Any way this has been a great blog entry to read as the Hawks transition once again. I wouldn't mind seeing a bottom up look. Build a great 4th and maybe 3rd line and go from there. The 2nd line is gold and Toews and Hossa one would think will come around but if not the very least they can be a shutdown group and be effective that way.

Been watching the Islanders, one helluva game v NYR in which there were 100 hits in the game. Best game of the year I've seen. Game v STL last night was a good one too.

Anyway the 4th line of Martin-Ciszekis-Clutterbuck is often their best. They get great matchups and are scoring. I can envision a 4th line of Shaw-Kruger-Dano/Garbutt/(?) being similar.

Point is who cares what line scores the goals why not build from the bottom. Leave the 2nd line alone, let Toews and Hossa find their groove and get production from a great 4th line (13 minutes a night) and a solid 3rd line and rely on solid special teams?

Hartnell has 3 more years after this season at $4.75 million. I can't see Stan taking that cap hit on for a 33 year old. Even if Columbus took Bickell, Rundblad and ate 50% of Hartnell's salary I don't think it's worth it.
- DarthKane

I think any move by the Jackets with a top 6 guy who is 2nd in points with a solid Corsi is gonna take sending a very good Dman. They need D.

Interesting though the Jackets. With that maniac Torts behind the bench he takes minutes away from Johansson, moves him to the 4th line and back, benches him and now there rumors he's available. Sits his 2nd leading points guy in Hartnell for a game.

With their disappointing season, coaching change, lack of defense I can see anything happening in Columbus......... FWIW I see Torts skating Saad only 15 minutes some nights.

Enzo I've stopped questioning Q's line juggling and roster decisions after the first cup. Simply said I just defer and try to see his reasoning as they collect cups along the way.

I will say what just made my skin crawl as far as Q goes was how much time he gave Rundblad. Not so much cuz the kid stunk out loud from the first minute of the first shift he ever wore the sweater but the minutes wasted and not given to Clendening or Dahlbeck types.
- Mr Ricochet

Agreed on all of this. I suspect the extended Rundblad experiment was a result of Front Office pressure to keep him in the lineup. StanBo basically has thrown 3 2nd round picks into the trash. I'm a supporter of Stan but he needs to be criticized for the Timmonen and Rundblad moves

Been watching the Islanders, one helluva game v NYR in which there were 100 hits in the game. Best game of the year I've seen. Game v STL last night was a good one too.
- Mr Ricochet

Going to change the topic Mr. Ricochet and ask, since you broached the topic, what you thought of our ex-hawk and my avi's game? I've got an opinion on the subject and was wondering what your observations were? Also think it VERY interesting to see his game develop away from Boychuk (although for how long since Hamonic has requested out).

I think any move by the Jackets with a top 6 guy who is 2nd in points with a solid Corsi is gonna take sending a very good Dman. They need D.

Interesting though the Jackets. With that maniac Torts behind the bench he takes minutes away from Johansson, moves him to the 4th line and back, benches him and now there rumors he's available. Sits his 2nd leading points guy in Hartnell for a game.

With their disappointing season, coaching change, lack of defense I can see anything happening in Columbus......... FWIW I see Torts skating Saad only 15 minutes some nights.
- Mr Ricochet

Check out Jack Johnson's advanced analytics. Ugh.

Agreed on all of this. I suspect the extended Rundblad experiment was a result of Front Office pressure to keep him in the lineup. StanBo basically has thrown 3 2nd round picks into the trash. I'm a supporter of Stan but he needs to be criticized for the Timmonen and Rundblad moves
- EnzoD

Correct.

Correct.
- John Jaeckel

Keith, Crawford and Saad were all 2nd rounders. Those are valuable assets that brought the team NOTHING on the ice. I hope Stan puts on his big boy pants at the TDL and improves this roster. Plenty of time left to assess but action is required to truly be considered a Cup contender this Spring, IMO.

Update:
A Russian source, Rsport.ru, says that Tikhonov is considering a return to SKA St. Petersburg.

Going to change the topic Mr. Ricochet and ask, since you broached the topic, what you thought of our ex-hawk and my avi's game? I've got an opinion on the subject and was wondering what your observations were? Also think it VERY interesting to see his game develop away from Boychuk (although for how long since Hamonic has requested out).
- savvyone-1

Leddy is faster, thicker, more confident with the puck, looks thoughtful, rushes and pinches smartly and generally the game has slowed down for him, especially in his end. He's turning into a man... IIRC 1st unit PP time, the only Dman, with Taveras-Okposo-Nelson-Nielsen.

That Islander team is damn fun to watch and are dangerous as they play fast, roll 4 legitimate lines, lead the league in hits, have a superstar in Tavares, nice variation of Dmen and in Halak they have a goalie who has shown he can play a month stretch where he's as good as any goalie.

http://www.hockeybuzz.com...or-Jets-Byfuglien/1/73029

Well, we might get Bickell back. So there.

Check out Jack Johnson's advanced analytics. Ugh.
- John Jaeckel

And he's paired with Savard as the 1st unit IIRC......... I was wrong on this as I thought the Jackets had enough D to start the season but I did think Murray would take another step and be a 1st rotation difference maker.. Yes I read something, maybe the Jacket blogger here, where the D was dissected with the fancy stats and it didn't look good.

But they pass the eye test for me most games and I watch a lot of Jacket hockey, love north-south knock people down with a world class goalie. Another example of why I defer, as I did think the Jackets had enough D going in.

I see your comparative but I wouldn't put so much thought into it...
Mashinter fits a role Q feels is necessary for a while...He will disappear sooner than lately.

More important is the only YOUNG player to ever be called up from Rockford while Q was the coach to play only 1 role and stay here was Bollig.

So in essence young Ice Hog forwards aren't called up to play 5-6 minutes a game and have a role on only 1 line. Young dmen the same.

Mashinter is not young, nor does he have much upside, so he is here for awhile, to serve one role just like others before him.

Q has the core players secured...They love him and what he does with a 21 yr old Dano or a pro AHL player like Mashinter has zero effect on the locker room or how the most important players view him. That's the way it is here with a 1st ballot HOF coach behind the bench who has little if anything to fear.
- Al

Q likes to play match-ups within games: could he "see" that some players will struggle against certain teams, could he not see a role for Dano against Winnipeg?

Leddy is faster, thicker, more confident with the puck, looks thoughtful, rushes and pinches smartly and generally the game has slowed down for him, especially in his end. He's turning into a man... IIRC 1st unit PP time, the only Dman, with Taveras-Okposo-Nelson-Nielsen.

That Islander team is damn fun to watch and are dangerous as they play fast, roll 4 legitimate lines, lead the league in hits, have a superstar in Tavares, nice variation of Dmen and in Halak they have a goalie who has shown he can play a month stretch where he's as good as any goalie.
- Mr Ricochet

Thank you.
Almost exactly what I see as well, regardless of the thought police narrative out here on the guy. Your comment on how the game has slowed down for him is IMO pretty spot-on. Right now they've got a great goalie rotation happening with the way Greiss is tending net as well. We'll see as the year rolls on if they continue to improve and of course the proof-in-the-pudding: can they win more than a round and get deeper into the playoffs?

EDIT: I came back and highlighted the bolded above -- after all, he's only 24 and throughout his NHL career has stayed pretty much injury free.

At Hawk games I talk to a guy who plays Donkey Kong, some kind of video game, with "Kaner". I know it's true cuz he shows me lots of pics partying with Kaner and his buds in Buffalo and here too.

Few years ago he mentioned to me that a lot of the guys were pissed at the way Q treated Pirri after he was sent down one time, think Seabrook especially. ...... No, Q could not possibly care less.

Yep Q is a HOF coach and people do things his way. My hope is he gives a player, especially young ones, a role, coaches him to that role, explains expectations and then explains why he's sitting them/taking away minutes if they fail to execute the role they were coached to.

Strange with Dano. Kid was hells bells v Ottawa and he gets 8 minutes. Kid is moved up and down the lineup, in and out of the press box, yo yoed from right to left side, is 20 yrs old, on a new team and has a game like he did in Ottawa and gets 8 minutes when he was one of the most effective players on a line that was a good as any that night with Mash on it..

As I mentioned you just don't know what goes on in practice or the locker room in reference to how Daley minutes are distributed. Same goes with Dano, or anyone else, but since his call up I have no idea how Q is using (developing?) the kid.
- Mr Ricochet

C'mon, Tracy looks ok in the right light.... Like the Seinfeld episode. She just needs a lot less of it.
- tredbrta

Blackhawks Crazy
1 hr ·
Source tells me Bryan Bickell will be in the lineup tomorrow at the UC Vs. the Jets.
https://www.facebook.com/blackhawkscrazy?_rdr=p

So, I hear the deck chair rearranging continues.

Also heard Tikhonov has been released.

Holtby, Lundquist, and Price all had a nice view from their couch watching Crow carry the Cup around the ice over his head.
- Katana777

Questioning measuring stick, lets not go there. Yes, Bickell carried the cup and Timmonen too.

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Eklund/Add-Kings-to-mix-as-big-time-players-for-Jets-Byfuglien/1/73029

Well, we might get Bickell back. So there.
- John Jaeckel

Bickell will come back and play hard, running on pure adrenelin for the first few games. After that he will settle in and become comfortable again, giving us maddening, inconsistent effort based on substandard NHL ability.

Blackhawks Crazy
1 hr ·
Source tells me Bryan Bickell will be in the lineup tomorrow at the UC Vs. the Jets.
https://www.facebook.com/blackhawkscrazy?_rdr=p
- KingB

He should be in for Mashinter but we all know that wont be the case...

I was just thinking about some line combo options if we were ever forced to break up the 72-15-88 line again. I wouldn't do this yet, because i want to give the other lines more time to break out....but, one day in the future ya never know.

The main premise behind these lines is that Kane is so good right now you can stick him with just about anyone and that will be dangerous line. I know its not ideal to have Shaw at center, but he has centered Kane before. I also think that if anyone can get Dano on track with his scoring its 88. So, start with 56-65-88 and call that the top line for now. I think they could potentially be a dangerous trio.

2nd line could be Panarin-Toews-Teravainen. Tons of potential here obviously and it would be nice to see A. Toews with a legit goal scoring threat at LW and B. Teravainen in a position to turn his game around with elite linemates and utilize his offensive abilities.

3rd line could be Garbutt-Anisimov-Hossa. That automatically becomes one of the NHL's best 3rd lines. Scoring, speed, 2way ability, just about everything you could want our of a 3rd line.

4th line could be Desjardins-Kruger-Bickell/Kero. Not quite sure yet because i haven't seen this new and improved(allegedly) version of Bickell. Also not sure if Kero would work out playing RW, but either way thats a very solid 4th line going back to Desi-Kruger as the foundation.

Just an idea if we need to ever consider breaking up that line and spreading out the depth.

Bickell will come back and play hard, running on pure adrenelin for the first few games. After that he will settle in and become comfortable again, giving us maddening, inconsistent effort based on substandard NHL ability.
- walter34

And if we win those 3 games it is a start but the beauty of the whole thing is we can send him down anytime and still get to keep him.

At Hawk games I talk to a guy who plays Donkey Kong, some kind of video game, with "Kaner". I know it's true cuz he shows me lots of pics partying with Kaner and his buds in Buffalo and here too.

Few years ago he mentioned to me that a lot of the guys were pissed at the way Q treated Pirri after he was sent down one time, think Seabrook especially. ...... No, Q could not possibly care less.

Yep Q is a HOF coach and people do things his way. My hope is he gives a player, especially young ones, a role, coaches him to that role, explains expectations and then explains why he's sitting them/taking away minutes if they fail to execute the role they were coached to.

Strange with Dano. Kid was hells bells v Ottawa and he gets 8 minutes. Kid is moved up and down the lineup, in and out of the press box, yo yoed from right to left side, is 20 yrs old, on a new team and has a game like he did in Ottawa and gets 8 minutes when he was one of the most effective players on a line that was a good as any that night with Mash on it..

As I mentioned you just don't know what goes on in practice or the locker room in reference to how Daley minutes are distributed. Same goes with Dano, or anyone else, but since his call up I have no idea how Q is using (developing?) the kid.
- Mr Ricochet

I'll play my hand Thanks...

Q could care less ...There have been countless examples of how he defies the front office...Most recent was after Bowman paid through the nose to get Vermette..In the majority of games down the stretch one of the best men faceoff men in the NHL didn't even play center.

Sorry...Q can care less and he is there to win games first and foremost. Dano played 35 NHL games before this season...he has no stripes, and doesn't deserve anything.

As far as players being unhappy they may say so when playing video games but down deep they know they are all better off both monetarily and achievement wise because they played for Q.

I'll play my hand Thanks...

Q could care less ...There have been countless examples of how he defies the front office...Most recent was after Bowman paid through the nose to get Vermette..In the majority of games down the stretch one of the best men faceoff men in the NHL didn't even play center.

Sorry...Q can care less and he is there to win games first and foremost. Dano played 35 NHL games before this season...he has no stripes, and doesn't deserve anything.

As far as players being unhappy they may say so when playing video games but down deep they know they are all better off both monetarily and achievement wise because they played for Q.
- Al

Q, Babcock, Bowman, Arbour, Punch Imlach - they do/did what they want behind the bench. Its their team.

But I do think Q would at least listen to ideas in a conversation with Scotty.