Hey guys and gals - I was at the Leafs game last night and am heading to the game in Montreal in a few hours.

Anything specific you guys want me to keep an eye out for?

Happy to report back if so.
- TyCamScore

My former co-worker Francois Brodeur. That guys owes me money.

Yes, can you tell us if Richard Panik is banging anyone's wife/gf?
- kwolf68

Nah, I'll keep it to just hockey. I will let you know how Panik looks on the ice and if it looks like he's laughing to himself on the bench about people talking sh*t about him on message boards while he makes millions in the NHL. ha.

My former co-worker Francois Brodeur. That guys owes me money.
- John Jaeckel

On it, JJ.

My former co-worker Francois Brodeur. That guys owes me money.
- John Jaeckel

Never trust a guy named Brodeur. Doesn't one work for the Blues organ-I-zation?

Rutta has been fantastic for his first 3 NHL Gmes. However, it was a very costly penalty on Kadri. The franking stick infractions are so soft its like the NHL wants to become the NBA. A stick check on the shaft of the opponent's stick should not be a slash unless it breaks the stick or is a full Paul Bunyan swing. Nor should a harmless little stick wack on a guys shinguards be a penalty. Violent slashes and any contact/obstruction on the hands/body should be called. While they call these ticky-tack slashing penalties, interference plays are still rampant and the 1-hand reach around is much more of an obstruction than a soft stick whack.
- EnzoD

Problem is, how do the refs tell which are soft taps and which are hard? sometimes it is egregious, but other times a hard tap can look soft, or a soft one can look harder than it is. Due to some of the hand injuries last year due to slashing, I think they are trying to better enforce this rule.

Problem is, how do the refs tell which are soft taps and which are hard? sometimes it is egregious, but other times a hard tap can look soft, or a soft one can look harder than it is. Due to some of the hand injuries last year due to slashing, I think they are trying to better enforce this rule.
- ToewsdNKanefusd

Bottom line, anything close to the hands is going to be called.

Tell you one thing: although he's a "quitter," "no good" and not worth trading one of our future hallf of fame prospects or rookies for:

Matt Duchene is a 55%+ faceoff guy (who can kill penalties), blazing fast, responsible defensively (in spite of some cherry picked stats from a horrid Avalanche team last year) and is pretty much a skilled guy offensively who can play C or wing.

Or we can sit around and marvel at how much DeBrincat isn't scoring or how he looks laid out in the corner by the kind of hit he's gonna see more of until he realizes he ain't in the OHL anymore.

Being a Hawk fan comes with choices.
- John Jaeckel

I don't think anyone would be opposed to getting Duchene - just that the Hawks don't have the asking price, which revolves around an established young d-man. If all it took was Forsling+Debrincat+1st, I think most would be totally fine with it. It's just obvs that's not the ask. The Hawks also don't have the space currently. It seems unlikely the Avs would be interested in Anisimov, who is the only big piece that can be moved (maybe, if he waives his NMC).

I think many would like Duchebe on the team but also don't feel it's useful to pine about a player that is unlikely to ever be a Hawk. Constructive looks at current players is more interesting imo, especially as it's only been 3 games.

Hey guys and gals - I was at the Leafs game last night and am heading to the game in Montreal in a few hours.

Anything specific you guys want me to keep an eye out for?

Happy to report back if so.
- TyCamScore

Can you please pick up a smoked meat sandwich and a cherry coke at Schwartz's on St. Laurent for all the regulars on this board? Wiz would probably like 2 of them if you have enough cash.

Kero was 37% on the draws HE TOOK, while also being out for extended PK time. Granted, one night. But it bears watching as the "Kero replaces Kruger" truism remains unproven. Highly unproven.

46% as a team is not good, terrible over the course of a season. And bear in mind, one of the four C's (night in night out) is one of the top FO guys in the league. That means the other three basically suck.
- John Jaeckel

Your Kruger love is surpassed by nobody.....kurger's best year was over 3 yrs ago.
You're comparing a rookie to Kruger 4 yrs into a career. Cause if you're gonna compare to last year, that's a pretty low bar.

Tell you one thing: although he's a "quitter," "no good" and not worth trading one of our future hallf of fame prospects or rookies for:

Matt Duchene is a 55%+ faceoff guy (who can kill penalties), blazing fast, responsible defensively (in spite of some cherry picked stats from a horrid Avalanche team last year) and is pretty much a skilled guy offensively who can play C or wing.

Or we can sit around and marvel at how much DeBrincat isn't scoring or how he looks laid out in the corner by the kind of hit he's gonna see more of until he realizes he ain't in the OHL anymore.

Being a Hawk fan comes with choices.
- John Jaeckel

Remember how saad "sucked" his first 20 games?

Hawks are a good October club for sure. Hurts to give up a point like that, up 2 with less than 10 minutes to go. Ouch.
- VopatsRash

And starting out 0-2 is a great start for Trashville. WTF are you talking about get lost Troll

Your Kruger love is surpassed by nobody.....kurger's best year was over 3 yrs ago.
You're comparing a rookie to Kruger 4 yrs into a career. Cause if you're gonna compare to last year, that's a pretty low bar.
- dpard

Actually Kruger was 49.1% last year.

Nah, I'll keep it to just hockey. I will let you know how Panik looks on the ice and if it looks like he's laughing to himself on the bench about people talking sh*t about him on message boards while he makes millions in the NHL. ha.
- TyCamScore

It was just a smartass comment because someone was posting that crap in here. RP has been a beast this season.

On a positive note AA is 58% at the dot so far this season lol.

I think people may underestimate how deeply the loss of Hossa will impact this Hawks team. Or maybe they don't underestimate it, I'm not sure. But it will sting

What the hell happened to Brent Seabrook? That dude used to be really good, no?

Brandon Saad is an awesome player, at both ends of the ice. Why no Selke love for this guy?

Having said all this, the Hawks were completely out-classed last night. This Leafs team is unbelievable. Score should have been 6-3 Leafs, or something along those lines

The Hawks of 2012 or 2013 could have competed with this Leafs team. But not anymore....
- AxlRose91

Could argue MVP at this point. Three games in. Lol.

But seriously.

Per Lazerus: Cody Franson will be in tonight. Q didn't specify who'd be coming out, but Franson plays the right side, so presumably Rutta.

Per Lazerus: Cody Franson will be in tonight. Q didn't specify who'd be coming out, but Franson plays the right side, so presumably Rutta.
- walleyeb1

This was pretty easy to predict, knowing Q likely to change it up in a back to back, especially after the loss.

Your Kruger love is surpassed by nobody.....kurger's best year was over 3 yrs ago.
You're comparing a rookie to Kruger 4 yrs into a career. Cause if you're gonna compare to last year, that's a pretty low bar.
- dpard

Kruger is a nice guy to have, but I think like you said, it isn't a straight up comparison and neither should anyone expect Kero to just replace him. Kero also earns a lot less money, so you have to consider what the Hawks can do with the extra 2.33 million in cap space. That pays the difference between having Panik and just another plug in the lineup (for example).

This was pretty easy to predict, knowing Q likely to change it up in a back to back, especially after the loss.
- breadbag

Yeah I knew Franson was probably going to play tonight, but not sure Rutta will be the scratch.

I don't think anyone would be opposed to getting Duchene - just that the Hawks don't have the asking price, which revolves around an established young d-man. If all it took was Forsling+Debrincat+1st, I think most would be totally fine with it. It's just obvs that's not the ask. The Hawks also don't have the space currently. It seems unlikely the Avs would be interested in Anisimov, who is the only big piece that can be moved (maybe, if he waives his NMC).

I think many would like Duchene on the team but also don't feel it's useful to pine about a player that is unlikely to ever be a Hawk. Constructive looks at current players is more interesting imo, especially as it's only been 3 games.
- L_B_R

Murphy+ anyone?

I don't think anyone would be opposed to getting Duchene - just that the Hawks don't have the asking price, which revolves around an established young d-man. If all it took was Forsling+Debrincat+1st, I think most would be totally fine with it. It's just obvs that's not the ask. The Hawks also don't have the space currently. It seems unlikely the Avs would be interested in Anisimov, who is the only big piece that can be moved (maybe, if he waives his NMC).

I think many would like Duchebe on the team but also don't feel it's useful to pine about a player that is unlikely to ever be a Hawk. Constructive looks at current players is more interesting imo, especially as it's only been 3 games.
- L_B_R

I would absolutely not pay that price now I believe in developing plasyers and not trading them Forsling could be worth more down the road. And DeBrincat is a really good fit now and up until he may blossom and play more. At that time, reassess. I would rather retain AA and DeBrincat for their depth role than bring in Duchene. At least in the foreseeable future

Murphy+ anyone?
- Slofire94

Bowman won't trade a player he just acquired in a statement trade. He wants to give Murphy every opportunity to resurrect the promising career, a career which has been slipping away. Samuelson is a good tonic to help straighten out his game and confidence too.

Per Lazerus: Cody Franson will be in tonight. Q didn't specify who'd be coming out, but Franson plays the right side, so presumably Rutta.
- walleyeb1

Ruuta can play both sides? After praising Ruuta often since onset of trainiing camp, Ruuta should not be sat. He has been good. Sitting Ruuta is a demerit on Q resume, right Mr McDonough....er, um...Stan

I'm not advocating any trades at this point, but if Stan were looking to make a move for a forward wouldn't Turris make more sense than Duchene?

I would absolutely not pay that price now I believe in developing plasyers and not trading them Forsling could be worth more down the road. And DeBrincat is a really good fit now and up until he may blossom and play more. At that time, reassess. I would rather retain AA and DeBrincat for their depth role than bring in Duchene. At least in the foreseeable future
- jhawk59

I believe in developing players too, but I don't know if Forsling+Debrincat will be the difference this season. Duchene could be. The problem is that while losing those two guys would be tough loses for the Hawks, they wouldn't be enough for the Avs. Sakic needs to make a trade that at least looks good initially and the Hawks don't have those types of players available.

Avs should wait until the TDL if they're not getting the offers they want now. Not only could it drive Duchene's value back up (he's off to a great start) but it means he'd come in pro-rated for contenders.