Everything Else

Remembering The ’15-’16 St. Louis Blues

By 1869

Once again, we were asked to eulogize the St. Louis Blues upon their exit from the playoffs for Yahoo!’s Puck Daddy Blog. 

“Slayed the dragon!”

That’s a phrase we’ve gotten used to around these parts. Upon this day when we come to mourn/kick dirt/wildly celebrate yet another Blues playoff exit before anything a banner would be raised for, It’s time to consider that. We heard it five years ago, when another continually good-but-not-good-enough team hellbent on measuring its manhood every shift beat a deeply flawed Hawks team, took the most amount of time to do it, and celebrated as if it was discovered drinking beer gives you superpowers. A team with Cup aspirations screaming out its lungs needing every bounce and break to beat a third-placed team. It was Vancouver then. It’s St. Louis now. That’s some company you keep, Blues.

The Blues told us that triumph in the 1st round signalled that everything was different. This win proved that they’d learned their lesson. No longer was this a disgusting organization run by calculating, ham-handed, born-on-third executives with a section of their fandom doing their best to prove that evolution does not actually exist and become the scorn of the rest of the hockey world.

Oh wait, we’re supposed to be talking about the Blues and not the Hawks. Sorry, back to that.

Everything Else

We Like To Watch – May 16th: The Good Fortune Of Mistakes Not Made

By 1418

If you haven’t read Ryan Lambert’s What We Learned on Puck Daddy today, you should. It’s pretty instructive on not just how luck plays a huge part in playoff success on the ice, but also off the ice. And considering how most NHL teams are run, the moves you don’t make–or more to the point the ones you aren’t allowed to– can shape an organization’s future and present. It also kind of lets you know just how backward a lot of teams still are.

And that also applies here. While everyone still rushed to praise Stan Bowman and his staff, even though they might be the most born-on-third front office in the history of the game, there are slices of good fortune in moves they weren’t allowed to complete that played a huge role for them.

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The “Irreplaceable Shaw,” Pens-Caps, Boudreau, And Other Argle Bargle

By 1730

Lotta strands floating in Ol’ Duder’s head today. Let’s see if we can’t get through it all.

-So it took me a day or two to get around to commenting on Joel Quenneville’s assertion that Andrew Shaw is “irreplaceable.” We know that Q has a loose grip on what a salary cap actually is, considering the way he spent the first month or two of the season in a strop (not Pedro, #HatToTheLeft) that Brandon Saad wasn’t around even though there was no way the Hawks could sign him for what he got. That’s unfortunate, given how much sway we’re pretty sure Q gets over personnel decisions. Or maybe he doesn’t get enough say and that’s why he shits on the ones Stan makes. But that’s not why you called.

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Talk Of Windows Means I Can Say “Defenestration”

By 1522

Yesterday we picked through the wreckage of this season, so today it probably follows that we pivot and what’s ahead. At some point this summer, there’ll be talk of how much is left in the Hawks’ “window.” That’s up for debate and there are things that Stan can do to extend it, or also shorten it.

What is obvious to anyone who has read this blog this season for more than five minutes (other than the desire to talk about music or beer far more than hockey), is that the Hawks are going to be right back here in a year’s time if they don’t figure out their blue line problems. They can say a summer of rest will rejuvenate Keith, Hammer, and Seabrook but two of those guys are over 30 when next season rolls around and Hammer is approaching. The simplest and most obvious answer is they’re going to jam The Hill They Will Die On (TVR) into the second pairing again, but this is not an answer to any question anyone is asking.

Everything Else

A Touch Too Much

By 1981

Looking back at the night and series before, it isn’t just bewildering that the Hawks’ season came to a conclusion on the back of not one but two shots hitting both posts in this series (Andrew Ladd managed it in Game 3 as well). It’s bewildering that this sort of margin hasn’t come to bite the Hawks before. Of all the things that have been impressive about the last seven or eight seasons, it’s that the tiny, tiny margins that playoff games and series are decided on have rarely if ever bitten the Hawks until now.

Seriously, the Hawks are Zdeno Chara hitting a post and and whichever multiple OT game against Nashville or Anaheim swinging the other way from having just one Cup and essentially being Penguins West. It is that thin for an organization that has constantly rolled out some of the best and deepest teams in the league.

But then, you notice the luck more when your team is flawed in the ways the Hawks were this season.

Everything Else

A Spider Monkey Is A Good Lie: Hawks at Blues Game 7 Preview/Purge

By 1471

Hawk Wrestler vs. old_school_blue_l

PUCK DROP: 7:30pm

TV: NBCSN, CSN, CBC In Da Great What Nort’ 

PALLBEARERS: St. Louis Gametime

Well now we’re gonna see if #ThisTimeWillBeDifferent, aren’t we?

There’s so much riding on this game tonight for St. Louis I kind of want to hurl in delight. If they lose, their coach will assuredly be fired, playing staff will be changed. We can look for CAPTAIN! to have a new address next year (probably going to happen anyway). Kirk ShattenKevin will almost assuredly go on the trade block again. The great goalie search of St. Louis could kick up into hyper drive again, or they’ll try for the 87th time to give the job to Jay Gallon and he’ll watch it go right by him.

If they win, then they’ll have slain their biggest demon, overcome a major mental hurdle, and be looking at a matchup with a Dallas team that probably won’t have its top center and is trying to play with no goalies and a defense that uses the youth soccer tactic of just chasing the puck in packs. There might be some validation for this Blues core with a win tonight. With a loss, it gets broken up.

For the Hawks… eh, if they don’t win they’ll have been a flawed, tired team that still has three banners in seven years with a core intact that is always in position to make a run for more. Win tonight, and they’ll have broken a main rival for nearly just the sheer joy of it. Who’s got more pressure y’think?

Everything Else

Beard Of The Day – April 25th: The Undertaker

By 1570

undertaker

We’re sticking with the wrestler theme and going away from our normal drummer post on a possible clincher. It is not just a season the Hawks look to bury tonight. It is an entire era of an organization. So we summon The Phenom, The Dead Man, The Best There Ever Was. St. Louis, the Creatures Of The Night request your demise.

Everything Else

I’m A Bad Man, I Do What I Can: Blues 3 – Hawks 6 (Series Tied 3-3)

By 1537

Box Score

Event Summary

War On Ice

Like this wrap was ever going to come last night.

Normally, you’d come here for some shrewd analysis and a couple insults/jokes about the game. Today I don’t feel like that. Feels like something a little more emotional is needed. For most of the season, I’ve been accused of being overly negative, much too extreme. And you know, that’s basically correct. While I think it is our job to poke holes in common narratives (for instance, the utter hokum that was “Dark Horse Norris Candidate) there have been times where I’ve been sour just for the sake of it. As most of you know, this season hasn’t been all that much fun for any of us here. Whether you agree with that or not, I think we’ve illustrated pretty clearly why so you could understand. The Hawks have made themselves a hard organization to root for, and those complaints and feelings are still very much present. I’ve let that boil over at times, and I know that. I’ve openly rooted for opponents or made it clear I didn’t care if the season ended on Thursday or last night. That’s over the top.

And then games like last night happen, and you are thoroughly reminded why you bothered in the first place.

Everything Else

With Intellect And A Savoir-Faire: Blues at Hawks Game 6 Preview/Paint Huffin’

By 1368

old_school_blue_l vs. Hawk Wrestler

PUCK DROP: 7pm (so calm down)

TV: NBC

I AM BECOME DEATH: St. Louis Gametime

Done it once, can you do it twice? And then thrice?

The Hawks staved off elimination on Thursday night, essentially letting the Blues punch themselves out in the 3rd period and 1st overtime without landing a knockout blow. The Hawks slowly, slowly made their presence known at the end of the first OT and then were the better team in the 2nd, bringing everyone back to Chicago for a Saturday night on the town. And really, where would you rather spend a Saturday night?

Everything Else

April 23rd Beard Of The Day: Kevin Owens

By 1571

Kevin_Owens_bio

Guess we’ll stick with the wrestler theme, worked on Thursday. Kevin Owens is something of the true wrestling fan’s wrestler on the main roster. While he certainly doesn’t look like the true Greek God that the WWE would prefer, Owens made his name on the indie and Japan and NXT circuit by simply being better than everyone else in the ring. There isn’t an Owens match that doesn’t have you completely riveted, and his NXT title match with Finn Balor last August is considered one of the best of the year anywhere. He also cultivated the perfect heel personality, which certainly is something the Hawks are working towards. Few are better on the mic, or carrying their persona and telling a story through a match than Owens. Oh, and he’s had the same blood feud with Sami Zayn for years now, much like the Hawks and Blues. If the Hawks are going to extend this, they’ll need to Fight Owens Fight.