Blackhawks win to remain nearly perfect at home

[hockey4134]

Shamus wrote:

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This is hilarious! You think the Hawks have enough youmg firepower in their lineup that they can let go of Havlat, yet you want them to turn around and sign one of the oldest, most broken down players in hockey? Not sure which Forsberg you're thinking of. Must have been watching some footage of the Av's Cup run...from '96.****...
The Hawks will make no noise in the playoffs unless they learn to play a full 60 minutes of physical hockey. They'll play physical to get the lead and then rest on their laurels, figuring their skill can take them the rest of the way. It can't. They've had two goal leads on Detroit three times this year and lost all three games because they chose to give up on the physical play. Hopefully they'll finally learn once spring rolls around.

no it was watching every avs game last year with him in the line up. how many times did you watch him play last year? do you realized that even though he played around 15 games he led the league in points per game? did u not see how much of a better team the avs became with him. if you no anything about hockey you would see that he was still an amazing player he puts the puck in places that no one else can the way he makes it so hard for some one to defend him is unreal.

[Tim - Hockey Rules]

hockey4134 wrote:

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when forsberg returned he was the best player on the avs. in the few games he played he had the highest points per game in the whole league. havlat is over rated and if you know hockey you would see that he moves at 2 mph untill he has the puck. bolland and ladd have been amazing all year and they were just as good before havlat moved on that line. do you not remember when toews took for ever to score a goal at the begging of the season it was the 3rd line with out havlat that was winning us games. when duncan keith was asked about the "3rd line" he said i wouldnt call them the 3rd line. when the other team scores a goal they go out there that makes them the scoring line not the 3rd line

If I know hockey?? I have been a full season ticket holder for years. I play on an adult league, and grew up playing it. I think I know hockey. Sorry but you are mistaken about a few things, Havlat is not slow, he did have a sore groin. Have you ever skated with a sore groin?? It is hard to go fast, and once it healed he was fast again. Yes he was demoted to the 3rd line but he has played great there. I am sure that the other hockey fans here would agree with me that they would rather have Havlat than Forsburg. And they are not even sure if Forsburg can play this year. He was a great player, that time has passed.

Also Ladd just started to turn it on scoring goals and getting assists. The 3rd line was great at shutting down the top line of the other teams all year, but if you listen to any announcer, and member of the Hawks. Once Havlat was on the 3rd line that line was one of the best lines, game after game. And for the statistics of Forsburg the last 2 years:

06-07 - 17 regular season games played, 2 goals, 13 assists. Playoffs 5 games 2 goals, 2 assists.

07-08 - 9 regular season games played, 1 goal, 13 assists.
Playoffs 7 games, 1 goal 4 assists.

Sorry but if you look at the stats there are a few players that have better stats. Sidney Crosby, Marian Hossa, and Alexander Ovechkin had better stats. Check it out.

[Chico17]

Marty Havlat is having a fine season because he is finally over his injuries. He does nothing but improve the play of Bolland and Ladd for goodness sake. As far as Forsberg is concerned, there is no doubt that he was one of the best in his prime. No question. I can't even imagine a team wanting him now. I loved to watch him play years ago, but he is definately over the hill because of injuries and age simply catching up with him.

[Tony]

Doh! Don't say that Chico there's still 42 games left for Havlat to hurt himself. No doubt he's having a fine season,in his contract year..But your right Bolland and Ladd were not doing much until Q put Marty on that line and they've been clicking since.

Forsberg? Yeah 10 yrs ago but now? Forget it...

[Indy Hawk Fan]

Tony wrote:

Doh! Don't say that Chico there's still 42 games left for Havlat to hurt himself. No doubt he's having a fine season,in his contract year..But your right Bolland and Ladd were not doing much until Q put Marty on that line and they've been clicking since.
Forsberg? Yeah 10 yrs ago but now? Forget it...

LOL, no kidding. Don't jinx Marty!

[Hockeybuff]

I am very suprised there are people here that wont give a kid like kaner time to heal before they say he needs to score more or.... stop shooting for top shelf or whatever. The kid was 3rd or 4th in the league in scoring before he wenrt down. Gicve him some time to get his strength and rhythm back.

As far as Elite teams go? No not yet but when you have Net minders like the Hawks have and very young very Good players like Kane, Toews, Versteeg, Big Buff,Ladd and guys like Sharp, Campbell, Keith and Seabrook etc etc you have a good shot to become Elite. It will be alot of Good times watching the Hawks become Elite. Until then, I say sit back, watch the kids grow and enjoy the ride!!

[Thin The Herd]

Tony wrote:

Wiz seems to be a rover out their and I noticed Walker in deep a lot. Not getting much from Campbell right now.I think Kaner lost some confidence in his shot and started to look towards passing more as the game went on. I'm really disappointed in Toews play and as far as Barker goes he did nail Dumont along the boards but yeah big deal need more consistency...The toughness issue is like beating a dead horse I don't see where we're going to improve in that are. Are there any tough guys who can play that are available?...
Anyway it was great to see the team bounce back and get the win...

To me, it looks like Kane is simply skating on a ankle that's less than 100%. He doesn't seem to have the agility and skating power he did prior to the sprain.

[Thin The Herd]

Tim - Hockey Rules wrote:

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They are the 3rd line, if you look at their ranking by the Hawks they are. Now are they playing like a typical 3rd line, heck no, they are playing great hockey. They shut down the other teams 1st line and they score goals.
Question for you, why would you want them to sign Forsberg? He has 2 bad ankles, and may never play again. When he has made his previous 2 comebacks he was not even close to the player he was. Yes Bolland and Ladd are playing well, but if you look it up they really started to play well when Havlat went on that line. Sure Havlat has been often injured but this year he is showing that he is a very good player.

Signing Forseberg would be about the dumbest move they could come up with....and of course they have nothing close to the cap space he'll want.

I've said the last couple years that Havlat should go, but this year he's proved me wrong so far. He's playing very well, and seems to do better w/o the pressure of being about the only scoring threat on the team.

[RamRod]

Is it possible that Havlat's injuries have a direct relationship with his level of enthusiasm? I've heard his name, but didn't pay attention to him 'til this season. He seems to be right where we need him, right now and "Q" says he's just fine with the line-ups as they are.

Don't mess with the "kids Karma"! and

"They're OUR kids, damnit!"

[hockey4134]

hahaha you guys are so clueless its unreal. forsberg with no ankles and blind folded is better then havlat. why do you think every team wants them and no one wants havlat?
14 points in 9 games thats 128 points a season buddy. the last person to put that many points in a season was jagar for PIT in 1998-99 season and he had 127.

[RamRod]

We want Havlat. I don't care about what any other team's wants are!

We have a direction that is positive and will be for some time to come. Can you say that about those other teams that don't have a place for Martin?

Nothing against Forsberg, but, he can stay where he is IF it comes to nothing more than a change of names on the back of the uniform.

There is a dynamic with this team that I can't remember seeing before. All the decision making that has brought the Blackhawks to this marvelous point, is fraught with little mistakes or maybe even a lack of perfection (I hark back to the hoaky "red-carpet" thing. It scared the living bejeesus out of me. Seemed a little presumptuous). LOOK AT THE RESULT AND IT HASN'T EVEN COME TO ITS ZENITH! Who of these has made 100% correct decisions?: Rockie? No. Dale? No. John? No. Scotty? No. "Q"? No. SO WHAT? I'm enjoying a season that I could never have imagined, each game finding new things to appreciate about MY hockey team. It is an imperical statement of fact; we haven't seen the best that these kids can do and have no idea of how they will do it, but this ain't your granpa's hockey team. The only dropoff I've seen is the result of every component of the team experiencing virgin territory. There isn't a map for where THIS season is, and is going, for this bunch.

I like it, I love it, I want some more of it!

"They're OUR kids, damnit!"

[RamRod]

Hockeybuff wrote:

I am very suprised there are people here that wont give a kid like kaner time to heal before they say he needs to score more or.... stop shooting for top shelf or whatever. The kid was 3rd or 4th in the league in scoring before he wenrt down. Gicve him some time to get his strength and rhythm back.
As far as Elite teams go? No not yet but when you have Net minders like the Hawks have and very young very Good players like Kane, Toews, Versteeg, Big Buff,Ladd and guys like Sharp, Campbell, Keith and Seabrook etc etc you have a good shot to become Elite. It will be alot of Good times watching the Hawks become Elite. Until then, I say sit back, watch the kids grow and enjoy the ride!!

EXACTLY! Well said.