Saad as 2nd Line Center?

[gmalis1]

Well, that was a great post. Now you have shown EVERYONE what a complete idiotic moron you are.

Here's a few names for you to think about: Derek Boogard, Chris Pronger, Marc Savard, Eric Lindros, Pat LaFontaine, Scott Stevens, Mike Richter (yes, a goalie), Keith Primeau, Stu Grimson, Adam Deadmarsh, Petr, Svoboda. What do all those players have in common? Every one of them have had their careers ended by concussions.

Some of them were goons. Some of them were highly skilled players. Boogard is dead...a victim of suicide due to his concussions. Pronger is a mere shell of himself.

So, yes, let the fighting and the chippy stuff and the elbows and shoulders to the head and the heads checked into the glass continue. Let's make hockey players driveling idiots when they leave the game.

Ask any hockey player nowadays what's it's like to be concussed. Ask Jonathan Toews what it's like. We already know for a fact he has had two concussions. One in the 2012 season that sidelined him for a large portion of the season and another one in Game 5 of the Final. Who knows how many others he has had? And what kind of life will he have after hockey?

Now, your father sounds like dad of the year. Send a 65 lb kid against a couple of 200 lb guys. Very smart. Concussed? Fractured spine? Other broken bones? Sure, why not. Suck it up and be a man. I've watched enough youth football to see some awful things happen to kids. And that's why in my area they segregate the kids by weight...and there is a weigh in prior to each and every game. Basically, so some 65 lb weenie doesn't get permanently injured by a 200 lb gorilla.

I'm not calling for no check hockey...but the league itself is getting close to that. The league will not tolerate hits to the head, whether blatant or unintentional. It's just not going to happen. This isn't my view...it's the NHL's view. They need to protect their product. And they are trying to do so by attempting to eliminate hits to the head.

So, you can take that vendetta towards me, and call me all the names in the world that you like...it still doesn't change anything. The NHL as we know it today is not the same NHL that was 10 years ago or 20 years ago. It just isn't. And basically, it's all in the safety of the players, which I find hard to believe in your Neanderthal mind that you could possible be against. And whether I'm holding anyone's jock is irrelevant. I'm not playing in the NHL. But who cares if I'm not. It's the NHL's view on how they want the league to be run and protected.

Are you also against face shields for new players in the league? What about helmets altogether? Goalie masks? These are all safety devices to protect players. Same with hits to the head.

I'm all for an aggressive forecheck. Puck battles against the board and in the corners are great. I'm all for it. But not a hit to the head. PERIOD!

So moron, next time you want to see goons muck it up, or fisticuffs aplenty, or guys running marquis players on teams, then go to a boxing or wrestling or UFC match. You'll get all that. I want to see hockey...and hockey where players don't get knocked out and suffer the consequences after their careers are over.

Actually, from your rant, you sound like someone who has had one too many concussions already.

As to the Bryan Bollig remark, if you have read ANY of my posts, I am no fan of Bollig being on the Hawks. He is a one dimensional defensive player who can't score...ever. But Q seems to like him, so he's gonna be on the team whether you or I like it or not. He will be a healthy scratch most times but will be put in games against situational teams who think they can run all over the Hawks.

So, moron...get your facts straight and take a reading comprehension class.

Oh BTW, paragraphs are a nifty writing tool to use to make your idiotic post even readable.

Oh, and have a nice day.

 

[gmalis1]

And as an aside, please read the following article. It's how players perceive that the NFL will become extinct in the very near future due to the player concussion issue and the lingering lawsuits that are pending against the league and the teams:

http://www.thestar.com/business/201...tle_the_leagues_lucrative_business_model.html

And the NCAA has even a bigger problem with concussed former players. Lawsuits are pending against them as well.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...-concussion-lawsuit-adrian-arrington/2588189/

And insurance premiums are rising for youth football leagues as well, as liabilities keep escalating.

So basically, you're right. Send out kids and teens and young men and adults and have their brains beat in game in and game out. After all, what can really happen to them?

 

[gmalis1]

And for more delightful reading, see how some ex-NFL players think the league could be extinct in the very near future:

Ravens' Pollard: Football won't exist in '20, 30 years' - NFL.com

Y! SPORTS

On concussions, players and fans can?t have it both ways | ProFootballTalk

Vikes Geek: Is NFL Doomed to Extinction?

And finally, an opposing-ish view:

Players, coaches defend NFL risks in wake of Obama, Pollard comments - NFL News | FOX Sports on MSN

 

[gmalis1]

Oh, and I'm standing by my comment that there is no way Kyle Beach makes the Blackhawks and plays on a regular basis with the team.

He will be in camp with the Hawks, he might get a cup of coffee look with the team at some point in the season, he might be a fill-in if injuries start to mount...but there is NO WAY he is with the Hawks and becomes a regular player on the team. This according to Chris Kuc of the Chicago Tribune.

Sorry to burst your bubble.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

Saad was very impressive his rookie year to say the least. I knew he was probably the Blackhawks best prospect going into last season, but I didn't realize how good he really was. 2nd line center is a great responsibility for a team with high expectations like the Blackhawks, but if they line him up with a capable vet, I could see him pulling it off. He was probably the most well rounded rookie forward last season, not the highest scorer, but I really was impressed with the balance of his game.

 

[Baseballnut77]

Yep he was dad of the year.He threw me in there so i would learn how to survive. i didnt get coddled and protected. i learned how to be a football player. As to the rest of your B.S. there are players who can barely walk and or are in pain from their playing days of years gone by who wouldn't trade one second of it and why? Because they loved the game and knew what they were getting into and what could happen.Players of today get paid millions of dollars play a game.Knowing full well what could happen to them.And i am quite sure that while they are making those millions of dollars not one of them is questioning what might happen 20 years from now.Football and hockey are CONTACT sports. violence is a part of the game.And not one of these players at 20 years old when they are signing million dollar contracts is saying "you know i wonder if this 100 million dollars i am going to make is worth the fact that i am going to be in pain the rest of my life" And not one of them is turning the other way because of it. You get paid millions to do what others only dream about and you leave 110% of yourself out on the field/ice. Now PeeWee's like yourself might want to make things all nice and tame in the "interest of the players" so you say.But no matter how much belly-aching you do, in these 2 sports more so then any of the others sans maybe nascar, violence and the pain that comes with it are a part of the game. 12 knee surgeries broken bones and yes even concussions are apart of the game and every player goes in willingly and knowingly and leaves their bodies out on the playing fields and not one of them would trade it for a life of belly-aching on a message board all while living the life of a 9 to 5er. Nobody wants the No Fun League or the No Hit League except a couple of you lightweights. Lucky for all the rest of us the players don't want it either. Time for you to grow a set i guess. And btw? grammar police? seriously?

 

[JBM73]

C'mon, guys. There's not enough Hawks fans on this site for us to be fighting with each other. Save it for the Nashville fan(s?).

 

[gmalis1]

C'mon, guys. There's not enough Hawks fans on this site for us to be fighting with each other. Save it for the Nashville fan(s?).

You wouldn't be saying ANY of that if you had a son who had post-concussion syndrome.

I have TWO patients (no, I am not a physician), both hockey players, both in high school, that have been concussed from playing hockey.

You should see the change in their lives. The change in their personality, the change in their behavior, the change in their day to day living. And both of them realize that their lives have changed, and not for the better. They are depressed, they are argumentative, they are sullen, they are moody, they have no focus, no energy and really are a shell of the personality that they had.

Fortunately, after about six months post-concussion they are both back to pretty much being themselves. But when I ask them if they would play competitive checking league hockey again both of them said "No". They didn't want to return to the way they were. They both felt that they were trapped in their own body, because they had no control over their emotions and other mental capacities...not like they were prior to being concussed. They are both scared (and really scared) that if they get hit again, it will return and worse case that it will never go away.

So you can throw around the "macho" image of football and hockey. You can even throw out the "I know the risks of playing" card. But really, do 14 and 15 year old kids really realize the risks involved? No, they do not. To them it's cool, and yes it's fun, to play hockey or football. But when it affects your everyday living and you become someone you weren't even close to being before and really don't like your own self, is it really worth the risk?

Now, I'm not advocating abandoning hockey. I love the sport. But hits to the head have no place in the game. Not unless you enjoy seeing kids and teens and adults with scrambled brains. Hockey is a contact sport. And it can be a violent sport. But some way some how they need to eliminate hits to the head. Period!

Can you not agree on that?

 

[Baseballnut77]

it is what it is and it is a part of the game. And yes i have seen the effects up close and personal. But it is a part of the game. people line up hits for the chest and the opposing player moves and bingo he gets drilled in the head. point is it is going to happen and it is a risk you accept when you play the game and get paid to do it. Do i live to see people get hurt? no. But again if someone wants to pay me 2,4 , million dollars to play a game i would accept the risk that goes with it as well. It is and always should be part of the game. the kids you talked about? bravo for getting out of the game. glad to see it. You are either built to play these games or you are not. And it isnt "well i took a huge hit and it wasn't fair"
Everyone's life has a path and obviously for those
boys it was not a hockey life. No need to worry about it and no need to change the game for those whose path is to play the game

 

[JBM73]

You wouldn't be saying ANY of that if you had a son who had post-concussion syndrome.

Not sure if you truly meant to reply to ME, but I know the affects of post-concussion syndrome intimately as well. I have (had) a brother who ended up putting a bullet in his head after suffering through serious post-concussion related depression. No, it wasn't sports related, but I certainly know the importance of the issue.

 

[JBM73]

That feeds into what I was saying, we don't really need a goon/enforcer.

These teams go out of their way just to rough us up, take shots on us. But after awhile, specially in 7 game series such as the playoffs, our speed, athleticism, and pure skill just take over.

Unfortunately, without a goon in the regular season how many of our guys make it to the playoffs without being injured?

I don't think it's wise to put our team's health in the hands of Buttman and his cronies.

 

[ChicagoIrish]

Unfortunately, without a goon in the regular season how many of our guys make it to the playoffs without being injured?

I don't think it's wise to put our team's health in the hands of Buttman and his cronies.

I agree.

But how many successful goons have we had over the recent years? Q doesn't even get these guys on the ice. Carcillo hardly played, and when he did, he was busy injuring himself on attempted dirty plays. Scott hardly saw the ice, and when he did, no one ever wanted to fight him. And Mayers was hardly a goon/enforcer. So who will it be now? Bollig?

 

[JBM73]

I agree.

But how many successful goons have we had over the recent years? Q doesn't even get these guys on the ice. Carcillo hardly played, and when he did, he was busy injuring himself on attempted dirty plays. Scott hardly saw the ice, and when he did, no one ever wanted to fight him. And Mayers was hardly a goon/enforcer. So who will it be now? Bollig?

Yep, Bollig - at least for one more year. Wouldn't be surprised to see Beach get a shot at the role eventually. He's certainly trying to fight his way into the NHL.

Guys like Morin and Stanton fight a bit, too. Not sure how well though.

It's not so important how much a guy fights, just that he serves as a deterrent to some of the dirty stuff. Although, Scott was such a liability on the ice that he was probably more of a negative.

 

[HockeyDoug]

It seems Q and the team like having the goons, I guess they need somebody to take the instigator after another clean smash on Kruger next year.
Bollig's days are numbered, he's absolutely worthless in the offensive zone. I like him, I like his storyline, like his work ethic (from what I hear), and I dig his imbd profile, but he's just not an asset. I suspect he'll be moved for a conditional 6th around the Olympic break unless his hands improve.

Brad Winchester was signed, probably to back up Bollig but might bump him out of the spot depending on his performance. Flick and Paradis were moved out and Beach is on a 1 year deal, so they needed another body to smash people if need be. I don't trust Beach to control the voices in his head enough, I'm not sure we'll ever see him. I was excited about the gamble at the time of the draft, but it is turning out to have been a terrible risk. He can punch people and shoot, so there still might be hope if he can progress for a few years while avoiding more serious injuries and the temptation to leave the bench to fight.

Speaking of Beach, when is Stan going to unite the Beach brothers? STL lost affiliation control and they'e going to be affiliated with the Wolves now and Cody will be up there fighting a tougher fight to stay in the AHL. Here's Cody:

The picture should answer any questions about the type of player he is. At one point, both Kyle and Cody were suspended by the AHL at different franchises...mom was proud, but I digress.

I almost forgot, the thread is about Saad at center. I have no idea if it's a good idea or not. At least the Hawks have more options at the position for the next 3 years.

 

[JBM73]

Looks like the Hawks are giving this a real shot.

Saad gets the first chance to win Blackhawks? second-line center spot - Chicago Sun-Times

http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/bla.../saads-center-inexperience-doesnt-worry-coach

 

[Baseballnut77]

rather just leave saad at the wing and go with that. he is a natural winger not a natural center.If you are going to screw with a kid pick one without as much upside. Saad will be a top winger for us for a long time lets leave him there

 

[gmalis1]

rather just leave saad at the wing and go with that. he is a natural winger not a natural center.If you are going to screw with a kid pick one without as much upside. Saad will be a top winger for us for a long time lets leave him there

Loved how Q annointed Saad as the second line center to start with. Told everyone Saad had played center before.

Saad retorted that he had NEVER played center...maybe a little in juniors.

Nice communication there. Saad had a faceoff win ratio last season around 30%...when Toews got tossed out of the dot, Saad was the next one in. 30% isn't going to get it done.

I've still got my money on Brandon Pirri as the second line center.

I'm with baseballnut on this one. Why screw around with a natural winger and try to make him into something he just isn't? Ask Patrick Kane how that worked out.

 

[JBM73]

No argument here, especially since that line already has a natural center - SHARP - who, by the way, wins about 50% of his draws.

 

[gmalis1]

No argument here, especially since that line already has a natural center - SHARP - who, by the way, wins about 50% of his draws.

Sharp has been very, very good at the center position. I'm not sure why Q doesn't want to go that way. He's filled in before, and I've seen him take faceoffs as the primary guy numerous times in the past.

The only thing I can think of is that Q feels that Sharp isn't strong enough defensively and/or he is such an offensive threat on the wing that playing center might impact his numbers.

I just thought it was rather silly that you say you're going to give Saad a try at center, when a guy like Pirri is a natural center, played it his entire career and was the AHL's leading scorer. For some reason, if the Red Wings were in this position I don't see them not giving Pirri first crack at the position. They seem to be very receptive to giving their younger guys a chance, although sometimes it's been out of necessity due to injury.

But jeez Q, give Pirri the chance he deserves. And leave Saad to continue to play wing.

 

[JBM73]

Sharp has been very, very good at the center position. I'm not sure why Q doesn't want to go that way. He's filled in before, and I've seen him take faceoffs as the primary guy numerous times in the past.

The only thing I can think of is that Q feels that Sharp isn't strong enough defensively and/or he is such an offensive threat on the wing that playing center might impact his numbers.

I just thought it was rather silly that you say you're going to give Saad a try at center, when a guy like Pirri is a natural center, played it his entire career and was the AHL's leading scorer. For some reason, if the Red Wings were in this position I don't see them not giving Pirri first crack at the position. They seem to be very receptive to giving their younger guys a chance, although sometimes it's been out of necessity due to injury.

But jeez Q, give Pirri the chance he deserves. And leave Saad to continue to play wing.

Agreed. But, then I remember the 2 Cups and figure the guy must know what he's doing...