2011-2012 NHL Preview: Breaking Down the Chicago Blackhawks D-Men

When Brian Campbell was dealt to the Florida Panthers on draft night in June, many Chicago fans (this one included) reacted with elation that Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman had magically solved the Blackhawks cap problem. Many forgot that the Blackhawks had traded a vital asset during their cup run for Rostislav Olesz at a cap hit of $3.1 million for the next three years. But such is life in the NHL’s salary cap era. 

How much the Blackhawks will miss Campbell will be analyzed and broken down over the next season. The bottom line is that Campbell is a great hockey player, but he is overrated simply because of the hefty salary with which Dale Tallon has blessed him. 

He can move the puck as well as any elite defender in the game, and led the team in plus/minus in 2010-2011 (+28). He also made a huge difference when he came back from injury during the Nashville series in the 2010 playoffs. There are things that will and will not be missed about Soupy. 

Having Chris Campoli back could have been a bonus but it would have been tough to justify the $2.5 million tag he was awarded in arbitration. He was decent as a Hawk but was not around long enough and didn't make enough of an impact for Bowman to ante up like he did. Also, his season ending giveaway to Alex Burrows continues to make black smoke steam out of my ears. By letting Campoli walk, the Blackhawks have cap space to work with for either the trade deadline or for the summer of 2012. 

With a couple of key acquisitions and more depth, fans hope that the Hawks will again reach the mountain-top. Even with Campbell and Campoli gone, the Hawks still boast one of (if not the best) set of top-four defensemen in the league and will need their stalwarts in top form in order to contend this season.

Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook will have to lead, but the supporting cast on the blue line has significant talent and will contribute substantially. 

So let’s have a look at what coach Joel Quenneville has to work with in the back.

Duncan Keith

Dunc is still a premier defenseman and is very capable of winning another Norris Trophy. It was frustrating to watch his early struggles last year.  Like many defensemen, when they are playing well you don’t notice them but when they are off their game it’s glaring. 

Such was the case for Keith in the first half of last season, and up until the last four games of the Vancouver playoff series we did not see his true colors. Going from +20 in 2010 to -1 in 2011 and a net difference in 24 points is evidence enough.

You can point to the minutes in the 2010 Olympics, playing over 100 games that season and probably some big time cup-sessions over the summer, but it seems that Keith may have been trying to do too much while figuring out his new team.

Dunc will have a better year in 2011-2012 without a doubt. With a full summer of rest and a fresh season ahead, expect Keith to be a puck-moving catalyst for the Hawks offense and return to form as one of the top players in the league.

Brent Seabrook

Had Seabrook not been skating around in a fog following the speculative head shot he took from Raffi Torres in the playoffs, the series and season could have turned out differently. Statistically, Seabrook had his best year for the Hawks (9G, 39A, 48PTS), but on the defensive side he occasionally turned the puck over, and he and Keith never seemed quite in sync together. 

Again, this could be another player who was overcompensating for the number of AHL players that found their way onto the Blackhawks roster last year. With a new contract, additional rest and improved strength and conditioning he will have a great year.  This will be most evident in special teams play. Seabrook is still a big-time player and will be a difference maker.

Niklas Hjalmarsson

When the Swede was first introduced to Chicago fans, the buzz surrounding him was that he was a physical player who would provide an offensive spark. Offense?  That’s right offense. You may see a different #4 in red next year. 

When you are playing with Brian Campbell, hopping up in the play is not exactly on your to-do list. If you are playing with Steve Montador, you will have that opportunity.  Call me crazy, but you could see Hjalmarsson with a 25-30 point season. He has a hard shot and can move the puck extremely well. 

On the defensive side, he continues to read well and is a solid checker. You hear other names on the roster come up but Hjalmarsson may be the guy that will impress and be the most improved Hawk next season.    

Steve Montador

Okay. Unfairly, Montador is going to be compared to Campbell, and I say unfairly not because Campbell is a better player but these two are very different. 

Will Montador break the puck out on his own from time to time the way Campbell did?  No.  Is he as good a skater as Campbell? No. What Montador does well are the things that Campbell should be able to do if he is making over $7 million a year.

Montador will block shots, is underrated offensively and will clear guys out in front of the net.  Watching Campbell try to move players from the top of the crease is like watching the Tri-Lams trying to move Ogre off the Trojan horse in the 1984 Homecoming Carnival at Adams College. 

Montador will be a much needed an asset in this area. He will remind Blackhawk fans of Keith Carney in his prime but will add more offense. He is a great two-way defenseman and has a cannon of a shot from the right. Ultimately he will win the United Center faithful and is the best offseason pick-up for this club.

Nick Leddy

Now for the wild card. Those of you eagerly awaiting a huge break-out year from Nick Leddy, park those feelings for a second. Leddy is fully capable of being a fine defenseman in the NHL, but he may not have his coming-out party in 2011-2012. Some fans and reporters are placing Leddy as the 3rd or 4th defenseman on the roster and that is awfully ambitious.

While that may happen on occasion early in the season, it’s also possible Leddy may spend some time in the press box or in Rockford. This is a kid that played one decent year at the University of Minnesota before being thrown into a cap-strapped squad that needed a cheap blue-liner. He could play in the top six, but he needs work on his angles, reads, decisions with the puck and in-zone coverage.

He is still young and may have a great career ahead of him, but I would be surprised to see him in special teams situations this season, and as far as the defense goes, he is the question mark.

Sean O’Donnell

What could be better for Nick Leddy than being paired with a seasoned stalwart 19 ½ years his elder? Sean O’Donnell was going to be an important leader during another cup run in Philly before injuries and inconsistent goaltending yet again ended their season. O’Donnell still played 81 games, and Hawk fans hope he has enough left in the tank to be a big part of the club.

A model of consistency, O’Donnell plays the game the right way by doing the little things, and will be a positive presence in the locker room. A solid partner could be a key ingredient for Leddy, and while he may need to take a break and sit a game or two, O’Donnell will be vital to the Hawks' success.

Sami Lepisto

Not to keep going back to Leddy, but in the event of any hiccups in his game or a catastrophic sophomore slump, Lepisto will be happy to jump in. Lepisto has had a couple of decent seasons, playing over 65 games in his last two. He will be a nice addition and, barring injuries, will keep John Scott out of top six while providing depth.

I don’t think fans are too sure what they will get out of Lepisto this coming season, but he is intriguing to say the least. I have a feeling you will see more of him in the lineup as the season progresses, and come holiday-time he could be a regular in the top six.

John Scott

Fact: Stan Bowman and the Blackhawks speak very highly of John Scott and foresee him as a big part of the team this year.

Fact: John Scott can/will punch the lights out of anybody, and is a good enforcer.

Fact: John Scott is not a good defenseman. 

If this was 1998 and we were in the standstill, 6’4/235 pounds (minimum) defenseman era, we would love this guy. Fortunately, the league has changed for the better and good skating is required. John Scott is valuable in his own way, but only as the twentieth player on the bench at best, and only used in certain situations.

When he does play, please put him up front where he can't kill you. Scott is best against opponents like St. Louis or Nashville who have trouble skating with the Hawks but will try to win the game physically. When playing St. Louis, if Barret Jackman is going after Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews as he always does, insert Scott. He has played defense in the past but I don’t think we will see him as a regular in the top six.

We will most likely not be seeing much of Shawn Lalonde, Dylan Olsen or Brian Connelly this year, and that is a good thing. They need to continue to develop in Rockford and with a solid defensive core in Chicago there is little room for them.

The one Blackhawk defensive prospect to watch is Boston University’s Adam Clendening. The 2011 2nd round pick (36th overall) has all the credentials to be a serious NHL player. Clendening recorded 26 points in 39 games as an 18 year-old freshman for the Terriers last season.

He and fellow rising sophomore John Merrill of the University of Michigan (Devils), represent the best pro prospects of U.S. college defensemen. Within five years you will see Clendening in a Blackhawk sweater with his superb skating and puck-moving ability. Of course he has a long way to go, but his upside is certainly there. We will see how he fares in the World Junior Tournament this year, but he could end up being the steal of the 2011 draft.    

From top to bottom the Chicago Blackhawks will have a formidable if not impressive defensive core this year. It will be these players that carry a critical load if they are to get back to the pinnacle of the sport. There is a lot to like about the Hawks defensemen heading into training camp, and time will tell where each player will place in the lineup and how well they play together as a unit.

Expect a breakdown of the forwards next week. Until then, thanks for reading.