2012 Blackhawks Draft Class

Brandon Saad, the Blackhawks Brass, and Teuvo Teravianen

Friday and Saturday, the Blackhawks took part in the NHL Entry draft, in Pittsburgh PA. By all accounts, they had yet another successful Stan Bowman draft, but it was just that; A Stan Bowman draft. The Hawks made one minor trade and selected 8 players. Hardly the big splash that fans and bloggers alike were hoping for. We were given exactly what you should expect from a Stan Bowman led team. Safe, calculated picks, and very little risk.

The trade was hardly a blip on the transaction ticker, with the Hawks trading their 109th overall pick to San Jose for their 191st pick, and a fourth round pick in 2013. Exciting, right? Contain yourselves, folks.

That being said, the Hawks looked to have themselves a good little draft class, although none of the players will be joining or helping this team in the coming season. This it the final tally of picks:

Round	Pick	Player	Position	2011/12 Team
1	18	TEUVO TERAVAINEN	C/LW	JOKERIT (FIN)
2	48	DILLON FOURNIER	D	ROUYN-NORANDA (QMJHL)
3	79	CHRIS CALNAN	RW	NOBLES PREP (MASS.)
4	109	TRADE TO SAN JOSE	--	---
5	139	GARRET ROSS	LW	SAGINAW (OHL)
5	149	TRAVIS BROWN	D	MOOSE JAW (WHL)
6	169	VINCE HINOSTROZA	C	WATERLOO (USHL)
7	191	BRANDON WHITNEY	G	VICTORIAVILLE (QMJHL)
7	199	MATT TOMKINS	G	SHERWOOD PARK (AJHL)

Teuvo Teräväinen - He is a smallish forward, in the Patrick Kane mold. He has even been described as a poor man's Kane, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. The thing you have to worry about here is, first of all, the fact that he comes from a bigger European ice surface, and secondly, if he will have the ability to squirt off big hits, like Kane can. Kane has also worked out extremely hard in the offseason each year, when he's not courting drunken Wisconsin college floozies, and comes in pretty solidly jacked for his stature. I can't knock Teravainen, because I've never seen him play, and he had to have been ranked as high as #5 for a reason. If he IS anything like Kaner on the ice, he could be a very special player here in Chicago, in about 2 years. It's already been announced that he will play 2012/13 in Finland with Jokerit. He is only few days shy of being eligible for the 2013 draft, which means he is one of the youngest of this class.

Here is a highlight video of some of his work (complete with a terrible version of Kaner's theme song):




Dillon Fournier - He is, by all accounts, an offensive defenseman. He is listed as 6'1", and 175lbs, which is not all that big for an NHL defender. Scouting reports say that he has a tendency to be a little lax in his own end, and while having issues containing forwards. Another long term project. His upside is that he is one of the best puck moving/powerplay qb's in the entire draft. An eventual replacement for Nick Leddy?

Here are highlights of Fournier (Please turn the volume down. Between the obnoxious music and french announcers you'll be kicking babies and kittens by the end):





Chris Calnan - Calnan is a decent sized high school wing, whose biggest claim to fame is that he's the nephew of former beloved Blackhawk Jeremy Roenick. He's listed at 6'2" and 188, which is pretty good for a player that just recently turned 18. It has been said that he has the potential to be a "top 9 power forward". He has committed for Boston College and there is no reason to think that he'll be anywhere else, come fall.

Garret Ross - When researching Ross, 99% of the videos you find are of him throwing hammers with opposing players. Suffice to say, he's an "enforcer" type of player. In two particularly entertaining videos he even has a go at Andrew Shaw in '09 and '10. He also played in the OHL with Brandon Saad last season for coach and former Blackhawk Greg Gilbert, so he's familiar with some of the young Hawks as well as former players. He's only 5'11" and 170, so he really isn't much bigger than Shaw. I've seen the words "mean streak" associated with him, which can also mean "loose cannon", or in other words Dan Carcillo. I wouldn't expect to see him in the Hawks plans for a few years. From what I can see, he throws punches with both his right and left hands and can absorb quite a barrage of fists. You can watch all of his fights here: www.hockeyfights.com but here are a few highlights:

Here you can watch him get into a fight after plowing the opposing goaltender over:

Here is the better of the two Shaw fights. Shaw's post fight reaction is PRICELESS!



Travis Brown - Brown is a 6'2" 180lb defenseman from the Western Hockey league that will be a project. Here is a fight between Hawks prospect Mark McNeill and Brown:




Vince Hinostroza - Here is a kid that wasn't even drafted 30 second and the entire intarwebs was misspelling his name. Hinostroza is a local kid from Bartlett playing in the USHL. He's a smaller player at 5'10" and 160lb, but Reel Hockey Scouting states that he is "pesky" and "crafty". He is committed to Notre Dame in the fall, and thet's where we should expect to see him play. You can read more here along with an iso-cam video of him playing against his hometown Chicago Steel:

http://reelhockeyscouting.com/2012/04/13/vince-hinostroza-12-waterloo-ushl/


Brandon Whitney - This pick could have been the real steal of the draft, for the Hawks. Whitney was listed as the #2 North American goaltender in the draft, and somehow fell to the 7th round. He is huge, at 6'5", much like Rinne and Lindback are in Nashville and Tampa Bay respectively. In fact, Rinne was picked i nthe 8th round, and Lindback was also picked in the 7th round. The big difference is the European pedigree both Rinne and Lindback have. Whitney has been described as an upright butterfly goalie that blocks the puck more than saving the puck, which sounds to me a lot more like a positional style. His numbers won't really "wow" you, and it looks like his size is what got him his rank. Look for him to be a 3 or 4 year project with a big upside. Here is an article that was up on NHL.com regarding Whitney:

BRANDON WHITNEY



Matt Tomkins - Tomkins is a 6'2" 170 lb goalie that you would expect in the 7th round of the draft, and was ranked #10 among North American goalies. He has committed to Ohio State, like previous Hawks prospect Cal Heeter, after playing last season with Sherwood Park of the Alberta Junior Hockey League. Nothing that jumps out and grabs your attention.

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Commentary From The Balcony

Now that there are no more games to quench our thirst, and the off season has officially begun, the craziness has gone from zero to insane in 3 seconds flat. Trade speculation, free agent speculation and personnel moves are enough bait to suck the NHL crazies in.

The Blackhawks aren't immune to the speculation, either. Over the past couple of weeks, I've thrown out my theories and thoughts on the corner they have been painted into, but we don't truly know what Bowman has planned. The Draft should be the first glimpse of just what he is trying to accomplish, because no one really knows what he was trying to accomplish last season.

After a couple of years of defending Bowman, I have come to the conclusion that it is time for him to show us this alleged expertise that we've all been fed since the day he took over. Sure, he was restricted by the salary cap following the cup, but he has had room to make moves since and left cap space on the table, only to watch the Hawks fall short in the first round two years in a row. It is enough!

Two years ago, the Blackhawks WERE the Kings. They were the young hotshot team with a talented nucleus that could dominate for years to come, but they have taken a disturbing stroll down the path of the 1985 Bears. Salary purges, lack of necessary personnel moves, and a bizarre disconnect between Coach and GM have the Hawks chasing the pack, again, after only one Stanley Cup banner. The Bears were the most dominating team in the NFL, at the time, and they let their arrogance, or ignorance, turn them into a joke within 5 years. Here the Blackhawks are, two other Cup Champions later, and they have people shaking their heads.


One and DONE
If the Hawks cannot move in a significantly positive direction this season, if there IS a season, the window will have damn near closed. Lightning in a bottle isn't a 5 season trip anymore. Teams are lucky to be able to two in a row in this modern era, so asking fans to be patient for 3 seasons is, quite frankly, unreasonable and insulting.

Currently, the Hawks have room to wiggle, and they have salaries that can be moved. There is NO excuse to sit on their hands, and watch other teams pass them by. If Bowman doesn't jump into the water while it is still warm, he may end up losing any remaining momentum. We can curse in the name of Dale Tallon, but the man built the core of a winner here in Chicago and he is building a winner in Florida. Call it dumb luck, but he is doing something right. Tell me where Stan Bowman has done anything but stand behind a team that was already built and reduce them from Stanley Cup champs to first round exits with internal conflicts and gaping holes. This sounds disturbingly similar to what Mike McCaskey did with the Bears. Sure he brought in Nick Leddy and drafted a couple of solid guys, but a blind squirrel will find the occasional nut.

As I said last night on Twitter, I'm not a Stan Bowman hater. I want him to succeed in Chicago and lead the Blackhawks to another Cup, but my patience is wearing thin. I'm really not a doom and gloom guy, but a realist. I defended the purge of 2010 vehemently, but it isn't 2010 anymore, folks. Time to make this organ-I-zation the cream of the crop, once again, not the utter embarrassment that is the Mike McCaskey era Bears.

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The Natives Are Restless

This morning it was announced that the Blackhawks had resigned Brandon Bollig and Ben Smith to 2-year deals woth $575K per, and Goalie/Rockford Legend Carter Hutton to a one year deal. Slighty under the radar, the Blackhawks continued with their expulsion of Alexander Salak, by slapping him with an outright release.

None of these moves really matter much in the grand scheme of things. Bollig is a second string hammer thrower, behind Carcillo. He hardly matters in what the Hawks have ahead of them. Ben Smith still may never see the Blackhawks locker room again, and if he does, it'll be on the 4th line. Again, someone who figures little in the Hawks plans.

Hutton is the only move that I fully expected. He had a great year in Rock Vegas, after the goaltending there absolutely fell to pieces. He is one of the few players to have played, or at least dressed, in the ECHL, AHL and NHL last season. With the Goaltending depth as thin as it is in the Organ-I-zation, this was a no brainer. They could still bring in another depth guy, like they did with Emery last season, and bulk up a little between now and the start of camp. That would be the ideal situation. Competition never hurt anyone.

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We Know Not What We HadBlackhawks waive Alexander Salak

A story was floated, on twatter, this morning that the Blackhawks waived goalie prospect Alex Salak. I can't say that I'm least bit surprised. It looks as though he may have asked to go back to Europe, if he wasn't going to get a fair chance in the NHL, which he wasn't. The Blackhawks goalie depth, which was already disturbingly thin, has just taken another right cross to the bridge of the nose.

Salak had a rough year, that was compounded by injury and personal family issues. It has been reported that his attitude regarding his demotion to Rockford, following training camp, really left a bad taste in the collective mouths of the Hawks brass. This move makes that look even more true, now. I wasn't very shy about my affinity for Salak, but he simply came in with a poor attitude and didn't produce. Maybe he'll go back to Europe and maybe someone will claim him, but I hope he straightens his ass up, wherever he goes. This move along with Frolik's terrible year make Dale Tallon look much better in his deals with the Blackhawks.


Alec Richards is another interesting case, in how the organ-I-zation has handled him. He started the year in Rockford as the #1 guy, and ended up getting demoted to Toledo of the ECHL. When you go from the AHL to the ECHL, your career is definitely is heading, full bore, in reverse. I can't tell you just why coach Rockford coach Ted Dent soured on Richards, but he did. My guess would be that they let him play out his final year in Toledo and let him go.



This leaves the Blackhawks with Carter Hutton (if resigned), Kent Simpson, Mac Carruth, and Johan Mattsson in their entire system. A far cry from just a few years ago, when they had Niemi, and Crawford alone in Rockford. The good news is that Hutton, Simpson, and Carruth are all coming off very good years. Hutton is a good safety net, but no one knows just what Carruth or Simpson can do in Rockford. Carruth is only 20, so he could be sent to the Juniors if the Hawks don't like what they see just yet. Either way you slice it, the Blackhawks could use some goaltending depth in the system.

It is fun to think the Hawks might go for a "blue chip" goalie, in the draft, but from everything I've gathered, it's unlikely. Just for shits-n-giggles I thought I'd share the top goaltending prospects with you. I know, call me partial.

Oscar Dansk

The 17 year old Swedish born goalie is touted to be the best goalie pick in this years NHL entry draft, The 6'2, 183 pound currently plays for Brynas of the Swedish Elite league, This year winning a Silver Medal Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament with Team Sweden. This season he has also played in Brynäs J18 where he played just one game in which he had a 1.00 GAA & .954 SV%, he also played in Brynäs J20 where is saw 5 starts and came away with 2.39 GAA and .922 SV% and in the Swedish U18 he saw 4 starts with a 2.71 GAA and .905 SV%. He also spent time in 2007 & 08 in North America with Shattuck St Mary's, Minnesota where he started over 60 games and had a combined 1.70 GAA and .922 SV%.

He has been compared to Henrik Lundqvist in his style & size, his ability to absorb the hardest shot is a definite plus for any NHL team in and should be rewarded with a low first round or high second round pick.

Source: www.mynhldraft.com

Andrei Vasilevski

Andrei Vasilevski turned heads at the World Junior Hockey Championships when he fought off fellow countrymen Sergei Kostenko and Andrei Makarov to secure the job as Russia’s starting goaltender to begin the tournament. While he was pulled in favour of Makarov during the semi-final game against Canada and wasn’t called upon for the final against Sweden, Vasilevski’s brilliant performance up to that point showed why he is one of the highest rated goaltending prospects for this year’s draft. Team Russia’s aggressive offense and suspect defense meant that Vasilevski often had to face upwards of 40 shots per game in early tournament play. Vasilevski however, played spectacularly in the face of high shot totals, the height of his tournament being an epic duel with Czech goaltending standout Petr Mrazek that ended in a 2-1 Russian overtime victory. The composed Vasilevski finished the tournament with a sparkling .953 save percentage, a remarkable statistic especially for a draft-eligible 17-year old. At 6-foot-3 Vasilevski has prototypical size for an NHL goaltender and has displayed solid lateral movement to go along with a wicked glove hand. Vasilevski is also relaxed and composed when he needs to be, a trait that will surely augment his already impressive natural talent. Some teams may pass up on Vasilevski due to the stigmatic ‘Russian Factor,’ but his raw talent and size will be hard to ignore come June 22nd.

Source: www.mynhldraft.com

Malcolm Subban

The younger brother of Montreal Canadiens defenceman P.K., Malcolm Subban went against the family mould of blueliners and became a goaltender. He may be smaller than most netminders in Canadian junior hockey but he uses his smaller stature to his advantage. Subban has really solid technique that includes quick feet and agile positioning. He squeezes tight in the butterfly and he uses his lower centre of gravity to pull the puck into his body. He has stellar reflexes which makes his glove hand very fast. Subban moves from post to post with fluidity and he watches the play closely. However, he does need to improve on watching the play while being screened as he tends to stand in his crease without trying to look around the player in front of him. Most goals that go in on him are ones that go high since he is a smaller goalie. He also needs to work some more on his rebound control as he gives out big rebounds on a consistent basis. Subban is not flashy in the crease but he gets his job done. His play in 2010-11 as a rookie was so impressive that the Belleville Bulls traded Tyson Teichmann to the Erie Otters during the offseason. He will surely challenge newly acquired John Chartrand and CCHL sensation Daniel Altshuller for the #1 job in 2011-12.

Source: www.mynhldraft.com

Joonas Korpisalo

Many teams in European junior hockey find themselves utilizing several goaltenders over the course of a season. The under-20 team of Jokerit Helsinki, which plays in the Jr. A SM-liiga, was no different in 2011-12. During the past campaign, the team used the services of five goaltenders between the ages of 16 and 20, but none were as beneficial to the organization as Joonas Korpisalo.

It is quite impressive, and almost ironic, to think that Korpisalo has found himself to be one of Finland’s best young netminders. His father Jari scored 444 points, including 213 goals, in 575 career SM-liiga games. Additionally, the elder Korpisalo played three seasons in the Deutsche Eishockeyliga, which included a league championship in 2000 as a member of the München Barons.

It is no wonder that Korpisalo has been garnering notice for the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, especially since scouts have been quite high on teammates Teuvo Teräväinen and Esa Lindell. To add, he has taken over the #1 job vacated by Edmonton Oilers draft pick Frans Tuohimaa, which, in itself, is a testament to his ability.

Korpisalo’s resume has already become quite incredible despite his youth. In 2010, he helped Jokerit’s under-16 team, which plays in the Jr. C SM-sarja, win their league championship. It was this past year, 2011-12, where he completely showed his capability to be a top-flight #1 goaltender. Korpisalo joined Jokerit’s under-20 team, despite being only 17 years of age, and he showed that his youth was not a hindrance. He emerged leading the league with a 2.04 goals-against average and a .920% save percentage. These statistics won him the Jorma Valtonen Award as the Jr. A SM-liiga’s best goaltender. Korpisalo also was named to the league’s all-star team as they also won the league’s silver medal.

In 2012, after his season was over, Korpisalo joined Finland’s under-18 team for the World Under-18s in the Czech Republic. Finland had quite an impressive roster, which also included Teräväinen, Lindell and Ville Pokka; as well, there were two players, Aleksander Petrov and Rasmus Ristolainen, who are eligible for the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. Korpisalo helped his team place fourth, losing the bronze medal game against Canada in overtime.

Korpisalo has been lauded for his athleticism, speed and professional build. He is also highly thought of his ability to make highlight reel saves, especially one he made on a Brendan Gaunce penalty shot in the bronze medal final of the World Under-18s. Korpisalo is also highly lauded based on his personality. His happy-go-lucky nature and his good sense of humour have made him very popular with his coaches and with members of the media.

Source: www.http://thehockeywriters.com

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An Incredi-bolly Dilemma

Normally, I let don't get too riled up over one article, unless it is a subject that really gets under my skin. The artcles that bring the insane personnel change scenarios are the ones that chafe my ass like no others. That is usually because these silly scenarios are just video game pipe dreams. Hence the David Bolland Dilemma. A couple of weeks ago, Al Cimaglia from Hockey Independent threw out a vague rumor to trade Dave Bolland for a second line center or to make room for Ryan Suter. Then, this week, Jesse Rodgers from ESPN followed suit by floating a similar scenario, involving Jordan Staal from the Penguins. Where there is smoke, fire usually follows, right?


There are a couple of details about these ideas that don't sit right with me, and I have to stand behind Sam Fels at Second City Hockey/Committed Indian. Moving Bolland, who is one of the top third line centers in the entire league, just shifts the hole at center to third line. Kruger might develop into a good third line center, SOMEDAY, but at the moment, he's too small, and takes too much of a beating. The Hawks are already thin at the position in the first place, and trading away a proven commodity, like a shutdown center, doesn't compute to me. For a team that has already had questionable defensive zone prowess, letting a defensive gem go is kind of silly, when you're not upgrading. In Jesse's case, he suggested Bolland, Saad, a prospect, and a pick for Staal, which is complete skull sodomy. Bolland is Bolland, Saad is going to be a stud in the near future, they have depth in the system but they aren't overflowing, and how many early picks has anyone seen Bowman give up? If Bowman offered the Pens that deal and they turned it down, they are brain dead.


Jordan Staal is a really nice player, BUT he only has a year left on his $4 million deal, where he then becomes an UFA. When he hits the open market, he could command a multi-year deal in upwards of $6 million a year, to the right buyer. Do the Blackhawks want to play that game of Russian Roulette, and possibly be left minus 5 bodies, at the beginning of 2013-14? It just doesn't make any sense.


Let me make this clear, it's not the dealing of Bolland that I disagree with, it's the details. If there was a tasty deal out there, and the names Bolland, Hjalmarsson, Stalberg, or Bickell are involved, by all means pull the trigger, but the return has to make sense. I wouldn't even be opposed to parting with Morin, Pirri or one of the defensive prospects in Rockford, for the right price. I just beg for some sign sanity.


As far as Suter goes, it's a pipe dream. He will be calling Detroit home, come September. The Blackhawks aren't going to go into the next season with a #3 defender making more cabbage than their #1 and #2 defenders; AGAIN. Fels made a great point with Chris Block a few weeks ago, when he said that over $7 million a year wasn't good enough last summer for Campbell, but it is this summer for Suter? They both bring different things to the table, but Campbell brings more of what the Hawks need. This deal would just prove last summer's deal an enormous failure and waste of time.


In other positive news, the Hawks re-upped Jamal MegaMayers to a one year $600K deal. Based on the price and his versatility, I'm perfectly fine with this depth move. If he sits half of the games, it's still a deal for a fan favorite.

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Mid May Blackhawks Gripes and Grudges

These mid and late Mays without Blackhawks hockey are getting old. Anytime the Hawks would like to stop throwing the rest of the league a bone, is fine with me. The Hawks getting knocked out of the playoffs for two straight years in the first round are both a blessing and a curse for fans and bloggers, alike. While it's a nice, and a much needed, break for me, the Hawks have obviously failed in their goal of winning Lord Stanley's big silver chalice. That said, I'd gladly trade my month long sanity break for another Stanley Cup. EVERY YEAR!

Moving on, There have been a few developments that have poked their heads up like prairie dogs, in the last few weeks, so they should probably be addressed.


First of all, The Hawks announced that Mike Haviland was relieved of his coaching duties with the team. At first glance the Hawks fandom, myself included, were up in arms. Everyone thought that since Havvy was one of those links to the 2010 Stanley Cup, he'd be around as long as he felt fit; or until the rest of the staff was let go. Anyhow, Quenneville threw everyone for a loop, and dismissed Havvy.

If you dig a little deeper, this move makes sense for Quenneville. It has long been rumored that Haviland was the chosen one, when either Quenneville decided to move on, or was let go. Pushing Haviland out the door was a good way to relieve some pressure, because it can't be easy doing your job when your successor is looking over your shoulder every day. Secondly, Havvy was the last holdover from the Pre-Quenneville and for that matter, Pre-Stanley Cup era. With him gone, Quenneville can bring in all his own guys. Sink or swim, it will be all his boat. Maybe there was more to this relationship than meets the eye, but we may never know. The bottom line is that Quenneville needs to bring in a person, or people, to help get this ship moving in the right direction.

The reason most people are upset is that Havvy was a nice guy. No one really knows whether his head or assistant coaching abilities were good enough, except his colleagues. In the big picture, the Blackhawks lose a helluva guy, and that is about it. He may end up a great Head Coach somewhere but, and as much as Quenneville pisses us all off, Mike Haviland as the Hawks head coach probably would have taken them back a step or two, and they can't afford that.


Image blatantly borrowed from Deadspin.com, Click to see more

Now we get to the good ol fashion fun stuff. Drunken shenanigans, fights, banging slutty college tramps, GTL-ing, and insulting the general masses. Typical 23 year old behavior, right? According to Deadspin, young Pat Kane chose to spend his cinco de mayo in the popular tropical resort town of Madison Wisconsin because, when I think of time off following a busy NHL season, Madison is at the top of my list. ALLEGEDLY, Kaner and a few pals had some t-shirts printed up with THIS PICTURE on the back and the Spanish version of "Two Fives Equal Ten". Pretty funny, if you ask me, but have a gander for yourself:

Images blatantly borrowed from Deadspin.com, Click to see the story
Looks, folks, Kane is 23 years old. What were YOU doing at 23? Probably doing things much worse than Mr. Kane ALLEGEDLY did. I can't fault him for wanting to let loose and bang some hotties, while in the offseason. Hell, maybe banging some college trixies will give the ol wrist a break. Anyway, I don't have a huge problem with the overall premise, but I DO have some concerns, as I'm sure the Blackhawks suits do.

Patrick Kane is 23 years old, an NHL superstar, and rich. WHY is he drunkenly trolling Madison Wisconsin for Girls Gone Wild rejects? He could throw a legendary bash at his own place, and have higher class ladies with top shelf booze, instead of drinking cheap gutter swill with Midwestern trixies in the middle of deer hunting country. Be smart, kid! I don't claim to know the verbiage of Kaner's contract, but I would guess there is a morals clause somewhere in that document. If say, he was arrested for ALLEGEDLY attempting to choke a college girl at a Kappa Sig party, some might look at that as a "breach of contract" while quoting such clauses to his agent. Just when he was getting over the Buffalo taxicab incident, he shows up in cheesehead land acting like a complete fool. This is a condensed list of ALLEGED misbehavior by young Mister 88:

• Kicked out of a bar for passing out drunk.
• Making out with random girls
• Pulling down girl's sunglasses and telling them, "Eh, not good enough"
• Was forcibly removed from a party for attempting to choke a girl, which resulted in a shouting match
• Showed up to a party run by a guy who's girlfriend Kane has been "associating" with
• Choked a guy out, between fist fights.
• Passed out again in a bar, twice
• Was almost arrested for D&D regarding alleged anti-sematic remarks.

These are the things other people witnessed, so there is, no doubt, some silliness that wasn't documented or witnessed outside of Kaner's Entourage.

I am NOT a Kane hater. He had a rough year, being moved all over the lineup after some serious wrist surgery. He's 23, young, horny, and rich. I get it. BUT; when you become a professional athlete, the usual twenty-something asshattery can't apply to you and your Bros. You represent a professional organization and league which was there before you, and will be there well after you're gone. Be smart, and know your place. This is a league that traded Wayne Gretzky more than once, just because. I would hate to see Kaner go, but after enough public episodes, the Hawks brass are going to get fed up. He has the luxury of having a long leash, but Rocky Wirtz may decide, someday, that the dog has bitten the hand that feeds him one too many times. When his face appears in the headlines, it is associated with the NHL and the Blackhawks, whether it was during the season or not. Businesses run that way, and they may or may not have employed a woman beating drunk in the 60's, but there was no internet or twitter to confirm such actions. Hell, JFK slept his ass around Hollywood during his term, but that would not fly these days, nor would he get away with it. The internet would have got him; it always does.

I just want to see Kane succeed in Chicago, and do so for the remaining years of his contract. I think he's a special and dynamic player, but he's walking on thin ice. I don't want to wake up some morning and see the headlines, "Troubled Kane Traded". "Kane Scores Second Career Cup Winning Goal for Blackhawks", has a much nicer ring to it. Reel it in, Pat.

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I'm Winston Wolf, I Solve Problems - Blackhawks Bits

The worst part about the playoffs can also the best part. If your team is doing well, it's the most exciting time of year, but if your team gets bounced in the first round, you're left to watch the excitement through others' eyes. While, I'm sure, there is plenty of back office work going on, and the players are enjoying some time to let their bodies heel, the fans are left to tear what few shreds of activity they hear to microscopic bits. Here are the latest bits and pieces:

• After Marc Bergevin accepted the GM job in Montreal, the Hawks named Norm Maciver Assistant GM for the upcoming season. I really don't know what affect this has on the grand scheme, if any. It's news, and we're bored fans.
• Now the biggest recent rumor. John Buccigross floated these tweets regarding the future of Joel Quenneville in Chicago, after it was reported the other day that Bergevin was interested in taking Quenneville with him up to Montreal:
  

  Blackhawks announced team has promoted Norm Maciver to Assistant General Manager, Blackhawks are a mess internally. Expect more changes.

  — John Buccigross (@Buccigross) May 7, 2012

  
  

  I would be shocked if the Q-Stache is back in Chicago. Trust issues in Chicago. Organization needs strong hockey guy at top.

  — John Buccigross (@Buccigross) May 7, 2012

  
  
  Then, Puck Daddy Greg Wyshynski posted this interesting tid bit: Will Joel Quenneville become the next Montreal Canadiens head coach?
  
  Quite honestly, I'm not so sure just what to think of this development. To put this bluntly, SHIT IS WRONG! Two years removed from hoisting the Stanley Cup, and the team that Uncle Dale built is moving backwards or, at the very least, towing a whole truck load of average around. This has become the "Chicken or the Egg" scenario, that no one really has the answer for, no matter what they say. Who is responsible for the Amtrack train to Backwardsville?
  
  Quenneville has certainly mismanaged players, and match-ups for a good three years now. Bowman has tried to play nice, to a degree, by bring in "Quenneville guys", but Quenneville does some absolutely bizarre things like play the top free agent acquisition out of position TWICE, the second of which ended up ended Mr. Montador's season. This is just one example of some head scratching decisions by Quenneville. Dressing John Scott ahead of Montador, and Lepisto? Another face palm inducing stunt. One could also place the specialty teams disaster squarely on the coaching staff's shoulders, and the fumbling of the Goalie situation that has gone on each of the last 4 seasons, as well. Those are just a few, off the top of my head.
  
  Bowman is far from innocent in this debacle, himself. Yes, he was stuck pillaging the Stanley Cup roster to abide by the cap, and replaced those players with some huge question marks. It could be argued that his hand was forced by Tallon, but he was supposed to be the "chosen one", who could manage these unfortunate circumstances. He has been great at unloading terrible contracts, but he hasn't replaced a departed player with someone of equal or greater value since Nick Leddy was acquired for Cam Barker. The biggest question, this season, was all the cap room they were saving for the stretch run. Brendan Morrison and Johnny Oduya were the big acquisitions that were going to put this team over the edge? This is the team that ran out and bought Marian Hossa in July of '09 to get to the Cup. Last summer, the big splash signing was Brunette and Montador. The Hawks haven't had a legit second line center in years, and both the defense and goaltending is as thin as it's been in years.
  
  Stanley Cup or not, is this Blackhawks fan base going to go the way of the Bears and White Sox, living off the glory of years past and ignoring immediate problems? I can't answer that, but I won't support another year of mediocrity now, because of success two full years ago. This team is much closer to the Stanley Cup than it is rebuilding, but something or someone needs to give the Chicago Blackhawks a kick in the ass. The biggest problem is that if Bowman or Quenneville were to go, who can keep this team moving ahead, rather than backwards? Slim pickins out there. I don't have an answer because I'm just a loudmouthed blogger, with a day job, but a move somewhere could be reason for excitement.

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Ya Gotta Go With The Devil You Know

Let the right one in
Ya gotta go with the devil you know
It's a goddamn sin
Ya gotta go with the devil you know
I'm ready, ready to begin
You bastard
Let the right one in
Ya gotta go with the devil that you know

This describes how I feel about the Blackhawks situation, following the disappointing 4-2 series loss to the Phoenix Coyotes. This is a team that is still on the verge of dominance and greatness, but two disappointing first round exits following a Stanley Cup are hard to swallow. Where does one chuck the blame? There is really no single solution. These are deeper issues that have many layers. Let me get a few things off the plate, right off the bat:

• Stan Bowman is not a terrible GM, YET he has not proven to be a great one, either. Mike Milbury is/was a terrible GM.
• Joel Quenneville, while being extremely stubborn, is a proven and very successful coach. Davis Payne is/was a terrible Head Coach.
• The Hawks core is one of the top in the league. Bar none.

That being said, there are some glaring holes with this team and it's management. This is where I say, "Ya gotta go with the devil you know", because turning this team upside down is NOT going to fix things. What happened in Philly is rare occurrence that doesn't often work. The core of the Blackhawks management and back office deserve another year to fix some of what ills them. If this team is in the same position or worse next spring, then BURN IT DOWN! Now, There are a few things that should logically happen within this organization over the next few months:

1. They need to evaluate all talent, as well as Coaching. Quenneville is not going anywhere, but don't be so sure about Kitchen or Haviland. Quenneville and Haviland were around for the cup, so you can imagine who the odd man out should be. Unless they are hiding something from everyone, Kitchen is the squeaky wheel. Once John Tochetti left for Atlanta, and Kitchen was brought in to replace him, the special teams went down the proverbial crapper. My money is on Kitch taking his walking papers. As far as talent, no one really knows for sure where they want to be, come training camp, if training camp even happens. You'd have to guess that they would like to cut some fat, and make some room for some possible free agent moves or additions through trade.
2. The Hawks next need to address the draft, which will be held on June 22-23 in Pittsburgh. With the success of last year's draft, they can ride that wave and stockpile some talent. The Blackhawks have 8 picks in the draft, one in each round and an additional 5th rounder from the Rangers for John Scott. The exact location of the picks won't be laid out until more teams are eliminated from the playoffs. Suffice to say that the Hawks will pick somewhere in the 20's, and that Rangers pick will be even deeper in the 5th round. This is where a trade could be pulled off, and where Bowman/Bowman and Associates could ride the momentum of last year's draft by grabbing some keepers.
3. Once the draft is complete, the team needs to evaluate their current RFA's and which ones they want back, which might be none. Their RFA's this year are: Simon Danis-Pepin, Ben Smith, Chris DiDomenico, Igor Makarov (who is playing in the KHL), Brandon Bollig and Carter Hutton. I wouldn't shed a tear if none of those players were resigned, but a couple of them will, no doubt, be tendered qualifying offers. Hopefully this year, they will be on time, eh Dale Tallon?
4. After the RFA period, begins the UFA feeding frenzy. The Blackhawks scheduled to become UFA's on July 1st are, again, a list of people that wouldn't break my heart if they were left to sign elsewhere. They are: Brunette, Oduya, O'Donnell, Mayers, Morrison, Huet, and Lepisto. That doesn't hurt so much, does it? The Hawks, and I, would no doubt love to see Oduya back, and Lepisto is only 27, but the rest of the guys are over 35 and won't be back.
5. That leads us to the next step, which is the available Free Agents. You will hear every moronic idea imaginable about who the Hawks will sign, and the fact of the matter is that no one knows who will end up wearing the Indianhead next fall. With no players resigned, they go into free agency with nearly 7 million a year available. They left money on the table this past season, and never addressed their weaknesses, and it would be nice to see them leave a little less, this year. Names like Suter, Parise, Doan, and Jackman might get thrown around, but based on Bowman's past reputation, I don't see a big name coming in. There aren't really much in the way of big names that the Hawks could afford, anyway. If you're getting your hopes up about a UFA goalie, let me slow your roll right here. The top UFA Goalie, as listed by Cap Geek, is Cristobal Huet. Yes, THAT Cristobal Huet. He wasn't in a horrible windsurfing accident with Kim Johnsson. Granted, they are listed by previous salary, not talent, but I digress. The only goalie in the whole list that looks remotely attractive is Minnesota's Josh Harding. Otherwise it's a bunch of "has-beens", "never-weres", and "never-will-bes", many of which are dry humping 40 years of age. No thanks. Didn't they learn this lesson with Turco, O'Donnell, and Brunette already?

So, there you have the events of the next few months, in a nutshell. This is all dependent on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement, as well. If the NHL and NHL Player's Association don't agree, there won't be a 2012/13 season for this to play out. Sports business is fun, isn't it? Whatever the case, these two gentlemen have their work cut out for them, for at least, the next few months.

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PLAYOFFS - Blackhawks vs. Coyotes Game 6 Season Ending Loss

"This Is the End"



If you would have told me, two weeks ago, that the Red Wings, Penguins, Sharks, and Canucks would all be eliminated before the Blackhawks, I would have laughed in your face, yet here we sit. Not to mention that the Stanley Cup Champs were one game from elimination as well. The Hawks have their own fish to fry, though. They were able to squeak out a gutsy 2-1 OT win Saturday night, but still had to win two more to move on. Not an easy task when your goalie has given up soft OT goals in 2 of 5 games and channeled the spirit of Cristobal Huet and Chris Mason, while the opposing goalie has channeled the spirit of Jacques Plante and Ken Dryden. Until Saturday, the top 6 forwards were invisible in this series. That is until Captain Serious whipped his ball bag out and tea bagged Mike Smith. The problem is that the Hawks need two more performances like that to just simply move on. Luckily, with the Canucks out, the pressure is much less. The Blackhawks weren't expected to go anywhere when these playoffs started, but they could use the momentum and make a run. Alas, it was not to be, as the Hawks joined the ranks of the golf clubs.

The Hawks opened up at a fierce pace, out shooting the Coyotes 16-2 in the first period. Unfortunately, The Hawks were still tied 0-0 going into the first intermission. Just as you would worry, when you grossly out shoot an opponent, but can't score, the Hawks out shot the Coyotes 12-6 in the second period, but came away down 1-0. They were up 28-7 after 2 period, yet were losing. That is sad! The Hawks opened up the third period yielding the second Coyotes goal of the game, to put them in a hole 2-0, and it all went downhill from there. The Yotes added 2 more goals in the third period, just to rub salt in the wound. Bad penalties, the failure to finish, and an atrocious powerplay spelled the end of the Blackhawks season. If there IS a next season, this team could look different in quite a few areas.

The Good

• The Hawks were as fast and aggressive as I've ever seen them all year, in the first half of the first period, out shooting the Yotes 10-1. They could have easily been up 3-0, but couldn't beat Smith. You HAVE to finish, when given the opportunity.
• Just a minute into the second period, El Capitan turned Derek Morris around like a top and drove right up the middle of the ice on a partial break-a-way. Smith was able to make the save, but it would have been a highlight reel goal, if he scored. But again, He couldn't finish.
• Stalberg, Toews, and Morrison had a gorgeous 3-way passing play about 5 minutes into the second period, and Morrison couldn't lift it up and over Smith's extended leg. If Morrison gets his shot up, it's an easy goal. Still, great pressure, though.
• Amazingly enough, the Hawks were 57% at the faceoff dots. Tazer was a cartoonish 15 out of 19, Kane was 6 out of 10, and Dream Warrior was even 5 out of 10. Bolland got clowned once again, going 4 out of 12. Might have been nice to have Jamal Mayers in there to win a few faceoffs, don't you think?

The Bad

• The Coyotes used a late Toews interference penalty to take a 1-0 lead towards the second half of the second period. Sooner or later the penalty kill was going to break, and that was only the Coyotes SIXTH shot on net. Oliver Ekman-Larsson blew a long slap shot past Crawford, through some traffic in front of the net, on a pretty generic goal. When you're out shooting a team 24-6, you should be winning somehow. Fucking ridiculous. I get the screen threw Crawford off, but Smith showed that you have to be able to carry your team through rough stretches, and Crawford just wasn't up to the task. The Coyotes showed what a team with a half-assed powerplay can accomplish, while the Hawks were 1 for forever.
• The Coyotes took a 2-0 lead early in the third period. Leddy and Lepisto got worked and didn't pressure Chipchura behind the net, while Brule snuck in behind them. Chipchura worked a pass through the Hawks to Brule's stick, who roofed it past Crawford. Funny how a forth liner can get the puck about 6 inches off the ice, but no Blackhawks could.
• Antoine Vermette put a dagger in the hearts of all Hawks fans in the final minute of the 5 minute Jimmy Hayes major, picking up a loose puck in front of the net, and beating Crawford.
• Just for good measure, Kyle Chipchura was left wide open in the slot to beat Crawford, and give the Yotes a 4-0 lead with 5 minutes left in the game. Not even worth watching any more at this point.
• Hits and blocked shots were fairly even, but as in most Hawks games, the opponent held the advantage. Hits were 37-25 and blocked shots were 19-14 in favor of Phoenix. The Blocked shots worry me much more than the hits do.

The Ugly

• Opponent or not, Rostislav Klesla looks like he was accidentally clipped or kicked in the face with Brendan Morrison's skate. You never want to see a serious eye injury to a player. Luckily he came back later in the game without and lacerations.
• The Powerplay. What a piece of dung their powerplay is. Northern Illinois College of Clown Arts as I've affectionately named it. They can't enter the zone, they shoot from horrible angles, they have zero net presence, and no one moves. They would accomplish more if they just took retaliation penalties every time they earned a powerplay. The Blackhawks should be ashamed of themselves as professional hockey players, after this year's display of horseshit.
• With 11 minutes left in the game, Jimmy Hayes took a bad 5 minute checking from behind major penalty. He'll get a talking to, from Brendan Shanahan for that one. This was basically the end of the Blackhawks season.
• Just for good measure, Kaner's invisibility act ended with a childish misconduct for chirping at the refs. Way to act like a little bitch, kid. Thanks for the effort and for showing up in the series, Kaner! No goals, and a stellar 27.8% faceoff percentage for young Patrick.
• Speaking of the "name" players, where the hell was Sharp all series long? The only thing he accomplished was 23 hits, which was good for 17th in the entire playoffs. Surprising in and of itself, because that is not the stat line where Patrick Sharp belongs or should to be. ONE point and a minus 2 in 6 games.
• Hjalmarsson, Lepisto, O'Donnell, and Brunette were all minus 3 for the series, and Dream Warrior was a minus 4. Think that highlights where some improvement needs to happen?

Here are your video highlights:

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PLAYOFFS - Blackhawks at Phoenix Game 5 OT Win

"White Knuckles"



They've been here before, and they have conquered. After the announcement of the Raffi Torres 25 game suspension, the Blackhawks had bigger fish to fry. They were in Phoenix and facing elimination, after 4 straight overtime games. What more needs to be said? They Hawks had to win three straight games against a team that they were having a very difficult time against. Would this be the last game of the Hawks season, or would they live to see Monday night back in Chicago?

The first period of the game, Saturday night, was largely in the favor of the Blackhawks, but unfortunately, they weren't able to take advantage of it. They out shot the Coyotes 12-4, and had nothing to show for it. Not always a good sign, because the Coyotes can wear you down. The second period was a bit of a different story. The Coyotes took the lead on 10 shots, while the Hawks were, again, shutout on 10 more shots. The Hawks were going to be playing for their playoff lives in the third period. The Hawks actually tied the game up, in the third period, out shooting the Coyotes 12-4. 5 games, 5 overtimes. Thank god that this time the Hawks were able to eek this one out to force a game 6.

The Good

• Quenneville shook the lineup up, to start. Bickell was playing with the top line, Hayes was playing with the second line, and Morrison was playing with the third line. Lepisto was in the lineup, as well.
• Whatever Michael Frolik is doing lately, I like it. He has looked like the fastest player on the ice for the three games he's played. It would have been nice enough to see this Frolik in the first 84 games. Three points in three playoff games is something to great to see.
• The Hawks PK was stellar. They managed a few chances and held the Yotes to a handful of chances. The Hawks won the game because their PK was on fire.
• Halfway through the third period, Nick Leddy blew a puck on edge past Smith, using some Coyotes defenders and Bolly as screens. Frolik and rookie Brandon Saad both got assists. Nice to see some life out of the Blackhawks who were about to have only 10 minutes left in their season.
• Just 2:44 into overtime, El Capitan whipped out his big boy balls, and slapped them on Mike Smith's chin. Toews won the faceoff, controlled the puck, and then whipped a sick wrister past Smith for the game winner. Hawks win 2-1.
• After having some TERRIBLE games, the pair of Oduya and Leddy were a combined plus 4 for the game.
• Looks as though the Hawks did just fine without the hammer throwin Brandon Bollig out there. No one murdered any Hawks players. No one took cheap shots. Lets keep this up, eh?

The Bad

• How long have we all been screaming about Duncan Keith blindly blasting shots into defenders shin guards? Is no one in the organization pointing this out to him? What the fuck good are you when you can't get a shot off?
• The Hawks did great to out shoot the Yotes 38-19, but they still fail to get the QUALITY chances.
• Once again the Hawks were grossly out blocked, 29-9. Like I said last game, if they even get a third of those through, they have almost 50 shots on net.
• The Hawks were average, as a team, at the dots. Toews and Kruger were pretty good, but Bolland was anally probed and ridden like a mule all night.

The Ugly

• The Coyotes took advantage of an awful third defensive pairing play. Hammer got caught pinching, Lepisto was left hung out to dry, and none of the forwards (Brunette, Hayes, Kruger) rotated back. Lepisto was caught in no mans land, and three Coyotes forwards were bearing down on him. The puck was chipped to the off winger, Brule, who raced in and beat Crawford, short side. 1-0 Coyotes.
• Vik Stalberg reverted back to the dipshit we saw at the beginning of the season, taking 4 penalties in the game. None of them ended up in the back of the net, but any momentum the Hawks were able to muster was halted, because they were on the PK. Four penalties by one forward is just too fucking much. Stalberg has no points, minus 1, and 8 PIMs. That has to be better.

Here are your video highlights:

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