1) PP isnt all that difficult once the shin pads are bypassed, even with 82 a big
body to screen the goalie so others can get the rebounds would go far in helping
the PP. And yes being a threat on the PP helps everywhere.

2) Oesterle – speaking of getting shots through, that guy wearing #82 has been unbelievable. I know this isn't the sole reason Franson was waived, but one of Cody's best attributes to his game was that quick accurate shot. Oesterle seems to be pretty damn good at it as well. Another 2 assists last night puts him at a .5 PPG (8P in 16 games) – scoop him up on your fantasy teams now ladies and gents! He's so hot right now.
2)Who would've thought 82 might be better than either Franson or Seabs, especially
on the PP, Keith still needs to go to the optometrist before playing on the PP.

3)I think it all boils down to my Cuz playing well on the top line, then everyone
else slots down to better combo's. 88-8-38 also playing well, though sometimes
they are stuck in the D zone.

4) Schmaltz is playing well but against non physical teams, hopefully he puts on 10lbs of solid over the summer, but ya he's a keeper, Kampf many thought he would
make the team outta camp but the numbers said not at this time, he also looks pretty good in his role in the short sample in which we've seen him, he has also taken a load off of Toews defensively and walla Toews starts scoring.

5) This is the key, for 10-15 games Forsberg could probably hold down the fort until Corey returns, that's if Corey returns, me thinks if the injury was medical we'd of heard what it is. If it's the lower body injury then they brought him back way to early in desperation, but my guess it's to many pucks to the head and we won't see him back this year. Boy I miss my Corey, he's been the best goalie bar none since 2013.

On one last note to Q why tamper with a lineup that's won 2 in a row? If anything
I'd team 44-6.....5-42, maybe Gus slots in here....82-2 and Jurco for Bouma.

Another good write up

I bet Kempny has gotten more shots through in the short time he's played then Keith has in the past few seasons.

Did anyone notice Oesterle played 3 more minutes than Keith last night. It was a blowout and the first game of a back to back, so Q was resting Keith. But still it is super rare in any circumstance to have another Dman play 3 more minutes than Keith.

Q's formula after a win is usually to keep the same lineup... we'll see...

Did anyone notice Oesterle played 3 more minutes than Keith last night. It was a blowout and the first game of a back to back, so Q was resting Keith. But still it is super rare in any circumstance to have another Dman play 3 more minutes than Keith.
- -Doh-

And it was mostly because of PP time: 3:49 for Oesterle, 1:50 for Keith.

Strange hockey night last night: 7 games - 3 with 10 or 11 goals scored:
Wpg 7 Buf 4
Chi 8 Ott 2
Fla 7 Stl 4

And it was mostly because of PP time: 3:49 for Oesterle, 1:50 for Keith.

Strange hockey night last night: 7 games - 3 with 10 or 11 goals scored:
Wpg 7 Buf 4
Chi 8 Ott 2
Fla 7 Stl 4
- StLBravesFan

STL is in a bit of a free fall, 4-5-1 in their last 10 games with a few bad losses. WPG & NSH have both passed them, and have games in hand. NSH is a point ahead of STL with 4 GIH, WPG +4 pts. and 2 GIH.

1st & 2nd in the Division may be out of reach, but 3rd is in the mix for everyone else in the Central.

Great work as always JL. Your writing is always well thought out and you bring a balanced approach to these boards. Extra Kudos for keeping up with your writing and having a newborn at home.

I know many really dislike Kempny (saying he's got all the tools and 2 cent brain).
I disagree.

By no means do I think he is perfect, but I watched him pretty closely last night and didn't see anything egregious in his line of duty, certainly nothing more so than what #2 was doing all night.

What I do see is a guy unafraid of contact, is a + skater with excellent mobility and has a + shot along with being a pretty accurate passer as well. I also see a guy somewhat skating on eggshells either thinking he's going to get the rug pulled out from under him by Q or already told that so he knows no matter what he does, he'll soon be in the pressbox.

I'd like to see Q let Seabrook sit another game, keep Kempny with Murphy and sit Forsling so Gustafsson can play. IMO, the worst pair last night was Ruuta and Forsling - IMO both have really regressed and in particular it looks like 42 might be nursing some sort of injury. Not skating as well as earlier in the season, avoiding contact and just doesn't look as sharp.

Up front, would like to see Panik stay in the lineup and I'd sit Debrincat. Sharp may finally be recovering from that hip surgery (same issue as Daley, but of course, Daley couldn't ever get out of Q's doghouse and Sharp has always been a Q favorite). Sure appears as if Sharp is close to 100% and we can see he's starting to heat up with the offense. I'd keep him in the lineup and give Jurco a shot.

(as I cover myself with fireproof/bulletproof material . . . .)
- savvyone-1

I also watched Kempny last night and it was clear he had more drive and confidence in his game. Maybe he was just dejected before about all his scratches. He still makes a bonehead play sometimes, but there was nothing glaring last night.

Great work as always JL. Your writing is always well thought out and you bring a balanced approach to these boards. Extra Kudos for keeping up with your writing and having a newborn at home.


- DarthKane

it's probably easier to write... since he's probably not sleeping much.

Central current points earned %

WPG .670
NSH .666
STL .597
DAL .593
COL .573
CHI .571
MIN .558

in all honesty I thought the D looked better without Seabs. Kempny and Murph looked very good. Maybe I'm wrong but in my eye's Seabs is not a good babysitter. He has had to do it and IMO has not done it well. Keith and Hammer were both good babysitters IMO. IE there games were still solid no matter who you paired them with. Seabs started looking AVG when he was not longer paired with keith.

Mostly I'm just happy that the Team played well without Seabs and the PP played well without Keith so not to validate Q's belief you should never sit the older guys. if the D bombed and PP struggled Q would be right back with both those guys. I'm not saying Seabs is not a NHL D man but if he ever wants to be top 4 again he either needs to get in better shape or play with more effort. Keith has always struggled with his shot and it only seems to be getting worse. Let him rest on the PP and play the PK and the heavy 5X5 mins.

Be curious if Jurco plays tonight. Not sure who you sit if he does. I suppose bouma, Wingels or maybe sharp just to give him a off day on a back to back.
- kmw4631

I would not bench the guy who struggled to score all year but has 3 goals in the last 4 games now.

my understanding of craws "mystery" injury is upper body...not a repeat of the lower body...maybe groin problem he had...

but he has taken alot of high hard shots and few not by pucks...

to damn bad...next to kane he has been their best player for several years...

probably one of the top goalies to never win the vezina...but who cares...

call it the carey price memorial trophy

my understanding of craws "mystery" injury is upper body...not a repeat of the lower body...maybe groin problem he had...

but he has taken alot of high hard shots and few not by pucks...

to damn bad...next to kane he has been their best player for several years...

probably one of the top goalies to never win the vezina...but who cares...

call it the carey price memorial trophy
- bogiedoc

I thought this award was for your play in the NHL, not Olympics, WC, etc. What has Price earned in the NHL? Nothing.

STL is in a bit of a free fall, 4-5-1 in their last 10 games with a few bad losses. WPG & NSH have both passed them, and have games in hand. NSH is a point ahead of STL with 4 GIH, WPG +4 pts. and 2 GIH.

1st & 2nd in the Division may be out of reach, but 3rd is in the mix for everyone else in the Central.
- scottak

26 of 40 vs WC teams...they gotta start beating these teams not named AZ and Minn

although a 3rd strt win vs minny would be nice tonight

7 strt at home with a week break...they gotta take care of home cooking here...

I thought this award was for your play in the NHL, not Olympics, WC, etc. What has Price earned in the NHL? Nothing.
- powerenforcer

Uh, Carey Price won a Vezina and Hart...

Not sure what you are getting at here but he earned both those awards

Uh, Carey Price won a Vezina and Hart...

Not sure what you are getting at here but he earned both those awards
- Stan_Bowman

The only real award is your cup.

I thought this award was for your play in the NHL, not Olympics, WC, etc. What has Price earned in the NHL? Nothing.
- powerenforcer

well 8 year 84 mildo contract that pays him 15 mil next year...at age 30

Nice write up! Question for blog, When AA comes back , is he our 3rd line C? AND kAMPF goes to 4th line? and Whats the new 3rd line??
I'm thinking 4th is now LB - Kampf - TW ?

Thanks

Nice write up! Question for blog, When AA comes back , is he our 3rd line C? AND kAMPF goes to 4th line? and Whats the new 3rd line??
I'm thinking 4th is now LB - Kampf - TW ?

Thanks
- CTblackhawkfan

That looks most likely, though I really like Kampf between Sharp and Cat.

Nice write up! Question for blog, When AA comes back , is he our 3rd line C? AND kAMPF goes to 4th line? and Whats the new 3rd line??
I'm thinking 4th is now LB - Kampf - TW ?

Thanks
- CTblackhawkfan

Who knows, but my bet is Hartman will find himself in the dog house for another 5 game stretch sometime before April, so we'll have 8-AA-88 back together in top 6 and Wingels/Kampf at 3/4C

When AA gets back it will be interesting to see what Q wants the 3rd and 4th lines to be. Maybe one will be a shut down line. Sharp, AA, Wingels? The other an energy line with some physicality. Bouma, Kampf, Panik? This would leave out Debrincat which I am pretty sure is not going to happen. So the blender will be moving the wings in and out of the lineup next to Kampf and AA on a game by game basis. (Or Panik gets traded, which I think will be possible if he has several more games like last night.)

pp was of course pretty good last night..but sens have now allowed 12 goals in their last 21 pks....ugh

i would like to see the hawks try kane and another forward below the goal line and get some quick passes back and forth...have those pk guys head on a 360 deg swivel instead of 180, have the remaining forward and dmen alt gaps to the net and see if they get some chances...

the tooews goal line bull move stuff atempts never convert...i get the idea; start a scrum for close in rebound shots...

I know many really dislike Kempny (saying he's got all the tools and 2 cent brain).
I disagree.

By no means do I think he is perfect, but I watched him pretty closely last night and didn't see anything egregious in his line of duty, certainly nothing more so than what #2 was doing all night.

What I do see is a guy unafraid of contact, is a + skater with excellent mobility and has a + shot along with being a pretty accurate passer as well. I also see a guy somewhat skating on eggshells either thinking he's going to get the rug pulled out from under him by Q or already told that so he knows no matter what he does, he'll soon be in the pressbox.

I'd like to see Q let Seabrook sit another game, keep Kempny with Murphy and sit Forsling so Gustafsson can play. IMO, the worst pair last night was Ruuta and Forsling - IMO both have really regressed and in particular it looks like 42 might be nursing some sort of injury. Not skating as well as earlier in the season, avoiding contact and just doesn't look as sharp.

Up front, would like to see Panik stay in the lineup and I'd sit Debrincat. Sharp may finally be recovering from that hip surgery (same issue as Daley, but of course, Daley couldn't ever get out of Q's doghouse and Sharp has always been a Q favorite). Sure appears as if Sharp is close to 100% and we can see he's starting to heat up with the offense. I'd keep him in the lineup and give Jurco a shot.

(as I cover myself with fireproof/bulletproof material . . . .)
- savvyone-1

First off Savvy, Happy New Year. But I have to tell you that you have at least 3 misconnections when your are wiring up Mr. Kempny for sound. The first one is any comparison or attachment to Duncan Keith. Like I said earlier, the Hawks have Keith and Oesterle and '6 other guys' to play D. Now that 'Mr. Ed' Franson has trotted slowly down the road to Rockford, Kempny has moved up to #7 on the depth chart, just ahead of Gustaffson. Its up to him to avoid dropping back again to #8.

2) Blaming Q solely for Kempny's lack of playing time is a bit much. The team employs Ulfie as their D coach and he works with that group every day. I don't think its farfetched to think the D coach has major input into who he wants to dress on game day and why or why not. Kempny wound up in the doghouse because of on ice performance - being caught out of position, questionable pinches at the wrong time, etc. When a guy is the #6 thru #8 Dman on the team and you make those type of noticeable glaring errors, he should expect to get the Sami Lepisto pressbox massage.

3) Criticism of this defence group is warranted for the most part, all of them make some big time errors and omissions. But does anybody ever consider how much the loss of forwards Hossa and to a lesser extent Kruger has meant to overall team defence? Those 2 players were great contributors in a 5 man team game, they haven't been replaced by anything close in ability. To boot, Hammer got moved out as well. Yet the team is +17 in goal differential with the 4th lowest GA in the conference and with their #1 goalie on the sidelines for quite a few games. So I wouldn't knock Q and his assistants too much about a minor piece like Kempny.

Like you, I would like to see Kempny succeed, as a 27 year old he has the size and physical abilities of a mature player, moreso than a young kid like Forsling. When I first saw him I thought maybe he could be like a Nicklas Kronwall for the Hawks. It hasn't happened in a year and a half but maybe there is still time.

I know you watched the game last night and liked what you saw. But there was one instance in the Edmonton game near the end when the result was decided. 2 guys were on the Hawks blueline battling for the puck and I noticed Kempny standing absolutely still at the top of the faceoff circle about 10 feet away watching them as a father would watching his 2 young sons in a battle on the ice for the puck. It was comical but told me lots about what does or doesn't go thru #6's brain at times.

Nice write up! Question for blog, When AA comes back , is he our 3rd line C? AND kAMPF goes to 4th line? and Whats the new 3rd line??
I'm thinking 4th is now LB - Kampf - TW ?

Thanks
- CTblackhawkfan

Yep, Kampf centering that line would be good. I honestly think Kampf has better than fourth line potential. I think he's going to be better than Kruger, because he has scoring ability.

Nice write up! Question for blog, When AA comes back , is he our 3rd line C? AND kAMPF goes to 4th line? and Whats the new 3rd line??
I'm thinking 4th is now LB - Kampf - TW ?

Thanks
- CTblackhawkfan

I've seen a lot of write-ups recently where people are questioning where AA goes when he returns. First, I don't think the recent play of Schmaltz and Kampf has made Anisimov expendable. 8 and 64 have improved the depth at centre, there's no reason to get rid of it.

I would expect to see Anisimov centre Sharp and Debrincat when he returns. Some people have pointed out that AA hasn't been that productive away from Kane and that has been correct. But Sharp is playing well and I would expect Debrincat to pick his game up soon so that will help AA. Maybe AA plays on the 4th line and Kampf stays on the third, that could work too. Before people argue the Ansimov makes too much to play 4C, Schmaltz and Kampf would be ridiculously cheap 3C and 4C so it all balance out.

Plus, just because AA starts back as 3C or 4C it doesn't mean that he stays there. Schmaltz could slump and Q needs to shake up the lines (I've heard rumours that Q likes to try different line combos every now and then).s