What Do The Hawks Need To Do To Get More Physical?

[Chief Walking Stick]

Since Q has been here they've been either dead last or right at the bottom of the league in hits. Also one of the most disciplined teams in the league every year as well, at the bottom of the league for PIMs per game as well in that same time span. And in that time span they've won 2 Stanley Cups and have gone to two WCFs, the last one being one goal away from going back to back in Cup wins. They have their style of play and they play it well. It works for them, if it's not proven by now to you that it does then it never will. This is the golden age of hockey in Chicago right now.

You must love it that the Hawks aren't mean and hit their opponents right?

Thank god the linesmen stepped in to break up that fight yesterday or you would have had to turn the game off in disgust.

 

[HeHateMe]

Since Q has been here they've been either dead last or right at the bottom of the league in hits. Also one of the most disciplined teams in the league every year as well, at the bottom of the league for PIMs per game as well in that same time span. And in that time span they've won 2 Stanley Cups and have gone to two WCFs, the last one being one goal away from going back to back in Cup wins. They have their style of play and they play it well. It works for them, if it's not proven by now to you that it does then it never will. This is the golden age of hockey in Chicago right now.

When you play a high puck possession style of game, you will almost always take more physical punishment than you dish out. Because if that isn't the case, that means they're in trouble.

I understand that, but I feel like kaner and toews are just one cheap hit to the back of the helmet that's gonna knock them out of a couple series. And there's not even anybody to retaliate so it doesn't happen again...

 

[winos5]

Quick set the hook....

 

[winos5]

Should've went with the visor/no visor argument....

 

[HeHateMe]

You must love it that the Hawks aren't mean and hit their opponents right?

Thank god the linesmen stepped in to break up that fight yesterday or you would have had to turn the game off in disgust.

What about the music idea? I know that when I work out and put on some really high energy death metal on my beats i have a lot more agression. It definitely gives me a lift when I hit the heavy bag...

 

[HeHateMe]

Do other teams do this?

 

[winos5]

Do what?

 

[HeHateMe]

Do what?

Wear headphones during the game to blast their gameface tunes?

 

[DMelt36]

Let's break this down.

I just think they need to get geared up for the playoffs. All of this tactical style of play can go straight out the window if they are getting pushed around during the reg season.

The style of play that they use in the regular season is the same style that's won them a pair of Stanley Cups. Their style of play is largely based on possessing the puck more than the other team, working off of the theory that while you have the puck, the other team can't score.

Plus, injuries? If they are getting phsycally beaten that is going to take it's toll.

This has been a common complaint raised by Hawks fans. But they survived a grueling 7-game series with the Blues last season. Before that, everyone was concerned when Vancouver would out-physical the Hawks. They find other ways to win.

The last thing you want are people teeing off on Kaner and have him go down before teh playoffs. If he could man up and start checking people even though he's small, maybe they'd start respecting him for more than just that crazy shit he does with the puck.

You don't think people are always trying to tee off on Kane? They'd love to be the guy that lays him out. The problem is he's too damn quick for 95% of the NHL to hit him. And the 5% of guys who are quick enough to lay a hit on Kane probably aren't the hitting type. Kane doesn't need to hit people to gain respect. I imagine the things he can do with the puck garner plenty of attention from the rest of the league.

Who is training these guys to fight anyways? Are there coaches that can be brought in for this?

Plenty of NHLers will train with boxing coaches or MMA coaches/fighters to be better fighters. Specificially, I remember seeing the Hawks profile Brandon Bollig working with a boxing coach. On a related note, Bollig is currently struggling to find ice time on a shitty Calgary team.

 

[Variable]

I understand that, but I feel like kaner and toews are just one cheap hit to the back of the helmet that's gonna knock them out of a couple series. And there's not even anybody to retaliate so it doesn't happen again...

But that can happen to anyone, at any time in the league. It really doesn't matter what you do, retaliation doesn't stop things like that from happening or happening again. The Hawks have had a player like John Scott, whose sole purpose is exactly for that, and Hossa's career was almost ended. They had multiple guys on that year's team who were there for that purpose and it made no difference, it still happened.

What you're talking about, what a lot of hockey fans and even "hockey experts" would have you believe, it's just a myth dude. True today now more than ever. You could argue decades ago that maybe it worked, and that's pretty fucking big "maybe" because we're talking about the most violent era of hockey, but it doesn't any longer.

 

[Pez68]

I don't even know where to start, so I'm not even going to bother. I'm just going to sit back and enjoy the show... :lol:

 

[Chief Walking Stick]

I don't even know where to start, so I'm not even going to bother. I'm just going to sit back and enjoy the show... :lol:

Pez... you know more about hockey than every one on this board combined (just ask yourself).

Instead of being an elitist, you could at least help a new fan out.

 

[HeHateMe]

Pez... know more than every one on this board combined (just ask yourself).

Instead of being an elitist, you could at least help a new fan out.

At least nobody's being mean like they are on teh bears forum. I guess I get it, fans want to rest on their laurels and put up with weaker play because that's how they've won in the past, but I just wonder if they could toughen up a little bit and get some attitude out there, maybe they could be even more dominant, and not a couple of injuries away from meh....

 

[Variable]

Every team is a couple injuries away from that. At any given time. All it takes is one bad hit or one freak play. What you call weaker play is the Hawks dominating the other team in puck possession, which, at least since the salary cap era started, is arguably the single most important aspect of the game to be good in.

 

[HeHateMe]

Every team is a couple injuries away from that. At any given time. All it takes is one bad hit or one freak play. What you call weaker play is the Hawks dominating the other team in puck possession, which, at least since the salary cap era started, is arguably the single most important aspect of the game to be good in.

That sounds like lucky loser talk to me. Wouldnt you want the hawks to be the team that dishes out those sorts of hits rather than fall victim to them? I think it goes a little deeper, ita about lack of heart. It was different when thay had byfuglian.

 

[Novak]

That sounds like lucky loser talk to me. Wouldnt you want the hawks to be the team that dishes out those sorts of hits rather than fall victim to them? I think it goes a little deeper, ita about lack of heart. It was different when thay had byfuglian.

Not really, we still have a black guy. Albeit, a much shittier black guy. And he's swedish, so that kinda sucks..

 

[Chief Walking Stick]

Not really, we still have a black guy. Albeit, a much shittier black guy. And he's swedish, so that kinda sucks..

Does being Swedish negate his blackness though? It kind of does.

 

[HeHateMe]

Does being Swedish negate his blackness though? It kind of does.

I don't want this to turn into a race discussion or anything, but i'm sure a black man growing up in sweden is not nearly as angry as one raised USA. It's that anger that I'm talking about them harnessing. Is it against the rules to have the tougher ones listening to Slayer to get their agression up on the ice?

 

[DMelt36]

Does being Swedish negate his blackness though? It kind of does.

My favorite thing that's happened with Oduya is when I heard someone refer to him as an African-American hockey player. Laughed for a good while after that one.

 

[Samurai]

My advice is to not watch the network sports segments, nor EVER listen to the useless slap-headed git whose name rhymes with craplan. It is they who ask questions such as this, not caring/knowing that it's been proven to be historically irrelevant to the Hawks ability to win.

Personally, cups aside, my favorite era was the late 80's/early 90's when they led the world in penalties and fights...but sadly, they could not climb to the top because of it.