Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago Blackhawks mvp, studs and duds.
Crash the Net has compiled a list of current Chicago Blackhawk MVP candidates thus far this season along with who would be the Studs and Duds. Do you, the reader, agree with these selections or disagree? Blackhawks MVP candidates Marian Hossa Marian is on pace to having his best year as a Chicago Blackhawk and [...]
Believing Bowman: Blackhawks Really Standing Still?
On Friday, the Blackhawks lost a fifth straight game and general manager Stan Bowman told the collected media that nothing was imminent on the trade front. While fans are up in arms about Bowman’s comments, a decent memory should provide a … Continue reading →
Chicago Finding It Difficult To Make A Trade
from Chris Kuc of the Chicago Tribune, Before dropping their season-high fifth consecutive game, a 3-1 defeat at the hands of the Flames on Friday night at the Scotiabank Saddledome, general manager Stan Bowman said he was not close to any trades that could help the Hawks turn their fortunes around.
Specifically, he has nothing going to shore up a defense that has been consistent only in its inconsistency.
“I think (any GM) who says they’re close to a trade is kind of full of it at this point,” Bowman said before the Hawks fell to 0-2-1 on their nine-game trip. “There’s just nothing happening. I talked to some GMs (on Friday) and (one) said, ‘What are you hearing?’ And I said, ‘Nothing.’ He said, ‘I know, there’s nothing going on other than teams looking to get players.’
“There’s nobody giving them up. It’s a big log jam. Until teams fall more out of the race, we’re not going to see an…
Has Ray Emery Earned The Right To Start For The Blackhawks?
The Chicago Blackhawks lost yet again on Friday night, this one coming in the form of a 3-1 loss to the Calgary Flames, which sent them on an 0-2-1 start to this nine-game road trip.
With the Western Canada portion of the trip behind them, the Hawks have a few days to take a breather, before they next hit the ice on Tuesday against the Colorado Avalanche, in Denver.
But given the results of the last few games, which have resulted in five consecutive losses, who will we see between the pipes against the Avalanche? It could very well be, and should be, Ray Emery.
Emery was in net against the Flames on Friday, and though he took the loss, he looked plenty better than anything we’ve seen from Corey Crawford of late, save the Vancouver game from earlier this week.
Razor stopped 29 of 32 shots, though that doesn’t tell the whole story. Emery made some huge stops throughout, including the 10 minutes that the team was shorthanded.
Really, if you take that Edmonton drubbing from …
Chicago Blackhawks: The Perfect Remedy To Their Goalie Problems
Corey Crawford has struggled lately, and Ray Emery is only signed to a one-year deal. If the Blackhawks continue having problems between the pipes, what should they do moving forward? Perhaps they should take a page out of Doug Wilson’s … Continue reading →
Blackhawks Problems: Are They Stan Bowman’s Fault?
Lots of Blackhawks fans are placing blame on the job general manager Stan Bowman did last summer for the team’s perceived inability to compete. With the ability to evaluate the additions made via free agency 52 games later, did Bowman … Continue reading →
The Blackhawks defensive issues are a mess, still.
The evidence of the Chicago Blackhawks in their second year of rebuilding has once again resurfaced. The Hawks were dismantled at the hands of the Edmonton Oilers by a score of 8-4 with an incredible performance by Sam Gagner with 8 points on the night. Not only will the Hawks be ridiculed for getting [...]
Gagner puts up 8 points in NHL game
Edmonton Oilers forward Sam Gagner had a night to remember Thursday, picking up 8 points in his teams 8-4 win over the Chicago Blackhawks.
Gagner had 4 goals and 4 assists to join Wayne Gretzky and Paul Coffey atop the single game points list in Edmonton Oiler history.
Pretty exclusive company no?
Gagner was named the games first, second and third star for his accomplishment.
The NHL record holder for points in a game in Darryl Sittler, who recorded 6 goals and 4 assists for 10 points on February 7th 1976.
Edmonton Oilers forward Sam Gagner had a night to remember Thursday, picking up 8 points in his teams 8-4 win over the Chicago Blackhawks.
Gagner had 4 goals and 4 assists to join Wayne Gretzky and Paul Coffey a top the single game points list in Edmonton Oiler history.
Pretty exclusive company no?
Gagner was named the games first, second and third star for his accomplishment.
The NHL reco…
Sharp, Toews return as ‘Hawks meet rival
Some time off and a big rival on the schedule were the ingredients for the return of Patrick Sharp and Jonathan Toews to the Chicago Blackhawks’ lineup Tuesday night against the Vancouver Canucks.
Sharp, who has been sidelined with an upper-body injury since January 8, missed Chicago’s last eight games. At the time of the injury, the team said that he was expected to miss three to four weeks. Sharp scored his 20th goal of the season in the Jan. 8 loss to the Detroit Red Wings. In addition to the 20 goals, Sharp had 20 assists when he was sidelined.
The Chicago Tribune reported Tuesday that Sharp’s upper-body injury was actually a broken bone in his left wrist that occurred when he was slashed by Detroit’s Jiri Hudler while scoring that 20th goal.
“It’s a little bit faster (to return) but it’s ready to go so I’m going to play,” Sharp told the Tribune after Tuesday’s morning skate. “I’m ready to go. I feel great. I’m excited to play in this building. It’s good to be back. I can’t wait to get going.”
There is a possibility that Sharp may require postseason surgery on the wrist.
Toews missed final game prior to the All-Star break against the Nashville Predators, also with what the team called an upper-body injury. Named to the All-Star team, Toews was unable to participate due to the injury. It was the third time he was named to the All-Star team in his young NHL career.
Chicago’s captain entered Tuesday night’s action tied for second in the NHL in goals scored with 27. A week off provided the Blackhawks’ stars time to heal their injuries, but having the Canucks on the schedule provided a little extra motivation for Toews and Sharp to get back into the fold.
The Blackhawks and Canucks have met each other in the playoffs three consecutive seasons, fostering one of the league’s better recent rivalries. In both 2009 and 2010, the Blackhawks topped the Canucks in the Western Conference Semifinals in six hard-fought games. Last season, the two met in the first round in what turned into a series with distinct momentum swings. After rushing out to a 3-0 series lead, the Canucks eventually won the series in overtime of Game 7 to advance.
Central Division notes:
Well ahead of the NHL’s Feb. 27 trade deadline, the Blackhawks added depth at center when they acquired Brendan Morrison from the Calgary Flames in exchange for prospect defenseman Brian Connelly. Morrison, a product of the University of Michigan, came to Chicago with 923 regular-season NHL games of experience plus another 58 playoff games on his resume. … On the very day an organized fan protest took place at Columbus’ Nationwide Arena, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman announced that Columbus would be the host for the 2013 All-Star Game. “The Blue Jackets are honored to host the 2013 All-Star Celebration in Columbus as we believe our city offers a truly unique setting for this special event,” Blue Jackets majority owner John P. McConnell said. “As much as it is a showcase for the NHL’s best players, it is also a celebration of hockey fans and having it in Columbus is a testament to the fantastic support of our fans and the strength of Central Ohio as a hockey market.” This will be the first time Columbus will host the All-Star Game. … Detroit traveled to Calgary on Tuesday for their first post-All-Star weekend game. The Red Wings and the Flames participated in a pregame ceremony honoring Brad McCrimmon. McCrimmon played and coached in both Calgary and Detroit. He was the head coach of the KHL’s Lokomotiv Yaroslavl team, and was among the 43 players, coaches and staff members killed when the team’s charter plane crashed last September. … Nashville G Pekka Rinne was named the NHL’s Second Star of the Week for the All-Star break shortened last week. That might not be the only league accolade he receives. After defeating the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday night, Rinne closed out January with a record of 11-1-0. With Tuesday’s win, Rinne extended his franchise-high win streak to 10 games… In their final game before the break, the St. Louis Blues fell to the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2 in a shootout. The Blues are 9-0-2 against the Eastern Conference this season. St. Louis is the only NHL team to record at least one standings point in every game against the other conference.
Why, And How, The Blackhawks Make A Play For Ryan Suter
If you’ve been asleep for the last 60 days, here’s what you’ve missed: the Blackhawks are in the hunt for both the number one and number eight seed in the Western Conference playoffs, and are one defenseman away from either … Continue reading →
Is Sami Lepisto The New Kim Johnsson?
The Blackhawks do, contrary to popular belief, have someone under contract right now named Sami Lepisto. He’s a defenseman, is getting paid, but hasn’t been seen in almost a month. What happened to Lepisto? As far as we can tell, the … Continue reading →
Brendan Morrison Quiet In Blackhawks Debut
If there was a city he could pick to make his debut with his new team, it’s very likely that Brendan Morrison would pick Vancouver.
The native of Pitt Meadows, British Colombia, and former Canuck, made his debut with the Blackhawks on Tuesday night, in their 3-2 overtime loss.
There were plenty of positives to pull from the loss, like the Hawks’ overall play and that of Corey Crawford, as well as the obvious negatives (defense). But with Morrison being the new guy, there were plenty of eyes on him throughout.
Morrison was acquired over All Star weekend by Stan Bowman, in exchange for Rockford defenseman Brian Connelly. It’s likely the only move the Blackhawks will make for a forward, as I’d expect them to shift most of their focus to the blue line ahead of this month’s trade deadline.
The trade was seen as underwhelming, given the uncertainty over whether or not Morrison can keep up on the Hawks’ second line. But that’s where he lined up aga…
Defense Holding Blackhawks Back From Serious Stanley Cup Contention
At this point in the season, it doesn’t come as much of a surprise when the Blackhawks experience a defensive letdown. It’s pretty much a certainty.
That’s why, as frustrating as it may have been, there weren’t too many people that were surprised when a defensive lapse cost the Hawks an extra point in overtime against the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday night.
In the extra frame, Daniel Sedin skated in all alone, with all four Blackhawks surrounding him, and slipped the puck past Corey Crawford. No one even uttered a word to Daniel, giving Crawford the loss on a night that he played what was probably his best game of the season.
There’s no doubt that the Blackhawks can score. With the returns of Jonathan Toews and Patrick Sharp on Tuesday, the Hawks boast a completely healthy team and can score with the best of them.
Their 3.14 goals per game ranks fourth in the league, which is good for second in the Western Conference. And as miserable as their power pla…
Blackhawks Viktor Stalberg Continues To Improve
As he continues to blow past his career best numbers, Viktor Stalberg continues to emerge as a legitimate offensive threat in Chicago. He hasn’t scored this many goals since he was at the University of Vermont, and his 30 points is … Continue reading →
Shaw Shines in Hawks loss to Vancouver
Around the time Alex Burrows was pulling Duncan Keith’s hair in a 4-0 Vancouver victory in Chicago back in March, 2009 Andrew Shaw found himself on the 26-31-11 Niagara IceDogs of the Ontario Hockey League.
That season Shaw only scored 17 points (8 goals, 9 assists), was a -4, and was along way away from the thought of the NHL.
The Andrew Shaw who took the ice Tuesday night in Chicago’s 3-2 overtime loss in Vancouver might not recognize that player from 2009.
Shaw entered tonight with seven points in his first 11 games in the NHL since being called up to replace an injured Patrick Sharp.
But Shaw was meant to be just that: A replacement.
Not even the best scouts could have predicted Shaw’s burst onto the scene — proven by his name being called 139th overall in the 2011 Entry Draft — making it hard to send him down when Sharp got healthy.
The Hawks only had one answer: Don’t.
Chicago instead sent down fellow rookie Jimmy Hayes who had also been playing above expectation…
