The Blackhawks Are Taking Over The Hockey Video Game Universe

It appears that EA sports has chose Conn Smythe winner and Blackhawks captain as the new cover boy for NHL 2011 on the XBox and PS3. This is newsworthy because I was strolling through the electronics section recently and noticed that Stanley Cup hero Patrick Kane was the cover boy for the 2010 version of the game. Now I stopped playing video games about the time the Super NES went out of vogue, so I am no expert on video game etiquette, but it seems odd that two players from the same franchise would be the face of the NHL in consecutive years. Things just keep getting better for Blackhawks fans...in the words of Sammy Sosa "I just want to keep it continue"

Chris Chelios getting it done at 47

Chris Chelios is a modern day Gordie Howe. Since most of you have no clue who Gordie Howe is, lets just say that Chelios is a modern day Nolan Ryan. Playing professional sports deep into his 40's and doing it without the help of a wheelchair.

Chelios is a soon to be HOFer who spend the majority of his career as the Captain of the Chicago Blackhawks. Having spent 26 years playing professional hockey is no easy feat and is one of the many reasons he is considered the greatest American defenseman in NHL history. Averaging 0.6 points per game is better than most forwards, showing his great offensive skill from a defensive position. He has only had a negative +/- twice in those 26 years and won Stanley Cups, with the rival Detroit Red Wings. Even while playing for the Wings, he was never booed at the United Center showing just how much he was loved in this city.

After playing only 26 games last season, most people assumed Chelios would hang up the skates and call it a career. But Chelios is not like most athletes, he refuses to stop playing until he simply physically do it anymore. The HOF caliber player gladly accepted a minor league contract from the Chicago Wolves, his hometown city. He has put up 14 points in 21 games with a +10 on the ice in even strength situations. Unlike Ricky Henderson and Evander Holyfield, Chelios is experiencing legitimate success while trying to break the 50 year old barrier. Maybe he will even be picked up by an NHL team as a 6th defenseman for the playoffs. I wouldn't put it past him

Meet your Blackhawks through Christmas Jingles

1:15 - Brent Seabrooke
1:40 - Joe Quinville
2:15 - Patrick Sharp
2:17 - Johnathan Toews
2:20 Dustin Byuglien
2:50 - Cam Barker
2:59 - Andrew Ladd
3:00 - Cristobal Huet
3:05 - Duncan Keith
3:50 - Brian Capbell
3:52 - Patrick Kane

Blackhawks Are Really Really Good At Hockey

For those of you still suffering though the NBA and NFL season, how about you check out the only good team in the city. Yup, it's the Blackhawks again. They are on their annual circus trip, the same one which basically destroys the Bulls every year, and they have won 7 games in a row. They just destroyed all of Canada (Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver) and are currently ranked as the top team in the NHL based on ESPN.com's power ranking. All this despite not having their best player, Marion Hossa, though he will make his Hawks debut on Wednesday. Cristobal Huet is playing like a top 5 goalie and all is good in Hawk land.

Also, within the next week, the Blackhawks are expected to sign Kane and Toews to identical 6yr/36mil deals, while Duncan Keith is expected to get a 13yr/65mil deal.

Hockey: A man's game

As some of you may know, the Blackhawks beat out the Calgary Flames in 6 games on Tuesday to win their first playoff series in 13 years. The play was inspired, it was physical, it was down right dirty. The hitting was non-stop. Patrick Kane got body slammed into the boards missing a game, Flames went into the Hawks bench, and scuffles were prominent after every single stoppage of play. Former Hawk Rene Borque even puller on Duncan Keith's hair at one point. You would have thought these people were wild animals just out of the wilderness. The crowds were insane, every goal celebrated like it was the last, and fighting galore.

But as the time ran out on the series in game 6, the teams lined up at center ice and shook each and every hand of the opposition. This is a sight rarely seen outside of collegian sports, yet so fitting for what i had witnessed and the players experienced over a two week battle. You would think how can these two teams possibly shake hand, after trying to kill each other each and every day. But that is one beauty of sports. You compete, you fight, you kill yourself to prove dominance over your opponent. Much like other human instincts, the animal side prevails

Speaking of which, i recently read a book on the Science of Human Beings, and in the sports section, it claims that sport was created as a means of allowing humans to compete and battle against fellow humans, but with rules and regulations such that we dont kill each other. It makes sense to me. Many of us, especially the males, seek ways to alleviate our natural competitiveness and combativeness, in organized manners such that civility can exist while still satisfying out instincts. Fantasy baseball being a prominent example for those athletically-impaired individuals

The Blackhawks are chocking, hard

Remember all those nice things i had to say about the 2009 Blackhawks? Well forget that shit. They are currently tanking. They're still going to make the playoffs, probably as the number 4 seed with home field advantage, but at this pace they will destroyed in the first round. It's a compilation of many things.

1) The defense, which has been the best and most important part of the team is in shambles right now. Duncan Keith, the best defenseman is a -5 in the past 5 games, while being a league leader at +30 for the season. He has been out of position too much and seems to be pressing to get out of the slump. Brian Campbell, the all-star we're paying 8 mil per has recently been booed by the home crowd for avoiding physical contact, which leads to opponents extending possessions and scoring goals. One recent game was lost solely due to Campbell, as he was responsible for giving up 3 goals. One where he tried a spin-a-rama where he fell and allowed a breakaway goal. Then he failed to clear the puck from the defensive zone. And then avoided a check in the defensive zone, giving the puck to the opponents leading to a third goal. Yeah, he deserved to get booed. They traded one of our best offensive defensemen in James Wisnieski for some forward who can score at all. Apparently he's very good defensively, and on the faceoff, but the guy hasnt played for us yet due to injury. Yeah, not exactly Ilya Kovalchuck.

2) Khabibulin being injured for 15 games didnt help. Huet was forced to play nearly everyday, and appeared to get very tired in the final few games. Some rook, anti niiemi, replaced the bulin wall and was awful himself.

3) The biggest problem right now is the head coach, Joe Quinvuille. After taking charge of this team when he took over for Savard after like 3 games, he is starting to lose control of this team. He seems to be trying new line combinations within games, which is wrong because the established lines have had success and he should stick with them. breaking up the line of Havlet, Bowland, and Ladd is just dumb, as they have been out best line all year long. Also, having Toews and Kane on the same line with the improving troy brauwer, was getting better and better every game. Now the lines are so messed up, and even the d-line is being juggled, that Quinville is only digging a deeper whole.

God i hope the blackhawks can turn this slump around, before we get sweaped out of the playoffs

Blackhawks 4 Sharks 2: 27-13-8 62 points

I wanted to give everyone an update on the blackhawks season thus far. After torrid start to the reason, the hawks cooled off quite considerably since the winter classic only going 5-4-1 in the last 10 games. However, with a completely healthy team with the return of kane, keith, and vesteeg the Hawks seem to be playing skilled, enspired hockey. Tonight they were able to defeat the western conference leaders san jose sharks. It was only the sharks second regulation loss at home. Toews scored a pair, while versteeg and keith banged in a short handed and power play goal respectively. Very impressive performance and put the hawks just 7 points behind red wings in the division. Here are the highlights

Blackhawks 1 Avalanche 2 : 22-9-7 51 points

I actually missed out on this dual between western conference foes because of the national championship game, but i'll eventually watch it on the DVR. From the highlights, it looked like an intense match up with numerous scoring opportunities above the 2-1 score. The hawks put 44 shots on goal, while both avalanche goals were controversial, as the first appeared to be kicked into the net by ryan smyth, and the second coming on the power play which was caused by a premature puck drop on the face off. It was a highly competitive game that could have gone either way. Problem is that the red wings are up to 61 points and distancing themselves in the central division

Blackhawks 6 Cayotes 0 : 22-8-7 51 points

As the score indicates, this was a whooping of immense proportions. With Kane out with the high ankle sprain, Toews absolutely dominated this game with his open ice skating. He finished the game with 2 goals and an assist but that doesnt tell the whole story. Adding injury to defeat, Walker destroyed Ed Jovanowski's face with a single punch to the eye causing him to drop to the ice in a bloody mess. Unfortunately this is not in the video recap but i gotchya.

Long-term outlook for the Blackhawks Salary Cap

The NHL salary cap is actually a very good system. every year there is a max and min every team has to be within, and cannot exceed from it in any direction. the cap is based on the NHL's revenue and has been climbing every year. it's now at like 55mil, and should keep increasing. no player can make more than 20% of the team cap, and contracts cant be renegotiated until it expires.

The Blackhawks are actually at the salary cap, such that they actually had to send someone down recently to prevent exceeding it. There was also rumor they may go after mats sundin, who half-retired, but he went to vancouver, not that we had salary cap room for him anyway. We'll get some relief because Khabibulin's contract will expire after this year, and matrin havlat will also be done. hopefully they can keep their guys, but it's gonna be hard cause there are so many of them. we may have to let havlat go, which is a shame, and i'm not sure if they'll want to sign sharp to a long term contract. Tallon has basically done what kenny williams does. Develop home grown talent, plus trade for other team's 1st round busts, sharp, ladd, eager, and get rid of his own 1st round disappointments in ruutu, borque, and mccarthey.

If you look at the penguins, they have two of the best players in the league in crosby and malkin, who are equally good, but they will take up 40% of the team cap. so their team actually sucks. they got to the finals last year cause their goalie, fluery, who's not good got really hot(sub 2 GAA) and trading for marian hossa did the trick. i doubt they'll be back in the finals any time soon. kane and toews arn't nearly as good so they wont make 9-10 mil per year so that should free up space to lock up Keith, Seabrook, Versteeg, Bolland...Long story short. The future is good!

Blackhawks 5 Flames 2 : 21-8-7 49 points

Well the Blackhawks rebounded from back to back defeats at the hands of the Red Wings to destroy the Flames for the third time this year. Everyone got in on the action as they scored an even strength goal, power play, short handed, delayed power play, and empty netter. Quite a game. I recommend watching the game recaps just to hear the Canadian announcer and his silly Canadian accent.

Blackhawks 0 Red Wings 4: 20-7-7 47 points

Tonight's game was certainly a downer and ended the franchise record 9 game winning streak. After an very impressive start for the blackhawks with great puck possession due to excellent stating and passing, the red wing's experience and physicality proved too much. Better get blown out tonight than during the winter classic new years day. Here is the video if you so wish.

Blackhawks 4 Minnesota Wild 1: 20-6-7 47 points

I have decided to post Blackhawk summaries following each game. Instead of boring you with my personal analysis, you can enjoy the amazing quality videos the NHL provides. Enjoy!

"Red Wings Make Me Gay"

This is a sports blog. Hockey's a sport. Let's talk about that.

If any of you have watched a Chicago Blackhawks game on local television this past week, and i'm guessing you haven't, you would have seen a commercial for Grant's Appliance featuring local hero Patrick Sharp. After 28 uneventful seconds, the greatest line in the history of lines was uttered by the very "straight" hawks forward. In response to being offered hot wings, Sharp replies "no thanks, red wings make me gay". You may be thinking WTF? In fact, the official line is red wings make me gag, which is quite gay in its own sense, but 100 out of 100 observers will wager their first born that Sharp says gay.

One would hope that something like this would help revitalize the hockey enthusiasm in the once proud city of Chicago. Although great strides have been taken in the past year, notably the hiring of John McDonough and televised home games, too many sports fanatics both young and old remain unaware hockey even exists. Like with an ex-girlfriend, I challenge each and every one of you to give hockey one last chance before saying adieu. Don't be the one to miss the next decade of Datsyuk/Zetterberg vs. Toews/kane rivalry reignited all over again, irregardless how gay it may be.