• Recently Browsing   0 members

    No registered users viewing this page.

Sign in to follow this  
Hockeytown0001

WCF : (3) Chicago Blackhawks vs. (1) Anaheim Ducks

Rate this topic

Recommended Posts

Hawks going for their 3rd Cup in 5 years.

The Bowmans are impressive, aren't they?

3rd in 6 years, actually.

Bolts got this. They will eat Crawford alive

That's what people have said about Hawks goalies during their other Cup runs. Stop it already people.

Remember that ridiculous, "CORE thread" that was started here after the 2010 Finals? I'll need to find it someday, because the Hawks are about to win their second Cup since that thread was started.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

3rd in 6 years, actually.

That's what people have said about Hawks goalies during their other Cup runs. Stop it already people.

Remember that ridiculous, "CORE thread" that was started here after the 2010 Finals? I'll need to find it someday, because the Hawks are about to win their second Cup since that thread was started.

Watch it happen.

The Hawks are a good team. But everyone assumes they must be the best by default just because their players have been on their fantasy teams for 5 years.

TODAY the Bolts have better offense. TODAY they have comparable D. TODAY they have better goaltending. The only advantage the Hawks have is experience. Which is something. But it won't be enough.

Bolts in 5.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Mostly off the top of my head are top hometown draft picks that played a vital role for each Cup-winning team since the cap has been in place. In parentheses are top picks who played a minor role.

2006 Hurricanes--Staal (Ladd)

2007 Ducks--Selanne though he left for several years. Getzlaf and Perry are picked late enough in the first round to not count. Pronger and Neidermayer weren't homegrown obviously.

2008 Red Wings--None

2009 Penguins--Crosby, Malkin, Fleury, Staal

2010 Blackhawks--Toews, Kane, maybe Seabrook at 14th overall

2011 Bruins--None (Seguin not vital but got him from drafting Kessel)

2012 Kings--Doughty, Kopitar, Brown, and Johnson got them Carter

2013 Blackhawks--Same as 2010

2014 Kings--Same as 2012

This year, it's either Chicago again or Tampa which drafted Stamkos and Hedman, while using Drouin sparingly.

So I'd say us and the Bruins are the only teams in the cap era that didn't win our Cups with the help of top 10 draft picks. But we were incredibly lucky picking up Lidstrom, Datsyuk, and Zetterberg when we did in the draft. That's like winning the lottery three times and I don't think we'll ever be quite so lucky again. Honestly, I see us as becoming a team with good depth in the future, but lacking the star power to consistently be much of a threat. Our only hope is Mrazek becoming a truly elite netminder and Larkin to develop like Bergeron or Toews (don't believe he has anything near 2008 Datsyuk or Zetterberg potential). Even then, we have absolutely no elite talent coming up on the blue line. So I'm really not sure what the plan is when Datsyuk, Zetterberg and Kronwall decline and retire. We need to hit some more home runs in the draft obviously.

Edited by Nevermind

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Mostly off the top of my head are top hometown draft picks that played a vital role for each Cup-winning team since the cap has been in place. In parentheses are top picks who played a minor role.

2006 Hurricanes--Staal (Ladd)

2007 Ducks--Selanne though he left for several years. Getzlaf and Perry are picked late enough in the first round to not count. Pronger and Neidermayer weren't homegrown obviously.

2008 Red Wings--None

2009 Penguins--Crosby, Malkin, Fleury, Staal

2010 Blackhawks--Toews, Kane, maybe Seabrook at 14th overall

2011 Bruins--None (Seguin not vital but got him from drafting Kessel)

2012 Kings--Doughty, Kopitar, Brown, and Johnson got them Carter

2013 Blackhawks--Same as 2010

2014 Kings--Same as 2012

This year, it's either Chicago again or Tampa which drafted Stamkos and Hedman, while using Drouin sparingly.

So I'd say us and the Bruins are the only teams in the cap era that didn't win our Cups with the help of top 10 draft picks. But we were incredibly lucky picking up Lidstrom, Datsyuk, and Zetterberg when we did in the draft. That's like winning the lottery three times and I don't think we'll ever be quite so lucky again. Honestly, I see us as becoming a team with good depth in the future, but lacking the star power to consistently be much of a threat. Our only hope is Mrazek becoming a truly elite netminder and Larkin to develop like Bergeron or Toews (don't believe he has anything near 2008 Datsyuk or Zetterberg potential). Even then, we have absolutely no elite talent coming up on the blue line. So I'm really not sure what the plan is when Datsyuk, Zetterberg and Kronwall decline and retire. We need to hit some more home runs in the draft obviously.

I look at it this way: Datsyuk, Z, Lidstrom, Holmstrom, Franzen, Kronwall, Osgood, Hudler, Filppula, McCarty, Kopecky, Meech Helm (didn't play in playoffs) were all homegrown draft picks on that 2008 team. Yes, none of them were top picks. That's a team built pretty much the same we're rebuilding now - with lower picks, UFAs (Rafalski, Lebda, Lilja, Hasek, Cleary, Drake, Draper - or 1 dollar "trade") then a few well timed trades (Maltby, Stuart, Chelios).

Drafting Lidstrom, Datsyuk, and Zetterberg isn't just luck. We have a former scout as GM and a great scouting staff. We already have some very good recent young pieces up front in Tatar, Nyquist, and Sheahan. Larkin, Mantha, AA...we may have a few more. Lucked out with DD and Glendening showing up. Marchenko looks great. We have Jensen Ouellet Sproul waiting in the wings. I feel great about the team's future.

I know you're talking about stars, though. DD could get to Kronwall's level. Tatar and Nyquist could develop into star forwards (look at Hudler's career trajectory). As you suggested, Mrazek looks like a stud. Larkin or Mantha could get there. There is a possiblity that we become a team with just good depth after D,Z,K, leave, but we have more players than just Mrazek who have a very high ceiling in terms of potential.

Selanne wasn't drafted by the Ducks - he was drafted by The Jets. With your reasoning, that would make those 2007 Ducks another example of cup winning team without top draft homegrown draft picks.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Fraser said that goal last night was a good goal? Wtf is a kicking motion then? Do you think players are going to full out soccer kick the puck, they know the rules. His skate was turned in and the foot was sliding forward faster than his body was traveling.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Fraser said that goal last night was a good goal? Wtf is a kicking motion then? Do you think players are going to full out soccer kick the puck, they know the rules. His skate was turned in and the foot was sliding forward faster than his body was traveling.

Fortunately, it had nothing to do with the outcome, but yeah, if that's not a distinct kicking motion, I don't know what it is. He angled foot like he was going to kick something and then his leg/foot moved forward. That replay from the side, it looks 100% like a kick. Not sure how they blew that call, but I hope to God the outcome of a game isn't decided on a play like that.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Q > Babcock ... he's going to get one big raise when his contract is up.

I'm not a huge Babs fan, but I don't think there is a huge gap between the two -- if any. Q has had the best roster in hockey basically every year since the Wings in 2009. How hard is it to mess up four really solid lines and putting Keith/Seabrook out there for half of the game? I'm not saying Q is a bad coach, but there are plenty of coaches that would kill for his situation.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

funny cause I don't think that was a kick at all. I think for the league to call a kick you have to pull your foot back and strike the puck. hossa just pushed it forward. that is not really a "kick".

If you watch the NHL rules video , by their own criteria and examples, this was a kicked puck. The puck was traveling in a direction away from the net and as a result of the force from Hossa bringing his skate forward, went into the net. It's pretty similar to goal #2 in the video, which was an example of a disallowed goal.

http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/console?id=15589

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

If you watch the NHL rules video , by their own criteria and examples, this was a kicked puck. The puck was traveling in a direction away from the net and as a result of the force from Hossa bringing his skate forward, went into the net. It's pretty similar to goal #2 in the video, which was an example of a disallowed goal.

http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/console?id=15589

They straight up need to make it no foot movement to make the rule black and white. Too many rules in this league have grey areas. If the foot is moved in any way for the purpose of putting the puck in the net, it should be no goal. The goal last should absolutely should not have counted. But because of how the rule is worded, it is a call they get wrong a lot.

Does really make one wonder if the league saw a chance to avoid finals ratings disaster and allowed the goal based on that :lol:

Edited by marcaractac

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

They straight up need to make it no foot movement to make the rule black and white. Too many rules in this league have grey areas. If the foot is moved in any way for the purpose of putting the puck in the net, it should be no goal. The goal last should absolutely should not have counted. But because of how the rule is worded, it is a call they get wrong a lot.

Does really make one wonder if the league saw a chance to avoid finals ratings disaster and allowed the goal based on that :lol:

If they wanted to avoid ratings disaster, they should have foiled the Lightning from making the Finals. That game 7 was much closer and easier to fix.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

If they wanted to avoid ratings disaster, they should have foiled the Lightning from making the Finals. That game 7 was much closer and easier to fix.

Thing is, as far as the league is concerned, you know their ideal scenario is to have a big market vs a small market in the finals every year. Big market to draw ratings, small market to "grow the game". I'm willing to bet if the Rangers won 2 nights ago that goal last night would not have counted.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Any chance the Ducks would want Howard?

Howard is average, and that Swedish creampuff Andersen is below average. If not for him, they'd be in the Finals right now. They don't need a top goalie, just someone decent.

I'm thinking Howard would be an upgrade for St. Louis and it might send them into round 2 ... maybe 3 if Howie is in the zone.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Sign in to follow this