Here's a quick little stat for you guys...

• TEAMS WINNING GAME ONE HAVE WON THE CUP 54 OF 69 TIMES (78.3%).

- SMU51

As much as I would like to take comfort in this stat and appreciate your posting it I just can't. This means that 21.7% of the time the team that loses game one wins the Cup. One of those teams just happens to be these very Boston Bruins.

I have complete faith in our boys. But I also respect our opposition.

Same here. Coaching what remained of that roster into the playoffs was an accomplishment, and a TRUE indication of a GOOD coach; not doing well with a stacked team.
- Q...argh

....not here. Q has won the respect of the entire NHL outside of some local bloggers. His methods and penchant for mixing lines may leave many wondering why, yet he ultimately answers the criteria for great coaches...he gets the most out of his charges. Simply put, he's the finest coach the Hawks have ever had.

....not here. Q has won the respect of the entire NHL outside of some local bloggers. His methods and penchant for mixing lines may leave many wondering why, yet he ultimately answers the criteria for great coaches...he gets the most out of his charges. Simply put, he's the finest coach the Hawks have ever had.
- Hawkshead

...oh yeah, and worthy of the Adams...

As much as I would like to take comfort in this stat and appreciate your posting it I just can't. This means that 21.7% of the time the team that loses game one wins the Cup. One of those teams just happens to be these very Boston Bruins.

I have complete faith in our boys. But I also respect our opposition.
- DarthKane

Me too...said here before don't think many teams can be us 4 out of 7...or now 4 out of 6... but Boston could. Still, LOVE OUR CHANCES.

Another quick little stat for you guys:

The Blackhawks are UNDEFEATED in the post-Gabe Carimi era in Chicago.

Me too...said here before don't think many teams can be us 4 out of 7...or now 4 out of 6... but Boston could. Still, LOVE OUR CHANCES.
- philco28

I will respond after tomorrow's game. we win and I really like our chances.

Since we are talking about favorable stats ....

Out of the 13 Stanley Cup finals games that ever went 2ot or more the a wwinner has won the Stanley Cup 11/13 times.

This core is 5-2 in Stanley Cup finals games.... so far....

All that said... the Game 1 win means nothing with out a win tomorrow and a 2-0 series lead mean mothing without a win in Boston in game 3 or 4...



20 hours until puck drop.......

As much as I would like to take comfort in this stat and appreciate your posting it I just can't. This means that 21.7% of the time the team that loses game one wins the Cup. One of those teams just happens to be these very Boston Bruins.

I have complete faith in our boys. But I also respect our opposition.
- DarthKane

78.3% - 21.7% - means nothing to this series.

If Chicago wins the Cup, 100% of the teams in this series who won game 1....

And, of course, if Boston wins....

Can't rely on anything that happened in the past.

But, they DO win in spite of Q!
- Q...argh

the wheels on the bus go round and round.......

....not here. Q has won the respect of the entire NHL outside of some local bloggers. His methods and penchant for mixing lines may leave many wondering why, yet he ultimately answers the criteria for great coaches...he gets the most out of his charges. Simply put, he's the finest coach the Hawks have ever had.
- Hawkshead

Well, since Pete Muldoon - a good enough coach to leave a curse on the team.

You've got a lot of nerve giving credit where credit's due...fire Crawford and bench Q!

- HawkintheD

Crazy thoughts giving credit to Q when he deserves it.....like Philco said he is not perfect but there is probably less than a handful of coaches I would rather have.

We have discovered the Eastern Conference equivalent of Mike Babcock in terms of working refs—Claude Julien.


Probably the dumbest comment I've read.
- snipesydangle

Agreed... this is a ridiculous comment... with no merit whatsoever.

FWIW, MacLean would have gotten my vote
- John Jaeckel

Popular opinion went with you....

I think it is hard to discount what the Hawks have accompished considering they weren't the chalk coming into the season.

Blackhawks show depth, capture Game 1, 4-3 in 3rd OT - Game 1 opinions and recap- My Fox Chicago-Fox 32 News http://bit.ly/ZLWN83

On Twitter@AlCimaglia

I think sometimes people are blind....

12-13 5th in points, 5th in goals 19th in TOI for defensemen
11-12 2nd in points, 6th in goals, 23rd in TOI for defensemen
10-11 4th in points, 1st in goals, 36th in TOI for defensemen

Yeah... No demand for this. Ha
- ilinkhawk

The facts are also the Jets are an enchanting story but as of today purely a one line team that is at best a fringe playoff club.

Put Buff on a team where there is a supporting cast in place and he probably shines.

If Buff gained 30 pounds plus during the season or came in close to 300 lbs before the year started....

He is at fault but so are the Jets. These days a player should never gain so much weight once the season begins....

Blackhawks show depth, capture Game 1, 4-3 in 3rd OT - Game 1 opinions and recap- My Fox Chicago-Fox 32 News http://bit.ly/ZLWN83

On Twitter@AlCimaglia

Very close GB...Q was named head coach on Oct. 16, 2008 after we got off to a 1-3 head start.
- philco28

...And Savard was released after a win.

Blackhawks show depth, capture Game 1, 4-3 in 3rd OT - Game 1 opinions and recap- My Fox Chicago-Fox 32 News http://bit.ly/ZLWN83

On Twitter@AlCimaglia

Crazy thoughts giving credit to Q when he deserves it.....like Philco said he is not perfect but there is probably less than a handful of coaches I would rather have.
- UnnamedSource

The guys play for Q because he treats them like men yet still holds them accountable. My beefs with Q are few...but his tinkering with lines is a bit much sometimes and IMO it led to both too many men penalties in o/t.

When you're switching the lines up so much IN GAME..confusion can reign at the bench. And i don't know how to look up the stat, but i'd bet we're TOP 5 in too many men penalties since Q took over.

Spread the word...Krejci looks to have an illegal curve and we should call for a stick measurement if/when the time is right. Jacques Demers used this tactic to great effect in G1 of the '93 Finals. Marty McSorley's stick failed the test, the Habs scored a pp goal and went on to win G1 and the chalice.

The guys play for Q because he treats them like men yet still holds them accountable. My beefs with Q are few...but his tinkering with lines is a bit much sometimes and IMO it led to both too many men penalties in o/t.

When you're switching the lines up so much IN GAME..confusion can reign at the bench. And i don't know how to look up the stat, but i'd bet we're TOP 5 in too many men penalties since Q took over.

Spread the word...Krejci looks to have an illegal curve and we should call for a stick measurement if/when the time is right. Jacques Demers used this tactic to great effect in G1 of the '93 Finals. Marty McSorley's stick failed the test, the Habs scored a pp goal and went on to win G1 and the chalice.
- philco28

Don't forget that constant line changes effects timing of passes. How many times have we seen the Hawks overpass their targets.

The guys play for Q because he treats them like men yet still holds them accountable. My beefs with Q are few...but his tinkering with lines is a bit much sometimes and IMO it led to both too many men penalties in o/t.

When you're switching the lines up so much IN GAME..confusion can reign at the bench. And i don't know how to look up the stat, but i'd bet we're TOP 5 in too many men penalties since Q took over.

Spread the word...Krejci looks to have an illegal curve and we should call for a stick measurement if/when the time is right. Jacques Demers used this tactic to great effect in G1 of the '93 Finals. Marty McSorley's stick failed the test, the Habs scored a pp goal and went on to win G1 and the chalice.
- philco28

Lol... You just won't let the stick thing go huh ???

The guys play for Q because he treats them like men yet still holds them accountable. My beefs with Q are few...but his tinkering with lines is a bit much sometimes and IMO it led to both too many men penalties in o/t.

When you're switching the lines up so much IN GAME..confusion can reign at the bench. And i don't know how to look up the stat, but i'd bet we're TOP 5 in too many men penalties since Q took over.

Spread the word...Krejci looks to have an illegal curve and we should call for a stick measurement if/when the time is right. Jacques Demers used this tactic to great effect in G1 of the '93 Finals. Marty McSorley's stick failed the test, the Habs scored a pp goal and went on to win G1 and the chalice.
- philco28

I actually thought the same thing about Bickell's stick last game. One shot on the bench they showed, I was like damn that's gotta be an illegal curve, better not show that again.

Dustin Byfuglien is going to be mentioned in trade talks as the NHL draft draws closer and the talking point that will be raised again and again is his weight.
It was evident Byfuglien grew heavier this season as the games moved on and according to accredited Jets blogger Pete Tessier, the player's weight rose to 302 pounds by season's end.
If there's any truth to this number, Byfuglien is virtually untradeable. Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff can't engage in trade talks with another GM and keep Byfuglien's weight off the table until the very end -- then hit his colleague with an, "oh, by the way, Buff's a little big right now."
Cheveldayoff has a solid reputation in the NHL for good reason. He's above board, and hiding a player's physical ailment, such as being overweight or having a bad knee, isn't kosher. It comes out anyway. Teams must hand over medical reports and players must pass physicals.
The Jets weren't having any of this talk when reached for a comment on Monday evening.
"The Jets have never been, and never will be, in the habit of commenting on rumours started on Twitter," wrote a team spokesman in a text message.
We'll leave the debate as to what the team should comment on to the Jets, as it's their business. But Byfuglien's late-season appearance and coach Claude Noel's clear displeasure with him were red flags. Did Buff weigh three bills during an NHL season? Don't know. But it's not unimaginable.
Tessier isn't known for being a rumour-monger and printing an outright lie is a quick way to get one's press credentials yanked. Tessier would have to have a good source and be in strong position to defend his story. I checked with Tessier Monday night and he stood by his story and his source.
All this brings us back to what the Jets need to do about Dustin Byfuglien, arguably their most talented player and a highly-paid one, at $5,750,000 this coming season.
It's been stated he's soon to be a diminishing asset, but his lack of conditioning has already decreased his value at just age 28. Cheveldayoff would be at a disadvantage in any trade negotiation right now. The whispers about Byfuglien's conditioning long ago broke into open conversation.
No, the Jets can't dump Byfuglien on someone else's lap unless they are willing to accept a deep discount on the return. Not now.
Cheveldayoff's best bet is to turn the trick no one has been able to -- that's to somehow reach Byfuglien and get him into shape and playing a more disciplined game.
Byfuglien regressed this past season as his conditioning slipped and he became more and more unpredictable as a player. There were some brilliant games early in the season but as the pace quickened, Byfuglien became less and less effective.
Noel was visibly frustrated with the player and when questioned after a string of poor games in late March, bit his lip before offering this assessment.
"Well, he's been... I'll just say up and down," said Noel.
It was right around this time that Byfuglien no longer had the option to take days off from practice or morning skates, as did other veterans.
Noel looked for answers, first moving Byfuglien up to forward for a game-and-a-half and then limiting his ice. Neither proved to be answers.
The Jets can't move forward with Byfuglien in his current form. He either has to get better or be moved. Problem is he can't be dealt in his present state. No one will pay top dollar for a player in obvious disrepair.
Cheveldayoff must have fond memories of Byfuglien from their days of winning the Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks. But that time is long gone and the business of hockey is no place for nostalgia.
Byfuglien has become a problem. One that Cheveldayoff must solve before the Jets can take the next step.

- wiz1901[email][email protected][/email] Twitter: @garylawless

If Winnepeg puts Byfuglien on the trade block and the asking price is in line he would be gone in minutes if not seconds. There is not one team in the league who would not be interested. Byfuglien at 300 or at 280 is a game changer a player no team except Boston with Chara can match.

I knew you weren't comparing the players, and agree the the writer came off biased. But if his point was that Buff will be hard to trade for a decent return that will help the team re-tool, I think he is correct.

The new CBA does allow trading teams to retain a portion of the salary, and I believe the cap hit as well. This was done to allow "rich" teams to trade bad contracts to "poor" teams. I'll look for a link...

Edit - here's the link. http://www.theglobeandmai...lvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
- mohel

Thanks, learn something new every day. The CBA is typically too much detail for my small neanderthal brain

The guys play for Q because he treats them like men yet still holds them accountable. My beefs with Q are few...but his tinkering with lines is a bit much sometimes and IMO it led to both too many men penalties in o/t.

When you're switching the lines up so much IN GAME..confusion can reign at the bench. And i don't know how to look up the stat, but i'd bet we're TOP 5 in too many men penalties since Q took over.

Spread the word...Krejci looks to have an illegal curve and we should call for a stick measurement if/when the time is right. Jacques Demers used this tactic to great effect in G1 of the '93 Finals. Marty McSorley's stick failed the test, the Habs scored a pp goal and went on to win G1 and the chalice.
- philco28

Unfortunately, it's not a golf tournament: TV viewers can't just call in and say Tige had an illegal drop.

Thanks, learn something new every day. The CBA is typically too much detail for my small neanderthal brain
- John Jaeckel

No problem. Yeah, the CBA (and especially the cap) is a pain in the arse!

Lol... You just won't let the stick thing go huh ???
- mrpaulish

Nope, why would I. It's CHEATING. And we should exploit the rule and punish them.

Unfortunately, it's not a golf tournament: TV viewers can't just call in and say Tige had an illegal drop.
- StLBravesFan

That's why i'm hoping one of you Chi Town ma'phuckers can SPREAD THE WORD and maybe, just maybe it reaches the Hawk bench