Highlights from the Blackhawks Press Conference
It’s official, Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane both signed 5-year contract extensions with the Blackhawks worth $31.5 million each (or $6.3 million a year each). Duncan Keith signed a 13-year, $72-million deal (or $5.5 million a year). At the press conference announcing the deals, Jonathan Toews said “It’s been an incredible ride so far…It doesn’t get any better than playing here in Chicago.” Patrick Kane ribbed Toews adding, “I get to be honored with Captain Serious again too…though it’s actually nice to not be sitting next to him for once…”
Following are comments by Keith, Toews, and Kane, as well as highlights from the Q&A session:
Duncan Keith:
“I was drafted by this team when I was 18 years old. [Playing my whole career here is] what I envisioned when I was first drafted…”
Patrick Kane:
“Once I came to Chicago and played here I couldn’t imagine playing anywhere else.”
Q&A:
Q: Do you think you’ll feel more pressure with your new contracts?
Toews: “It’s part of the game…for us it doesn’t change anything.”
Q: Dunc, when it came up that the deal was going to be 13 years were you shocked?
Keith: “I can’t say how happy I am to sign for a long-term deal like that. It says a lot about what the team thinks of me as a player. 13 years is a long time. I believe in this team…I believe that we’ll win a championship one day.”
Q: Can you talk about how hard it was for the organization to pull this off with the cap?
Kane: “As players we don’t think about that much…but for the organization to get this done at this time…it says a lot about Rocky and Stan and the organization.”
Q: Does this raise the pressure to win the Stanley Cup soon?
Toews: “There’s always going to be some ups and downs…at the end of the day you gotta believe you got every guy in your locker room needed to win…Our first goal is to get to the playoffs and then we go from there…”
Q: Do you have an appreciation for how good you have it right now?
Toews: “There’s no way we can express our thanks…I still feel like a young kid, living the dream and playing in the NHL. To be blessed to live in this city I can’t think of any better place to be drafted to at 18 years old…As far as the fans go, and this city, and the atmosphere we get to play in every day, it’s incredible…”
Q: Do you follow the other teams and do you know that you’re the most successful team in the city?
Toews: “[Chicago] is a great sports city…I’m like everybody else and I just enjoy watching these teams play.”
Keith: “I was here in the first couple of years after the lockout…it’s amazing to see the turnaround…and to see where we’re headed in the future.”
December 3rd, 2009 at 2:49 pm
Alot of discussion can be made about whether ultra-long-term deals are risky or smart or whatever. But in my opinion, if we are going to go the way of long-term deals, these are definitely the right three guys to lockup.
December 3rd, 2009 at 3:00 pm
Wow, I’ve never typed so fast in all my life! Can you get carpal tunnel in your fingers? Ha, ha….
Yes, Cakes, I could not agree more. If/when you bet on the right horse, these long-term deals are a great way to beat the cap and save some money…at least in the long-run.
December 3rd, 2009 at 3:23 pm
I ’stole’ this from ya and put it up on some FOX Sports thing.
Don’t worry, I included your link…
…cuz I’m a nice guy and all that crap.
December 3rd, 2009 at 3:31 pm
Thanks, dude. Almost makes breaking my fingers worthwhile…Lol…
Hey, where’s your blog piece today? You can’t hear it, but I’m drumming my broken fingers and waiting patiently….ahem… ;)
December 3rd, 2009 at 3:44 pm
I’m still suffering from the aftermath of Cry Me A River.
I can’t say with 100 % certainty who they were, (I’m assuming Pens fans), but I lost 9 friends after that posting.
It’s funny when you call Cindy Crosby a cry baby, and then his fans start crying about it.
Go figure.
I do have some good news though.
Go check this out.
Your old ass friend is moving up in the world…
December 3rd, 2009 at 4:09 pm
Wow! If I’m as snarky and ill-tempered as you can I also aspire to a higher blog rank? Bwahaha!
Yeah, well it wasn’t real smart to pick on Sid the Kid. That’s almost as bad as picking on Patrick Kane (except somewhere, deep down, I think people know my criticisms of him are apt.) At least Sid the Kid can take it. His fans? Not so much.
Didn’t you rip Evgeni Malkin a new one too? Gee, are you trying to be unpopular? I warned you about not eating those paint chips!
December 3rd, 2009 at 4:12 pm
I’m seriously giddy over that press conference. Getting Tazer and Dunc for another 5 and 13 years respectively is like a little bit of hockey heaven.
No seriously, I had nightmares all last night about this press conference because I know that the ax is going to fall on someone’s head here before too long. And sadly, it’s never who you think should go.
December 3rd, 2009 at 5:07 pm
What?
You have a problem with my blog ranking?
Or is it WHERE I’m ranked?
Whatever. At least my shit is getting read!
Should I stop advertising for you and just work on getting my own writing recognized more?
Mhm. It’s time to shut it, Your Highness.
By the way, I didn’t pick on Kid Cry Baby this time.
Actually I wasn’t even picking on Malkin. I was just pointing out the facts that he too, a super star, was guilty of cheap shots and always got away with it.
By the way, I put up a new blog.
It’s short and sweet, but good enough for now.
If you can’t see it there, it’s on my MySpace page as well.
December 3rd, 2009 at 5:37 pm
No, I have no problem with your blog ranking. Now who’s not paying attention? I think you deserve it. I just wondered if you had to be a snark to get ranked so high. People love controversy.
And yes, I think you should scale back a little of the promotion you do for me, though it’s greatly appreciated, and focus on yourself. Your blog is just as good as mine and I miss it when you don’t write. Now what do you have to say your goonship?
And yeah, I know what you said about Sid and Geno. But what you say and what people hear is not always the same thing. I could easily see Pens fans taking offense to any harsh word said about Sid the Kid or Geno, not that you didn’t have valid points because you did.
That’s what I like about Hawks fans. When one of our guys does something stupid like deliver a cheap shot or a dirty hit, we don’t sugar coat that. In fact from Hawks fans is probably where those Hawks players will get the worst of it. I’d like to think we are able to look at those kinds of things objectively. (For instance, how many times have I directly scolded Dustin Byfuglien for taking repeated cheap shots on goalies? It’s selfish, because it serves no purpose, and it hurts the team.) Plus, as the season wears on, the Pens fans aren’t as able to bask in the glow of the cup as they were several months ago and so they’re going to get more territorial about stuff.
December 3rd, 2009 at 6:19 pm
I have no clue what you’re talking about concerning Buff plowing into goalies.
All I know is that he doesn’t have that fire he had in the playoffs last season.
Who knows. Maybe he only has so much to give and he saves it for the post season.
At least it comes out when absolutely needed.
By the way, where the hell did you get ’snark’ from?
That’s a new one to me.
But, I don’t know anything about netminder harassmant on Buff’s part.
I’ll keep blowing up your site. I don’t mind at all.
I really like it and think you’re kicking ass over here.
Plus I’d love to talk shit with more fellow fans.
As for Buff, I’ve never seen him take cheap shots a goalies, so you’re on your own there…
December 3rd, 2009 at 6:34 pm
“Snark” is British slang for “snide.”
Are you blind? How have you missed Byfuglien’s run-ins with Roberto Luongo? That’s “run-ins” as in plural. The Canucks are inevitably scrapping with Buff in almost every game because they know Buff instigates with goalies.
And how did you miss Buff’s tangling with Duck’s goal-tender Jean-Sebastien Giguere in the Nov. 27th game? Byfuglien had an accidental collision with James Wisniewski wherein he tripped and took out Giguere. Then Byfuglien was hit with an interference on a goal keeper penalty even though Giguere took a big swing at Byfuglien. When Buff was done in the sin bin, he came out almost directly and put some snow in Giguere’s face. As a result, James Wisniewski went at Big Buff in a slight scrap. I do believe Buff has something of a reputation as being a goal-tender agitator.
What? Am I the only one who catches these things???
December 3rd, 2009 at 7:05 pm
I know not of these incidents to which you refer…..
December 3rd, 2009 at 8:39 pm
Buff is an instigator with opposing goalies, for sure. He is quickly gainly that reputation. The problem is that he refuses to fight anyone. He loves to start stuff, but won’t finish it. That’s my biggest issue with Byfuglien. He should be an enforcer. He is built like one, and he instigates, but that’s as far as it ever gets with him. Unfortunately, HE believes he is “skill” player, like Kane or Toews. He is not. He has no special “skills”. Hell, he can barely skate as far as I’m concerned. HE thinks he is entitled to be in the same category as other “skill” players and that his teammates should come to his defense when he gets roughed up.
HE IS THE BIGGEST BODY ON THE TEAM! He belongs parked in front of the net screening the opposing netminder. And when he isn’t doing that, he needs to be our biggest and baddest enforcer. Nothing else. He is not a skill player who needs to be protected. Someone needs to get this through his thick skull.
December 3rd, 2009 at 9:03 pm
Thank you Cakes! Exactly. You’re so right…about all of that.
Yes, Buff absolutely should be screening with that big body. And if he isn’t going to be enforcer, then he needs to stop trash talking and cheap shotting the opposing goal-tender. Like I said, it’s just selfish. It leaves the Hawks a man short with the penalties and is just unnecessary. And yes, I’ve been saying for a while that Buff’s bad skating has cost us. In one instance in particular, I forget who the Hawks were playing, Buff went chasing after someone on the breakaway, tripped, and as a result did not get there in time and the opponent scored on Huet. Stuff like that.
The truth is, I’m not really certain exactly what Buff’s good at, but he needs to shut his mouth and stop with the goal-tender instigating. It’s a wussy move. And I don’t blame Giguere or Wiz one bit for taking a swing at Buff. He deserved it. I think he deserves it a lot.
December 4th, 2009 at 11:39 am
He deserves praise from us fans, not ill wishes and cheap shots from the goalies.
There isn’t anyone else on the team capable of doing what he does in front of the oppositions net.
I appreciate what he does in the crease, being that I have been on both sides of the fence in these situations.
Cut him a break here. He’s still learning his ‘new role’.
Homer in Detroit has it down to a science, but it took him years to do it and he had to endure a ton of abuse.
Buff is much bigger, harder to move and less likely to be intimidated, plus he’s capable of knocking someone out if they were to get outta hand while he’s performing his duties.
The extra shit talking may need to be worked on a little, and perhaps his timing when it comes to putting on the brakes, but he’ll get there in due time.
Just try to be patient.
Who knows, maybe this ain’t the job for him, maybe it is, but until they can find someone else to do it, it’s our job as his fans to be supportive while they figure these things out.
Ask yourselves this: would you rather he was doing this FOR us, or AGAINST us?
December 4th, 2009 at 12:49 pm
I think you misunderstand. Most of this is constructive criticism. Hopefully we haven’t said anything about Buff that his coaches haven’t also said. The rest, what you perceive as “ill wishes,” is frustration, at least on my part. As I said, he has cost his team and because we love the team he should be called out for his actions. That’s why I’m frustrated with him. As I’ve said twice now, his trash-talking the goalies is selfish because it serves no other purpose than to make him to feel better, like a personal vendetta. In the games he chose to do that in, the team could not afford the resulting penalties.
And as for finding his role, yes, hopefully he will in time. If not, well, you know what will happen. Funny how when I say the same thing about Brian Campbell, nobody argues with me. But say that about someone people like, even when it’s an apt criticism, and people get upset. Well, wasn’t it you who said this is a business? In a business, how long do you allow poor performance to continue? I have my favorite players too and it hurts to see them go if/when they do (ask me again about Matt Walker), but even given that, I would never argue against being critical of an ongoing poor performer.
Cakes was kind of trying to say this too I think. Being an enforcer — if that’s what Buff was trying to do, and I don’t think that was what he was trying to do — takes some finesse. We all love Adam Burish so much because he’s brilliant at it. He knows when to hold ‘em, knows when to fold ‘em, knows when to instigate, and knows when to skate away. Buff isn’t doing that. And as Cakes also mentioned, Buff isn’t even dropping the gloves. And even that would be excusable if he was instigating with the goal-tender because he wanted to start a fight to light a fire under the team. Since he doesn’t go on to drop the gloves and fight, he can’t even be credited with being a cheerleader for his team. So, I stand by my original thinking on Buff and my original criticisms. But try to remember, they’re constructive criticisms. I think Cakes would agree that we want Buff to get better; we’re not just randomly criticizing Buff because we’re bored or we like to argue. Buff needs to improve, and we’re no different than the coaches in the sense that we want him to knock off the behavior that is hurting the team.
December 4th, 2009 at 4:55 pm
So, do you think that Buff kept these antics up AGAINST coach Q’s wishes?
C’mon now.
He’s being encouraged to refine his new found talent, and like you said, it takes some time to do.
Until Bur gets his ass back in the line up, Buff is the chosen one.
Did you two stop to think that maybe while he is working on this new position that maybe he doesn’t have the mental capacity to add his other talents and responsibilities in?
I’m gonna lay my trust in the coach and assume that he knows what he’s doing.
Who the hell am I to second guess him?
And who is Buff gonna drop the gloves with?
The chumps don’t seem to fuck around when he’s on the ice, and if he goes out of his way to get at someone, that bullshit instigator rule comes into play and the team gets double the punishment.
I’ll take his average 6 minutes in the box per game, (rough guess) over a 10 minute misconduct or possibly a suspension because he started a fight that wasn’t needed.
Until someone is willing to approach him in that manner, I think he should keep on with what he’s doing.
Maybe you could even go so far as to think that he’s made our PK stronger from it. (wishful thinking, I know)
Look at it this way, if he’s gotten OUR attention for it, just imagine the focus the opposing teams are gonna have on him…
December 4th, 2009 at 5:25 pm
Well said. He essentially looks like an insecure bully out there, willing to pick on people and push them around until they have had enough and start to push back, then he backs off and looks for help from teammates. Maybe that is why he is so often seen taking cheap shots at goalies?? … He knows a goaltender isn’t going to drop the gloves. He looks all bold and confident when he roughs up a goalie, but as soon as 2 or 3 guys come to their goalies defense, he looks terrified and from what I have witnessed, he can’t even look his opposition in the face when they get in his. He’s looking up or down or away…regardless, he looks terrified, and should be.
His role on the team needs to be clearly defined to him by the coaching staff, and then he needs to fulfill that role. Right now he just seems to be “out there”.
December 4th, 2009 at 6:32 pm
Coach Q is reputed for his hands-off style so he may not get too involved in that kind of stuff. However, since Buff has agitated goalies now several times, perhaps he has been pulled aside and talked to about it. If he hasn’t been, he should be. After all, what is the strategic benefit of instigating with the goalie? In the Canucks and Ducks game, his agitating did not help the team win and in fact was a detriment thanks to the penalties.
Colin Fraser and Ben Eager are our enforcers, and occasionally Troy Brouwer, not Buff for all the reasons Cakes and I mentioned. So again, what Buff is doing is self-serving. His time in the box doesn’t help the team. And are you seriously arguing that it’s good for Buff to commit penalties so the penalty-kill unit can get some practice? Really??
Again, what strategic purpose does Buff face-washing a goalie serve???
December 4th, 2009 at 8:10 pm
What works on some may not work on others.
He’s gotta test the waters and find his limits in those situations. That is essentially the only way to know for sure.
Right?
Do you honestly think the coach is so hands off that he has no control over what his team is doing on the ice? Really?
And I’m not saying that he is purposely going to the box, but in doing so, it has helped the special teams, has it not?
Remember all of those short handed goals we got a few games ago?
Practice makes perfect.
Now remember, Pickles, I was the first to point out Buff’s lack of participation and lagging production.
Now that I’ve seen his new style of antics, I understand it all better.
I played the game long enough to know when a new assignment has been handed out to someone, and this is obviously the case here.
Who knows, this may have been sent down from the top to give the illusion that Buff has more depth for ’shopping’ reasons…
December 4th, 2009 at 8:35 pm
Wow, you assign much more pre-meditation than I think actually exists in Buff’s brain (or Q’s for that matter). Like I said, I see no strategic advantage to agitating the opposing net-minder.
December 4th, 2009 at 9:49 pm
Ok, and the 3rd period of tonight’s Hawks/Preds game illustrates what I, and I think Cakes, was trying to say. Buff loses his stick and charges a Pred, hitting him from behind on the boards. DIRTY HIT, and the resulting boarding call, and rightly so. So, down by one, should Buff have done such a stupid thing? Nope. It served no purpose and it hurt the team.
December 4th, 2009 at 11:36 pm
Chalk it all up to live and learn.
If Buff wasn’t in the box, it would have been someone else.
There are 19 other guys on the team that are capable of scoring ya know…