IndianHeadNation

Jonathan Toews named finalist for Mark Messier...

Mon, 20 May 2013 17:05:39 +0000

The NHL announced this morning that Chicago Blackhawks captain, Jonathan Toews, is a finalist for the 2013 Mark Messier Leadership Award for his excellent leadership qualities in the Blackhawks locker room.

The NHL first released this award following the 2006-2007 NHL season. The trophy is awarded to "the player who exemplifies great leadership qualities to his team, on and off the ice during the regular season."

The process of winning this award is less complicated than most other trophies awarded by the NHL. Throughout the season, Mark Messier gathers input from NHL fans and NHL personnel to help his decision process, but ultimately Messier hand picks the three finalists and eventually the winner of the trophy to his consent.

Daniel Alfredsson of the Ottawa Senators and Dustin Brown of the Los Angeles Kings were the other two finalists for the award.

Last week, the NHL announced that Jonathan Toews is a finalist for the Frank J. Selke Trophy, giving Toews two nominations in 2013. Only Marty St. Louis (2) and Sidney Crosby (3) have had two or more nominations this year.

ADDED LEADERSHIP — It's not a coincidence that the Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville is a finalist for the Jack Adams Award in the same year that Jonathan Toews is recognized as a finalist for the Mark Messier Award, and the Blackhawks ended up as the best team in the NHL regular season. The combination of coach and captain is probably the most important aspect of any hockey team. The Messier Award may be a new addition to the NHL, but years from now the correlation between the Messier and the Jack Adams Award will be prominent amongst finalists.

LOCKOUT LEADER — Toews cemented his leadership qualities prior to the season even starting, considering he was the driving force behind gathering the team to prepare for the season together during the lockout. He practically coached the team until the players decided to hire Kenny McCudden to help keep them organized, so that they could focus on playing rather than drawing up drills and playing "shinny hockey."

NO STAT FOR THAT — There is no individual stat that determines leadership, but you can take team accomplishments into consideration. The Chicago Blackhawks organization had a record flirting start to the regular-season and they finished with the best record by a long shot. The consistency the team displayed was remarkable in every aspect. Consider this: The Blackhawks would have finished a full season with nearly 132 points (the 1976-1977 Montreal Canadiens hold the record at 132 points) if you prorate the numbers. Even though the Blackhawks dominated the rest of the NHL to start the season, the mantra in the locker room remained level-headed, never getting ahead of themselves, and the players were focused on one thing: Winning.

BOTTOM LINE — Jonathan Toews was able to elevate his team to another level that was almost record-breaking. Spectacular seasons don't come around very often, and that type of success has to be attributed to a solid foundation of leadership. This is the one piece of individual hardware that I can't see going to anyone else.

Series Preview: Chicago Blackhawks vs. Detroit...

Tue, 14 May 2013 01:57:07 +0000

SEASON SERIES — The Chicago Blackhawks swept Detroit in the season series (4-0-0) in 2013, outscoring the Red Wings 12-5 through four games, not including shootout goals credited for a win. Corey Crawford started all four games for the Blackhawks and Jimmy Howard started all four games for the Red Wings, but he was pulled in one of them. Although it seems like the Blackhawks blew out the Red Wings during the season series, a closer look reveals that three of the four games went into overtime and out of those three games, two of them went into the shootout. In their last meeting, Chicago's victory clinched the Division title.

2-1 overtime win on January 27th in Chicago
2-1 shootout win on March 3rd in Detroit
7-1 victory on March 31 in Detroit
3-2 shootout win on April 12th in Chicago

CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS —

Jonathan Toews led the Blackhawks with five points (2G, 3A) in four games and was the only player in the season series producing at a point per game.
Dave Bolland, Nick Leddy, Brandon Saad, and Jonathan Toews tied for the team lead in goals (2).
Dave Bolland was perfect, taking two shots on net and scoring on both.
Brandon Saad led all Blackhawks with 11 shots on net.
Jonathan Toews and Johnny Oduya led the Blackhawks with a plus-4 rating.
The Blackhawks were 2-for-10 (20%) on the powerplay vs. the Red Wings.
The Blackhawks averaged 28.5 shots on net vs. the Red Wings.

DETROIT RED WINGS —

Johan Franzen and Cory Emmerton led the Red Wings with two points each, both scored two goals each.
Only one player, Tomas Tatar, was a positive player in the season series. He only appeared in one game.
Johan Franzen led the Red Wings with 18 shots on net in four games.
The Red Wings were 1-for-15 (6.7%) on the powerplay vs. the Blackhawks.
The Red Wings averaged 31.5 shots on net vs. the Blackhawks.

OFFENSE BLACKHAWKS — Below is a breakdown of each line and how effective they were against the Red Wings this season. Injured players are not included.

Brandon Saad, Jonathan Toews, and Marian Hossa combined for nine points (4G, 5A) and a plus-5 rating.
Patrick Sharp, Dave Bolland, and Patrick Kane contributed four points (3G, 1A) and a plus-2 rating. (Note: Bolland will return, but Quenneville has not cemented his place in the lineup yet)
Bryan Bickell, Andrew Shaw, and Viktor Stalberg contributed four points (1G, 3A) and a plus-4 rating.
Marcus Kruger, Michal Handzus, and Michael Frolik contributed two points (2A) and a plus-4 rating. (Note: Frolik played on the top line in the last two games of the season series)

LIKELY SCRATCHES: Dan Carcillo appeared in three games vs. Detroit this season and did not register any points. Jamal Mayers played one game, but he did not register any points either. Jeremy Morin (1G) and Jimmy Hayes (1A) both dressed in Chicago's 7-1 thrashing on March 31st.

OFFENSE RED WINGS — Below is a breakdown of each line and how effective they were against the Blackhawks this season. Injured players are not included.

Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk, Justin Abdelkader combined for a total of one point (1A) and minus-3 rating.
Johan Franzen, Valtteri Filppula, and Danny Cleary contributed two points (2G) and a minus-8 rating. (Note: Babcock likes to juggle Zetterberg and Franzen on the top two lines)
Gustav Nyquist, Joakim Andersson, and Damien Brunner contributed two points (2A) and an even rating.
Jordin Tootoo, Cory Emmerton, and Patrick Eaves contributed four points (2G, 2A) and a minus-5 rating.

LIKELY SCRATCHES: Tomas Tatar appeared in one game vs. the Blackhawks and scored a goal. Mikael Samuelsson and Todd Bertuzzi both appeared in the season series but did not score any points.

DEFENSE BLACKHAWKS — The Blackhawks had no issues producing offense with their defense against the Red Wings this season. Nick Leddy led the charge with two goals (one of them was a game winning goal in overtime), followed closely by Duncan Keith's goal and assist. Overall, the defense was able to produce eight points (3G, 5A) in the season series.

Of course, it's not all about offense for the Blackhawks and their defensive core proved that they can get it done in their own end as well with a combined plus-11 rating amongst the seven of them. Surprisingly enough, Michal Rozsival (8) and Nick Leddy (7) led the team in hits. Johnny Oduya, Nik Hjalmarsson, and Brent Seabrook all sacrificed their body an equal amount as well, with eight blocked shots each. Hjalmarsson was particularly impressive when it came down to puck control with six takeaways compared to his three giveaways.

DEFENSE RED WINGS — The Red Wings defense had a lot of trouble containing the Blackhawks throughout the season series. Not only were they abysmal in the defensive end, but offensively they only produced a mere four assists amongst 10 different defenseman that appeared vs. the Blackhawks.

Niklas Kronwall and Jonathan Ericsson lead Detroit as their top pairing, but they were the worst combination for the Red Wings, contributing a total of zero points and a minus-9 rating. As a whole, the Detroit defense had a minus-12 rating over the four game series. Although, they did keep the Blackhawks under their average shots per game (31.1) by only allowing Chicago an average of 28.5 shots on net per game during the season series.

GOALTENDING DUEL — Unlike the previous series, there should be no question about who is starting in goal, barring another pre-game injury.

Corey Crawford #50
Height: 6-2
Weight: 208
Career vs. Red Wings:

Games Played: 15
Record: 11-2-2
Shutouts: 0
Goals Against Average: 1.82
Save Percentage: 94.3

Jimmy Howard #35
Height: 6-0
Weight: 218
Career vs. Blackhawks:

Games Played: 17
Record: 4-7-5
Shutouts: 0
Goals Against Average: 2.79
Save Percentage: 90.5

ALL-TIME LEADERS —

FOR CHI: Patrick Sharp leads the Blackhawks with 33 points (15G, 18A) in 43 games vs. the Red Wings. No Blackhawk has been able to keep up a point per game pace, but Patrick Kane (28 points in 34 games), Marian Hossa (23 points in 29 games) and Jonathan Toews (21 points in 30 games), come the closest. Brent Seabrook leads the defense with 26 points (7G, 19A) in 50 games. The Blackhawks have 14 players that have a plus rating vs. the Red Wings.

For DET: Henrik Zetterberg leads the Red Wings with 47 points (19G, 28A) in 50 games vs. the Blackhawks. Pavel Datsyuk also has 47 points (15G 32A) but in 60 games vs. the Blackhawks. Kyle Quincey and Niklas Kronwall both lead the defense with 10 points apiece. Kyle Quincey and Johan Franzen are the only two active players on Detroit with a career plus rating (+6 combined) vs the Blackhawks.

RANDOM FACTS BLACKHAWKS — Regular Season (2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs)

26-2-1 (3-1) when they score first and 10-5-4 (1-0) when their opponents score first.
19-3-5 (1-1) in one goal games, 7-3 (0-0) in two goal games, and 10-1 (3-0) in three goal games.
26-3-4 (3-0) record when outshooting their opponents, 9-4-1 (1-1) when outshot, and 1-0 (0-0) when it's even.
Leading after 1 period: 17-1-1 (3-0) ... Trailing after 1 period: 3-3-3 (1-0) ... Tied after 1 period: 16-3-1 (0-1) ... Leading after 2 periods: 26-1-2 (3-0) ... Trailing after 2 periods: 4-5-1 (0-0) ... Tied after 2 periods: 6-1-2 (0-1) ...

RANDOM FACTS RED WINGS — Regular Season (2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs)

16-7-2 (3-1) when they score first, and 8-9-6 (1-2) when their opponents score first.
10-6-8 (4-1) in one goal games, 3-4 (0-1) in two goal games, and 11-6 (0-1) in three goal games.
14-13-5 (1-0) record when outshooting their opponents, 10-3-2 (2-3) when outshot and 0-0-1 (1-0) when it's even.
Leading after 1 period: 9-4-1 (3-0) ... Trailing after 1 period: 4-9-3 (1-0) ... Leading after 2 periods: 18-2-1 (2-0) ... Trailing after 2 periods: 2-11-3 (1-1)...

INJURIES — Drew Miller (DET) is suffering a hand injury going into this series and may miss time. Darren Helm (DET) and Dan DeKeyser (DET) is expected to be out for the remainder of the year. Dave Bolland (CHI) and Ray Emery (CHI), previously injured in round one, are both expected to return in game one vs. the Red Wings.

WCQF Game Five: Chicago Blackhawks vs. Minnesot...

Thu, 09 May 2013 16:22:36 +0000

The Chicago Blackhawks have their first chance to close out the series tonight vs. the Wild, thanks to their 3-0 win over Minnesota in game four, which gave the Blackhawks a 3-1 series lead. Patrick Sharp has been on fire for the Blackhawks, scoring four goals and adding one assist so far in the series. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Jonathan Toews still has not registered a point in the series. Toews has never gone four straight games without scoring a point in a single playoff series during his career.

If the Blackhawks can pull out a win tonight, it will be the first time they have advanced past the first round since 2010, when they won the Stanley Cup.

OFFENSE BLACKHAWKS — Below is a breakdown of each line and how effective they are against the Wild this series.

Brandon Saad, Jonathan Toews, and Marian Hossa have three points (1G, 2A) and a minus-1 rating.
Patrick Sharp, Michal Handzus, and Patrick Kane have 12 points (4G, 8A) and a plus-12 rating.
Bryan Bickell, Andrew Shaw, and Viktor Stalberg have seven points (3G, 4A) and a plus-3 rating.
Brandon Bollig, Dan Carcillo, Marcus Kruger, and Michael Frolik have two points (2G) and an even rating.

OFFENSE WILD — Below is a breakdown of each line and how effective they are against the Blackhawks this series.

Zach Parise, Mikko Koivu, and Charlie Coyle have three points (1G, 2A) and a minus-14 rating.
Jason Zucker, Matt Cullen, and Devin Setoguchi have six points (2G, 4A) and an even rating.
Cal Clutterbuck, Jason Pominville, Kyle Broadziak, and Pierre-Marc Bouchard five points (2G, 3A) and a plus-5 rating.
Zenon Konopka, Stephane Veilleux, Torrey Mitchell, and Mike Rupp have not contributed any points and have a minus-7 rating.

DEFENSE BLACKHAWKS — Below is a breakdown of each pairing and how effective they are against the Wild this series.

Duncan Keith and Niklas Hjalmarsson have a combined total of four points (1G, 3A) and a plus-8 rating.
Nick Leddy and Brent Seabrook have one point (1A) and a minus-3 rating.
Johnny Oduya and Michal Rozsival have two points (1G, 1A) and a plus-5 rating.

DEFENSE WILD — Below is a breakdown of each pairing and how effective they are against the Blackhawks this series.

Ryan Suter and Jonas Brodin have not scored any points and have a minus-3 rating.
Marco Scandella and Jared Spurgeon have one point (1G) and a minus-3 rating.
Clayton Stoner, Justin Falk and Tom Gilbert scored one point and have a minus-3 rating.

GOALTENDING DUEL —

Corey Crawford #50
Height: 6-2
Weight: 208
Playoff Career vs. Wild:

Games Played: 4
Record: 3-1
Shutouts: 1
Goals Against Average: 1.39
Save Percentage: 0.949

Niklas Backstrom #32
Height: 5-11
Weight: 194
Playoff Career vs. Blackhawks:

Games Played: 0
Record: N/A
Shutouts: N/A
Goals Against Average: N/A
Save Percentage: N/A

INJURY REPORT — Dave Bolland and Ray Emery will not return tonight. Niklas Backstrom and Josh Harding are questionable for the Wild, but it is speculated that Backstrom will start tonight.

RANDOM FACTS —

Joel Quenneville has won 6 out of 9 playoff series as the Blackhawks head coach.
Corey Crawford has never won a playoff series in his NHL career.
Marian Hossa scored his 100th career playoff point (37G, 63A) in game four, his 134th career game in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
This is the first time that Patrick Sharp has scored four goals in the opening round of the playoffs. The last time he scored four goals in a series it was against the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2010 Stanley Cup Finals.
The Jonathan Toews drought continues. He has gone five straight games without registering a playoff point, dating back to last year's series vs. the Phoenix Coyotes.
Patrick Kane leads the team in shots (12) without a goal. Jonathan Toews and Brandon Saad are second on the team with 11 shots and no goals.

MORE NOTES —

WCQF Game 2: Chicago Blackhawks vs. Minnesota Wild

Fri, 03 May 2013 19:07:41 +0000

WHO'S IN, WHO'S OUT — Dave Bolland and Ray Emery are ruled out of tonights game per Joel Quenneville with lower-body injuries. Jason Pominville continues to recover from a head injury and Clayton Stoner will sit out tonight after taking a hard hit in game one. Niklas Backstrom will not return after injuring himself during the pre-skate in game one.

GAME ONE RECAP — Corey Crawford allowed a weak goal from Cal Clutterbuck early in the game, but shut the door the rest of the way making 26 saves and finishing with a sparkling 0.963 save percentage. Marian Hossa tied the game in the 2nd period off a great rush by Patrick Kane. Although the game opened up for the Blackhawks after that, no one else scored until 34 minutes later when Bryan Bickell netted the game winning goal at the end of the first overtime period, his second playoff overtime goal of his career. Josh Harding was spectacular as well, making 35 stops out of 37 shots on goal. Defensively, the Wild did an admirable job by blocking 21 shots in the game. Surprisingly, the Blackhawks actually outhit the Wild 40-36 in the game.

OFFENSE BLACKHAWKS — Below is a breakdown of each line and how effective they are against the Wild this series.

Brandon Saad, Jonathan Toews, and Marian Hossa have one point (1G) in one game.
Patrick Sharp, Michal Handzus, and Patrick Kane have one point (1A) in one game.
Bryan Bickell, Andrew Shaw, and Viktor Stalberg have two points (1G, 1A) in one game.
Brandon Bollig, Marcus Kruger, and Michael Frolik have not scored any points in one game.

OFFENSE WILD — Below is a breakdown of each line and how effective they are against the Blackhawks this series.

Zach Parise, Mikko Koivu, and Charlie Coyle have not scored any points in one game.
Jason Zucker, Matt Cullen, and Devin Setoguchi have not scored any points in one game..
Cal Clutterbuck, Kyle Broadziak, and Pierre-Marc Bouchard contributed one point (1G) and a plus-3 rating.
Zenon Konopka, Torrey Mitchell, and Mike Rupp have not scored any points and have a minus-3 rating.

DEFENSE BLACKHAWKS — Below is a breakdown of each pairing and how effective they are against the Wild this series.

Duncan Keith and Niklas Hjalmarsson have a combined total of one point (1A) in one game.
Nick Leddy and Brent Seabrook have not scored any points in one game.
Johnny Oduya and Michal Rozsival have one point in one game.

DEFENSE WILD — Below is a breakdown of each pairing and how effective they are against the Blackhawks this series.

Ryan Suter and Jonas Brodin have not scored any points and have a minus-1 rating in one game.
Marco Scandella and Jared Spurgeon have not scored any points in one game.
Clayton Stoner and Tom Gilbert scored one point and have a plus-1 rating in one game.

GOALTENDING DUEL —

Corey Crawford #50
Height: 6-2
Weight: 208
Playoff Career vs. Wild:

Games Played: 1
Record: 1-0
Shutouts: 0
Goals Against Average: 0.78
Save Percentage: 0.963

Josh Harding #37
Height: 6-1
Weight: 202
Career vs. Blackhawks:

Games Played: 1
Record: 0-1
Shutouts: 0
Goals Against Average: 1.57
Save Percentage: 0.946

GUARANTEED VICTORY — There are a lot of ways that the Blackhawks can win, but these scenarios practically guarantee a win: If they score first, they increase their odds of winning to almost 90%. They win almost 80% of the games when outshooting their opponents, so any combination of those two percentages vs. Josh Harding should produce a win. Any production from the third or fourth line is a bonus, along with production on the power-play. The beauty of it all is that the Blackhawks don't need to accomplish all of these tasks in order to win. If they can play out just one of these scenarios, chances are they win the game.

MILESTONE WATCH — Marian Hossa (37G, 61A) is two points away from 100 career playoff points.

Series Preview: Chicago Blackhawks vs. Minnesot...

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 17:19:37 +0000

I will try and refrain from any opinion and stick to the facts. Below is a comparison of both teams from top to bottom. There are no grades, but I'm sure you can formulate your own opinion based on the information I'm about to share.

SEASON SERIES — The Blackhawks did well against Minnesota this year, taking the season series 2-0-1 and outscoring the Wild 8-6, including a 1-0 shutout with Ray Emery in net. Marian Hossa scored both game-winning goals for the Blackhawks, while Matt Cullen scored the game-winner for the Wild. Below is a list of notes for each team.

CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS —

Marian Hossa, Bryan Bickell, Jonathan Toews, and Brandon Saad scored a point per game (three points each) in the regular-season series.
Bryan Bickell and Marian Hossa led the team in goals with two each.
Patrick Sharp led all Blackhawks with 14 shots on net.
The Blackhawks were 0-for-7 (0%) on the powerplay vs. the Wild.

MINNESOTA WILD —

Devin Setoguchi and Matt Cullen led the Minnesota Wild with two points each (1G, 1A).
Only five players (Setoguchi, Clutterbuck, Brodziak, Zucker, Rupp) put up a positive plus/minus rating on the Wild.
Mikko Koivu led the Wild with eight shots on net.
The Wild were 1-for-7 (14.3%) on the powerplay vs. the Blackhawks.

OFFENSE BLACKHAWKS — Below is a breakdown of each line and how effective they were against the Wild this season.

Brandon Saad, Jonathan Toews, and Marian Hossa combined for nine points (4G, 5A) and a plus-12 rating.
Patrick Sharp, Dave Bolland, and Patrick Kane contributed four points (1G, 3A) and a plus-2 rating.
Bryan Bickell, Andrew Shaw, and Viktor Stalberg contributed six points (3G, 3A) and a plus-1 rating.
Brandon Bollig, Marcus Kruger, and Michael Frolik contributed one point (1A) and a minus-2 rating.

Michal Handzus, who is expected to play on the 2nd line in place of Bolland, only appeared in one game and did not register a point. Dan Carcillo is the last forward that did appear in a game, but he did not register any points either.

OFFENSE WILD — Below is a breakdown of each line and how effective they were against the Blackhawks this season.

Dany Heatley, Mikko Koivu, and Zach Parise combined for a total of two points and minus-10 rating.
Jason Zucker, Matt Cullen, and Devin Setoguchi contributed five points (2G, 3A) and a plus-2 rating.
Pierre-Marc Bouchard, Kyle Broadziak, and Jason Pomminville contributed one point (1G) and a minus-2 rating.
Cal Clutterbuck, Torrey Mitchell, and Mike Rupp contributed three points (1G, 2A) and a plus-2 rating.

Charlie Coyle, who is expected to play on the 1st line in place of Heatley, appeared in two games but did not register a point. Michael Granlund, Darrell Powe, and Zenon Konopka are among the remaining forwards that are not expected to dress in game one.

DEFENSE BLACKHAWKS — Interestingly enough, Niklas Hjalmarsson led the Blackhawks defense in points vs. the Wild this season. In fact, he was the only defenseman to register a point (1A) through the three game series. As a unit, the defense stayed positive with a plus-8 combined rating, and not a single one of them dipped into minus territory.

DEFENSE WILD — The Wild had a bit more success with producing offense from the backend, but not by much. Ryan Suter (1G) and Tom Gilbert (1A) were the only defenseman to register points. Even with a bit of offensive production, not a single defenseman on the team put up a positive rating and they dipped to a minus-8 combined rating for the season.

GOALTENDING DUEL — Corey Crawford (Career vs. Wild: 7 GP 3-1-2, 0 SO, 2.01 GAA, 0.919 SV%) vs. Niklas Backstrom (Career vs. Blackhawks: 15 GP 5-8-1, 1 SO, 2.65 GAA, 0.919 SV%)

LEADERS — For the Blackhawks, Marian Hossa has 20 points (10G, 10A) in 22 career games against the Wild. Jonathan Toews compiled 17 points (6G, 11A) in 18 career games. On defense, Duncan Keith produced 15 points (5G, 10A) in 29 career games.

For the Wild, Ryan Suter leads the team with 26 points (4G, 22A) in 47 career games versus Chicago (his most against any team). Mikko Koivu has 22 points (4G, 18A) in 29 career games vs. the Blackhawks. Matt Cullen also produced 22 points (10G, 12A) vs. Chicago in 36 career games.

RANDOM FACTS BLACKHAWKS —

26-2-1 when they score first and 10-5-4 when their opponents score first.
19-3-5 in one goal games, 7-3-0 in two goal games, and 10-1-0 in three goal games.
26-3-4 record when outshooting their opponents, 9-4-1 when outshot.
Leading after 1 period: 17-1-1 ... Trailing after 1 period: 3-3-3 ... Tied after 1 period: 16-3-1 ... Leading after 2 periods: 26-1-2 ... Trailing after 2 periods: 4-5-1 ... Tied after 2 periods: 6-1-2 ...

RANDOM FACTS WILD —

The Wild are 18-4-1 when they score first, and 8-15-2 when their opponents score first.
13-5-3 in one goal games, 11-8-0 in two goal games, and 2-6-0 in three goal games.
15-10-1 record when outshooting their opponents,8-7-2 when outshot.
Leading after 1 period: 9-2-1 ... Trailing after 1 period: 6-12-1 ... Tied after 1 period: 11-5-1 ... Leading after 2 periods: 18-1-1 ... Trailing after 2 periods: 2-14-2 ... Tied after 2 periods: 6-4-0 ...

INJURIES — Jason Pominville (MIN), Ray Emery (CHI), and Dave Bolland (CHI) are all suffering injuries going into this series and may miss time. Dany Heatley (MIN) is out for the year.

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WCQF Game One: Chicago Blackhawks vs. Minnesota...

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 15:45:20 +0000

You've probably heard, or read, that the Chicago Blackhawks are expected to smoke the Minnesota Wild in this series. That may or may not be true, but in the opening game of a series the Blackhawks are 3-6 since the 2008-2009 season, that's not exactly encouraging for tonights game in particular. With that in mind, Chicago has not faced the eighth seed at all over the last four seasons so they could improve upon that record tonight.

WHO'S IN, WHO'S OUT — Dave Bolland and Ray Emery will not dress for the Blackhawks tonight, instead Henrik Karlsson will warm the bench as the back-up goaltender to Corey Crawford. Jason Pominville is out for the Minnesota Wild due to a head injury, so Zenon Konopka will take his place.

ENEMY BREAKDOWN — Nine players on the Minnesota Wild will be making their playoff debut. They beat the Colorado Avalanche (3-1) their last game of the season and have a 2-3-0 record in the last five games. They are 18-4-1 when they score first, and 8-15-2 when their opponents score first.

GOALTENDING DUEL —

Corey Crawford #50
Height: 6-2
Weight: 208
Career vs. Wild:

Games Played: 7
Record: 3-1-2
Shutouts: 0
Goals Against Average: 2.01
Save Percentage: 0.919

Niklas Backstrom #32
Height: 5-11
Weight: 194
Career vs. Blackhawks:

Games Played: 15
Record: 5-8-1
Shutouts: 1
Goals Against Average: 2.65
Save Percentage: 0.919

LEADERS — For the Blackhawks, Marian Hossa has 20 points (10G, 10A) in 22 career games against the Wild. Jonathan Toews compiled 17 points (6G, 11A) in 18 career games. On defense, Duncan Keith produced 15 points (5G, 10A) in 29 career games.

For the Wild, Ryan Suter leads the team with 26 points (4G, 22A) in 47 career games versus Chicago (his most against any team). Mikko Koivu has 22 points (4G, 18A) in 29 career games vs. the Blackhawks. Matt Cullen also produced 22 points (10G, 12A) vs. Chicago in 36 career games.

KEYS TO VICTORY — I am not one of those people that thinks Corey Crawford will be the achilles heel of this team, but with that said he will have to beat out a very solid goaltender in Niklas Backstrom. I don't think that the Blackhawks need to get the powerplay rolling to win this series, but if they do catch fire then they will slaughter the Wild. Joel Quenneville dominated Mike Yeo in line matches during the season series, so he will need to continue to get the right guys out there at the right times. Experience will play a key factor in this game, and series. I mentioned in the past that the Blackhawks have had trouble in opening round games since 2008-2009 (3-6 record), but this probably won't be one of them.

The biggest key? Score first, the Wild suck when they are trailing.

MEDIA NOTES —

Bolland, Emery Will Not Dress in Game One

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 20:40:52 +0000

Joel Quenneville ruled out the possibility of Dave Bolland and Ray Emery returning to the lineup for game one of the Western Conference Quarter-finals vs. the Minnesota Wild after Monday's morning skate.

Michal Handzus was spotted taking regular shifts in between Patrick Sharp and Patrick Kane in place of Bolland. Henrik Karlsson was in the net opposite of Corey Crawford, despite the fact that Carter Hutton started the season finale vs. the St. Louis Blues and could indicate that Karlsson may back-up Crawford for the time being.

UPDATE (3:30 pm): Karlsson will back-up Crawford in game one.

The lines at the Monday morning skate went as expected:

Saad—Toews—Hossa
Sharp—Handzus—Kane
Bickell—Shaw—Stalberg
Bollig—Kruger—Frolik
Carcillo—Mayers—Smith

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Blackhawks Hardware: William M. Jennings Trophy

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 14:55:41 +0000

After acquiring the Division Title, Conference Title, and eventually Presidents Trophy; Blackhawks goaltenders Corey Crawford and Ray Emery also took home the William M. Jennings Trophy for allowing the least amount of goals (102) in the NHL.

In a full season, goaltenders are required to play a minimum of 25 games in order to capture the award, but in this lockout shortened season they were only required to appear in 14 games to get their name inscribed, which is why Emery made the cut.

The Blackhawks goaltending duo came a long way to win this award after a 22nd place finish in goals against average (2.82 GAA) in the 2011-2012 season vaulting all the way to a first place finish (2.02 GAA) this season to capture the clubs first William M. Jennings Trophy since Eddie "the Eagle" Belfour won it during 1994-1995, another lockout shortened season.

Although Crawford and Emery deserve much praise for their outstanding work this season, let's not forget the vast improvement in our defensive core with the additions of Michal Rozsival and Sheldon Brookbank over the off season, which helped the Blackhawks keep their shot totals lower from 2011-2012 (28.6) to the 2013 (26.2) season. Along with the new additions, the original five (Keith, Seabrook, Hjalmarsson, Leddy, and Oduya) stepped up their play in order to become one of the best defensive cores in the entire NHL. None of them will qualify for the Norris Trophy, but together as a unit it's very difficult to find that amount of depth and quality on one team.

Here's a look at the stat-lines from last season to this season:

2011-2012 SEASON

Corey Crawford: 30-17-7, 0.903 save percentage, 2.72 goals against average and zero shutouts
Ray Emery: 15-9-4, 0.900 save percentage, 2.81 goals against average and zero shutouts

2013 SEASON

Corey Crawford: 19-5-5, 0.926 save percentage, 1.94 GAA and three shutouts
Ray Emery: 17-1-0, 0.922 save percentage, 1.94 GAA and three shutouts

The award was clinched as soon as Robin Lehner, back-up for the Ottawa Senators, allowed a goal against the Boston Bruins in the final game of the season Sunday night.

Congratulations to Corey Crawford, Ray Emery, and the entire Blackhawks organization for their accomplishment.

Blackhawks Bring Up Black Aces

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 14:28:15 +0000

Nine players were added to the Chicago Blackhawks roster yesterday afternoon.

Forwards Jimmy Hayes, Jeremy Morin, Brandon Pirri, and Ben Smith, along with defenseman Ryan Stanton, Adam Clendening, Shawn Lalonde, and veteran Steve Montador, and lastly goaltender Henrik Karlsson were among the players called up.

The Rockford IceHogs made a valiant effort to make a push for the playoffs, but came up short as the Milwaukee Admirals edged them out after winning their last game of the season.

Hayes, Morin, Pirri, Smith, Stanton, and Lalonde are expected to suit up in the Blackhawks final regular-season game vs. the St. Louis Blues.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Carter Hutton was recalled earlier in the week, and will stay with the team as a Black Ace.

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Blackhawks vs. Canucks

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 23:37:17 +0000

MR. PRESIDENT — If the Blackhawks can beat the Canucks, and the Ottawa Senators beat the Pittsburgh Penguins in regulation, the Blackhawks will clinch the Presidents Trophy tonight at Rogers Arena.

WHO'S IN, WHO'S OUT — Patrick Sharp will not return tonight. Michal Rozsival and Michal Handzus are questionable for tonight's game. Ray Emery will return but he will back-up Corey Crawford for tonights game. Drew LeBlanc, Carter Hutton, Brandon Bollig, and Dan Carcillo are expected to be healthy scratches tonight.

ENEMY BREAKDOWN — The Canucks have a chance to clinch the Northwest Division title tonight if they gain at least one point. Last game, Maxim LaPierre notched the game-winning shootout goal to beat the Detroit Red Wings and helped the Canucks clinch a playoff berth. Frank Corrado, 5th round pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, will appear in his first NHL game tonight for the Canucks. Cory Schneider will get the nod in net.

GOALTENDING DUEL — Corey Crawford (18-4-5, 3 SO, 1.99 GAA, 0.924 SV%) vs. Cory Schneider (16-9-4, 5 SO, 2.15 GAA, 0.926 SV%)

SEASON SERIES (1-0-1) — Tonight will be the third and final game between the Blackhawks and Canucks in the regular-season. Both games played this season went into a shootout with each team splitting the series 1-0-1. Marian Hossa (2G), Patrick Kane (1G, 1A) and Patrick Sharp (1G, 1A) each lead the team with two points vs. the Canucks this season. Ray Emery was the goaltender that prevailed over Vancouver in the shootout earlier in the season with a 2.77 GAA and a .906 save percentage, while Corey Crawford lost in the shootout with a 0.92 GAA and a .955 save percentage.

ALL TIME vs. VANCOUVER (Reg. Season) — Michal Handzus leads all Blackhawks with 13 career assists and 19 career points (39 games) vs. the Canucks. Patrick Kane comes the closest to the point per game mark with 18 points (8G 10A) in 22 career games vs. the Canucks. Patrick Sharp leads all Blackhawks with nine career goals vs. the Canucks. In six career games, Corey Crawford posted a 3-1-2 record, 2.10 GAA, and 0.925 save percentage vs. the Canucks.

THE BOTTOM LINE — Epic matchup considering both teams can clinch a title tonight, so expect a playoff-type atmosphere at Rogers Arena. The history between these two teams date back to 2008 and hasn't died down since. It's a late game considering Vancouver is hosting this one, but you can't miss it.

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MILESTONE WATCH —Dave Bolland: 98 A (2 from 100) ... Marian Hossa: 499 A (1 from 500) ... Duncan Keith: 248 A (2 away from 250) ... Nick Leddy: 47 A (3 away from 50) ...

ACROSS THE POND — Stay tuned as the Ottawa Senators take on the Pittsburgh Penguins, if Pittsburgh fails to secure any points the Blackhawks can win the Presidents Trophy tonight with a win over Vancouver.

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Blackhawks Inching Closer to President's Tr...

Sat, 20 Apr 2013 18:38:22 +0000

The Blackhawks have locked up the 1st seed in the Western Conference, and they are closing in on the Presidents trophy (the magic number is five, with a chance to clinch on April 22nd), while the Coyotes are five points back from the eighth seed with five games remaining in their schedule. Phoenix literally has a 2.8% chance of making it to the postseason. Although they can't mathematically eliminate Phoenix, a Chicago Blackhawks win tonight will practically crush their playoff hopes. Put them out to pasture, Chicago.

In most cases, top teams tend to rest certain players down the stretch, but Bowman doesn't believe that will be the case with the Blackhawks.

"We have had discussions on [resting players]. I think the temptation is to say we're going to relax." Bowman told the Blackhawks official website, "But the strength of our team has been our ability to play an even distribution of the lines. We want to go into the postseason on a roll and keep up the momentum that we've built. Right now we're just trying to stay in the moment and keep doing what's been working."

The Coyotes made a move at the trade deadline that may have placed a dent into the Blackhawks-Coyotes rivalry when they traded Raffi Torres to the San Jose Sharks. Of course, fielding a poor hockey team this year may have hurt the excitement level in the same way.

Led by Mikkel Boedker (25 pts, 43 games) on offense, the Coyotes have had a tough time scoring goals this season. They still remain solid in the defensive end, but Mike Smith (0.909 SV%, 2.60 GAA) has fallen off the tracks, so to speak, after his spectacular 2011-2012 season. Unfortunately, Smith is questionable to return tonight, but Phoenix head coach Dave Tippett did not rule out the possibility that he could return. In the meantime, this has opened the door for Chad Johnson, who has been spectacular in the four games he has appeared in and he is expected start for the Coyotes tonight if Smith can't go.

GOALTENDING DUEL — Corey Crawford (18-4-4, 0.923 SV%, 2.00 GAA) vs. Chad Johnson (2-0-2, 0.954 SV%, 1.21 GAA) or Mike Smith (13-11-4, 0.909 SV%, 2.60 GAA)

SEASON SERIES (2-0-0) — This is the final game of the season series. The Blackhawks won both games at Jobing.com Arena, outscoring the Coyotes 12-6 so far this season. On January 20th, they defeated Phoenix 6-4 with Bolland (2), Sharp, Hossa (2), and Stalberg tallying goals for the Blackhawks. On February 7th, they scored six again in a 6-2 win over the Coyotes with Stalberg, Kane (2), Bolland, Toews, and Bickell scoring for the Blackhawks.

ALL TIME vs. PHOENIX — Marian Hossa leads the Blackhawks with 13 career goals and 22 career points vs. Phoenix. Patrick Kane (5G, 16A, 21P) and Jonathan Toews (10G, 9A, 19P) are the only two players that have produced a point per game in their career vs. Phoenix. Dave Bolland comes close to the point per game mark, with 16 career points in 17 games. Duncan Keith leads the defense with 17 career points vs. Phoenix. Corey Crawford has a 3-1-1 regular season record in his career vs. Phoenix, but his save percentage is a subpar 0.885, along with a 2.85 GAA.

THE BOTTOM LINE — Without Raffi Torres, and possibly Mike Smith out of the line-up, will certainly hurt this "rivalry" from the fan perspective, but add in the fact that the Coyotes are a terrible team this season really hurts the competitive product on the ice. Oh well, we can still boo Shane Doan, right?

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INJURY REPORT — Ray Emery is out tonight with a lower-body injury, "not serious" according to Joel Quenneville ... Patrick Sharp is out tonight, but "will make the Canada trip" according to Joel Quenneville ... Michal Rozsival did not play last night vs. the Predators, and there is no further information at this time.

MILESTONE WATCH — Dave Bolland: 98 A (2 from 100) ... Marian Hossa: 499 A (2 from 500) ... Duncan Keith: 248 A (2 away from 250) ... Nick Leddy: 47 A (3 away from 50) ...

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Emery day-to-day; Blackhawks recall Carter Hutton

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 17:52:59 +0000

The Chicago Blackhawks have recalled goaltender Carter Hutton from the Rockford IceHogs of the American Hockey League.

In 51 games, Hutton put together a 26-22-1 record along with a 2.72 GAA and 0.908 save percentage. Hutton has never appeared in an NHL game throughout his four year professional career.

Ray Emery's status is 'day-to-day' with a lower-body injury according to Joel Quenneville. He skipped out on practice yesterday's optional skate (Wednesday) and did not attend practice this morning.

In 2010, Emery was diagnosed with avascular necrosis, a hip disease that was career threatening. He went through a complex bone graft procedure, removing 13 centimeters from his right fibula, to correct the issue and has been injury-free ever since. Hopefully the lower-body injury is just a minor tweak unrelated to his hip, but its certainly something worth watching out for.

Hutton will back-up Corey Crawford tomorrow against the Predators.

Essentially, it's just a warm body to sit on the bench. The Rockford IceHogs are currently fighting for a playoff spot, so this must suggest that there is more faith in Henrik Karlsson to get them there. I can't imagine that the Blackhawks would sabotage the IceHogs season by removing a key player from their line-up, just to fill a spot on the bench in Chicago. Pure speculation, but I believe that could be the case here. Karlsson is 7-2-1 in his last ten starts, while Hutton has put together a 6-4-0 record in his last ten starts.

I highly doubt the Blackhawks would make a decision without consulting Rockford general manager Mark Bernard or Rockford head coach Ted Dent about it. The IceHogs will play tomorrow, so Karlsson will have to get the start, which would give him eight starts in the last 14 games for the IceHogs. If Dent planned on starting Hutton, I would assume that Karlsson would be in Chicago instead.

Just something to consider as the season winds down and the Blackhawks make some decisions regarding their goaltending pipeline over the off-season.

Blackhawks and Penguins could play at Soldier F...

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 17:22:43 +0000

Chris Kuc reported that the NHL is in the final stages of planning a six game Winter Classic Series that could include the Chicago Blackhawks and Pittsburgh Penguins facing off against each other on March 1st, 2014, at Soldier Field.

This past year, Soldier Field held an outdoor event called the Hockey City Classic on February 17th. The event featured a doubleheader that started with Notre Dame vs. Miami University at noon, and finished off with the University of Minnesota vs. University of Wisconsin at 3:30 p.m. the same day. Chicago Blackhawks prospects, Stephen Johns (ND) and Justin Holl (UoM), were both fortunate enough to take part in the event.

After seeing the success surrounding the Hockey City Classic, it's no surprise that the NHL would recognize the venue as a legitimate place to host another Winter Classic event.

“That was the coolest experience in all my hockey games or career playing, coaching – the Winter Classic,” Quenneville said last February after the Hockey City Classic. “Being outside again gives you that feeling. It’d be great (to play at Soldier Field.) This is a great venue. Coming to Bears games here, the crowd, it’s perfect.”

The last time the Blackhawks appeared in an outdoor game was on January 1st, 2009, when they were defeated 6-4 by the Red Wings at Wrigley Field.

The other five games include:

Detroit Red Wings vs. Toronto Maple Leafs at Michigan "the Big House" Stadium on January 1st, 2014.
Anaheim Ducks vs. Los Angeles Kings at Dodger Stadium on January 25th, 2014.
New Jersey Devils vs. New York Rangers at Yankee Stadium on January 26th, 2014.
New York Islanders vs. New York Rangers at Yankee Stadium on January 29th, 2014.
Ottawa Senators vs. Vancouver Canucks at BC Place Stadium on March 2nd, 2014.

The NHL has held five Winter Classics since 2008. This past season the Winter Classic (Red Wings-Maple Leafs) was postponed due to the lockout.

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Blackhawks Sign Drew LeBlanc

Sat, 13 Apr 2013 19:29:57 +0000

The Blackhawks signed Drew LeBlanc hours after he won the 2012-2013 Hobey Baker award for the player of the year on Friday. He was also named the outstanding student-athlete of the year, marking the first time a player has achieved both honors during the entire 52 year history of the WCHA.

LeBlanc led all of Men's Division I Hockey in assists (38) and was seventh in points (50) in his fifth year at St. Cloud State. LeBlanc captained his team to an appearance in the Frozen Four in his final season, where they lost to Quinnipac in the Semi-finals. The 6-0, 195 pound center notched 147 points in 170 career games in the WCHA over five seasons.

Former St. Cloud State teammate Ben Hanowski spoke highly of LeBlanc several times, calling him the "heart and soul" of the team, and head coach Bob Motzko labeling him as a "terrific player and an even better person."

It's no surprise to hear former teammates and coaches singing high praises of LeBlanc considering his character was built on adversity, hard work, and humility which helped shape him into the leader he has become today.

From 2008-2011, LeBlanc was considered eligible for the NHL Entry Draft. During that time, 843 players were selected by their respective NHL clubs — not a single one of them was Drew LeBlanc. As if that wasn't enough to discourage LeBlanc from continuing his hockey career, the following season (his Senior year) was cut short after suffering a devastating compound fracture in his left leg.

Although his name was never called at the NHL Entry Draft, he will finally get his opportunity with the Chicago Blackhawks — straight out of College and into the NHL playoffs. According to Chris Kuc, LeBlanc will report to Chicago and wear number 14. His contract expires on July 1st, 2013, and he will become a Restricted Free Agent. Per CBA rules, the Blackhawks could not give him a longer contract due to his age.

As disappointing as past June's have been for LeBlanc, perhaps this one will make up for all the lost time.

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QUICK LINKS (REFERENCES)
Hockey's Future — HockeyDB — NCAA - Hobey Baker Memorial Award — Duluth News Tribune — The Blade

Chicago Swaps Prospects with Boston

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 17:03:45 +0000

The Chicago Blackhawks have acquired minor league forward Maxime Sauve from the Boston Bruins in exchange for Rob Flick.

Sauve, 23, has spent parts of four seasons playing for the Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League. He also played in the NHL last season, appearing in one game for the Boston Bruins, but did not register a point. So far this season, Sauve has appeared in 52 games scoring 10 goals and 13 assists with Providence. In 158 career games in the American Hockey League, Sauve has scored 44 goals and 89 total points in 158 games. He was selected by the Boston Bruins in round 2 (#47 overall) of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.

According to Hockey's Future, Sauve is a fast skater that has great forechecking skills and good puck skills. He's dealt with a lot of injuries in his young career which may have set him back in terms of development, but the talent is still there. He seems to be projected as a top nine forward in the NHL, and can fit on any line with his combination of speed, grit, defensive acumen, scoring touch, and hockey smarts. It sounds like he is close to becoming an NHL ready forward, but it won't happen with the Blackhawks this season. At 6' 0" and 170 lbs, he'll need to hit the weight room if he wants to challenge for a roster spot in Chicago anytime soon.

Flick, 22, was a checking line center for the Rockford IceHogs. His NHL potential is limited due to his lack of offense, but he still projects as a big, checking forward with decent puck skills, heavy fists, and smart defensive ability. So far this season, Flick has scored three goals and two assists in 52 games for the IceHogs and has amassed 97 PIM. Throughout his AHL career he has complied nine goals, nine assists, and 188 PIM in 96 games.

FUN FACT — Maxime Sauve is the nephew of former Blackhawks goaltender Bob Sauve. Bob played for the Blackhawks from 1985-1987, appearing in 87 games before moving on and retiring with the New Jersey Devils after the 1988-1989 season.

The Blackhawks Recall Brandon Bollig

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 16:16:06 +0000

Brandon Bollig didn't even have a chance to make it to Rockford before the Chicago Blackhawks called him back up to the big club.

Last night, the Twitterverse blew up with a #WheresBollig hashtag after Chris Block learned that Bollig wasn't in the building for the IceHogs 2-1 win over the Milwaukee Admirals. After asking the Rockford IceHogs head coach, Ted Dent, if Bollig was at the BMO Harris Bank center, Dent couldn't come up with an answer.

"I don't know what's going on with Bollig" said Dent, "So, I can't comment on that."

The controversy caused a stir, almost immediately. So we came up with a collection of photos where you can find him. The good news is, the Chicago Blackhawks made the announcement official this morning and confirmed that he was actually called back up.

That's right... no need to fear, Brandon Bollig is here.

Bollig, 26, has appeared in 17 games for the Blackhawks this season. He has not registered any points, but he has a plus-1 rating and 47 PIM to his credit. Although if Bollig was a soccer player, he would have one goal on the season. This marks the third time this season that Bollig has been sent down and called back up — that's nearing Jack Skille treatment.

Chicago Swaps Prospects with Tampa Bay

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 02:57:56 +0000

The Chicago Blackhawks have traded Rockford IceHogs forward Philippe Paradis to the Tampa Bay Lightning for Cornell University defenseman Kirill Gotovets.

Gotovets was a 7th round draft pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft and is currently playing at Cornell University. In 22 games this season Gotovets, has not registered any points. Over a span of three years, Kirill has appeared in 80 games for Cornell, scoring two goals and adding 13 assists.

At this point in Gotovets career it doesn't look too bright. He is added to a Blackhawks prospect crop that includes 16 other defenseman. Chances are, he ends up at the bottom of that list considering he is a 5' 10" proclaimed offensive defenseman who has dried up this season in terms of production at the NCAA level. The Blackhawks had to make this move because they were flirting with the 50 contract limit (they were at 50) before this trade so perhaps there is more to come at the deadline where they plan on adding another piece to their playoff run.

Paradis was a former 1st round pick by the Carolina Hurricanes back in 2009. He has already been traded between several organizations and this will be his fourth NHL organization in four years. He was never really drafted for his offensive acumen, and rightfully so. Over parts of three seasons in the AHL, Paradis has appeared in 66 games, scoring six goals while adding 13 assists. Paradis does provide a solid physical edge to his game and projects to be a checking line player, whether he gets that opportunity at the NHL level is up to the Tampa Bay Lightning at this moment, but chances are it won't happen any time soon.

Overall, this move is pretty minor on both sides, but could be a sign of things to come for the Chicago Blackhawks, who could prepare to make another deal at the trade deadline and/or plan on signing multiple prospects to play in the American Hockey League for the final stretch of the professional season.

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Jimmy Hayes, Jeremy Morin Sent Back to Rockford

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 18:51:03 +0000

With Marian Hossa and Patrick Sharp expected to return on Thursday, along with the addition of centerman Michal Handzus, the Chicago Blackhawks have sent Jimmy Hayes and Jeremy Morin back to Rockford to help them with their playoff push.

Hayes, 23, appeared in nine games for the Blackhawks, scoring one goal and adding two assists. During his time in Chicago he played on a line with Dave Bolland and Patrick Kane. Hayes had one shot on goal and a minus-2 rating with 13:41 TOI on Monday vs. the Predators.

Morin, 21, appeared in two games for the Blackhawks, scoring one goal. He was used on the fourth line with Marcus Kruger and Dan Carcillo. Morin had two shots on goal and an even rating with 9:14 TOI on Monday vs. the Predators.

PURE OPINION — Hayes was too slow to keep up on the second line, he is a big body but he isn't physical enough, nor does he produce enough offense to warrant a roster spot. I've always liked Morin as a pure sniper, so it's no surprise to see him score in his first game. Morin didn't really get a great opportunity considering he was plopped on the fourth line and given limited ice-time, but all things considered I think he showed a lot of potential moving forward. I just hope the next time he is called up, they give him a real chance.

I would have liked to see Morin alongside Kane and Bolland instead of Hayes, but I can live with that decision for now.

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Blackhawks Acquire Michal Handzus for a Draft Pick

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 21:26:39 +0000

It's not an April fools joke. The Chicago Blackhawks have acquired Michal Handzus from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for a 4th round draft pick in the upcoming 2013 draft. The 4th round pick originally belonged to the Sharks, and the Blackhawks obtained it last year during the 2012 draft.

Handzus, 36, has appeared in 28 games for the Sharks this season, scoring one goal and added one assist. His best trait is exactly what I mentioned the Blackhawks were searching for just a few days ago: 55.6% face-off percentage. Handzus also brings the Blackhawks size up the middle at 6' 5" 215 pounds.

"I’ve always been a two-way player," Handzus said to the Chicago Tribune. "I kill penalties and if I have a chance I can play power play. It's an all-around game. It’s been that way my whole career. I’ll try to just fit in any way I can."

That may sound nice to Blackhawks fans, but realistically Handzus has really lost a step or two in his game. He won't get a chance on the power play in Chicago (although stranger things have happened), but he may see some time on the penalty kill, and will probably get a lot of opportunities at the face-off dot in important draws.

The San Jose Sharks fanbase apparently couldn't get rid of him fast enough.

"Handzus is a train-wreck in every way imaginable, aside from face-offs and shoot-outs. Slow as can be, looks completely disinterested at all times, kills any and all offensive pressure whenever he is on the ice. Defensively he is abysmal as well, worst on the team."

Harsh.

With Jonathan Toews, Dave Bolland, Andrew Shaw, and Marcus Kruger all playing center, someone is going to have to shift to the wing. Shaw, or possibly Kruger, will most-likely move over to let Handzus take the face-off dot.

PURE OPINION — Take it for what it's worth, but this is purely a depth move to improve our face-off percentage and size up the middle. Two needs that Bowman wanted to address, albeit, this addition was certainly on-the-cheap. He is on the final year of his contract, so the Blackhawks don't have to worry about any future commitment either.

At best, Handzus could provide exactly what John Madden gave to the Blackhawks during their 2010 Stanley Cup run, with some added size. At worst, Handzus is a healthy scratch filling the press box.

One last thing to consider: Joel Quenneville coached Handzus back in the day when both were part of the St. Louis Blues organization, so perhaps he had some input on this move.

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Could New York and Chicago Become Trade Partners?

Sun, 31 Mar 2013 14:37:53 +0000

Recent scout counts suggest that either these two teams are coincidentally scouting each others opponents over the weekend, or they are potential trade partners.

Pierre Gauthier, the Chicago Blackhawks Director of Player Personnel, attended last nights game between the Montreal Canadiens and the New York Rangers. It's fairly interesting that the Blackhawks would send Gauthier to scout, it's not every day that they would send him out, and could suggest that a trade is imminent — although there hasn't been many rumors coming out of Montreal, or New York to suggest that. If anyone is familiar with the Blackhawks trade history, they are pretty tight lipped leading up to most acquisitions, and even the alleged insiders have had trouble identifying the right players or even the right teams before it happens.

If the rumors are true, and Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman truly had interest in Lubomir Visnovsky, perhaps they covet a good puck moving defenseman that can help out the power play. Bowman has also gone on record to say that, while he is comfortable with the current roster, he would like to add a center. This is a pure assumption, but I would guess that he would like to improve the Blackhawks face-off percentage.

If you take a look at the Rangers roster, they are a team that can supply exactly what the Blackhawks are looking for.

Derek Stepan, for example, has been the Rangers face-off leader all season long — taking over 650 draws in 34 games — although his percentage is under 50% (48%), he would still be an improvement over Dave Bolland on the second line. At 22 years old, his entry-level contract is expiring after this season. This would require the Blackhawks to make a true hockey trade, because this wouldn't be a rental, nor would Stepan come at a cheap price, but it could be worth the cost to solidify the Blackhawks center depth for many years to come.

Brian Boyle could be a cheaper target at center with good size and a fantastic face-off percentage above 55% on average, but less offensive potential. Boyle, 28, has one year remaining on his contract with a $1,700,000 cap hit.

Defensively, the Rangers have someone the Blackhawks could want in Michael Del Zotto, who is decent option for quarterbacking the power play and puts another offensive minded defenseman in the mix. Del Zotto is not a stranger to trade speculation either, so perhaps there is something to that. Del Zotto, 22, has one more year remaining with a $2,550,000 cap hit.

The Rangers have flown fairly low on the radar this deadline, so it's hard to determine who, or what the Blackhawks want from them and vice versa. It's just something to keep in mind as we inch closer to the April 3rd NHL trade deadline. I think if the two teams made a deal, it would have to be a pure hockey trade.

IN OTHER RUMORS — This isn't the only team in New York that the Blackhawks have kept an eye on. Reports also suggest that the Islanders and Blackhawks have kept in close contact over the last week. Initially, Chicago was interested in Visnovsky before he re-signed with the Islanders, but they may have moved onto discussions regarding Frans Nielsen and Mark Streit. The Islanders scouts were not in attendance on Friday when the Blackhawks played the Ducks.

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