NHL W. Conference Finals: Red Wings defeat Blackhawks 4-1

[sneakypower]

Wow. I'm surprised. So, either this is gonna work again or I am going to look smart.

 

 

But do the Hawks have a legit shot against the Red Wings?

i really, sincerely doubt it. they might be able to steal 2, but likely will be outplayed nearly all series.

 

the ducks haven't a prayer either of coming back in the series. you'll see something like 5-1 tonight.

[Magnetic Curses]

it'll be a miracle if we sweep detroit.

[Butterscup1679666578]

it'll be a miracle if we sweep detroit.

 

=D>

[gflore34]

Wow. I'm surprised. So, either this is gonna work again or I am going to look smart.

 

 

But do the Hawks have a legit shot against the Red Wings?

i really, sincerely doubt it. they might be able to steal 2, but likely will be outplayed nearly all series.

 

the ducks haven't a prayer either of coming back in the series. you'll see something like 5-1 tonight.

 

Do you think the Hawks have a chance of over taking the Red Wings in the next few years?

[Old Style]

:clapping: \:D/ :yahoo:

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Do you think the Hawks have a chance of over taking the Red Wings in the next few years?

 

They have a chance, but it's going to be more complicated than just sitting back and waiting for the youngsters to develop. They have some awful cap decisions to make in the next few years, starting with this offseason when they will almost certainly have to let Khabibulin go.

 

My biggest fear is that Buffalo will throw a ton of money at Kane when he is eligible and we won't have the cap room to match.

[jersey cubs fan]

Do you think the Hawks have a chance of over taking the Red Wings in the next few years?

 

They have a chance, but it's going to be more complicated than just sitting back and waiting for the youngsters to develop. They have some awful cap decisions to make in the next few years, starting with this offseason when they will almost certainly have to let Khabibulin go.

 

My biggest fear is that Buffalo will throw a ton of money at Kane when he is eligible and we won't have the cap room to match.

 

With McDonough in charge, I think the least likely outcome in the next few years is Toews/Kane leaving. They will sacrifice their remaining cap room to keep those before letting their meal tickets they worked so hard to market leave. The most important thing is I think they are going to have to get solid goaltending from one of the young guys in the not too distant future, like possibly by the next playoffs. They also might need to trade a guy like Buff, who has raised his value this postseason, but still has a relatively rich deal. Also, they aren't going to be able to keep both Sharp and Havlat around for long. But Toews and Kane are going to be here.

[YearofDaCubs]

Do you think the Hawks have a chance of over taking the Red Wings in the next few years?

 

They have a chance, but it's going to be more complicated than just sitting back and waiting for the youngsters to develop. They have some awful cap decisions to make in the next few years, starting with this offseason when they will almost certainly have to let Khabibulin go.

 

My biggest fear is that Buffalo will throw a ton of money at Kane when he is eligible and we won't have the cap room to match.

Khabi is a goner and I'm ok with it. Let's face it they made the decision to sign Huet last offseason probably because they felt he was a better goalie than Khabi and younger. I'm not saying I agree with that but they already made the decision to move on from Khabi last offseason.

[jersey cubs fan]

Do you think the Hawks have a chance of over taking the Red Wings in the next few years?

 

They have a chance, but it's going to be more complicated than just sitting back and waiting for the youngsters to develop. They have some awful cap decisions to make in the next few years, starting with this offseason when they will almost certainly have to let Khabibulin go.

 

My biggest fear is that Buffalo will throw a ton of money at Kane when he is eligible and we won't have the cap room to match.

Khabi is a goner and I'm ok with it. Let's face it they made the decision to sign Huet last offseason probably because they felt he was a better goalie than Khabi and younger. I'm not saying I agree with that but they already made the decision to move on from Khabi last offseason.

 

I think they thought they could have trade Khabi for something good, and as a fallback thought Huet could help push Khabi in a contract year. The only way they do keep Khabi now is if they find a way to deal Huet, which is doubtful.

[Soul]

I can't see the Hawks letting Kane or Tazer go. Khabi? Havlat? Sharpie? Sure, but not the faces of the franchise. I'm not worried about that.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

I think they are going to try to find a way to keep Havlat this offseason, though I could be wrong.

 

I really just want to find a way to keep the top four defenseme together. Barker is really coming into his own, and that gives us four legit top-pairing guys.

[jersey cubs fan]

I think they are going to try to find a way to keep Havlat this offseason, though I could be wrong.

 

I really just want to find a way to keep the top four defenseme together. Barker is really coming into his own, and that gives us four legit top-pairing guys.

 

If they can get Havlat on a 2-3 year front loaded deal, which makes sense with the cap situation, I think they will try. But I highly doubt they will negotiate once some other team offers 4 years. The best thing they have going for them is they are in the best, or at least one of the best financial situations in a bad economic environment. And, after reaching the third round. Wirtz is seeing a return on his investment already this year.

[NewUserName]

If I was Tallon here are a couple things I would have floating around my mind going into the future.

 

Someone is probably going to overpay for Havlat and khabibulin...neither is an elite player who is worthy of overpayment in the current NHL salary structure.

 

IDK what the Hawks cap situation is going to be this offseason. This may sound funny but I think Scott Neidermayer is worth every penny someone is going to sign him for. Adding him will make the Huet situation better, probably take other young Dmen up another notch and make the Hawks special teams the best in the league.

 

Replace Havlat with some Cup experienced scoring forward. There are more out there than you think and are not very expensive.(Shanahan,Afingenov,Satan) I know Havlat is more than just a scoring forward, but you have to consider he again is healthy during a contract year.

 

Resign Pahlsson and possibly another grind forward

 

These things and the team improving with experience and the Hawks are a couple of notched better next year.

[bcl412]

What I'm afraid of is playing the Ducks and having the players suffer a huge emotional let down (I know it's the WCF but right now everyone is expecting the match up of the century at least from a Chicago point of view). Even the players sound like they are ready for Detroit.

[jersey cubs fan]

What I'm afraid of is playing the Ducks and having the players suffer a huge emotional let down (I know it's the WCF but right now everyone is expecting the match up of the century at least from a Chicago point of view). Even the players sound like they are ready for Detroit.

 

If there is going to be a letdown, it's going to be about "being happy to be there" instead of "oh bummer, it's only the Ducks." These guys have had a couple stinker games in the playoffs. I fully expect at least one this upcoming series, regardless of the opponent. But I'd bet they turn it on eventually.

[UMFan83]

Just repeating what others have said about the Wings...I just can't see a possibility that the Hawks beat the Wings. They play a very similar style as the Hawks, but they do it better. That's why we've had so much trouble beating them this year. The games may have been semi-close, but the Wings have clearly outplayed the Hawks in all of those games. That home and home set around New Years was during a period where the Hawks hadn't lost a game in regulation in a month and were just dominating teams nightly. Then they played the Wings twice in a row and got beaten pretty good. The Winter Classic game is as close to a playoff game as you'll see in the regular season - meaning its a game where the desire to win is greater than any other single regular season game, and you can be sure the intensity was ramped up, and the Wings beat the Hawks pretty handily.

 

The Hawks have definitely surprised in this playoffs, and are playing really good hockey right now, so anything is possible. But I'd be willing to bet a Hawks-Wings series would end in 5 games in favor of Detroit.

 

But who knows, I'll still hold out hope...anything is possible with this team!

[Hairyducked Idiot]

It's not about wanting to let Kane go. Kane's got strong ties to the Buffalo area.

 

And when you come down to it, as much as I absolutely love him, he's not the guy you give franchise money to. Toews is.

[jersey cubs fan]

It's not about wanting to let Kane go. Kane's got strong ties to the Buffalo area.

 

And when you come down to it, as much as I absolutely love him, he's not the guy you give franchise money to. Toews is.

 

He grew up in Buffalo, but all these guys have grown up in other places. And Buffalo isn't exactly a thriving franchise. The Blackhawks have half a dozen guys with strong Vancouver ties. Chicago has a way of winning over just about every successful athlete that comes to town. There are very few, if any, stars that look to go somewhere else, even if it's home.

 

No, he's not Crosby, but if Pittsburgh can find a way to keep their two stars, I'm certain the Blackhawks will find a way to keep Toews and Kane. After the way the 90's Blackhawks unraveled upon the departures of Roenick, Chelios, et al, I just don't see a marketing man like McDonough stopping short of doing whatever possible to keep both of his poster boys around.

[Exile on Waveland]

The Winter Classic game is as close to a playoff game as you'll see in the regular season - meaning its a game where the desire to win is greater than any other single regular season game, and you can be sure the intensity was ramped up, and the Wings beat the Hawks pretty handily.

 

I was thinking along the same lines. I consider that game to be relatively predictive, and the Wings were clearly better. I'm expecting a similar result in the conference finals (assuming Wings close out the Ducks) with the 'Hawks winning once or twice.

[Soul]

It's not about wanting to let Kane go. Kane's got strong ties to the Buffalo area.

 

And when you come down to it, as much as I absolutely love him, he's not the guy you give franchise money to. Toews is.

 

I don't know, Kane's been surprisingly effective in the playoffs. I don't think Toews is automatically the guy over him. Kane's got lots more potential to explore -- there's no telling where he winds up. Toews too, but I'm just saying, the end points aren't known yet with these guys.

 

I think the Hawks find a way to keep them together for the long haul.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Kane's a one-way player. He's the Ben Gordon of the Chicago Blackhawks. Toews is Derrick Rose.

 

It's not at all that I want to dog Kane, especially after the night he just had, but even look at last night. Three goals, but only a +1 and 13:30 in ice time. You can't penalty kill with him, you can't put him against the other team's top line, and he can't win battles along the boards. He's a skilled cherrypicker, but you are still giving something up on the ice when you have him floating along the edge of skirmishes.

 

He's like a .340/.380/.420 hitter. Not as valuable as the batting average would suggest, but still very valuable. Kane isn't as valuable as his points would suggest, but is still very valuable because he gets so darn many points.

[Soul]

Right now he can't do that stuff, but you're talking about basically a kid.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Right now he can't do that stuff, but you're talking about basically a kid.

 

He's 20 years old, 5-10, and generously listed at 175 but is probably closer to 160.

 

Unless he grows four inches and adds 45 pounds of muscle, minimum, he's never going to be able to do those things.

 

Kane is who he is, a cherry-picking offensive threat. He's a wonderful guy to have, but he's not a core of a hockey team.

[jersey cubs fan]

Kane's a one-way player. He's the Ben Gordon of the Chicago Blackhawks. Toews is Derrick Rose.

 

It's not at all that I want to dog Kane, especially after the night he just had, but even look at last night. Three goals, but only a +1 and 13:30 in ice time. You can't penalty kill with him, you can't put him against the other team's top line, and he can't win battles along the boards. He's a skilled cherrypicker, but you are still giving something up on the ice when you have him floating along the edge of skirmishes.

 

He's like a .340/.380/.420 hitter. Not as valuable as the batting average would suggest, but still very valuable. Kane isn't as valuable as his points would suggest, but is still very valuable because he gets so darn many points.

 

He's probably more like a slugger with relatively low OBP. Gets his goals, but doesn't do the "little things" quite as well as you might like.

[jersey cubs fan]

Right now he can't do that stuff, but you're talking about basically a kid.

 

He's 20 years old, 5-10, and generously listed at 175 but is probably closer to 160.

 

Unless he grows four inches and adds 45 pounds of muscle, minimum, he's never going to be able to do those things.

 

Kane is who he is, a cherry-picking offensive threat. He's a wonderful guy to have, but he's not a core of a hockey team.

 

He doesn't have to be 6'2" or 200+ pounds, but you could bet pretty heavily he will easily add 20+ pounds. And he is absolutely a great guy to have as part of a core. No, he isn't the centerpiece, but he's absolutely a core player. He's not some bit player.