Chicago Blackhawks 2010-2011 Roster, Part II: The Defensemen

The Blackhawks had a good group of defensemen last year during their drive to the Stanley Cup and the good news is that most of them are returning this year to help the Hawks make another run at the Cup.  Keep in mind that while forwards do a majority of the scoring and try to keep the puck on the opponents side of the ice, all that stands between a goalie and the opponent is the defensemen so those guys have to be as good as they can be.

The following is an in depth and detailed look at each player that the Blackhawks have on their roster at the defenseman position, how each player could perform this season and what this player means to the Blackhawks as they prepare to defend their NHL Stanley Cup title.

Nick Boynton was part of the team last year when the Blackhawks made it to the Stanley Cup Finals.  He joined the team in a trade in early March of this year and was assigned to the Blackhawks AHL team before being called up onto the active roster in the middle of March.

Boynton was part of that same team that went to the Stanley Cup Finals and won.

So what does Boynton bring to the Blackhawks? The first thing that you will notice about Boynton is his size.  He stands six feet one inch and weighs 218 pounds and carries his weight well.  He isn’t afraid to play tough and gets some good matchups against opposing players.  He also has a good shot on offense.

What Boynton doesn’t do well is score.  While he may be a good shot he doesn’t present that much of a scoring threat.  Boynton also has problems on and off the ice that may affect his standing with the team.  He is also somewhat inconsistent.

Boynton has been a part of some good teams including the Blackhawks Stanley Cup Championship team.  He has been a part of the NHL All-Rookie Team (in 2001), the NHL All Star Game in 2003 as well as four other all star teams and games.  He definitely has the talent.  He’s on the roster and ready to contribute this season. 

Brian Campbell was part of the Blackhawks run to glory last season and it looks as if he’s going to be around for another attempted run at the Cup this coming season.  Despite the fact he is a defenseman, Campbell has the ability to play well on offense and has a good shot.  He is able to move the puck down the ice quickly and efficiently and set up the score or score himself. 

Campbell isn’t afraid to lay a hit on someone as well and the Blackhawks like his aggressive style. 
While Campbell is not afraid to put a hit on someone he doesn’t hit as often as perhaps he should especially for a defenseman.  He also has trouble keeping himself on the puck when moving down the ice and can get thrown off track. 

Campbell has not only been a part of the Blackhawks run to the Stanley Cup but he has also been a part of the NHL All-Star Team (and second All-Star Team) as well as some minor league accolades including the Red Tilson Trophy, the William Hanley Trophy and he was a member of the OHL First All-Star Team. 

Look for Campbell to be an important part of the team for the 2010-2011 season and help the Blackhawks in their drive towards the playoffs.

Jordan Hendry was a piece of the Blackhawks Championship puzzle last season and the Hawks have brought him back for another year in Chicago.  Some of the positive things that Jordan does for the Blackhawks includes the ability to be physical when he’s on the ice as well as clearing the puck out and getting out of the Hawks zone (and back into the opponents area).

The downside to Hendry is that he’s not a guy that’s going to put up a lot of good offense for the Blackhawks and doesn’t really play up to his skill level. The Hawks kept him on the roster this season as he’s familiar with the team and does play well in their scheme.

The Blackhawks made a stern effort to keep Hjalmarsson a part of their team this season and it ended up paying off.  They now have the guy who helped them earn the honor of winning the Stanley Cup and will be able to use his services a lot this year.

So what does Hjalmarsson bring to the Blackhawks?  First, he is able to spend a lot of time on the ice due to his conditioning and durability and this is evident from the amount of time that he logged on the ice with the Blackhawks last season.  Hjalmarsson is also well built, tough and moves the puck around the ice very well. 

Still, there is a downside to every player and Hjalmarsson has one.  First, he doesn’t have the skill to really drive the puck down the ice and score (play some offense).  He also doesn’t have the overall ability to take over and run the power play as well.

The Hawks do have a good player and a lot of talent in Hjalmarsson and spent a lot of money to keep him on the team.  He should be a solid contributor this season and be able to help the Blackhawks get back to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Duncan Keith needs no introduction.  Keith, the winner of the James Norris Memorial Trophy for the best defenseman in the NHL is ready for another outstanding season as the Hawks make a drive to the Stanley Cup Finals once again.

What Keith brings to the Blackhawks is great skating ability along with great mobility.  He can also defend an opponent’s top scorer very well and is physical.  He’s a smart player that can also give the team some offense.

One downside to Duncan is his size.  Standing at 6-1 and weighing 196, Duncan doesn’t have the ideal size to match up with some of the bigger forwards that the NHL has and this has hurt him sometimes.  He also needs to improve his play on offense a little more and work on his ability to lead power plays up into the opponent’s end of the ice.

Keith represents what went right for the Blackhawks last season and is one of the most important parts of this team coming into the new season.  Look for him to have another great year with the Blackhawks and help them drive towards the playoffs.

Nick Leddy was with the Minnesota Wild prior to coming to Chicago in a trade this year and the Blackhawks seem to like his talent and potential.  He’s young for the NHL (19 years old right now) but he’s got a lot of promise and could fit in well with the Hawks.

Some of the things that Leddy does well include great skating ability along with speed and get up and go on the ice.  He isn’t afraid of contact either and has a good knowledge of the game.

What he lacks is the size and bulk to actively compete against larger regular NHL players.  He also still has some things he needs to learn about playing in the NHL but he’s smart and should be able to pick it up quickly.

So where does Leddy fit in?  He could be part of a line rotation that allows the Blackhawks to have him in there when they need another scorer.  Leddy has proven that he can score from the position so having another defenseman that can score would be a huge plus for the Blackhawks.

John Scott came to the Blackhawks as a free agent.  Scott had previously been with the Minnesota Wild and comes to the Blackhawks with some age and experience.  His upside includes his size (he is 6-8 and weighs 258 pounds) and he can go up against almost anyone in the NHL and win the battle.  He’s also aggressive and can hit hard.

The downside to Scott is that he doesn’t possess strong skating speed for his size and will sometimes fall behind.  He also doesn’t play up with the speed of the game and isn’t that fast.

Scott remained with the team for the start of the season and should be used in combination with some of the faster skaters on the team.  He could also be used in specialized situations where size could be important or whatever situation the coach finds good use for him. 

Finally, the last defenseman listed on the Blackhawks roster heading into the season is Brent Seabrook. Seabrook was with the Blackhawks last season when they won the Stanley Cup and will be with them again as they make their way towards the playoffs this season. 

Seabrook is known to be calm and cool on the ice and doesn’t get into panic mode like some other players will.  He also has good size for the position and has enough ability to become a staunch defender on the ice and can work to take out the opposing team’s top scoring threat.

The downside to Seabrook is that he isn’t as aggressive as the Blackhawks would like to see.  He has decent enough size but doesn’t use it.  He’s also not a viable offensive weapon.