Re: 2009 Chicago Blackhawks

[bukie]

Here are the NHL standings based on PPG, with a column extrapolating to 82 games to give a standard basis for separation between teams:

 

Eastern            PPG P-82
01. New Jersey   1.500  123
02. Pittsburgh   1.417  116
03. Washington   1.389  114
04. Buffalo      1.324  109
05. Boston       1.147   94
06. Atlanta      1.147   94
07. Ottawa       1.143   94
08. NY Rangers   1.000   82
09. Florida      1.000   82
10. Montreal     0.946   78
11. Tampa Bay    0.943   77
12. Philadelphia 0.941   77
13. NY Islanders 0.917   75
14. Toronto      0.917   75
15. Carolina     0.686   56

Western            PPG P-82
01. Chicago      1.441  118
02. San Jose     1.343  110
03. Nashville    1.306  107
04. Los Angeles  1.270  104
05. Calgary      1.257  103
06. Colorado     1.243  102
07. Phoenix      1.222  100
08. Dallas       1.171   96
09. Vancouver    1.143   94
10. Detroit      1.139   93
11. Minnesota    1.057   87
12. St. Louis    1.000   82
13. Anaheim      1.000   82
14. Columbus     0.972   80
15. Edmonton     0.971   80

[UMFan83]

Wow I didn't realize how tough the Hawks schedule is coming up...

 

2 different back to backs this week, the first one on Tues/Web vs. SJ (Pacific leader) and @ Detroit (Detroit)

then on Saturday and Sunday they play a home and home against the team right behind them in the Central (Nashville). Then after a day off they head to Dallas for a game (more average team but on the road), and then finally after another game off they play at home against the team with the best record in the league, NJ on New Years Eve.

 

I have complete confidence that the Hawks will more than hold their own against this schedule. Instead of fearing an upcoming tough schedule, I am looking forward to it. So unlike other Chicago sports.

[inari]

Not exactly Blackhawks related, but; NHL 2010 is absurdly fun.

[Soul]

It will be very interesting to see what the Hawks can do on this stretch of games. Should make for some very entertaining hockey.

[bukie]

Also, as to how safe a 7-point lead is in the NHL:

 

The average NHL team this year accrues 1.13 points per game. So, dropping 7 points to the rest of the conference would take over 6 games straight of losing, if all teams had played the same number of games. However, since the Blackhawks have actually played 2-4 games less than the rest of the conference, add 2-4 games to that.

 

So, to fall out of the playoffs with a 7 point cushion and 2-4 games in hand, the Blackhawks would have to drop 8-11 straight.

 

As for the Preds catching them, if the Hawks continue playing at their current pace, the Preds would catch them going 9-0.

[kujay]

The Hawks are calling Eager's injury the descriptive and usually untrue "upper body injury," but one of the beat articles (Kuc in the Tribune, I think) said it was concussion-like symptoms. Obviously, his job is to hustle and kick some ass, and if he can't do that or fight occasionally, he's worthless. We really need Burish back.

[jersey cubs fan]

The Hawks are calling Eager's injury the descriptive and usually untrue "upper body injury," but one of the beat articles (Kuc in the Tribune, I think) said it was concussion-like symptoms. Obviously, his job is to hustle and kick some ass, and if he can't do that or fight occasionally, he's worthless. We really need Burish back.

 

 

That would be nice, but I really don't think you can say this team "needs" anything. They are very good. They have 27 games until the Olympic break, and after that they can hopefully start think about getting back some of their better players. But this team is going to make the playoffs and all that really matters is they are as strong as possible then, they are doing fine as is right now.

[kujay]

The Hawks are calling Eager's injury the descriptive and usually untrue "upper body injury," but one of the beat articles (Kuc in the Tribune, I think) said it was concussion-like symptoms. Obviously, his job is to hustle and kick some ass, and if he can't do that or fight occasionally, he's worthless. We really need Burish back.

 

 

That would be nice, but I really don't think you can say this team "needs" anything. They are very good. They have 27 games until the Olympic break, and after that they can hopefully start think about getting back some of their better players. But this team is going to make the playoffs and all that really matters is they are as strong as possible then, they are doing fine as is right now.

 

Call it the Cub fan paranoia in me. I can't help but look for problems.

 

But don't get me wrong, I am enjoying this team very much.

[UMFan83]

Random Stats of the day:

 

People have obviously picked up on the fact that Huet has played much better since the start of the season. But people are saying that while his GAA for the season is good, his save percentage is very mediocre, and credit his low GAA to the Hawks stellar defensemen limiting the number of shots attempted. Now I agree the defensemen are stellar, and they have affected Huet's GAA, the belief that his Save % is still bad is wrong. Look at the breakdown of how Huet has played this year:

 

First 6 games:

17 Goals allowed

92 Saves

109 Shot attempts

2.83 GAA

.844 Save %

 

Last 20 games:

34 Goals allowed

464 Saves

498 Shot attempts

1.70 GAA

.932 Save %

 

If those were his numbers for the whole year (and this stretch is 20 games out of the 26 he's played so it's damn close to his whole season after an awful start), he'd be 3rd in the league in Save % and easily 1st in the league in GAA. Just amazing to see how well he's actually played.

[Flames24Rulz]

[expletive] off, Versus.

[Butterscup1679666578]

geez huet, close off the short-side.

[17 Seconds]

damn... dominating right now even though it's 0-1

[Magnetic Curses]

this is frustrating.

[17 Seconds]

should be up like 2-0 right now

[17 Seconds]

okay, if we don't put one in the net on this pp i'm going to break something

[Butterscup1679666578]

6000 SOG and we can't get one in.

[17 Seconds]

6000 SOG and we can't get one in.

 

and about 3000 more shot wide

[Butterscup1679666578]

God damn we can't get it past Nabokov.

[17 Seconds]

[expletive] this [expletive]

 

dominating and down 2-0

[Butterscup1679666578]

wtf

[17 Seconds]

who was it that turned it over that set up the shorty? i turned it on right as it was happening.

 

lemme guess... here are my top choices

 

campbell

barker

versteeg

 

id be shocked if it wasnt one of those guys

[17 Seconds]

good job sharp. nice meltdown

[Butterscup1679666578]

dumb penalty.

[17 Seconds]

i hate playing against the sharks just because it reminds me how much sicker our team would be with boyle instead of soupy

[17 Seconds]

ugh toews.

 

this is the most furstrating game of the year i think