This could be huge: WaPO
Ofcourse he did: Chicago Tribune
Impressed with TVR: DH
Priorities: CSN AP
So this means that you should probably give your best play money: PD
My favorite time of year: Grantland
Get to know him: TSN VIDEO
Watched most of the Hawks dance in Saskatchewan with the Oilers online yesterday, perhaps in an attempt to use anything to wash that Bears taste out of my mouth. Although the feed was pretty poor, taken straight from the scoreboard there, a couple things worth noting.
-Unless there’s a trade of him, I’m guessing that Versteeg-Shaw-Bickell combo is probably going to be your third line on Opening Night. I still find it pretty curious how much they’re pumping Versteeg through the media. The whole thing smacks of “methinks the lady doth protest too much,” but it could be he actually does look good another year removed from knee surgery. He’s still completely superfluous on this team and his salary makes him kind of a millstone. But whatever. He does look better.
I also find it fucking hilarious that even the Oilers radio team was on an “EARN YOUR MONEY BICKELLMAN!” rant during the game. I don’t know what people expect from Bickell during the regular season, but he was more than fine last year despite what his coach thought. Anyway, the unit looks fine for now.
It’s only been a week since camp has broken with one pretend game played, and already this feels interminable with 5 more to go, starting tonight with the untelevised affair in Detroit. Is it April yet?
There’s been a lot of words both written and spoken about the Hawks cap crunch, and yet there hasn’t been a lot of focus as to how we got here as once again a member of the Hawks’ brass escapes any scrutiny from the main press. That’s ok, gives me something to do!
That said, I am a Stan Bowman fan. But since the parade of 2013… well, let’s just say that Stan hasn’t done his best work.
There’s been a lot of words both written and spoken about the Hawks cap crunch, and yet there hasn’t been a lot of focus as to how we got here as once again a member of the Hawks’ brass escapes any scrutiny from the main press. That’s ok, gives me something to do!
That said, I am a Stan Bowman fan. But since the parade of 2013… well, let’s just say that Stan hasn’t done his best work.
Taking a break from eviscerating the players and people who made being a Hawks fan character-building at times, and going to look at the Hawks’ still lingering cap problems for this season.
It’s kind of surprising that Stan Bowman hasn’t, or hasn’t been able to get the Hawks under the salary cap for this season. We were sure there would be a deal at the draft, and there certainly were a lot of talks, as that has usually been Stan’s M.O. Bolland and Frolik were punted there the previous season, after all.
With the aquisition of Brad “Religion” Richards, even at the cap friendly number of $2 million dollars for this season, the Hawks are now currently around $2.2 million dollars over the cap while carrying 22 players on the active roster by opening night.
This means that someone is going to have to be voted off of the island in short order, particularly with the Convention coming up in a couple of weeks. If there’s one thing that McDonough and Blunk are conscious of it’s optics, and they’d hate to have a player kissing hands and shaking babies all weekend at the Regency just to have someone’s favorite player launched, even if they technically don’t have to until opening night in October. Add that to the cover that the long holiday weekend will bring tomorrow, as well as the tendency for media types to try to bury bad news on a Friday afternoon, and it would not be the least bit shocking to see someone go tomorrow.
at 
Game Time: 8:00PM CDT
TV/Radio: NBCSN, CBC (Anglo), RDS (Franco), WGN-AM 720
Let Me Ride: The Royal Half, Jewels From The Crown, Battle of California
After less than 48 hours since Game 5 and its breakneck pace, the Kings, Hawks, their coaching staffs, upper management, fans, and the general sporting public have barely still all barely caught their collective breath. And there’s still the absolutely terrifying prospect that tonight will be as equally insane, if not moreso.
vs. 
FACEOFF: 7pm Central
TV/RADIO: NBC for Yanks, CBC for hosers, 87.7 FM
WALKING IN L.A.: The Royal Half, Jewels From the Crown
So for the first time this postseason, the Hawks find themselves even after just two games, having lost for the first time at Fort Kickass on Madison. To regain the lead, the Hawks will have to do something they haven’t done since in San Jose in 2010. That’s win their first game on the road in a series. That’s right, it’s been that long.
vs
Game Time: 2:00PM Central
TV/Radio: NBC, RDS, TSN/WGN720
Hootenanny: Hockey Wilderness
Game 1 was far from perfect. There was yet another two goal lead that vanished and some glaring holes were once again visible. The Hawks are capable of pulling away from a team in a hurry (just watch whenever Kaner decides to freak the fuck out) but they’ve also shown they are more than willing to let other teams right back into games. I would be more concerned with this trait if it didn’t seem to be a league-wide thing this year. It seems every game has had its share of blown two-goal leads. Not sure of the reason for it but at least it makes for some pretty exciting, heart attack inducing hockey.
