Frank Jack Johnson. That was a (frank)ing cheap shot interference/head shot on Schmaltz who has been beaten up through 4 periods. Patrick Kane sending a message to McDavid that the Art Ross trophy is going to be a battle. 88 is unbelievable
- EnzoD

He really seems to be the best player in the league RIGHT NOW!!! McCavid has all the potential in the world to be a great player, and he is already really good, but right now,
"in the here and now," is anyone better than Kane? At least offensively?

i thought it was border line hit...but Int should have been the call but that would have been nullified with the goal..

hawk transition and forecheck have been outstanding these 2 games...

saads 7 goals (HT preseason 1) have not totaled more than 15 feet from the net...whoaa
- bogiedoc

A shot directly to the head, Johnson looked like he launched off his skates - bad hit even if the puck was anywhere close to Schmaltz.

A lot of young talent on the Hawks. Forsling and Rutta on the PP? And looking solid.

Something I've noticed so far in these 2 games - the refs are officiating to the game. About 2 or 3 times tonight, the BJ have interfered at their offensive blueline to slow a counter-attack. Pit got away with that much of the game 2 nights ago.

D looks good this evening. As mentioned Rutta and Kempny. Rutta has looked pretty darn good so far. Interesting I think several of us were wondering how the Hawks would fair against a more physical team the clogs the passing lanes and center ice and it seems the Hawks are the ones doing that this evening.

Total cheap shot on Schmaltz early thought it was knee on knee...Bouma then went after someone from the jackets. Kid was off to a real nice start and now will see if he's going to miss some time.

Love the speed this team is showing early...and they're putting it on net.

Why would Torts start the Back Up Goalie on the.
Road?

In what way is a headshot when the guy NEVER had the puck "borderline"??
- EnzoD

johnson lead with his shoulder into smaltz's chest..thats a good check...smaltz is a small guy and the shoulder may have caught his chin...

johnson lined him up and didn't care about the puck..INT was the call but that would not have mattered...

i didn't see any of the hawks or the bench complain about the lack of a head shot call..
it was close...maybe after I look at 5x...i might agree with you...

Why would Torts start the Back Up Goalie on the.
Road?
- Colbyboy

2nd of a back to back. Hawks have to do their own B2B Monday and Tuesday. Expect Forsberg to start Tuesday for the Hawks.

Christ. Get Konroyd off the air. Ulf Nielsen is our assistant coach???

99% positive he referred to michal kempy as Daniel kempny or some poop the other night

Al Secord wasn't even Al Secord when they traded for him. NM that Probert never was a ppg guy in Detroit. Otoh I guess maybe he might have been had he not taken the nearly 400 PIM that one season that he got close.

What were the Hawk LWs back then? Secord, Fraser, Sutter, Ludzik - I don't actually remember Fraser actually fighting that much tbh.

D looks good this evening. As mentioned Rutta and Kempny. Rutta has looked pretty darn good so far. Interesting I think several of us were wondering how the Hawks would fair against a more physical team the clogs the passing lanes and center ice and it seems the Hawks are the ones doing that this evening.

Total cheap shot on Schmaltz early thought it was knee on knee...Bouma then went after someone from the jackets. Kid was off to a real nice start and now will see if he's going to miss some time.

Love the speed this team is showing early...and they're putting it on net.
- DK002

Someone took notes from the pred series.

"We like our team" - S. Bowman

Christ. Get Konroyd off the air. Ulf Nielsen is our assistant coach???

99% positive he referred to michal kempy as Daniel kempny or some poop the other night
- Stan_Bowman

Wasn't it Foley who called him by that name?

Wasn't it Foley who called him by that name?
- powerenforcer

It was.

Wasn't it Foley who called him by that name?
- powerenforcer

Both of those Knobs suffer from SOMETIMERS!

Really have noticed that Forsling looks steady defensively. Guys try to go wide on him and he stays with him and has been knocking pucks off of sticks and breaking it up well. Hawks not perfect tonight, but Crawford is dialed in.

Really like the forecheck from the team right now, but especially the Toews line and the 4th line.

Christ. Get Konroyd off the air. Ulf Nielsen is our assistant coach???

99% positive he referred to michal kempy as Daniel kempny or some poop the other night
- Stan_Bowman

Konroyd is a homer sometimes. He got a lecture from Foley during the preseason game against the Jackets. Konroyd was going on about how dominant the Hawks looked. Foley had to tell him that the Jackets didn't dress many of its starters that night.

Faceoffs remain a problem. Toews was dominant which made up for poor production elsewhere. Line 3 was meh...though Debrincat came close late.

Line 4 did their job, brought a heavy game. Hayden is good enough to play higher so it was nice having his skill on Line 4. I liked Wingels energy a lot. Bouma wasn't even terrible.

Hawks OUTHIT the Jackets. Panik, Wingels, Murphy, Hayden all laying the lumber.

Ruuta has done NOTHING but impress so far. Gus was even really good again. And YES I thought Connor Murphy took another step up tonight. A good sign.

Monday is gonna be a monster test for these youngins...on the road in Toronto.

Really have noticed that Forsling looks steady defensively. Guys try to go wide on him and he stays with him and has been knocking pucks off of sticks and breaking it up well. Hawks not perfect tonight, but Crawford is dialed in.

Really like the forecheck from the team right now, but especially the Toews line and the 4th line.
- breadbag

Gus is a very good skater. You don't beat him wide. The way you expose Gus is turn him and forecheck, but he's beating that so far and has looked very good. If you had told me that Jan Ruuta and Gustav Forsling could may well be your 2nd pairing Defense this year I'd have suggested a lottery pick was coming, but both look very good.

Al Secord wasn't even Al Secord when they traded for him. NM that Probert never was a ppg guy in Detroit. Otoh I guess maybe he might have been had he not taken the nearly 400 PIM that one season that he got close.

What were the Hawk LWs back then? Secord, Fraser, Sutter, Ludzik - I don't actually remember Fraser actually fighting that much tbh.
- steve-hist-sdc

He was a big fighter with Vancouver which is why the Hawks traded for him.

If you remember the hawks always traded for heavyweights from other divisions that took down their rivals goons. The next guy they traded for after Fraser was Ben Wilson.

Q says Schmaltz won't go on the trip to TOR and MTL but hopes to have him back for Thursdays home game against the Wild. Upper body, so not related to the other night. Glad its nothing too serious.

Q said Nick won't make the trip, they're looking at him comming back Thursday. It's upper body.

@BHTVeric
Nick Schmaltz will likely miss the upcoming two-game road trip. Quenneville said he could be good to go by Thursday.

Q said it was upper body. I assume that means head because that's what Johnson made contact with and Schmaltz coming out but then being pulled back seems cautionary for a possible concussion. Sitting a couple of games is good idea just in case.

@BHTVeric
Nick Schmaltz will likely miss the upcoming two-game road trip. Quenneville said he could be good to go by Thursday.

Q said it was upper body. I assume that means head because that's what Johnson made contact with and Schmaltz coming out but then being pulled back seems cautionary for a possible concussion. Sitting a couple of games is good idea just in case.
- L_B_R

Yep long season. Who rotates into center now?

johnson lead with his shoulder into smaltz's chest..thats a good check...smaltz is a small guy and the shoulder may have caught his chin...

johnson lined him up and didn't care about the puck..INT was the call but that would not have mattered...

i didn't see any of the hawks or the bench complain about the lack of a head shot call..
it was close...maybe after I look at 5x...i might agree with you...
- bogiedoc

Yes you should go watch the replay because it's a dirty cheap shot on a guy 40 lbs lighter who never had, or was even close to touching the puck. Johnson is a wannabe tough guy that targets small forwards. I love a good check but that's trash. The contact was directly to the chin with a high follow through. Would've like to see Bouma take a run and/or fight that wiener afterwards.