Chicago Blackhawks: The Few Days Off Will Prove Beneficial

After a very hectic first couple of weeks for the Chicago Blackhawks, they're finally getting some much needed rest. The Blackhawks have played 10 games in 16 days, having played the most games than any other team in the NHL, so it wasn't surprising to see them show a little fatigue and drop their last two games.

Those definitely won't help the Blackhawks, but there's no reason for distress or concern. The line of Hossa-Sharp-Toews-Kane had some brilliant moments in Saturday's game against St. Louis, scoring both of the Blackhawk's goals.

The magic didn't last the whole game, but will Quenneville ever pair these guys together again? With Thomas Kopecky coming back from injury it doesn't seem likely, but I wouldn't put it past Quenneville to do it again in a situation where the Blackhawks need to score.

The Blackhawks don't play until Wednesday, giving them a three day rest. It's also a time to let the other teams catch up so we can start seeing a more accurate display of the standings.

It's becoming pretty clear that the Blackhawks lack much depth this year compared to last year. In some respects that's not surprising at all. Fans had to have known that they would losing that depth with all the departures, but had hoped, by keeping the core, that it would still end up being a competitive year. 

These few games have shown us that the Blackhawks still have some magic in them, while they might lack the depth to consistently put on a good show. The win over Vancouver was a great win, but can they duplicate that against them next time? 

The days off should have these players must more rested and ready to play. Thomas Kopecky will play Wednesday, leaving the Blackhawks totally healthy, excluding Campbell, for the start of this week's games, beginning with Los Angeles at home. 

The Los Angeles Kings are 6-2-0 and currently stand at second in the Western Conference. This is not an easy game to play coming off of a three-day break and losing in such an awful manner on Saturday.

But it's a test that the Blackhawks need in order to prove to themselves, as well as fans. that they can beat these top teams and show the rest of the league they still have that champion mentality.