Guaranteed he started chirping
- DDM-Coga

If they did I would have paid to have heard it. Bieksa in a quote machine.

- VANTEL

Yeah, it was sarcasm. Italians and Chicago kind of go hand in hand.
- bloatedmosquito

Actually, I think Luongo is Portugese.

NY pizza is pretty good... Can we get a vote?
- bloatedmosquito

I've lived and worked in most areas of the US and IMHO, any and all pizza made west of KC SUCKS...

As for NY vs Chi pizza styles, different discussion.

Actually, I think Luongo is Portugese.
- djd

I would disagree

The best Crawford is going to be is another JS Giguere - similar builds and style -both shot blockers, not much athleticism.

CC has a very suspect glove hnad and I really didn't care for some of his reactions after allowing goals - smashing his stick over the crossbar. Shows up the rest of the team. He hasn't earned that yet.

I think Q would have liked to use Emery much more than he did (or was allowed to.
- RickJ

Up until the new equipment I was, and still am I guess since I go back to 1970, a fan of positioning over athleticism. But the equipment (feather lite) and the size/quickness of the goalies these days are changing the equation, big time.

Risking being redundant his showing mentally v Vancouver in the playoffs told me much. His stick slamming last year did as well...... A calm cool kid who's year long frustrations boiled over, making that two seasons I can't forget fast enough.

Curious your thoughts on Emery in relation to Q. I think Q has shown probably too much patience with his #1. He was too slow to go to Huet as The Wall was off. Too slow to go to Crawford as Huet was horrific. .....You saw what everyone else did with Emery. The guy could be timed with an hour glass post to post, especially when the puck was behind the net.

Was Emery healthy enough to carry a load, and did Q think so? Or was Q hamstrung by some goof upstairs?

I would disagree
- DDM-Coga

OMG.....what a douche bag....

Actually, I think Luongo is Portugese.
- djd

I thought he was a goalie.

Assume simplistic assumptions: Hawks get Luongo and his contract. Hawks overpay for Doan - 4 years $6MM (I'm setting up a very bad case cap scenario). Hawks can replace what the gave up for Luongo (a big assumption).

If in the next three years, the Hawks make WCF each year, two finals and one or two Cups.

Then they go into cap-hell that takes them 3 years to get out of - 3 one-and-dones at best.

Would you do it?

IN A HEARTBEAT.
- StLBravesFan

Boy you guys really love this Doan character. Clue me in - what has he ever won?

Defence and goaltending win championships. Luongo works for me, paying Doan all that coin over 4 years term is a no go for me, Hawks have enough firepower up front. For half the money I put Bouwmeester on the blueline for a couple of years and look at guys like Arnott, Santorelli etc as a forward addition.

- hawks1921

Now why do you guys always turn this into a Chi vs Van thing. Doesn't have to go there. The minute someone says anything that might contradict hawk fan out comes the stanley cup images, and the hair pulling comments.

Hawk fans must be the most insecure group in hockey. You won the cup three years ago. We remember it well.

Our franchises are joined at the hip. Forever locked. When Lu is sent to Chicago our destinies will be complete.

I would disagree
- DDM-Coga

You would be right then. My bad. According to wiki he's italian/irish.

OMG.....what a douche bag....
- southernhawk

And guess what he does, an italian restaurant owner in Montreal, you know you will be getting that in a package deal coming to Chicago

Assume simplistic assumptions: Hawks get Luongo and his contract. Hawks overpay for Doan - 4 years $6MM (I'm setting up a very bad case cap scenario). Hawks can replace what the gave up for Luongo (a big assumption).

If in the next three years, the Hawks make WCF each year, two finals and one or two Cups.

Then they go into cap-hell that takes them 3 years to get out of - 3 one-and-dones at best.

Would you do it?

IN A HEARTBEAT.
- StLBravesFan

This is the quickest way to a cup.

If I'm lucky if I bump into long time readers etc....Also chat with beat writers.

I like to watch but I'm not there to establish a strong opinion on player X cuz I watched him for two hours.... I usually don't attend more than once.

I pick up things that click with me....I loved Niemi first time I saw him, Kane and Toews were like watching college seniors play against HS freshmen.

Other players like Bill Sweatt who fans loved cuz he was the fastest guy on the ice never did much for me.

But unless you watch propsects often like Wiz for example, or as you do, it is better not to take a whole lot of one practice session.

Sometimes the span in age is 4 years or so....As we know age is a big factor as does who you are playing against.
- Al

No, I'm not going to make a determination on a player just from seeing him once, but can still get questions answered. Like what style Niemi played. I left knowing he's a super quick blocking type. I left knowing the scouts were bang on, Lalonde is a silky smooth skater. That Makarov looked to have the ingredients to be a 3rd line type. That Crawford matched Niemi save for save with a whole different style. That the speedy little dude who had his wrist broken by that idiot Beach in the fight was a gritty little dude.

No more reading, my eyes got a look.

Indeed age is a huge factor. That's why if Canlan looks like he even comes close to belonging with the men, cuz he's a kid, we can like what the future holds. If he doesn't, it's to be expected. Same goes with the Fin they picked 1st round. Would love to see Whitney, the #2 ranked North American goalie, who fell to the 7th round and something like the 17th goalie taken.

Camp is awesome and I recommend it to anyone. But, and I think this may be what your getting at, no solid conclusions can be drawn from it, but still much can as I mentioned above.

It's just The Ice House sucks, big time. Doubt I'll ever go again.

On the Hawks..

hearing they may be turning from the Luongo sweeps (they were remotely in anyway) and trying to make a trade to bring in Bernier
- Eklund

Now we're in trouble .... looks like we are out on Bernier and in on Lu

Now why do you guys always turn this into a Chi vs Van thing. Doesn't have to go there. The minute someone says anything that might contradict hawk fan out comes the stanley cup images, and the hair pulling comments.

Hawk fans must be the most insecure group in hockey. You won the cup three years ago. We remember it well.

Our franchises are joined at the hip. Forever locked. When Lu is sent to Chicago our destinies will be complete.
- bloatedmosquito

im not insecure about anything, but if you can post a nude ryan kesler photo and claim he is a god (which he is the furthest thing from) i think it is more than acceptable to post a Dustin Byfuglien photo

If they did I would have paid to have heard it. Bieksa in a quote machine.
- bloatedmosquito

I found it absolutely hilarious when Vernon Fiddler was imitating Bieksa. Alain Vigneault looked like he was about to have a heart attack he was laughing so hard

Gillis' asking price probably way too high. Someone will overpay though.

im not insecure about anything, but if you can post a nude ryan kesler photo and claim he is a god (which he is the furthest thing from) i think it is more than acceptable to post a Dustin Byfuglien photo
- hawks1921

You need to read the thread to understand why that image was posted.

You liked it though; didn't you? You can admit it. We won't judge.

Now we're in trouble .... looks like we are out on Bernier and in on Lu
- eric.killham

Also mentioned Montreal looking at one of our top 6. Max Pacioretty for Stalberg. Done.

I found it absolutely hilarious when Vernon Fiddler was imitating Bieksa. Alain Vigneault looked like he was about to have a heart attack he was laughing so hard
- prd797

Yeah. We have some real characters on our team. No doubt.

Boy you guys really love this Doan character. Clue me in - what has he ever won?

Defence and goaltending win championships. Luongo works for me, paying Doan all that coin over 4 years term is a no go for me, Hawks have enough firepower up front. For half the money I put Bouwmeester on the blueline for a couple of years and look at guys like Arnott, Santorelli etc as a forward addition.
- RickJ

No - don't care if it's Doan and / or Luongo or anyone else.

Just that the only championships the Hawks can win are the ones right ahead of us.

Don't let cap worries 5/4/3 years out stop you from doing what you can to win now.

Click is ticking, window is closing on this group.

On the Canadiens..

hearring they are talking to Chicago about "a top 6 forward".


In case anyone missed it. Comments in EKs blog automatically popped up names of Kane, Hossa, Stalberg....

Also mentioned Montreal looking at one of our top 6. Max Pacioretty for Stalberg. Done.
- Sundevil

Son of a...just wrote the same thing essentially... I wrote in that blog, maybe it is Pacioretty, not a Chicago forward

On the Canadiens..

hearring they are talking to Chicago about "a top 6 forward". In case anyone missed it. Comments in EKs blog automatically popped up names of Kane, Hossa, Stalberg....
- ikeane

Like who - #88? Good, send me back Carey Price to start with.