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How important is Jonathan Toews to the Blackhawks?

Well, aside from Toews' leadership and stellar three-zone play, without him taking faceoffs last night, the Hawks were absolutely obliterated in the dot, 61.2% to 38.8%. Michal Handzus, also sitting last night with a few other Hawk veterans, might have helped as well.

However, by next month, Teuvo Teravainen will likely be back in Finland, playing for Jokerit and trying to add some size and Brandon Saad will probably be moved back to wing.

And we have to remember that exhibition games are really not much more than glorified scrimmages. Thus, you have to put the totality of the Hawks' 2-0 win over the Red Wings through the same filter.

Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg sat out for the Wings, Toews and Marian Hossa sat for the Hawks.

In spite of the lop-sided faceoff margin, the Hawks did outshoot the Wings. Overall, a good performance by this melange of the Hawks and Ice Hogs, leading up to tomorrow night's tilt against the Penguins, also at the UC.

Unfortunately, a couple of younger players didn't get the exhibition memo and took a couple of bad boarding penalties, the worst of which was Detroit's Teemu Pulkinen catching Chicago defenseman Mike Kostka from behind.

These types of incidents remain a problem in hockey that only league discipline can address.

I'll be back with more as I have it.


JJ

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