General Blackhawks Roster Discussion

[HawkWriter]

Even if the bandwagon was broken down when you jumped on, everyone was still a bandwagon (aka new fan) at one point. I started watching the Hawks the year after Roenick left town, which was the beginning of the franchise's descent into anonymity in the Chicago sports scene.

So who cares if the majority of fans now are bandwagon jumpers? Still better to see 21,000+ at the UC every game night than the opposite.

Also, a large number of bandwagon jumpers usually means the team is playing well.

I wouldn't say that a bandwagon fan is a new fan. A bandwagon fan is a person who only starts to root for the team when they start winning. There are tons of Blackhawks fans out there that aren't bandwagon fans.

From none other than Urban Dictionary when looking up Bandwagon Fan..."Anyone who claims they are a "fan" of a particular sports team, even though they had no prior support for/interest in the team until that team started winning."

In my case, I was born into a family who rooted for the Blackhawks and I started playing hockey when I was 3...so I would strongly say that I am not a bandwagon fan. I have been watching (and listening on the radio with home games) since before I can remember.

Bandwagon fans aren't bad necessarily. They can become diehard fans at the end of the day and everyone has to start somewhere.

 

[Diehardfan]

They say Wrigley Field is a place where kids and adults become fans because of the stadium more than the on the field product. I guess that's true considering the history of the team and rather fat attendance they've had for a lot of years. But the one place in sports that really sucked me in was the Chicago Stadium. Saw my first "live" game when I was 9 and got hooked more by the ambience and crowd than the game I was watching. Absolute best place to see a hockey game....if it was before your time, then you missed a lot. The UC is a nice place, clean and all the bells and whistles but anyone who's been to both arenas will tell you which one gives you the best hockey experience.

 

[DewsSox79]

im very concerned about this team going into the playoffs. In order for us to have a chance hossa has to be healthy, bickell has to play like he did last year and we need whoever it is at the 2c to be able to take draws and setup kaner. is it TT time? dont know but zus should have hung em up last year. the blues will be very very tough.


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[DMelt36]

im very concerned about this team going into the playoffs. In order for us to have a chance hossa has to be healthy, bickell has to play like he did last year and we need whoever it is at the 2c to be able to take draws and setup kaner. is it TT time? dont know but zus should have hung em up last year. the blues will be very very tough.

I think two players who didn't do that much last postseason are going to need to change that this year: Saad and Leddy.

I'd go as far as to say that if those two players have above average postseasons, Hawks are probably hoisting the Cup again. But that's a lot to expect out of two awfully young players.

There are other routes to the Cup, though.

 

[DewsSox79]

I think two players who didn't do that much last postseason are going to need to change that this year: Saad and Leddy.

I'd go as far as to say that if those two players have above average postseasons, Hawks are probably hoisting the Cup again. But that's a lot to expect out of two awfully young players.

There are other routes to the Cup, though.

i agree.


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[Jntg4]

I'm not even thinking about the Cup yet. I really just want to finish ahead of the Blues so we don't have to play the Avs in the first round. Worst case would be Avs beating out Blues in standings so we have to play STL right away.

One step at a time.

 

[Diehardfan]

I'm not even thinking about the Cup yet. I really just want to finish ahead of the Blues so we don't have to play the Avs in the first round. Worst case would be Avs beating out Blues in standings so we have to play STL right away.

One step at a time.

It's strictly a goalie thing with the AVs....the Hawks have outplayed them by a considerable margin but their guy seems to stop everything and Crawford turns into Mr. Softie against them. They've been playing over their head all year and Roy still has that horseshoe embedded in his ass.

 

[KBIB]

I think two players who didn't do that much last postseason are going to need to change that this year: Saad and Leddy.

I'd go as far as to say that if those two players have above average postseasons, Hawks are probably hoisting the Cup again. But that's a lot to expect out of two awfully young players.

There are other routes to the Cup, though.

I hope you mean offensively because Saad was a beast in his own zone last playoffs.

He has to get better tho, agreed.


Crumpet?

 

[DMelt36]

I hope you mean offensively because Saad was a beast in his own zone last playoffs.

He has to get better tho, agreed.

Yeah. I'm not gonna fault him for it, considering that was Saad's first real exposure to the NHL postseason. Only got a few games against Phoenix in the prior year.

I've had no complaints about Saad at all from the time he arrived. But I'd really like to see him take another step forward and be an impact player in the postseason.

 

[Capt. Serious]

Q wanna play Raanta anytime soon???

Fucking guy has sat there for weeks.

 

[Raskolnikov]

http://blackhawkup.com/2014/03/11/b...euvo-teravainen-will-join-chicago-blackhawks/

Tuevo March 18th speculation. Would settle for April 18th baby!! yeah.

 

[DewsSox79]

this team is pissing me off. they look flat. i hope they find that magic touch right around playoff time.


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[Raskolnikov]

this team is pissing me off. they look flat. i hope they find that magic touch right around playoff time.


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Long season for a small low physicality team to survive. This season combined with the condensed schedule last year has us just wanted to be in playoffs already.

Our best asset as a playoff team has been for 4 years that we are a hard out. You can get up on us 3-1 and only then do you see our full fire. The Red Wings had us dead to rights. And you saw miracle goals and hero play.

Hossa matters ALOT to. whenever he has been out past 3 years its a huge difference.

Every player matters. We don't win last year without the Bickel magic. Its going to take magic to win another Stanley, and we are likely the most overconfident team in league having won 2 of 4.

I can't be mad right now. There is no statistical difference between the top 3-5 teams. A few wins doesn't mean much except the settling of a few bounces.

At the end of the day we will see the fight this team has, the magic, the talent, and will still need some breaks to advance, but we know we will be a hard out and respected at the end by our opponent win or lose.

We know the Hawks are tough to stop from scoring for 7 games in a row. We are a hell nightmare in any series for any opponent because of how many scorers and passers we have.

We'll be fine, but don't mean we will win.

 

[DMelt36]

Every player matters. We don't win last year without the Bickel magic. Its going to take magic to win another Stanley, and we are likely the most overconfident team in league having won 2 of 4.

You don't win the Cup without someone playing well above their expected level. Buff was probably the one in 2010. As you said, it was Bickell last year. If I had to pick two favorites for this postseason, it'd be Leddy and Saad.

 

[HawkWriter]

http://blackhawks.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=709732&navid=DL|CHI|home

Saad left the game last night with an upper body injury. I didn't see anything that could have caused it, but could have been something pretty small.

 

[Gustavus Adolphus]

Forum was a lot better when HawkWriter and Joe Cool were tearing each other apart.

 

[DMelt36]

Forum was a lot better when HawkWriter and Joe Cool were tearing each other apart.

Just wait til the playoffs. I'll declare that the Hawks won't be beaten and everyone will tell me I'm an idiot and then the Hawks will win the Cup again. It'll be swell.

 

[Gustavus Adolphus]

Just wait til the playoffs. I'll declare that the Hawks won't be beaten and everyone will tell me I'm an idiot and then the Hawks will win the Cup again. It'll be swell.

You and Iago (please come back), IMO, seem to be the smartest of the Hawk posters. So, this noob-hockey fan will go along with what you say.

 

[Raskolnikov]

We failed to replace "the rat." Even though I see signs of Bickell turning the corner on this season, we really miss the energy of the rat and of Frolik right now. Tough calls that management has to make, but Pirri/Morin and every attempt we have made has failed to replace that energy production.

Our penalty kill is the slowest moving group in NHL, and kinda voodoos the the thing by making the other team think it is easier than it is, then Crawford shuts it down. Whatever, it seems to be working for now. Where do we rank in shorties?

Handzus cannot replace the Handzus of last year, and we are in dire need of Tuevo being a phenom or admitting we aren't quite the same as last year, though we are still plenty good to win if Crawford turns it up to his best.

And I only mean that we are not the same, we are potentially going to be a better defense in the playoffs if Crawford gets going, I like the development back there. But we have lost some energy up front and Bickell has so far not even matched the energy he brought last year much less eased the pain of their loss.

 

[Capt. Serious]

Ben Smith
9 G
12 A
21 P
+ 6

Bryan "severely overpaid" Bickell"
10 G
2 A
12 P
-7