IndianHeadNation

Mike Haviland Fired

Tue, 08 May 2012 22:23:06 +0000

The Blackhawks have officially fired Mike Haviland, who spent four seasons along side Joel Quenneville, helping the team win their fourth Stanley Cup Championship in 2010.

Another piece of the puzzle is gone, unfortunately they may have cut the wrong fat yet again. If there is any weight of responsibility placed on Mike Haviland, the same weight should be applied to Mike Kitchen.

Once again, the Blackhawks have proven that they cannot maintain a solid relationship with a great hockey mind and coach that the players respected and adored.

Mike Haviland will easily get another job elsewhere, although there are no active rumors yet.

Joel Quenneville will meet the press on a conference call to discuss the dismissal of Haviland. Additional details are unknown, however, with Barry Smith taking the ice at the end of the regular season some might speculate that he is next in line for the job. The question is, if he is, how will Joel Quenneville react after shooing him off the ice and confronting management about it?

UPDATE: Quenneville was very direct in his teleconference today regarding the situation. He made it very clear that this was his decision and moving forward he will pick the next assistant coach of the Blackhawks. Barry Smith is not among his candidates.

It seems as if this decision was based purely on job safety, basically killing every rumor that Quenneville was on his way out to Montreal. Look forward to another year of the 'stache line generator.

Hockey People Need Not Apply

Mon, 07 May 2012 19:54:56 +0000

Despite what most believe about the front office, the downward spiral of the Chicago Blackhawks actually started back in November of 2007, before winning the Cup, when Rocky Wirtz persuaded John McDonough to slither his way to the Madhouse on Madison and place his weight on the club after surviving 24 years of failure with the Chicago Cubs. It was the beginning of an end. Of course, these two usually are the center of attention when it comes to taking credit for the revival of the franchise but realistically they will be the downfall of a momentous ride started by those who laid the foundation before them.

Lets take a step back for now. After hitting rock bottom for several years in a row (2003-2007) the regular outsider had no reason to believe that the Blackhawks were actually ready to sling their way back to the top. However, with Bob Pulford stepping down from hockey operations, it allowed Dale Tallon to lead a core group of individuals (Rick Dudley, Stan Bowman among others) that were able to turn the culture around into a positive hockey atmosphere. The results did not pay dividends immediately as the Blackhawks collected four straight top 10 draft picks, but by 2007 GM Dale Tallon and his crew had already assembled an arsenal of young talent that created enough momentum to shoot out of that canyon of a hole -- no matter who was standing in the way, they would be carried along for the ride.

In retrospect, there was no rock bottom, the Blackhawks were saved by the trampoline that was known as Dale Tallon. It was too late for any weight to pull the Blackhawks back from what they were destined to accomplish. Of course, John McDonough along with Rocky Wirtz jumped into that hole together expecting to hit rock bottom, but instead happily grabbed on for the ride to the top as the team slammed them in the face with reality before they were able to plummet to the bottom.

In 2007-08, McDonough's first year as President, the Blackhawks fell short of the playoffs, but the process was quickly gaining momentum and there was a hockey fever blanketing over Chicago as they had shown their biggest burst of improvement: 17 points over their previous year.

Hockey was alive again. The expectations for the young up-and-comers sparked the cities interest and although they missed the post-season, there was no question that this group was going to be exciting to watch for several years to come.

The following year improvement was expected. Dale Tallon signed big market players such as Brian Campbell and the team was ready to take the next step; however, it wasn't that simple. Dale was forced to sign Cristobal Huet after having clear intentions of running a tandem of Nikolai Khabibulin and Antti Niemi, the first fiasco John had wiped his hands clean of after dipping them into hockey operations. Then, Denis Savard was fired a mere four games into the season due to a marketing tactic as Joel Quenneville was waiting in the wings after he was hired over the summer as a team scout. Anyone who had an ounce of curiosity knew the writing was on the wall, even Savard himself knew his time was up, it was only a matter of time. But why then? Of course, this was the first mark of the teams incompetence and it was all led by the man on top. The guy who is not a hockey guy, the guy who had only begun to lose respect in the hockey community. Of course, to a marketing expert, the public reaction over firing Denis Savard, a fan favorite, for a previously fired coach fresh off a DUI wouldn't exactly light up the ticket booth before the season started. So he waited, forced Dale Tallon (a long-time friend of Savard) to do his deed, and covered up his own tracks.

Joel Quenneville did a wonderful job guiding the group along for a Conference Finals appearance, bowing out to the defending Stanley Cup Champions: the Detroit Red Wings. While all seemed well on the ice, internally things were not. Rick Dudley decided to jump ship to the Atlanta Thrashers due to the harsh friction and Dale Tallon's frustrations with the "marketing guru" had boiled twice over after repeatedly meddling with hockey operations.

The great divide between the front office left brilliant hockey minds such as Dale Tallon and Rick Dudley in pursuit of hockey cultures while practical accountants such as Stan Bowman (interesting side story about how Stan got his job in the Blackhawks organization, but we will save it for another time) were cultivated into important hockey roles. Eventually, the ultimate mistake was made that may have cost the Blackhawks a modern-era dynasty was the "promotion" of Dale Tallon to Senior Advisor without allowing him to place any further input with the team. At this point, Dale Tallon was kicked off the ledge of his own dream that he launched out of the abyss a few short years ago; the trampoline that launched this team, their safety net, was gone.

McDonough did what he does best, he covered it up by blaming the RFA fiasco on Dale and targeted that as the final straw for his pity promotion and justification for Stan Bowman's rise to General Manager. Of course John couldn't just fire Dale after he brought the team to a Conference Finals appearance along with the fact that he was a fan favorite among the city of Chicago and a respected member of the hockey community/media. After all, the marketing mess would be a mark he would like to avoid in his career after building his public image to mend bridges instead of breaking them. Unfortunately for the Blackhawks they had foolishly broken important bridges in the hockey community that tied the hands of a freshly promoted Stan Bowman.

Former players started to present information that would suggest such was true at the time with Martin Havlat among the center of attention leading up to the implosion of the front office, along with Brian Campbell years later stating he was relieved that he no longer had to "walk on egg shells" after leaving Chicago to re-unite with Tallon in Florida.

The heart of the Chicago Blackhawks was under a serious transplant, and arguably they are still searching for a donor, but regardless their momentum rode on Dale Tallon's trampoline. Nothing was going to stop their ride to the top and eventual Stanley Cup Championship nearly a year after McDonough stomped Dale's fingers off the edge.

Luckily for Bowman, those bruised fingers healed enough for Tallon to pick up the phone and bail Stan out of the Cap crisis that built up, along with Dudley showing his fair share of help as well while the rest of the league stood by and low-balled the Blackhawks. The prime example is Doug Wilson sending Niklas Hjalmarsson an offer sheet and poaching away Antti Niemi as a result of the cap crunch -- something that never would have happened if McDonough gained the respect that the Blackhawks deserve. It was a clear message sent by Doug Wilson, long-time friend of Dale Tallon, that all respect went out the window with Tallon as it did with Savard.

Since then, the front office has nearly turned itself over twice with Kevin Cheveldayoff booking town to Winnipeg along with the recent overturn of Marc Bergevin leaving for Montreal. Let's not forget to mention the revolving door at assistant coach since the departure of John Torchetti, as it is clear that the "great divide" has also made it's way down to the Blackhawks bench, and it may not be over just yet with Joel Quenneville possibly making his exit as well due to the same exact reasons the rest of them have parted ways: they don't see eye to eye with management. Evidence presents itself with Barry Smith joining the Blackhawks on-ice to help the teams struggling power-play during the season. Quenneville did not appreciate the move and confronted management which effectively ended Smith's "coaching" role. Whether or not Quenneville joins Marc Bergevin in Montreal remains to be seen, but if he does it would be yet another person lost from the hockey family. Another piece of the winning culture, the culture that is dwindling away right before every fan's eyes.

The hockey atmosphere could still light up the United Center but behind the curtain is a marketing guy and his accountant running the show. It's a corporate feel now, which is just the way Wirtz wants it because it's all about the money. The problem is, the great divide has trickled all the way down to the product. The players on the ice are feeling the effects now, the same effect that gave Campbell the feeling that he was walking on eggshells instead of enjoying the game, enjoying the company he is playing for, and ultimately having a connection with the front office much like the family that use to be the Blackhawks with Dale Tallon running the show. That connection, that passion, that character is long gone. All of those qualities were the foundation that built the Stanley Cup Championship team, and none of them remain. Not just the people, but the culture.

As long as fans put their butts in his seats, pay for his concessions, and pay to park in his lots, what does it matter? Until his pocket book is effected and John McDonough is fired, the Chicago Blackhawks will show more of the same. At this point, the Blackhawks are in a free fall back into the same pit they were revived from and there is no safety net to catch them. The product on the ice no longer matters as much as the money that lines the owners pockets and maybe it never did. If it did matter, Wirtz would have let his hockey people run the show instead of turning it over to the marketing expert and accountant to cut corners.

MacIver Promoted to Assistant GM

Mon, 07 May 2012 17:56:29 +0000

With the loss of Bergevin the Blackhawks decided to fill the void with Norm MacIver. Norm played a role the last five years as Director of Player Development as well as spending this past season as Director of Player Personnel.

Here's a tidbit of Stan Bowman towing the company line:

Stan Bowman said:

Norm has proven to be a valuable asset to our hockey operations over the past five years, so we are excited to be able to elevate him to this role. He has an excellent handle on the players within our organization, from recent draft picks to veterans, and a great eye for talent evaluating. Promoting within our organization is something we take great pride in and we are very confident in what he will contribute on a daily basis as we strive to hire the best possible candidate at every position.

John Buccigross says the Blackhawks are "a mess internally" and "expect more changes" with his belief that things are wonky at the top.

Source: ESPN

Ben Smith Named Man of the Year

Mon, 07 May 2012 02:55:40 +0000

Ben Smith has been named the team’s winner of the IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year award for his outstanding contributions to the Rockford community during the 2011-12 season.

Source: Rockford IceHogs

Some of you are familiar with the Jimmy Newcomer story locally and it is a big reason for his nomination.
See the link above for more details and also this link where you will see video of Doc and Edzo discussing this story during a Blackhawks broadcast

He is also one of 30 finalists for Man of the Year in the AHL.

Bergevin named GM of Canadiens

Wed, 02 May 2012 23:59:20 +0000

Per Chris Kuc of the Tribune:

Quote

The Montreal Canadians have selected Marc Bergevin as their new general manager, according to a source.

Bergevin served as assistant GM for the Blackhawks under Stan Bowman during the 2011-12 season. The 46-year-old Montreal native will replace the fired Pierre Gauthier.

Bergevin spent seven seasons in the Hawks' front office, the last as assistant to Bowman after being named to the position June 15, 2011. A former Hawks defenseman, Bergevin also held various other positions with the team, including Director of Player Personnel and assistant coach to Joel Quenneville.

My best Bergevin story is from the first year they had prospects camp at the "old Johnny's Ice House". I hate driving in the city and I had never been there before, so I pull up in front of the rink and have no clue where I am "allowed" to park and where it's illegal. I pull around to the side of the rink where the entrance to the under ground parking lot is. The gates doors closed and I see a guy walking towards the side door in a suit. He looks like he's probably in charge of media or fan relations. I figure he probably knows where to go or might be able to get the garage door open.

I decide at this point to yell out the window "Hey buddy, any idea where to park or how to get into the garage?" The guy turns around and I immediately feel like a fucking idiot. I wave him off without even getting a response and I just park where I thought was a okay spot around the block. My buddy who is sitting shotgun looks over at me and says "What was up with that?" I look at him and explain, "That's Marc Bergevin, an ex-Hawk and now a scout. He sure as hell isn't some valet guy for the rink and he sure as hell isn't going to know where to park cause he probably didn't even have to drive himself."

Hawks keep losing front office and coaching staff guys. This is also the second year in a row where a Hawks assistant GM has left for a GM position. Who's next?

SOURCE

Is Tallon's success and nomination for GM o...

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 22:40:35 +0000

With the Panthers going to Game 7 with the Devils, and just the fact he has put Florida in the playoffs with his offseason additions, McDICK should be hoping people aren't noticing that he fired this guy. The guy who put a Stanley Cup Champion team in Chicago.

On top of that the Dale Tallon replacement (Stanbo, Scooter, Scottie's boy) has a team that has had a 1st round playoff exit two years in a row. Please don't go for three!

With all of the assholio sports columnists in this wonderful city who are constantly picking garbage out of the air and writing about it, not one of them will have the balls to write about this. They would have to face the wrath of the allmighty himself, not to mention the loss of their annual beginning of the season invite to dinner at the Stadium Club and viewing of the game in the Grinch suite.

This story deserves attention from the local and or national media. Am I right, or just a bitter Hawks fan who should just forget about it and plan my summer vacation?

Golf Season: CHI 0, PHX 4

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 10:58:28 +0000

The power-play ended the way it started: atrocious. Only fitting to cap the season with another shutout -- of course it was against the Blackhawks. I won't go too much detail on the entirety of the series here, but for an elimination game the Blackhawks sure did fire on all cylinders... right into Mike Smith's chest.

I've never seen such an offensively dominant team flub as many chances as the Blackhawks did in Game 6. It was hard to watch. A team full of NHL pros and not one of them can lift the puck without missing the net. If they happened to hit the net, Mike Smith answered the bell, but it was hard not to when a team decides to shoot the puck into your pads all night.

All together, the effort was there but execution was not. The energy provided by Shaw certainly had it's impact early in the game where the Blackhawks responded with 16 shots on net compared to the Coyotes 2 shots. As the game carried on, the Blackhawks vision grew worse.

Special teams just plain bombed it. The man-advantage was an epitome of the entire series packed into 60 minutes of play while the penalty-kill saw it's worst day. The final result, however, was not an indication of how far apart these two teams were. Although this game was easily the worst the Blackhawks had in the series when really they needed their best, this could have been a very different contest until the 3rd period.

Of course, people will point the finger at Corey Crawford, who only came out with an .800 save percentage in the elimination game. The fact of the matter is, every goal that went in was a result of miscues defensively -- miscues you don't see the Phoenix Coyotes make. Mike Smith didn't see a single shot as tough as the last three goals that went in the back of the Blackhawks net. And that lies the biggest problem: an offensive team that couldn't bury a decent chance while failing defensively. Trade Corey Crawford for Mike Smith and you'd see the same result.

After Jimmy Hayes pasted Michal Rozsival along the boards for a 5-minute major and game misconduct as well as Patrick Kane getting tossed out of the game for [insert penalty here] the Blackhawks may as well have forfeited the game. There was no coming back, not even an ounce of energy remained out of anyone in the group other than Jonathan Toews and the offense dried up faster than a bucket of water in hell. This truly was a sad day in Blackhawks history; bounced by the Phoenix Coyotes at home. The process starts all over again next year which is too bad, they deserved so much more.

Western Conference Quarterfinal: 4/23 - CHI (2)...

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 00:43:09 +0000

The Blackhawks come home for Game 6 and will be facing elimination for the second time; the guys decided it was not time to take their summer golf trip yet.

The Captain stepped up in Game 5 and the Hawks are still looking for the top guns to show up and put this Coyote team to bed. The Blackhawks will need another stellar performance from Crawford and the defensive core in order to push this series to seven games. With Shaw due back from his three game suspension Saad will be the odd man out.

Game prediction: Hawks 2 - 0

PRE-GAME NOTES

Line-up changes made, Quenneville won't budge with revealing lines. Everything remains unconfirmed.
Saad will be scratched for Shaw
Morrison, Lepisto, Hayes all look like they are playing.
Frolik has 7 points in his last 7 playoff games
Kane only mustered 4 shots on net the last two games after peppering Smith with 7 shots in Game 1.
Jonathan Toews one-on-one interview with Pierre Lebrun.

DO AGAIN OR DIE

WCQF Game 6: #3 Coyotes (3) @ #6 Blackhawks (2)

04.23.2012 - 8:00 PM

Live On: TSN, CNBC, RDSI, CSN-CH (HD) Radio: WIND 560

Oh Captain My Captain! CHI 2, PHX 1 (OT)

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 04:55:59 +0000

Jonathan Toews and Nick Leddy were able to turn the tide for the Blackhawks late in the game to keep them alive for at least another post-season game.

Leddy in particular had a fantastic game by registering 5 shots on net, 3 hits, and a blocked shot to go along with his game tying goal and plus-2 rating. It was only a matter of time for him to find the net after taking multiple quality shots without much traffic in front of Smith, but as soon as Dave Bolland flew by to provide the quick screen, Leddy finally picked up his first goal of the post-season after Brandon Saad fed him the puck after winning an important battle along the boards.

Jonathan Toews backed his word by providing a wicked snipe in overtime that beat Smith cleanly. Most importantly, his presence at the face-off dot was uncanny; winning 78% of his draws. His work horse attitude has certainly gained momentum over the course of the first round, you have to believe he will only get better at this point if the Blackhawks can continue to stay alive.

Viktor Stalberg had an awkward game in every sense. He was under the zebra's microscope all game, taking 4 minor penalties but the Coyotes never found the back of the net. Although Quenneville is usually notorious for cutting ice-time after so many infractions, Stalberg actually fluttered around his average ice-time during the playoffs and contributed on the game winning goal as well.

Once again, Michael Frolik had a very good game although couldn't find a way to continue padding his goal-scoring résumé, he did add an assist on the game tying goal. The puck continues to find him and he keeps creating plays, although Shaw is coming back I think Quenneville would be crazy to scratch Frolik while he's producing in so many areas of the ice. Is Frolik just a good playoff performer? Could be, but even while Dustin Byfuglien was criticized for his regular-season disappearing act, one has to think that Frolik suffers the same symptoms to a greater extent.

Another positive to this game was the performance of Johnny Oduya. Yes, he has received the brunt of negativity lately after coming down from the honeymoon phase right in time for the playoffs, but he finally had a respectable performance. The Blackhawks absolutely need him to be at the top of his game for the rest of this series if they want any chance of coming back, I think that's a given.

What more can be said about Corey Crawford? After two tough losses hinging on his shoulders with brutal winners squeaking through his legs, he certainly bounced back with a solid performance despite only facing 19 shots in the game. This time around, Corey was able to stop the Coyotes only chance in OT, unlike the previous game, and gave the Blackhawks a great chance to win the game by keeping it a close contest right down to the end. The same rule applies to Crawford that applies to Oduya, the Blackhawks absolutely need him to have his best performance for the rest of this series and possibly beyond.

All and all, the path to the Cup is getting extremely tight, any error from here on out will be magnified by the masses. There is no margin. The key that unlocks Smith resides in providing traffic in front of the net. Getting shots through is key and Nick Leddy proved he is the man for the job. Perhaps it's time for the kid to grow into a new role, manning the point and controlling the game.

BLACKHAWKS THREE STARS OF THE GAME

1. Jonathan Toews
2. Nick Leddy
3. Corey Crawford

Western Conference Quarterfinal: 4/21 - CHI (1)...

Sat, 21 Apr 2012 12:51:32 +0000

It’s do or die time for the Blackhawks; they travel to Phoenix for elimination game one. Once again like last year the Hawks find themselves against the wall; they face a daunting task in needing to take the remaining three games in this seven game series if they want to advance to the second round.

As stated before game four; the top players will need to play better and after giving up soft goals in back to back OT’s, Crawford may find himself watching game five with Emery taking over the blue paint. Due to defensive breakdowns by the D-men, there may also be some changes on the blue line also.

Prediction: Golfing season on hold, Hawks 3–2 in regulation.

PRE-GAME NOTES

Jonathan Toews held a players only meeting on the ice without the coaches this morning. via Chris Kuc
Corey Crawford will start after giving up two weak OT goals in games three and four. via Tracey Myers
Rookie Brandon Bollig scratched. via Chris Kuc
Sean O'Donnell will play tonight.
Referees for tonight are Brad Watson and Mike Leggo. via Chris Kuc

DO OR DIE

WCQF Game 5: #6 Blackhawks (1) @ #3 Coyotes (3)

04.21.2012 - 9:00 PM

Live On: TSN, NBCSN, RDS, CSN-CH (HD) Radio: WGN720

Brink of Elimination: CHI 2, PHX 3 (OT)

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 02:55:49 +0000

The Blackhawks will need to win their next three games in order to survive their push to the Stanley Cup after losing in OT once again to the Phoenix Coyotes.

The game was extremely tight with very little space provided by the Coyotes until things finally opened up in the third period... only it was the Coyotes striking with two goals before the Blackhawks responded with two of their own to force the fourth straight OT.

Once again Crawford came up short against Boedker as the puck trickled past him on a mini-breakaway where Nick Leddy was able to slow Boedker down enough to prevent an actual shot on goal. Unfortunately, the puck found a hole between Crawford's pads and slid itself straight to the back of the net.

Brandon Saad appeared in his first playoff contest. He wasn't able to fill the stat sheet but he did make some excellent defensive plays and seems to thrive in transition. It's too bad this is more of an experimental phase rather than a sure-fire solution. He doesn't really have a "few games" to get it together, but he certainly has not hurt. Hopefully he is a quick learner and can contribute offensively on a team that is missing it's core of stars for the majority of this series.

The Blackhawks power-play was abysmal once again going 0-for-3 on the man advantage during the most opportune times during the game. While the officiating was brutal for both sides of the ice, it's no excuse for the Blackhawks as they had ample opportunities to put this game away not only on the power-play but 5-on-5 as well.

Now they meet a situation where they have a must-win game back in Phoenix. At times it seems as if the team plays for these situations where they are grasping for straws; deep in the hole; down for the count... etc. etc. While it may be entertaining at times, especially when they are able to vault themselves back to dominance, it does make for a very frustrating experience as a fan.

Regardless, it would be silly for anyone to count them out of this series knowing what this team is capable of. Will the Hawks pull out the next win and remain on life support, or will they pull the plug on their season?

Western Conference Quarterfinal: 4/19 - CHI (1)...

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 02:48:39 +0000

Hawks host Coyotes in game five at the UC. The Hawks are facing a must win against the Coyotes who hold a 2 to 1 lead in the best of seven and will enter game 4 without Hossa who is recovering from an upper body injury after taking a dirty hit to the head by Raffi Torres. Torres has been suspended indefinitely until his hearing with the League’s Office on Friday.

Rookie Brandon Saad will replace Hossa in the lineup and playoff veterans Toews, Kane and Sharp will have to pick it up an extra notch to fill Hossa’s void and the bottom four blue liners will have to pick their game up also with limiting their turnovers in the Dzone.

Prediction: Hawks 4 - 1

Saad Replaces Hossa; Torres Suspended Indefinitely

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 22:53:26 +0000

With injury comes opportunity, although due to unfortunate circumstances it has been decided that Brandon Saad will suit up with the Blackhawks in place of Marian Hossa.

“We know what he can do,” said Head Coach Joel Quenneville Wednesday. “Offensively, he gives us some nice assets and a nice opportunity to have some skill, and he can complement some guys with skill as well. The puck seems to follow him around; he protects it pretty well.” Quenneville continued on, “Just looking at him today, there was a remarkable difference in him [compared to earlier this season]. From training camp and the stint he had at the start of the season, he’s grown and filled out. He looks bigger.”

Saad appeared in two games for the Blackhawks after making the team out of training camp. After a halt in production the Blackhawks opted to send him back to his OHL club for the remainder of the year where he posted astounding numbers (34G, 42A) in his 44 regular season games and lead the league in points-per-game with a 1.73 average. In 12 playoff games he lead Saginaw with 8 goals and 9 assists before seeing elimination nearly one week ago.

“It was a great year,” said Saad. “I went back to Saginaw, and we weren’t the best team on paper, but we played really well. Being here [for two games] helped tremendously with my OHL season. I went back and led the way there, and I’m glad to be back now.”

Meanwhile, Raffi Torres will have an in-person hearing to determine the length of his suspension after the NHL has determined that he has been suspended indefinitely. Torres will receive a minimum of 5-games but most are speculating that he will receive a very lengthy punishment.

Gary Bettman was in attendance for the game and reportedly was not happy with the product. Rightfully so, the hit has received a vicious backlash from respectable people in the hockey community such as Pavel Datsyuk, David Perron, and Mike Modano among countless of other icons in the hockey community.

The NHL has a perfect opportunity to make an example out of Torres, but given recent developments in the Department of Player Safety, no one seems to have any faith in Brendan Shanahan's ability to make the right decision.

Don Maloney has no problem playing the villain after sharing his comments on the hit to Sarah McLellan of the Arizona Republic.

“You would think Raffi murdered a bus load of children the way he’s portrayed here in Chicago,” Maloney said. “Obviously an offense occurred, but it was not a situation where he took his stick and hit someone in the head. Probably two hundredths of a second it went from being a regular hit to being a little late hit.”

All of this coming from the organization that made sure Andrew Shaw would be suspended after keeping Mike Smith's status under wraps. An organization that obviously had an issue with his hit behind the net, the same area that Brent Seabrook was lit up by Raffi Torres one year ago and the NHL deemed the hit to be in a "hitting zone" that no one had ever heard of. Apparently that hitting zone does not apply to the Blackhawks. Shaw didn't need to use his stick to upset the Coyotes organization with his hit.

When will the NHL wake up? Is there any shred of decency left in the game to recognize the backwards thinking that is dwindling the respect that many people across the world once had for this great sport?

There is no definitive line in the sand if the NHL continues to change it's placement. Respect in this game has been long gone with the addition of the instigator penalty, which saw Brandon Bollig put his team on the penalty-kill for an attempt at swift justice. This rule is protecting players like Raffi Torres instead of weeding them out, placing no responsibility on his dirty habits.

This is not an over the top outcry as portrayed by Don Maloney from the Blackhawks fan base and media, this is a justified concern for the game that has reached out to many current and former players around the National Hockey League. It's time to wake up. God forbid if Marian Hossa didn't.

Disgrace to the Game: CHI 2, PHX 3 OT

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 04:48:30 +0000

Disgusting. A disgrace. I would not have blamed anyone for leaving the United Center, or turning off their TV after seeing Marian Hossa carted off on a stretcher and seeing the Blackhawks skate shorthanded as a result of a disgraceful hit delivered by Raffi Torres. Coach Quenneville will most-likely be fined for his post-game comments, but he was only stating what every decent human being is thinking. The truth.

"It was a brutal hit," Quenneville said. "I saw exactly what happened. It was right in front of me. How four guys missed it was hard. The refereeing tonight was a disgrace."

The Blackhawks did release a statement on Hossa's condition with some encouraging words:

"Marian Hossa suffered an upper-body blow in the first period of tonight's game. After initial evaluation on the ice he was taken by ambulance to the hospital for further testing, which yielded encouraging results. He has been released from the hospital and we are monitoring him closely at home. We anticipate a full recovery in a timetable yet to be determined."

Soured by the loss of Hossa, there were actually many positives in this game. Michael Frolik actually produced something, Corey Crawford kept the team in the game as well as a bit of toughness going after Mike Smith, and Brent Seabrook continued to show why he is the best defenseman currently playing in the NHL.

BLACKHAWKS THREE STARS OF THE GAME

1. Brent Seabrook
2. Corey Crawford
3. Michael Frolik

Blackhawks Recall Black Aces

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 20:36:55 +0000

The Blackhawks have recalled Jeremy Morin, Brandon Pirri, Joe Lavin, Ryan Stanton, and goaltender Carter Hutton from the Rockford IceHogs; and Brandon Saad from the OHL's Saginaw Spirit.

Via Chicago Blackhawks

Quote

Morin, 21, registered two shots on goal in three games with Chicago this season. The Auburn, N.Y., native ranked third on the IceHogs this season with 18 goals, while his 22 assists and 40 points in 69 regular-season contests ranked fourth. Morin shared the IceHogs lead with a +9 plus/minus rating, and his 203 shots on goal and 121 penalty minutes ranked second and third on the team, respectively. Originally selected by the Atlanta Thrashers with the 45th overall selection in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, Morin has tallied three points (2G, A) and nine penalty minutes in 12 regular-season games with Chicago over the last two seasons.

Pirri, 21, registered two assists and a +2 rating in five contests with the Blackhawks during the 2011-12 regular-season and paced Chicago with four goals and five points in four games during the 2011 preseason. The Toronto native paced Rockford with 33 assists and 56 points in 66 regular-season tilts. His 213 shots on goal led the team, while his 23 goals ranked second on the club. He shared the team lead with a +9 plus/minus rating, while his seven power-play goals tied for second. Pirri posted 16 multi-point games, including his first professional hat trick on Nov. 23 vs. San Antonio, and collected an assist in the 2012 AHL All-Star Game in his All-Star debut.

Lavin, 22, registered 17 points (3G, 14A) in 71 regular-season tilts with Rockford in his first full professional campaign. Honored at season’s end as the club’s Rookie of the Year, he ranked second among team defensemen with 102 shots on goal. Originally selected by the Blackhawks in the fifth round (126th overall) of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, the Shrewsbury, Mass., native captained the University of Notre Dame to the 2011 Frozen Four last season.

Stanton, 22, matched career highs in goals (3), assists (14) and points (17) with the IceHogs this year and was named the team's Top Defenseman for the 2011-12 season. Stanton’s career-most 130 penalty minutes ranked second on the club, and the blueliner was the only IceHogs skater to appear in all 76 regular-season tilts. The St. Albert, Alberta, native has registered 35 career points (6G, 29A) and 206 PIM in 151 professional regular-season games across parts of three seasons with Rockford, and was honored as team’s Most Improved Player for the 2010-11 campaign.

Hutton, 26, compiled a 22-13-4 record with a career-high three shutouts and a .917 save percentage in 43 regular-season tilts with Rockford, and was honored as the team’s Most Valuable Player at year’s end. He set an IceHogs’ AHL single-season record with a career-best 2.35 goals-against average and became the first player in franchise history to be honored as the AHL’s Player of the Week twice in one season. The Thunder Bay, Ontario, native also made 14 regular-season appearances with the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye this year.

Saad, 19, appeared in two 2011-12 regular-season tilts with the Blackhawks, registering three shots on goal, and shared fourth on the club with three points (G, 2A) in six games during the 2011 preseason. Selected by Chicago in the second round (43rd overall) of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft in June, Saad led the Ontario Hockey League with 1.73 points per game over 44 regular-season tilts with the Saginaw Spirit. He ranked second on the team with a career-high 34 goals and 76 points, sixth in the OHL with a team-high +35 plus/minus rating and seventh in the league with six shorthanded markers. The Gibsonia, Penn., native was honored with the William Hanley Trophy, given to the OHL’s Most Sportsmanlike Player.

Western Conference Quarterfinal: 4/17 - CHI (1)...

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 20:10:14 +0000

After splitting the series in Phoenix, the Blackhawks will head home for game three of the Western Conference Quarterfinal.

SERIES STATS

After two games, the series has taken a different look than it did during the regular season. For the most part, it has been a positive turn for the Blackhawks in every category that they had trouble with in the past. They've improved their 5-on-5 play against Phoenix as well as upping their goals per game while their power-play has stayed around the same area as it always was.

Unfortunately, not is all well for the Hawks, which is no surprise considering the series has been split. Their face-off numbers have taken a dive after dominating Phoenix in the circle through the regular season. Also, evidence of their lowly ranked penalty-kill has crept back into their habits after shutting down Phoenix on the man advantage all season long.

If the Blackhawks can get their penalty-kill and face-off numbers back to the success they've had prior to this series, the 3.00 GPG should have no problem holding up to win the series. Although they have seen improvement in some areas, the Blackhawks need to put it all together if they want to edge in team play.

EDGE: PHOENIX COYOTES

GOALTENDERS

Mike Smith has played well, but when it comes to clutch, Corey Crawford has him beat so far in this series. Sure, Smith has a sparkling .937 save percentage as well as facing the most shots on goal per game average out of any team in the playoffs so far, but can he keep his head in the game when it counts?

Letting in a goal with 5 seconds remaining in the game isn't exactly where Phoenix wants him to be. It's clear that the Blackhawks have a simplified game plan: shoot the puck on net. This has skewed his save percentage favorably considering the quality of chances has been near the same.

Both goaltenders have given up 6 goals each, both goaltenders have a win under their belt, and both have been big factors in their teams success thus far. The question is, who has the edge so far in the series? I say it will take game three to find out.

EDGE: NONE

DEFENSEMAN

It's hard to argue with a defensive core that has contributed 6 points in 2 games. Brent Seabrook, Johnny Oduya, Duncan Keith, and Nick Leddy have pulled the anchor on the back-end when it comes down to providing offense for the team.

Seabrook alone has stuffed the stat sheet with hits, blocked shots, goals, assists, you name it. The only thing he hasn't done is win a face-off, mind you, he is a defenseman. Add a role of support in the form of Niklas Hjalmarsson, Sean O'Donnell, and Sami Lepisto (I hope we can insert Dylan Olsen among the names at some point soon), there should be no question that the Blackhawks topple over the Coyotes when it comes to access to quality defenseman.

In all areas of the game, the Blackhawks defensive core has simply out-produced the Coyotes crop of defenseman. Translating all the way to the other end of the rink, where Chicago has peppered Phoenix with almost 50 shots on net per game.

EDGE: CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS

FORWARDS

As stated before, the Blackhawks have peppered Smith with nearly 50 shots per game. A majority of these shots haven't necessarily been quality chances, but it does show that the puck is getting there. Both teams have scored the same amount of goals as their counterparts but if you want to look at puck possession, the Blackhawks have that.

Phoenix has been able to put on the pressure at times as well, but the majority of the play has been spent with the puck on Chicago's sticks. The only thing they have whiffed on is execution. Let's face it, if the Hawks were on, this series could have been a blow out. But with Marian Hossa struggling, Patrick Sharp beginning to find his game again, Viktor Stalberg getting the chances, it's only a matter of time before the puck goes in for these guys.

The opportunities are there, they just need to finish them. Funny, the hero last game was Bryan Bickell and Brandon Bollig. If that doesn't wake them up, nothing will. Never-the-less, even with missed chances (literal whiffs), the Blackhawks offensive units are still a huge step above the Coyotes.

EDGE: CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS

GAME THREE PREDICTION

My head says: 4-2 Hawks
My heart says: 5-1 Hawks

Via ASN

Karmatic Flair: CHI 4, PHX 3 (OT)

Sun, 15 Apr 2012 05:12:47 +0000

The Blackhawks pulled off the comeback, giving themselves home ice advantage if they can ring off the W's at home. This game was fairly eventful, or perhaps you can say unfairly eventful due to multiple factors.

If you were able to nail all the goal scorers for this game, we'd have to ask you if we can borrow your crystal ball for game three. Bryan Bickell kicked things off for the Blackhawks, but it's not the fact that he scored which was surprising, it was the fact that it was on the power-play. Unfortunately that is as far as the Blackhawks momentum would take them for the first period of the game as the Coyotes answered with two goals from Torres (boo this man) and a Vermette tip-in.

Bickell's first tally wasn't the most surprising one as Brandon Bollig... yes, Brandon Bollig, notched his first NHL goal with a shot that surprised Mike Smith. Heck, after Bollig scored he even surprised himself.

Later in the period Mike Smith put on a display that was a flair for the dramatic as he flopped to the ice after Andrew Shaw clipped his head. Smith milked it for everything he possibly could have. Although many will say if the tables were turned then the opinion would change; however, I've never seen Crawford fake injury that bad, even Luongo hasn't put up and act more than a minute or so unless he was leaving the game. The fact that Smith was on the ice for that long then got up and was ready to play after Shaw was thrown out made me lose all respect for him. If Crawford were to pull something like that I doubt very much I would change my opinion. Now if he was legitimately hurt and had to leave the game, I would agree with the 5 minute major but that was not the case.

Never-the-less, karma had started to brew for this Oscar performance even though the Coyotes scored on the ensuing 5-minute major (game misconduct) to put themselves ahead 3-2. At that point, Crawford had zoned himself in and stopped everything the Coyotes could put on him including several spectacular saves, one of them on Mikkel Boedker.

Just when it looked like Phoenix was about to take game two, Brent Seabrook was able to fire a puck that Patrick Sharp was able to deflect past an angry Mike Smith, who seemed to continue to build on his Oscar performance with another flair of dramatic pouting. Tie game, 5 seconds remaining in the game, anyone with flashbacks to 2010?

Here comes the overtime period, Corey Crawford makes an incredible toe stop that would make you're heart drop. Then, get this... Bryan Bickell scores his 2nd goal of the game (OT winner) to complete the karma train on Mike Smith.

It's finally a series. Only took two games this year!

BLACKHAWKS THREE STARS OF THE GAME

1. Bryan Bickell
2. Corey Crawford
3. Brent Seabrook

Saad's Saginaw Spirit Eliminated

Sun, 15 Apr 2012 01:56:24 +0000

Brandon Saad's junior team has officially been eliminated from OHL post-season play. Saad dominated this season with 34 goals and 42 assists in 44 regular season games with a stellar plus-34 rating. In the playoffs, Saad piled on 8 goals and 9 assists in 12 games.

Brandon, the Chicago Blackhawks 2nd round selection (43rd overall) in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, made the team out of training camp after dazzling fans during the pre-season. Unfortunately, after two regular season games the Blackhawks opted to send the young stud back to his OHL club for further development.

Finally, the question must be asked... should the Blackhawks add Saad to the playoff line-up? Your call.

Western Conference Quarterfinals - Game 2: CHI...

Sat, 14 Apr 2012 14:10:59 +0000

The Hawks will be looking to bounce back and take one home from the Coyotes. The Hawks defensively will need to tighten things up with fewer turnovers in their own zone and play a sixty minute game.

Crawford’s effort in game one should be good enough to earn the Hawks a victory if he can replicate that performance in game two.

Offensively there is not much more they can do but put the puck in the net; the Hawks out shot the Coyotes 45 to 34. If they can find some patience with the puck, go high on Mike Smith in goal, and the point men find some lanes to the net then the Blackhawks could dominate this one considering the Coyotes also had 27 block shots. The Hawks have all the tools to take this team out but it will not happen without patience and smart play.

“We know what mistakes we made last game and we’re ready to make changes for this game,” Toews said. “For the most part I think it’s just simplifying things and relaxing. We know it’s going to be a fast paced game and we want to bring that energy and fast skating game. But it doesn’t mean we have to try too much or do too much with the puck.”

Via Jesse Rogers

According to Coyotes head coach Dave Tippett, 30 goal-scorer Radim Vrbata will make his return to the line-up after suffering an injury early in the 1st period of game one after taking a hit from Andrew Shaw.

Jesse Rogers also stated that Joel Quenneville will not release his line-up until game-time.

Prediction: CHI 3, PHX 2 GO HAWKS!

WCQF Game 2: #6 Blackhawks (0) @ #3 Coyotes (1) - 04.14.2012 - 9:00 PM

Live On: TSN, NBCSN, RDS, CSN-CH (HD)

Radio: WGN 720

Hawks Downed in Toews' Return: CHI 2, PHX 3 OT

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 05:02:59 +0000

Jonathan Toews got the Blackhawks going early with a crappy backhander that happened to squeeze past Mike Smith, but the pressure was not sustained for long as the Coyotes battled back with a bit of help from the officials on a missed TMM call.

Look, I'm not going to sit here and complain about the officials because things happen; however, that was a blatantly missed call that did lead to the Blackhawks getting pinned in their own zone ultimately resulting in a Niklas Hjalmarsson brain fart that ended up in the back of the net. Of course if the game wasn't so close (taking half an overtime to decide) everything I've said would be moot point. But it was close; the call did matter, and it certainly cost the Blackhawks.

Regardless, the Blackhawks had their own troubles they need to sort out before game two. The Coyotes were able to sustain stretches of pressure by pinning the Blackhawks in their own zone for a good portion of the game, forcing the Hawks to ice the puck several times. Corey Crawford received the brunt of the load with multiple save efforts in a matter of seconds but his net presence still wasn't enough for the offense to muster another goal.

Random thought: Why did Joel Quenneville play Dylan Olsen for 25+ straight games to end the season, only to opt for Sean O'Donnell in the playoffs? I get it though, both are physical, both are slothy, and there is only one difference between them and it's experience.

Although there were certainly plenty of negatives in the game to harp on (ermm, Patrick Sharp, Marian Hossa... hello?) there were also plenty of positives that the Blackhawks can take from this one. For one, we already mentioned Jonathan Toews returning and scoring a goal. Brent Seabrook also had a stat sheet stuffing night and rocked the entire night with 1 goal, 7 shots, 6 hits, 2 blocked shots, plus-1 rating, and just over 30 minutes of ice-time. That's half the game folks. Andrew Shaw was another huge factor in the Blackhawks loss, although he was unable to gain a point the kid was involved in all areas of the ice, which is always nice to see from the rookie. On the left side, Patrick Kane was able to contribute with 2 assists on the night... a move that was questioned by many in Chicago that has seemed to have worked out for the time being. The question now, can Marian Hossa and Patrick Sharp get going?

Pre-Game Prediction: CHI 2, PHX 4
Post-Game Outcome: CHI 2, PHX 3

BLACKHAWKS THREE STARS OF THE GAME

1. Brent Seabrook
2. Jonathan Toews
3. Andrew Shaw