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Once More Unto The Breach – The Committed Indian’s Season Preview: Rules Changes and No HBO

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Depart a little from your questions to day and Hawks specific stuff, and go over some rules changes were going to see this season, and some of them might have more effect than you think.

The one I think might go a little under the radar here is that no longer will faceoffs move out of the offensive zone after a shot ends up in the crowd. Even if the shot is fired off the glass and into the crowd, or off the post, or even deflected by a teammate, the ensuing draw is going to stay in the attacking zone.

This will result in more offensive zone draws, which you’d think in theory would lead to more goals. I don’t know that it will. But I do think it’ll make some difference that a defensive team is basically not going to get a “free out” any more, and to exit their zone they’re going to have to get it out themselves. Watch this one closely.

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Once More Unto The Breach – The Committed Indian’s Season Preview: Dineen and 24/7

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We continue our roll through what will matter and what won’t in the upcoming season. Today we go over to longtime guy I Am Not Chico Maki and his two queries.

Will the addition of Dineen (and subtraction of Kompon) be noticed in any tangible way on and/or off the ice?

On the ice maybe. If Kompon was in charge of the power play, then we can assume that Dineen will be as well. If Kitchen takes it over, then God help us all. Anyway, the thing is it’s fun to joke about how incompetent Kompon made the power play (it’s one of Kings’ fans faves), but the Hawks did finish 10th last year with a respectable 19.5% clip. Of course, the year before that they were awful, and each year in the playoffs they’ve been pretty much woeful for long stretches.

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Please Help Fund Edgar’s Fight

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Not being a person who reaches out for help frequently, every now and again situations arise where it’s borne out of necessity, and this is one of those times. And it’s necessary to use the audience we have created and trust to help friends of mine.

Edgar, the 8 month old son of two friends of mine, was recently diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. He’s a sweet, happy child, and his parents are proud, good people, but they are however staring down the predictably immense medical bills for both Edgar’s procedure to remove the tumor, as well as the chemotherapy that is set to begin shortly.  At present he is doing well and hardly knows anything has happened having undergone a procedure last week to remove the malignant tissue, but there is still more treatment to undergo.

So if there’s anything you can spare, please click over to Edgar’s fund raising site, and do not hesitate to pass it along. And many, many people are grateful for anything that can be generously spared. Thank you.

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Once More Unto The Breach – The Committed Indian’s Season Preview: Teuvo, Richards, Mashuguna and More

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Time to start, and because he’s earned the right we’re going to kick this off with the very bearded and very Irish MightyMikeD’s queries:

When do we see Teuvo?

That would depend on who you talk to. Most seem to think he’ll start the year in Rockford, in which case it’s likely he would be up no later than the Holidays, depending on the rest of the lineup shakes out and injuries and other various factors.

Me? I think he starts the season with the Hawks.

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Don’t Let The Doorknob Hit You

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In what was an inevitable turn of events, Kevin Hayes allowed the statute of limitations or whatever on signing his entry level deal with the Blackhawks expire, and as a result is now a free agent and free to sign with any team he pleases. And that’s ok.

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Better Leave Her Behind With The Kids, They’re Alright

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It’s always a weird mix at Prospects Camp. You have the made men of 1st round picks and this year they’ve added the spice of kids already in the organization. You have the mid-level picks who definitely have something to prove before they had back to whatever campus or Canadian backwater to work on their games. And you have the college free agents who very well may never wear a NHL logo on their chest again and are doing their best to make it count.

I don’t know how much you learn from any of it, especially with a team like the Hawks who have a pretty much set top roster and one in Rockford that will have a lot of returnees trying to move up the depth chart. But it can’t hurt to look. So I moseyed down there today to catch the scrimmage. Just some random observations:

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Friday Foofaraw: Father’s Day

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Yep, that’s Dad.

Going to take a break from player reviews today for some more Friday goofiness. With Father’s Day this weekend, I thought I’d provide my father George a gift by sharing his writing with those of you who are interested. Though he was about as self-deprecating as a person as there could be, Dad was never shy about boasting about his writing. And neither am I.

I know a lot of you come here for the analysis or the music/Simpsons references or the creative swearing (and we’re proud of that), but some do come for the style and writing we use (which we still find strange but to each his or her own). My father George was the back-page columnist for Billiards Digest for over 30 years, and even though I’m obviously a little biased I think I can still safely say he was one of the best sportswriters I have ever read. You don’t have to know anything about pool or billiards to enjoy it, which I think is about the highest compliment you can pay. My brother (writer for CubsDen on ChicagoNow.com if you didn’t know) and I constantly reach for this standard, knowing full well we’ll never come into the same zip code as Dad.

The Digest has catalogued the last few years of his columns as well as his best work from his entire career, and you can get to that right here. However, there is one column that’s always been one of my favorites that isn’t on there, so I’m going to share it with you below.

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The Empire That Wasn’t

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In last year’s Stanley Cup commemorative issue of the Indian, I believe in the first paragraph I declared that this was “The Blackhawks Era.” It felt like that at the time. And having a few days to reflect, maybe that’s the pain that won’t subside now. Because at best, the Hawks are going to have to share this era.

Last night didn’t really do anything to dissuade most of us that the Kings will make quick work of the Rangers and collect their second Cup in three years. And once that happens, we’ll have to wait another year before making that claim again, and even then it will sound pretty hollow with another team holding multiple championships, if the Hawks return to the summit.

I fully recognize that this would be the hockey definition of #FirstWorldProblems (a phrase I abhor, by the way). Fans of 28 other teams wish they had this conundrum, and I get that. But being a sports fan means being greedy. One championship is never enough, unless there are extenuating circumstances like a certain Northside baseball team (I don’t know if Sox fans think 2005 is enough or not, but I’m guessing no). Two means you have a chance to go down in history forever. And you don’t want anyone else doing that with you.

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We’ve Got The Neutron Bomb – Kings At Blackhawks – Preview/Pregame Thread/Coming To Jesus

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King Jerry Lawler  @  oldschool

Game Time: 7:00PM CDT
TV/Radio: NBCSN, CBC, RDS/WGN720
You Bet That I’ve Got Something Personal Against You: The Royal Half, Jewels From The Crown, Battle of California

After two pretty thrilling games, things now end up on back on Madison for one final showdown as the Hawks were able to upset the Kings in LA on Friday. The big question is simply – how much do the Hawks have left in the tank?

As Fels stated after Wednesday’s game, the Hawks were running in the red for just about the whole game. And of course they did with with largely only 9 forwards. Things were more of the same Friday night. Bollig played only 6:46, Handzus only 9:25. Patrick Kane meanwhile played 20:40, more than any other forward and more than even Seabrook. It certainly didn’t hurt his game in the third though.