Blackhawks 2014-15 Season Thread

[anotheridiot]

yeah football, basketball, just space in my mind lol.

Nice nite by Darling. He looks so non nonchalant in net. Got some help from the posts and a #3 in the sportscenter top ten with that sprawling save on Nash. Sharpie still got some big chances, I think the Rangers have their answer for Lundquist though.

It was an awesome broadcast too, sometime in the second EddieO said they need to be patient on their wrap arounds, go out farther and be patient and its exactly how Richie scored. Liked the scratch to rest Rosie, loved the scratch of Versteeg, maybe Q saw that same demeaner with Steeger, maybe the hand took a harder shot than it looked. Really though Timonen would get the nite off for his 40th birthday on back to back, but he pretty much did with 7:30 and we are light on D Men now with the Erixson waiving. I guess Jed said that TVR has actually played two games for Rockford now, so I guess its decision time if they want him back up again..

 

[anotheridiot]

It was also interesting when Doc said he had to look up scott darling and found a 6'6 190 pound goaltender. Kind of explains why he finally made it to the NHL when he got to 232

 

[JoeyTourettes]

As good as they looked on Friday... they looked slow and sloppy against Dallas. Hope it was just the travel. And back to back games.

 

[anotheridiot]

Dallas knows the plan to beat the hawks is beating the hawks. There were massive hits and when our speed guys cant skate around checks its pretty easy to see them slow and sloppy. Its pretty simple, someone tries to carry the puck into the zone he gets hit hard. D skate back, start the rush the other way. Look at the box score, shots were dismal for the hawks. I think Hoss had 7, one other had 4, the rest were onsie twosie..Hossa never enters the zone straight ahead, he is usually curling in and already going around the check, but then tossing a wrister at the goalie with nobody there.

 

[JBM73]

Blackhawks by the numbers - Chicago Blackhawks Blog - ESPN Chicago

 

[HockeyDoug]

Blackhawks by the numbers - Chicago Blackhawks Blog - ESPN Chicago

Only a few 20 goal scorers, shut out so many times, and 5th or 6th fewest goals for since the deadline, I'm not sure how anybody finds one potential matchup better than the next in April.

I think they're good enough to beat anybody, but anybody with a warm goalie and decent defensive play can beat the Hawks. With only one scoring line that can be relied on to sustain pressure and dictate matchups, they'll have their work cut out for them.

I was really surprised to see how poorly Vermette has done on the dots but I'm really happy that it's caused everybody at the center position to raise their level of play. I think it lit a fire for the centers even if they haven't been great yet. Shaw is much more effective on the wing in limited minutes.

Timmonen has been around for a month now, he hasn't done anything in his overall body of work (only 8 or 9 games still) that Rundblad couldn't do. Time for him to take a step up or out of the way. He doesn't do enough in any zone to make me think he's going to help them win anything. It's only been a month and I need to be more patient but I'm getting antsy about it.

 

[HockeyDoug]

In an early Powers' piece, Paliotta is waiting on signing.

That's not good. It would suck to lose another promising prospect. I would just assume the Hawks dump Johns to make room for him. Too many right handed shooters in the system. If the Hawks don't clear out some depth to make room for him, I think he'll bolt or I think he should anyway. Since it's nearly impossilble to guage how his game translates up a level, I'm not going to say it's a mistake to keep the other d prospects, I'm just more frustrated at the idea of losing another good prospect, this time for nothing.

I know it's still oo early to speculate, but I'm not feeling too well about it. Maybe he/they are just waiting to see how the summer shakes out before signing with Chicago.

 

[averagejoe]

The loss to the Jackets was brutal. Feel bad for Shaw. He took a beating in the crease all night long - and rarely did the Hawks take advantage of Shaw's goalmouth presence with shots.

Just watched the Wild beat the Kings and leap-frog into the #3 spot. The Wild have the jump. They have the scoring. They have the defense. They are doing what the Hawks aren't.

I hope losing that spot motivates our boys.

 

[anotheridiot]

They could use a TVR infusion tonight. Timonen, thanks for trying, but our D has been terrible since you got to play every night. Still cant figure out why Timo and Rosie are not sharing games. Even with Cumiskey you had a guy willing to go down in the net to block shots and an actual offensive minded d man. How many giveaways have we seen Duncan keith put on the tape of an opposing skater? How many times is he retreating behind the net during a power play waiting for a change. I dont know if he is just bitchy about losing Seabs as a partner or what, but I think they are trying to force Q to put their line back together.

 

[averagejoe]

Timonen, thanks for trying, but our D has been terrible since you got to play every night. Still cant figure out why Timo and Rosie are not sharing games.

Agree about Timonen. Disagree about Rosie. I figure there's somewhat of a learning curve for Timonen. He's been a stay-at-home, positional defensemen his entire career, and now he's asked to jump into the play and think offensively. That ingrained mindset can't be easy to change.

I like Rosie. Some nights, yes, he can be a liability. But as you pointed out, poor clearing attempts are a problem. I like that Rosie shows patience with the puck before clearing and makes good outlet passes. The rest of the defense can learn from him.

How many times is [Keith] retreating behind the net during a power play waiting for a change. I dont know if he is just bitchy about losing Seabs as a partner or what, but I think they are trying to force Q to put their line back together.

I don't see that. IMO, Keith looks to "generate" scoring chances by bringing the puck in deep and getting below the circles in the offensive zone. I blame the wingers for not taking timely shots and not pinching in defensively.

 

[anotheridiot]

Keith makes a few bone head passes to the middle of the ice every game. He makes up for it with his stamina and poking pucks away, but I just see too much of keith retreating instead of carrying the puck up the ice during a power play. Why wait for a change when the change is up where the puck should be going. Its bad enough to lose so many faceoffs on the powerplay, its worse to give time away becausE Keith is afraid to handle thru the fore check.

Good comeback yesterday, still no where near the net presence needed for the playoffs and too many shots being taken without any net front presence. They need to find some way to put teams away in the playoffs or more long series will cost them the cup again.

 

[HockeyDoug]

I still found last night very aggravating. I have no clue what mix Q is trying to achieve, but I've never had a read on how he'll like his guys other than having Hossa surgically attached to Toews.

Roszival is fine. He's slow, declining, etc., but he can contest entries and still make a play coming out of the zone. The last thing the Hawks need are two consecutive dpairs vulnerable to a dump in so I'm fine with Roszival in as a number 6. I've stilll seen nothing from Johns to suspect he'll be any better against fast/good skating forwards and there aren't any other reasonable options on the bottom 2 pairs since I don't trust TVR to contest and win, against entries either. If TVR was a little better at keeping the puck in the offensive zone, I would be all for putting him in as the offense might offset the vulnerability, but he's yet to show he can do both so give me Roszival even though it stings the eyes.

Timmonen is so slow too, I was hoping he had a little left. Maybe he can make some plays but that speed isn't coming back and that makes the Hawks vulnerable to everybody.

I still want them to get faster up front.

 

[averagejoe]

Aggravating. Yes.

If there is a silver lining (other than the win), it looks like some of the guys had more jump last night. Toews, Hossa, TVR and Bickell in particular. Maybe they're finally ramping up for the playoffs.

 

[JBM73]

'Could be good news' soon for Blackhawks' Patrick Kane | Chicago

 

[anotheridiot]

Good news for Kane, main holdback will be medical clearance. Its xrays, scans, they are really worried about that breaking thru and puncturing the lung and dont want that as a sportscenter highlight.

 

[JBM73]

 

[HockeyDoug]

Interesting list, thanks for posting.

I know Ottawa has a bunch of young guys, I didn't realize they were getting so many minutes.
I'm a little surprised Trotz let young guys snag as many minutes as they did, not that he had many choices.

 

[averagejoe]

So Kane has missed 15 games and counting... yet he still leads the team in scoring.

 

[averagejoe]

So much better game against the Kings. Saad, Sharp, and Oduya had very strong games. And Darling could have had a shutout if that softy wouldn't have gone in.

 

[JBM73]

Blackhawks succeeding with defense providing some extra offense - Chicago Tribune