With the recent addition of John Madden, the Panthers now have four players who competed for the Stanley Cup with Chicago in 2010. Friday night, Florida will be looking to halt a seven-game road losing streak. Chicago currently sits one point behind Detroit in the Central Division.

The Hawks will have Ray Emery between the pipes as they look to continue their winning ways. Over the past six games, the Blackhawks have accumulated 10 of a possible 12 points.

The Hawks have three games left before the All-Star break. After facing Florida, they will skate against the Predators in Nashville on Saturday and return home for a rematch on Tuesday.

The pixie dust has started to wear off as the injuries have mounted for the Panthers. Florida has six players on the injured reserve list including former Blackhawk Jack Skille, who has an upper body injury.

This year hasn’t been kind to the Panthers, as their first line has gone cold. That’s especially troubling when your top line is by far the most talented unit on the team. Kris Versteeg and Thomas Fleishmann have been held scoreless in January. Their pivot man, Stephen Weiss, scored for the first time this month during Florida’s 4-3 loss to Colorado on Wednesday. During their last ten games the Panthers are 3-4-3.

Brian Campbell is having a great season and was an All-Star selection. Campbell has recorded three goals to go along with 31 assists and is a plus one for the campaign. Campbell ranks second in the NHL in assists as well as total points for defensemen.

Tallon didn’t have a problem absorbing Campbell’s mega-contract when the Blackhawks were looking for a trade partner. The Hawks accomplished what they wanted, as they shed a large, long-term commitment. Make no mistake, Campbell is a very good player and Tallon didn’t hesitate to add him to the Florida roster.

Tallon has a well deserved reputation for having a keen eye for young hockey talent. He is the ultimate scout and has been successful in identifying promising prospects in the NHL Draft. Tallon deserves a great deal of credit in building the Blackhawks’ Stanley Cup team.

Where Tallon has had some issues is in identifying talent at the NHL level. He also has a reputation for overpaying players. Many times, players are able to jump pay grades and receive some surprising compensation from the former Blackhawk general manager.

Tallon compiled an interesting group of players over the summer. He had a boatload of cap space, approximately $30 million needed to get to the salary cap floor. If you are the type of person bothered by professional athletes getting paid far more than should, don’t take a peek at the Panthers’ payroll.

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Comments can be posted on My Fox Chicago.com.

Next article will be posted on Sunday morning.

On Thursday night, the Blackhawks defeated the Florida Panthers 3-2 in a shootout. The game marked the fifth time out of 12 games the Hawks went to overtime or a shootout to decide a contest.

Does this indicate a strong club which finds a way to win when not at their best? Or are the Hawks a team which is unable to play consistent, effective hockey? For now the answer to both questions is yes.

If not for the stellar play of Corey Crawford, the Panthers would have defeated the Hawks. Crawford was coming off his softest performance of the season against Nashville. Thursday night in Florida, Crawford was the best player on the ice. No matter how many turnovers, missed passes or errors in judgment the Hawks committed, Crawford kept his team a float.

Usually it is an ominous sign when an opponent is allowed to score a goal late in a period. Often that is an indication of a lack of concentration and those goals provide a boost for the opposition going forward. The Panthers scored at 18:19 of the middle frame and then tied the score to force overtime with a goal at 17:56 of the third period. Not once, but twice the Panthers came back with a late period tally, but the Blackhawks still came away with a victory.

The Hawks allowed the less-talented Panthers to hang around. Fortunately, Crawford stood tall in overtime and was perfect in the shootout. As Joel Quenneville commented following the game, this was a goalie victory. Crawford has had a great start to the season.

There were reasons to be distracted last night. To continue reading click here.

I can be followed on Twitter @AlCimaglia

Certain things are the same. Hawk management doesn’t linger, they can cut ties as quickly as any franchise to those who stray.

Players are treated really well and as long as they don’t demand more than they are worth or blaspheme, things will be fine. But if a player believes he is being treated unfairly….He won’t be around long.

There will not be any malcontents.

Whether it is a dispute over salary or playing time, disagreements are not tolerated. Rocky Wirtz and company wants 100% commitment or they will wish you well and say good-bye.

Over the years the list of players turning sour and quickly changing addresses includes Tony Amonte, Eddie Belfour, Chris Chelios, Jeremy Roenick and others.

Troy Brouwer and Chris Campoli may have thought they would have been a Blackhawk for years but both found out differently.

Brouwer and Campoli can be included with those who thought they were either not utilized properly or not paid well enough. So ties were cut and affordable replacements were quickly found.

What is different today is the way salaries are doled out by Blackhawk management.

Dale Tallon may have awarded hefty contracts as if he was using counterfeit money while Stan Bowman is frugal in comparison. Maybe a better description is Bowman tends to be more fiscally responsible, as if his own checking account is the one being drained.

Gone are the days of paying a well traveled, aging, former superstar like Doug Gilmore $6 million per season.

No longer will most players jump from entry level deals to contract of $3 million or more.

There won’t be any big splash signings to earn recognition like Brian Campbell. If a player is the fourth best defender on the roster he won’t be paid millions more than his counterparts.

Salaries will be reflective of a players’ status on the team. A third pairing duo won’t earn in excess of $5 million. Cam Barker and Brent Sopel would agree, and now Campoli does too.

When the Hawks fell to the Vancouver Canucks the season ended and Bowman’s work began. At the top of his to do list was to rebalance the defense. With the emergence of Nick Leddy, Bowman had an issue.

The Hawks had a large portion of the salary cap committed to Campbell, Niklas Hjalmarsson, Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook. In most games there is only sixty minutes of ice time to go around.

In my view Leddy has been penciled in as a top four defenseman, maybe not by October but sooner than later. If Leddy is going to get his share of playing time someone had to go.

My thinking was Hjalamarsson would be the easiest to trade. Plus at $3.5 million per season Hammer would have been a very expensive third pairing defender. The bigger concern was Campbell needed ice time too and his bloated contract was an anchor for future salary cap mobility.

If Leddy was going to play as many or more minutes than Campbell or Hjalmarsson, Bowman knew salary cap space wouldn’t be utilized properly.

Hammer is highly thought of by management and rightly so, plus his salary is locked in through the 2013-2014 season. When the opportunity to trade Campbell presented itself Bowman made it happen and a big issue was resolved.

Then the Hawks defense needed to improve without committing too much in salary to those not considered to be in the top four.

Bowman acted and acquired a swing man in Steve Montador. He didn’t come cheaply but Montador can be a solid #5 and can play more minutes if needed.

Bowman signed a veteran addition to the blueline for $2.75 million per season. Montador was inked through the 2014-2015 season, one year longer than Hjalmarsson, and that was by design.

By signing Montador, Bowman accomplished two things. He improved the defense and provided some stability. Hjalmarsson, Keith, Montador, Seabrook and young Leddy aren’t going anywhere soon.

Campoli’s camp must have taken Bowman’s rhetoric to heart.

A couple of months ago Bowman spoke about Campoli as if he would be in Chicago for years. GM speak can be misleading. Campoli and his agent now realize what seems to be so can quickly change. Campoli felt like he deserved more and Bowman thought differently.

Enter stage left Sami Lepisto, a responsible young defenseman who might have fallen through the cracks. I’m not saying Lepisto is a better defender than Campoli. But Campoli isn’t going to win a Norris Trophy and may never be thought of as an All Star.

Lepisto isn’t a rugged crease clearer but neither was Campoli. Both can skate, are left handed also are about the same age and size. They were drafted in the same year. Campoli was a seventh round draft pick while Lepisto was selected in the third round. In many ways they appear similar.

The most important point is Lepisto is happy to be in Chicago and will probably earn about $1-$1.5 million less than Campoli. A $750,000 salary is more in line with Lepisto’s status on the team.

As expected, the Hawks haven’t sat on millions in cap space but have left themselves in a comfortable position.

With about $61 million committed the Hawks have the flexibility to acquire a top performer later in the season. Also an important point is younger players will now be able to practice with the big club full time. There will be no need for them to be shuttled back in forth from Rockford. Every penny of cap space won’t be as well guarded.

With the Michael Frolik signing the only real concern will be to fill holes with the correct players. There is a possibility a fourth line center could be added but Bowman might not be in a hurry.

It is too early to tell how things will shake out and training camp should be very competitive. If Dave Bolland is the third line center that probably leaves Frolik or Patrick Sharp to be the second line pivot. Currently not everything is etched in stone.

These days Chicago is a great place to play hockey.

But players must be 100% in, or they will be out.

Al’s Shots

I won’t criticize Campoli if he wanted a contract more in line with Montador.
But Montador has a longer resume, having played almost a full season of games before Campoli was even drafted.

Also players realize the CBA could change after this season so they are looking for longer contracts. That said….

Restricted free agents and their agents should know by now taking negotiations through arbitration isn’t always a great idea.

Campoli finds himself in a tough spot if Bowman doesn’t trade his rights.

The Hawks have said no matter what Campoli won’t be back.

For example, if an arbitrator awards Campoli a one year contract at $2.2 million, his ceiling has likely been set.

It is unlikely Campoli will get another franchise to pay him $2.2 million unless there are many teams interested.

As was the case with Antti Niemi, but for different reasons, Campoli really doesn’t have a backstop.

The Hawks would have the ability to match any offer which comes in 10% below the award amount, but another team won’t be afraid of that happening. The Hawks have a crowded blueline and Bowman sounded serious. …Campoli won’t be back.

Campoli is at the mercy of the market. Now he might be paid much less than would have been imagined a short time ago.

After attending a panel discussion at the convention concerning player fitness…

What stood out is the younger players are really working hard in the gym and getting great results.

The fitness level of Ben Smith seems to lead the group.

Although Ted Dent is still the front runner to snag the Ice Hog head coaching job, sometimes favorites lose.

As I have stressed the new Rockford bench boss will have to be a very good teacher.

I will be chatting with the boys from http://www.hockeenight.com/; the podcast will begin tonight at 8:15 CST.

Stop by and listen to some lively Hawk talk with Forklift and CT.

Back on April 18, concerning the future direction of the Hawks I wrote….

Blackhawk management will first have to decide what style of game they want to play going forward. In my view the NHL is moving toward fewer penalties for interference as well as other infractions. That doesn’t help a non-physical, puck possession team.

So adding experienced players who are not as fast but more physical isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Although at this point the roster isn’t close to being set and the degree of adjustment concerning style of play is still unknown.

There are a couple of things which we can be sure about.

When Brian Campbell finally said uncle and approved his trade to the land of sunshine and bloated contracts, the Blackhawks would have to adjust. Campbell’s impact on a game really can’t be measured by points alone.

His skating ability, vision and passing helped the offense to flow. Many times Campbell started a play which led to a goal but couldn’t get credited with an assist. He also turned plays which helped the Hawks transition from defense to offense quickly.

The other issue created from Campbell’s departure is how playing time will be distributed among Hawk defensemen. Campbell played a lot of minutes and they won’t be easy to replace. It’s too early to tell what is possible but my plan would be as follows.

One way or the other the ice time for Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook has to stay below 25 minutes in many games.

Maybe Niklas Hjalmarsson and Nick Leddy log about 20 minutes a night while the third pairing gets around 15 minutes of ice time. Whomever the third pairing is they need to contribute so the top four can be effective late in the season and in the playoffs. Lastly Keith and Seabrook need some help on the penalty kill, the hard minutes take a toll.

There is an unclear picture because the unsigned Chris Campoli might not be back. Filtering through the ambiguity and flip flopping of general manager speak the Hawks did address a specific need.

For those who were concerned about the Blackhawks lacking veteran leadership, Stan Bowman has dealt with your concern.

The additions of Andrew Brunette, Jamal Mayers and Sean O’Donnell will fill that void. Those players know what it takes to prepare for battle and they haven’t been known to take nights off. Brett McLean has experience too but he may start the season in Rockford.

Brunette is a smart veteran and former captain who should be able to chip in with some offense. The Hawks needed a player to provide net presence and Brunette could pick up a few goals by standing his ground in the slot area.

Mayers is a sly pro who can play rough by not stupid. He had a good season last year with San Jose and can contribute when called upon. It remains to be seen how many games Mayers will play. But when given the opportunity he will know his role and should be an effective fourth line player.

O’Donnell will give young Leddy an experienced mentor. He can still play at the age of 39, soon to be 40, and isn’t afraid to drop the gloves. O’Donnell has been involved in 12 fights the past two seasons, eight more than Brent Seabrook. O’Donnell fights the big boys when called upon and most often wins. He provides stability on the blueline and doesn’t take any crap.

The Hawks also added Dan Carcillo to the mix, but I’m not sure why. While with the Phoenix Coyotes, Carcillo was an impressive agitator who could play some hockey. Unfortunately over the years Carcillo has not grown wiser.

Maybe under Joel Quenneville’s tutelage Carcillo will understand the bigger picture. Up until now Carcillo’s focus has been shaky.

About three few years ago I had a conversation with a Hawk tough guy who knew Carcillo. The impression he shared was Carcillo is a good guy but “crazy”. He said you never could be sure what Carcillo would do on the ice.

If Carcillo can play with an edge but not be stupid he could be used as a good example for Kyle Beach. If Carcillo stays as scattered and selfish then there is a bad example for Beach to learn from. Beach should realize he will never be a consistent NHL perfomer by not playing with discipline.

When the season ended Bowman commented on some players.

A few months ago it seemed like Ben Smith and Marcus Kruger had likely roster spots come this fall. Now with the new additions, Smith and Kruger could begin the season in Rockford which wouldn’t be terrible. In any event training camp should be interesting.

Two other Hawks which were talked about as if they would be in Chicago for years were Campoli and Michael Frolik and both are still unsigned. Hockey logic tells me Frolik has little bargaining power so his chances of remaining a Blackhawk are better than Campoli.

With all the bloated contracts signed recently, Bowman may not be comfortable with Campoli going to arbitration. Campoli filed for arbitration last year while with the Senators and his intentions for this summer will be known later today.

****Reported after the blog was posted….
Campoli has filed for salary arbitration.

There was one perquisite for Bowman in regards to acquiring players on July 1.

Every new Blackhawk was signed for only one season and that was by design.

Al’s Shots

I shared the likelihood of Dany Heatley being dealt on June 24, but there aren’t any reliable whispers on the Blackhawk front except about Ice Hog head coach Bill Peters.

From what I have heard Peters and only a couple of others are on Mike Babcock’s list to become assistant coaches in Detroit. Babcock has two openings and it has been mentioned he will likely announce his decision this week.

If Peters leaves for Detroit the Hawks will have to make a good choice for his replacement.

I can’t remember a time when the Hawks have had more highly rated prospects in their system. The importance of a good teacher in Rockford can’t be discounted.

Although there aren’t any solid trade rumors I can provide some speculation.

I get a strong feeling that somewhere now John Scott is being coached up to enhance his playing skills. Maybe Scott can become something he hasn’t been or possibly the Hawks are beginning to go into a different direction.

Maybe the reports on Scott aren’t promising. That could be why Mayers and Carcillo were both signed. If Campoli is resigned, including Scott the Hawks would have eight defenders.

If Steve Montador is the replacement for Campoli and Brent Sopel isn’t brought back the Hawks would have seven defenseman including Scott.

But Jordan Hendry has been the forgotten man and maybe Bowman has a Sopel contract already in his desk drawer.

O’Donnell played in 81 NHL games last season….He isn’t going to get shuffled to the AHL.

The point is the Hawk blue line could be overcrowded….Maybe Scott will be entertaining fans in Rockford rather than Chicago??

The Rangers haven’t made a big reactionary trade as a result of acquiring Brad Richards.

Richards signed for a lower cap hit than I thought, which could mean there is little chance of acquiring a good center in Brandon Dubinsky….But I won’t give up yet.

The Sabres have a couple of centers who may have to be moved….Paul Gaustad and Derick Roy. Buffalo is bumping the salary cap ceiling.

A player who I would like more if he was bigger is Oiler center, Sam Gagne.

The Hawks have added some size so bringing Gagne to Chicago to team up with old buddy Pat Kane might be a possiblity.

Gagne centered for Kane in London and those two would be fun to watch….As long as they wouldn’t be defensive liabilities.

Frolik has been the subject of some trade rumors….But the Hawks aren’t backed into a corner with him.

Frolik isn’t arbitration eligible but he is aware of all the fat contracts being given out around the league.

The Campoli and Frolik negotiations are probably sticky and might stay that way for awhile.

Maybe Bowman gets tired of the drama and…

Packages the rights to Frolik and Campoli to acquire a center??

Let’s not forget Viktor Stalberg….He hasn’t been chatted up by the Hawk front office.

Stalberg could be another candidate to be included in a trade package.

Stalberg has potential and might worth hanging onto for the right price.

I would feel much more optimistic about the new season if the Hawks can ice three scoring lines.

Acquiring another goal scorer could be the ticket….

The Hawks offense may not be as potent without Campbell and to a lesser extent Brouwer.

There was only one team that could swallow Brian Campbell’s contract and it was Dale Tallon’s Panthers. Stan Bowman somehow got Campbell to approve the deal and the rest is a math equation.

I hesitate to call this transaction a trade.

This wasn’t a talent for talent deal. This was about a huge, long term contract going one way with a lesser term, smaller contract coming back. The end result is the Blackhawks free up approximately $12 million in cap space over the next three seasons. The big savings comes into play during years four and five when the Hawks realize over $14 million in salary cap space.

I won’t criticize either trade from Friday because Bowman has to have a bigger plan. But the Hawks need to acquire some proven talent.

Unrestricted free agents, Brooks Laich, Chad LaRose, Chris Higgins, Brent Sopel and others could be on Bowman’s wish list. Maybe even a higher priced UFA….We will have to wait and see.

Besides being very active on July 1, the Hawks may do something they never have done in the past.

Bowman could line up a candidate for an offer sheet and take a swing.The young and very talented TJ Oshie is a restrictive free agent as is Rangers’ center Brandon Dubinsky.

For now here are the facts…

The Blackhawks are not a better team without Campbell and Troy Brouwer. But they are a franchise with many more options.

Give Tallon credit, by acquiring Campbell he can at least paint the illusion the Panthers are a playoff contender for next season. But I wouldn’t bet a nickel that three years from now the franchise will be playing in Florida.

Until proven otherwise Rusty Olesz is a classic first round underachiever. To complicate matters he is coming off ACL surgery. Not to mention he could be another one time center who would rather play the wing position.

When healthy the former seventh overall draft pick never accomplished very much. It would not be harsh to say the 25 year old Olesz has been a bust. Normally a top ten draft pick is not used to snag a bottom six forward.

So unless an epiphany for Olesz takes place over the next few months he could soon be wearing a Rockford Ice Hog jersey rather than the Indian Head.

Sending a $3 million salary to Rockford isn’t out of the question for Rocky Wirtz. Actually, after next season Olesz’ salary is closer to $4 million. The option of a contract buyout is a possibility also.

Until I watch a player for a number of games my opinion is usually reserved. But whenever I have seen Olesz perform he wasn’t very noticeable.

At first blush my choice would be to have Rob Klinkhammer patrolling the United Center ice rather than Olesz. Klinkhammer and others may have a more promising NHL future as third or fourth line players.

Troy Brouwer is coming off shoulder surgery and is an unsigned, arbitration eligible restricted free agent. Getting a first round pick for him isn’t terrible. The Hawks have some fine scouts, so hopefully Philp Danault will become an important addition within a few years.

The Blackhawks first selection, 18 year old center Mark McNeill looks physically more mature than his age would indicate. My first impression is McNeill looks like the player the Hawks thought Kyle Beach would be by now.

Stan Bowman needed to realign his defense.

Hawk management loves Nick Leddy and he needs ice time. So does the very talented Niklas Hjalamarsson, who now for sure is not a trade candidate. The Hawks did need to open up playing time for those two players and now they have.

Also, RFA Chris Campoli could become a key player on the Hawks’ blueline and there is only so many minutes to go around. Plus now there will be more cap space available for Patrick Sharps’ contract extension.

Bowman has some breathing room and can make this team “his” club.

There has to be more to come, because there is a lot more wood to chop.

Al’s Shots

For those who often booed Campbell and let his mega contract bother them…
The price of beer, frozen margaritas and jumbo pretzels at the UC is not going to be reduced.

The Hawks will always be close to the cap ceiling as long as the United Center remains sold out for every game.

My guess is the reason Campbell waived his no trade clause is because he was probably a bit hurt. Now he can play somewhere he is wanted. Campbell might be more comfortable being a big fish in a small pond.

Put yourself in Campbell’s place.

He comes to Chicago and struggles but then the team wins the Stanley Cup. The following year Campbell doesn’t have a Cup hangover, he has his best season as a Hawk….

Then Bowman asks him to waive his no trade clause.

Campbell makes a ton of dough to play the game he loves….

Although I don’t feel sorry for him, everyone has feelings. Some of us can hide them better than others.

I was surprised the deal was made last night. But after the trade rumor about Campbell to the Blue Jackets came out something was going to go down eventually.

Campbell was booed on opening night the season the Hawks won the Cup. People latched onto him as a whipping boy.

Imagine the abuse he would have been subject to if next season didn’t turn out well.

A no trade clause does hamper a GM’s ability to make trades. But once a player is asked to waive his no trade clause, although they may first refuse, soon after an address change often happens.

Obviously Panther center Stephen Weiss would have been a much better addition than Olesz…But Tallon must have other plans for him.

Hawk fans should stay tuned for the next seven days or so.

For a number a reasons the biggest question to be addressed is whether the Hawks want to become more of a north-south club that has a physical presence. In that case Bowman could look to add some grit to the bottom six forwards. He may also want to subtract a puck moving defenseman and look to add a stay at home crease clearer.

No matter if it is Patrick Sharp, Brian Campbell or Niklas Hjalmarsson mentioned in possible trade scenarios the discussion usually ends up in the same place. Fans want change but reality soon hits home. Most ultimately realize the Hawks are already a talented bunch and dealing any of the three players mentioned could create a hole which couldn’t be filled.

Currently in the NHL it is almost impossible to trade a player with a no movement clause. In my view the next CBA will more resemble that of baseball. A franchise will be able to absorb some of a high priced players’ salary when traded and not have the money count against their salary cap. It is really in everyone’s interest to make that change.

If the CBA is modified as I suggested, star players will find it easier to command big dollars. Also smaller market teams will be able to acquire big name players at a discount. The need for no trade and no movement clauses will also have to be tweaked as they have become a huge deterrent for a general manager.

Campbell is the player many Hawk fans feel should be traded so his mega contract can come off the books. Campbell is overpaid but he is a player which would be difficult to replace.

Although I ‘m not advocating Bowman should pursue a deal involving Campbell let’s take a look at the details involved. Campbell has a no movement clause built into his contract which runs through the 2015-2016 season.

Although I have not read the paperwork the clause probably looks something like this…

Once a year, upon request Campbell has to provide a list of eight teams he would agree to be traded to. From what I understand the number of teams could be only six but for this discussion let’s say it is eight clubs. Bowman would then have about six weeks to a complete a trade.

If Brian desires to stay in Chicago, which most likely is the case, he can make it almost impossible for Bowman to execute a trade. For example, Campbell would quash the notion of Panthers’ center, Stephen Weiss coming to the Hawks by not putting Florida on his list.

Realistically Campbell would fill his list of approved teams with some top clubs from the Western Conference. The Red Wings might have the cap space and need for Campbell but Bowman won’t trade a front line player to a Conference rival. The same could be said for the Canucks and Sharks.

Then Campbell and his agent would go over to the Eastern Conference and choose teams with little cap space and or no need for his services. So let’s pencil in the Bruins, Capitals, Flyers, and Penguins.

Ok, that’s seven clubs which have no need for Campbell, couldn’t afford him or are Conference rivals. That leaves one more team for Campbell and his agent to decide on…

Maybe it is a team like the Coyotes who won’t pay anyone $7 million per season. Possibly it is the struggling Blue Jackets that continually bleed red ink. Or maybe Campbell looks at a team from the East which has salary cap issues and chooses the NY Rangers as his eighth and final choice.

Campbell’s logic could be that in case the unlikely happens….He has chosen very good teams or those from big cities with a hockey history. So he passes on the Coyotes and Blue Jackets and sticks with the Rangers.

If my list is correct Bowman has only one slim chance to deal Campbell and that would be to NY. Unfortunately the Rangers probably wouldn’t give up one of their top two centers, Brandon Dubinsky or Derek Stepan. Most likely the Rangers want to build around those two and find a way to clear cap space to make a pitch for upcoming free agent Brad Richards. The Rangers could use Campbell to ignite their offense but Brad Richards is probably at the top of GM Glen Sather’s wish list.

So in all likelihood there isn’t going to be a feasible opportunity to trade Campbell, which is just fine by me. But there might be an opportunity to acquire a veteran center and the Rangers could be involved….In a way.

This player is a very good faceoff man and could kill penalties. He has been a winner at every level and has a Stanley Cup ring as well. He is a well respected, hard nose player who would provide some veteran leadership to the Blackhawks.

There is a NY Ranger center that might be looking for a new home soon.

Chris Drury has been injury plagued and missed many games last season. He is coming off knee surgery, will soon be 35 years old and might be considering retiring. But if at all possible Drury wants to keep playing because he has one year remaining on his $7 million contract.

The Rangers are in a tough spot and may have no choice but to buyout Drury’s contract. Then they could free up cap space to have a chance to acquire the talented Richards.

Richards has a strong relationship with Rangers bench boss John Tortorella. He seems like a natural fit for NY who desperately needs more offense. The Hawks aren’t going to trade Campbell for a Drury, but Bowman might be able to sign him soon to a modest contract.

At this point Drury would be more of a replacement for a John Madden than a second line scoring center. That is if his knee holds up. Madden is an upcoming UFA but he is 38 years old. Rumor has it he may retire.

If somehow Drury could stay healthy, he has the compete level and know how to be a valuable addition to the Blackhawks. The Hawks may look to add a couple of two way veteran players, that don’t play small and would accept their role.

Here are some of Tortorella’s quotes concerning Drury from an April 26, CBS Sports article…

“This is something, honestly, that we have to look at as far as where does he fit now. We are going young. With older guys, those are conversations that we have to have as we continue for the next few months.”

The Rangers’ bench boss adds…“Dru is getting older. That’s why he has this chronic knee. It’s certainly not my total decision but I have my thoughts.”

Tortorella has just signed a contract extension and his choice appears obvious. It seems likely the Rangers will buyout Drury to save approximately $3.3 million in cap space next season. Drury would still get paid $3.7 million from the Rangers and $1.6 million the following year.

So Drury won’t have to worrying about income. He also knows there isn’t going to be another large contract waiting for him.

There are risks in signing Drury. He is coming off knee surgery and has only a total of 15 goals the past two seasons.

Bowman could still try to swing a deal for a second line center by using Hjalmarsson or Sharp as trade bait. Or he may look to Dave Bolland or Michael Frolik to fill that hole and then add third and fourth line players with grit and know how. That is where Drury would fit in.

Sometimes the best trades are those which never take place. Bowman may not be in a rush to trade away a big name player and there are other ways to improve.

A healthy Drury, even at 35 years old could provide benefits to the Hawks. To sign Drury for around $1 million looks like a viable risk and he may relish the opportunity to win another Stanley Cup.

It could be a whole lot easier than trying to trade Campbell.

On this holiday weekend let’s remember all those who made the ultimate sacrifice and their families who have to live on without them.

If the Hawks are able to deal Campbell they would have to alter their style of play. That may happen anyway but Campbell’s importance in generating offense should not be discounted. Nick Leddy might be as good of a puck mover as Campbell someday. But that day won’t come next season.

Campbell is too expensive for most teams to consider acquiring. If the Hawks would deal Campbell they would want to open cap space, not carry the same salary burden with a newly acquired player. In essence the Hawks would be looking to distribute some of the money spent on their defenders to other areas of need.

All reports point to Campbell not wanting to leave the Windy City. He also has a no movement clause, so most likely he will be on the ice for the Blackhawks this October.

Sharp is the type of player most teams would love to have. The word going around the league last summer was the Hawks were going to be forced to trade Sharp.

Those which closely follow the Hawks will remember Bowman called a mid summer press conference to dispel any trade rumors involving Sharp. Bowman sent a message to other GM’s and also let Sharp concentrate on getting married and not worry about being dealt.

My feelings are the same as those mentioned by Bowman as to the importance of Sharp to the Blackhawks. He is a leader and has a big presence in the dressing room. Sharp brings some maturity to a young Hawks’ squad. He is also a big fan favorite. Sharp’s production has been consistent.

There are a couple of factors which would limit Sharp’s trade value and also could help put a more realistic dollar amount on his next contract..

Although Sharp had a very good season and scored 34 goals, 12 of his tallies came on the power play. Back door tap-ins are pretty but Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane wouldn’t be following Sharp to his new destination. A potential suitor will look at that stat, and so will Bowman when negotiating a contract extension for Sharp.

Sharp is 29 years old, so he will be looking for a big contract with some security. Management values Sharp a lot, so they won’t lose him over a $1 million. Sharp and the Hawks will probably agree on a four year contract extension for a tolerable amount. The price for 30 goal scorers is not going to down as the salary cap will most likely continue to rise.

If the Hawks were going to deal Sharp, doing so last summer would have made the most sense. The acquiring club would have had the surety of Sharp being locked up for $3.9 million for two more seasons. Now his trade value is not as great due to a contract which would expire after the upcoming season.

Bowman has commented the Hawks will look to resign Sharp, which could happen by the beginning of next season. Look for Sharp to get about a $1 million raise per season. My take is he will sign a four year extension valued in the $20 million range.

There isn’t any cost certainty for a potential suitor of Sharp, but that is not the case for Hjalmarsson. Hammer signed an offer sheet last summer and would be eligible to be traded by mid-July.

Hjalmarsson is signed through 2013-2014, at $3.5 million per season. That amount is high for a third pairing, penalty killing specialist which might be his role next season with the Blackhawks.

If Chris Campoli and Leddy are playing in Chicago next year they will eat into Hammer’s ice time.

Realistically Hjalmarsson may not fit here as a top four defenseman any longer.The key to dealing Hjalmarsson is he could be worth more to another club than to the Hawks.

Although Hjalmarsson doesn’t score many goals, he could be an effective top pairing dman for some teams. On most clubs Hammer would be at least a top four defender and that makes him valuable trade bait, plus he is still young. Hjalmarsson’s salary is not moderate but not really out of line for a number two or three defender.

A potential suitor could plug Hjalmarsson in for the next three seasons and not have to worry about contract negotiations. Hammer has been highly praised in the past by Scottie Bowman. If there wasn’t a salary cap the Hawks would probably not consider trading him.

For a number of reasons Hjalmarsson will most likely be the biggest name to have a new address in the fall.

Next week I will discuss what the Blackhawks need to do this summer beyond the trading of one big name player. Valuable additions can be found for under $2 million.

The Vancouver Canucks added Chris Higgins ($1.6 million) and Maxim Lapierre ($900,000) before the trade deadline. Those two players have proven to be great assets. The Rangers Brandon Prust ($800,000) is the type of players the Hawks desperately need.

Those values are not easy to find, but they are out there. Blackhawk management will need to define their style of play and correctly target additions.

Al’s Shots

I did an interview Thursday night with Jamie Shalley and Rob Higgins from XM Home Ice. We talked bout the Canuck series and changes for next season.

Here are the two links….

11-04-28 Ice Cap Cimaglia part1

11-04-28 Ice Cap Cimaglia part2

The interview is only about 12 minutes long but it was delivered in two parts.

The San Jose Sharks might regret not taking advantage of a shorthanded Hawks’ squad on Monday night. Maybe the Sharks took the victory for granted after taking a late first period lead. Regardless, the Blackhawks more than made up for a slow start and dominated the Sharks in the middle frame. 

The Hawks were able to get the puck deep on the Sharks and outworked San Jose along the wall. The Achilles’ heel for the Sharks is their defense. Normally Antti Niemi has been able to stem the tide. But the other night Niemi’s five hole was open and the Hawks shooters were dead on target. Give all the credit to the Blackhawks who had to take advantage of home ice and were able to skate away with two points. 

Not tough enough? 

Much has been made of the lack of physicality of Hawk defensemen. The Chicago blueliners thrive because of what they can add to the offense, they aren’t known for clearing the crease. Sometimes  Hawk defenders don’t have the size to win battles in front of their goal. It would be nice to have a couple of bigger defensemen because they are targets throughout the season. Since the rule changes defenders take a lot of physical punishment. 

Although the defense is not comprised of bangers the Hawks aren’t a soft team these days. When they play their game the Blackhawks win the majority of one on one battles. Physicality can be measured in different ways and as a group the Hawk forwards are tough to play against. 

One part of the Blackhawks’ game which exhibits physicality is their play along the boards. 

I don’t know of a better forward along the wall than Jonathan Toews. Patrick Sharp is very good also, and pound for pound Patrick Kane more than holds his own. In fact all of the forwards know how to use their stick and position their bodies to win puck battles. 

Ever since Joel Quenneville became head coach the Hawks have proved to be a tough team to play against along the walls. Sometimes the problem is the Hawks don’t get pucks in deep enough, but that wasn’t the case in the second period versus the Sharks. 

The Sharks weren’t as determined and lost most of the puck battles. The end result was the Hawks were able to control the play and the Sharks couldn’t keep up. San Jose took penalties and was dominated in every phase of the game.  

San Jose couldn’t do much in the final forty minutes, including winning faceoffs. The Sharks are third in the NHL in faceoff win percentage but the Hawks were still better at the dot. 

The best players on San Jose disappeared. The Hawks showed that strong structured play can be successful despite key injuries. The San Jose defense looked slow and couldn’t match the intensity of the Blackhawks. 

Being a successful puck possession team requires two elements. 

The puck must be controlled with good passing and by chipping it into correct areas on the ice and then retrieved. This next fact is as important as the first. …

When there is a turnover, one on one battles must be won to get the biscuit back as quickly as possible. It is in that way the pace can be pushed and opponents can be dominated. 

Interestingly, Niemi and the Sharks bounced back on Tuesday night and rallied to beat the Stars in Dallas. The talented and underrated Loui Eriksson will most likely be out of the Stars’ lineup for awhile. Eriksson apparently suffered a concussion against San Jose. 

Guessing and projecting….  

Last year, to achieve a playoff berth in the Western Conference 95 points was required. Detroit finished fourth last season with a total of 102 points. 

Currently the Blackhawks have accumulated 84 points through 70 games. My feeling is it will take at least 96 points to secure a playoff berth which means the Hawks need to capture 12 points in their final 12 games. 

To finish fourth in the Western Conference my guess, and I mean my guess, is it will take around 103 points. The Hawks would need to play at a brisk pace to capture 19 points in 12 games, but it is possible. It would be more likely with a healthy Dave Bolland and Brian Campbell. 

To follow up on a recent point made about injuries….Last season the Blackhawks’ man game lost total stood at 220, curently it is 87. 

Now let’s take a look at the remaining games.  

The Hawks take to the road to play the Stars and Coyotes and then return home to face the Panthers and Ducks. The four games will cover a stretch from March 15 until March 26. Now the Hawks may have caught their only favorable scheduling break considering the injuries to Bolland and Campbell.

Over the past two seasons the Hawks have had a great record in the second half of back to back games. But if they continue to play predominately with only five defensemen, it wouldn’t hurt to have days off between games. 

Maybe with continued solid play and some luck the Hawks will capture six out of a eight upcoming points. At least that should be the goal because the schedule will then turn more challenging. 

A winning record in the four upcoming games is extremely important. The month ends with a bang as the Blackhawks take to the road to face the Red Wings and Bruins. 

April begins with a road game versus Columbus. The Hawks will then return to the United Center to face the Lightning. 

Next the Hawks play back to back games. They go on the road to play the Habs and then come home to face the Blues. The regular season concludes with a home and home versus the Red Wings. 

The road to the playoffs won’t be an easy one.  

There are some difficult road opponents and there won’t be any breathers after March 28. The Blackhawks will finish up the 2010-2011 campaign by playing eight games in 14 days. Getting everyone healthy and staying that way will be more important than ever. 

Taking into consideration the entire season the Blackhawks couldn’t have had a less favorable schedule.  The NHL can only do so much because the United Center is a very busy place. But the schedule makers didn’t do the defending Stanley Cup winner any favors. 

After a short summer the first two months featured a very congestion schedule. The Hawks began the year at a playoff like pace and the end of the season is not any better. 

But there is no whining in the NHL and nobody feels sorry for the Champs.

More often than not professional athletes have a strong will to win. They may not to do what is necessary to be successful on a consistent basis but a lack of effort isn’t usually the problem. Playing with an effective effort can be an issue but once again that doesn’t mean players aren’t trying to win.  

As the Blackhawks scratch and claw for every point the same annoying thesis from some fans and those in the media keeps surfacing. After a Hawks’ loss the post game commentary and call in rants often spout in the same direction. Common opinion for some is when the Hawks lose it is because they don’t try hard enough or weren’t prepared to play. 

The reality is the main reason this club continues to be in the playoff hunt is because of a strong will to win. In many games the Blackhawks’ lineup isn’t better than opponents. This is especially true against the top tier playoff teams, like the Capitals and the Sharks.  

There were games this season the Hawks weren’t as prepared as they should have been and the result was a loss. The first period against the Florida Panthers was a poor start and created a hole which led to a costly defeat. But not being ready to play will happen to every team at some point throughout a long grueling campaign. 

What irritates me the most is after a loss when the finger is pointed at a lack of effort as the reason for failure. In essence some believe the Hawks are as complete a team as any in the league, and they have enough talent to defeat every opponent if the will to win surfaces. I don’t believe that opinion is close to being correct. 

When everything is working correctly the Hawks can beat anyone. They have enough high end talent to out skill opponents and when they play effective team hockey good things happen. But that type of performance hasn’t happened often enough to put this team into a secure playoff slot. The Hawks are not as consistent as last year because this team isn’t nearly as talented as the Cup winning squad. 

This group is still as good as or better than many teams but the Hawks don’t have enough talent to win when they don’t play an effective game. Every player has to be pulling on the rope in the correct way. For the most part the reason for losses has little to do with a lack of will to win.  

Another fallacy is the Hawks have struggled primarily due to an abundance of injuries. It is true the Hawks haven’t had a complete lineup available for many games, but let’s put things into context. 

Injuries are always a factor in the NHL. But compared to last year, the Hawks will finish this season with about half as many man games lost due to injury. Sure the injuries matter more for this campaign because the team isn’t as deep. But it is lame to blame the Hawks struggles on injuries. Comparatively speaking the injury bug hasn’t bitten very often in Chicago. 

Going into Saturday’s game the Colorado Avalanche had suffered 342 man games lost due to injury. That staggering total is the highest in the Western Conference and third highest in the NHL. I don’t have the current total for the Blackhawks but it is less than 100 man games lost. 

The problem here is the Hawks can’t cope with key injuries as well as other teams. The Penguins have been able to play great hockey without their two best players. Pittsburgh has been able to plug in AHL players and still be successful. The Penguins know their system and play it to a tee regardless of injuries. So far the same can’t be said for the Blackhawks.  

So if it isn’t necessarily injuries or a lack of effort….Why hasn’t the Hawks surged to the top of the Western Conference? 

One big reason is although the season is almost over this team is still searching for the correct mix. 

Marian Hossa and Dave Bolland became linemates some 50 games into the season…Maybe a little late to establish sufficient chemistry.  The third and fourth lines weren’t formed until recently and still aren’t etched in stone. The top four defensemen have been overplayed especially Duncan Keith and the pairings always seem to be changing. Overall there is some significant wear surfacing in most of the better players who have played the most minutes. 

The other day a friend mentioned an old saying which bears repeating. In hockey goal keeping is always 80% of the game until it goes bad then it is 100%. 

Corey Crawford has been great this season, allowing two goals or less in the majority of his starts. But the difference of allowing one more goal, three instead of two per game, is enough to significantly reduce the chances of a Blackhawk victory. 

For the Hawks to qualify for the post season Crawford needs to be very good every game. Anything less and this team isn’t going to be playing in the post season.  

The NHL season is a war of attrition and the tank is almost empty for some players.   

As people complain about the latest loss saying…Keith should have been able to clear the crease and not have allowed Caps forward Mike Knuble to put in the game winner….I say not so fast. 

The Hawks didn’t lose yesterday because of one play. Actually the Capitals were the better team for almost the entire game. 

On Sunday the Hawks were fortunate to come away with a point. Keith played 30 hard minutes once again. It took all the effort he could muster to get off the ice following the game. 

Realistically the Hawks didn’t have a good chance of winning versus the Capitals without Bolland and with a hampered Brian Campbell. Any fan who believes differently isn’t chugging Blackhawk Kool-Aid they are bathing in it. 

Tonight another top tier team skates into the United Center. 

The Sharks know what will be needed to defeat the Hawks. Their big forwards will pound Duncan Keith and company and look to strike when the opportunity arises. 

Crawford will have to be great and the Hawk’s power play will have to be effective to gain two points. Hopefully all the forwards will play well so Joel Quenneville can spread out the minutes. Having only one line rolling won’t cut it against strong opponents. Maybe Campbell will be able to play more than a handful of minutes, otherwise more pressure will be heaped onto rookie Nick Leddy.

If everything lines up tonight the Hawks could come away with a hard fought victory. But if the Hawks lose please don’t blame injuries or a lack of will to win. Currently the Sharks, like the Capitals have proven to be better teams. 

Strong effort only matters so much.

This season the Blackhawks have pulled fans along with the hope that eventually all will be well.  It wasn’t intentional deceit but the reality is the Hawks have been only pretending to be an upcoming playoff qualifier. 

The main reason for loyalists to hold out hope was because many Western Conference clubs seemed to be no better.  Eventually if pushed came to shove the Hawks winning experience and top end talent would be the difference which would lead to a playoff berth. 

In my mind it’s officially time to stop the charade. This team is not good enough to qualify for post season play. 

Let me be clear, it is still possible for the Hawks to earn around 30 points in the next 24 games. But it is time to understand they have not been able to play consistently at that pace this season. Even if this group was able to get smoking hot to conclude the regular season, their playoff participation probably wouldn’t last long. 

On Wednesday night, the Blackhawks were able to squeeze out a win versus the Minnesota Wild. The stars lined up as the Wild played the night before. They did not bring their “A” game and the Hawks appeared determined not to lose. 

The truth is the Hawks can’t continually bring their own “A” game and thus don’t appear determined enough when the going gets tough. Everyone seems to have reasons why, but regardless the above statement holds true.  

To cut down on the ojida Blackhawk fans should simplify matters…

The 2010-2011 Hawks are just not good enough. 

On Friday evening the Blue Jackets skated into town with a five game win streak. Columbus came away with a club record sixth consecutive win and did so with a short staff.  To put an exclamation mark on the Hawks’ loss, the Jackets won the game without their third leading scorer and two solid defenders in the lineup.   

The Blackhawks could not flip on the desperation switch during the second period when Columbus evened the score at two. To make matters worse, the Hawks blinked and the Jackets scored two more times. That’s correct, three consecutive goals were scored against a club which absolutely needed the win.  

How could the Columbus Blue Jackets do that to the defending Stanley Cup Champs on home ice? 

The Blue Jackets were successful because they knew what was needed and were all able to stay on the same page for sixty minutes. With some good goal tending and some fine special teams play the Jackets showed they were better last night. Don’t be surprised if the standings indicate the Jackets are also a better team after game 82. Wow, that was difficult to type. 

Normally the Blue Jackets don’t have a very good power play, and their penalty killing unit is ranked near the bottom of the league. But last night Steve Mason outplayed Corey Crawford, the Hawks power play wasn’t able to convert and the Jackets did so. The end result was another United Center loss. 

Crawford made some big stops but he wasn’t air tight. The Hawks defensemen can’t clear the front of the net. The less ‘talented’ clubs have no problem getting to the Hawks’ cage and they will pound away. If Crawford leaks a few rebounds the Blackhawks are in trouble. 

Last night the home team scored pretty goals. Those scoring plays are nice to watch but they don’t happen enough so the Hawks can consistently win. To take the point a step further, winning a playoff round won’t occur by relying only on pretty goals. 

What the Hawks have become is a one line team which needs to score on the power play to win games.  

Blackhawk fans can massage it as you like, I have tried as well.  But I always come away with the same conclusion. 

This team isn’t good enough to consistently win and unless an epiphany occurs the defending Cup winners will miss the playoffs. 

Al’s Shots 

Maybe ending this season earlier than anticipated will be a good thing. 

The boys can have a long summer to rest and to ponder the highs and lows of professional sports. 

The front office can take a little more time to get an effective plan in place to retool the club for next season. 

If the Bowman’s think the current group is of true playoff caliber…….Trouble. 

I really do hope down deep management realizes this is a disjointed team which needs more than a little a tweaking.  

The Hawk front office won’t have as much time off this summer as the players. 

If John Scott wasn’t in the lineup last night….Do you think Jared Boll would have thrown a more vicious elbow to the head of Brian Campbell?  

As it was, Boll almost put Campbell’s head through the glass in the beginning of the second period. 

Scott skated a total of four shifts (2:18) the entire game. Only one shift came in the second period, which was after the Boll elbowing penalty. 

It has been apparent Scott can’t be trusted to play in the third period of close games. Actually it is more accurate to say after the first period of close games.

At this point in the season….Why does Scott dress? 

Boll had seven shifts after his flagrant elbow to Campbell’s skull…. 

Forget about Scott who was planted at the end of the bench, but I didn’t see any Blackhawk player touch Boll. 

Like I said, some retooling needs to be done this summer. No player fears the Blackhawks. 

As was discussed here a few weeks ago …………Erik Johnson was available. 

The Blues and Av’s have had disappointing seasons and they hooked up in a big trade. 

The main pieces were…. 

St. Louis traded Johnson, who never lived up to expectations, to Colorado for power forward Chris Stuart. 

The Blues made a nice trade…..It’s not easy to find tough forwards with good hands. 

As far as Blackhawk trade rumors…. 

The time to trade draft picks to acquire a player who would make a big difference was weeks ago. Back then it could have made sense, I wrote the same.

Maybe if the Hawks cling to hope and wait to the deadline Brent Sopel could resurface.

That trade would happen only if the Thrashers were out and Dudley deals for a late round draft pick and some spare parts. Maybe it would be more of a favor from Dudley so Sopel could go back home.

Now it is probably best to hold onto the second and third round picks and hope for a good draft.

Last night what was needed for the Blackhawks to take a small step toward gaining a playoff berth was to play better as the game went on. Once Corey Crawford kept the ship afloat in the opening period, as the Blackhawks were struggling to get out their own zone, the team improved. Crawford was solid throughout and his teammates stayed determined. 

Although the Hawks couldn’t keep the Wild off the scoresheet in the final frame they showed composure. More than anything else the Hawks looked like a more confident team which wouldn’t be denied. 

The new second and third line combinations worked a lot better than I anticipated. Marian Hossa came to play. Dave Bolland is skating and Michael Frolik was strong on the puck. In total the second line kept pressure on the Wild for much of the evening. 

Last night the combination of Bryan Bickell, Tomas Kopecky and Troy Brouwer were a pleasant surprise. 

Brouwer had a game high seven hits while his linemates recorded three hits each. Hossa was the best player on the ice but Brouwer was a close second. Kopecky doesn’t create much in the way of scoring opportunities while playing the pivot but for once he was good at the dot (56%).  If Kopecky can play on the third line rather than the second, the Frolik trade would make more sense. 

The Wild are a difficult opponent but they did play into the Hawks’ strength. The Wild played at a fast pace and went up and down the ice with the Blackhawks. The Hawks are more comfortable playing that type of game. 

On Friday night the Blue Jackets won’t be as accommodating. They can’t keep pace with the Hawks and most likely won’t try. 

Al’s Shots 

It’s funny…Actually not really. 

The Bears have a defense built on speed and they need a fast track. In the latter stages of the season, Soldier Field is better suited to stage a truck pull rather than a NFL game. 

The Hawks are more of a finesse team which likes to play a high tempo game. The United Center ice usually isn’t good and as the weather gets warmer it won’t get better. Last night it appeared to be worse than usual. 

The home field and home ice advantage isn’t what it should be for either team. 

For whatever reason John Scott was in the lineup to face Minnesota.

There isn’t that much difference between the Hawks and Wild. Both clubs are fighting for their playoff lives. 

It serves no purpose to dress Scott at this time in the season, especially against a squad that doesn’t look to fight. 

The Hawks need to have some continuity. 

Because Scott takes only a handful of shifts the effectiveness of the fourth line suffers. 

The Blackhawks need all hands on deck every game from here on out. 

While watching at home…..If Duncan Keith and Brian Campbell appear a step slower, don’t blame your TV. 

The strain of a long season is showing on those two. 

Keith played nine minutes more than Niklas Hjalmarsson last night. 

I don’t know how much longer Keith will last playing 28 or 29 minutes a game.

Now it’s tricky for the Hawks coaching staff. 

Somehow the minutes have to be more spread out. 

Jordan Hendry needs to stay in the lineup and play more than 6:52. 

Nick Leddy should be used more often on the power play so Keith can get a breather. 

Hopefully Campbell and Keith can find another gear, because both appear a couple of steps slower. 

Someday Mike Haviland will be a head coach in the NHL. The Blackhawks are in good hands.

Tomorrow some Seabrook thoughts…. 

Lastly…. 

Here’s wishing Joel Quenneville a very speedy recovery.

The Sharks have gone 7-2-1 in the last 10 games. Yet they are only four points ahead of the Blackhawks although only losing twice in regulation during that span.  An opponent being four points ahead in the standings seems to be well in reach, but not really. Because three point games happen on a regular basis, to make up four points is difficult. Making up much more than four points is almost insurmountable unless a really long winning streak occurs and some good fortune. 

On Monday, Brian Burke did trade Kris Versteeg after finding a team willing to part with draft picks. My take is this is a great deal for Versteeg. The young forward has a very good opportunity to win another Stanley Cup. Versteeg will do his thing in Philly and won’t necessarily be forced into a top line role. 

Below is an audio link for an XM interview last night with Jamie Shalley. 

We discussed the road trip, the addition of Michael Frolik and possible retooling for next season. Also the Hawks’ salary cap woes were hashed out with the possibility of having to trade Brent Seabrook, Brian Campbell or Marian Hossa. We chatted about the possibility of the Hawks turning seller before the deadline and who might be traded away. 

11-02-14 Al Cimaglia – ICE CAP

For those who were opposed to sacrificing upcoming draft picks for improvement this season, it is almost time to not worry. Quite possibly the realization has hit West Madison Street there is too much to fix and too little cap space to do it. This could be another very interesting summer for Blackhawk fans.

Currently the Hawks still control much of their playoff destiny. But with a couple of losses this week that will no longer be true.

Die hard fans and recent band wagon members should stay grounded. 

Look at the rest of this season the same way you do when purchasing scratch off lottery tickets. Many people use their spare change and aren’t upset when they throw away losing tickets.  At this point don’t invest too much of your emotional capital in the Blackhawks. 

If the Hawks win the next two games in regulation, keep some hope alive. 

But if your favorite team can’t respond to the challenge of the Wild and Blue Jackets on home ice they don’t deserve to make the playoffs. If the win a game lose a game theme continues for the next couple of weeks, playoff hopes for Chicago will rest with Derrick Rose and the Bulls. 

Here are the upcoming games in February for the Blackhawks. 

The next three matches are at home versus the Wild, Blue Jackets and Penguins. The Hawks then take to the road to face the Blues and Predators. The boys return for a game against Coyotes and then go to Minnesota to face the Wild. 

What a difference a year makes…. 

Last season the Hawks won because they wore down opponents and were the model of consistency. Seldom did the 09-10 squad play two bad periods in a row and because so they avoided long losing streaks. Last season the Hawks were successful due to a bevy of talent and because everyone understood their roles. 

Now in late stages of games the Hawks get outplayed and are often tired and beaten before the final outcome is decided. They have turned into a one line team which has trouble scoring at even strength. 

No doubt fatigue played a big part in the loss to the Coyotes. Three games in four nights will take a toll. 

Turning what should have been a coasting win in Dallas into a long hard fought contest hurt the Hawks the following night. The Duncan Keith turnovers and sloppy play from Brian Campbell are mostly the result of fatigue. The Hawks are an underdog when those two have an off night in the same game.  

In Dallas… 

The Hawks played a fine first period. But the Stars didn’t really start the game on time and stumbled around chasing the Hawks for the opening twenty minutes. 

In the second frame Dallas realized it would only take one goal to get back into the game. So the Stars came out and slowed the Hawks attack by taking the body. It’s no secret the Hawks often stop skating when they have a lead and are physically challenged. 

The Hawk weaknesses are known by all. 

Lately they aren’t a confident team which finds a way to win, but rather resemble a scattered group which waits to lose. No excuses are allowed when a three goal lead is blown but… 

To make matters worse the Toronto War Room boys spit the bit by not allowing a Brent Seabrook tally which would have given his team a four goal lead. By now the video review process should have progressed. 

What would make the most sense is when a puck is caught and the goalies glove moves the net….The on ice official should not automatically signal a no goal. 

If a goalie’s trapper is far enough behind the goal line to touch the net it would be best to not immediately assume the puck didn’t cross the line. It appeared the puck had to be over the line and it looked like it was visible in Lehtonen’s glove. 

There seems to be reluctance by the War Room to overrule the on ice official. The first mistake was by the ref and that led to another miscue by the review team. 

If the on ice call was a good goal or indecisive, my belief is Seabrook’s score would have stood up.  If the on ice official just pointed up stairs the Seabrook apparent goal could have counted. 

I don’t understand how immediately the signal was no goal. It was the perfect opportunity to review the play because the puck was caught and held. 

Marty Turco played one of his better games but still allowed a softy. In the shootout Joel Quenneville would have been better off using a cardboard cut out. The Stars familiarity with Turco became apparent. Turco has never been a great shootout goalie. 

The next night in Phoenix… 

Corey Crawford was very good for the most part. But unfortunately Crawford is starting to resemble Turco. The former Dallas Star always seems to allow at least one soft goal and lately Crawford is doing the same. 

For the Hawks to have any chance at consistency Quenneville has to lean on one goalie from here on out. 

Crawford has never been asked to lead a NHL team into the playoffs. He doesn’t need any additional pressure. The number one job should be Crawford’s without question. He has proven to be more consistent than Turco, who was given the starting role following training camp. 

Quenneville owes it to Crawford to stop the audition. 

For the most part the Hawks put forth enough effort on the road trip to realize better. Bad calls, soft goals, the flu, injuries and fatigue are all part of an NHL season. 

Versus the Coyotes, a tired and shorthanded team came out with a strong start and had nothing to show for it after the opening frame. The Hawks fell behind and could have folded their tent in the second period. But there is still some fight left in this dog. The Hawks showed a lot of determination to capture one point in the desert. 

The question that will be answered soon is whether the ship can be righted and adjustments made. Somehow desire and will has to lead to consistent performances. 

The Hawks still do a lot of good things. Hopefully it will be enough to lead to a string of victories. 

Al’s Shots 

I wasn’t a Jack Skille lover or a hater. Trading Skille was fine by me but… 

If trading Skille meant Tomas Kopecky would become the permanent second line center the deal doesn’t look as good….At least not for this season. 

Not only is Kopecky winning only 35% of his faceoffs in the last two contests but he is also getting more ice time than Troy Brouwer. 

That’s an issue, because Kopecky can’t finish as well as Brouwer. Kopecky is being asked to do what he can’t. 

Michael Frolik has been ok.

Like the Hawks the Atlanta Thrashers are clinging to playoff hopes. 

Last night the Thrashers suffered a very tough loss losing at home to Carolina. 

Stan Bowman may only have one trade left. 

The Hawks miss the versatility of Sopel. If he was here, Keith and Seabrook would not have to play as many hard minutes. Sopel was very good on the PK.

I don’t know if the Thrashers will raise the white flag soon enough to help the Hawks. They could be close because the teams which are a few points behind them have three or four games in hand. 

Maybe Sopel can get to Chicago in time to make a difference. But first the Hawks have to stay in the chase. 

Coming soon….

My take on the Seabrook re-signing and more tidbits concerning the Skille/Frolic-Salak deal.

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Predictably, the NHL dispensed a low number of games for the suspensions.  No one should be surprised judging by recent precedents but as always, there was hope that the league would set an example of being serious about eradicating frivolous, dangerous, dirty play.  Banning Gillies for the rest of the season, (as in the case of Marty McSorley after his clubbing of Donald Brashear almost exactly 11 years ago) for the sheer brutality and bestial manner in which he treated Tangradi, would have been an excellent start.  Alas, the NHL missed the opportunity yet again.

New York GM Garth Snow stated he “was a little bit surprised it was just [the Islanders] that got fined,” and I would have to agree with him.  The fine against the Islanders was obvious and appropriate.  They orchestrated the tone of the night by adding AHL enforcer Micheal Haley, who fought three times in the game, to the lineup, and by permitting Gillies’ and Martin’s actions.  Yet the Penguins’ staff, by not restraining Godard from leaving the bench – even though he came to the aid of goaltender Brent Johnson who was fighting Haley – should have received a monetary penalty.  In the end, accountability for in-game actions rests with head coaches and it was surprising to see that both Dan Bylsma of Pittsburgh and the Isles’ Jack Capuano escaped discipline.  Even a nominal suspension would have been fitting.

Snow indicated he would not challenge the league’s ruling but some of his other comments make little sense.  “I’m very proud that our team showed restraint.  We came to play hockey and obviously, there’s a lot of things that happen in the course of a game.  I’m proud of the way our team competed, and I’m going to support my guys.”

While supporting your team through good and bad is laudable, it is patently ridiculous for Snow to believe that anyone could be convinced that he believes what he said.  Did players like Gillies, Martin and Haley really “show restraint” on Friday night?  Did he mean they restrained themselves from pulling out sticks sharpened into shivs?  Did the whole team really “come to play hockey”?  Sure, Michael Grabner and John Tavares and Matt Moulson did, but if his definition of hockey coupled with the vague “things that happen in the course of a game” include sucker-punches and hammering and taunting fallen opponents, then I’m not so sure.

Many have declared in the past forty-eight hours that the Penguins organization or writers covering the Penguins who criticize or condemn the Islanders’ actions are guilty of hypocrisy if they condone the frequently dirty play of Pittsburgh forward Matt Cooke.  Whether or not the Pens or journalists turn a blind eye to Cooke’s actions, they should not have their hands tied from giving opinions on the mayhem of Friday night.  Invoking Cooke’s name and bringing attention over and over to his rap sheet will not change the facts of the present issue: isolating Friday’s game, what the Islanders did was low-class and cowardly.

As stated previously in this space, my opinion has and continues to be that the elbow of Cooke to the head of Marc Savard was reprehensible.  I called for minimum 15 to 20 game suspensions for any hits to the head 24 hours after that game.  It is also puzzling why Cooke, a vital penalty killer for the Pens, often foolishly puts his team at a disadvantage and opponents in danger by crossing the line, with knee-to-knee hits or to use a recent example, his four-game suspension for a charging major penalty last Tuesday.  But again, Matt Cooke’s actions, in general, are one issue while thug tactics unleashed by the Islanders, specifically on Friday, are a separate issue.

For those that applaud the Isles and claim that their actions gained them new respect around the league, I respectfully disagree.  While winning a scrap here and there can certainly enliven a fan base tired of being the perpetual league doormats, the sugar-high can only be short-lived.  If punch-ups are the main selling point, fans will soon catch on and still demand a better quality product on the ice: it is skill at scoring, passing, playmaking, defending and goaltending that are the timeless tools that gain respect among fans and opponents.

All kinds of scrappin’ and wrasslin’ took place in the 1970s but the Flyers are the team that always jumps to mind first because of one thing – they won.  Fighting, and only fighting, would have made them just another sideshow but they had skill coupled with toughness.  The Isles of the 2010s will be remembered and respected if they patiently hone the talents of their skilled core and inject toughness in reasonable, measured doses.

Chicago won the one on one battles, protected the puck, and made the most of their opportunities. When there was a miscue, Corey Crawford was solid and never allowed the Predators an opportunity to capture momentum. 

Can the Hawks make winning in this fashion a habit? 

“Consistency is probably the best measuring stick for progress.” 

That was a Joel Quenneville answer from a post game interview….In response to a question about the progress of Bryan Bickell and Jack Skille. 

Quenneville’s response could be applied to not only Bickell and Skille, but to the entire squad. In the last few weeks the Hawks had been playing better. But in their last three games they have shown the consistency they have been lacking.  

By now we know what the win a game-lose a game Hawks look like. The question which will be answered from here on out is if the Hawks can be consistently successful. Only time will tell if they will stick with a defense first mind set. It takes a lot of work and everyone must buy into their roles. 

Goals will happen because of controlling the puck through winning one on one battles. The recent games haven’t been exhilarating to watch but results count most. There is still a lot of wood to chop and a playoff birth isn’t a foregone conclusion just yet. But there is reason for optimism. 

The Blackhawks can head into the Christmas break with a smile. We will find out Sunday if they can bring the same effective effort against the Columbus Blue Jackets. 

Al’s Shots  

The improved play of Dave Bolland and Niklas Hjalmarsson is a big part of the Hawks recent success. 

Recently Brian Campbell has been getting the most minutes on the blueline…Well deserved. Campbell has been doing a fine job since returning from injury. 

Fernando Pisani seems to work well with Bolland. 

Jake Dowell continues to impress but…

Last night Dowell won 60% of his draws in the first frame but wasn’t very good afterward…only 43% to the good for the entire game. 

Ryan Johnson only took five faceoffs but was strong at the dot once again. Johnson won 60% of his faceoffs and has been a nice addition to the team. 

I was surprised Dowell kept taking faceoffs in the third period when paired with Johnson on the PK unit. Maybe Q. will be using Johnson in the future when Dowell isn’t as successful. 

Jonathan Toews had another fine outing and won 60% of his faceoffs. 

When it comes to consistent efforts the captain leads the Hawks. 

I don’t know if Skille will ever score enough goals to be considered a top six forward. What has become evident is the less than frantic Skille is a much better player. 

Versus the Preds, Skille scored two goals but I doubt if he would have converted either opportunity back in October. 

A couple of months ago, the Skille in constant overdrive wouldn’t have waited to get into proper shooting position like he did on his first score. Instead he would have either shot at a bad angle, or just charged the net. His second goal can be attributed to him knowing his situation and being confident. Skille was in the slot and shot through the defenseman’s legs and startled a screened Anders Lindback. 

Skille is making fine progress…Now he will have to find consistency. 

Bickell is no longer surprising anyone with his great wrist shot. There aren’t any secrets in the NHL. Goalies are aware he is going to shoot as often as possible. 

Bickell is scoring because his shot is top notch. His quick release and accuracy makes it difficult on opposing goal keepers. 

It’s amazing how many in the national media continue to cite weak goal keeping as a problem for the Blackhawks. In case they want to know… 

So far Crawford has been better than good. 

Their comments are probably because many considered Marty Turco to be the Hawks only hope. 

Turco had problems winning in Dallas too, but a shoddy defense was usually given as a reason for his shortcomings. 

Maybe that was part of the problem, but Kari Lehtonen has a 2.55 GAA and .917 save percentage this year. The Dallas blueline isn’t loaded with All-Stars this season either. 

Maybe Marc Crawford has had an influence by instilling better team defense. 

Or maybe Turco’s best days are in the past. 

Below is an audio clip of a pregame interview on XM radio with Jamie Shalley.

10-12-22 UNCLE AL – ICE CAP 

We talked about the new version Blackhawks. There were also comments about Bickell, Skille, Johnson, Scott and others. 

Take a minute to read this joke sent to me by a very young 70 year old woman. Hopefully it will help relieve the stress of the season. 

A Little Christmas Story

When four of Santa’s elves got sick, the trainee elves did not
produce toys as fast as the regular ones, and Santa began

to feel the Pre-Christmas pressure.

Then Mrs. Claus told Santa her Mother was coming to visit,

which stressed Santa even more.

When he went to harness the reindeer, he found that three

of them were about to give birth and two others had jumped

the fence and were out, Heaven knows where.

Then when he began to load the sleigh, one of the floorboards
cracked, the toy bag fell to the ground and all the toys were

scattered.

Frustrated, Santa went in the house for a cup of apple cider

and a shot of rum. When he went to the cupboard,

he discovered the elves had drunk all the cider and hidden

the liquor. In his frustration, he accidentally dropped the

cider jug, and it broke into hundreds of little glass pieces
all over the kitchen floor. He went to get the broom and

found the mice had eaten all the straw off the end of the broom.

Just then the doorbell rang, and an irritated Santa marched

to the door, yanked it open, and there stood a little angel with

a great big Christmas tree.  The angel said very cheerfully,

‘Merry Christmas, Santa. Isn’t this a lovely day?

I have a beautiful tree for you. Where would you like me to
stick it?’ 

And so began the tradition of the little angel on top of the
Christmas tree.

Not a lot of people know this…

Please Stay Safe and Have a Merry Christmas…..Al

Generally speaking, to play any sport at a fast and effective pace requires two elements. A high level of skill and great deal of know how. This would be especially true in a team game like hockey.  See last year’s Cup winning team for an example of a group which had the skill level and experience to play at a fast pace.

Most who watch closely realize the 2010-2011 Blackhawks have many players who are still trying to find their place in the NHL. So the “know how” level is not as high. Certainly without the injured Marian Hossa and Patrick Kane the Hawks aren’t as skillful. Even with those two players in the lineup one could argue the finesse level of this squad is not as high as last season.

Some will say the wins versus the Red Wings and Kings are a turning point for the Hawks. I think it is more accurate to say this group hit a point of realization and transformation.

After watching this weekend’s games if you came away feeling like the Hawks play wasn’t as ‘pretty’ to watch….You would be correct, and that is great news.

Collectively the players and the coaching staff are on the same page. There are still flashes of speed and some pretty plays but the ‘Ah-Ha moment’ may have taken place. This team isn’t what they were but they still can be damn good.

The Blackhawks are now playing more of a north and south game. The pretty high cycles have been put in the closet. Goals have been scored through screens and the Hawks are actually crowding opposing goalies. One on one battles are being won and the Hawks defensive structure has been as tight as a drum.

Brian Campbell can still put on a skating exhibition from time to time. The Red Wings were mesmerized by Campbell, so much so Tomas Kopecky was given a layup.

Jack Skille looked like a goal scorer against the Wings. Although Skille didn’t dent the twine he did put himself in position to score. Skille wasn’t frantic and treating the puck like a hand grenade, he played with a purpose. Skille showed patience with the puck, looked to make plays and still was credited with nine shots.

Against the Kings Duncan Keith looked revitalized, his fast feet were moving and he was confident with the puck. Keith looked more like his old self.

Bryan Bickell knows his strength and it isn’t skating circles around anyone. Bickell has a great wrist shot and he uses it well.  There is something to be said for finding open ice and releasing the puck quickly….See Brett Hull for an example. Bickell won’t be confused with the “Golden Brett” but he is on his way to having a nice NHL career.

Over the weekend Corey Crawford showed us the advantage of being a big goal keeper who is strong fundamentally. Nothing flashy from Crawford, just solid performances and that is all the Hawks need to be successful.

When it comes to hard work look no further than Toews. The captain is a treat to watch and leads by example. He has put this team on his back since the injuries to Hossa and Kane.

Queeneville is spreading out the minutes of his top four defensemen. He even trusted Nick Boynton and Jassen Cullimore a few times to play while the fourth line was on the ice against the Red Wings. It was scary to watch but Quenneville has everyone believing they have a job to do and that wins will come with a strong group effort.

I look forward to the return of Hossa and Kane. When they get back Quenneville will be able to distribute ice time more equally among his third and fourth line. There shouldn’t be as big of a drop off in play between the third and fourth line which will bode well for the Hawks.

Jordan Hendry has done his job and maybe he will get a chance at forward as well as on defense. John Scott has played more than he would have because of the injuries. Scott can win fights but doesn’t offer much else. The word has to be getting around the NHL, the longer a fight goes the worse for Scott. The trick for opponents is not to get destroyed in the first 15 seconds. With the addition of Ryan Johnson, the strong play from Fenando Pisani, Jake Dowell and others will mean Scott will soon be watching more than playing.

The key for the Hawks moving forward is if they can avoid trying to be something they are no longer capable of being. This group has to play an uglier game, or as Q. says, a harder game. The Hawks can be a versatile group. They should be able to win 2-1 as well as 6-5, but they can’t fall into their old ways when Hossa and Kane return.

Pretty plays are nice to watch but for the most part teams are successful because they crash the net and win one on one battles. See the Philadelphia Flyers for an example. The Hawks have to stay with their current brand of hockey. There is no need to change very much once Hossa and Kane return.

Let’s see if this weekend can be looked back upon as the time when the Hawks recognized what they aren’t and realized what they need to be. 

Al’s Shots 

The Hawks picked up two wins over the weekend versus difficult opponents and stayed out of the penalty box. The Hawks used their sticks correctly…They kept them down and weren’t guilty of clutching and grabbing.

As much as everything else not taking careless penalties illustrates the Hawks were focused and worked hard for sixty minutes each game. Their effort should be applauded.

Jeremy Morin

If I was a season ticket holder my preference would be to watch Morin play instead of Kopecky. But In the situation the Hawks are currently in Morin will probably have to wait until injuries or a trade happens to have a real opportunity of staying in Chicago.

His time to be a regular might not come this season. But the Hawks should allow Morin to play as needed and not worry about burning a year off his rookie contract. I don’t think the organization will keep Morin out of Chicago for that reason….But finances do matter.

The biggest issue for Morin, from a hockey standpoint, is the Hawks are somewhat of an inexperienced club. There are too many players like Morin, making similar errors.

From a financial standpoint, other players are on one-way contracts and must be paid the same salary even in Rockford. So money, in that regard does come into play.

Morin is young and talented, but there is only room for so many works in progress if the Hawks hope to qualify for post season play.

Ryan Johnson

The addition of Johnson probably also means Morin’s NHL future is on hold. With Johnson in the lineup the Hawks have filled a couple of needs.

Johnson is an experienced player and a good defensive center. He can block shots, win faceoffs and the penalty killing unit should be better with Johnson.

The only reason Johnson wasn’t signed with another NHL team this summer is because he broke both feet last season. If he can stay healthy the Hawks have found a very good value.

Everything I have heard points to Johnson being part of the club when Hossa and Kane are healthy. He signed here to be a Blackhawk and there is little chance he won’t be staying in Chicago for the rest of the season.

Until proven otherwise the Hawks are no more than a .500 team which pretends to be somewhat interested. Or maybe they are a much better club which doesn’t bring enough effort on many occasions. Either way they need to change.  

On Friday night the bad Blackhawks showed up and were embarrassed in Calgary. The good Hawks showed up the next day and put a beat down on the Canucks. Many Hawk loyalists are confused by the scattered performances. Include me in the group.

The Bad…. 

Against the Flames the Blackhawks appeared uninterested for most of the contest. The Hawks did manage to do something amazing as they were credited with only three hits versus Calgary.  

Each club has a set of off ice officials who are responsible for keeping the stats for each game. There is some subjectivity involved and the home team seems to get the benefit of the doubt at times. Even if the Calgary crew missed a few Hawk hits they didn’t miss many. 

To be credited with no hits for a NHL contest would be similar to a baseball team never hitting a foul ball during an entire nine inning game. 

Last season the Hawks were outhit in many games. The club without the puck is the one doing most of the hitting, so a puck possession team will often get outhit. But on Friday night the Hawks were the club doing most of the chasing. To only be credited with three hits is an indication of how little effort the Hawks exhibited against the Flames. 

Instead of battling hard and pressing the slower than average Calgary defense the Hawks withered away. There was no fight and no determination. The frequent turnovers and careless penalties led to a lopsided loss and indicated a lousy effort. 

The only thing which could have saved the Hawks would have been a stellar effort by Marty Turco. The bad Turco showed up in Calgary as well, so the Flames skated away with two points and the Hawks crawled out of town.

The Good…. 

Fast forward some 24 hours and the good Blackhawks made an appearance in Vancouver. 

Against the Canucks, barely a minute had gone by and the Hawks already equaled their hit total from the night before. The Hawks won board battles and protected the puck all game. The Canucks chased and took some dumb penalties, a couple of which didn’t appear to be deserved. 

Although the Hawks only scored one power play goal the Canucks couldn’t gain any traction. By taking eight penalties the Canucks kept their potent offense handcuffed. They had no answers for the revitalized Hawks. The Hawks pressure made the remodeled Vancouver defense appear slow. 

Turco’s style might be more exciting to watch than Corey Crawford. But sometimes a controlled, efficient goal tender produces more consistent results. The Hawks only slipped a few times but Crawford was strong and didn’t allow the Canucks even a glimmer of hope. 

Turco and Crawford would both benefit from more of a shared workload. Crawford has had six starts and it would be nice if he could end up with close to 30 for the regular season. Crawford is a RFA come July 1 and with more work his potential could be better understood. 

So far Crawford has been very good…..Can Crawford be as consistent if his workload increased? It would be great to find out. 

For now Turco is the man but Crawford has shown his time to shine could come this season. As far as the rest of the road trip goes, Crawford should get another start….Maybe in Anaheim. 

Vancouver head coach, Alain Vigneault was upset about the Hawks playing their first power play unit after the game was decided.  

Maybe Vigneault should be worried more about his own job than what Joel Quenneville does. Actually Quenneville did use his third and forth line players during the power play in the latter stages of the game. On the 5-3 power play which was the focus of Vigneault’s comments, Viktor Stalberg and Nick Boynton were on the ice. Neither are normally used on the power play. 

From ESPN Chicago.com.- 

“We basically embarrassed ourselves tonight in front of our fans, and they did everything they could tonight to rub it in our face. [Leading] 6-0 and they throw their No. 1 power-play unit when it’s 5-on-3,” Vigneault said after the game. “They have every right to do that. They did it. They were pushing it, and they did.”   

Actually the Hawks did not score on the power play at all during that time which makes the comments from Vigneault even sillier. The Canucks often fall into a similar trap against the Hawks. They get behind and get frustrated as their head coach has not been able to solve that problem. 

If I’m the head coach and my team is getting boarded, high sticked and slashed I’m going to try to score on the resulting power play. 

After the Hawks took a 4-0 lead the Canucks took five penalties. One infraction was for tripping and another was for hooking. The other three penalties were for boarding, slashing and high sticking. Vigneault should tend to his own knitting. 

Reality has set in as the season rolls along. 

I am often asked who Stan Bowman can trade to make his club better. 

Bowman has done a good job since being promoted. But I doubt if he or his father has been given absolute authority. 

When possible trades for the Blackhawks are brought up the same three players are usually mentioned. 

There is Dave Bolland, who has a contract which runs through the 2013-2014 season. No franchise is going to bet about $10 million that Bolland can stay healthy. He isn’t going anywhere. 

Brian Campbell has a no trade clause and earns over $7 million a year, with a contract running through the 2015-2016 season. His hefty contract plus the uncertainty surrounding the next CBA makes him untradeable. My belief is the Hawks wouldn’t make the playoffs if Campbell was dealt. Although overpaid, Campbell is a necessary component for the team’s success. 

Then there is Patrick Sharp. He was taken off the trade table this summer and there is no reason to believe anything has changed. Sharp is very popular, not only with teammates but fans as well. The organization won’t upset the apple cart by trading a very popular player during the season. 

Although every date will be sold out this year, fans must actually attend each game to provide the most revenue for the franchise. The Hawks still lost money last season even though they won the Cup. Every penny for parking, beer, $7 hot dogs and $15 hamburgers matters. Things can change as the Penguins just had their three year sellout streak broken. 

It makes little sense to trade Sharp for players which can fill in on the third and fourth line. The Rockford roster is full of grinders and they are often available around the league. 

If a Jordan Staal for Sharp deal was on the table, I would think about it. 

But….Even though they earn close to the same money and Staal is a lefty center that could fit nicely with Marian Hossa…I wouldn’t pull the trigger. 

Staal is signed for a year longer than Sharp, whose contract expires after next season. Staal is a fine young player but he is often injured. Being injury prone is a big problem with Staal. 

Sharp won’t be traded during this season and he has a good chance of staying in Chicago for a long time. 

For now Bowman is somewhat handcuffed. 

The Hawks do need a crease clearing defenseman that can also play effectively on the penalty kill. The need for a crease clearer was also there last season but Brent Sopel did fill the void on the PK unit. The Hawks do need to find another defender. 

If Jordan Hendry can’t play ahead of Jassen Cullimore, maybe he shouldn’t be here. Hendry might have some trade value. As it is now his only purpose is as an insurance policy but that may be enough of a reason to hang onto him. I think Hendry would get claimed if placed on waivers. 

Cullimore is a big guy who plays with the same physicality as a small man. Cullimore can block shots at times, but he isn’t quick and loses positional battles in front of the net. The PK unit needs improvement and he isn’t the answer. 

Some of the reason for the recent shake up on defense is probably because Boynton looks bad when paired with Cullimore. Boynton can still skate and does get the job done, with limited expectations. But playing him with Cullimore isn’t the best option. 

Next the Hawks need to find a wing which can somewhat replace Andrew Ladd’s contributions on the third line. Troy Brouwer could be that player. But in half of the games this season he has been missing in action. 

Jake Dowell and Fernando Pisani have been steady and have contributed. 

Jack Skille is still a work in progress as is Stalberg. But it is too early to give up on either as their real potential is still a mystery. 

A bigger problem is with the play of Tomas Kopecky and the signing of John Scott. 

The tether between Hossa and Kopecky should be cut. Kopecky is not a goal scorer. 

There are probably a lot of Hawks that would have at least 10 points in 22 games while playing the majority of time with Hossa. I can’t justify all the ice time Kopecky has been given. 

A bigger issue than not being an offensive threat is that Kopecky is a defensive liability. So are Skille, Stalberg and others but they can use a lack of NHL experience as a reason.  At this point Kopecky has no excuse for being a -11, the poorest plus minus on the team. 

It’s time for Kopecky to prove he is a top six forward rather than a role player. For my money he has little value as a third or fourth line grinder because his defense is poor. 

I give Kopecky credit for not shying away from contact as he takes more physical abuse than anyone on the team. Kopecky is a UFA on July 1 and is a $1.2 million cap hit. Maybe he has some trade value and Hossa will have to accept change. 

If Scott could play at all he would have been in the lineup against the Ducks. 

The Ducks fight more than any team in the Western Conference. They also dress a true heavy weight, George Parros, who can actually play and is used during the third period of close games. The Canucks have a couple of chippy players who deserve to be put in their place, but once again Scott wasn’t dressed. 

The realization has set in the team is better off without big John. Now the front office needs to own up to their mistake in judgment and waive Scott so his cap space could be better utilized. At the every least the Ice Hogs may sell a few more tickets. 

Normally Scott’s salary of $512,500 wouldn’t be a big issue. But the Hawks could sure use the cap space to acquire a player which would make the team better. 

I have no idea how Scott was able to negotiate a two year contract. His agent should win an award. What’s done is done but now is not the time to ignore a mistake. 

This team can use some help and Scott is not going to provide any. With Scott gone and another move the Hawks could be in position to acquire players which can fill a void. 

Depending on how the standings look closer to the trade deadline there could be opportunities for Bowman. 

Sopel would improve the third pairing. Everything I have heard indicates Sopel won’t be with Atlanta next season. He could be available at the trade deadline as his contract is up after this year. Bringing back a player or two from last year wouldn’t be a bad idea. 

Another former Hawk, John Madden, could also help. He is on a one year contract and might be moved before the trade deadline. The Hawks could use another center that can win faceoffs and help out the penalty killing unit. 

The likelihood of Sopel or Madden returning this season is far greater than the Hawks trading Bolland, Campbell or Sharp. 

blackhawkswin@comcast.net

The Rangers will be playing without the injured Marian Gaborik and Chris Drury. The Blue Shirts will be doing battle for the fourth time in six days. The Hawks are also playing their fourth game in six nights and will be without Dave Bolland and Marian Hossa. The Hawks simplified their game and skated hard for a full 60 minutes versus Minnesota and will need the same complete effort this evening. 

The light bulb might have gone off for Troy Brouwer who scored a goal and played his best game of the year. With Bryan Bickell out as a healthy scratch on Saturday night, Brouwer didn’t need an email to tell him he was probably next. Brouwer has to play a physical game and move his feet. If Brouwer is not around the opposition’s goal he isn’t doing his job. 

Corey Crawford should get another start this week but my guess is Marty Turco will be back in action tonight. One can’t complain about Turco’s performance against the Wild as he was solid. 

John Scott should be in the lineup tonight, so Bickell will probably sit again. Joel Quenneville could scratch Jordan Hendry, put Scott back on defense and then dress Bickell. That wouldn’t be my choice and probably the Hawks bench boss will stick with the same lineup as last game unless Brian Campbell is ready to return. 

Hendry needs to gain some confidence but he probably won’t get that opportunity if Campbell is healthy. There is a chance Campbell will be back in action as soon as  tonight. But the Hawks could choose to wait on his return until Wednesday’s contest  at the United Center versus the Devils. 

***Announced at mid-day….. Campbell will return versus the Rangers.

Scott actually played a good game against the Wild, considering his role. He did his job for 6:11 and was credited with two shots and four hits while playing at wing.  

A sidebar to tonight’s contest is if Scott and Rangers tough guy Derek Boogaard will square off. Scott played second fiddle enforcer to Boogaard last season in Minnesota. I’m not sure Boogaard would dominant Scott in a fight although he can move better out on the ice.  Most times an anticipated fight never fulfills expectations. 

Boogaard, like Scott  is not a skilled hockey player. In five seasons with Minnesota the big guy compiled a total of 14 points. Boogaard’s purpose on the ice is to be an enforcer as he seldom loses a fight. These days not many will tangle with Boogaard but Scott may take a chance. Scott (6’8”) is one of the only players in the NHL taller than Boogaard (6’7”). 

To the surprise of almost everyone this past summer, Boogaard was signed to a four year contract paying him $1,625,000 per season. For those of you thinking Scott is a waste of a roster spot he will only earn $512,000 for each of the next two years. 

Many years ago, Rangers’ general manager Glen Sather was considered one of the best in the game. But that was a different time. 

Sather’s best days were when he didn’t have a big check book. The overspending he has done in NY has been well documented. When I think of Sather another general manager of the past comes to mind. 

The Flyers former GM Bobby Clarke was once highly thought of in NHL circles.  Clarke realized the game changed and it was best for him to step aside and allow Paul Holmgren to become the Flyers GM. That decision wasn’t easy for Clarke, but it was the correct one and the Flyers have flourished since his resignation. Many Ranger fans probably wish Sather would do the same. 

Tonight Blackhawk fans will be looking for some consistency. The Rangers are hurt and as tired as the Hawks. Whichever team guts it out and executes will come away with a win. 

The Rangers, like many other clubs, are using this game as a measuring stick.  

The Hawks will have to be up to the challenge and play a disciplined game. If Scott wants to fight fine, as long as he doesn’t put the Hawks down a man. One of the most hated players in the NHL, Sean Avery, will be looking to stir up trouble. Scott and every other Hawk should realize by now that Avery doesn’t drop the gloves. 

Tonight’s contest may ultimately be decided by which team is the smartest.

Al’s  Shots

After Campbell was activated Dave Bolland was placed on the injured reserve list.

So much for the day-to-day status on Bolland.

blackhawkswin@comcast.net

From October 7 through November 7, Chicago plays 17 games. During the 32 day span the Hawks will play back-to-back four times. All but fives of the contests will be against Western Conference foes. One break is 10 of the 17 battles will take place on United Center ice.

Campbell always catches some criticism because he isn’t a defensive stalwart. What isn’t appreciated enough is that he helps keep the puck away from the other team. Campbell has the vision and hands to make great outlet passes and he skates his way out of trouble. The big issue for the Hawks is Campbell’s loss will have to be compensated for in the defensive zone as well as on offense.

Nick Leddy has a lot of poise for a 19 year old and the same can be said about Jeremy Morin. They have the ability to slow the game down in their mind’s eye.  Both make correct decisions without panicking.  That said the duo is one year removed from high school.

Last season’s group oozed with confidence and Joel Quenneville and staff did a great job of keeping them on task. The soft spot for this season, at least to start might be the Hawks don’t have the same swagger. Although they are the Stanley Cup champions many of those pulling at the rope this time around have little NHL experience.

Every team wants to start off fast. In the made for TV, NHL point system it is very difficult to climb out of a deep hole. Clubs which have a very poor record during their first 25 games often don’t make the playoffs. The majority of time, franchises in playoff position at Christmas are those playing in mid-April.

As much as I believe Leddy and Morin are soon going to be quality NHL players, they are green. The last thing Hawks’ brass would want to do is to put them into a position whereby their confidence suffers. There are always risks and this time the Hawks may not have much choice but to keep both. Almost certainly Leddy will be in the lineup for Thursday night’s opener in Colorado. My belief is both will begin the year in Chicago.

Leddy and Morin don’t have any NHL accomplishments to draw upon during tough times. Hopefully their confidence, along with a long list of others won’t be shaken if things don’t start off well.

Viktor Stalberg has struggled to score in the preseason. His confidence could also be tested if he doesn’t get off to a good start.  My guess is because of the congested schedule unproven Corey Crawford will get a number of starts. Bryan Bickell, Jake Dowell and Jack Skille are also in the same unproven category.  The list goes on as the amount of NHL experience which has left town this past summer can’t be quickly replaced.

Hockey logic leads me to believe the Hawks should get better as the season goes on as long as the injury bug doesn’t bite too often. If they can overcome Campbell’s loss and accumulate enough points during the opening 17 games the rest of the season could fall into place nicely.  

With Campbell’s injury Leddy will get more quality ice time and gain priceless experience and the same could be said for Morin. Unfortunately the two youngest Blackhawk warriors won’t be the only concern.

The Hawks will have to claw their way to victory. The same could have been said if Campbell wasn’t injured but now their task will be more difficult.

There could be a Stanley Cup hangover for some, but there are so many new players which have a lot to prove motivation shouldn’t be as much of an issue.

Al’s Shots 

The door is still open for a few players to seize an opportunity.

A story line which has been ignored but could prove interesting will be between Crawford and Turco.

If Crawford starts out well and builds confidence he could supplant Turco as the #1 keeper. Certainly Turco’ salary won’t be a consideration in whether he starts more games than Crawford. But as is the case for others, Crawford has to play consistently well. Things should play out between the two by around the holidays. But last season it took longer to decide on the starting goal keeper.

Here is my guess as to what this season’s opening roster will look like… 

Hossa-Toews-Kopecky

Kane-Sharp-Morin

Skille-Bolland-Brouwer

Pisani-Bickell-Stalberg -Dowell

Stalberg hasn’t scored but he is a team leader in shots on goal and has been physical.  He is on a short leash and Morin won’t be allowed many miscues either, but both deserve to start off in Chicago.

On Deck: Potulny

The defense should look like this…

Keith-Seabrook

Hjalmarsson-Leddy

Boynton-Scott-Hendry

On Deck: Cullimore

Turco-Crawford

blackhawkswin@comcast.net

It’s been an interesting summer for the LA Kings in terms of roster moves.

While the July headlines were dominated with news on various left wingers, August will certainly be remembered as the month of D.

Just weeks after word surfaced that Matt Greene could possibly be out until November recovering from a shoulder injury, the Kings once-deep prospect pool suddenly thinned as reports indicated Colten Teubert and Vyacheslav Voinov were hurt as well and would not be ready to start the season.

Enter Willie Mitchell.  Yesterday, the Kings signed the unrestricted free agent to a two-year contract…beating out the San Jose Sharks and Washington Capitals among others.

Here are 10 Tidbits on the rugged defenseman…

* Mitchell was voted the Vancouver Canucks best defenseman in the spring of 2008 and 2009. He wasn’t able to achieve the hat-trick this year after being forced to miss the second half of the season due to a hit from the Penguins Evgeni Malkin in mid-January.

*  He openly criticized the NHL for their response to the hit that left him with post-concussion syndrome, saying “I’m not happy with the hit I took. We’re taught from a young age that you don’t hit from behind. I had my numbers facing a player in a dangerous zone, a dangerous spot, and he hit me. More than that, I’m disappointed in the league, disappointed in Colin Campbell.”  He went on to say that he thinks Campbell often “hands down suspensions and fines (based on injuries), and I think that’s the wrong thing to do. You rob a bank and there’s $50 million in there or rob a bank and there’s $5 in there, you’re going to jail for the same amount of time. (Campbell) saw me get up off the ice and didn’t make any ruling on it.”

* Excluding last year, Mitchell has been a pretty consistent player. He’s on the ice for about 22 minutes a night, plays 70+ games a season, chips in 2-3 goals a year, with 10 assists and about 75 penalty minutes. He’s a defensive-defenseman who understands his role and plays a physical game.

* He should fit right in Hollywood, he’s already done an endorsement or two.  Here’s a link to a video of him repping Blade Tape.  Notice he again calls out the NHL, this time for the ice getting ‘progressively worse’ across the league in recent years…and for the very serious problem of “snow accumulation.”
 
* Never taking himself too serious, after Mike Keenan accused him of playing with an illegal stick, he showed up to the next game with a stick befitting Andre the Giant – video here.
 
* More on sticks… Although he’s referred to as a ‘warrior’ in some circles, he has the nickname ‘pickle’ stamped on his sticks…a reference to his love affair with dill pickles.  Seriously.
 
* More food news… He lists hamburgers as one of his favorite foods – so, coming soon, the “In-N-Out versus Skookum Chief” burger debate.
 
* He is now another former college hockey player on the LA roster.  The Kings continue to out-pace the league average in this department.  For all the hype surrounding Lombardi’s love affair with the WHL (Schenn, Hickey, Teubert, etc.), he’s also added plenty of former college players.  Mitchell went to Clarkson University in New York for two seasons, winning an an ECAC championship and earning playoff MVP honors in 1999.
 
* Like when Alex Ponikarovsky was signed by the Kings last month, Willie Mitchell will need to find himself a new number. Poni Boy had been wearing #23, he’s since switched to 27. Willie was recently wearing #8 in Vancouver, that’s been permanently stitched to Doughty’s jersey here in LA. Mitchell also wore #2 prior to that (in Dallas and Minnesota) – again, taken by Matt Greene. However, he broke into the league wearing…wait for it…#24 with the Devils. That just happens to be available at the moment. We shall see…

* Legendary CBC hockey commentator Don Cherry once had this to say about Mitchell’s play “They’re the warriors you win with.  Get into the playoffs - guys like him win.”
 
That’s exactly what Lombardi and the Kings are hoping for.
 
The Mayor
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The Mayor appears courtesy of www.MayorsManor.com – where you’ll find hockey news, views and interviews.  Here are a few SIMILAR ARTICLES you’ll probably enjoy:

10 Tidbits on Dustin Brown

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Tuesday Tidbits – highlighting the most popluar interviews on MayorsManor

Video of the Malkin hit can be viewed by clicking here.

QUESTION 1:
OK, Jess, I need to have you weigh in on Taylor or Tyler at the top spot
 
Oh this is a tough one because if you go by talent and potential then overall Tyler Seguin would be your pick. Edmonton though needs a player who has name recognition, will get fans to buy tickets, and to restore some fan confidence in a franchise that has made serious mistakes in players they have brought in. Hall also has a proven track record of playing in the big games such as the World Under-20s and his 2 straight Memorial Cup appearances.
 
Seguin is already a better player in all 3 zones but he lacks big game experience, he is still growing into his body and the Oilers just can not afford to wait
 
QUESTION 2:
After Taylor and Tyler go, who is your top prospects in your eyes that should be thought about by teams?
 
In this order, Ryan Johansen, Brett Connolly, Nino Niederreiter, Cam Fowler, Erik Gudbranson and Jack Campbell
 
 
QUESTION 3:
Speaking of the offense…any gems that you might consider the kind of players who potentially could even be better than Taylor Hall of Tyler Seguin? How about on D? Anyone that might prove out stronger than Fowler, Gudbranson, Gormley?
 
Ryan Johansen of the Portland Winterhawks as those who watched him in the second half of the season agree he was getting better and better as time was going on. He is one of the youngest in the draft and is still growing as a player and with his body. You never know but Ryan had this ability to score big goals when the Winterhawks needed them.
 
QUESTION 4:
The Russia factor seems to irradiate some of the prospects this draft, much like last year. If there wasn’t an issue of some players going to the KHL, any of them be a sureshot for NHL success? Any of them a better chance, if drafted by a NHL team, that they actually come over the pond to play? Do you think someone will take a shot at one or two in the first round?
 
I have to acknowledge I am very down on the Russian prospects these days as the junior system over there is a major mess, few players come over here with a solid work ethic anymore and what once was one of the best systems at teaching fundamentals is in ruin because the government does not invest in it like it used to .
 
That said there really is only one Russian I would take for sure and that is Alexander Burmistrov who played for Barrie in the OHL. He works hard but there is a nagging concern that his numbers were inflated by playing on a loaded Barrie team.

QUESTION 5:
As in any draft and lots of different opinions there are always some hyped and some underrated prospects. Could you list some overly hyped prospects and some underrated ones? (feel free to expand here)
 
Jeff Skinner is getting a ton of hype because he scored 70 goals on the season but I am used see guys who scored a ton in the juniors and could not repeat that in the NHL. As you move up a level the speed of the game increases drastically and it is more than just being a prospect with skating concerns, it is about reaction speed too and I just do not think he has it. Another guy who I wonder about is Jon Merrill of USNTP as he was playing on a stacked US team but I wonder if he has already reached his potential and is not going to grow more. I heard him compared to Marc Staal of the Rangers which is not bad but Staal I expected more overall from and he has not really found his offense.
 
 
Underrated I am biased since the Portland Winterhawks are considered my home team so I have 2 guys on that team who only the intense hockey fan knows about starting with Brad Ross. He was the 3rd man on the Niederreiter/Johansen line and he did all the dirty jobs whether it was fighting for the puck, fighting other teams or just being a pest who drove other teams insane. Ross was 27-41-68 with 203 PIMs but you want this kid for what he brings to the locker room as well the ice.
 
The other kid is a really late bloomer last season in Portland goalie Mac Carruth who went from being on a “B” level “players to watch” list to sneaking in as 16th among NA goalies. He is 6’2 and was going to go to the NCAAs but wound up as the starting goalie in the WHL playoffs for the Winterhawks. Come next season when people see the Winterhawks as a WHL championship contender it is because of Carruth.
 
 
QUESTION 6:
OHL and WHL seem to be churning out the best prospects lately, including many top prospects of this coming draft.
 
Actually I will disagree as the best prospects are starting to come the last couple of years from the USA Hockey NTDP as I can see 25 possible prospects coming as a result of that program like Cam Fowler, Emerson Etem and Jack Campbell. The first 2 playing the CHL leagues but they got their starts at USA Hockey.
QUESTION 7:
Some teams are better than others. Any strong systems that teams should look to draft from over others? Good teams, scouts, and foundations built?
 
Hard to ignore the Windsor Spitfires of the OHL as they are building a mini-dynasty there, the Portland Winterhawks could have as many as 6 players drafted and I am a huge fan of Stan Butler who coaches the Brampton Battalion in the OHL. IF you look Butler’s career as a coach nobody has sent more solid players to the the NHL than Butler (best know now is Jason Spezza)
 
MOCK DRAFT?
Would you be able to do a little ad hoc mock draft for us? Just for fun…nobody will hold you to it….much. ;)
 
1    Edmonton Oilers   Taylor Hall cause they have no choice
2    Boston Bruins (from Toronto) Tyler Seguin as the Bruins send Phil Kessel a “Thank You for Leaving” card.
3    Florida Panthers  The first curve of the draft as they need a franchise player and a healthy Brett Connolly is just that player
4    Columbus Blue Jackets They need someone who can play with Rick Nash which is why they will of course draft Cam Fowler a defenseman
5    New York Islanders- I think they need Nino Niederreiter who will put fans in the stands but I think they go Ryan Johansen who will fit better with John Tavares
6    Tampa Bay Lightning- They need everything but a new owner wants some buzz and Nino Niederreiter with Steve Stamkos is a very interesting combo
7    Carolina Hurricanes- crying their eyes out because Erik Gudbranson fell into their lap, too good a defenseman to pass up.
8    Atlanta Thrashers- Sent a message they want to turn things around in a hurry with the deal with the Blackhawks but they opened a spot for a defenseman  Mark Pysk of the Edmonton Oil Kings
9    Minnesota Wild– They have almost no choice but to reach down and select “Mr. Hockey Minnesota” Nick Bjugstaad or else face the Wild fans going wild on them
10   New York Rangers- They have a habit of reaching down for players and as a Ranger fan I am praying they reach down for Emerson Etem. Etem is the best skater in the first round and fits in with recent draft picks. He also is a former linemate of Derek Stepan at Shattuck-St.Marys as well as teammate of Tomas Kundratek (08 3rd). He is the best fit for the system Tortorella wants to run.
Dumbest Mock Draft goes to TSN’s McGuire and Button, no concept.

Thanks to Jess for doing this late last night, as he and I spoke about prospects most of the NHL Media shindig . You can find Jess at his blog, TheProspectPark and also always good  Blueshirt Banter

The Isles blogosphere comprises of a solid and unique bunch. To me, there is no better resource to go to for scenarios of what the Isles might do with this coming draft. The Isles hold 10 picks, including 2 2nd rounders, and 2 3rd rounders besides the overall #5 pick.

That, my friends, is a lot to work with.

Without further adieu, let’s get their take before I go into my own prediction plus a dark horse scenario.

Michael Schuerlein, charter member of the NY Islanders Blog Box
Islesblogger.com and Isles correspondent for Bleacher Report

The last time Garth Snow and Ryan Jankowski had the number five pick in hand on draft day, they traded down from five, to seven to nine – gaining a handful of extra picks and eventually landing Josh Bailey.

Does that mean I feel the Islanders will play the repeater and do the same this time around? No, and here’s why: two years ago there wasn’t the amount of talent in the top five, or even top then as there is this year.

The Islanders should have a short list of prospects that interest them – three in the top ten and some that are off the chart. For the sake of time and space here I will limit the three to the most obvious (and my personal picks).

The Islanders need to fill glaring holes in their current and future rosters – namely on defense. My number one choice is Erik Gudbranson with a close second by Cam Fowler. Gudbranson has the size and Fowler size plus play making ability. The other player is the one most talked about aside from Seguin and Hall – I am talking about Brett Connolly. Connolly is another power forward close to the mold of Kyle Okposo, he has the tools to be a force on the Islanders growing list of homegrown talent up front.

However, should any of the players on the top of their chart be snatched up before the Islanders are called to the podium next Friday, I can see them moving down a position or two if they feel they can grab someone later in the round.

One thing is certain, the Islanders will have a pick that will be a compliment to the team they are building on Long Island.

Nick Giglia, Lighthouse Project expert and blogger
LetThereBeLighthouse blog, and HockeyIndependent.com

The Islanders are one of the major wild cards in this year’s draft, and a lot of it will depend on what Florida does with pick 3.  We know Columbus will take one of the 2 big d-men at 4, and I have this feeling Fowler fits right in with their team concept.  If Florida either trades the pick or takes Gormley/Connolly at 3, it will blow the draft board wide open and lead to much more maneuvering.  I say that if Gudbranson is on the board at 5, the Isles take him and Garth Snow offers a prayer of thanksgiving to the Hockey Gods.  If he isn’t, things get more interesting.  Fowler is in demand, but he’s very similar to Calvin de Haan, and with so much talent at the back end of the 1st and beginning of the 2nd, the Isles will probably try to stockpile picks.  In the 8-15 range, the forward corps is very center heavy, so I would see them trying to drop back to 6 or 7 to select a winger.  Nino Niederreiter would be my preference in that situation, but Mikael Granlund, while small, is supposed to have buckets of skill.  Then, the Isles use the extra pick(s) from the trade-down to either jump back into the 1st for a guy like Jarred Tinordi or Charlie Coyle, or they wait to see what falls to them in the 2nd.

That’s what I think: I think Gudbranson is a top target for them, and if he’s off the board at 5 they try to drop back for Granlund or Niederreiter.  I think Florida holds the key to what the Islanders end up doing, and given the depth and fluid rankings the one thing I rule out is an Isles trade-up.

Dee Karl, charter member of the NY Islanders Blog Box
Hockeybuzz.com Isles blogger and the NY Islanders 7th woman

Even though this week Garth Snow seemed to be assuring the hockey community that the Islanders would maintain their #5 pick, when it comes to the Isles, I always expect the unexpected.  If they have zeroed in on a draft candidate they feel has been ranked lower than they think he should be (Nino at 12?); be assured Garth will make another shrewd move.

So this June, I am prepared.

Iwill not be surprised if I hear the announcement “The New York Islanders have made a trade…” leaving Snow & company to ascend  the podium at 7th, 8th or 9th.  (That would be a deal with Carolina, Atlanta or Minnesota.)  IT COULD HAPPEN.  All I am hoping for with the 2010 first pick is a gift – something to take the place of what I really wanted LAST year.  I was in the minority of Isles fans that would have passed on Canada’s chosen son, John Tavares, in favor of Victor Hedman (Who came away from his first season with 4 goals, 20 pts and was a -3. Ouch). However, even Denis Potvin  said that 6’6” defensemen don’t grow on trees.  Well, there’s  a new crop just in with five D in the top 10 and I’m personally hoping the Isles can snag Erik Gudbranson, the 6’4” Ontario native who seems to know what it takes to make it in the NHL.  Well, at least that’s what his coach Doug Gilmore thinks.

Aren’t you glad I’m not making the decision? Me too.

Dominik, Isles blogger at SBNation
LighthouseHockey.com

Not that I’m expecting Garth Snow to clue us in, but looking at other teams’ needs and where the Islanders sit at #5, I’m starting to think Erik Gudbranson would be their guy, if he’s there. They talk about the need for size, so Brett Connolly is a temptation. But they’ve spent the last three top picks on forwards and Gudbranson would fill a size and mean-streak need on defense. Plus, it sounds like he’s one of those solid-to-the-core character guys, which they seem to be building around.

That said, whoever they really like could be a surprise. Maybe they love Connolly (if he’s still there), maybe there’s something about Gormley (likewise) or maybe someone else (Nino? A Russian?). I figure Snow to stand pat at #5 — there isn’t the dire need to restock the cupboard with numbers like there was in 2008 — but would anyone be surprised if he traded down again to get someone they’ve fallen in love with? Likewise, with multiple 2nd and 3rd-round picks, could he package a bunch to move his second pick up to the late 1st round?

We’re doing a mock draft at SB Nation, so we just did a more expansive rationale for selecting Gudbranson at Lighthouse Hockey.

Daniel Bressler
Member of the infamous The 2 Man Advantage

The Islanders need a big defenseman. Its as simple as that. The last few years, whether in the draft or through free-agency, they have stock piled nimble d-men or skilled centers.  Its time to add some bulk to the skill. Yes Travis Harmonic is in the system, and thats the only big kid I think of.  The Islanders are still at least two years away from being a threat in the play-offs. So regardless, whoever of Gromley, Fowler, or Grudbranson is available at number five is who the Islanders should take.  That kid will then have time to develop either in junior, the A, or the NHL and when the Islanders are ready to make an impact, so will he.

Tony Stabile
NY Islanders blogger at HockeyIndependent.com

With no glaring need in their prospect pool the Islanders have the opportunity to take the best available player at number 5. In all likelihood either Brett Connolly, Erik Gudbranson or Cam Fowler will be available when #5 comes around….here’s how I think it’ll happen.

At #3 Florida takes Brett Connolly. New GM Dale Tallon can’t pass up the extremely talented Connolly. As the architect of the Stanley Cup champion Blackhawks, he built that team on the backs of #3 overall pick Jonathan Toews and 1^st overall selection Patrick Kane. Tallon loves big scoring forwards and Connolly is just that. They have a need for a top defenseman, but after choosing Dmitri Kukilov last June, Connolly makes the most sense here.

At #4 Columbus takes Erik Gudbranson. Fowler would be the home run choice for GM Scott Howson, but I think the safe choice for the Jackets is Gudbranson. Projected to be a Pronger like defenseman, Gudbranson would be an immediate rock on the Blule Jackets blueline and a solid building piece to go along with Rick Nash, Nikita Filatov and Steve Mason.

At #5 The New York Islanders will select Cam Fowler. Fowler is a flashy skater, outstanding passer and his game has so often been compared to Brian Leetch. As with Hall, Seguin and Gudbranson, Fowler is most likely ready for the NHL and sending him back to Windsor for another season would be pointless.  Selecting Fowler would give the Islanders a top 4 of Streit, Calvin deHaan, Travis Hamonic  and Fowler on opening night 2011…add in Kyle Okposo, Josh Bailey, John Tavares and Kirill Petrov and the Islanders will have a outstanding young core for years to come.

Now I in no way have inside information or will pretend that I do, but my hunch says this is how the top 5 will play out….and I’m sticking to it.

I also feel that whomever the Islanders choose at 5 will impact who they choose at 35. If Connolly drops to 5 and the Islanders take him there, I think they will be looking at some defenseman in round 2, but I strongly believe that the Isles will take a defenseman with that first pick. In the second round I would love to see Garth Snow swing for the fences with the 35^th pick and choose either Kirill Kabanov or John McFarland if either is available. The talent is undeniable for either player and really all that’s needed is a little maturity (actually in Kabanov’s case it’s a lot of maturity). Either way, if either player grows up and shows that maturity, it could be a steal for the Islanders.

Tom Liodice, charter member of the NY Islanders Blog Box
The Tiger Track blogger, and NY Islanders correspondent

Remember the last time the Islanders had the fifth overall selection? Well, that eventually turned into the seventh pick, and then the ninth pick. Ottawa fans at that draft, and Isles fans back home were none too happy with the constant “downgrading.” However rest assured this year in Los Angeles, I have no doubt that the Isles will be keeping this fifth pick all to themselves. So what exactly do they need? One word…SIZE. It’s been a problem for the past few years that really hasn’t been addressed on the back line (I’m looking at you, Brendan Witt). But Erik Gudbranson can bring that size for the long term. At 6-foot-4, 195 lbs. (and has time to fill out more!), the young defenseman can fill a void in the Islanders system that has been lacking for quite some time. But of course, for this to happen, Gudbranson will have to escape the clutches of Florida and Columbus in order to wear the orange and royal blue. Regardless, the card will need to fall right for the Islanders in order for the big boy to land.

BACK TO BD

And now my prediction:

The Isles blogosphere consensus pick. Yet, one problem....

I wasn’t sold on Erik Gudbranson until I met him at game 4 of the Cup Finals in Philly. There is far more at work just besides his Pronger-compared play and size. He is highly intelligent, calm, cool and collected.

If there was a man born to play on Long Island in uneven times and to rebuild with, it is this man.

He exudes leadership and is the type of guy a team could rally around.

The Isles have missed on several high end defenders due to their placement. Bogosian, Doughty, Pietrangelo all were those who they regarded highly. Hedman also was regarded highly but the Isles took the player that would bring all facets along with him…fan excitement and scoring.

Now the Isles have a lot of holes, but a player like Gudbranson might be that one to push up a spot to get unless the Isles are convinced he will drop to them. But what can the Isles even offer Florida or CBJ to do such a move?

The problem here are the two teams in front of us: Columbus and Florida. Both are wild cards, and Florida could even deal for their spot to a team with far more to offer when they feel they are poised for the playoffs with some regular players.

So we also have to consider that Gudbranson will not be there at #5.

This means a change of philosophy in my opinion and you take the next best player overall, which in my opinion is Nino Niederreiter. I am not on the Brett Connolly bandwagon. His injury is something that does affect his value, and I am not convinced he is unaffected by it. I hope I am wrong, because he is a talented kid. I am not on the Russian prospect bandwagon. Isles cannot afford to wait or hope they don’t go to the KHL. Not at the #5 spot.

So you take the best one there instead on offense then you hope the Isles can push back into the top of the 1st of the round dealing some of those 2nd and 3rd round picks to grab a mean Dylan McIlrath or perhaps hope Jarred Tinordi, another physical defender drops to the 2nd round.

Then the Isles have one dynamic forward and an excellent blue chip defender from the draft. Definitely two things they needed.

If Gudbranson is available, you pick him as your dynamic defender and work on catching a gem in the rough of an offensive player by moving up. Or you try to jedi mindtrick Atlanta to get back into the top 10. Or you roll the high school dice with a Brock Nelson at the end of the 1st or even at their spot in the 2nd round.

Isles are willing to move things to get their man, and they have been scouting these kids all season besides just meeting some at the combine. Trust me, they have a plan.

Is it predictable?

I was able to guess correctly they’d move back in 2008 except I thought it was Colin Wilson they were going for. I did predict Tavares, but that was a no-brainer. So I can’t really tout my prognostication skills…. even if I was more accurate than LI’s local paper.

This year…all bets are off.

From Russia with love…

With those KHLers dropping like stones in draft value, the Isles could grab one deeper in the draft in the 2nd or 3rd round to take a chance on. I don’t buy Alex Burmistrov talk one bit. If the Isles bite on a Russian is will not be him, it will be Vladimir Tarasenko who also has expressed interest in playing in the NHL and is rated higher by many, some feeling he is a top 4 pick (ISS). Could Burmistrov drop to 2nd round? Then, well, there is a conversation worth having. First half of the 1st round? Not buying it.

And now for something completely different:

Which brings me to the dark horse scenario. The Isles have two solid goalies prospects in their system: Kevin Poulin and Mikko Koskinen. But a good system has more. A good system and future doesn’t put all their eggs in one or two baskets.

Do not discount that the Isles might have an eye on Jeff Campbell or Calvin Pickard. Or at least some under-the-radar European goaltender that they will look to take in round 2 or 3.

Rick DiPietro, their 15 year man, is a huge question mark after last years assurances all was well, slow rehab, and eventual shutdown. His career is in deep trouble if  the swelling persists. Meanwhile their starter, Dwayne Roloson, will be 41 years old in October and on the last year of his contract.

Garth Snow was a former goalie, so is Mr. Bean Pot Trot himself, Scott Gordon. The Isles brainstrust must be considering other goalie prospects in their system and those in the draft for the uncertain future they are presented.

Folks, don’t discount the goalie factor in this coming draft. I don’t think they will take one early, but do consider it as factor later on.

If they leap at Campbell or later in 1st for Pickard, then know that the DP situation might be quite dire. If they just take someone deeper, then they are just being smart and prudent.

And of course there is the Isles wacky character factor:

Jaden Schwartz, Austin Watson, and Ryan Johansen could be ones that catch the Isles eye on character and talent with their psyche profile pushing up their value. If the Isles move back in the 1st round, could be for one of these surprises. Remember, the Isles use a 180 question personality test and have their psych guy front and center at the Combine. There is a reason for it. There is a chance they can rate someone far higher due to that character, potential plus talent.

- BD

Nashville became the tentative team which lost the majority of puck battles. The Predators best players didn’t have strong contributions. As the game went on the Nashville goalie looked bewildered and his performance slipped. 

Chicago assumed the role of the effective, confident team which was seldom out battled. The Hawks best players assumed control and seized opportunities. The Chicago goal keeper made sure defensive miscues would not end up as a goal against. 

The Blackhawks responded as a very good, desperate team should. They played with a purpose for the entire sixty minutes. 

The result was a convincing 3-0 victory for the Hawks as they were able to regain home ice advantage. 

The Hawks caught a break late in the opening frame when Tomas Kopecky was issued a two minute boarding penalty rather than a five minute major. His hit on Kevin Klein was unintentional but still wrong. Klein was in a vulnerable position and fortunately wasn’t seriously injured. 

Most likely if it was Adam Burish hitting Klein he would have been given a major and a game misconduct. In the NHL it often is a case of who you are rather than what you did. 

The Hawks were fortunate, but they soon took an ill advised penalty for delay of game. The Preds then went on a two man advantage for about 1:50, but the Blackhawk defense and Antti Niemi wouldn’t cave in. The Hawks were able to hold onto their lead and Nashville wouldn’t get a better chance to dent the Chicago net. 

Brent Sopel had an outstanding game. 

The courage he showed in blocking a Shea Weber drive during Nashville’s 5 on 3 helped keep the Preds off the scoresheet. Sopel was often paired with Niklas Hjalmarsson as they were Hawks best defenders. 

The officials had more than one miscue. 

They also missed an obvious high sticking call on David Legwand early in the first period. The overlooked infraction should have been worth at least four minutes as Legwand clipped Kopecky in the mouth. 

The officiating is what it is, but there isn’t much of an excuse for missing a high sticking penalty near the puck. 

Brian Campbell appeared more comfortable as the game went on and performed well considering his lengthy absence. 

Although his participation didn’t hurt Chicago’s chances he only was on the ice for 14 minutes and didn’t record a shot. His efforts didn’t hurt as the Hawks did play at a faster pace. It will take time but Campbell should get a little better every game. 

Niemi rebounded with a great performance. 

It was discussed after the Hawk victory Niemi has often followed a sub-par performance of four goals against or more, with a shutout.  The game following a whitewash is when Niemi has struggled. 

An overconfident attitude from his teammates in the contest following a shutout may also have some bearing on Niemi’s goals against. The Hawks will need to change that trend as they try to capture the series advantage on Saturday afternoon. 

Chicago hasn’t had the best of luck in weekend afternoon games shown on NBC. Hawk fans will hope that also changes in Game 5. 

The sporadic way the Blackhawks have been playing overconfidence shouldn’t be a factor. 

Al’s Shots 

The Hawks still allowed too many shots and they also took twice as many penalties as Nashville. 

Will the Nashville powerplay ever wake-up?

Chicago wasn’t very good in the faceoff circle. 

Patrick Sharp had a fine performance, except at the dot. 

Sharp won only four draws and lost ten. (29%)  It isn’t surprising Sharp would be rusty. 

The Hawks offense came alive as they crashed the net and made Pekka Rinne uncomfortable. 

They also were able to complete passes and play at a quicker pace. 

Maybe Joel Quenneville’s line changes were the difference. 

Regardless Q’s boys were dialed in and stayed determined. 

The Hawks won battles along the boards and stifled Nashville’s offense. 

Now….Can they play two strong games in a row?

One factor is Dave Bolland is still attempting to regain his form after missing much of the season due to back surgery. The other significant reason is Brain Campbell is out with injuries and his loss has been felt. 

The good news is the Hawks can overcome those issues and defeat the Nashville Predators. This series could still be completed quickly, possibly in five games, with a Chicago victory tonight. The Blackhawks can then take a giant step forward in becoming a favorite to win the Western Conference title. 

Every other so called Stanley Cup favorite in the West is behind in their playoff series two games to one. With a victory in Nashville the Hawks will take the series lead and could close out the Predators on Saturday afternoon at the United Center. 

If San Jose, Vancouver and Detroit are to survive until the next round they will have to play at least a six game series. 

It may not sound like much of a difference but the extra time to rest would be a big advantage for the Blackhawks, especially considering the Campbell injury. 

If the Hawks could win tonight and eliminate Nashville on Saturday, they would have the opportunity to rest and also get in some high tempo practices. Then Campbell would have a better chance to return in the next series as a more effective player. 

It would be unreasonable to believe Campbell will be 100% as soon as he returns. But with the right playoff schedule he would be closer to top speed toward the end of the next series. 

If all things fall into place maybe the Hawks could be playing their best hockey when it will count the most, in the later rounds of the playoffs. 

But to have a chance to control the series Chicago will have to be ready for their toughest test tonight. Nashville should come out with a more determined effort so a victory won’t be easy. 

Some believe the Blackhawks are a true Stanley Cup contender. 

If so this would be the time to seize an opportunity to be in the best position to succeed. 

Al’s Shots

I don’t comment on many rumors but….

Did The Blackhawks Standby Club really offer a cash reward for information leading to the whereabouts of defenseman Kim Johnsson?

Campbell was walking around in the press box on Sunday and he looks great in a suit. He said he was able to sleep better, which is important, and he was feeling good. 

My guess is Campbell will be back within two weeks. 

Has any big name Canadian Olympian performed poorer than Roberto Luongo since the break? 

It will be interesting which young goalie will let post season pressure get the best of him. 

Antti Niemi needs to stay on a roll and it would be great for the Hawks if Pekka Rinne started to slip. 

Rinne has been very good and was big reason for Nashville’s Game 1 win. 

For the Red Wings sake Jimmy Howard needs to play better. 

Injuries in the playoffs will also come into play. 

The Coyotes would really miss Shane Doan if he was out for an extended period. 

Doan is thought to have a shoulder injury and could miss tonight’s game. 

So far the Hawks have not sustained a serious injury in the playoffs, and they really can’t afford any. 

Injury updates for Game 3. 

Tweeted by the Tribune’s Chris Kuc from Nashville…. 

Patrick Hornqvist will be a game time decision for Nashville. 

I didn’t touch upon the significance of his loss for the Preds in Game 2. He probably is their biggest offensive threat. 

Brian Campbell is still out but getting closer according to Chris, and Kim Johnsson is still not skating. 

It looks like Campbell could be back before the end of this series especially if it goes past Game 5. 

Expect the same lineup for the Hawks which means no Adam Burish or Nick Boynton.

blackhawkswin@comcast.net

Most of the 22,043 in attendance were just happy to be there but some did show displeasure with a few boos. 

The Hawks hit an exacta against the Columbus Blue Jackets losing for the second consecutive game. Besides enduring another loss Blackhawk faithful had to sit through one of the most boring games of the season. 

The Hawks lost 4-2 on home ice to a team which is playing basically for pride only. 

I’m not sure what was hashed out in the secret meeting held on Friday. One thing is certain this team is not playing with passion and determination for a full 60 minutes. 

It’s one thing to lose but looking like a frustrated group of whiners does not instill fear in the hearts of opponents. 

Unpredictable officiating shouldn’t appear as anything new. 

Yapping and glaring at officials isn’t going to help you get the next call. Maybe that was addressed in Friday’s gathering although Kris Versteeg was still turning and gabbing at officials on Sunday night. 

Patrick Kane received an unsportsmanlike penalty because he was catching a beating all night long from the Jackets. Kane was frustrated and looked for some help from the officials, but he should know better than to outwardly complain. There is no excuse for receiving such a penalty late in the final period while losing.

Jonathan Toews was also voicing some displeasure with the officiating. He has been silent of late otherwise. Can’t recall hearing many we will work our way out of it… quotes from the young captain.

Toews is still learning how to be a NHL leader. His will can’t be questioned but he and others appear to be in a funk. The frustration of inconsistent play is bubbling over. 

Actually the guy doing the most talking to the media is the player who has played the least this season, Adam Burish. Somehow that doesn’t seem right. 

Toews and his teammates who were at the Olympics appear tired. 

Marian Hossa is trying to do too much on his own. 

Toews, Hossa and others can’t sustain a top effort. 

The malaise can be stopped with two victories against the Blues and Wild. Right now that appears unlikely but things can change quickly. The Hawks have a big three game road trip this week. 

All we see if this team has the fight to battle through bad times. 

When a head coach juggles lines and it works he is a creative genius. When Joel Quenneville keeps changing combinations and it doesn’t work, as was the case for the most part last night, it appears desperate and scattered. 

I’m sure there is a stat which can support pairing Brent Sopel with Duncan Keith. 

Maybe defensively they wouldn’t be too much worse than a Keith and Brent Seabrook pairing, although that seems hard to believe. Certainly the ‘D’ to ‘D’and breakout passes weren’t the same last night with new partners. This does translate into generating fewer scoring opportunities. 

Pairing Sopel with Keith, in attempt to balance things out is not the correct answer. 

If you woke up one morning and discovered your left front tire was going flat…. 

What would you do? 

Go and get a nail gun and puncture the right tire so the ride would feel the same? 

The Blackhawk defense can’t be balanced with two of the top five defenders out. 

It would make more sense to play Keith with Seabrook for about 25 minutes a game and then look for a strong showing from the second pairing. By splitting the top two, Keith is still playing more than he probably should. It’s not like he is then being shielded from over use. 

In recent games Niklas Hjalmarsson and Dustin Byfuglien were doing fine defensively as was Jordan Hendry and Nick Boynton. When Sopel has to be played his ice time should come mostly on the penalty kill. 

No matter how the combinations are juggled the Hawks are not going to be able to score as easily as when Brian Campbell was healthy. 

The same misguided Blackhawk fans which wanted to trade Kane because he was soft wished Stan Bowman would deal Campbell. They were wrong both times. 

Make no mistake #51 is overpaid but don’t confuse his performances with a Wade Redden. 

At this time Campbell is not replaceable, the Hawks are lucky Byfuglien has performed so well while moving back to defense. But big Buff can’t start the offense in the same fashion as Campbell. 

The Hawks have to adapt. Maybe that was brought up in last Friday’s pow-wow.  

Quenneville wants his team to play at a faster pace but down deep he knows the Hawk offense starts with the defense. 

If Kim Johnsson didn’t have a mystery injury maybe he could help provide a faster pace. Byfuglien has made the most of his new/old position but now it should be apparent the Hawks will have to claw for every goal. 

The most misleading stat in the NHL is shots on goal. 

There was a time when it wasn’t so, but those days have passed. No longer does taking a great amount of shots mean a sure victory. Often the losing team outshoots their opponent. 

Goals are still scored the same way though, normally from in close or because of screens and deflections. 

When was the last time any Blackhawk set a good screen? 

Deflections have become a lost art with this group as well. 

Perimeter shots without traffic can be sucked up by almost any NHL goalie. 

Steve Mason demonstrated how to diffuse a 35 shot attack by allowing very few rebounds. His teammates outworked the Hawks along the boards and waited for odd man breaks and scored. 

Antti Niemi wasn’t to blame but the young guy best stay off his rear end and keep control of his crease. 

When things were going good a weaker goal against wouldn’t matter, but when a club doesn’t score everything matters.  

That point was probably rehashed in the closed door meeting but it sure didn’t appear to hit home.

For Hawk fans sake, hopefully the shopping center cooking shows and the taping of various TV commercials has ended. That probably should have happened right after Christmas. But excuses and reasons for being tired are a plenty. 

Whether it is because of over marketing players, the Olympics, injuries or because of the pressure from heightened expectations, the Hawks can’t muster the effort to play a complete game. 

Every team is feeling fatigued. 

Those with the most desire and determination survive. 

MEETING ADJOURNED 

Al’s Shots 

Playing Versteeg on a line with Kane is like betting double zero on a roulette wheel. It can pay big but over time it isn’t an effective way to gamble. 

The Hawks power play at home has been poor all season. 

Now it is scary bad. 

Against the Blue Jackets the Hawks were lucky they weren’t losing after the opening period. But they didn’t have the necessary response until the middle of the last frame. 

No one has answers. Not the head coach or players. 

A simple game plan would be best these days. 

The players still talk about being a confident bunch…sooner or later losing will dampen their spirit.  

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