NHL First Half: Grading the Chicago Blackhawks
Last season the Chicago Blackhawks learned what it took to lay claim to the Stanley Cup. This season, the Blackhawks are learning what it takes to defend one.
Based on the first half of the 2010-11 season, school is still in session.
The Blackhawks dug themselves a big hole with an uninspired start to the season, even as their newest championship banner watched down on the team in the United Center. A lot of slow starts paved the way for some embarrassing home losses to some of the NHL's weak sisters. The Hawks also dropped winnable games to division rivals.
Chicago has rarely been at full strength this season, with injuries to Brian Campbell, Marian Hossa, Dave Bolland, Fernando Pisani, Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews. It has seemed that just as someone is set to return, another player goes down.
It's one thing to be the young team on the rise and quite another to go through the league with a bullseye on your back.
The Blackhawks are hitting the halfway mark of the 2010-11 campaign with a 21-17-3 record. The team currently sits in the ninth spot in the Western Conference standings with 45 points. They will be kicking off the second half of the season with four home games after splitting road contests against conference foes Anaheim and Los Angeles.
Here are my grades for the Blackhawks so far this season. I'll start with the new guys in the lineup, then focus on the returning players.
Bryan Bickell: A
1 of 25
38 Games, 11 G, 11 A, 22 points, +7
Bickell has been the best and brightest of the newcomers to the lineup. After a shaky start and a couple of healthy scratches, Bickell has been a huge reason the Hawks weathered several injuries last month. He's shooting the puck more and has started to back up the praise his coach heaped on him in his limited action last season.
Bickell is tied for third in rookie goals as of last night and tied for fourth in rookie points. Rookie of the year consideration might be a bit of a stretch, but with the pace he is setting, it's not as completely ridiculous as one would have believed when the season began.
Be honest. Did you think Bickell would have the same number of goals as Patrick Kane midway through the season?
Corey Crawford: A
2 of 25
20 games 18 starts, 12-7-1, 2.33 GAA, .914 save percentage
Crawford has the confidence of coach Joel Quenneville and has been Chicago's main man between the pipes over the last two months. The 25 year old has looked as if he could mature into a solid NHL starter based upon his play.
The rookie goaltender dropped four of his first five starts despite playing fairly well, then tore off a seven game win streak. He's won four of his last five starts.
After missing a few games with the flu, Crawford looked good in both games in California. He may wind up starting the majority of the time in net in the second half.
He has been better than both Antti Niemi in San Jose and fellow goalie Marty Turco here in town. Crawford has had to be on top of his game this year, and so far has met the challenge.
Jassen Cullimore: B
3 of 25
35 Games, 0 G, 7 A, 7 points, +4
The veteran defenseman spent last season in Rockford. He started the season with the Ice Hogs before coming up a few games into the schedule.
The 38 year old Cullimore is on his second tour of duty with Chicago. He's not fleet of foot, but has called upon his years of NHL experience to provide some valuable minutes on the third line of defense.
Cullimore won't win a lot of style points, but he has been a steady performer in the fifth and sixth spot on defense for the Blackhawks. I think he has played about as well as we have a right to expect from him.
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Jake Dowell: A
4 of 25
40 Games, 5 G, 10 A, 15 points, +10
Dowell has been everything you could hope for in a fourth-line center. Or a third-line center. In fact, Dowell's goal, assist and points totals are the same as second line center Dave Bolland.
Dowell has brought a spark to the ice, has been effective defensively and is not afraid to get aggressive in defense of a teammate.
He was benched Sunday night in Anaheim and inexplicably scratched on Monday against the Kings. Hopefully Dowell has not taken Jordan Hendry's spot in Coach Q's doghouse, because he is on pace to eclipses the number put up by both John Madden and Colin Fraser from last year's club.
In a season where the team has looked lethargic at times, Dowell has been a gamer.
Ryan Johnson: Incomplete
5 of 25
Johnson was signed to a 25 game tryout last month, and after a game in Rockford was recalled by the Blackhawks when injuries to Marian Hossa, Patrick Kane and Fernando Pisani left the team shorthanded. Quenneville is familiar with Johnson, which is likely the reason for the signing.
Johnson is a defensive center who blocks shots and wins faceoffs. He's done well in the circle when he has played since he joined the team, but it's too early to say what kind of impact he will have on the club.
The ex-Vancouver Canuck will hopefully center the fourth line and allow Patrick Sharp and Tomas Kopecky to stay on the wings.
Fernando Pisani: B
6 of 25
31 Games, 5 G, 5 A, 10 points, even
Pisani took a while to warm up on the offensive end, but the former Edmonton Oiler has been steady in a defensive role for the Blackhawks.
He has missed eight games with to an upper-body injury, but helped spark the Hawks to a four game winning streak when he returned to the lineup December 17 against the Red Wings. He was out for two more games with an illness last week, but right now he is approaching the 40 games played mark, something he hasn't done over the last two seasons.
John Scott: C
7 of 25
30 Games, seven fights: B
30 Games, 0 G, 1 A, 1 point, -2: D
Scott has managed to skate his five minutes a game without falling down and hurting himself (most of the time), but he was brought in for one reason, so let's look at his fight card...
Scott has had the upper hand in all of his seven fights, most notably in a savage beat down of Kevin Westgarth in Los Angeles on November 27th. However, he hasn't proved to be much of a deterrent to opponents who mess with the skill players because he only dances with the resident goon.
Scott's fight total is his highest NHL total to date, but Jake Dowell also has seven scraps this season. However, Dowell can defend teammates and help out in other phases of the game.
In Scott's defense, he is a likable guy, is honest about his role and has been doing his best with the thimble full of skating talent he possesses. Don't blame Scott for Quenneville's decision to play him at fourth-line wing.
Jack Skille: A-
8 of 25
39 Games, 6 G, 8 A, 14 points, +3
Skille has a pair of two goal games against the Nashville Predators this season, but has had trouble hitting the twine against other teams.
Seeing primarily fourth line minutes early in the year, Skille stepped up in the absence of Kane and Hossa in December. He has gotten the puck to the net often and is third on the team in shots on goal.
He provided energy and speed to the lineup most nights. Look for more of the same from him in the second half.
Viktor Stalberg: B
9 of 25
37 Games, 6 G, 8 A, 14 points, -1
Most of Stalberg's points came in the season's first two months. He has two assists in his last 11 games.
The Swede offers speed, but hasn't contributed in other ways so far. He missed three games after taking a big hit against the boards December 15th against the Colorado Avalanche, and hasn't done much since returning.
Stalberg showed flashes of his vast potential early this season, but his recent play shows he still has a lot to learn about North American hockey.
Matching him up with Skille is an intriguing possibility. However, someone has to put the puck in the goal.
Marty Turco: B-
10 of 25
23 Games, 23 starts, 9-10-2, 3.02 GAA, .899 save percentage
Turco could grade out lower, but he has been a pro in every sense of the word concerning the pecking order shift in goal. He's been supportive of Crawford and hasn't caused a locker room issue as far as I can tell. He has taken responsibility for his play this season.
Yes, he's faced a lot of shots. No, the Hawks defense has not always helped him out. That said, Turco hasn't had many nights where he dug in his heels and refused to allow a big goal.
He hasn't played terribly this season, but Chicago has required a lot from him and he hasn't been able to respond on a nightly basis.
The Blackhawks resume the season by hosting Dallas Wednesday night. Turco was passed over when the Stars visited last month and was a good soldier. Will he get the nod this time? If he doesn't, will he handle it as well?
Dave Bolland: B-
11 of 25
34 Games, 5 G, 10 A, 15 points, +1
Bolland had 15 points, just like Jake Dowell.
Dowell sports a plus-10 and has been winning a higher percentage of his faceoffs (48.0 to 45.1 percent).
He's missed four games with a rib injury, but so far it looks as if his back is problem-free.
Bolland has six points in his last seven games. His performance has improved in the last month, so maybe we can expect to see the points trend continue. He has been successful at harassing opposing scorers and when he's on a checking line can be quite formidable.
However, Bolland is making six or seven times more than the centers below him on the depth chart. He's getting paid like a second-line center, but so far he has not earned it this season. Someone besides Jonathan Toews has to dish the puck and contribute on the offensive end. The Hawks gambled that Bolland would be able to add another dimension to his game this season.
Will he find that part of his game in the second half?
Nick Boynton: C
12 of 25
37 Games, 0 G, 6 A, 6 points, +2
Boynton has not taken care of the puck very well in our zone this season. His performance has been exacerbated by his being paired with Cullimore, but Cullimore has shown more discipline, if not ability, this season.
On the positive side, Boynton shaved off a very scary-looking mustache recently. And he did log a lot of ice time when Brian Campbell was hurt.
Troy Brouwer: B
13 of 25
41 Games, 10 G, 12 A, 22 points, even
I think a lot of us expected Brouwer to take that next step this season and were disappointed when he didn't come out quickly in October. It took him a while to get started, but he has really picked up his game recently.
Brouwer posted one goal in his first 21 games, found his scoring touch on the Circus Trip, then stepped up in a big way when the team lost Hossa and Kane.
He's on pace to put up slightly better numbers than his 2009-10 totals, which would be pretty good after the start he had.
Brian Campbell: A
14 of 25
28 Games, 2 G, 11 A, 13 points, +13
In my opinion, Campbell has been the Blackhawks best defenseman since his return from a sprained knee that kept him out of the first 13 games this season. Quenneville has moved some of Duncan Keith's minutes to Campbell, and he has played well while shouldering the extra responsibility.
He's made Hjalmarsson a better player (or maybe just more confident, but I'll take it) on the second line, and his plus-13 is by far the best on the squad.
Jordan Hendry: B-
15 of 25
20 Games, 1 G, 0 A, 1 point, -1
Hendry was a healthy scratch for much of the first two months of the season. He was able to break into the lineup as a wing when the Hawks were a bit short in that area.
He hasn't been the smoothest forward, but he didn't ask to be put there. Plus his opposite winger most of the time has been John Scott, so you can't expect much in the scoring department.
Hendry has way more defensive upside than Boynton, and he is finally getting a chance to play on the third line D. How long will it last? I've said it before, but it bears repeating. Hendry needs to play consistently to be productive.
Niklas Hjalmarsson: B
16 of 25
39 Games, 1 G, 2 A, 3 points, -2
Hjalmarsson looked lost without Campbell as the season began. He tried to compensate for his linemate's absence by trying to do more offensively and his play suffered as a result.
A two game suspension after a game three boarding Jason Pomminville of the Buffalo Sabres may have also unsettled the soft-spoken Swede. Hjalmarsson did not pick up his first point of the year until November 20th.
His play has solidified in the last two months and he has settled in to resemble the player he was last season. I look for more of the same from him in the second half.
Marian Hossa: B
17 of 25
26 Games, 9 G, 12 A, 21 points, +3
Hossa was red-hot as the season got underway, but two injuries have put a damper on his first three months. He missed five games with a arm injury, then suffered a knee injury in practice late in November.
Hossa has yet to find the scoring touch that saw him post 11 points in the first seven games.
Since his return December 26th, he has just one goal and two assists. Hopefully his goal Monday night in Los Angeles is the tonic to his offensive woes.
If he is near 100 percent and stays in the lineup, Hossa should find his groove soon. The question now centers on how close to 100 percent he truly is.
Patrick Kane: B
18 of 25
32 Games, 11 G, 18 A, 29 points, -9
Kane has not been the same player he was prior to his ankle injury December 5th, which kept him out eight games. He does not have a goal since his return, which I feel has been rushed.
In his return on December 28, he failed to put a shot on goal for the first time this season.
Ankle injuries can linger, and I don't think Kane is playing at maximum health right now. He had a pretty assist to Patrick Sharp Monday in the Hawks' 4-3 win over the Kings, but he hasn't looked fully confident in his play.
I hope I'm wrong and Kane is ready to get back to the business of racking up points. Maybe the return of Jonathan Toews will do the trick.
Duncan Keith: C
19 of 25
41 Games, 3 G, 21 A, 24 points, -7
With Campbell out, Keith had to play close to 30 minutes a night early in the season after a short summer. That said, he has had moments that make you wonder if he's been lugging around his Norris Trophy on the ice with him some nights.
Keith admitted early in the season that it was hard for him to be up mentally for some of the regular season games, and his performance has suffered.
The defense has been better since Brian Campbell has picked up some of the minutes, but Keith hasn't been the player he was last season at either end of the ice.
Maybe being an All-Star selection will provide the inspiration to raise his game as the games become more crucial to getting into the playoffs.
Tomas Kopecky: B-
20 of 25
40 Games, 6 G, 18 A, 24 points, -9
He is playing seven minutes a game over his career average, and is on pace to put up career high numbers this season.
The problem is, he should be playing 10-12 minutes instead of 16.
And he's not a center.
And he's losing 65 percent of his faceoffs when Coach Q puts him there.
And he takes some dumb penalties at the worst times.
On the other hand, he does have eight points in his last ten games and apparently Hossa likes having him around. I'd just like to see Skille a few more shifts a night.
Brent Seabrook: B+
21 of 25
41 Games, 3 G, 19 A, 22 points, -4
Seabrook has posted improved offensive numbers. While he is not without blame for the defense's struggles this season, he has been pretty solid in his own zone.
He is second to Keith in ice time and brought a little more to the power play this season. He currently mans the point on the first unit.
In light of Keith's motivational valleys, Campbell's injury and Hjalmarsson's early struggles, Seabrook has probably been our most consistent blue-liner.
Still no word of progress on a contract extension.
Patrick Sharp: A+
22 of 25
40 Games, 23 G, 18 A, 41 points, -10
Ladies and gentlemen, the Blackhawks most outstanding skater of the first half.
If Sharpie is not an All-Star this season, then I don't know who is.
His scoring in the face of injuries to Kane and Hossa has kept the team afloat. He has five game winning goals, which leads the team. He has nine power play goals, which leads the NHL's best power play unit. He is third in the league in goals and has floated back and forth from center to wing, helping out wherever he has been needed.
Sharp's plus/minus is the only blemish on what is a career year. Two more goals Monday night suggest that he could legitimately approach the 40 to 50 goal mark.
Jonathan Toews: A+
23 of 25
39 Games, 16 G, 19 A, 35 points, +8
The fact that the Hawks struggled in the two games their captain missed showed how valuable he has been this season.
The numbers are much like the past two seasons, although I think he got off to a better start this season. Toews has three game winners so far this year. When Hossa (and soon after Kane) went down, the captain tightened his helmet and raised his game.
He is the only center winning the majority of his faceoffs.
He is doing the dirty work in the corners.
He willed his ailing shoulder to heal itself a week ahead of schedule.
He was named an All-Star starter this week.
In short, Tazer has intensified the qualities that make him an elite two-way center and helped keep his club afloat thus far.
Call Ups: B+
24 of 25
Jeremy Morin will soon be a full-time member of the Blackhawks. He's appeared in nine contests this season and logged three points. The salary cap may prevent his return this season, but he definitely has top-six potential on the wing.
Nick Leddy found himself on the opening night roster after Campbell went down in the preseason, but gave way to Cullimore and spent just six games in Chicago. He's probably better off getting big minutes in Rockford over limited time with the Hawks, but he still may get another short look after he and Morin return from the World Junior Championships.
Ryan Potulny and Ben Smith each were up for three games early in the season.
Also, Evan Brophy, Brandon Pirri and Rob Klinkhammer each appeared in a game for the Blackhawks.
Team Grade For The First Half: B-
25 of 25
The Bad News
The PK unit has struggled mightily, and the defense was unacceptable in the first month and a half. I am in constant fear when the puck gets behind our net.
The core guys have not collectively led this team to victories. Points have been lost thanks to poor defense and lapses in intensity.
The Blackhawks have been tied in the third period 14 times this year, and come away with just three of the 28 possible points. When the 4-13 spots in the Western Conference are separated by five points, leaving even half of those 25 points would have been crippling.
We've seen very few 60 minute efforts. We haven't pulled away from many opponents
The Good News
We're 4-2 against the top three teams in the West (Vancouver, Detroit, Dallas). Our power play is tops in the league. The third and fourth lines are playing their roles well. We've had guys step it up to compensate for injury, and we seem to be getting healthy again (knock on wood).
Toews and Sharp have performed like stars and the role players have not been the problem with the Hawks.
First Half Conclusion
Personnel changes and injuries are not valid excuses. This team has under performed in their first 41 games
Keith, Hossa, Kane and Bolland need to be difference makers on a nightly basis. Quenneville hasn't seemed to panic, although there was a players meeting Monday morning to address the three game losing streak.
This is not the team that earned the banner hoisted in October. This team has to be better defensively and outwork opponents, most of whom have targeted the Hawks on their schedule.
Making the playoffs isn't the slam dunk many fans thought it would be. There isn't a lot of room for error given the wasted opportunities of the first three months. The Blackhawks are in need of a full 60 minutes from everyone in the second half.
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