As you touched on Sam, the problem so far is that it doesn’t seem Q is arranging the lines in the best way to play to everyone’s strengths. For example, Madden, while one of our best centers, doesn’t really play the right kind of style to be on a line with Kane. Or perhaps it’s more appropriate to say that having Kane on a line with Buff and Madden leaves him pretty much out on an island with nobody else to finish for him. If Q is so intent on having Buff in front of the net to open up some space for Kane, why not kill two birds with one stone: have Kopecky center Kane and Sharp. It gives Kopecky a chance to finally do something worthwhile if he can clog up some goalie’s field of vision with his Slovakian ass, and the Kaner to Sharpie’s tape pass option becomes possible again.

Failing that, Sharp and Steeger on the same line looked like the most outstanding thing ever, and then it just kind of went away. I’d like it to come back if there are no other options.

Q needed a new “Matt Walker”, and Kopecky is that guy. I wonder if Walker gave his naked pics of Q’s wife to Tomas on his way down to Tampa Bay…

He seemed to hit a plateau toward the middle/end of last season, and he was one of the players I’ve had my eye on since preseason, especially after signing that contract extension. I’m pretty happy with how he’s played so far, especially on the PK. He’s maybe not the best in the defensive zone, but his shiftiness is causing a lot of problems in the neutral zone and, as you said, creating a lot of shorthanded chances.

It’s funny, I’d almost forgotten that he had four shorties last season! And if he can continue to clamp down on the offensive zone giveaways that seemed to plague him at times last year, he should be fine.

GVT wasn’t kind to him and it appears (sample size alert) they’re right.

has to stop leaving his check around the net. Too much floating, and it seems to have become even more evident this year.

I agree with most of this, Sam, it’s a good rundown.

But I think Hammer deserves mention. This is essentially his rookie season and he’s stepped into the second pairing without a hitch, as calm with the puck as Keith. Also, I don’t think we should underestimate Hammer’s role in 51 Phantom’s improved play … he’s realized after the playoffs (when he and Seabs were our best d-men), that he can rely on Hammer, and that’s huge for both of them.

Other things:
- Brouwer is one of the best contracts in the league in terms of pure value
- Sopel’s not exactly fast, and his contract is obscene, but he’s doing the job as our 6th man better than anyone could have hoped
- PP is mystifying and needs fixing desperately. I often feel we have a better chance scoring shorthanded than we do when we have a 2-man ad.

He came out and played really tough, high effort hockey the first week and a half. By Friday night, he seemed like he was just going through the motions again.

Never put Cammalleri and Sharp with Jason Blake in the same sentence ever. Sharp has been noticably absent in many games so far this season which is troubling, however he still remains a legitimate threat everytime he touches the puck and with that should be placed on a line with either Toews or Kane. Sharp is a tremendous triggerman that needs someone to feed him the bullets and those two are the best at it on this team.

When Versteeg wants to become a factor in a game he can be just that, but there are too many games in which his compete level is not where it should be and with the continued development of Skille it’s almost certain that Versteeg will be the first one shipped out in the off-season. Unfortunately, Versteeg tends to play to the level of his linemates and with Hossa coming back later this month I’m afraid that being sent to 3rd line duty may result in a drastic drop-off in performance. Hope I’m wrong.

Kane is proving all the critics wrong about the NHL cover boy curse as he has been one of the best players in the league this far into the seaosn as he has been an absolute nightmare to defend all the while having Byfuglien and Madden as linemates as I’m sure he is counting down the minutes upon Hossa’s return.

Huet has returned to form just the way many of us predicted he would and his numbers would suggest.
Hjalmarsson has quickly turned into one of the most dynamic defencemen in this league as I’m sure Hakken Andersson and the rest of the selection committee for Sweden has taken notice of this as well.
Brouwer has picked up his game immensely and should be rewarded with a little more ice-time as he has been one of the few to bring his A-game every night so far.

8-4-1 and sitting atop the Central Division which is were the Hawks want to be right now.

Well, we also know that the PP is excruciatingly ineffective. What is the point of recreating the Red Wings PP when the Hawks do no have a defenceman like Lidstom who has a heavy, yet extremely accurate, shot from the point. Are Byfuglien and Kopecky supposed to be a recreation of Franzen and Holmstrom? Why don’ t the Hawks just go back to what worked for various parts of last season when they had Toews and Sharp down low with Kane working along the boards and use the play the worked so often in the playoffs with Toews crashing the net with that ‘stuff it in’ play. The lack of success on the PP is as frustrating to watch as Kane’s continuously ineffective shootout attempts from last season. If it ain’t broke why change it?

this team has yet to gel. When Toews Eger and Hossa come back, barring any other injuries, it should be a magical season. crossing fingers.

suspended for 2 games for delivering a forearm shiver to Toews’ idol Shane Doan.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=297028

$28.5K lighter that he won’t be able to spend on practical “joke” props.

I dont really need another jersey, but I really want something with Madden on it

Any chance we can get reebok to make some of those shirts with the name and number on the back with a sweet Madden 11?

I’ve seen them on sale and on nhl.com’s shop for the usual suspects, toews, kane, campbell, sharp, and old mikita and hull ones.

Who do we need to harass to get this done?

I did see they have an autographed madden devils jersey , for like $500+

which is cool, but, I’ve got a ton of jerseys (Living in Dekalb, I’m right between the Hawks, and Icehogs, so I have a few jerseys of each team). I’d like to drop $25 for the madden shirt like this:

Reebok Chicago Blackhawks Jonathan Toews Player Name & Number T-shirt

I think I’ll go to reebok’s HQ and just shoot pucks through the windows with ransom notes until they comply.
Maybe we can make this happen.