Blackhawks Roster Breakdown: Forwards

by Gatekeeper
Yell at Gatekeeper

With opening night less than a week away, the Blackhawks are down to some tough decisions with their roster. We talked at length about the options on Tuesday night's Shoutcast, but there are some real questions. I'm going to break down some of the upcoming roster decisions or at least try to lay them out in a logical manner. This doesn't mean Joel Quenneville will decide to use the logical method. Lastly, we look at the offense:

Brandon Saad - Jonathan Toews - Richard Panik

This is your first line, and it has been since the day the Blackhawks traded Artemi Panarin for Brandon Saad back in June. We all know what we are going to get from Saad and Jonathan Toews. Richard Panik is a bit more of a wild card. No one believed me when I predicted that Panik could easily replace the 34 points that were sent to Montreal with Andrew Shaw. No only did Panik replace the points, but he eclipsed it. By a decent margin. He played all 82 games, and contributed 22 goals, 22 assists for 44 points. These are all better than Andrew Shaw has ever reached in his career. I don't expect that Panik will have 22 goals again, but it's really not all that unreasonable. With Saad on the other wing, Panik will have more room to work. As long as he is in the right place, he will have every opportunity to equal that 44 points. This line is light years better now than it was in April. Expect Jonathan Toews to have a bounceback typical Jonny Toews year, and for Brandon Saad to have a career year. Saad is coming off three straight 50+ point seasons, and this year will be no different. 60 points is not unfathomable.

Alex Debrincat - Nick Schmaltz - Patrick Kane

I know, the Debrincat hater has him not only making the team, but playing in the top 6. If you look at the alternatives, there really aren't any. Unless they move Nick Schmaltz back to wing, no one else fits the position, and they certainly haven't been playing Schmaltz at center all preseason only to dump him back at the wing. I think Debrincat will hit the wall in ten games and they will need to re-adjust but, for the moment, it won't hurt to try this combo out to open the season. Speaking of Nick Schmaltz, this kid has impressed me. He was a pouty little brat, last season, once he was sent to Rockford and it rubbed me the wrong way. Granted he still has that pouty look on his face all the time, but his play has grow leaps and bounds. He was “good” last season, after he came back from Rockford, but this preseason he has been excellent. I would have never placed him at second line center, but that is where he has been the entire preseason. He has not looked out of place either. This makes you wonder what the future holds for new third line $4.55 million center Artem Anisimov. Patrick Kane is; Patrick Kane. I don’t want to say too much or the PC Police will come after me.

Patrick Sharp - Artem Anisimov - Ryan Hartman

If we didn’t expect to have Debrincat or Schmaltz on the second line, we certainly didn’t expect to see Artem Anisimov on the third line. If Debrincat makes the team, I’m fine with Sharp on the third line, and if Debrincat doesn’t, then someone like Wingels or Hayden can slide up. Ryan Hartman is a perfect third line player and will have a solid year once again there. Anisimov is a perfectly fine third line center, but I have my reservations about paying a player $4.55 million for the next 4 years to play on the third line. At some point they have to investigate getting him to waive that no trade clause and clear that cap room. For the near future, he is perfectly fine in the third line role. Even if he can’t win a faceoff to save his life. Circling back to Debrincat, Quenneville toyed with playing him on this third line with Anisimov and Hartman, and I’m not a fan whatsoever. He is not really responsible defensively, yet, and he is not a player that drives possession by himself. He needs to be set up for his chances, by skill players. Anisimov and Hartman are good, but they are good straight line players. They are not going to set Debrincat up with beautiful passes, or dazzling moves. I cannot see this experiment working, and you are not putting him in a position to succeed based on his skillset.

Tommy Wingels - Tanner Kero - Lance Bouma
Tomas Jurco, Jordin Tootoo, John Hayden,Vinnie Hinostroza

This fourth line is a complete mystery. You might as well just throw all the names in a hat and randomly pick them out. What you see above is not what I would select, rather what I think Quenneville and Bowman will decide. Tanner Kero is a fine, responsible fourth line center and should have that position locked down. Tommy Wingels, Lance Bouma and Jordin Tootoo are basically the same player in “small, medium, sort-of-large” sizes. If Quenneville wants to keep one of those three players as a 13th forward for the “grit”, that’s fine by me. Keeping all three is simply preposterous. My honest opinion is that they should keep Wingels and Hayden, waive Bouma or Tootoo, and launch Tomas Jurco into the sun. This is not the year to waste roster spots on players that you mistakenly signed or traded for. The problem with this entire scenario is that the Blackhawks rarely ever admit their mistakes, which means Wingels, Bouma, Tootoo, and Jurco will all make the roster. This leaves Hayden and Hinostroza heading due west to Rockford, even though John Hayden has done everything to make this opening night roster. We are only talking about 6-8 minutes a night for this line, but it is just not the best way to maximize your talent. There I go applying logic again. Please allow me to beat any logic out of my brain with a 2x4.

Read More

Hat Trick Of Trades

by Patrick Stankus


Well, well, well, we knew it was coming, and we knew the return wouldn't be great, but the much anticipated trade of Patrick Sharp finally went down on Friday evening. While the return was what was expected, the package that StanBo sent to Dallas was enough to warrant me coming out of my summertime writing coma to bitch and moan.

Just as my blood pressure finally got back down to healthy levels following the blood boiling deal of Brandon Saad to my bromance town of Columbus (I already stated my opinion on that during the last shoutcast), StanBo decided to pull off another stunner last night in the Sharp deal. The fact that Sharp was dealt doesn't piss me off, its the fact that StanBo included yet another highly touted defensive prospect go in a deal. Remember last year's cap casualty Nick Leddy? How about Adam Clendening? Or maybe even Klas Dahlbeck? Well now you can add Stephen Johns to that list. What a lovely list it is isn't? For a team that is already wafer thin on defense, lets throw in another defensive prospect in a Sharp deal. Before I get the "Stan had to throw him in to get rid of Sharp" bullshit, let me remind you, StanBo had NO leverage whatsoever in making a deal. He was his usual self and overvalued Sharp at the draft, and thus held onto him instead of taking a package of prospects and picks. So while holding out and being stubborn, Stan was rewarded by have his balls in a vice by teams and had to THROW in a high prospect to rid the salary of Sharp. Terrific move. Let me give you a standing ovation on your stubbornness.


Hang on, I'm still clapping.

The part that aggravates the hell out of me in the inclusion of Johns in the Sharp deal is, you gave away a future NHL defenseman to a team within the division, and got nothing for the future in return. Nothing, nada, zip. Not even a 2017 draft pick. The inclusion of any sort of prospect would have been acceptable to me as well. But to get nothing, makes this trade hard to comprehend. What the Blackhawks received for the package of Sharp and Johns was puck moving defenseman Trevor Daley and an older version of Andrew Shaw in Ryan Garbutt. I guess we should jump for joy that noted dickbag Antoine Roussel.

There's nothing that makes me more happy than to hear StanBo and the rest of the Blackhawks management go gaga over their prized prospects, only to see them all shipped out of town in deals. For every good Andrew Desjardins for Ben Smith deal that StanBo pulls off, there's more "what the fuck is this" type deals that he makes. Rewind to that Leddy trade. Here the Blackhawks are less than a year after trading him, and all the Blackhawks have to show for it is PH photo shop guru Derek Harms' favorite future career AHL defenseman Ville Pokka. Now the jury is still out on Pokka, but to have him as the only piece left in the Leddy trade is disappointing. The other pieces received in that deal were; TJ Brennan (who was flipped in February for Spencer Abbott, who recently bolted Rock Vegas for Sweden) and Anders Nilsson who had his NHL rights traded to Edmonton earlier in the week. Fast forward to the Saad trade, and I'm honestly surprised someone (I'm looking at you Jeremy Morin) hasn't been deal already.

So before everyone gets drunk on the 3 Cups kool-aid, and the "keep the faith" garbage, just remember the Blackhawks third pair on defense is currently penciled in as the Chinese fire drill of Rundblad and TVR. That's comforting to know. I can already hear the whispers of "the Hawks did it with 4 defensemen in the playoffs" talk. Oh please, give me a break.

Fuck it, until the next #BatShitFuckingCrazy trade StanBo pulls off (cough, cough, Corey Crawford or Brent Seabrook) you can find me on the golf course.

Read More

Blackhawks Make A Trade:Real Eyes, Realize, Real Lies

by Gatekeeper

The Blackhawks did it to us once again. Bowman made the trade everyone knew was coming for the last 14 months, to a team in their division, and also gave up their top prospect at a position they were noticeably thin at already. Just another day in the life of a Blackhawks fan.

It was announced last night that the Blackhawks had traded Patrick Sharp and Stephen Johns to the Dallas Stars for Trevor Daley and Ryan Garbutt. Not a dream, or a nightmare. This happened.


The worst kept secret in the NHL was that the Hawks were shopping Sharp. They had been shopping him since, at the latest, early spring of 2014. His age and cap hit were just not something the Blackhawks could retain. Bowman failed to put together a deal of his liking, realistic or not, and the Blackhawks carried Sharp into this past season. Keep in mind Patrick Sharp was an Assistant Captain and vital powerplay piece, on a 2 time Stanley Cup winning team, who had just come off an appearance with the Canadian Olympic team, and a career best 78 point season. But, Stan Bowman couldn't find a single team that would be interested in taking that off his hands, for just a reasonable return.


Fast forward to this last June, before the draft. The Blackhawks had traded away their first round pick, which Bowman values very highly (until they mature after cooking in the system, then he trades them). Sharp had taken a hit in the production department, dropping to only 43 points, and dropping down in the lineup to the third line. Bowman was not able to put together a deal of his liking, once again. They carried Sharp through both the draft and free agency, until last night.

I personally don't care about any sort of return on Sharp. Honestly. He needed to be dumped. His salary was much more than the Blackhawks could swallow. If they got some unsigned 7th round pick from 2013, I would have understood. This was not a deal that they needed a return on. They are pretty deep at forward, wanted to simply shed cap space.

Instead, the Blackhawks packaged their only NHL ready defenseman prospect, and only one with size, into the deal. This is baffling. Don't give me this "Bowman had to give up their best AHL prospect to get a deal done".


If Bowman that bad at dealing, then he needs to be doing something else. This is not some kind of creative cap wizardry. This is straight out larceny. Complain, whine, and be mad at me all you'd like, but being a hugely successful, deep NHL franchise does not require fleecing most of your young talent for spare parts. It is supposed to mean that teams come to YOU, to clear out the wealth and take it off your hands. The Blackhawks essentially gave up some veteran leadership and the future on defense, in a single deal. For a Johnny Oduya replacement and an agitating face puncher.

I will never understand Stephen Johns being traded. In fact, I would have understood Teuvo Teravainen being traded, before Johns. I thought maybe if I slept on this part of the trade, it would somehow make more sense. It doesn't.

The Blackhawks have traded their 3 top defensive prospects, in the last 5 months. four if you count Mike Paliotta. All. Gone. After developing them for years. Adam Clendening, Klas Dahlbeck, Mike Paliotta and Stephen Johns are all playing elsewhere, while this already thin organization scratch their collective heads. Remember, just a month ago, the Blackhawks were forced to play their top 4 defenders nearly into the grave for the Cup, because their defensive depth was such utter garbage.

How do we fix that? Trade 2 of the top 3 young ones away. Daley is a wash, because he just replaced Oduya. The Blackhawks gained a couple of years of youth, but lost Oduya's experience. All this for, $2.5 Million in cap relief, because they took $4.2 Million back. From a team that still has OVER $6 Million in cap space remaining.

Let us not forget that the Blackhawks just traded their top young forward, in Saad, just a couple of weeks ago with Paliotta.

One last thing. For the lazy assholes that can only come back with "were you in the room negotiating?"


Take that, your #3CUPZ defense and shove them up right up your ass. The only thing that says is, "I know nothing, so screw it, I'll stick my head in the sand"


Once again, here are the Blackhawks NHL Cap Hits:

Read More

News And Views Leading Up To The 2014 NHL Draft

Welcome to the time in the NHL calendar year where fans and media alike lose their fucking minds. The summer transaction period and draft only pale slightly in comparison to the trade deadline and even that might be questionable. It has become a "trade everyone / sign everyone" war cry from fans, and everyone is an expert. The entertaining part is watching fans completely ignore things like the salary cap, which is what brings us to this glorious day. There are two main subjects at hand, other than the obvious Draft tomorrow night in Philadelphia. The first development was that Patrick Sharp was reported to be on the trading block, and then was reportedly promised the opposite, according to his agent (who is employed by said player). The second development is the extensions of Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane. Both of which will determine the face of the franchise for the foreseeable future. Let me touch on both of these, if I may. If not, tough, because "This is my house, Eddie!"


Patrick Sharp. The most handsome athlete in Chicago. Sharp is coming off a career year; one where he completely disappeared off the face of the earth for the final 2 months. He is also quickly wheeling his chair towards 35, and has 3 years remaining on a deal that tows a $5.9 million cap hit which also has a modified no trade clause. Details on the rink aside, there have been several whispers that Sharp is having some personal issues, possibly domestic, and it was also floated that Sharp had physical confrontation with an other Hawks player that may or may not be mentioned in this piece. These off ice issues would certainly explain why sharp was invisible for this year's playoffs. I cannot even begin to knock a player that has personal drama tumbling around in his head. All this coupled with the rumors that he has used his handsomeness to gain the company of some willing young hussies, not named Mrs. Sharp, could be a very good reason to dangle the dangler. At almost 33, he will not be able to keep up this production, and based on his accomplishments in the last 14 months, he has value. The problem here is that Sharp would probably not be a desirable return for a player like Kesler. Ottawa may be willing to bring a veteran winner, so that is a possibility. The moral of the story is that if the Blackhawks CAN get something worthy for him, they need to. It's part of the business of the game and he is not going to be any more ripe for the picking.


The second development is that, as of July first, Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane are in the final year of their deals. The Blackhawks do not want either player starting the season without an extension in place. Reports today said that their agent Pat Brisson has requested $12 million a year per player. REQUESTED. If I had to guess, and I will, we might expect a $9.5 Million to $10.5 million hit for these two players. $12 million per year is just too much at this point, if they want to Blackhawks to stay competitive. $24 million in cap hits for two players would be 1/3rd of the entire Blackhawks payroll, but then again this was reportedly only a request. These deals WILL happen so there is no need to worry. The golden geese are not flying away under Stan Bowman and John McDonough's watch, if they want to be employed much longer.

Read More

The Hits Just Keep Coming

While the Blackhawks aren't having Pittsburgh Penguins luck, they ARE having bad luck of their own. The rumors hit late Sunday night that the time Patrick Sharp missed in the Wings game was due to a fractured wrist. More reports came out Monday to, at least, confirm that the wrist is covered under "upper body" injury classification, and that it was indeed a wrist issue. As we wait for details of the injury, we have this clear cool January morning to ask just what this means for the Hawks. These last few games have pointed out the glaring holes in the Hawks lineup, and with an important top 6 winger out for 3-4 weeks, the holes have only gotten bigger and deeper. I think we can all agree that the current holes are at the #5 Defenseman spot, and #2 or #3 Center. Let's debate a few scenarios:

-Now the #5 defenseman spot would be the easiest to fill. While we would all like to give that moniker to Montador, he just hasn't been "that guy". He's been a #6 defenseman. So who is out on the market for defender? Names that will be UFA's after this year are Matt Hunwick from Colorado, Jason Garrison from Uncle Dale's Panthers, Milan Jurcina from the Isles, Kurtis Foster from the Devils, Tim Gleason from the Canes, or someone really low risk like Sheldon Brookbank from Anaheim. There are older big men like Hal Gill from Montreal, or Mark Eaton from the Isles that could provide veteran leadership, as well. There are a few names in the Hawks division, but I just can't see any team in their division being stupid enough to offer them ammo. The name Josh Gorges of Montreal has been floated, but I can't see him coming easy or cheap, and with the more pressing needs, they need to use the cap space they have wisely. Gorges makes more than Hjalmarsson, puts up the same numbers, and is signed though 2017-18. Do the Hawks want to eat up more than half their cap room with a guy that's more overpriced than Hammer and 3 years older?

-The Blackhawks center controversy has been well documented and widely lamented. If Invisibolly would finally grow a pair of balls and use some of his talent, he could be the #2 center of this team. This would solve a lot of problems, because sliding someone like Kruger or even Mayers up into the #3 spot would be much easier and realistic. If Quenneville has the balls to play Dan Carcillo in his top 6, Jamal Mayers can play on the third line, because he is more responsible, and less of a liability than Carcillo, period. Andrew Shaw or Kruger shouldn't have an issue playing checking line center, and how much do you see of a checking line in the playoffs anyway? It's common sense that a #3 guy is much easier to find than a #2 guy, though. Alas, Bolland seems to be content on wasting away with the third line, to leave the Hawks with a glaring black hole at #2. So, just who is on the lame duck list as far as centers? Not much. Paul Gaustad from Buffalo, and Brendan Morrison of Calgary. There is always vomit inducing thoughts of Samuel Pahlsson, Colin Fraser, and Jake Dowell. Maybe Stan has some inside information, but this is going to be a tough one to solve.

-Top 6 Winger is going to be interesting. You have Kane, Toews, and Hossa as locks, which leaves 3 pretty big question marks. Even of Kruger is back soon, he's not the short term answer. I like the kid but he would take an absolute BEATING in the playoffs against teams like Nashville, Detroit and Vancouver, and with his bleary melon, I'm not investing too much in the contributions of young Dream Warrior. I've given up all hope on Frolik and Bickell providing anything valuable to this team, this year, if ever. Hayes has looked REALLY impressive in his first 5 games, but I'm not so sure he's ready for NHL top 6 minutes (baby steps, folks). Brunette is slow as the day is long, but he can fill in on the top six. With Ben Smith recalled, they have few choices left in Rockford with Brandon Pirri, and Jeremy Morin but neither are "the answer". That still leaves some pretty big holes, if Brunette can just be serviceable (see above).

Read More

Tales from the Emergency Room

After the morning skate and press picnic, here are the latest updates on the Blackhawks developments:

• According to multiple sources, Quenneville says the Hawks HOPE to have Sharp back before the end of the regular season. Note the word HOPE, folks. Don't start planning the ticker tape parade down Washington Street, just yet. Nothing is set in stone, and that is purely an estimate. Though they indicated that it's "not serious", it's still a knee injury, and he's not going to be 100% when he comes back. Remember how Kaner came back early from his injury and took a good two weeks to be able to do anything productive. Best case scenario, the Hawks are without him for the 10 remaining games, with three against DIVISION rival, Detroit. Stellar timing on this one, and thank you, Rosty Klesla, for tripping over your own feet.
  
  
• According to Chris Kuc at the Tribune, The deal to bring Swedish Center Marcus Kruger to Chicago was in motion prior to the loss of Sharpie. The wheels were set in motion when Dave Bolland was injured, by a pointless elbow to the back of the head, resulting in "concussion-like symptoms". He is expected to be in Chicago for tomorrows morning skate. With Bolland and Sharpie out, I wouldn't be surprised to see him make his Blackhawks debut tomorrow night.
  
  
• Brian Campbell skated this morning with the team. He is a game time decision on Wednesday's game against the Panthers. He told reporters that he felt winded, but fine otherwise. That's good news for the powerplay, in time for Saturday's game against the Ducks, at worst.
  

Read More

Anyone for Doomsday?

A developing story is growing legs and running, here, regarding Swedish center Marcus Kruger. In a nutshell, his Swedish Elite League team is reporting that he is en route to Chicago. Here are a couple of links with some information:

Djurgarden's Official team site

The Third Man In, Chris Block article

Matt McClure at Second City Hockey

Puck Daddy on Marcus Kruger

What does this mean for the Chicago Blackhawks? As speculation rises like the filthy, rancid foam of a porta-potty, people are getting anxious. For my money, this means one of two things, and I will give you the bad news first:

• Patrick Sharp is out for, what could be, the rest of the season.
  
• The Hawks have no faith in any of the players in Rockberia, and need some depth for the playoffs.

As much as people will play it off, and wish real hard, I'm expecting the first scenario. Even though Tracy Meyers, at CSN, has reported to seeing Sharp walking with a noticeable limp but no brace, the way Sharpie went off the ice the other night looked more serious than when Jordan Hendry was helped off the ice a few weeks ago. We are all well aware of THAT outcome. All that side, The Hawks don't want to burn a year Jeremy Morin's contract, and he has been hurt. They also don't seem to have a great deal of confidence in ANYONE on the Sloar Hogs, so with Kruger's team being eliminated from their playoffs, I guess this was the best option. The Hawks have a log jam at center, but no one is really jumping to that next level. Bolland has been hurt, Frodo is a winger in a center's costume, Dowell isn't lighting the world on fire lately, and Ryan Johnson isn't really anything other than a third line shutdown guy, at best. Lets be frank, here, Bolland is dealing with a concussion, which can be a very tender thing to deal with. If the Hawks have to get hot for this stretch run without Bolland OR Sharp, things are going to get sticky, and I haven't even mentioned Campbell leaving the Defensive core thin. As things get announced, I will try and pass them on, in the meantime, here are some video highlights featuring Kruger (#32):

Complete with bad Hair Metal music

Read More

Carnac the Magnificent : 2010/11 Blackhawks Predictions

The day of reckoning is finally here. Opening night in the NHL, and the first Blackhawks title defense in almost half a century. All summer long, whether it was the dopey bandwagon fans or the idiot interweb wise asses with their "haterade", not many people have given the team a chance to repeat. Lets face it, repeating in ANY sport is difficult, and with roughly 30% of your roster playing elsewhere this year, it will be a battle. Since every other person with a keyboard or a 3G phone is giving their prediction, I figure that I'd be the odd asshole out, if I didn't give mine. So without further ado, drumroll please...

The answer is: 45-28-9...45-28-9
The question is: What will the Blackhawks record be on April 11th, 2011?
The view is that the team had an excellent year last year, but there will be many more periods of struggling this season. They open up without the person that was their best powerplay quarterback, Brian Campbell. There will be chemistry problems, and more lineup shifting than we're accustomed to, but Quenneville will find a way to make things work. Making the playoffs is the goal, and they will do that easily.

The answer is: 69 minus 10...69 minus 10
The question is: How many games will Marty Turco start?
The view is that Turco is the old, and by old I do still mean younger than me, mule that "Q" will ride into the sunset. Age or injuries aside, that's what Marty the Midget is use to. He took his benching last year in stride, but he knew he was leaving. He didn't sign a one year deal at a highly discounted rate here to watch Corey Crawford eat up minutes, and because Turco the anti-Huet, Crawford will be required to play less.

The answer is: 33-20-6...33...20...and 6
The question is: What will Marty the Midget's record, at season's end?
The view is that Marty is the man, and there is no need to crowbar Corey Crawford in there. Marty will be fine, and he will set the regular season assist record for Blackhawks goaltenders.

The answer is: Shooter's McDreamy understudy, The Swedish Rocket
The question is: Who is Carnac's pick as biggest surprise Blackhawk player?
The view is that there is a new gunfighter in town ,and his name is Victor Stalberg. By gunfighter I don't mean sniper, although I have a sneaking suspicion that he'll score quite a few. I mean resident panty dropper. Once the puck bunnies get a load of this guy, Sharpie's woman can finally breathe a sigh of relief. On the ice, he has all the tools to be a solid power forward, he just needs to apply himself. He had a slow preseason, but showed flashes of blazing speed and soft hands. I'm sticking by my pre-preseason pick.

The answer is: Big Hoss, and Patrick the Pimp
The question is: Who will lead the team in goals, and points?
The view is that Hossa has looked, far and away, the most dominant Hawk since February of last season. When he has the puck, it doesn't leave his stick until he wants someone else to have it. Chuck Norris will be wearing a Marian Hossa costume for Halloween. The Hoss, not to be confused with the Hoff, will probably eclipse 40 goals, and could net somewhere in the high 40's. Not a bold prediction, I know, but a safe one. Kaner will lead the team in points, because he is simply a point producing dynamo, as well as a drunken bar slut magnet. The only thing that will slow him down is the women hanging on his pant legs. When Kaner is done beating the women off with his Stanley Cup ring wearing pimp hand, he'll be a scoring and passing machine. Look for 35 goals and 60 assists. He's improved his goal scoring every year, and not even hot tubs full of champagne and Wrigleyville hussies can slow him down.

The answer is: Drew "Dont You" Doughty
The question is: Who will unseat Keith as the Norris Trophy winner?
The view is that the NHL has been hyping Doughty since the day after Keith won it. If it were up to me, Keith would get a 5 year lease of it, but the league is pushing younger stars to bring in the youth. It's quite amusing that at 27, anyone would be considered old, but Keith will continue to be a candidate for years to come. Keith would gladly let Doughty borrow it for a year while he wins another cup, I'm sure.

The answer is: Vancouver CaFucks
The question is: Who is Carnac's pick to win the Western Conference?
The view is that I hope I'm proven wrong, but I see the CaFucks finally making a move to the next level. They stocked up on defense and Luongo doesn't have to deal with the Big Fluff this year. Tomax and Xamot are a fierce ginger duo with some crazy telepathic powers. The LA Kings are also going to make a run, but they are a few years away. The popular pick is Detoilet, but they are another year older, and more fragile, and I refuse to believe that they defy nature. I hope I'm proven wrong, and the Hawks repeat, but it's a competitive league.

The answer is: Philly Cheesesteaks and Pittsburgh Black Lung
The question is: What teams will be teams to beat in the East?
The view is that the two Pennsylvania teams are powerhouses. Philly's defense got BETTER, if you can imagine that, and Pittsburgh is an offensive juggernaut. If Philly can figure out their goaltending sitiation, they'll be just fine. War-shing-ton and Bawston will have something to say, but the road to the Eastern Conf is Route 76, and it goes from Philly to Pittsburgh. With the Capitals goaltending situation, they are better playing without one and putting an extra defenseman out there. Boston has some promise, and a talented young goalie, but I still don't see a great deal of offense from them.


There you have it. Those are my random predictions. If anyone wants my opinion on other subjects, feel free to email them to me at PuckinHostile@gmail.com.

Read More