Tortorella questions again?!

Listen, I understand the Lightning haven't won a road game yet. I understand they were up 4-1 on home ice vs. Atlanta and ended up losing 6-4. But what I don't understand is why every year since winning the Stanley Cup, questions about Head Coach John Tortorella's job have arisen.

NEWSFLASH: Filip Kuba and Brad Lukowich are your top two on Defense! Johan Holmqvist and Marc Denis are your one-two in net!

You have about half your salary being paid to three forwards (Lecavalier, St. Louis, Richards). Sure they're great forwards and worth the money they make, but you need some Defense, man!
Maybe Jay Feaster should have kept Khabibulin and let one of those three go. This has been their problem since they won the Cup and will continue to be their problem until they let one of them go.

In this scenario, Tampa Bay is a good team - a playoff team most years. But that's all they are and all they will be until one of the big three forwards leaves town. Everyone needs to accept this and get off of Tortorella's back.

Tsn.ca article

Blackhawks year?

This may be callous, but my first thought upon finding out about the death of Blackhawks' owner Bill Wirtz was, "the 'Hawks could be back..."

Apparently I wasn't the only one:

"Wirtz's death good thing for Blackhwaks" - MSNBC
"Blackhawks crumbled under Wirtz" - Sporting News
"Blackhawks look for return to glory days" - CBS Sportsline
not to mention how they probably feel over at Wirtzsucks.com.

But, really, for all the good Wirtz had done for the game and the NHL, the disgrace of the Blackhawks is what Wirtz will be remembered for.

Hawks fans were already optimistic about the future with the arrival of Towes (pronounced Tayvz) and Kane, but the passing of Wirtz gives hope they will no longer be stifled by indifferent ownership.

If Dale Tallon (GM) and Denis Savard (coach) are able to continue building the Hawks for a few seasons, all they will need to return to the playoffs on a yearly basis, and even become a powerhouse, is an owner willing to foot the bill for a winner. This is the new NHL and turnaround comes quick.

This coming season is very up in the air for the Hawks. With the notable additions of Sergei Samsonov and Robert Lang, Europeans desperate to regain their form (which is why they ended up in Chicago), along with premier face-off man Yanic Perreault, there is at least a core of players that should compete every night.

Maybe Kane and Towes will be the spark Samsonov and Lang need. Maybe Martin Havlat will stay healthy for a full season and score 100 points. Maybe Perreault can win enough defensive-zone faceoffs to keep the pressure off Nikolai Khabibulin late in the 3rd.

But, really, even if all of the above happens, the Blackhawks still won't get a sniff the playoffs. With a defense as thin as Chicago's, no matter how many goals they can score, the Blackhawks will still let more by the 'Boulin Wall.



There's always next year. And next year there will be even more hope.