Mid-Season Review Cont'd: The Blue Line
by SamFels on Jan 6, 2010 8:17 PM CST
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PrintOur little wrap up go interrupted by a game of hockey last night, and some marathon drinking from the three of us. We'd apologize, but at this point we doubt you'd expect anything else. Anyway, let's continue our midterm Report Card, shall we?
If we had written this is November, he'd be awfully close to an F. Barker was a turnstile early in the year, we even dubbed him so in The indian. He was piling up the points, both at even strength and on the power play. Things have kind of reversed themselves. I say kind of, because he's not yet lockdown in his own zone, but he's been far more solid. But the points have all but dried up, to the tune of two in the last 19 games. Campbell and Buff have taken over on the top power play unit, and there have been times when Keith and Seabrook were on the 2nd. Which leaves one to wonder what Barker is for. Still the most likely candidate to get moved, and he'll always be burdened with the unfair wrap of being the player taken behind Ovechkin and Malkin, when everyone knew that was a two-player draft. Can't give him anything more than a C/C-.
I will not lie to you, I'm writing this review with a giant smile on my face. For people like me, who had to listen to all the Campbell bashing when it got out of hand, the booing on opening night, the ill-informed criticisms of his contract, the past two months have been a vindication. Most on this blog will agree that only Patrick Kane could make the argument that he's been a better player on the Hawks than Campbell the past two months. The pairing with Hammer has led to a comfort level for 51 Phantom that sees him play his game. Numerous times per game he starts a rush all by himself, and it usually leads to a scoring chance. He's been solid in his own zone as well, and Q hasn't hesitated to throw him out on the kill when need be, and according to Behind The Net he's been very good on it. Soupy is in the Top 10 in scoring amongst d-men, and 2nd in +/- in that group. He's been on fire recently, with 12 points in his last 12 games. Quite simply, one of the biggest reasons the Hawks are the force they are right now is that for 40-45 minutes a game they have a d-man on the ice who can transition the team instantly from defense to offense, and Campbell is half of that reason. Fearing that if i give him an A some people will send this blog up in flames, I'll settle for a B+, but you know what it should be.
Only in the past month or so have we gotten an extended look at Hendry on the backend, though he did some spot duty on the 4th line, where he did what he could. With continuous injuries to Barker and Hjalmarsson and Sopel here and there, Hendry has gotten a pretty extended look. He hasn't disappointed. He's shown slightly more skating ability than Hammer (I am not suggesting for one second he should play in front of Hammer) and the skill of being able to skate himself out of trouble. Basically, when he has played, you haven't noticed him, which is exactly what you'd want out of him. He's proven that if Sopel or Barker go later in the season, we'd be comfortable enough with him sliding into the Top 6. B/B-.
Just for what he's allowed Campbell to do, he should get an A. Never caught out of position, and becoming more and more physical by the day. Can you remember when he made a wrong decision? Sure, he's basically playing centerfield, but look what that allows the Hawks to become? Could be a slightly better skater, and you feel some team deep in the playoffs will try and take advantage. Still needs to fill out physically, but that will come with time. And if he's 6' 3", then I'm packed like a porn star. Still, a sterling rookie campaign so far. We'll go with A-/B+
McClure's prediction that Keith will be the last ever Hawks to wear #2 will come true if he keeps this up. You'd have to say he in the discussion for midseason Norris Trophy. He's second in scoring among D-men, and also in the Top 10 in +/-. But I get confused sometimes when I look at his Behind The Net Numbers. He's a minus there, and through Matt's preferred eye-test, he's been more of an adventure in the defensive zone than in the past. He's not awful by any means, but teams are running at him harder and he's been more turnover prone than last year. Perhaps his shotgunning up the ice is hurting him? Still, a premier blueliner, has his call up for the Olympics will testify to. He's also the team's best PK-er from the backend. So if we've lost a little on the defensive side for the big gain we're getting from Flash on the offensive side, I think we can take that. A-
And the reason Keith has been allowed to play his hair on fire game. Basically, Hjalmarsson is playing a poor man's version of Biscuit's game. I don't know what we could possibly complain about when it comes to Seabrook. He's been physical, without losing positioning in his end. He snuffs out almost everything he sees, and then lets Keith get the play going. Another headache when his contract comes up after next season, but if he allows Keith to be Keith, then he is no less of a mandatory re-sign. B+
We all like to joke about Sopel. He's ungodly ugly. He's slow. He skates as if he just dumped his pants. He makes mistakes, and can get exposed by skilled and/or fast wingers. But Catfish is a #6 defenseman, and should be viewed through that prism. It's the same as really studying a middle relief pitcher. Neither should make or break your team, but they can surely help it to be dominant when they are good. And for the most part, Sopes has been. He's had his slap-your-head moments, sure, but all bottom rung d-men do. Lately, he's been a monster on the PK, and seemingly blocks 43 shots a night. He looked worse when partner Barker was in need of a rape kit earlier in the year, but has leveled out along with Barks. Salary is still too high, but that's not his fault. But he is what he is and for the most part, he's helped the Hawks a lot more than he's hurt them. Solid B.
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You are more stingy that i would be
Barker: D+ (okay i’m harder on barker)
His main asset is his shot. If he’s not using it, i’ll take a stay at home defenseman instead. I want the flashes of solid play he gave us last year. Plus for sticking up for sharpie against the blues.
Campbell: A
Probably the reason why we’re playing such a strong puck possession game
Hendry: B+
He’s had a few brain farts but he’s supported in the offensive end really well. When it’s the right thing to do, i actually like his speed jumping inside the blue line.
Hammer: A-
As you said, enables campbell
Keith: A-
Offensively awesome, Defensively he’s sometimes botched a play. I don’t know what he’d have to do get a full A from me. I guess i could use another beer.
Seabrook: A
Probably plays his role better than any other defenseman. Adding in his oddly clutch scoring gets him top billing.
Sopel: A-
A- for what he is. Compare him to any other 5/6 defenseman, i think he might be the top 5 in the league.
I guess my grades were relative to their roles on the team. As i’m sure you understand, I don’t mean to imply that Keith and Sopel are having the same impact. I know our great offensive zone possession has a lot to do with goals against but considering the sick differential numbers (and pk numbers) the hawks are putting up i think the overall unit earns an A/A-.
I mostly agree with SLoop on the grades
Although I’d’ give Hendry just a B (he’s been a little too offensive lately, which hasn’t looked very good, IMO), and Sopel probably a B or maybe B+.
If I can't be a good example, I'll just be a horrible warning
While i'm clogging up the comments section...
anyone got a decent used pair of skates (size 9) they’re willing to deal?
I’ve got a great pair. $1000 (Canadian, if you can) and free shipping. Still interested?
All right, come on, dummy, you won the game. Come on. Pick up your trophy.
no thanks
i’ve got one of those, too. arrived special delivery from saskatoon as i was brushing my teeth with canada’s national pride this morning.
All right, come on, dummy, you won the game. Come on. Pick up your trophy.
by meeshak on Jan 6, 2010 8:49 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
sorry about that
i thought you were one of our canadian friends being uppity
No worries
I’m an expat, living in Canada, secretly laying the plans to melt ALL THEIR ICE!
All right, come on, dummy, you won the game. Come on. Pick up your trophy.
by meeshak on Jan 6, 2010 9:07 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Mwahahahahaha
You forgot your evil laugh.
If I can't be a good example, I'll just be a horrible warning
Bauer Vapor XXV's
I have a pair in 8.5D never used & 9.0D slightly used. Also have virgin Superfeet inserts if you want.
Let me know
that was quality entertainment
like a poor man’s Who’s on First
All right, come on, dummy, you won the game. Come on. Pick up your trophy.
Keith
at the New Years Eve game I jumped up and went off like a nuclear bomb at Dunc when he tried that stupid pass IN FRONT OF THE NET with about a minute and half left that let the Devils score. A simple pass behind the net and Huet could have had his 4th SO after that brainfart Dallas game. For that alone I would downgrade him to B+
"I fornicate and play hockey, cause ther're the 2 most fun things in cold weather"
He didn't try a stupid pass
He skated right into the ref and lost the puck as he turned to skate behind the goal to kill time. If the ref hadn’t gotten in his way, it would never have occurred to anyone that he was doing anything out of the ordinary.
by Brian C on Jan 6, 2010 9:45 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
To me
It looked like he was about to turn up ice and dump the puck up the boards and out of the zone and then decided at the last minute to turn and play keep away to eat time. Once he turned back into the D zone, it was a perfect storm of cluster fuck. On Keith, I thought he was just a little too confident that no one would chase him and both skated kinda lazy and left his back to a forward who was on him real quick. The ref clearly caused the turnover, but I also thought that if Keith makes any other play like simply dumping the puck out of the zone, that probably doesn’t happen. Not a reason for me to down grade him though.
From my view
I did not see the ref, only the Devil player right by him. So I guess I owe Dunc an apology.
Sorry, my bad.
"I fornicate and play hockey, cause ther're the 2 most fun things in cold weather"
Dumping the puck may have been safe...
…but the Hawks whole strategy is puck posession, and it’s been damn successfui.
I agree that teams have been more aggressively forechecking lately and surprised our d-guys sometimes, who have gotten used to being able to play catch in their own zone. Once the Hawks adjust to this, I expect this will lead to more offensive opportunities.
Puck possession is key
In that one instance though, I thought Keith kinda freelanced and got caught. All night, what they were doing with passing and moving the puck was working very well and I was surprised he pulled the puck back into the zone instead of moving it ahead. The ref being there made it a weird deal, but even without him there, I still think Keith was going to have some trouble because of the forecheck. Better to see things like that happen now instead of down the road.
um, guys?
You do realize that you’re debating one brain fart/the ref got in the way that happened at the end of an already-decided hockey game? The Hawks won 5-1, against one of the best teams in the league. A shutout for Huet would have been great, he deserved it, but at that point, stats were the only thing at stake. If there’s one time To have a brain fart/the ref got in the way, it’s with a minute and a half left when the Hawks are leading 5-0.
by DirkGrahamKnuckleSandwich on Jan 7, 2010 1:26 PM CST up reply actions
you're right
The SO stat WAS the only thing a stake at that point which is why I turned into an enraged D-bag (I’m sure the beer had nothing to do with it).
I just wanted the SO for Huet to shut-up all the other enraged D-bags from the Dallas game.
"I fornicate and play hockey, cause ther're the 2 most fun things in cold weather"
Jordan Hendry
Solid play and I could care less about Barker
mind the roses, mind the dew, wash your willies, when your through.
I like that you don’t get trapped in conventional wisdom and were able to see them for their actual play. My only nitpick is with Seabrook, I agree with everything you wrote but don’t understand what else he’d need to do to get an A.
Small gripes
Much as I love it when Seabrook makes a big hit, I feel like he takes himself out of the play a lot as well and when guys with good hands go up the boards and he doesn’t erase them with a big hit, I think he gives up a lot of really good scoring chances. Likewise, when guys seem him coming and dump off the puck, he is usually too committed to peel off and catch the shooter. I can’t think of tons of examples right at the moment, but it seems like when Seabrook brainfarts, it’s usually pretty ugly and winds up being a goal. Paired with Keith, he’s a great fit because they do different things, but more than Keith, I think he has some vulnerabilities that will be exploited come playoff time. All the Hawks D men make really long passes and they aren’t going to get away with shit like that in playoff games. I worry a bit about him and Keith when they start getting pressured.
since you're asking
I’d like to see Seabs get more shots though, he probably gets his shot blocked at a higher % than any blueliner on this team. I’d give him an A- just cause of that. He just needs to work on it a bit, and he’d have alot more points.
"In an ideal world I would have all 10 fingers on my left hand so my right hand could just be a fist for punching."
*get more shots thRough, not though.......changes the sentence alot.
"In an ideal world I would have all 10 fingers on my left hand so my right hand could just be a fist for punching."
just so we're clear
i hate you for what you’re about to make me do.
by chiblackhawks on Jan 7, 2010 9:27 AM CST up reply actions
you're going to research the whole percentage thing aren't you?
I’m cool with that, I’m probably wrong on the percentage, but I did quote it, so (number) crunch on.
I’m kind of talking about the eye test as well. Dunc and Campbell have been scoring from the blue line, and we know barks can as well. I also understand that being on the powerplay factors into scoring from the blue line, but from what I recall, I don’t think seabs has scored on a slapper from the blue line this year, anybody remember one?
Don’t take this as me ripping on seabs, I’m a seabs fan, just discussing this for discussion’s sake.
"In an ideal world I would have all 10 fingers on my left hand so my right hand could just be a fist for punching."
you got it
Tragically, A/B isn’t on any stat sheet other than the Event Summary reports per game, and while I get that it is more an eye test than anything, it would be interesting to see what the stats say as well.
Interesting and time-consuming.
by chiblackhawks on Jan 7, 2010 9:36 AM CST up reply actions
In conclusion
Seabs doesn’t have the highest % of shots blocked among blue liners, but it IS the highest among d-men registering at least 100 shot attempts (shots and attempts blocked included) through the first 43 games of the season.
I also got carried away and thus drew all sorts of other conclusions here too.
by chiblackhawks on Jan 7, 2010 1:12 PM CST up reply actions
Assists
Keith – 31
Campbell – 23
Seabrook – 16
Barker – 9
Top 3 getting shots/passes through. Barker……………? He is on the PP am I wrong?
"All questions must be submitted in writing"
Seabrook and Barker
Are tied for missed shots with 30. Don’t exactly know what that stat is. Buff and Sharp are ahead of them, whatever that means
"All questions must be submitted in writing"
I'm looking at both (I said "points" in my first post)
He has a decent number of assists, just from thinking about it, I wouldn’t think a lot of them came from shots from the blueline (redirects, rebounds, etc).
Come on, I can’t be the only one who sees a large number of his shots getting blocked……am I?
"In an ideal world I would have all 10 fingers on my left hand so my right hand could just be a fist for punching."
That is the way the game is played now
Based purely on my memory, which is ocasionally wrong, I think Campbell is the best at getting his shot through. Seabrook can really “bring it” as Foley would say, though.
I like all 3 shooting it.
We should all focus on who gets more shots blocked in the next game. The player with the most shots blocked should be traded. I’ll bet it’s Versteeg.
"All questions must be submitted in writing"
I'm not Bob LeDonne
but relax. I got this.
by chiblackhawks on Jan 7, 2010 10:03 AM CST up reply actions
oh he can bring it
Dude sends shot blockers to the bench wincing in pain.
"In an ideal world I would have all 10 fingers on my left hand so my right hand could just be a fist for punching."
I take back the Versteeg thing
It’s got to be Sopel. Retribution for all the “saves” he makes
"All questions must be submitted in writing"
speaking of shot blocking...
Here’s some stats:
Keith 86 blk…………………….TOI 26:38/game
Seabs 81………………………………23:37
Sopel 75……………………………….14:12
Hjalmarrson 65…………………….19:39
Soup 50………………………………..23:24
Madden 30……………………………15:59
Barker 27………………………………13:29
Hendry 9……………………………….10:30
by DirkGrahamKnuckleSandwich on Jan 7, 2010 1:42 PM CST up reply actions
Shots blocked per average TOI (according to your stats)
1) Sopel = 5.28
2) Seabs = 3.43
3) Hammer = 3.31
4) Duncs = 3.23
Wow.
"In an ideal world I would have all 10 fingers on my left hand so my right hand could just be a fist for punching."
crunching the numbers even further...
Blocks/minute of ice time:
Keith: .075
Seabs: .084
Soup: . .05
Hjammer: ..087
Barker: .051
Sopel: .126
Hendry: .045
Madden: ..044
So, what’s that tell us? Keith is a stud. Check. Seabs and Hjammer are the two best defensive-minded D-men. Check. Soup isn’t exactly known as the most defensive-minded D-man. Check. Sopel is an armor-plated catfish. Check. Hendry has just started to get playing time, and like Sam points out, not noticing he’s even on the ice is the best possible thing right now. Check.
Which leaves us with poor Cam Barker, and yay! John Madden. That Barker is barely out-D-ing a center (albeit a good D center), doesn’t speak well for him, at this point. I don’t want to pile on, I still think that Barker can play better than he has been. And it’s grrrreat that the Hawks have 7 NHL-quality defensemen right now. But…thoughts, guys and gals?
by DirkGrahamKnuckleSandwich on Jan 7, 2010 3:10 PM CST up reply actions
Sopel
If someone could photoshop a picture of an armor plated catfish, I’d wholeheartedly endorse using that as Sopel’s picture on SCH going forward.
i still prefer the caveman lawyer with catfish whiskers photoshopped on idea
somebody had the other day, better. But anyway. Just to clarify my position, I don’t think that Sopel is good, exactly. I think half the reason he has so many blocks is that he’s too slow to get out of the way. His lack of skating ability can definitely be exposed. But he is what he is, and what he is, is a 6th defenseman. (that was fun to type) So…yeah. Or maybe it’s because he just cracks me up out there.
by DirkGrahamKnuckleSandwich on Jan 7, 2010 3:57 PM CST up reply actions
quietly happy with Hendry
I remember when he got called up in the middle of the 07-08 season, undrafted guy out of Alaska, and just did his thing for a few months there. He didn’t get much of a look after Walker and Johnson were signed, and he also had that horrendous head injury sustained during the AHL playoffs, but it’s nice to see him picking up where he left off.
I agree with all of your assessments, although I’d bump Seabrook up to an A- just because I find it impossible to grade him and Keith separately.
It's hard to believe
That we played Matt (fucking) Walker while this guy was languishing down in Rockford. To be fair, the extra time down there may have aided his game….but Matt (fucking) Walker?
Bears, Beets, Battlestar Galactica.
by AirTrafficAJ on Jan 7, 2010 11:07 AM CST up reply actions
Keith is a Norris man, no doubt. Guy produces every night, blocks shots like Bettman blocks Balsillies, and if he botches a few, he picks up his johnson and gets him on the next shift. Gamer.
Bettman's Nightmare: A Blog Where Hockey Aficionados Dismantle That Mighty Empire, One Balsillie at a Time
http://bettmansnightmare.blogspot.com/
by Bettman's Nightmare on Jan 6, 2010 11:33 PM CST reply actions 1 recs
completely randomly
if the playoffs started today, the 1st place Hawks would be up against the 8th seed Preds. And interestingly enough, Sharks would be against the Kings, and the Flames would be against the Canucks. Only the 4th place Coyotes and the 5th place Avs would be up against teams outside their division.
Just wanted to share.
That would be an interesting playoff bracket
and a very surprising one, which no one would have guessed a few months ago. I still think the Pillow Biters will find a way in there.
When I die, I'd like to go peacefully, like my grandpa. Not screaming in terror, like the passengers in his car.
by Playoff Beard on Jan 6, 2010 11:49 PM CST up reply actions
I miss the old days
when the first two rounds of the playoffs were against divsional opponents, the third round pitted the the sole remaining team from each division in the conference and then Cup finals. It’s not a perfect way to run the playoffs and it was doable with 4 divisions instead of 6, but those early round playoff series were just so heated.
Sam, You Totally Nailed It Here!
Sam is the only one of the three alcoholics amigos that I disagree with on a regular basis (though that’s mostly for his constant Buff hate), but he’s totally on target with every assessment of our D-men.
Only one I’d comment on is Keith: I think he has more oops! moments this year because he’s on the ice more than most, and pretty much always against the other teams stars. (I know, Campbell’s been getting more ice time lately.) Combine his tough assignments every shift with the offensive push he’s made this year (I’m betting Q told him to do more on the offense this season) and you’ve got a few more give-aways. He still kills penalties like a demon. (And I think I’m getting a serious mancrush on Sopel—just for his work on the penalty kill. For not skating well, he’s always in the right spot.)
Keith is 2nd in TOI in the NHL right now
w/ 1,145 minutes; Campbell 21st w/ 1,006 minutes.
by DirkGrahamKnuckleSandwich on Jan 7, 2010 2:37 PM CST up reply actions
Cambpell A+, A+, A+, A+
" Quite simply, one of the biggest reasons the Hawks are the force they are right now is that for 40-45 minutes a game they have a d-man on the ice who can transition the team instantly from defense to offense"
Totally agree!!!! his ultra fast transitions are the number one reason this defense gives up the fewest shots per game!!!!
Barker, who is only one year older then the "Hammer, still has a great future ahead of him. D-Men mature more slowly.——Except for Seabrook-Keith-Hammer……..
"Trying is the first step towards failure" Homer Simpson
Agree on Soupy...disagree on Barker
He was taken ahead of Mike Green, Mark Streit and Alex Goligoski in that 2004 draft and hasn’t developed at nearly the pace as those guys. I agree that true “defensive” d-men take a little more seasoning before they start to click, but his skillset on draft day projected him as an offensive-minded d-man, much like Campbell and Green. Those guys develop much quicker in general. Barker hasn’t progressed as expected, plain and simple. Maybe he someday will, but methinks he’s 2009-speak for Andy Delmore.
I was so happy when they got Campbell, and have sat quietly back while all the idiots bashed him over the last 18 months. I’m loving how they’ve all quietly receded to the shadows (well…until Campbell gives up a crucial turnover at some point). But people like Fels and myself understood all along how good Campbell is, and have taken to defending him here and elsewhere at our own peril. He was an absolutely elite player before he got here, and now everyone is seeing that in a Hawks uniform as well.
About 3 years ago, my brother told me that Keith would eventually win a Norris and I didn’t have much of a retort. He’s an astoundingly good player.
Maybe I have missed it this year, but it seems like Seabs is a little less physical this year which I’m on the fence about. Granted, our shots-against is phenomenal, o however they’re stopping opposing shots is OK, but the meathead in me still wants to see Seabs crush people. Otherwise, he’s been solid.
Hammer – I love him.
Sopel – Hate to admit I love him, but that ugly bastard has grown on me.
Hendry – Totally competent 3rd-pairing guy. Anybody miss Barker when Hendry’s playing in his place??? No? Yeah…didn’t think so.
Cam Barker – D I probably would have said C, but I don’t want to piss Trixietrx off.
Brian Campell – A Not afraid of the flamers, he has played that good.
Jordan Hendry – B He has been improving so far, and is damn close to getting an A
Niklas Hjalmarsson – A When I see him play, I do not believe that he is a rookie.
Duncan Keith – A Wow, just fucking wow. I am starting to agree with McClure.
Brent Seabrook – A Half the reason Keith is wow.
Brent Sopel – B I am convinced that Catfish has blocked more shots than the goalies, combined. Yes, he can do the most convincing impression of an orange cone that we have seen this season, but then he takes a shot like the one in the wild game. Watching him slither off the ice like a fresh caught fish made my ankles hurt, but he was the reason the puck went the other way. It seems like he does something like it at least once a game.
SHOOOOOOOT!!!! Anon
technically, Hammer's no longer a rookie
In 2007-08, he played 13 games for us. In 2008-09, he played 21. That’s more than the 25 games or under that classifies a rookie in the NHL.
I only know this because last year I wondered if he could be qualified for a Calder Trophy nomination. (Which, granted, he may not be in the running for even if he WERE a rookie, but I wondered anyway.)
by chiblackhawks on Jan 7, 2010 8:10 AM CST up reply actions
A defensive defenseman
is too underrated of a position to win the Calder. Its just not as flashy as guys who rack up points and doesn’t get as much attention as goalie messiahs like Mason did.
http://BlackhawksDL.wordpress.com
http://twitter.com/BlackhawksDL
by Original Six on Jan 7, 2010 10:45 AM CST up reply actions
I know. It's unfortunate.
But at least we know what Hammer does for us.
by chiblackhawks on Jan 7, 2010 10:49 AM CST up reply actions
What
make Barker expendable?
"I fornicate and play hockey, cause ther're the 2 most fun things in cold weather"
All kidding aside
Regardless of Sopel’s looks, Barker’s lone ability (Shoooooooot!), Hendry’s growing pains, Campbell’s ridiculous salary (hey, at least he can buy tickets to a Blackhawks games now, considering the fact that you literally have to earn 6 figures…for SRO tickets!!!), Hammer’s yet-to-reach-full-potential skating and Marlboro 72’s giveaways of late, LOOK AT THIS D-UNIT OF OURS…just brings a tear to my eyes…and TEARS to opposing teams!!!
Who's screwing up the curve?
Best team in hockey right now with hte best GAA, and no goalie or defensemen gets a solid A. I’m glad you weren’t one of my college professors, not that I had a shot to make too many A’s anyway.
or you can look at it this way
this team (and, in particular, this team’s defense) is greater than the sum of its parts.
by chiblackhawks on Jan 7, 2010 8:11 AM CST up reply actions
Seabrook
I think is the reason for Keith’s success.
I think Seabrook can do it all. However, he is content (for now) to let Keith do the stuff that gets more attention while he supports and ensures the team wins. Seabrook would be just as good with Campbell, Hendry, Hammer pairing. I do not think Keith would fair the same.
Yes, I do think Keith is among the best in the league.
Seabrook is as well.
I would give Seabrook solid A for what he does, but more importantly what he allows other to do
"All questions must be submitted in writing"
Barker
Barker’s trade value is not going to be any higher than it is now. Unload him and his cap hit and pick up a serviceable defenseman who won’t embarrass you.
mind the roses, mind the dew, wash your willies, when your through.
I think
You’re being much tougher with your grades than you need to be. Screw the critics.
When you look at the big picture, we’re allowing the least amount of shots in the league and have one of the best if not the best GAA in the league. Yes, the forwards and the system has a lot to do with it, but no more than the defense. Our defensive pairings are playing out of their collective minds.
There’s been MANY times this year when I had to double take the jersey because I thought Sopel was Keith or Hendry was Hammer. With the exception of Barker, I think just about everyone needs to be bumped up at least a half a grade and Campbell needs to be an A+.
You may need new or some glasses
If you mistook Sopel for Keith.
Hendry, Sopel, Hammer I sometimes get confused, and my 11 year old will correct me (damn kid).
There is no mistaking #7, #2, and #51 for me.
"All questions must be submitted in writing"
Most of the games I watch are on grainy pirated feeds.
When you can’t see name at all and barely the number, yes, I have mistaken Sope with Keith. I’ve never mistaken anyone for Campbell or Soupy.
I do think sometimes
Hendry and and Hammer play similar styles.
Never have mistaken Sopel for anyone else though.
If I can't be a good example, I'll just be a horrible warning
they were defensive partners back in the "A"
by chiblackhawks on Jan 7, 2010 3:19 PM CST up reply actions
Very interesting
Thanks! I don’t keep tabs on who’s coming through the pipelines of the AHL.
If I can't be a good example, I'll just be a horrible warning
neither do I but I know someone who follows the IceHogs very well
She pointed it out when Barker was hurt and wondered if Hendry and Hammer would play together. (Of course, this would leave Soupy with Sopel, so let’s just say maybe Q was onto something when he decided not to reunite them.)
by chiblackhawks on Jan 7, 2010 4:53 PM CST up reply actions
I'm with some of the latter commenters
Campbell, Seabrook, Keith – All A’s.
Hjalmersson – B+
Sopel – B
Hendry – B
Barker – C+ (I think he has a plenty of time to continue his recent improvement- he looked strong in the second half/playoffs last year, and is still young. I predict a Troy Brouwer-like rebound in the second half)
Workin the day shift at the graveyard and the graveyard shift at the Days Inn.
Good write-up...
…but the grades seem kinda “vs. expectations” and don’t reflect the fact that the Hawks have the best team defense in the league. I lean closer to chormeis ratings:
Keith A+: Anchors league’s best PK, #2 on team in scoring, #2 in league in TOI, +13 against top opposition lines. More important to this team’s success this year than anyone, including 20 cent..
Biscuit A: Monster +/-, lots of hits, big TOI, shares brain with Keith.
Soup A: Much better offensively lately, but the biggest difference this year is on defense. Hustles, takes hits, big TOI and +/-. Better than he was in the playoffs last year.
Nintendo A-: Limited offensively, but remarkable in his own end for someone with so little experience.
Hendry B: Great speed, hustle puck moving. No drop off with Hendry in line-up.
Sopel B-: I love the way he’s played- couldn’t hope for anythng more. Limited mobility means he will get beat in open ice. Best when paired with one of many Hawks speed d-men.
Barker C+: The only guy not playing with fire in his own end. Occassional hits, big body, great shot, great game-winner in Edmonton, lots of stupidity.
Everytime
I watch Sopel block a shot, I think “better him than Dunc/Seabs.” He’s like a human bulletproof vest.
Bears, Beets, Battlestar Galactica.
by AirTrafficAJ on Jan 7, 2010 11:10 AM CST up reply actions
good call
agreed
by oneminuteremainingintheperiodoneminute on Jan 7, 2010 11:15 AM CST up reply actions
You mean...
KEITHBROOK!?!?
"What the hell, let's review it." - Dale Tallon
"They are!" - Pat Foley
"What a farce." - Dale Tallon
you know what I find hilarious?
that Seabrook’s younger brother is called Keith.
by chiblackhawks on Jan 7, 2010 1:15 PM CST up reply actions
Hendry and Hammer
Are both RFA’s after this year.
They make 650K (approx) each
Barker makes 3 mil
Yoda could double Hendry and Hammer’s salary and it would equal Barker.
Barker needs to be traded now for draft picks or goalie prospect
"All questions must be submitted in writing"
+1
Agreed. Would love to move him before the trade deadline this year while he still has some of his “young and potential” value to other teams around the NHL.
by Northside_Dan on Jan 7, 2010 11:25 AM CST up reply actions
+ gazillion
Although if he’s traded, I think the focus needs to be having a solid D. Without him, if there’s injury who else is there to call up from Rockford to fill in? (I really don’t know actually.)
If I can't be a good example, I'll just be a horrible warning
also agree
I haven’t given up on Barker yet, I think he can play better than he has this season. But, Hendry and Hjammer’s play, coupled with Barker’s salary, makes Barker the expendable crew member at this point. Or Sopel, I know I’m always quick to defend him (he’s the 6th D-man, for crying out loud, what do you expect?), but so far, I think he’s out-played Barker, and Barker has a bigger trade value.
by DirkGrahamKnuckleSandwich on Jan 7, 2010 2:09 PM CST up reply actions
something just sounds right about a hendry-sopel 3rd pairing. i think we just want barker to be better than he is. he’s the reason why i’m in favor of the kovy trade (if its legit).
by oneminuteremainingintheperiodoneminute on Jan 7, 2010 11:21 AM CST reply actions
Kinda sucks when
the talent surrounding you is magnificent, only amplifying your insufficiencies and you’re just…Barker. He gets paid waaaay more than Hammer and Hendry, but still has no nickname? Sorry son, Baller status incomplete.
This is all you are ever going to get out of Barker. Get rid of him soon so you get the most value for him.
mind the roses, mind the dew, wash your willies, when your through.
I agree that Barker hasn't looked good far too often
but with D maturing much slower (in general – I’m guessing Hjammer is both pretty smart & very emotionally mature, like Toews), I can just picture trading him away and seeing him turn into a dominant D allstar in another 3 years. Sort of the Pronger arc of ‘worst #1 draft pick ever’ candidate to Norris candidate, but on a much smaller scale.
In general, the D corps as a whole has to be in the A to Aplus range. Yes they have a rather high drama quocient for a A to Aplus D group, but the team plays a high drama style that is largely made possible by the play of the D.
by krome on Jan 7, 2010 11:43 AM CST via mobile reply actions
That will never happen with Barker. You can wish all day for that but it ain't gonna happen.
mind the roses, mind the dew, wash your willies, when your through.
No, no, and no again.
First off, I don’t think any D-man for the best overall defense in the league can be graded any less than B. Each one of these guys I feel comfortable when they’re on the ice. I don’t think I’ve ever felt that in my 20+ years of Hawks fandom.
Now…
All the trade talk in the blogosphere is why about every 3 weeks, some writer has to explain that the Hawks do not need to make any moves this season. It’s been said — and I think it’s pretty evident — that Chicago probably has the best locker room chemistry in the league. Why would they fuck it up by trading a useful part of that because some guys need to be signed for next year? They’re not trying to win next year’s Stanley Cup!
After the season is over, we can talk about how much it’s going to suck seeing Barker or Versteeg or Byfuglien — if not all of them — in another jersey. But it’s very conceivable that they’ll at least have their name on a Cup.
If you do it after the season you will lose a lot of the value for Barker as opposed to doing it now
mind the roses, mind the dew, wash your willies, when your through.
Even more of an incentive to do it now.
mind the roses, mind the dew, wash your willies, when your through.
"Value" be damned
Trading Barker now(ish), and seriously undermining the idea of this team winning a Cup this year, is absolutely the worst message to send. I’ll just go on record to say, there is no chance this team makes unnecessary moves this season to address future salary issues. 2010 Stanley Cup is first on the agenda, as it should be!
You are assuming you are getting nothing in return. If you trade him and his cap hit and then turn around and pick up a serviceable defensemen you have lost nothing. Trading Barker is not going to upset the psyche of this team anymore than trading Wiz last year did
mind the roses, mind the dew, wash your willies, when your through.
I'm not assuming that.
I’m saying trading Barker, or anybody, just because his salary is more than Hammer or whoever needs to be re-signed, is not going to happen. We all can see who is probably “the core” that the Hawks will keep. But every guy is playing a good role, including Barker. If he were a minus player, maybe I could see fomenting a trade. He’s not a liability, he just doesn’t meet a lot of people’s expectations. Bottom line is: don’t expect a trade that addresses the salary cap for the future. It will not happen. The Wiz trade wasn’t because of money, it was because the team needed a veteran center who could win faceoffs and check top scoring lines. This year, the Hawks will get two major additions around the deadline: Bolland and Burish. Forget about Kovalchuk, too. No need to do anything except see about a championship with this roster, a likely possibility.
I’m still having a hard time with any Blackhawk fan thinking about any year but this!
by jhb on Jan 7, 2010 1:11 PM CST up reply actions
It will likely be harder to shed salary after the season
when all the other GMs know we have to do it.
If a good deal comes along now, then you really have to take it.
Exactly my point. Then you every GM holding you for ransom because they know it's a buyers market.
Mind the prickles, mind the dew, wash your willies, when your through. Miss the roses, miss the grass, Old Man Winter can kiss my ass. Always make sure your stick is active.
But when Barker isn’t offering you anything significant that you couldn’t get in much cheaper options (Hendry), why wouldn’t you move Barker for a prospect and free up some cap space?
Unless you think Barker is a valuable cog in the unstoppable force that is the Blackhawks right now…which is a whole different (crazier) argument.
not that we're all ripping on barker (myself included)
isn’t it about time for him knock out like 10 points in 10 games to make us all look like a bunch of ass monkey’s?
Thoughts on Barker and GMing
1. He may yet become a good PP QB, a skill set the league freaksihly loves. He’ll never be more than average as a d-man per se. Still- the size, the shot, the youth- there’s gotta be some sucker out there.
2. But not this year. Someone posted the other day about our lack of defensive depth beyod the seven guys here. Apparently, if we suffer two injuries on the backline, Hi, I’m Bob LeDonne suits up.
3. A lot of the Kovi deal stuff is predicated on the notion that, after the end of the year, we lose Buff, VERSTEEG!, and Barker for a bag of dicks. If true, this is a reasonable basis for making a deal, provided you don’t hurt this year’s team (not a problem with Kovi). But, I’m skeptical of this view. Signing the Big 3 were supposed to be a mathematical impossibility. Plus, I thought part of the upside of the Tallon-RFA thingee was that VERSTEEG! et al were now locked up for three years.
4. For this year, we like our people.
"bag of dicks"?
"In an ideal world I would have all 10 fingers on my left hand so my right hand could just be a fist for punching."
"bag of dicks".............
I agree Barker will be a late bloomer….or is a late blommer….Wat do we have in the minors to replace him next year…….and I hate to talk about ne\xt year when we should enjoying this year
"Trying is the first step towards failure" Homer Simpson
Well...
There’s not a ton of NHL-ready talent in the Hawks system for d-men.
Shawn Lalonde might be at the top of the class and he’s got that offensive-d-man pedigree Barker was supposed to have. But he’s probably not ready to make the NHL jump yet. Dylan Olson is a few years away, but a blue chip prospect. Simon Danis-Pepin would be the most likely candidate, but he’s a d-zone guy and wouldn’t contribute much offensively. However…he’s like 6’6" and when I think of him, I start to see Chara…then I start to drool…then I slap myself back to reality.
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