That's an issue for a sport that was the 1st to use video and has been doing so since 1991.

The puck hit the Minny player as a result of high stick and a deflection in this case was not considered control. The original cause for the puck to head toward the net was not legal.

Bigger issue by far is the play in TB which wasn't even eligible for review.

Stamkos went into the crease on his own and although touched by Rozsival he stayed in the crease and did not get out of the way.

Tough play to call on the ice but it wasn't eligible for review....That's an issue for a sport that was the 1st to use video and has been doing so since 1991.
- Al

OK Al, why didn't they just say the puck was hit by a high-stick? That would have been the safe and "correct" call, but since they let that go they had to find something else to cause the no-goal. They made their bed then had to find an excuse as to why they blew the call.

Like I said last night, why on a delayed penalty is the play blown dead when the team touches the puck, not needing to have possession? It just seems like they are making rules as they go along.

As to the Tampa game, that entire game was a joke. Why wasn't Bishop called for interference when he went out to play the puck but skated toward the forechecker before he played the puck? Crawford was penalized on similar plays last season when it was deemed he initiated contact.

OK Al, why didn't they just say the puck was hit by a high-stick? That would have been the safe and "correct" call, but since they let that go they had to find something else to cause the no-goal. They made their bed then had to find an excuse as to why they blew the call.

Like I said last night, why on a delayed penalty is the play blown dead when the team touches the puck, not needing to have possession? It just seems like they are making rules as they go along.

As to the Tampa game, that entire game was a joke. Why wasn't Bishop called for interference when he went out to play the puck but skated toward the forechecker before he played the puck? Crawford was penalized on similar plays last season when it was deemed he initiated contact.
- powerenforcer

If we were forming a line to defend NHL officiating I would be last.

The talent pool is thin and the rule book is written in water color. Possession on a delayed penalty is subjective and that is another way of saying problematic.

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

On Twitter@AlCimaglia

If we were forming a line to defend NHL officiating I would be last.

The talent pool is thin and the rule book is written in water color. Possession on a delayed penalty is subjective and that is another way of saying problematic.

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

On Twitter@AlCimaglia
- Al

Well Al, I know we would be the last 2 in line. I am not sure I would let you be the last.

Damn just read Vanek to the isles for Moulson and a 1st and 2nd. Expect a lot more Sabre moves. Like Miller

Damn just read Vanek to the isles for Moulson and a 1st and 2nd. Expect a lot more Sabre moves. Like Miller
- tomcat24

Just told someone today on Twitter the Islanders would be adding to their mix...

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

On Twitter@AlCimaglia

Damn just read Vanek to the isles for Moulson and a 1st and 2nd. Expect a lot more Sabre moves. Like Miller
- tomcat24

I'd gladly take Myers off their hands (if they took some of the contract load)

I'd gladly take Myers off their hands (if they took some of the contract load)
- CBHawks88

No thanks.....maybe for your fantasy team.

Damn just read Vanek to the isles for Moulson and a 1st and 2nd. Expect a lot more Sabre moves. Like Miller
- tomcat24

Too bad for Moulson. Not going to be scoring at the same pace when he doesn't have Tavares feeding him the biscuit. Though he likely only has to suffer in Buffalo for this season.

I'd gladly take Myers off their hands (if they took some of the contract load)
- CBHawks88

I always liked him. It is true he hasn't lived up to his potential after his great rookie year. And he does have a huge contract. So like u said, they would have to take o some of that contract. Problem is they won't give him away. And the price would be too high probably

So much for the Kane getting trade to Buffalo for Vanek pipe dream.

So much for the Kane getting trade to Buffalo for Vanek pipe dream.
- Beaver-Warrior

Kane and Crawford for Miller and John Scott

Kane and Crawford for Miller and John Scott
- prd797

Only if you throw in Khabby.