Tyler Cameron: Blackhawks hockey returning to your eyeballs soon This Saturday, February 1st marks the return of Blackhawks' hockey.

The 1st day of the month also kicks off a very difficult schedule for Chicago:

* 14 games in 29 days
* 3 home games / 11 on the road
* 3 back-to-backs
* 10 vs. Western conference teams with 5 of those against Central Division foes
* 9 games vs. team currently in the playoffs (as of 1/30)

This is going to be fun.

Nice to have some hockey again tomorrow. Hopefully they can pick up where they left off before the loss to FL.

Nice work Ty.

Man, it's been an eternity.

Expect them to come out slow, but hopefully find their legs before they get too far behind.

Be a HUGE plus to win the first two games against Zona and Minny. Two "winable" games...and both against teams they have to be ahead of come April.

Win those two, and SHOULD be right on the heels of that 8th spot!

Go Hawks!!!

True standings after last night's games
. .GP PTS PTS/G
Blues 51 70 1.373 1st Cen
Av's 49 62 1.265 2nd Cen
Canucks 51 62 1.216 1st Pac
Stars 50 60 1.200 3rd Cen
Oilers 50 58 1.160 2nd Pac
Flames 52 60 1.154 3rd Pac
Preds 50 55 1.100 WC
Knights 52 57 1.096 WC
Yotes 53 58 1.094
Jets 51 54 1.059
Hawks 51 54 1.059
Wild 50 52 1.040
Sharks 52 48 0.923
Ducks 50 45 0.900
Kings 52 43 0.827

Which of these western conference teams fighting for a playoff spot makes the biggest moves at the TDL. Cap room in parenthesis (including LTIR). Per capfriendly.com.

Wild ($7.6 mil), Hawks ($12.8 mil), Jets (13.5 mil), Yotes (0.3 mil) , Knights (0.7mil), Preds ($6.5 mil), Flames $4.0 mil), Oilers ($2.0 mil).

Why would Zach Smith have a "maintenance" day off after a long break? Maybe other reasons????

I know at least one person on this blog who claimed that Hjalmarsson is still a good dman. When we battle his team Saturday I hope a few bloggers will chip in with their input. I have heard that he is slower nowadays. He has continued with injuries since he left Chicago; I just wonder if he is still fairly good albeit a bit slower.

One area I am curious to know about depends actually if Chicago dumps the puck in. Does Hammer get back quickly and make a good play?

On the Coyotes they feature a lot of speed and use many offensive capable players on defense. I am curious if Hammer plays with OEL. Pairings are not set in stone obviously with each team; last night it looks like Hammer was with Chychrun both about 20:00 TOI. Goligowski and Demers led in TOI but what happened with OEL? Only 12 TOI. Lyubushkin, a rookie, had 13 TOI.

So the old warhorse Hjalmarsson is skating with a lot of thoroughbreds. .This is the Coyotes third game in four nights. Let's see how Chicago fares against this speed and this defense.

I know at least one person on this blog who claimed that Hjalmarsson is still a good dman. When we battle his team Saturday I hope a few bloggers will chip in with their input. I have heard that he is slower nowadays. He has continued with injuries since he left Chicago; I just wonder if he is still fairly good albeit a bit slower.

One area I am curious to know about depends actually if Chicago dumps the puck in. Does Hammer get back quickly and make a good play?

On the Coyotes they feature a lot of speed and use many offensive capable players on defense. I am curious if Hammer plays with OEL. Pairings are not set in stone obviously with each team; last night it looks like Hammer was with Chychrun both about 20:00 TOI. Goligowski and Demers led in TOI but what happened with OEL? Only 12 TOI. Lyubushkin, a rookie, had 13 TOI.

So the old warhorse Hjalmarsson is skating with a lot of thoroughbreds. .This is the Coyotes third game in four nights. Let's see how Chicago fares against this speed and this defense.
- jhawk59

Yotes, 3 games in 4 nights. Hawks, haven't played in eons. Shapes up as a quick Yote start...all over Hawks for a period or a period and a half....then, hopefully Hawks stay within a goal or two, and use the Yote fatigue and their fresh legs to mount a 2nd half of game comeback in a 5-3 win.

Go Hawks!

Strome not playing center is really dumb.

Strome not playing center is really dumb.
- fattybeef

He's just not fast enough and has played pretty well on the wing. Apparently Columbus is looking for a 2nd line center and are considering Josh Anderson as part of a package to acquire one. I'd do that trade, it frees up money too. Anderson is signed for less than what Strome will likely get after this year and is a big physical winger.

He's just not fast enough and has played pretty well on the wing. Apparently Columbus is looking for a 2nd line center and are considering Josh Anderson as part of a package to acquire one. I'd do that trade, it frees up money too. Anderson is signed for less than what Strome will likely get after this year and is a big physical winger.
- GPHawksfan

He's definitely fast enough and reads the game well. Should get a reasonable bridge deal. Toews, Strome, Dach up the middle is pretty darn good and would cause all manner of match up problems if the coach had any idea what he was doing.

I can't believe I care about 4th line after everything I always say but Kampf as 4c after Toews, Strome and Dach is pretty good too.

Kampf has to have pictures of Colliton. How is it he gets all this ice time with skill players? He is a 4th line player. Let him center the 4th line and kill penalties. Nope, he is gonna get 16-17 min of ice time that he doesn't deserve.

How hard is it to do this

91-19-8
20-22-88
12-17-77
15-64-92/36

3 lines that can score, plus responsible defensive guys on those lines, and a 4th line that brings energy, defensive responsibility, and could chip in a goal. I just don't get it

This guy is such a fricken clown

I can't believe I care about 4th line after everything I always say but Kampf as 4c after Toews, Strome and Dach is pretty good too.
- rpeters01

Toews, Strome, Dach, Carpenter, Smith, Kampf. Overall probably the deepest group of centers the Hawks have had in recent years. And I know Toews is over the hill, Strome is slow, Dach is a rookie that is not scoring points, Smith is slow worthless and overpaid, Carpenter and Kampf are 4th liners at best.

He's definitely fast enough and reads the game well. Should get a reasonable bridge deal. Toews, Strome, Dach up the middle is pretty darn good and would cause all manner of match up problems if the coach had any idea what he was doing.
- fattybeef

He doesn't read the game that well that's why he's on the wing. He's terrible in his own zone. An 18 year old rookie is better than him defensively

While I do believe next season you look at the entire Strome line which should include DeBrincat in shape and able to score, skate, perform like he did last season. You look at Strome in the context of his line generating and scoring each night. .I personally prefer all good skaters and would rather see a 2020 #1 draft of a center. But you really should go with best player unless it is really close. So while I am ok with Strome, I too share sentiment of acquiring a J Anderson for Strome. Of course who knows what Bowman winds up doing. Anderson though makes sense because Saad is a big barreling winger and Anderson replaces the bug body on the wing. Come playoffs you need more toughness and willingness to do battle along boards. Anderson and some of the Rockford kids will give you just that.

Just don't bet in realistic trades like that to occur; rarely dies it happen that way. I have not sat down and analized a Strome for Anderson straight up, but I like the initial sound of it.

He's just not fast enough and has played pretty well on the wing. Apparently Columbus is looking for a 2nd line center and are considering Josh Anderson as part of a package to acquire one. I'd do that trade, it frees up money too. Anderson is signed for less than what Strome will likely get after this year and is a big physical winger.
- GPHawksfan

Looks like Anderson was just recently activated off of IR after 6 weeks out for a shoulder injury.

OEL left the Kings game and didn't return. If he doesn't play, I hope they can jump on the Yotes. But, there are a lot of ex-Blackhawks that are going to be hyped. I see this as a real boring game that ends up being a blow-out. Just not sure if the 3-in-4 or the rust will be the bigger culprit of being blown out.

Kampf and Carpenter play the perfect style/role suitable for the 4th line. Nylander and Dach the exact opposite, they belong on a scoring line somewhere in the top 9. So just some minor tweaks and then it looks right:

Kubalik-Toews-Caggiula
Saad-Dach-Kane
DeBrincat-Strome-Nylander
Smith/Highmore-Carpenter-Kampf

That’s the perfect way to line em’ up IMO

Kampf and Carpenter play the perfect style/role suitable for the 4th line. Nylander and Dach the exact opposite, they belong on a scoring line somewhere in the top 9. So just some minor tweaks and then it looks right:

Kubalik-Toews-Caggiula
Saad-Dach-Kane
DeBrincat-Strome-Nylander
Smith/Highmore-Carpenter-Kampf

That’s the perfect way to line em’ up IMO
- SimpleJack

That works for me too. Why he keeps wanting to give 4th line guys time with skilled players drives me nuts. It just goes to show he is way over his head

Kampf and Carpenter play the perfect style/role suitable for the 4th line. Nylander and Dach the exact opposite, they belong on a scoring line somewhere in the top 9. So just some minor tweaks and then it looks right:

Kubalik-Toews-Caggiula
Saad-Dach-Kane
DeBrincat-Strome-Nylander
Smith/Highmore-Carpenter-Kampf

That’s the perfect way to line em’ up IMO
- SimpleJack

Dach-Saad and Kane won't work. That 3rd line won't be able to get out of their own zone. The 4th line is what it should have been all season.

Strome for Anderson should get someone fired.

Strome for Anderson should get someone fired.
- Elbows15

Amen

Which of these western conference teams fighting for a playoff spot makes the biggest moves at the TDL. Cap room in parenthesis (including LTIR). Per capfriendly.com.

Wild ($7.6 mil), Hawks ($12.8 mil), Jets (13.5 mil), Yotes (0.3 mil) , Knights (0.7mil), Preds ($6.5 mil), Flames $4.0 mil), Oilers ($2.0 mil).
- -Doh-

Preds get Saad and Crow so their fans can chant "COREY."