even if the hawks don't entirely turn their season around, if they finish eighth in the conference they could still go on to win the cup.  there's no doubt that they have a lot of talent, it's just a matter of getting them all going at the same time.  as long as they do that by the beginning of april, it's all good.  once the post season starts, the seeding only decides who gets the extra home game.  not as important it seems since the lockout, as there have been a lot of upsets.  :>

going to the game tonight... great seats too... 1st row at the glass, corner ice. I will be secretly rooting for the blues... shhhh.

apparently I missed a good fight a couple nights ago - Scott vs some LAK.

Posted by randle44 on 11/30/2010 12:55:00 AM (view original):
 Andru, I can agree with you on a lot of points..all i was saying was that come playoffs Byfuglien played a huge part in team chemistry.. he was huge in the playoff wins vs the Canucks,if it was the same this year, i say VCR wins,just because Byfuglien wasnt in the anchors face raising hell..Luongo sucks and folds come crunch time.. i am in no way slagging the Hawks.. having a Canadian captain , your two top dmen being from Canada,  the Hawks are already ahead of our Euro captain, while Gillis broought in Hamhuis ,a good Canadian kid,we still have the French f-ck  in net.. Luongo  has never won when the chips are down and never will..

I'm not disputing that Byfuglien was a big part of the Cup win or the previous year's run. I'm disputing the fact that everyone here seems to think that he's an irreplaceable part of the Hawks core. The fact is that I would not have given up Toews, Kane, Sharp, Hossa, Bolland, Keith or Seabrook to retain Buff (or any of the others). I don't bring up Campbell because he's pretty much un-tradeable. I think they kept all the right pieces and if you would have asked any GM in the league if they could have a core of the 7 players I mentioned to build around, I'm pretty sure none of them would refuse it. That's why I think it's ridiculous to say that they are a borderline playoff team when in fact they retained what will make them contenders for the next decade. Every Stanley Cup champion loses role players who go on to bigger and better things. The Devils have lost countless players and have remained in contention until this season, the same can be said for Detroit.

As for the Canucks, until Luongo gets the monkey off his back, the Hawks will continue to own them.

Moy, the Scott fight was a bloodbath. I think its on YouTube.

Posted by andru2797 on 11/30/2010 9:17:00 AM (view original):

Posted by randle44 on 11/30/2010 12:55:00 AM (view original):
 Andru, I can agree with you on a lot of points..all i was saying was that come playoffs Byfuglien played a huge part in team chemistry.. he was huge in the playoff wins vs the Canucks,if it was the same this year, i say VCR wins,just because Byfuglien wasnt in the anchors face raising hell..Luongo sucks and folds come crunch time.. i am in no way slagging the Hawks.. having a Canadian captain , your two top dmen being from Canada,  the Hawks are already ahead of our Euro captain, while Gillis broought in Hamhuis ,a good Canadian kid,we still have the French f-ck  in net.. Luongo  has never won when the chips are down and never will..

I'm not disputing that Byfuglien was a big part of the Cup win or the previous year's run. I'm disputing the fact that everyone here seems to think that he's an irreplaceable part of the Hawks core. The fact is that I would not have given up Toews, Kane, Sharp, Hossa, Bolland, Keith or Seabrook to retain Buff (or any of the others). I don't bring up Campbell because he's pretty much un-tradeable. I think they kept all the right pieces and if you would have asked any GM in the league if they could have a core of the 7 players I mentioned to build around, I'm pretty sure none of them would refuse it. That's why I think it's ridiculous to say that they are a borderline playoff team when in fact they retained what will make them contenders for the next decade. Every Stanley Cup champion loses role players who go on to bigger and better things. The Devils have lost countless players and have remained in contention until this season, the same can be said for Detroit.

As for the Canucks, until Luongo gets the monkey off his back, the Hawks will continue to own them.

Les Habitants used to do it all the time in their glory years.  Keep the core, and then constantly filter through the role players.  Seemed to work for them.  My only point of contention with you Andru was about Buf and Ladd's  development into the players I think they have now become.  In several years, guys like Skille will probably also move on to other teams and become top 6 forwards, and be replaced by another generation of youngsters.

Absolutely right holer...I won't dispute Byfuglien and Ladd's importance to the Thrashers sucess, or Kris Versteeg's importance to the leafs offence. These players however are more important with the teams they're on because those teams DON'T have a Toews, Kane, Hossa, Sharp, Keith, or Seabrook playing there. Dustin Byfuglien playing 13 minutes a game on the 3rd line with the Hawks is very replaceable, as is Ladd. When those same players play 20-25 minutes per game with the Thrashers, obviously they become core players for that organization. As I said though, knowing that there was no way to keep everyone, I think they kept all the right players.

Hossa out for 2-3 after colliding with that worthless clod Boynton in practice.  That does not help us.  At least we have a great prospect in Morin to bring up.

Buff and Ladd are playing very well right now, but we're less than 30 games into the season.  If they're still playing well into April, then good for them, but it still doesn't mean they're not replaceable.

leaving for the game soon - I'll throw some pics up on facebook to make you jealous muddy ;)

Sit next to some big ***** blondes and I will be!

Boy, did the Hawks stop playing after it got to be 5-1. 

Last night really reminded me of game 6 vs. the Canucks 2 years ago. They dominated the game every time they felt like it, which was about 45-50 minutes. Crawford didn't look especially confident on at least 3 of the goals, where he looked visibly frustrated. Viktor Stalberg was good once again as was Jeremy Morin who impressed me with his tenacious forecheck, although it still looks like he's a year away from being a fulltime nhler. All that being said, the big guns really put the team on their backs last night. Toews was superb down low and in the faceoff circle and Patrick Kane actually looked good on both ends of the ice providing offence every time he touched the puck and creating turnovers with back pressure on the defensive end.

With 9 of the next 12 at home and the team playing better every night, this might be a good time for a solid run up the standings.

If Stalberg can stay aggressive like that, he can be a force. Morin surprised me with his tenacity too.

Looks like it isn't our night.  7uongo is having a good game, we can't lift the puck over him when he's down and out and two guys who SUCK have the Vancouver goals.

  Canucks play just an average game and shutout the Hawks,? Hawks miss Byfuglien ,Eager ,Ladd..the character guys..in my opinion the Hawks are nowhere near the team they were last year..Canucks are no better than last year but the Hawks are way shittier than last year.. ok  you guys can unleash  Andru now , tell me how wrong iam..pull a sh!tload of stats out of ur a$$...Byfuglien is having a pretty good year....how are Bickell ,Dowell, Skille doing?

When the other teams in the WESTERN CONF catch up to the Hawks in games played.....The Hawks could be in 12th place in the west???

Playoffs are "NO LOCK" for the Hawks.

Better wake-up boys.