2007-2008 NHL Catch All Thread

[GreatScott82]

I just dont see how St. Louis wins this game... oh well it was a good season. Im looking forward to having all 82 games on tv next year for the first time in Chicago in what 50 years?!?

[CWSGuy406]

Paul Kariya take an absolutely retarded slashing penalty, and the 2007-2008 Hawks are on their last breath.

[Metz]

[DBAHO]

Well it was fun while it lasted.

 

Hope we can hang onto the 10th pick now.

[EvilJester99]

It was a great season and it will get even better next year I believe. This is very promising.

[CWSGuy406]

Enjoy it you Nashville scum -- this won't be a regular occurance over the next decade. And f*** JP Dumont, trying to act like tough s***.

 

I actually have to root for one of Nashville or Detroit in round one?

 

And I'm going to start my pining for Hossa now. We need him much more than we need Campbell.

[whitesoxfan101]

It hurts far more, IMO, because they'd have played Detroit, who not only is a main rival but is a team the Hawks have owned this year. A first round upset of them, or even a great series, would have been another huge step for the sports revitilization here. Ah well, they'll be playing in the postseason next year. It's just a shame that next year is so far away.

Edited April 4, 2008 by whitesoxfan101

[DBAHO]

I don't know about Hossa over Campbell still.

 

I'd still like to sign Campbell if possible. He'll play 30mins a night for you, and give you that much needed offensive PP D-Man that this team is crying out for. It would also allow for the Hawks to deal a D-Man if they wanted to.

 

I mean Campbell has 18 points in 18 games for the Sharks, imagine having that type of production for us for a D-Man.

 

But he could get $9M a season. The Hawks need to determine whether or not that's the way they want to go.

 

There were also rumors of the Kings possibly dealing Cammalleri and Dallas's 1st rounder to try and move up in the draft.

 

Would you be interested in something like that (Camm has 3.6M left for 1 season).

[whitesoxfan101]

Vancouver lost tonight in regulation as well, only makes it hurt worse.

[IlliniKrush]

And with that, the biggest summer in recent Hawks history begins.

 

Sigh. This one's tough to swallow.

[The Critic]

Hopefully the Hawks play out the weekend hard, win both games and get to 90 points on the season.

It's a small consolation prize, but I think it would be a nice one.

 

I have to say, I'm going to remember this season VERY fondly. The arrvial of Toews and Kane, the surprising goal-scoring of Sharp, the steadiness of Sopel, the emergence as a solid blueliner of Hendry, the raucous home crowds, the "bringing home" of past Hawks greats, the beginning of the Rocky Era, and the general excitement around this team after so many years of lethargy was really fun to experience.

It's nice to have some realistic hope for the Hawks again, and it's REALLY nice to want to go out to the UC because of the home team again!

 

Even though John McDonough has no idea what it means, I just gotta say one more time......

 

RED RISING!!!

 

[CWSGuy406]

Some good news:

 

Akim Aliu signed a tryout-type contract with Rockford because his season with London is over. I hope that means he'll get to play during the AHL's playoffs.

Edited April 4, 2008 by CWSGuy406

[whitesoxfan101]

I don't mind throwing in the towel. There are only 2 games left, and you don't want a freak injury to occur that leads to a full offseason of rehab during a game that doesn't matter.

[Metz]

Samsonov had a nasty one-timer tonight ... Canes didnt clinch though, so Ovechkin could still find his way to the playoffs

 

Hawks won 3-1 for those who just want to know

 

Kane had a G and an A .. so that helps his points and puts him in the lead over Backstrom with 71 .. Hope he wins it

[SoxFanForever]

Samsonov had a nasty one-timer tonight ... Canes didnt clinch though, so Ovechkin could still find his way to the playoffs

 

Hawks won 3-1 for those who just want to know

 

Kane had a G and an A .. so that helps his points and puts him in the lead over Backstrom with 71 .. Hope he wins it

Amazing that as a 18-19 year old rook he puts up the most points in a season for the Hawks since Daisy.

[The Critic]

Blackhawks are playing hard today, but are clearly overmatched by the Wings thus far.

3-0 Detroit halfway through the 3rd period.

Not the best way to end the season, but still, hats off to the Hawks for the advances they've made.

88 points is a nice building block for next year.

[EvilJester99]

Wings just dominating the Hawks....it was a great run this year and only going to get better!!

[The Critic]

The winner of the Stamkos Derby (#1 overall draft pick) IS....

 

THE TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING!!!

 

The Hawks pick at #11, in case anyone was wondering.

Edited April 8, 2008 by The Critic

[SoxFanForever]

The winner of the Stamkos Derby (#1 overall draft pick) IS....

 

THE TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING!!!

 

The Hawks pick at #11, in case anyone was wondering.

Any early predictions from prognosticators as to who we will be going after?

[The Critic]

Any early predictions from prognosticators as to who we will be going after?

Just going off what I've read around from scouting reports and message boards, it looks like maybe Tyler Myers (defense) or Josh Bailey (center) if he falls to #11.

There are still a ton of names being speculated, though, so it's really too early to say - if the Hawks could draft another solid defense prospect, I'm all for that. Go get Hossa and try for a powerplay quarterback on D to address the scoring now.

[Kyyle23]

Dont know if this has been posted yet:

 

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sp...1,441497.column

 

Word on the street

A unique marketing and promotional marriage between the White Sox and Blackhawks is being consummated at U.S. Cellular Field.

 

Throughout the season the Sox will incorporate the Blackhawks during in-game activities, including a "Shoot the Puck" competition held once a game atop the home dugout. The Sox also will hold "Blackhawk Night" at the ballpark Aug. 23. That night will include appearances by Blackhawks players and legends, and fans will be able to buy Blackhawks game tickets for 2008-09.

 

"We're trying to find a way to bridge the momentum we have right now," Blackhawks executive Jay Blunk said. "This is just the beginning. We have a number of other ideas out there."

 

Brooks Boyer, White Sox vice president and chief marketing officer, said he believes the NHL-MLB marketing scheme is unique in pro sports.

 

"Our fan bases are very similar," Boyer said. "Our research shows that our fans are Blackhawks fans. Instead of competing against each other, we can work together to make both of our brands better."

 

Blunk and Blackhawks President John McDonough were longtime marketing execs for the Cubs. Blunk said the Hawks have plans to work with the Cubs as well.

 

 

Sights seen

John G. Peters, president of Northern Illinois University, threw out the ceremonial first pitch at the Sox home opener. Before the game, the U.S. Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon performed...Blackhawks players Patrick Kane, Adam Burish and Dustin Byfuglien were among the 38,082 fans at U.S. Cellular Field.

 

 

[DBAHO]

They also fired another Bill Wirtz lackey as well, head of marketing or something.

 

As for the 11th pick, take the best available. I think there's a group of 8-9 or so who are the top tier, and if 1 of those guys slide, take them.

[Metz]

They also fired another Bill Wirtz lackey as well, head of marketing or something.

 

Jim Demaria

[southsider2k5]

71 points to 88 points in one season is a quantum leap. With the kids the Hawks have in the system, plus their willingness to try to make a bid deal tell me that they are really going to make a big splash this off season. I can't wait to see what happens. And what a great year! Seriously who would have bet before this season on 88 points and the preformances of Kane and Toews?

[DBAHO]

Some blurbs;

 

The Hawks improved from 31 wins and 71 points last season to 40 victories and 88 points, and they were alive for a playoff spot with three games to play.

 

Now it's up to general manager Dale Tallon to fill a few holes so the Hawks can take that next step and join the Western Conference elite.

 

"We'd like to add a power-play guy, a real top-notch defenseman, a top-notch forward, and add a couple kids to the mix," Tallon said. "We're going to be aggressive and we're going to be committed to the guys we need to get. We're going to be a stronger, faster team."

 

It's the worst-kept secret in the NHL that the Hawks will go hard after defenseman Brian Campbell should he get to free agency and not re-sign with the San Jose Sharks. Campbell had 54 assists and 62 points with the Buffalo Sabres and the Sharks.

 

Tampering rules don't allow Tallon to talk about a player under contract with another club, but Kane can, and he admitted he made a recruiting pitch to Campbell.

 

"I was talking to Campbell there at the All-Star Game down in Atlanta and told him to come to Chicago," Kane said. "He said, 'Just tell them to make me the right offer.'

 

"It would be nice to see a guy like that come here."

 

Campbell, or a player like him, would help improve what was one of the worst power plays in the NHL.

 

"There were 40 games where we went without a goal on the power play, and we need to improve that number next year," Hawks coach Denis Savard said. "If we could cut that number down to 30, that would get us into the playoffs, no question."

 

Tallon said he expects to sign all of his restricted free agents, a list that includes Dustin Byfuglien, Andrew Ladd, Adam Burish, James Wisniewski, Jordan Hendry and Rene Bourque.

 

Tallon would like to retain unrestricted free agents Jason Williams and Kevyn Adams if the term and price is right. The Hawks don't want to go any longer than two years with Williams, who wants at least a three-year deal and is believed to be asking for $4 million a year, which makes it more likely he won't be back.

 

The Hawks will let Yanic Perreault and Andrei Zyuzin walk as unrestricted free agents.

 

Tallon will talk contract with goalie Patrick Lalime, an unrestricted free agent, but the plan now is to have Corey Crawford team with Nikolai Khabibulin.

 

"He has shown he can play, and it's time," Tallon said of Crawford. "But we're not going to give him the position. He has to earn it."

 

Along with Crawford, other Rockford players expected to challenge for jobs are defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson and forwards Jack Skille, Troy Brouwer, Mike Blunden, Kris Versteeg, Jake Dowell, Peiti Kontiola and Evan Brophey.

 

"I like some of those kids because they have size, and we need to continue to improve our size," Savard said.

 

"When you look at the big picture of our organization and our team, where we're at, we're sitting in a pretty good situation. We know now that we're on the right track. Last year, I couldn't have told you guys that. I would have been a liar."

 

''We need a power-play guy, a defenseman who can play a lot of minutes,'' Tallon said Tuesday during his season-ending state-of-the-Hawks media session at the United Center.

 

While not ruling out a trade, Tallon has targeted some potential free agents who would fit the bill. Heading the list is San Jose's Brian Campbell, who tied for third among NHL defensemen with 62 points and averaged more than 25 minutes.

 

Also on the list are Ottawa's Wade Redden, who was in the top 25 in defenseman scoring with 38 points and averaged more than 22 minutes, and Colorado's John-Michael Liles, who had 32 points while playing just under 20 minutes per game.

 

''Those are the top guys,'' Tallon said. ''A lot of others have already signed [extensions].''

 

An improved power play will be critical to the Hawks' chances of making the playoffs for the first time since 2002. They improved slightly with the man advantage this season after having the lowest success rate in the league the previous two seasons, but the improvement wasn't nearly enough. They ranked in the top 10 early in the season, then slowly dropped and wound up 24th.

 

Tallon won't be making the massive personnel changes he was forced to make the last two seasons. Defenseman Andrei Zyuzin is the only Hawk certain to go, though center Yanic Perreault likely won't return.

 

''We'll add pieces to the puzzle, either through free agency or from our farm team,'' Tallon said. ''Our future's bright. I like the direction we're headed. We made a pretty big step this year. Now we've got a shot to make the playoffs.''

 

Tallon said the Hawks are in a comfortable position in terms of the salary cap, and he thinks top free agents will be less reluctant to come to Chicago.

 

''I've talked to a lot of agents, and they like the direction we're heading and how we play,'' he said. ''We'll be a stronger, faster team.''

 

• • Offseason conditioning will be stepped up. Curtis Brackenbury, the director of performance development, plans to bring in a specialist from Argentina with some innovative concepts. ''We want to bring in up-to-date methods of training,'' Tallon said. ''We want to be state-of-the-art in everything.''

 

• • Coach Denis Savard said training camp will be shortened next season, with the Hawks having only three days of practice before entering a more intense schedule of exhibition games.

 

• • The front-office staff underwent more changes Tuesday with the hiring of Chris Werner as senior executive director of ticket and business development and Annie Camins as director of youth hockey. Werner spent the last 12 years at Ticketmaster Chicago, and Camins was the girls hockey coach at Loyola Academy after previously working for the Los Angeles Kings.

 

Tallon said he would like to "add a power-play guy. A really top-notch defenseman who can play a lot of minutes, and a top-notch forward."

 

The offense would be boosted by a defenseman who can play quarterback on the power play and Sharks free agent Brian Campbell fits the bill perfectly. The veteran scored eight goals and added 54 assists splitting time with the Sabres and Sharks but is rumored to want up to $8 million per season. The Hawks are well below the salary cap.

 

Other defensemen the Hawks could be interested in are Ottawa's Wade Redden and Colorado's John-Michael Liles.

 

The biggest forward name available is Marian Hossa, who had 29 goals and 37 assists with Atlanta and Pittsburgh. Another possibility is Calgary's Daymond Langkow, who had 30 goals and 35 assists.

 

"We want a young free agent to fit in with our young core," Tallon said. "We'll be aggressive and committed to get the guys we need to get."