Runblad, Cumiskey or pickem(IceHog)?

[Marotte Marauder]

His skating is no worse than Rozsival, and in addition to a good shot, he has better offensive instincts and a better first-pass out of the zone than anybody on the Blackhawks back end short of Keith and Seabrook.

His defensive play is flawed, no doubt. Which is why you only give him sheltered minutes.

Q sheltered the hell out of Rundblad all season. He still managed an average of 13 minutes a night. Between those 13 minutes and 10 minutes from Timo, that's all the minutes you need chewed up right there.

Tough to shelter against a team in WCF, they must be pretty good.

Those minutes look very doable on paper, but they will be very angst filled minutes, at least for me.

I'm fine with Timo when the puck is in the Ozone, when it leaves, my BP elevates.

 

[BrianE]

It has to be

Rundblad 1st choice
Cumiskey 2nd choice
Ice Hog 3rd Choice


Keith, Seabrook, Hamsandwich, and Little Dab O Do Ya will have nothing in the tank for the next round if those top choices and Timonen dont pan out

Thats an extremely thin 3rd pairing going against a BIG Duck team

That series right now is 2 to 1.....a way's to go....Ducks will have spent a ton of energy by the time we get to play them, don't count Flames out just yet.

 

[x Tame Impala]

Wouldn't Timmonen be jumping into Rozsival's role and the new guy (Rundblad) be taking Timmonen's old minutes?

 

[Blackhawks]

All I know is that whenever Slowminnen is on the ice I am terrified because he always get beat. Take him out and lets see Cuminsky and Runblad, boom instant upgrade.

 

[TorMenT]

All I know is that whenever Slowminnen is on the ice I am terrified because he always get beat. Take him out and lets see Cuminsky and Runblad, boom instant upgrade.

It would have to be Cumiskey AND Rundblad. Rozy is out. You should probably learn their names by the way. I only mention this becaues you've been such a big advocate of getting them in for awhile now.

 

[pvr]

Johns at the very least should be brought up and practice with the team. Coaches could evaluate him during practice, and he gets his feet wet with less pressure.

That being said, it's not so obvious who between Rundblad and Cumisky gets the nod...each has debits and credits to their game.

 

[BobbyJet]

Tough to shelter against a team in WCF, they must be pretty good.

Those minutes look very doable on paper, but they will be very angst filled minutes, at least for me.

I'm fine with Timo when the puck is in the Ozone, when it leaves, my BP elevates.

I might add, that (obviously) it is easier to shelter players at home. If we play Ducks next round, the first 2 games will be away.... hence our bottom pairing will be on trial big time.

In short ......Go Calgary!

 

[Bubba88]

It should be
1. Cuminsky
2. Johns
3. Pokka
4. Rundblad
5. Paliotta

Cumisky is a player Q knows, Q likes and trusts the most. His skating is good enough and if we can get the matchups, he isn't on the ice when we face Getzlaf and Perry. He'll be on the ice against guys like Cogliano, matching his speed.

Timonen will get more icetime now.
The other 4 are capable of playing those high minutes. At least 3 of them are.

 

[ploppsdman]

Can not play Rundblad... He will be a total disaster in front of the net and along the boards and that is playoff hockey.. I'd dress 7 d game 1... Play Johns and if he's a mess.. Go with cumisky from there out dressing 6 d.

 

[BobbyJet]

Can not play Rundblad... He will be a total disaster in front of the net and along the boards and that is playoff hockey.. I'd dress 7 d game 1... Play Johns and if he's a mess.. Go with cumisky from there out dressing 6 d.

Can't disagree. Trial by fire might just work with Johns. His scouting report lists one of his strengths as the ability to transition his game quickly when he moves up in competition... and this would certainly be the ultimate test for that.

 

[Pepe Silvia]

Rundblad is a bum

 

[JaegerDice]

Rundblad will be fine.

Wouldn't be shocked to see him back next year on a 2-way contract either. The strengths of his game are easy to see. He just needs to work on the very-teachable fundamentals.

 

[ploppsdman]

You can't teach a guy to play well along the boards. He will get annihilated on a hard forecheck by Anaheim. We saw it enough during the regular season ... what do you think would happen in a playoff game? If he plays, I hope he proves me wrong ... I barely recall this team cycling outside of the 4th line all season and now all lines have an effective cycle. I don't know what's going on at this point. I guess now they actually want to win instead of just showing up? Maybe Rundblad will do the same ...

 

[scarchelli]

Does anyone honestly think q will go with johns? Or pokka? They've never played an nhl game and the wcf is gonna be their first...?

Runblad will likely start with cumiskey the next choice. But runblad will get very minutes so q likely wont go with cumiskey over him anyway.

 

[RedBaronIndian]

Rundblad it is.
The pairings in practice are

Keith-Rundblad
Oduya-Hammaer
Timonen-Seabrook
Cumiskey-Carcillo

 

[Pepe Silvia]

Carcillo for the Norris

Not surprised they went with Rundblad. At least he's with Keith and his minutes will be limited/sheltered, so it shouldn't be too much of a problem.

 

[JaegerDice]

No suprise they went with Rundblad, he was the most logical option.

He can give 13 minutes a night, Timo can handle a bump to 10, and the top 4 can handle the remainder.

 

[BK]

No suprise they went with Rundblad, he was the most logical option.

He can give 13 minutes a night, Timo can handle a bump to 10, and the top 4 can handle the remainder.

I agree. Rundblad should be fine against the Ducks with how we can shelter minutes and I think he could have some offensive upside. I would rather have Paliotta or Johns over Cumiskey if that what it comes to.

 

[JaegerDice]

Stating the obvious here, but Duncan Keith is awesome.

 

[JaegerDice]

I agree. Rundblad should be fine against the Ducks with how we can shelter minutes and I think he could have some offensive upside. I would rather have Paliotta or Johns over Cumiskey if that what it comes to.

Paliotta isn't an option.

 

[BK]

Paliotta isn't an option.

I didn't read twitter today so that is news to me. I don't think that is a bad idea to send home and let him train and get a break. I have high hopes for him.

 

[JaegerDice]

I didn't read twitter today so that is news to me. I don't think that is a bad idea to send home and let him train and get a break. I have high hopes for him.

No worries, was just letting you know.

Honestly, I think it's Rundblad going forward. It would take him being spectacularly bad (or injured) for Q to go to another guy, and if he does, I have a hunch it would be Johns before Cumiskey.

 

[Taze em]

I don't like Paliotta leaving at all. There's something to that.

 

[hisgirlfriday]

 

[JaegerDice]

I don't like Paliotta leaving at all. There's something to that.

Why do you figure?