Drake_Marcus

Hey now- that guy makes one hell of a good GDT.

Havlat injured? I have a hard time imagining that iron man injured!

pwned!

Quoted. For. Truth.

Just the other day I found myself agreeing with Shoreline twice. So stranger things have happened.

Abdelkader is all fine and good, I'm just saying why people mention Leino. Leino is a fun name to toss around because it gives people more speculative line combinations. As far as what Abdelkader adds, yeah that's why he's in instead of Leino. I wouldn't bring Leino up unless it was to fill a top six spot, so like you said- Abs is the better choice.

Which minor league player are we talking about here, Leino or Abdelkader? Because Leino is more qualified than Abdelkader- Leino's already been a pro hockey player for years, he had an incredible call-up for Detroit, putting 5 goals and 9 points up in his first 12 NHL games. Bringing Leino up isn't some huge risk here- he's proven himself to be more than capable in the NHL when given a chance. Furthermore, you can put someone in the top six for as short or long a time as you'd like- Babs can easily shift the lines. Abdelkader started on the top two lines and quickly moved back down to the bottom two. No one was hurt by the top six experiment.

It's all about getting Datsyuk going without breaking up Z's line. Leino is a capable top 6 forward bases on his play in each of his call-up games this year and his play in the AHL. Leino's pretty much the only option that hasn't been tried with Datsyuk lately.

Babcock won't f*** with the lines that played well today, not a chance. I doubt he'll change anything much, it's just not his MO. Whatever, let's have some fun anyway: Franzen-Zetterberg-Cleary Hossa-Datsyuk-Leino (Leino had great chemistry with Datsyuk during his call-up) Hudler-Filppula-Samuelsson Helm-Draper-Holmstrom Replacing Holmstrom with Leino is the best I could do without splitting up the two best lines from tonight's game. If we're going to see the Filppula line split.... Franzen-Zetterberg-Cleary Filppula-Datsyuk-Leino Hossa-Hudler-Samuelsson Helm-Draper-Holmstrom Both Leino and Filppula have proven to have great chemistry with Datsyuk and with each other. Leino was on fire in the AHL playoffs. He got completely shut down (as did the entire team) in the second round sweep AND still ranked 1st in playoff points in the entire AHL when he was knocked out of the playoffs. That's how hot he was in the first round. Hossa on the third line seems crazy, but putting him there gives him the benefit of easier match-ups.

Let's not get cocky guys... the Hawks have had games like this in each of their series so far, and they won both of those series. I'm reserving my cockiness for when we've got them in a strangle hold.

Remember Hossa's play in game 1 against the Jackets? I miss that Hossa.

I'd put them in the following order, from most worrisome to least: 1. Hossa 2. Holmstrom 3. Datsyuk Datsyuk seems snake bitten out there- he's making great plays, holding onto the puck and setting people up, but nothing's going in. I think he needs a good goal or play to get that confidence back. Holmstrom is definitely trying to make things happen, but I dunno what's the issue really. He looked good on the 4th line retrieving the puck, but he's not so hot on the pp. Hossa looks lost out there. He's turning the puck over and his shots are lame. I have no clue what's up with Hossa.

Woot! We've reached win number Howe!

Mmmmmm.... an Ericsson-Lilja bottom pairing? Yes please! We really miss Lilja guys... he was the second best d-man on the pk.

The media can talk all they want about the 'decline of Nik' but all you have to do is look at the playoff scoring leaders to see that only one man is a point per game defenseman- Norris Nik. The rumours of Nik's decline were premature

Damn. That's the best looking woman I've seen all day.

Christ. Here comes the flaming. Let the retard rodeo begin.

A solid 3rd/4th liner who contributes physically to the team and sometimes scores the odd goal? Yeah, that's what the scouts have him pegged as.

Holy f***. Go swallow a knife.

Wow.... ******* much?

Oh my god- that is so adorable that you believe that!

Oh piss off! I meant they've only made it past the first round once since their cup win in '89. There- no more D-hole for me.

Leave Helm on the third man. He's not a top six player- he's there to make the top six of the Blackhawks have a very rough night. If he scores a goal- bonus! But his real job is to be a human pinball. (And f*** yeah- he's been playing like a human pinball!)

Ignorance is bliss.

Opps, I forgot their cup win. They've made it past the first round twice in their history.