Blackhawks (29-16-7) @ Flames (23-22-6) - 02/03 - 8:00 PM

[Pez68]

He doesn't have to save the season. He just has to be better than Crawford. Not very hard at this point.

 

[Ton]

I seem to recall Emery starting against the Oilers earlier in the year, and allowing 7 goals on 27 shots.



That's much better than Crawford...

 

[MassHavoc]

Obviously, but if you really think Emery is going to be the guy to save our season, you're kidding yourself.

I don't see why not? He's proved he can come in and take 5 straight.

 

[Pez68]

I seem to recall Emery starting against the Oilers earlier in the year, and allowing 7 goals on 27 shots.



That's much better than Crawford...

Aside from 1-2 games, he's been extremely solid. Can't say the same for Crawford.

 

[winos5]

At this point Emery is less eratic than Crawford. Emery played well when given consecutive games. Let's see if Emery can step up for us now. Certainly can't be worse than Crawford at this point.

 

[Ashor-redtribe]

Ton, I know your on Crawfords bandwagon, and your intitled to that, but you were also on Huet's bandwagon and you saw how that turned out. I just don't trust him with this team, another year, sophmore slump, maybe but we can't have that if were trying to win the cup. Do I think Emery is the solution to winning the Cup, I don't know, but he has not been given the chance, he also comes with a great resume, we all saw the 10 game stretch that he played and did a great job. Crawford was given two chances this year and has dropped the ball, makes you wonder about that contract if its getting to his head. I'd rather have someone trying to play for a starting job or a contract, rather then someone who trying to battle the demons in his mind.

 

[Ton]

There was nothing wrong with Huet other than the fact that he made too much money and took up too much cap space for what he brought, otherwise he would still be in the NHL.

 

[Pez68]

There was nothing wrong with Huet other than the fact that he made too much money and took up too much cap space for what he brought, otherwise he would still be in the NHL.

Err, I have to respectfully disagree with that.

 

[Ashor-redtribe]

There was nothing wrong with Huet other than the fact that he made too much money and took up too much cap space for what he brought, otherwise he would still be in the NHL.

Seriously, you just agreed with me.

 

[Ashor-redtribe]

Ton I had to edit this comment to make more sense...

There was nothing wrong with Huet opening the bench door other than the fact that he made too much money and took up too much cap space.

 

[Ton]

Lol, good stuff.



I'm concerned with the Hawks goalie situation as much as anyone, but for me it's not a talent issue. Maybe it's time the Blackhawks looked at Stephane Waites resume, not to mention Quenneville's knack for ruining goaltenders. Every goaltender the past 10 years has come through Chicago with high hopes, success elsewhere, or plenty of potential... only to shit the bed when they arrive.



Not many other teams, other than the Capitals, can say they have such terrible success with goaltenders. Perhaps Niemi is thanking his lucky stars he didn't stay in Chicago, his head might have been on the block instead of seeing success.

 

[the canadian dream]

im not sure Q should be held responsible for any of the goalkeeping issues. both craw and emery have been given chance after chance esp crawford. Q has treated both pretty fairly. Crawford hasn't taken advantage of the games Q has given him. Crawfords own play is ruining his confidence not anything Q has done. its not as if Q has left Craw out to dry in there he has pulled him 90% of the time at the right time in a game. Q has also given him games the "starting goalie" should be getting and has been putting him in situations that a starter should be put in. Cant baby Crawford.



another Q fault? Come on guys. Crawford can be held responsible for his own poor play this season.



Emery has a chance to take another week full of games until he starts shitting the bed like he did earlier in the season. Emerys not going to be the answer either in the long run but if he can take some now much needed points on the remainder of this long road trip then more power to him. Emery wins tonight we will see him at least for the next 3 games.



Anyways I have no idea what to expect tonight.

 

[Ton]

Not saying it's Q's fault, just a suggestion. With the way the goaltending has gone the past 10 years, I'm pointing the finger primarily at Waite. Is he really getting the job done?



Jocelyn Thibault - All-Star season, Waite comes, gets injured... sucks after... no blame here

Craig Anderson - Success elsewhere than Chicago

Michael Leighton - Some success outside of Chicago

Nikolai Khabibulin - Some success in Chicago, but mostly failure

Cristobal Huet - Success elsewhere than Chicago, but total failure

Antti Niemi - Spent one full season in Chicago, won the Cup, did Waite really have much influence?



Pretty much sums up his coaching career... What goaltender has he ever developed into a top notch puck stopper? It's not as if all those goaltenders didn't have talent. They all had success elsewhere, Khabby winning a Cup, Huet having a ridiculous save percentage, Anderson leading terrible teams to mediocrity, Leighton leading his team to a Cup final appearance.



Now here comes Crawford, coming off a stellar year last year, most promising goaltender we've had in a while, now struggling?

 

[the canadian dream]

Not saying it's Q's fault, just a suggestion. With the way the goaltending has gone the past 10 years, I'm pointing the finger primarily at Waite.

He wasn't a very good nhl goalie. Not sure how he ever became a goalie coach lol.



I will always miss Tretiak.



I really have no idea what nhl goalie coaches do to be honest. run drills? pep talk shit? trying to correct mechanics? im not sure how much influence a goalie coach has at this level. im sure they have an impact on young goalies but i cant see them having a big impact on vetern goalies. im probably wrong. but yah if this is a club thats going to keep running on youth in net then maybe it is time to look at Waite.

 

[Ashor-redtribe]

Not saying it's Q's fault, just a suggestion. With the way the goaltending has gone the past 10 years, I'm pointing the finger primarily at Waite. Is he really getting the job done?



Jocelyn Thibault - All-Star season, Waite comes, gets injured... sucks after... no blame here

Craig Anderson - Success elsewhere than Chicago

Michael Leighton - Some success outside of Chicago

Nikolai Khabibulin - Some success in Chicago, but mostly failure

Cristobal Huet - Success elsewhere than Chicago, but total failure

Antti Niemi - Spent one full season in Chicago, won the Cup, did Waite really have much influence?



Pretty much sums up his coaching career... What goaltender has he ever developed into a top notch puck stopper? It's not as if all those goaltenders didn't have talent. They all had success elsewhere, Khabby winning a Cup, Huet having a ridiculous save percentage, Anderson leading terrible teams to mediocrity, Leighton leading his team to a Cup final appearance.



Now here comes Crawford, coming off a stellar year last year, most promising goaltender we've had in a while, now struggling?

How long has Waite been with the Hawks??? Ton suggestion makes sense.

 

[Ton]

How long has Waite been with the Hawks??? Ton suggestion makes sense.

03-04



To me, it's just weird to see so many promising goaltenders shit a brick when they come to Chicago. They clearly have talent--they proved it in the past.... just not in Chicago.



I honestly wonder how Niemi would have panned out if he stayed here.



Obviously, Crawford's issue right now is his mental game, that's clear as day. So no one can really fix that except him, but if you look at all those goaltenders at some point in Chicago they were all a "headcase"... maybe it's not them, but the hand that feeds them.



Believe me, a goalie coach has a lot of influence... too much can be a bad thing for a goalies mental state. You can tell Crawford is pretty much exhausted mentally, the best thing any coach can do is give him some space and let him work out his own demons instead of filling his head with more crap, and adjusting to this, positioning that, tighten up this, play at the top of your crease, blah blah blah. He just needs to keep it simple and get back to what made him successful.

 

[the canadian dream]

its interesting ton. no one has really questioned Waite have they?



Little different approach here and you may have some good points.

 

[Ashor-redtribe]

We should look into Dominick H. next year as our goalie coach.

 

[LordKOTL]

Short of bring back Tretiak, I agree--the Dominator would be a good idea for a goalie coach.



Really, looking at last nights game, both Craw and Emery were around 1 goal every 5 shots (with Emery's numbers slightly worse).



Now, I'm as much for pinning the blame on team D, but still...that number is bad even if we had no D.



Maybe I'm completely off here, but it seems like there's some deep rot in this team--something that can't be fixed with simply plugging in a new player here or there, or swapping goalies, or whatnot. And I don't think it's the players themselves.

 

[PatrickShart]

Short of bring back Tretiak, I agree--the Dominator would be a good idea for a goalie coach.



Really, looking at last nights game, both Craw and Emery were around 1 goal every 5 shots (with Emery's numbers slightly worse).



Now, I'm as much for pinning the blame on team D, but still...that number is bad even if we had no D.



Maybe I'm completely off here, but it seems like there's some deep rot in this team--something that can't be fixed with simply plugging in a new player here or there, or swapping goalies, or whatnot. And I don't think it's the players themselves.

+1