Agree about not putting much into stats...they are a gauge, not an instrument....but that difference is -107..that can't be a mistake.....teams were scoring a hell of a lot more when he wasn't on the ice. And he being on the ice probably had something to do with the other team not scoring as often. That's an average of more than 1 goal a game not given up when the Big Pickle, as you call him, and I like that nickname btw.....is on the ice. Kaizer was limited in games, but that helps my outlook because he will also end up being a regular on the team. (or some team, hopefully w/BHs) Right, both will be young playahs who are going to turn around this franchise.
Imo he made so many that if you asked 10 people what his biggest mistake was, you would get 10 different answers. But that's my opinion. Imo, it was getting rid of Big Buff with many close seconds.
You're correct...that was the biggest mistake....great insight...
I'm hoping it's 2 years when the smoke will be cleared....but again it's a age thing with me.....lol.....I'd like to see da BHs & da Bears win it again before I meet my Heavenly Father....
Ditto on Seabrook,,,,he & the Crow were the most underrated playahs imo..........paying him for past performance hurt, but I'm glad he received what he deserved.
TMTC
www.chicagotribune.com
Absolutely! Let the competition have the 'cream rise to the top'......make it on merit, no matter your draft position, or years in the league. It's about the present, not the past.Blackhawks plan to hold young players in AHL until they're ready to 'thrive' in NHL
Moving forward, roster spots won't be cleared for prospects coming up from Rockford until they've "convincingly" proven they can handle the responsibilities in a sustainable way, Hawks general manager Kyle Davidson said Friday.chicago.suntimes.com
Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson made the message clear to Kevin Korchinski.
“He’s a guy who has to come in and earn a spot,” Davidson said Friday.
That’s essentially the message to all the Hawks’ young players. They’ll have to definitively prove they’re NHL-ready rather than simply seem NHL-ready. With so much more quantity and quality on the roster next season, spots won’t be cleared for them preemptively.
“Young guys will have to be convincing in doing so,” Davidson said. “What we don’t want is to give them a spot and then, after a month or so, it’s just not working out and we had to clear someone out to clear a spot for them and then we can’t get that player back. We want to be sure they’re going to come in, elevate the whole group through their play and be able to sustain that.”
That was the biggest takeaway from the GM’s news conference after a busy week. He hopes the influx of talent created by signing seven veteran free agents will help the Hawks be able to “play with the puck more and control the game more” next season than they have during the past two loss-laden seasons.
Or any of the other prospects. Obviously Bedard was an exception to the rule. Hopefully Arty will be up for 9 games sometime in the 2nd half of the season. I'd like to see a few others too, up next season.
Honestly, let all of the prospect/2nd year D fight it out against the vets for the slots. If perchance the kids are good enough to permanently hold a roster slot for the full season then fine. If not; if they are a 6/7 then Rockford them. Let the vets like Murphy, Martinez, etc. fetch Pang his equivalent to Soft-serve and give the kids a taste when the vets get injured.
Keep in mind we won't the 1st cup without a top -tier netminder. Niemi was "good enough" behind one of the best D's we've been lucky to witness.
Your take is spot-on. My point is more on the take of "if the Young D-men are the 6/7 on the team", then send them to Rockford to get mucho ice time. On this I couldn't agree more. Sounds to me that KD prefers to have the prospects in Rockford. But I could've misunderstood some of his comments. Before FA, my thoughts were many prospects would be in preseason camp, after FA not so much. I do hope DelMastro, Allen, Kaiser & Phillips get legit chances to win a spot, and that one will. Adding to the D position youth movement with Vlasic and Korshinski.
We are going to have to agree to disagree on Niemi. He was very good. No team wins a Cup with a 'good enough' goalie. The comments on Pickle & Korch are golden.
