5 Reasons Why Chicago Blackhawks Fans Should Be Worried in 2014-15

Chicago Blackhawks fans have been able to puff up their chests with pride since the 2009-10 season when the team won its first Stanley Cup since 1961.

The Blackhawks have been the standard bearers in the NHL for the last five years (along with the Los Angeles Kings) because they have won two Stanley Cups and put together one of the most talented rosters in the NHL.

As the 2014-15 season looms, the Blackhawks should have an excellent chance of raising the Stanley Cup again in June.

However, plenty could go wrong along the way, and Blackhawks fans have no shortage of worries. Here's a look at five of them.

Will Corey Crawford Play Up to Expectations?

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Corey Crawford's consistency and overall play are not high on the list of concerns for general manager Stan Bowman and head coach Joel Quenneville.

However, the goalie's performance is an issue for the fans. 

Crawford has a Stanley Cup to his credit and has respectable statistics. He had a 32-16-10 record in last year's regular season along with a 2.26 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage. Those are good numbers but not spectacular.

Crawford is not in the elite category with Jonathan Quick of the Los Angeles Kings, Henrik Lundqvist of the New York Rangers and Tuukka Rask of the Boston Bruins.

He also tends to give up stoppable goals on a regular basis, perhaps as many as one per night. That's what upsets fans. They see Crawford make several spectacular saves, but then one unscreened shot will blow by him, or he'll give up a controllable rebound, and that will lead to a goal.

Crawford is often the subject of complaints on Chicago sports radio or social media. Fans are worried that his mistakes will cost the team valuable points in the upcoming season.

Who Takes Brandon Bollig's Spot?

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Brandon Bollig was not a superstar for the Chicago Blackhawks, but he fulfilled a vital role in the eyes of Quenneville.

He gave them a physical presence on the grinder fourth line, and they need a player to step up and fulfill that role in the upcoming season.

Bollig was traded to the Calgary Flames in the offseason as the Blackhawks needed to free up cap space. He scored just seven goals and seven assists last season, but he played in all 82 games and had 92 penalty minutes.

Quenneville told Scott Powers of ESPN Chicago that he wants a physical player on his roster, and he's looking at candidates to fulfill that role.

The candidates being mentioned to take that role are Cody Bass, Brandon Mashinter and Pierre-Cedric Labrie. However, Blackhawks fans wonder why Bryan Bickell can't do the job.

Bickell is 6'4" and 233 pounds, and he is regularly a going concern in the postseason. That's not the case in the regular season, where he regularly fails to have an impact. Bickell had 11 goals, four assists and 28 penalty minutes last year.

There's no reason Bickell can't pick it up in all areas, but the Blackhawks aren't counting on him to become their version of Boston's 6'4", 220-pound Milan Lucic (24 goals, 35 assists, 91 penalty minutes in 2013-14). 

What If Brad Richards Disappoints at the No. 2 Center Position?

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Chicago Blackhawks fans breathed a sigh of relief when the team signed veteran free agent Brad Richards to man the No. 2 center role. That good feeling lasted about five minutes before concerns were raised.

Richards has the track record to have a successful run as the center between superstar Patrick Kane and the rapidly improving Brandon Saad. He is a solid offensive player who excels at making accurate passes.

But what if Richards is not fast or quick enough to keep up with those two? What if his defensive play turns out to be a liability?

Even if Richards is successful during the regular season, there are no guarantees about his postseason performance. He fell short in each of the last two years with the New York Rangers.

The Blackhawks have not had an adequate No. 2 center in recent memory, and if Richards fails, they will be right back in the same position.

Can the No. 3 Defense Pairing Perform Adequately?

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The Blackhawks are in great shape with their top four defensemen—unless Bowman is forced to trade Johnny Oduya to get under the salary cap.

However, the No. 3 defense pair is in a state of flux. It appears that Nick Leddy will hold down one of the spots, and while he has excellent physical tools and is a top-of-the-line skater, he has not been consistent in his performance. 

Quenneville has to decide who is going to partner with Leddy. Two of the most prominent names are Michal Rozsival and David Rundblad, but that does not mean either one will end up with the job.

Rozsival has been with the Blackhawks the last two years and they know that while he did a fine job during the 2013 Stanley Cup run, he slowed down last year. Rundblad was a top draft choice with the St. Louis Blues and has offensive skills, but his defensive play has been problematic, and the Blackhawks are his fourth NHL team.

Adam Clendening, Stephen Johns and Klas Dahlbeck are also possibilities for that position.

No matter who mans the No. 3 defense pairing, the Blackhawks could have issues.

Will Salary-Cap Maneuvers Impact the Team's Chemistry?

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This is the topic that is hanging over training camp, and its presence will grow even stronger until Bowman makes his moves with the roster.

The Blackhawks are $2.2 million over the salary cap, and that's fine until the team begins the season Oct. 9 at Dallas. When the puck drops against the Stars, Chicago must get down to the league-mandated $69 million level.

How is Bowman going to accomplish this? Will he move a veteran player or two to make the Blackhawks compliant? How can he keep the roster intact?

Once the moves are made, will the Blackhawks maintain the same high level they are at now? What will the chemistry be like inside the locker room?

The answers to these questions are not necessarily negative. However, moves have to be made, and those changes will undoubtedly have some impact on the way the 2014-15 team performs.