Campbell…Mmm, Mmm, Bad
There have been a lot of rumors floating around about which players the Blackhawks’ front office is looking to unload. Possible names floated about have been Cam Barker, Brian Campbell, Dustin Byfuglien, and even Patrick Sharp and Kris Versteeg. It’s hard to know if these are players the Hawks are considering trading, it these are players other teams want, or if these are players that sports writers and fans are lobbying to get rid of (or all three).
This time of year always makes me itchy for a couple of reasons. One, because I hate talking about human beings as if they were slabs of meat; commodities to be traded on the open market. The other reason is because inevitably the Hawks will end up getting rid of someone I have grown attached to. For instance, last year about this time it was James Wisniewski. Then over the summer it was Matt Walker, Martin Havlat, and Nikolai Khabibulin (in that order of care).
The Blackhawks spend a lot on marketing players — cute/funny promos, the ‘One Goal’ ads, and personal interest stories — until we are made to feel that we know them and that they are family of sorts. Then they go and trade some of them and I guess we’re just supposed to forget them. The weird thing is, they keep people they shouldn’t and let go of those that were fundamental to the team. For instance, I know I keep harping on the Matt Walker thing, but it’s important that the Hawks and the fans in general understand why it was such a mistake to let him go. Matt Walker represented that heavy ‘D’ that the Blackhawks so desperately needed last year; the kind of ‘D’ that I thought they were trying to cultivate. The pairing of Matt Walker with Niklas Hjalmarsson during the playoffs was brilliant. Those two were instrumental in the Hawks getting as far as they did against some very tough teams. And yet, when the season ended Walker was quietly sent packing. I honestly don’t know that his loss even sent a ripple through the sports pages, but I can tell you this girl had her guts ripped out on that one. I started to wonder if I had only imagined Walker there; if I had been the only one to see how instrumental he was to the Hawks’ playoff success.
Now here we are again with the trade deadline looming and what do I hear? That Kris Versteeg should be dangled as bait for a good d-man trade. Well, if the Hawks had held on to Matt Walker, they wouldn’t need another Niklas Hjalmarsson-type d-man now would they? Better yet, had the Hawks unloaded Brian Campbell like other fans and myself begged them to do over the summer, we wouldn’t be in this predicament. But again, instead of looking to dump Campbell, they’re trying to get rid of Cam Barker.
Ok, I understand that. Barker hasn’t been doing so well, but he’s been doing much better than Brian Campbell. Campbell has always been a disappointment. He had what 45 assists last year? Well, I guess when all you can do is pass from the blue line, yes, you’re going to have that many “assists,” but how much of a help was he really? It doesn’t mean you’re any good though, especially when you turn over the puck constantly, can’t hit, can’t block shots, and can’t take hits. So I think most fans would agree he takes up way too much cap space. And while I normally wouldn’t lobby for a player to go, in Brian Campbell’s case I will make an exception. Why? Because he doesn’t even appear to be trying, and I just can’t respect that. At this point, he’s just collecting a paycheck. Yes, this time of year the Hawks’ management has to make some tough decisions. Whether or not to keep Brian Campbell is not one of them.
December 1st, 2009 at 1:47 am
I think Campbell and Barker are in a competition to see who can turn the puck over the most in the defensive zone. Campbell is fast, but he has no idea what to do with the puck through the neutral zone. And once he crosses the blue line, look out! – then he is TOTALLY lost. He usually does a bunch of shoddy stick-handling and somehow ends up in behind the net where he turns it over. Barker never even gets to the blue line. If he somehow manages to control an incoming pass and not let it roll off the end of his stick, he is gauranteed to turn it over in the neutral zone with an errant pass.
Who can go: Campbell, Barker, Kopecky, Versteeg.
December 1st, 2009 at 4:15 am
The NHL is a business.
It is here to make money.
Moving, trading and dumping players off is required to make the bottom line.
Of course us fans don’t always agree with the decisions, and I’m sure some players don’t either, but this is done in any business in order to be more profitable in the long run.
Please keep in mind that the Hawks are one of those teams that will send a guy somewhere only pick him back up at a later date.
Also remember that they have Scotty Bowman in the orginization, and this man knows what he is doing.
He is afterall partly to be credited for the Hawks’ success over the last few years.
Plus, the season is still young, and the players you’ve mentioned have a little time to get their asses in gear and find their grooves.
Sometimes it can take a while to get used to all of the line juggling that is done when new guys are added or linemates are out with injuries.
Marketing too is very important here.
Scouts come in from all over to check out players, and when they see these commercials and billboards all over the place, it gives them a sense that these guys are in touch with their fans, and that is a great selling point to a hockey club.
The fans are very important, and they want likeable players on their team.
I mean, would you honestly accept the likes of Sean Avery in Chi-Town?
As for the feelings you have for some of these guys, especially when they get traded, I would chalk that up to your being a girl and not being in control of your emotions. ;)
December 1st, 2009 at 10:45 am
Cakes: Couldn’t agree with you more about all of that…except for Versteeg. I know why Versteeg has been mentioned as someone who could/should go. He’s good enough to be marketable and the Hawks could technically afford to lose him. Still, and boy is this gonna bring it down on my head, I’d rather lose Patrick Kane than Kris Verseeg. To me, Kris Versteeg brings in more consistent, reliable play (like you know, forechecking) than Kaner does. I know it will never happen, you know Kaner leaving before Steegy, but that’s just how I see it. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, once opposing teams discovered that Kane readily gives up the puck the minute he gets even slightly harassed, then they started targeting him. And unlike Versteeg, Kane can’t take it and Kane can’t dish it out.
December 1st, 2009 at 10:53 am
Sammy: First, everyone should know that I know you so they don’t think you’re some knuckle-dragging, sexist douchebag. I mean, you’re a douchebag, but you’re not a sexist one, and people should know that so you don’t get pummeled by a bunch of feminists.
And yes, in all seriousness, I do get attached to these players (well, some of them), and I’m not ashamed to admit it. That’s what the Hawks want. That’s my point! They get us warmed to these guys and then they treat some of them like dirt. (Um, hello! Need I mention Havlat?) And as a hockey player yourself, Sammy, you should know why that doesn’t feel good. So, please don’t give me this, “It’s not personal it’s business crap.” That just means it’s not personal to you or the organization. It could be very personal to a player getting traded. I saw the hurt look on Wisniewski’s face last year when he got traded. He loved Chicago and he wanted to stay, and we wanted and needed him to stay. The Hawks need those big bodies on ‘D’ and so the last thing they should be doing is trading an effective, big-bodied d-man. But that’s what they did (and then they did it again with Matt Walker) and the Hawks’ ‘D’ has been paying for it ever since. So, yeah, some of these trades are VERY personal to the players and to the fans. (This fan almost stopped watching hockey altogether because of it.) There’s nothing wrong with taking it personally, especially when the trades they make are bad ones that hurt the team. And I’ll say it again, you want to afford these guys, stop keeping the uber underachievers like Soupy, and free up his salary and some cap space for someone, like another up-and-coming Niklas Hjalmarsson,
December 1st, 2009 at 12:12 pm
You gave the me the name, so i thought I’d try it out.
Also, we’re gonna have to get some more readers in here before I can be considered a knuckle-dragging, sexist douchebag.
I’ll see what I can do to get some more publicity for ya…
December 1st, 2009 at 12:42 pm
Thank you for that Sammy! Readers I got. They’re just shy about commenting. I think all this big talk scares some people. It can be daunting for a newbie hockey fan. It certainly was for me.
So, hey, newbie hockey fans, don’t be afraid to ask questions. It’s the only way you’ll learn. It’s how I’m still learning. Seriously, I think it takes years to learn this game. It’s an ongoing process. Nobody comes into this game — playing or watching — knowing everything, so ask away. And I guess I’ll try to be better about defining terms.
Say, Sammy/Goon Squad, can you explain about the “intent to blow” rule again? Bwahahhaa!
http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=212888949&blogId=520533927
December 1st, 2009 at 4:45 pm
Rule 32.2:
“As there is a human factor involved in blowing the whistle to stop play, the Referee may deem the play to be stopped slightly prior to the whistle actually being blown.
The fact that the puck may come loose or cross the goal line prior to the sound of the whistle has no bearing if the Referee has ruled that the play had been stopped prior to this happening.”
December 3rd, 2009 at 12:13 pm
Versteeg is a good player, and he does some things that no other player in the league can do. Sometimes he simply amazes me. I just don’t like his attitude. He lost me when he had that meltdown during that one game in the playoffs last year where he took back-to-back senseless penalties. I think he had 3 or 4 total for the game. He couldn’t stay composed. Maybe that is a maturity issue which will improve in time. But while everybody and their mother is wondering if Huet can get us through the playoffs, I’m more concerned about Versteeg melting down at critical times again.
December 3rd, 2009 at 1:08 pm
Oh yeah, I remember that. Yeah, Versteeg is a little bit of a pistol isn’t he? In that way, doesn’t he remind you of a little Adam Burish, jr.? Although with Bur you can tell he’s not mad; he’s enjoying himself…lol… Steegy on the other hand I agree can be a bit of a hot-head. Well, like you said hopefully that’s one of those things that even out over time with some maturity.
But who am I to argue against your viewpoint? I think I’m the only person left in Chicago who doesn’t like Patrick Kane. In fact I wish Patrick Kane would get mad once in a while and show some signs of life. Maybe it would improve his game and he would stop letting his opponents harass him into turning the puck over or having to pass off to someone who can take it to the net. He’s doing ok now, but I hope once his contract is announced that he doesn’t turn back into the old Kaner.