3/6 IGT: Blackhawks at Red Wings

[Diehardfan]

Hawks were simply skating in quick sand for both of these games. I've never seen a more pathetic effort on the boards as I did against St. Louis -- that was so easy for the Blues. Anytime there was a puck battle, the Blues came out of it.

Seeler looks like a complete fish out of water. He had an atrocious game last night.

Nylander: sweet turnover on the Blues' second goal. This kid needs to get his head out of his ass and quit being so damn nonchalant on both sides of the puck.

This team just looks done out there. I know they have a lot of home games remaining, but their schedule only gets tougher work-load wise -- a lot of 3 games in 4 nights, back-to-backs, etc.

I wonder how many of those games the fearless leader will play Crow. Makes me wonder if the Bowman Boy Toy is upset by the trade and just refusing to play Suppan until either management steps in or Crawford gets hurt again.

 

[LordKOTL]

I wonder how many of those games the fearless leader will play Crow. Makes me wonder if the Bowman Boy Toy is upset by the trade and just refusing to play Suppan until either management steps in or Crawford gets hurt again.

Nah, JC doesn't seem like the type to pull a Q-with-Runblad on Bowman the Lesser. I think it's more nefarious: JC and Bowman are trying to salvage their jobs and are trying to do everything they can to get the last wildcard spot--and with Crawford posting a .927 since Jan 1st he is the de facto best option when the Team D needs to be saved from itself (and Lehner is a .897 with the 'hawks in the same timeframe).

Honestly I think Subban should have gotten Detroit--Not that I think Crawford was bad in either match but a lesser goalie in net might have sparked the skaters to actually do something other than letting Kane score.

 

[Granada]

I wonder how many of those games the fearless leader will play Crow. Makes me wonder if the Bowman Boy Toy is upset by the trade and just refusing to play Suppan until either management steps in or Crawford gets hurt again.

Good question -- considering he didn't have the balls to play him against Detroit, what other opponent would you play him against? It'll depend on whether the org. gets honest with themselves or not. Right now, they are 7 and 8 points out of the Wild Card spots. You got two bottom dwellers coming up the next two games in SJ and Ottawa. I feel like Colliton will go with Crow in SJ and if he doesn't go with Subban against Ottawa, I'll be shocked, considering that will be the first game of a back to back with Washington (a game which Crow should start, even if all hope is lost for the playoffs). There's 13 games left -- I know they're not technically eliminated yet, but they're pretty much done, so might as well see what you got in Subban. Hell, maybe he sucks as badly as he recently did in Vegas, but at least you will know to not re-sign him this off-season (he'll be a RFA).

 

[LordKOTL]

Good question -- considering he didn't have the balls to play him against Detroit, what other opponent would you play him against? It'll depend on whether the org. gets honest with themselves or not. Right now, they are 7 and 8 points out of the Wild Card spots. You got two bottom dwellers coming up the next two games in SJ and Ottawa. I feel like Colliton will go with Crow in SJ and if he doesn't go with Subban against Ottawa, I'll be shocked, considering that will be the first game of a back to back with Washington (a game which Crow should start, even if all hope is lost for the playoffs). There's 13 games left -- I know they're not technically eliminated yet, but they're pretty much done, so might as well see what you got in Subban. Hell, maybe he sucks as badly as he recently did in Vegas, but at least you will know to not re-sign him this off-season (he'll be a RFA).

Good point. I don't disagree with your deployment. I see a chance though that the 'hawks go with Crawford against SJ and OTT on the premise that they should be easier wins and that Crawford can hold the backend--but then since they'll likely get lit up by WSH irrespective of who is in net, so they go with Subban because a loss is a loss irrespective of the amount they lose by.

I don't agree with it, but with (hopefully) JC and Stan's time nearly up they'll try to secure whatever wins possible.

 

[Diehardfan]

Good question -- considering he didn't have the balls to play him against Detroit, what other opponent would you play him against? It'll depend on whether the org. gets honest with themselves or not. Right now, they are 7 and 8 points out of the Wild Card spots. You got two bottom dwellers coming up the next two games in SJ and Ottawa. I feel like Colliton will go with Crow in SJ and if he doesn't go with Subban against Ottawa, I'll be shocked, considering that will be the first game of a back to back with Washington (a game which Crow should start, even if all hope is lost for the playoffs). There's 13 games left -- I know they're not technically eliminated yet, but they're pretty much done, so might as well see what you got in Subban. Hell, maybe he sucks as badly as he recently did in Vegas, but at least you will know to not re-sign him this off-season (he'll be a RFA).

Yep, exactly why he should've played them both. I do believe LordKOTL is correct in the fact that they had won a few in a row and that both of these bozos are trying to save their jobs. The thing is, most of us are just as bad. I know I've been saying all year that this is a poorly contructed team but I keep falling for the short bursts of great puck movement that grab a few wins making me think....was I wrong? Can they play this kind of puck possession game and hide their warts? I've fallen for it more than once this year. Short answer is NO. They basically have to play over their heads to win games....being great goaltending or magical puck movement, whatever....better than they really are. Funny, you mentioned two bottom dwellers coming up.....precisely what I'm talking about. We are so enamored by what this team has done for the last decade that we are blind to the fact that the Hawks are in last place. They are bottom dwellers as well.

 

[LordKOTL]

Yep, exactly why he should've played them both. I do believe LordKOTL is correct in the fact that they had won a few in a row and that both of these bozos are trying to save their jobs. The thing is, most of us are just as bad. I know I've been saying all year that this is a poorly contructed team but I keep falling for the short bursts of great puck movement that grab a few wins making me think....was I wrong? Can they play this kind of puck possession game and hide their warts? I've fallen for it more than once this year. Short answer is NO. They basically have to play over their heads to win games....being great goaltending or magical puck movement, whatever....better than they really are. Funny, you mentioned two bottom dwellers coming up.....precisely what I'm talking about. We are so enamored by what this team has done for the last decade that we are blind to the fact that the Hawks are in last place. They are bottom dwellers as well.

Many saw this coming. I just think a lot of fans didn't expect it so soon.