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Once More Unto The Breach: The Committed Indian’s Season Preview: Biggest Weakness

By 1043 0

Today’s line of discussion comes from SuperHawk27:

The Hawks addressed what many said was their biggest weakness by signing Brad Richards for the 2nd line center spot, so ….What is the Hawks biggest weakness now if Richards pans out? Which team(s) in the west is the best equipped to take advantage of this weakness?

This is a tough one, because looking over the roster there certainly aren’t any glaring holes. And while I’m heavily tempted to say the head coach is the biggest weakness because I’m a giant smartass, that almost certainly isn’t true and even if Q has faults (at times crippling ones) the things he does well help make this team the force that it is.

So, where should we look?

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Exit Interviews: The Goalies

By 1346 0

It’s time for a season review, and as we have a lot of time to kill between now and the draft, we might as well comb the whole roster. Normally, we would do this one player at a time and we will, but it’s easier to knock out the goalies together. So let’s get to it, shall we?

Corey Crawford 

Regular Season Stats – 32-16-10, 2.26 GAA, .917 SV%

Playoffs – 11-8, 2.53 GAA, .912 SV%

What We Liked: Basically, everything that happened in 2014. Once Crow came back from his groin injury on January 2nd, he was exemplary. From that date until the end of the regular season, Crow’s numbers were a 2.06 GAA and a .920 SV% in 32 games. And while Toews and Kane got more of the spotlight for OT or game-winning goals, the Hawks do not get out of either the first or second round without Crow. His performances in wins in Games 3, 5, and 6 against St. Louis and Games 5 and 6 against Minnesota were just about as good as anything he put up in 2013 if not better. And at least there wasn’t as much talk about his fucking glove-hand this time around. Anyone who truly complains about Crawford has basically marked themselves out as a moron.

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Careful What You Wish For – 1st Round Preview: The Blues Goalies

By 1305 0

This is a strange situation in a couple ways. It feels like for most of the season, the Blues and their fans were salivating at the prospect of getting the Hawks in the playoffs. They’ve been a headache for the Hawks for years, even when they sucked, and as we all know victory over the Hawks would mean more to their hilljack fans than an actual Cup. It might even be that way with their players.

For the Hawks and their fans, we just didn’t want to deal with it. Some of it was fear. Mostly it was just the high level of annoyance that would accompany a series with St. Louis. The cheapshots, the bullshit, the yapping, and the drivel that tumbles out of the gaping maws of the unwashed of Missouri and Southern Illinois. Basically, I thought I would have to turn off the internet for this series.

Until lately. Now, it feels like there’s a sense of dread coming from the Southwest with their late-season collapse and the numbers correcting and here come the bitterest enemy to simply put them out of their misery. And we’re feeling pretty good, with how the Blues are playing and the Hawks somewhat snapped into gear since Kane and Toews got hurt.

It could be a careful what you wish for situation in either direction. I’m not sure which it is. But we’ll go do our normal playoff preview, and we’ll start with the biggest question down there, the man in the mask.

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And So It Begins – ’13-’14 Hawks Preview: The Man In The Very Expensive Mask

By Sam Fels 1361 0

Fun note. We saved all these questions on a Google document, and it’s all under the “Drive” menu. Every time I click it, I just keep saying, “Hey, kids, where are you? Nobody tells you what to do….” I also just told you that because REM references piss off McClure to no end. Anywho, let’s keep this train a’rollin’.

Today’s question also comes from Laarmer:

Crawford. Good or bad?

I feel like we’re going to be pretty exasperated writing about Crawford this year. I just feel  it. And let me tell you why.

Everything Else

And So It Begins – '13-'14 Hawks Preview: The Man In The Very Expensive Mask

By 1169 0

Fun note. We saved all these questions on a Google document, and it’s all under the “Drive” menu. Every time I click it, I just keep saying, “Hey, kids, where are you? Nobody tells you what to do….” I also just told you that because REM references piss off McClure to no end. Anywho, let’s keep this train a’rollin’.

Today’s question also comes from Laarmer:

Crawford. Good or bad?

I feel like we’re going to be pretty exasperated writing about Crawford this year. I just feel  it. And let me tell you why.

Everything Else

Antti Raanta And The Forty Thieves

By Sam Fels 1654 0

Nice little break today from the playoffs with some other news happening. So let’s look at it.

The Hawks today signed Antti Raanta, the MVP of the Finnish Elite League season and playoffs. Raanta was pursued by a lot of NHL teams, with Minnesota, Edmonton, and Columbus mentioned as the hottest after him.

Raanta’s numbers this year in Finland are pretty eye-popping. He has a .943 save-percentage in the regular season, and .955 in the playoffs. His goals-against was 1.85 in the season and then a ridiculous 1.33 in the playoffs. Raanta then backstopped Finland in the World Championships, and he was excellent there as well with a save-percentage .928.