I think it is going to be pretty tough for the hawks to not make the playoffs, but doing well in the playoffs is another story. The point about us playing a team that we are 4-0 on the season against is kinda moot since we haven’t played that team in over a month now. The current status of the hawks is getting thier jock handed to them by crap teams they should beat, like the islanders, which doesn’t pose well for making any sort of run in the playoffs. The hawks have some tough games left and even though I don’t think it’s time to hit the panic button I do think it is time to start addressing some of the issues that the hawks have been having.

There’s no way we don’t make the playoffs, it’s virtually impossible even if we continue to play like ass.

My main concern isn’t who we play or whether or not we have home ice, it’ll be tough no matter what. My main thing the team’s youth; I wonder if their early season confidence will be shaken by this closing stretch, enough that they won’t be able to muster any first-round swagger. You need that in the playoffs. They’ll look at the numbers and everything and realize that they deserve to be there, but they’ll be telling themselves that whereas real winning teams feel it, no internal debate required. For almost any team to win playoff rounds, there has to be a real sense of entitlement—not all-out cockiness, but entitlement. I don’t know. Without that there from the start, Khabby and Pahlsson’s experience, even with the Cups, won’t be enough to carry them. They might sneak by a first round just from the high of being there and some luck, but two rounds I think is out of our reach this year.

Once you get into the playoffs anything can happen! Edmonton(2006), Calgary(2004), Anaheim(2003), Carolina(2002) are definite tributes to this theory. How bad was Dallas last season entering the playoffs? Detroit as well? The Lightning in 2004 lost 9 of their last 12 entering the playoffs and how did they do? All that matters is Game 1 and once the puck drops the scene, the atmosphere, everything changes. As for the swagger, many of many teams have walked in with swagger lost Game 1 and never regained it back so that there means little. The most important thing is the goaltending and if it is HOT the Hawks could win it all!!!