The difference between a good team and a great team is very slim.
With Jonathan Toews and Brent Seabrook out of the Blackhawks lineup, the Hawks have continued to play well, but how?
Depth is the main reason. Players like Troy Brouwer, Dustin Byfuglien,
Andrew Ladd, Brent Sopel, Tomas Kopecky, and John Madden have picked up
the slack.
In fact, in the Hawks last 3 games, the only goal belonging to a "top scorer" came Monday night vs the Wild when Patrick Kane roofed a shot from the circle.
This is what great teams do. When their stars are out or slumping, the guys who are lower on the totem pole find a way to make their mark.
Look no further than last season's Stanley Cup playoffs. Dustin Byfuglien, who was one of the Blackhawks most frustrating and inconsistent players in the regular season became a total force in the playoffs. He threw two top goaltenders, Calgary's Mikka Kiprusoff and Vancouver's Roberto Luongo, off their games. He was the difference, and the Hawks MVP in the playoffs.
There is no doubting the Hawks depth, but the versatility of the depth is what makes them special. They have multiple answers for any weakened roster spot.
With grinders Adam Burish and Ben Eager out, Jake Dowell and Jack Skille have filled those roles.
With Brent Seabrook out, Jordan Hendry and Brent Sopel have defended well.
With Jonathan Toews out, previous 3rd and 4th liners like John Madden and Tomas Kopecky have stepped into key offensive situations and not missed a beat.
It doesn't need to be spectacular. It needs to be steady. It has been.
That depth, coupled with an improving Cristobal Huet, who has been dominant his last two starts, make the Hawks one of the top teams in the NHL.
Filed under: Blackhawks, Chicago Sports, Cristobal Huet, danny mac show, hockey, Jack Skille, NHL, Patrick Kane, sports
Tags: blackhawks, cristobal huet, danny mac show, hockey, NHL, patrick kane, Sports
Good write up. Gotta say Ebbett has been a great waiver pick up. He didn't score tonight, but he looked pretty good out there. At 500k he's played above my expectations. I don't know if he'll be able to keep it up on the 4th line when Toews is back.
This is all true but I'm nervous about them on the road and against some teams with better matchups then Nashville and Minnesota. Especially when the dreaded goalie situation rears its ugly head. They are on easy street till Nov. 19th, after that is when the season starts! Can't wait to see how it goes. GO HAWKS!!
Gotta tell you Jay,im feelin a lot of man-love for Brouwer!
I covered a lot of these guys when they were in the AHL, and Brouwer was always a standout. He had 41 and 35 goal seasons in the "A". At 24, he is just coming into his own. Ladd has never lived up to being the 4th pick overall in the 2004 draft (which is why Carolina let him go), but is a big-bodied, solid role-player. Byfuglien was always hot/cold player. You never knew what to expect from him. Thankfully, he seems to be showing consistency this season.
Kopecky....is a good 3rd/4th line guy. That's it. I think the biggest story recently has been the disappearance of Patrick Sharp. He has only 1 point in the past 5 GAMES! He needs to ramp it up. Period
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