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CREDIT WHERE IT’S DUE

Hats off to Hawk GM Stan Bowman and his pro scouting staff.

There are a number of interrelated factors that have made the Hawks arguably the league’s best team—certainly the premier team in the West—thus far this season.

When I say “interrelated,” that’s because you really can’t view any of it in isolation. Just as a good team meshes together, so do the reasons for it. There are, however, identifiable trends and tendencies.

For the Hawks’ resurgence in 2013, it begins with defense. As I said here on numerous occasions during the offseason and lockout, Hawk goaltending, absent any personnel changes, would only be improved by better defense.

Generally in hockey, and especially with a puck possession style team like the Hawks, offense also tends to start in your own end, with crisp, efficient breakouts and effective first passes out of the zone.

As I’ve said, there have been a lot of positives, including the maturation of young players like Marcus Kruger, Nick Leddy, and Brandon Saad.

But if you want to isolate a huge reason for the Hawks’ improvement, look no further than the 4-7 spots on defense over the last 12 months.

A year ago, these four players were (from 4 to 7) Leddy, Steve Montador, Sami Lepisto and Sean O’Donnell. Today they are: Johnny Oduya, Leddy, Michal Rozsival and Sheldon Brookbank.

Since trading for Oduya a year ago, the Hawks’ regular season record is insanely good. But, again, you can’t look at that in isolation and say Oduya is the savior.

Rather, Oduya’s experience and playing style has enabled two important things: less TOI and pressure on Duncan Keith and Leddy in all situations, which in turn has helped their games.

But there’s more. Every defenseman added over the last year is a plus shot blocker, an area where the Hawks have improved over years past—and likely a direct contributor to better goalie and penalty kill stats. As Marian Hossa said late last season: “Vee haf to protect ze House.” The Hawks are doing that better now, and the goalies are looking like heroes as a result.

How much has the Hawks’ defensive depth improved? Evidenced by the fact that he is practicing with the team again, Montador is now the #8 defenseman, versus John Scott a year ago. Montador is no Eddie Shore—except perhaps when compared to the ponderous Scott.

So really, although it’s appeared that no major personnel moves were made in the offseason, since last March 1, a fairly significant and thus far very successful re-engineering of the bottom half of the defense took place. And that has really helped the overall team.


TRADE WINDS

A rumor I heard Monday afternoon had the Hawks in discussion over the last week or so with the Blue Jackets about center/wing Derick Brassard. Brassard fits a pattern of players the Hawks have made moves for in-season. Like Andrew Ladd and Michal Frolik, Brassard is a talented, young, former high draft pick who has had ups and downs with a bad club that’s drafted him.

And I was told at this time last year, the Hawks had several serious discussions with the Blue Jackets about him. Brassard left Columbus' game with Dallas last night with an "upper body" injury, so this could all be moot.

Still I don't think it is safe to assume the Hawks are standing pat or letting their amazing start fool them into thinking there aren't moves that could improve the club.

I also heard Monday evening, Dave Bolland’s “upper body injury” is in fact “concussion symptoms.” As always, this is not confirmed by the team, and others out there are maintaining it is in fact a shoulder or arm injury.

Well, the exact same thing was said about Corey Crawford, when it now seems he was, in fact, mildly concussed over the last week or two.


ICE, ICE BABY

I heard from a source with very good access to what the real issues are with the ice at the United Center. In fact, the individual responsible for the ice conditions at the UC is one of the best in the game.

But the ice obviously is what it is. So why?

Apparently the issue is what has been theorized here. The United Center is a multi-use facility. Compounding the problem is the sheer internal volume of the UC, one of the largest venues in the NHL. In addition to having to peel off a basketball court or the floor of a concert before Hawks’ games, the cavernous building has to be cooled in order to accommodate ice. There’s the issue, in a rather large nutshell.


All for now,


JJ

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