Pictures like this never get old to me
Happy Hockey Hangover Monday, folks. The first sign of hockey life came and went this weekend, with the annual Training Camp Festival. This was my first one, because last year I had to pay the bills and bring home the bacon. It really IS amazing that a team can sell out their building for a PRACTICE. I didn't partake in all the outdoor hoopla, because I'm above the age of 10 and I'm really just interested in actual HOCKEY being played. I was able to snap some in action shots of the festival, so feel free to check them out on the Puckin Hostile Facebook Page. Please be patient with me, as my mind is still in preseason form, as well.
-The day inside the UC began with some youth players doing drill as Eddie O barked out "encouragement" to them. Cute, yes, and awesome for those kids to be able to skate on the UC ice, but not quite the level I was there to see, unless I was there watching John Scott.
-The initial practice had the white team and red team doing drills, with Quenneville wearing a mic. That mic didn't make it all the way through practice. Kaner was included in the group, but wore a black helmet as opposed to everyone elses white lids. It was joked that he wore it just to be different, by Sharpie, but one can assume that it was to indicate "no contact". Following that was two 50 minute practice scrimmages, first with the Jonathan Toews white team against the red squad, and them the black team against the red team. There were 5-on-5 shootouts after both scrimmages to add a little excitement.
-Sharpie, Hossa, Dylan Olsen, and Jeremy Morin did not skate at all. Sharpie, of course, was nursing a sore side from having his emergency appendectomy. Hossa was not back from attending one of the funerals from the Lokomotiv tragedy, Olsen was nursing some injury, and Morin was still feeling effects of a concussion he sustained in Rockford, last season.
FORWARDS
-The big event INSIDE the UC was Patrick Kane skating the practice and then coming out as the "surprise" participant in the Black/Red shootout. He ended up scoring on Mattsson to tie up the shootout, and the crowd went bananas. It was nice to see him out there dominating.
-Captain Serious was in midseason form. As hard as I can be on players, does this guy do ANYTHING wrong? He was far and away the best player on the ice, and even gave rookie Mark NcNeill a little "how do ya do", picking his pocket from behind, while the kid was lollygagging through the neutral zone. Lets not forget the 5-hole break-a-way goal he scored on Emery, either. Effortless.
-Rostislav Olesz made HIS Blackhawks debut in unspectacular fashion. I'd like nothing more than to see this kid be a steal, but I really saw NOTHING special about him, especially nothing that would command $3-plus million dollars. Just another skater out there, and could have been easily mistaken for one of the European prospects.
-Speaking of people that were unspectacular, Ben Smith and Marcus Kruger played together on the black team. Still nothing there that's screaming "next level" at me. If Kruger plays anywhere but Rockford, he will be overmatched. He doesn't have enough raw talent to overcome his small stature.
-Dan Carcillo is going to be QUITE the circus this year. In his second shift, he laid a heavy hit on a red team player and Rockford Icehog Brandon Bollig proceeded to take exception and jaw with him. They didn't throw down, but there were a few moments from it. In the same shift Carcillo and Bolland had an exchange as both were returning to the bench. On Sunday, Carcillo and new draft pick/yapping chihuahua Andrew Shaw dropped the gloves. Carbomb has a high RPM mouth and a short fuse, which is pretty much what we all expected. I hope the Hawks penalty kill is up to par, because there is NO WAY Carbomb doesn't cost them a few needless powerplays against. He ALWAYS skates with a chip on his shoulder, and is always looking to put someone onto their ass, legal or not, Floyd Mayweather style.
-Brandon Saad and David Toews both showed some serious speed, at different points in the day. This Saad kid is going to end up a steal, and bringing in little Toews certainly didn't hurt.
-Invisi-Bolly looked like he was ready to play. He made a sweet move through two defenders, and looks like he may have taken a little weight off.
-Kyle Beach has to be counting down to the day when he becomes a former Blackhawk. I was quietly hoping to see Carbomb and Beach go at it. THAT is entertainment.
DEFENSE
-Keith and Seabrook both looked like themselves, and by that I mean, Keith looked more like the Norris Trophy winner than the basket case we saw last season.
-Hammer was also in his usual zone. Unspectacular, but solid.
-Leddy looks more comfortable out there, and is skating very smooth.
-Montador, and O'Donnell weren't very noticeable, which means they were doing their jobs. Lepisto was decent, but gave up a godawful turnover to Rob Klinkhammer, who buried it on the break-a-way.
-To NO ONE'S surprise, John Scott is still awful. Joe Lavin is a much better option and much less of a liability.
GOALIES
-Corey Crawford did nothing to make me think he was any less of the player we saw last year. He was composed and looks to be in great shape. Sophomore slump, my ass.
-This was the first chance most Hawks fans have had to see Alex Salak. He only gave up one goal, and looked smooth in net. His stance is a little unorthodox, and he holds his glove REALLY low, but he seemed to be able to compensate. After seeing Saturday's skate, I would rate him above Emery, but we didn't get to see him in either of the shootouts.
-Of all the goaltenders, Ray Emery logged the most ice time. I would like to preface this by saying I like Ray Emery, and I have been pulling for him to make it. He skated the entire practice and the whole first period of the first scrimmage. I have been reading where people have been claiming he looked solid, but I didn't see it that way. He made quite a few of the expected stops, but he was also lit up a couple of times. He looks a little tight, and moved post to post as I would call it, "gingerly". As a goalie who has played MANY games favoring injuries, I can recognize when another goalie is favoring something. Ray Emery was. He may work through it, and it may just be preseason tightness, but I saw something. His post-to-post movement was slow.
-Half of last year's Rockford tandem was next as far as netminders go. Alec Richards is a decent goalie. He did nothing to play himself out of an emergency #3-#4 position, depending on what happens with Emery. Nothing spectacular, but didn't make any huge gaffes.
-Kent Simpson is clearly the tops, of the prospect goalies. He looks more composed and calm, compared to Mac Carruth and Johan Mattsson. None of them were awful, so that's another positive.
