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Chicago Blackhawks fans must be wondering: What's the biggest offseason change coming for a team that underachieved in the 2011-12 campaign?

Surprisingly, the answer may not come in the form of roster changes. There'll be some new players, of course, but in order for a blockbuster trade to happen the Hawks would most likely have to move from their core group, something general manager Stan Bowman said he's not fixated on doing.

There will be some free-agent signings, as there always are, but with Patrick Sharp's new contract kicking in and all the other core players signed to big deals there isn't a lot of money to go around. The Hawks can make one decent splash -- if they choose to -- but that's about it. Everything else is filling in some blanks at the bottom end of the roster both on offense and defense. At least that's what it looks like here in late May. If, say, Nashville defenseman Ryan Suter wants to come to Chicago at a decent rate then things might change, but all in all, the Hawks have their core group and a few ancillary younger players to maneuver with as they head into 2012-13.

So what will be the biggest change?

Joel Quenneville.

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CHICAGO -- Chicago Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville opened the door for plenty of speculation when he said on Tuesday there was "dysfunction" among his coaching staff with regard to the firing of assistant Mike Haviland.

The picture emerging from West Madison Street is one of dysfunction that extends beyond just the coaching staff. Whispers and rumors of dissension beyond the normal back and forth of a team trying to achieve its goals have been rampant. And for good reason. The situation boils down to two camps: Quenneville's and the Bowmans (general manager Stan and senior advisor Scotty).

Each side lost an ally over the last week when Marc Bergevin (Quenneville) left for Montreal and Haviland (Bowman) was fired on Tuesday. With Haviland's firing -- by Quenneville -- a line was drawn in the sand: This is his team, his coaching staff and the results will be on them. He will choose who replaces Haviland and the power to do so is the first Quenneville has had with the Hawks.

"[Bowman] did offer me the opportunity for the first time since I've been here to look if I need [to make] a change to our coaching staff," Quenneville said in a conference call with reporters on Tuesday.

That's a far cry from this past season when the line between coaching and the front office was as muddled as it could get. Maybe it was inevitable given the set-up. When the younger Bowman was hired as a first-time general manager at age 37 he instantly became the boss of a seasoned veteran coach. To boot, Bowman's father was a senior advisor who was commonly known as the best hockey coach in the history of the game. Can it really come as a surprise, when things went south, dysfunction would reign?

It's exactly when things started to go bad on the ice that the rift between front office and coaching became noticeable. In the midst of a nine-game losing streak in February, Scotty Bowman accompanied the team on the road and saw first-hand the problems the Hawks were having on special teams. Not long afterward, director of player development Barry Smith was asked to help with some coaching duties. But not by Quenneville, according to multiple sources. Smith is a Bowman confidant and the unusual idea of helping a Stanley Cup-winning coach came from Scotty. Quenneville wasn't given a choice in the matter, according to the sources. In fact, it was at that point that assistant Mike Kitchen's job was in jeopardy. But Kitchen is a Quenneville confidant. So Kitchen stayed, and Smith was forced upon Quenneville, no matter the coach's public proclamations of his acceptance of help.

Smith took an active role talking to players and instructing the special teams. It prompted one member of the hockey community to say Smith's involvement was undermining Quenneville. "And the whole coaching fraternity knows it," a source said.

Smith kept the front office appraised of on-ice matters and while the special teams improved incrementally with Smith's involvement, they regressed as the regular season wound down. Things came to a head on the final day of the regular season in Detroit. Multiple sources said there was a loud argument between Quenneville and Smith during which loyalties were questioned. It was the last the team saw of Smith. He never again ran a practice, and his travel with the team was limited to Game 5 against Phoenix. Quenneville eventually won that battle and now has full control of the coaching staff, but he certainly doesn't have full control of personnel. It's assumed he has control of how that personnel is used, but even that is in question.

Kane at center

On purpose or not, a difference of opinions became apparent at the Hawks' end-of-year news conference. Stan Bowman said of Patrick Kane, "Having him in the middle, he's certainly better than any other center that's available." It wasn't even completely clear if Bowman meant on the market or on the Hawks, but does it matter? His views are clear: He likes Kane at center. It was Bowman's idea in the first place to play Kane in the middle when the team didn't acquire a second-line center last offseason.

Quenneville, on the other hand, was high on Marcus Kruger and the job he did in a role he was thrust into when Kane was moved back to wing. Quenneville praised Kane's work in the middle but left most of the accolades for Kruger, calling Kane "a nice option."

The difference of opinion came on the ice as well. If Kane was best for the team at center -- as Bowman said in the news conference -- then why was he ever moved from the middle?

Kane played the entire middle portion of the season back at wing. He returned to center when Jonathan Toews went down with a concussion, playing well there the final month of the season. But at the most important point of the year -- the postseason -- Kane was back at wing. He moved back to center again only when Kruger faltered early in the series against the Coyotes.

The bottom line is it appears Quenneville does not believe the Hawks can win a championship with Kane at center. On top of it, other NHL head coaches have expressed privately their satisfaction with Kane playing center, according to sources. Opposing teams want him to have to play a 200-foot game. Common thinking is, any moment of attention or energy on the defensive end takes away from his offensive prowess. If Quenneville has truly been given full power for all on-ice personnel decisions moving forward, then don't expect Kane at center unless under dire circumstances.

Special Teams

Stan Bowman put the Hawks special teams problems squarely on Quenneville. He was asked if he was satisfied with the coaching with regard to the power play.

"The results speak for themselves," he said. "They were a huge disappointment this year. It's unacceptable to have the caliber of players we have and not have it work. That's a question Joel is probably better able to answer. That's more of a coaching thing than anything. ... For whatever reason ours didn't work. We need to be better in that area. There is no doubt about that."

And to answer that remark, Quenneville eventually fired Haviland but not Kitchen. Haviland was part of the coaching staff that won a Stanley Cup in 2010. Kitchen has been part of one that has overseen two first-round exits. Quenneville has been purposely able to deflect blame for the special teams woes on all coaches, and it's extremely hard to discern who was at fault where, so he has plausible deniability when it comes to explaining why Haviland and not Kitchen was let go. All were seen using the chalkboard in practice and players said all were involved instructing them. Quenneville denied his friendship played a part in Kitchen staying on but the fact remains the coach that Quenneville inherited is gone and his good friend is still here.

2011-2012

Why is all this important?

All along, the younger Bowman was telling his bosses the Hawks had enough personnel to win, and when things didn't go their way in the second half of the season the elder Bowman took steps -- in the form of Smith -- to prove it was on coaching and not personnel. Those steps undermined the authority of Quenneville. And that's something players pick up on immediately. It wouldn't be a surprise if more than one wondered who was in charge.

Maybe a compromise has been struck. No more front office meddling and now the blame -- or credit -- can fall squarely on Quenneville's shoulders. Unfortunately, coaching and personnel are always intertwined. Look at the Kane situation as evidence. The question is can the two sides coexist to bring another championship to Chicago?

CEO John McDonough is an obvious supporter of Scotty Bowman and Quenneville. If he has to choose it's still not clear who would win out. With more defined battle lines, it should become much clearer over the next 12 months.

Chicago Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said Tuesday that despite speculation he has no plans to head to the Montreal Canadiens, where friend and former Hawks assistant general manager Marc Bergevin is now the GM.

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CHICAGO -- When Chicago Blackhawks Director of Player Development Barry Smith took the ice during practice last month to help the team improve its special teams play during its nine-game losing streak, observers wondered if the unorthodox move caused any behind-the-scenes tension.

Smith, the right-hand man of Hawks senior advisor Scotty Bowman during much of Bowman’s Hall of Fame career and a part of five Stanley Cup championships, did, in fact, help improve the Hawks’ penalty kill almost immediately.

But one Toronto paper linked the move to perceived dysfunction in the Hawks’ front office, a suggestion at which team owner Rocky Wirtz scoffed.

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Chicago Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman gave coach Joel Quenneville a vote of confidence on Monday, despite the team's eight-game winless streak.

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CALGARY, Alberta -- Chicago Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman is already on record saying he's looking to trade for a defenseman before the deadline on Feb. 27. But on Friday he stood by his goaltenders, in particular, Corey Crawford.

"I'm happy with the guys we have," Bowman said before his team took on the Calgary Flames. "We need to be stronger in that area but they've proven they're good goaltenders. [Thursday] night it wasn't a good performance, but just two nights before that Corey had a great game."

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CALGARY, Alberta -- With the recent demotion of forward Rostislav Olesz, the Chicago Blackhawks have between $6 million and $7 million of cap space to spend if they want to make a deal.

But as the NHL's best team entering play Friday, they aren't in any rush.

"We do have more cap space than we've had before," general manager Stan Bowman said before his club took on Calgary Friday night. "When the time is right, if the opportunity comes we won't be hesitant to move on it. Right now we don't have any things that we're close to doing or looking at, but we're always looking ahead about what might be there. We'll see what happens."

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CHICAGO -- Defenseman Chris Campoli won’t be back with the Chicago Blackhawks, according to general manager Stan Bowman.

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Make that 13 Stanley Cup-winning Chicago Blackhawks from the 2010 roster who have moved on, after Tomas Kopecky was traded to the Florida Panthers on Monday. And that number doesn’t include Cristobal Huet, who won’t play another game for the Hawks, or Jordan Hendry, who might not either.

It could be the biggest turnover of a championship roster in just over a year that the NHL has ever seen. The difference between this summer and the last one is general manager Stan Bowman isn’t being forced to make these moves, as he was a year ago. He’s doing them willingly.

The three latest players who left, Kopecky, Troy Brouwer and Brian Campbell, all conceivably would have been overpaid entering the 2011-12 campaign. Campbell’s situation is well documented and while Brouwer and Kopecky were nice players, they were due raises into the $2-million range and both could have ended up playing fourth-line minutes.

Kopecky getting dealt to Florida was a head scratcher from the Panthers' angle. He's set to be an unrestricted free agent come Friday, and while he had a decent season, he's hardly a player that will instigate a bidding war. Panthers GM Dale Tallon gave up a pick for him when he could have gotten him for nothing at the end of the week. And Tallon has more cap money to spend than anyone in the league. Bowman must have wondered what the catch was for a moment before agreeing. Kopecky has some leverage now, because if he doesn’t sign with Florida, Tallon will come out of it looking bad.

Bowman is simply setting up his roster so he can get close to full value throughout. As the saying goes, this is business, not personal.

Just like last offseason, the Blackhawks who were jettisoned are talented, but don’t fit the team's plans at the prices they were commanding. With the news that Jake Dowell might not return, since the Hawks did not extend a “qualifying” offer to him, the shedding might be complete.

It’s time to add, starting with the re-signing of Chris Campoli, Michael Frolik and Viktor Stalberg. Expect quick and bloodless negotiations, though the restricted free agents don’t have to be signed by Friday when free agency begins. It’s doubtful any will be extended an offer sheet as Niklas Hjalmarsson was last July.

As for Dowell, the fourth-line center simply didn’t live up to the gritty two-way player the Hawks envisioned. He’s not expensive, but the Hawks don’t want to be tied to a one-way contract as they explore rebuilding that trio. A two-way contract could be in the cards for Dowell if he doesn’t find another team to offer better.

Friendly faces

The relationship between the Hawks and their former front office employees has been interesting to watch, to say the least. Last summer, Bowman and Rick Dudley, then with Atlanta, pulled off the blockbusters. This time, it was Bowman and his predecessor, Tallon.

Tallon did the Hawks a huge favor by taking on Campbell’s contract. It’s doubtful anyone else would have. Listening to him at the NHL draft this past weekend, he sounded like a man still wanting to justify the money and years he gave Campbell in 2008 while he was the GM in Chicago and Campbell was a big-ticket free agent. But Joel Quenneville didn’t play him like a $7-million man, and maybe the Panthers will. Bowman and another former Hawks’ GM, Bob Murray, have also done business since the former took over the job in 2009.

For those pining for a return of some of the other championship pieces who exited, ironically, the Hawks now have money to afford some of them back if they desire. John Madden and Brent Sopel are available and both undoubtedly would love to return. Adam Burish is signed for one more year in Dallas and his cap hit is $1.15 million. That seemed like a king’s ransom a year ago, but it’s exactly in line with what the Hawks can -- and probably will -- spend to help rebuild their fourth line. Ben Eager is also available, and the Hawks already kicked the tires on reacquiring him last season before he was eventually moved to San Jose.

“Sometimes you target players, and we do have a little bit more room now to make sure we get guys that we value at that position,” Bowman said of the fourth line on Saturday at the NHL draft. “It’s an important thing.”

Reacquiring players who won the Cup just because they won the Cup is shortsighted and way too sentimental for an NHL general manager. But in the case of a few of these names, it might not be a bad thing.

Burish, Madden and Sopel are capable of providing some of what went missing last season, in terms of character in the dressing room. They also play a role which Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane were weary of even before the latest trades: they’re all good interviews. Especially Burish.

Campbell, Brouwer and even Kopecky were all willing and able whenever a microphone was placed in front of them. Every interview they did was one less Kane and Toews had to do. And those stars appreciated it. Burish might talk too much for a coach’s liking, but if he takes pressure off other players, there is plenty of value in it. Of course, the Hawks would have to deal for him, but they have plenty of trading chips with the plethora of players they’ve acquired since last offseason..

New faces

Of course, there are plenty of other players that fit the Hawks’ needs and salary structure who will be available come Friday.

Zenon Konopka, Joel Ward, Mike Rupp, Jamal Mayers and Aaron Asham are some names that could fit the bill. Some might be too old, or not the right fit, but the point is the Hawks can pick and choose instead of being left with scraps. Maybe former Hawk Michael Handzus will get a look. Replacing one Slovak with another would make at least one Hawk happy.

A case could be made it was wrong for any of the players to be moved in the last three days, but the case for the trades is stronger. It starts and ends with the flexibility the trades provide the Hawks moving forward. The purge (part II) is over. Now starts the retooling.

The Chicago Blackhawks promoted three members of its front office staff and extended the contract of senior adviser Scotty Bowman, the team announced Wednesday.

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The owners of Winnipeg's NHL franchise, having told Rick Dudley he won't be retained as general manager, have offered the position to Chicago Blackhawks assistant GM Kevin Cheveldayoff, a source tells ESPN.com.

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On the heels of his promotion to CEO of the Chicago Blackhawks, team president John McDonough sat down for a question and answer session about his organization coming off a first-round playoff exit:

How does the promotion change anything you do within the organization?
JM: Well, we know over the last few years the signature here has been profound change, and what we’re looking for is continuity. [General manager] Stan [Bowman] has been in his position for two years. Jay [Blunk] has been in his position [business operations] for three and a half years. For me I’m proud to play a small role in the development of this franchise, but this gives us more continuity. I think we’ve made advancements, but we have a long way to go. My responsibilities pretty much remain the same.

When you say you have a long way to go, what do you mean? You’ve won a Stanley Cup, sold out 146 consecutive games, raised the season ticket base to about 14,000 and on paper have a perennial contender. Are you talking about continuing to raise the profile of hockey in this city compared to other sports?
JM: This is a very hungry organization. We don’t take anything for granted. Winning the Stanley Cup and having those sellouts is important, but we’re about looking forward. We’ve had an opportunity in the last month -- since being eliminated -- we spent a day with every single entity within the organization from hockey operations to scouting to business operations and media relations and everything else. We want to get better everywhere.

OK, then going back to my last question: Would you like to raise the day-to-day awareness of hockey in this city? You had it during the run last season but what about all the time?
JM: We know where we are in regards to sports teams in Chicago. We were off the radar, not on the menu for many years. We’ve come a long way but have a lot of ground to make up. We understand that. Our players right now are high profile, and we’ve had a chance to market them over the last few years. And they also understand they have an obligation to help us grow the product. At the core of all of this we are never going to take our eyes off the fact that winning is the greatest marketing idea of all time. We need to win. But I do think we have a unique formula where our business operations and hockey operations work in collaboration and that has proven to be a great resource for the Blackhawks. But we know we’re the underdog, we have that underdog mentality. It’s a very, very hungry franchise. I think it’s primarily the youngest front office in the NHL. I am looking for people who are great, that want to be part of something that has never been done before or something that is very special. We just don’t take anything for granted. If there was one way to define the culture here at the United Center, it’s comfortably uncomfortable.

You said you spent a day with each department within the organization. Was there anything interesting you found out which you can share publicly?
JM: Not really, but we did a great deal of research on our fan base. The reasons why they come to the games, and why they are re-energized or re-engaged. What I want to see here is when people leave the United Center it’s an experience they’ve never seen before and it’s going to give them an appetite to come back. The product on the ice is most important, obviously, but we wanted to address everything.

Let’s go on the ice. Toward the end of the season, Duncan Keith was very open and honest about his lack of preparation last summer. Did you hear those comments? In hindsight now, a month or so removed from it, how upset were you with your team’s shortcomings? Or do you take it all with a grain of salt considering how difficult it was going to be to go far again?
JM: First of all, we turned over half of our roster. It was important for us to get off to a good start and hopefully a good start at home which did not happen. That comes due at the end of the season. All of a sudden we’re in a ‘must-win’ situation. You don’t have an opportunity to rest some players. Duncan probably would have been one of them. I think he was just being completely honest from what he was saying that he was gassed, and he might have been speaking on behalf of some of the other players. I think when you win the Stanley Cup and have a very short offseason it’s a wonderful dilemma. But it’s a wonderful dilemma I hope we have an opportunity to face again and now that we’ve had the experience of doing it, we handle it well. And when 45 percent of your roster is completely different, there is an assimilation period. There is a transition period. It probably came together a little bit later in the season than we wanted. It was tenuous and a difficult situation to go through but the team showed an incredible amount of character the way they came off the canvas to come back three games to none and take Vancouver to overtime and were actually on the power play with a chance to win Game 7. It didn’t happen. We ran out of miracles.

Off the ice, are you fully cognizant of the proliferation of the gossip websites and camera phones and everything else that can put a player in a bad light?
JM: We stress to the players the fact that their profile has exploded. With the age of new technology and new media it’s very difficult to do things under the radar. You have to be somewhat stealth in how you do it. We do talk to the players about that. It’s important going forward that they do understand that.

Do you think Patrick Kane is unfairly targeted?
JM: I don’t know. I’m very proud of the progress Patrick has made in that category, and I’m confident he’s going to continue to make progress in that area, and I’m thrilled he’s a member of the Chicago Blackhawks. I’m sure he will be one for a long, long time. But these things are all addressed internally both collectively and individually.

You’ve admitted many times you don’t come from a hockey background. I’m curious, do you ever go to Stan Bowman or anyone in the front office when things are going poorly and, like a fan ask, ‘Did we do the right thing? Was that signing or trade the right way to go?’
JM: Anytime I would ask that question it would be in advance. One of the attributes that Stan has and [assistant general manager] Kevin Cheveldayoff has is that they are a very good tandem. They are very methodical, very analytical about everything. By the time it gets to me I feel comfortable these things are really well thought out. What I’ve asked of Stan and Chevy and everybody, Joel Quenneville included, it’s that we have to have this big picture mentality. It’s not going to be just live for today. I always say to Stan there has to be a big picture approach to everything we do.

Are you rooting for Boston? Is that the consensus within the Blackhawks?
JM: I’m not rooting for anybody. I’m rooting for a good series, and I’m looking at the winner of that series as the benchmark we have to get to and exceed going into next year.

Any news on Chicago getting the All-Star Game or even hosting the draft?
JM: I don’t think either one of those are imminent so I wouldn’t be looking for those in the near future.

Just to bring this full circle. Do you believe a few tweaks and a long summer is all this team needs to return to prominence?
JM: It is going to give everyone a chance to re-energize. Like I said before, I think a lot of these guys probably needed it, to the point I haven’t seen most of these guys in a month. Stan is looking at every variable, every potential move to improve. I’m very happy he signed Corey Crawford. I’m very confident in our hockey operations leading into the draft and next season.

CHICAGO -- The Chicago Blackhawks and goaltender Corey Crawford agreed to a three-year contract on Thursday.

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It’s been a busy few days in the NHL, and for the Chicago Blackhawks. In the midst of their best run of the season, we’ll examine -- in several blog posts -- the moves and ramifications.

Between now and the beginning of the offseason (and beyond) you’ll hear a lot of complaining about how much money the Hawks have tied up in their defense as well as the approximate $49 million they have committed to 12 players on the roster for next season.

It’s a legitimate complaint which stems back to the moment the Hawks signed some big-ticket deals, starting with Brian Campbell in 2008.

But a knee-jerk complaint without further analysis wouldn’t be fair.

In reality, since some of those bloated deals, the Hawks have shown some restraint and creativity. A “mere” $5.5 million cap hit on Duncan Keith, the Norris Trophy winner isn’t too bad. And what did you think Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane were going to be, $3 million guys? Even Marian Hossa’s deal -- at least cap-wise at $5.275 million -- isn’t so debilitating. You have to pay for talent. Yes, Brent Seabrook’s cap hit is large, but as general manager Stan Bowman pointed out, his raise was only a couple million dollars more than what he is making now.

The most telling thing about Bowman’s recent comments was a casual mention of the “known” being better than the “unknown” when it comes to his players. (Apparently that didn’t apply to Antti Niemi who signed a big contract extension with San Jose on Tuesday). Here is the bottom line, setting aside some average play this year: The Hawks, including Seabrook, have a core which won them the Stanley Cup. Yes, they will have to fill in some blanks from year to year because of their cap problems, but this is about establishing a playoff foundation, as team president John McDonough said recently. And he also noted what is unique about the NHL.

Making the playoffs is the only thing that matters. Eighth seeds go to the finals, President Trophy winners go out in the first round. A core led by Toews will get you to the playoffs year in and year out, and that’s about all you can ask for in the cap world we live in.

Last year, they needed less good fortune because they were loaded. Going forward they might need more, but so does any potential Cup winner. Consider how many teams would love to have the foundation the Hawks possess, no matter how many minimum salaried players have to dress. And consider this as well: A case can be made the entire core, save perhaps Hossa, is still improving. If this is the worst we’ll see because of fatigue, hangovers, and contract pressure, then it’s really not so bad.

Remember, the Philadelphia Flyers made the playoffs, in a shootout, in game 82 just last season, and then went on to the finals. Do the Hawks have enough to make the playoffs every year? They most certainly do. Could they have moved Seabrook and spent his money on two players? Of course, but that just means they have to find the right players as well as replace the most physical defenseman they have. Who wants to deal with all that?

The known is indeed better than the unknown.

Over the course of a three-day stretch at the end of training camp, I asked each of the Chicago Blackhawks leaders --the ones wearing a "C" and two "A"s --what would motivate them after the championship season and the summer they just experienced.

Jonathan Toews, Duncan Keith and Patrick Sharp didn't think it was a bad question. They didn't look at me weird, they didn't roll their eyes-- but they didn't flinch.

The answer was simple: Winning. Or at least: Not losing.

"Every time I take to the ice it's a chance to win," Keith said. "I hate losing. Just because we won once doesn't mean I hate losing less."

"I expect to win the Stanley Cup as much as anyone in the league," Sharp said.

These are new times for this organization. In the early half of the last decade, it was hard to find a player who would lose sleep when his team lost.

That changed with the arrival of Captain Serious. For those who remember, he made an infamous remark his rookie year that summed up the feeling at that time: "We don't have enough players around here that hate to lose."

Those days are over. And that -- more than any other reason -- gives hope for a repeat. The leadership on the Hawks is second to none. While other teams -- Vancouver and Montreal for example -- are making big news in naming new captains, and others are trying to find reasons to be optimistic -- San Jose, the Hawks are already ahead of the game in those areas. Now, it's just about filling in the blanks. Filling in where the summer ripped it apart.

The Canucks are a good example of a team trying to find what the Hawks already have. Bounced out of the playoffs -- in some ways rather easily -- in consecutive years by the Hawks, they have re-made -- not so much their team -- but their leadership. The captain will no longer be their goalie, and gone is motor mouth, albeit good guy, Shane O'Brien. The Canucks aren't missing talent, they've been missing leadership.

The Hawks continue to have both.

Slowly but surely this preseason I became convinced that the theory of a championship team suffering from a success hangover -- which is usually right on -- wasn't going to materialize. I don't know if the Hawks are going to win the Stanley Cup again, but I know being complacent won't be the reason they don't.

It's interesting how youth can quickly turn from a concern to asset. Experienced youth is what the Hawks have, and that's the best kind to possess.

So many wondered out loud about Patrick Kane, but what I see in Kane through the fog of a party guy is what everyone sees clearly in Keith, Toews, Sharp, Marian Hossa and Brent Seabrook: a commitment to hockey and to team, as well as to the city of Chicago.

What hasn't been given enough attention is the window this team has that comes with that youth. It's not the window of talent, it's the window of fewer distractions. Kane and Toews in particular are not married, don't have kids, and really don't have a worry in the world. What is their world? Hockey. And that won't always be the case, but it is for now. And they need to take advantage of it.

Their leadership will be called upon in a new way this year. It's unchartered territory for them, as well as for Joel Quenneville. Can they get the new players to fill in where it's needed? Almost no team wins it all with just their stars performing. The word "role" is used more in hockey than maybe any other sport. New players for new roles.
Who will play vanilla enough to get the job done but may not get the recognition? Rookies and newcomers want to make their mark. Who will be the new Andrew Ladd? If that question can be answered come spring, then the Hawks will have a better than good chance of repeating.

Dustin Byfuglien didn't like playing in front of the net -- but he did. Kris Versteeg wasn't your classic third-line player -- but he thrived in the role. Dave Bolland would most assuredly like to be more of an offensive threat, but he had one of the great defensive runs a center could have in the playoffs. He chose to embrace the role. And that's what many players did in the postseason. They chose a role for the team over their own wants or needs. It's the job of Toews and the other leaders to convince the new guys the same is needed for a long postseason run. Team defense is the answer to the question you've been asking. What would stop the Hawks from going far? Remember, that's team defense -- not just the six defensemen who suit up every night.

On the ice, Quenneville is electing to start the season by spreading the wealth. Let's see if Tomas Kopecky can handle the first line with Toews and Hossa. Same goes for newcomer Fernando Pisani with Sharp and Kane. A third line featuring Bryan Bickell, Bolland and Troy Brouwer might be deceptively productive on offense, but that bulk and defensive ability should work as a checking line. Viktor Stalberg and Jack Skille can work their way up from the fourth line. Smart money says when it's all said and done, first-liners might be fourth-liners and vice versa. But that's a good thing.

Former general manager Dale Tallon made some mistakes out of the lockout but quickly moved to fix them by putting together a team of three -- some might argue four -- lines that were somewhat interchangeable. Stan Bowman was in the organization during that time, and Quenneville has seemingly bought into that concept as well. He can always load up on the top two lines -- I still think Brouwer could have a monster year if teamed up with the right players -- but why not give other coaches a match-up nightmare? It worked all of last year, especially in the playoffs, where coaches like Alain Vigneault of Vancouver and even Peter Laviolette of Philadelphia were caught between a rock and a hard place when it came to those matchups.

The Hawks face immediate adversity with the injury to Brian Campbell, but actually it's a good test. It's not going to be smooth the whole way, it never is. Plus, he'll be back rather quick, but can he be the same player wearing a knee brace? Campbell not moving the puck the way he can is like Kane forgetting how to stickhandle.

Under the headline of "The Rich Getting Richer," the Hawks have two teenagers poised to be part of the core soon, if not now, at least in Nick Leddy's case. Sometimes you know special when you see it. And both Leddy and Jeremy Morin showed it pretty quick in camp. No one says they are Kane and Keith, but they sure remind you of those stars with their talent and instincts.

And then there is Hossa. A freak of nature is what he is. If you haven't seen him this preseason you missed something special. He is simply one of the best players in the league. On his worst nights, he's better than most. And smarter. When Toews and Hossa take to the ice as penalty killing partners, it slows down an opposing team's power play in an instant. There is no better PK duo.

In goal could be the galvanizing figure of the team, if the season breaks right for him. His story of coming to the Hawks has been told many times, but you get the feeling Marty Turco really wanted to be here. Remember, last season many veteran goalies got off to slow starts. It's hard to know where Turco's game is right now coming off two down years in Dallas and a preseason that didn't tell you much. Give him time and judge him on the postseason. That's been his Achilles heel anyway. More than any other position or player, the pressure will mount on him quickly if things don't go well. How will he react? The last veteran in goal for the Hawks didn't exactly rise to the occasion through tough times. Hopefully Turco will.

That brings us full circle to Kane and Toews. Their status was enhanced in the Finals last year. One won the Conn Smythe, the other scored the game-winner in overtime. Could it have happened any other way? The scary part is they are both still getting better. I'd be surprised if Toews wasn't a near-point-per-game player and Kane didn't get close, or go over 100 himself. The offseason losses might actually help their statistics due to an increase in possible playing time. And how long will it be before they are re-united on the same line? For now, it will happen on the power play only, or when Quenneville gets antsy near the end of close games.

In the end it's that leadership -- including Quenneville -- that makes the difference in the Western Conference. It's an often repeated cliché about teams or players, but it fits for the West: prove it to me.

Vancouver has had its extreme makeover, now let's see if that new leadership takes hold. San Jose has been the other underachiever in the spring and the Sharks need to prove it as well. Fine, take the clutch Antti Niemi and send Evgeni Nabakov packing, but if Joe Thornton is still smiling his big smile after losses in May, the Sharks still have problems. I want to know Thornton hates to lose the way Toews does. The L.A. Kings are scary and resemble the Hawks in a way, and they are the team to watch.

That brings us to Detroit. Everyone's favorite "turnaround" team. Who could blame them for liking the Wings? There is a lot to like. Mike Babcock knows how to coach. Good health and a tweak here and there might be all they need. Leadership is in place as well. I'll still take the youth of the Hawks, though, and there was no doubt Niemi came up bigger than Jimmy Howard, but will Turco? That might be the deciding factor in the division.

Bryan Bickell, Jake Dowell, Skille and Stalberg might not be household names, but if the Hawks have a chance on the forecheck and the backcheck, these guys have to get it done. Some will simply have to play "vanilla."

In the final analysis, the Hawks will need the entirety of the regular season to figure themselves out, which means they may not win the conference. But does that really matter when you have the experience and you already set all kinds of lofty records for winning on the road in the playoffs? The Hawks know the road map come spring, which puts them back in the finals.

Prediction: The same as last year in this blog. The Hawks lose to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the finals. But no one says they can't prove me wrong again and win one more series.

I wouldn't bet against those leaders.

Other Predictions:
Record and Points: 47-28-7, 101 points
Points: Kane, 101
Goals: Hossa, 36
Assists: Kane, 72
Fights: Scott, 8
Team MVP: Toews