John Jaeckel: Wild At Hawks GameDay Preview

First!

Minnie has impressed me by far. Scandella is a very good underrated guy, Suter is playing top notch, and the coaching staff has found 4 balanced lines. Shout out to Dubnyk also... good goalie.

Up the middle, it's Staal-Koivu-Haula-?. Pretty deep lineup this year that seems to have rekindled some confidence from past years and ready to go. Watch out for this team... I think they will expose some of our weaknesses.

One question for the board, which LW would you specifically target in a trade?

One question for the board, which LW would you specifically target in a trade?
- 93Joe

If I had the assets to trade--Landeskog.

Otherwise, possibly JVR.

Chris Hine ‏@ChristopherHine 24s25 seconds ago
Q also said all first-year players are in tonight, meaning Kempny would be in. Look for Campbell to be the scratch on the blue line.

Rozsival to play. Q gonna Q

Between Landeskog and JVR--- I think Landeskog is more the complete player that would fit Q's style--

Can someone explain or detail how this could work? I think they also have term left on their deals--

I don't see how the Hawks could afford either under cap-- even at the deadline-- unless a comparable salary is outgoing -- but I would LOVE to see Landeskog on a line with 19 & 81--- puck domination and leadership with more physicality from Landeskog--

One question for the board, which LW would you specifically target in a trade?
- 93Joe

I'd prefer that they'd trade for a good faceoff center...ie.... Martin Hanzal from Phoenix, UFA at year end. Faceoffs are critical in the playoffs and help at center is needed with what's happening to our current group.

good luck tonight hawk fans! should be a good one!

I'd prefer that they'd trade for a good faceoff center...ie.... Martin Hanzal from Phoenix, UFA at year end. Faceoffs are critical in the playoffs and help at center is needed with what's happening to our current group.
- Hawkytalk

I like that idea. A guy who can play center/wing. Landeskog would be a hell of an addition, but would cost an arm and a leg.

AA and Schmaltz both playing not sure who's the scratch.

>>>>As written here yesterday—this is the biggest game (by far) of the season for the Hawks. Absolutely humiliated in a 6-0 loss in Washington Friday, the team must deliver a big-time performance tonight, if not pull out two points.<<<

i completely agree...but many wonder how you can have a big game that is only 1/82 of the season....

With Schmaltz back up, and no one sent down, our Cap Space at deadline is currently only 3.3 million. Also, with our cap situation....we are not getting anyone that makes a ton of money and has multiple years remaining on contract....that is just common sense. So no JVR or Landeskog. That will never, never, never happen. My guess is when Kruger comes back, Schmaltz goes back down...so we may have about 4.5-5.0 at trade deadline. Here are some guys that are UFA's and whose salaries we can fit. Not saying their teams want to trade them...just saying these fit the criteria: Micalek, Greening, Vanek, Hudler, Laich, Ribeiro, Hanzal, Burrows, Stafford, Gionta, Jagr, Kulikov, Stone, Del Zotto and Oduya. My guess is if any of the above players teams are in playoff contention, they will not be dealt. So probably eliminate about half of those above.

this is just the start of the slide into wild card territory. the cap has eaten this team up and the record gives one a false impression of what this team is all about.
As seen last game, puck control starts at winning the faceoff, 27% isn't going make for a parade in June for Chicago. The window has closed unless the cap rules change or the cap goes up by 5 to 7M. We all saw and fear'd this day would arrive

good luck tonight hawk fans! should be a good one!
- gopherwildfan

depends on your point of view...

reports are toews was fuming after the game..that locker room should have been filled with fummers...

JVR talk heating up on other Hawk blog sites! Oh please Oh please! You pull it off Stan with out getting boned,I take back all my doubts!!

With Schmaltz back up, and no one sent down, our Cap Space at deadline is currently only 3.3 million. Also, with our cap situation....we are not getting anyone that makes a ton of money and has multiple years remaining on contract....that is just common sense. So no JVR or Landeskog. That will never, never, never happen. My guess is when Kruger comes back, Schmaltz goes back down...so we may have about 4.5-5.0 at trade deadline. Here are some guys that are UFA's and whose salaries we can fit. Not saying their teams want to trade them...just saying these fit the criteria: Micalek, Greening, Vanek, Hudler, Laich, Ribeiro, Hanzal, Burrows, Stafford, Gionta, Jagr, Kulikov, Stone, Del Zotto and Oduya. My guess is if any of the above players teams are in playoff contention, they will not be dealt. So probably eliminate about half of those above.
- onehundredlevel

I could see a Martin Hanzal or a Zack Smith type trade. Guys who can play center and wing and are big bodies. Smith had a good year last year with Ottawa and makes just under $2M. Might be out there might not.

Unless Toews find his wheels this team is going nowhere. Hope its an injury because his diminished skill set has him looking like a third line center

depends on your point of view...

reports are toews was fuming after the game..that locker room should have been filled with fummers...
- bogiedoc

You hear about it a lot where a slumping team finally has a closed-door, players-only meeting that somehow becomes the turning point in the season to propel the team in the right direction. Hopefully this is that moment.

But you also wonder if they had such a meeting earlier in the season. If not, why not? Then again, if they did, it didn't do much to permanently right the ship.

And hopefully some of that fuming goes back at Toews. He's not exactly the best player on the ice game in and game out and could elevate his game a few notches.

Unless Toews find his wheels this team is going nowhere. Hope its an injury because his diminished skill set has him looking like a third line center
- molly2522

Cool, he can play with other noted 3rd liner Hossa.

You hear about it a lot where a slumping team finally has a closed-door, players-only meeting that somehow becomes the turning point in the season to propel the team in the right direction. Hopefully this is that moment.

But you also wonder if they had such a meeting earlier in the season. If not, why not? Then again, if they did, it didn't do much to permanently right the ship.

And hopefully some of that fuming goes back at Toews. He's not exactly the best player on the ice game in and game out and could elevate his game a few notches.
- AEL_Fox

Some of that fuming should go back at Kane: 1 goal in his last 8 games, 2 in 11, 6 in 29.

And Hossa: no goals in 8 games, 2 in 12 - a good start to the season - not much production recently.

Even Panarin has only 2 goals in 11 games.

You hear about it a lot where a slumping team finally has a closed-door, players-only meeting that somehow becomes the turning point in the season to propel the team in the right direction. Hopefully this is that moment.

But you also wonder if they had such a meeting earlier in the season. If not, why not? Then again, if they did, it didn't do much to permanently right the ship.

And hopefully some of that fuming goes back at Toews. He's not exactly the best player on the ice game in and game out and could elevate his game a few notches.
- AEL_Fox

They didn't have a closed door meeting, though, did they? The beats were talking about how mad Toews sounded in his interviews.

Some of that fuming should go back at Kane: 1 goal in his last 8 games, 2 in 11, 6 in 29.

And Hossa: no goals in 8 games, 2 in 12 - a good start to the season - not much production recently.

Even Panarin has only 2 goals in 11 games.
- StLBravesFan

Eh, Hossa was always going to regress a bit (not for long), but Kane is hitting some bad luck as he has a higher expected goal totals than his current counts. His scoring chance rates have actually increased as the season has gone on, which does not match his current sh% at all. If Kane was shooting at just 1% more, he'd be leading the league in points right now by a slim margin.

Look at the charts below - the probability of Toews breaking out is high, Hossa is continuing to play in close well. Kane is shooting from his spots well, in line with normal rates that have increased. Other notes: Panik, Hino, and Hartman are all getting to the right spots.

They didn't have a closed door meeting, though, did they? The beats were talking about how mad Toews sounded in his interviews.
- L_B_R

Don't know if it was a closed-door meeting. You're probably right. I was just pointing at that there needs to be a pivotal point in the season when the players tell each other enough is enough and they collectively kick themselves in the rear and shake off the funk to play like we (and hopefully they) expect them to.

I believe they have it within them to play in a way that matches their record. I'll be optimistic and say that I don't think it's been completely (maybe a little bit but not totally) smoke and mirrors how they've stay atop the Western Conference and near the top of entire league all season.

Eh, Hossa was always going to regress a bit, but Kane is hitting some bad luck as he has a higher expected goal totals than his current counts. His scoring chance rates have actually increased as the season has gone on, which does not match his current sh% at all. If Kane was shooting at just 1% more, he'd be leading the league in points right now by a slim margin.


- L_B_R

I mean this as a compliment, but do you have stat interns who work for you? You're so quick with nice charts and graphs and advanced stats. I also assume you're a stats or numbers guy at your day job. Either that are just clearly a junkie.