The Last Minute Kid PtII: Hawks 1, Ducks 0 and Monday's Big Boy

Late with this because PVR, again, and this is old news by now so I'll get after it quickly.
- One goal each game is unlikely to be enough on most nights.  The Hawks were outplayed for much of this game, outshot by a large margin and, when chances did arise it was the golden hands of Shaw, Kruger & Co. missing the net altogether.  Well, at least the fourth line was getting chances, right?
- The second line actually wasn't bad, occasionally.  Panarin shoulda coulda scored there in the third but thanks to the wording in NHL Rule #72 goaltenders may pretty much push the net any old place whenever they like.  Andy Moog would have loved that.
- And then there's Corey Crawford.  If The Hawks insist on grinding out these 1-0 games I guess he has to be there, but we all know he's not going to notch 30 shutouts this season, is he?  
- The look on Corey Perry's face when he failed a stuff-in had me smiling for half an hour.
- Despite The Ducks' shoot-fest, once again, The Hawks' D was quite good for the most part.  Svedberg had some moments, Daley made a drop pass to nowhere and Rundblad had the nerve to try to skate his way out of trouble, but none of this was calamitous.  Hey, we're three-for-three since Keith went down so I'm not complaining.

I think that, going forward, I'll only record the OT period, and only the first minute of that.

                                                What took so long, Johnny?

True Test: Hawks 1, Lightning 0 and Saturday's Big Boy

I tend to be pessimistic when it comes to The Hawks and the potential for disaster when things like Duncan Keith being unavailable are concerned.  Last night's game shone a bright, sparkly ray of hope 'pon me.

This was a sterner test, too, than the semi-interested Panthers a few nights ago, as The Lightning figure to be around or thereabouts next June, as their lineup has hardly changed since losing to The Hawks in last year's Finals. What we got was an excellent, all-round effort (exceptions noted below) and possibly the best period that The Hawks have played so far this season; The Hawks had their way with The Lightning in the second even while having to kill two penalties, and only new guy Kristers Gudlevskis kept The Lightning in it during that frame. And there's more:

- The Hawks penalty kill was simply outstanding and I liked that they trotted out three separate PK units and none of them stood out as being more or less effective than the others.  Ryan Garbutt had his best period and best single shift as a Hawk while on the PK.

- The Hawks' defence, once again, rose to the occasion with a smart, confident effort from all six guys.  No, not every play or pass was spot-on but, on the whole, it was a very encouraging performance from the group.  I hardly noticed Daley (intimidated off the puck once) and Rundblad (a yippy pass to Daley), which I take as A Good Sign.  Svedberg spent way too much time standing and observing, often with the puck getting behind him, but his freakishly long reach sometimes enabled him to make a play that he wouldn't otherwise have pulled off.

- How many times has Kruger failed to cash in a gimme this season?

- All respect to Viktor Tikhonov but was he playing rugby in this one?  I believe he attempted twice as many passes down-ice than up.  Still, he works hard, gives Toews and Hossa a little extra working space and appears defensively responsible, so...

- Ok, Garbutt had a wonderful First Period but, after that, reverted back to what-the-hell-do-you-do-anyway.  What was happening on that odd-man rush in the third when he couldn't get the puck away from him fast enough and put Teravainen offside?

- I'm also not entirely sure what Vincent Hinostroza is accomplishing, so far, but he's probably doing it better than Andrew Shaw, who could likely fetch a decent #5 or #6 defenseman, if anybody was looking into that sort of thing.

- Nice to see Toews net his first of the year, especially a game winner and in such dramatic fashion.  I don't expect the floodgates to open or anything, but I'll bet he won't be gripping his stick quite as tightly for a few games.

Yeah, it was "only" 21 saves and a fat goalpost, but Corey Crawford successfully outdueled a young dude who had a pretty fine night, himself.  The Hawks can dominate possession and outshoot teams all they like but, if they're gonna wait until overtime to score, Crawford has to be there.

                                                                   I got this.

First Test: Hawks 3, Panthers 2 and Thursday's Big Boy

Missed the game due to my own hockey activities, but here's what looks to be true.
- There were fewer scary moments than I expected in this, the first game that The Hawks will play for a month+ without Duncan Keith.  The most obvious example of what can and will go wrong was the ridiculous "effort" of Daley and Rundblad leading up to The Panther's first goal, with Daley deflecting the puck into harm's way and Rundy standing still and just flailing away until the puck was behind Crawford.  The other worrisome event was Daley being deployed during The Panther's 5-on-3 in the third period, which is less about Daley and more about the decision to place him in that situation.  Still, the bits I did view suggested that Daley is showing signs of actually doing what he was brought in to do - push the play out of The Hawks' zone.  I'm not sure what's taking so long with that.
- The result may certainly flatter to deceive; The Panthers are no longer the whipping boys they've been the last several seasons but, any team that manages only 18 shots against a depleted defense like The Hawks' AND chooses to trot Willie Mitchell out for 22 minutes is not setting themselves up for success.
- Clearly, The Hawks' top line right now is the "second line" of Panarin, Anisimov and Kane, and it's their efforts that are keeping The Hawks somewhat competitive, so far.  There's no doubt that Toews' line will get on track at some point but, while they figure that out (including who to stick on the left side) it's a good thing that the "Art Line" is among the best in the league, right now.  The only negative with that line is Anisimov's dreadful faceoff percentage.
- And then...

In the absence of Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook responded exactly as I'd hoped, logging a team-high 26 minutes, pushing the play carefully and decisively, making smart, accurate outlet passes.  Much of this was achieved while playing alongside a less-than-fleet and sometimes indecisive partner in Viktor Svedberg.  Seab's pass to Kane for the eventual game-winner almost makes me think we'll get out of this month okay.

This is What Happens When I Look Away?

From blackhawks.nhl.com:

Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith had surgery Tuesday to repair a right meniscal tear and will miss 4-6 weeks, the team announced.
Keith has two assists in six games this season while ranking 17th in the NHL in average ice time at 24:21 per game.

Seriously?  I take myself out of the game for four days and this is what I return to find?
Was there a Rise Against concert this weekend, or what?

Let's Not Get Ahead of Ourselves: Hawks 4, Isles 1 and Saturday's Big Boy

Didn't see much of the game because turkey dinner. but here's what I think I know:
- Okay, so The Hawks beat up on a third string (at best) goaltender making his NHL debut.  Take the two and leave quietly...
- Aside from that vague feeling of discomfort I am enjoying watching Kane and Panarin.  Having two darty players who know what to do with the puck and have the skill to pull it off on the same line is going to give a lot of teams fits this year.
- I thought Anisimov was supposed to be a decent face off guy?  What is he, 5 for 30 this year?
- You know those ads that The NHL and Ticketmaster have on now with the scalper...that guy is Adam Burish, right?

A close one tonight, but this fella didn't spoil a shutout by getting cute and losing the puck to Cal "The Name" Clutterbuck.

                                                          Я только показать вам это раз.

Two Way Tie for Last: Hawks 3, Islanders 2 and Friday's Big Boy

Not really sure how I feel about typing this.  
Happy that The Hawks won, somehow, but a little off-balance because of...well, you know.
So it's point form tonight.

- Within moments of the game's end I was reading accounts that stated how much The Hawks sucked tonight.  Well, certain players, at certain times were below-par, for sure, but they were no worse than The Isles, really.  They played well enough to win, barely.
- Yikes, Viktor Svedberg was a nightmare early on, gift wrapping scoring chances for two of The Isle's most potent weapons.  Thankfully, he settled down and, if not for his ridiculously lanky frame, would have been unnoticeable for much of the remainder of the game, as he should be.
- The Two Arts were both fun to watch tonight, with Anisimov deftly stealing a puck from Brock Nelson and then showing an unexpected burst of speed before potting a shortie.  Panarin, meanwhile, has been a joy to watch, especially in high-traffic zones; he seems singularly able to get the puck out of the tightest, most congested areas, and moving with speed before his foes even know what's happening.  The kid's got some wrists, too, judging by the snot behind his shot that rang the crossbar in the second period.
- 36 shots against seems like an awful lot, but I'm not about to panic just yet.  The Islanders are a good hockey team that generates their fair share of chances, it's the second game of the season and The Hawks are still working out their defence pairings.  I'm not sure we'll contend for The Jennings this year but things will get better.  Probably.

Credit goes where credit is due; neither of Kane's goals were highlight-reel stuff but rather the sort of goals that a top level player gets by knowing where to be.

Rockford-a-Go-Go

As in "Ville Pokka and Kyle Cumiskey, go to Rockford".
This is two days after Pokka was summoned from Rockford.  Viktor Svedberg, sent down on Tuesday, had been re-summoned to the front.  I hope The Hawks are reimbursing those two for the tolls they've been racking up on the I-90.
The important thing here, though, is Cumiskey is in Rockford.

In other news, The Panthers released Martin Havlat yesterday.  Hmmm...

It's not the beard on the outside that counts, it's the beard....oh, of course it's the beard on the outside.

Don't Keep 'em Waiting, It Just Makes Them Mad: Rangers 3, Hawks 2

I don't usually type anything when The Hawks lose but, it's the first game and there was plenty to see.

- Standing around at an over-long banner raising ceremony that has nothing to do with you, I am sure, is among the most irritating things an athlete might endure.  You can bet The Rangers wanted to piss off the crowd at The United Center as much as they wanted two points.
- Not a good night at all for Trevor Daley, eh?  On The Rangers' first goal Daley committed the cardinal sin of having two options but choosing neither, and he was a perfect storm of bad decisions and clumsiness on the eventual game winner.  So, they really couldn't sign Oduya for the $3.3 mil that Daley will "earn"?
- When David Rundblad plays 18 minutes it either means Rundblad is playing well or The Hawks cannot do any better, and one of these options seems far more likely than the other, I'm afraid.
- Don't get me wrong, 'cos I'm a big fan of Marcus Kruger, but anyone who thinks he has more offensive upside than he's able to show off as The Hawks' safety valve needs to see the open nets he gacked tonight.
- Did Kyle Baun play in the third period?  Ah, well, I predicted 8 minutes ice time so he...uh...overachieved by my reckoning.

But it wan't all bad.
- The top two lines were pretty much everything I had hoped for.  More, please.  Teravainen's goal was exactly what I was picturing in my mind's eye the other day whilst droning on about Toews and Hossa doing the digging and allowing TT to be more shooty.  And Panarin...how many guys score their first NHL goal on their first shot against one of the most dominant goaltenders in the game today?  Probably just one.  

Despite the loss, I find it uplifting that The Hawks got goals from the two guys who need to chip in offensively.  If Teravainen and Panarin want to shut up those who say they won't measure up to Sharp and Saad (whose former spots they skated in tonight, BTW) that's the way you do it, son.

Brooklyn next.  I expect to see Tikhonov in for Baun and half-expect Pokka to come in for Van Riemsdyk, which isn't entirely fair, 'cos TVR was competently average, just as he's always been.  I also have a funny feeling that they'll stick with Crawford on Friday and come back with Darling, at home, on Saturday.  But I'm wrong a lot, so...

                   All this not falling over or knocking goaltenders down was misleading!

Then Again, Maybe Not

Monday's practice session revealed some different line combos than those used over the previous several days and, for a change, it's more exciting than puzzling.  Mostly.

Teravainen --- Toews --- Hossa

This looks and feels better to me and is far preferable to Shaw skating with Toews and Hossa.  I don't want to grate on about Shaw because, for what he can do he does it very well.  The issue is that he is continually trotted out to perform a task he simply cannot complete.  He's wonderful in front of the net but that's not exactly what this line requires, and I worry that his lack of speed and discipline will hold this line back in terms of performance and frequent trips to the penalty box.  Teravainen is not a puck pursuit player but, alongside Toews and Hossa, he doesn't need to be.  His abundant playmaking skill should provide plenty of opportunities for his linemates and, given their ability to go deep and get pucks, may provide just as many shooting opportunities for the young Finn.

Panarin --- Anisimov --- Kane

The "Arts" line remains unchanged from the weekend and that's fine.  Despite his impressive debut on Saturday, Panarin is still a question mark but, if he's remotely as good as Hawks fans hope, this will be an exciting and effective trio.

Bickell --- Shaw --- Baun

The third line has, from time to time, been the spot in the lineup where the spare parts end up, and this iteration is just that.  Despite Coach Quenneville's best efforts to suggest otherwise, Shaw failed to distinguish himself as an NHL center last season.  His positioning is unexceptional and his face off skill is simply not there.  Still, if this combo is deployed as a quick-over-the-boards search and destroy unit they could prove useful, as each player has the ability to play a hard, physical game, create turnovers and cash in a goal here and there. That said, if this line fails to deliver I half expect to see Tikhonov slot in at center while Shaw shifts to the wing.

Desjardins --- Kruger --- Garbutt

I would have preferred that Shaw remain with Kruger and Desjardins but I'm not unhappy with this combination.  Garbutt has good speed and could even supplant the less fleet Desjardins on the penalty kill if it's not his penalties The Hawks are having to kill off, as he has a rep for overexuberance.

One more sleep.  Go Hawks.

Opening Roster?

The Hawks' Opening Night Roster appears to be set, barring any unforeseen trades, mishaps or Grand Jury Summons.  Bryan Bickell has, for now, avoided a trip to Rockford; he cleared waivers over the weekend but The Hawks have the ability to send him to The AHL without further exposure until he has played 10 NHL games or 30 days have elapsed, whichever occurs first.  Placing Bicks on waivers was all about shedding some salary, no one took the bait, so it's business as usual for the moment.
So, here's what we have to start with:

Andrew Shaw ---  Jonathan Toews --- Marian Hossa

Artemi Panarin --- Artem Anisimov --- Patrick Kane

Bryan Bickell --- Teuvo Teravainen --- Ryan Garbutt

Andrew Desjardins --- Marcus Kruger --- Kyle Baun

    Viktor Tikhonov

These line combos are, of course, approximate, although I expect all but the third line to be pretty much as indicated here.  A few talking points remain, the first being whether it will be Bickell or Tikhonov who sits out on Wednesday.  As you can see, I've predicted it will be Tikhonov.
The third line is a bit of a question mark in general; one cannot predict where and how line chemistry will arise, but this third line just looks like a bunch of stuff thrown together.  I am fully prepared to be wrong on this count, but I think any chemistry that the third line obtains will involve Tikhonov rather than Bickell.
Second, how long will Andrew Shaw remain on the top unit? He doesn't belong there but, if not Shaw, then who?  Bickell?  Not until he launches a spirited comeback from a couple of lackluster seasons.  Teravainen?  Why not?  Shaw will get a lot of rope with this assignment and will be difficult to dislodge, so someone will have to play their way onto the top trio while Shaw plays himself out of that spot.
Finally, how long can we expect Kyle Baun to stick around?  While I would be very pleased to see Baun complement the set-in-stone pair of Kruger and Desjardins I would also be very surprised to see that happen as I'm not convinced the talent is there nor will he get enough ice time to capitalize on this opportunity.  With Kruger/Desjardins likely being first over the boards to kill penalties Baun will be fortunate to crack 8 minutes of ice time on Wednesday.  I expect Baun to swap places in Rockford with Dano before long, with Dano displacing Garbutt to the fourth line, where be belongs, anyway.

Keith --- Seabrook

Daley --- Hjalmarsson

Van Riemsdyk --- Rundblad

    Cumiskey

    Svedberg

    Rozsival

Yeah, to start, anyway.  Look to see Keith, Seabrook and Hjalmarsson taking extra spins with either half of the bottom pair to minimize the number of shifts they're actually on the ice together.  Rozsival will be placed on IR or possibly even LTIR soon enough, so it will be Cumiskey and Svedberg who will step into the breach as soon as Rundblad screws up, so expect Cumiskey to be in the lineup on Friday against Brooklyn.  I was a little surprised to see Svedberg stick but, you know, 6'8" and all that, and at least Quenneville can use him as a forward, right?  Right??!  Regardless, that third pairing will be a revolving door of weird decisions, poor deployment and limited ice time all season, so buck the hell up and get used to it.  

Crawford --- Darling

As it should be.

Hopefully, this will conclude any preseason posting - - - looking forward to a Big Boy post on Wednesday.  Go Hawks.

Roster Surprises: Hawks Assign Eight Players, Waive One

If this is your first time hearing this news go ahead and try to guess all eight guys assigned to Rockford, as well as the player placed on waivers.
Hands up, everybody, who included Marko Dano in the list of the Rockford-bound.  He is joined by Dennis Rasmussen, Brandon Mashinter, Ville Pokka, Ryan Hartman, Vincent Hinostroza, Erik Gustafsson and Garret Ross.
The widely held assumption entering the preseason was that Dano would line up alongside Toews and Hossa, at least to start the season.  Hell, it was Coach Quenneville that equated Dano's appointment to the first line as being like winning the lottery, giving rise to the hacks calling The Hawks' top trio "The Lottery Line".  Well, I've never seen anyone have to give their lottery winnings back, but today Quenneville referred to Dano's three-game preseason as "ordinary".  None of the other demotions are surprising, although I would not have been shocked to see Hartman or Mashinter stick, not because they belong in Chicago, necessarily...it just wouldn't surprise me.
Part Two of today's excitement involves Bryan Bickell being placed on waivers, ostensibly to send him to Rockford.  What this really is, of course, is one final "take him, he's yours" effort, after being unable to trade Bickell The Hawks are prepared to try to give him away.  At this point, though, who has $4 million to blow on a third-line banger who doesn't actually do much banging, likely has concussion-related issues and a manky knee?  This, to me, is more sad than surprising but I must admit I didn't this, specifically, coming.  I'm not sure about the salary cap implications if Bickell clears waivers and reports to Rockford, so I'll find that out and maybe type some more about this after Bick clears, or not.

Where this leaves The Hawks is with 12 forwards, one of which is Kyle Baun.  I guess granting a roster spot to a young fella who had one pretty good preseason game is not that different, philosophically,  than offering $4 mil a year to a veteran forward who had one great playoffs, right?   Baun is projected as a fourth-liner, playing with Kruger and Desjardins, which is likely his ceiling and doesn't really concern me that much.  What does bug me is that, with Dano sent to Rockford, you just know that Andrew Shaw is going to be thrust into yet another role he isn't qualified for...first line left wing.
Yeah, the season hasn't even started yet and The Hawks are being dumbasses.  I'll try not to get too stressed about any of this, 'cos even if Baun plays 50% beyond himself he'll still only top out on the third line, if he sticks at all.  Dano will be back and, I suspect, so will Bickell, providing he is and remains healthy.  Wait and see, right?

Meanwhile, on defence, we still see Kyle Cumiskey and Viktor Svedberg hanging around, trying to catch that 7D spot on the roster which, given there are only 12 forwards at the moment, might have evolved into a 7D and 8D sort of thing, which has always worked so very, very well (hi, Mike Kostka!).  This is just until Michal Rozsival is "fit" again, of course.  I can't wait to see what happens when Rozsie is good to go; Svedberg playing left wing a-la John Scott, anyone?

                                                        Uh, is 17 taken....?