Under-the-Radar Players Giving Chicago Blackhawks a Big Boost in 2014-15

The Chicago Blackhawks have been talking about being a legitimate championship contender this year since the start of training camp.

They went out and proved that they could live up to that status during their recently completed 5-1-0 road trip. Prior to this six-game jaunt that saw them record eye-opening wins in Anaheim and Los Angeles, the Blackhawks' season had been marked by inconsistency and a lack of scoring.

But Joel Quenneville's team came together away from the United Center as Patrick Kane scored nine points, and Corey Crawford stopped 143 of the 154 shots he faced to lead the turnaround.

However, it's not just the big names who have been playing well. The Blackhawks have been getting increased contributions from several of their less publicized players. Here's a look at four non-stars who are following Quenneville's script and helping the Blackhawks make a positive statement.

Center Andrew Shaw

Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press

Andrew Shaw is the kind of player who would run through a brick wall for Quenneville. Ask him to play on the second line, and he will do it. He will also play on the third line, the fourth line, kill penalties or work the odd shift on the power play when asked to do so.

Shaw is not going to light up the scoreboard, but he is going to put in as much effort as any player on the Blackhawks to make something positive happen. He will fly to the front of the net, absorb punishment from much bigger players on his 5'10, 180-pound body just for the chance to screen the goalie, tip a shot or jump on a rebound.

Shaw missed the first half of the road trip with an upper-body injury, but he played in the last three games and had two goals and an assist. He also played fearlessly, as he showed a willingness to engage with Jarome Iginla in Colorado. A confrontation probably would not have gone in Shaw's favor, but fear is not a part of his game.

He plays with energy, and he always gives Quenneville everything he has.

“He’s a scrappy guy in the puck area,” Quenneville told Tracey Myers of CSNChicago. “He’s got a lot of skill to complement that, as well, and that line usually gets some energy off it.”

Shaw's numbers are not going to land him on the All-Star team. He has five goals and four assists in 21 games, and an 8.05 Corsi On percentage, which ranks 19th on the team. 

But Shaw's willingness to take on any assignment and do it with gusto makes him an invaluable member of the team.

Center Marcus Kruger

Brandon Wade/Associated Press

Marcus Kruger is a vital contributor to the Blackhawks even though he is not going to score a lot of goals or pile up points.

He has three goals and three assists through the first 24 games. In four seasons with the Blackhawks, Kruger has never topped double figures in goals. He may or may not this year.

But when the Blackhawks are killing penalties, Kruger is one of Quenneville's top options. He is a superb penalty killer who has the instincts for breaking up passes and ruining the opposition's offensive attempts. The Blackhawks are the top team in the league at penalty killing as they have stopped opponents' power plays 91.3 percent of the time.

Kruger has taken 46 faceoffs while the Blackhawks have been shorthanded, and nobody on the team has taken more. He has a 16.82 Corsi On percentage, and the Blackhawks can count on him to make the right play whenever he is on the ice in a crucial situation.

Left Wing Kris Versteeg

David Zalubowski/Associated Press

After the Blackhawks reacquired Kris Versteeg from the Florida Panthers last year, there was hope that he could recapture the scoring touch he had in his first go-around with the team. He scored 22 goals in 2008-09 and had 20 goals in the Stanley Cup championship year of 2009-10 before he was sent packing after that season in a salary purge.

But Versteeg did not play up to that level last year, and nagging injuries had a lot to do with his lack of production. 

Versteeg came to training camp healthy this year, and his skating speed and quickness returned. So has his productivity, as he has scored seven goals and 11 assists in 24 games, and he also has a plus-10 rating. He was at his best during the six-game road trip with two goals and six assists, which included three multipoint games. 

Versteeg is the third-leading scorer on the star-laden Blackhawks, and he has a 13.88 Corsi On percentage. He is hustling, creating scoring chances and playing aggressive hockey. If he can keep it up, Quenneville will have the weapon he envisioned when he came back to the Blackhawks last year.

“He’s been real good. He’s the player we envisioned him to be this year,” Quenneville told Myers. “He’s dangerous. He has that puck and he can make some real slippery plays. It’s clicking. It’s a nice start for him.”

Center Ben Smith

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Ben Smith rarely gets recognized for his work with the Blackhawks, because he does not score a lot of goals or set up many scoring opportunities for his teammates. He has played in all 24 games, but he only has one goal, one assist and a 9.96 Corsi On percentage.

Smith is not a member of the Blackhawks because of his shot or overall offensive game. He is a defensive specialist and Quenneville sends him out on the ice when the Blackhawks have to take a faceoff in their own zone. Smith excels at keeping opponents off the scoreboard.

He goes to the corner to battle for the puck, and he will take an elbow or a physical shot if it means coming away with the puck. Smith, like Kruger, is one of the team's primary penalty-killers, and he excels at that part of the game.

Smith is not satisfied with his play this year, and he would like to score more. He showed last year that he could put the puck in the net as he tallied 14 goals and 12 assists; however, Quenneville is not worried about Smith's lack of offensive production since he's such a valuable defensive player, as he told Mark Lazerus of the Chicago Sun-Times: “When you look at guys that, they’re doing other things. They’ve got a big responsibility on the PK, and they’re doing the job in that area. That’s why it was such a nice year [last season] for him; the production was a bonus on top of that."

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