2015-16 NHL thread

[southsider2k5]

100% true.

 

Pokka and Firstling are also top 6 D guys. Both have potential to be top 4 as well, and Hartman is easily a top 9 forward that provides what Shaw does now.

 

Not to mention, players not listed were Svedberg, Ross, Baun, Haggerty (Hawks love him), and Kero that can all fill in bottom pair D guys, and bottom 6 guys on offense.

 

Yep. They are very deep down on the farm, and are able to utilize that farm system as needed.

[RockRaines]

They should be okay in the playoffs, but they're really two major pieces short of what I would consider "Comfortable"

LOL, ok.

[Bananarchy]

LOL, ok.

Okay, seriously. What is your deal? The Toews line is a shell of what it was with Saad on it. And the defense runs three players deep.

 

You can mock me, but feel free to contribute to the discussion.

 

Edit: I changed my mind. Don't make any effort to improve the club. Rock says we don't need to.

Edited January 7, 2016 by AustinIllini

[RockRaines]

Okay, seriously. What is your deal? The Toews line is a shell of what it was with Saad on it. And the defense runs three players deep.

 

You can mock me, but feel free to contribute to the discussion.

 

Edit: I changed my mind. Don't make any effort to improve the club. Rock says we don't need to.

What discussion? All you do is talk about how the Hawks arent as good as some xbox team you invented in your head. Its hilarious. I bet you were super "comfortable" with the roster last year.

 

Nice edit, i've actually said many times where I think there are holes, but saying they arent a contender like you've said is hysterical.

Edited January 7, 2016 by RockRaines

[Jose Abreu]

Okay, seriously. What is your deal? The Toews line is a shell of what it was with Saad on it. And the defense runs three players deep.

Yet we have the third most points in hockey

[Bananarchy]

What discussion? All you do is talk about how the Hawks arent as good as some xbox team you invented in your head. Its hilarious. I bet you were super "comfortable" with the roster last year.

That's your response?! Last year Bowman capitalized on the Kane injury by adding Antoine Vermette, or did you already forget? The Blackhawks were stacked going into last postseason. They aren't now. Toews is dying on the vine, Hossa can't score, Shaw can play, but he's a third line guy that can't finish on the first line.

 

Which defenseman gives you enough confidence that we have at least 2 solid defensive pairings? We're seeing flashes now, but everyone here is all about "regular season doesn't matter".

 

Nope. Don't improve the team. Doesn't work. We've never had to before. And don't be critical of the almighty Blackhawks because we're already engraving the 2016 Cup.

[southsider2k5]

Okay, seriously. What is your deal? The Toews line is a shell of what it was with Saad on it. And the defense runs three players deep.

 

You can mock me, but feel free to contribute to the discussion.

 

Edit: I changed my mind. Don't make any effort to improve the club. Rock says we don't need to.

 

Despite the first line being off to an awful start offensively(for them), and all of the other complaints, this is the 3rd best team in all of hockey. Even with the offensive problems on the first line, they are still one of the top shutdown D lines in all of hockey, then being followed by one of the scariest O lines in hockey for their second line. We are also seeing guys like Teuvo and others playing much better than the start they got off to. Gusstofson is here and in 11 games is a freaking +8.

 

They have played no where near their best hockey this year as a club, and I still believe they will peak in April, like usual.

 

And if you look around at the other teams, who would you rather have in April?

 

 

[Bananarchy]

Yet we have the third most points in hockey

You guys, on numerous occasions, have made it clear that regular season doesn't matter.

[RockRaines]

That's your response?! Last year Bowman capitalized on the Kane injury by adding Antoine Vermette, or did you already forget? The Blackhawks were stacked going into last postseason. They aren't now. Toews is dying on the vine, Hossa can't score, Shaw can play, but he's a third line guy that can't finish on the first line.

 

Which defenseman gives you enough confidence that we have at least 2 solid defensive pairings? We're seeing flashes now, but everyone here is all about "regular season doesn't matter".

 

Nope. Don't improve the team. Doesn't work. We've never had to before. And don't be critical of the almighty Blackhawks because we're already engraving the 2016 Cup.

Uh oh, are the gloves off?

[southsider2k5]

That's your response?! Last year Bowman capitalized on the Kane injury by adding Antoine Vermette, or did you already forget? The Blackhawks were stacked going into last postseason. They aren't now. Toews is dying on the vine, Hossa can't score, Shaw can play, but he's a third line guy that can't finish on the first line.

 

Which defenseman gives you enough confidence that we have at least 2 solid defensive pairings? We're seeing flashes now, but everyone here is all about "regular season doesn't matter".

 

Nope. Don't improve the team. Doesn't work. We've never had to before. And don't be critical of the almighty Blackhawks because we're already engraving the 2016 Cup.

 

This is meatball stuff here, and a copout. Just because someone doesn't agree with you, there is no need to drop down to lowest common denominator posts.

[RockRaines]

You guys, on numerous occasions, have made it clear that regular season doesn't matter.

You, on multiple occasions have said the division is too strong and the Hawks are too weak to make the playoffs. So I guess we are taking pleasure in the regular season results while they are still playing.

[Bananarchy]

And if you look around at the other teams, who would you rather have in April?

I would say the Kings because Kopitar is Toews kryptonite, but Hossa and (insert winger here) is already Toews kryptonite.

 

But, seriously, the Kings look solid and (what do you know?) are adding defensive and center depth.

Edited January 7, 2016 by AustinIllini

[RockRaines]

I would say the Kings because Kopitar is Toews kryptonite, but Hossa and (insert winger here) is already Toews kryptonite.

Only scoring a point per game against them in his career, he blows.

[Bananarchy]

You, on multiple occasions have said the division is too strong and the Hawks are too weak to make the playoffs. So I guess we are taking pleasure in the regular season results while they are still playing.

I still contend that I want management to do whatever they can to add a forward or defenseman before I go against the Kings or any Central team.

[southsider2k5]

I would say the Kings because Kopitar is Toews kryptonite, but Hossa and (insert winger here) is already Toews kryptonite.

 

But, seriously, the Kings look solid and (what do you know?) are adding defensive and center depth.

 

Kopitar who has four more points than Toews who is apparently now "dying on the vine"?

[southsider2k5]

I still contend that I want management to do whatever they can to add a forward or defenseman before I go against the Kings or any Central team.

 

The only way the Hawks will realistically have the caproom for a big player is if one of their big time players ends up on LTIR.

[Bananarchy]

Kopitar who has four more points than Toews who is apparently now "dying on the vine"?

Seriously, thank God Toews plays in 3 on 3 OT games or it would be worse.

[Bananarchy]

The only way the Hawks will realistically have the caproom for a big player is if one of their big time players ends up on LTIR.

Hence the "whatever they can".

 

 

[southsider2k5]

Seriously, thank God Toews plays in 3 on 3 OT games or it would be worse.

 

Kopitar has 3 OT goals, Toews has 4.

[Bananarchy]

Kopitar has 3 OT goals, Toews has 4.

Not referring to Kopitar, referring to Toews, a better player, underperforming this season.

[southsider2k5]

Not referring to Kopitar, referring to Toews, a better player, underperforming this season.

 

Statistically they are almost even this season.

[Bananarchy]

Your Dallas Stars have made the playoffs once in eight years. When you root for a team like that, the regular season becomes much more important, I wouldn't expect you to fully grasp what people are trying to explain to you. It's ok, we understand.

I like the Stars because they are fun. I love the Blackhawks because I have watched them since I was a kid.

 

Seriously, stop with the Stars fan stuff. Yeah, I like the Stars. They're on TV for free. I didn't have the money to buy Game Center Live at the beginning of the season.

 

I get it, you're the elder statesman Blackhawks fan. You're one of ten people who cared about the Blackhawks prior to 2009. In that case, we have something in common.

 

I want the Blackhawks to win, but I'm scared of how good this division is.

[southsider2k5]

Your Dallas Stars have made the playoffs once in eight years. When you root for a team like that, the regular season becomes much more important, I wouldn't expect you to fully grasp what people are trying to explain to you. It's ok, we understand.

 

The goal for the Hawks in the regular season the last 4+ years is to 1. Keep everyone healthy going into the playoffs 2. Keeping guys fresh 3. Identifying weaknesses mid-season to make possible additions.

 

EVERY year, I talk to friends and other Hawk fans during the regular season that get worried about how they are playing, and they don't look right. I have had the same concerns. Except every time the playoffs roll around, they know how to flip the switch. Will a time come when the switch isn't flipped? Absolutely. It could be this year. We'll know in late April. But until that point comes, there is no reason to get too concerned over regular season performance with Hawks. They are a different animal.

 

Plus the guys that people are worried about aren't guys I am going to stress about. I want to see the kids make some waves, and we are seeing some of that out of guys like Tuevo, Anisimov, Panarin, Gusstofson, etc. Plus Crawford is probably playing the best hockey of his career.

[Bananarchy]

Right, and it goes against basically I said in my last post, but I didn't have a ton of expectations for this season, even with the core. This off-season was a little too close to the purge after 2010 with Sharp, Saad, Versteeg, Oduya, Vermette all being shipped out, along with all the miles these guys have on their legs. It was about the next wave being implanted with this team(who you mentioned above), seeing who is a keeper and who needs to be replaced. Things have gone well all things considered, and if they stay healthy, there is no reason to think another long playoff run isn't going to happen in 2016.

Luckily, after next season the Hawks will have a good opportunity to infuse Panarin into the core of the team with the expiring Bickell (finally!) and Anisimov contracts.

 

Does anyone have a good grasp on the retirement recapture rule?

 

Edit: Got it. Not that he's going to do it now, but down the line

 

If Hossa retired in 2015, the Blackhawks would have a $2,625,000 cap hit penalty from that year through 2021. If he retired in, say, 2018, after one year of his $1 million salary seasons, the Blackhawks would have $4,275,000 of dead cap space through 2021. (Via Cap Geek)

 

Good thing is he's still a reasonably productive player. I just wish he could score a little more.

Edited January 7, 2016 by AustinIllini

[southsider2k5]

Right, and it goes against basically I said in my last post, but I didn't have a ton of expectations for this season, even with the core. This off-season was a little too close to the purge after 2010 with Sharp, Saad, Versteeg, Oduya, Vermette all being shipped out, along with all the miles these guys have on their legs. It was about the next wave being implanted with this team(who you mentioned above), seeing who is a keeper and who needs to be replaced. Things have gone well all things considered, and if they stay healthy, there is no reason to think another long playoff run isn't going to happen in 2016.

 

Agreed. I didn't expect the 3rd best team in hockey. I expected something like a bottom part of the playoff bracket team for the first half of the season, with a rush to the finish.