Doesn't look good but every year there's a moment where shit is like this. Mistakes were made, though. Oduya-->Daley is going to end up being the key error. Whatever, in LA's hangover years they don't even make the playoffs.
Its probably better at this point to lose tomorrow than win in 7 and get slaughtered by a well rested Dallas team. Get rested up, reshape the roster for next season. Its unfortunate Bowman had to mortgage a lot of the future for this short run but pretty much every season counts for the next 2-3 years when the current window will close.
Ya, seriously. It would take a monumental effort to come back and pull this out of the fire. I just think this Hawks team is running on E. A fast paced Dallas team would skate circles around the Hawks bottom 3 defensemen who can't even keep pace with St. Louis.
It's a 3 game winning streak, not climbing Everest. Being a bit dramatic. Would the Hawks bottom 3 have big issues? Sure but so would the shit D/G Dallas trots out there against t the Hawks. It isn't likely to matter anyways but pulling the "it'll be better if we lose" shtick is weak.
Yeah, I get Illinihockey is generally a glass half empty guy, but I'd rather beat St Louis and have an opportunity to beat Dallas/Minnesota than not. Just not expecting it.
The ride doesn't matter? Either they win the cup or they should've just folded in game 5? Sports fans pathology is fascinating. I have a Cubs fan friend that's the same. The losses matter more than the wins.
I can understand that mentality when the Bears win meaningless games to fuck up their draft position year after year after being eliminated from playoff contention. But not with this team. I still don't expect them to win game 7 nor the Cup, but I'm glad I'm not a Kings fan right now.
Teuvo is much better at Wing right now. These new lines - esp with Weise - are much more formidable. Probably more so when you put Shaw's scoring threat on the 4th line and boost Panik's production putting him on the Top line. It will be incredibly difficult to win a 3rd straight game. Must get out to a lead. That was only the 4th win this season when trailing after 1st period.
yep thought the same last night, he is really growing up. Still some mistakes but he has elevated his game.
It'll be difficult to win three in a row, no doubt, but you could also say St. Louis is feeling the pressure. They had the series locked up and just had to get a win in game 5 to close at home. Have to imagine they feel quite a bit of pressure right now. Not to mention Q and the core of this team have been through a bunch of elimination playoff games together and know what it takes.
Q's been trying to force a square in a round hole with Teuvo. Its been clear since his call up he plays so much better on the wing vs being a center. He's a lite version of Kane allow him to be free and make plays is what he's best at. Stop playing him at fucking center. Glad Q admitted that his changes of lines were for the best post game.
He was a punching bag in this thread by some. But he's playing much better and learning. Its not easy being forced into a top 2 pairing so young on a cup contending team. But the improvement is so very important.
So we still haven't got our Jonathan Toews game yet this series. Hopefully he decides to take over like he did in game 7 of the western conference finals last year.
I just love the lines Q has rolled with lately. 16-22-81 makes so much sense. Let the chips fall at this point.
Marcus Kruger, the cock block of the NHL. Nothing happens for anyone when he's on the ice. Suits Q just fine.
I dont know what to think or expect tonight. Could see a # of different outcomes. Wish I had put more than $50 on STL to win the series. Supposedly Teuvo is a little dinged but fine. We are going to need one of these absentee scorers to pitch in tonight.
trading Sharp, Saad and Johns for Ehrhoff, Anisimov, Panik, prospects, and a 1st, 4th and a 7th round pick. plus the Keith and Shaw suspensions. Oh well. Hope Bowman learns his lesson.
whats the realistic return for Shaw? a 2nd rounder? with him being a RFA I dont see him getting much.
They can wait and get value on him because he is an RFA. They can just dangle him during the OS period. Someone will OS him @ 3M plus and give up a 2nd so the market is pretty clear on RFAs and they can use that to get the player/prospect/pick package they want.
if Shaw doesnt take an offer sheet would he just head into his walk year at the same $2m rate? Think thats how the qualifying offer works. Looking at the compensation anything above $3.6 and the team has to cough up a 1st and 3rd. Cant see anyone doing that...and Shaw is going to want north of 3.6. Wonder if there is any possibility Shaw takes his qualifying offer, plays another year at 2m, and then gets to be an UFA. Finding a 4th/5th Defenseman...whether that be Pokka or a Vet is key. With Hossa in decline need to start looking at Top 6 forwards. I bet Stan wants TT at Center longterm...but he's much more effective at Wing and you have Schmaltz waiting in line.
Pokka has always been touted as a top 3/4D and he's got good production. Looks good when I see him. Been awhile since they've had a D of his pedigree come through the system so it's hard to know if they just don't like him or if they want to over ripen D. The way they talk about Forsling and the way he runs the SHL... I mean Gustaffson had nothing on Forsling in the SHL and Forsling was U20. Stud prospect who might Leddy right in there.
Stan needs to force Q to let the kids get run with the Core. That was one of the errors with this run. Q wouldn't integrate youth or didnt have the patience for it. Ive read the same on Forsling that he is our best D prospect. Ladd was entirely worthless on the top line. Would have rather held onto Dano and the 1st. I pity the team that signs Ladd to 6.5+.
Motte is 21 - coming straight from NCAA - is he going to be ready? Starting to get a backlog of average-could-be-good forwards in Rockford. Tanner Kero, Kyle Baun, Mcneill. Ryan Hartman looks like a career 4th liner.
I like Hinostroza to be a late-career Versteeg type (his ceiling was too high early for a straight comparison). Motte is a weird case. His line was too stacked to put stock in his college numbers too much but he was really great in his RFD stint as well. He's tcketed for great 3LW to me. McNeill is a throw away, Baun is an AHLer, Kero could be a passenger 3rd liner, I'm higher on Hartman. I think he is a dumber Shaw but can play up and down the lineup like Shaw does. Pokka I like to settle as a good/great 5D, same with TVR, Forsling could be anywhere from a 1D (Klingberg) to a 5D, most likely a 3/4 in a few years. Panik opened my eyes. He could be passable as 1LW. TT will shine when he moves Hossa off one of the top 6 RW spots.
I don't see why everyone thinks this offseason is such a bitch tho. It's Andrew Shaw and we get assets back for him. This is the most mild offseason the Hawks have had since they got going.
and if Bickell can be moved even at 50% then you've got space to maneuver OTM any word on if Schmaltz is returning? Kid looked awesome in Tournament and at WJC.
I was considering this last night and think that's probably about right. I wonder if Shaw will do a Kruger. Take essentially the same contract on a one year deal with the promise the Hawks will try to sign him to a longer deal during the season. I just wonder if he'll be moved in a deal to unload the Bickell contract. Pretty much its impossible to sign a vet defenseman unless we can get a team to take the entire Bickell deal.
I'm hoping he was just out of shape this season after a long playoff run. Hoping he fixes his fitness with the long summer and comes back ready next year.
Doesn't make any sense with Teuvo/Panarin coming up for new contracts that offseason. Would be really ballsy for Shaw and his agent to do that. Unless the Hossa problem has a solution we don't know about but they do in the next year, year and a half. OR the rules for expansion draft are favorable to the Hawks cap.
Teuvo isn't getting a big deal, the Panarin contract will be the big one. However after this year you have all of the Bickell money going away, the Rundblad money going away, the Scuedri money going away, and you lose the Panarin overage you're carrying.
Panarin's next contract will eat all of the things you listed. Teuvo is getting a raise to 3M+ depending on his season next year.
Going to have to be a much better season than he had this year. Jaden Schwartz signed a 2 year deal at $2.35 coming off of a 25 goal, 56 point season. Teuvo hasn't even sniffed those numbers yet.
We'll see. I also think it's a matter of time before he breaks out in a big way. Somewhere between Fil Forsberg/Kuznetzov and Minnesota Granlund. Not a lot of dudes with his skillset have been sandbagged the way he has been outside Drouin. He's barely been a PP player. This offseason is a huge one for him. He should do his military service and get bigger.