8 Picks: Chicago Tribune
Come on Gramps: CBC
On the roster would be preferable: Comcast AP
Go get drunk for a good cause: HockeeNight
The top 30: Sportsnet
Well here’s the one you’ve probably been waiting for, or one of them. Certainly no player generated more debate, or more jokes, than Brent Seabrook. We beat the drum of suckage all year, while other screamed just as passionately that we weren’t seeing his brilliance correctly. The truth is almost certainly in the middle (but leaned to our side ha ha ha). Let’s see if we can find it.
But what about the PK!!!!!!! Chicago Tribune
This only matters if you win games in June: CSN AP
Because you get to do this: ESPNLA AP
Don’t worry Q has already called: TSN
Climbing further up the depth chart, the time now comes to take a closer look at Niklas Hjalmarsson, who did alright as far as most people were concerned.
Regular Season – 81GP, 4G, 22A, 26P, +11, +.25 BTN, 53.3% Corsi For, +29.8% CorsiRel
Playoffs –19GP, 0G, 4A, 4Pts, -3, Even BTN, 46.7% Corsi For, +30.7% CorsiRel
Can Hank do it again? CBC
2C: Globe and Mail
The Summer wind: Hockeenight
Seabass said that? PuckDaddy
You’re Welcome: Chicago Tribune
Welcome Dr. Rasmussen: Chicago Tribune
He won’t dress: Chicago SunTimes
We all do it: Daily Herald
Let the rumors begin: NESN
Holy crap they hired outside of the Organ-I-zation: TSN
Help! 538
Such Great Heights: NHL
Hockey players hide injuries? TSN
Fancystats Revolution: Globe and Mail
2-0 Kings: Chicago Tribune
Times were tough: SunTimes
The future is bright: NHL
The ultimate goal: Cheer the Anthem
Choose your narrative: Hockee Night
Its Sucks: CBS
So what went wrong: Suntimes
I’ll let all of you comment on this: TSN
It doesn’t look any better in the light of day I guess. While losing to the best team out there shouldn’t carry too much shame, you still feel the Hawks had a hand in their own destruction. We’ve been here for four exits, they’ve all been different. 2009 was simply not being ready and being outclassed, and that was the beginning. 2011 hurt because it was Vancouver and the Hawks were so close to pulling off that upset, but they really had no business even getting to a Game 7 and needed the Canucks to turn off for two games to do so. The Hawks wouldn’t have gone much farther that year anyway.
It’s a little similar to 2012, where you definitely felt the Hawks left something out there. That was also self-inflicted, or partly, due to Crawford’s bad OT goals, a roster with holes again, and a great performance from Mike Smith.
But we have to sort out the rubble, so let’s do so.
I suppose it would be a cop-out for me to say, “What can I say?” But yet I’m left with nothing else. Before this series started, a lot of us thought it was basically a coin flip. It would be decided on such small margins and plays that it would be folly to try and handicap how it would go. And that’s what it did come down to. A Game 7 overtime, ended on a flipped shot that hits Leddy and floats into the net. Not some great play. Not some massive breakdown. Just a bounce. Didn’t go the Hawks way. Season over.
It would hurt more if I could sit here and say that the Kings aren’t worthy Western Conference champs (and soon to be Stanley Cup champs). But no one around here is going to say that. Because they are. So would the Hawks have been. Just didn’t go their way. A classic series, one neither side will ever forget. Would be better if the Hawks won. But here we are.
We could nitpick about this or that. There’s plenty of time for that tomorrow and the rest of the summer. I sit here and all I can think is that with all the Hawks had put in their way, especially recently but all season (mostly from within), this was as worthy a defense as they could put forth. This is going out on their shields. They made the next champs push to a level that no Kings fan thought they had within them. It’s not enough for now, but it’s hardly worth apologizing for.
Let’s do it one more time, shall we?
