Hello Old Scum: NHL
So um heal up Jimmy..Starting Wednesday at 10 pm: Chicago Tribune
No love loss: Comcast Chicago
HAHAHAHA: SN AUTOPLAY
I think there may be worse problems: TSN
Can’t think of much else to do today after a day off for most. So let’s see who’s been naughty and who’s been nice.
The Dizzying Highs
Marian Hossa – Well I’m not sure I quite agree with the Tribune’s assertion today that at 35 he’s better than ever (more people probably needed to see him play in Atlanta), he was certainly vintage stuff this week. Three goals and four points in three games, while firing 16 shots. We’ve talked about what Hossa’s shot totals mean, and it’s always heartening to see him getting his share. Maybe he’s taking some of Toews’s opportunities away, but no one cares at this point. I’m still jumpy about what he’ll look like after the Olympics and in the playoffs, and we know that there will be some nights where he never gets out of third gear. You can also look for him to not be in the lineup for a game or two in March, as that back is always a concern. But for right now, he’s the dominant force we know and love.
Ben Smith – This one might be a bit of a stretch, because there aren’t really any numbers to back this up, and he was a -2 over the week. But watching him play he’s been a badass. Simply everywhere and never stops working, and his PK work has improved. I still don’t know what he is (my heart says 3rd-4th line tweener), but his high rate of work definitely makes up for the lack of mobility on the other side of his line.
Crow honored: Chicago Tribune
That’s a good guy to model your game after: SunTimes
True, but cap hits aren’t: Comcast AutoPlay
In my opinion these should be flipped: TSN
Its time to troll..but was quite the streak: ESPN
vs 
Game Time: 7:00PM Central
TV/Radio: CSN, WGN-AM 720
The Stickiest of the Icky: Mile High Hockey
As difficult as it may be to compute, the Hawks tonight will play game 49 tonight of the 2013-2014 season, now surpassing last year’s abbreviated campaign, still four days shy of a year from when that season started . They’re currently only 7 points off their record pace of last year (though Friday’s guests the Ducks are only 2 back), though it feels like it’s been a a bit bumpier ride so far. But with a full 82 on the docket on this go-around, longevity will once again be rewarded, which is something the visiting and upstart Avalanche are beginning to deal with themselves.
Hey atleast there was one guy in the UC with a worse own goal story:Suntimes
Rediculousness snapped: Cheer the Anthem
Not for VerSteeg! Chicago Tribune
Chevy has some problem in the Peg: Sportsnet.Ca
a steady diet of Svíčková will make this possible: NBC
Stymied: SunTimes
Yes I booed Gorilla Salad:HockeeNight
Oh Well: Cheer The Anthem
A shaky 20: Chicago Tribune
Gretzky likes Team Canada: TSN
Canada’s Team for the Goodwill Games:Sportsnet.Ca
It’s been obvious to anyone that’s been paying attention that the Hawks’ game has been off since the turn of the calendar, if not a little before. Sure, Sharp and Hossa and Toews covered it up in New Jersey, and have at other times. But they certainly weren’t near their best on Long Island, or in New Jersey, the Sharks kind of dictated play on Sunday, and here we are tonight.
The Hawks had their spurts. The 2nd period, or most of it, was one-way traffic. But they didn’t start well, Crow gave up a couple goals he’d like back, and the 3rd was just kind of… meh. They thought about winning it, they didn’t really look like they wanted to until it was too late.
I don’t think it’s anything other than a midseason malaise. You knew there’d be a dip somewhere. The Hawks used to make it in March. Maybe it’s now. But some factors that we’ve been talking about were once again on show.
Captain Canada????NESN
Sharp deserves it:PuckDaddy
That’s what happens when your country invented the sport: NHL.com
A column about hockey and cold weather…..Mind Blowing idea: SunTimes
Rosy to represent my Great-Grandmother’s Nation: Chicago Tribune
Hossa and Zus to represent Slovakia:USA Today
Swiss Trio:IIHF
Well I think Chicago has seen that first-hand: Comcast
Actual management potential in Buffalo: Puckdaddy
That time again to get a little nerd-y. Or a little more nerd-y than we already are.
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This got some play last week thanks to The Score’s Jay Zawaski. But that’s the amount of goals at even-strength that Patrick Kane has scored with Michal Handzus as his center. And that’s the center he’s played the most with. It kind of defies belief. You’d think Handzus would have been struggling to the bench just once while Kaner was dancing through defenders or something. It just hasn’t happened.
If you’re interested, and you are, Kane has scored his most even-strength goals with Brandon Saad, the winger he’s played with most, with 7. He’s also scored 7 with Andrew Shaw. This may be something even Joel Quenneville has seen, as Saad has joined Kane on a line the past few games.
This doesn’t mean that Shaw is the perfect center for Kane, perhaps just the best out of bad choices. Kane scored four even-strength goals with Brandon Pirri, but the seven with Shaw have come in half the amount of time on the ice. Kane’s Corsi% is also about 12 points higher with Shaw than either Pirri or Handzus.
Why? Harder to pin down. Some could be matchups. We know Shaw doesn’t win any draws so it’s not that. Mostly, it might simply be the mobility that Shaw has and he can at least be somewhere when Kane has the puck. Most of Kane’s production is off the rush and one-on-one. You don’t want him trying to produce on a cycle too often. Shaw can at least keep up.
Is Shaw a #2 center? Almost certainly not. Honestly, I think he’d be better at wing where his forechecking and getting to the net would be more pronounced by not having to constantly be low in his own zone. But right now, he might be the best solution of what currently is on offer.
