Scouts in Philly for Blue Jackets-Flyers: Montreal, Edmonton, Chicago, Toronto, Tampa Bay, New Jersey, Carolina, Detroit

— Adam Kimelman (@NHLAdamK) February 22, 2018

Montreal shut down Weber for the season and price is out indefinitely with a concussion. Looks like the Habs are going full force with the tanking.

Scouts in Philly for Blue Jackets-Flyers: Montreal, Edmonton, Chicago, Toronto, Tampa Bay, New Jersey, Carolina, Detroit

— Adam Kimelman (@NHLAdamK) February 22, 2018

- DarthKane

Anything more On that potential trade with the Flyers?I like the idea of getting two defenseman, all the hype going towards the deadline and I’m just afraid Bowman is going to screw this up.

Montreal shut down Weber for the season and price is out indefinitely with a concussion. Looks like the Habs are going full force with the tanking.
- DarthKane

Only way they could tank harder than that is to move Paccioretty at the deadline.....

Italiano?
- BGKarras

You know it!

My folks were huge North Stars fans and back in the day, they used to take me to bars to watch the games because most of them weren't televised on network TV.

Watched the miracle in the living room of the house I grew up in... I was 10 years old. Still get goose bumps and tears in my eyes when I see it.
- MnGump

Great story. Thanks. I've a brother who lived in the Twin Cities then. Two days later, on Sunday morning, they're in church during the Gold Medal game. Right during mass, an alter boy walks in, and whispers something to the priest. He stops everything and looks at the congregation and announces, "ladies and gentlemen, final score Finland 2--USA 4." The whole place went up for grabs for several minutes. My brother said it was perhaps one of the coolest things he's ever experienced. Just thought i'd share.

Anything more On that potential trade with the Flyers?I like the idea of getting two defenseman, all the hype going towards the deadline and I’m just afraid Bowman is going to screw this up.
- wonthecup10

Yah!!!! Two defensemen for Q to ruin!!!!

Looks like the 2019 NHL draft will be held in Vancouver. I might just have to attend.

Anything more On that potential trade with the Flyers?I like the idea of getting two defenseman, all the hype going towards the deadline and I’m just afraid Bowman is going to screw this up.
- wonthecup10

Although that would be nice to nab say both Sanheim and Morin from the Flyers, don't know if Bowman could get 2 defensemen in the same trade (at least a 2-team trade; maybe a 3-team trade). Instead, multiple trades may have to happen, i.e. trade for Sanheim or Morin from the Flyers, someone like Ceci from the Senators or like one of the young Hurricane defenders. Asking price likely steep for some of these players but may be worth it if we can unload some of the glut of wingers on the Hawks.

All good! Agreed on championships being decided in the shootout. USA Men lost in a shootout the night before and the 20 yr old US goalie was outstanding. Was a very frustrating game to watch as the Zebra's inconsistencies when calling body checks is laughable. Just let the girls hit each other already. They have the same equipment as the men and are smaller, so injuries shouldn't be at a high level. The girls are basically throwing body checks out there anyway...sometimes it's a penalty and sometimes it's not. How about that shoulder to the dome from Poulin in front of the net??
- EnzoD

My daughter played girls hockey until she was 16 and then turned herself into an excellent golfer, so I've watched a lot of hockey. What I can tell you is that when the women are playing against each other at any level they are the foulest mouthed, sneaky, nasty, dirty players anywhere. Men have far greater respect for each other on the ice. The women actually like to inflict hurt each other. And they also know that turns the guys watching on.

So I'm watching the game and I had a number of thoughts - my first observation being the selection of officials is substandard for a game between these 2 teams. It should have been a Canadian ref and linesman and an American ref and linesman. And they preferably would have been men.


Second, this no body checking thing is silly and its there because of the vast talent difference between the best and worst teams and also because of ancient thinking that women shouldn't get hurt in sports, they are too delicate. Bullsh$t, they are great athletes at that age and level. And I think they would all like to hit if it was permitted.

Canada probably had the more physical team and 'might' have won if hitting was permitted. The Americans were the more skilled squad.

Last thought - there was more body work in that game than what I see out of the Blackhawks anytime during the season.

In the next few days will tell what happens in the offseason who stays who goes who has power who doesn't. If there is no big trades leading up to the TDL other than moving wingles bouma franson and on the 26th then I ll say bowman is gone and Q also. If there is a big trade like the propose phily deal then bowman has won the power struggle and will stay and Q is gone to me Q is gone no matter what he'll be made out to be the scapegoat. And maybe its time for a new voice but a new president and gm is needed more to get this organization back on track so Mr. Wirtz you are on the clock make the hard decisions that need to be made!!

Looks like the 2019 NHL draft will be held in Vancouver. I might just have to attend.
- DarthKane

With the 1st overall pick the Chicago Blackhawks select....

You know it!
- EnzoD

We Family

My daughter played girls hockey until she was 16 and then turned herself into an excellent golfer, so I've watched a lot of hockey. What I can tell you is that when the women are playing against each other at any level they are the foulest mouthed, sneaky, nasty, dirty players anywhere. Men have far greater respect for each other on the ice. The women actually like to inflict hurt each other. And they also know that turns the guys watching on.

So I'm watching the game and I had a number of thoughts - my first observation being the selection of officials is substandard for a game between these 2 teams. It should have been a Canadian ref and linesman and an American ref and linesman. And they preferably would have been men.


Second, this no body checking thing is silly and its there because of the vast talent difference between the best and worst teams and also because of ancient thinking that women shouldn't get hurt in sports, they are too delicate. Bullsh$t, they are great athletes at that age and level. And I think they would all like to hit if it was permitted.

Canada probably had the more physical team and 'might' have won if hitting was permitted. The Americans were the more skilled squad.

Last thought - there was more body work in that game than what I see out of the Blackhawks anytime during the season.
- RickJ

Agree completely. The USA v Canada women's games have been the most entertaining hockey the entire olympics. It's a bummer the NHL didn't send players, especially with USA icing potentially their best roster in 20+ years.....

Agree completely. The USA v Canada women's games have been the most entertaining hockey the entire olympics. It's a bummer the NHL didn't send players, especially with USA icing potentially their best roster in 20+ years.....
- EnzoD

The USA women's team Dominated the Canadians last night (I only watched Per 3 and OT), but they had the majority of the play and when the Canadians had the puck, we just took it away from them. Overall it was an awesome game!!!!

I have preferred Dineen since 2014 when he coached the Womens Canadian Olympic squad. The USA was kicking their ass all year and in december the coach left the team and Dineen was asked to be the emergency coach. He didn't have much time, but I said he had just enough time to see what he had and what he was up against and would make the necessary adjustments. I knew Katey Stone, the US coach, was an idiot and I made a bet that the US would lose the gold because of Dineen being a lot smarter than Stone. Turns out I was right. I'd like to see what Dineen, without any interference (and there is a ton of it), could do with this team in transition as well as interact with SB or whatever GM in a productive manner. No more mind (frank)ing and powerplays behing the scenes.

And just because I'm not a Q guy doesn't mean I don't respect his efforts in the three cups he had a huge part rnding, rgin. But I've seen other coaches figure him out, make adjustments, and his team changes nothing system wise. How often do you see a hawk catch a pass and there's one, two, sometimes even three opposing players right in the face of the the guy who got the pass. Not going to win consistently like that. And in my opinion that's on the system/philosophy of the head coach.
- 6628

As discerning as the points about system employed and the opposition reaction in easily defending, this begs the same question when addressing the much maligned powerplay:

What in the world is Q thinking? As a former player and long time hockey coach, how could he not understand that his approach is problematic? In many ways,the mist annoying is Keith on powerplay and no accountability for the forwards help, defensively, all nine of them as a group. Instead he pick a on a youngster or bottom line player who he needs to work with, not healthy scratch.

Too many of us it has also bern: Oh, is it because he won with core players as well as some.very good role players leading the way despite Inherent problems? Inherent problems means his system and the powerplay.

So now the fallout is actually hitting home hardest this season and that is the effect after the years following the last Cup were nothing more or nothing less than an attempt to put a bandaid on a wide open wound. Yes, the wounded team minus components that helped it mask its weaknesses. The weaknesses- yeah, you know it is the system and the power play.

Those issues are more pronounced than ever when two sometime stalwarts, Hossa and Hjalmarsson when both not injured, are now gone. With no adequate replacements. And then you consider the drop off in capability from both Toews and Seabrook. A top prospect is given away in TT due to cap mismanagement. Bowman gambled and lost by holding out for better talent or picks in both Sharp and Leddy trades.

You know that businesspeople sometimes gamble so I just see Stan did not calculate the proper time to pull the trigger. But before you blame him totally, do we really, honestly know if he would have received a better return if he acted sooner. Sharp on the decline was not totally obvious but getting rid of that monstrous contract was cost of Johns.

The TT give away is due to salary cap blunders. It can be argued both ways if Stan gave more money than necessary to core players, notably Batman, Robin, and Seabrook. Keith and Crawford signed salary friendly deals, so do not ignore that when you balance out the overpay on other contracts. Now ask yourself this: would you or another NHL GM at that time been successful handing out less $$$ contracts. Are you totally sure on that. Because I feel Bowman withstands his management but with Q perhaps unfairly more is expected from a coach to take a woebegotten bunch and get better results.

You see Queeneville cannot get better results out of weakest teams because he [Q] is part of the problem.

Bowman recouped Saad when keeping the potentially better skill guy was not an option. Panarin is head strong and won't play defense, so if your coach cannot alter this from Panarin then you have to get what you can for him.

If you want to blame Bowman for bad trade, look closer at the Hjalmarsson deal. A much body abused Hjalmarsson stands strong how much longer age wise - is it not a proper time to move him out while his value is high. But when you hire a coach (Samuelson) to teach a system wherein Murphy is a tad too slow to suit well, cough cough Bowman did not judge Murphy talent wise correctly.

Although it is good to retain Murphy as needed muscle on a third pair, imho, and sack Q.

The USA women's team Dominated the Canadians last night (I only watched Per 3 and OT), but they had the majority of the play and when the Canadians had the puck, we just took it away from them. Overall it was an awesome game!!!!
- glennjpawlak22

USA also outplayed Canada in the preliminary round game...doubled them in shots.
Last night in 4v4 OT when there was more open ice and the Canadians couldn't muck it up with their physicality, the USA was all over them.

We Family
- BGKarras

Ya man my only gripe with Denver is the lack of quality takeout pizza...I miss Chicago thin crust pizza.. I don't even eat pizza anymore which is probably a good thing overall

Ya man my only gripe with Denver is the lack of quality takeout pizza...I miss Chicago thin crust pizza.. I don't even eat pizza anymore which is probably a good thing overall
- EnzoD

You can ALWAYS hit King Soopers and get a frozen Home Run INN Pizza - which i assume you know is South Side

https://www.homeruninnpizza.com/

USA also outplayed Canada in the preliminary round game...doubled them in shots.
Last night in 4v4 OT when there was more open ice and the Canadians couldn't muck it up with their physicality, the USA was all over them.
- EnzoD

Per 3 and OT by the Americans reminded me a lot of a certain team back in 2010...ha!!!!

Major shakeup, unfortunately, while the best route from a hockey standpoint, is the most expensive to implement organizationally.

Educated guess:

Q gets "reassigned" within the organization this summer, Bowman stays but under a "turn this thing around or else" Sword of Damocles.

Likely they promote Granato or Dineen (but that part is pure speculation).
- John Jaeckel

Hey John I could see it going this way as well. Message has gotten stale over a long period - time for a fresh voice in the room...but Q didn't suddenly get dumb overnight - he knows how to coach. I think he'll laugh all the way to the bank with his salary over the next couple of seasons while he's on the golf course like Dale before him.

As far as Bowman we've seen his moves over several seasons - whether its Leddy for Polka, or the Sharp fiasco which led to more problems that summer or locking in an aging core with overpays based on past performance that have handcuffed his ability to reshape his roster.

How bout the Danault trade - an absolute embarrassment and he still owns the Habs a 2nd this coming draft.

Bowman's offseason moves for this year speak volumes - Hammer for Murphy - while Hammer has been hurt he's still averaging 2.5 blocks per game. Murphy is still a work in progress and we've seen how bad the defense has been. Then we saw Panarin traded to bring Saad back which hasn't worked either. The bigger concern is both those moves weren't necessarily done for the betterment of the team, but were cost control related...One Goal - sure. Stan had his big presser and said he was going to make changes...

his biggest mistake this season is that he didn't get an actual NHL backup caliber goalie even though Crawford has gone down the last two seasons. How's that worked out? Forsberg and Glass have both been bad to say the least along with that defense in front of them.

We've also seen his drafting acumen as Jeff Osborn wrote about in detail on The-Rink.com and its not pretty to say the least.

I have a hard time believing that Rocky and McD don't see this...but who knows with McD's mancrush on Scotty...it'll probably be Q.

We've seen both Pitt and LA remove both Coach and GM and have hit the reset and done quite well...oh well.

With the 1st overall pick the Chicago Blackhawks select....
- EnzoD

Jack Hughes??? 😎

I don't think Q is going anywhere, and it serves no purpose, and there isn't going to be an rash GM change because they do NOT have an inside guy ready and they aren't going outside without an in depth search, and investigation.

With the 1st overall pick the Chicago Blackhawks select....
- EnzoD

Jack Hughes??? 😎
- hawks2010

Your a year early on that big centre my friend...

I don't think Q is going anywhere, and it serves no purpose, and there isn't going to be an rash GM change because they do have an inside guy ready and they aren't going outside without an in depth search, and investigation.
- wiz1901

Who is this inside man you're referring to??