Chicago Blackhawks are Quite Favorites

Some might call me crazy but after analyzing the impressive off-season moves pulled off by the Chicago Blackhawks I’m ready to put them among the favorites to win the 2010 Stanley Cup. I know that when the hockey publications come out this fall that the Detroit Red Wings, Pittsburgh Penguins and San Jose Sharks will once again be the popular choices to win. That being said it’s hard to ignore a young and talented Hawks team who in the off-season added a veteran presence in forward John Madden who has two Stanley Cup rings from his days with the New Jersey Devils. Another veteran presence who will make the Hawks that much better is sniper Marian Hossa who is coming off a 40- goal season with the Hawks number one rivals the Detroit Red Wings. Hossa who is only 30 years old brings not only more goal scoring to this young team but also the experience of playing in consecutive Stanley Cup finals. After some lean years the Blackhawks who last won the Stanley Cup in 1961 enjoyed a breakthrough season last year as they thrilled their fans by making the playoffs for the first time since 2002. If that wasn’t exciting enough the Hawks who finished the season fourth in the Western Conference with 104 points made it to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 1995. Chicago who were eliminated by the Wings got even with them this off season by not only signing their leading goal scorer in Hossa to a 12 year 62.8 million dollar contract but also snapping up another Wings free agent in Tomas Kopecky who not only has a Stanley Cup ring but has been improving his offensive output from year to year. “It looks like we helped ourselves in some important areas,” Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said. “We should be excited about going forward. I’m excited when you look at what we added.” Quenneville who took the reins from Dennis Savard only four games into last season said. This summer the veteran coach has been deliberating whether to use Hossa on a scoring line with 21 year-old captain Jonathan Toews and 20 year-old Patrick Kane or to use Hossa on a line with Andrew Ladd and Dave Bolland.  With the additions of Kopecky and Madden down the middle the Hawks are as deep at center as they were in the early 1990’s when they had a young Jeremy Roenick, Brent Sutter, Dirk Graham and Greg Gilbert who all played key roles in helping the Hawks make it to the Stanley Cup finals in 1992 against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Another reason to like the Hawks chances for this coming season is that management went to work and re- signed seven talented homegrown players in Kris Versteeg, Cam Barker, Colin Fraser, Ben Eager, Dave Bolland, Troy Brouwer, Aaron Johnson and second string goalie Corey Crawford. Prior to signing with the Blackhawks Hossa who has also played for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Atlanta Thrashers and Ottawa Senators in his career saw a young and talented Chicago team who he believes is ready for prime time. “Chicago is hungry,” Hossa said. “They haven’t won a Stanley Cup in a long, long time and they’re showing improvement. Detroit is a great, great hockey town and has won a lot of Stanley Cups, but this is a young, hungry team that wants to go for it. That’s why I chose Chicago. They have a chance to win the Cup.”