'08-'09 Season Review: Samuel Pahlsson

by Killion on Jun 24, 2009 4:52 PM CDT

With the season now over after a return to the playoffs and the Western Conference Finals, we're looking back at each player who wore the Indian Head sweater for the 08-09 Season and grading their performance. Next up, they guy you shouldn't share a water bottle with, Samuel Pahlsson.

Samuel Pahlsson

#26 / Center / Chicago Blackhawks

Height: 6-0

Weight: 204

Born: Dec 17, 1977

Contract Status: UFA - 1.4M hit in '08-09

For the Season:

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2008 - Samuel Pahlsson	65	7	11	18	-17	34	1	0	2	0	88	8.0

As a Blackhawk (regular season only):

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2008 - Samuel Pahlsson	13	2	1	3	-1	2	0	0	1	0	14	14.3

The Good: The Hawks acquired Pahlsson on March 4th at the trade deadline for Wisniewski but it wasn't until the 18th that he finally suited up for the Blackhawks against Columbus due to a case of mono. He didn't start off too hot but ended up finding his role quite well, that is he played his role well when not being forced to play with Kane and Versteeg. While playing with Ladd and Buff he was exactly what we'd hope for - a strong checking center who wins face offs (53.5%). One game that stands out in my mind (and I've got a terrible memory) is the last season game against the Blues where Pahlse, along with Buff and Ladd, not only completely shut out the hot "kid line" of Oshie-Berglund-Perron but also notched his first goal as a Hawk.

Of course you also have to mention the impact Pahlsson supposedly had on some of the Hawks, particularly Buff. If Pahlsson is somehow the key to getting Buff motivated and trying hard then he'll be worth whatever contract Tallon can get him to agree with.

The Bad: There isn't a ton - you're going to have a poor +/- when you're playing against the best other teams have to offer every single game. I suppose you could hope for slightly better offensive numbers from Pahlsson. 18 points is fairly low, even for Pahlsson, so maybe get on the board a little bit more?

Also, a 30-year-old getting mono is pretty bad - that's gotta be an awkward thing to explain to your wife, right? I once thought I had mono for an entire year, turns out I was just really bored.

Playoff Beard Strength: I think along with Huet, Sammy was the only one on the Hawks roster to not grow out a beard. Though he is a blonde swedish guy, maybe it was just invisible.

Nicknames: Sammy, Sami, Sammi, Pahlse and His Name Is Sammy Pahlsson (if you're not into the whole brevity thing)

Related Photoshops: Again, not a photoshop really and we didn't make it (Sleek did) but it's still awesome

Ept_sports_nhl_experts-127189067-1242406185_medium

If only the Hawks could have done it...

The Grade: A small sample size to go on with Pahlsson as a Hawk (and a pretty shitty review... sorry) but I think you have to give Pahlsson a high B. He came in doing exactly what we expected of him and helped the Hawks in their weakest areas when they needed it most.

Poll

Sammy Pahlsson's Final Grade?

A

22 votes

B

80 votes

C

62 votes

D

14 votes

F

2 votes

180 votes | Poll has closed

Tweet Comment 12 comments | 0 recs |

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Comments

B

Seems like an appropriate grade for Pahlse. Here’s hoping we re-sign him for a year or two, especially if the mentoring he supposedly provided for Buff was true. Could turn out to be the best thing about the trade if he can turn Dustin into an ignla-type player.

by AirTrafficAJ on Jun 24, 2009 5:11 PM CDT reply actions

Not worth it

Still am one of these fans who believe Sammy couldn’t fill the skates of WIZ after the trade. Face offs help win games but Wiz’s leadership and hard play would have been great in the playoffs and Colin Fraser could have stayed in the lineup before Sammy got here. We won’t see Pahlson back here next season.

by You Feel Shame on Jun 24, 2009 6:19 PM CDT reply actions

If it's any consolation

James Orton-DeRosa-Rowand -Wisniewski is a restricted free agent this off season as well, and like would not have been tendered an offer, so he wouldn’t be here next year either.

And he wasn’t asked to “fill the skates” of Wisniewski, being that, you know, Sammy’s role is as a shut down centerman, and Wisniewski is a 5th or 6th defenseman.

by McClure on Jun 24, 2009 7:29 PM CDT up reply actions

Can't help but....

look at Pahlsson’s season through the prism of Dominic Moore. Buffalo swung a trade and grabbed Moore from the Leafs for a 2nd round pick. Moore’s younger, better offensively, marginally better in the circle last year, cheaper and also a UFA. The only things he lacked were intangibles…playoff experience and leadership.

2009 Season
Moore – 81Games, 13G, 32A, 45Pts, 54.1 FO% - $900K
Pahlsson – 65 Games, 7G, 11A, 18Pts, 53.5 FO%, - $1.4MM

And remember, the Sabres got Moore for a 2nd round pick, while we gave up a top 6 defenseman. Also, both guys are UFAs this summer. So, how can I possibly give Pahlsson a passing grade when you factor in the Moore trade into this equation? He plugged all the same skill set holes as Pahlsson, while being cheaper, younger, better offensively, and costing you less. Moore’s the guy we should’ve got on deadline day.

I’m voting ‘D’.

by hoorock89 on Jun 25, 2009 1:53 AM CDT reply actions

Well, that’s kinda dumb. The grade isn’t for Tallon’s choice of defensive centreman, it’s for Pahlsson. And I think you said it yourself about why we didn’t go after Moore: “The only things he lacked were intangibles…playoff experience and leadership.” Playoff experience and leadership (playoff leadership, that is, which you simply can’t ask of Toews yet) were sorely lacking on this team, and it needed to be addressed at the deadline.

I’m fine with your preference for Moore, I just don’t share it myself. Also, if you’re grading Pahlsson for not being Moore, well … don’t you have to give him a flat out F?

Pahlsson single-handedly awakened the Hawks composure during the Calgary series, he led by example and calmed down the team during key moments and was in a couple of games pretty much a second coach. The guy’s intangibles are the things teams win with.

I gave him an A simply for his influence on the team, Buff especially (without whom one could argue we wouldn’t have made it past Vancouver).

by ChicoMaki on Jun 25, 2009 7:39 AM CDT up reply actions

Well said, Chico

by Geoffhawk on Jun 25, 2009 11:40 AM CDT up reply actions

yeah....

I know its not fair to look at it that way, but I can’t get past that deadline deal. And I know the Hawks had success in the playoffs with him and that some of the guys gave him good marks, but I watched every game Pahlsson played in a hawks’ sweater and he did not impress. Good in the faceoff circle, but severely lacking in almost any other production.

I’ve been in agreement with the group on just about every other player’s grade except for Pahlsson and Barker. Because the glowing prose I read about those two don’t translate to what I saw nightly on the ice.

by hoorock89 on Jun 25, 2009 10:50 PM CDT up reply actions

Well, he had lingering mono, and he separated his shoulder either at the end of the season or the beginning of the playoffs according to Tallon. My opinion of him only increases knowing he played Calgary, Vancouver and Detroit with a separated shoulder.

by ChicoMaki on Jun 26, 2009 8:39 AM CDT up reply actions

but look at Moore's numbers with Buffalo

Moore – 18 GP, 1G, 3A, -1, 15:12 TOI.
Pahlsson – 13 GP, 2G, 1 A, -1, 17:25 TOI,

I can’t find the faceoff numbers on each team (too lazy) but it’s worth looking at the QUALCOMP ratings on each for the season.

Moore- 0.00 QualComp
Pahlsson- 0.07 QualComp

Not much but I think you can send Pahlsson against better players than you can Moore and Pahlsson will step up more.

Plus – I’d rather trade a Wiz rather than a pick. Wiz probably isn’t going to get much better – he’s undersized for a Defenceman of his style and injury prone. Who knows who/what a pick could turn into? Not to mention the Sabres 2nd round pick was almost sure to be much more attractive than the Hawks 2nd round pick.

If I remember correctly the Moore trade happened before the Wiz trade.. so Tallon had to take who was left.

So while you have good points I don’t quite think the reasoning matches the grade.

Second City Hockey

by Killion on Jun 29, 2009 5:44 PM CDT up reply actions

Solid B

Dirt said it all

While playing with Ladd and Buff he was exactly what we’d hope for – a strong checking center who wins face offs (53.5%).

He won those face offs against the other teams top lines. The only reason that I didn’t give him an A is because I can not confirm that he gave Buff a motivation implant. I do know that anecdotal evidence suggests that Sammy gave one fuck of a kick in the ass to the intensity of play when he was with Ladd and Buff.
As far as hoorock89’s statment goes, I came down mostly against the “experience matters” argument that raged through the site after the Hawks left the playoffs, but if Sammy was the kick that Buff needed, then the intangibles made Sammy the right choice.

SHOOOOOOOT IT!!!! Anon

by burpchelischili on Jun 25, 2009 4:24 AM CDT reply actions

Wish I had the link, but Buff himself said it.

by ChicoMaki on Jun 25, 2009 7:39 AM CDT up reply actions

B

for me too. Everything that needed to be said about him already has by Dirt and Chico so I’ll just say that if he’s back with the Hawks next season I hope it’s at a discounted rate…to me he’s not a million dollar player to the Hawks. I’d love to have him on a 3rd line but we already have Bolland for that role as I’m not sure Bolland is a 2nd line C yet and Pahlsson isn’t really a 4th line type player. If we had C scoring depth like DET or PITT then yes he’d be great on the 3rd line but we need more scoring depth at C with guys like Buf and Ladd and a streaky Sharp on the wings. Quite honestly we need as many all-around type players we can get with guys like Campbell, Buff, and Kane on this team.

by Crease Monkey on Jun 25, 2009 3:13 PM CDT reply actions