Up goes the banner: PuckDaddy
On to the next one: SunTimes
So it begins: Hockee Night
The kill was there when it was needed: Chicago Tribune
Gutty: Comcast (ap)
Advanced Metrics: Extra Skater
Well, we’re about to embark on it all. Before we head into the dress rehearsal tomorrow (please Brandon Pirri, have like four assists), and before we roll out our Central Division special on Monday and then it all kicks off on Tuesday, there’s a few questions we should wrap up. So, let us away, friends.
Will Patrick Kane crack 100 points?
He’s going to make a run at it, that’s for sure. There’s something that happened to Kane last year. He seemed to thrive in cementing himself as a top five player in the league, at least offensively. There seems to be a new determination in him to do things he hasn’t done before. He wants an Art Ross, he wants to be in the Hart conversation, he seemingly wants to erase what he used to be known for. But, as good as he was last year, he was only on pace for only 95 points.
Well, we’re about to embark on it all. Before we head into the dress rehearsal tomorrow (please Brandon Pirri, have like four assists), and before we roll out our Central Division special on Monday and then it all kicks off on Tuesday, there’s a few questions we should wrap up. So, let us away, friends.
Will Patrick Kane crack 100 points?
He’s going to make a run at it, that’s for sure. There’s something that happened to Kane last year. He seemed to thrive in cementing himself as a top five player in the league, at least offensively. There seems to be a new determination in him to do things he hasn’t done before. He wants an Art Ross, he wants to be in the Hart conversation, he seemingly wants to erase what he used to be known for. But, as good as he was last year, he was only on pace for only 95 points.
Here’s a new feature for the upcoming season. Every Thursday, I’ll be throwing together a wide array of thoughts for your viewing (dis) pleasure. So where do we start this? Wherever I want…
Going to pause our season preview a bit and just clean up some stuff today.
-I think it’s best to delve into what bothers me most about this whole Saad-at-center thing. I’m not opposed to experimentation in camp, because it’s the best time to do it. And while every beat writer seems to want to race each other in being the first to say it looks pretty good so far, here’s my biggest issue (and it’s not that there are two natural centers right there for the choosing, although it’s close).
The Hawks are not blessed with power forwards. Bryan Bickell is considered one, and at times he is. But as all of you who have watched the Hawks closely for years know, he’s not always. Maybe he will be now with continued top six time, but have we seen him do it for a season?
Hoping for a healthy happy Hossa Comcast
Bickell too: Chicago Tribune
This is only here because it made me laugh, guess why: Fox
What’s that cliché about athletes after they sign big contracts: CSN
For pro athletes he is kind of right: TSN
This makes no sense: Sunbelt Hockey
Geno is on the right side of history: Pitt Trib
They’re heeeere: Suntimes
Back to work: Chicago Tribune
Another Cup, but the carousel still turns: Daily Herald
Captain Excitement: Comcast
What a dumb slogan: New York Times
So this is what the market dictates: PuckDaddy
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)
SLOW NEWS DAY!!
All around the world: CBC
All I can say is good for Dustin Johnson: ESPN
Because signing a franchise goalie is too hard: PuckDaddy
Can a lower budget help: Backhand Shelf
As was posted in our Morning Links, and then got linked to by Puck Daddy, Kaner’s retrospective on CSN last night drew some attention for showing a little bit of an emotional side regarding the support of his family and teammates and organization after that….whathaveya last spring in Madison.
I think it’s a pretty safe assumption that we’ve written about Kaner more than any other player on this blog in the 5+ years we’ve been doing it (this does not include all the sonnets McClure writes about Sharp on his own and quite possibly in his sleep). Kaner’s never far from the forefront a story’s headline when he’s not actually it himself. On the ice and a lot of times off it, it seems you just can’t keep your eyes off of him.
