Start of Something Special (Part II)

Last week here, I had the audacity to believe that a Chicago team was headed to the promised land. Hopefully I picked up a few followers with my post. Or maybe the Hawks continued stellar play since has brought you into my camp.

For the remaining skeptics (probably most of you), follow me through the roster, top to bottom. Then remember that some NHL team will hoist the Cup and ask what are we missing that these other teams have, or that the many champions in the past have had?


Let's start with Captain Serious - Toews is one of the top two-way centers in hockey, as evidenced by his consideration for a spot on Team Canada. Whether he's ultimately chosen or not doesn't matter - just being a serious option for what is essentially an All-Star team means he's one of the top five or ten centers in the game.

As my brother was saying last week, while Hawks fans (myself included) didn't make a huge deal of it at the time, getting Hossa may turn out to be one of the more impressive feats this talented front office has pulled off. Everyone was thrown by how unexpected it was while also being bummed to have lost Havlat, who really played well last year. But the reality is that Hossa is long been one of the premier wingers in hockey, again in the top five or ten in the game. As he plays himself back into mid-season form, we're starting to see what an impact player he really is.

And then there's Kane, a player who regularly does things that have players, commentators, and fans gushing over his capabilities. Already a frontline playmaker, the most encouraging thing about Kane is that he's gotten obviously better each season. Not just in what he can do, but in how he approaches the game. As good as Kane was last season, he took it to a whole new level in the playoffs. And I believe that has only juiced his confidence, which has allowed him to come back this year and has been even better and more complete. His recent late game heroics are no surprise - Kane clearly is now combining maturity and a belief that he can do anything with his already impressive set of natural gifts.

Right there you've got a Big 3 as good as any in hockey. They've got the complete set of offensive gifts, they can play on both ends (I've even noticed Kane doing more defensively, making him less of a zero in the Hawks' zone), and they're physical (Toews and Hossa both can work the boards or camp in front of the net with the best of them). Proof of how good they are is the way their ice time together becomes a defacto power play for the Hawks. If I were in JQ's shoes, I'm not sure whether or not I'd play them together - I can see clearly the arguments for balancing your lines. But there is something appealing about completely dominating the puck every third shift that would make me strongly consider it.


Regardless of how JQ uses them, those three are as good or better than any you'll find in hockey. And what makes them all the more impressive is that the Hawks round out their Top 6 forwards as good as any you'll find in hockey. That's why JQ can even consider running out The Big 3 together - because he knows he'll still have a very potent second line for his opponents to deal with.

While it was a big loss to not see the 23-year old Bolland continue to develop his all-around game, the reality is that what he showed last year established him as a legit two-way second line center. If he can get back and up to full speed by the playoffs (and early reports seem to suggest that will be the case), the Hawks will be fully loaded at center for the first time since they ran out Roenick, Nichols, Savard, and Sutter in the 95 playoffs.

In Sharp, the Hawks have a guy who can consistently score 30+ goals. Because the other players have more hype to them, Sharp's skills and accomplishments have been glossed over - but regularly scoring 30 marks you as a frontline NHL scorer. Throw in his great speed and plus defensive abilities and he's complete enough to be a 1st liner on most teams.

Similarly, while he's still raw and prone to mental mistakes, Versteeg's playmaking skills are rare and uber-valuable, and when you consider that he's not afraid to play scrappy and is also a plus defender, again you've got a guy capable of being a top liner on a lot of teams. All told, that's a heck of a Top 6 group of forwards - size, playmaking, grit, defense, and scoring from multiple sources.


As the Devil fans have long known and we've quickly learned, Madden is about as good of a defensive center as you'll find. He's learned in the role, has the talent to get it done, and executes to perfection. And come the playoffs, Madden will be even more vital, regularly skating against the other team's top line, taking key face-offs, and killing off penalties.

Going along with Madden, the Hawks have a trio of gritty role players who bring size, defense, toughness, and energy, while also capable of capitalizing on the talents of more skilled linemates. Not only will these guys be key in joining Madden to shut down the other team's top line, but come the grind-it-out play of the post-season, they'll also be necessary to allowing your Top 6 guys to utilize their talents. Given that this makes 10 skaters for three lines, the Hawks have an enviable bit of depth to use in a possible trade, to cover for any injuries, or even to improve an already strong 4th line.

Ladd, no longer skating with playmakers Havlat and Bolland, has seen his numbers fall a bit this year, but his on-ice contributions remain just as important. The fact that he's never posted a negative plus-minus with the Hawks really tells you it all. Brouwer has really stepped up, totally fulfilling the role of guy who does the little things that aren't noticed. I'll definitely eat crow here - Brouwer is a valuable role player and JQ was right to commit so much PT to him last year. Finally, Buff remains an enigma, a guy capable of disappearing for shifts, periods, or even games at a time. However, he's also fully capable of impressing you with speed, hands, his shot, and of course his physical play. You can't win in the playoffs without the work of lunch pail types back-boning the skilled play of your stars, and the Hawks have as good of a group of such as is out there.

Rounding out the forwards, the Hawks have a very deep and capable 4th line group who will give you the desired energy and toughness, but also do it with plus defense and a rare bit of speed and offensive skill. And that's an advantage. The fourth line will skate a good 6-8 minutes a game - given how close every playoff contest is, the difference in a win or loss can easily be a slight edge in these 4th liners. And that's an edge the Hawks will often have.

Like Bolland, the hope is that Burish can return in time to get back to full speed by the playoffs, and so far that seems to be his timetable. Again, in the gritty play of the post-season, having a pest like Burish is a must. Burish is exceptionally skilled at getting under the other team's skin, but it's even more impressive that he can kill penalties so well while also providing some speed and offensive skill - both often lacking on a 4th line.

Eager is similar in that he fills the role of the Hawks' heavyweight, but does so with offensive and skating skills that are above that of most 4th liners. It's a real testament to the kind of player that he is that come the playoffs, when fighting all but disappears, Eager remains a key player on the Hawks 4th line.

Kopecky has definitely struggled in his transition to the Hawks, but he's a guy who played a role on the last two Cup Finals teams for the Wings (including one winner), so he can definitely get it done. He's got solid size and can play either center or wing, which makes him a valuable flex piece. The hope is that Kopecky will figure it out before long, as his playoff experience would be helpful to a team with only last year's run on its resume.

It's been nice to see Frasier improve his game in so many areas. He'll never be anything of an impact player, but he's getting closer to being a plus in the face-off circle and he's done a very solid job over the last two seasons killing penalties for JQ. I've also been impressed by how Frasier has stepped up into the fighters role for the Hawks with Burish out, Eager concussed, and Wisniewski long since departed. Frasier ended up the odd man out during last year's run and could do so again, but he's definitely getting closer to the point that he could be counted on for solid depth.

In Bickell, I think the Hawks have found themselves another capable role player. I'm not sure if he has any special skills to make him much of an impact guy, but he seems very capable of playing a grinder role. For this year, that might not be necessary, as the Hawks already have a glut of such players. But with the "Great Salary Cull" coming, the Hawks are going to have to replace expensive role players like Buff with cheaper options. Hence, I'm very encouraged that Bickell will be a nice contributor next season.


On the blueline, you've got a pair of defenders who are so good that they could end up a pairing for Team Canada in the Olympics. Again, whether it happens or not is moot - the fact that it's a legit consideration tells you that few, if any, pairings in all of hockey are as good as these guys. And what's most amazing about Keith and Seabrook is that they're also real assets on offense, with Keith regularly leading rushes and Seabrook bringin a heck of a heavy shot from the point. The combination of speed, size, toughness, skill, and defensive awareness make for a really nasty defensive combo that might just be the heart and soul of the Hawks.

Arguably the Hawks biggest step forward from last year has been the establishment of Hjalmarsson as a legit Top 4 stay-at-home defenseman. And the proof is in the play of Campbell. While wrongly hammered for his performance last year (due to unrealistic expectations of uninformed fans), Campbell's game was missing something for a guy believed to be a frontline NHL blueliner.

I mentioned it as a possibility a few times last year, but the Hammer has gone and proven it beyond a doubt this year - all Campbell needed to be that top tier defender was a reliable stay-at-home partner. Plus-minus of the Campbell-HJ pairing? An absurd +27. With both at +13 or better, they lead all Hawks defenders. Throw in 30 points and over 43 minutes a game, and you're looking at a #2 pairing as good as any hockey, absolutely.

Finally, in Barker the Hawks have as good of a #5 defenseman as you'll find out there. The power play specialist was second only to Kane in PP points last year and this year he's already got three PP goals - good for third on the team. Sure Barker's prone to some defensive mistakes and isn't very fleet of foot. But to have that kind of offensive threat out of a non-Top 4 guy is a real asset.

The only thing missing with Barker is what was missing with Campbell - a good stay-at-home defender, preferably with a bit of speed, to bring the best out of him. Unfortunately, he's stuck with a mediocre stay-at-home defender who's slow as mud in Sopel. To me, this is all that's missing from the Hawks' championship puzzle. With such a special team at hand, the Hawks need to take the risk on their future and part with whatever pieces are necessary to acquire a legit stay-at-home type with the speed to capably cover for Barker.

Because while decent enough, Sopel leaves a lot to be desired. He's not facing the top lines from the other team, yet still is the only blueliners whose plus/minus hovers around Even. Just watching Sopel, especially on a team with this much speed, it's clear how slow and lumbering he is. He, like Barker, is also prone to mistakes handling the puck.

However, while I've ridden Sopel hard, he's not as terrible as I first thought. The Hawks can survive with him, as he knows his role and does everything he can to fill it. This is especially true on the penalty kill, where Sopel has been serviceable, which is what you need out of your 6th defender. But the Hawks can definitely improve here - in fact, this may be the only realistic place on the team the Hawks could do so. The idea of another plus defender pairing with Barker to alleviate some of the pressure on the Top 4 while also improving our PK unit has me salivating over our Cup chances.

So get out there and start working the phones - some non-playoff team has to value youngsters more than their veteran defensive defenseman. Find them and make the deal. I don't care if we're risking a bit of our future - this team has a rare chance to win it all, so do everything you can to give yourself the best chance.


And then you've got the goaltenders, probably the biggest factor in determining if we're really dealing with a special hockey team. As a back-up, Niemi has proven himself, in limited action, at least capable of sharing enough of the load to keep the Frenchman fresh. And that's important, because Huet has never been a guy to play 60+ games like some workhorses. With the expectation of another two months of hockey after the regular season (again, something Huet's never done), the Hawks need their back-up goalie to be someone JQ can turn to regularly, especially in this compressed Olympic season. Niemi has shown he is fully capable of lightening Huet's load.

But can he be more, as some are suggesting? Should the Hawks turn over the reigns to this kid who's posted an incredible 4 SHOs and a 1-goal game in only 11 outings? It's intriguing, especially in the NHL, where young goalies often come out of nowhere to carry their teams. But the reality is that Niemi is completely unproven - maybe the book will get out on him. Maybe he's not a guy who can handle the post-season pressure. Or maybe he's injury-prone. The fact is we're still a long way from confidently relying on Niemi as anything more than a stellar back-up, which is all we need him to be right now.

So what about the guy he's backing up, Huet? Honestly, I don't know. He didn't deserve the heat he got at the start of this season. Again, uninformed fans expected too much and were being unrealistic about the decision to turn the reigns over to Huet and let Khabi go. What I found most hysterical is that the fans ripping Huet and calling for Khabi were the EXACT SAME ones who were always ripping Khabi when he was here. Let's not forget that Khabi was put on waivers and went unclaimed before last season, and no one was surprised or bothered by this.

The reality is that Khabi was too injury-prone to rely on, as he showed by going down in in the middle of the Wings series last year (and missing time already this year). Also, Huet is not someone to question in the regular season. He's got a goals against average title on his resume, along with a number of other sterling regular seasons to his credit. Doubting whether he could carry the Hawks to the playoffs just showed a lack of knowledge of the man's abilities.

However, Huet has never gotten it done in the playoffs. Not that he's been some post-season failure - his numbers have been respectable enough. Huet's just never really had much for chances, only getting there a few times in his career and never really doing so behind much of a team. So scarily enough, the second oldest member of the team is actually the guy you wonder most about come the post-season.

But while goaltending is the biggest swing factor in any post-season series, it doesn't operate on an island. Even the hottest goaltender needs good defense in front of him and some timely scoring. Similarly, given great defensive support and an offense that keeps immense pressure on the other team, you can have success with just solid goalie play.


In all, I've got faith that the Hawks offense is potent enough that even if they run into a hot goalie, they'll find a way to solve him enough to sneak out a series victory. And even if Huet doesn't carry them, I can see the Hawks winning it all with just reliable play out of Huet behind stellar defense and an onslaught of offense. It would be far from the first time that just a solid goalie was enough to win the Cup. And who knows - Huet has shown himself capable of great things plenty of times - why can't he get hot and carry us to the Cup?

It's obviously impossible to say what will shake out, but Huet is about as capable as any goalie the Hawks are going to find. And in going back over this team - what they've accomplished these past two and a half season, the kind of players they have on their roster - I'm confident that this Hawks squad has more than enough to win it all. Here's hoping you are too - it'll only make the ride that much more enjoyable.