NHL 2010-11 Season Preview: Wrestling with Chicago Blackhawks
Tue Sep 07 07:54am PDT
By Sean Leahy
Last Season (55-22-8. 1st in Central, 2nd in the Conference)
The Blackhawks completed their franchise resurrection on June 9, when Patrick Kane's shot from the left face-off circle provided one of the more anti-climatic endings in NHL history and won Chicago the Stanley Cup:
Key Subtractions
Antti Niemi, Dustin Byfuglien, Brent Sopel, Andrew Ladd, Ben Eager, Kris Versteeg, Adam Burish, Colin Fraser, and John Madden were all lost in the great Chicago Purge of 2010. Everyone knew the day was coming when the Blackhawks would have to make vast changes to their roster because of salary cap issues, but as tough as it was to say goodbye to nine members of their Stanley Cup-winning team, at least they won a title to lessen the blow a bit.
After months of figuring out what to do with goaltender Cristobal Huet and his albatross of a contract ($5.625 million for two more years), Chicago worked out a loan deal with Swiss team Fribourg-Gotteron. The Blackhawks will still pay him, but that money will be off their salary cap.
New Additions
Coming on board -- cheaply, I might add -- were defensive giant John Scott, forward Fernando Pisani and winger Viktor Stalberg, who will have spots on the big club. Having to fight their way out of Rockford likely will be Ivan Vishnevskiy, Jeff Taffe and the only draft pick from 2003 that hasn't played a game in the NHL, Hugh Jessiman.
The final addition to the 2010-11 Blackhawks is an important one. Marty Turco parted ways with the Dallas Stars and signed with Chicago not long after the team walked away from the Niemi arbitration decision. A one-year, $1.3 million deal and the defense that will be in front of Turco should make that look like a bargain signing.
Forwards
The NHL's third-best offense last season (262 GF, 3.2 GPG) still retained the main cogs in the engine after the turnover this summer. Patrick Kane (30), Jonathan Toews (25), Marian Hossa (24), and Patrick Sharp (25) will once again be the key goal scorers for the team, and Hossa should improve on his total from last year with a full season under his belt.
Troy Browuer will look to build on a productive season (22 goals, 40 points) and an inspiring playoffs as he enters the final year of his contract before he becomes a restricted free agent.
Chicago's remaining forwards will have a young look with guys looking to take advantage of a full-time opportunity in the NHL. Jack Skille and Bryan Bickell are two guys who have commuted back and forth between the AHL and NHL the past few seasons and with spots opening up this summer, now is there time to steal the spotlight, otherwise the likes of a Kyle Beach are ready to step in.
Defense
Had the Blackhawks not matched the offer sheet that the San Jose Sharks gave Niklas Hjalmarsson, he would have the been the biggest loss this off-season. With Hjalmarsson back, Chicago's top four blue liners are as steady as any top two pairing around the NHL.
Norris Trophy-winning Duncan Keith has seen his production improve every year he's been in the league. Brent Seabrook has been consistently good every year. Despite his large contract, Brian Campbell has an offensive presence. And Hjalmarsson will only get better as he builds off of his first full season in the NHL. . .
Goaltending
A whole new season brings a whole new goaltending tandem for the Blackhawks. Out go Niemi and Huet and in comes Marty Turco and Corey Crawford (up from Rockford).
Despite coming off a season where he won just 22 games and played in 53 (lowest since 2001-02), Turco enters a good situation to rejuvenate his career. The Blackhawks were the sixth ranked defense last season, so he'll be protected well. If he can avoid giving up the soft goals that have haunted him over the years, the transition from Niemi to Turco should be seamless. . .
Breakout Player
New boy Viktor Stalberg -- acquired in the Kris Versteeg deal -- scored nine goals in 40 games for the Toronto Maple Leafs last season and surrounded by a better cast, could be a nice surprise. The speedy winger has the size to become a dominant power forward and being behind Hossa and Kane on the wings could give him time to mature and grow into the position. . .
2010-11 Preseason Report Card:
Forwards: A- (Great stars, but will be interesting to see reaction to loss of peripheral players.)
Defense: A
Goaltending: B
Special Teams: B
Coaching: A
Management: B+
Main Event or Dark Match? (Prediction)
Yeah, losing nine players from your Stanley Cup-winning roster is certainly going to have an effect on future performance, but the core of the Chicago Blackhawks is locked up and it's now on GM Stan Bowman to find away to fill holes adequately going forward.
Chicago didn't lose any backbreaking players that led them to a Cup in June. They still have Kane, Toews, Keith, Hossa, and Seabrook leading the way and if Marty Turco can return to his winning form of the past, then the doom and gloom prognostications after this summer's mass exodus will quickly fade away.
FULL ARTICLE: http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/pu...n-Preview-Wrestling-with-Chica?urn=nhl-267722
