Monday's Bits

by SamFels on Oct 5, 2009 4:11 PM CDT

Obviously not much going on here today, with Hawks being off until Thursday, so a couple links and such other discussions:

-As McClure and I are wont to do -- because we're total losers -- we've been debating the current Hawks line combos. It's pretty pointless, because chances are Q is going to change them by Thursday. We certainly can't argue with the results, 7 goals in two games, and it should have been closer to nine or ten except for a Herculian effort by Vokoun. However, the current set up strikes us as a bit odd. We're already hearing the "Toews is a slow starter" drum being beaten after two games, but I think it has something to do with goofy linemates. I still don't trust Versteeg to always make the right pass, and with Sharp it leaves Captain Marvel as the only one to do the boardwork. Of course, this was the same thing when he played with Kane, but Kane is so immensely skilled he could still find Toews. I don't really know, keep watching I guess.

-It's rare that you can tell when a player has gotten stronger over the offseason, but it's pretty obvious with Kane. He's been heading to the net as if there was a "Free Pussy" sign above it, and fighting through checks left and right. He's going to have a scary good season if he stays healthy.

-If the Hawks forwards backcheck like that all year, we're President's Trophy candidates, and it starts with John "Telestrator" Madden showing them how it's done (first attempt with that, let us know what you think). Madden is not the biggest guy, but he makes up for it in smarts and tenacity. He badgers the opposing centers into submission -- or I guess given his alma mater, he Wolverines them. Or something. Whatever. Shut up.

-Those of you calling for Niemi to be starter already, do us a favor, look in the mirror, and then smash your forehead into it. Thank you.

-Aren't they excitable over at Gametime?

-Over at The Fifth Feather, they're keeping tabs on our prospects. Shawn Lalonde has seven points in his first four games. Lalonde needs to be monitored, he'll open up some options if he turns out to be a thing.

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Huet vs Niemi Debate

This will perhaps be even more annoying than the debate over how to resign everyone next year.

Hawks61 was already questioning over on From the Rink if Niemi was going to start on Thursday. A guy has a shutout where he is rarely challenged and has played 4 NHL games and he’s your new #1?

Hopefully logic will prevail and everyone can calm down. Or slam their face into the mirror like Sam said.

by burgstrom on Oct 5, 2009 4:25 PM CDT reply actions

The idiots who think there's a real debate

Are the same idiots who think Brent Sopel needs more ice time.

Chicagoan in the Lou.

by Mike Martin on Oct 5, 2009 6:53 PM CDT up reply actions

Nickelback thinks Niemi should start?

twitter.com/kaner88

by Original Six on Oct 5, 2009 9:40 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs

He’s been heading to the net as if there was a “Free Pussy” sign above it,

Man, I not only almost fell out of my chair, but my wife laughed so hard she almost fell too.

SHOOOOOOOT IT!!!! Anon

by burpchelischili on Oct 5, 2009 5:10 PM CDT reply actions

I even read it to my wife. Is there a blog Pulitzer?

by Gbubbs on Oct 5, 2009 9:42 PM CDT up reply actions

If there isn't one, there should be

I don’t laugh in the morning; I hardly ever even smile before noon. But this got me chuckling like a mf.

by K_Dog on Oct 6, 2009 10:18 AM CDT up reply actions

burgstrom, burgstrom...

…I think I’ve made it perfectly clear through other posts that suggests that Huet is clearly the Hawks # 1 netminder going forward and although his start in the opener on Friday could be classified as dismal, by no means necessary does that conclude that Huet has clearly lost his job as the # 1 for regardless of what Niemi accomplished in recording a ShutOut, Huet will get the start Thursday at the Joe.

But with that said it is interesting to see how Q plays this for he has shown the tendancy to lean towards the hot goaltender in the past. Make no mistake that this isn’t a do or die game vs. the Wings but is large game for if the Hawks were to win they could put the Wings 5 points back of them and in the large scheme of things could prove vital. So in that sense I wouldn’t be shocked (just largely suprised) if Q turned towards Niemi and ride the hot hand as the Hawks roll into Motown on Thursday.

Whether anyone likes it or not the goaltender debate has started to simmer and another below-average performance by Huet on Thursday followed by another solid performance by Niemi on Saturday in the home-opener vs. the Avalanche and it begins to boil. Is Niemi a # 1 netminder? No. But if Huet continues to struggle like he did on Friday then the Hawks will be left with no choice until a deal is made.

It's never about the eventual destination, but rather the long journey and its challenging obstacles that are presented and what it takes to overcome them, that makes the taste of success all the more worthwhile!!!

by hawks61 on Oct 5, 2009 5:15 PM CDT reply actions

Can't stand this

The goaltender debate has only started to simmer amongst the neanderthals. There is absolutely no way (barring an injury or Huet banging a Q-stache family member) that Niemi starts on Thursday. Huet will also have to let in about 9 goals in detroit for Niemi to get the start in the home opener on Saturday.

by Geoffhawk on Oct 6, 2009 11:03 AM CDT up reply actions

There is no debate. Niemi does not have enough experience to create a debate. Though if Huet still has a 87.5% save percentage or there abouts after about 10-15 starts then we can talk. Niemi needs to put up a few solid starts like that one before he sparks the debate himself, and unless Q for some silly reason uses a rotation like he did last year Niemi is not getting enough chances to start to prove he is better on his own. Huet has to fail for Niemi to get the chance unless Q rotates them.

I do have to be honest though, I think I would be less nervous with a Crawford/Niemi rotation in net than I am with Huet as the #1. At least with 2 unproven at NHL level goalies you’d have a proper expecation level going in, where as Huet is just a friggin adventure every time out.

by runningquicklynowhere on Oct 6, 2009 11:20 AM CDT up reply actions

And to add to it

The is a firm consensus here that Huet is our starter unless his struggles continue on though October and into November and then, and only then, will the reigns be passed on to Niemi. However, Ray Ferraro of TSN.ca has a different opinion:

It’s never too early for a goalie controversy. There is already two of them. Cristobal Huet had an uneven first year at best in Chicago – he started Game 1 in Europe Friday and was torched up high three times in a 4-3 shootout loss. Antti Niemi got the start in Game 2, won convincingly (although not very busy) and appeared poised throughout…Vesa Toskala had an ugly night Saturday, and I can’t imagine the Leafs being very patient with Jonas Gustavsson lurking. The starter key could be passed over very quickly in both cities.

But with said, Razor also points out in his interesting read that the Canucks are fine and everything will turn out perfectly eventhough Luongo continue to show post -Byfuglien syndrome and has been torched in all 3 games including being pulled in last night’s home opener which, by the way, was far from a sell-out and had many empty seats. And that fighting is part of the game but he doesn’t really do anything and that heavyweights no longer matter but enjoys watching Clutterbuck and Morrow engage in tustles…whatever? And last but not least has become the lastest member of the media to jump on the Ray Emery bandwagon, only to jump off it after the Capitals light him up tonight. May I be the first to say that I will be suprised if Huet has worse numbers than Ray Emery at season’s end.

by hawks61 on Oct 6, 2009 4:04 PM CDT up reply actions

Re: Niemi as starter

SKY FALLING, ETC

NOW STOP IT RIGHT HERE

by mjthor on Oct 5, 2009 5:17 PM CDT reply actions

Lines?

I love our third and fourth lines. No wait. I fucking love our third and fourth lines. Better.

by ChicoMaki on Oct 5, 2009 5:20 PM CDT reply actions

In love as well

We have some fucking serious depth out there. That last game should be striking fear into coaching staff everywhere. I’d take our 3rd & 4th lines (given our #1 & #2 lines) over an Ovechkin, Malkin, or Crosby any day. Holy shit I’ve waited a lifetime for this season – come what may, it’s thrilling to actually have a worthy bunch wearing the feathers. Watching non-Hawks fans (I don’t live remotely near the windy city) I’ve noticed we are everyone’s 2nd favorite team this year. Booyah!

"Call Detroit, tell dem... BULLSHIT!"

by Hungryhawk on Oct 5, 2009 5:45 PM CDT up reply actions

Surely you jest...

Tomas Kopecky, Ben Eager, Colin Fraser, Troy Brouwer, or Andrew Ladd over any of the aforementioned three players? You should probably get a couple mirrors to smash your face through.

FifthFeather.com

by El Duque's Raft on Oct 6, 2009 12:10 AM CDT up reply actions

Ummm... nooooo.

Try to follow along. Read “Lines?” & then my reply again. Okay, now read them again. Okay, now read them again. Okay, now read them again. Got it yet? Okay, now read them again. So… my point being in line with the theme of DEPTH. Lots of teams attempt to build around a grandiose superstar at the expense of 3rd & 4th lines. I like our #1 & 2 lines. They’re no 50+ scorers (yet), but I like them. I like our 3rd & 4th lines pretty much better than anyone else’s.

Go deep on Pittsburgh – Michael Rupp, geez. Eric Godard, hahahaha! Craig Adams, is your memory that short? Pascal Dupuis, nope.

Washington – Boyd Kane, fail. Quintin Laing, sorry. Dave Steckel, um no. Chris Clark, huh?

So yes, given our stars aren’t quite in the same category as the aforementioned three viewer supported circle-jerk faces of the game, they are still worthy of mention, no? For my buck, I’d rather go and be entertained by a full evening of sound technical execution of the game than watch Alexander shoot the duck on his beloved Vector while pointing at me with that stupid toothless grin avery time he scores a goal during his 21 minutes on the ice.

But hey, that’s just me. Now let’s see… where did I leave all those mirrors? I’m sure I could borrow a couple from Ovy if I could just get ahold of his phone #.

"Call Detroit, tell dem... BULLSHIT!"

by Hungryhawk on Oct 6, 2009 9:40 AM CDT up reply actions

I didn’t get it either.

by Geoffhawk on Oct 6, 2009 11:04 AM CDT up reply actions

Here's what I took out of your statement

I’d take our 3rd & 4th lines (given our #1 & #2 lines) over an Ovechkin, Malkin, or Crosby any day.

Don’t see how you can mean anything else than what I interpreted.

FifthFeather.com

by El Duque's Raft on Oct 6, 2009 11:12 AM CDT up reply actions

Fair enough

Kids, booze, age, social circle, time of post, whatever… I’ll try to proof my posts from now on (except for this one – no time). Like you, I’m not sure why anyone would take our 3rd or 4th line over one of the 3 big stars but I already got all pissy and explained that in detail. By the way, I enjoy your blog too.

"Call Detroit, tell dem... BULLSHIT!"

by Hungryhawk on Oct 6, 2009 3:05 PM CDT up reply actions

Other Monday Bits

I was checking other contenders’ schedules out there…Thanks to the Olympics, the Canucks do not play a home game from January 28 – March 12

by Burcenski on Oct 5, 2009 6:18 PM CDT reply actions

Madden

His nickname needs a “the” in front. As in “The Telestrator!” Very Menacing.

Proudly flying the Blackhawk banner in the City of Detroit

by The_Fat_Guy on Oct 5, 2009 8:18 PM CDT reply actions

Can't we just call him.....

…Tough Actin’ Tinactin?

by DudeMcnude on Oct 5, 2009 9:30 PM CDT up reply actions

BOOM!

twitter.com/kaner88

by Original Six on Oct 5, 2009 9:40 PM CDT up reply actions

If you're going by sponsorships,

Then Ace is The Place.

by AirTrafficAJ on Oct 5, 2009 10:32 PM CDT up reply actions

I wouldn't mind shortening it to

John “Ace” Madden.

OK, so Ace sounds a touch Top Gunnish, but I prefer the shorter nicknames…I’m into the whole brevity thing.

by GenPabloSecobar on Oct 6, 2009 8:21 AM CDT up reply actions

Agreed

by CaptainPorkchop on Oct 6, 2009 2:24 AM CDT up reply actions

telestrator is good but

i prefer “Turducken”

by HAR--OLD on Oct 5, 2009 10:23 PM CDT up reply actions

I like Telestrator

But maybe in the meantime we take away Versteeg’s caps and exclamation point and give Madden BOOM! until Steeg earns it back. 10:12 PM and Luongo has had an epic fail night and gotten pulled with the Nucks down 4-1 to the jackets. Yikes!

by NKLHD on Oct 5, 2009 10:13 PM CDT reply actions

Did it make him cry?

They brought their fuckin' TOYS with 'em!

by ZootSuitZombie on Oct 6, 2009 12:36 AM CDT up reply actions

Well Done

Three out loud laughs…funniest thing I’ve read this week, tho’ it’s only Tuesday.

Telestrator works ok, at least as a placeholder. Definitely don’t add ‘The’.

Turducken has a whimsical character I enjoy, but maybe not enough menace.

Maybe just Tinactin… the tough actin’ being implied?

by cliffkoroll on Oct 6, 2009 8:53 AM CDT reply actions

JOHN MADDEN SHALL HENCEFORTH BE KNOWN SIMPLY AS "John."

NOW SHUT THE HELL UP.

NOW STOP IT RIGHT HERE

by mjthor on Oct 6, 2009 11:40 AM CDT reply actions

NOW STOP IT RIGHT HERE

by mjthor on Oct 6, 2009 11:48 AM CDT reply actions

I like it

Beautiful in its simplicity. I especially like the period at the end of the name; makes it finish with authority.

by K_Dog on Oct 6, 2009 11:58 AM CDT up reply actions

Fail

Sorry, but that’s just lame for a blog that prides itself on finding wise ass tags for numerous other players.

by NKLHD on Oct 6, 2009 3:23 PM CDT up reply actions

That's the fucking point.

All of this deliberation over which stupid-ass nickname to give him is, well, stupid. We get it; there’s another, more-famous John Madden.

NOW STOP IT RIGHT HERE

by mjthor on Oct 6, 2009 4:20 PM CDT up reply actions

It's official

thor declares nicknaming fail. Everyone stop this nonsense now before he cancels kickball at sentences us to writing “I will not rename John Madden” 500x’s on the blackboard.

by NKLHD on Oct 6, 2009 5:30 PM CDT up reply actions

reply fail

that should read cancels kickball AND sentences us. My apologies to the class.

by NKLHD on Oct 6, 2009 5:32 PM CDT up reply actions

Can't we just make it a poll and get it over with?

NOW STOP IT RIGHT HERE

by mjthor on Oct 6, 2009 8:28 PM CDT up reply actions

Perhaps

We could call him Thor.

It’s late, don’t make fun of me.

If I can't be a good example, I'll just be a horrible warning

by Trixietrx on Oct 7, 2009 1:30 AM CDT up reply actions

Why so sad, John?

by AirTrafficAJ on Oct 7, 2009 12:55 AM CDT up reply actions

There is really no debate about the goaltenders, Huet basically had people in his face for one of those goals. And the Hawks gave that game away with those oh so adorable penalties they like to take at the wrong time. If they play sloppy, Huet will become the scapegoat every time when the opponent gets an easy goal. They play defense the way they did Saturday, hell, Daffy Duck could be the goaltender and they’ll win.

He Gone!
F*@k the Trees, Save Me!

by chisoxgirl5 on Oct 6, 2009 12:18 PM CDT reply actions

by K_Dog on Oct 6, 2009 1:07 PM CDT up reply actions

LOL! Awesome! Awesome!

He Gone!
F*@k the Trees, Save Me!

by chisoxgirl5 on Oct 6, 2009 2:25 PM CDT up reply actions

Exactly. Funny how we’ve hardly read anything about Seabrook’s terrible turnover that lead to the tying goal. Nope, just that Huet’s glove totally sucks and that we’re completely fucked with him in net.

by Geoffhawk on Oct 6, 2009 1:25 PM CDT up reply actions

I guess

that means, contrary to the wife’s opinion, no one outside of my house actually heard me yell “fuck me seabass!!!”. Good to know.

by runningquicklynowhere on Oct 6, 2009 1:51 PM CDT up reply actions

ahem.....

not happy with Huet but…. not happy with our blueliners on the three goals either.

FLA 1st goal – There is no way that pass should get through Hammer. Hammer had position but didn’t smother his man. And what the hell was Campbell doing with the fall down kick save failure anyway?!

2nd goal – Dunc probably should have been able to block that long wrister

3rd goal – Seabs defensive zone giveaway leads to the goal.

I’m not making excuses for Huet, but there were mistakes that lead to those goals. I understand the arguement that most goals are the product of defensive zone blunders and that it is ultimately Huet’s job to keep the puck out of the net.

I know you weren’t talking about specific people, I just thought I’d recap my comment from the game summary.

You’re correct, defensemen didn’t help him out much. He was horrible in the shootout though.

"If you're scared, go buy a dog" - Stacey King

by Hack on Oct 6, 2009 3:49 PM CDT up reply actions