The lockout WILL BE OVER TODAY

[Pauly8509CWS]

One more thing, isnt Forsberg playing in Sweden next year anyway? I thought i remember seeing that somewhere.

[ChiSox_Sonix]

how does one become a white sox, marlins, chiefs, carolina and florida panthers, senators, sonics, and redskins fan?

 

oh and it is incredible news

 

 

haha, here goes:

 

Became a white sox fan when i lived in germany because that was the only MLB shirt my mom could find there (hard to believe huh, haha). Montana got traded and i switched allegiances (i was young). Payton and Kemp were my favorite players when i was younger, hence the Sonics. I went through a phase where i tried following a number of expansion teams (Marlins, Panthers X2 stuck). Ottawa's minor league team plays in my hometown (Binghamton). Florida State was good when i started watching college football.

 

There it is, lol.

[kapkomet]

He played there last year and he said if the terms can be met, he wants to come back over here for one more year.

[kapkomet]

The Hawks payroll will be somewhere between 30-35 mil, and a Top Defenseman and Top Scorer will be signed.

 

Besides, Janssens wasnt signed to be a top liner, he was signed for a 3rd line faceoff man...

 

Have faith in Tallon, he wants to succeed.

I think you all will be surprised what Chicago does.

 

The playing field will be much more level then ever before.

 

Chicago will be right there for the playoffs this year.

 

AND... the Florida Panthers WILL make the playoffs (barring injury, etc). Mr. Keenan has some crap up his sleeve. That's all I will say about that team.

[Pauly8509CWS]

I think you all will be surprised what Chicago does.

 

The playing field will be much more level then ever before.

 

Chicago will be right there for the playoffs this year.

 

AND... the Florida Panthers WILL make the playoffs (barring injury, etc).  Mr. Keenan has some crap up his sleeve.  That's all I will say about that team.

 

I hope you're right kap, but I think the playoffs are definitely in reach of the hawks...

[SoxFan1]

Steve....thats Thibault in your Avy correct????

[soxhawks]

i will go back next season i do not take this lockout personally, i am just happy to see a salary and i hope baseball also adopts one

[Soxfest]

Lets see If Dale Tallon can walk the walk. Lets go DT

[Pauly8509CWS]

Steve....thats Thibault in your Avy correct????

 

I know I'm not Steve, but, it's Ed Belfour...

[Jimenez4MVP]

No more ties?? Man this sucks

[Steve9347]

sorry, but they might... MIGHT make the playoffs, but their core is pathetic...

 

aside from ruutu, arnason (who will be gone, i hear) bell, and calder, their team is crap. All of their youngsters keep getting worse (yakubov, vorobiev, etc) They don't have a solid core like the bad teams such as the wild (gaborik) and predators (they have sully!)

 

wow, either way, its going to be weird seeing where some of these players end up.

[Steve9347]

Steve....thats Thibault in your Avy correct????

 

No sir, Eddie the Eagle.

 

I love Joc, but he'll have to have about 5 incredible seasons before he can live up to the Eagle.

[Steve9347]

No more ties?? Man this sucks

 

I hope you meant for that to be green.

[Pauly8509CWS]

I hope you meant for that to be green.

 

Steve, I disagree. I loved the ties and I think shootouts destroy hockey. Like it's been said before, baseball games arent decided with HR derbies and basketball games dont end with dunk contests. If they cant decide a winner after regulation and an OT, then it's a tie.

 

Also, the core of the Hawks isn't as bad as you say. Ruutu, Arnie, Bell, Calder, Berard, Vandermeer, McCarthy, Robidas, Barnaby, a HEALTHY Daze, all can contribute to a good team. The goaltending situation is excellent, Thibault is above average but I'm excited for the back up battle between my summer instructor Craig Anderson and Mike Leighton/ Corey Crawford. The stoppers we have waiting in the wings exite me.

 

Also, Rene Bourque, Anton Babchuk, Duncan Keith, all can make an impact in the NHL next year. Don't s*** on the Hawks chances yet.

[Steve9347]

Steve, I disagree.  I loved the ties and I think shootouts destroy hockey.  Like it's been said before, baseball games arent decided with HR derbies and basketball games dont end with dunk contests.  If they cant decide a winner after regulation and an OT, then it's a tie.

 

Also, the core of the Hawks isn't as bad as you say.  Ruutu, Arnie, Bell, Calder, Berard, Vandermeer, McCarthy, Robidas, Barnaby, a HEALTHY Daze, all can contribute to a good team.  The goaltending situation is excellent, Thibault is above average but I'm excited for the back up battle between my summer instructor Craig Anderson and Mike Leighton/ Corey Crawford.  The stoppers we have waiting in the wings exite me.

 

Also, Rene Bourque, Anton Babchuk, Duncan Keith, all can make an impact in the NHL next year.  Don't s*** on the Hawks chances yet.

 

like I said, I like Ruutu, Arnie, Bell, and Calder, and even Berard, but the rest of those guys are questionable.

 

Yes, in the two months we had him Vandermeer was decent, but there's a reason Philly dealt him. Steve McCarthy has yet to prove anything other than the fact that he is soft. I don't like Stephan Robidas on this team, and Matt Barnaby has yet to play a game for the Hawks, and is on the downside of his career.

 

I love how you say a HEALTHY Daze. When was the last time he played an entire season? His rookie year? His back is too messed up, and the Hawks would be better off trading him than keeping him. He's not a legitimate scorer because he's not a playmaker. He needs someone to feed him the puck in the open so he can unleash his awesome shot.

 

The goaltending is sexcellent, I have no problem there.

 

I like Rene Bourque, but don't think he is going to contribute anytime soon, and babchuk and keith are still a ways away. The hawks might contend, but not this year.

[Pauly8509CWS]

I like Rene Bourque, but don't think he is going to contribute anytime soon, and babchuk and keith are still a ways away.  The hawks might contend, but not this year.

 

I take it you haven't seen these guys play recently correct?

 

And, the reason to deal Jimmy V was to get Zhamnov. Vandermeer can skate, hit, pass, shoot, and seems like a alternate captain candidate to me.

 

Also, Colin Fraser, watch for him in 2 years gonna be gold, LOVED this kid last season in juniors...

[ChiSox_Sonix]

Steve, I disagree.  I loved the ties and I think shootouts destroy hockey.  Like it's been said before, baseball games arent decided with HR derbies and basketball games dont end with dunk contests.  If they cant decide a winner after regulation and an OT, then it's a tie.

 

 

 

 

I agree, shootouts suck. Theres nothing wrong with having a tie in hockey, IMO.

[CWSGuy406]

The goaltending is sexcellent, I have no problem there.

 

If Thibault is an excellent goalie, I need to find a new game to watch. He's decent, but not, IMO, a goaltender who's gonna lead a team to the Cup.

 

Arny is gone? Who the hell are your sources? I think that Tallon and Yawney both like Arny a lot...

 

Mac and Vandermeer are both solid players. Not top-line defenseman, but both would be pretty good as a second pair.

 

You fail to mention Seabrook, Byfuglian, and Barker, too -- that's the blueline core right there, along with Babchuk (who had his struggles this year at Norfolk, but is still a damn good prospect, and is right on the cusp of staying with the Hawks for good).

 

Tom (8509) has hit the nail right on the head; I agree with everything he has said.

[Rowand44]

I agree, shootouts suck. Theres nothing wrong with having a tie in hockey, IMO.

Well they're trying to bring in a new group of fans right now and a shootout is a good way to do that. I'm not a hockey fan and I personally think it's a good idea but that being said I understand fully where you die hard hockey fans are coming from because as Pauly8509 said I wanted want Baseball game decided by a HR derby or a bball game decided by a dunk contest.

[IlliniKrush]

Shootouts -

 

I'm a hockey "purist" and about as die-hard as you'll find about the game. But the shootout is a good idea.

 

I don't mind ties, because i like earning a point instead of zero points for a good 60+ minutes of hockey. I'm probably alone in this, but oh well.

 

However, the NHL has no following, even before the lockout. No one watches hockey except die hards. Throw a lockout in there, and you have to do everything but put strippers on skates in order to draw some fan interest.

 

It's not going to be used in the playoffs, which is all that matters to me. I know it's a very, very minor part of the game (breakaways don't happen often, let alone a penalty shot, for those of you who don't watch often). But it will be exciting and it will attract more fans to the game. Is it a gimmick? Kind of. I hate gimmicks, but this one will be alright.

 

For the time being, we have to bite the bullet on some s*** we may not like for the good of the game.

 

They really had no choice with this one.

[Pauly8509CWS]

Tom (8509) has hit the nail right on the head; I agree with everything he has said.

 

 

But Keith bringing up Seabrook Barker and Byfuglien was genius, I failed to mention them. Big boys who will be great D-men for years to come.

 

PS, Byfuglien was a shooter at one of my first goaltending schools, 260 pound 16 year old shooter scared the hell out of me. I was like 12 lol.

[Steve9347]

You fail to mention Seabrook, Byfuglian, and Barker, too -- that's the blueline core right there, along with Babchuk (who had his struggles this year at Norfolk, but is still a damn good prospect, and is right on the cusp of staying with the Hawks for good).

 

 

the problem is, i was talking about this year. those bastages wont help out for a few years.

[CWSGuy406]

the problem is, i was talking about this year.  those bastages wont help out for a few years.

 

Seabrook is highly thought of throughout the organization, probably moreso than Babchuk. I'm pretty sure he'll have a good shot at making the team. He was called up to Norfolk for the playoff run, and the people who saw him said they were very impressed.

 

And Barker is only a year behind.

 

 

And Brian -- I just don't see it bringing in a whole bunch of new fans. How many extra people are really going to attend a game on the chance (a small one, probably less than 10%) that they might see a shootout?

 

I'm not really that against it, because with the stuff their proposing -- 4-on-4, then a 3-on-3, then a shootout -- I don't see that many games actually getting to the shootout. But I also can't see people coming to a game just 'cause they might see a shootout. If they fix up the other stuff in the game, like smaller goalie pads and start calling obstruction; along with the stuff their doing to make the game faster, like tag-up offsides and no-touch icing, I think the fans will come back.

Edited July 15, 2005 by CWSGuy406

[IlliniKrush]

Well Keith i see your point, but it will also attract more viewers, which is key as well. People might tune into an OT game in hopes of a shootout. Maybe they'll even tune in a bit earlier than that to watch a good game in the 3rd period.

 

What you mentioned, though, with smaller pads, crackdown on obstruction (the BIGGEST thing that needs to be done), etc...it's all part of it. It's what will bring fans back. Smaller pads, crackdown on clutching and grabbing, possibly removing the red line...in my book, those are all realistic changes just for the betterment of the game, not because of the lockout. The shootout, IMO, has arised mainly due to the lockout. It's a gimmick - the other changes aren't IMO. Tag up offsides and no touch icing, however, won't really draw fans. It's a nice in-house change that only real hockey fans will even notice. Hell, how many people can actually explain touch-up offsides?

 

But hey, you have to start somewhere.

Edited July 15, 2005 by IlliniKrush

[The Critic]

Seabrook is highly thought of throughout the organization, probably moreso than Babchuk.  I'm pretty sure he'll have a good shot at making the team.  He was called up to Norfolk for the playoff run, and the people who saw him said they were very impressed.

 

And Barker is only a year behind.

And Brian -- I just don't see it bringing in a whole bunch of new fans.  How many extra people are really going to attend a game on the chance (a small one, probably less than 10%) that they might see a shootout?

 

I'm not really that against it, because with the stuff their proposing -- 4-on-4, then a 3-on-3, then a shootout -- I don't see that many games actually getting to the shootout.  But I also can't see people coming to a game just 'cause they might see a shootout.  If they fix up the other stuff in the game, like smaller goalie pads and start calling obstruction; along with the stuff their doing to make the game faster, like tag-up offsides and no-touch icing, I think the fans will come back.

I don't think the idea is that people would go in hopes of seeing a shootout, I think it's more that people might be more likely to go if they know beforehand that someone will definitely win the game. Personally, I've always hated tie games. Leaving a game that nobody won always has that "why did they even play the game then?" feel to it for me.

I do like the fact that the shootout is the last resort after 2 OTs. Give the teams every chance to win the game in a game situation first, even if it's 4 on 4 or 3 on 3. I like it.