Blackhawks 2010-2011 season

[Exile on Waveland]

Hey, well that's something. Ugh, those late third period goals though.

[bcl412]

Phew, maybe that will spark them.

[UMFan83]

Phew, maybe that will spark them.

 

for 2-3 games and then they'll lose 2-3 in a row.

[bcl412]

I do feel like if they can squeeze into the playoffs they can make some noise. They have the experience (don't know if that really means anything but the players claim it does), they can score in fact they seem to lead all the time late and then blow it, and the West doesn't seem to have an incredibly strong team.

 

I just hope they can get in but even if I get excited I see how many games in hand everyone around us has and I get a little deflated.

[Soul]

Well, a couple good things though:

 

The Kaner steal/goal was shades of last season. His ability to do those things is one of the reasons the Hawks have been a feared team.

 

They gave up the late goal, but kept fighting and pulled out the win. Can't give up because something bad happens. They need to keep fighting and scratching, just like they did last night.

[17 Seconds]

i still think they'll make the playoffs fairly easily if they can stay healthy. it just seems like it's inevitable that somebody is about to go down with the way the season has gone.

 

if we stay healthy i feel like we'll go on a second half run... maybe get up in the mid-seeds. there's no reason we can't.

 

when healthy, this team clearly should be better than teams like the ducks and blues

[17 Seconds]

you know, i really wouldn't mind finishing with a 7-8 seed and getting detroit in the first round. there wouldn't really be anything to lose since they'd be so heavily favored, and god damn it would be awesome to knock them out of the playoffs

[bukie]

So...decent effort so far.

[bcl412]

If they hold on here they will move from 11th to 5th. This conference is packed up tightly at the bottom.

[bcl412]

you know, i really wouldn't mind finishing with a 7-8 seed and getting detroit in the first round. there wouldn't really be anything to lose since they'd be so heavily favored, and god damn it would be awesome to knock them out of the playoffs

 

I'd rather have Vancouver again. We kind of own them and have played well against them this year as well. Plus the look on their fans faces when we beat them is priceless.

[UMFan83]

I forgot about this game and was shocked to see the Hawks have a 5 goal lead when I turned it on. I feel like the Hawks haven't had many laughers this year so it's good to see.

[17 Seconds]

you know, i really wouldn't mind finishing with a 7-8 seed and getting detroit in the first round. there wouldn't really be anything to lose since they'd be so heavily favored, and god damn it would be awesome to knock them out of the playoffs

 

I'd rather have Vancouver again. We kind of own them and have played well against them this year as well. Plus the look on their fans faces when we beat them is priceless.

 

i thought about that too, but we'd probably lose and then we'd lose all braggig rights against them and no longer have them as our bitches. if we lose to somebody else, we still technically own them... even if they go deeper this year.

 

i don't wanna ruin that

[17 Seconds]

so if we've learned anything from this season, the hawks will win the next 2, then lose sharp for 2-3 weeks and immediately go on a 3 game skid

 

i'm tellin you guys, if we stay healthy this season could turn around in a hurry.

[bcl412]

you know, i really wouldn't mind finishing with a 7-8 seed and getting detroit in the first round. there wouldn't really be anything to lose since they'd be so heavily favored, and god damn it would be awesome to knock them out of the playoffs

 

I'd rather have Vancouver again. We kind of own them and have played well against them this year as well. Plus the look on their fans faces when we beat them is priceless.

 

i thought about that too, but we'd probably lose and then we'd lose all braggig rights against them and no longer have them as our bitches. if we lose to somebody else, we still technically own them... even if they go deeper this year.

 

i don't wanna ruin that

 

True but as long as they don't win the cup we have something they won't have. It's cool to be able to play that card.

"You suck".

Pull out Stanley Cup

"Awww".

[Soul]

so if we've learned anything from this season, the hawks will win the next 2, then lose sharp for 2-3 weeks and immediately go on a 3 game skid

 

i'm tellin you guys, if we stay healthy this season could turn around in a hurry.

 

I don't think you're wrong. It would be a tough haul but if healthy they could possibly have something to say here.

[squally1313]

so if we've learned anything from this season, the hawks will win the next 2, then lose sharp for 2-3 weeks and immediately go on a 3 game skid

i'm tellin you guys, if we stay healthy this season could turn around in a hurry.

 

Talk about a change of opinion.

[UMFan83]

Maybe poor luck plays a little bit into the Hawks poor record. They do have the 4th best goal differential in the West after tonight, and 9th best in the NHL.

[squally1313]

Maybe poor luck plays a little bit into the Hawks poor record. They do have the 4th best goal differential in the West after tonight, and 9th best in the NHL.

 

It's times like this when I wish we had a FanGraphs for hockey because I've been wondering about stuff like that.

 

In terms of goal differential, the part that always got me was empty netters. Obviously, they are going to increase the goals scored, but they only come in close (ie Not Dominating) performances. Whereas if there's a game like tonight, you don't get one, but you still have a great goal differential. I don't know, maybe I'm overthinking it.

 

From what I know though (which 99% comes from Second City Hockey), I think whatever advanced metrics there are favor shot totals as opposed to goal totals in terms of determining true skill. I guess it's kinda like BABIP and strike out rates, to make a baseball comparison. Put shots on net, and keep shots away from your goalie....over a large amount of data, shooting percentage tends to be fairly equal across the board.

 

FWIW, the Hawk's are averaging 32.0 shots/game and giving up 28.6 shots/game, which is a differential of +3.3, which is good for 6th in the league. Then again, New Jersey is +2.5, and they are historically bad, so who knows.

[kujay]

Maybe poor luck plays a little bit into the Hawks poor record. They do have the 4th best goal differential in the West after tonight, and 9th best in the NHL.

 

I'm not in full hockey mode yet this year (once the Bears bow out, err, win the Super Bowl, I will be), but from what I've seen it seems like they have one guy [expletive] the bed at a critical moment all too often. That's not luck, just crappy play by guys who wouldn't have made last year's roster.

 

I went back and watched Games 5 and 6 of the cup finals this weekend. That was an amazing team.

[Flames24Rulz]

So dexter is pretty mild-mannered when it comes to the Hawks, yet juding by his posts, you would think he's the erik316 of the Bulls.

 

Not saying that I disagree with you or anything concerning the Hawks, just found that slightly amusing. We're up to 8th in even strength efficiency and we still have the best PP in the league. If we just get some sort of semblance of a PK, this team's going to be in good shape.

[Flames24Rulz]

Maybe poor luck plays a little bit into the Hawks poor record. They do have the 4th best goal differential in the West after tonight, and 9th best in the NHL.

 

I'm not in full hockey mode yet this year (once the Bears bow out, err, win the Super Bowl, I will be), but from what I've seen it seems like they have one guy [expletive] the bed at a critical moment all too often. That's not luck, just crappy play by guys who wouldn't have made last year's roster.

 

I went back and watched Games 5 and 6 of the cup finals this weekend. That was an amazing team.

 

I think the bigger problem with this year's team is that the star players, namely Kane, Hossa, Seabrook and Keith, are playing like average players. Kane and Hossa have two good games over the weekend and what happens? Four points.

[jersey cubs fan]

Maybe poor luck plays a little bit into the Hawks poor record. They do have the 4th best goal differential in the West after tonight, and 9th best in the NHL.

 

I'm not in full hockey mode yet this year (once the Bears bow out, err, win the Super Bowl, I will be), but from what I've seen it seems like they have one guy [expletive] the bed at a critical moment all too often. That's not luck, just crappy play by guys who wouldn't have made last year's roster.

 

I went back and watched Games 5 and 6 of the cup finals this weekend. That was an amazing team.

 

I think the bigger problem with this year's team is that the star players, namely Kane, Hossa, Seabrook and Keith, are playing like average players. Kane and Hossa have two good games over the weekend and what happens? Four points.

Yeah, it's not crappy play by guys who wouldn't have made last year's team. It's crappy play by stars that has hurt.

[UMFan83]

Yeah...that was supposed to be our saving grace. We didn't have the depth on the 3rd and 4th lines that we had last year but we have the high end superstar talent that would carry us to the playoffs. Heck we have probably 4 of the top 30 players in hockey on the team (Toews, Kane, Hossa, Toews in that order) and another potential all star in Sharp. There is no reason we should be where we are at this point.

[jersey cubs fan]

Yeah...that was supposed to be our saving grace. We didn't have the depth on the 3rd and 4th lines that we had last year but we have the high end superstar talent that would carry us to the playoffs. Heck we have probably 4 of the top 30 players in hockey on the team (Toews, Kane, Hossa, Toews in that order) and another potential all star in Sharp. There is no reason we should be where we are at this point.

 

I would not describe the Blackhawks as having superior high end superstars. Their stars are very good, but not MVP types. They have 4 of them (I think you mean Keith), but due to a combination of things only one has really played like it all year.

[UMFan83]

Yeah...that was supposed to be our saving grace. We didn't have the depth on the 3rd and 4th lines that we had last year but we have the high end superstar talent that would carry us to the playoffs. Heck we have probably 4 of the top 30 players in hockey on the team (Toews, Kane, Hossa, Toews in that order) and another potential all star in Sharp. There is no reason we should be where we are at this point.

 

I would not describe the Blackhawks as having superior high end superstars. Their stars are very good, but not MVP types. They have 4 of them (I think you mean Keith), but due to a combination of things only one has really played like it all year.

 

That was a stupid brain fart. Toews, Keith, Hossa, Kane. Toews is regularly mentioned (or was before this year) among the top 5 players in hockey, was the top forward in the Olympics and won the Conn Smythe last year. I am not sure why he couldn't be considered and MVP caliber player despite this years performance. Keith won the Norris Trophy last year is regarded as one of the top 2 way defensemen in hockey (which we can debate all day whether that reputation is deserved). Hossa was once thought to have MVP type talent back when he was putting up 100 point seasons, and at times shows that talent but I would put him a notch below that designation. Kane is a great scorer and still developing but again I put him a notch below as you would.