2014-2015 STANLEY CUP CHAMPION CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS

[jersey cubs fan]

blackhawks and bulls apparently announcing some sort of office extension at the United Center

[apete6]

hossa was unbelievable tonight

 

This. Dude is always in the right place on offense and defense. Unbelievable. If he could have finished that chance in OT, that's a career highlight film quality goal.

[Brian707]

At UM?

 

 

Probably Target Field.

 

Also Q thinks Versteeg will be out longer than anticipated with his broken hand.

[biittner77]

The NHL all star break is the worst. MLB is bad but at least the game is watchable. This is like having the pro bowl right after week 8.

[Banedon]

This video is awesome.

 

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=750014

[jersey cubs fan]

The NHL all star break is the worst. MLB is bad but at least the game is watchable. This is like having the pro bowl right after week 8.

A 7-day break doesn't affect me nearly as much for NHL than a 4-day break for MLB. All the regular off days in the NHL familiarizes me to not having a game on.

[kujay]

The game sucks but the skills competition is by far the best.

[rawaction]

The NHL all star break is the worst. MLB is bad but at least the game is watchable. This is like having the pro bowl right after week 8.

A 7-day break doesn't affect me nearly as much for NHL than a 4-day break for MLB. All the regular off days in the NHL familiarizes me to not having a game on.

 

Plus MLB is the only thing going in mid July. Tougher to deal with those off days when you don't have NBA, college basketball, and Superbowl prep to watch.

[UMFan83]

Pretty good showing for the Hawks yesterday.

 

Team Toews won, and Toews had 1 goal and 4 assists

Crawford had the highest SV%, most saves and least Goals allowed of any goalie

Kane had 2 goals and a assist

Both the defensemen got on the scoresheet.

[Brian707]

MLB all star game is the only slightly watchable all star game,(and that was still the case before they decided to make it decide home field advantage in the WS)

 

I didn't realize this was the first hockey all star game since 2012. Lockout in 2013, Olympics last year

[UMFan83]

MLB all star game is the only slightly watchable all star game,(and that was still the case before they decided to make it decide home field advantage in the WS)

 

I didn't realize this was the first hockey all star game since 2012. Lockout in 2013, Olympics last year

 

Yup, and only the 6th ASG in the last 11 years

 

05 - Lockout

06 - Olympics

07 - ASG

08 - ASG

09 - ASG

10 - Olympics

11 - ASG

12 - ASG

13 - Olympics

14 - Lockout

15 - ASG

 

Until yesterday, Toews had as many All-Star appearances as Gold Medals or Stanley Cups. (cheating a little because Toews was selected to a 4th ASG but didnt play due to injury)

[biittner77]

The campaign next year should be not to send more players to the ASG. No one plays hard and it's unlikely that anyone gets hurt but I'd rather let our guys rest on the beach than have to spend a long weekend in a place like Columbus or Ottawa or wherever going from one event to another.

[Brian707]

Crosby suspended one game for missing All Star Weekend.

[jersey cubs fan]

MLB all star game is the only slightly watchable all star game,(and that was still the case before they decided to make it decide home field advantage in the WS)

 

That's because baseball is the one sport where effort doesn't really matter. You cannot really take half hearted swings and there would be no benefit to it. Although there is plenty of benefit of not going balls out to make a tackle or deliver a check. Pitchers could theoretically take something off, but in practice that may have other negative affects and instead they just throw fewer pitches than normal.

[kujay]

I have to say, this ASG was a joke. Maybe it's always been that way and I just didn't pay attention, but the game needs to go away if that's what it's going to be.

 

Skills competition is still fun to watch except for the stupid breakaway contest where they do stupid stuff.

[Janelle-Alexis]

Crosby suspended one game for missing All Star Weekend.

 

I had no idea about the rule that if a player misses All Star Weekend they have to have missed the game before or the game after. What an awful rule, even though I'd be happy just to give the Blackhawks All Stars the extra day off in addition to skipping the All Star stuff.

[biittner77]

I have to say, this ASG was a joke. Maybe it's always been that way and I just didn't pay attention, but the game needs to go away if that's what it's going to be.

 

Skills competition is still fun to watch except for the stupid breakaway contest where they do stupid stuff.

 

2012 was just as bad. Only thing I really remember about that game was Pierre asking every player if they were going to start hitting in whichever period was next.

 

I think it was the pro bowl that really undermined all the other non MLB all star games. Once football got away with no one even trying the others followed suit.

[Guest]

i [expletive] hate the kings

[apete6]

i [expletive] hate the kings

 

Yeah, just a relentless bunch with a few very punchable guys (Dustin Brown by far #1). Going to dread playing them in a playoff series again.

 

That game has me excited and nervous for the playoffs. Fun to watch.

[UMFan83]

i [expletive] hate the kings

 

Yeah, just a relentless bunch with a few very punchable guys (Dustin Brown by far #1). Going to dread playing them in a playoff series again.

 

That game has me excited and nervous for the playoffs. Fun to watch.

 

Looking forward to it too assuming we both get that far. To be the best you've got to beat the best.

[Brian707]

I think the Hawks are better than the Kings this year, last night notwithstanding. The Hawks rolled 2.5 lines last year and were a fluke OT game 7 goal away from winning the Cup. Kings not as deep this year, and while I think they get in, as of now sit on the outside looking in.

[Burtonbell]

http://www.secondcityhockey.com/2015/1/29/7949293/blackhawks-canucks-trade-adam-clendening-gustav-forsling-2015. Interesting trade here, I don't know much about the guy the hawks got but he seems very Interesting.

[biittner77]

http://www.secondcityhockey.com/2015/1/29/7949293/blackhawks-canucks-trade-adam-clendening-gustav-forsling-2015. Interesting trade here, I don't know much about the guy the hawks got but he seems very Interesting.

 

Clendenning was going to be a RFA next year. That wouldn't have boded well for roster flexibility. As far as offense first defensemen go, TJ Brennan is probably better. Clendenning hadn't been as productive this year and there's definitely a logjam of Defense prospects at Rock Vegas.

 

Forsling is only 18 so it's unlikely he contributes to the Hawks for a couple years. He brings the possibility of eventually being able to "replace" Keith down the line. Whether that happens remains to be seen. If he is that good, the trade is a steal. If he's at least serviceable, it's still good. Even if he never makes the NHL it's probably still not terrible since it didn't look like Clendenning had much chance of making the team any time soon.

[kujay]

Yeah, looks like just smart roster management.

[jersey cubs fan]

Yeah, looks like just smart roster management.

 

Yeah, a 22 year old who can reach some sort of free agency without actually playing in the NHL is a weird system, and it probably makes a lot of sense for a currently good team to be trading those guys for 18 year old versions.