Chicago Blackhawks Overview and Overhaul, Part 1: Moving Forward at Forward

The Chicago Blackhawks have retooling to do following their exit from the 2011 NHL Playoffs.  This is Part 1 of a look at the team as it was constructed for the 2010-11 season, and how they may renew their quest for NHL supremacy.

We'll address the state of the blueline as well as the situation in goal in the second and third parts of this inventory of the 'Hawks.   We'll then take stock of the talent coming up in the organization.

Let's start with a look up front.

The story of the past season obviously started in the summer of 2010. Gone via trades were Dustin Bufuglien, Kris Versteeg, Andrew Ladd, Ben Eager and Colin Fraser.  John Madden and Adam Burish signed elsewhere.

Viktor Stalberg came to us in the Versteeg trade with Toronto.  The Hawks also signed Fernando Pisani from Edmonton.  Ryan Johnson came aboard mid-season.

The purge necessitated by the salary cap resulted in this Blackhawks lineup opening night in Colorado:

Marian Hossa-Jonathan Toews-Tomas Kopecky

Troy Brouwer-Dave Bolland-Bryan Bickell

Patrick Sharp-Fernando Pisani-Patrick Kane

Jack Skille-Jake Dowell-Viktor Stalberg

Looking at this lineup in hindsight, you have three rookies that are expected to contribute at the same level as the guys that left town.  You have several players playing roles to which they aren't suited.  The loss of depth is readily apparent, but at this point we were trying to make ourselves believe two things:

1. The role players could effectively replace the departed 'Hawks.

2. The improved numbers of the core guys would pick up the slack.

Neither of these two theories ever came to fruition, which is why the Hawks underperformed most of the season.  There were too many key contributors to replace.  The guys that remained from the cup team, on the whole, didn't raise their games enough to make up for what we lost.

The team was prone to lapses in focus and uninspired play, and was 15 points worse than the season before. 

Let's do a quick run down of the forwards, along with some of the players who joined us along the way.  Forgive me from painting with a pretty broad brush.  Some of these players will get more in-depth looks later in the off-season, from me and assuredly from 'Hawks management.

Toews

 Better numbers across the board and a Selke finalist.  The exception to most of the core in that respect.  Showed his stripes and earned that C on his chest even more so this season. 

Hossa

 Seemed dinged up in one way or another for most of the year.  This may be all the bang we get for the buck.  A solid two-way contributor, just not the nightly game-changer the contract suggests.

Kopecky

 Career offensive stats, was played way above his station.  The poster boy for the difference in depth from the year before.  The 'Hawks were playing him at center, for goodness sake.

Brouwer

 Streaky, never made the jump I expected him to make.  Difficult to watch his scoring slump late in the season.  Still, worked hard and was among the league leaders in hits.

Bolland

If healthy, may have posted career numbers.  His back and a concussion kept him from being what the 'Hawks needed in their second line center. 

Bickell

 His exceptional wrist shot should be the spice, not the rice.  When he bangs and gets to the net, he's valuable.  Solid rookie campaign and one of the best values for the team based on his salary and production.

Sharp

 Huge spike in goals at the expense of his two-way value.  Was more valuable to Chicago when he was at center, which wasn't enough for a team thin at the top in that area.  Carried the team through several injuries.

Pisani

 Never materialized as a PK bulldog.  Or a scorer.  Or a mainstay on the checking line.  

Kane

 Don't care why, point was his game never found a higher gear.  Needs to be an elite perimeter player every night.  I'll decline hopping aboard the "Trade Kane" bandwagon, though.

Skille

 "Gonna shoot, gonna shoot, gonna shoot!"  Misplaced on the fourth line, traded for Michael Frolik in what proved to be an upgrade for the Hawks.

Dowell

 Had a great first four months, then his play fell way off.  When used as the fourth line center, brought his hard hat.  Wasn't afraid to scrap, a trait the 'Hawks sorely lacked.

Stalberg

 Miscast as fourth line grinder, fast, but couldn't finish.  Did make an effort to be more physical, got pummeled by Kevin Bieksa for his efforts.

Johnson

 Was signed in December and proved to be a veteran center who had big value down the stretch when Bolland was out.

Frolik

 Although he struggled to find the net, proved to be a much more rounded two-way player than expected.  He also proved valuable late in the season when he filled in at center.

Marcus Kruger

 Was supposedly coming here all along, according to Stan Bowman.  His play in the final 10 regular season games and change suggests that he is in need of seasoning before he's ready to be the top-six NHL forward Bowman advertised. 

Ben Smith

Proved to be the late call up that made the most difference in the lineup.  He campaigned hard for a spot this fall.  We'll see what he brings to camp.

In retrospect, you can see why we were in for an adventure this year.  The fourth line was tossed together with spare parts instead of going with guys who could skate with that role in mind.

How might things change this fall?  The guys below are players Bowman should use as the nucleus of next season's team.

Core Guys

 Toews, Kane, Hossa, Sharp, Bolland.

Keepers

 Brouwer, Bickell, Frolik.

That fills eight of 12 spots. 

I would like to see the Hawks acquire a veteran center who can stimulate scoring on one of the top lines (would a Stephen Weiss-type fit into the cap space?) . 

I'd like to see Kruger start next season on Rockford's top line, developing his skills and getting more of a feel for the smaller NHL rink.  I'd also like to see a fourth line comprised of physical, checking-types. 

Hypothetically, we'd come out of camp with the following look up front:

Sharp-Toews-Kane

Brouwer -"Weiss-type"-Hossa

Bickell-Bolland-Frolik

Young Banger-Johnson/Dowell-Veteran Banger

Johnson and Dowell could fill out the roster for minimum dollars.

There might be room for a prospect or two in the mix.

If Smith looks as good in camp as he did at times in the playoffs.  If the 'Hawks re-sign Rob Klinkhammer cheap and give him a look.

If Jeremy Morin shakes off four or five months of lost development time and impresses like he did a year ago.  If Kruger makes himself tougher to knock around.

So long as the Blackhawks address the needs they couldn't fill over the course of the season (a playmaker at center and some physical bangers), it matters not if the pieces come from within or outside the organization.

It's too early to tell what specific plans Bowman has with his forwards.  I'm sure the picture will come into focus as we enter the summer.

Of course, some decisions will have to be made once Bowman decides on RFA's like Frolik, Stalberg and Brouwer, as well his other free agents (Kopecky, Pisani, Johnson and Dowell). 

I don't think things have to be blown up and reinvented.  Getting players into roles in which they can succeed is the key to this year's off-season.  I'd hope there would be less turnover on the roster, especially at forward.

I think a few upgrades, coupled with a renewed hunger for the cup by the veterans, (who, like it or not, have an additional six weeks to rest and heal) will result in an improved Blackhawks squad next season.

Look for part two in this series coming soon.