Marian Hossa Is on Fire and The Rest Of The Hawks Need To Fan The Flames

If there are three things I remember from the Blackhaws' run to the Stanley Cup last year, they are the collective pandemonium of the UC and downtown Chicago during that time, seeing the puck hit the back of the net in Game Six of the finals and the synergy Quenneville created when he got, well frankly, a little nuts with the lines.

Hossa, Toews and Kopecky was a great combo that is still paying dividends. Bolland, Versteeg and Byfuglien may no longer be possible, but it was—dare I say—one of the most electric lines the Hawks have put on the ice since Amonte and Roenick were linemates.

Quenneville has gone on record saying that he will play anyone wherever he feels is best for the team, regardless of the name on the back of the jersey. Joel is also willing to play a four-forward power play and even plays Hossa and Sharp in penalty kill situations, looking for the possibility of a shorthanded breakaway as both players have often produced.

The thing is, the Chicago Blackhawks today are a different breed than they used to be, as is the NHL. Gone are the days when your scoring effectively ended at your third or fourth best forward. This is a roster filled with talent, from Kane, Toews, and Hossa up front, down to the lumber laying line of Bickell, Dowell, and Brouwer. The keys to the success Chicago has had mixing their lines up has been their propensity to dress players who are of the same mold. They are fast skaters with their heads on swivels, always looking for the outlet pass and ready for anything their opponents can throw at them.

This interchangeability gives the Blackhawks, and Joel Quenneville, unprecedented levels of flexibility. Kane, Bolland, and Brouwer on the same line? Why not? How about Stalberg with Sharp and Hossa? Sure. Mix and match these lines however you like, they will produce the same type of fast paced, smashmouth hockey we've all grown to love in Chicago.

The question then, with all this talent and chemistry throughout the depth chart, is where has the offense been this season? Sure, they are tied with Pittsburgh for the most goals this season (23), but both of these teams have managed 3.29 goals per game.

While that may sound like a lot for Chicago's “struggling offense,” bear in mind that five of those came in one game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, who haven't had the best go so far this season on defense. Not to mention that if you take away Marian Hossa's seven goals, the Hawks are left with a measly 2.29 goals per game, which would be barely good enough for 22^nd in the league.

Blackhawks fans everywhere are grateful for how hard The Hoss has been playing this season, and everyone hopes he will continue at this pace. However, it isn't likely that he will, and the concern then is where the scoring will come from.

Part of the issue of course can be blamed on the hole in the Blackhawks' defense due to the lack of Brian Campbell on the back end. That does not explain, though, why Patrick Kane has only managed two goals and six points overall, Toews has has managed one on four points and Hjalmarsson is yet to gain a point as the Hawks' third defenseman.

Concerning still is how, during the 20 goals allowed by the Hawks this season, Kane and Hjalmarsson have each racked up a minus-5 rating. For players like Pisani and Bickell to have minus-3 and minus-2, respectively, at this point of the season is understandable. For a $6.5 million forward and a $3.5 million defenseman, it is inexcusable, especially for Hjalmarsson who was expected to step up in Campbell's time away.

This all translates to a great team trying to play the wrong brand of offensive hockey. When they are on the power play, playing their fast and precise game of puck possession offense, their talent shines; but with their inability to hold the puck in at the blue line, recover rebounds, and get any semblance of the net presence they had last year.

There have been some glimmers of hope for the offense other than Hossa this season however. Kopecky has stepped up to be the playmaker Hawks fans expect Kane to be. Sharp has continued to be an elite centerman who doesn't care that he is often overlooked and unappreciated; and Brian Bickell has been a physical force with 17 hits, while still supplying two goals and two assists from the fourth line.

The Hawks and Quenneville aren't in trouble yet. They have found ways to win games, even if they are coming from behind more than the fans might like. If the gushing wells of offensive production that have been Hossa, Kopecky, and Sharp this season suddenly dry up, however, who is going to take their place? Can Kane and Toews get back into the form Blackhawks fans are used to and play the two way hockey they became so well known for, or will the team rely on someone else to step up?

If they have to turn to someone else on the depth chart, there may be great potential on paper, but as we've seen already this season, potential doesn't put points on the board, scorers do.