Who's Overachieving, Underperforming for the Chicago Blackhawks This Season

The pain of losing the seventh game of the Western Conference Final to the Los Angeles Kings haunted the Chicago Blackhawks all summer.

The pain of that defeat along with the coming salary-cap crunch next year has left the Blackhawks with a sharp focus for the 2014-15 season. They want to win their third championship in the last six years, because this may be their last realistic chance of the current era.

So far, so good. The Blackhawks are one of three teams (along with the Nashville Predators and the Washington Capitals) that have a zero in the loss column of the standings. Head coach Joel Quenneville told reporters following Tuesday night's 4-0 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers that it was their best game of the season. 

Their 4-0-1 record means that their top players have gotten off to good starts. Here's a look at who's overachieving and who's underperforming through the first five games of the season.

Left Wing Patrick Sharp, Overachieving

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The Blackhawks expect Patrick Sharp to be a major scoring threat every time he steps onto the ice.

He may not have the all-around ability of Jonathan Toews or the slick moves of Patrick Kane, but Sharp is a go-to guy who has excellent speed and a wicked shot.

When he puts the puck on net, he has an excellent chance to score or create a scoring opportunity for a teammate who gathers the rebound. It's difficult for opposing goalies to make clean saves when Sharp has a chance to unfurl his wrist shot or wind up with his slap shot.

Through the first five games, Sharp is leading the Blackhawks in scoring with two goals and four assists. Both of his goals have come on the power play, as have five of his points. Sharp is averaging 18:53 of ice time, and he has a Corsi Relative rating of 18.0, according to BehindTheNet.Ca.

Sharp has an even plus/minus rating, which is tied for the worst in the team. However, he has more than made up for that deficiency with his success on the power play.

Center Jonathan Toews, Overachieving

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Overachieving? Jonathan Toews?

No way. When you're the best player on the team and one of the three best players in the league, expectations are always through the roof.

But let's look at the situation closely. Head coach Joel Quenneville always puts a mountain of expectations on Toews' shoulders, and Toews always sells out to deliver.

He is not a machine and is not Wayne Gretzky or Bobby Orr. He has bad games from time to time. 

He has not had any to start the season. He has one goal and four assists through the first five games and a plus-two rating.

He has once again done an outstanding job in the faceoff circle, winning 54.0 percent of the draws he has taken. Toews is averaging 20:22 of ice time, which ranks second among the team's forwards to Patrick Kane. Toews has an 18.4 Corsi Relative rating, which ranks fourth on the team.

Toews has already had a signature moment during the young season. In the 2-1 overtime win over the Nashville Predators Oct. 18, the Blackhawks found themselves shorthanded during the extra session.

Toews was in the right place at the right time, as he picked up a loose puck in the Chicago half of the ice and skated in alone on Predators goalie Pekka Rinne. Toews made a couple of tight moves and tried to put a backhander through Rinne's pads. While the goalie made the initial stop, Toews stayed with the puck and stuck the rebound into the net.

Most players would have done a fly-by after the miss. Not Toews, who kept working and was rewarded with the winning goal.

Right Wing Ben Smith, Underperforming

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We are talking about performance here. Not effort, hard work or desire.

Nobody could downgrade Ben Smith for the three characteristics listed above.

Smith has not scored a point in the first five games, and he has a plus-one rating. While Smith plays on the grinding fourth line and is not responsible for significant scoring, the Blackhawks would like to see at least a couple of points on the ledger.

Smith made a big impact during last year's postseason with four goals and two assists in addition to a plus-five rating. He may still be an ascending player but doesn't have the stats to show it at this point.

Defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson, Overachieving

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Niklas Hjalmarsson is not on the roll call of Blackhawks superstars. However, the stay-at-home defenseman is one of their most important players.

Hjalmarsson, along with partner Johnny Oduya, is called on to stop the opposition's top line on a regular basis. Since Oduya and Hjalmarsson do their job so well, it gives defensemen Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook a little more freedom to show off their offensive skills.

Hjalmarsson has registered two assists in the first five games, and that's the extent of his contributions to the scorebook. However, he has a plus-three rating.

Oduya is averaging 22:01 of ice time per game, and he is taking 30.0 shifts per game. Hjalmarsson has a 18.2 Corsi Relative rating, and he has gotten off to a noteworthy start for the Blackhawks.

Right Wing Patrick Kane, Overachieving

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Expectations are always through the roof for Patrick Kane. The Blackhawks' quick right wing has a penchant for scoring huge playoff goals, and his superstar status makes it difficult for him to be an overachiever.

Kane has gotten off to a quick start this season with three goals and two assists in the first five games. Kane would like to break the 40-goal mark for the first time in his career, and while he has a long way to go, he is off to an excellent start. 

Kane has scored two goals and two assists on the power play, and he is averaging 20:53 of ice time per game, tops among Chicago forwards.

Kane signed a long extension with the Blackhawks in the offseason (along with Toews), and he is playing as if he wants to show the Blackhawks he is worth every penny on that contract.