Yeah, I'm not going to read into that.
- EKolb13

It is what it is Eli.

I have always said - get him to Rockford for a year - give him a chance to learn the North American pro game - give him a chance to put on 15-20-25 pounds of strength.

I hope you are wrong, too - I'm willing to wait and see.
- StLBravesFan

This could be the best way to handle Teravainen. However, if he's got enough of his game going for him, it could turn into a Marcus Kruger situation for Teravainen and the Hawks could graduate him out of necessity.

I'm thinking that Morin could end up being a valuable bottom 6 wing with some scoring upside. That might be why the Hawks might hold onto him for next season.
- EKolb13

TBH. I don't see that he can't help this season. Maybe it goes back to what has been mentioned on here before. Maybe the organization was just buying time until after the break with guys like Rozy and Handzus by carrying Kostka instead of having an extra forward around. Maybe the way Morin has handled it has showed them something.

I have seen him play Saint. Quite a few times. I just don't see him being able to handle the NHL game. He is slight. Not just small. There really isn't that much room for weight on his frame. He avoids the walls. He is rarely there even on the big sheet. There is less room in the NHL. Is he talented? Yes, he is. My opinion is his skills are made for the European game. I hope I am wrong and he fills a need. Time will tell.
- Elbows15

BS you're watching Finnish Elite League games.

TBH. I don't see that he can't help this season.
- Elbows15

Again, I can't say whether I agree or disagree. None of us are really going to know how it plays out until the organization decides to give him a shot. Even then, giving Teravainen a shot now may be the best idea or the (frank)ing worst idea ever.

It's hard to say how it will play out, but I'm thinking that Bowman is going to try it if he can't find someone else that will stick at the #2C slot.

C'mon, carcus, you've got better trolling skills than that....
- mohel

It was a joke.

But in the end, he did choke today. I mean, come on. Two penalty shots and you don't even get a shot on goal? And as a Blues fan, I am an expert witness to choking, as I have seen years and years of it up close.

I'm thinking that Morin could end up being a valuable bottom 6 wing with some scoring upside. That might be why the Hawks might hold onto him for next season.
- EKolb13

Unfortunately, we may be back to what Olczyk said at the end of the last Phoenix game two years ago:

The Hawks may have only four top-6 players - maybe Saad is number five, not proven yet.

Who in the system us a potential fifth and sixth?

Danault? McNeil? TT? How far away - next year? Two or three years?

I've said much the same before: they are down 5 players from last year - including mostly ineffective Handzus and Bickell - but have only found one effective replacement - Smith. This year's Bickell and Handzus have been ineffective replacement for last year's versions.

Maybe - with three weeks off - Bickell comes back and solidifies the third line with Saad/Versteeg and Shaw. Maybe Saad/Versteeg move to 2W, maybe Handzus gets 2C magic again in the play-offs.

That's a lot of maybes - but there were a lot if maybes last year, too, so...maybe...
- StLBravesFan

What 5 players?

It was a joke.

But in the end, he did choke today. I mean, come on. Two penalty shots and you don't even get a shot on goal? And as a Blues fan, I am an expert witness to choking, as I have seen years and years of it up close.


- carcus

No goals in almost 7 full periods - Kane wasn't out there for all 208 minutes of that.

He also made some nice passes to teammates in good positions who also didn't score.

That gagging sound you hear is from 20 skaters dressed the last two games.

What 5 players?
- rollpards19

Bolland, Frolik, Stalberg are literally gone.

I use blogger's license to consider Bickell and Handzus to be EDIT:figuratively gone - they have been nowhere near what they were in the play-offs.

So that's my five.

No goals in almost 7 full periods - Kane wasn't out there for all 208 minutes of that.

He also made some nice passes to teammates in good positions who also didn't score.

That gagging sound you hear is from 20 skaters dressed the last two games.
- StLBravesFan

I didn't say that he was the only one. But he was front and center in the American choke jobs from the past two days, especially today.

I didn't say that he was the only one. But he was front and center in the American choke jobs from the past two days, especially today.
- carcus

I was critical of him for (in particular) those PS misses, too, as well as the lack of measurable production in the six games - but:

Who on the US team played better than he did against Canada and Finland? Who provided more chances for himself or his teammates?

Unfortunately, we may be back to what Olczyk said at the end of the last Phoenix game two years ago:

The Hawks may have only four top-6 players - maybe Saad is number five, not proven yet.

Who in the system us a potential fifth and sixth?

Danault? McNeil? TT? How far away - next year? Two or three years?
- StLBravesFan

Danault & McNeill are not ready yet. They could be call-ups for next season, but I have my doubts that they will stick next season. McNeill might have some argument as to being a second line guy, but that's still a long ways off. I'm thinking that Danault is going to end up being a 3rd line player eventually and a player much like Bolland.

As for Teravainen, I don't know. I haven't seen enough of him to really make any sort of judgement. All I've said about him is that I wouldn't be surprised if the organization did give him a shot, or that he never sees Rockford. That's it. All I've done is spit up some thoughts as to what the organization might do with him.

Bolland, Frolik, Stalberg are literally gone.

I use blogger's license to consider Bickell and Handzus to be EDIT:figuratively gone - they have been nowhere near what they were in the play-offs.

So that's my five.
- StLBravesFan

Well Stalberg got replaced by Versteeg, they're pretty similar. Bolland in the regular season last year was beyond worthless, much worse than Handzus this year. Smith=Frolik. Bickell will either play well or not, none of us know, but I don't think you can say either way is really likely (he'll never score goals like that in the playoffs though). Handzus kinda sucks, I'll give you that one. But maybe Regin finds lightning in a bottle, maybe Sharp gets reunited with Kane and they take off. I just can't have you going to the pessimistic side, too few optimists around here

I was critical of him for (in particular) those PS misses, too, as well as the lack of measurable production in the six games - but:

Who on the US team played better than he did against Canada and Finland? Who provided more chances for himself or his teammates?
- StLBravesFan

Kane was easily the best forward for the US in these last two games. Parise has no offensive skill anymore, Backes and Brown are worthless, Kessel disappears against real defenses, and the rest are marginal players. Team wasn't good enough to get a medal, I thought they'd lose to Russia too, but they got lucky. At best their the fifth best 5v5 team in the tournament

Well Stalberg got replaced by Versteeg, they're pretty similar. Bolland in the regular season last year was beyond worthless, much worse than Handzus this year. Smith=Frolik. Bickell will either play well or not, none of us know, but I don't think you can say either way is really likely (he'll never score goals like that in the playoffs though). Handzus kinda sucks, I'll give you that one. But maybe Regin finds lightning in a bottle, maybe Sharp gets reunited with Kane and they take off. I just can't have you going to the pessimistic side, too few optimists around here
- rollpards19

Still believe in fairy tales I see.

Well Stalberg got replaced by Versteeg, they're pretty similar. Bolland in the regular season last year was beyond worthless, much worse than Handzus this year. Smith=Frolik. Bickell will either play well or not, none of us know, but I don't think you can say either way is really likely (he'll never score goals like that in the playoffs though). Handzus kinda sucks, I'll give you that one. But maybe Regin finds lightning in a bottle, maybe Sharp gets reunited with Kane and they take off. I just can't have you going to the pessimistic side, too few optimists around here
- rollpards19

I'm just going by what we've seen in the 60 games so far played: I'm not out on the ledge yet.

One reason is that the competition (all affected by this salary cap era) has holes, too - St. Louis in goal, LA can't score, Annie can't handle speed, SJ - well, maybe the leads restricted team, but they have a history of failure.

Another reason is that Hawks who are not playing well now - including Handzus and Bickell - have played well in the past when it mattered most; and going into last year's tournament, the team had several "maybe's" too.

Well Stalberg got replaced by Versteeg, they're pretty similar. Bolland in the regular season last year was beyond worthless, much worse than Handzus this year. Smith=Frolik. Bickell will either play well or not, none of us know, but I don't think you can say either way is really likely (he'll never score goals like that in the playoffs though). Handzus kinda sucks, I'll give you that one. But maybe Regin finds lightning in a bottle, maybe Sharp gets reunited with Kane and they take off. I just can't have you going to the pessimistic side, too few optimists around here
- rollpards19

Yes - forgot about Versteeg - better replacement for Stalberg.

Well, it hasn't quite ended yet.

With Kostka on waivers, it could be that Pirri is the one who gets recalled.

At any rate, things with Pirri sticking in the organization haven't looked too good for Pirri at this point. Also, I agree with your take on things earlier in the season - that players like Pirri and Morin are "bridge players," or pieces to fill in the gaps until either the ones the organization is waiting on develop, or the organization finds better fits outside of the organization.

Even if Pirri gets another shot to stick, I suspect that the organization has already made its mind up. Either one or both of Pirri or Morin will be expendable and gone as soon as the trade deadline or as late as the draft with the other getting a roster spot in Chicago next season. That's if one of the two are still around come fall.
- EKolb13

I agree with every word of this. I just think that Pirri is a better short term solution at 2C rather than Zus centering 2 or 3.

No goals in almost 7 full periods - Kane wasn't out there for all 208 minutes of that.

He also made some nice passes to teammates in good positions who also didn't score.

That gagging sound you hear is from 20 skaters dressed the last two games.
- StLBravesFan

Kane was used quite a bit to set things up, especially entries. I thought he played well most games, just didn't score.

Again, I can't say whether I agree or disagree. None of us are really going to know how it plays out until the organization decides to give him a shot. Even then, giving Teravainen a shot now may be the best idea or the (frank)ing worst idea ever.

It's hard to say how it will play out, but I'm thinking that Bowman is going to try it if he can't find someone else that will stick at the #2C slot.
- EKolb13

Quit being so wishy-washy FFS. It just your opinion. No one will take it seriously.

I was critical of him for (in particular) those PS misses, too, as well as the lack of measurable production in the six games - but:

Who on the US team played better than he did against Canada and Finland? Who provided more chances for himself or his teammates?
- StLBravesFan

Honestly, nobody played well. But all he did was skate in circles, stickhandling, and then give up the puck. He was not good. He skated around a lot with the puck along the outside and didn't do anything with them. Oh well.

If you want to say he was the best US player in two games when they did absolutely nothing, ok.

I agree with every word of this. I just think that Pirri is a better short term solution at 2C rather than Zus centering 2 or 3.
- Q...argh

I don't totally agree with this.

Given, I'll agree with your thoughts on Handzus - at least during the regular season. Once the playoffs start and every team ramps up the physical play, Handzus will probably be more valuable to this team then. He's slow, but his big body can take some of the abuse. I can't say the same for Pirri. As for Teravainen, who knows if he can step in and take the pressure of the NHL playoffs right away?

Who knows, perhaps after a few games Peter Regin could gel with Kane? I have my doubts about that, but given the cap situation it leaves few choices to plug that hole.

With Kostka getting waived, perhaps Bowman is looking to trade for yet another forward on the cheap that could possibly help fill that hole? I wouldn't expect much if Bowman does make another move.

Still believe in fairy tales I see.
- Elbows15

Bet you loved the Handzus trade last year. Can't wait to see the Avs win the cup this year either, stacked team. Definitely better than the Hawks. Rebuild year for the Hawks, they're just lucky being the best possession team in the league.

Quit being so wishy-washy FFS. It just your opinion. No one will take it seriously.
- Elbows15

Yeah right.