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The Blackhawks will soon embark on a much anticipated run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. You might want to temper your anticipation. This is not to say the Hawks can't win it all but there are several obstacles in their way. Most notably is employing a rookie goalie and then, traversing the unsteady ice of the NHL's post-season. 
Only 3 rookie netminders have won the Cup. Two of them are legends; Ken Dryden and Patrick Roy. The third is Cam Ward who came out of no where to carry the Carolina Hurricanes to Championship. The odds are stacked against Antti Niemi.
But beware of home ice advantage which is not such an advantage in the NHL as it is in the NBA. Over the past 15 seasons, only 64.4 percent of teams with home ice advantage have won their respective series. 
Over 76 percent of NBA teams have defended their home court over the same period. Remember, divsion winners in the NHL get the top 3 seeds even if another team has more points. The NBA seeds by conference records only.
Worse yet, top seeds in the NHL have made it to the finals only 8 times. Twice as many have made the NBA Finals and five times, both top seeds made it. That's happened in the NHL only once over the past 15 seasons. The Bulls have the distinction of being the only 3 time top seed during this period to win it all.
Now, here's an even the scarier stat. Top seeds have fallen in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs 8 times since 1993. The most recent was last season's San Jose Sharks. The Red Wings, who have won the cup 4 times over that span, were dumped in the first round twice. So were the New Jersey Devils who have managed to cop 3 Cups. 
And second seeds have been ousted 7 times in the first round. Seeds 4 or higher have made the finals a staggering 10 times and in 1995, the 5th seeded Devils won it all.
The NBA has seen only 3 seeds 4 or higher make the finals with the 6th seeded Houston Rockets winning the title in 1995. In other words, The NBA is pretty much a form chart; the NHL isn't.
So be prepared Hawks fans, anything can happen. Just don't finish first. History has a way of repeating itself. You can follow me on twitter @georgeofman and on Facebook
Ken Dryden - Hall of Famer with Montreal Canadiens. He beat the Blackhawks twice in the finals incluidng 1971, his rookie season
The Blackhawks will soon embark on a much anticipated run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. You might want to temper your anticipation. This is not to say the Hawks can't win it all but there are several obstacles in their way. Most notably is employing a rookie goalie and then, traversing the unsteady ice of the NHL's post-season.
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