Special Puckin Hostile ShoutcastThe Trade Companion Episode

In this special surprise Puckin Hostile Trade Companion episode, Fatrick and Gatekeeper (aka FatKeeper) go old school, to discuss the trade on everybody's mind.

Team Miserable discusses the following:

-The Bickell/Teravainen trade to Carolina
-Perception vs Reality of Shaw and Teravainen
-Lingering cap woes
-The Meatball Hero, and how much can the Blackhawks really pay him
-Saad vs Panarin

You can find the episode on iTunes by following this link (you may need to update your subscription): iTunes

Get the Shoutcast directly though Soundcloud here:


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"Sweet Carolina, and the Meatball Hero"Blackhawks trade Bickell and Teravainen

It always happens like this, doesn't it? We spent 2 1/2 hours roasting each other on the Shoutcast, because nothing is going on, and the very next day the sky falls. Today the Blackhawks announced that they had launched Bryan Bickell into the sun, along with Teuvo Tervainen, for the 50th overall pick in this year's draft, and a 2017 third round pick.

While we can be caught a little off guard with this move, it has been discussed over and over, these past few months. Bryan Bickell had to go. He simply had to. Whether Bowman bought him out, or he was traded, a move was inevitable. The cap, and roster could not be mucked up any longer with his decaying useless body. Most thought he was going to be bought out, once the aforementioned buyout period opened at 4PM, yesterday. He didn't make it that far, and it's a fair question to ask "why not?"

No love lost here, as he has done nothing but cause the Blackhawks front office and those who cover the team closely anxiety. We cannot fault him for taking money he was offered, but we can fault him for playing well below the level he was paid. The Bickell situation directly led to the Sharp > Daley > Scuderi > Ehrhoff epic debacle. The Saad situation wasn't simplified any, with an extra $4 million of cap space tied up in Captain Vertigo, either. This was a ripple effect from hell, to the likes of which the Blackhawks will continue to pay. It took Bowman a while, but he finally got rid of the stinky carcass, but that doesn't clean up the wake of destruction left behind.

The major problem with this deal, is that the Blackhawks gave up an affordable 21 year old rookie, who has his entire career ahead of him. A player that was considered one of the top prospects in the entire NHL, just months prior. A skill forward that could (debatably) play the pivot, or on the wall. That speaks volumes. A player that put up 13 goals and 35 points in his first full NHL season, playing a majority of his time with two offensive juggernauts named Danualt, and Desjardins. A player that plays a major part on both the powerplay and the penalty kill, FOR A JOEL QUENNEVILLE COACHED TEAM.

Did I mention that he's cheap?

If you listen to the vocal meatball minority (and you shouldn't), Teravainen is a bust, a disappointment, or a non impact player. This is pure and utter rubbish and anything said to the contrary should elicit a mouth sewn shut and a straight jacket.

The Blackhawks need top 6 forwards, primarily on the top line, to fill one big hole and relieve an ageing veteran. The hole at left wing that Brandon Saad left, is still gaping, and Marian Hossa probably needs to slide down the line-up to limit the wear and tear on his legs and back. Who fills any of these holes? There is no one left.

You can mindlessly regurgitate the "Teravainen would have been taken in the expansion draft", and he might have been. So what? One more year with him making virtually nothing, certainly made the Blackhawks a better team and offered them some additional flexibility both financially and structurally. There is literally no one in the system that replaces the skillset that Teuvo Tervainen brought. This is fact. Not one player that could play the right wing next to Jonathan Toews, and see the game on that elite level. Knock Teuvo Teravainen's size all you'd like, but he makes plays and sees the game at that high level, and will only get better. Teravainen, when playing with competent players, was one of the top 2 or 3 passers on this entire roster. He could shoehorn passes to places that very few players in the entire league could accomplish.

This brings us to the final piece of this puzzle. Meatball hero, Andrew Shaw. I don't hate the guy. He has passion and a drive that is admirable, and seems to have a childlike love of the game. What he doesn't have, is justification for eating up the money that Bowman just spent over 2 years trying to shed. That money needs to be spent elsewhere. Have we literally learned nothing? Over inflated "rewards", like the ones Bickell and Kruger both received only turn out to be regrettable. If Shaw wants to stay for no raise, at all, be my guest. If you want to carry two bottom 6 forwards making more than $6 million, that is just not smart asset management.

This team's championship window is creeping shut, and these players aren't getting any younger. It's very well possible that Stan Bowman's swing for the fences, in February, was the last serious shot as this team gets thinner and thinner.

Under the radar, Richard Panik re-signed with the Blackhawks for one year, taking an actual cut in salary. This was an inevitable deal that needed to happen. Another year of #DickPanik.

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AHL - Rockford vs. Milwaukee3-2 OT Loss Report

"Down On The Farm Report"
by Patrick Stankus

Last night I made the 2 hour drive down I-90 out to Rock Vegas to take in the Rockford IceHogs vs. Milwaukee Admirals game. While I was looking forward to seeing Marko Dano when I first bought the tickets, I was thrown a curve ball earlier in the week and was instead treated Bryan Bickell making an appearance for the Hogs. Nevertheless, there was still hockey to be played, and some prospects to keep an eye on. Instead of a traditional Puckin' Hostile recap, I'm going to do brief summaries on the players I had an eye on. And if you guessed Bickell would be one, you win.

Brian Bickell - Without a doubt, Bickell was the one I had my eye on the most last night. Bickell had a superb shift in the first period which included; a missed check that sent him into the boards at 100mph, a swing and a miss on a slap shot attempt (I felt the breeze all the way up in the last row), and a lazy backcheck in which his guy beat him up the ice, and you guessed it, ended up scoring. Bickell did have a nice assist on Pokka's goal in the third period, but overall I wasn't impressed. He looked completely lost out there. If its true that there were NHL scouts looking at him in Rockford last night, then good luck convincing them that he's worthy of making a deal right now. I don't know if its his knee or the vertigo, but whatever it is, something isn't right with Bickell.

Kyle Baun - This is the first time I got to see Baun play in person and all I have to say is, "how the hell did this guy make the Blackhawks roster coming out of camp?" Baun had a wide open shot in the slot, and missed the net by 10 feet. Even Viktor Stalberg was laughing at that "attempt." In addition to that, Baun spent the majority of the game skating around like a chicken with his head cut off. What Quenneville saw in his game that he liked so much is beyond me.

Brandon Mashinter -The Manshitter opened up the scoring for the IceHogs with a goal scored right in front of the crease. Are you paying attention Bryan Bickell? Mashinter had a solid game overall. In addition to the goal, he had another good opportunity to score and a few good, quality hits, that actually caused separation of the puck and created turnovers. I'll gladly take those kinds of hits.

Vinnie Hinostroza - As was the case with Baun, this was the first time I got to see Hinostroza play in person. Overall, not bad, but nothing spectacular as well. He generated some chances, and actually looked like he was trying to improve his 200 foot game. That will go over well with Quenneville. He kind of reminded me of a Martin St. Pierre type of player. The good news for Hinostroza is, he's young and will hopefully continue to improve.

Ville Pokka - Pokka had an up and down game. His goal in the third period tied the game, but he also took two bad penalties. Not to mention, I also counted two times where he made a bad pinch at the blue line and nearly got bitten by them as a result. Clean some of the mistakes, fine tune the offense, and Pokka might be ready to challenge for a roster spot next season. How's that @Hostile_Derek?

Cameron Schilling - I liked what I saw out of Schilling last night. He kept his game simple, and aside from a late first period penalty had a solid night overall. He and Pokka were the only IceHogs that were a +2 on the night. Depending on the situation with the Hawk blue line, it wouldn't surprise me if Schilling gets a call up once during the season. But as for now, I don't have a problem with him playing in Rockford getting regular ice time.

Other notables

Jake Dowell - I liked Dowell when he was with the Hawks, but at this point in his career, he's a career AHLer. There's nothing wrong with that.


Ryan Hartman - Hartman had a great chance on a breakaway, but couldn't convert. Other than that, I thought I was watching Andrew Shaw last night.

Kyle Cumiskey - Much like the Blackhawks Stanley Cup championship ring photo, I didn't notice Cumiskey at all last night. I'm sure Quenneville saw something he liked though.

Dennis Rasmussen - Not bad last night. Got a bullshit goalie interference call against him the second period, but I liked what I saw. Definitely a work in progress. 

Jeremy Morin - Apparently he played last night.

Power Play - The trick to seeing an effective power play involving the Blackhawks is traveling to Rockford. I haven't seen a power play with this much sustained pressured in years. It was a joy to see.

3 on 3 OT - I'm glad the AHL stopped with the horrendous 7 min OT, which had 4 on 4 to start, then revert to 3 on 3 after the first whistle past the 4 minute mark. That was a joke. 3 on 3 OT in person is like watching a bad game of NHL 95. 

Perhaps though the highlight of the night belonged to @UncleRozsival who dropped this line after seeing Ville Pokka wearing #29 and Bryan Bickell wearing #44; "Jeez, how bad is it when you get sent down and you can't even have your number?"

That will conclude this Rockford report. As I said before on the Shoutcast, I plan on making more trips out to Rockford when I can this season, in addition to a couple of times they play the Wolves at the Allstate Arena. If you have any prospects you'd like to get reports on when I'm at a game, drop us a line @PuckinHostile or @Patrick_Stankus. Finally, if you haven't been to a game in Rockford, I suggest you go. Its a great time. Its almost as fun as a trip to Lumbus. 

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Blackhawks vs NY Rangers1-0 Overtime Loss Recap

Power Out-Rage
by Patrick Stankus

Sunday night featured a marquee, Original Six matchup on West Madison, as the New York Rangers made their only visit of the year to Chicago. Prior to the game, much of the talk in the Blackhawks world revolved around the expensive healthy scratch for the game, Bryan Bickell. To anyone who has paid attention this year, this should not surprise anyone. Of course however, that wasn't the only talk of the land. As is always the case, Coach Q made noise with his bat shit crazy line combinations. Oh boy, we're in for a real treat for this game.

As the puck dropped at the beginning of the game, we were still questioning the line of Carcill-Richards-Sharp, since the best way to get two struggling players out of a slump is to put them on a line with Gorilla Salad. How has Q won two Cups? Oh, I remember, it wasn't all about him. Throughout the first period, the Blackhawks allowed the Rangers way too much time and space and allowed 16 shot to New York. In addition to playing with fire by allowing all the opportunities to the Rangers, the Blackhawks also pissed away two power plays in the first. Some how after one, the game was scoreless.

In the second period the Blackhawks were a lot better defensively, holding the Rangers to just five shots. However all was not fine and dandy. The Blackhawks pissed away two more power play opportunities, both of which were frankly awful. I'd add more, but lets be honest that second period was flat out boring.

The third period belonged to the man in the crease for the Blackhawks. Corey Crawford made a few key saves in a sequence of chances for the Rangers just past the midway point of the third period. Meanwhile at the other end, Cam Talbot was just as good for the Rangers, denying a great opportunity by Patrick Sharp. The Blackhawks tried to hand the game to the Rangers by taking a late too many men on the ice penalty, but luckily they were able to kill it off. After a scoreless 60 minutes, we'd head to overtime.

As for the overtime, it didn't last long. Toews had an opportunity to open the extra frame, but was denied by Talbot. Following that play, the Rangers were able to get the puck out, and Derick Brassard found some open ice, and blew a slapper past Crawford to give the Rangers the 1-0 overtime win.

Next up for the Blackhawks is a quick two game road trip out west, where they will help the attendance in Glendale, AZ as they take on the soon to be former Arizona Coyotes on Thursday.

The Good

- Any NBC or NBCSN televised game without Thrillbury and McGuire is a huge plus!
- Despite the overtime loss, Corey Crawford was fantastic in net. You can argue that if it weren't for him, the Blackhawks had no business getting a point. And stop if you want to nitpick the Brassard goal.
- As bad as the power play has been, the penalty kill has been excellent. Once again they put in a huge effort with a late kill in the third period.
- Overall this was probably Teravainen's best game, but knowing Q, he'll scratch him next game for being on the ice for the overtime goal.

The Bad

- Wasn't it painful to hear Kenny Albert and Eddie O try and make this game sound exciting? Sure at some points there was some excitement, but overall, this one was a snoozer.
- The game winning goal was a result of a missed assignment by Toews. Toews never looked behind to pick up the trailing forward, thus leaving Brassard wide open.
- So apparently down the stretch we're going to have to deal with a rotating 7 minute a game grinder between Gorilla Salad and Desjardins. Tonight it was Gorilla Salad's turn to barely break a sweat.

The Ugly

-While I've been an advocate of him being in the press box, it still doesn't make it okay that, Bryan Bickell and his $4 million dollar cap hit were a healthy scratch tonight.
- Sharp hasn't scored in 18 games, and Richards in 22 games, so lets stick them with Gorilla Salad. What the hell is Q thinking??!
- The power play. That is all. We've already pointed out the problems. But if you were wondering, it was 0-4 tonight.

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And We're Off...The Race Begins

Twenty days until real hockey. That is what we have to look forward to, fans.

Here at the Puckin Hostile headquarters we have some brand new things, for the poor people that follow us. Those of you that took the summer off to lay out in the hot sun drunkenly watching the terrible Chicago baseball teams, are starting to get yourselves into fall/winter hockey mode. That means long sleeves, knit caps and, well, still beer. But throw in a little whiskey to warm your innards, because the journey to the 2015 Stanley Cup begins this weekend. Those that took the summer off will notice a few additions to the Puckin Hostile arsenal which are the, now regular, biweekly Puckin Hostile Shoutcast and the latest sucker to join the ranks, Patrick Stankus. These two additions have already helped take this silly dream of mine to yet another level. You might have the option to purchase official Puckin Hostile swag in the near future, as well. Going big time, I know.

All formalities aside, it is almost time for that frozen sport we all love. With that comes the endless speculation and analysis of what could have, or could not have, been. Who better to get this show rolling than one of the points of contention, Bryan Bickell?

Last summer, we were all sure that Bryan Bickell's playoff performance was going to write his ticket out of town to somewhere like Florida. I have no problem admitting that I did not think there a chance in hell Bickell would be back, especially for the salary that he was going to command. Then Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman did the unexpected, and talked Bickell into taking a bit of a discount to continue to the part of this core, and take a couple more shots at the Stanley Cup in Chicago. I was not exactly doing the happy dance. This was a deal that was going to take at least a year to simmer, and it has. So, lets take a look at the Bryan Bickell contract as compared to others with the same general skillset:

Bryan Bickell
28 years old
4 years for $4 Million per year
Games 59, Goals 11, Assists 4, Points 15, PIMs 28
Playoffs 19, Goals 7, Assists 3, Points 10, PIMs 8

Nathan Horton
29 years old
7 years for $5.3 Million per year
Games 36, Goals 5, Assists 14, Points 19, PIMs 24

Ryane Clowe
31 years old
5 years for $4.85 Million per year
Games 43, Goals 7, Assists 19, Points 26, PIMs 33

David Clarkson
30 years old
7 years for $5.25 Million per year
Games 60, Goals 5, Assists 6, Points 11, PIMs 90

These are the three other prized "power forwards" that were in Bickell's class. I think you get my point here.

Initial reaction was to say "WHAT?!?!?!", but if you compare to others with a similar set of skills, Bickell is younger, cheaper, and has a shorter contract. In this day and age, that is a win. We all joke that you can't teach size, but you certainly can't teach size that can consistently produce in the playoffs. Meatballs in Chicago are still clamoring for the fat jelly filled ass of Dustin Byfuglien because he had size and one decent playoff run 4 years ago. There is always the argument that he has averaged roughly 50 points per season playing defense, since he left west Madison, but these was for some really bad teams. He wouldn't be any better than a 3rd line wing or 3rd pair defender on this talented team, and he would be lucky to put up Bickell numbers.

Granted, this could all go to hell if Bickell has another 15 point regular season, but he has the potential, when healthy, to tally 35-40 points with the right linemates. Let's give him another full season with stronger knees, and see what he does. If he completely chokes, he still won't be the worst failure on the market, and the Blackhawks can launch him into he black abyss.

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Back Up The Brinks TruckBryan Bickell Cashes In

During all the draft hoopla on Sunday, it was announced that Bryan Bickell had re-signed with the Blackhawks for four years at an annual cap hit of $4 million a year. Some may say that he could fetch somewhere in the area of $5 million a year on the open market, but that is just an asinine amount of money for a guy that performed well in the final dozen games of a three year contract. Please allow me to piss in the punch bowl, but $4 million for a guy that could most 235689 likely live his life on the Hawks 3rd line is a little steep.

For three years a healthy portion of fans and bloggers have bitched and moaned about Bickell not using his big frame and mistaking himself for Patrick Sharp. A dozen, or so, decent playoff games and all of a sudden he has become the second coming of Cam Neely or even Brendan Shanahan. Let's not all forget the frustration that led me to once brand him, One Trick Bick. For three years he chose to fire 40 foot wrist shots on net instead of throw that big frame into the opposition and create havoc in front of the net. Deceptive wrist shots are nice, but it's the rest of your game that defines you.

Fast forward to the playoff this year and maybe something finally clicked; OR he was thrown on a line with two world class players that take the focus off his big toothless face. Whatever it is, I hope it continues, and I never have to bring up his contract again. Conventional wisdom tells one that he'll be a point of contention for the next four years because, well, $4 million is $4 million. For all of our sakes I hope he turns out to be the power forward the Hawks have been waiting for. He has all the tools and the attitude the Blackhawks brass and fans like.

Welcome Back, Mr. Bickell, I hope you raise hell in Conference III for the next 4 years!

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Dirty Black Summer

The Blackhawks have been on a cinderella run that none of us have seen in this city, well, EVER. As far as the Blackhawks go, that is. Regardless of what the Hawks do to finish the season, Stan Bowman and the Blackhawks are going to need to do work on some creative accounting to fill some holes, thanks to the salary cap rollback in the new CBA.

As the roster sits today, Bryan Bickell and Viktor Stalberg will be unrestricted free agents. Marcus Kruger and Nick Leddy will be restricted free agents. With the deals they are getting in Stalberg ($875K) and Bickell ($541K), even if they re-sign, it'll be for a raise. Lets say, for the sake of sanity, that each of them double their salaries. Stalberg would be at $1.75 Million and Bickell would be at just about $1.1 Million. Both are palatable cap hits, in today's market, but that brings the Hawks cap room to just under $1.2 million, with Kruger and Leddy still unsigned and no backup goalie. You can see where I'm going with this. Even if they are ok with humping the cap ceiling, they are going to need to shed some payroll. My gut feeling is that one, or both of them will be playing elsewhere. Jeremy Morin and Jimmy Hayes should be able to fill the Bickell/Stalberg slots pretty well. Ben Smith is also another candidate to fill some of that ice time. I wouldn't be heartbroken with any of these moves, but Stalberg's speed is an x-factor.


On the other hand, Leddy is in for a payday and Kruger isn't far behind. Even if both of THEM double their salaries, Kruger is at roughly $1.8 Million and Leddy is at $2.233 Million. Again, both decent cap hits, but if the Hawks keep all 4 at double their current salaries, the Hawks would be nearly $3 Million over the cap. That number drops to about $1.4 million over, if they play the kids in Bickell and Stalberg's spots. Either way, the Hawks need to make adjustments.

There are some easy solutions, with a buyout of Rostislav Olesz and maybe Steve Montador. These two moves, alone, free up almost $6 million dollars, make the most sense, and leave the Hawks some room to either sign or bring up a backup netminder, with some slight wiggle room. It's doubtful that they are going to pay Ray Emery the raise he is going to be looking for, come season's end, but I've been wrong before. Hutton and Karlsson are both unrestricted free agents and if one is re-signed, my guess would be Karlsson, based on his NHL experience. I wouldn't be terribly surprised to see both left to test the market.

All of these moves and all of this speculation is based on one thing, the Hawks don't test the free agent market. At all.

This brings me to my next point, and I brought this up on Twitter and in my game recap last night. David Bolland. Has the success of the young centers made him and his $3.375 Million cap hit expendable? I would say yes, and here is why.

-With Bolland out of the lineup, Kruger and Shaw have filled his spot pretty admirably.
-Shaw has taken over Bolland's beloved third line shutdown spot, and some would say he's not missed a beat.
-Those in love with his playoff performance forget that he's no longer playing against the other team's top lines. Shaw's line has been.
-While Kruger has a tough time winning faceoffs, Bolland has has almost identical issues at the dot. If they want to have a #3 playing in the #2 spot, Kruger can do it at less than half the price, and much younger.
-Kruger and Frolik could center the 2nd and 4th lines respectively, at the same cap hit as Bolland.
-$3.375 Million is a nice chunk of change to have in your pocket.
-His growth hasn't been what you'd like for a 2nd line center, and he's been at a plateau for about 3 years.

With the moves above, the Hawks could go into the free agent signing period with almost $8 Million in their pocket. Of course, Stan doesn't like to dive deep into the free agent market, but a Bolland trade may alos bring back something of value, as well.

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Blackhawks News And A BriefcaseFull Of Blues

Halfway through the month of December and the Blackhawks are still holding onto the #3 spot in the entire NHL. Even with all of the issues they have been having, they are able to pretty much stay there. Granted, there are 6 teams within 2 points of the Hawks (including Blackhawks south, The Panthers), but Hawks fan's have things to be happy about. The Blackhawks are also second in the league as far as Goals For. As with every good, there are plenty of things I would call "concerning", rather than bad. Lets go over a few:

• Razor's Edge. How could the goaltending quandary not be the first item on the list? Corey Crawford has come out "sub-par" and Razor Emery has actually over-achieved. This play has gotten Razor 3 starts in a row, when he takes the net tonight in Minny. I keep saying it, but this is not yet a controversy. Quenneville is going with the hotter hand, while he has the luxury of letting Crawford work the kinks out. This may very well turn into the same scenario as the last two years, but we mustn't drink the Razor Kool-Aid just yet. Crawford is not a fragile ego'd Huet, or an over the hill Turco. He's still young and impressionable. If Stephane Waite can't fix Corey's foggy head, then I will fully endorse panic mode, because the Hawks goaltending in Rockford isn't exactly comforting. Salak, and Richards haven't done anything notable, which is hugely disappointing, and Carter Hutton is small and not NHL ready, either.
• Bickell, Smith, Bickell, and so on. After last season's shocking 17 goal output, One Trick Bick opened some eyes in the NHL circles, if only to make league scouts say, "Don't give him 3 days to get his shot off". This also gave him a false sense of his place, as an NHL forward. He's a big ass that can cause traffic in front of the net, and if you give him time, can rip off a nasty wrist shot. Unfortunately, Mr. Bickell began to drink his own Kool-Aid (Yuck, I know), and lost his true identity. He began to think he was some kind of established sniper, and forgot to go to the net. Right to Q's Doghouse with you, Son. In steps every beat writers wet dream, the sandy haired Ben Smith. EVERYONE had been clamoring for the kid to step in. He was going to do great things because he had a handful of good, not great, games 8 months ago, right? Despite only scoring more than 20 goals once, in his Sophomore year at BC, he's a top six guy. Well, If you ask the Blackhawks Meat Beat Crew, they'll feed you that bologna. I've stated all along that Smith is, at best, a solid 3rd liner, who could fill in from time to time in other spots. Anyway, Smith was called up and, coincidence or not, laid a big steaming pile of poop in two of the Hawks worst games Hawks fans have seen in quite a long time. Now, by no means was this solely on Smith's shoulders, but he was absolutely invisible. Q had seen enough, and gave him the old "Healthy Scratch" treatment for 4 games. Bickell, who had been dropped to the fourth line, proceeded to swim in a sea of suck for those 4 games, and was scratched in favor of the kid. The Meat Beat threw fits of joy and spewed delusions of grandeur, when Smith scored in his first game back, but he then returned to earth so fast that he landed about 75 miles west of the UC, in Rockford. Now, we're back to the very affordable Bryan Bickell, who may or may not be angry enough to use that big ass to throw people around. At a dollar to pound ratio, the Blackhawks have to be winning on this one, right? Wednesday night's game will hopefully show us what One Trick Bick has learned, if anything. If not, he's cheap enough to sit in the press box, or even dangle as trade meat. Suck can be easily replaced.
• Hammer Time. All of us bloggers have been taking notice of Hammer's play lately, because that is what we do. If we point out the good, that's only restating the obvious. In this case, we can really blame Doug Wilson. As revenge for sending them packing in '10, he pulled a dick move on his former team and ran the price up on Hammer, like some kind of bidding war between the knuckleheads on Storage Wars. For those of you who are familiar, liken Wilson to the Dave Hester, yelling "yeeeeeeeeeep". Anyhow, Bowman had to keep him, at the time, and overpaid by at least a million for him. A young, good sized, Swedish defensive defender with a lot of potential could really be a steal a few years down the road. The problem, here, is that Hammer has not progressed, and, in fact, he's REgressed. He refuses to use his size to punish opponents, he really offers zero offense, and he absorbs huge hits. He has a constant look of extreme pain glued to his face, and he's only 24 years old! No player can take this abuse for long, and it's showing in his development. Yes, we all know he blocks shots, but that doesn't take a masters degree to accomplish, in fact, it's probably the easiest of all talents to master. You know where the net is, and where the defender is, just figure out the angle and cover your nuts. The bottom line is that time is running out. Nick Leddy has all but jumped Hammer to become the #3 guy. Hammer was never going to be a 40 point defender, but 20 would be a reasonable goal, and the even bigger issue is his physical play. He CAN punish people, like he did against the Islanders, but he's just too tentative. The clock is ticking, Nik.
• The latest of the entertaining shenanigans is today's article by NHL Blogger Extraordinaire Puck Daddy, aka Greg Wyshynski. Apparently, in a recent WGN radio interview, the host asked a question regarding the tired joke of the Sedin Sisters. Hardy, Har-Har, right? Bolly played to the audience and threw out a few jokes. Weeeeeeell, the Intarweb, mostly Vancouver Canucks fans, is up in arms over this, thanks to Wysh. Like this is the first time they've heard this shot. Really, it's like shooting fish in a barrel with Canucks fans, and this joke has been beaten to death. If you're going to get the idiots of the Intarweb up in a huff, find someone who is making a more recent stab, like their $10 Million backup goalie with the weepy face and greasy hair. I prefer the Tomax and Xamot Crimson Twins reference for the Sedin's, myself.

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All-Starpalooza Snubs and Flubs

"Patty Cake, Patty Cake"

Yesterday it was announced that Tomax and Xamot (Patricks Kane and Sharp for those that aren't up on their 80's G.I. Joe characters) were selected to the All-Star Extravaganza and Pig Roast. Sharp CERTAINLY deserves to be there, but I could go either way with Kane. He's been hurt and not necessarily All-Star worthy. I'm a hometown guy, but I can assure you there are at least half a dozen guys that have played more consistent hockey that should be out there, and if I wanted to be a real Debbie Downer I would further point out how Duncan Keith should be watching it home on TV too, but he was actually voted in by the fans. I guess if it keeps the axis of evil, Datsyuk and Zetterberg, out I'm copacetic.

Whenever something like this comes about there will always be debate about selections and snubs. This is no different. I have one major gripe, and two snubs.

Now, you could make cases for Zetterberg, Datsyuk, Stastny, Suter, and a few others, but really, the list could go on forever. My major gripe is with the selection of Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury from the Pens, and I'll tell you why. For at least the first quarter of the season, Fleury wasn't even the starting Goalie on his own team. Veteran Brent Johnson would have been listed as the #1 netminder, and Fleury couldn't stop a beach ball rolled at him. Tomas Vokoun, of the Florida Panthers, should have easily beat him out. Fleury's stats aren't even all that spectacular either, but I guess the small market teams have to suffer somehow. Apparently, once you get your Stanley Cup gold jacket you're given all the special considerations.

The snub really isn't on the radar, but it has to do with the rookie selections, for whatever silly horseshoe throwing competition they have planned. There are two Blackhawks rookies that deserve a look; One-Trick-Bick, and CrawDaddy. Bickell has fairly quietly put together a very impressive first half. He's 4th in the league overall, 5th in goals, 5th in assists, and 1st in shooting percentage. If that doesn't warrant a rookie selection, I don't know what does. CrawDaddy is in the same boat. He's right behind Philly's Sergei Bobrovsky in just about every rookie goaltender category and first overall in GAA. Unfortunately, the fab 4 took up the quota of All-Star slots for the Hawks, and I don't think goaltenders can be included in this complicated rookie jarts tossing competition.

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Blackhawks News and Deja Vu's

For about 5 days, I’ve been basically out of the realm of technology, and out of the realm of catastrophic Chicago floods, apparently. I used my phone to skim through the news, but I let the electronic leashes go, and it was pretty damn refreshing. But, as they say, all good things must come to an end, and here I am. I purposely let some news back up, so I could lend my insight and opinions on the events. Of course, I’m never short on opinions, so let’s dive right into the thick of some Blackhawks news.


Bryan Bickell, Jake Dowell, and Jack Skille
The first news was that the Hawks resigned Bryan Bickell, and former University of Wisconsin teammates Jake Dowell, and Jack Skille. Hardly groundbreaking news but these are important people to fill out the roster. Bickell, a 2nd round pick (41st overall) in 2002, signed for 3 years for about $540,000 a year. Jake Dowell, a 5th round pick (140th overall) in 2004, is in roughly the same situation with a 2 year contract with an annual cap hit of $525,000. Both these guys are going to be 3rd liners at best, and probably 4th line role players, but they are cheap, young and hungry. I hope to see some solid numbers out of them. Now, Jack Skille’s deal is a tad on the amusing side, and I might classify it as a "mercy signing". He took a 50% pay cut to stay and took the “defending champs” discount. Personally, I think this shows a total lack of confidence in him, and it’s not unwarranted. He was drafted 7th overall in the first round of ’05; previous to some kids named Toews and Kane in ’06 and ’07. Granted, Toews and Kane were 3rd and 1st overall respectively, but 7th selections are generally no slouches. Some names that have been picked, recently, in that position are Kyle Okposo, Ryan Suter, Mike Komisarek, Jason Arnott, and Shane Doan. So, to say he’s underachieved is a bit of an understatement. Disappointment is a word I’d throw over Jack Skille’s mug shot, and he probably wouldn’t be able to one time that into the net either. For his sake, I hope he shows a little fight, and some knack for putting the puck in the back of the net this training camp, because if this isn’t a chance to shine and play for the defending Stanley Cup champs, I don’t know what is. It’s pretty safe to say he has his last shot right now. So, here’s to pulling your head out of your ass and putting the puck in the net, Jack. We all hope you’re just a late bloomer.


Nick Leddy
The next news is the signing of young Defenseman Nick Leddy, the 16th overall pick by Minnesota on ‘09. The Hawks signed him to a 3 year, $2.7 million contract. For those of you who were a little preoccupied by the little Stanley Cup run last year; Leddy was acquired with, the possibly whacked by the Swedish mob and currently appearing on milk cartons everywhere, Kim Johnsson for the overpriced Cam Barker. The key to that trade was Leddy, and not Johnsson, so this is good news that the scouting staff thinks he’s progressed enough to play in Rockford, at the very least. Some reports have him looking like(and by looking I don't mean the carrot-top afro) a young Brian Campbell, hopefully minus the pointless spin-o-ramas, and current Penguins free agent signee/breakout player, Paul Martin. I’m really excited to see what this kid can do, and I’m pulling for him to pan out. I like what the Hawks staff has done with their young talent, and I think this kid will benefit from their experience. The key to a deep organization is their development of kids, rather than the signing of established free agents, and the Hawks are doing just that pretty well.


Borrowed from www.hockeybroads.com, but accurate.
Now to the real ranting, and hold on to your seats. Last night, a report was floated that the Blackhawks are in negotiations/talks with Jose Theodore, in case this Niemi arbitration goes bad. I almost slit my wrists, throat, and then doused myself in kerosene while holding a lit match, as I read this. Mind you, the name HAS been mentioned as a replacement should Niemi have to be let go. Those of you who just look at stats and awards might think a 33 year old, former Vezina, Hart, and Masterton trophy winner would be a great plan "B", and on paper it sounds like a potpourri of flowers, kittens, rainbows, and peace in the middle east. This couldn’t be further from the truth and I REALLY loathe the idea of him wearing the Indianhead with the number 60 on the back. If you disregard that one year, which I fully believe was a fluke, you have a player that has been slightly above average for a majority of his career, has lost his starting job multiple times, in the last few seasons, to a guy who has yet to keep a steady job in the NHL (Semyon Varlamov), and has even lost his job to the very french skid-mark I can’t mention without dry-heaving for a good half hour, back in Montreal. The very same former Canadians/Capitals skid-mark that has lost HIS starting position multiple times in the last few seasons, which Hawks are currently trying to whack, banish to Siberia, send on a one way flight to the Pacific Ocean, or send on a mission to Mars thanks to Dale Tallon. I certainly hope I’m not the only person that see’s that this is déjà vu, all over again. Stan Bowman now wants to consider handing him the keys to our Stanley Cup defense bus? At that rate, we should KEEP Huet and we could have two flim-flam, dopey, fragile ego’d sieves. If you haven’t read my tone yet, I disagree with this vehemently. Marty Turco is still a MUCH better and consistent option. I hated the Huet signing the day it happened, and I’d feel the same with Theodore. Don’t put me, or any of my Facebook friends, through any more of this torture, please. I doubt they could tolerate my hatred laced Facebook rants for another entire season. Just when I thought I’d never have to see Huet give up another "soft as baby shit" goal, they ring up his alter-ego. Honestly, I’d rather fail with my hopes on Corey Crawford. That’s how little confidence I have in Theodore. I’m hoping the Hockey gods shine a little ray of light down on the Blackhawk nation, because we’ve already endured an emotional summer thus far.

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