I don’t get the Pacioretty talk. He is older and in clear decline. He should be an untouchable for Montreal and isn’t.
- Z3Hawk

Clear decline fits the description for Saad too. At least Pacioretty can score goals, Saad can't.

Mark Lazerus‏Verified account
@MarkLazerus

Ryan Hartman was indeed benched for his penalty behind the play that killed a 2-on-1 for the Blackhawks and led to a PPG for the Blue Jackets. Hartman was on an exercise bike in the hallway after the game.

OUCH...and maybe cya
- bogiedoc

Q made no bones about it that it was a Coach’s decision. Agree that it was an incredibly stupid penalty to take. However, what about Toews’ incredibly selfish play during that actual penalty kill trying to control the puck for a break out rather than shooting it down the ice, losing it, puck kept in leading to eventual goal? What about Oesterle doing absolutely nothing on the 2 on 1 from centre ice allowing Panarin to just carry puck all the way in before passing for the goal. Do something! Anything! What about Keith completely messing up on the winning goal. There should’ve been no shot or a shot from far deeper. Again do something! Anything! In any event Forsberg being Forsberg it was a cheap team-killing goal.

If you are thinking that's even remotely possible, the thin air in Denver has had an adverse effect on you Enzo.
- RickJ

lol I don't want anything to do with Paccioretty. Saad is 25 he has good trade value even with his terrible season. Maybe toss in Oesterle lol

Clear decline fits the description for Saad too. At least Pacioretty can score goals, Saad can't.
- RickJ

.

Where do you get that Pacioretty scores? He doesn’t score and the offence is built around him. He is older, slower. He is untouchable otherwise. Saad is a great player who has had a very hard luck season that has tested his confidence.

.

Where do you get that Pacioretty scores? He doesn’t score and the offence is built around him. He is older, slower. He is untouchable otherwise. Saad is a great player who has had a very hard luck season that has tested his confidence.
- Z3Hawk

At least 5 seasons in a row with between 30 and 39 goals, and that's without a real center in Montreal. I'm not calling him great, but if you think Saad is great you are totally delusional. He's not even as good as Josh Anderson in Columbus, that's why they dumped him.

And further, do you think Bowman would have a snowball's chance in hell of pulling Neidereitter or Tanner Pearson or Landeskog or Huberdeau or Taylor Hall or JVR even up for Saad? The answer is no - but he's being paid just like those guys.

lol I don't want anything to do with Paccioretty. Saad is 25 he has good trade value even with his terrible season. Maybe toss in Oesterle lol
- EnzoD

Enzo, you know when I knew where Saad slotted in among the best young players? In the World Cup playing with the Under 23's he was a 4th liner with limited ice time. He wasn't even close to having the skill or speed to keep up with other forwards like Mackinnon, Scheifele, McDavid, Monahan, Mathews, Eichel and Drouin. And some of those kids were 19 at the time, no NHL experience at all.

So when you are sh$tting all over Toews for points and other things (some of it for good reason), keep in mind how many times he has set up Mr. No Finish #20 and got squat out of the play.

Enzo, you know when I knew where Saad slotted in among the best young players? In the World Cup playing with the Under 23's he was a 4th liner with limited ice time. He wasn't even close to having the skill or speed to keep up with other forwards like Mackinnon, Scheifele, McDavid, Monahan, Mathews, Eichel and Drouin. And some of those kids were 19 at the time, no NHL experience at all.

So when you are sh$tting all over Toews for points and other things (some of it for good reason), keep in mind how many times he has set up Mr. No Finish #20 and got squat out of the play.
- RickJ

And some had the nerve to say he was "a better overall player" than Panarin.

And some had the nerve to say he was "a better overall player" than Panarin.
- SimpleJack

I'm so sick and tired of watching Saad in action that I'm opening my 2nd bottle of wine to watch the 3rd period of the Kings-Oilers game. By the time I'm finished that bottle I will have traded Saad for either Evander Kane or Milan Lucic.

Enzo, you know when I knew where Saad slotted in among the best young players? In the World Cup playing with the Under 23's he was a 4th liner with limited ice time. He wasn't even close to having the skill or speed to keep up with other forwards like Mackinnon, Scheifele, McDavid, Monahan, Mathews, Eichel and Drouin. And some of those kids were 19 at the time, no NHL experience at all.

So when you are sh$tting all over Toews for points and other things (some of it for good reason), keep in mind how many times he has set up Mr. No Finish #20 and got squat out of the play.
- RickJ

That's fair but all those guys are going to be making $10mil each very soon. He's never been an all-world player, but he has been a very good player. Ultimately, I think Hossa+Kane made both 19+20 look a lot better.

Enzo, you know when I knew where Saad slotted in among the best young players? In the World Cup playing with the Under 23's he was a 4th liner with limited ice time. He wasn't even close to having the skill or speed to keep up with other forwards like Mackinnon, Scheifele, McDavid, Monahan, Mathews, Eichel and Drouin. And some of those kids were 19 at the time, no NHL experience at all.

So when you are sh$tting all over Toews for points and other things (some of it for good reason), keep in mind how many times he has set up Mr. No Finish #20 and got squat out of the play.
- RickJ

Hey Rick just out of curiosity do you realize how much talent was on that team? Trocheck and Couturier were his line mates. Those players have 55 points and 61 points respectfully this year. Mackinnon was on the 3rd line? So by your logic he is terrible as well. Some of the kids were 19 and had no NHL experience? what players are you referring too? All the ones you listed besides Matthews had NHL experience at that time lol

https://www.arcticicehock...key-north-america-finland

Q on Hartman benching:

https://www.nhl.com/video...bj/t-277350912/c-58163803

That's fair but all those guys are going to be making $10mil each very soon. He's never been an all-world player, but he has been a very good player. Ultimately, I think Hossa+Kane made both 19+20 look a lot better.
- EnzoD

Enzo,

He has one bad year. Hossa had a bad year in 2015-2016 and did you write him off the same? Saad should've had 2 goals tonight if Bob didn't come up huge. Sometimes you get snake bitten. I don't disagree with Hossa and Kane making players look better. Look at what Kane and Toews did for Bickell they made him a complete playoff superstar... Argument can be made for several players around the league.

If Saad shot his career average then he would be on the 20 goal mark at this point. So it's respectable. If Toews shot his career shooting percentage he would be at 28 goal mark.

I think Hawks fans think Saad and Panarin trade was suppose to be a clean swap where Saad would light it up. The team as a whole hasn't been lighting it up so hard to single out one player.

If the hawks had a decent powerplay this year the offensive numbers would be inflated more, but it's been horrible. And for Toews yall need to layoff a bit since his offensive numbers have never truly set the world on fire. He has exceed 70 points once. He is at 40 with 19 games left. Not amazing, but bring it back to the powerplay which has caused a lot of the point drop off this season for our core players.

And look we lost tonight because 0-3 on the powerplay. Panarin looks so amazing because he is a pure offensive talent. We didn't truly replace Saad for Panarin. We replaced Saad for Hossa and Panarin with Debrincat. Debrincat is a much similar player to Panarin and producing almost same rate but for 1/6 of the cost.

Q on Hartman benching:

https://www.nhl.com/video...bj/t-277350912/c-58163803
- walleyeb1

Is it me, or does his whole affect seem off in this? Almost like he's fighting a smile when discussing the game itself. Maybe he has embraced the tank.

Q on Hartman benching:

https://www.nhl.com/video...bj/t-277350912/c-58163803
- walleyeb1

Well if we went off plays that cost us games Osterle would never play again this season.

Is it me, or does his whole affect seem off in this? Almost like he's fighting a smile when discussing the game itself. Maybe he has embraced the tank.
- pdx2ord

Well we should all embrace the tank because a top 3 pick would give this team who is having a rough year a huge leg up.

Hey Rick just out of curiosity do you realize how much talent was on that team? Trocheck and Couturier were his line mates. Those players have 55 points and 61 points respectfully this year. Mackinnon was on the 3rd line? So by your logic he is terrible as well. Some of the kids were 19 and had no NHL experience? what players are you referring too? All the ones you listed besides Matthews had NHL experience at that time lol

https://www.arcticicehock...key-north-america-finland
- lilmookie630

McDavid, Eichel and Larkin were all 19 at the time. NHL experience - one season which is very limited to play in a tournament of that calibre. In McDavid's case half a season due to injury. Saad didn't notch a point and got limited ice time.

We can argue details back and forth. Saad's last 2 seasons haven't been very good, certainly not good enough this year.

McDavid, Eichel and Larkin were all 19 at the time. NHL experience - one season which is very limited to play in a tournament of that calibre. In McDavid's case half a season due to injury. Saad didn't notch a point and got limited ice time.

We can argue details back and forth. Saad's last 2 seasons haven't been very good, certainly not good enough this year.
- RickJ

Very limited lol he was the fourth liner designed to be the shutdown line in a tournament like that. If you look at the players setup with. Toews was on the 3rd line to be a shutdown line.
You know most of the top young prospects play in all sorts of elite tournaments. Hence why they're top picks. Saad matched career high last year with 53 points. What are considering good years? Because if you're expecting a point per game? You clearly don't get how difficult that is.

I'm so sick and tired of watching Saad in action that I'm opening my 2nd bottle of wine to watch the 3rd period of the Kings-Oilers game. By the time I'm finished that bottle I will have traded Saad for either Evander Kane or Milan Lucic.
- RickJ

The fact you want to trade for the caveman on skates... you clearly don't watch him play. He is horrible. Evander Kane will cause more cap problems and not worth ever trading a player under contract for a player who is a good goal scorer but likely to get 7-8 million plus on next deal.

Well if we went off plays that cost us games Osterle would never play again this season.
- lilmookie630

Oh Man - you could not be more right. It is a freakin’ nightmare to watch Oesterle play. Oesterle translated means D-Man who refuses to touch opposing players and loses puck constantly. It is not the fault of fans that Oesterle is simply not good enough. Why the team won’t simply deal with this is incomprehensible.

I'm so sick and tired of watching Saad in action that I'm opening my 2nd bottle of wine to watch the 3rd period of the Kings-Oilers game. By the time I'm finished that bottle I will have traded Saad for either Evander Kane or Milan Lucic.
- RickJ

Lucic isn’t even a hockey player at this point. I love EKane but you don’t trade Saad period let alone for a UFA.

At least 5 seasons in a row with between 30 and 39 goals, and that's without a real center in Montreal. I'm not calling him great, but if you think Saad is great you are totally delusional. He's not even as good as Josh Anderson in Columbus, that's why they dumped him.

And further, do you think Bowman would have a snowball's chance in hell of pulling Neidereitter or Tanner Pearson or Landeskog or Huberdeau or Taylor Hall or JVR even up for Saad? The answer is no - but he's being paid just like those guys.
- RickJ

Hi RickJ - Pacioretty has 17 goals not 30 not 39 and not any amount in between. He is cooked - you don’t trade based on what a player once did.

Very limited lol he was the fourth liner designed to be the shutdown line in a tournament like that. If you look at the players setup with. Toews was on the 3rd line to be a shutdown line.
You know most of the top young prospects play in all sorts of elite tournaments. Hence why they're top picks. Saad matched career high last year with 53 points. What are considering good years? Because if you're expecting a point per game? You clearly don't get how difficult that is.
- lilmookie630

I don't measure players by scoring statistics alone and I don't expect 35-40 goals a year out of Saad. He doesn't have the shot or the finesse to accomplish that. But the chances he isn't converting this year is absurd and his ineffectiveness offensively is much more than being snake bit. Hope he snaps back next year because trading him wouldnt bring back value. A few games of inspiring play from him like a guy like Jason Zucker gives Minnesota would help this team a bunch.

At least 5 seasons in a row with between 30 and 39 goals, and that's without a real center in Montreal. I'm not calling him great, but if you think Saad is great you are totally delusional. He's not even as good as Josh Anderson in Columbus, that's why they dumped him.

And further, do you think Bowman would have a snowball's chance in hell of pulling Neidereitter or Tanner Pearson or Landeskog or Huberdeau or Taylor Hall or JVR even up for Saad? The answer is no - but he's being paid just like those guys.
- RickJ

I don’t want Neidereitter, Pearson, Landeskog, Huberdeau or JVR. Certainly not for Saad. Hall a very elite player - trade to NJ one of worst in history. Can’t trade Saad for McDavid either - doesn’t mean Saad isn’t good.

Hi RickJ - Pacioretty has 17 goals not 30 not 39 and not any amount in between. He is cooked - you don’t trade based on what a player once did.
- Z3Hawk

Take a valium, I didn't say he had 30 goals this year. Previous 5 or 6 years he has potted between 30 and 39 every season. But since you know he's cooked I won't bother checking what the Habs get back if they trade him.

That's disappointing...

Putin's fascists get the gold.