Great blog post by sports mockery.


I can tell you all our season ticket rep bombarded us numerous times when we decided to walk and asked for a reason why.....They weren't taking a "no". I also have received my 2nd wave of winter classic presale email which I find odd considering the one at Wrigley sold out quick, and the stadium series at Soldier Field sold out fairly quick as well...….

I love the Hawks and hockey, but I am not going to pretend that the fan base, and I'm not talking about the casual fan, is very fickle. hard to justify spending upwards of 5K a seat in the 300 level for a crap product and not a true direction of where they are heading. It was never about making money, but when you invest $$ in a team and you attempt to sell a game you can't make....and literally have to give them away or make 25% of face value.....that right there tells you exactly where the market/interest is.


As far as Chelios goes....The hawks have tried this before....Savard, Graham, Magnusson and each time it failed. As a GM? No idea.....Shanahan has been impressive up in Toronto, but not sure Chelios has the personality to fall in line with a McDonough front office.
- SteveRain

The exact same thing happened to me with the season ticket rep. I had to state 3 reasons why I was giving up 4 of my 8 tickets. I told her that the cost was prohibitive. The team lacked direction, and my customers who I would give the tickets to did not want to go anymore. She was shocked by my reasons and told me about the waiting list. I wonder how long the list is now?

McEgo, you can not continue to raise prices and put out a s##t product and expect people to buy in. Give us a sense of direction and some transparency. People appreciate honesty.

The exact same thing happened to me with the season ticket rep. I had to state 3 reasons why I was giving up 4 of my 8 tickets. I told her that the cost was prohibitive. The team lacked direction, and my customers who I would give the tickets to did not want to go anymore. She was shocked by my reasons and told me about the waiting list. I wonder how long the list is now?

McEgo, you can not continue to raise prices and put out a s##t product and expect people to buy in. Give us a sense of direction and some transparency. People appreciate honesty.
- TJYTJY

Another bad year and the big broom will be out.

The exact same thing happened to me with the season ticket rep. I had to state 3 reasons why I was giving up 4 of my 8 tickets. I told her that the cost was prohibitive. The team lacked direction, and my customers who I would give the tickets to did not want to go anymore. She was shocked by my reasons and told me about the waiting list. I wonder how long the list is now?

McEgo, you can not continue to raise prices and put out a s##t product and expect people to buy in. Give us a sense of direction and some transparency. People appreciate honesty.
- TJYTJY

This ain't Wrigley Field anymore.

John McDonough: Blackhawks ‘making the playoffs is the priority’ for 2018-19 season

https://www.secondcityhoc...__twitter_impression=true

Panarin -AA- Kane = playoffs. Just like it would have last year.

Hossa thanks the Chicago fans and media

https://twitter.com/NHLBl...tatus/1021861064743346176

Panarin -AA- Kane = playoffs. Just like it would have last year.
- Savoy

We saw how that worked out last time. 4-0 sweep if I remember correctly.

We saw how that worked out last time. 4-0 sweep if I remember correctly.
- z1990z

Did they make the playoffs?

We saw how that worked out last time. 4-0 sweep if I remember correctly.
- z1990z

were they a last place team?

Did they make the playoffs?
- Savoy

A smoke/mirrors appearance. Out played, hustled, hit. It was sad. That ship has sailed. Let it go.

A smoke/mirrors appearance. Out played, hustled, hit. It was sad. That ship has sailed. Let it go.
- z1990z

As soon as mgt is changed.

We saw how that worked out last time. 4-0 sweep if I remember correctly.
- z1990z

Of course by that logic -everyone on the team should have been moved.

As far as Chelios and coaching goes -just noting that he has more experience in that than Graham or Savard; his front office role in Detroit was in Defensemen player development.

I read an article last not on it - from January I think... talks about this stuff, I'd write more about it but I don't want to get the details wrong -I am pretty sure it is directly about where he says he stands on Head Coaching, Assistant Coaching, General Manager, and President. Of course he also said he could just retire from hockey all together.

Panarin -AA- Kane = playoffs. Just like it would have last year.
- Savoy

And another first round sweep - just like the last time they were together.

But keep going with your revisionist history - you are on fire!!!!!!

And another first round sweep - just like the last time they were together.

But keep going with your revisionist history - you are on fire!!!!!!



- dahawks8819

That's all hes got. Still upset about the Panarin Jersey he bought only to see him traded

I'm not sure why anyone would go to a convention year after year. How many times can you drool on somebody before it get old?

Every year my 1960s era Bobby Hull signature loses value. Argh.

Thank God I got me a Dennis Hull!!!

I'm not sure why anyone would go to a convention year after year. How many times can you drool on somebody before it get old?

Every year my 1960s era Bobby Hull signature loses value. Argh.

Thank God I got me a Dennis Hull!!!
- hocktock

Yeah once was enough for me!

My kids have played with and against Vinnie since he was a mite. He is a great story. A local kid who worked hard at his game, played Jr's, NCAA hockey, and then was drafted and able to play in the NHL for his home town team. He has done what the club asked of him, kept working hard, developed his game more and made himself an asset to the organization. All that being said, lets not get too far out over the ends of our skis. This isn't a guy like Cleary, Engelland, Burrows, Hoffman and many other late bloomers who finds his game a little later. What you are seeing now is him at the ceiling of his abilities, and at his size he needs everything he has to be competitive. He does not have the natural scoring abilities of other small guys like St. Louis, Gaudreau, Marchand or even Debrincat. He can play a role on an NHL team and he may have a decent NHL career, but realistically speaking he is a dime a dozen player. He will need to show some asset that makes him a better choice for a roster spot than all the other dime a dozen guys who happen to be 6'+ and 200+ lbs, because take 2 guys with similar skill sets and as they say "you can't teach size". Maybe he stays because of a high hockey IQ or "intangibles", but he is most likely not a guy who years later you regret losing, he is not the guy putting you over the top for a Cup.
- TheTrob

While your kids may know him, I do not believe you do and thus not giving Vinny fair shake. First of all, he has proven all the naysayers wrong at every level, be it youth, juniors, collegiate, and so far so good at the Big Show. And when he did not make the NTDP it spurred and motivated him to who he is today. Not one poster compared Vinny to the little guys you mentioned, Gaudreau, St. Louis, and Marchand as those are elite possibly HOF players. And one thing Vinny possess better than those guys is his "motor", something you cannot teach like size. So you couple his motor, dead-head speed, bettter than average hands, and in your words hockey IQ then you have a player that will find a niche in the league, especially in today's game and not in the dead puck clutch and grab era.

Give it one more year and then Colliton will be ready.
- z1990z

Depending how the season is going, it could next season in mid-stream!

Having been right next to Keith at one of the charity events, ain't no way that man is 6'1". Sports bios are second to Hollywood in lying about height/weight.
- pdx2ord

Agreed! Inflated, more likely 5'11" and change and probably no more than 185lbs!

Agreed! Inflated, more likely 5'11" and change and probably no more than 185lbs!
- D2D

Further proof that guys under 6’ can’t make it in the NHL.

Agreed! Inflated, more likely 5'11" and change and probably no more than 185lbs!
- D2D

Sports heights are fickle and inflated everywhere. We have guys out here playing Australian Football who are listed as 6'10", but standing next to them, they're barely a head taller than me at 6'0.
Even my height is self inflated. If I stand up to my full height I'm 6'1", but at my normal standing height im closer to 5'11 due to my slouch.

Agreed...today's game is all about speed and skill. This isn't 1999 when a Derian Hatcher or Craig Ludwig is out there clutching and grabbing their way to being effective. Those guys would be torched in today's NHL. Strength on the puck matters and clearing the net still counts, but active sticks and blocking shots seem to be most important in a lot of systems.
- SteveRain

You realize that of the final 4 teams only 3 of the dmen were shorter than 6’1”. Subban at 6ft 220 Orlov 5’11”212 and Ellis.
Small puck movers are a myth

You realize that of the final 4 teams only 3 of the dmen were shorter than 6’1”. Subban at 6ft 220 Orlov 5’11”212 and Ellis.
Small puck movers are a myth
- stevefrmglencoe

Look at the size of all the dmen in the first two rounds of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft.

There is still place for big tough not too mobile dmen, just cannot be really slow..Phoenix for example definitely assembled w/ quick puck moving defense but retains big Connaughton to round out the defense. But as wiz says, NOW the quick thinking skill dmen trump all else. Teams want dmen who can move puck, quick decision and advance puck over blueline to attack

Late add: OEL, Chuckrun, Demers, Goligowski
With: Hjalmarsson, Connaughton.

BTW - Kane, Toews, and DeBrincat all worked out today with the same trainer who was working with Kane last week.

You realize that of the final 4 teams only 3 of the dmen were shorter than 6’1”. Subban at 6ft 220 Orlov 5’11”212 and Ellis.
Small puck movers are a myth
- stevefrmglencoe

Well, you missed two - Morrissey (6'0" 194) and Kempny (6'0" 194). No really light guys outside of Ellis, though, yes, and only two were 5'11" or less.

Genuine question, what do you consider to be small? The average d-man was 6'0.3" and 203.2 lbs last season (of those who played at least 30 games). It's the second year in which d-men have been under 6'1" on average across the league and the weight of d-men has been on steady decline for years, though being sub 190 is still the minority, for sure. The most common span for size in the NHL the last 3 seasons has been 5'11"-6'2" and 195-205. Above and below this are less typical.

Let's break it down for top pairing d-men.

- 18 d-men are 6'0" or shorter. 8 are 5'11" or shorter and 10 are 6'0". 1 was 5'9".
- 6'1", 6'2" and 6'3" were the most common heights with 12, 12, and 11 players respectfully.
- 9 d-men are 6'4" or taller. 5 are 6'4" and 5 were 6'5" or taller. 1 was 6'9".

So, going by your statement that implied 6'0" is "small", then almost a third of top pairing d-men are small / short, so not a myth if that's your standard. Personally, I think 5'11" should be the start of "short", which is still not common at the top pairing level (only 12.9%).

But interestingly, there was only one more really tall (6'4"+) top pairing d-men than there were short (5'11" or less). Still, over half the top pairing d-man this last year were what most would consider average tall (6'1-6'3") - about 56.5% to be exact. So at least for last season, top pairing d-men are conclusively taller than league average (though to note, top 4 is closer to LA).

Let's now look at weight! I broke them down by 10 spans.

- 15 d-men were 194 or below Of those, 7 were below 190 (so 189 or less). 2 are less than 180.
- 22 d-men were between 195-205.
- 14 d-men were between 206-215.
- 11 d-men were 215 or more. Of those, 6 are above 225. 2 are 250+.

I'm not sure what everyone considered light but it ultimately breaks down about 60% of the league is 205 or lighter. If you split it based on league average, it'd break down a little differently - about 47% would be 203 or lighter. Still, about a 4th of the top pairing d-men are 194 or lighter, which has grown a good bit in the last 3-5 years.

And like with height, the lightest and heaviest groups are pretty similar in numbers - only a difference of 1 between the sub 194 and 215+ groups totals and there are 2 examples of extremes.

I'll note that there are a handful of guys who are tall but light (194 or lighter, 6'1" or taller = Klingberg, Brodie, Karlsson, Keith, DeKeyser, Schmidt) but only a few shorter but heavier guys (206+, 6'0" or shorter = Orlov, Subban, McAvoy).

Blackhawks defense as it stands, they Keith and Gus that could be small/light as described above. Then they have two average sized d-man and 2 heavier d-men. Now, if they bring up a kid or something, this could change, but all and all, pretty balanced in terms of size/height with only one extreme (Gus's weight). Now skill / defensive ability... that's a story for another night.

Keith 6'1" 192
Seabrook 6'3" 220
Murphy 6'4" 212
Rutta 6'3" 198
Manning 6'1" 205
Gustafsson 6'0" 176


And if you look at prospects that might make the team this season, there's also a variety / balance to them. I took from NHL and the player's NCAA pages first, though some differ. Icehogs page seems to defer to wiki but those are sometimes drastically different from what NHL or NCAA said (like Gibert 220 vs 198, the latter of which was his draft weight so I believe it's out of date).

Anyway, there are 3 that are lighter but not really short. The other two are tall / heavy.

Jokiharju 6'0" 187
Forsling 6'0" 186
Hillman 6'1" 188
Gilbert 6'2" 220
Dahlstrom 6'4" 223


tl;dr it depends on what you mean by small when you claim small d-men are a myth but the trend of d-men getting smaller is factually true - league-wise and in terms of top pairs. Doesn't mean the Hawks and other teams shouldn't shoot for balance in terms of size, though.

As always, please excuse typos and rambley mess of sentences - I am on a lot of caffeine and sugar rn. This will be my only huge ass post in a while, I think.