Kukla's Korner Hockey
Entries with the tag: niklas hjalmarsson
Hawks-Sabres Hype Was More Bark And Less Bite
by @DaveDavisHockey on 10/17/10 at 12:47 PM ET
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You have to wonder if all of the pundits who trashed Colin Campbell for allowing the suspension of Niklas Hjalmarsson to end in time for the Blackhawks-Sabres rematch are feeling a little silly right now.
The Sabres went into Chicago last night and concentrated more on playing hockey and less on exacting revenge. So much less that they even took a flyer on engaging Hjalmarsson in the typical obligatory early first period now-this-will-settle-things fight. Patrick Kaleta was credited with two hits, and there were no fighting majors in the game, which Chicago won 4-3.
This turn of events comes as no surprise to the many wise hockey fans who have seen these situations too many times before. For all of the hype that precluded the rematch, this game had all the makings of - well, just another hockey game.
For starters, Campbell had sent out a warning to Kaleta and his teammates that the Wheel of Discipline was still in service and that he wouldn’t be afraid to spin it harder. And second, it’s no secret around the league that the Sabres collectively just don’t have the personality for such ugly fisticuff-filled affairs.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Buffalo Sabres, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: buffalo+sabres,
chicago+blackhawks,
colin+campbell,
niklas+hjalmarsson,
patrick+kaleta
Will The Sabres Deliver A Message Tonight?
by Paul on 10/16/10 at 11:49 AM ET
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from KK member SMWilliams,
No other sport polices its’ own the way that hockey does, and in an age of toothless rounding error fines to millionaires and notes to go to the commissioner’s office for a hearty scolding, it’s nice to see a sport that offers a real deterrent. If war can be seen as the ultimate failure of politics and negotiation, then maybe a black eye and busted lip will make one think the next time they plow into somebody’s back, mash their face against the glass and play coin-flip with their career.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Buffalo Sabres, Chicago Blackhawks, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: jason+pominville,
niklas+hjalmarsson
Sticks and Stones (and Hits from Behind) May Break My Bones but Words (and Gestures) Won’t Hurt Me
by Jon Jordan on 10/13/10 at 01:26 PM ET
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I’m a little late to the party on this topic, though I’ve shared a thought or two on Twitter this week, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t at least offer some extended opinion on the recent suspensions handed out to James Wisniewski of the New York Islanders and Chicago’s Niklas Hjalmarsson.
Wisniewski, of course, was banned for a pair of games for making what the NHL dubbed an “inappropriate gesture” directed toward Rangers forward Sean Avery, while Hjalmarsson got the same sentence for a dangerous, blind side hit on Buffalo’s Jason Pominville.
Pominville was concussed on the play and there is said to be no time table for his return to the Sabres lineup. Avery – go figure, be he the perpetrator or the “victim”, involved in yet another incident – suffered, perhaps, some shame and hurt feelings because of Wisniewski’s gesture. But he’s a big boy. He’s over it already, I’m sure.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Buffalo Sabres, Chicago Blackhawks, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, NHL Talk, Cheap Hits, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: james+wisniewski,
jason+pominville,
niklas+hjalmarsson,
sean+avery
Take Your Shot Buffalo
by Paul on 10/13/10 at 10:32 AM ET
Comments (3)
from Mike Harrington of Sabres Edge,
Did anyone in the league office check the schedule? Hjalmarsson sits two games, so when does he get back? Saturday night in the United Center. Against the Sabres. So is the league giving Buffalo carte blanche to create mayhem in retaliation? Doubt it. Patrick Kaleta already threatened some after practice Tuesday. But if he does something, he’s not getting two games. Book it. Stinks of the warning system in baseball: You hit my guy, you get a warning, I hit yours and I get ejected and suspended.
The Sabres and Hawks won’t play for at least another year, perhaps longer. You make it a three-game ban and you basically cut way back on the mayhem potential Saturday.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Buffalo Sabres, Chicago Blackhawks, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: niklas+hjalmarsson
It’s A Two Game Suspension Day As Hjalmarsson Gets Two Too
by Paul on 10/12/10 at 08:27 PM ET
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via Bob McKenzie tweet,
Two game suspension for Nik Hjalmarsson.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Chicago Blackhawks, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: niklas+hjalmarsson
Big Hits, Big Misses, and Bad Coverage
by @DaveDavisHockey on 10/12/10 at 01:07 PM ET
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Some Sabres musings compiled while looking at 29 different angles of the big hit last night, and wondering what they really put in those shoulder pads…
• With an extended absence from Jason Pominville likely, courtesy of Chicago defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson, the opportunity is there for Nathan Gerbe to cement his place in the starting lineup. But with the way Portland Pirates (AHL) forward Luke Adam is playing, it might need to happen sooner for Gerbe rather than later. There is already talk of Portland commandeering an AHL Rookie of the Year three-peat. Gerbe and Tyler Ennis have won the award the past two seasons.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Buffalo Sabres, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: buffalo+sabres,
jason+pominville,
niklas+hjalmarsson,
patrick+lalime,
thomas+vanek,
tyler+myers
Pominville Taken Off On A Stretcher
by Paul on 10/11/10 at 09:41 PM ET
Comments (20)
via Chris Kuc tweet,
Sabres’ Jason Pominville is down on the ice and a stretcher is out after a crunching (and illegal) hit by #Blackhawks’ Niklas Hjalmarsson.
I just saw the replay and Pominville was slammed into the boards, almost from behind. He hit his head against the glass with a big impact. Hjalmarsson got five and a game.
update 7:51pm, video added… You will see the hit at the start of the video, then a replay near the end.
added 8:17pm, Chicago broadcast point of view can be watched below…
update 8:58pm, Concussion for Pominville, he was treated and diagnosed at the arena.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Buffalo Sabres, Chicago Blackhawks, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: jason+pominville,
niklas+hjalmarsson
Who Knew John Denver Was Popular In Sweden
by Paul on 08/10/10 at 02:41 PM ET
Comments (2)
from Risto Pakarinen at NHL.com,
It takes a village to put together a Cup fest.
“Country roads / take me home / to the place / I belong…”
The day started at a country road, and it ended fittingly with Niklas Hjalmarsson singing John Denver’s “Country Roads.” But in the young Swede’s case, those roads were not West Virginia, but the heart of Smaland—“small lands”—in the heart of Sweden.
Before the Cup got back into its travel case, on its way to Antti Niemi, Hjalmarsson gave it a whirlwind tour of places and emotions.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Chicago Blackhawks, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: niklas+hjalmarsson
Chicago Will Match Offer Sheet For Hjalmarsson
by Paul on 07/12/10 at 04:56 PM ET
Comments (47)
via NHL Blackhawks tweet,
Breaking news: Blackhawks WILL match San Jose’s offer sheet for Hjalmarsson.
added 3:54pm, GM Stan Bowman talks about matching the offer sheet. Watch the video below…
Filed in: NHL Teams, Chicago Blackhawks, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: niklas+hjalmarsson
What Will Chicago Do With The Hjalmarsson Offer Sheet?
by Paul on 07/12/10 at 10:36 AM ET
Comments (8)
from Tim Sassone of the Chicago Daily-Herald,
The question remains: Do the Hawks have enough cap space to match the offer sheet for Hjalmarsson and sign restricted free-agent goalie Antti Niemi and enough players to fill out a roster?
It would seem as if Hjalmarsson is someone the Hawks can’t let go, a 23-year-old defenseman with a huge upside. Bowman himself recently said the Hawks’ defense, meaning Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, Brian Campbell and Hjalmarsson, was the strength of the team.
Niemi has filed for arbitration and his contract demands could be more than what the Hawks believe are reasonable for someone with one year of NHL experience, even though he won the Stanley Cup.
It’s possible the Hawks will let Niemi go to his arbitration hearing and hope for a favorable reward.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Chicago Blackhawks, San Jose Sharks, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: niklas+hjalmarsson
Blackhawks May Be Faced With A Tough Decision
by Paul on 07/09/10 at 09:28 PM ET
Comments (2)
from Chris Kuc of the Chicago Tribune at Chicago Breaking Sports,
The Blackhawks’ salary cap difficulties took another hit Friday, as the San Jose Sharks signed defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson to a four-year, $14 million offer sheet.
The Hawks have seven days to match the offer of $3.5 million per season but with negotiations continuing with fellow restricted free agent goaltender Antti Niemi, the team may have to choose between two players who helped them capture their first Stanley Cup since 1961.
“It always comes as a surprise when you get an offer like that, especially from a team such as San Jose,” said Kevin Epp, Hjlamarsson’s agent. “It’s a great opportunity. I’m sure we’ll still talk to Chicago. They do have seven days to match. At this point we haven’t spoken with them in regards to the offer sheet.”
Filed in: NHL Teams, Chicago Blackhawks, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: niklas+hjalmarsson
Report- First Offer Sheet Of The Year
by Paul on 07/09/10 at 02:41 PM ET
Comments (18)
via Bob McKenzie tweet,
I am not working, but I can tell you TSN’s Gord Miller reports San Jose has signed Niklas Hjalmarsson to a four-year, $14M offer sheet.
added 1:14pm, from NHL.com,
“We feel Niklas is a top-three defenseman in the National Hockey League,” Sharks Executive Vice President and General Manager Doug Wilson said. “We saw his abilities first-hand in the playoffs last season and he was an important piece of a Stanley Cup-winning team. He is a solid player that would be a good fit on our team now and in the future.”
Filed in: NHL Teams, Chicago Blackhawks, San Jose Sharks, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: niklas+hjalmarsson
