08-09' Blackhawks (46-24-12) 104 PTS - 4th Seed In The West!

[Hairyducked Idiot]

To follow up on the trade talks, this paragraph is from Kuc's Tribune gamer this morning:

 

Eager took advantage of a bump to the third line after Dustin Byfuglien left the ice during the Hawks' morning skate. He is day-to-day with an undisclosed injury.

 

I don't mean to get too far into the inside baseball here, but it seems like the Hawks beat guys are in the bag for the team. I know there's only a few of them and they aren't as tenacious as the baseball and football guys, but this is ridiculous. There's no injury. We all know there is no injury. But this line gets thrown in there.

 

There was finally an article in the Trib today about the penalties leading to benchings, which should have been asked of Q after Tuesday's game and put into the game article.

 

Kyle, any thoughts? Particularly, with how obedient beat guys need to be in light of their ongoing relationship and travel with the team?

 

It's always a tough line, but I'm disappointed in that one.

 

If the team wants to call it an injury, report that the team is calling it an injury. But you can't completely ignore the trade rumors. Ask the coach about them, and if he denies or gives no comment, report that too.

[kujay]

In case folks haven't seen it yet, Burish is blogging for the Sun-Times.

 

http://blogs.suntimes.com/blackhawks/

 

His discussion (with YouTube) about his opening-face off fight against Vancouver last year was really interesting. And the video shows Dvorsky standing there with the puck listening to the whole conversation, knowing they were about to throw down.

 

I love hockey.

[Cynosure]

In case folks haven't seen it yet, Burish is blogging for the Sun-Times.

 

http://blogs.suntimes.com/blackhawks/

 

His discussion (with YouTube) about his opening-face off fight against Vancouver last year was really interesting. And the video shows Dvorsky standing there with the puck listening to the whole conversation, knowing they were about to throw down.

 

I love hockey.

 

Wow I had never seen that... and when I played hockey in high school the fights that happened, there was no friendly conversation before hand.

 

Nice to see an insiders look from the NHL perspective but it might ruin fighting a bit for some of the more casual fans :)

[YearofDaCubs]

Is Kane good or what. Seems like almost every game he at least has a point.

[kujay]

In case folks haven't seen it yet, Burish is blogging for the Sun-Times.

 

http://blogs.suntimes.com/blackhawks/

 

His discussion (with YouTube) about his opening-face off fight against Vancouver last year was really interesting. And the video shows Dvorsky standing there with the puck listening to the whole conversation, knowing they were about to throw down.

 

I love hockey.

 

Wow I had never seen that... and when I played hockey in high school the fights that happened, there was no friendly conversation before hand.

 

Nice to see an insiders look from the NHL perspective but it might ruin fighting a bit for some of the more casual fans :)

 

There were never any actual fights in my high school games. I mean, you had pushing and shoving, but my only fights were in practice against my own teammates. I think the conference had a pretty strict rule about fighting. It carried a game misconduct and a multi-game suspension.

[kujay]

Is Kane good or what. Seems like almost every game he at least has a point.

 

He's just one of those guys who is so talented he makes everyone around him better. So even if it's not him scoring, he's setting up his teammates. I still think he gets taken off the puck too easily sometimes by the bigger defensemen, but his skills are unbelievable.

[jersey cubs fan]

1/5th of the way through the season and I can't complain.

 

The smart move is still to trade Khabi for the best package before the deadline. But on a team that needs to make the playoffs and probably advance to really build on this momentum, I'm not sure I want to see them go to Huet for that stretch run.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

1/5th of the way through the season and I can't complain.

 

The smart move is still to trade Khabi for the best package before the deadline. But on a team that needs to make the playoffs and probably advance to really build on this momentum, I'm not sure I want to see them go to Huet for that stretch run.

 

Yeah, I really don't want Huet to be the guy for the playoffs. He's not good. Especially for this team.

[Soul]

Show me a better option before trading Khabi. Who do we have down low?

[kujay]

Show me a better option before trading Khabi. Who do we have down low?

 

You mean d-men?

 

In order of their quality of play:

 

Keith

Campbell

Barker

Seabrook

Johnson

Walker

Sopel

 

And then there's Wiz. Sopel needs to go in any deal.

 

But it's a bigger problem than that. The cap being what it is, you simply cannot have that much money tied up in goalies. We knew this when they signed Huet and nothing has changed. One of them has to go. Simple as that.

[Soul]

Nah, I was hoping we might have some hotshot youngster in the minors to play goalie if Khabi was traded. If not then I'd like to see our one decent guy at the position stay. This is a winning club right now, I'm not big on dumping the only guy at a position on a winning team for future possibilities. Maybe if we were losing our games.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

But it's a bigger problem than that. The cap being what it is, you simply cannot have that much money tied up in goalies. We knew this when they signed Huet and nothing has changed. One of them has to go. Simple as that.

 

Bulin's contract expires at the end of this season. We can live with it for now.

[jersey cubs fan]

Show me a better option before trading Khabi. Who do we have down low?

 

You mean d-men?

 

In order of their quality of play:

 

Keith

Campbell

Barker

Seabrook

Johnson

Walker

Sopel

 

And then there's Wiz. Sopel needs to go in any deal.

 

But it's a bigger problem than that. The cap being what it is, you simply cannot have that much money tied up in goalies. We knew this when they signed Huet and nothing has changed. One of them has to go. Simple as that.

 

I assumed he meant in the minors ready to play goal. Isn't Crawford still around? We can say you can't have that much money tied into goalies, but the fact is, they do have that much right now and they are a playoff caliber team with that arrangement. I think you can have that much tied up in the short-term, just not for multiple seasons. If they can get a haul, go for it. But if they are just trading him to make way for Huet, just keep the guy and see if he can carry you in the playoffs.

[kujay]

Nah, I was hoping we might have some hotshot youngster in the minors to play goalie if Khabi was traded. If not then I'd like to see our one decent guy at the position stay. This is a winning club right now, I'm not big on dumping the only guy at a position on a winning team for future possibilities. Maybe if we were losing our games.

 

Oops. Okay, yeah, they have Crawford in the AHL. I think he'd be a more than passable backup at this point.

[Cynosure]

In case folks haven't seen it yet, Burish is blogging for the Sun-Times.

 

http://blogs.suntimes.com/blackhawks/

 

His discussion (with YouTube) about his opening-face off fight against Vancouver last year was really interesting. And the video shows Dvorsky standing there with the puck listening to the whole conversation, knowing they were about to throw down.

 

I love hockey.

 

Wow I had never seen that... and when I played hockey in high school the fights that happened, there was no friendly conversation before hand.

 

Nice to see an insiders look from the NHL perspective but it might ruin fighting a bit for some of the more casual fans :)

 

There were never any actual fights in my high school games. I mean, you had pushing and shoving, but my only fights were in practice against my own teammates. I think the conference had a pretty strict rule about fighting. It carried a game misconduct and a multi-game suspension.

 

Same here, but we had some huge rivalries... there was only 4 fights in 2 years I played in highschool. I got my ass kicked after I scored one of my very few goals and some idiot checked me from behind when we were celebrating... before I could get my hands up the kid rang my bell hahah I only got in a couple of weak shots but, I got suspended for 2 games and kicked out.

[RedFlash]

Nah, I was hoping we might have some hotshot youngster in the minors to play goalie if Khabi was traded. If not then I'd like to see our one decent guy at the position stay. This is a winning club right now, I'm not big on dumping the only guy at a position on a winning team for future possibilities. Maybe if we were losing our games.

 

Oops. Okay, yeah, they have Crawford in the AHL. I think he'd be a more than passable backup at this point.

 

Yep. If a goalie is dealt---highly unlikely unless it's an offer that cannot be refused---then my money is on Niemi getting the call up over Crawford. To me Niemi was the reason why signig Huet was a mistake.

[weatherdood]

Nah, I was hoping we might have some hotshot youngster in the minors to play goalie if Khabi was traded. If not then I'd like to see our one decent guy at the position stay. This is a winning club right now, I'm not big on dumping the only guy at a position on a winning team for future possibilities. Maybe if we were losing our games.

 

Oops. Okay, yeah, they have Crawford in the AHL. I think he'd be a more than passable backup at this point.

 

Yep. If a goalie is dealt---highly unlikely unless it's an offer that cannot be refused---then my money is on Niemi getting the call up over Crawford. To me Niemi was the reason why signig Huet was a mistake.

 

Having seen both Crawford and Niemi extensively here in Rockford so far this year, there's no debate... Niemi is clearly the better netminder, and more deserving of a callup should it be warranted.

[Cynosure]

Sorry to anyone who I thought was delusional saying we would win 4 this trip :)

 

I want 5 now!

[Hairyducked Idiot]

I know it's not technically relevant, but tonight could put them back to more wins than losses, which is important to me.

 

Hard to beat last game, though, that was awesome.

[Cynosure]

So this is our revenge for our boring 30 minute ceremony they couldn't do beforehand?

[Cynosure]

LEAFS GOAL

 

17:37 - Kubina scores (4), assisted by Stajan (13) and Ponikarvosky (9).

 

Leafs lead 1-0.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Khabibulin is awesome. Huet was a big mistake.

 

I love that 0-1 doesn't feel like a death sentence with this team.

[Cynosure]

Khabibulin is awesome. Huet was a big mistake.

 

I love that 0-1 doesn't feel like a death sentence with this team.

 

What you think of Eager's hit?

 

I thought it was clean, Grabovsky turned... not dirty at all.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Khabibulin is awesome. Huet was a big mistake.

 

I love that 0-1 doesn't feel like a death sentence with this team.

 

What you think of Eager's hit?

 

I thought it was clean, Grabovsky turned... not dirty at all.

 

Listening on the radio at work, didn't see it.

[Cynosure]

LEAFS GOAL

3:22 (5 v 2 PP) - Stajan scores (6), assisted by Kaberle (13) and Grabovsky (5).

 

Leafs lead 2-0.