As far as the winning the last stretch of games; it was an unimpressive four game win streak. The Hawks played some of their worse hockey of the season recently. Without the benefit of successful shootouts they could easily have been 1-5 over the last six games. The Hawks only won one time in regulation during that span. 

Coach Joel Quenneville appears to be testing the endurance of Antti Niemi, which makes sense. Once returning from hiatus it will be all business for Q.’s troops as he will have to determine who will be his playoff goal tender. Niemi hasn’t endured the rigors of a full NHL schedule not to mention the playoffs. 

Quenneville has his work cut out because he still also needs to settle on set line combinations. Since the return of Dave Bolland, Q. has shuffled things around more than usual. One thing is certain some Hawk players have looked anything but great. 

Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews have been the best Blackhawks….. Period. 

After being reunited with Patrick Sharp, they have become a powerful trio. If I was coaching, those three would always stay together. Stan Bowman could be trying to find a way so that line can stay intact next season as well. 

Except for those three, none of the top players have been consistently good. 

It is difficult to criticize Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook. 

But since being named to the Canadian Olympic team they have played their worse stretch of games in two years. On some nights they still have been very good but their consistency has fallen off. They have been guilty of many turnovers and missed assignments. 

It is the dog days of the season, combined with the compressed schedule due to the Olympics and it is no wonder why some players look fatigued. Whichever franchise benefits by getting their Olympic players back in the best shape will have an edge. Right now it is anyone’s guess as to how the Olympics will affect the star players. 

The top clubs find a way to win when they are not at their best and so far the same can be said about the Hawks. 

Some believe Stan Bowman fleeced the Minnesota Wild in the Cam Barker trade. That’s a bit extreme. But if Nick Leddy can become a top four defender someday, Bowman was very successful. 

Barker was not top four material here with the emergence Of Niklas Hjalmarsson.

Kim Johnsson is better defensively than Barker so the Hawks improved for this season. Depending on what the future holds they may have acquired a very good asset in young Leddy.

The Wild are happy they acquired a young defenseman and won’t have to worry about contract negotiations with Barker for a couple of years. 

Trade Chatter 

There was a Blackhawk trade rumor mentioned during Monday’s Afternoon Saloon radio show on AM 1000. 

As the story goes Cristobal Huet and Corey Crawford would be included in a trade for a power forward and another goalie. No potential trade partners or particular players were specified, although it was thought serious negotiations were going on. 

The rumor was bolstered because Huet did not start on Sunday as Niemi played in back to back games, actually his fourth start in a row. The thinking being the Hawks front office wanted to make sure Huet would not get injured. 

Although it is unlikely the Hawks would be able to trade Huet before the deadline it isn’t impossible. But….. 

When was the last time a team with the lowest GAA in their conference traded their starting goalie before the trade deadline? 

If someone has an answer besides never, please let me know. 

Even if Niemi is considered the starter at this point, it would be a gutsy move on the part of  Bowman to tamper with his goal tending duo. If the move fails Bowman would be accused of trying to fix what wasn’t broken. 

The Florida Panther ownership has finally come clean and informed season ticket holders they may have chosen the wrong players in the past. Ownership sent a letter out basically stating there would be changes. So all eyes are focused on the Panthers for potential trades before the deadline. 

If Huet could be traded without taking back a big long term contract in return, Bowman would have to listen. He would be interested in hearing different scenarios. A trade of Huet is more likley in the summer but sometimes those deals are worked on far in advance.

Actually Florida’s goalie Tomas Vokoun and UFA defender Dennis Seidenberg would be great additions to the Hawks. Acquiring a power forward from Florida is more unlikely unless part of a much bigger trade. Their young forwards, like Nathan Horton, have larger contracts and have been inconsistent. Horton’s work ethic always seems to be in question. 

The problem in trading Vokoun could involve his no trade clause as he could look for a contract extension before agreeing to a deal. Even without an extension Vokoun’s cap hit of $5.7 million is slightly larger than Huet’s although his contract runs only through next year. 

Here’s what I believe to have been the case. 

Stan Bowman was in negotiations with the Ducks to acquire James Wisniewski but Bob Murray wouldn’t agree to everything Bowman wanted. The Hawks would have dealt Barker but they needed another player back besides Wisniewski so the deal never happened. I heard the same story from two people who are in the know. 

Bowman wound up with a player he could use now and possibly a valuable prospect. Besides Wisniewski, Bowman wanted a third or fouth line young energy type player from the Ducks.  They said no and the deal never happened. Maybe the Ducks and Hawks will revisit some trade scenarios in the next couple of weeks. 

It is my belief the Hawks will find someone to bolster their bottom six forwards and acquire a physical player with some skill. The reason Chicago defeated Vancouver in last year’s playoffs was because of their fourth line. Bowman will look to strengthen his group of bottom six forwards before the deadline. 

Players like Ethan Moreau and Colby Armstrong have experience and the grit the Hawks could use. Both have expiring contracts and should be available. 

Chicago still needs another defenseman. 

Jordan Hendry has played really well, but if two defensemen were to get injured at the same time the Hawks would be in deep trouble. It could happen, just ask a Calgary Flames fan. There is no one in Rockford that can do the job of Hendry. So the Hawks would be vulnerable. 

My thinking is Bowman will acquire a big defenseman that can skate. The Leafs Garnet Exleby has been mentioned here a few times and could provide a physical presence. The Panthers Seidenberg is a strong shot blocker and might be on Bowman’s radar. 

Hawks fans want to dwell on the goal keeping as being the Hawks soft spot. Quenneville has done an outstanding job of not giving fans or the media any more reason to fuel a goal tending controversy. He has consistently implied Huet is number one. 

That may have been the case, but March will be the time when all bets will be placed on the starter for the playoffs. Even if Huet is named the playoff starter Niemi will be waiting in the wings.

Quenneville won’t hesitate to make a change and by that time Niemi will be tested and as ready as he could be.

Concerns 

What has developed into a problem for the Blackhawks is certain players have fallen off and haven’t performed as well as was hoped. Not only recently but for the majority of the season. 

Quenneville has shown a great deal of patience with some but it won’t be the case moving forward. 

Kris Versteeg is looking like a round peg trying to fit into a square hole. He is creative and skillful. But he still lacks the finish and strength to be a top goal scorer. Versteeg needs to play with skillful mates and he isn’t good enough to be a top six forward here. 

Maybe Versteeg can become more responsible defensively and find a spot on the Bolland- Hossa line. There are reasons he hasn’t been used in that role as of yet, but maybe he will get a shot. Otherwise Versteeg like Barker might be better off elsewhere.

Tomas Kopecky hasn’t been an effective as a fourth line player. Quenneville has tried to jump start him by allowing him to play alongside Hossa. He doesn’t seem to fit in there either. 

Kopecky hasn’t had more than a handful of quality efforts all season. His unsportsmanlike penalty for snow showering the goalie last week says it all about his time with the Hawks. He has been a real disappointment. 

Another player that can’t string together quality efforts is Dustin Byfuglien. The big guy can be a force but has limited ability. He needs to go north and south and be physical for the entire game. He shows only flashes of dominance. 

Byfuglien still has trouble setting screens, which should be his strength. I don’t think he will survive the whole summer as a Blackhawk by just having a good performance in the playoff. Byfuglien has to get it going now and prove he can bring a top effort each game for every shift. If he could the Hawks would have a stud, as of now he is expendable. 

Top players like Kane and Toews have a handful of shifts in each contest when they aren’t very noticeable. 

Byfuglien, Kopecky and Versteeg only have a few shifts each game when they appear to be playing at a high level. 

This won’t be the last time I will write this… 

By the end of the playoffs it will be obvious in most cases which Blackhawks will be traded over the summer to create salary cap space. 

Al’s Shots

The link below is for anyone wishing to donate for breast cancer research. For additional info please visit the HockeeNight.com website.

http://chicagoland.info-komen.org/site/TR/Events/HIL_ChicagolandAreaAffiliate?pxfid=124650&fr_id=1750&pg=fund

blackhawkswin@comcast.net

As is almost always the case the Wild were not mentioned as trade partners with the Blackhawks until the transaction was about to be announced. According to Hawks general manager Stan Bowman, the deal had been in the works for a few weeks. 

Anyone who has watched closely realized Cam Barker was in a dead end spot with the Hawks. 

Once Hossa was signed last summer and the “big three” were inked to hefty contract extensions it was obvious salary cap space would have to be created. Barker was not worth having on the team considering his $3 million salary and his 11-13 minutes of ice time each game. 

Minnesota acquired Barker to fill a need today and for the next two seasons. 

Barker can now develop by playing 20 minutes each game and will accumulate points and help steer the Wild power play. He is a younger, cheaper replacement for Kim Johnsson, who is a higher priced unrestricted free agent. The Wild acted early and will benefit from Barker’s services. 

Although a number three over all draft pick is hoped to become a first unit player that was not in the cards for Barker and the Hawks. The Campbell signing along with the development of Hjalmarsson left Barker as the odd man out on the Chicago blueline. 

This trade is almost the exact footprint the Hawks will follow from now until the start of next season. They will trade proven NHL players in return for draft picks and or solid prospects. Bowman will create cap space and build toward the future. 

From now until the NHL draft it will be a test of the ability of the Hawks scouts and front office. 

When the real trade frenzy starts, following the playoffs and before the draft Bowman will have his pick of potential trade partners. There is still a strong appetite around the NHL for young proven players which earn $3-$4 million a season. By trading Barker Bowman was not only interested in dumping salary. 

The Hawks acquired Kim Johnsson who is better defensively than Barker. He will only be here for the rest of the season because he is a UFA. The Blackhawks have to reshape their roster and a main way to cut cost will be in the third pairing defenders. 

Johnsson can be used on the penalty kill and will help lessen the load for all Blackhawk defenders. Quenneville can rely on Johnsson’s defensive ability more so than Barker’s. In this way Keith, Seabrook and others can catch a breather and save their energy for a long playoff run. 

Bowman already started next year’s mission because Barker’s $3 million dollar salary cap hit will turn into Jordan Hendry or another player who earns less than $1 million. The young Hawks GM will continue to trade away those with bigger cap hits and accumulate draft picks and prospects from the highest bidding teams. 

The key to the Hawks trade of Barker, according to Bowman, was the acquisition of the number 16 overall pick in the 2009 NHL entry draft, Nick Leddy. 

Bowman mentioned the Hawks wanted to draft the young defenseman but couldn’t because they weren’t able to trade up. The Wild did what many franchises shy away from and that is to draft a hometown hero. 

Minnesota is the biggest hickey state in the US and Leddy was named the 2009 winner of the Mr. Hockey award given to the top high school senior. He led the Eden Prairie Eagles to their first ever Class 2A State Championship.  The game was played at the Xcel Center in front of 15,000 fans. 

I specifically remember when Leddy was drafted. It could have been a cute story, a local kid becoming a NHL star in his home state. 

The commentators on draft day were a little surprised Leddy went as soon as he did because there were others prospects projected ahead of him. After all he was a high school kid who declined to play in the US National Development program. Sometimes going that route could cause some teams to shy away on draft day. 

In a draft loaded with top defensive prospects Leddy was the seventh defenseman chosen in the first round. Maybe Minnesota felt some pressure to take their local hero but you know he was heavily scouted. Word over the Internet is the Wild weren’t happy with Leddy’s progress at the University of Minnesota. 

It is not wise to give up on college freshman, but possibly the Wild did. Then again they may have chosen to fill a current need and paid the price that Bowman wanted. 

It’s too early to give up on Leddy and probably in some ways the same can be said about Barker. He doesn’t appear to have the foot speed and quickness to be a top unit defender. But Barker can still be a solid contributor for many years to come. 

Minnesota fans will realize soon Barker has an accurate, heavy shot. He finds the target often plus has the hands and vision to thread some nice passes through the box. Barker was the odd man out in Chicago but the Wild made a nice acquisition. He will help their power play. 

Hopefully this trade works for both organizations. Barker can at least breathe a sigh of relief and get comfortable with his new team. He knew down deep he wouldn’t complete his three year contract with Chicago.

This weekend…. 

Joel Quenneville gave the Olympians a day off from practice as he realizes their added upcoming work load. Now the Hawks will have to focus on two weekend games, which they need to win. 

Available points versus Atlanta and Columbus shouldn’t be squandered. 

It will be more difficult for everyone to concentrate especially the Olympians.  The next two contests will be a test for many top players around the league. The Blackhawks want to hit the break on a high note and this weekend’s games provide a great opportunity. 

Al’s Shots 

I would guess Huet and Niemi will split starts over the weekend…But I wouldn’t bet on it. 

The acquisition of Johnsson might signal an end to the Hawks interest in acquiring James Wisniewski. But I wouldn’t bet on that either. 

The Hawks have only one spare defender, Hendry and hopefully that is enough. 

If a rash of injuries on the blueline occur, as happened last year to Calgary…. Trouble, because most likely there isn’t any NHL talent down in Rockford that could fill in. 

Anaheim’s GM Bob Murray will weigh his options. The sellers will be in control this time around. 

Wisz will be wanted by more than one team. If the Hawks could acquire him for the right price they still may. 

The asking price for a spare defenseman from the Maple Leafs might be more to the Hawks liking. 

Bowman could choose to bolster another area. 

A couple of players which will probably be available will face the Hawks in Columbus on Sunday. 

Raffi Torres and Jared Boll would add some grit to the Hawks fourth line and add some experienced depth. There might be an Edmonton Oiler which Bowman could find interesting as they will certainly be sellers. 

The Hawks probably aren’t done although I doubt a big name will be traded off their roster. 

It is also unlikely they make a goal tending acquisition. There really isn’t anyone better available. 

The Montreal situation is up in the air, they may keep both Halak and Price. The asking price for either would be very high. 

The young Hawks GM always holds his cards close to his vest and yesterday indicated he is now happy with his team’s depth. 

We will find out by March 3… how happy. 

blackhawkswin@comcast.net

Cam Barker heads to Minnesota for UFA defenseman Kim Johnsson, and former 2009 first round pick  defenseman Nick Leddy

The Hawks will save slightly over $3 million on Barker’s 2010-2011 salary cap hit. Stan Bowman can comfortably replace Barker with Johnsson and has acquired a  good prospect in Leddy for the future.

 But most NHL teams are not like the Blackhawks. 

In the three previous meetings between San Jose and Chicago the Hawks had the better of the play in every game. Last night it appeared San Jose would steal momentum and seal a victory over the Hawks by dominating the middle frame.  

After the Sharks tied the score early in the third period, it was the Hawks who jumped on the gas pedal and swarmed the Sharks. San Jose was the tentative club for most of the last period. It seemed like they were playing not to lose rather than win. 

If the Blackhawks have a distinct flaw it is they can’t downshift. 

At times if the throttle isn’t wide open flaws begin to surface. San Jose rebounded from a poor opening period and applied pressure throughout the middle frame. Once the game was deadlocked the Blackhawks took over and deserved the extra point received from their overtime win.

 The Hawks aren’t perfect but they combat most of their mistakes in a relentless fashion. 

The Washington Capitals may score the most electrifying goals in the NHL but no team plays a more exciting game than the Blackhawks. 

No doubt the Sharks missed the injured Dan Boyle. In addition, San Jose’s best players were not as strong as their Blackhawk counterparts. 

The Sharks top line was held without a goal and was a minus three on the night. Brouwer, Kane and Toews were all a plus one as they were often matched up against San Jose’s top scoring unit. 

It was nice to see Troy Brouwer rewarded with two goals as he brings a top effort quite often. His game winner was a beautiful shot high over Evgeni Nabokov. The Sharks netminder allowed a questionable goal on Brouwer’s first tally but was very good afterward. 

Thorton, Heatley and Marleau couldn’t ignite the Sharks offense largely because Cristobal Huet was at his best. Except for the second period, total team defense was sharp for Chicago. But in the end this was a victory which can be credited to Huet. It was his best effort in many starts and he couldn’t be faulted on any of the Shark goals. 

Kris Versteeg is a hockey coach’s dream and nightmare. 

He has tremendous talent and is very creative. But until he learns simple is often best he will continue to have sporadic performances. Last night he was forcing some passes and was offside, for no apparent reason a couple of times. Versteeg receives no favors from officials as he is a young player who likes to yap when a call goes against him. 

Versteeg showed last night he can be a force by just doing the basics. 

On Brouwer’s game winner, Versteeg took the center lane and charged straight to the net. Exactly what he should do, and the result was perfect. Versteeg helped screen Nabokov which allowed Brouwer’s shot to find the net. 

Versteeg was held without point last night but he was a plus two for the contest. He did the right thing when it mattered most and that’s a big part of being an effective player. 

The Hawks have played better games this season and I’m sure the same can be said about the Sharks. One has to be impressed with the Hawks determination. They are a dangerous, confident, fearless bunch. 

The Sharks realize the same. 

Al’s Shots 

Joel Quenneville went strength against strength last night and came out on top.

The Hawks 2nd through 4th lines are stronger than the Sharks, so Q. can often win if the top units just offset each other.

Unofficially I had heard Cam Barker missed games recently because of a rib injury. That might be the reason why he has not seen much ice time since his return.  Last night only 10:57 of playing time.

I could make the case he is the least reliable Hawk defenseman and that’s why Sopel and others play more often. 

Barker is a talented offensive defenseman although not a speedy skater. 

He would probably put up much better numbers on a team where he could play top four minutes. 

For that reason Barker could be the player that Stan Bowman will dangle on the trade market. 

I still feel the Hawks need to add depth on the blueline, so if Barker is dealt it could be for another defender. 

Actually the Hawks most likely will want to find another proven NHL defenseman even if Barker stays. 

There isn’t anyone in Rockford that could serve as an eight defenseman for the playoffs. 

Every team will want to pound the Hawks defense because that is the way to slow down their offense. 

Niklas Hjalmarsson and Brent Sopel take a beating every game. 

Bowman will have to find another dman for insurance. 

blackhawkswin@comcast.net

This time Detroit had more big guns back in the lineup and probably deserved a better fate. Both teams were playing their third game in four nights and the older Wings came up with a spirited effort especially in the third period. 

One main factor which can’t be discounted is the game was far more important to the Wings than the Hawks. This effort from Detroit would have beaten most teams and Chicago won the contest only because they had the better goal keeper. 

Antti Niemi was sensational. The Wings know now he is very difficult to beat low.

Detroit still has a potent puck possession attack and a fast transition game to match a solid defensive structure. The Hawks are not in awe of the Wings any longer but they know their place. Until proven otherwise the Red Wings are the team to beat if the Hawks want to advance to the Stanley Cup finals. 

Most Hawks fans would be leery of an opening round playoff matchup against the Red Wings. In many ways I would love to watch a series between the two but it probably is unlikely to happen in the first round. 

If the Blackhawks tend to their knitting they should finish first or second in the Western Conference. The Red Wings have a great chance of making the playoffs and not being in the bottom two slots. 

Injuries are the great equalizer. Brent Sopel suffered an arm injury on Sunday and the severity is not yet known. 

But if neither team is beset by injuries the Wings and Hawks should be able to avoid each other in the opening round. The Wings still have a lot of skill and are too well coached; my feeling is they will safely make the playoffs. 

I have more to say about the screwed up call in the Dallas-Detroit shootout from Saturday afternoon in Al’s Shots. 

Saturday in Columbus 

The Blackhawks started their road trip with a sporadic effort but it led to an entertaining 6-5 victory. 

The Hawks dominated much of the first and third periods and out battled the Blue Jackets in a game which wasn’t well played. For one of the only times this season Cristobal Huet received a lot of goal support from his teammates and he needed it. Huet wasn’t at his best, but neither was Steve Mason. The Columbus goal keeper looked absolutely lost at times. 

The Jackets got into a loose fast paced game with the deeper more skillful Hawks. Not the best idea especially when the Columbus scoring attack is basically only two lines deep. 

In the end it was the Hawks power play which bailed them out. Jonathan Toews scored twice with the man advantage, while Columbus was 0-4 on the power play. 

It was funny to hear the Harlem Globetrotter comparison again by television play by play man Pat Foley on Saturday. As soon as his flattering description of the Hawks skillful play ended the Jackets got back into the game. 

Pinching defenseman with a two goal lead will work at times but the Hawks will have to learn how to adjust. It is fun to watch them play with the throttle wide open but they won’t get away with it against every team.

There are times to gamble, but it isn’t all the time. 

The problem as much as anything else is the Hawks get away with playing the same way with a 3-1 lead as in a 1-1 contest, more often than not. They have enough skill to lose leads and comeback to win. But Joel Quenneville will get the message across before the playoffs begin. 

I have written this many times, but it bears repeating again. Lessons are more difficult to learn when bad consequences aren’t experienced. 

Queeneville will prevent his crew from becoming over confident and he will refine their game tactics. Coach Q. knows there is a fine balance and he realizes they need to understand the same.

Al’s Shots 

Well the Hawks came away with six points in their last three divisional games. They now have a great opportunity to have a very successful road trip. 

The OT period in Sunday’s game was one of the best I have ever watched.

Tuesday’s contest in Ottawa is a trap game. 

The Hawks are coming off three emotional winning efforts and will play a Senators team which is in a playoff battle. Another challenging test… 

Those that want to jump on the Hawks defensemen for some slip ups on Sunday, keep this in mind. 

Cam Barker missed seven games and he played like he was rusty. 

The trio of Barker, Sopel and Jordan Hendry  might comprise the best third pairing in the NHL.   

Before you say no way….What number five or six defenseman would be an upgrade? 

Barker could still be dealt if the right deal came along because the Hawks power play has managed without him.  Plus the fact Hendry has filled in nicely in most games.

So maybe at some point before March a more physical presence will be added. 

Also when facing Detroit one has to remember Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg are two of the better forwards in the world. 

Quick and crafty forwards are able to seal off the back passes when Hawk defenders try to reverse the play in their own zone.  

It doesn’t happen very often because most teams can’t successfully forecheck in the same way as Detroit and a couple of others.  

Those who have read my blogs over the years know I have been critical of the video replay system. 

The technology has improved but the NHL still struggles with consistency. 

The controversy in the Detroit-Dallas game from Saturday involved a shootout and the scattered mission of the NHL war room. It’s time for the league to pick a path and decide what the correct definition for conclusive evidence is for overturning an on ice call.

If there is a disagreement among officials on the ice…Shouldn’t the decision then go to the war room alone?

One thing is certain there wasn’t a clear on ice camera shot which would help decide the dispute.

Now if that disputed goal happened in Sunday’s NBC telecast there might have been a different ruling. During the Hawks-Wings game there was a camera placed in each net. Quite possibly the same camera placement would have led to a conclusive view in Dallas, as an overhead shot is often useless.

There are reasons, mostly monetary as to why in the net cameras are not used all the time.

Additional cameras in each net won’t happen in most regular season games because the cost is too high. Maybe in time they will always be used but that won’t happen for this season.

Overhead cameras are now in every arena. The war room in Toronto can get that same camera shot no matter if it is shown to the TV audience or not.

For now the biggest issue is for the NHL to decide on a consistent manner to solve such disputes.

The mistakes may not happen often but they can be very costly.

In my November 15, 2009 blog I covered the cost factors involved in using net cameras for every game. The blog was written in response to a goal dispute in the November 13, 2009, Hawks-Leafs game.

 “Too Expensive to be Conclusive”

http://hockeyindependent.com/blog/?p=5410

blackhawkswin@comcast.net

The Blackhawks came out of the gate strongly against the Columbus Blue Jackets. They were determined and appeared to be the hungrier club. The result was an end to a two game losing streak and renewed hope their number one goalie is not gong to falter.

Although the Hawks dominated the Jackets early they couldn’t solve Mathieu Garon as he kept his team in the contest. Chicago wasn’t going to be denied but it was Cristobal Huet who really won the game as he posted his fourth shutout of the season.

The Hawks were aggressive and also were too loose in their own zone on a few occasions. Huet came up with many good stops and some were on defensive zone giveaways. His best save was while the Hawks were shorthanded early in the middle frame. Huet sprawled out and made an unbelievable save on a close range Kristian Huselius shot.

If Huet allowed the Jackets to tie the score the game may have turned. He did what all top starting goalies can and that is to make big saves when needed.

Joel Quenneville said it best after the game.

He commented that Huet was in charge…exactly correct.

When Huet is good, he controls his crease and doesn’t over commit. His rebound control was very good last night and he always seemed to follow the puck. He was a difference maker and the Hawks will be difficult to beat when he plays at that level.

The other player which continues to be a huge factor in the team’s success is Duncan Keith.

When I first saw Keith, some four years ago, he physically resembled a light weight high school wrestler. He was cat like quick and slightly built, although pound for pound very strong. Since then he has matured physically and his game has reached another level.

When the Hawks were dull and boring I would watch Keith skate during games to pass the time. His feet were incredibly quick and his main fault was he would move faster than he could think.

Over the years playing on a cellar dweller helped Keith. He was used in every situation and often played against the opposition’s top players. He found a perfect partner in Brent Seabrook and the two have grown into an outstanding defensive pairing. Their on the job training experience over the last few years has paid off.

In the old days I wondered if Keith would ever be able to add to the offense.

He had the physical tools but didn’t display natural instincts when in the offensive zone. With his athletic ability it seemed he could someday be an offensive threat but his shot and decision making would have to improve.

Today Keith displays the skill and confidence to be a big factor in the Hawks offense.

Now he knows when to pass rather than shoot and vice or versa. His shot has gotten much better. With better accuracy and a quick release Keith has become a goal scorer. He was always fun to watch but now his game has expanded to another level.

Keith’s progress in many ways mirrors the improvement of the Blackhawks.

Al’s Shots

The Blue Jackets are ripe for the plucking but still can’t be taken lightly.

The Hawks need to put the hammer down and sweep the two game set with a win Saturday.

I expect the Jackets to play with an edge from the beginning and the Hawks have to be smart and not draw retaliatory penalties.

Last night Jared Boll was running around for awhile.

Boll was looking to stir the pot until Andrew Ladd popped him hard in the second period.  Boll was not heard from again. It was great clean, hard check from Ladd who continues his solid play.

I would expect Huet to start on Saturday and if he wins, maybe Q. rides him Sunday in Detroit.

Chicago leads the NHL with a total of eight shutouts.

Whenever a Blackhawk is out of action for a prolonged period of time, concussion fears rise.

Whispers around indicate Barker could be nursing a rib injury.

That makes sense as he has been skating but hasn’t had contact. He did participate in the pregame warm-up last night.

There were a few Eastern Conferences scouts scheduled to visit the United Center on Thursday night.

Understandable…. as they could have been there to also watch the Blue Jackets.

Columbus management will have to make a decision soon as to if/when they become trade deadline sellers.

I continue to believe the Hawks will eventually acquire at least one additional defenseman.

blackhawkswin@comcastnet

Unfortunately, the Hawks made some early defensive mistakes and took a few bad penalties which helped the determined Ducks. Often mental mistakes which lead to penalties are caused by fatigue. 

For the first time since late November the Blackhawks suffered two consecutive losses. 

Although the Hawks scheduled has been favorably slanted with home games they have just completed a grueling stretch. Including yesterdays loss, the Hawks have played 15 games in 26 days. That run began on December 16, and including the days off for Christmas was a very busy stint. 

When there are so many games packed into a short period of time there really isn’t much time to practice. When a team scores as many goals as the Hawks have recently, sometimes defensive and structural mistakes go unnoticed. This week, starting on Tuesday Joel Quenneville and his staff will get to work and so will his troops. They will have a chance to regroup and get ready for Columbus on Thursday night at the UC.

The Hawks played a bad period in Minnesota which led to an awful shootout loss. On Sunday night Antti Niemi and the Hawks backcheckers had a couple of brain cramps. The team also ran into a sizzling hot goalie which led to a loss to the Ducks. 

It wasn’t a good weekend. 

To put things into perspective… 

The Blackhawks still have the best record in the NHL and have a wide lead in the shot differential category. Including Saturday’s loss the Hawks had the best record in franchise history through 45 games played. During that time the Hawks have captured 73.3% of all possible points, which is the best in the Western Conference and second to only New Jersey. 

Those fun facts are courtesy of the Blackhawks media notes and should stifle anyone from considering falling off the bandwagon just yet. 

After watching many other teams on TV in the last month, my conclusion is the Hawks are one of the best clubs in the NHL, without a doubt. Whether they end up that way remains to be seen. But if they can come out of the next nine games still having the top record in the league, then they are the best team. 

But being an elite club in January doesn’t mean the Blackhawks will be the best come June. 

There are no teams with All-Star lineups, everyone has some holes. Even the defending Stanley Cup champions are in need of a top six forward. 

As far as weaknesses for Chicago, there will always be some cause for concern. 

The goal tending has been great for the most part. But if Cristobal Huet goes cold and Antti Niemi displays his puck handling deficiencies, as was the case at times last night, there would be a problem. If that were to happen management probably couldn’t solve a goal tending dilemma during this season. 

In that case a shorter playoff experience than has been anticipated by Blackhawk fans would likely occur. 

What could be the most pressing need which can be solved by Stan Bowman is the acquisition of another defenseman. 

No matter how anyone feels about Cam Barker, Jordan Hendry and Brent Sopel the fact is they have done a good job in total. But Barker is currently out with an upper body injury and if another blueliner were hurt the Hawks would be caught shorthanded.

Management can’t take that chance for the playoffs.  

No one seems to have a clue of exactly what happened to Marian Hossa, as he is listed as having suffered a lower body injury versus Minnesota.  Coach Q. mentioned he thought Hossa would probably be back on Thursday. That remark most likely means Hossa is not in need of an operation or has a major problem. 

When Quenneville doesn’t comment on a players return, or says they could be out for awhile….trouble. So no news is not necessarily good news, as is the case with Barker. 

The Hawks can’t afford to lose another defenseman. Not to slight anyone playing in Rockford but….Can anyone down there play meaningful minutes in the NHL now? 

Finding another NHL ready defender for the playoffs is something Bowman can accomplish in the near future.

In coming days I will go over some possibilities, but Bowman will have a forward or two he could trade in addition to players from Rockford. 

Jack Skille was in the lineup on Sunday to fill in for Hossa.  Skille was on the ice in his sixth shift when the Ducks scored their second goal. After that he played a total of eight shifts in the next two periods. 

Skille has the strength and hands to play somewhere in the NHL but I continue to doubt if it will be in Chicago. 

Last night would have been a perfect setting for Skille to receive some decent playing time. 

The team could have used a spark and there were some tired bodies on the Hawks bench. But evidently Skille still has some defensive shortcomings. At least that appears to be the case as coach Q. rewarded him with fourth line playing time on a night when Skille should have received second line minutes. 

Maybe Skille’s time in Chicago will come next season. But from where I sit, a player like Bryan Bickell has a better chance of sticking here. Skille’s strong suit is generating offense but as soon as the Hawks got down by two goals he didn’t get many opportunities to help. 

If Stan Bowman doesn’t feel he will get a bang for his buck from Skille, look for the former high draft pick to be elsewhere. It wouldn’t surprise me if he was dealt by the beginning of March. 

For those looking for some possible Blackhawk trade partners…. 

The Maple Leafs may reach a conclusion soon the rest of this season is all about setting up for next year. They are a club with some extra defensemen.

There were only a few scouts scheduled to be at the United Center on Sunday night. Two press box seats were reserved for Toronto scouts. 

Al’s Shots 

I stand corrected. 

It is important to realize although many teams each year try to land a front line player to help them win a Stanley Cup, it seldom happens. 

I had written there were only two times since 1994 first unit players were acquired at the trade deadline and won the Cup. They were Glenn Anderson and Rob Blake. 

I overlooked Billy Guerin from last season and was made aware of my mistake by a reader named Dylan….Thank you. 

After checking with XM correspondent from Pittsburgh Brian Metzer, Guerin was indeed a first line player throughout the Penguins Cup run. For whatever reason he didn’t occur to me. 

So since 1994, there have been only three times a team was able to find a big gun at the deadline and then win the Stanley Cup. It is wise to keep that fact in mind as this season’s trade deadline approaches.

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It’s an interesting take on the attendance woes around the league. 

My view has been the ticket pricing is too lofty in most places. In a thriving economy people will spend freely but now many fans especially those with families can not afford to go to NHL games. 

The HDTV slant would make more sense if a hockey telecast was done with similar  standards of an NFL game. Most hockey arenas don’t utilize enough cameras and there is a vast difference in the production quality from location to location. High definition helps a lot but there is so much action away from the puck that is missed by the TV audience. 

A bad memory probably surfaced for those in Chicago which read Dater’s comments. They would have recalled past Blackhawk management’s adage of why give away what can be sold. 

Yesterday an image of Bill Wirtz flashed into my head. Mr. Wirtz had a smile from ear to ear and was telling everyone who would listen … 

….I told you all never disrespect the season ticket reservation holders…. 

Taking into account what happened over the years with the Blackhawks the recipe for disaster begins when a team’s season ticket sales began to drop. 

The corporate season ticket holders don’t disappear all at once. They go little by little and once they are gone they usually stay away for a long time. So if you start to notice the lower bowl seats being unoccupied in your local arena be on guard. When business folk can’t even give the seats away they eventually cancel. 

When that occurs the red ink really starts to flow. 

The turnaround here in such a short time is a rare exception.  

To go from 3,400 season ticket holders to close to 14,000 in one year is amazing. To accomplish that feat, as the Blackhawks did without even making the playoffs the previous season, is almost a miracle. 

Hawks and Blues 

The St. Louis Blues skate into town after claiming a hard fought victory over the Calgary Flames last night. The Blues have had a difficult season. They have played very poorly at home and most of their top forwards have had trouble scoring. 

According to comments form Blues analyst Daren Pang on  XM 204 yesterday, their penalty killing has been very strong and the goal keeping has been good for the most part. The St. Louis power play has been dismal and they have had sporadic efforts throughout. 

The Blues have scored 78 goals this year, one better than Carolina which has the lowest total in the NHL. 

Blues defenseman Erik Johnson, who missed all of last year, is off to a great start and is the team’s leading scorer. Johnson is fine young player but he probably shouldn’t be leading the team in scoring. 

In Pang’s opinion the next week or so is a crucial time for the Blues. They passed their first test last night and will most likely be a tough opponent for the Hawks this evening. 

The Blues are somewhat similar to the Flyers, both teams  have underachieved and can’t really blame it all on injuries. 

Philly is different though, as they have already fired their head coach so now the next shake up will be trading players. If the Blues don’t turn it around soon they will likely shuffle the deck too. It would be difficult to fire Andy Murray who was in the running for coach of the year last season but stranger things have happened. In any event that talk has been going around for awhile. 

Murray and Rick Tochett in Tampa appear to be on the hot seat. 

If one of them were to lose his job there is an assistant coach in San Jose who has a good track record with younger players. Firing the head coach is not always the answer as the Flyers seem to be finding out.  But what happens more often than not is the head coach goes before  players. 

Former Blackhawk head coach Trent Yawney deserves another kick at the can as he helped develop some of the Hawks young stars. Someday another franchise will realize he could make an excellent head coach. Yawney paid his dues in the AHL and deserves another crack at being an NHL head coach. He never really got a fair shot in Chicago. Yawney did have a short stint playing in St. Louis so maybe he would be considered there if a head coaching spot becomes available.

Joel Quenneville will continue to shuffle lines and also switch around power play personnel. He has a difficult task as not having a true second line center is a problem which won’t go away. Patrick Sharp has been doing a decent job at filling in at center but the Hawks offense is more potent when he plays at wing. 

Coach Q. also appears intent on finding another point man for the power play. 

He has been using Sharp there and at times Dustin Byfuglien instead of Brent Seabrook or another defenseman. Funny, but it appeared to me Seabrook was getting his shot through from the point as much as others but now he hasn’t had much power play ice time. Evidently there is a need for Q. to audition other point men….??? 

I expect Cristobal Huet to get the start tonight. 

He will need to defend his crease and have another top effort for the Hawks to defeat the Blues. The boys form St. Louis could be tired but they are in desperation  mode so they will be dangerous. 

Al’s Shots 

The Lightning did take some liberties with Hawk forwards the other night. So the question of acquiring a heavy weight enforcer naturally comes up. 

There is some sense to that thinking but… 

The Minnesota Wild must lead the NHL in concussions this season. Derek Boogard is still considered a bad dude.  Having a big tough bruiser on the roster might help prevent some cheap shots but so far it hasn’t helped the Wild to avoid serious head injuries. 

Right now with the inconsistencies demonstrated by officials and league hierarchy a team which doesn’t experience some concussions is just very lucky. 

On the trade rumor front not much has changed. 

Sharp is in demand and the Hawks are still shopping Barker but it is doubtful anything happens before Christmas. 

One fact should be realized,  although it is an unpleasant thought for many Blackhawk fans. 

It has been mentioned that the salary cap could increase around a million dollars for next year because of the strength of the Canadian dollar. Certainly not bad news for the Hawks but they still need to clear a bunch of cap space. 

There is no way this entire team can stay together next season. There will be significant changes. 

That would hold true even if Brian Campbell’s huge contract was traded. There is a lot of cap space which needs to be cleared before next season. Much more than Campbell’s seven million dollar cap hit is needed to go elsewhere. 

The chances of trading Campbell during this season are extremely unlikely. As much as Campbell is a whipping boy he does supply a lift to the offense. Without him the Hawks would have to change their style of play and there is no need for that to happen now.

Unless the team goes into a prolonged skid Stan Bowman has time on his side.

Bowman won’t rush to make the pot right because too much for this season is at stake. Until Dave Bolland’s injury comeback date is known,  Bowman may just wait things out. That is unless a trade offer can’t be past. 

Center Matt Stajan is playing well and Garnet Exelby finally had a strong game the other night. But Toronto has revitalized their playoff dreams so they could be cautious to change anything now. 

I have recently watched the Senators play a couple of times and there whole defensive corp looks slow.  Actually Cam Barker looks faster then most of the Ottawa dmen. Maybe that is why they are rumored to have an interest. 

There is no one currently playing for Carolina that seems to fit here. Ray Whitney does have an expiring contract but he isn’t a center and Joe Corvo is still out with an injury. 

If you want to look for team which will be trading someone soon I would look east. 

The Flyers have changed their coach and now some players will be moved unless they turn things around quickly. Their bomb last night versus Pittsburgh could mean changes are coming very soon. 

Braydon Coburn has an expiring contract but he won’t help the Hawks score more goals, but the Flyers big defenseman might keep a few more out of the net. 

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Fortunately Antero Niittymaki supplied rebound chances and his teammates couldn’t solve Antti Niemi. The result was a lopsided 4-0 Hawk victory. 

The battle of Finnish goal keepers wasn’t really much of a contest. Niemi was outstanding while Niittymaki wasn’t close to that level and the rest of the Bolts were not anything special. 

Niemi has three shutouts in seven starts and is on quite a roll. Antti has allowed only one goal in the last 81 shots he has faced. 

Patrick Kane became the first Chicago player to score 10 goals but he was unable to finish the game. 

Kane was tripped on an awkward play and his head bounced off the ice as he suffered a cut above his left eye. 

Kane left the game and it remains to be seen how badly he is hurt. It has been reported his vision was impaired and he probably did not suffer a concussion. We will see…

The Blackhawks have their family Christmas party skate on Monday and possibly more will be known then. Hopefully Kane didn’t suffer a concussion but his head did bounce hard off the ice. Fortunately Kane’s helmet stayed on his head. 

Jonathan Toews escaped serious injury in the second period when he was hit high and late by defenseman Matt Smaby. The two were teammates at North Dakota but chances are they won’t be going out to dinner anytime soon. 

There have been some opinions expressed of late concerning the rash of concussions around the NHL. 

Some of the best blogs on the topic were from Hockey Independent.com. We all have opinions as to what can be done to eliminate the head shots but after watching last night’s game one thing is certain. 

The officiating needs to be better. 

After Smaby hit Toews high and well after the puck was released there was no penalty issued. 

Players don’t show enough fear and the NHL doesn’t provide a consistent firm hand when doling out punishment. On top of everything else the officiating often misses the on ice infractions. It’s all bad and as a result someone is going to get severely injured. 

Toews has already suffered one concussion this season and his helmet flew off after he was hit on Sunday night. I am not sure how he didn’t slam his head hard into the ice. Toews was dazed when he got up because he went after Mattias Ohlund instead of Smaby. 

The captain was fortunate he wasn’t knocked out. The play happened right in front of the Tampa net and it is unbelievable both referees missed the call. 

The Hawks will rest on Monday and get ready to face the struggling St. Louis Blues. The records can be discarded when these two rivals face each other. The Blues have been horrible at home but do have a winning road record. The Hawks will hope Kane will be 100% as they face a divisional battle on Wednesday night. 

Trade Conjecture 

For those who like to discuss potential trades there were scouts from Toronto, Ottawa and Dallas who were slated to be in attendance at Sunday night’s game. There were a few others but they were from Western Conference teams which didn’t seem as significant. 

The Hawks do play Dallas at the end of the month but don’t face the Leafs again this season. Chicago will face the Senators, but not until the end of January.  I heard there were two Hawk scouts at the Leafs game on Saturday night.

As the schedule plays out it appears unlikely those in attendance were doing advance scouting on the Lightning, but maybe so. 

The Hawk player which continues to be talked about the most as being shopped around the league is Cam Barker.  Although Patrick Sharp could be the most sought after.

Al’s Shots 

I realize Todd Fedoruk was trying to provide his team with some emotion to go into the next game with…but c’mon. 

To chest bump the opposing goalie with little time remaining when you are down by four goals is stupid. Fedoruk should be admired for his perseverance to stay in the NHL but there is no excuse for that type of behavior. 

This is a long range observation but Tampa has two great young players to build around. The fan base might not like it, but now is the time to exercise a plan and build around those two. That would mean some veterans need to go sooner than later. 

Maybe the Canadiens would still be interested in Vincent Lecavalier? 

If they miss the playoffs this season and the stats on Vinny and some other high priced vets slide they will have a very tough time trading them. 

The Hawks power play is still not in sync…especially in 5 on 3 situations.  Kane being out doesn’t help. 

Marian Hossa’s polo shot goal illustrated the difference between a very good player and one with elite talent. Hossa was so precise it looked like he was in slow motion. 

Ben Eager hustled to get a gift goal on a Hossa set-up. He also handled himself nicely against heavyweight Zenon Konopka. 

Blackhawks Media Notes 

Before Sunday night’s game….. 

Sharp was a winner in 68% of his faceoffs the previous two games. For the season he has a 56.2 winning percentage. 

Toews ranks fourth in the NHL with a 60.8% winning percentage at the dot. 

Toews ranks tied for 11^th among NHL forwards in plus-minus rating. 

Duncan Keith ranks third in the NHL with an average of 26:56 of ice time per game. 

The Blackhawks are the sixth best penalty killers in the NHL and are successful 84.5% of the time. 

The Hawks rank third in the league with an average of 32.6 shots taken per game. 

The Lightning rank 27th in the NHL with an average of 28.2 shots per game. 

The Hawks rank first in shots allowed with an average of 24.5 per game. 

The Hawks have sold out 66 consecutive home games. 

Chicago ranks second, only behind Montreal in average home attendance at 20,539. 

The Blackhawks lead the NHL in operating at 104.2% of capacity through 16 home dates. 

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The understated Bolland does everything well without a lot of flash. 

Long time Hawk fans can compare him to Troy Murray but Bolland may become more of a goal scorer. My thinking was if Bolland could improve upon his 19 goals and 27 assists of last year the Hawks would be in business this season. 

Those offensive totals don’t jump off the page and some may say they were padded by playing with the creative Marty Havlat. There is some truth to that thinking. But in the same regard Havlat hasn’t fared very well without the strong board work and smooth play of Bolland.  

When Bolland was referred to last winter by assistant coach Mike Havliland as the lifeblood of the team it surprised me a little. If one were to watch closely Haviland’s comments wouldn’t come as a total shock. Having a second line center which can play effectively in all three zones is a great advantage. 

Bolland was greatly appreciated by his teammates, coaches and management. 

This summer he was the first of the restricted free agents to be locked up with a long term contract. Bolland’s hefty five year deal was not influenced by the qualifying offer screw up, he signed prior to that embarrassment. The young center is considered one of the better players on the roster even though he doesn’t get top billing. 

Before the Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane era the Hawks team could have been thought of like an old car. Sometimes the clunker would start and barely run and other times it wouldn’t be able to move out of the garage. Now the Blackhawks are a finely built machine. Every part matters and if one is missing things can get out of balance. 

Six goals in four games aren’t going to cut it. 

The Hawks haven’t been finishing chances and have been missing the net too often. They have missed fired 32 times the last two games. The Hawks also have had a difficult time scoring when playing five on five.  

Fortunately they are a talented squad which finds a way to win on most nights. Credit the coaching and their determination, but this is not a team full of elite goal scorers. The Hawks will not have the same potent offense as long as they are minus an effective second line center. 

On Friday night they threw everything at the seldom played Patrick Lalime in the first period but he stood tall.  It was the Sabres who struck first and never relinquished the lead.  Actually Buffalo was badly outplayed for much of the opening period but came back strongly in the middle frame. The Hawks were mostly outworked after their opening flourishes and could never solve Lalime except for a Patrick Sharp tally. 

The result was another low scoring contest but this time the Hawks were the losers. That will be the case sometimes. All is not lost although realistic expectations about the offense are needed. 

Scoring for the entire league is down. 

No matter how the ever changing rule interpretations play out there isn’t suddenly going to be a surge in high scoring contests. The NHL is different now as there is much more emphases placed on defense. The advent of video coaching, plus talented goal keepers wearing super sized equipment makes scoring goals a more difficult task.

If it is not Andrew Ladd it’s Troy Brouwer, Dustin Byfuglien, John Madden, and Brian Campbell which haven’t been able to finish their chances, but the list could go on. 

Give the Blackhawk goalies and defense high marks as Chicago ranks second in all the NHL in goals against. How many would have guessed that to be the case after 30 games?

 So why doesn’t the offense consistently click? 

The Blackhawks have adjusted to their injury woes but there is a balance which must be achieved to fire on all cylinders. 

For the most part the Hawks win these days because the other team doesn’t have the puck often enough to generate many scoring opportunities. They are a top puck possession team but winning low scoring games every night is a difficult challenge.

Dave Bolland being out hinders the Blackhawk offense but to take it a step further Adam Burish being on the shelf makes a difference also. 

The skill set for either of those injured regulars has not been replaced. Now it comes down to everyone else doing a bit more and Joel Quenneville’s influence. 

Coach Q. mentioned after the loss to the Sabres the lack of productivity will be examined. When pressed on the topic he commented about switching line combinations. Even though Quenneville is almost always changing lines, he remarked there are many more combinations he could try. 

What coach Q. can’t do is change John Madden, Patrick Sharp or Kris Versteeg into another Dave Bolland. He also hasn’t been able to utilize his fourth line the way he did last season.  Recent comments from Tomas Kopecky lead me to believe he is unsure of his role…..still after 28 games??? 

Regardless of Kopecky’s confusion, Ben Eager and Colin Fraser haven’t looked the same without Burish.

Eager played his best game of the year Friday night, but that trio has not been consistent on either side of the puck. Burish likely won’t be back until March, and there is nothing Quenneville can do about that.

Teams which go through long losing streaks almost always have trouble scoring.

So far the Hawks have not had a long string of loses despite a lack of offense. That is a testament to the deep talent level on this squad along with some very stingy goal keeping and strong defensive play. 

No matter how many new line combinations Quenneville comes up with the losses of Bolland and Burish do make a difference. Good coaching and a deep roster have helped the Hawks attain some very good results thus far.

If a prolonged slump happens Stan Bowman can look to acquire some needed help. 

It is never a good time to hit a skid and the Hawks might be able to keep winning at a good pace. But with nine of the next 13 games at home, poor outcomes can’t be tolerated.

Detroit has had a boat load of injuries but they are getting healthier. After so many exciting victories the Hawks are still in a dog fight. Chicago does have a game in hand but they lead Nashville by a slim three points and are only six ahead of Detroit in the Central Division. 

At least Comcast Chicago has stopped running promos about the Hawks high powered offense. With the injuries which were sustained this season a consistent high powered goal scoring attack might not be a reality. 

Al’s Shots 

Tim Sassone of the Daily Herald reported there were 15 scouts watching the Hawks play the Sabres.At this time of the season that is big gathering, especially considering neither team is mired in a long slump.  

Tim also wrote the Blackhawk player rumored to be on the trading block is Cam Barker. 

I can’t count how many trade rumors Barker has been involved in the last three seasons. 

In the beginning of last week I heard the same rumor about Barker being shopped from someone affiliated with a Western Conference team. They happen so frequently I hesitate to write about all of them. 

Talk is Philadelphia is another loss or two away from shuffling the deck in a big way. The Flyers are looking for offense and maybe the same can be said for the Hawks. 

Philly is a top five power play team, so Barker’s skill set might not be needed. If the Hawks trade a defenseman they would have to get one back in return. 

Philly has a player with an expiring contract which could fill a need for the Hawks. 

Wouldn’t the Flyers big defenseman, Braydon Coburn, look good in a Blackhawks uniform?

The Flyers could be looking for a goal scorer like Patrick Sharp, who they regrettably traded away. There is a notion that Philly needs to break up their very young core of offensive talent.  The story going around is they mesh better off the ice then on… 

Sharp will be 28 years old in a couple of weeks which would make him older than many of the Flyers top scorers. 

How could Bowman even think about trading Sharp without getting a skilled center in return? 

It’s complicated and will stay that way for awhile. 

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It has been reported in the Chicago Tribune that Kane and Toews will sign identical five year contract extensions. Their deals will be worth $31.5 million dollars, an average of $6.3 million per season. Also Keith will ink a 13 year contract worth $72 million dollars, an average of $5.54 million per year.

Keith’s deal will most likely be front end loaded. 

There are two possible scenarios which have surfaced. 

First, the Hawks may have created enough salary cap space because of transactions done this season to announce the signings without trading a player who is under contract for next year. I have been told the CBA’s tagging formula also involves a component which takes into consideration current salary cap space. 

The next scenario involves the Blackhawks having to make a trade to free up enough salary cap space so the extensions can be announced. If so a deal would probably be announced by mid-day tomorrow. 

If the Hawks have to make a trade including someone under contract for the 2010-2011 season there are a few  possibilities. 

Defenseman Cam Barker, Brent Sopel as well as forwards Dustin Byfuglien and Patrick Sharp have been mentioned in trade rumors.  Another possibility could be forward Tomas Kopecky who is signed through next season and is a $1.2 million dollar cap hit. 

In last night’s victory over the Blue Jackets, Kopecky saw only 5:56 of ice time. Defenseman Barker had 13:28 of playing time which was 3:32 seconds less than fellow defender Sopel. 

Stay tuned……. 

For those interested I have a blog posted today in the Huffington Post sports vertical. 

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It was an unsettling summer for the Blackhawks front office.  There was the unexplainable qualifying offer escapade and then the general manager change after the NHL draft. The Marian Hossa’s shoulder concerns arose and Patrick Kane’s off ice problems in Buffalo. 

Before we all knew it training camp was upon us and the Hawks did not make a trade to clear salary cap space. Today Hawk followers are divided on their opinions concerning player transactions. 

Blackhawk fans can be separated into three groups. 

1.  Some believe the Hawks are late in starting their salary cap house cleaning and now will be forced into trades.  They feel management will not have an edge in any deals and the result will be a less productive team for this season. 

2.  Others believe there wouldn’t be any trade rumblings today if the re-signing story did not recently surface. Those Hawk followers feel there is no reason to rock the boat and rush to trade players so there can be a media splash featuring Kane, Keith and Toews. They believe there is a panic to trade players so the team can announce the contract extensions of their prized restricted free agents 

3. Lastly, some fans believe it is better to plan for the future while also trying to make the team better today. 

There are Blackhawk loyalists who are cautious, others skeptical and curious while some appear to be more pragmatic. 

We will find out soon if general manager Stan Bowman is more of the mind set of group one or three. All Blackhawk followers should hope those in group two are way off base although at this point it’s not clear if they are truly misguided. 

Time will tell what course of action management takes and their true motivation will eventually surface. 

I’ve always liked Patrick Sharp, even before he was considered a goal scorer. He is a very smart hockey player who reminds me a little of Steve Larmer. Sharp has a ways to go to justify that comparison but he does a lot of things well. 

In the summer it was brought to my attention Patrick was supposedly on the trading block. 

Through some meaningful whispers and practical analyses Sharp appeared to be headed to Toronto. It made sense in a few ways as before the Hossa surgery Sharp appeared to be expendable. After Hossa opted for a shoulder operation the Sharp to anywhere rumor quickly subsided. The Hawks couldn’t afford to trade a goal scorer while their top sniper was out of action. 

Some others who normally are in the know have told me Sharp was never really a serious part of trade talks in the summer. Take your pick on what story was accurate then because more Sharp trade chatter has arrived. 

Although I haven’t heard anything specific there are rumblings Patrick is on his way out of town again.  This is a rumor and I can’t give an opinion either way on its validity. But it has been mentioned on Hockey Buzz.com. 

For every motive there could be to trade Sharp there are as many or more reasons to keep him in Chicago. Getting shipped to another team is the downside of being a professional athlete. Trade rumors are part of the game but there is no way Sharp wants to leave Chicago at this point. Maybe the only positive for him would be a sense of relief if the trade chatter was put to rest. 

There are two facts which can’t be overlooked. 

Sharp is a $3.9 million salary cap hit through the 2011-2012 campaign. Patrick will also be 28 years old next month. 

The salary cap hit combined with Sharp’s age, may mean if the Hawks are going to trade a forward he is the likely candidate. 

There are other Hawk forwards signed to substantial multi year contracts but they are all a few years younger than Sharp. Dustin Byfuglien is 24 years of age, while Kris Versteeg and Dave Bolland are only 23. Blackhawk management may conclude they have more upside than Sharp. 

I was all in concerning trading Sharp this summer but now it is a risky move. There is no way Sharp will be dealt unless it is the perfect trade set-up for Bowman. Sharp’s departure could be disruptive as he is one of the most popular players in the dressing room. 

All is going great for the Hawks and at this point they have surpassed my early season expectations but there are concerns. 

Bolland’s 19 goals and 28 assists from last year have not been replaced. The Hawks have scored four goals or more six times in 22 games this season but two of those performances came recently against the Flames and Oilers.  In many games the Chicago offense couldn’t be categorized as explosive but there have been injuries. 

The Hawks were among the least injured teams last season. If they stay on their same pace they will be in the top 20% of the most injured clubs for this season. That is a huge difference. 

Maybe with the return of Marian Hossa the goal scoring will automatically increase, it probably should. But the Hawks are still missing a true second line center. It’s harder to find fault with the Hawks while they are on such a great run. Hossa returning should make them even better but sometime bad luck concerning injuries stays consistent. 

My thinking is unless Sharp is traded as part of a deal for a talented pivot who is  signed only through this season, he will remain in Chicago for the time being. 

There will be those which will conclude if Sharp is dealt it is because he is linked with former Blackhawk GM Dale Tallon. Sharp was part of the best trade Tallon ever made. Some believe the former Hawk general manager valued Sharp more than anyone up in the front office today. 

Those in that camp have the same thinking as those in group two from earlier. They feel non hockey factors have too much emphases on Blackhawk decision making. 

My reasons for possibly trading Sharp make a lot more sense from a hockey standpoint. 

Prudent hockey logic should be the only thing which matters. 

The other most mentioned Hawk player in trade rumors is Brent Sopel. 

Garnet Exelby has been on my radar screen since last year’s trade deadline. He is only signed through this season for approximately $1.4 million. Exelby is more physical than Sopel, but he hasn’t been playing as well. 

The key here is Sopel carries some baggage. He is $2.33 million cap hit for this season and next  and that  is a problem for the Hawks, even before the expected contract extensions. 

Exelby isn’t going to get any style points for his skating but he could provide the Hawks with some toughness. It is my belief, if he could be acquired straight up for Sopel Bowman pulls the trigger. 

The Maple Leafs, who should not have an edge on any team concerning a trade, supposedly wanted a Hawks second round draft pick along with Sopel. It’s true the Leafs would be swallowing some salary for the better part of two seasons so a mid round pick could have been included. But Sopel could play top four minutes in Toronto while Exelby has been a frequent healthy scratch. There is no need to pay up for Exelby. 

Lately the Sopel to the Leafs chatter has died down but other clubs could be interested. Sopel has rebounded nicely from an injury plagued season. 

During the summer I had a chance to speak to Stan Bowman for a few minutes. My thinking at the time was the Hawks should make a couple of deals to set up for their costly free agent re-signings.  Bowman didn’t hint he would be active on the trade front.  Actually his comments indicated probably nothing significant would happen and it didn’t.  But now he could be forced to deal someone who isn’t on an expiring contract because of CBA tagging issues. 

Trading Sopel barely puts a dent into the $10 million or so in salary cap space which has to be created for next season. His departure would have more to do with short term salary cap concerns. 

The Hawks can’t trade Sopel without getting a solid defenseman in exchange. 

If Sharp is dealt and a top six forward goes down with a lengthy injury trouble could follow. 

The Blackhawks are one of the best teams in hockey. 

Are they ready to win a Stanley Cup? 

If their goal tending stays good and the lengthy injuries subside they have a shot. What will matter most is the condition of the team when the playoffs start in April. 

So what does the Hawks rookie general manager do now?

My guess is Sopel is likely to go. 

The Hawks have some chips to throw in the pot to get a player they want in return. Ice Hogs, Jack Skille and Akim Aliu could be expendable and do have some trade value. The Hawks can sacrifice some draft picks as they will pick some up when the real salary dump starts. 

Bowman knows his team is very good and that there is a fine line between winning and losing. Sharp stays for now unless the perfect trade comes along, same with Cam Barker. 

Sopel, Sharp, Barker and other Blackhawks could have new teammates next fall.  But any trades now should happen only becuase they can’t be passed up.  

I would have preferred some trade action last summer, but what wasn’t done was done. Now there is no need to be over reactive. 

Al’s Shots 

Coach Q. probably starts Hossa out with Kane and Toews. Patrick will have to go to the other wing as Hossa has seniority. 

Look for Hossa to play on every line in the next few games. It will be interesting to watch how much playing time he gets in the next week or so. 

Although Hossa is a great player it may take awhile for him to get rolling. 

The Ladd, Madden and Brouwer line should stay together. 

My preference would be for Sharp, Toews and Kane to skate as a unit. 

But it makes sense to get Hossa going with the only true offensive center left, Toews. 

The hockey world is buzzing about the Blackhawks these days.

If they win tonight in San Jose they are set up for a very good road trip. If they can win two of the next three it will be an outstanding circus trip. 

I will be back in a few days unless something important breaks. 

Have a great Thanksgiving. 

blackhawksin@comcast.net

Supporters of the loveable losers on the north side of Chicago have changed somewhat in the last decade or so. Fans still fill Wrigley Field to capacity but now the losing is not as acceptable. Booing and obvious displays of fan displeasure are routine at the “friendly confines”, some players say it is a tough place to play because of the added pressure. 

As I watch on TV as the Leafs play at home, their fans are quick to show their unhappiness as well. The bar has been set higher in both places and losing is not as readily accepted and ignored….it isn’t cute any more to be the lovable losers. 

The Leafs have hired the person they feel can change their losing culture back to a winning tradition. General Manager Brian Burke will have a chance to be hero, but it remains to be seen how much time he will have to turn the Leafs into a Stanley Cup contender. 

Right now it appears he may have over estimated their talent. Burke considered his team a bona fide playoff contender before the season began, for now that opinion appears to be unrealistic. Time will tell if Burke is just a very good hockey administrator or if he can actually judge talent and build a winning franchise. 

The Maple Leafs will skate at the United Center without the services of defenseman Mike Komisarek who has a slight tear in a quadriceps muscle. Tonight will be the time for the Leafs original number one goal keeper Vesa Toskala to try to regain the net. He has had a tough season thus far and now finds himself only the starting goal keeper in theory as he has been out played by rookie Jonas Gustavsson. 

After a very bad start the Leafs are only treading water in their last ten games (3-3-4). It is not yet time for Toronto fans to abandon all hope  for a playoff birth.  But they are in need of an immediate turn around or otherwise the Leafs will be playing golf in April once again. 

The Hawks had their hands full again with the Colorado Avalanche. The Av’s and the Kings are both interesting young teams which can skate with the Hawks for much of the time. The Av’s like the Kings succumbed to the Hawks in the third period and were dominated in the last frame and in OT. Fortunately the post was Cristobal Huet’s friend and then the Hawks were able to win in a shootout. 

Huet played a very solid game for the most part but he still flirts with being the goat. The Colorado first goal was a bad one and if the Hawks would have lost Huet would have caught some sharp criticism once again. 

Cam Barker has appeared to be almost invisible on the ice in the last week or so, that is until he scored the game tying goal on Wednesday. It was a great effort by Barker and his top shelf shot was fantastic. Most defensemen don’ have that type of ability.  Barker needs to build off his sparkling effort and be more assertive. 

When the really good Hawks show up they are difficult to beat. Unfortunately 60 minute top efforts haven’t happened in every game. The Hawks are battling and dealing with key injuries so the results have been impressive. 

Tonight they need to be as desperate as the Leafs from the beginning of the game. With a win the Hawks will have to take their momentum into Sunday night. The Sharks could be the best team in hockey… but first things first. 

The season is still young but the Leafs are in survival mode. The Hawks must match Toronto’s intensity from the opening puck drop. 

Al’s Shots 

I have been writing Blackhawk blogs for a few years and although it is nice when readers agree with my opinions it isn’t most important. As long as I can express my views in a fashion which readers understand…mission accomplished. If readers see a different angle or are stimulated to think about a topic in another way then great, but I don’t really try to change anyone’s mind. 

That said, anyone who feels the Hawks should sacrifice Patrick Kane and try to trade him or not re-sign him is watching a different sport than I am. 

Kane is just starting to get really good. Only a lack of desire on his part or injuries can hold him back from being an elite talent. In the next couple of years Kane will get stronger and add another gear which will make him an even more potent scoring force. 

In the past Phil Kessel has played well against his old college adversary Jonathan Toews.

I want to see an up close view of the Leafs center Matt Stajan and defenseman Garnet Exelby.

Kris Versteeg is a very creative player with a lot of ability. He is still young but he doesn’t appear to be an NHL center. Too many plays stop with Versteeg and he often makes ill advised passes. It would be best for the Hawks to put him at wing with some skillful mates. 

Many fans want Marian Hossa to skate along side Kane. If I were coach Q. my choice would be to have Versteeg play with Hossa and Byfuglien. 

In my view Kane and Sharp should always be together and pairing them with Toews would work well…it has in the past. 

It appears Hossa should be back to face the Canucks on the November 22^nd or the Sharks on the 25^th.

Center Andrew Ebbett needs to step up and seize a great opportunity. 

Ebbett could center for Hossa and Versteeg while John Madden, Troy Brouwer and Andrew Ladd could be a potent checking line which can also score.

blackhawkswin@comcast.net

As written about before, the advertised high powered Hawk offense hasn’t been seen in almost every game this year. It stands to reason in part because last season’s leading scorer Marty Havlat is gone and his replacement Marian Hossa hasn’t played. Couple those facts with other injuries and this team looks out of balance at times and their effort has been scattered. 

When you spend a couple of days on the golf course it can be difficult to restart the competitiveness. Unfortunately last night was the game the Hawks had the best chance of winning as the Coyotes played on the road the previous night.   

The good news is they get a chance for redemption immediately as they skate into Avalanche country tonight. 

Al’s Shots 

I know Kris Versteeg scored a goal and was named the third star, but he still makes too many basic mistakes. It’s a shame because he and Kane are the most creative players on the team. Score a goal and cause one to be scored is not a good formula. 

Dave Bolland is still looking sluggish. 

Cam Barker played only four shifts in the middle frame and six in the last period. 

Brent Sopel saw only 8.42 of ice time. 

Duncan Keith played 28:53…which is too much even considering the time off. 

I don’t know what the plan is for Jordan Hendry…. playing wing mostly, and being on the ice for only 4:38. 

Andrew Ebbett’s star appears to have faded quickly….He played just three shifts in the third period and was on the ice for only 8:15. 

Last but not least …Cristobal Huet,  who couldn’t have let in a much softer goal to open the contest.  It’s almost impossible to win when your goalies save percentage is about 85% for the game. 

Quenneville didn’t wait long to shuffle the deck a bit. 

Bryan Bickell has been brought up from Rockford. 

If the Hawks slip early tonight….keep a close eye on who is not playing, as coach Q. has to make a point or two soon. 

blackhawkswin@comcast.net

The Blackhawk organization has risen from the ashes because the team was bad for a long time and used the high draft picks they were awarded correctly. They also made some nice acquisitions in the trade market and utilized some great marketing. As much as anything else the team has benefitted from the shrewd ownership of Rocky Wirtz, who loves the sport and has deep pockets. 

Now all eyes are focused on the Hawks salary cap situation, as they will be in every other trade rumor for the rest of the season and beyond. There was a time in the summer, before the Marian Hossa shoulder surgery and long before the start of another sellout filled campaign when I believed the Hawks would make a significant trade. 

Those times have past. Now there is too much to lose by making a trade to create salary cap space for next year. 

The difference between a sellout and 15,000 fans a night equates to somewhere around $300,000 in gross revenues per game, maybe more, for Rocky and company. If the Hawks did not have their high powered offense and a roster full of skill they would not be as good. Nothing earth shaking about that statement. Most important is a less exciting more average team likely will not sellout every game. 

The city of Toronto can be compared to Chicago in some ways but there are big differences. The Blackhawks have to be a team full of promise and good results to achieve the highest average attendance in the NHL. 

The Hawks need to create about $ 10 million in salary cap space to re-sign Pat Kane, Duncan Keith and Jonathan Toews considering their new contracts call for an average of $6 million per season.  The $10 million amount is about right,  considering the salary cap limit will  remain the same. From a business standpoint alone the increase in their salaries can be absorbed as long as fans keep flowing into the United Center. My premise is that will happen for quite awhile, as long as fans are watching a high caliber club. 

If the Hawks jettison salary by trading top performers away for draft picks or young prospects, this team won’t be as good. There will be not equal value coming back from  transactions; young guns will be dealt for those who earn far less. That is option “A” for Rocky; he can find another home for some very good players which would enable him to have enough cap space to re-sign Kane, Keith and Toews. 

Rocky doesn’t need a calculator to realize if skilled depth is sacrificed in a cost cutting attempt to create cap space, trouble could soon follow. By trouble, I am referring to less wins which at some point will mean less revenue per game. The worse of all scenarios would be this club would not be strong enough to stay in the playoff picture. That is the risk of option “A” for Wirtz, a less than capacity filled United Center and possibly no playoff revenue. 

At first blush option “B” is more costly, but not really. If the salaries for those who don’t live up to expectations disappear the Hawks can still re-sign the “big three”. Most likely at least one contributor on today’s roster will have be to be dealt at some point. But significant cap space can be opened up as long as Mr. Wirtz is willing to swallow salaries. 

Smart business people know taking a loss to stop continued bleeding is necessary sometimes. Calculating owners realize mistakes have to be quickly absorbed before they lead to other problems. There is no truer adage than one mistake leads to another.  Rocky won’t let misguided signings of the past jeopardize the organizations future profitability. 

Before a leading scorer like Patrick Sharp or a promising sniper like Kris Versteeg is sent off for draft picks or hopes, Rocky will realize this is not the time. 

Any player who clears waivers can be sent to the AHL, or parts unknown and the biggest loser is the person paying the salaries. Granted the player or players demoted may not like the accommodations in Rockford but they have little choice. Once a player is sent down his cap hit disappears even though his pay checks don’t.  

You can fill in the blanks, but about $8 million in cap space can be opened up with a couple of demotions. Factoring in one trade and there’s the $10 million needed for the talented and popular core players to be re-signed. There is no hurry for such bold action unless the Hawks have to fill a glaring hole for this season…..like between the pipes. 

It will be costly for Rocky initially. But he realizes dollars spent now can save a lot of money in years to come. 

Now for last night’s win. 

This shouldn’t have been a one goal game. The Hawks dominated the Oilers but couldn’t convert on many chances. Although shot totals at the end of the game can be misleading, the totals after the second period can be useful to look at. The Hawks outshot the Oilers 30-10 after two periods. Actually the Oilers did not have a shot in the last 10 minutes of the middle frame. 

Nikolai Khabibulin did keep his club in the contest with some nice saves. But unless he has better rebound control the Oilers will struggle with him in net. 

Antti Niemi benefitted from another solid effort from those in front of him. Interestingly the Hawks and Oilers both scored on their first shot on goal. Most important is Niemi was good when it counted.  In third period the Hawks lost focus and committed some sloppy penalties. Niemi was sharp and confident in the final frame.

Niemi is very good stopping pucks aimed at the lower part of the net and that is where the Oilers often shot. He carries his glove very low and we will see if opponents can exploit him up high. For now it is a win he can build on, although he still leaves some juicy rebounds. 

Cristobal Huet will get a chance tonight against a team which has exhibited little offense. The Predators have been outscored 12-1 in their last two games. The Preds should be in an ornery mood and the Hawks will have to bring another good start with them to Nashville. 

Huet will be hoping the scoring drought continues for the Predators as they have scored only seven goals all season. 

Al’s Shots 

Considering Brent Sopel missed almost all of last season he has performed pretty well this year. Joel Quenneville utilizes him on the penalty kill and he is good shot blocker. Sopel and Barker usually don’t have to defend against the opposition’s top line. Both on the ice against speedy skilled forwards will be an issue. 

Barker has the best shot from the point for the power play. He is a luxury considering his salary and playing time. At 13 minutes or so a game he is certainly highly paid. But the Hawks do benefit from his passing and ability to get pucks to the net with the man advantage. 

Not sure about using Sharp on the point for the power play. He is so good in close to the net…. 

Good point men are not easy to find as some teams do use forwards. Ryan Getzlaf was on the point for the Ducks last night. Unless Anaheim gets swamped with injuries, I think they make the playoffs. 

Very good game by Jack Skille last night. That boy has some nice hands and is paying the price to stay in the tough areas. He was rewarded with his first goal of the season.

blackhawkswin@comcast.net

The opening introductions weren’t hugs and well wishes for every Blackhawk player. Some old hate still showed up in boos for Cristobel Huet and Brian Campbell. I wonder how bad it could get for them at the UC if they really played poorly. I guess there are fall guys in many places…..But has either done anything to warrant boos for the home opener? 

The Hawks played a decent game but did not control play as often as they did in their losses to Florida or Detroit. Former Hawk goalie, Craig Anderson, finally has a real shot to be a starter and the team in front of him played with a purpose. There is a lot of good young talent on Colorado. They have one of the NHL’s best kept secrets in Wojtek Wolski, who looks like an all-star for many years to come. 

The Blackhawks didn’t deserve to lose Saturday’s contest but got lucky to get two points. The Hawks  showed flashes of dominance, but couldn’t overwhelm the Av’s. Actually neither team deserved a loss. 

Colorado was strong in all zones and hung on for a chance at a shootout win. Wolski is the best shootout player of all time,  it is natural to believe the Av’s would relish taking the Hawks into a shootout. It didn’t work for them or Wolski this time, but it could have just as easily went their way. 

Saying the shootout victor is more deserving of the extra point is like saying a lottery winner is a good gambler. Luck as much as anything else was the reason the Hawks pulled off a victory versus the Av’s. 

I know fans find the shootout exciting, so do I sometimes, but it shouldn’t decide a professional hockey game.  A shootout is a hokey way to determine a winner. It has been said it could be compared to determining the outcome of a tied NFL game by having quarterbacks participate in a passing competition by throwing through a tire. 

Another issue is the NHL does not allow for enough point difference between a win and a tie. A road team especially, can cling to a tie game in the last part of regulation as well as through the five minute OT hoping to get a chance at a shootout win. If they don’t succeed they will be content with one point on the road. 

The shootout is exciting enough so he NHL won’t back off and eliminate it.  At the very least the scoring system should be changed to reward regulation winners with an extra point. A win in regulation needs to matter more than a shootout victory. I would like to see three points for a regulation win, two for a shootout win and then give the loser one point for his OT experience. 

The current point system enables boring hockey and also makes it very difficult for aspiring playoff teams to make up ground at the end of the season. But if regulation wins were worth three points it would be far better. Before the shootout, the complaint was nobody competed in the third period and games ended with a dud.  Now the last part of regulation time is often a snoozer and the OT period is usually not worth watching. 

The Chicago power play failed again in a 5 on 3 situation but they were able to score a shorthanded goal. That sort of off sets, but to get only one shot on goal with a two man advantage can’t keep happening. The Hawks did get a power play goal from the only defenseman which seems to be able to consistently get his shot through from the point, Cam Barker. Pat Kane is getting sealed off  and the Hawks have to find another way to generate chances with the man advantage. 

Barker got his first tally of the year on the power play, which gave the Hawks the lead near the end of the opening period. Campbell was on the ice for 3:30 of power play time, only eight seconds less than Barker. He had no shots on goal for the game and Barker led the team with five. Unfortunately Barker finished -1 compared to Campbell’s +1 on the evening. The Av’s converted on a costly Barker turnover from a poor outlet pass.  For the most part Barker has been fine and so has his partner Brent Sopel. 

Right now it appears Barker is the most important point man for the power play. The Hawks also have a couple of other players which can steer a power play from the blue line. Actually Brent Seabrook and Duncan Keith have their moments. Everyone knows Campbell should be an important part of the power play but he hasn’t had as much consistency as many thought.

The word out of Dallas is the Stars are desperately seeking a defenseman to quarterback their power play unit. The Stars aren’t willing to part with James Neal but they could have a player which would attract interest on the trade market. Steve Ott is an unrestricted free agent on July 1, and he could fill a void for the Hawks. Dallas has more salary cap space available than many other teams, around $8 million.

Ott won’t win any popularity contests around the NHL. Actually he was named in a recent poll as being one of the dirtiest players along with Chris Pronger.  Ott just received a one game suspension due to a recent altercation. He is a bulldozer who crashes the crease with regularity. He is also very tough to move from the slot area. Ott is not an offensive power house but he did score 19 goals last season with a 135 penalty minutes.  The Dallas offense was not very good last year. 

Ott is a player which would add another dimension to the Hawks. He could see power play time as he is good at causing problems for goal keepers. In an age where salaries are traded as much as players; Ott is a $1.4 million cap hit and is signed only through this season. The Stars might be the first team to seek a change, but the Leafs could be close behind.

Huet was fine against the Av’s although not great. But he was good enough not to be blamed and he did make some nice stops in the epic shootout battle. 

The Hawks will have to be sharper and more desperate tonight. The Flames will use this game as a measuring stick.  

Al’s Shots 

Jack Skille keeps being shuffled between Rockford and Chicago; he only played five minutes on Saturday. 

The Radek Smolenak era is over in Chicago as he was claimed off of waivers by Tampa Bay, his old organization. I thought he could hang on for another 10 days or so, but realistically he had only a sliver of a chance to stick here.  The Hawks took the time to watch Smolenak practice with the team and decided he didn’t fit. 

When you see a player go through two different organizations and get a chance to dress in a NHL game only a couple of times there are reasons. Scouts are paid to separate the professional hockey players, AHL variety, and those with NHL talent. . Until proven otherwise Smolenak falls into the minor league category. 

Recent comments from the NHL’s Bill Daly indicate to me all the chips in the Islander saga sit squarely in front of Charles Wang. 

No word from Daly on the progress on the DirecTv – Versus negotiations. It should be realized the normal free trial period for Center Ice on DirecTv will be stopping at the end of the month in these parts. Maybe no real progress will be made until in November.

blackhawkswin@comcast.net

Collectively the Blackhawks are a very good hockey team. Individually they are not a group of battle tested veteran, all star caliber players…..yet. Now that they are 0-3 for the preseason there are some who may consider giving up their seats on the Hawks  bandwagon. Three preseason losses in a row doesn’t  mean very much, but if you are considering grabbing an available seat be cautious if your expectations are unrealistic.

This group with better than avaerage goal  keeping and some good luck can win the Stanley Cup. Without either it could be  a difficult task to even make the playoffs,  and the same can be said for almost every NHL team. Although the Hawks overcame a few serious injuries last year they were lucky to be almost completely healthy at the start of  the playoffs. They were able to beat the Flames and the Canucks because they were the deeper healthier team. They swarmed both oppononets with all four lines and  the goal tending was  decent, as everyone matters on this club.

Losing Marian Hossa for the first twenty five games or so will matter. Losing a fourth liner like Adam Burish will also matter. Burish could be at the bottom of the depth chart but he was a key factor in the playoffs. Actually the Hawks fourth line was very important all of last season. In my view they were the best set of grinders  in the NHL.  Burish is a strong penalty killer, his speed will be missed and can’t be replaced by any of the younger boys competing for a roster spot.

The path to the Stanley  Cup is not like getting on the escalator in the lower level at Macy’s and staying on until the top floor.  Before jumping off the bandwagaon, even if the Hawks start off this season slowly be careful. Until proven otherwise I won’t sell their chances of another very good year short. Last year this group responded better when they were under pressure, and they may have to show that strength in this campaign.  Don’t be too high or too low, as this is still somewhat a work in progress.

The Hawks should be loaded up for a victory on Friday night. If they don’t win again stay in line for your bandwagon seats, some could be opening up shortly.

Here are my answers to the questions presented a  few days ago.

   1. Would you rather have Marty Havlat under contract at $5 million per season for five years, or Marian Hossa at $5 million per, for each of the next 12 years?

Not meant to be a trick question but this isn’t an apple for apple issue. It isn’t even an apple for an orange issue.

I do believe the Hawks could have signed Marty Havlat to a five year contract, in the $4.5 -$5.0 million range. If Havlat stays healthy he could have comparable numbers to Hossa over the next five season. Although Havlat is a couple of years younger he has been injured more often. If we were comparing similar terms I would take Hossa over Havlat, even if Marian’s contract was 30% more per season over the same five year period.

The heart of the issue comes into play because Hossa is two years older and in essence the Hawks are going to pay an additional $35 million over the extender seven year term of his 12 year agreement. One must realize in so many instances the point production for all players, even superstar caliber snipers declines significantly past their early 30’s.  Havlat’s contract is a better value,  although he has not yet proven to be better player.

So to the question as stated, I would take Havlat. Although I would rather have Hossa on a five year $6.5 million contract compared to Havlat at $5 million for the same period. Front loaded contract or not, Hossa in his mid to late 30’s most likely will have significantly less point production  than today.

Lastly, the NHL investigation surrounding the Hossa, Pronger and Luongo contracts is a joke. There is no way to prove wrong doing unless the discussions were taped, or the parties involved actually said they were trying to circumvent the CBA. It is smart business to find a way to handle salary cap consequences in the most effective way, and no rules appear to have been broken. A question for the next CBA negotiations would be if there should be rules in place to restrict long term front loaded contracts, based on age and other considerations.

As I have written in the past, this investigation is more of a smoke screen.  The real focus should be about the continued sorry financial state of many franchises. Seven of the ten least profitable teams before the lockout were the same as in 2008. It is not like the CBA was thrown together over a long weekend, both sides had a season or longer to have difficult issues buttoned up, and they failed.

Don’t mistakenly compare parity with regards to the standings in the same way as financial well being throughout the league. In 2008 seven of the 10 least profitable franchises were the same as in the year preceding the lockout.

I am being nice when I say least profitable, because in the NHL being in the black is not within reach for many teams. In the NHL the bigger issue is how much red ink some franchises continually drown in.  Until more revenue sharing is created or different team locations are realized, little will change. Most of the weakest franchises will stay that way regardless if long term front loaded contracts are not allowed someday.

   2. What player will make the cut….Fraser, Skille, Dowell, Bickell or Beach?

It is put up time for Jack Skille. He does some good things on the ice, but watching him trying to stick check Havlat the other night shows his weaknesses. On Havlat’s first score he went right by Skille near center ice, way too easily. If Skille has a solid 20 game NHL audition he will be far more attractive on the trade front, if that is the end game. Either way it is his time, and if he doesn’t make it out of camp I doubt he will finish the year in the Hawk organization.

Now with the injuries, Skille, Dowell and Fraser may all stick around.

* Forwards Bryan Bickell and Rob Klinkhammer have been recalled from Rockford and could be back into the mix.

   3.  What goalie will start the season as a back-up….Crawford or Niemi?

Strictly a guess based on there being more urgency in finding out if Antti Niemi is the real deal. Corey Crawford is on a two year contract while Niemi is signed only through this season. Because of that Niemi could get the first sink or swim test. As far as trading either one, that is highly unlikely unless an NHL goalie is coming back in return. I did not speak to anyone who thought that the Hawks have another future NHL caliber goalie waiting in the wings besides this pair, and they are  aren’t a lock.

   4. What player will lead the Hawks in scoring?

Last season I was right and really wrong, as I picked Havlat and Dustin Byfuglien. I do think big Buff will be in the top group of scorers this season as well. My pick is Jonathan Toews, who as Joel Quenneville has commented, just keeps getting better. I think Toews will have more power play goals with the addition of Hossa.

  5.Will the Hawks make a trade to acquire a physical defenseman to replace Matt Walker before the season opener?

Walker being going gone is a problematic issue which I have spoken about with former NHL players and coaches. The conclusions reached by them is always the same, Walker’s toughness will be missed and somehow has to be replaced.

BD Gallof wrote a nice piece the other day following the Dion Phaneuf head shot to Kyle Okposo. BD’s comments pointed out the Islanders lack a player who will instill fear into the hearts of opponents. Hockey is about fear and intimidation and Walker was the one who had the veteran moxie to stop opponents from taking unnecessary liberties.

In total the Hawks are a tough bunch but even Coach Q. has made comments Walker’s prescence  will need to be replaced. If not, a player like Brent Seabrook will spend a lot more time in the penalty box, which will not be a good thing. In addition Cam Barker and Brent Sopel as a defensive pair means two slower footed players will be on the back end together….also not too good. I still think the Hawks will make a trade to acquire another defenseman either by the opener or before the first month of the season has ended.

Will the Adam Burish injury  open the door for a career minor league hard nose player like Danny Bois to make the roster and fill in for Walker’s toughness?   Unlikely…..until proven otherwise Bois still appears to be AHL material.

* Bois and  defenseman Richard Petiot have been put on waivers Thursday afternoon…..not a surprise.

    6. Do you think  Kris Versteeg, Cam Barker or Patrick Sharp are being shopped?

If Hossa wasn’t hurt there probably would have been a good chance Patrick Sharp or Kris Versteeg would have been dealt for a crease clearing defenseman. The trick would be to fill a current  need and  tie up less salary cap space in the future.

If this is the load up for the Stanley Cup year, which wouldn’t be my game plan, most likley none of the three can be dealt. It is more likley Skille and picks could be used for trade bait. That said, Barker, Sharp and Versteeg may not be held in the same high esteem as they were in the Dale Tallon administration, at least whispers have indicated as much.

Barker can not be traded unless a different type of defenseman is coming back in return. Which in essence means the Hawks would sacrifice Barker’s passing and power play ability for a big, tough, faster crease clearer, who is signed for less money and for a shorter term than Barker.

     7. What do you feel the Hawks are lacking?

Realistic  expectations for the future.

When the team was awful fans were fed the mantra  the franchises was building for the future. Dale Tallon said many times the Hawks wanted to make the playoffs for not just one season, but year after year. They wanted to become an elite franchise and in many ways they are on their way….But has the franchise over shifted gears? With the Hossa signing and the fact  the Hawks will have to create significant cap space after this season, this appears to be a Cup or bust year. Just maybe the exectations have swung too far.

There were comments last year that  it was a playoff or bust season, and for this season Patrick Kane said it is  Cup or bust. It is a natural progression for him to speak that way, after all the team was eliminated in the Western Conference championship series. So Kane has the right attitude….But does the franchise have the right plan for continued success?

The re-signing of Duncan Keith, Toews and Kane have to be a priority as well. In my view two out of three won’t do. That said at least $7 million dollars of cap space will have to be created for next season, if so it is prudent to believe the 2010-2011 group will not be as talented to begin with as this season’s club. That would indicate  a rush to succeed with not a strong likelihood for continued success.

   8.  Where will the Hawks power play rank at the end of the season?

They will finish ninth as Hossa won’t hit stride until the second half of the season.

    9.  Where will the Hawks penalty killing unit rank at the end of the season?

The penalty killing unit could have been top five, but the Burish loss will hurt. They will finish ninth, which is a solid  improvement over last year. 

   10. What will be the total amount of points the Hawks will accumulate for this season?

Last year the Hawks were one of the least injured teams, I have the feeling that won’t be the case this season.  I am afraid the Burish and Hossa injuries are a foreshadowing of the future. The Blackhawks will finish with fewer points than last season…. 99 points… although on paper the team is better. The key will be hitting the playoffs healthy and in full stride.

*Hawks press release  came out after blog was originally posted.

I enjoy writing  my opinions about the Blackhawks.   With that privilege comes responsibility and some risk. Although my mind can change, consistency is something I strive to maintain. My thoughts are always available for someone to go back and review. So if my reasoning constantly changes, what I write has less merit in my opinion.

Here is a chance for all who want to take a risk and  post  answers to some interesting questions concerning the Blackhawks.  In some cases the correct answer will become evident over time. But now is the day for those who want to be on the record. I will write a follow up blog with my comments to the same questions soon.

Post your answers below in the comment area  by numbering your response to the corresponding questions. I look forward to reading your opinions, so don’t be bashful. If your answers turn out to be incorrect, it’s not so bad. It will only sting for awhile, as I know so well.

You will have a chance to explain your responses  after my answers are given, as a follow up discussion will take place.

1. Would you rather have Marty Havlat under contract  at $5 million per season for  five years, or Marian Hossa at $5 million per, for each of the next 12 years?
2. What player will make the cut….Fraser, Skille, Dowell, Bickell or Beach?
3. What goalie will start the season as a back-up….Crawford or Niemi?
4. What Blackhawk will lead the team in scoring?
5. Will the Hawks make a trade to acquire a physical defenseman to replace Matt Walker before the season opener?
6. Do you think  Kris Versteeg,  Cam Barker or Patrick Sharp are being shopped?
7. What do you feel the Hawks are lacking?
8. Where will the Hawks power play rank  at the end of the season?
9. Where will the Hawks penalty killing unit rank at the end of the season?
10. What will be the total amount of points the Hawks will accumulate for this season?