Stretch Run Thoughts

We're entering the stretch run, with 18 games left before the Hawks return to the playoffs.

First, keep an eye on those Canucks. Before last night's loss in LA, they were 8-2 over their last 10, pulling within 5 points of the Hawks through the same number of games. However, that road loss represents what might be the Hawks biggest advantage - a huge home-away discrepancy. The Canucks final 18 games feature 10 on the road (including last night's loss). The Hawks final 18 include only 6 roadies.

The Hawks are young and don't really know what it takes to hold on to a playoff spot. They got a decent taste of the action last year, when they were fighting for the 8th seed. But it's different now, when they firmly have the 4th and need to avoid blowing it. It'll be a great learning experience - here's hoping their impressive talent allows them to net home ice in the first round. Getting Khabi back would be nice also - with a strong veteran netminders every night, I don't see us stumbling too badly.


Having been away from hockey for so long, I forgot just how streaky players can be. I knew guys would come up from the minors or over in a trade and then light it up for a few weeks, but I forgot that even the everyday guys will have huge ups-and-downs.

At the beginning of this year, my brother commented that Toews was overrated, and that he'd probably be more of a grinder than a star. I would laugh at this inanity, especially as we hadn't even seen Toews play 80 games at that point, except I was also on record that Kane had a good shot to be the best American born player ever... also after seeing around only 80 games.

Both of us had put too much into a small hot or cold streak. Kane is a highly skilled player, but he's clearly hit a major hurdle in his development that he's yet to overcome. I'd like to believe it's continued fallout from a high ankle sprain - the type of injury that takes forever to go away. If it's not fully healed, that can really effect a player's whole feel out there, and make all the difference for such a skilled performer like Kane. But it's possible that Kane's size and lack of inate toughness will relegate him to really good, but not great status.

Personally, I believe Kane will get healthy - hopefully before the playoffs, but certainly by next year - and will go back to being a true star. He is only 20, and he's lead the Hawks in scoring almost every day since he's been on the team. Will Kane be the best American born player ever? He's got some developing to do first.

As for Toews, it's clear this kid is a star. He hasn't been called on to kill penalties and be as much of a defensive center as last season (tho he still seems fully capable), but he remains a physical presence, a skilled play maker, strong on draws (the only Hawks center to do so), and boy can he fill the net.

His goal-scoring was evident last year, when he had 24 in only 64 games (30 goal pace). But then he began this season with a 12-game goalless streak, which obviously lead to my brother's conclusion. Since then, he's scored 28 goals in the last 52 games - that's a 44-goal a year clip.

The lesson - don't get too into the periodic highs and lows of hockey players. Goals and assists come (and don't come) in bunches. Going cold isn't always the sign of a problem, it's just part of the game. And getting hot doesn't always last. I'd say I need to see a consistent half season or more of a performance level before I'll start to see validity to it. And I'd want to two seasons worth before I'll say a guy is regularly capable of that level of play.


So where does that put the Hawks young forwards? Well, I'd say both Toews and Kane will be superstars, as their hype predicted. Toews is high right now, but he'll certainly hit his bumps again, while Kane will get healthy and have a nice run of his own. But at the end of each year they'll both have a ton of points and goals, and be primary reasons for the Hawks success each season.

Combine those two with the ultra-talented and all-around skill of Havlat, Sharp's ability to score and play solid D, as well as Versteeg's quiet and highly effective game on both ends, and I think the Hawks have a foundation of forwards as good as anyone out there. I didn't even include Ladd or Bolland, who've been very productive on both ends and are 23 and 22! Yeah, easy to forget that. Throw in the newcomer Pahlsson, who's only 31 and widely believed to be one of the top shut-down centers in the league, and I firmly believe the Hawks have pretty much all the forwards they'll need for a while.


In fact, that's something that's been bothering me - write-ups voicing disappointment that the Hawks "settled" for a grinder like Pahlsson instead of a pure 2nd line scoring center. First off, what proven playoff capable 2nd line centerman was out there?

Second, who says the Hawks need more offense? As I mentioned, in Toews, Kane, Sharp, Havlat, and Versteeg, we've got five highly skilled offensive players. Besides Sharp, all of those guys are outstanding playmakers. Throw in Ladd and Bolland, and the Hawks have plenty of scoring options every night.

In fact, I don't get why it was demanded that we get our scoring out of a centerman. Buff and Brouwer both have their roles, but neither brings anything offensively consistent to the table. Why wasn't there more of a call to replace either of those two with a scoring winger if we needed offense so bad?

To me, the Hawks made the right move. The call for a second line center reminds me of baseball, where everyone always claims that their team needs "another bat" for the stretch run. Now have you ever seen a team win or lose in the playoffs based on one bat? Especially of the type that's available in a mid-season trade? Of course not - it's all about pitching (starting and relief), defense, and a consistent offense. But a bat seems such an obvious impact, so fans and "experts" alike are always calling for them.

Seems like the same thing in hockey. Everyone wants another scorer. But playoff hockey, like playoff baseball, isn't about scoring. It's about defense, depth, and goaltending. And playoff scoring isn't about volume, it's about getting what you need when you need it. So the Hawks upgraded their defense in a big way with Pahlsson, getting a lockdown centerman and great face-off guy. Factor in his experience and veteran savvy, and this is EXACTLY the sort of impact player the Hawks needed this year.


A few final random thoughts. Obviously we're all hoping that Havlat's injury is nothing major. If he's got to sit a few games, no big deal. Vancouver's close, but the Hawks can handle it. He will be sorely missed, no doubt. But as long as Havlat's back for the final 10-12 games at full speed, we'll survive. I will say, it's annoying the way the NHL has changed the rules so teams don't give any true updates on guy's injuries. For a league that needs to keep its fans happy, this is a terrible policy.

Can't wait to see Pahlsson out there, as he's clearly the type who has to be watched closely to be appreciated. As someone who prides myself on being a strong defensive center, great face-off guy, and intanglibles type, Pahlsson should be a real joy to follow. In the meantime, why wasn't Brent given more of a shot with the big league team? He's supposedly a good face-off guy who's played well at Rockford, why not see if he can show some signs of being a replacement if we lose Pahlsson next year?

I understand that Pelletier is supposedly a far more talented player, but I didn't get the feeling he was a natural centerman. If he is so talented, shouldn't we leave him on the wing and let him develop there? Also, he's looked terrible in the bigs, w/o netting a point in 9 NHL games, while posting a -6 in over 10 minutes a game. After Sunday's -3 against Colorado, I hope he's on a short leash.

Finally, I'm curious to see how Aaron Johnson and Hjalmarsson do in the 6th defenseman spot. Aaron Johnson put up another non-negative start in the Bruins loss, bringing his streak to 29-for-29 this year. And Hjalmarsson was a 0 despite working 13 minutes in the Colorado debacle. One of them needs to step up, as there are talks that Sopel is close to returning. If that guy is on the ice come playoff time, I foresee a very short stay in the postseason. To me Sopel is good for one thing - being a healthy scratch so someone else doesn't have to suffer the ignominy.