From the Kuc article:

Quenneville said he has "fingers crossed" that Keith will return to the lineup against the Blues on Saturday

So it looks like my original post-surgery prediction may be accurate.

So back to #Crawfordiselite

acmidd28
Season Ticket Holder
Chicago Blackhawks
Location: Chicago , IL
Joined: 06.17.2009

Today @ 8:54 AM ET
Hey JJ, where do you think Rozisval factors into this when ready? Or does he at all? 5-6 D-man and scratch Svedberg?

I think Rozy will be prepped for the playoffs, so I can definitely see him paired with Daley. So our defense if things work out accordingly

Keith and TVR
Nik and Seabrook
Daley and Rozy

That looks like the best defense in the league once again, no need for a trade

Is there any way that Rundblad is not one of the odd men out when Keith gets back? It would appear he's at the bottom of the current NHL roster defensive depth chart.

acmidd28
Season Ticket Holder
Chicago Blackhawks
Location: Chicago , IL
Joined: 06.17.2009

Today @ 8:54 AM ET
Hey JJ, where do you think Rozisval factors into this when ready? Or does he at all? 5-6 D-man and scratch Svedberg?

I think Rozy will be prepped for the playoffs, so I can definitely see him paired with Daley. So our defense if things work out accordingly

Keith and TVR
Nik and Seabrook
Daley and Rozy

That looks like the best defense in the league once again, no need for a trade
- BetweenTheDots

Agreeed, Rozy probably splitting time with gustavsson?

Because .....
- paulr

I will rephrase:

Given what I have seen the last few games I don't think he will be traded. The due diligence on the trade was done last year by scouting and I have not seen reason to reverse their thoughts on how he fits in Chicago.

Time will tell but I like how Daley is progressing in a new system.

I will rephrase:

Given what I have seen the last few games I don't think he will be traded. The due diligence on the trade was done last year by scouting and I have not seen reason to reverse their thoughts on how he fits in Chicago.

Time will tell but I like how Daley is progressing in a new system.
- Colbyboy

I trust SB and the scouts but I think Daley was someone they had to take in the Sharp trade. Daley is brutal defensively in terms of positioning, defensive awareness and his lack of skill playing defensively. Quenneville will not tolerate Daley's constant defensive mistakes, breakdowns and poor decision making especially considering Daley isn't contributing offensively.

I trust SB and the scouts but I think Daley was someone they had to take in the Sharp trade. Daley is brutal defensively in terms of positioning, defensive awareness and his lack of skill playing defensively. Quenneville will not tolerate Daley's constant defensive mistakes, breakdowns and poor decision making especially considering Daley isn't contributing offensively.
- paulr

I'm going to hold my judgement of him until Keith is back and Daley has been playing with Hammer for a few games. Daley is rough but a lot is being asked of him right now. He is way out of his comfort zone. Honestly though, I'm not all that impressed with him. I was expecting a little more but I'm gonna give it some time to see if he meets my expectations with more acclimation into the Hawks system.

acmidd28
Season Ticket Holder
Chicago Blackhawks
Location: Chicago , IL
Joined: 06.17.2009

Today @ 8:54 AM ET



Keith and TVR
Nik and Seabrook
Daley and Rozy

That looks like the best defense in the league once again, no need for a trade
- BetweenTheDots

That absolutely does NOT look like the best defense in the league.

That absolutely does NOT look like the best defense in the league.
- AceRatbang

Maybe not, but It could be better than last years and look where it got us

Hockey is a funny game. Crawford so bad one night and so spectacular the next.

Glad 72 is on our side.

Hope to keep treading water until Keith returns.

That is the key, Mrpaulish! Right from the news of the injury I think we ALL hoped Hawks just kept themselves in the hunt until he returns. Only a couple of points from a playoff spot. In good shape as long as we stay in this range until the League's BEST D-man is back to anchor our blueline!!!

I am a lot less concerned with the D Core as time marches on.

Swedberg looks better every outing and Daley was flying last night. Daley just needs reps

Seabs Keith
TVR Hammer
Daley Swedberg

The group is growing on me.
- Colbyboy

And looks like Gustafsson can be #7 or #8 when Rozy back, you know who that leaves out

I trust SB and the scouts but I think Daley was someone they had to take in the Sharp trade. Daley is brutal defensively in terms of positioning, defensive awareness and his lack of skill playing defensively. Quenneville will not tolerate Daley's constant defensive mistakes, breakdowns and poor decision making especially considering Daley isn't contributing offensively.
- paulr

Oduya had some of the same tendencies when he arrived from Winnipeg so for now I'm ok with his upside.

We can agree to disagree on Daley

And looks like Gustafsson can be #7 or #8 when Rozy back, you know who that leaves out
- vabeachbear

Which is why a lot of us can sleep at night knowing 5 is not out there!

I have to say I was half right I thought AA would succeed playing center with Kane so far so good.

But Damn that first line misses Saad a lot, I didn't realize how much that line relied on a gritty cycle play, I agree Dano looks/plays tougher than TT so why not throw him out there with 19 and 81, btw good to see Hossa back in the line up
- BetweenTheDots[/img]

Still think the plan has always been for Dano to be up on the 1st line, just a process to get him there now.

Having him up there and contributing is a big big deal. It solidifies 1 thru 6. Also puts some more playmakers in the bottom 6, and they need to get some scoring contributions out of those guys.

TT, Kero, Shaw, Tiki, Kruger, Desi, Garbutt; Should be able to get two decent checking scoring lines.

Thinking I'd try a bottom 6:

Kero, TT, Shaw
Kruger, Garbutt, Desi / Tiki

and let them play together for a while.

Hockey is a funny game. Crawford so bad one night and so spectacular the next.

Glad 72 is on our side.

Hope to keep treading water until Keith returns.

That is the key, Mrpaulish! Right from the news of the injury I think we ALL hoped Hawks just kept themselves in the hunt until he returns. Only a couple of points from a playoff spot. In good shape as long as we stay in this range until the League's BEST D-man is back to anchor our blueline!!!


- hawk35

Hockey is extremely funny. After the 2014 playoffs, I felt so sure that the Hawks were gonna win it all in 2015 simply for the fact that they came so close but couldn't seal the deal due to a lack luster effort to start the WCF. But midway through the 2014-15 season, after seeing how the team had played in various situations, I felt like they were gonna be a first round knock-out. Then after seeing them win the first game of the playoffs the way they did, all I could think of was, "Where the hell has this team been all year?" And well, the rest is history.

This team just needs to make the playoffs. Whether that be winning the President's Trophy, or barely clinching the 2nd wildcard. All they need to do is make it to the dance. This core (and coaching staff) has some unbelievable leadership skills and I think that's what got them through the 2015 playoffs. This year's team has some unreal, raw offensive talent that could explode if the leadership on this team can make the pieces fall into place come April. All they need to do is score one more goal than the other team, and with some more experience, I think the defense will be able to hold up to it.

Oduya had some of the same tendencies when he arrived from Winnipeg so for now I'm ok with his upside.

We can agree to disagree on Daley
- Colbyboy

No, Oduya came from Winnipeg as a known quantity defensively, Oduya's compete level was questioned as he could be rattled with physical play and was prone to giveaways. Q's system was able to provide Oduya with more time to retrieve pucks and make plays allowing him to gain confidence. Daley's issue is he came over as a poor defensive defenseman and except for the odd shift he has shown no inclination to learn or play that style.

Agreeing to disagree kind of defeats the purpose of giving ones opinion does it not?

I trust SB and the scouts but I think Daley was someone they had to take in the Sharp trade. Daley is brutal defensively in terms of positioning, defensive awareness and his lack of skill playing defensively. Quenneville will not tolerate Daley's constant defensive mistakes, breakdowns and poor decision making especially considering Daley isn't contributing offensively.
- paulr

It seems like the Hawks always like to acquire this type of player and thus far it has worked well. Campbell, Leddy, and now Daley are all the same type of guy (while admittedly varied skill levels). Purely my opinion, but I think they like to make sure they have 1-2 guys that can truly fly out of the back end, be it to alleviate pressure or to help set up the PP. you can't say Daley isn't fast. I think once he settles in there will be similar comparisons to Leddy. An occasional "holy cow" goal and average defensive abilities.

I was in favor of moving Panarin to the Toews' line, but it can't be denied that Kane and Panarin make beautiful music together. The Kane pass and Panarin one-timer on the 1st goal was truly rhapsodic. That's hockey baby! That's what we want to see. That doesn't mean that it wouldn't be better from an overall team balance perspective to move Panarin up with Toews and Hossa, especially because Kane has proven he can be paired with just about anyone and still put points up - he's just that good - but man oh man I like watching 72-88. From a purely aesthetic value, it doesn't get much better than that. So maybe Q inevitably splits up his two offensive dynamos, but in the meantime I'm enjoying the symphony.

Regarding the sentiment that Toews and Hossa miss Saad, the Hawks were loaded at LW last year. If not Saad, then Sharp, even Versteeg on occasion. This year it's Panarin and no depth after that. It turns out those were the three that had to be moved.

I don't think anybody disagrees that Anisimov was a solid return for Saad, regardless of whether or not Dano ever makes it here. 2C was a real need for a long time, as we all know, and now the Hawks have that spot locked up for a long time.

Daley for Sharp has not panned out so well, and the real killer was that it meant Oduya being let go. They could really use him right now, obviously.

Because .....
- paulr

Because the next time he is all alone with the puck at the top of the circle he won't shoot it 25 feet wide.

So back to #Crawfordiselite
- stljam

Oh goodness NO Elite is too pedestrian a term, assigned by the masses and the media, and their term for him is Osgood the benefactor of the defence in front of him.....which maybe he is sometimes other nights he's a flat out stone cold thief and steals games and then there are games he seems to forget to show up for and plays like a schittcicle and then takes ownership and rebounds like no other

Not flashy but Solid, Not Osgood but Oh So Good, Not Elite just HawkPerfect best fit for this team

....And So Much Better than So Many Many Others

Still think the plan has always been for Dano to be up on the 1st line, just a process to get him there now.

Having him up there and contributing is a big big deal. It solidifies 1 thru 6. Also puts some more playmakers in the bottom 6, and they need to get some scoring contributions out of those guys.

TT, Kero, Shaw, Tiki, Kruger, Desi, Garbutt; Should be able to get two decent checking scoring lines.

Thinking I'd try a bottom 6:

Kero, TT, Shaw
Kruger, Garbutt, Desi / Tiki

and let them play together for a while.
- vabeachbear

I'd like to see Shaw get a 5 game tryout on the top line. He obviously doesn't care where he plays as long as he is out there. Has shown the ability to finish, and always drives puck poss. I kinda like the way Dano and Kero play together (And Hartman when he was up).

I don't get the Hawks, sometimes. Much like in the Blues game, after going up a couple of goals they just seem to coast. The whole second period was laughable, they could easily have been down 4-2 by the end of it if not for Crawford. I understand they're playing a lot of rookies but a team with that much veteran leadership shouldn't be letting their foot off the gas as soon as they find themselves leading by a couple of goals.

I'm impressed with Gustafsson so far. He isn't playing like a rookie who's got less than 10 NHL games under his belt. He seems to be getting more comfortable jumping into the offense, as well. I wonder, if he keeps playing as solid as he has, will he find himself getting some regular rotation as the #6 d-man when Keith returns? If so, who does he replace?

The minutes seem to be catching up to Seabrook big time. He's been making more and more uncharacteristic mistakes as the games pile up without Keith. There were a few really bad defensive zone giveaways by him last night. Keith can't come back soon enough to relieve some of the minutes that Seebs if having to play.

I've got a feeling that the Hawks will struggle to make the playoffs if they have to rely on Crawford playing the way he did last night. While he's certainly capable of playing like that regularly, every goalie in the league has their bad days, and there are very few who can put up consistent performances like he did last night. Not every game can be a goalie win.

FINALLY Panarin shot the damn puck! Something we've all been clamoring for, less dangling and more shooting.

Last, but not least, Teuvo isn't working out as a LW. Not yet, at least, and certainly not on the top line (as outlined by JJ). He just doesn't look comfortable at the position. Unfortunately the team is so deep at RW I don't see a place where he can fit now that Hossa is back. I think Dano is destined for the #1 LW and Teuvo will have to figure out how to make it work on the third line. As soon as Dano is ready, I think here's what we'll be looking at:

Dano-Toews-Hossa
Panarin-AA-Kane
Teuvo-Kero-Garbutt/Shaw
Desi-Kruger-Shaw/Tikhonov

I don't get the Hawks, sometimes. Much like in the Blues game, after going up a couple of goals they just seem to coast. The whole second period was laughable, they could easily have been down 4-2 by the end of it if not for Crawford. I understand they're playing a lot of rookies but a team with that much veteran leadership shouldn't be letting their foot off the gas as soon as they find themselves leading by a couple of goals.

I'm impressed with Gustafsson so far. He isn't playing like a rookie who's got less than 10 NHL games under his belt. He seems to be getting more comfortable jumping into the offense, as well. I wonder, if he keeps playing as solid as he has, will he find himself getting some regular rotation as the #6 d-man when Keith returns? If so, who does he replace?

The minutes seem to be catching up to Seabrook big time. He's been making more and more uncharacteristic mistakes as the games pile up without Keith. There were a few really bad defensive zone giveaways by him last night. Keith can't come back soon enough to relieve some of the minutes that Seebs if having to play.

I've got a feeling that the Hawks will struggle to make the playoffs if they have to rely on Crawford playing the way he did last night. While he's certainly capable of playing like that regularly, every goalie in the league has their bad days, and there are very few who can put up consistent performances like he did last night. Not every game can be a goalie win.

FINALLY Panarin shot the damn puck! Something we've all been clamoring for, less dangling and more shooting.

Last, but not least, Teuvo isn't working out as a LW. Not yet, at least, and certainly not on the top line (as outlined by JJ). He just doesn't look comfortable at the position. Unfortunately the team is so deep at RW I don't see a place where he can fit now that Hossa is back. I think Dano is destined for the #1 LW and Teuvo will have to figure out how to make it work on the third line. As soon as Dano is ready, I think here's what we'll be looking at:

Dano-Toews-Hossa
Panarin-AA-Kane
Teuvo-Kero-Garbutt/Shaw
Desi-Kruger-Shaw/Tikhonov
- roots_gamble

I would prefer to see him on the back-end than Svedberg personally. I just think he knows what he is doing and looks a lot more comfortable out there than Svedberg does.