Explain Joe Thornton?
- paulr

So you are saying from a skill set stand point and over all play standpoint Joe = Zus?

If that is the case, we are on two different planets speaking different languages.

What's worse is you haven't seen the Bulin that goes off and on the IR for random old man injuries.
- Lahey

He's as useless as they come these days......BUT he's RICH

Zus also provides a big man net presence, if he can get their in time and setup. We are also seeing him on the pk which has been indifferent. It really doesn't matter what he does, Q likes him.
- Topshelf2010

As much as I knock him and Q, Zus gives them a stop gap and that is it. They both know/hope that Zus becomes Mayers. I honestly believe that.

So you are saying from a skill set stand point and over all play standpoint Joe = Zus?

If that is the case, we are on two different planets speaking different languages.
- TrueGrit

You brought up speed I replied in kind. Maybe I should have anticipated skillset as well??

He's as useless as they come these days......BUT he's RICH

- philco28

It is worth mentioning that he is a good mentor somehow. Dubnyk praised him a lot and I found it odd that Bulin really helped PRV out in his rookie year.

It is worth mentioning that he is a good mentor somehow. Dubnyk praised him a lot and I found it odd that Bulin really helped PRV out in his rookie year.
- Lahey

As in Magnus?

You brought up speed I replied in kind. Maybe I should have anticipated skillset as well??
- paulr

I also mentioned functional and skilled in my original post. It was not a statement based soley on speed. I figured you/others would know Joe Thornton a very good/elite player for some time.

It is worth mentioning that he is a good mentor somehow. Dubnyk praised him a lot and I found it odd that Bulin really helped PRV out in his rookie year.
- Lahey

I wouldn't think Khabby needs to mentor Crawford, he's a big boy now and can handle himself. I wouldn't have Khabby mentor any of the young forwards or defensemen, we have better guys for that.

As in Magnus?
- BlazinMike

yes

Ryan Parker ‏@ryanparkerdp
Police report: #Varlamov's girlfriend said he pushed her down, stomped on her and dragged her by her hair. #Avalanche

More: Police report: #Varlamov allegedly told his girlfriend, in Russian, "if this were Russia, he would have beat her more." #Avalanche

I wouldn't think Khabby needs to mentor Crawford, he's a big boy now and can handle himself. I wouldn't have Khabby mentor any of the young forwards or defensemen, we have better guys for that.
- DarthKane

Why? He can drink them under the table and if they want to go out partying they might think twice.

It is worth mentioning that he is a good mentor somehow. Dubnyk praised him a lot and I found it odd that Bulin really helped PRV out in his rookie year.
- Lahey

It's cool that Bulin helped Dubnyk...but he didn't teach much about stopping the puck

Ryan Parker ‏@ryanparkerdp
Police report: #Varlamov's girlfriend said he pushed her down, stomped on her and dragged her by her hair. #Avalanche
- philco28

Right after she said, lets get giggy with it.

Ryan Parker ‏@ryanparkerdp
Police report: #Varlamov's girlfriend said he pushed her down, stomped on her and dragged her by her hair. #Avalanche

More: Police report: #Varlamov allegedly told his girlfriend, in Russian, "if this were Russia, he would have beat her more." #Avalanche
- philco28

Wanted: a new goaltender. Teams on that list?

Colorado obviously. Anyone on their farm team any good? Probably not NHL worthy.

Chicago should allow Khabby a few more starts, just to be sure if they need to look for another goaltender. Bringing in Raanta is not such a good idea if he doesn't play a lot. What would you expect performance wise if he played infrequently? Right. And Raanta needs AHL time, anyway. Learning the nuances of NHL game, as mentioned in comments in threads here.

I really doubt that Bowman trades for a #2 center. Why and how would he pay for such an acquisition? He has a lot of center/forward prospects as well as heralded Tervainen. Bowman would need to move one of them if he is getting a center back. Only so many slots on a roster now and in next few years. Difficult to trade a forward prospect when you haven't seen yet the next step they take in their development. I would rather wait on prospects than push for a #2 center.

Also, you are nuts if you trade one of our core dmen for a quick fix at center. Each team would love for us to make Keith, Seabrook, Hjalmarsson available.

I sense some may trade the shirt off their back, almost anything if they thought it gave a better chance to win the Cup this season.

Long season withnOlympics after a short summer. I still have reservation if we will get to Conf finals this year due to fatigue. I like our team much better in two years, with a Tervainen and other forward prospects progressing to job(s) in Chg.

One last thing...if a big salary would need to be moved due to salary cap bye bye Sharp. You are more expendable than other big salary players. Thank you for your time here. C'mon, man eventually you cannot say ALL your core guys retire as Blackhawks. Yeah that happens when the salary cap is $100 million. Be real one day the first big salary core player to move out is none other than league leader at blasting shots into the chest of the opposing goaltenders.

not sure what the train of thought was- i complained about it and was told by the brainiacs Khabby was the best available. ofc, which i begged to differ. At that time, i thought Khabby could play still, but was more concerned about the 2mil cap hit and his propensity to get hurt.
Also, i am not sure what the plan is with our dmen in Rockford, it kind of looks like we are set for a few years.
- Topshelf2010

Criteria was...Needed to be a former bona fide #1....And that was pretty much Khabby only.

Toews leads & Hawks win.
What to do about Khabibulin?
Nothing now except play better defense and hope:Fox Chicago:http://bit.ly/18CkfVh

@AlCimaglia

Wanted: a new goaltender. Teams on that list?

Colorado obviously. Anyone on their farm team any good? Probably not NHL worthy.

Chicago should allow Khabby a few more starts, just to be sure if they need to look for another goaltender. Bringing in Raanta is not such a good idea if he doesn't play a lot. What would you expect performance wise if he played infrequently? Right. And Raanta needs AHL time, anyway. Learning the nuances of NHL game, as mentioned in comments in threads here.

I really doubt that Bowman trades for a #2 center. Why and how would he pay for such an acquisition? He has a lot of center/forward prospects as well as heralded Tervainen. Bowman would need to move one of them if he is getting a center back. Only so many slots on a roster now and in next few years. Difficult to trade a forward prospect when you haven't seen yet the next step they take in their development. I would rather wait on prospects than push for a #2 center.

Also, you are nuts if you trade one of our core dmen for a quick fix at center. Each team would love for us to make Keith, Seabrook, Hjalmarsson available.

I sense some may trade the shirt off their back, almost anything if they thought it gave a better chance to win the Cup this season.

Long season withnOlympics after a short summer. I still have reservation if we will get to Conf finals this year due to fatigue. I like our team much better in two years, with a Tervainen and other forward prospects progressing to job(s) in Chg.

One last thing...if a big salary would need to be moved due to salary cap bye bye Sharp. You are more expendable than other big salary players. Thank you for your time here. C'mon, man eventually you cannot say ALL your core guys retire as Blackhawks. Yeah that happens when the salary cap is $100 million. Be real one day the first big salary core player to move out is none other than league leader at blasting shots into the chest of the opposing goaltenders.
- jhawk59

I think you are forgetting Mr. Bickell, especially if he continues to play in the bottom 6.

Criteria was...Needed to be a former bona fide #1....And that was pretty much Khabby only.

Toews leads & Hawks win.
What to do about Khabibulin?
Nothing now except play better defense and hope:Fox Chicago:http://bit.ly/18CkfVh

@AlCimaglia
- Al

Jose Theodore?

Jose Theodore?
- DarthKane

....and his coke dealer.

Jose Theodore?
- DarthKane

Maybe, was making $3 mill last year don't know if they reached out to him.

Also don't know if he wanted to play as a back up or at all.

Played in only 15 games last year.

Toews leads & Hawks win.
What to do about Khabibulin?
Nothing now except play better defense and hope:Fox Chicago:http://bit.ly/18CkfVh

@AlCimaglia

Jose Theodore?
- DarthKane

Forget the old washed up guys, A. Raantaa is next in line and he will challenge Crawford one day for that starter job. I have watched him lots and I once predicted great things for S. Bobrovsky and you know how that turned out. Raantaa is very similar and after a year in the AHL he will be NHL bound.

Maybe, was making $3 mill last year don't know if they reached out to him.

Also don't know if he wanted to play as a back up or at all.

Played in only 15 games last year.

Toews leads & Hawks win.
What to do about Khabibulin?
Nothing now except play better defense and hope:Fox Chicago:http://bit.ly/18CkfVh

@AlCimaglia
- Al

I would think a guy who hasn't played since last season is more of risk than Bulin....has he been playing anywhere?

LOL on the CC bashing. He's by far the most consistent player on the team. His numbers don't reflect unstoppable shots, stupid turnovers and a slew of lost PK FO's in their own end. They clearly believe they can't run the old PK scheme with the personnel on hand. They should have kept Fro, but the poor PK performance is inexcusable. Lost FOs + collapsing on the net, screening the goalie while failing to block = disaster.

Come on, you guys know better.
- Q...argh

70% team SV%. That's on the goalie. They are allowing less shots on the PK than last year, the SV% is 25% lower. Its not likely to continue like that, but as of right now its the goalies fault. Every goalie in the league gets unstoppable shots, and as every pessimist on this board loves pointing out, its not like the Hawks have had murderers row to start the season. A goalie's job is to stop shots, and Crawford's been average at it so far, great 5v5, bad on the PK.

70% team SV%. That's on the goalie. They are allowing less shots on the PK than last year, the SV% is 25% lower. Its not likely to continue like that, but as of right now its the goalies fault. Every goalie in the league gets unstoppable shots, and as every pessimist on this board loves pointing out, its not like the Hawks have had murderers row to start the season. A goalie's job is to stop shots, and Crawford's been average at it so far, great 5v5, bad on the PK.
- rollpards19

Absolute comedy. Lets go man. nice sample size and great analysis of the quality of shots please...All on the Goalie....My gosh...

I think you are forgetting Mr. Bickell, especially if he continues to play in the bottom 6.
- powerenforcer

You might be right about that. BB is someone whom I will guess is going to be a strong playoff performer but regular season just has his moments or stretch of games where he is pretty good

Five pages into a blog about Khabby and nobody has posted a picture of his daughter yet? You guys are slipping.
- Dieselhead

Just looked Sasha up. Sorry, a tennis player who is facially a dead ringer for pops, doesn't meet Beav Standards.