Chicago routs San Jose 7-2

[sureWhyNot 19]

Good god this Chicago team looks beyond great with Hossa in their lineup. Made San Jose look silly tonight - Hossa looks like he hasn't missed a beat.

The Kane-Toews-Hossa line is going to be the best line in hockey once they have a game or two (didn't even look like they needed that tonight) to develop chemistry.

Wow. I hate - err, I loathe the Hawks with every bone in my body but after watching them tonight I have to say I was absolutely blown away.

[Miller Brew 0]

Wings beat both of these teams already (while injured none-the-less). Not too worried. Hossa will be back to his old form by playoffs. And so will Franzen

EDIT:

3.....2......1...countdown before all the hawk fans bombard LGWs to tell us how great their team is and the best in the world history of NHL to ever lace em up... and they are locked to win the cup.

1961

Edited November 26, 2009 by Miller Brew

[VM1138 1,921]

I'm so tired of people bashing Hossa for the playoffs. The guyw as a beast in the playoffs the year before. He was working hard for the Wings. In case you hadn't noticed, a lot of people disappeared in those playoffs and they're continuing to be AWOL this season. The past two seasons have been beyond bizarre, their inability to perform defies explanation.

Hossa is, was, and always will be a beast and Chicago is going to be tough to beat. Making fun of Hossa for "disappearing" is only a way to make yourself feel better about losing him. But it looks like the team is a lot worse without him, doesn't it?

[Miller Brew 0]

Making fun of Hossa for "disappearing" is only a way to make yourself feel better about losing him. But it looks like the team is a lot worse without him, doesn't it?

What makes me feel better about losing Hossa was keeping Franzen. Franzen is the BEAST. This team does look a lot worse without Franzen, Fillipula, Kronwall, Lilja and Williams. I agree.

Edited November 26, 2009 by Miller Brew

[The Mule 0]

Hossa can score all the regular season goals he wants. When he learns to put them in the back of the net come playoff time, then we'll talk. Nonetheless, congratulations to one choke artist helping rout an entire team of choke artists.

[Icesurfer 75]

Good thing we don't see the Hawks again until after Filppula gets back....

Zetterberg and Fil know Hossa the best..... they will shut him down.... Cleary, Z, Filppula

December 20 & 23rd.... back to back games with the Blackhawks.

Yeh by the time we get to the playoffs Hossa and Quenville will screw up.....

Anyone predicting the 8th seed Wings vs the 1st seed Blackhawks in Round 1????

That would be a fun series and ripe for an upset!!!! I think it would be the Wings best chance to eliminate the Hawks.

Edited November 26, 2009 by Icesurfer

[rage 24]

I'm so tired of people bashing Hossa for the playoffs. The guyw as a beast in the playoffs the year before. He was working hard for the Wings. In case you hadn't noticed, a lot of people disappeared in those playoffs and they're continuing to be AWOL this season. The past two seasons have been beyond bizarre, their inability to perform defies explanation.

Hossa is, was, and always will be a beast and Chicago is going to be tough to beat. Making fun of Hossa for "disappearing" is only a way to make yourself feel better about losing him. But it looks like the team is a lot worse without him, doesn't it?

This is 100% dead on! Thanks for posting exactly what I have been thinking all along.

You guys bashing Hossa every chance you get sound like the little whinny girly Pitt fans after Hossa signed w/ us.

Get over it. The guy is an amazing player and was great in the playoffs 2 years ago.

[Guest Lidstromboli]

i don't get how the blackhawks are choke artists

they qualified for the playoffs for the first time in 6 years and made it to the WCF

[Shaman 713]

This is 100% dead on! Thanks for posting exactly what I have been thinking all along.

You guys bashing Hossa every chance you get sound like the little whinny girly Pitt fans after Hossa signed w/ us.

Get over it. The guy is an amazing player and was great in the playoffs 2 years ago.

Hate to even say this:

But can anyone setup Hossa like Crosby did? I don't see anyone on the hawks that is that level of a playmaker, not even a Dats level playmaker. Hossa thrives when he has someone who can get him the puck, and while a lot of players can do that at a high level in the Reg. season, few can keep it up in the playoffs.

[Pavel Hossyukstrom 2]

We got 40 shots on net too!! And that's with our injury depleted team just couldn't put them behind the goalie.

[Miller Brew 0]

Holy cow, look at all San Jose injuries...

Torrey Mitchell

Rob Blake

Devin Setoguchi

Brad Staubitz

Jody Shelley

http://tsn.ca/nhl/injuries/

[Theophany 110]

Hate to even say this:

But can anyone setup Hossa like Crosby did? I don't see anyone on the hawks that is that level of a playmaker, not even a Dats level playmaker. Hossa thrives when he has someone who can get him the puck, and while a lot of players can do that at a high level in the Reg. season, few can keep it up in the playoffs.

Are you joking? Kane is absolute magic with the puck, especially for as young as he is. Between him and Toews, Hossa is easily on the best line in hockey, hands down.

This is including the Marleau-Thornton-Heatly line.

Kane has averaged 48 assists in his first two years in the NHL without a guy that can score 40 goals on his line; his numbers are only going to increase, being line-mates with Hossa and Toews.

[The Mule 0]

I'm so tired of people bashing Hossa for the playoffs. The guyw as a beast in the playoffs the year before. He was working hard for the Wings. In case you hadn't noticed, a lot of people disappeared in those playoffs and they're continuing to be AWOL this season. The past two seasons have been beyond bizarre, their inability to perform defies explanation.

Hossa is, was, and always will be a beast and Chicago is going to be tough to beat. Making fun of Hossa for "disappearing" is only a way to make yourself feel better about losing him. But it looks like the team is a lot worse without him, doesn't it?

Hossa did not work hard in the playoffs for us.

[Biolink 0]

Hossa did not work hard in the playoffs for us.

Dude had an injured shoulder, and couldn't even stretch his arm above his head.

If playing with an injury like that isn't hard work, then I don't know what consitutes hard work

[hooon 1,089]

Are you joking? Kane is absolute magic with the puck, especially for as young as he is. Between him and Toews, Hossa is easily on the best line in hockey, hands down.

This is including the Marleau-Thornton-Heatly line.

Kane has averaged 48 assists in his first two years in the NHL without a guy that can score 40 goals on his line; his numbers are only going to increase, being line-mates with Hossa and Toews.

Kane played with Havlat for most of those 2 years.

That being said, Hossa looked as good as ever tonight, and the Hawks will be tough to beat. To be fair, the Sharks played as bad as I have ever seen them play, terrible passing, turnovers, not moving their feet. The first 3 goals were shorthanded.

I disagree about that line being the best in the NHL, there are some pretty strong ones out there, and 1 game isnt enough of a sample size to judge what this line can do, on BOTH ends of the ice.

The thing that is troubling me the most about the Hawks is their supposed 'awful' goaltending and mediocre defense. Their GA is the lowest in the west, and they are allowing very few shots. Scary if they keep it up, yet I remain optimistic that they wont.

[Theophany 110]

Kane played with Havlat for most of those 2 years.

That being said, Hossa looked as good as ever tonight, and the Hawks will be tough to beat. To be fair, the Sharks played as bad as I have ever seen them play, terrible passing, turnovers, not moving their feet. The first 3 goals were shorthanded.

I disagree about that line being the best in the NHL, there are some pretty strong ones out there, and 1 game isnt enough of a sample size to judge what this line can do, on BOTH ends of the ice.

Uh, Havlat scored 29 last year and 10 the year before. Still not 40.

And wait, you're saying you don't know what that line can do on their own end of the ice?

Hossa was the fourth best defensive forward on a team with two Selke winners and a Selke nomination, and on a team that focuses on being defensively responsible.

Toews himself plays on the Hawks PK.

It's easily the best two-way line in the NHL just because of Toews and Hossa (unless Zetterberg and Datsyuk get paired again long-term), nevermind the offensive capabilities that the line has.

[adubs 8]

The more they run up the scores the more payback they're going to get from the Hockey God's.

[sureWhyNot 19]

I'm so tired of people bashing Hossa for the playoffs. The guyw as a beast in the playoffs the year before. He was working hard for the Wings. In case you hadn't noticed, a lot of people disappeared in those playoffs and they're continuing to be AWOL this season. The past two seasons have been beyond bizarre, their inability to perform defies explanation.

Hossa is, was, and always will be a beast and Chicago is going to be tough to beat. Making fun of Hossa for "disappearing" is only a way to make yourself feel better about losing him. But it looks like the team is a lot worse without him, doesn't it?

Thank you - this is spot on. People also forget that Hossa was hurt - this was confirmed afterwords, hence the off season shoulder surgery.

Chicago is sick - flat out. I hate them, I live in the city and have to put up with the nauseating bandwagon hawks fans (not all Hawks fans, but the most vocal - in Chicago at least - are) but to deny the fact that they are insanely good shows pure ignorance on whoever is making the claim.

One last thing on this topic - while a hurt Hossa did not play as well as he probably could have, he still ended up with 15 points for us in the 23 postseason (6 goals, 9 assists) games he played in. Datsyuk had 9 points (1 goal, 8 assists) and while yes - he did play 7 fewer games (16 postseason games) then Hossa, I think we can still agree - was just as big of a bust, if not bigger then Hossa. Homer had a whopping 7 points in 23 games, Cleary had 15 points (same as Hossa), and Flip had 16 points.

So ya - maybe Hossa wasn't a horse, but then again, neither were some others who we counted on.

I will say this much - Hossa put up 40 goals in the regular season with 31 assists to boot. Disregard this as much as you have to in order to make yourself feel better, but 71 points is 71 points.

What makes me feel better about losing Hossa was keeping Franzen. Franzen is the BEAST. This team does look a lot worse without Franzen, Fillipula, Kronwall, Lilja and Williams. I agree.

I am not going to sit here are list why I would have rather kept Hossa over Franzen - it is meaningless. I did however express my desire to keep Hossa out of the two throughout last year, into the summer, right up until Hossa put the Hawks sweater on at their wack ass press conference with dozens of clapping schoolchildren.

Franzen is a beast - Hossa however is a proven beast (same age as Franzen and since 05-06 has posted season point totals of 92, 100, 66 and 71 while Franzen since 05-06 has posted season point totals of 16, 30, 38, and 59) Again, these two are the exact same age. I am by no means saying Franzen won't put up huge numbers - I pray to god he does - I am just pointing out that Hossa is in an elite category of players already. I will leave it at that.

I will say that the Red Wings are far from the only team with injury issues - so that excuse, especially this year more then any in recent memory, is somewhat moot.

[sureWhyNot 19]

The more they run up the scores the more payback they're going to get from the Hockey God's.

Oh s***. I suppose the 9-1 Columbus rout we put on explains the s*** streak we are in now - Correct?

[Miller Brew 0]

That being said, Hossa looked as good as ever tonight, and the Hawks will be tough to beat. To be fair, the Sharks played as bad as I have ever seen them play, terrible passing, turnovers, not moving their feet. The first 3 goals were shorthanded.

That tends to happen when key players are out injured. I doubt the 3 SHG's would never had happen if Blake was on the blue line QB'ing. That said, I hate using injuries as an excuse. SJ was horrid and Chicago is playing good right now. They'll will fizzle. It might take for the Red Wings to give them a good ol' beat down again, but they will fizzle.

Remember Chicago had to suck since 1961 to get to where they are right now. And after this 1-year window, they'll be faced with cap issues... aren't they over the cap now? They must be dollars and pennies close. I'm glad Holland doesn't have to mortgage away the entire future for a one year chance to win.

It's probably nice getting all that great talent from drafting, but I'm sure it wasn't fun to suck so bad for so long to get there. Now they are going to be losing some of those guys because they love to overpay their players and can't manage the franchise.

This is Chicago's high. It'll be short lived.

[brett 1,029]

ATLEAST THE SHARKS SCORED TWICE LOL

theyll be a good line no doubt but i think the thorton heatly marleau line is the best

but still not gonna worry..wings have some of the top defensive shut down forwards in the league..zetterberg datsyuk flippula draper maltby.

[RedWings Gone Wild 6]

oh... and in case anyone thinks differently (and I see a few do).... the semin - backstrom - Ovie line is the best line in hockey. Period. And once they are all actually healthy and on the ice at the same time, game over... at least in the east.

No doubt the Hawks will be very very good... but let's not exaggerate.

Edited November 26, 2009 by RedWings Gone Wild

[Miller Brew 0]

I am not going to sit here are list why I would have rather kept Hossa over Franzen - it is meaningless. I did however express my desire to keep Hossa out of the two throughout last year, into the summer, right up until Hossa put the Hawks sweater on at their wack ass press conference with dozens of clapping schoolchildren.

Franzen is a beast - Hossa however is a proven beast (same age as Franzen and since 05-06 has posted season point totals of 92, 100, 66 and 71 while Franzen since 05-06 has posted season point totals of 16, 30, 38, and 59) Again, these two are the exact same age. I am by no means saying Franzen won't put up huge numbers - I pray to god he does - I am just pointing out that Hossa is in an elite category of players already. I will leave it at that.

I will say that the Red Wings are far from the only team with injury issues - so that excuse, especially this year more then any in recent memory, is somewhat moot.

Okay, I agree regular season stats are fun to look at. But playoff stats are even funner. Compare their playoff stats.

Clutch playoff performers and power forwards like the Mule are a special breed. Factor in the pay differential and the choice becomes clear. Hossa scores goals; Franzen wins games (clutch).

Sure Hossa looks like the better choice now because of an unforeseen injury to the Mule. But once the Mule is back, the Red Wings will be all fired up.

Edited November 26, 2009 by Miller Brew

[revnic 0]

yes I agree. Franzens back to back PPG playoff stats do seem very promising.

[revnic 0]

oh, and just to be a dick, their pretty much 12 months appart in age