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Pens-Hawks Wrap and Weekend Music Pick

By Sam Fels 1211 0

Bit of a mini-wrap today for last night’s exhibition, and one of us will do the same for tonight’s tilt in DC (speaking of which, the Hawks aren’t doing the White House visit today, but you know that McDonough isn’t going to miss the chance to do so. The Hawks aren’t back in Washington until April, which is going to look awfully stupid when the playoffs are days away. If you can’t get to the White House within months of winning, don’t go at all).

So my thoughts:

-On to the main question of camp, and I’m obviously biased but I didn’t see anything that makes me think this Saad-at-center experiment makes any more sense than I thought it did to begin with. He had one nice set up to Kane on the power play, which came from the wing. He got drilled on faceoffs, but as we know the Hawks don’t really care about that. But other than that, I didn’t really notice anything. Which tells you something, because last year hardly a game, or a shift, went by where you didn’t notice The General.

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And So It Begins – 2013-2014 Blackhawks Season Preview – The Line Blender

By Matt McClure 1150 0

It had to come down to this eventually, but it’s time to take a look at how the lines figure to shake out given the roster turnover. At least for how they’ll probably look for the first 10 minutes of Banner Night against Washington, before Quenneville gets impatient and plays Handzus 18 minutes.

The inimitable Laaarmer wants to know:

Saad, Pirri, Shaw, Kruger, Toews. Who’s gonna play where and with whom?
(you all know this is the question you want answered)

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And So It Begins – 2013-2014 Hawks Season Preview Q & A

By Matt McClure 1449 0

Last week when solicited, you, the loyal Committed Indian Juggalo for the important questions that you need answered regarding this upcoming season, you certainly did not disappoint. Despite a maximum four-banner winning season from our Men of Four Feathers and minimal (by comparison) post-championship roster turnover, there are still some pressing issues facing the club as camp is about to break.

So without further ado, we begin.

Everything Else

And So It Begins – 2013-2014 Hawks Season Preview Q & A

By 1255 0

Last week when solicited, you, the loyal Committed Indian Juggalo for the important questions that you need answered regarding this upcoming season, you certainly did not disappoint. Despite a maximum four-banner winning season from our Men of Four Feathers and minimal (by comparison) post-championship roster turnover, there are still some pressing issues facing the club as camp is about to break.

So without further ado, we begin.

Everything Else

Here Comes The Brain Again, Falling On My Head Like A Memory

By Sam Fels 1318 0

While the Convention passed with many video montages, cute moments, and fun had by all, of course there was one bit of news that came out on Saturday that probably deserves a little focus now, and a whole lot of focus come training camp.

Joel Quenneville announced that your leading contender for the #2 center role next year is….Brandon Saad.

Does Brandon Saad play center? No. Has he since he was 16? No. Was he drafted as a winger? Yes. Does he exhibit any skills that scream “put him in the middle!”? No.

Let’s have some fun. Here are the names of everyone who’s been tried as the center behind Jonathan Toews since the Hawks and Patrick Sharp decided that winning a Cup with Sharp at center was something they never wanted to do again because it would be more fun this way:

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No Rest For The Wicked

By Matt McClure 1691 0

To the surprise of exactly no one with a functioning brain, it’s been announced today that Stan Bowman will use the Hawks’ two “Compliance Buyouts” on Steve Montador and Rusty Olesz.

This will free up some much needed cap room, and these two players were the two obvious choices. But Bowman can’t and won’t stop there.

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All The Presidents’ Men: Hawks 4 – Oilers 1

By Sam Fels 1130 0

Well, it wasn’t exactly as locked in and authoritative as it could have been. But it didn’t have to be, and they certainly aroused more passion tonight than they did Monday. Against the Oilers, it barely takes a whisper of a care to win, and the Hawks managed that… at least after the first 10 minutes where this looked like a kindergarten class that got into the Jolt Cola. Yes, Jolt Cola. I know some of you drank it once upon a time.

The one big difference was the Hawks were far more engaged tonight in front of their own net than they were on Monday. The rest of the ice? Eh, comme ci comme ca. But in front of both goalies, they were determined to tie up sticks and knock over bodies. Hence, the Oil never really sniffed much.

Let’s get the bullets out of the way then so we can all move on to Friday:

Everything Else

All The Presidents' Men: Hawks 4 – Oilers 1

By 1047 0

Well, it wasn’t exactly as locked in and authoritative as it could have been. But it didn’t have to be, and they certainly aroused more passion tonight than they did Monday. Against the Oilers, it barely takes a whisper of a care to win, and the Hawks managed that… at least after the first 10 minutes where this looked like a kindergarten class that got into the Jolt Cola. Yes, Jolt Cola. I know some of you drank it once upon a time.

The one big difference was the Hawks were far more engaged tonight in front of their own net than they were on Monday. The rest of the ice? Eh, comme ci comme ca. But in front of both goalies, they were determined to tie up sticks and knock over bodies. Hence, the Oil never really sniffed much.

Let’s get the bullets out of the way then so we can all move on to Friday:

Everything Else

It’s Like Looking In A Mirror, Only Not: Hawks at Oilers Preview/Pregame Thread/Eyebrow Threading

By Sam Fels 1393 0

Hawk Wrestler vs. Daniel-Plainview1

FACEOFF: 8:30pm CENTRAL

TV/RADIO: CSN, WGN Radio 720

THERE WAS A TIME: mc79hockey, The Copper And Blue, The Boys On The Bus

I guess when the Oilers brass are drawing up this reconstruction plan that the Oil have been in for as long as you’d get sentenced for assaulting a cop, they look at the Hawks and try and convince themselves that’s what they’re trying to create. After all, back in the spring of 2008 it looked like the two teams were in the same place.

Except the Hawks bothered to draft and develop actual defensemen and their forwards maxed out. Details, details.

Everything Else

It's Like Looking In A Mirror, Only Not: Hawks at Oilers Preview/Pregame Thread/Eyebrow Threading

By 1076 0

Hawk Wrestler vs. Daniel-Plainview1

FACEOFF: 8:30pm CENTRAL

TV/RADIO: CSN, WGN Radio 720

THERE WAS A TIME: mc79hockey, The Copper And Blue, The Boys On The Bus

I guess when the Oilers brass are drawing up this reconstruction plan that the Oil have been in for as long as you’d get sentenced for assaulting a cop, they look at the Hawks and try and convince themselves that’s what they’re trying to create. After all, back in the spring of 2008 it looked like the two teams were in the same place.

Except the Hawks bothered to draft and develop actual defensemen and their forwards maxed out. Details, details.