Blackhawks: Patrick Sharp
Blackhawks share Cup day memories
October, 1, 2013
Oct 1
2:15
PM CT
By
Scott Powers | ESPNChicago.com
Jonathan Daniel/Getty ImagesPatrick Kane took the Cup to play ball hockey with friends this summer.Before they do that, a number of the Blackhawks shared their favorite memories from their day with the Stanley Cup this past summer.
Bryan Bickell
"For me, my passion in the offseason is fishing. So a friend of mine has his own TV show; it's called 'Facts of Fishing,' and his name is David Mercer. It's a big TV show in Canada. I had the opportunity to bring the Cup on the show and fish with the Cup, which was special because I know all the guys around the room would say if I wasn't playing hockey I'd be fishing. There were two parts. The first day we caught fish, but there weren't any with size. We had a Part 2 the next day, and we got big ones."
Brandon Bollig
"I think being from St. Louis and taking it back there and having the Blues being a big rival with the Blackhawks, people were on the fence as to whether to come out. I got a lot of tweets from people that they weren't going to come see it until the Blues won. Then again, you get a lot people saying that's awesome, and they're going to support someone from their hometown and come. I had a lot of people with Blues jerseys and shirts at my public event. It was cool. It was all in good fun. I understand. I'd probably do the same if I was in their position."
Corey Crawford
"I think just spending it with my family. It was special to me because I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for them. They pretty much gave up their lives not only for me, but for me and my brother both so we could play hockey and do that. My parents, they pretty much paid the way for me. Not just me, but my brother and sister have been really supportive throughout my career. It was pretty special."
Blackhawks' season primer: 10 to know
October, 1, 2013
Oct 1
10:05
AM CT
By
Scott Powers | ESPNChicago.com
Rob Grabowski/USA TODAY SportsJoel Quenneville and the Blackhawks will try to become the first team to win back-to-back Stanley Cup titles since the Red Wings (1996-97 and 1997-98).1. The Blackhawks won't discuss a Stanley Cup repeat, but they have constantly emphasized getting off to a positive start to the season. The previous time the Blackhawks tried to defend the Cup, their season was derailed by some early woes. They aren't likely to match last season's 24-game points streak to begin the season, but they would like to do better than the 9-9-2 record they had after 20 games in the 2010-11 season. The Blackhawks do have the advantage this time around of returning nearly everyone from last season's team.
2. The Blackhawks found magic in a top line of Bryan Bickell-Jonathan Toews-Patrick Kane in the playoffs last season, and Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville will be rolling that out again to start this season. The major change that occurred since the trio last played in a real game together is that Bickell is now making about $3.4 million more than he was last season. With that money comes higher expectations, and Bickell understands that. The line only played together once in the preseason, but it looked dangerous.
3. The other Blackhawks' lines likely will be Patrick Sharp-Michal Handzus-Marian Hossa; Brandon Saad-Andrew Shaw-Jimmy Hayes; and Brandon Bollig-Marcus Kruger-Joakim Nordstrom. Ben Smith likely will rotate in on the third and fourth lines.
Just some quick notes on the lines: Sharp stood out in the preseason. Playing on the third line should take some pressure off Saad. Hayes was impressive offensively with his size and quickness at times. Bollig had a solid preseason, but he needs to be more than an enforcer to keep his spot.
4. The defensive pairings likely will be Duncan Keith-Brent Seabrook; Johnny Oduya-Niklas Hjalmarsson; and Nick Leddy-Michal Rozsival. Michael Kostka and Sheldon Brookbank likely will rotate with Rozsival throughout the season. Having an eighth defenseman will allow Quenneville to sit players when they need some time off or are consistently struggling.
5. You can always hold a special place in your heart for Dave Bolland, Michael Frolik and Viktor Stalberg because they helped win last season's Stanley Cup, but they were role players and replaceable. Hayes, Nordstrom and Smith should have no trouble filling in those spots. Nordstrom is expected to replace Frolik on the penalty kill.
6. The Blackhawks didn't really answer the second-line center issue in the preseason. The plan to use Saad barely got off the ground. Brandon Pirri was the second option, but an injury set him back, and he never got a chance to show off his game. That brought Quenneville to his backup option, Handzus. Handzus was recovering from his offseason surgeries during training camp and was held out of all six preseason games. It will be interesting to see how his body holds up over 82 games, especially in such a vital role. As a side note, the Blackhawks' power play didn't look any better in the preseason, either.
7. Hossa also didn't play in any preseason games, and there has to be some concern about his health. Hossa looked great while at Notre Dame to start training camp, but he apparently aggravated his back injury sometime in that first week and has been dealing with some issues again. Hossa missed a Stanley Cup finals game due a back problem and wasn't the same player in the last three games of the season. If he's affected again by it early, it might be in the Blackhawks' best interests to sit him for an extended period to get him healthy. As of now, he said he's fine and will play in the season opener.
8. The NHL has re-aligned its conferences and is back to two divisions per conference. That means the Blackhawks are now joined in the Central Division by the Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators, St. Louis Blues and Winnipeg Jets. The Detroit Red Wings and Columbus Blue Jackets are now in the Eastern Conference. The new playoff format will include the top three teams from each division receiving spots and then two wild cards. The first two rounds will be within the division, but with the possibility of the final wild-card team having to cross over divisions to play.
9. Nikolai Khabibulin is back with the Blackhawks and has looked reliable enough in the preseason. If Khabibulin's age (40) catches up to him, the Blackhawks will probably turn to Antti Raanta to be Corey Crawford's backup. Raanta, who is from Finland, is getting accustomed to the smaller North American rink in AHL Rockford to start the season. Either way, Crawford will see a bulk of the workload.
10. Oddsmakers have made the Blackhawks the favorites to win the 2014 Stanley Cup. Most have them at 5-1 or 6-1. They're followed by the Pittsburgh Penguins, Boston Bruins, Los Angeles Kings, Blues, Red Wings and Vancouver Canucks. The Penguins were favored by most to win the Cup last season.
Six Hawks training camp observations
September, 29, 2013
Sep 29
5:10
PM CT
By
Scott Powers | ESPNChicago.com
Here are six observations from the Chicago Blackhawks' training camp and preseason games:
1. The durability of the Blackhawks’ older players has to be a concern. Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville has been very cautious with players’ injuries in the preseason. There is no reason to risk anything. Yet, the fact 34-year-old Marian Hossa and 36-year-old Michal Handzus didn’t play in a single preseason game and haven’t been 100 percent healthy in the preseason has to be somewhat alarming. Both players are getting up in age, and both are coming off a season where they suffered severe injuries. With Hossa, there’s a lot at stake for the present, but even more so for the future. Back injuries aren’t anything to mess with, and the Blackhawks are depending on Hossa for years to come. As for Handzus, his injury wouldn’t be as much of an immediate concern if Brandon Saad or Brandon Pirri had worked out at the second-line center. But with Handzus being that option now, the Blackhawks are looking for him to duplicate what he did in the playoffs.
1. The durability of the Blackhawks’ older players has to be a concern. Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville has been very cautious with players’ injuries in the preseason. There is no reason to risk anything. Yet, the fact 34-year-old Marian Hossa and 36-year-old Michal Handzus didn’t play in a single preseason game and haven’t been 100 percent healthy in the preseason has to be somewhat alarming. Both players are getting up in age, and both are coming off a season where they suffered severe injuries. With Hossa, there’s a lot at stake for the present, but even more so for the future. Back injuries aren’t anything to mess with, and the Blackhawks are depending on Hossa for years to come. As for Handzus, his injury wouldn’t be as much of an immediate concern if Brandon Saad or Brandon Pirri had worked out at the second-line center. But with Handzus being that option now, the Blackhawks are looking for him to duplicate what he did in the playoffs.
Rapid Reaction: Blackhawks 4, Caps 3 (OT)
September, 28, 2013
Sep 28
9:48
PM CT
By
Scott Powers | ESPNChicago.com
CHICAGO – Here’s a quick look at the Chicago Blackhawks’ 4-3 overtime win over the Washington Capitals in a preseason game at the United Center on Saturday.
How it happened: Blackhawks forward Andrew Shaw scored the game winner in overtime when he knocked in a puck in front of the net. Blackhawks defenseman Nick Leddy scored twice, and Jimmy Hayes added a goal. Both of Leddy’s goals were set up by forward Patrick Sharp. The Blackhawks held the Capitals to 15 shots on goal. Blackhawks goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin made 12 saves. The Blackhawks had 35 shots on goal. Mikhail Grabovski, Joel Ward and Marcus Johansson scored for the Capitals.
What it means: The Blackhawks closed out the preseason with a 4-0-2 record. The Blackhawks will make three more cuts in the next few days. Defenseman Ryan Stanton and forward Jeremy Morin did not play on Saturday and are expected to be two of the cuts. The Blackhawks held out goaltender Corey Crawford and forward Marian Hossa for precautionary reasons. Both are expected to play in the season opener.
Player of the game: Leddy led the Blackhawks with three points. He had two goals and an assist.
What’s next: The Blackhawks and Capitals don’t have to wait long to play again. They will face each other again in the season opener at the United Center on Tuesday. The Blackhawks will raise their Stanley Cup banner prior to the game.
How it happened: Blackhawks forward Andrew Shaw scored the game winner in overtime when he knocked in a puck in front of the net. Blackhawks defenseman Nick Leddy scored twice, and Jimmy Hayes added a goal. Both of Leddy’s goals were set up by forward Patrick Sharp. The Blackhawks held the Capitals to 15 shots on goal. Blackhawks goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin made 12 saves. The Blackhawks had 35 shots on goal. Mikhail Grabovski, Joel Ward and Marcus Johansson scored for the Capitals.
What it means: The Blackhawks closed out the preseason with a 4-0-2 record. The Blackhawks will make three more cuts in the next few days. Defenseman Ryan Stanton and forward Jeremy Morin did not play on Saturday and are expected to be two of the cuts. The Blackhawks held out goaltender Corey Crawford and forward Marian Hossa for precautionary reasons. Both are expected to play in the season opener.
Player of the game: Leddy led the Blackhawks with three points. He had two goals and an assist.
What’s next: The Blackhawks and Capitals don’t have to wait long to play again. They will face each other again in the season opener at the United Center on Tuesday. The Blackhawks will raise their Stanley Cup banner prior to the game.
Rapid Reaction: Penguins 4, Blackhawks 3
September, 19, 2013
Sep 19
10:25
PM CT
By
Scott Powers | ESPNChicago.com
CHICAGO -- Here’s a quick look at the Pittsburgh Penguins’ 4-3 shootout win over the Chicago Blackhawks in a preseason game at the United Center on Thursday.
How it happened: The Blackhawks rallied from a 3-1 deficit to force overtime. The Penguins scored once and stopped all three of the Blackhawks’ chances in the shootout.
Ben Smith scored a short-handed goal to pull the Blackhawks within a goal in the second period, and Brandon Bollig tied the game with a goal at 13:07 of the third period.
Sidney Crosby, Joe Vitale and Derrick Pouliot scored for the Penguins in regulation. Goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin made his first start for the Blackhawks and stopped 27 of 30 shots. Patrick Sharp also scored for the Blackhawks. The Blackhawks failed to convert on six power-play opportunities and haven’t scored on 12 power plays through two preseason games. The Blackhawks did kill 4 of 5 power plays.
What it means: Smith built off a strong first preseason game and scored his second goal in as many games. It probably helped his stock to score a short-handed goal, too. He is one of the players being considered on the penalty kill. Sharp also tallied his second goal of the preseason. He’s had a quality training camp. Bollig’s offense game has also been noticeable throughout camp. The Blackhawks haven’t had Jonathan Toews and Marian Hossa in the first two games, but the power play still has to be a concern, especially after the team’s struggles there the past two seasons.
Blackhawks' player of the game: Smith had a goal, an assist, a plus-2 rating, three takeaways and two blocked shots.
Up next: The Blackhawks will play their first road preseason game on Friday against the Washington Capitals. They travel to Detroit to play the Red Wings on Sunday.
How it happened: The Blackhawks rallied from a 3-1 deficit to force overtime. The Penguins scored once and stopped all three of the Blackhawks’ chances in the shootout.
Ben Smith scored a short-handed goal to pull the Blackhawks within a goal in the second period, and Brandon Bollig tied the game with a goal at 13:07 of the third period.
Sidney Crosby, Joe Vitale and Derrick Pouliot scored for the Penguins in regulation. Goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin made his first start for the Blackhawks and stopped 27 of 30 shots. Patrick Sharp also scored for the Blackhawks. The Blackhawks failed to convert on six power-play opportunities and haven’t scored on 12 power plays through two preseason games. The Blackhawks did kill 4 of 5 power plays.
What it means: Smith built off a strong first preseason game and scored his second goal in as many games. It probably helped his stock to score a short-handed goal, too. He is one of the players being considered on the penalty kill. Sharp also tallied his second goal of the preseason. He’s had a quality training camp. Bollig’s offense game has also been noticeable throughout camp. The Blackhawks haven’t had Jonathan Toews and Marian Hossa in the first two games, but the power play still has to be a concern, especially after the team’s struggles there the past two seasons.
Blackhawks' player of the game: Smith had a goal, an assist, a plus-2 rating, three takeaways and two blocked shots.
Up next: The Blackhawks will play their first road preseason game on Friday against the Washington Capitals. They travel to Detroit to play the Red Wings on Sunday.
Rapid Reaction: Blackhawks 2, Red Wings 0
September, 17, 2013
Sep 17
9:46
PM CT
By
Scott Powers | ESPNChicago.com
CHICAGO -- Here's a quick look at the Chicago Blackhawks' 2-0 win over the Detroit Red Wings in a preseason game at the United Center on Tuesday.

How it happened: The Blackhawks' defense starred in the team's preseason opener. The Blackhawks limited the Red Wings to five shots in the first period, eight shots in the second period and six shots in the third period. Blackhawks goaltender Corey Crawford wasn't challenged much, but he still kept the Red Wings off the board and made 19 saves. Blackhawks forward Patrick Sharp broke a scoreless tie when he tallied a goal from the right circle at 16:37 of the second period. One minute and nine seconds later, Ben Smith put the Blackhawks ahead 2-0 when he tipped in a shot from Jimmy Hayes. The Red Wings' Teemu Pulkkinen and Mitch Callahan both received game misconducts. Pulkkinen received his for boarding Blackhawks defenseman Michael Kostka in the first period. Kostka suffered an injury on the hit and did not return to the game.
What it means: Some of the Blackhawks battling for a roster spot got on the score sheet in the win. Hayes and Smith hooked up for the second goal, and Jeremy Morin set up Sharp for the first one. Blackhawks forwards Brandon Saad and Teuvo Teravainen are both learning to play center and gained some game experience Tuesday. Saad and Teravainen struggled on the faceoff in the first period, but their numbers improved as the game went on.
Player of the game: Blackhawks defenseman Brent Seabrook had an assist, a plus-2 rating and two blocked shots.
What's next: The Blackhawks will play six preseason games before their season opener on Oct. 1. They will host the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday.
Blackhawks training camp observations
September, 15, 2013
Sep 15
2:33
PM CT
By
Scott Powers | ESPNChicago.com
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Here are some observations from the four days of the Chicago Blackhawks training camp at Notre Dame:
Hossa stars in first scrimmages
September, 13, 2013
Sep 13
4:28
PM CT
By
Scott Powers | ESPNChicago.com
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Chicago Blackhawks forward Marian Hossa wanted to test his back during the two scrimmages at Notre Dame on Friday.
Two goals and one assist later, Hossa and his back appeared to be doing just fine.
"I liked him," Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said of Hossa. "He did some nice things. He had the puck a lot. He looked all right. I didn't hear any complaints [about the contact on his back.]"
Hossa suffered a back injury in the Stanley Cup finals last season, and it caused numbness in his right leg. He avoided surgery in the offseason and said Thursday his back felt stronger.
Sharp on faceoffs: Quenneville said utilizing forward Patrick Sharp more on faceoffs could be an option this season. Sharp has only been used occasionally on faceoffs in recent seasons, but he does have a lot of experience there and has had some success.
Sharp has won 2,016 of 4,159 faceoffs during his career with the Blackhawks. He was 40-of-62 in the regular season and 32-of-60 in the playoffs last season.
"He can always jump in," Quenneville said of Sharp. "If the guy who is taking them is having a tough night or is on his wrong side, we don't mind Sharpie taking faceoffs anywhere around the ice. It's not a bad option to have knowing you got three guys up front who can take faceoffs. We don't mind that flexibility."
Roster cuts and season-opening roster: Quenneville said he'd likely make his first round of cuts prior to Tuesday's preseason opener against the Detroit Red Wings, and he was unsure whether they'd keep 21, 22 or 23 players for the season.
"We haven't had that discussion yet," Quenneville said about the roster. "I think a lot of that, I'm sure, is going to be determined by salary-cap numbers."
Spot for Bollig: Quenneville believes there is a place on the Blackhawks' roster for Brandon Bollig, one of the team's more physical players.
The 6-foot-2, 223-pound Bollig played in 25 regular season games and five playoff games for the Blackhawks last season.
"I think in today's game I think he's that guy that can play, and he has that element of toughness that everyone is looking for," Quenneville said. "That one-dimensional tough guy, that role, is evaporating from our game. You got to be able to play. You got to play against good players. You got to be comfortable and predictably with the puck. I thought his game last year filled that niche for us real well."
Hawks notebook: Not focusing on repeat
September, 11, 2013
Sep 11
7:57
PM CT
By
Scott Powers | ESPNChicago.com
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The Chicago Blackhawks obviously want to repeat as Stanley Cup champions.
[+] Enlarge

Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesJonathan Toews says now is not the time to begin talk about the Blackhawks' chances of repeating their Stanley Cup season.
"When you win the Stanley Cup and you come in the following season, it's happened to us twice now, the talk is always going to be about repeating," Toews said at a news conference at the University of Notre Dame. "We kind of understand that. But we know that we don't really want to be talking about that yet. It's a long ways away. Like we said, we got to focus on the start of the season and not making the mistakes we made last time.
"Once we get to building ourselves up as a team the way we did last year and preparing ourselves for the playoff run, we want to put ourselves in a position come playoff time to be that team that can compete for it again. But we know with what happened last year, we know there's a lot of pressures, a lot of things that play into that. That's our goal for now. We believe that we can be that team that has a chance to [repeat] and can be one of those motivating factors."
Blackhawks forward Patrick Sharp also said he thought he and his teammates had moved on from last season's success and the trophy that accompanied it.
"If you ask the players, the three of us [Duncan Keith, Toews and himself], we're certainly done with [the Stanley Cup]," Sharp said. "We enjoyed it. We had our fun with it. But we're focused on starting a new season and kind of turning the page on what happened last year. Personally, I'm done with it. I had a great time; my family and friends enjoyed it. But I'm ready to go and try to win it again."
Top storylines countdown: 20-11
September, 10, 2013
Sep 10
4:06
PM CT
By
Scott Powers | ESPNChicago.com
Kirk Irwin/Getty ImagesHow will Brandon Saad handle playing his first 82-game NHL season?20. Getting Leddy back to form
Blackhawks defenseman Nick Leddy had a postseason to forget with a minus-8 rating in 23 games and was limited to a career-low 2:37 of ice time in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup finals. Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville's lack of confidence in Leddy isn't expected to carry over into this season, but it would help both sides for Leddy to have a strong start to the season. He is still just 22, but he's now entering his fourth NHL season and will be expected to be more consistent. He signed a two-year, $5.4 million deal in the offseason.
19. Keeping Shaw on the right side of the line
Andrew Shaw thrived last season in the role of agitator and third-line center for the Blackhawks. On the third line, he was reliable enough defensively, was able to set up his wingers and could chip in the occasional goal. He has also been known to mix it up with opposing players and get under their skin. His post-whistle activities have at times worked against the Blackhawks and led to unnecessary penalties. Michal Handzus had a talk with Shaw during the playoffs about utilizing that additional energy, but also being smart about it. Shaw did a better job of doing that as the playoffs progressed. It will be important again for Shaw to find the right side of that line this season.
Top storylines countdown: 40-31
September, 6, 2013
Sep 6
2:36
PM CT
By
Scott Powers | ESPNChicago.com
Victor Decolongon/Getty ImagesLocking up Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews to new extensions will be a priority for the Blackhawks.40. Kane and Toews extensions
Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews aren't unrestricted free agents until after the 2014-15 season and can't negotiate contract extensions until after the 2013-14 season, but still expect this to be a storyline throughout this season. Those deals are Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman's priorities, and he's been planning for them for a long time. Everything Bowman has done -- the extensions he gave Bryan Bickell, Corey Crawford and Niklas Hjalmarsson, signing restricted free agents, etc. -- has been with Kane's and Toews' contracts in mind. The salary cap is expected to be raised in the future, which will help the Blackhawks. Kane and Toews have implied they'd like to remain in Chicago and may be willing to give the Blackhawks a hometown deal. To put both among the top-15 paid players in the NHL, the Blackhawks would have to give them around $7.5 million each.
39. The No. 3 shootout shooter
The Blackhawks were slightly above .500 in shootouts last season with a 6-5 record. Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville turned to Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews in every shootout last season, and the pair scored 11 of the team's 16 shootout goals. But Quenneville couldn't consistently decide on a No. 3 shooter and used a number of different players there. Marian Hossa, Michal Rozsival, Brandon Saad, Andrew Shaw and Patrick Sharp were among the players to get multiple shootout attempts last season. Of the group, Hossa was the only player to score more than one goal. He had two goals in three attempts. It will be interesting to see whether Quenneville sticks with Hossa as the No. 3 shooter this season or goes a different route.
Top 50 Hawks storylines countdown
September, 5, 2013
Sep 5
2:10
PM CT
By
Scott Powers | ESPNChicago.com
Robin Alam/Icon SMIIs there a spot for an enforcer such as Brandon Bollig on the Hawks roster this season?ESPNChicago.com's Blackhawks reporter Scott Powers will count down this season's top 50 storylines over the next week leading into training camp.
Here's the first installment:
50. Bollig, the enforcer
The Blackhawks will likely be auditioning for five roster spots during training camp. One of those positions will likely go to Brandon Bollig. Some may argue enforcers aren't really needed on a team, but Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville has often liked to have someone who isn't afraid to drop his gloves and step up for his teammates. With Jamal Mayers and Daniel Carcillo gone, there aren't many of those type of players remaining on the roster. Bollig led the Blackhawks with five fights last season. He will be looking for his first career point this season. He has zero points in 43 career NHL games.
49. Sellout and attendance streak
The Blackhawks are aiming to lead the NHL in attendance for the sixth consecutive season. They have sold out the United Center for 187 consecutive regular-season games dating back to the 2008-09 season. They averaged a paid attendance of 21,775 during their 24 home games last season.
Blackhawks building for the long term
September, 4, 2013
Sep 4
12:05
PM CT
By
Scott Powers | ESPNChicago.com
The Chicago Blackhawks have their team and they’re making a run at becoming a dynasty with it.
After having to dissolve a large portion of the 2010 Stanley Cup team due to salary cap restraints, Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman is doing his best to keep nearly everyone together for years to come after their latest Cup win.
The Blackhawks will now have at least 14 players, including seven forwards, six defensemen and one goaltender, from last season’s Stanley Cup roster together over the next two seasons, and that number will likely grow with Andrew Shaw and Ben Smith among the group of upcoming restricted free agents.
After having to dissolve a large portion of the 2010 Stanley Cup team due to salary cap restraints, Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman is doing his best to keep nearly everyone together for years to come after their latest Cup win.
The Blackhawks will now have at least 14 players, including seven forwards, six defensemen and one goaltender, from last season’s Stanley Cup roster together over the next two seasons, and that number will likely grow with Andrew Shaw and Ben Smith among the group of upcoming restricted free agents.
Hawks loaded with Olympic hopefuls
July, 22, 2013
Jul 22
1:51
PM CT
By
Scott Powers | ESPNChicago.com
Jim McIsaac/Getty ImagesPatrick Kane, Brent Seabrook, Jonathan Toews and Duncan Keith represented Chicago in '10.Here’s a look at the Blackhawks who could participate in the 2014 Olympics:
Early look at Blackhawks' 2013-14 lines
July, 17, 2013
Jul 17
12:53
PM CT
By
Scott Powers | ESPNChicago.com
After trading away Daniel Carcillo on Tuesday, Chicago Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman is likely done adding or deleting any significant pieces to next year’s team.
It’s still early and Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville can be unpredictable, but here’s a look at the potential lines for next season’s team.
This line produced magic in the playoffs. Quenneville has preferred to keep Kane and Toews on separates lines for the most part in recent seasons, but Quenneville can’t ignore the success the trio had together last season. Kane and Toews are coming off two of their most all-around seasons. They may cancel out each other in the Hart Trophy voting, but they can be expected to be in the discussion if they continue to play as they did last season. Bickell spent the regular season on the third line, but he earned a promotion by becoming one of the go-to guys in the playoffs. Bickell’s 17 playoff points were only second to Kane’s 19 points. There’s still uncertainty whether Bickell can be that same type of player consistently throughout an 82-game regular season, but Bickell received a large raise to do just that.
It’s still early and Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville can be unpredictable, but here’s a look at the potential lines for next season’s team.
FIRST LINE
Left wing Bryan Bickell, Center Jonathan Toews, Right wing Patrick KaneThis line produced magic in the playoffs. Quenneville has preferred to keep Kane and Toews on separates lines for the most part in recent seasons, but Quenneville can’t ignore the success the trio had together last season. Kane and Toews are coming off two of their most all-around seasons. They may cancel out each other in the Hart Trophy voting, but they can be expected to be in the discussion if they continue to play as they did last season. Bickell spent the regular season on the third line, but he earned a promotion by becoming one of the go-to guys in the playoffs. Bickell’s 17 playoff points were only second to Kane’s 19 points. There’s still uncertainty whether Bickell can be that same type of player consistently throughout an 82-game regular season, but Bickell received a large raise to do just that.

- ESPNChiHawks ESPN Chicago
How about 2 goals for Frolik tonight? He scored all of 3 goals for the Hawks in 45 games last year. The change of scenery may do him well.
about 7 hours ago
- ESPNChiHawks ESPN Chicago

- ESPNChiHawks ESPN Chicago
Hawks move on after banner ceremony http://t.co/j6Pvn7J35P
about 9 hours ago
- ESPNChiHawks ESPN Chicago

- ESPNChiHawks ESPN Chicago
Blackhawks' penalty kill emerges in the end http://t.co/He4xKegNew
about 9 hours ago
- ESPNChiHawks ESPN Chicago

- ESPNChiHawks ESPN Chicago
Hawks' penalty kill emerges in the end http://t.co/LsMihhVRvb
about 9 hours ago
- ESPNChiHawks ESPN Chicago
TEAM LEADERS
| POINTS | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Brandon Saad
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| OTHER LEADERS | ||||||||||||
| Goals | B. Saad | 1 | ||||||||||
| Assists | B. Saad | 2 | ||||||||||
| +/- | N. Hjalma... | 4 | ||||||||||
| GAA | C. Crawford | 4.00 | ||||||||||



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