With Toews/Kane/Saad extensions kicking in and kicking out teammates, this is a championship-or-bust season, no doubt about it. 15-16 will be a setback year like 10-11 was. The Central Division is going to be a meat grinder. But the truth of the matter is that now more than ever, this is an 82-game preseason. The Hawks dragged ass for half the season last year and came within a goal of going to and inevitably winning the Stanley Cup. The Kings dragged ass for like two-thirds of the season last year and actually did win the Stanley Cup. I gotta have some fucking perspective here. I'll just enjoy the goal/point races and hope no one gets injured and when we boot a game late to the Blues that we should've gotten because this will happen at least twice, I will chill out.

I think I can maintain a healthy attitude regarding the meaningless of the Blackhawks' regular season through at least October.

_________________

It's alright, sugar booger, we love you just how you are. Also, freaking out when losing to the Blues is just being a good Hawks fan. We're so close to hockey season already, I'm starting to get excited...in my pants.

I'm still sad they didn't win the stanley cup. About 36 or so more days!!

Bad bounce goal in game 7 OT in a series that they shouldnt have ever let get to 7 games. And the Eastern Conf team was just sitting there waiting to get beat up by whomever came out of the west. Such bullshit. I hated the Kings before but I really hate them now.

_________________

_________________
Power is always in the hands of the masses of men. What oppresses the masses is their own ignorance, their own short-sighted selfishness.
- Henry George

Don't fight it. You gotta be you.

_________________
We all have private ails. The troublemakers are they who need public cures for their private ails.- Eric Hoffer

I try not to think of how many 2 goal leads they blew that series, especially in Game 7 but I'm only human. Knowing you were one goal away from the first back to back champions in the salary cap era really stings. That dream is obviously dead now but now we can focus on trying to be the first team to win 3 Cups in the salary cap era. It's going to be either the Hawks or Kings winning the Cup this year again if both teams stay relatively healthy.

The East is horrible. The NHL is 00s NBA East vs. West bad.

I don't think there was a 2-goal lead the Hawks didn't blow all year. This new goaltending coach better get Crawford back in order. His '11 and '13 seasons were really good, but his '12 and '14 seasons were garbage (especially '12). Maybe there is no order.

_________________

It is possible that this would be the year in his contract that if he is mediocre Crawford goes away for the Finn. It is Bowman past tendency.

_________________
Elections have consequences.

No. This will be the first year of a six-year deal. Good luck moving five years and $30MM on the heels of a down year, and frankly, Raanta might not be an NHL-caliber goalie.

The only way you'll be able to unload Crawford going forward, if necessary, will be through an expansion team. At some point between 2015 and 2020, the league is probably going to add two teams, and they'll need to hit the salary floor. If the NHL gets its head out of its ass and awards an expansion franchise to Quebec City, you might be able to sell Crawford on going back to his home province (though I suspect he's from the West Island and has no sentimental attachment to QC). I don't know whether his no-trade clause protects him from an expansion draft, but I can't think of any other way to move that contract.

_________________

I thought extension was already started?

_________________
Elections have consequences.

No, it was signed last September, before the beginning of his last year under contract.

_________________

If I hear about a murder suicide up in Lake Geneva after a bad Hawks loss, I'll just assume it's CH forgetting about his approach to the regular season.

_________________
Hawaii (fuck) You

Gosh I hope you mean this.

_________________
CSFMB 2014 Nascar Pick 'em Champion

We don’t have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven’t taxed enough; we have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much. — Ronald Reagan

Amen, Hank.

_________________

_________________

I am so hyped for the new season. You are right must win it all season.

_________________
When I am stuck and need to figure something out I always remember the Immortal words of Socrates when he said:"I just drank what?"

Well, CH is on target so far: it's not winter, yet

_________________
Not a mult.