Was very glad to see this pointed out very early in this thread. A leader with cups, gold medals and skins on the wall all the way down to Pee Wee making 190 million, which in part is crippling this franchise, gets frustrated and takes a slash 180 feet from his goalie while his team is WINNING 2-1 late in the 2nd period getting outplayed with 5 pure rookies in the lineup is inexcusable. Period. ..... The floodgates opened directly as a consequence of this play by a 200 million dollar guy.
If Toews is gonna take up 12 mil per in cap space and be a 55-60 point guy he has to be better between the ears and if not he's close to being a detriment on a team that has no room for error. A 4-5 million dollar shutdown 55 point guy that's not crippling but from a 12 million dollar guy that is.
If Q is gonna continue his head scratching lineup choices that started at last year's TDL and through the playoffs he too is close to being a detriment. ...How anyone could think running a 4th line with two rookies known for finesse and a career 4th liner on his last leg vs a seasoned cement head line of Reaves-Brodziak-Upshall is beyond a head scratcher, it's downright stupid. And this isn't said in hindsight either, it was posted pregame. Also was posted pregame this would leave a very short bench, meaning huge minutes for the top 3-6. ....... Watching Q since the TDL has been difficult unless you are some kind of sadist.
What you saw out of Schmaltz is what all have seen from him playing junior. A lot of skill from this guy, a lot of improvement since junior but IMO he's wired that way. Period. He's skilled, he comes, he goes, he competes, he doesn't compete, he backchecks, he doesn't backcheck. So what do we do with him. We have him center the 4th line vs a Hitchcock 4th line.
I thought Hinostroza showed well. Watched him play junior on an Olypmic size sheet and he was fast. Didn't realize he was NHL fast and liked his simple north-south effort using his speed.
Liked what I saw out of Panik. Especially how he payed attention to defense in the Ozone. He was leaning to getting back yet still was found in the crease.
Motte and Hartman. What can be said other than this is what many expected. Very nice showing.
Forsling. A rookie Dman making some positional mistakes in his first NHL game? Shocked? Smooth skilled kid is forcing his way onto this roster.
Kempny. I don't really see many, if any, weaknesses. Really fluid with really nice offensive instincts.
Unlike many I'm very satisfied with game 1 except for Q and Toews.
- Mr Ricochet
Good morning Mr. R, very nice!
I think Q has spent too much time reading his press clippings and not enough time how to figure out how to assimilate the new guys into the lineup most effectively.
Did you watch the Pens game last night? I only caught the last period and a half, but clearly, even without Murray and Crosby, those guys don't seem like they have any sort of WCOH and/or Stanley Cup hangover.
Mike Sullivan has picked up right where he left off. Very exciting brand of hockey to watch, guys getting after the puck like nobody's business. And to bring up an old sore spot, WTF was it with Q and Daley? I mean really. Watched him last night and honestly don't have a clue how someone couldn't work with the guy the right way to get him to work in Chicago.
Got me pissed off all over again thinking how we ended up skating Rundblad in a 7th game, had to skate Gus in a 7th game when had the job been done here, we might have never gotten to a 7th game. I guess I like to live in revisionist history. And on top of that, we still have over $1M of Scuderi's cap hit to remind us, further preventing any hope of getting a "real" wing for the whiny Jonathan Toews. Boo hoo Mr Toews, why don't you go out and buy yourself one.
