This is going to sound like I'm joking around, but I'm not.

Have you guys noticed Hayden is constantly fidgeting with his helmet when he's on the ice? I think it needs to be adjusted or something. Seems every shift he's trying to fix it mid-stride and during plays.

But TT played where he was asked to play, he didn't hold out.

Hindsight is 20/20, but at the time taking on Drouin's situation would have been a bit of a risk. Plus, TT outplayed Drouin in the 2015 playoffs and that was fresh in people's minds.
- DarthKane

Drouin was never, ever available - especially in return for TT of all people. Yzerman knows a hockey player when he sees one. The kid didn't like Cooper sitting him out or stapling his French Canadian ass to the bench so he went home for awhile while his idiot agent tried to power play it with Stevie Y who told them both to get stuffed.

Hopefully the chemistry experiment puts Campbell in the pressbox for a few while Kempny gets to find his legs. Soupy looks timid and weak on the puck while his skating seems to be on a rapid decline. On the flipside, TVR has been fairly consistent as a 3rd pairing, keeping it simple.
- walter34

I second this opinion regarding TVR. As a #6 D, what more could you expect from him? Rarely beat 1v1, solid stick checking, strong along the wall and makes the simple play to clear the zone.

Tomorrow night should be a good test for where this team is at. If they can't get motivated to play the Reigning Cup Champs after a week of sloppy and inconsistent play, then IDK if they will get motivated again this Regular Season....

Drouin was never, ever available - especially in return for TT of all people. Yzerman knows a hockey player when he sees one. The kid didn't like Cooper sitting him out or stapling his French Canadian ass to the bench so he went home for awhile while his idiot agent tried to power play it with Stevie Y who told them both to get stuffed.
- RickJ

He's franking good at hockey, even if he is a Frenchy punk.

With the game tied the Hawks gave up 3 shots in the 3rd period? They have shown the ability to shut teams down throughout the year. Granted, they took their foot off the gas for 15 minutes in the 2nd period after getting the 3 goal lead. Do you honestly expect this core to do that when round 1 starts?

With the game tied the Hawks gave up 3 shots in the 3rd period? They have shown the ability to shut teams down throughout the year. Granted, they took their foot off the gas for 15 minutes in the 2nd period after getting the 3 goal lead. Do you honestly expect this core to do that when round 1 starts?
- scottak

I believe Toews was quoted as saying something along the lines of "if we expect to flip a switch for the playoffs after the way we've been playing, we've got another thing coming"....

Hindsight is always 20/20, especially when removed from context.
- John Jaeckel

I figured everyone was familiar with the context. His talent has been undeniable, and IIRC there were differing reports on whether he actually had an attitude problem or not. Do you recall if there were contract/bonus implications of him going down?

Also, from my other comment:

It was a gamble, but a low risk one when you consider they had to know it was TT's last season with the Hawks last year.

TT wasn't going to be a top 6 forward (for many reasons) before his contract was up and demanded more money, squeezing him out of Chicago. I was all for the trade, but maybe because I couldn't stand watching TT play and a lottery ticket was worth it to me.

I second this opinion regarding TVR. As a #6 D, what more could you expect from him? Rarely beat 1v1, solid stick checking, strong along the wall and makes the simple play to clear the zone.

Tomorrow night should be a good test for where this team is at. If they can't get motivated to play the Reigning Cup Champs after a week of sloppy and inconsistent play, then IDK if they will get motivated again this Regular Season....
- EnzoD

Plus TVR thinks the game well, and is usually well positioned. He'll be fine for many years playing 3rd pair.

Missed the game last night sadly, seems like I only missed a period of hawks hockey though. Hope the game against pitt goes better.

Whats the consensus on haydens play?

-1, 3 shots, 3 hits with ~14 min TOI against florida
-1, straight 0's, 5 hits, ~9min TOI against tampa.

Didn't see much of either game, but it seems like if anyones can take a break it may be him. Switch in hartman and see how he fairs.

How has schmaltz been at band-aid 2C? 2A's last night I saw.

Drouin was never, ever available - especially in return for TT of all people. Yzerman knows a hockey player when he sees one. The kid didn't like Cooper sitting him out or stapling his French Canadian ass to the bench so he went home for awhile while his idiot agent tried to power play it with Stevie Y who told them both to get stuffed.
- RickJ

I agree. I didn't mean to say it was actually on the table (I'm trying to think if there were even reports of it), more of an indictment of Hawks fans falling for the prospect hype machine and overvaluing them. If you said "the Finnish Kane" a lot of Hawks fans would think of TT.

He's franking good at hockey, even if he is a Frenchy punk.
- EnzoD

Imagine him and McDavid together playing at a million miles an hour.

Chicago Blackhawk March Records:

2010 6-7-2 Won Stanley Cup
2013 9-5-0 Won Stanley Cup
2014 7-7-1 Lost Western Conference Final
2015 8-3-1 Won Stanley Cup
2017 9-3-2 (2 games remaining)

This team is actually playing above the historical March norm for the best Blackhawk teams since the 10 SC. And there were a few OT and SO wins in each of those seasons as well.

Even if they lose the next 2 games, they'd have done better than 2010 & 2014, and equaled 2013.

I know that he does not contribute much offensively, but Desjardins looks pretty comfortable at center. He has size and is good on draws, would be ok for 4th line center and they could go "big" on the fourth line. When or how can they bring up Hinostroza?
His speed is an asset and with the "schooling" he is getting in Rockford, he may be ready to contribute in some capacity.

Practice lines today (Hossa not practicing but is good to go tomorrow)

8-19-14
72-67-88
40-16-38
13-70-11

He's franking good at hockey, even if he is a Frenchy punk.
- EnzoD

So....people now have issues with Russians and French Canadians (BTW isn't Toews' background is partly French Canadian)?

Any other groups we'd like to criticize today?

Practice lines today (Hossa not practicing but is good to go tomorrow)

8-19-14
72-67-88
40-16-38
13-70-11
- EbonyRaptor

I'm getting the 3rd line is 38-16-81 when Hossa is back, with one of 40, 13 and 11 sitting.

So....people now have issues with Russians and French Canadians (BTW isn't Toews' background is partly French Canadian)?

Any other groups we'd like to criticize today?
- DarthKane

Why did they have to kill the only black robot? BRM!!!

So....people now have issues with Russians and French Canadians (BTW isn't Toews' background is partly French Canadian)?

Any other groups we'd like to criticize today?
- DarthKane

Yeah - Hungarians with a limp who are missing the pinky finger on their left hand.

I'm getting the 3rd line is 38-16-81 when Hossa is back, with one of 40, 13 and 11 sitting.
- DarthKane

Hopefully 11.

This is going to sound like I'm joking around, but I'm not.

Have you guys noticed Hayden is constantly fidgeting with his helmet when he's on the ice? I think it needs to be adjusted or something. Seems every shift he's trying to fix it mid-stride and during plays.
- Hank3Henshaw

I have, and the couple of times the puck zipped past his feet while his stick was not ready was upsetting. Run a roll of tape from top under chin a few times already!

The Hawks have their issues just like all teams but you would think with the angst in these responses the last few days we would be fighting for a spot in the dance, not trying to sew up best record in the conference. The playoffs will be tough for any team, not just the Hawks!!!!

But TT played where he was asked to play, he didn't hold out.

Hindsight is 20/20, but at the time taking on Drouin's situation would have been a bit of a risk. Plus, TT outplayed Drouin in the 2015 playoffs and that was fresh in people's minds.
- DarthKane

I remain convinced that Yzerman was never going to move Drouin - especially for someone like Teravainen - and possibly for no one: this was a 20 year old #3 overall pick with tons of obvious potential talent - he did refuse to go to Syracuse - but how much of that was immature petulance that would be outgrown, how much was bad advice from an agent, how much was family pressure, how much was....

You don't easily give up on a young talent like that.

Hopefully the chemistry experiment puts Campbell in the pressbox for a few while Kempny gets to find his legs. Soupy looks timid and weak on the puck while his skating seems to be on a rapid decline. On the flipside, TVR has been fairly consistent as a 3rd pairing, keeping it simple.
- walter34

...simply awful perhaps.

Dear Vegas, please take TVR away from Q.

I have, and the couple of times the puck zipped past his feet while his stick was not ready was upsetting. Run a roll of tape from top under chin a few times already!
- RedFeather

Yes and that's the reason I brought it up.

The game is so fast and you have to make split-second decisions. I feel like the time you take messing with the helmet, is just enough time to throw off your game.

I don't know, just something I've noticed since he's been in the lineup.

And just to be clear, I really like the guy and want him to stay in the lineup. I just think that could be messing with him--even if it's on a subconscious level.

I was able to get to the Hawk game yesterday, and glad I did.

The fact that is was such an intertaining competive game, with the Lightning plus Syacuse Crunch call ups intent on keeping their parent club in the playoffs, really took me away. I rarely jump back into complete "fan mode" from impartial observer, and the pace and excitement of last night's match drew me in like it was one of the first games I have ever seen live.

But as I watched I did get distracted by all the new names in the Tampa Bay line up.

Sure, I was familiar with the Toronto 2nd rounder centre Gregg McKegg, and Lightning early draftee Adam Erme, and to have to reach back an recall later round picks Dotchin and Vermin, but I showed up at the Amalie TB areas to enjoy the Hawks not spend large seconds of brain churn trying to figure out who the Syracuse call up Yanni Gourde was…and then it hit me is was a more than occasionally lineman of Phillipe Danault in Victoriaville, who the hawks Rockford farm team actually brought in for a stretch…he was part of a nice nine game playoff run Victoriaville has in 2010.

and I even got distracted by seeing these guys who I honestly hadn't seen in years:

https://www.draftsite.com...layer/jake-dotchin/18775/

https://www.draftsite.com...player/joel-vermin/13333/

and the former has, little Dumont os a hockey player too.

It's nice to see the NHL game so filled with adequate minor pro throops who on any given night come to play....


I was sitting in a pretty good seat vanatge point to see many of Panarin's pitfalls last night. Panarin tried to play a big man muscle game and obviously held possession too long.
If this team to a fault has an issue, it is that is very pridefull and full of players who don't want to lose despite the division lead and possibly because of the Sunrise FL egg on Saturday.

The on thing that was clear is the team drives possession and part of it id the big players moving passing weaving to disrupt enemy coverage to get some nice chances. I won't comment on the close calls they didn't score on, but by the end at OT, I think there was some fatique showing.

3 things i think:
Hayden may get a rest now...sure, he big bodied a few times but he was woefully free styling and bunched up with teammates and not slipping to the open spots, and it might have been enough to get him long video room time and maybe a view from the pressbox to "visualize" it better. (No long term judgement yet.)
and the goal that broke the hawks back was one where chicken fat (Schmaltz tranlates to that in yiddish, I am told) simply wasn't where he should be and left the right attacking side open for easy Lightning pickin's. Johnny Oduya didn't look steller there either.

I don't think we get crazy about where the team is, temperature wise, right now...it is what its, and and the style they play isn't going to be altered so sit back, for the ride, guys, and try and enjoy.

and Fat Tony Amonte from the last blog:
The defense is SLOW? This defense?

If they are slow with 101 points, do we call the defense corps from all the rest of the teams turtle-like?
Get a frkg grip...