no Toews, no Hossa, no Keith, no Seabrook, no Hjalmarsson, no interest

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That must mean we get the Tootoo Choo Choo.

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Hawaii (fuck) You

Looks like we're getting Tootoo, Rasmussen, and Desjardins, plus the return of Gustav Forsling. We're like one out-of-the-NHL fuckup on a tryout (thnk Cam Barker) away from this being a preseason lineup. Yuck.

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I would have loved to see Q bench Panarin to avoid the bonus thing albeit for selfish salary cap reasons. I hate to deny a guy money, but that cap thing is really bad for the Hawks. Of course Q can't bench him or he'd lose the locker room. So here's hoping all these marginal players will make it tougher for Panarin to score.

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Hawaii (fuck) You

My guess is there will be enough headhunting from Kesler and Perry to explain away sitting Panarin against the Kings, that and making sure everyone gets a rest day.

I'm starting to get worried about Anisimov making a timely return a week from today. Q said he's on track and all that, but that's Q. McDonough would be shouting from the mountaintop that we're getting our top six back together in time for Game 1, and that isn't happening.

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Yes, Anismov is a worry because he may not have his legs or be sharp even if he comes back soon. However, the team has enough to get through the first two rounds with little or no help from Ani. The team is really stacked with talent. They'll suffer at the dot without Ani, but that is my only major concern.

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Hawaii (fuck) You

At the dot? Anisimov is only at like 45% on the draw. His value is opening up the ice for Kane and Panarin and to act as their garbageman in front of the net.

I'll feel a lot better about getting past Nashville if he's back at close to 100%. I don't think they're going to be such an easy out if Subban and Josi come up big.

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I hope Campbell sits the rest of th season and playoffs for his dumbass, no-look drop assist on Landeskog's shorty the other night.

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Not a mult.

I think the players union would file a grievence

They could try, but in the context of resting star players at the end of the year with the seed locked up, it wouldn't go anywhere. I think it's better for morale to play Panarin (for at least one more game) to help him get his bonuses. Quenneville's greatest value as a head coach is that his players go to war for him, and he would jeopardize that if he tried to sabotage one of his players' paychecks. This is an unexpectedly likely team to win the Stanley Cup. They should have no business contending for it but here they are. Do everything you can in service of winning it all and cross the cap-overrun bridge when we come to it.

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Yes about at the dot because who is the alternative Schmaltz? Isn't he like 25%.

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Hawaii (fuck) You

I've conceded that the Hawks will be mostly garbage at the dot and that it only really matters at uneven strengths over the blue lines, when it's the difference between running a set play or not, or knocking 8-10 seconds off the penalty clock or not. In most of those instances, it's Toews or Kruger taking the draws, and they're pretty good.

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Yes but didn't Q use Schmaltz as the 2nd line center? Not Kruger.

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Hawaii (fuck) You

Schmaltz and then Kero, who is a less bad 193-248 at the dot, but most draws in the neutral zone just turn into scrums and plenty of times the Hawks wind up with it anyway. Whatever. We need Anisimov back for many reasons.

Upon checking the stats, Kruger is 28-62 on shorthanded draws. My god, that's horrific.

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I agree with your comment about Ani opening up the ice. He's a big body. But Schmaltz creates a ton of chances too for his line mates. It is at the dot where the Hawks have nothing after Toews. That's where I worry the most.

Of course they're better off with him. But I think they can replace most of his talents with what they have.

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Hawaii (fuck) You

Even in a garbage game some garbage stinks worse than the rest Roszi, DJ and Jurco are just brutal.

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That's my purse! I don't know you!

No player in the league has been a bigger detriment to a good team than Andrew Desjardins. Riley Sheahan has been worse, but Detroit wasn't going anywhere anyway. Rozsival, whaddyagonnado, he's old.

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Ha! Glad I fell asleep for this one...P-U.

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The only entertaining part of this was Hartman fucking with bieksa. I couldn't stomach staying up for the 3rd so I never got to see if that went anywhere.

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That's my purse! I don't know you!