That was a fun overtime.

Hawks are beginning to rival the Caps for most exciting team in the NHL, in my opinion.


I hope they play each other in the finals this year.

Blackhawks sign Taves, Kane and Keith long term
This team will be good for a long time

Keith is very good, but that is a huge, long contract. Almost as long as Dipietro. I don't have as much an issue with big contracts for guys like Hossa, because the main risk there is injury, which is covered by insurance. I'm not as confident in such a huge, long deal for someone with only a couple years of great play. I don't see it happening, but there are a lot of defenceman who become inneffective barely into their 30's. Maybe Keith's camp insisted on a very long deal for him to be willing to sell his first years of arbitration, but that just seems too long.

WOW thats a freakin' crazy long contract for a guy like Keith.

I'm pretty sure Keith's contract length is to lower the cap hit.

also keith has been great this year and is a definite norris contender

That only makes sense if he is not going to play out his contract, like giving a 35-year old a 7-year deal.

:hellolordstanleyface:

Well you also have to imagine that the cap will be higher in 5-6 years.

Im always suprised when people dont get the obvious upside to a long term deal.

Yes, Keith might break his leg and never play as well again.
Yes, Keith might not be as good as MOST think he is.

But then again, if he is this good, imagine how underpaid he probably will be when he is 30yrs old, and still a stud D.
And the good thing is, Chicago will have him locked up without having to concern themselves over him leaving.

Add the fact that there is inflation, that in spite of Bettman hockey will grow+prosper, and that this also takes Keith out of all his UFA years....then its a great deal for Chicago.

ps- The cap will be higher next year, and the year after, and the year after that.

Hell, I love long-term deals. Professional athlete salaries are pretty inflationary. There is absolutely zero evidence to support it, but I do feel like hockey salaries are at least close to peaking, unless the sport starts gaining popularity in the States.

Keith is 26. An 8 year deal takes him through his prime years, at a reasonable and manageable cap hit. Sure, he might suck, but I doubt we can find many guys as good as Keith who have started to suck between the ages of 27-31.

So why 13 years? Unless Keith's camp would only accept a deal like that, and not something 6-8 years long, then I think there is a mistake.

Unless Keith is Blake, Bourque or Niedermayer, they will be overpaying him by the end of his contract. That's all I'm saying. I'm normally a big fan of these long-term deals, for several reasons. I can't wait for the Leafs to lock Kessel up to a 15-year deal

Keith is a total stud.

I'm pretty sure Burke has been quoted as saying the REALLY long deals are stupid and tha he would neve sign a player to one. I could be wrong tho

That's probably a good thing, otherwise we could be looking at twin 9-year deals for Jamal Mayers and John Mitchell.

I must say I'm kinda bummed that Sid isn't gonna be on the ice tonight against the Hawks.

Yeah, same. Really messes up what could have been a really good game between two red hot teams.

That game was not what I expected at all. Playoff feel right from the drop. Niemi looked good again, playing aggressive. Game could have gone either way.

Yeah, it was a really good game. Niemi was the reason the Pens didn't win, IMO. Although the Hawks had their fair share of chances, I thought the Pens could have scored a half-dozen goals in the 2nd and 3rd periods. Great game to watch though.

They be good!

Peeeeeeeeeeeace Brodeur!!!

Boy they're good.

FYP.




Don't want to jinx them... it's a long season.


They are playing some amazing hockey.

Truth

So much fun to watch this team grow up and DOMINATE so quickly

Things will get interesting with this team. Who goes when Burrish and Bolland return from injuries? Trade Versteeg? I can't wait to see Hossa play with a true center like Bolland.

How the hell do none of those shots go in last night? 42 saves for the Anaheim goalie! Niemmi had 9 saves! WTF!!

Goalie for the Ducks sure stood on his head.


Hossa out with "lower body injury"....maybe only out 1 game.

Good to see the Blackhawks had a good time in Vancouver and Kane has upgraded to a limo now that he has a big
contract.

Pictures

Someone commented that it looked photoshopped...I have to agree on this one. Could easily be a photoshop job.

If this is photoshopped then the one showing Madden from the side holding the beer is a hell of a job!

I don't get the big deal with these. Good for them for getting hammered, taking their shirts off, and apparently picking up average to below average looking women. Aside from Madden, these cats are young! This is what they should be doing.

Not really. They have millions of dollars and are professional athletes. They should be sitting at home letting above-average women come to them. Especially Madden - a perennial Selke candidate? He can do better.

I think it shows good team chemistry when Madden is out partying with the youngins. He's showing them the proper way to spend an off night on the road.

Come on, even professional millionaires deserve to go slumming once in a while!

Slummin it in Vancouver!

Damn you Zach!

Thats so unfair to all the average-wage guys though.

Your sitting there, thinking YOUR slumming it, and next thing you know, millionaire, professional hockey player is smiling at your 6/10? Ugh.

What are you gonna do, look around for a 3?

6/10 is slumming it for us normal guys now?

6/10 is a successful night. 4's were my avg.

As long as they had one good quality face, ass, left tit, whatever it was, it was good enough for me.

Madden is married I think. Oops.

The shot of Kane shirtless with the 2 girls made the Toronto Star. I cant help but wonder what part of this is news? That his shirt was off? I think I finally have some sympathy for the pro athelete in this area, what a crappy way to go thru your 20's, always worried about people's intentions with a camera.

Meh, he's a young kid with a good body hanging out in a limo with pretty girls and he's already got his crazy money sewn up for the next six years. What does he really care? The front page of the Star is probably hanging in his locker right now.

That was an ugly, lumpy hairless body I saw in the picture.





And Kaner's could use some definition too.

ZING

Exactamundo!

As long as these guys aren't breaking the law (ex/ beating up cab drivers) or breaking team rules then I don't think anyone who matters is very concerned. However, if on-ice production drops it gives people something to blame.

There's many a hall of famer who partied harder than any of today's players?

Fag!

Welcome back Davey B!!

Well, that goaltending performance last night shows the Hawks need some help. I just don't think this pair can win a Stanley Cup, but teams will be asking too much.


Scotty Bowman was on the radio this morning and essentially said that Tomas Vokoun isn't an option. Talking heads were mentioning Dwayne Roloson. Apparently the Flyers are interested in him too.



This is the year. One time Rocky...let's do it.

I hope so, but I don't think it's looking good.

As much as they struggled yesterday, if the rest of the guys were slightly sharper, we'd have scored like 8 goals. So many near misses.

Last meeting between Hawks and Nucks. Should be a slobber knocker. United Center will be rocking tonight! It will be interesting to see if Kesler wants to back up his trash talk after the last game when Ladd broke his nose. Maybe Burrows will be a little girl again and grab some hair instead of fighting.

Did the Canucks show up yet?