Theo Fox: Games 55-56 vs Stars A preview to the Blackhawks final series of the season versus the Stars now with no playoff chances at stake for either team.

Plus, a look at whether whoever the starting goalies are in the last 2 games will forecast next year's goalie tandem.

Thank you, Theo.
Interesting thoughts regarding the goaltender situation. They all, to my knowledge, have been very professional with public statements while splitting time. Sooner or later, a goalie will stand out. As a fan, it's a good lesson on patience as we see the whole team develop into a playoff, then Cup contending team.

Always good when Nashville makes the Playoffs and the Hocks don’t. The great part is your team isn’t getting much better with all the misses and higher picks. Would expect all these lost Seasons at least be leading to something better but not seeing it in Chi(town). Enjoy the playoffs and maybe the Preds can surprise Carolina. The last time coming in as an 8 seed we sure enjoyed Sweeping you.
- VopatsRash

Don't think you're really looking but that's ok. The Chicago team the Preds beat in 4 was a tired group after winning 3 Cups in 6 years and on the verge of a rebuild.

This Canes team looks like it's ready to contend for a Cup or at least push TB. The only way I see the Preds moving on to the second would be Saros standing on his head. Doesn't look like he's had a lot of playoff experience but when he did it yielded the same result as NSH's other "elite" goalie.

What looked like a bright future and a team that could contend for years after their runner-up season in '17, now looks like a team that will be just good enough to make the playoffs but never really make a serious run for a Cup.

Just looks like another season without a banner being raised at Bridgestone Arena. Well, not THE banner anyway.

Bettman Cup (Biggest Loser - Pts/GP)
1) 0.661 Sabres - 0 (Games remaining to be played)
2) 0.768 Ducks - 0
3) 0.818 Devils - 1
4) 0.857 Jackets - 0
4) 0.857 Wings - 0
6) 0.878 Canucks - 7 (4 against the Flames)
7) 0.891 Sharks - 1
8) 0.906 Kings - 3
9) 0.907 Sens -2 (Flames and Leafs)
10) 0.922 Flames -5 (4 against the Canucks)
11) 0.963 Hawks - 2
12) 0.964 Yotes - 0
13) 1.018 Flyers - 1
14) 1.056 Canadiens - 2
15) 1.074 Stars - 2

Remember the Yotes have forfeited their 1st round pick.

We need to hope the Hawks lose two to the Stars and the Flames beat the Canucks.

Could the Sens possibly beat the Flames in Calgary and the Leafs in Ottawa? The Leafs have already clinched first in the North. They have nothing to play for. And.... they are the Leafs.

Best possible outcomes the Hawks would draft 8th. (Well actually the best possible outcome is the Hawks win the Draft Lottery.)

Well Bingo, the Canes just gained a ton of fans for their playoff battle against the Preds.

Always good when Nashville makes the Playoffs and the Hocks don’t. The great part is your team isn’t getting much better with all the misses and higher picks. Would expect all these lost Seasons at least be leading to something better but not seeing it in Chi(town). Enjoy the playoffs and maybe the Preds can surprise Carolina. The last time coming in as an 8 seed we sure enjoyed Sweeping you.
- VopatsRash

What day is Nashville having the parade and banner raising for winning 4th place in the division and getting knocked out of the playoffs in the first round?

Tell me again how many Cups the Preds have won in their 23 years in existence.

You must be thrilled to be paying Duchene and Johansen a combined $16 mil for a combined 10 goals and 21 assists this season.

Yeh well you can never have enough 4th seed banners hanging from the rafters, can you?

Always good when Nashville makes the Playoffs and the Hocks don’t. The great part is your team isn’t getting much better with all the misses and higher picks. Would expect all these lost Seasons at least be leading to something better but not seeing it in Chi(town). Enjoy the playoffs and maybe the Preds can surprise Carolina. The last time coming in as an 8 seed we sure enjoyed Sweeping you.
- VopatsRash

I'm not sure how you could say that if you've watched the Hawks at all this year. Going into the season, everyone expected us to be a bottom 5 team BEFORE Toews and Dach went out. We played most of the season with a combination of 4 third and fourth line centers, plus more games played by rookies than any team, and still stayed in the playoff race until there was just a handful of games left. If anything, I think this year showed us that we are closer to competing for the Cup way sooner than anyone thought. I guess we'll have to wait until next year to see if it was a fluke.

Bettman Cup (Biggest Loser - Pts/GP)
1) 0.661 Sabres - 0 (Games remaining to be played)
2) 0.768 Ducks - 0
3) 0.818 Devils - 1
4) 0.857 Jackets - 0
4) 0.857 Wings - 0
6) 0.878 Canucks - 7 (4 against the Flames)
7) 0.891 Sharks - 1
8) 0.906 Kings - 3
9) 0.907 Sens -2 (Flames and Leafs)
10) 0.922 Flames -5 (4 against the Canucks)
11) 0.963 Hawks - 2
12) 0.964 Yotes - 0
13) 1.018 Flyers - 1
14) 1.056 Canadiens - 2
15) 1.074 Stars - 2

Remember the Yotes have forfeited their 1st round pick.

We need to hope the Hawks lose two to the Stars and the Flames beat the Canucks.

Could the Sens possibly beat the Flames in Calgary and the Leafs in Ottawa? The Leafs have already clinched first in the North. They have nothing to play for. And.... they are the Leafs.

Best possible outcomes the Hawks would draft 8th. (Well actually the best possible outcome is the Hawks win the Draft Lottery.)
- -Doh-

So, as it stands right now, the Hawks would pick 12th because of Seattle. Where did Wiz say the cutoff was for the 2nd tier of players?

The decline in Keith's performance level the last two seasons probably is a good bet to happen to the Pred's well paid best dman. So Nashville has a window of a few years or so to try and improve..

Nashville similar to Chicago will not be picking early, just high enough for often the second tier prospects.

Your GM, Poile, has not turned enough of his first round picks into top players. In fact, it is Trotz who probably deserves recognition

Good luck vopats but I foresee Pred's future as middling average hopefully for you not floundering down the road

Thanks Theo for all you do. I always root for Hawks to win, and I will follow that same thought process again tonight, but it’s definitely better for the rebuild if they lose.

Always good when Nashville makes the Playoffs and the Hocks don’t. The great part is your team isn’t getting much better with all the misses and higher picks. Would expect all these lost Seasons at least be leading to something better but not seeing it in Chi(town). Enjoy the playoffs and maybe the Preds can surprise Carolina. The last time coming in as an 8 seed we sure enjoyed Sweeping you.
- VopatsRash

Thanks for stopping by, enjoy your first round exit and futility in the coming years. I still can’t figure out how a GM with no hardware gets into the HOF. That must be where the participation banner idea came from.....

Save your keystrokes, fellas. Dumbass troll posts & leaves. Where's Ogi with the chart?

So, as it stands right now, the Hawks would pick 12th because of Seattle. Where did Wiz say the cutoff was for the 2nd tier of players?
- tvetter

Wiz tier about #11 or so. The goaltender in top fifteen picks might push someone back a spot, and one team might choose someone too early. The dman wiz projects at our pick based on best available talent, would be a solid selection. His scouting report reads exactly what we could use. As for need, I am.not so high on the many centers after the first few. I want Guenther over Power if we win draft lottery. Either would be great choice. I prefer adding Guenther type forward over Power type dman due to team need. I don't think you can wrong with either pick. Although I assume Power will go first. Top few picks are excellent

So, as it stands right now, the Hawks would pick 12th because of Seattle. Where did Wiz say the cutoff was for the 2nd tier of players?
- tvetter

The top tier of prospects ends with the pick before the Hawks’ selection, whenever that may be.

Save your keystrokes, fellas. Dumbass troll posts & leaves. Where's Ogi with the chart?
- I Am The Breadman

Responding to said troll makes the responder a puppet on the end of the string....

Save your keystrokes, fellas. Dumbass troll posts & leaves. Where's Ogi with the chart?
- I Am The Breadman

Kind of like Paul McCann and his Preds blog?…



“Hey, if I saw myself in clothes like those, I’d have to kick my own ass.”

- Happy Gilmore

Responding to said troll makes the responder a puppet on the end of the string....
- mohel

Kinda like Blowman?

Kinda like Blowman?
- paulr

Exactly like!

Exactly like!
- HawkintheD

Then I think he should be known as Blownocchio.

Reports that Lankinen starts today then Delia tomorrow; also that Mitchell and Beaudin are both in.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms in everyone’s lives!

Torts will not return in CBJ

Evan Barratt recalled to taxi squad.

Evan Barratt recalled to taxi squad.
- Theo Fox

Just Barratt?
Good
See why he is part of the future and you already know that Strome is not.

Wondering if Regula may turn out similar to Murphy style wise. Hopefully a tad better skater? Hopefully his shot is a weapon but first he has to be solid defensively. We don't know how physical he will be but at his age and development junction, there is room to get stronger and figure to what degree he is willing to be physical as in checking.

Phillips has the raw tools, the talent. Strong already; you mentioned previously that oncoming players skate into Phillips and Moberg and [opposing] player falls down. I realize you said he needs to keep developing. If he keeps improving then he may be a candidate for the physical dman in a third pair NHL.

So we have possibilities of Regula, Phillips, and Vlasic as physical dmen. Interestingly each skates well or at least average (Regula).

Due to concussions and fragility of our offensive touted top dmen prospects - including Boqvist - I would not be upset if Bowman drafted the dman whom wiz has slotted in his mock draft/rating.

My thinking is, will Boqvist have a career marred by concussions and can Beaudin develop into a solid preventive defensively as he has offensive tools/smarts