Everything Else

Touch Me I'm Sick

By 1064 0

None of the lockout news coming out today, and what little of it there is, will encourage you. And the dearth of it simply makes me sick. I’m sure I’m not the only one.

Locally, Patrick Kane is the first big-name Hawk to jump the pond and head overseas (sorry Bicks and Stals and Fro). He has signed with EHC Biel of the Swiss League, probably so he once again pants a team that either Rick Nash or Joe Thornton is on. Oh my god, do you have to check out the Team Page for them, as they’re all done up to look like extras in 300 in hockey pads.

Biel is already sporting Marc-Antoine Pouliot and Tyler Seguin (see how he sticks out on that roster page). I’m sure Seguin and Kane will in no way lay to waste whatever they find in front of them in the Swiss League. It’ll probably feel like London all over again for Kaner.

What does it mean?

Everything Else

Touch Me I’m Sick

By Sam Fels 1165 0

None of the lockout news coming out today, and what little of it there is, will encourage you. And the dearth of it simply makes me sick. I’m sure I’m not the only one.

Locally, Patrick Kane is the first big-name Hawk to jump the pond and head overseas (sorry Bicks and Stals and Fro). He has signed with EHC Biel of the Swiss League, probably so he once again pants a team that either Rick Nash or Joe Thornton is on. Oh my god, do you have to check out the Team Page for them, as they’re all done up to look like extras in 300 in hockey pads.

Biel is already sporting Marc-Antoine Pouliot and Tyler Seguin (see how he sticks out on that roster page). I’m sure Seguin and Kane will in no way lay to waste whatever they find in front of them in the Swiss League. It’ll probably feel like London all over again for Kaner.

What does it mean?

Everything Else

Checking In With The Kids

By Sam Fels 1253 0

That time again. Let’s go around the continent to see which Hawks prospect got up to what. Because it’s basically all we have to talk about that isn’t a bunch of finger-pointers and name-callers and I swear to god when I feel like I’m significantly more mature than two groups of people, you know you’re in fucking trouble. Sorry, bit of a rant there. Let’s move on.

Everything Else

Morning Links 10/23

By Ken Oda 1103 0

He’s Peanut Tillman, and you’re not.

This is dumb, and have BJs fans ever really received an “NHL experience”: (CSNChi)

Marc Savard is still dizzy: (ESPN)

I guess the NHL and NHLPA subscribe to my ex’s philosophy on problem solving: (PHT)

Which is why we’re missing games and may miss more: (Toronto Sun)

Sergei can kiss the fattest part of my ass: (SI)

Marc Savard is still dizzy: (ESPN)

dirty: (PD)

Everything Else

Standing At The Doorstep To The Precipice

By Sam Fels 1286 0

Or something. As we are about to close out the first day of what everyone’s making out to be the biggest week of the lockout, I thought it might be a good idea to separate what’s real and what’s fluff for public consumption. Which is to say, all of it.

First off, if you haven’t read our godfather James Mirtle’s piece from Friday, you probably should. It’s an excellent breakdown of real numbers that I couldn’t possibly calculate and wouldn’t want to. The big takeout of it is that they are arguing over 3% of their total revenue. That’s it. You can’t be that far from an agreement over 3%.

Now, 3% is still a lot of money on the ground. It’s about $100 million. That’s a lot of money to you and me and a lot of people. But is it a lot of money in this? Hard to say, but probably not. To the owners that only $3 million per team (not that it works that way, but let’s go with it). That amount isn’t going to be the difference between the teams losing money to being profitable. Because even the players admit some teams are in more trouble than that.

Everything Else

Living Piggy LIves

By Sam Fels 1554 0

Figure we should keep the Hogs’ exploits separate from the rest of the kiddies. And that’s partly because they’re probably  not going to be as uplifting as reading about Phillip Danault or Broadhurst or the others. It’s been a stuttering start for the Hogs, and that’s being a bit kind.

One habit they’ve gotten into, which is detrimental to anything you want to accomplish, is blowing leads. They scored first in all three games they played this week, and yet only managed to win one. That’s not very good. They also love to take penalties, and dumb ones at times. But the combination of a pretty ferocious kill and some gymnastics by Carter Hutton have kept them from getting lacerated so far. The biggest injustice of the season is that the IceHogs’ only win came without Hutton in net, because he’s deserved it the most.

Everything Else

Morning Links 10/22

By Joe DeTolve 1289 0

~The night is darkest before the dawn~

The League thinks the framework is on the table:(SN)

Should we reflect on the game? (GnM)

Fehr explains the players side:(SUN)

Blackhawk Up’s # 1 (BU)

No optimism from SCH (SCH)

Five Mikita dates to remember:(BH)

Rogers is currently intransit to cover this story: (PD)

A look at the Wolves trip to Vancouver (VP)

 

Everything Else

Your Weekend Viewing Guide

By Sam Fels 1305 0

It’s our second NHL-less weekend, and before we get to what you can do to fill the time — though not with anything wholesome or actually useful because who the fuck wants to do that? — let’s try and clear up some of the gloom and doom.

You have to look past the publicity stunts that abound in this negotiation right now. And it’s all publicity stunts. As evil it was, you kind of have to marvel at how the NHL was able to turn the PR war on it’s head in the span of what felt like seven minutes. But walking out of a meeting after less than an hour isn’t going to help anything, and nor is having your barely literate union members take to twitter to try and nail themselves to the cross.

In the end, both sides have gotten to a 50-50 split, and both have offered to get there next year. They may argue how to and what comes along with it, and maybe those obstacles are bigger than they seem. But the NHLPA’s “3rd” proposal and the NHL’s last really aren’t all that far apart, considering where both sides started from. And while there won’t be any news this weekend most likely, just like there’s been every time they’re not actually meeting there will be back-channel phone calls and conversations, and that’s kind of where the real work gets done.

Anyway, the viewing:

Everything Else

Morning Links 10/19

By Ken Oda 1298 0

“I’m afraid that this offer comes off the table at midnight”

Reaction to the most recent “talks”: (TSN) (PHT)

Sid the Kid speaks on the “negotiation process”: (PHT)

and on possibly breaking Claude Giroux’s wrists: (PD)

Here’s a shock, players from 2010 held a presser and Jessie was there to talk to everybody: (ESPNChi)

Crow will be ready if/when the season starts (CSNChi) (autoplay)

I miss Doc, I want him back in my life, but not like this… not like this: (AA)