Is Toews hurt?

[bierboy]

I haven't been around in awhile, but I thought I'd pose this to the crew here...</p>


 </p>


I may be imagining things, but it appears to me that Toews has been subpar all season this year. He gets moved off the puck much more easily than I remember in seasons past, losing many board battles. And I'm not just reacting off last night's loss either. This is something I've noticed all season long. Could he still be suffering from that hand injury? Although he WAS stellar at the dot last night.</p>


 </p>


Anyone here noticing the same thing or am I just expecting too much?</p>

 

[Chief Walking Stick]

Subpar all season????</p>


 </p>


Wut?  Maybe the last couple weeks.</p>

 

[bierboy]

He's been losing board battles and getting pushed off the puck all season long. I'm as big a Toews fan as there is, but something just doesn't seem right. His production is OK, though I would like to see more goals. And he's been decent in the faceoff circle, but this is just what I'm seeing...</p>

 

[Tater]

I thought he played great earlier in the year. I only noticed him looking "off" the last couple weeks.</p>

 

[BlackHawkPaul]

Trade him for Turris.</p>

 

[PatrickSharpRules]

I think the usual view of him has been different this season, and it has a lot to do with the fact that his line has been so dominant. They are simply always in the offensive zone, passing, weaving, forechecking, I cannot remember the last time that line didn't spend their 20+  minutes a night throwing puck towards the net. </p>


 </p>


My guess would be that he is no more banged up than the guy next to him, but Toews has always been a quiet and steady point producer. Its a weird balance of expectations for him, consistency hes proven, and the fact that he has never once put himself in a situation to be seen as the hero. Its always been a quiet and steady stream of success. </p>


 </p>


He is completely selfless and leads by example, right now he is sitting 11th in points in the NHL. Couple that with his overall play he is still defining himself as one of the absolute best in the game, with very little arguments from anywhere. In the end I guess he does not get much attention by the media as you'd expect, but with 4 other stars on this team, him always saying the right thing and almost never getting mixed up in the wrong situation there isn't too much for the media to latch onto....other than him being the utmost professional in possibly all of sports. </p>


 </p>


But we all know that nobody wants to read about that. Maybe if he married a basketcase model or got caught shirtless in a limo we would hear about Toews a little more. </p>

 

[R K]

I don't think he's been himself since the broken finger.  Sometimes that injury can lag, and or nag.</p>

 

[BigPete]

This team has had a problem of trying to get cute with the puck in the offensive zone for quite a long time.  I think Bierboy's observation is simply an extension of that.  </p>


 </p>


I have said for four years now that if they committed to a run and gun style they would score 5 goals in every game.  Look at St. Louis as an example.</p>

 

[bierboy]

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="R K" data-cid="219084" data-time="1389808213">
<div>


I don't think he's been himself since the broken finger.  Sometimes that injury can lag, and or nag.</p>
</div>
</blockquote>


 </p>


That's what I suspected, Ron. Thanks for "confirming"...</p>

 

[cplmac]

He's seemed off to me too, that being said he's still a fucking rock star.  I do think it has a lot to do with immense amount of production coming from so many other players, but something doesn't seem right this season over all.   Hard to tell, he does play physical and that can be draining.</p>