Borrowing from the parenthetical sub-title of Dr. Strangelove, I'm feeling downright . . . encouraged (?) this morning by the prospects for this season's edition of the Chicago Blackhawks.
My feelings were maybe best captured in a between periods interview on the CSN feed of last night's 6-4 win in St. Louis, where Eddie Olczyk adroitly avoided saying the Hawks weren't as good as their record—instead probing Duncan Keith on his belief that the team can still "reach another level."
So whether your take on the glass is it's half fuller half empty, the truth is, the Hawks can potentially play better than they have been—yet they keep winning and piling up points.
And it's that potential, that they seem to be inching closer to—while battling through some injuries, that should begin to get fans legitimately excited about this team.
Here's why:
The Top 6 is coming together.
It's too easy to say it's all because Ryan Hartman has stepped up and claimed the vacant left wing job (he has—for now at least). A couple of other critical factors are the renaissance of Marian Hossa, who drives possession and opportunities no matter how the coaching staff uses him or who he plays with, and a brilliant sophomore season for Artemi Panarin. Hossa, Panarin and Artem Anisimov have driven the Hawks' offense all year, which is a great luxury for a team paying $21 million to two other players, Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane. Kane's been at least good all year and Toews' game seemed to be coming around last night in St. Louis. Taken together, there's enough positive inertia here that even something like Anisimov going out early with an injury (as he did after the first period last night) doesn't seem to slow the team down.
A legit third line.
Marcus Kruger, Richard Panik and Dennis Rasmussen were again very effective last night. Tough to play against, energetic, productive. Goaltending.
Scott Darling, being the kind of kid he is, was the first to admit he had a rough game last night. But he battles. And wins.
The deeper defense.
Bryan Campbell's goal was no coincidence. The coaching staff inserted Campbell into the game on the fly, while the improvised Kane/Toews/Panarin line was dominating offensive zone possession—to take advantage of his ability to be a 4th forward. Et voila. Goal.
The first star to my eye last night was another blue line scorer, Niklas Hjalmarsson, who also had some key shot blocks and defensive zone clears.
Quality depth not only gives the coaching staff more weapons, but it takes pressure off your better players and allows them to be their best in key situations.
Belief.
And this may be the big one. This is a team that struggles early in games, goes down a goal or two and finds ways to come back. Like last night, capping a comeback that just didn't happen last season, with a game-winning goal from Kris Draper 2.0, Vince Hinostroza. And it's time to say this. While some have jumped to anointing Hinsotroza a budding Theo Fleury or Marty St. Louis (ehhhhh, no, he's not), he has the speed, energy and competitiveness of a Draper or a Darren Helm. And those are the kind of guys you need to win Stanley Cups. Hinostroze, like Hartman and to a certain degree rookie defenseman Gustav Forsling are here to stay because they go to war every game.
So it would be nice if the Hawks returned to Chicago for a nice restful aftermath of a highly successful (6 points in three games) road trip against three 2016 playoff teams. But no, tonight, they host the rested and ready Western Conference champion San Jose Sharks at the UC.
Gametime: 6PM Central/4PM Pacific NHLN, WGN, CSN-CA, NHL.TV
I would except Lars Johansson to make his NHL regular season debut in net tonight for the Hawks, though nothing has been announced. Tyler Motte should be back in tonight for the Hawks. Health status of Anisimov (day to day, upper body) and Kruger, who took the last shot of the game to his left hand, are unclear.
I'll recap tomorrow.
JJ
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