What's next for the Chicago Blackhawks?

If Huet plays like that any hope of Chicago winning the cup is absolutely pointless. He was awful.

N4L wrote:If Huet plays like that any hope of Chicago winning the cup is absolutely pointless. He was awful.

He's an odd goalie. Very inconsistent. Plays a stinker, then a gem.

SeawaySensFan wrote:

N4L wrote:If Huet plays like that any hope of Chicago winning the cup is absolutely pointless. He was awful.

He's an odd goalie. Very inconsistent. Plays a stinker, then a gem.

You two obviously watched a different game.


Huet was solid. Made terrific saves early and did what he had to do. Chicago still has some work to do on defense. Bad turnover by Seabrook leading to Booth's goal.

Hawks with 55 shots on Vokoun.

Got the first point, and that's what matters.

when was the last time Vokoun faced less then 40 shots? Seems like he does it nightly

davetherave wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:

N4L wrote:If Huet plays like that any hope of Chicago winning the cup is absolutely pointless. He was awful.

He's an odd goalie. Very inconsistent. Plays a stinker, then a gem.

You two obviously watched a different game.


Huet was solid. Made terrific saves early and did what he had to do. Chicago still has some work to do on defense. Bad turnover by Seabrook leading to Booth's goal.

Hawks with 55 shots on Vokoun.

Got the first point, and that's what matters.

I didn't watch the game at all. I was talking about Huet's career. I've seen him steal games on his own and get lit up the very next start.

davetherave wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:

N4L wrote:If Huet plays like that any hope of Chicago winning the cup is absolutely pointless. He was awful.

He's an odd goalie. Very inconsistent. Plays a stinker, then a gem.

You two obviously watched a different game.


Huet was solid. Made terrific saves early and did what he had to do. Chicago still has some work to do on defense. Bad turnover by Seabrook leading to Booth's goal.

Hawks with 55 shots on Vokoun.

Got the first point, and that's what matters.

Dave, Huet played a good first, that's it. 3 periods in a hockey game. Huet needs to make a stop or two.

3 goals on 24 shots is not good, plus 1 for 3 on the shoot out for him. Was not good.

55 shots! Holy crap!

Not a fan of McGuire these days, but he has a point about Huet's coverage of the top of the net not being very good.

N4L wrote:

davetherave wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:

N4L wrote:If Huet plays like that any hope of Chicago winning the cup is absolutely pointless. He was awful.

He's an odd goalie. Very inconsistent. Plays a stinker, then a gem.

You two obviously watched a different game.


Huet was solid. Made terrific saves early and did what he had to do. Chicago still has some work to do on defense. Bad turnover by Seabrook leading to Booth's goal.

Hawks with 55 shots on Vokoun.

Got the first point, and that's what matters.

Dave, Huet played a good first, that's it. 3 periods in a hockey game. Huet needs to make a stop or two.

3 goals on 24 shots is not good, plus 1 for 3 on the shoot out for him. Was not good.

My dear friend Neely, as you know I have enormous respect for your hockey knowledge, I will share some fascinating and illuminating information with you.

Cristobal Huet's winning percentage in shootouts is the same as that of Roberto Luongo, Marc Andre Fleury, Tomas Vokoun, Pascal Leclaire and Tim Thomas, and better than Chris Osgood or Nikolai Khabibulin.

For your further information:
http://www.nhlshootouts.com/CareerGoaliesMostWins.htm

As you very well know, being an astute observer of the game, the amount of shots is less relevant than the quality.

On each of the Panthers' regulation goals, the Blackhawks defense failed to prevent the shooter from getting an excellent shot.

Frolik's was simply a beautiful goal; Koistinen was able to send a cannon shot through a maze of players; and Seabrook handed the puck to Booth.

Every goalie has his weaknesses, and Cris Huet is no exception. It is what it is.

You don't need a Vezina winner to capture a Stanley Cup...but even talking about that is premature extrapolation.

My take on the Blackhawks is that October will be a very tough month for them, as they adjust to the absence of Hossa and the reconfiguration of their defense corps due to Walker's departure.

Nik Hjalmarsson and Brian Campbell were the best d-pair today for Chicago.

On the positive side, goals from Kane, Byfuglien and Sharp, and 55 shots on net, are very good signs.

John Madden was excellent, especially on faceoffs. Overall the Hawks were 60% at the dot, big improvement over last year already.

Hey, you win some, you lose some. If you get at least get a point, no worries.

By the way, I refuse to listen to any game where Pierre McGuire is a commentator.

I turned the sound down on TSN, and listened instead to Troy Murray, the former Hawks captain who gives a very balanced and critical view of the Hawks in his broadcast on WGN Radio.

Makes a BIG difference when you don't have to hear McGuire's whiny bull$hit.

Tomorrow's another day, and another game to played. Should be another good contest. The Panthers are looking like a playoff team.

Cheers.

Dave, Osgood doesnt cost the Wings games and has proven to be a money goaltender. To the best of my knowledge, Huet has done close to nothing and hasnt proven to be anything more then a backup for the most part.

I like The Hawks to go to the finals, but if Huet plays like that then it's going to be iffy at best come playoff time.

Simply, Huet needs to be better, he cost them today.

N4L wrote:Dave, Osgood doesnt cost the Wings games and has proven to be a money goaltender. To the best of my knowledge, Huet has done close to nothing and hasnt proven to be anything more then a backup for the most part.

I like The Hawks to go to the finals, but if Huet plays like that then it's going to be iffy at best come playoff time.

Simply, Huet needs to be better, he cost them today.

Not the best day to say that. Osgood let in 4 goals on his first 13 shots.

He does, however, has a significantly better resume than his division rival.

Osgood is going to be in the HHOF, Huet will be an after thought very quickly if he doesnt show he can be a number 1 goaltender...

N4L wrote:Osgood is going to be in the HHOF, Huet will be an after thought very quickly if he doesnt show he can be a number 1 goaltender...

Neely, Cristobal Huet and Stan Bowman would probably agree with you on Chris Osgood, and they already agree with you on the need for Monsieur Huet to show he is 'the man' in Chicago.

The fact is that, his Stanley Cup rings and up and down career aside, Chris Osgood had a terrible season last year. People made all kinds of excuses for him. And his shaky play in Game Seven--those two whiffle balls by Max Talbot--cost the Wings the Cup.

His save percentage in the opening game loss to the Blues suggests Ozzy is in for another up and down year.

But Osgood gets a pass from the Wings bandwagon jumpers among others.

Roberto Luongo dazzles everyone during the season, then does a spectacular meltdown against Chicago in the playoffs.

He continues his meltdown in the first game of this season.

But the Luongo Lovers gush all over Bobby Lu.

Huet gets criticized because he's an easy target.

The fact is that statistically, Cristobal Huet is among the top 10 goaltenders in the last two years who have played at least 60 games over the past three seasons.

Check out this list:
http://www.coppernblue.com/2009/7/23/958613/the-almost-top-fifty-goalies-over

You'll find the numbers very interesting.

It's also a fact that Capitals wanted to re-sign Huet and that the Wings wanted to sign Huet when he was a UFA. So his price went up. Did Dale Tallon overpay? He has said over and over again that he did. But that's the hockey market.

Now Huet has to show he's worth the money. Like every other goaltender who gets the big dough.

Does Cristobal Huet have to be excellent in goal this year for the Blackhawks to get into the playoffs? No, as long as the team in front plays well enough to win.

But for the Blackhawks to succeed in the post season, as you say, Cristo does have to make clutch saves in clutch moments.

Just like every other goaltender.

At various times, I've read comments on this board, others and alll through the hockey media that have second-guessed and criticized Cam Ward, Marc Andre Fleury, Chris Osgood and Cristobal Huet. The fact is, their teams all went to the Final Four last year.

The teams of Tim Thomas, Martin Brodeur, and Roberto Luongo, the usual favourites, did not.

Hockey is a team game, as you know.

So if people want to criticize Cristobal Huet, let them. The only thing that matters is whether or not the team gets to where they need to be.



It's a long season. Anything can happen. As you know.

Dave, I agree with you for the most part but Osgood has shown to be mentally strong when it counts, Huet has not.

Huet has to play better Dave, he doesnt have the ability to turn it on or off, he rides streaks.

Absolutely it's a long season but The questions about Huet have already started whether you like it or brother. I am on record as saying I think Crawford steals that job and runs with it anyways.

SeawaySensFan wrote:

N4L wrote:If Huet plays like that any hope of Chicago winning the cup is absolutely pointless. He was awful.

He's an odd goalie. Very inconsistent. Plays a stinker, then a gem.

You two obviously watched a different game.


Huet was solid. Made terrific saves early and did what he had to do. Chicago still has some work to do on defense. Bad turnover by Seabrook leading to Booth's goal.

Hawks with 55 shots on Vokoun.

Got the first point, and that's what matters.

If he wasn't awful he was definitely not at his best. Huet can play better than that.

Vokoun remains one of the most underrated goalies in the league IMO. Probably due to a lack of playoff success. I wonder if he is just a victim to playing on weak teams or if he gets burnt out a la Kiprusoff?

If Huet can maintain any kind of consistency the Hawks won't have a problem. I think the Hawks best bet is to search for a backup who has the ability to push Huet.

Absolutely it's a long season but The questions about Huet have already started whether you like it or brother. I am on record as saying I think Crawford steals that job and runs with it anyways.

Or maybe Crawford is already that guy... I don't know much about him to be honest

There ya go Dave, Neimi got the start today. Thought Crawford was a little further up the depth chart but Neimi is by all accounts a decent goaltender.

I still see this team as a no hold barred favourite in the West and for the Cup. Huet can do it and it looks like Seabrook is putting all the tools in the toolbox as far as now some extra offense as well.

If I had a guess it would be that Chicago rents some insurance from the Islanders at the deadline and go in with two solid, if unspectacular, netminders.