Faxes from Uncle Dale

Recent Posts

  • An Elegy For Brandon Bollig

    Bolligballs

    This ran in the March 4th print edition for the game against Colorado, right after Bollig had signed his inexplicable three year extension. So it’s with no small amount of glee that he was traded to the outpost of Calgary over the weekend, where the new braintrust will appreciate what he brings to the table, and he will have a new batch of high school girls and jock sniffing misogynists to impress. And that he recently bought a condo in River North just makes it extra hilarious.

    (credit also must be given to the inimitable mightymikeD for the above image)

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  • Mornings Links 6/30/14

    Mornings Links 6/30/14

    We think so too! Suntimes

    Its pronounced Cal-Gary: Chicago Tribune

    So the field is narrowed: TSN

    We have seen it already: Globe and Mail

    Draft recap: Hockeenight

     

  • Draft Wrap: It Smells Better Around Here

    Pretty glorious day, no?

    Sure, we’re making too much of a deal of barely a fourth-liner (or barely an NHL-er). But at least we now know that Stan sees what all of us sees, or saw. And Stan is at least making attempts to re-jigger this team how he sees fit, with more speed and skill (thus the pumping and re-signing of Morin). And the fact that some team was dumb enough to give up not just a draft pick, but a 3rd rounder which could be somewhat valuable, I nearly plotzed! Watch what a difference actually having a 4th line could make next spring.

    As for the picks today, well, who knows if any of these guys will come up for air. But we’ll do what we can to see what the Hawks have picked up.

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  • Hawks Draft Nick Schmaltz

    Hawks Draft Nick Schmaltz

    It didn’t come with the fireworks we thought tonight. We all held out breath when it was reported that Hawks’ and Sharks’ reps were at the NHL table filing a trade, but in the end it just ended up being a swap of picks so the Hawks could move up. Which leads you to believe that Nick Schmaltz was a target of theirs and they went out of their way to get him.

    What Schmaltz sounds like is basically a slightly bigger, American version of Teuvo Teravainen, with perhaps more finish. But Schmaltz’s game is definitely pass-first, and everyone raves about his vision and hands. He doesn’t have the size you might like, but is very strong on his skates and squirts out of traffic well.

    Schmaltz has a rep for tacking a shift off or even a game off here and there, but I’m not going to dismiss a 17-year-old because his focus might waver at times. We’ll see what he does at North Dakota. He has to work on his defensive game, but who doesn’t at that age? Once again the Hawks have drafted for serious skill, which seems to be a habit of theirs. As we said, past Teuvo and Danault the Hawks looked a little short down the middle in the system. They addressed that tonight.

    Tomorrow should be more interesting, as if they’re going to dump Oduya for picks and cap space it will be then.

  • Draft Day Funstravaganza

    Draft Day Funstravaganza

    Shit’s about to get really wacky, if it hasn’t already.

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  • Morning Links 6/27/14

    So no hometown discount?: PHT

    Plan Bowman (sorry): Blackhawks

    Kicking lots of tires: ESPN

    Muir’s mock sees Hawks get tender: SI

    How is this not set yet?: NHL

  • Boys For Sale – Draft Preview: The Forwards

    Just as we did last night, we’ll give you a few names that should, or could, be around when the Hawks pick at #27. Though today Stan Bowman said he’s not averse to losing that pick for something else, so this all might be moot anyway.

    Not that the Hawks tend to draft for need, they generally take the best player available, but the system is short on centers. Right now it’s only Teuvo and Danault, so I’m assuming all things being equal they’ll take a center. That said, they’ll probably just take the best player that’s on the board when it gets to them.

    Let’s get to it, then:

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  • Exit Interviews: Andrew Shaw And Bryan Bickell

    Exit Interviews: Andrew Shaw And Bryan Bickell

    They were ostensibly on the third line, at least when the season started, though neither ended up there when the season was over. They shouldn’t be any higher than the third line when next season starts either. But we’ll get to that.

    Andrew Shaw

    Regular Season: 80 games, 20 goals, 19 assists, 39 points, +12, 0.55 Behind The Net Rating, 16.51 Corsi per 60 (+5.7 Corsi Relative per 60)

    Playoffs: 12 games, 2 goals, 6 assists, 8 points, +5, 2.44 Behind the Net Rating, 10.99 Corsi per 60 (+17.9 Corsi Relative per 60)

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  • Morning Links 6/26/14

    Morning Links 6/26/14

    Well that escalated quickly: Suntimes

    I know several great Czech places: Sportsnet.Ca

    I would like to see more friendly conversations like this: PD

    Now that’s a cap friendly deal: CBS

    I like players that frustrate the status quo…ESPN

  • Boys For Sale: Draft Preview – The Blue Line

    The Hawks will do other things besides swing some trades this week. They’re also going to pick some kids (unless Stan trades the entire draft for some player because he temporarily switches brains with Mike Ditka. Because that went so well. Lesson, kids: Don’t switch brains with Mike Ditka).

    Looking at the Hawks system, they are short on centers. Big shock, I know. But once you get past Teuvo Teravainen, really the only center prospect is Phillip Danault (and who knows if he’s involved in any of these trades). Mark McNeill has been moved to wing, whichever Broadhurst it is that plays center doesn’t project to be an impact player, Tyler Motte is a couple years away, and so on.

    They’re better stocked on the blue line. We know Stephen Johns will most likely make the Hawks next year, and behind him there’s Adam Clendening, Klas Dahlbeck, David Rundblad could all make appearances for the Hawks next year. They’re all ready for sure. There’s a couple in a wave behind that as well. But today we’ll focus on the d-men, and tomorrow will look at some forwards. Maybe. Depending on my sobriety level after the US match.

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