Your 2017-2018 Chicago Blackhawks Season Thread

Raskolnikov

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We know Q better than that.

Purely situational guy. Rutta+Keith is the new high octane offensive possession pair. Seabrooke+Murphy would be the muscle. And Fronson+Forsling+Kempny to mop up.
First look at how it goes anyway. An opportunity for Rutta for sure, it would be great for team if he can. And raises the question if Seabrooke will be able to stop his slide at the 2nd pair, or go 3rd, which for him would be on the way out the door.
 

Tater

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http://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/blackhawks/no-one-more-excited-nick-schmaltz-return-patrick-kane

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coach_q_and_kane_on_schmaltz_10-16_640x360_1074777667729.jpg


No one is more excited for Nick Schmaltz to return than Patrick Kane

By Tracey Myers October 16, 2017 2:35 PM



The Blackhawks' lines rolled out on Monday morning, with Nick Schmaltz taking his normal spot at second-line center. After missing the last five-plus games this is as positive a sign as the Blackhawks have had that Schmaltz is close to returning.
There will be a few people happy about that, including Patrick Kane.
“With us, we were playing together for about a month there, so you really get used to playing with certain guys and certain line mates,” Kane said. “While he was gone I wasn't very good, so it'll be nice to have him back.”
Let’s just take a quick look at the numbers: In the brief time Kane and Schmaltz played together in the regular season (season opener and the first few minutes vs. Columbus), Kane had two goals and four assists. In the four-plus games since Schmaltz’s injury, Kane has two assists.
Yes, Kane and Schmaltz together worked pretty well. Sure, it’s a small sample size in terms of regular-season games, but they’ve been working together since late summer. Even when they didn’t score they were a threat to do so. The Blackhawks became a one-line team in his absence, so his return should bring balance again.
“One game sampling, and then the whole training camp, obviously he really got us excited with his speed, his presence off the rush, play recognition and his, I guess, synergy with Kaner seemed to be the one thing that was outstanding in the one game. Really noticed [that] right off the bat,” coach Joel Quenneville said. “[Ryan Hartman] did a good job on that line, as well, so you got a little bit of everybody doing a little bit of different things. But his speed is the one thing that you really notice with the last couple of days returning to practice.”
Reuniting with Artem Anisimov didn’t work. Tanner Kero centering that line was fine. Schmaltz and Kane clicked well before the regular season even began and with Schmaltz regaining his health, Kane should regain his production.
“Like I said, you get so used to playing with someone for a month, I don't think that's a knock on anyone else or any of our other center men. Even in those four games I wasn't very good either,” Kane said. “With that being said, he just brings the speed up the middle. And I think the biggest thing with that (is) that a defenseman has to make a decision. If he wants to drop back, he's going to take him away and I get some more time and space. If he wants to come at me, then I can make that play to the middle and maybe have an odd-man rush. That's his biggest asset obviously.”
 

anotheridiot

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We know Q better than that.

Purely situational guy. Rutta+Keith is the new high octane offensive possession pair. Seabrooke+Murphy would be the muscle. And Fronson+Forsling+Kempny to mop up.
First look at how it goes anyway. An opportunity for Rutta for sure, it would be great for team if he can. And raises the question if Seabrooke will be able to stop his slide at the 2nd pair, or go 3rd, which for him would be on the way out the door.

but you need to keep Seabrooks value up. Right now the value is in the locker room.
 

Raskolnikov

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but you need to keep Seabrooks value up. Right now the value is in the locker room.

Think he will be a good fit with Murphy? I am glad we are looking for something else to tweak Keiths game the right way. I would have thought it was Murph but my choice was always to match a vet with a youth down all 3.

Keith-Rutta
Murphy-Forsling
Seabrooke-Kempny


Is my personal opinion right now. With Rutta and Forsling in competition for time with Keith maybe, look at them both. You can always go back to Seabrook.

Would love to get Seabass gone and just slot Fronson in there.
 

Ares

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Wait, Seabrookzival is no longer a top 2 D man?!?!?
 

HawkWriter

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Have to believe that Debrincat's NHL leash is getting shorter and shorter. I think some AHL time would do him some good.
 

Raskolnikov

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Have to believe that Debrincat's NHL leash is getting shorter and shorter. I think some AHL time would do him some good.

agree that they are searching for a place for him.

Saad-Toews-Panik
Hartman/Hayden-Smaltz-Kane
Sharp-AA/Kero/Kampf-El Gato/Hayden/Fortin
Bouma/Hino-Wingels/Kero-Hayden/Hartman/Fortin

are the organizational answers I am aware of
 

Tater

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It looks like the band-wagoners have jumped ship.

Forsberg didn't have a good game, but I'd like to see him play in a game here the team doesn't play like crap for two periods.
 

Raskolnikov

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hahaha.

Our division is nasty though. Blues, Wild, Preds, Hawks don't have room for Dallas with a goalie or an improved Avs squad. Something has to give, but I think we are fine if we stay healthy.

Can't lose Kane/Toews/Saad/Panik without witnessing a collapse. We miss Hossa.

Keith has fallen to pieces? Is that happening? I'd be happy if Forsberg is just in the middle of the samples we have seen. Fingers crossed.

When push comes to shove I think we can force our way into a 7, 8 seed and maybe fighting harder in March/April will be better for us.

We get the Avs 3 times in March. 2 at home. I'll go to the Denver game. WE GOT THIS.
 

Ares

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Toews and Kane need to earn their 10.5M.... Toews is in a far deeper hole than Kane IMO, but both seem to be in a slump right now.... Kane for 3-4 games.... and Toews for 3-4 years.
 

Raskolnikov

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Yeah....signs of life from Toews this year. Imo, its best to just leave that top line alone. Saad-Toews-Panik

They chose to blow up one of the top combinations in hockey on Kane.....so to me they should just be churning that second line until it clicks.

Lets get Kero/Kampf involved maybe, and use Smaltz as a wing to push Bouma out, is another option. Poor man's AA kinda deserves poor man's Kane.

If Hayden is going to be a 4th liner, maybe you could rotate Sharp/Hayden on the second line?

Q is always somewhere else, where I am at is...

Saad-Toews-Panik
Sharp/Hayden(timeshare 66/33)-Smaltz or AA-Kane
Hartman or Smalttz-AA or Kampf or Kero or Smaltz-Debricat or Smaltz or Fortin at wing mildly offensive players with some grit and then El Gato to make the puck move.

Bouma/Hartman-Wingels-Hayden/Hino
 

LordKOTL

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My favorite teams
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  1. Chicago Blackhawks
It looks like the band-wagoners have jumped ship.

Forsberg didn't have a good game, but I'd like to see him play in a game where the team doesn't play like crap for two periods.

Fixed it for you.
 

Raskolnikov

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if we could just not give up a goal in final 2 minutes of second period that would be cool.
 

anotheridiot

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Apparently Seabrook and Sharp are off the power play unit starting tonights game. Always hate when Kevin Hayes shows up in our house after dumping us to get free agency.
 

Ares

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Apparently Seabrook and Sharp are off the power play unit starting tonights game. Always hate when Kevin Hayes shows up in our house after dumping us to get free agency.

This doesn't make sense, how is our PP supposed to score if Sharp isn't firing pucks wide of the net from the point?
 

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