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2014-15 What Ifs

September 10, 2014, 12:41 PM ET [248 Comments]
John Jaeckel
Chicago Blackhawks Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
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Our condolences and prayers go out to the Suter family on the passing of former U.S. Olympian and the brother of former Hawk Gary Suter, Bob Suter, at age 57. Too young.



On paper, at least, other teams in the Hawks’ division and conference have improved. Some, perhaps quite a bit.

The Hawks themselves go into the 2014-15 with really only center Brad Richards as a “significant addition.” The company line seems to be, “hey, we were dinged up pretty badly in the playoffs and yet came within a bounce of making the Cup finals and probably winning it again. We’re a really good team.”

And they’re probably right.

That said, there are these things called fate and luck and injuries and, to the Hawks’ own point, bounces of the puck. So let’s play what If, shall we? Bad, then good.

What if . . .

Stan Bowman’s salary cap conundrum forces him to deal Johnny Oduya or Nick Leddy, and none of Klas Dahlbeck, David Rundblad, Kyle Cumiskey is really able to step in and fill the depth void?

What if age and recent injuries start to really catch up with Marian Hossa, and instead of the 70 point/+25 player he’s been, he becomes more like a 55 point/+15 player?

What if Richards pretty much flops?

And Teuvo Teravainen really isn’t ready?

What if some combination of the above and a new goalie coach affects Corey Crawford negatively, and he has a “down” season or post-season?

And Antti Raanta hasn’t progressed to the point of being a reliable starter?

What if significant injury strikes Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith and/or Brent Seabrook?

Those are the negative, big What Ifs. Now here are the positives.

What If . . .

Brandon Saad plays for a full season like he did in Games 5-7 of the Western Conference finals?

Richards does click with Saad and Kane, forming a truly potent second line?

What if Rundblad not only makes the club, but brings an element to the point on the Hawk power play that’s really been missing since 2011?

What if Marcus Kruger takes his game up yet another notch?

What if the Hawks can have both a top 10 power play and penalty kill in the same season?

What if Teravainen is (or becomes) ready, giving the Hawks yet another crazy offensive weapon?

What if Crawford, like Brent Seabrook a few years ago, steps up an unexpected level with a new, big contract?

What if a slightly longer offseason, rest and conditioning has the Hawks primed for a long run?

What if some fo the positives happen and some of the negatives happen, and which ones . . .

What if something else unforeseen happens . . .

What if ?

The truth is, this Hawks team—in light of the improvement of other teams, Richards uncertain value, a bit of cap-driven reliance on youth, Saad’s emergence and some other good young players with upside—could finish anywhere from 8th to 1st in the conference. Really.

Probably in no other recent season have the Hawks come in with more of an up or down potential.

What if?

It should be interesting.



JJ
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