brinoch
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Everything posted by brinoch
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Leave Saad on the top line -- if it ain't broke, don't fix it. I've never been sold on Carcillo on the top line with Toews and Hossa. Saad's speed is deadly -- he's drawing an average of two penalties a game, second only to Sharp.
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I think 8-10 would make Illinois a lock and 7-11 pretty much should. I defy someone to have a better bubble team resume. I agree that 8-10 should get them in. But it would be better to be 9-9. 9-9 in a stacked Big Ten with a couple of very good wins provides some insulation against weird crap happening with conference tournaments and the random automatic bid from a terrible team.
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Kane has been amazing while Sharp has been snakebitten a bit. The only frustrating thing about that line is Bolland's poor faceoff win percentage. Otherwise...
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I think Illinois *should* be ranked. They are a solid team who have had some struggles. I think they will struggle again, but if/when they keep their opponents from getting to the line overmuch, they are very dangerous. The losses to Purdue and Northwestern were tough and really hurt, no doubt about it. But a win at Minnesota balances the scales, and the win against Indiana was big. The big problem that I can foresee is that Illinois relied on the three for 32.8% of its points, but only shoots 32.7% (both for the season) from three point range. In conference play, defense has tightened up and that has forced Illinois down to only 27% of its points coming from the three (while hitting 26.7%) -- but they are still taking a ton of three point shots. I think they have 4 more conference wins in them for sure, against Purdue, Northwestern, Penn State, and Nebraska. Can they win that game on the road against Iowa? Because Iowa will need it just as bad. On the road at Michigan and Ohio St. will be difficult, for sure. 4-3 to close out the conference puts them 8-10 / 21-11 with a solid resume for the tournament. 5-2, I think, has to get them in. Likewise, a good run in the Big Ten Tournament would help.
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That's fair. It was a bad call. If you want to call a charging minor for going after a "defenseless" player, that's fine I guess, although I don't know that the rules call for that. He got him high up in the shoulder area. There may have been a little contact with the head, but not much. And he didn't leave his feet until after the contact when he was falling down. If a Hawk player got a penalty at all for that, I'd have been ranting and raving about how the league might as well go no-check. Should have been an interference call, actually. Mayers didn't have the puck, and Desjardins hit him and so ensured Mayers couldn't play the puck. Otherwise, it was a shoulder hit. Personally, I thought it should have been double minors -- instigating + roughing for Keith and interference + roughing for Desjardins. Keith's response was fine. The Hawks are sensitive about the Sharks -- they were the team that concussed Toews last year, and anything like that was going to draw an immediate response.
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That kit is amazing. Love it. LOVE IT.
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Tangotiger is Exclusively Consulting for the Cubs
brinoch replied to CaliforniaRaisin's topic in Chicago Cubs Talk
It's the offseason. -
Looks to me like Watford pushes Robinson's arm.
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That would make Toews a target though. I'd rather just have Bollig, then Mayers exact whatever justice they can. The thing with Doan is that he can also be dirty player, despite his reputation. And laying out a team's best player has always put a target on the other team's stars. So I can see how that makes sense from both those perspectives. But, to me, I would also ignore Doan and just focus on Torres. The guy doesn't respect the game, and he doesn't respect other players. If you want to send a message, and I'm sure the Hawks do, you win the game and clobber the hell out of Torres at every opportunity. First time he's on the ice, lay him out and/or make him drop the gloves.
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Got a nice break there, but even though they were clearly exhausted, they gutted out a win. Big extra point there.
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6-1 against -- and I can't see anything wrong with the calls against the Hawks. I wouldn't be surprised to see a couple of calls early against the Wings.
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Ugh. Only thing worse would be if Wisconsin showed up to play both teams at the same time.
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6 is better than 5. Let's go Hawks!
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Brookbank was ... not good. Rozsival has been much better.
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Big Ten refs. They missed a totally obvious one in the IU-Wisky game, too.
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Bo keeps getting outcoached in March, huh? No. Wisconsin's game is built for the Big Ten, where physicality is rewarded.
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Love it. Let's hope he can stay healthy.
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According to Cap Geek, the Hawks have $3.5M in cap space (whatever that pro-rates to over 48 games). With Montador apparently out and headed to LTIR, the Hawks can go over the cap by his $2.75M if they need to replace him.
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I live in Portland, and see the Dougie Flag, etc., but as an international soccer team? It's more of a regional identity thing. Portland/Seattle/Vancouver are closer to each other than any other city in Canada or the US and are otherwise pretty geographically isolated.
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wait, this is a thing? Uh... someone is actually promoting this as an idea?
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Bruno, I'd watch some games and wait until you find some players or a style that you like or find attractive.
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I think they like Brookbank's snarl and presence in the D zone. But he could be O'Donnellversion2013. I think if Montador is healthy or gets healthy, Hjalmarsson is gone.
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Doing a little online research, Montador still hasn't been cleared to play after his concussion at the end of last season, which complicates any possible trade of Hjalmarsson. FWIW, Olesz is out still from his season-ending knee injury last year -- he'll almost certainly be bought out. Adam Clendening has apparently played very well in Rockford, and might get a look. Likewise, Hayes, Shaw, Morin and Saad are all in the mix. I think the Hawks will probably stand pat and try to figure out 2C internally, which I don't like, but can understand.
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Yeah, the Hawks are fine, and can even create a lot of flexibility with the buyouts. Buyout candidates: Rusty Olesz Steve Montador I also think they'll make a trade or two -- probably Hjalmarsson. Perhaps there's some kind of combination of Hjalmarsson, Stalberg and a prospect or two which would net that elusive 2nd line center. That's what I would try to do -- the Hawks have too many prospects for the top 6, and while Stalberg's speed causes problems, he's replaceable by one of Saad, Morin, Smith or Hayes. He's very attractive because of his cheap contract and there's no way the Hawks will be able to keep him. I'm just not sold on Pirri or Kruger in that role yet, though they've apparently done well in Rockford (I have seen no games and have no direct knowledge). But, to me, this is a season that the Hawks should be striving for a Cup, and they need to roll 4 lines that can score -- and not depend too much on rookies. That would set up: Sharp-Toews-Kane Saad-2nd Center-Hossa Bickell-Bolland-Frolik Carcillo-Kruger-Mayers Keith-Seabrook Oduya-Leddy Brookbank-Montador Crawford Emery Roszsival Olesz Bollig Works for me.
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About freaking time.