Everything Else

High On The Hog: On The Road

By 1983

The Rockford IceHogs, AHL affiliate of the Chicago Blackhawks, have several short road jaunts this season. There is nothing resembling the two extended trips that is standard for the Hawks. In fact, the longest the Hogs will be away from the BMO Harris Bank Center is four games.

The IceHogs are in Charlotte today to begin the first of what will be four such stretches with two weekday tilts at Bojangles Coliseum. Let’s take a look at how the lads in Rockford are doing heading into the back-to-back down Carolina way…

Everything Else

Angry At Numbers

By 1588

Been a while since I did one of these, and with a decent amount of games there’s some interesting things to look at now. So let’s do it.

-One of the questions heading into this season, and one that will be studied throughout to figure out what to pay him after it, is what is Artemi Panarin? Especially when it was likely that he would not stay on the same line the whole season with Patrick Kane. Apparently, he’s a hell of a fucking player. I know, right? Who knew?

Again, it’s only one month. But last year, Panarin’s CF% was basically right in line with the team’s, a good but not other-wordly 50.7%. That was just a tick below the team-rate, which is probably a little more impressive than it first looks as Artem Anisimov didn’t win a draw from January on.

This season, Panarin is simply kicking the dicks in of anyone around him. He’s rocking a 56 CF%, which is a +7.8% over the team rate. That’s the highest relative mark on the team by a decent margin over Duncan Keith, and is top-30 in the whole league of every skater.

Everything Else

You Again?: Flames at Hawks Preview/Dog Grooming

By 1315

flames atlanta vs. Hawk Wrestler

RECORDS: Flames 4-5-1   Hawks 5-3-1

PUCK DROP: 7:30pm

TV: CSN

TEGAN AND SARA FANS: Flamesnation.ca

Projected Lineups

flames-lineup-card

blackhawks-lineup-card

SCORE-ADJUSTED CF%: Flames – 49.0 (20th)  Hawks – 51.4 (10th)

POWER PLAY%: Flames – 10.8 (27th)  Hawks – 23.7 (10th)

PENALTY KILL%: Flames – 72.1 (28th)  Hawks – still bad but climbing!

TRENDS: Gaudreau has four points in his last three games…Elliot has a .941 SV% is last four starts

In another brilliant piece of NHL scheduling, the Flames return to the United Center for the second time in eight days, after having to return home in between because Calgary is just right around the corner. Oh, and after flying out here from Alberta they’ll turn around to head to California right after this one. That’s some excellent work there.

Anyway, much like the Hawks the Flames come into this one starting to cure, at the very slightest, some of the problems that affected the opening weeks of the season.

Everything Else

Ain’t It A Shame?: Cal And Gary Q&A With FlamesNation.com

By 1344

We’ve got the whole crew from FlamesNation.ca, or at least a good chunk of it. Old friend Kent Wilson (@Kent_Wilson), Ari Y (@thirtyfourseven), and Ryan Pike (@RyanNPike).

It’s not that there were huge expectations for the Flames this year, but a lot of people thought they could sneak a playoff spot in the Pacific. It’s been a bit of a wonky first month, what’s been the problem?

Wilson: The stars have been ice cold, the special teams horrendous and they have are taking the 2nd most penalties in the league so far. It’s amazing they’ve won a game. 

Ari: Inexplicable defence pairings, a horrifically anemic powerplay (thanks Dave Cameron. They can’t even enter the zone), still somehow trying to adjust to a new coach apparently, and a really rough start to the season in part thanks to guys like Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan missing the entire preseason (and Monahan may still be dealing with lingering back issues). The Flames only started to look respectable in their first game against Chicago, but the turnaround remains uncertain at this point in time.

Pike: Their four best players (Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan, Mark Giordano & T.J. Brodie) haven’t been even close to their usual levels and, at times, have actually gotten in the way of the Flames capturing points.

Everything Else

All The School Kids So Sick of Books: Blackhawks 3, Kings 0

By 1514

Box Score

HockeyStats.ca

Natural Stat Trick

We’ve been saying since the start of the season that if the Hawks were able to hold the opposition scoreless on the power play, they’d probably be looking at an easy victory. With the Kings coming off a night in St. Louis and (likely) victims of the Chicago flu, the Hawks coasted to a relatively stress-free 3-0 win by killing both of their penalties and capitalizing on the first power play of their own.

Everything Else

If You Know The Name Of The King Being Assassinated: Kings at Hawks Preview/Trust Fall

By 1371

JerryLawler_crop_exact vs. Hawk Wrestler

GAMETIME: 6pm

TV: CSN

NOBODY’S WALKIN’: The Royal Half

RECORDS: Kings 4-4-0  Hawks 4-3-1

Projected Lineups

kings-lineup-card

blackhawks-lineup-card

SCORE ADJUSTED CF%: Kings – 56.0 (1st)  Hawks – 51.4 (10th)

POWER PLAY: Kings – 17.5% (20th)  Hawks – 22.6% (13th)

PENALTY KILL: Kings –  77.8% (21st)  Hawks – Let’s not even

TRENDS: Kings have five players with a CF% of 60.0+… Zatkoff gave up five goals on 16 shots his last outing

It used to be this would raise everyone’s eyebrows when seen on the calendar. But these days, it only takes one first-round exit for both at the same time, the first West final to not feature either in five years, and suddenly it feels like we’re harkening back to something in the past to feel the rivalry between these two teams. Both getting off to somewhat wonky starts probably doesn’t help either.

Everything Else

Over The River And Into The Muck: Hawks at Devils Preview/Peep Show

By 1267

 vs. jon_lovitz-devil-snl-46_2

GAMETIME: 6pm Central

TV: WGN

SPRINGSTEEN SUCKS: In Lou We Trust

RECORDS: Hawks 3-3-1  Devils 3-2-1

PROJECTED LINEUPS

blackhawks-lineup-card

devils-lineup-card

SCORE-ADJUSTED CF%:  Hawks – 51.3% (10th)  Devils – 50.1% (13th)

POWER PLAY: Hawks – 19.2% (16th)  Devils – 23.8% (9th)

PENALTY KILL – Hawks – Awful (Dead Ass Last)  Devils – 90.0% (5th)

TRENDS: Hall has three goals and four points in the past two games, Kyle Quincey… still sucks

The Hawks will embark on a road game for only the third time this season and the last time this month. They’ll be looking for their first point on the road as well. They’ll have a pretty big chance against yet another non-descript Devils team. In fact, the Devils officially changed their name to “The Non-Descript New Jersey Devils.” You didn’t notice, because no one notices anything the Devils really do.

Everything Else

Devils Spotlight: The Fantasies of Sinful Screens Of Taylor Hall

By 1217

God these are getting way dated, aren’t they. Fuck I’m old. Anyway…

Let’s not bury the lede here. The Oilers are absolute fucking morons for trading Taylor Hall. Since he came into the league in 2010, here are the left wings that have outscored him: Sedin, Ovechkin (who has played right wing a lot of that time), Zetterberg (who played center for a lot of that time), Benn, Marleau, Vanek, and Sharp (who also played center for part of that period. So that’s four surefire Hall of Famers, Benn who might have a case when all is said and done, the Hall of Very Good for Sharp, and somehow Vanek got in here. These players just don’t grow on fucking trees.

In terms of analytic numbers, Hall has been far above his teammates for the last five seasons, save one. In the lockout shortened year he carried the water over 8% higher than his teammates. He’s been over 3% better than his teammates twice, and was +0.86% last year as the Oilers began to maybe sort of figure things out.