Today's interview....

‏@AlCimaglia
Hawks update-Saad-Bickell-Kane-Shaw-Darling-Raanta-Q. mix master...
Chirbit:
- Al[Audio] NHL Radio Interview 10/31 http://chirb.it/O6mxIq

Good job and good listen as usual Al.

Count the shifts Kruger/Smith played last night in 3rd period of a close game with Bickell on the bench. Both had more than most...Including Kane and Richards.
- Al

Kruger and Smith bring great value to the team, just because their contracts are on the lower end of the pay grade it doesn't mean they don't bring something to the team. To suggest the guys like McNeill and Danault are ready to replace Kruger and Smith is a tad premature. Last year we thought Nordstrom was the new Kruger but that didn't work out. I expect Kruger will be around for a while longer, in an interview Stan said he wanted to re-sign Kruger and I expect he will. Smith will stick around for one more season, but I don't know if he'll last beyond that. Hopefully he does but the salary cap forces Stan to trade away players he'd rather keep (i.e. Frolik).

So could Nick.

Didn't seem to get him too far with Q.

Wonder how everyone is enjoying the 36 yr old Rozsival?
Ship has sailed. With the addition of the tremendously talented Richards, this team is headed places.
- savvyone-1

Much netter than watching Leddy adjust his helmet in the middle of a play. Or stand next to the goalie while guy buzz all around here. Or his end long rushes to nowhere.

I don't really think anyone was challenging this.....100% will be in
- ChicagoDave

Larmer will never make it into the HoF. He doesn't have the star power. All he did was his job every freaking night.

Teuvo has 1 goal in 8 games and shooting a robust 5%.

#TeuvoTime
- SteveRain

ugh...looks like TT time is stopped clock

Patrick Kane has one even strength point

#kaneformiller
- fattybeef

that projects to about 8 points the rest of the year....

must be the Brad Richards effect....

ugh...looks like TT time is stopped clock
- bogiedoc

For your info TT has the most assist on the Hogs ( 5 ) and leads with most points. He has been playing very good the last 3 games. Why all the negativity about TT? Doen't be to surprised if he moves up to the Hawks by January.

For your info TT has the most assist on the Hogs ( 5 ) and leads with most points. He has been playing very good the last 3 games. Why all the negativity about TT? Doen't be to surprised if he moves up to the Hawks by January.
- spanky

dude. HE'S A sMURF!!

dude. HE'S A sMURF!!
- Elbows15

Have you ever seen TT play? If you had you wouldnt call him a snurff. By the wat what do you call Kane? Remember Kane weighs about 8 lbs less and is an inch shorter.

Have you ever seen TT play? If you had you wouldnt call him a snurff. By the wat what do you call Kane? Remember Kane weighs about 8 lbs less and is an inch shorter.
- spanky

Actually I have seen him play about 20 times. He shies away from the boards. how often do you see Kane get knocked off the puck these days?

From what I have seen, TT does not weigh more than Kane.


And it was sarcastic. Hence the winkie.

TT isn't ready for the NHL, yet.

Actually I have seen him play about 20 times. He shies away from the boards. how often do you see Kane get knocked off the puck these days?

From what I have seen, TT does not weigh more than Kane.


And it was sarcastic. Hence the winkie.

TT isn't ready for the NHL, yet.
- Elbows15

Buddy, you must have missed watching the last 8 games Kane has played. He has played soft..I mean soft. He is not taken a qualit shot in front of the net. All his shots are comming from bad angles. He shies away big time in the tough areas and looses more on the boards than he wins. Your right about one thing ( not Kane) TT is not ready to play with the big boys right now...but he will by January IMO

Buddy, you must have missed watching the last 8 games Kane has played. He has played soft..I mean soft. He is not taken a qualit shot in front of the net. All his shots are comming from bad angles. He shies away big time in the tough areas and looses more on the boards than he wins. Your right about one thing ( not Kane) TT is not ready to play with the big boys right now...but he will by January IMO
- spanky

his game isn't going to the net. It never was and it never will be. Why people keep expecting him to be a power forward is beyond me.

Buddy, you must have missed watching the last 8 games Kane has played. He has played soft..I mean soft. He is not taken a qualit shot in front of the net. All his shots are comming from bad angles. He shies away big time in the tough areas and looses more on the boards than he wins. Your right about one thing ( not Kane) TT is not ready to play with the big boys right now...but he will by January IMO
- spanky

Your right about Kane.... if his last name was Morin he would be in Rockford as would Bickel

I'm a big Hawk fan and generally a positive poster but if things don't change this group could miss the playoffs just like they almost did in 2011
Wish we had traded Bickel and converted Leddy to a forward

>Rick, I could not agree more -- once again, this year, the Hawks have 2 Centers -- Toews and Kruger
>Love a lot of what Shaw does, BUT, how many more times is he going to go below the goal line to make a meaningless late check on an opponent who has already headmanned the puck up the ice?
>Shaw creates odd man breaks shift after shift -- for the other team -- oh and Kane is supposed to be one of the backchecking wingers
>There are only 4 Hawk forwards that have consistent "stop and start" in their skating: Toews, Hossa, Kruger, Smith -- you need to be able to start and stop all over the ice to play good defense -- especially in your own zone
>Bickell and Shaw are the leaders of the "glide and reach club" which Saad has now joined
>As a team, when the Hawks "stop and start" all over the ice, they almost always win
>On D, the Dmen are slowing the game down too much in their own zone, get the puck up the ice either with a quick pass or skating it yourself -- see Flyers game
>This Sens game was one of the worst Kane has had in a long time -- especially on the power play
>Glad Q and his cronies had a good summer -- how about doing some F*ing coaching
- SnapitUpstairs

[SLOW CLAP]

Your right about Kane.... if his last name was Morin he would be in Rockford as would Bickel

I'm a big Hawk fan and generally a positive poster but if things don't change this group could miss the playoffs just like they almost did in 2011
Wish we had traded Bickel and converted Leddy to a forward
- Colbyboy

Don't expect it to change Rick.
It's Q's doing and Dineen alluded to that fact when interviewed a while ago.

Any of us thinking that Dineen (or anyone else for that matter -- Barry Smith?!!!) would have input to change things is smoking some good stuff.

How much easier can they make it to defend?
1st you put your most dynamic players along the wall -- almost all of them except for 1 and then you send long-distance passes after one of those players stickhandles incessantly, as if the stickhandling is going to fool anyone and draw them out of their D alignment to open up a spot. Oh gee, and if a spot did open, is there anyone actually moving to open ice? Nope.

That, along with Duncan Keith as your point man -- who has a pea shooter for a shot IF he can get a shot through to the net and IF he actually decides to shoot instead of playing around with the puck or sending ANOTHER long distance pass to nowhere.

Yikes.

I just don't see this changing.
Note, too, how playing a bit better game up-front during 5v5 caused them to NOT play a very good game in their own zone.
- savvyone-1

The things I don't like the most about the Hawks power play - in no particular order:

1) Duncan Keith - He has the most inaccurate shot of any defenseman on this team. Foley and Olczyk constantly call his errant shots hot passes - I don't know why they just can't be honest to the novice fan that would not know any better. And his ability to keep a puck in the zone when it comes back to the line is terrible. Just watch this team on the power play - and count how many times a night one of his shots misses the goal by five feet - hits off the boards - and kicks out of the zone on the other side - and how many times the puck magically jumps over his stick at the blue line and the team is forced to start over again - and this is a team that is challenged on entering the zone on the power play in the first place.

2) Patrick Sharp/Brad Richards - Neither one of them are defensemen - and should not be used at the point on the power play. Both are challenged at keeping the puck in when it comes back to the blue line (see #1). This team has to lead the league in unforced zone exits while on the power play - having forwards out of position contributes to this in my opinion. Natural defensemen must be used at the points.

3) Since Q has been the coach here - it seems like he uses the powerplay as a reward system for the players he likes - and not putting the right players in the best positions for it to succeed on a regular basis (see #2). I know most people on this site don't like Rundblad - but he does have offensive upside to his game. I would think he has to be a better option on the PP than Sharp or Richards. When he is in the lineup - his ability should be utilized. He should also be using Seabrook on the first unit - he has the best shot of all defenseman on the Hawks - in my opinion. And maybe TVR should get some time on the second unit - you never know until you try it.

4) I agree with most on this site that players like Patrick Kane should be utilized in the middle of the ice on the PP - instead of on the wall. The defense seems to trap him along the wall and just keep active sticks in his passing lanes - this limits his great vision and passing ability that the middle of the ice gives a player with his ability.

When watching the Hawks - and I haven't missed a game since the 2008 season - I sometimes wonder if Q really wants his power play units to score. If he is the one running it - I don't think he objectively sees it like it matters all that much to benefit from it. Maybe his being a former defenseman taints his objectivity when it comes to the offensive side of the game.

The things I don't like the most about the Hawks power play - in no particular order:

1) Duncan Keith - He has the most inaccurate shot of any defenseman on this team. Foley and Olczyk constantly call his errant shots hot passes - I don't know why they just can't be honest to the novice fan that would not know any better. And his ability to keep a puck in the zone when it comes back to the line is terrible. Just watch this team on the power play - and count how many times a night one of his shots misses the goal by five feet - hits off the boards - and kicks out of the zone on the other side - and how many times the puck magically jumps over his stick at the blue line and the team is forced to start over again - and this is a team that is challenged on entering the zone on the power play in the first place.

2) Patrick Sharp/Brad Richards - Neither one of them are defensemen - and should not be used at the point on the power play. Both are challenged at keeping the puck in when it comes back to the blue line (see #1). This team has to lead the league in unforced zone exits while on the power play - having forwards out of position contributes to this in my opinion. Natural defensemen must be used at the points.

3) Since Q has been the coach here - it seems like he uses the powerplay as a reward system for the players he likes - and not putting the right players in the best positions for it to succeed on a regular basis (see #2). I know most people on this site don't like Rundblad - but he does have offensive upside to his game. I would think he has to be a better option on the PP than Sharp or Richards. When he is in the lineup - his ability should be utilized. He should also be using Seabrook on the first unit - he has the best shot of all defenseman on the Hawks - in my opinion. And maybe TVR should get some time on the second unit - you never know until you try it.

4) I agree with most on this site that players like Patrick Kane should be utilized in the middle of the ice on the PP - instead of on the wall. The defense seems to trap him along the wall and just keep active sticks in his passing lanes - this limits his great vision and passing ability that the middle of the ice gives a player with his ability.

When watching the Hawks - and I haven't missed a game since the 2008 season - I sometimes wonder if Q really wants his power play units to score. If he is the one running it - I don't think he objectively sees it like it matters all that much to benefit from it. Maybe his being a former defenseman taints his objectivity when it comes to the offensive side of the game.
- dahawks8819

Q not wanting his PP to score or thinking it doesn't matter much is a real stretch for me to buy into.

Not going to comment on the players mentioned above other than to say Rundblad has only played a few games and in none of those games was there a wide score differential. If there was a game where they were winning or losing by 3 or 4 goals, sure, give him a chance on the point on the PP. He definitely wouldn't be worse than Richards out there.

One more thing, because of the game and travel schedule all NHL teams face, full practices don't occur very often - no time, better to let the players rest, etc. Hawks are in a 9 game in 15 days stretch so I wouldn't think they would hold more than 1 practice during that time. Might not be right, but that the way it is.

dahawks8819 - Just curious. When you say Runblad has offensive upside how do you know? When I see him skate around in warmups he doesn't have hands as he chops the puck with his stick most of the time he touches it and he doesn't have much of a stride. Because of his short stride he doesn't have the reach a tall player should have. I just don't see what the guy's doing here. I know SB gave up a 2nd for him so that's why he's here. So I'm wondering what I'm missing.

dahawks8819 - Just curious. When you say Runblad has offensive upside how do you know? When I see him skate around in warmups he doesn't have hands as he chops the puck with his stick most of the time he touches it and he doesn't have much of a stride. Because of his short stride he doesn't have the reach a tall player should have. I just don't see what the guy's doing here. I know SB gave up a 2nd for him so that's why he's here. So I'm wondering what I'm missing.
- 6628

I don't know about that , in some early games Runblad played some limited time in OT 4 on 4 and looked like he had some decent moves with the extra ice .I think he should be given a chance on the PP ,sure can't be much worse then what I have seen of late ..

his game isn't going to the net. It never was and it never will be. Why people keep expecting him to be a power forward is beyond me.
- Elbows15

Like Scotty Bowman?

No one expects Kane to be a power forward. Following up his shot (or a teammates) only helps his game and the team. Right now he watches his shot or veers off rather than driving. Bowman talked to him about this in the 13 playoffs and Kane called it something like a motivator or reminder that turned his game.

dahawks8819 - Just curious. When you say Runblad has offensive upside how do you know? When I see him skate around in warmups he doesn't have hands as he chops the puck with his stick most of the time he touches it and he doesn't have much of a stride. Because of his short stride he doesn't have the reach a tall player should have. I just don't see what the guy's doing here. I know SB gave up a 2nd for him so that's why he's here. So I'm wondering what I'm missing.
- 6628

He did when he was drafted. Not sure what he has now.

I will say I would rather see him get minutes to develop over Rosi - who has probably reached a physical ceiling.

What I would really like is to Klas get time here to develop over both.

lines tonight versus the Leafs : 23-19-81, 10-65-88, 29-91-11, 20-16-28.

I don't know about that , in some early games Runblad played some limited time in OT 4 on 4 and looked like he had some decent moves with the extra ice .I think he should be given a chance on the PP ,sure can't be much worse then what I have seen of late ..
- oldduffman

Agree on the "can't be much worse" line.

He did when he was drafted. Not sure what he has now.

I will say I would rather see him get minutes to develop over Rosi - who has probably reached a physical ceiling.

What I would really like is to Klas get time here to develop over both.
- tredbrta

Saw Dahlbeck play last night and he was very unimpressive. At least not nearly as disappointing as Johns was.

I'll have a full update of my thoughts about the Hogs in San Antonio soon.

Your right about Kane.... if his last name was Morin he would be in Rockford as would Bickel

I'm a big Hawk fan and generally a positive poster but if things don't change this group could miss the playoffs just like they almost did in 2011
Wish we had traded Bickel and converted Leddy to a forward
- Colbyboy

Has Kane fallen into the "got my big fat contract" mind set so I dont need to lay it out there anymore? The team just seems to be devoid of fire when they play. I know its early. Maybe he is torqued because the big Richards for #2 C thing is not really panning out. Dunno... For those who have seen TT play... is he the type to dig his nose in there to make the play or is he a perimeter player??