Q’s-an-art SmartPower Blender – Your Weekly Blackhawks Recap

I’m really not proud of how long I spent thinking up a blender-themed title for this blog.

Hawks – Flyers Recap

Hawks – Capitals Recap

Hawks – Blue Jackets Recap

 

The Hawks went 1-2 on the week, losing clunkers to the Flyers and Capitals and then routing the hapless Blue Jackets.

Notes

Forwards: The Shake and Bake line was great again. The other lines were so-so. The Hawks called up Vinnie Hinostroza, Shayne’s cousin, sending down Kyle Baun. I didn’t like the move at first, but if Q intends to keep Hinostroza at center, then I’m fine with that. Though the hometown kid didn’t register a point in his first NHL game Saturday, I thought he was fine when he was on the ice. Q mixed up the lines a few times, putting Bickell on the top line, where Bickell was actually pretty good, flipping Kane and Hossa a couple times, less good results there, and moving Garbutt, Shaw, and Tikhonov around. I don’t like the idea of splitting Kane and Panarin up at all. If Q feels doing so, is absolutely necessary, at least put Turbo with Panarin. I suggested some lines in the Capitals recap, but Baun’s in Rockford now, replaced by Hinostroza, so with that in mind, here’s what I think I’d try:

29-19-88

72-15-86

65-48-81

11-16-28

Defensemen: Keith is out 4-6 weeks after meniscus surgery, so if the Hawks really ought to pick up a defenseman now. Otherwise, you’re playing two of Svedberg/Rundblad/Rozsival. That is far from ideal. I like Svedberg. I think he’s got some real potential. Right now, though, he is not someone I want as anything more than my sixth defenseman. Daley will really need to step up in Keith’s absence. The defense wasn’t great to begin with, so losing Keith hurts that much more.

Goalies: Crawford and Darling were both mostly okay. Neither got a ton of help from the defense, though.

Blackhawks 3 stars of the week:

★★★ Artem Anisimov, C, CHI (1 G)

★★ Teuvo Teräväinen, F, CHI (1 G (GWG))

★ Artemi Panarin, LW, CHI (3 A)

Twitter: @KSchroeder2325

E-mail: schroeder.giig@gmail.com