Like any healthy person, you can only spend so much time looking inward. Eventually you get sick of everything in there, and it’s a good thing to take that distaste for the world and aim it at others (I think?). So with that in mind, it’s time to stop poring over our internal questions and look at the other teams in the Central. And while I could never hope to come close to replicating what Andrew Cieslak does about the Blues over at HockeeNight.com, I’ll do my best.
Oh good, I was worried there’d be nothing to complain about: Trib
As long as all 5 guys stand still it won’t matter who is out there: ESPN Chicago
TVR might be a thing: CSN
Hmmm I don’t know what to make of this: PD
Just keep on keepin on, right?: PHT
The Hawks cut down their roster to 28 today, sending various scraps to Rockford, along with two of their security guards in Cody Bass and Pierre-Cedric-Luc-Zinedine-Stephane-Thierry Labrie off to pasture as well. The Hawks have five more cuts to get to 23, if they can even end up carrying 23 depending on how they solve this cap problem that Stan has backed himself into. Because I’m totally sure the offers he’s hearing as we get closer to the regular season are getting better all the time.
I have previously broken down the ways a leading team played in a Score Effects situation last season. We are now ready to look at the ways teams played when trailing 2 or more goals in a game. The theory of Score Effects tells us that teams get more aggressive offensively when trailing by 2 or more goals in the first and second period and even when down by one in the third period. The theory also posits that most teams go into a defensive shell in this situation or at the very least take less chances on offense thereby decreasing their shot output.
In order to determine how the trailing team plays, shot rates including Shots For, Corsi For and Fenwick For are helpful. When a team was down 2 or more goals, these rates can be compared to the same rates for each team at Score Close. A comparison of a trailing team’s sh% (Shooting Percentage) when down 2 and at Score Close is also useful.
Watched most of the Hawks dance in Saskatchewan with the Oilers online yesterday, perhaps in an attempt to use anything to wash that Bears taste out of my mouth. Although the feed was pretty poor, taken straight from the scoreboard there, a couple things worth noting.
-Unless there’s a trade of him, I’m guessing that Versteeg-Shaw-Bickell combo is probably going to be your third line on Opening Night. I still find it pretty curious how much they’re pumping Versteeg through the media. The whole thing smacks of “methinks the lady doth protest too much,” but it could be he actually does look good another year removed from knee surgery. He’s still completely superfluous on this team and his salary makes him kind of a millstone. But whatever. He does look better.
I also find it fucking hilarious that even the Oilers radio team was on an “EARN YOUR MONEY BICKELLMAN!” rant during the game. I don’t know what people expect from Bickell during the regular season, but he was more than fine last year despite what his coach thought. Anyway, the unit looks fine for now.
There wasn’t much to talk about after last night’s what-have-ya at the United Center. About the only people who looked interested were the ones fighting for notice. And the only ones who had enough skill to do that were Danault, Morin, and Rasmussen. Other than that, it looks like the veterans are already bored and the ice is already shitty. So we’ll just run through some notes quickly.
I’ll have some thoughts either after or in the morning. Share yours during the course right here.
As Stan Bowman gets closer and closer to his meeting with the Salary Cap Bobs, by now you’ve heard most of the names that are likely to go. Oduya, Leddy, Versteeg, with the latter two being the most likely, with whispers of Rozsival and Bickell behind that.
But should Andrew Shaw be part of this discussion?
The straight numbers wouldn’t be enough like they would be with Leddy, Versteeg, and Oduya. Shaw makes an even $2 million and the Hawks would have to shed a little more, possibly also packaging him with Versteeg. And yet it’s not a name you hear much. But what is Shaw worth to the Hawks, and what might he be worth to another team?
As Stan Bowman gets closer and closer to his meeting with the Salary Cap Bobs, by now you’ve heard most of the names that are likely to go. Oduya, Leddy, Versteeg, with the latter two being the most likely, with whispers of Rozsival and Bickell behind that.
But should Andrew Shaw be part of this discussion?
The straight numbers wouldn’t be enough like they would be with Leddy, Versteeg, and Oduya. Shaw makes an even $2 million and the Hawks would have to shed a little more, possibly also packaging him with Versteeg. And yet it’s not a name you hear much. But what is Shaw worth to the Hawks, and what might he be worth to another team?
