Up goes the banner: PuckDaddy
On to the next one: SunTimes
So it begins: Hockee Night
The kill was there when it was needed: Chicago Tribune
Gutty: Comcast (ap)
Advanced Metrics: Extra Skater
And we’re off and running. Had you forgotten what a season feels like when it starts in October? You probably did. I know I had. Let’s get right to the bullets.
-First, the ceremony. This is something the Hawks organ-i-zation really does well, if not a little over the top on patting themselves on the back. But the use of the ice as a big screen is always cool, and just like in 2010 they used interviews with the players to highlight the key moment (this time being the :17). It really brings it home that they were in just as much shock as we were. We were all kids then. Speaking of which, nice touch on having the kids bring the banner to the players, though it would have been better to give them a quick, personal introduction.
-I always find it a little off that Rocky is wildly cheered when introduced, same with McDonough, but then I hear all the moaning when ticket prices are raised. Who do you think does that? Still, they both deserve the cheers, because all we ask is that they provide us a winner for our money.
vs 
Game Time: 7:00PM Central
TV/Radio: NBCSN, WGN-AM 720
What A Bunch Of Clowns: Japer’s Rink, Russian Machine, Puck Buddys
It’s unclear whether or not it’s ironic or appropriate or appropriately ironic that two teams from Washington and Chicago actually begin working on a day that began with a full government shutdown, the literature majors in the audience can determine that. What is clear, however, is that the Blackhawks will tonight raise a banner for the second time in the salary cap era, something no other team has done. And unlike the last time this happened, they’re in an actionable position to do so again.
Just about 30 hours or so from the new piece of cloth going up to the rafters. And as I do every year, I’ll take a whack at predicting what goes on this season. I think the only thing I’ve ever gotten right was Hawks-Flyers in 2010 (so did McClure, and boy did the Flyers make it interesting before getting there). But we’ll do it anyway. I’ll invite the other three goofs on this blog to add their predictions to this post later today, but they have lives which I don’t. So no guarantees that I won’t be the only one hanging himself upon his own petard.
Let’s do it:
Hawks point total – The number 102-105 keeps ringing around my head. Of course, last year the Hawks were on a 131-point pace (Jesus Christ!), but no one expects that again. 102 in the old set up would have landed the Hawks probably a 4th or 5th seed. 105 near the top I would think. I just don’t see them ducking the injury and fatigue bugs all season as they pretty much did last year (only Sharp missed significant time). In this new division set up there are certainly easy points to rack up, and the Conference as a whole won’t be as tough as it once was with Vancouver and Anaheim sure to backslide at least a little. Only Edmonton looks like it has a chance to rise up, and even then only a little.
Would 105 win the division? Probably. Not sure 102 will. Pretty sure it won’t matter if the Hawks are mostly healthy in April.
We tune it up for real now. The Hawks have picked their roster that will head into the regular season…..for at least one or two games. Remember, it’s not been beyond Q and Stan to change things early. And considering the moving parts the Hawks have, we should expect all of those who lasted until the last cut to get a look at some point. They might all get one before October is even out. So chin up there, J-Mo, Pirri, and one or two others.
Now that the roster is set, let’s pick through the decisions that were made.
-The upset was that Joakim Nordstrom will skate out on Tuesday with the big club, which I don’t think anyone saw coming when camp started. It’s always slightly easier for an energy player to make a splash and carve out a spot on the 4th line, but Nordstrom wasn’t the pick of most.
Like everyone else, I’ve liked what I’ve seen. Fearless, quick, looks like a player who can help keep the puck in the other end which is all you ask of a 4th line. But I wouldn’t get those #42 jerseys just yet. I remember Pirri making the team two seasons ago out of camp and getting all of one game.
The other thing to watch is that Nordstrom is only 21 and has played 11 games on this continent that count, those being last year in the AHL after his Swedish season ended. If he’s here he really needs to play. While the Hawks are no longer in the business of development, it would be kind of a waste to just have him in the pressbox every game. But a 4th line of Smith-Shaw-Nordstrom would be extremely annoying to play against. Nordstrom also will get a look on the kill, which should save a top-sixer the duty if he sticks around. As we’re all interested in conserving minutes for the big guns, that’s a good thing.
That is of course, until he sits for Bollig.
Well, we’re about to embark on it all. Before we head into the dress rehearsal tomorrow (please Brandon Pirri, have like four assists), and before we roll out our Central Division special on Monday and then it all kicks off on Tuesday, there’s a few questions we should wrap up. So, let us away, friends.
Will Patrick Kane crack 100 points?
He’s going to make a run at it, that’s for sure. There’s something that happened to Kane last year. He seemed to thrive in cementing himself as a top five player in the league, at least offensively. There seems to be a new determination in him to do things he hasn’t done before. He wants an Art Ross, he wants to be in the Hart conversation, he seemingly wants to erase what he used to be known for. But, as good as he was last year, he was only on pace for only 95 points.
Well, we’re about to embark on it all. Before we head into the dress rehearsal tomorrow (please Brandon Pirri, have like four assists), and before we roll out our Central Division special on Monday and then it all kicks off on Tuesday, there’s a few questions we should wrap up. So, let us away, friends.
Will Patrick Kane crack 100 points?
He’s going to make a run at it, that’s for sure. There’s something that happened to Kane last year. He seemed to thrive in cementing himself as a top five player in the league, at least offensively. There seems to be a new determination in him to do things he hasn’t done before. He wants an Art Ross, he wants to be in the Hart conversation, he seemingly wants to erase what he used to be known for. But, as good as he was last year, he was only on pace for only 95 points.
I put no stock in predictions, but damn this is a cool cover: Blackhawks.Com
This goes against everything I was ever taught: SunTimes
New Role for an old face: CSN
Pressure on Bickell: SunTimes
I like this story:Washington Post
After last night’s pretend game against a very real Penguins roster wherein the Hawks’ B-cast relatively held their own, more cuts came down today from on high.
The following players won an all-expenses paid trip to lovely Rock Vegas:
The #Blackhawks have assigned eight players: D. LeBlanc, T. Broadhurst, P. Danault, B. Froese, K. Beach, A. Raanta, B. Mills, M. Shalunov.
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) September 24, 2013
Additionally, veteran meatbags Brad Winchester and Theo Peckham were put on waivers, for the purpose of being sent to the Swine.
So what does this mean moving forward?
Two preseason games left, and two at the disposal of our throbbing brains Friday and Sunday. Did we learn anything? Do we ever? Let’s try anyway….
-Let’s get to the biggest debate or competition coming into camp first. And we really haven’t cleared anything up at all. Thanks to Brandon Pirri’s injury (though he’ll play tonight and I bet he sticks around long enough to get a look in the last preseason game, too), Drew LeBlaahhhhhh had a chance to seize the #2 center derby by the throat. I can’t really say he did. He hasn’t been good on draws, and other than his assist to Sharp against Pittsburgh, I haven’t really seen him do much in the two away games. He’s tidy if nothing else, but it’s been far from inspirational.
And it might be that the Saad Experiment is over, because yesterday he was playing on a wing with Toews. If they really wanted to push it they would give him all the game time at center they could. Maybe jumping to conclusions, but that’s just the way it looks. Which is fine, because Saad didn’t show much other than confusion at the pivot anyway, and I want my Rick Tocchet back.
All of which leads me to believe that either Handzus or Kruger is going to be centering Sharp and Hossa (if he can stand up) on Oct. 1. The only way that doesn’t happen is if Pirri blows them away in the next week. But I would bet some combo of Smith, Handzus, Kruger, and Shaw fill out the three spots behind the captain. I’m rooting for Pirri, though. Just cuz.
