There probably won’t be any movement with the hometown 23, but you never know. Discuss here.
It’s a rare weekend off for the Hawks, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t much to talk about. As you know by now, during the game last night the Hawks gave up this year’s 2nd rounder and a conditional pick next year that can be a 4th, 3rd, or 2nd depending on how far they go this spring for Kimmo Timonen.
It’s a strange one, for sure. Rarely, if ever, do you see a player who hasn’t played all year traded for, and actually a team giving up tangible assets to do so. This came only a few days after the Leafs trading for Nathan Horton, who is likely to never play again. Let us not say that NHL GMs haven’t gotten creative.
It’s a rare weekend off for the Hawks, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t much to talk about. As you know by now, during the game last night the Hawks gave up this year’s 2nd rounder and a conditional pick next year that can be a 4th, 3rd, or 2nd depending on how far they go this spring for Kimmo Timonen.
It’s a strange one, for sure. Rarely, if ever, do you see a player who hasn’t played all year traded for, and actually a team giving up tangible assets to do so. This came only a few days after the Leafs trading for Nathan Horton, who is likely to never play again. Let us not say that NHL GMs haven’t gotten creative.
Somewhere, whoever actually runs the Hawks front office should crack open a beer or make a strong drink and breathe a sigh of relief that Patrick Kane’s surgery provides cover today that the Hawks once again missed out on a trade target that would have solved a lot of their problems. And they can sit back and watch as the Kings usurp the era that the Hawks have basically acted that they were entitled to.
It’s a story we’ve had to rehash far too many times the past two years. It’s after the parade, a time when perhaps you have to have the most amount of focus to see through the glow and what must be done. Everything looks a little glossier than it actually is and it’s easy to make a mistake, the ripples of which will be problems for years.
vs. 
FACEOFF: 7:30pm Cenral
TV/RADIO: CSN round here, NBCSN not round here, WGN 720
SOUL MATE DETECTOR: Five For Howling
It’s been 20 days since we put the word “Hawks” after the “at” in the title, and now we’re going to do it eight straight times over a span of 15 days. No one can seem to remember a stretch of homes games like this happening in these parts, so it’s a new experience for all. And it’s a real chance for the Hawks to still be counted in the race for the Central Division, or at least home ice in the first round. Eight points is a ton to make up, but then again you rarely get eight straight home games and 11 of 13, and 12 of 16 to do so.
In the end, it turned out to be a pretty flaccid trade deadline for the Hawks. It makes sense. They’re capped out and would have had to get awfully creative to acquire another center, which is what they need. And you can understand if not agree running for the shelter of going with last year’s team that won instead of risking fucking it up by tearing off a piece to get another.
But therein lies the problem, at least for me. The Hawks are basically standing still, and the rest of the West aren’t. The Blues, Avs, Ducks, and Sharks are unquestionably better than they were last year (and it’s not Ryan Miller’s acquisition for the Blues, but the growth of Jaden Schwartz and the unholy performance of Alex Steen among others). The Kings might not be better, though Gaborik helps and they might not be as beat up this spring as they were last.
In the end, it turned out to be a pretty flaccid trade deadline for the Hawks. It makes sense. They’re capped out and would have had to get awfully creative to acquire another center, which is what they need. And you can understand if not agree running for the shelter of going with last year’s team that won instead of risking fucking it up by tearing off a piece to get another.
But therein lies the problem, at least for me. The Hawks are basically standing still, and the rest of the West aren’t. The Blues, Avs, Ducks, and Sharks are unquestionably better than they were last year (and it’s not Ryan Miller’s acquisition for the Blues, but the growth of Jaden Schwartz and the unholy performance of Alex Steen among others). The Kings might not be better, though Gaborik helps and they might not be as beat up this spring as they were last.
Well, it’s now upon us. Discuss it all here. After the jump you’ll find some of the more reputable twitter handles to keep an eye on during the day.
