Here's the deal with Hossa: he considered retirement after the injury. If he's not 100% after this season or takes another concussion type thing, I will not be surprised if he retires. I don't think he will play more than another 3 years regardless.
- John Jaeckel

As always, thanks for this.. and I would think in 3 years, if not sooner.. he has enough cash and no need to play any longer.

Add this to your list why the Hawks may have trouble. The two week Disney on Ice sends them on the road for two weeks beginning 1/30 - 2/10. They might get 4-5 home games in before but that 8-9 game trip could bury them if they get out to slow start.

I'm really interested about the 2 buyouts each team is able to use in the coming offseasons. I think there are a number of players with monster contracts that could be bought out soon and look quite good in a blackhawk sweater.

I would love to see the hawks go after a guy like Lecavalier. He's got a ridiculous contract, and Stamkos is the face of their franchise now. While I'm sure Lecavalier would be happy to chum along and collect his checks in tampa (7th highest paid player according to capgeek), a fresh start could revitalize his declining point totals, and i think he could be a viable option as a second-line center. Of course, Yzerman would have to buy him out in the first place....

What would you call it?
- Al

Didn't read or hear anything about it before you just wrote that? calm down

Here's the deal with Hossa: he considered retirement after the injury. If he's not 100% after this season or takes another concussion type thing, I will not be surprised if he retires. I don't think he will play more than another 3 years regardless.
- John Jaeckel

Which means the Hawks would be subject to a large recapture cap hit, if I'm reading it correctly.

Goaltending is the biggest question mark and source of doubt for me.

And no mention of Kane? He's in game shape and ready to answer everyone who flipped out on him last May. I predict a very strong year from him.

Count me as one as "I'll believe it when I see it" in regards to this team being anything other then a 6-8 seed.

I'm not sold on Kruger. You have 4 LEGIT Top 6 forwards in Kane, Hossa, Toews, Sharp. After that your depth is sporadic. Bolland is probably the most consistent player from there, but again...health concerns plague him. Otherwise can you buy into Kruger, Stalberg, Shaw, Frolik? These are going to be guys counted on to pick up the slack when a condensed schedule tires out your big guns.

Lets not also forget that EVERY d man except Leddy, Brookbank, and Hammer has a NTC. Yes even the coveted Rozsival. So can you afford to move a Hammer for a top 6 forward and then pray that a Roszival or Montador can play top 4 minutes and bail out an Oduya when he takes chances?

This team is very flawed and baring a parade of career years, MINIMAL injuries, a resurgance from #50, and the special teams becoming...special, I don't see the reason to get overly excited.

Figure the NHL is going to push officials to call a very tight game, just as they did the last time the league came back. So special teams are going to be HUGE, because the only way to attract back the casual fan is offensive game. Not 2-1 yawns between STL and LA.

If you sense a dose of high pessimism, you are correct. I am not sold on Bowman. I am not sold on Kitchen. I look at this roster and shake thinking how dead tired 10, 88, 81,19, 2, and 7 will be by game 15 from carrying this team in all facets.

I hope am I wrong, but this could be the bottom out from the cup year that has flared up the past 2 seasons. And if it is, no barrage of gimmicks from the marketing department can offset a thud of a season.
- SteveRain

As is often the case, I concur with your view of things--in this case, regarding the Blackhawks' lack of solid players beyond the top handful, in addition to your comments about the NHL calling the game tight (and you couldn't have picked two better teams for your examples, unless you threw in Phoenix).

Just heard about a rumor that Evander Kane might still be available, even though he recently signed a big deal. The jets do make good trade partners

Didn't read or hear anything about it before you just wrote that? calm down
- moots

Guys, no fighting . . . yet . . . let's wait for Stanley to do (or not) something or for Q or Kitchen or Tampon to piss us off!

Didn't read or hear anything about it before you just wrote that? calm down
- moots

If I got any calmer I would be dead...

I was referring to games that were tied and went all the way through to a shootout.

Which is the same as it has been and accounts for much of the so called "parity" in the NHL.

>5 Q's
>What is the Blackhawks playing style? (Haven't had one since the Cup year.)
>What changes in philosophy, tactics, and upcoming player selection have happened to make the Blackhawks a top 10 team on the power play?
>Same question for the PK
>Are the coach and GM completely on the same page regarding who plays and who plays what position?
>Will players who take shifts off, manage the puck carelessly, take dumb penalties, or bungle defensive assignments ever miss a shift?

If I got any calmer I would be dead...

I was referring to games that were tied and went all the way through to a shootout.
- Al

I was lost thought you were talking about a new 3 point system that has always been talked about but never used, my bad!

>5 Q's
>What is the Blackhawks playing style? (Haven't had one since the Cup year.)
>What changes in philosophy, tactics, and upcoming player selection have happened to make the Blackhawks a top 10 team on the power play?
>Same question for the PK
>Are the coach and GM completely on the same page regarding who plays and who plays what position?
>Will players who take shifts off, manage the puck carelessly, take dumb penalties, or bungle defensive assignments ever miss a shift?
- SnapitUpstairs

#1....The issue is for most part in the last two years is Q. tried to play the SAME style as when they won the Cup, without the same type of lineup.

I was lost thought you were talking about a new 3 point system that has always been talked about but never used, my bad!
- moots

Some interesting details coming out about the new CBA, specifically:

Teams can trade 50% of up to 3 contracts, not to exceed 15% of the max salary cap limit.

Amnesty or compliance buyouts are not available this season but available in both of the next two years.

The salary in excess of the league minimum + $375,000 counting against the cap applies to players playing in both the AHL and Europe.

I remember Alan Walsh tweeting about this, he was complaining that the NHL is the only pro league where some players have to share a room on the road.

Boo freaking Hoo. Millionaires are complaining about bunking with their buddies during a road trip?? Seriously??

- DarthKane

I would think having roommates would be good for the team. Build team chemistry, keep guys out of trouble, safety in numbers...etc

Add this to your list why the Hawks may have trouble. The two week Disney on Ice sends them on the road for two weeks beginning 1/30 - 2/10. They might get 4-5 home games in before but that 8-9 game trip could bury them if they get out to slow start.
- bogiedoc

Could be, but could be a blessing...Would mean a lot of home ganes later on.

Bottom line is there isn't going to be as much time to practice this season.

Add this to your list why the Hawks may have trouble. The two week Disney on Ice sends them on the road for two weeks beginning 1/30 - 2/10. They might get 4-5 home games in before but that 8-9 game trip could bury them if they get out to slow start.
- bogiedoc

The team was 20-12-9 on the road in 2010-2011 and just 18-18-5 last year. Would think in a short season, a + .500 record away is a MUST to make the playoffs.

Here's what a longtime fan who feels he has a pretty good feel for the team thinks.

They're a streaky, at times lazy, team with tremendous talent everywhere but in goal. I think Crawford just needs to be good. Better than last year, but he doesn't need to be Martin Brodeur.

I have this hunch (as someone else also predicted above) Patrick Kane is going to have a monster year. I think the abysmal special teams was kind of a fluky thing that started to get into their heads. I imagine this will get better. If they struggle on PP again and have another one and done season, I could see Coach Q gone.

I didn't have a good feeling about them last half of season going into playoffs. I think they'll rebound and be better this year.

John Jaeckel: Why The Hawks Will Contend. Why They Won’t.
- John Jaeckel

The hawks win because its a shortened season with little time for preseason so the NHL goes to a no check league season
Thats the only way this team wins the stanley cup

As is often the case, I concur with your view of things--in this case, regarding the Blackhawks' lack of solid players beyond the top handful, in addition to your comments about the NHL calling the game tight (and you couldn't have picked two better teams for your examples, unless you threw in Phoenix).
- AL SEC0RD

Thanks big AL.

You would think a team that has built itself on a very image conscience business plan, would be the leader in a SINCERE apology to their fan base...but no....that lies with the classy Pittsburgh Penguins who offered a no bs apology.

that's how you keep a fan base. You don't pull punches, you don't make excuses, you tell it how it is...NO gimmicks, just the truth.

Maybe Al is right, and maybe the attendance is up due to a highly contested season. Nobody will ever know what the focus group told the owners about the results of different scenarios right as the lockout started, but I'll bet both my nuts the 48 game schedule was floated out there....

The hawks win because its a shortened season with little time for preseason so the NHL goes to a no check league season
Thats the only way this team wins the stanley cup
- molly2522

The short training camp, and compressed schedule might help this team because it will allow less practice time for Q, Kitch, and Tampon to corrupt the natural hockey instincts of the players...especially the young ones.

goaltending will keep the hawks from having playoff success.
- wingz4life

until they make a deal for LUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!!

The short training camp, and compressed schedule might help this team because it will allow less practice time for Q, Kitch, and Tampon to corrupt the natural hockey instincts of the players...especially the young ones.
- Ogilthorpe2

Agree with you but winning it all is stilled based on a no check league season

I wonder like in football how much weight per line the hawks give up to the competition