Chicago Blackhawks: Can the 'Hawks Win Without Jonathan Toews?

Jonathan Toews is still out. The Chicago Blackhawks and their fans continue to wait and hope that their revered leader will be able to recover from his concussion and return to action soon.

In the meantime, the Hawks have reeled off seven wins in their last 10 games and are in the midst of a three-game wining streak. They have done it in convincing fashion with weekend wins over the playoff bound Dallas Stars and Washington Capitals. They also posted 46 shots in a shootout win against the league-leading St. Louis Blues last week.

A lot of their recent success has been due to the return of Niklas Hjalmarsson and acquisition of Johnny Oduya, who has provided a key role in the 'Hawks' resurgence.

What's moreover is the 'Hawks are winning when they have to. Players like Patrick Kane, Dave Bolland and Patrick Sharp have stepped up and kept the 'Hawks alive in the postseason hunt. While their place in the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs is not solidified, they are sitting sixth in the Western Conference and threatening to climb higher.

All of this is happening without their best player. This raises the question, can they 'Hawks go into the postseason without their captain and be successful?

Let's look at what Toews brings to the table. What the 'Hawks have struggled with all season long is their team defense. Not only does Toews light the lamp and put numbers on the board, he is their best defensive forward.

He is an absolute asset in the faceoff dot and wins more than 50 percent of his draws. He's not only the leader in the dressing room, but frankly, the best all-around player the 'Hawks have. Simply put, Jonathan Toews is easily amongst the NHL elite. Yes, you need this guy around—big time.

Right now, the 'Hawks are hot and that's great for a number of different reasons. Teams that can learn to deal with the adversity of losing nine straight games, lose some key players and still forge ahead is a sign of strength. This will only serve as a positive heading into the playoffs.

Considering the 'Hawks are winning games also enables management to be extra cautious with Toews' recovery. Clearly, the 'Hawks' upper brass are taking every precaution to ensure that they do not rush him back to action. Nothing would be worse than sending Tazer back out there before he is 100 percent.

And if that means that this year is ultimately sacrificed because of it, then so be it. He is too valuable to the 'Hawks' long-term plans to take that risk.

As of now, there is no timetable for Toews' return. That's the scary reality of the NHL's concussion era. Reports on his health are slim to none and no news can't be good news. While he skated a bit last week, he is currently not practicing with the team.

There is a decent chance Toews in on the shelf for the remainder of the season.

So, can the 'Hawks make some noise in the postseason without him? It's easy to be dismissive and say no, but they are playing in somewhat of a playoff atmosphere this month and are taking care of what they need to.

If the 'Hawks remain sixth in the Western Conference, they will not have home-ice advantage in the first round. What they will get is a series against the winner of the Pacific Division. Weather it be the Dallas Stars, Phoenix Coyotes or San Jose Sharks, it very possibly will end up being a team with a worse record than the 'Hawks.

Even without Toews, I do like the 'Hawks' chances in the first round unless it is against the Los Angeles Kings. They do not match up well with that club and Jonathan Quick has owned the 'Hawks this season.

The problem is that if they keep winning into the fourth or fifth seed, they could end up playing an in-division rival in the Nashville Predators or the Detroit Red Wings. After a two-game skid, Nashville beat the Anaheim Ducks 3-1 on Sunday and the Wings have been battling their own injury issues of late.

Still, it is hard to imagine the 'Hawks coming out on top of a seven-game series against an opponent of that caliber without their captain. The same can be said if they had to take on the St. Louis Blues or Vancouver Canucks minus No. 19. It doesn't seem likely that they could come out on top.

The 'Hawks have shown a significant amount of character, rallying without their captain. Fans should continue to be optimistic about their playoff push. At the same time, while I believe they can take a first-round series without Toews, I remain skeptical of them going further than that without him.

Round by round, it gets grittier, tougher and more physical. Without Toews, it will be a serious uphill battle for the 'Hawks to come out of the West this season. Let's hope that if and when he comes back to the lineup, he is fully recovered and ready to go.

If Toews can come back strong, the 'Hawks are capable of beating anyone come playoff time. If not, it is a long shot that there will be another parade this June.

Thanks for reading.