As the Blackhawks embarked on their longest road trip of the year, it was apparent that it was not going to be easy. With a seemingly comfortable 3-1 lead in the first period, the host Blue Jackets ripped off three straight tallies to take a one goal lead into the third period. It was at that point that Hawks’ captain Jonathan Toews decided to put the squad on his shoulders and march them to victory by registering a pair of power play markers in the third to secure a victory for the Blackhawks.

While at times the play looked sloppy after taking the 3-1 lead, it speaks volumes about the maturity and confidence of the team and coaching staff that they were able to calmly step back, assess the situation, and take the necessary steps to come away with two points. There was no panic in the eyes of the Blackhawks as they took the ice in the third, but a definite sense of urgency, twice converting with the man advantage, continuing a stretch of power play success in 11 of the last 13 games.

Certainly a point of concern is the five goals notched by the Blue Jackets in the game. I would place two, maybe three of the goals on Cristobal Huet, with the balance on backchecking miscues and solid play-making by Columbus. To reiterate, it’s a season-high eight game road trip, and the reality is, teams are going to score more goals in their own buildings. The Blackhawks are going to have to up their offensive output as they did Saturday afternoon to keep pace and maximize the points they take home. The next four contests are going to be very telling for the Hawks, as three of the matchups feature teams they squared off with in the playoffs last season, and will most likely be intensely physical and emotional games. The Blackhawks will need to bring everything they have to the ice to come away with victories. And it seems that the youngster that dons the “C” will do everything in his power to make sure that happens.

-Hackett

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It blows my mind how the referees could have missed that the Anaheim Ducks were playing not only with two goaltenders but with two hockey sticks apiece.

I hope by now you can tell I’ve got my tongue firmly lodged in my cheek, and I’m not blaming the Hawks loss on the officiating crew. However, I am lauding the defensive performance of the Ducks in their win Sunday night in Chicago. They seemed to have lumber in every passing lane the Blackhawks tried, and Jonas Hiller (the “J” is silent) seemed to be accompanied by his identical twin (the one without the silent “J”) in the Anaheim net, especially in the third period.

Don’t worry, the poor performance of the Blackhawks in three of their last four periods of hockey will not be ignored. It is something that needs to be looked at, but not something that should cause any Chicago fans to lose sleep. The Blackhawks just finished 15 games in 26 days, and came out of it 11-3-1. The last two games seemed like a Ferrari in need of an oil change. The Blackhawks are a high energy, high scoring team, and although they are young, a long stretch with very few off days will take a toll on any team.

When a team is tired as a group, it is most evident in backchecking and penalty killing, both of which suffered in the last couple of contests. This manifested itself in historical fashion Saturday against the Wild when they gave up a franchise-record breaking four goal third period lead to ultimately lose in a shootout.

The Blackhawks strayed from what makes them successful and got sloppy on both the backcheck and forecheck. They allowed long passes and clear shots against netminders Cristobal Huet and Antti Niemi, which combined for a heartbreaking collapse and only one point and two losses. They also failed to win key battles for the puck in the offensive zone, something which has fueled their “puck possession” style of play. What is needed most now is balance. The team cannot rest on any success so far, because a great record means very little right now. Especially when you’re now a team with an enormous bullseye on your back.

That is one of the assets Joel Quenneville brings to the Blackhawks. He knows how to manage icetime both in practice and during games, as well as get the best out of talented people over the course of an arduous NHL season. You can be sure that he has looked at the schedule and seen that after hosting Columbus this Thursday, they will be ordering off Hilton’s late-night menu for the next 17 nights. He will have them ready to take advantage of their last United Center date until February on Thursday, no doubt. No reason to break any fingers punching the panic button, no negative trends have developed to be worried about.

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The Blackhawks have completed the first half of the ‘09-’10 campaign, and while it’s hard to find anything negative going into the second 41 games, I’ll do my best to shed some light on where the team grades out thus far.

Offense

As of Sunday morning, the Blackhawks are fifth in the league and third in the Western Conference with 128 goals for in 41 games, an average of 3.12 per game. While that’s impressive in its own right, they are in that spot without a 20-goal scorer, but six players (that’s two full lines, for those of you scoring at home) in double digit goal territory. Combined with solid contributions from Andrew Ladd and the newly acquired John Madden and Marian Hossa, the Blackhawks have shown that it takes more to beat them than shutting down any one player. They send the offense in waves, sustaining pressure and wearing down the opposition until they make tired mistakes resulting in Blackhawk goals. If anything could be improved, it would be the recognition of when they need to dump the puck deep in the zone if their opponent is stacking up defenders at the blue line. One guy to watch would be Ben Eager. He’s big and strong, and he has surprisingly good puck control for someone of his size. If he can sync his physical play and his puckhandling skills, he will be a serious force that could eventually flirt with the 20-25 goal mark.

Grade: A-

Defense

With the Blackhawks potent offense getting so much attention, it’s easy to overlook the stellar defense that has allowed the fewest goals and shots per game in the NHL, and has the Blackhawks as the only team sporting a goal differential per game of over 1. The two defensive leaders, Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook have played every bit as well as expected, playing to +11 and +15, respectively. The rest of the defensive corps has really stepped up and eased the burden on the top 2, with solid play from Cam Barker, with Brian Campbell and Brent Sopel really finding their stride in the last few weeks. In late November and early December when the Blackhawks had a seven game stretch where they only potted two goals more than once, and the strong defense helped them salvage a 3-3-1 record during that time. What makes the Blackhawks defense so dangerous is their potential to join the offensive play so seamlessly that they go unnoticed sometimes until the puck has already left their stick for a goal. Duncan Keith leads all defensemen with 6 goals and 35 points, with all regular Hawks defenders having at least one goal. The player to watch here is the young Niklas Hjalmarsson, a player whom Scotty Bowman predicted would win the Norris Trophy one day, and compared to future Hall-of-Famer Niklas Lidstrom. This kid has great vision, incredible speed, and a quick shot; all tools that will serve him well in the NHL, and hopefully in Chicago.

Grade: A

Special Teams

After a mid-season soft spot for the power play unit highlighted by an 0-7 night against San Jose, the Blackhawks have really turned up the intensity with the man advantage capitalizing at least once in each of their last seven games going 8 for 25 in that span. The Blackhawks power play is one of the most talented in the league, a fact that seems to trip them up at times, as their struggles were often the result of making one pass too many instead of just putting the puck on net. As soon as they simplified their approach and got more rubber towards the front of the net, the goals started to come much easier. The penalty kill, however, has been outright dominant and among the league-leaders all season. Besides holding opponents to only 4 power play goals in their last 52 chances, the Blackhawks are tied for the league lead with 6 shorthanded goals. Players to watch here are two guys who make their living killing penalties, John Madden and Brent Sopel. You have to love the guys who grind out the gritty minutes.

Grade: B+

Goaltending

A hot-button topic ever since the Blackhawks let Nikolai Khabibulin go, the goaltending this season so far has been much better than most expected. Cristobal Huet’s rocky start had many people looking for Joel Quenneville to do his best Mike Keenan impression and give him the hook. Quenneville, however, stayed true to his habits and kept Huet as the starter, all the while giving backup Antti Niemi spot starts to ease the load. This has buoyed the play of both goaltenders, and will surely lead to a well-rested tag team when the playoffs come around.

Grade: B

Coaching

It’s hard to criticize a guy who has just recorded his 500th career win, it’s a good thing there’s nothing negative to say. Joel Quenneville and his mustache obviously know how to get the best out of talented people, and how to make adjustments when adversity arises. He is quite possibly the perfect mentor for the Blackhawks young talent, their minds being the sponges that they are. Granted, there will inevitably be injuries and maybe even a trade or two, but with Quenneville at the helm, Blackhawks fans can feel confident that he will roll with the punches and keep this rig on the road.

Grade: A

Overall

The Blackhawks sit amongst the league leaders at the halfway point in the season, there’s very little else to say. They own the best home record in the league, and one of the best defenses as well. They will have a target on their chest as they’ve had all season, and teams will try to knock them off their game by being physical, trying to frustrate the fast, young team. It will be important to remember the things they do well, and know they have the talent to overcome those types of approaches. Then, hopefully, the playoffs. And then, all bets are off.

Grade: A-

As always, I look forward to your feedback! Let’s go Hawks!!!

-Hackett

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At long last (31 games?? REALLY?!) the Blackhawks and Blues renewed intra-divisional hostilities at the United Center Wednesday, and it didn’t disappoint. After blowing the doors off with 21 shots and two goals in the first period, the Hawks never looked back on their way to a 3-0 victory and 2nd consecutive shutout The Blues, however, showed them that while they may not be looking back, they had better keep their head up as chippy play prevailed through much of the latter part of the game. And I’m very impressed with the way the Blackhawks responded to the Blues throwing their weight around.

Physical play is going to be an important factor if the Blackhawks are to succeed this year. Teams have recently attempted to slow the Blackhawks frenetic offense by leaning on them and concentrating on taking the body whenever possible. The Blackhawks have seemed to get progressively better at combatting that style of play. Physical contributions are coming not only from the Eagers, Byfugliens and Frasers of the world, but also Troy Brouwer and Brent Seabrook, who has delivered 20 (officially, likely more) hits in his last 5 games, including 9 against the Penguins (and one that endangered the procreative abilities of a photographer against the Blues Wednesday).

The Blackhawks have an enormous target on their backs, and teams will be going to extreme lengths to slow them down and goad them into dumb penalties out of frustration, and the best way to oppose that is by scoring goals. Several of the Blackhawks scoring chances and goals came as a result of a Blues player overpursuing while looking for a big hit and taking himself out of the play, and failing to disrupt an outlet pass that eventually led to an odd-man break. I can’t tell you, as a Blackhawks fan, how mad this made me for years having to watch the Red Wings do this time and time again. You try and run them off the puck, get them frustrated and agitated, and all they did was leave you in the dust (and most likely on your backside) as they barreled down 3-on-1 towards your net. Don’t let teams get away with taking cheap shots against your teammates, but do be patient and let the opponent take themself out of position then exploit the gaps. The Hawks seem to have it down pretty well.

The Blackhawks definitely have their work cut out for them this weekend, as two rival Original Six franchises come to the United Center looking to knock off the (arguably) best in the West in the Boston Bruins and the Detroit Red Wings. Boston is 6-4 in its last 10 games, but they haven’t had too many tough tests in that stretch. They won’t have played since Monday, and, as we’ve seen this season, that can result in either fresh legs or rust build up. The Red Wings, well, they’re the Red Wings. Even as decimated by injury as they’ve been this year, they’re still holding their own in the division, and are always a tough opponent. Though it’s early in the season, this is one of those important 4-point games that, come April, you hope to be glad you have under your belt. I look forward to a great weekend of hockey, I hope you do as well. As always, I welcome your comments and thoughts. LET’S GO HAWKS!!!

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Although I’m still not totally convinced that it wasn’t Patrick Kane wearing a #33 sweater screaming down the left boards with under 90 seconds left in overtime Wednesday night, it was a spectacular end to a hard fought win improving the Blackhawks record against Original 6 teams this year to 3-1. It also pushed their record in the last 14 games to 11-2-1, and capturing 23 out of a possible 28 points. The Blackhawks have continued to look impressive as of late, including dumping the defending Stanley Cup Champions in their own building. However, there are still some questions out there. In the six games since the 7-2 thumping of the Sharks, the Blackhawks have only put more than two goals on the board once (and that was a 4-3 shootout win over Columbus, so it was really only three goals scored). I don’t believe this is a cause for concern as far as scoring potency. I see it as a young, talented team learning how to win games when they run into things like a hot goaltender or an off night offensively. Every team is going to have those games, and sometimes even those stretches. What makes a Stanley Cup caliber team is how well they weather those stretches, minimizing losses until the rig gets back on the road.

Two reasons the Blackhawks have gotten better at this in the ‘09-’10 season is the addition of veteran insight from Marian Hossa and John Madden. While their offensive numbers are pretty impressive - Madden: 5G, 5A; Hossa: 3G, 4A in only 7 games - they have brought some essential intangible values. They have taught players like Kane, Byfuglien, Jonathan Toews, and Troy Brouwer the art of the backcheck and how to throw your body around. I see all of those guys (and many more) going into corners and fighting for pucks with more frequency and aggression than I did last season. While because of his size Kaner might not always win the battle, he will cause havoc and possibly create that extra turnover or two that can tip the game in your favor. Another perfect example is Byfuglien’s overtime winner Wednesday. As he set a land-speed record for his weight class in his drive past Matt Gilroy to the net, notice how he really used his entire body to shield the puck and deny any chance the defensemen had at getting to the puck without risking a penalty or possibly a penalty shot. This is the same manner in which Hossa has been undressing blue-liners for years in the NHL. That’s not to say I expect Buff to score 35 goals this year and get 2-3 breakaways every night, but it’s nice to know he’s been paying attention and that he and his teammates are open to the knowledge that some of the more traveled guys have to impart on them.

The other notable contribution from the new veterans is the penalty kill, aka the John Madden Show. This was maybe a more exciting acquisition in my mind than Hossa. Maybe. I’ve always enjoyed watching John Madden play. The guy works like a dog, and gets rewarded with tons of icetime when the team is down a man and/or has a life or death faceoff to win. That experience has helped create the most aggressive penalty kill I can ever remember seeing in Chicago. They are leading the NHL with 6 shorthanded goals and some in fifth overall at 84.7% effectiveness. I was talking with someone earlier tonight, and he called him one of the best two-way centers to play the game. I would say he’s at the very least in that team photo, and we’re damn glad to have him here in Chicago.

The recent offensive slowdown is also in part due to the fact that teams are really gearing up to face the Blackhawks. They’re studying the tape, and as Teemu Selanne and Jordan Staal said of recent matchups with the Hawks, many teams are using them as the gold standard for where their team is at based on how they fare head-to-head. The trend was first really noticeable in the home loss to Nashville. The Predators really concentrated on gumming up the works in the neutral zone, giving the Hawks fits as it seemed there was a ten foot wall at the Nashville blue line. It was also very evident in Wednesday’s tilt with the Rangers. New York would stand four and sometimes five guys on the blue line and stymied the Blackhawks break in for the first 40 minutes of the game. The third period saw adjustments and a lot more dump-ins allowing the Blackhawks to set up their offense which was then extremely dangerous. They peppered the stalwart Henrik Lundqvist with 41 total shots, with the highest number of quality opportunities coming in the third frame. To avoid the early frustrations like those which they experienced against New York, the Blackhawks will have to take the break-in chances when they are there, but not be afraid to throw the puck towards the corner, go get it, then feed it to the firing squad in front and pray for the opposing goaltender’s safety.

After Friday in Buffalo, the Blackhawks come home for five straight, and their 12-3-1 home record tells me that should be a favorable run, including two more Original 6 squads, Boston and Detroit. As always, I welcome your thoughts and comments. LET’S GO HAWKS!!!

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I’m sure everybody’s at least somewhat aware of the impending announcement regarding what most consider the Blackhawks young core, and I just wanted to share my take on it as well as get your thoughts and/or opinions.

As the Blackhawks prepare to announce that they’ve (allegedly) signed Kane and Toews to 5 year deals and Duncan Keith to a “Blackhawk For Life” 13-year mega-deal, things are really looking bright for the foreseeable future in Chicago. Unfortunately, these contracts will require some Kris Versteeg double toe-dragging type maneuvering to fit things under the salary cap in the coming years. This will almost certainly require the Blackhawks to make a move, and whether it’s through waivers or a trade, it will likely mean someone that has grown into the fabric of this team and town will be changing his zip code.

There’s really no one that I want/need to see pack his bags, but with the salary cap virtually guaranteed to be lowered next year, the reality is not everyone can stay at this party. In my opinion, the most likely guys are Cam Barker, Dustin Byfuglien, and Brent Sopel. Byfuglien has really proved himself as a guy with a huge presence wreaking havoc in front of the net and an absolute canon from 20 feet. He also has tremendous value because the things he lacks (very strong stickhandling & skating ability) are coachable and learnable. Barker has had a tremendous season so far. He’s played as well and even better than I expected. But listening to Assistant Coach Mike Haviland last night, there’s a lot of things that are holding Barker back, and they’re mental. He has all the talent in the world, but he has to remind himself to really kick it into gear. I really like Barker, but in order to maximize the potency and efficiency of this team someone has to go elsewhere. On defense, it’s either Barks or Brent Sopel. Now, I’m going to try and keep it clean here, but for the life of me, I can’t understand what team out there would want him for his $2+MM cap hit next year. More importantly, if there is, why the Blackhawks would make them call more than once!

In my opinion, the more outside names would be guys like Kris Versteeg, Patrick Sharp, Ben Eager, and Adam Burish. These are guys I would not count out at all. They are an incredible group of talent, and many teams could see tons of value in acquiring them. But they just wouldn’t be my first guess. With a few exceptions (Cheli, J.R., Savvy, Belfour) I’ve been OK with moving guys to make the team better. I really love the Blackhawks, and with that, the guys that wear the Blackhawks logo. But I’d have some serious issues if Patrick Sharp was the one looking for new digs tomorrow afternoon. I love watching him play, and he adds so much value to this team in terms of leadership and on-ice production. If the Blackhawks trade him now, I fear I will have to compare to one of my favorites from the past, Stevie Sullivan. I always felt the Blackhawks should have held on to him, and he’s had a very successful career in Nashville. I just think that if this team is going to reach the heights many of us think they can, Patrick Sharp not only should be part of it, they damn well need him to be.

I believe this trade will be used to lighten next year’s salary hit, but also to gain either A. young prospects they can develop within their system; or B. a “name” player with an expiring deal. My money’s on A (but always expect the unexpected).

That’s my take on this whole firestorm. And I’ll probably be completely wrong. What are your thoughts?

-hackett
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Being as it was the first to pop up in my twitter feed on a busy Monday, ESPN.com’s NHL Power Rankings were the first I checked last week, and wouldn’t you know, the Chicago Blackhawks topped the list. That said, I find it a bit difficult to take some of what ESPN says about hockey seriously, mainly because of their lack of involvement in it. I then checked several other sources, and about 90% of them had the Blackhawks at either 1 or 1a behind the Sharks. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I believe their recent performance didn’t warrant the accolade, it’s just been so long since I’ve actually seen it without lying to myself terribly.

In their first game after all the rankings surfaced, the Blackhawks took the ice for a possible season-defining game for the second time in ten days against the same opponent, the San Jose Sharks. The Hawks and the recently activated Marian Hossa lived up to all the hype Wednesday by thoroughly dismantling the (arguably) best team in the league. They managed to effectively neutralize the Sharks’ two biggest weapons: the Thornton-Heatley-Marleau line and their power play. More importantly, however, they managed to achieve a level of play that I’m not sure I have ever seen as long as I’ve been following the squad on West Madison St. There were breakouts with seamless transitions through the neutral zone allowing them to set up their offense immediately in San Jose’s end, which, in and of itself, was a thing of beauty. The puck movement and the cycling down low looked excitingly out of place for a team wearing the Indian Head sweater. I was fortunate to be watching the game at a local establishment with my pops, and he and I left there with smiles from ear to ear. And then came SoCal…

As impressive as the Blackhawks looked Wednesday, it’s possible they looked just as flat on the ensuing weekend in “the O.C.” At times, my cohorts commented that it actually looked like our television feed was in slow-motion. “Skating on sandpaper” is the phrase I like to use, but whatever you call it, it was baffling to see such labored efforts from a team that less than 48 hours prior put up their best effort of the season. Now in past years I would have been much more distressed than I am now, as the Blackhawks have a reputation (well, at least with me they do) for playing to the level of their opponent. Getting up for the rivalry matchup is a piece of cake, but it’s preparing for the ones against the cellar-dwellers with guys looking to make a statement that takes commitment. And I do not believe that this team is suffering any of that at all. I’m very much OK with saying (and this time, honestly believing) that it was the end of a long road trip, and in the end they captured 9 out of 12 possible points, and made a very loud statement with their dominance at the Shark Tank in doing so.

I don’t believe that there is any reason to expect many more performances like the ones we saw at the end of the circus trip if the Hawks play the style of hockey that suits them best. In my last “edition” (yeah, I’m going to call it that, just let me have that much) I pointed out that the penalty killers and grinders like Madden and Brouwer were going to be key factors, and well, they have not disappointed, that’s for sure. Three shorties in San Jose is great, but the Blackhawks must stay out of the penalty box. Not only does it throw a major wrench into line pairings, but it puts unnecessarily hard minutes on your key players, especially Keith and Seabrook, where they have considerably less opportunity to contribute offensively. It also allows for more time that Brent Sopel is on the ice, and that usually puts us at a disadvantage to begin w-…don’t get me started on that.

The other aspect we should see focus on is shots on goal. There’s an embarrassment of riches on this team right now. I can’t fault them for trying to find the prettiest route to the back of the net, but the best way to get opportunities and open up a team defensively is to get the maximum amount of pucks within inches of lighting their lamp as possible. Every so often there’s a crazy bounce or deflection, and the right guys are there to capitalize. Grip it and rip it boys.

Now we prepare for a brief two-game homestand before another benchmark game in Pittsburgh against Malkin, Crosby, and the Penguins. This will be another important stretch again, including not only impact on division standings, but also league-wide strength preception. Every week has me more and more excited to see what happens next. As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts, comments, musings. LET’S GO HAWKS!!!

-hackett

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First I learned that the hockey pre-season isn’t like other sports’ pre-seasons. Hockey players have said that the pre-season is really where you just find out who is making the team. It’s the beginning of the real season where you actually start learning how to play together. That’s why many teams have to find their footing when the season starts. By (US) Thanksgiving, they’ve usually been playing as a team for a solid month.

The second thing I learned is that Canada has their own Thanksgiving.

So here we are at (US) Thanksgiving and I wanted to see how The .Net’s teams are doing compared to this time last year.

The San Jose Sharks are just 1 point behind their point total from this time last year, and like last year they sit atop the NHL. Although there is nothing to be derived from this when it comes to the state of the team or their playoff prospects, all I will say is it’s nice to have a winning franchise to watch every few nights. The regular season is always fun in Sharkland.

rockandrollnobody’s Detroit Red Wings are 6 points behind where they were last year. While 34 points was worth 2nd place in the West last year, this year’s 28 points are only worth 10th. Given the goals the Red Wings lost when Hossa and Hudler left, and given the number of injuries they’ve suffered, a 6 point drop doesn’t sound too bad. However the increased strength of the rest of the West has them way down in the standings.

That strength is coming from hackett’s Chicago Blackhawks, who are surprising no one with their 9 point improvement over last season. With Marion Hossa finally joining the team the Blackhawks look to be the team to watch in the NHL. The only concern about this team is what to do next year. The Blackhawks could have serious cap issues so maybe it’s got to be this year.

The strength in the West is also coming from an unlikely source. That source is puckgal’s Phoenix Coyotes who are surprisingly occupying the 8th spot in the West. Perhaps the best thing that could have happened to the Coyotes was the loss of Wayne Gretzky. It makes complete sense that the Coyotes, under an experienced head coach like Dave Tippett, would be a better team. Could the Coyotes make the playoffs? By the way, to show just how little respect this team gets, wikipedia is still reporting Gretzky as the team’s head coach.

Where the West seems to have lost ground is with duxrox’s Anaheim Ducks. Unfortunately it looks like Brian Burke left town leaving behind two things: 1) a Stanley Cup Title (yay!) and 2) a salary cap strapped team in free agency hell (boo!). My question to duxrox: is it worth it? Is it worth a title if it means enduring a ‘rebuilding’ year, possible signaling a window of a few rebuilding years? It’s always been that philosophical question - do you want to win all just at least just once, or do you want a perennial winner?

Despite all of the woes of massive injuries, pittpen’s Pittsburgh Pengiuns are tied for second in the NHL with their 36 points. The fact that they’re 5 points better than the were last season doesn’t really mean much when you consider that they made a coaching change later in the season to go from 10th in the East to Stanley Cup Champions. The Penguins seem to be skating along nicely despite having the longest hockey seasons two years in a row.

Tied with those Penguins are colonelbagpuss’ Washington Capitals. Here’s my beef - the marketing gurus at the NHL have been promoting Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby and Washington’s Alex Ovechkin as the face of hockey. I understand that they’re both stars, but the ‘beef’ part is that they get more attention because, I think, they’re in the East. The Sharks have Patrick Marleau, Joe Thornton and Dany Heatley - but the Sharks are in the West. This is one of the reasons why I started The .Net - not only does the NHL lack good nation media coverage compared to other sports (hence the idea that we’re always playing short handed), but the West gets even less coverage (hence the idea that the West is always playing short 5-on-3). Back to the topic at hand. The Capitals are being talked up as the next team to take it, giving Ovechkin center stage to sell the game. We’ll have to wait and see about that.

And last but not least, the Vancouver Canucks. Interestingly enough here at The .Net, the most blogged about team is the Canucks - I guess they just have way too many fans! Because of canucklehead, theoldtimer and hist, I know a lot more about this team than pretty much any team out there. Unfortunately I’m not sure where this team is going, they seem to be sliding sideways. Although only two points off last season’s pace, they’re sitting in 11th place in the west. I feel like of all the teams represented on The .Net, this is the one team that should be better than their record.

If they’re right and (US) Thanksgiving is truly the first benchmark of the season to come, it looks like most of the teams represented on The .Net are in a good position to make it a long, exciting season. The next typical measuring stick milestone is the month after the All-Star break, but since there is no All-Star game this year we’ll use the month after the Olympic break. It’s at that time where you start to see who has the mental fortitude to keep it up for 82 games. Teams that have been running away with things can get lazy around that time, while teams hungry to make a change usually ramp things up. But until then I’m sure there will be lots of continuing conversation so please - stay tuned!

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Wow. I almost don’t want to even post anything for fear of cursing the current 7-game tear the Blackhawks have put together, but there’s something about this team that makes me think that even the darkest hex can’t stop the momentum they have built. I remember it was just last December that such a big deal was made of the first nine game winning streak in so long (and rightfully so), and as we now ride this seven game hot streak it’s almost looked upon as “expected”. Well it’s about time. It’s a great feeling to have. It’s something close to that blanket you had as a child, to watch your team can go down 3-1 to the best team in the NHL and still feel there’s a reason not to turn it off, to see resolution and determination in the eyes of the guys wearing the colors you bleed. And even moreso to know that they can actually do it.

It’s really hard to pick apart this squad and find what they’ve done wrong, because it’s very well hidden behind what they’ve done right. I have several notes on missed assignments here and an errant pass there, but the truth is, so much of that means so much less to me right now. The Blackhawks are the hottest thing on ice right now, and they are about to add a fella who, since 2002, has potted just under 40 goals per season. So what I’m saying is, “It’s easy to be giddy. But it’s fun, too.”

I’m sure I’ll be called a meatball for getting so stoked only a quarter of the way through the season, but I’m honestly not that concerned. Even including last season, this is the only season in recent (read: 20 years) memory that I’ve started the season with postseason confidence for the Blackhawks and not been ridiculed by everyone within shouting distance. And I must say: I don’t hate it.

That said, they are looking directly into a firestorm when they drop the puck with the Sharks Wednesday. Dig all you want, you’re not going to find a more potent line than Dany Heatley, Patrick Marleau, and Jumbo Joe. Finding a way to stop that line will definitely help the Hawks’ chances, and help create chances on their end of the ice as well. The Blackhawks last win over the Sharks was so important (big win over best team in league, Sunday night, capping 4-game win-streak/homestand) that I really think that they can catapult off that performance and take this talented team down. (Arguably) The league’s best 1-2 tandem of Keith and Seabrook will definitely have their work cut out for them, but more important will be the forecheck. Guys like Troy Brouwer and John Madden will be key. It will likely be their job to wear down that top line to maximize the effectivenes of the top line(s) and increase scoring chances. So far, it seems as though they’re up to the task.

Not to quell any emotion about Marian Hhhhhhhhhooossa returning to regular action, but I’ve heard questions about the new teammate being able to adjust to his new surroundings, and I really see it as a “non-story” (to borrow a fictitious journalism term), This team is full of guys who have been able to turn adversity into opportunity and mold their styles to fit the guys around them. There is a special group of guys that don the Indian Head this season, and I somehow get the feeling that they’ll welcome Marian without batting an eye.

As always, I look forward to you comments and suggestions. LET’S GO HAWKS!!!

-hackett
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While last week’s action saw the Blackhawks playing like shadows of of their earlier selves, this week has proved immeasurably more productive, as we saw the return of Captain Jonathan Toews and hardheaded Ben Eager to the Blackhawks lineup. I was very concerned as I watched the Blackhawks scuffle and struggle through the thoroughly brutal and boring game in Phoenix. They came out completely flat, and it seemed like many had left their heads out on the golf course. Compared to the Coyotes, they looked they were skating on sandpaper. No drive, no quickness, no finished checks, and very few puck battles won. The 3-1 score doesn’t really show how lop-sided that game really was. Friday proved to be a much more spirited effort in Colorado, but they couldn’t maintain the intensity and fell to the Avalanche in a shootout (big surprise).

But Monday brought our Captain back to get this rig back on the road. And it seemed like he’d been holding the Blackhawks power play up there in the suite while he was out, because it made a grand reappearance as well as both Toews and Brouwer tallied 3rd period markers with the extra man. That’s a very encouraging sight, as the playoff and Stanley Cup hopes of a team hinge largely on the success of its special teams. With a dangerous power play, you send a message to opposing teams that it’s not exactly a good idea to spend much time in the sin bin as the likelihood of giving up a goal is greatly increased. Therefore your opponent will likely play a much less aggressive style of defense, for fear of taking stupid and lazy penalties. And ask any hockey player, it’s a lot easier to score and make plays without a 225 lb. defenseman draped all over you. The do need to get a little better at stretching things once they’ve set up their offense. I noticed at least 3 times against Colorado Wednesday they had the puck down low, but held on to it too long and made short passes. This allowed the Avalanche wingers to gradually collapse down from covering the point and get into passing lanes resulting in Colorado being able to clear the zone. In the last few games. the penalty kill has gotten much more aggressive. Wednesday night, a good portion of the better scoring chances in the first period were actually while the Blackhawks were killing penalties. While this can be risky at times, I really like to see it. Most teams assume they’ll be able to sustain pressure and swing the puck around the zone while on a power play, but the Blackhawks have really surprised some teams by really getting after it and even having organized breakouts instead of just clearing the zone.

On to the goaltending… Huey has really stepped up to the challenge laid out before him. After a shaky start where many in Chicago treated him more like a Chicago Cub than a Blackhawk, he has gone the opposite direction and settled nicely into his role as starting goaltender. He’s seeing the puck a lot better through screens, his lateral quickness has improved, and he really flashes the leather well. I was never one to press the panic button on Huey, especially this early in a season since I’d seen the proof that he could play better. I just kinda wished he’d hurry the process along a bit. The great thing is, Niemi’s confidence has been building, so we can feel good about putting him in if Cristo’s having a tough game or simply needs a night off occassionally. It’s really nice to have two solid netminders, especially when I see teams out there that don’t even have one.

What’s wrong with Brian Campbell? Since donning the Indian Head sweater, Soupy has been criticized for underachieving at every turn. But I have to ask: 1. were those expectations justified?; and 2. has he really underperformed? I think what many Blackhawks fans expected him to be was the next Rob Blake, and what we’re getting is more like the next Adrian Aucoin (*shudder*). Sorry, I was only joking, but that’s still mean. But when you look at his career numbers in Buffalo and San Jose, except for the ‘05 season where he had 12 goals, his high-water mark was 6, and his overall high assist total was 42. He also finished on two out of his first eight seasons with a +/- above 0, and only played more than 65 games twice. What did he do last year? Played in all 82 games, 7 goals (second highest season total), 45 assists (career high), 52 points (career high), 108 SOG (career high), and 4 PPG, 20 PPA (both second highest in career). So far this season he’s got 1 goal (a game-winner), 8 points, and is a +3. I have to say, if nothing else, Brian Campbell has been exactly who he’s always been, and even a bit better for the most part. The way he jumps into the play on offense makes him a high risk/high reward player, but I honestly think the expectations were unreasonable to begin with, and he’s played very solidly for us. (Note: the Blackhawks most playing like Rob Blake would be #25, Cam Barker. Very aggressive, great passing, and tied for 3rd among defensemen with 4 goals!)

And from the Obvious Files, Patrick Kane is absolutely dare I say…en fuego! Leading the team in points, throwing his heavier (albeit still slight) body around, and assaulting the top shelf where Grandma keeps the cookies! I’m going to go out on a limb here, I have a feeling this kid’s going to be pretty good.

Tonight should be an interesting game. Original 6 matchup between the Maple Leafs and Blackhawks, Friday the 13th, and my first real chance to get a good look at Phil Kessel this year. Although Toronto has had an abysmal start, they seem a bit rejuvenated since getting Kessel healthy. They do give up a lot of goals, so there’s a chance of a blowout. But never sleep on bad teams, they’ll surprise you.

Well that is all for today, as always, I welcome your questions, comments, thoughts, etc… Until next time, LET’S GO HAWKS!!!

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Hello Blackhawks fans! I know it’s been a while, but certain personal issues have…what the hell do you care? Sorry, I’ll just get down to brass tacks here.

I’ve gotta say, for the most part, I’m really diggin’ what I’ve been seeing from the Blackhawks lately. They’ve really got the whole “puck possession” thing down pretty well. It’s such an amazing far cry from the “dump ‘n chase” style I watched for so many years, it really thrills me to see a team actually develop breakouts, break-ins, and know how to cycle the puck down low. My only issue is that they look to cycle almost every time, and that often leaves the first guy in without a quick first option in the slot as he barrels into the corner. I’d really like to see a follower just a little behind waiting for the chip-shot one-timer off the backhand pass from the lead rusher. The sustained pressure that comes from working in the corners and behind the net has been working, don’t get me wrong, but sometimes there are almost empty net opportunities that go by the wayside because the trailer is looking for a pass along the boards behind the net instead of in the low slot.

As for the Nashville debaccle last week, for a team that, going into the game, was the least penalized team in the entire NHL, they took some disappointingly undisciplined penalties. Yes, some of it had to do with late-game frustration, but the Q has made it clear (see last year’s benchings) that he will not tolerate that shit on his team because it serves absolutely no purpose. They have GOT to stay out of the box for so many reasons…

First, and most obvious, of all, it puts the team down a man. That’s just wasted time. Instead of organizing a breakout/break-in and setting up an offense, you’re chuckin’ it down the ice. You’re also using some of your most skilled players in less-than-effective ice time, not to mention watching them throwing their bodies in front of blistering slapshots from the point. Secondly, it breaks up the lines. It usually takes 2-3 shifts after a penalty kill to get the lines back to normal, which leads me right to my third point, which I like to call the “Penalty Kill Hangover”. In all honesty, I haven’t really heard any announcer or analyst ever address this (feel free to correct me if you have, but I watch a LOT of hockey, and I haven’t heard it yet).

The Penalty Kill Hangover has to do with the time leading up to the end of and directly following a penalty kill. Many times, the team on the power play has possession of the puck in their offensive zone in the waning moments of a power play. As the penalty expires, the only player with fresh legs on defense is the player just out of the sin bin, thus the term “hangover”. The attacking squad has the advantage of not only being in the zone, but often being able to change players out while the puck is deep in the opposing zone, thus sustaining pressure and continuing to wear down the defense creating more opportunities. I would have to have my guys at Elias Sports Bureau check the numbers for me, but in many cases, this leads to prime scoring chances and/or goals immediately after a power play. (Important note: I don’t have any “guys” at Elias Sports, so if you do, hook a dude up.)

On another note, I just have to get this off my chest, I really don’t care about the Father/Son thing on the current Blackhawks road trip. It’s an NHL ritual, a lot of teams have a trip where the players take their dads, and, don’t get me wrong, I think that’s very cool. For them. Baseball teams have a “family trip” every year, too. I just don’t need the play-by-play. photo-by-photo account. Have fun boys, take some time with your pops, enjoy it. But I kinda think that should be their time, not everybody’s. I want the puck.

Going forward, I think we have a good handle on the goaltending situation. As I predicted, when you give Huey the keys to the car, he will drive it masterfully. Ok, maybe a bit of an overstatement, but he has proved to be VERY solid recently. On defense, they have gotten markedly better at clearing the front of the net and helping Cristo out, and the forwards have continued their remarkable backchecking. As a team they just need to be patient, stay out of the box, and know that they have the talent to stack up not only against, but ABOVE any team in the league.

Oh, and we’re about to gain the services of one Marian Hossa. Yeah, that’s not going to suck AT ALL.

“be my devil, angel…”
-Stereophonics

–hackett

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As the Blackhawks look to continue their post-season momentum from 7 months ago against the Vancouver Canucks, the big issue that looms amongst fans and critics alike is the play between the pipes. Many Hawks fans were happy to hear that Antti Niemi will get the nod Wednesday evening at the U.C., but, and hear me out, I believe it’s for the wrong reasons.

As I’ve noted before, the Blackhawks (if I may borrow a baseball term here…) “platooned” their goaltenders last year, and I think that might be what they will do this year. Huet has never played in more than 52 games in a single season, and while that may cause concern, just look at my past posts for his stats last season as a number 1-a netminder. I know he’s getting paid a ton of money, but that’s also why the team will have to make adjustments to insure he will be at his best, you can’t just let him go.

That said, the defense (and frankly, the entire team) has to play better in front of him. Huet’s a goaltender that gives up a lot of rebounds, and, for the most part, that’s not going to change. Khabibulin did this as well. The team learned to adjust to his style, and got better at clearing the garbage from the front of the net thus limiting second and third chances that are potential game-changers. They also need to be more physical in front of the net before any shots get there as far as clearing out bodies that create screens. And that’s pretty standard no matter who you have in net.

I’m not absolving Huet of all blame by any means. I’m hoping that Stephane Waite can work with him on not dropping into the butterfly as quick, as well as shore up that vulnerable glove side. But the team in front of him has to give him more on-ice support and they won’t have to worry about the off-ice interviews.

So, in a “going around the block to get next door” kind of way, this brings me back to my point that I believe some people may be happy that Niemi is getting the start for some of the wrong reasons. With the exception of the time he was coaching the uber-goalie Patrick Roy, Quenneville has almost always gone with a 2-goalie system. And I gotta say, looking at his track record, it seems to have worked. Go with the hot hand, and don’t exhaust any one option before settling on your #1 horse to take you down the stretch. And since the knowledge gap between myself and the Q could just about fit in the Grand F-ing Canyon, I gotta say, I’m committed to the ‘Stache.

As always, I’d love to hear each and every one of your thoughts…

LET’S GO HAWKS!!!

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End to end, the Blackhawks looked much more cohesive all night than they did Monday, both at even strength and special teams. And as I ripped Sharpie on my last post on his lack of power play effectiveness, I must admit he looked much more comfortable at the point against Edmonton. The Hawks absolutely dominated this game all night, and had Edmonton playing from behind from the get-go. Teams tend to have to do that when you score :51 into the game.

Like always, I am really enjoying watching this team play. They force the opposition to key on every player as a potential threat to tickle the twine, which frees up the ice for everyone. It’s hard to critique tonight’s game much at all, as they played very solid puck. So, instead, I’ll relate a story I heard from Adam Burish when I met him this afternoon before the game. When asked by ESPNChicago’s Afternoon Saloon if Toews could handle himself if challenged to fisticuffs, he responded: “Yeah, he could definitely handle himself. He’d have to have someone pick out his clothes in the morning, but I think he could scrap with the best of them.” I was literally crying I was laughing so hard. Oh, and here is the link to my picture with Burish, he gave me a thumbs up on the ink! At least he did to my face, I’m sure he rolled his eyes after he left… http://twitpic.com/ljz8y

That’s all for tonight, I hope you enjoyed the reading, I KNOW you enjoyed the outcome! LET’S GO HAWKS!!!

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It’s difficult to put down on paper what exactly transpired, but I’m sure by now many of you have seen the highlights, heard and/or read the breakdowns, and have a pretty good idea of what happened, but I shall offer my take.

It’s interesting that on the day we celebrate a guy who got lost at sea only to find “the New World” (Christoper Columbus), a team such as the Blackhawks, whose goaltender has a French translation of the same name, started off looking so lost, only to hit similarly rewarding paydirt. (OK, it’s a reach, I know…) To paraphrase Brent Seabrook’s musings on the first period, it was crappy. Errant passes seemed to be the unofficial theme of the evening, followed closely by giveaways at either blue line. Calgary’s intensity was right where the Blackhawks left them on that Monday in late April, but the Blackhawks seemed to have left theirs in the locker room. After Huet was pulled, Antti Niemi gave up another 2 in the first, but became a rock for the rest of the game. The second was a bit shakier, but I saw much more fire in the eyes of the Blackhawks. To be honest, I credit myself. I put on my Sharp jersey at the first intermission, and “VOILA!”

But seriously, the comeback was amazing, and I also credit a good portion of the 20,000+ in the building for sticking around after a first period which was hot garbage. The boost those guys must get out of that place when it’s full and loud has got to be immeasurable. The Blackhawks made a franchise record-setting comeback, and it was a thing of glory. I hear a lot of people calling for someone to take Cristobal Huet out behind the woodshed, I would caution them to slow their roll a bit. Khabibulin and Huet basically split the netminding duties in ‘08-’09 (42 games played for Khabi, 41 for Huet in the regular season) and Huet actually had a save percentage .10% better. I agree that Huet made it look like he guarding a soccer net last night, but the season is young, and the sample size is small. Though I may be in the minority, I don’t think I’m throwing in the towel on the Frenchman (don’t think I ever thought I’d say that phrase in my lifetime…). That said, I thought Niemi settled in very well after a some early jitters and really did all the things to put his team in position to mount the comeback they did, and he’s shown to be a very good goaltender.

This win was important to show the Blackhawks that they can stay in any game, no matter the deficit. They can regroup, address their weaknesses within the context of a game, and make the adjustments to get the 2 points. The major flaws that I noticed tonight started with the power play. It did not look fluid at all, they only sustained marginal pressure at best, and couldn’t find the seams in the Calgary penalty kill. As you may know, I’m a fan of the man that wears the #10 sweater. But as much as I love him, I don’t think he’s the right fit for the power play unit at the point. The Hawks tried this a couple years ago with Havlat, and it worked really well (that is, until Marty got hurt…). Sharpie lost the puck over the blue line at least 3 times (stopped counting) on the power play, forcing the unit to circle back, burning 20-25 seconds and having to re-establish the zone. I like the idea of a forward playing point on the PP, but I don’t think Sharp is the right guy, at least not yet. The other thing comes back to the defense and/or goaltending. The Blackhawks gave up 4+ goals 27 times in the regular season and 6 times in the playoffs last year, and they won a grand total of 3 of those contests. That can’t happen with such regularity. They must clean out the front of the net, and be aggressive when someone takes the puck behind the net. I don’t care who you have in net, if you’ve got a 200+ lb guy camped out in your lap swinging a hockey stick at your legs, you’re going to be hard-pressed to stop a lot of pucks.

I don’t mean to rain on anyone’s parade by any means. This was an historic day in the history of the Blackhawks franchise (seems we’ve been having a lot of those lately), and it should be enjoyed. But there’s a ton of puck left to be played, and there’s a lot to be learned from this game. Hawks and Flames meet 3 more times this (regular) season, and I have a feeling those could be equally as entertaining. I just hope they’re not on Versus so more people get to see them.

My 3 Stars:
3: Troy Brouwer - brought the intensity the entire game, including the entire first period. He threw his body around like he was his own life insurance beneficiary
2: Dustin Byfuglien - looked really solid, made some great plays with the puck, and had at least 2 2-on-1’s with Kane
1: Patrick Kane - kid put on a show, to be honest. If you saw the game, you won’t need explanation.

Thanks for reading, let’s go get ‘em Wednesday!

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(Note from last post: When explaining why I refer to the Hawks as “we”, the second reason, “I feel I’ve earned it” was supposed to have been interpreted more “tongue-in-cheek” than it was. As far as professional on-ice experience, I haven’t earned shit. Just wanted to clear that up so I don’t seem like a pompous hockey elitist.)

Tonight’s continental lid-lifter against the always beloved (more sarcasm…please try to get used to it, it’s like a second language) Red Wings was probably a good way to start the season. I say “probably” for several reasons.

First of all, I know that no one likes to lose. EVER. At least they shouldn’t. They should hate it, actually. But, while I don’t embrace the term “moral victory”, especially when referring to a game that you lost, there is a lot to be learned from coming out on the wrong end of head-to-head combat, especially when it’s a team that you’re going to face frequently. A lot to learn not only about the opponent, but also about yourself.

Secondly, this isn’t the NCAA. I really enjoy college football, and I love college hoops. But I hate that for the first portion of their season they play total cream puffs to “get themselves ready” for the division/conference games. (I know they actually counted in the standings, but please, those 2 first games in Finland were still exhibition in the players’ minds [one exception - hometown hero Antti Niemi]). Opening the season against the reigning “Class of the Conference” is a good way to see where you are in reference to where you need to be. Win or lose, it’s a good early season benchmark check.

I noticed a lot of good things from tonight’s game, mostly the aggressiveness of the defense, and the play of Cristobal Huet. I thought the defense played very well at BOTH blue lines tonight. They held the offensive zone well and stood up at the defensive blue line with confidence. Pavel Datsyuk would have had at least 3 more great scoring chances but for Duncan Keith. That said, they need to get MUCH better at clearing the front of the net. Holmstrom took residence in the old “Dino Ciccarelli” condo in front of the Blackhawks net and imposed his will. Good thing about this one is that it’s a dual lesson: Offense (read: Byfuglien):do that!. Defense: don’t let them do that.

We are blowing away the competition in shots so far, and have run into 2 goaltenders that have had nights where they were seeing the puck as big as a Gino’s thick crust. That’s going to happen to everybody, both ways. Unfortunately, we’re not going to win all those games.

But what needs to happen to beat these teams, is good to great goaltending, offensive-minded defensemen (already happening, good trend to follow), and better than ideal special teams play. It will happen, people. This team is built for unimaginable success.

On another note, I’m meeting up with a few other Hawks fans (via twitter, facebook, penaltykill.net, etc…) at West End this Saturday before heading over to the opener. If you’re interested, please feel free to contact me, the more the merrier!

As a reminder, we still lead the Red Wings in points right now. Silver lining…

(On on a COMPLETELY unrelated note, would I be right in saying that Youkilis is the most disturbing looking athlete since Patrick Ewing? he should NOT be shown on television within 90 minutes of the average dinner time. people could die.)

From my Smith-Corona Galaxis Deluxe,

-hackett

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And by the way, I’m going to refer to the Hawks as “we”. First of all, it makes things easier. Secondly, I feel I’ve earned it.

I asked the administrator (Dean) for guidelines, and he said that he wanted blogs “by fan, for fans”. And to paraphrase, he continued to say that anyone can recap a game, but people come here to get the fans’ perspective on the team. And that’s what I intend to provide.

As another point of introduction, my 2nd love, after hockey, is music. Many of my posts may be accompanied by aural suggestions and/or bandgeek moments. That said, as I write this, I am listening to Kenny Wayne Shepherd’s Ledbetter Heights, which starts with, appropriately, “Born With a Broken Heart.” …And now onto our regularly scheduled programming…

As we get ready to kick off the North American part of our schedule (i.e. all but 2 games), I couldn’t be more excited. We’re entering this season with the highest hopes we’ve had in…well…almost ever. The Blackhawks are in a position to throttle the Western Conference and take on the Beasts from the East, but they must get through a current reincarnation of the Norris Division first. Every team has gotten better, and mostly because they weren’t that bad last year. It’s not going to be a cakewalk by any stretch of the imagination, but I look forward to reliving the Black ‘n Blue Division of old, even if our game is more geared towards runnin’ & gunnin’.

It’s going to be a GREAT year Hawks fans, let’s do our best to recreate the life that the Ol’ Barn had and bring The Cup back home. And for all you on twitter, the hashtag is #LETSGOHAWKS!!!

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