Season Gambling Preview: Chicago Blackhawks
After winning the Stanley Cup in 2009-10, the Chicago Blackhawks crawled into the eighth playoff seed on the final day of the 2010-11 regular season. We all understood why they regressed; totally maxed out with their salary cap, they traded away half their team.
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CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS
Stanley Cup odds: +1400
The question facing the Hawks for 2011-12 is: have they fixed the problem? Or is this steam still just as gutted as it was a year ago?
By gutted, lets’ be clear: I don’t mean Chicago doesn’t have talent. Its top-end players are the envy of the National Hockey League. Jonathan Toews is a revered captain with scoring touch and two-way ability. Patrick Kane hasn’t hit his ceiling as an elite scorer. Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook remain, arguably, the game’s best shutdown defensive tandem. Patrick Sharp is a tremendously underrated sniper. Marian Hossa still has plenty of goals left in his stick. And goaltender Corey Crawford flashed serious talent in his rookie season, especially in the playoffs.
The problem is that, as great as all those guys are, seven guys can’t win you a championship. Especially with dynamite checking center Dave Bolland missing time due to injury last season, the Hawks struggled with their lack of depth. Simply put, the outstanding players listed above can’t take the ice for every shift.
It’s debatable whether or not the team’s depth is improved. Daniel Carcillo is an agitator extraordinaire with some scoring touch; Andrew Brunette is long in the tooth but could be a good second power-play-unit guy with his playmaking ability. [ad-4437448]
Those additions may or may not help but Chicago’s offense could also improve from within. Michael Frolik couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn last year but had plenty of chances, is only 23 and has a first-round draft pedigree. Bolland may not have hit his ceiling yet and shows the occasional ability to dominate games. Ben Smith flashed potential with three goals in seven playoff games.
The Blackhawks’ defense after the big two is ho-hum. Other than Niklas Hjalmarsson, the rest of Chicago’s blueliners aren’t very fleet of foot. At least Steve Montador and Sean O’Donnell bring physicality to the table.
It’s clear that the Hawks are still a playoff team. Their best players are simply too good. It helps that they can play Keith and Seabrook for 25-30 minutes per game, too. And Crawford looks like a real gamer in goal. Chicago could still challenge Detroit for the Central Division crown if a few things break their way.
However, unless they address their depth issues, I think it’s more likely that Chicago finishes with around 95 points and winds up playing its playoff opener on the road.
Oh, well. As far as problems go, “lack of depth” isn’t the worst for a team to have. “Lack of talent” or “no scoring” would be worse. Theoretically, Chicago could elevate itself back to Stanley Cup contender status if a few of its youngsters step up or if it makes a few smart but minor veteran acquisitions.
Prediction: 2nd, Central Division
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