[A] Blackhawks (12-6-3) vs Sharks (12-5-1) - 11/23 - 9:30 PM

[Pez68]

Again, you're talking in the context of this Hawks team. Is there a less physical team in the West? Maybe Detroit, but even Detroit has several guys that you better keep your head up around. The key to beating the Hawks is pretty simple. Take the body.

 

[Rex]

Again, you're talking in the context of this Hawks team. Is there a less physical team in the West? Maybe Detroit, but even Detroit has several guys that you better keep your head up around. The key to beating the Hawks is pretty simple. Take the body.

how did that work for teams in the 2010 playoff where we were out hit in every game that we won?

 

[Pez68]

how did that work for teams in the 2010 playoff where we were out hit in every game that we won?

The 2010 team played physical, regardless of the hit numbers.



Brouwer

Byfuglien

Ladd

Versteeg

Seabrook

Eager

Kopecky



There's a problem when you replace the physicality of Byfuglien, Ladd, Brouwer, Eager, and Kopecky with guys like Stalberg, Frolik, Bickell, Brunette, and Kruger. With the 2010 forward corp, the opposing defense had to keep their heads up. With last year's and this year's team, the opposing defense has ALL FUCKING DAY to look up and find an open man. There is no respect when the Hawks are on the forecheck, because SO FEW players are actually going to hit you and force you to give up the puck. It's why our team defense looks like shit too. Players at the NHL level are going to roast you when you give them all fucking day to make a play. Case in point, the last two games. The forecheck they had from that cup team is GONE. As such, so is the transition game that capitalized off turnovers, and so is the puck possession.



Blackhawk forwards, for the most part, play about as physical as men's league teams in my league. In many cases, less physical.



As a player playing against the Hawks, who do you really need to keep your head up around?

 

[Rex]

Carcillo, Mayers, Montador and O'Donnell were brought in to replace that hitting. Not Stalberg, Frolik, Brunette and Kruger.



though I'll agree with you that Bickell should be a hitting replacement. Don't know why he doesn't hit lol.

 

[supraman]

Frolik isn't afraid to go into the corners and throws checks. I don't want a team full of Ben Eagers, but Frolik throws his weight around more than some people on the team. If I was going to call out the overly soft players, Frolik would not be on my list.

John Scott now there's a soft mother ******.

 

[LordKOTL]

Agreed on Scott. Remember also how Buff looked soft in more games than not (untill the playoffs)?



Honestly, I knew he was due for a raise we couldn't afford, but I so would much rather have Kotex than Bickell right now.

 

[supraman]

Agreed on Scott. Remember also how Buff looked soft in more games than not (untill the playoffs)?



Honestly, I knew he was due for a raise we couldn't afford, but I so would much rather have Kotex than Bickell right now.

someone just needed to tell buff he was bigger than everyone and that he could beat them up. Because yeah when he hit he crushed

 

[Ton]

Bickell does hit, in fact he is leading the team in hits... twice as many as Montador, the hero.



Here's the difference: Bickell sucks.

 

[supraman]

Bickell does hit, in fact he is leading the team in hits... twice as many as Montador, the hero.



Here's the difference: Bickell sucks.

Where does Bickell rank league wide?

 

[Ton]

Not even in the top 50. Brouwer is top 5, for the record, the only former Cup winning Hawk ahead of Bickell.

 

[supraman]

Not even in the top 50. Brouwer is top 5, for the record, the only former Cup winning Hawk ahead of Bickell.

So not even in the top 50, so yeah he leads the team but meh someone has to.



I dunno whenever we hit as a team we win big usually.

 

[Ton]

All I'm saying is, if your gonna rag him for not hitting, the team is suffering in that area as a whole. Also, I'm not one for defending Bickell because he has plenty of other problems but IMO he is right where is should be in the hitting department. That said, the stat is tracked horribly by the NHL.



Carcillo will probably pass him in the next few games, he'll probably lead the team by the end of the year, maybe cracking the top 30.

 

[Rex]

strange since I can only count the amount of hits i've seen him hit on one hand...but oh well.



I definatly would have assumed Seabrook and Carcillo would be ahead of him too though.

 

[R K]

So not even in the top 50, so yeah he leads the team but meh someone has to.



I dunno whenever we hit as a team we win big usually.

Not in previous years. Not at all. Teams good at Puck Possession rarely lead the league in the hitting department. Hawks are built to carry the puck, not out hit the opponents.



SC Run we were out hit in two series and even in one (we swept them) and even though out hit beat the Canucks in 6 games.



Hits in the SC run were 126 opponents, 184 Hawks. Funny the big bad hitters here didn't out hit anyone and when they did the differential was very slim.



It's a very strange stat with puck possession teams such as the hawks. Oilers are as well a puck possession team. Speed and having the puck. Didn't we out hit them?



Ironically Hawks out hit the Oilers 14-13 and got the snot kicked out of them. At that point the Hawks as a group did not play well. Not sure how much hitting had ONE THING to do with that loss.

 

[Ton]

strange since I can only count the amount of hits i've seen him hit on one hand...but oh well.



I definatly would have assumed Seabrook and Carcillo would be ahead of him too though.

Carcillo will be our leader by the end of the year IMO, I mean they are both tied right now with 42 hits the only difference is Carcillo did it in 3 less games.



Another surprise, Stalberg is top 5 on the team in hits with 23 - above Montador, Sharp, Hossa, Scott, Frolik, Toews, O'Donnell... But he's only a one dimensional player so that has to be wrong.

 

[Rex]

Carcillo will be our leader by the end of the year IMO, I mean they are both tied right now with 42 hits the only difference is Carcillo did it in 3 less games.



Another surprise, Stalberg is top 5 on the team in hits with 23 - above Montador, Sharp, Hossa, Scott, Frolik, Toews, O'Donnell... But he's only a one dimensional player so that has to be wrong.

I still hate the hitting stat, but Carcillo has missed more than 3 games. he missed the start of the season, and the suspension for the pitkanin hit.

 

[Ton]

Not in previous years. Not at all. Teams good at Puck Possession rarely lead the league in the hitting department. Hawks are built to carry the puck, not out hit the opponents.



SC Run we were out hit in two series and even in one (we swept them) and even though out hit beat the Canucks in 6 games.



Hits in the SC run were 126 opponents, 184 Hawks. Funny the big bad hitters here didn't out hit anyone and when they did the differential was very slim.



It's a very strange stat with puck possession teams such as the hawks. Oilers are as well a puck possession team. Speed and having the puck. Didn't we out hit them?



Ironically Hawks out hit the Oilers 14-13 and got the snot kicked out of them. At that point the Hawks as a group did not play well. Not sure how much hitting had ONE THING to do with that loss.

I agree to a certain extent. I don't think you have to "outhit" your opponents, but I do think the 2010 team didn't have a problem going into the dirty areas, taking a hit to make the play and getting involved physically along the boards: I call it team toughness. This was definitely something that lacked from last years team. This year looks like things may be different -- scratch the last two games.



As far as Bickell, I know he has a lack of toughness, but he does hit. Not sure if that makes sense but there is a difference.

 

[Ton]

I still hate the hitting stat, but Carcillo has missed more than 3 games. he missed the start of the season, and the suspension for the pitkanin hit.

I realize that, but I meant 3 less games than Bickell... 20 games vs 17.

 

[supraman]

Not in previous years. Not at all. Teams good at Puck Possession rarely lead the league in the hitting department. Hawks are built to carry the puck, not out hit the opponents.



SC Run we were out hit in two series and even in one (we swept them) and even though out hit beat the Canucks in 6 games.



Hits in the SC run were 126 opponents, 184 Hawks. Funny the big bad hitters here didn't out hit anyone and when they did the differential was very slim.



It's a very strange stat with puck possession teams such as the hawks. Oilers are as well a puck possession team. Speed and having the puck. Didn't we out hit them?



Ironically Hawks out hit the Oilers 14-13 and got the snot kicked out of them. At that point the Hawks as a group did not play well. Not sure how much hitting had ONE THING to do with that loss.

But did we play physical those series?

 

[Rex]

thing is, Bickell doesn't do the dirty work. Frolik does.