So 4 games in…

[Milky]

How does everyone feel about the new acquisitions?

Ehrhoff has been the biggest surprise to me. Definitely seems to be an upgrade over Scuderi but I'm still not loving our D right now.


Sent from my davenport using my teleporter

 

[BlackHawkPaul]

D stats the past 4 games:

Gustafsson 4 games 0G, 1A, E
Hammer 4 games 1A, E
Keith 4 games 1G, 2A, E
Rosy 2 games 2A, +1
Seabs 4 games 1G, 3A, +1
Van R 4 games 1A, +2
Ehrhoff 2 games 1A, -1

In those 4 games the Hawks PK was 10/14 .714 (on the low side).
Craw faced 30 SOG against WAS, 33 SOG against Detroit and 34 SOG against Detroit, with a 1.667 GAA. 5 total goals given up in 3 games.
Darling faces 25 SOG against BOS, giving up 4.
2.25 GAA in 4 games.

Darling saw less shots, but gave up more goals. PK was 1/2 in that contest. PK gave up 2,1 and 0 with Craw in net, yet Craw saw more rubber. The question would be was the D allowing Boston better looks at the net?

 

[HawkWriter]

Think its hard to really figure out the impact of the trades until the Blackhawks get Hossa back and eventually Kruger. Ladd has certainly looked good on the first line and honestly...I wouldn't mind seeing Hossa paired up with TT a little when he gets back. Bring him back slowly on the third line and I think a TT/Hossa combo could really work out nicely and just give the Blackhawks some ultimate depth. Shaw is still creating and making things happen on the first line even though I expect him to drop down to the 3rd/4th in time. Never know though, might catch lightning in a bottle with TT/Hossa on a line.

 

[BlackHawkPaul]

3-1, 6 points out of a possible 8.
They beat "the best" team in the East.

Lost to a surging B's team and contained a Wings team that owned them for 60% of the contest on Sunday.

Not shabby.

 

[DJMoore_is_fat]

Would don't even need D-men with Corey Royford in net.

 

[Milky]

3-1, 6 points out of a possible 8.
They beat "the best" team in the East.

Lost to a surging B's team and contained a Wings team that owned them for 60% of the contest on Sunday.

Not shabby.

Plus the Bruins game was the day after playing Detroit. That's a hard situation for any team. Still thought they looked like crap.


Sent from my davenport using my teleporter

 

[BlackHawkPaul]

We can go to many games throughout Cup runs and pull out singular games in which the Blackhawks mailed it in.
March 2010- Hawks go 2-7 during a stretch in March, losing 2 games to the Blue Jackets, one by the score of 8-3.
March 2013 - Hawks finally lose in regulation 6-2 to the mediocre Avs, then later that month lose 3 out 4 to Pacific opponents.
April 2015 - Hawks lose their last 4 games of the season to land them 3rd in the division. Winning those games would've secured them the division title. They still finished okay without #88.

This season: October 29-December 3 Hawks go 7-10 and bounce back to win 12 in a row.

There will always be select sequences throughout a season where teams face adversity.

As time goes by, that 2013 team is one for the ages-- short season or not.
That team should be recognized as probably one of the best teams that ever hit the ice in a singular season.

Just looked:
Hawks are 6-6 in BTB games this season.

They were 8-4-1 last season.

 

[DMelt36]

I'm quickly becoming a big fan of Ehrhoff.

 

[DMelt36]

Also Ladd has been everything I remembered, loved, and hoped he still was. It's so goddam great to have him back.

 

[BlackHawkPaul]

The only team that would worry me in the post season would be the Ducks.
If they can run their D and get an early lead, they have the ability to play shut down hockey.
All 3 tilts with the Ducks went to OT this season, so I wouldn't be surprised if we saw another 7 game WCF against them.

 

[Spunky Porkstacker]

The only team that would worry me in the post season would be the Ducks.
If they can run their D and get an early lead, they have the ability to play shut down hockey.
All 3 tilts with the Ducks went to OT this season, so I wouldn't be surprised if we saw another 7 game WCF against them.

Which raises the question "can Hawks players bodies hold up to the Quacks punishing style of play" ? :drama:

 

[BlackHawkPaul]

Which raises the question "can Hawks players bodies hold up to the Quacks punishing style of play" ? :drama:

It's a puck possession game, and the Blackhawks have fared just fine against teams "bigger" than they are. They dispatched a nearly similar Ducks team last year, and I think this year's assembly from Bowman may be just as good. They added Ladd, which gives them the big body they need, and Seabrook has always been an immovable object to many bigger bodies. They lost Sharp, who is streaky in his own right (and is currently hurt-- along with Saad). Sharp could give you 10 points in 10 games, then go 5 with one point.

I'm fine with teams winning the hitting game against the Blackhawks in the playoffs. They now have Ladd, who may quell some of that aggressiveness.

 

[Spunky Porkstacker]

Going back over the years at some point the Hawks have met up with a foe that tried and seemed to think they could beat the Hawks by playing that hard hitting physical game. Vancouver, Blues, Bruins, last years Ducks, have used that strategy, we know how that turned out.

 

[mikita's helmet]

Ladd + 3 pts in 3 games, makes Toews a better player, can't wait to see the line with Hossa.

Erhoff+ Like is speed and offense so far, hasn't seemed a D liability.

Fleishmann+ playing well with TT, liked his goal the other day and playing decent two-way so far.

Wiese ? with the visa problems and still getting his feet wet with the team still looking forward to what he'll bring. His grit is a definite plus, but playing on the 3rd or 4th line for the Hawks, expect his goal production to be less than what he was doing for the Habs.