Brian Burke Leaves Anaheim

Well, the title pretty much says it all. Burke has decided not to continue as GM for the Anaheim Ducks today and Murray replaced him. The belief was that he would be moving (slowly) to Toronto to GM for the Laffs, but that's where it got interesting. Burke claims that he's not heading there right away. Go ahead and light the torches and try and block the exits to DT's office, but all of you that think this is leading to the changing of the guard here in Chicago need to get a clue.

1. Burke does not fit this team at all. His tendency to go with older, more experienced waning stars does not jell with the direction the team has taken. Sure, this could be your argument as to why he would be coming on board, but, sorry, wrong.

2. DT, despite a few fuck-ups this season with a very hard to manage cap, has put a tremendous team on the ice. He has drafted better than any GM in the NHL and basically stole Patrick Sharp (who is on a pace to score 60 this year!) from a Flyers team that wasn't even dressing him.

3. The boat has rocked a little to much recently and I believe that Scotty and John are waiting to see what Dale can do with our surplus of talent this season.


Shannahan also decides his future today it seems. There has been talk of Shanny coming to the Hawks, but I honestly believe we are waiting for a true 2nd line center before we sign an aging winger. Look for him to go to the Devils, who not only have the cash to sign him but also a much stronger need for a big power winger with Rolston on the IR. It's possible that he could end up in Philly if the Devils decide not to stick with Kevin Weekes and spend that extra cash on a goaltender.

...annnd i'll probably feel a whole lot better when you're gooooone...

Wow. Another bonafide ass-whipping from our new look Hawks. Seriously folks, in two games at the UC back to back we put up TWELVE goals. That's fucking ridiculous. Not to mention the fact, that if Kipper wasn't such a mutant it likely would have been near nine goals last night. It's encouraging to watch a team gain it's confidence the way that the Hawks have early in the season. It's also nice that Q has come on to a success. No matter how you feel about Savvy's exit, (you know what side of that fence I stand on) you have to understand that a floundering transition doesn't behoove any of us. Q has taken the reins and structured our boys just enough, leaving certain areas of his coaching style on the mantle for now. I am surprised at how aggressive the team remains in the offensive and neutral zones, as in Colorado and St. Louis, Q played a much slower tempo of hockey to excellent results. Then again, he wasn't running a line of twenty year-olds out there as his top scoring line. Joel understands the strengths of his team and has been manipulating them brilliantly in a very short amount of time.

Also, I think it's time to go ahead and give a big high-five to Steeger. Kris has played his ass off every shift since being asked to join the big squad. Even in a short stint last year, I was impressed with his ability to play bigger than his size and am completely blown away by how far that has come in this new season. Will he win the rookie of the year? Probably not. But, seriously, who knows? Finally, youth has not only promise here, it is delivering. He will be in the Calder voting this year, i believe, and if he continues to see the ice and play as positionally sound as he has this month and last, he'll be at the top of it.

I guess we'll have to talk about this Marty rumor today too. Let me say, I think the rumor thing is a little out of control. The only thing is, we've never had a team that anyone gave a shit about to make a trade with unless they were taking our stars for garbage. The potential of being on the other end of that table makes me giddy. That being said, shut the fuck up about trading Marty Havlat. It's no secret Marty is one of my favorite players in the game today. He's electric with the puck and is one of the most gifted skaters in the NHL. If he can continue his dominance of teams this year he'd certainly get my vote for comeback player of the year. Recently on hockeybuzz.com, Eklund mentioned moving Marty and a young NHL ready center (Kontiola) and/or another prospect (Aliu or Skille) for Nathan Horton, a young fourth-year center from the Florida Panthers. Horton is a total stud. He's tough, he can score, he is younger than Marty, and he's less expensive. I know the Panthers got fleeced on the Olli Jokinen deal in the off-season, but can they really let that happen again? Marty would be a great rent-a-player if he stays healthy and could land some serious picks at the trade deadline. Isn't that kind of a risk though? As much as I love the guy, if the Panthers are to put Horton on the table the Hawks need to make that happen. Here's the thing though...

Havlat will remain a Hawk until the trade deadline at least.


Gonna be a great week if we can keep up this domination as we head into the circus road-trip at the end of the month.
Go Hawks.

Hockey Fans Can't Be Trusted

So, I’m a regular on the Blackhawks messageboard, but I suppose you could call me a snooper. Rarely do I post, and mostly when I do, it’s not all that intelligent. Regardless, it’s wonderful to read all the ridiculous trade garbage and salary cap fixes sprung from a twelve pack of High Life in the den the night before. To be honest, it was kinda surprising to find out that Ottawa was considering trading Spezza, Chris Neil, and Gerber for Nik and Petri Kontiola. But, alas, it is true. Also, I didn’t know that along with Spezza, we were also going to nab Sundin, and maybe even Shannahan.
Look dudes, I’m as excited as you are that people are considering Chicago a contender and a team to play for. I agree, it’s nice to have rumors swirling this early in the year that don’t involve us losing our best players. But, people, can we temper this with a little dose of…I don’t know…reality? Let’s set our sights on a player the likes of Vermette or Mike Comrie and then when we sign Mark Parrish the fall won’t be so harsh. Let’s not set ourselves up for disappointment by ordering our Winter Classic jerseys with Spezza on the back just yet, o.k.?
Yeah, sure, I’ve played armchair GM too. It’s tempting. But chanting, “Tallon’s head on a plate if we don’t score a 2nd line center…” is getting a little tedious. I know you likely majored in hockey operations or payroll management at JJC, but shut the fuck up and watch the game. I don’t care how many times you’ve been to the Edge to see them practice, or that you knew Denis was gone because you saw Marc Bergevin talking to DT outside by the Jordan statue. Your job is to cheer when we score, not to pretend that you’re so gifted you could run the team. Besides, Spezza’s kinda a pussy.

Stain Avery

Tonight will prove a lot about this Hawks team. Seems that there have been a lot of must-win games already in this season and that could be a good or a bad sign. More likely than not, it's a bad sign, but we'll let that slide for now. Tonight certainly isn't "must-win" but it definitely is a "could-win" and a "should-win" game. The kind that always end up hurting you when March and April roll around.

Tonight's Star's team is looking just o.k. Nothing spectacular, but there sure is a lot of controversy surrounding Avery's return to the UC. Hopefully, tonight Q puts his enforcers into the line-up as I would even appreciate seeing Matt Walker getting a uni tonight and maybe dropping the mitts with someone. We need to dominate the physical game immediately in this game. As it's easy to see/interpret every physically intense game we've played this year we've ended up with a point. If we go to the body and get pucks out of the corner we will control this game.

Also, keep an eye out for Capt. Serious as he tries to pot his first goal of the season. A lot has been made of his lack of scoring and at first I didn't buy into it. Now, things are getting a little weird. Why hasn't he scored unless he's on the shootout? He's shared a lead in shots on the team for quite a while and is getting real quality chances, but somehow he's having trouble finding the touch that lit the torch over twenty times last season. My opinion is not that he's pushing too hard, it's that he's taking different shots than he took last year. Toews is a circles shooter and has the ability to fire a roofer from that place better than nearly anyone in the NHL. For some reason, this year, Toews is getting caught between the circles or behind traffic which I think may be messing with his sight lines and his mojo. That being said, I think his first of the year will come on a breakaway rather than a circle shot and hopefully it will calm him down enough to slow down and start taking better shots. One quality scoring chance is worth three shots in my book. Also, if you've notice the Kane/Toews/Versteeg line is obviously lacking a physical presence. Since Byf has been struggling to pot one as well, now might be a good time to try him on this line or maybe an Andrew Ladd. The skill you give up removing Versteeg from this line is negligible and you gain a huge body with either Ladder or Byf. Especially tonight, the Hawks need to put some serious/intimidating lines on the ice.

I'm also beginning to wonder about Dave Bolland. He's played well, but has not looked as aware of the ice (or who's on it) as he was last year. There's something to be said about being a player who is not noticed, it can often be a good thing just as much as a bad thing, but with Dave it's a bad thing.
He's been responsible defensively, but the scoring touch and vision he displayed at the end of last year has all but disappeared. It'd be nice to get a big game out of Dave as I think his line (whatever it may be tonight) has really not produced as much as everyone anticipated it would.

Upside is, I think that Troy Brouwer may actually, finally, be ready for the NHL. Every time he's come up in the past it's been incredibly brief. I believe that if Troy can maintain the intensity that saw him dominate the AHL that he'll be up here for the rest of his career. He's got a great touch with the puck and is absolutely fucking fearless.

Khabi's in net tonight.
Let's Go Hawks Go!

The Chicago Blackhawks Are My Favorite Band

The Chicago Blackhawks are my favorite band

I remember the first time I saw a Misfits T-shirt in the mall. It kind of freaked me out, and as I walked up to the register with it my justification was: “I’m a real fan, who cares where I got it? They’re hard to find...” Little did I know that I would spend the entire day, every day, trying to prove my cred to all the other kids who had 17.50 in their pockets at the mall.

It’s strange how these situations seem to repeat themselves. Unless you’ve been hanging out with Brent Sopel, you know that the Hawks are gaining quite a lot of steam. Attendance is through the roof, we have some of the best young talent in the NHL, free-agents actually consider Chicago a destination instead of a retirement home, and we’re hosting the biggest game in the league right here at Wrigley.

I’m sure you see where I’m going with this.

But, why be pissed off? Don’t you want the team to succeed?

Yeah, jack-ass, I do. That’s why I went to thirty games in 2005-2006, and cheered like I was Jaroslav Spacek’s wife.
Maybe I’m pissed because I go to games and see people screaming, “Shoooooot!” when we don’t even have the puck. Maybe it’s because that same guy is wearing a 200 dollar jersey that I would fight a bear to own. Maybe it’s because when he got up to leave there was ten minutes left in the third. Maybe it’s because this is happening a whole hell of a lot more than I remember. So this is how it’s going to be, the Hawks finally put together a hockey team and I don’t get to go to games anymore because the pub crawl for the night ends at the UC and tickets are sold out.

I know that one hand washes the other and that this increase in ticket sales is going to put a better team on the ice, but it also got Denis fired. Sure, say what you will about his coaching, but he had heart and bled Blackhawks, and he was canned (in amateur fashion) four games into the season as to not affect season ticket sales. This makes me want to rescind my commitment ‘to the Indian’.

Yes, I know it’s totally juvenile.

No, I’m not going to be any less of a lunatic fan.

But, dude, how do you not know the lead singer’s name is Danzig?

That was awfully nice...

Well, when i rolled up to the bar I had an o.k. feeling about the game. I figured we were coming off a good win in Vancouver and scored some gritty goals so we should keep up that intensity. We did.

First off, another incredible game from Brian Campbell. He's playing like a man possessed and I think that his confidence and patient work with the puck is invaluable to a team that was having trouble entering the offensive zone the first three games of the year. He is the most positionally sound player on this team and is ALWAYS where he needs to be. You wanna talk about overpaying? I will take anyone on that thinks we are paying Brian Campbell a cent more than what he is worth to this team. Sure, he sounds like the dumbest man on earth when he talks, but really, who cares. He can shoot.

We played like the Oil were sleeping with our girlfriends. Marty fuckin' Havlat got his helmet taken off in a scrum after facewashing a dude. Not only that, but he drew an extra penalty. Things seem to be clickin' right along.

I was reeling from the win.
Simply amazing.

Only thing that woulda made it better was some hockey talk with Ricky Berger.
I guess Sethie talked to him during the game for a bit and I was jealous for the rest of the third period. Hockey season always seems a little weird without Rick and I hope he's having fun in NY watching a fantastic Rangers team.

three stars would have looked like this for me:
1. Nik
2. The chick that shot the puck during the 2nd period
3. Brian Campbell

I know I'm pretty much fellating Campbell at this point, but i don't believe how much of a cornerstone he has become already on this team.

I was certainly expecting to see baby Huet in goal, but Q started Nik. This is likely the reason I do not coach an NHL team (yet). It was absolutely the right decision as Khabby was LIGHTS OUT, and rather than a bunch of flashy saves, Nik just played smart and got the puck covered up or out of the crease responsibly. After the game Q talked of how this is the best problem a team could have (having two hot goalies) but i feel there's a bit of bullshit in his stew. As great as this situation seems, it's not really all that good. Goalies, more than anyone in hockey, i feel, are streaky. Nik is proof positive of that. Juggling the goaltenders then seems kinda like a game of Russian roulette. Who starts against Detroit? Nik because he's coming off a shutout, or Huet who played a great win in Vancouver and should be the next in a rotation. I believe that Q is going to go with Huet. Eventually, this scenario is going to weigh a little too heavily on the coaching staff and of course Nik and Cris. We'll see.

Saturday brings a real test as Detroilet is a strong team and maybe even stronger than last year. I really don't think they're ready for the speed of the Hawks. Last year, we won the season series because of our speed and our ability to move the puck through the archaic defensive strategy of Babycock. Detroit has been playing a lot stronger at the blue line this year and I'm hoping Q has some entry drills practiced for what is sure to be one of the most important games of this early season.

those swedes and their dildos...

Pretty intense, right?
My buddy Mike moved to sweden and started a family a few years back, and i hope that he was at this game and got a chance to toss a plastic phallus at a hockey player.

In actual Blackhawks related news, Coach Q has made his first move of the season by sending "handsome" Jack Skille down to Rockford in favor of the red hot Troy Brouwer. I don't like this move. Sure, Brouwer is producing in Rockford but he's looked like a total pantywaist every time he's made it up to the big show. I would like to think that this time will be different, considering Quenneville's style of play suits Troy more than Denis', but I just don't see it happening for the kid. Before we know it, I'm sure we'll be seeing Petri back up with the big club and Troy lugging his shit back to the burbs.

Kyle Beach is setting Everett on fire this month with eight points in five games and a decent share of penalty minutes. This kid should be a lock for the big club next year, as he's got some serious game and should have made the team this year if DT didn't fuck up our budget so bad. He plays with real grit and has great hands. Best of all, he always has his stick on the ice in front of the net. The Hawks need a player like Beach, like now. Think about how many goals that asshole Holmstrom has already. Just by being a pest. Hanging in the kitchen, you usually get free food.

Huet looked great in the win and I expect that Q will stay honest and go with the hot hand, especially since Cristo could use a couple of games under his belt. I expect Nik will play against Detroilet and that things should start to show themselves really soon. The Hawks undoubtedly need to make a move soon for a second line center as Bolland is NOT stepping up to the plate. If Nik keeps playing the way that he has, he could become rather valuable to a team like Colorado or Los Angeles. With Gaborik on the market a three-way trade wouldn't be totally out of the question. I don't want Gabs (we already have one oft injured star winger) we could likely send some people worth him over there and get some wonderful stuff in return.

Keys for tonight's game against Edmonton:
-Byg Byf needs to have a huge game. He's been slow to produce after ripping it up last year. He started to show a little grit a few games back with some big hits and even a "fight" (read: wrestling match). He needs to keep it up. If he isn't going to score he can bring some much needed intimidation. Mainly because he's fucking seven feet tall and scary looking.

-Kane and Sharp need to continue their domination. They're constantly in the right place at the right time and are opening scoring opportunities for everyone else because of how much attention they are demanding from opposing coaches.

-Toews needs to stay sharp on the draw. After winning 7 of 10 against Vancouver the value of a faceoff win is showing. Small game hockey will win us many games this year. Nobody expects a fundamentally sound team of young kids. With a little focus we can take them by surprise.

-SHUT DOWN COGLIANO. 'nuff said. That kid is a fucking gamer. That means: finish you hits, sopel. don't get beat to the near post Hendry. annnnnnnnnnd most importantly, NOT SO MUCH FUCKING SPACE WHEN ENTERING THE ZONE, BOYS.

that should get us a win
i'm saying 3-1 HAWKS!