Blackhawks repeating?
by OzzyFan on Sep 2, 2010 12:34 PM EDT
Email
Print
Interesting question, since I read an article that said their GM fully believes in a repeat. For a couple years I always thought the blackhawks had a ton of talent and were a solid team. And voila, they won the stanley cup last year to no surprise to a lot of pre-season guessers. But this offseason, they have ripped apart the team. I don't remember the exact number, but I think 1/3 of their starting line-up from last year is on a different team this year. That's a big loss of key role players and otherwise. And in those goodbyes come some key players like Versteeg, Byfuglen, Ladd, Madden, Johnsson(during the regular season), and Sopel (although, replacing Niemi with Turco in my eyes is a very solid upgrade). And most of those new holes weren't replaced by capable suitors. Sure the main franchise guys are still there: Toews, Kane, Hossa, Keith, Seabrook, BUT there overall depth has greatly dropped.
My Predictions:
Do the hawks still win the Central Division? I'm going no. A healthy Red Wings this year ( whom battled many injuries last year, including big ones to players like Franzen, Kronwall, Filppula, Cleary, and Eaves) with the addition of an undervalued Modano(whom is still a 20 goal scorer in a 3rd line role which he can fulfill very well) and minard/johnson give them reliable depth. In my mind, the Wings will take the division by a decent margin this year.
Are the hawks a playoff team still? Yes, probably a 4th-7th seed.
Are they a stanley cup team still? No, losing key role players and not replacing them is always an overlooked and undervalued thing for hockey teams. They just aren't going to have those needed players come crunch time in the playoffs that they could rely on when there were roles that needed to be filled. They are still a good team, but not true cup contenders anymore from my view.
Questions:
Do you still think the Hawks will win the Central Division?
Do you think the Hawks are still a playoff team?
Do you think the Hawks are a stanley cup team? If not, do you think they could still honestly be true cup contenders this year?
Submitted FanPosts do not necessarily reflect the views of this blog or SB Nation. If you're reading this statement, you pass the fine print legalese test. Four stars for you.
31 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Side note,
Red Wings are winning the West this year too by a good deficit over the number 2 team in the west.
Go isles or Go home.
Raised Eyebrow
Maybe they win their division (Coyotes might) but I can’t see them overtaking the West.
Vancouver not only got better defensively, but they probably have one of the best third lines in the league with Maholtra.
The Coyotes and Kings are both young teams which are only going to get better.
Five of the Six top scorers for Detroit last year played in over 70 games, and the one who didn’t played in 68.
I just think it has to be the Canucks, Kings or Coyotes. There’s too much turn over in the top west teams.
Dominik signed me for 20 years, and all I got was a press conference and a voided contract...
Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
Sure those are great points,
but, you also have to remember that Detroit played with a lot of injuries to key guys last year and still finished 5th in the west with 102pts. That’s damn impressive when you look at all the games lost from key players they had last year. Then add modano into the equation, then add the fact that they were #2 in the west 2 years ago with ultimately as good of a team going into the season this year, and you can easily see why the Red Wings should be the majority favorite for winning the West. Especially since the Sharks have downgraded their goalie from a great workhouse to 2 young unprovens that look mediocre, the hawks have downgraded almost 1/3 of their starting lineup, and Vancouver lost a Top d-man in Willie Mitchell while also banking on another 100pt+ seaons from one if not both sedin twins to lead them to the top of the west and: It looks like the wings should be the clear favorites with all they did last year, while having many injuries, -modano(who is the wings madden this year) and with an inexperienced jimmy howard. I just don’t see why the wings shouldn’t be the favorite. Anyone know the Vegas betting lines for favorites yet or are they not out yet?
Go isles or Go home.
Hossa?
He did play a whole season two years ago for Detroit.
I just think Detroits getting really old.
D. Sedin put up 85 points last season in 65 games. If they are both healthy all year I believe they can combine for 180 points, which is only 20 points off what they did this season. They also did good enough last season without Mitchell, I think one of the points of difference was that he was looking for a 2nd year and the Canucks wouldn’t give it.
Odds to win the Cup
Detroit 11/1
Vancouver 9/1
Coyotes 40/1
Kings 16/1
Blackhawks 6/1
Trevor Gillies: Giving an all new meaning to "Mustache Ride"
Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
I know about hossa, but I did forget to mention him. But if you mention hossa you also have to realize the other aging(positive and negative) since then and the addittions
I can see all your cup odds except the hawks. I’m really surprised your so high on the hawks still with the big downshifting they did. If I had to make a list of who I thought would win the cup from the west it would go:
1. Red Wings
2. Canucks
3. Blackhawks
4. Kings
5. Coyotes
6. Sharks
Go isles or Go home.
No, yes and maybe
I think they take to big of a hit and don’t win the Central. All that depth they lost, it’s going to take a while to figure out who fits what holes.
That said, yes I think they make the playoffs (Coach Q could guide a mite squad to the playoffs) and their core makes them dangerous enough to be a Cup threat, but I wouldn’t put them up with the favorites.
Lighthouse Hockey: An always-open repair shop for mikb's sarcasm module.
I think the Hawks have enough left to snag a lower mid level seed
Not sure that Niemi is a big loss for them. I felt he caught lightening in a bottle in the post season coupled with a pretty tight Hawks D.
Even with those key losses there are still a lot of teams in the West that are a lot worse than them.
I think Vancouver, Calgary and maybe even Detroit open the season with a lot more question marks than Chicago does.
I’ve got to ask, what question marks in Vancouver? Other then Luongo and the whole Captainship bruhaha, I don’t see what questions they have. They are returning a team which won their division, has improved not only their defense but added a third line of Maholtra-Torres. I just don’t see what questions they have.
Dominik signed me for 20 years, and all I got was a press conference and a voided contract...
Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
Isn't Raymond out for the first quarter or so?
I guess that’s one question mark. Maybe the D change, although I think they’re at par there.
Lighthouse Hockey: An always-open repair shop for mikb's sarcasm module.
Secondary scoring to an extent. I’m thinking specifically of Samuelsson, who had a high sh%.
by red army line on Sep 3, 2010 10:12 AM EDT up reply actions
Looking at the Defense
I would add that as a HUGE question mark. It’s average at best. I’m not sure what they’ve added back there but even so, changing up your D leaves a lot chemestry and adjustment issues. One of the most senisitive positions in hockey.
Goaltending is a pretty big deal. Luongo has long proven himself as the most over rated position player in the game. Guy blows when it comes to winning big games.
As a matter of fact, Vancouver is a lot like the Toronto teams from the nineties. Good enough to be second tier contenders but are not overly strong enough to really be contenders. I would also say that given LA and St louis are on the rise (St Louis is just stacked with D) that Vancouver could be one of the Western Conference teams on the outs this year,
Colorado has even gotten better and didn’t really have to do much.
Vancouver has the issue of having to keep pace with both Colorado and Calgary. That division comes down to who really does better head to head.
Also wanted to add that Vancouver absolutely sucked on the road last season. Along with Washington was also the only division winner to allow more than 215 goals. Winning the Northwest division last season is almost akin to winning the SouthEast division.
I think Vancouver's D might be fine
They added Hamhuis and Ballard, who are each solid and potential improvements. They lose Mitchell, who was fantastic, but they were missing him for 30+ games last year anyway.
Raymond being out for a few months probably hurts at forward. I think they might have one other injury I can’t remember. To me they’re par with last season.
Colorado may have gotten better (how though? Did they add anything?), but I guarantee their record will be worse. They lucked into a whole lot last year.
Lighthouse Hockey: An always-open repair shop for mikb's sarcasm module.
Hamhuis and Ballard don't replace Mitchell,
He was a top-tier Top 2 d-man when healthy there, not to mention hell of a leader and all around player too. They lose a lot more then just stats and solid D with him gone.
Hamhuis and Ballard are both good, but neither are good enough(or great enough) to fill in Mitchell’s loss. And the whole new mixing of d-men might cause some getting used to or other problems.
Go isles or Go home.
True
But Mitchell wasn’t there for them for last year’s second half. I viewed him as already gone from last year’s squad. They’re better than relying on, say Salo (also constantly hurt) and Alberts and Lukowich.
Lighthouse Hockey: Trying to reconstitute the Hogue-Turgeon-Thomas line from NHL 94.
Oh yeah,
definite upgrade over the other guys, but mitchell is a guy with big shoes to fill, and I think neiter of them come close to filling them. That’s why I consider these defensive moves about a push. And I consider the offense a push right now due to how well they played last year and their huge expectations this year for a number of their forwards.
Go isles or Go home.
I’d go with “push,” too. They were dangerous last year; Chicago outclassed them but maybe with Chicago less dangerous they’ll get their opening.
Lighthouse Hockey: Trying to reconstitute the Hogue-Turgeon-Thomas line from NHL 94.
I don't believe that Chicago
is less dangerous. The younger players they have are less known, true. But that is not nessiceraly a bad thing. Younger is not always worse.
/Note unceasing sarcastic laughter in background.
Fan of the 2010 Stanley Cup Champion Blackhawks!
Fan of the not 2010 Stanley Cup Champion Isles!
by burpchelischili on Sep 6, 2010 1:28 PM EDT up reply actions
I know where your coming from,
because when the isles got younger they actually improved quite a bit. But I’m going to go straight forward with it and say that I don’t believe that the hawks have or obtained any moulson’s, tavares’s, okposo’s, comeau’s(maybe), nielsen’s, or schremp’s that will fill-in the couple of big holes that were left by some key players. Not saying all of the holes are unfillable, but I don’t believe the hawks have a 20goal/44pts versteeg forward or a 6’4’’ 255lbs Byfuglen forward to fill-in 2 big key roles that had a huge impact in the playoffs and as a role itself in the regular season. Even a 38pts ladd role will be hard to fill. And even the other role players gone were key to some parts of the hawks game.
Go isles or Go home.
You might be right,
but by all accounts, Beach is more than a direct for Buff. Beach might try during the season and not just the playoffs. I don’t know if he will be called up until well after the season starts, but the kid has better hands.
Skille could be considered an upgrade to Steeger, in that he can dump the puck in, instead of trying to skate through the D. Skille might not be as flashy, but that might be a good thing.
Pisani might or might not be an upgrade, he does have a debilitating condition that would keep me from trying to drive to work, let alone skating. Ick.
Lastly, Turco in net is an upgrade by about a light year. Any time Huet or Niemi had to play the puck outside the crease, Hawk fans around the world winced. I could see Turco getting 10 points this year.
/Note unceasing sarcastic laughter in background.
Fan of the 2010 Stanley Cup Champion Blackhawks!
Fan of the not 2010 Stanley Cup Champion Isles!
by burpchelischili on Sep 7, 2010 7:06 AM EDT up reply actions
I'm really interested to see how turco plays for the hawks,
he still looks like a great goalie and he may be one hell of a surprise for a lot of hawks fans and other teams this year that don’t know much about him.
Go isles or Go home.
Turco will be great this year
Top 5 in the league in shutouts GAA and maybe even save percentage
On his own hes a decent goalie and behind the amazing D of the Blackhawks, hell be even better
Also keep in mind that he is one of the best at playing the puck in the NHL. Part of the reason the trap system has thrived for the Devils is because of Marty’s ability to play the puck, so having Turco is like having a 3rd defencemen on the ice at all times for the Hawks.
In Garth we trust!
There is hope.
Time will tell.
/Note unceasing sarcastic laughter in background.
Fan of the 2010 Stanley Cup Champion Blackhawks!
Fan of the not 2010 Stanley Cup Champion Isles!
by burpchelischili on Sep 8, 2010 12:15 AM EDT up reply actions
Any time Huet or Niemi had to play the puck outside the crease, Hawk fans around the world winced. I could see Turco getting 10 points this year.
You know I’m going to remember this the first five times Turco wanders and inexplicably hands the pucks directly to the open blade of the grateful opposition forward.
Lighthouse Hockey: Trying to reconstitute the Hogue-Turgeon-Thomas line from NHL 94.
You are learning Evil well, young Jedi.
Shouldn’t be any worse than some of the “Here’s the puck, Sir” rebounds that Niemi gave up last year. I laugh at all the comments on Puck Daddy that insist Niemi was the reason the Hawks won the shiny chalice.
/Note unceasing sarcastic laughter in background.
Fan of the 2010 Stanley Cup Champion Blackhawks!
Fan of the not 2010 Stanley Cup Champion Isles!
by burpchelischili on Sep 8, 2010 12:14 AM EDT up reply actions
Agreed, Colorado flamed out so spectacularly last year, I expect Anderson to come back down to earth and the Avs to have a disappointing year.
Trevor Gillies: Giving an all new meaning to "Mustache Ride"
Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
This one is soo hard for me to comment on!
Innate Homerism tells me to say “Hawks for the new dynasty!” But reality sets in, and I know how unlikely it would be in the current cap era. I just want the Hawks to make it to the playoffs. With Hossa healthy and playing a full season I believe there will be wonderful things on ice. The Hawks have one Hell of a core under contract on both O and D.
Loosing Buff is like loosing an enforcer, sure, he could make Luongo cry, but basically not worth the ice time he got. (Until the playoffs, at which point he would try)
I don’t know how I feel about loosing Versteeg, he could do wonderful things with the puck, but he also made horrendous decisions when carrying the puck. ( Should I try to carry the puck through 5 defenders, or dump it in?)
Ladd was an energy player, and I truly wish he hadn’t gone. Hopefully one of the young guys can bring that energy.
Johnsson played 8 or so games, and then went missing. He was last seen on Chicago area milk cartons. ( History of concussions, and apparently is going through Hell with his latest one.)
Master Sergeant Sopel was one of my favorite players last year, but he skated like a new borne colt.
Madden was, from locker room reports, a great veteran presence in the locker room. Hopefully Turco can pick up some of that, but goalies are a strange breed.
As far as detroit goes, I have heard from detroit fans for over a decade that the wings win because they have the best “system” in Hockey. If the system is so damn good, then why are they saying they lost so many games last year due to AHL players being called up? I know that detroit has HOF players on the roster, and Modono is a great player, but gramps had better not miss his nap time. There may also be a problem with afternoon games interfering with the Hometown Buffet Seniors Early Bird Special.
Like I said, blatant Homerism, but I am a fan, so I wear Dark Rose tinted glasses. I am still looking for a Hawks/Isles SCF. Maybe this is the year!
/Note unceasing sarcastic laughter in background.
Fan of the 2010 Stanley Cup Champion Blackhawks!
Fan of the not 2010 Stanley Cup Champion Isles!
Versteeg, he could do wonderful things with the puck, but he also made horrendous decisions when carrying the puck. ( Should I try to carry the puck through 5 defenders, or dump it in?)
It’s this sentiment that makes me look forward to seeing him as a Maple Leaf.
Lighthouse Hockey: Trying to reconstitute the Hogue-Turgeon-Thomas line from NHL 94.
You know what separates the Bruins/Rangers from the Maple Leafs?
Their goalie(s) mostly, and defense a little(more so on boston, but the maple leaf’s d isn’t bad at all now). And that’s the reason the Bruins and Rangers are playoff teams/contenders and the reason the maple leafs are bottom dwellers. Oh the power of Lundqvist, Rask/Thomas, and chara. lol.
Go isles or Go home.
To a point I agree,
but the girls in Chicago will miss him. lol
/Note unceasing sarcastic laughter in background.
Fan of the 2010 Stanley Cup Champion Blackhawks!
Fan of the not 2010 Stanley Cup Champion Isles!
by burpchelischili on Sep 6, 2010 1:08 AM EDT up reply actions
Out of order:
The Blackhawks aren’t repeating as finalists or Cup winners. They lost too many of their roleplayers as well as contributing members of the playoff run. Rather than going into the season looking to repeat, they’re looking to re-establish the chemistry they attained with their roster last year. Niemi may have been lightning in a bottle for the Cup run, but he stepped up and energized his team enough at low points to make a psychological difference without creating a situation where the team tried to rest on his talent. They’re also going to greatly miss the versatility and size of Byfuglien (regardless of whether or not they miss his inconsistency).
They’re still a playoff team – my guess is 5th or 6th seed, I don’t think they’re going to take the Central. I suspect the roster moves are going to result in a lot more line-juggling than would have otherwise been seen, and it will contribute to a slow start which saps the points they would have needed to take it. They only won it by 10 points last season over an injury-riddled Red Wings squad, a slow start can easily cause them to miss those 10 points.
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
Featured Stories
Islanders Schedule
Next 5 Games
@
St. Louis
|
Thu 02/16 | 8:00 PM EST |
|
Carolina
|
Sat 02/18 | 7:00 PM EST |
|
Ottawa
|
Mon 02/20 | 1:00 PM EST |
|
@
Buffalo
|
Tue 02/21 | 7:00 PM EST |
|
New York Rangers
|
Fri 02/24 | 7:00 PM EST |
Last 5 Games
|
@
Winnipeg
|
Tue 02/14 | W 3 - 1 |
|
Florida
|
Sun 02/12 | L 1 - 4 |
|
Los Angeles
|
Sat 02/11 | OT - W 2 - 1 |
|
Montreal
|
Thu 02/09 | L 2 - 4 |
|
@
Philadelphia
|
Tue 02/07 | SO - W 1 - 0 |
Atlantic Standings
| GP | W | L | OTL | PT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
New York Rangers
|
55 | 37 | 13 | 5 | 79 |
|
Philadelphia
|
56 | 31 | 18 | 7 | 69 |
|
Pittsburgh
|
56 | 32 | 19 | 5 | 69 |
|
New Jersey
|
56 | 32 | 20 | 4 | 68 |
|
New York Islanders
|
56 | 24 | 24 | 8 | 56 |
(updated 2.15.2012 at 3:50 AM EST)
In Association With
Latest Puck Daddy - NHL from Yahoo! Sports
- Tuesday’s Three Stars: 4-spots for Kovalchuk, Spezza; who throws a strawberry on the ice?
- Henrik Lundqvist survives Zdeno Chara shot to back of head for save of year candidate (VIDEO)
- Red Wings set NHL record with 21 straight home wins; Steve Ott: ‘That’s a phenomenal feat’
- Puck Previews: Red Wings go for wins record; Brian Boyle hates Bruins; Ruutu out 3 weeks
- Blindside assault leads to brawl, suspensions in Austrian Hockey League (VIDEO)
Latest stories and headlines from NHL.com
- Wings set NHL record with 21 straight wins at home
- WHL Roundup: A look at Tuesday's games
- Gallagher has hat trick and SO winner, leads Giants over Americans 5-4
- Thunderbirds end seven-game home losing streak with 4-3 SO win over Rockets
- Nabokov makes 37 saves, Parenteau scores winner as Islanders beat Jets 3-1
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
