Everything Else

Jimmy Hayes Recalled, Steve Montador To The Rock

By Sam Fels 1261 0

Just a quick note. As you’ve probably seen via the Tweets, Jimmy Hayes has been recalled to the Hawks with Steve Montador free and clear to see if he can skate for seven minutes before getting dizzy with the Piggies.

So finally, the Hawks have showed that they do in fact have an internet connection and seen there’s a body that can contribute with the minor league team.

Where does Hayes fit? Hmmm, not sure. He’s been playing center at Rockford, and I suppose I wouldn’t fall on the floor from shock if they stuck him between Kane and Bickell/Stalberg on the 2nd line. But that seems unlikely.

More likely, he goes with Kane and Bolland and keeps the highly functioning 1st line and 3rd line together. Does Hayes solve the Hawks faceoff problems? Nope. Smith would have. But he’s net presence and some size, and hopefully he won’t get knocked around as much as he did in his first go-around.

Everything Else

Atop The Sugar Pile 3/12

By Sam Fels 1458 0

Holy shit, we can actually legitimately put someone in The Terrifying Lows category and not have it be a stretch! We can bitch again! I feel whole once more!

Right, to it.

The Dizzying Highs

Jonny Revelator – The Captain had five points in four games this week, including two beauty goals. As things started to actually crack and chip, Toews’s line was still dominant in every game. It seems like Toews, Hossa, and Saad create a turnover in the offensive zone whenever they want. And they want to all the time.

General Saad – Only topping Toews this week was Brandon Saad’s six-point week. That included his three-point period against Minnesota, where he was so far and away the best player on the ice it was basically laughable. Saad has become such a weapon that we talk about him improving other lines now, not where he can be protected. Should he be clearing space for Bolland and Kane? Can he skate on the 3rd? Were we asking this a couple weeks ago?

Most players ask that you stand. Saad only asks that you kneel….

Everything Else

Player Usage Chart

By Sam Fels 1249 0

Once again, our boy at HockeyProspectus.com Robert Vollman has dropped some knowledge on us:

Some quick notes on this. The ones in red(ish) are those in the negative for shot differentials when they’re on the ice. Blue is those in the positive. The size is obviously how big the difference is.

So what do we learn?

Everything Else

We Pay Our Debt Sometimes: Hawks 2 – Avs 6

By Sam Fels 1146 0

Well it’s over now. But I can breathe somehow.

I think those are important words to remember. I don’t get the impression anyone is really anyone is losing their shit right now, but just in case. Nothing of any real importance was lost tonight. 45 out of 50 points would be telescopically ahead of “acceptable.” What happens in June will still define what’s gone on so far as special or trivia.

Moreover, if this is what makes the Avs season, let them have it. We have bigger fish to fry. There was a time when they used to. It’s obvious they don’t know. The laugh at the end will be more satisfying. And though I’m no mathematician, I’m pretty sure if the Hawks win 21 of every 25 games in regulation from here on out, we’ll have smiles on our face.

Also, we didn’t learn anything tonight we didn’t already know. Or see anything we hadn’t seen. Or get something we didn’t suspect might be coming.

Everything Else

Evening Reading – Last Night’s CI Editorial

By Sam Fels 1247 0

This was last night’s Editorial from me in the Committed Indian. It got a lot of response, so I provide it here for everyone. If you want stuff like this and more, get a subscription to the CI by hitting the button on the top right of the page. Or just buy one outside the UC. We’re freezing our ass so you can laugh off yours. 

I’m not sure I’ve had as complicated a relationship with people I actually know than I’ve had with Patrick Kane. There are some people who think I hate him, which couldn’t be farther from the truth.
There are some who criticized my pummeling of his social habits because they feel it is his right to do whatever he wants away from the rink. And I agree with that. I only called for him to stop drinking not because he’s a role model or any other bullshit reason like that. I did because he simply isn’t any good at it. Same for Lindsay Lohan. She doesn’t need to stop ingesting whatever chemical she can get her grubby paws on because it might kill her. She needs to stop because she’s just no damn good at it.

But I finally put my finger on it. The bell went off, and I know why I love the kid and will defend him against any attack from any moron fan who wants him traded.
It went off as soon as Kane buried that shootout goal in Detroit, and gave the crowd that arrogant sneer I love so much, combined with the “Da fuck you gonna do about it?” raising of his palms. I get it now.

Patrick Kane is a showman. He’s a performer. He’s a rock star.

Everything Else

20 20 20 24 Games In A Row…..: Avs 2 – Hawks 3

By Sam Fels 1539 0

In tonight’s Indian, as I listed the things that were not totally up to snuff through the first half of the season, I wondered if it was going to matter if it all. Maybe the Hawks had just fallen down the rabbit hole, and logic and reason and anything that made sense was simply not going to make a difference any more.

Well, here’s tonight for you. Phil Collins would probably tell you there’s something in the air.

Everything Else

Atop The Sugar Pile – 3/4

By Sam Fels 1246 0

Sometimes I feel like I’m beatin’ a dead horse….and I don’t know why you keep bringing me down….

That’s kind of what it feels like to try and write about the Hawks these days. There’s a little left to say. We’ve entered the territory of the absurd, and very few people have experience with this sort of thing. But we’ll try.

The Dizzying Highs

The 3rd line – Few would argue that the troika of force that is Andrew Shaw, Bryan Bickell, and Viktor Stalberg haven’t been the Hawks most effective line for the past few games. It seems every shift, they’re pinning whoever they’re against in their own zone for minutes at a time. They’re completing line changes while the other team is still pinned behind their own net. They should have had at least two goals yesterday, got a goal for Bickell against Columbus, had the dagger goal against St. Louis, and we could go on and on.

Everything Else

Blackjack: Jackets 3 – Hawks 4 (OT)

By Sam Fels 1339 0

Tonight, it became clear that the Hawks know when to pick their spots. Are they intentionally doing this? I’m going to guess no. Because I doubt Q is in the dressing room telling them to do just enough to get by the Jackets. But what were the Hawks worst games this year? Against the Flames for sure, there have been three games against Columbus where they’ve been nowhere hear their best, and they were ok against middling Sharks and Stars squads (the Sharks at home).

When have they been at their best? Against the Canucks — Luongo singlehandedly kept them out once and only a 3rd period el foldo kept the other one out — the two games against the Kings, and the Blues last night. Sure, there are some exceptions, but for the most part the Hawks have specialized in doing whatever is needed to get the two points. So it was tonight, for 21.

Everything Else

Most Peculiar Mama: Oilers 2 – Hawks 3 (OT)

By Sam Fels 1271 0

Hockey can be such a strange game. At no point tonight did I feel like the Hawks were out of control or in danger. And yet it took a reviewed goal and overtime to glean the two points from what felt like a pretty overmatched Edmonton team. Maybe I saw it all wrong. But I don’t think I did.

To be fair, the Hawks did some of the things you can’t do against the Oil. They had a stumble on the power play, which let them in on a counter (also didn’t help that Shaw completely fell asleep on Petry there). They gave EdMo unnecessary looks on the PP, which led to a Yakupove goal (though it was off a broken pass, and was about the only time I notice good ol’ Yaks).

And without getting out of 3rd gear, the Hawks found their way back, and found their way to two points. It seems like they’re just always doing whatever to get the two points. So I guess I won’t bitch about that.