Chicago Blackhawks: 11 Reasons the Hawks Return to the 2012 Stanley Cup Finals

Following a first-round exit, the 2010-2011 Chicago Blackhawks were exhausted and in need of a makeover. 

It happened.  

Gone now are 2010 cup contributors Brian Campbell, Troy Brouwer and Tomas Kopecky, but the reinvented Blackhawks of 2011-2012 have more character, a more formidable blue-line and better depth to make up for the shortcomings of last season. 

The Hawks will be refreshed and back in the hunt, and here are the reasons why they will book a ticket to the Stanley Cup Finals 2012.

A Full Summer off for Marian Hossa

The big "Hoss" is clearly an integral ingredient if the Hawks want to get back to where they were in the 2009-2010 season. When Alex Burrows ended the Hawks' season in Game 7 of the first round of the 2011 playoffs, he gave Hossa a vacation he desperately needed. 

2011 was the first time in three years Hossa was not playing hockey in the month of June. He was part of Cup finalists Pittsburgh and Detroit in 2008 and 2009 respectively. Then after the 2010 Olympics, the Blackhawks' Stanley Cup victory, a Cup-crazy summer and the entire 2011 season, you’ll be pretty drained. 

At 32, Hossa is still a premier player, and giving him the opportunity to recharge his battery will ensure he will be in supreme condition for the upcoming season. Offensively he still has it, but what he does without the puck is just as significant. 

Look for Hoss to have a healthy and productive 2011-2012 season.  

Much-Needed Experience

Unlike the 2009-2010 campaign, the Hawks had a number of players who were having their first crack on an NHL roster or their first full season with a big club in 2010-2011. Players such as Brian Bickell and Victor Stalberg each played just under 80 games and had their first taste of the wear and tear of a full big league season. Rookie Nick Leddy also played most of the season with the Hawks. 

This will only help the team moving forward. 

Adding seasoned veterans Jamal Mayers, Andrew Brunette, Sean O’Donnell and, not to mention, the existing players who have won a Cup, the Hawks' locker room will have a number of players who know the song and dance. They will have added perspective and knowledge of what it takes.

The Center Ice Position

Sure, many feel an experienced second-line center is what the Hawks truly need in order to be at the top of their class in the Western Conference.

The fact of the matter is Patrick Sharp can play center or any position up front, for that matter. A lot of teams would be extremely envious of having Toews, Sharp, Bolland and Mayers as their top four centers.  It is as good, if not better, than any top-four centers in the league.  

As the fourth-line center, Mayers will win at least 50 percent of his faceoffs, has terrific defensive zone coverage ability and can kill penalties. He has been around the block long enough to know his role of not getting scored upon.  

Jonathan Toews is a lock as the first-line center, and the same goes for Dave Bolland on the third line. 

Should coach Q feel Sharp would help the team more on the wing, Michael Frolik has experience in the middle and could be another option.

Cap Room and Prospects at the Trade Deadline

For those who feel neither Sharp or Frolik is the answer at second-line center, Bowman’s offseason moves ensured there can be a Plan B.  

By shedding Brian Campbell’s salary and opting out of Chris Campoli’s $2.5 million arbitration award, Bowman enabled the Hawks to have cap space (roughly $3 million) to make a move at the trade deadline should they need to.  

In the last two drafts, the Hawks have collected an abundance of prospects and still have players on the club or in the system such as Morin, Olsen, Smith or Stalberg who should be considered expendable if the Hawks figure 2012 is their year.  

A Solid Goaltending Tandem

For the first time in three seasons, it’s clear whom the Hawks will have on a regular basis manning the crease. Corey Crawford is clearly the starter, and that position has been up in the air in recent years entering training camp. 

During camp in 2008, the Hawks had two goalies—Nicolai Khabibulin and Cristobal Huet—who were inappropriately paid, and that led to confusion as to who should get the nod.

In camp in 2009, Huet was supposed to be the guy, but come March, both Huet and Niemi were huge concerns before Niemi took control.

Last season it was to be Marty Turco’s turn, and that changed quickly. 

It’s hard to imagine Ray Emery not emerging as Crawford’s backup this year. Although Emery is a vet who may have a question mark with his hip, he was an asset for Anaheim down the stretch last year, going 7-2 and posting a 2.28 GAA in 10 games. Alexander Salak has only two NHL games on his resume and should get a full season in Rockford before being NHL-ready. 

Having a solid No. 1 in Crawford and Emery behind him will be the first time in a while the Hawks may not have a goaltending situation.  

Core Players Under Contract…for Now

In the middle of last season, the Hawks extended Brent Seabrook’s contract, and they made quick work signing Corey Crawford at season’s end for the next three seasons. Even as early as the summer of 2010, teams were salivating at the idea of Patrick Sharp becoming an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2012—Bowman took care of that. 

Having a full season without significant contract buzz of key players will be good for the Hawks. By having this luxury, the Hawks will not have to consider making too many moves on existing core player contracts, and the team’s best players can focus on their jobs.

Toews, Kane, Seabrook, Sharp, Hossa, Crawford, Keith, Hjalmarsson, Frolik, Bolland and now Montador are all under contract for at least the next three seasons, and can focus on the task ahead for Chicago.

A Defensive Defense Corps

So many are concerned with the loss of Brian Campbell and are wondering how the Hawks can fill the void of his presence offensively. 

Well, they added Steve Montador (5G, 21A, 26 PTS) who, in 2011, was not that different than Campbell (5G, 22A, 27 PTS) statistically-speaking and can certainly play his position better than Campbell when in-zone.  

The best offense is a good defense. Last year Duncan Keith tried to do too much on both ends of the ice, Campbell was a rushing defenseman—Campoli the same—and Nick Leddy had a very difficult time adjusting to the pace of the NHL. 

With Campbell and Campoli gone, Chicago still has two of the best defensemen in the NHL in the top two (Seabrook and Keith). Hjalmarsson can play angles well and bang along the boards, Montador will block shots and clear out in front, add in Leddy, and toss in Sean O’Donnell and Sami Lepisto, and Chicago's defensive corps is stacked. 

Toughness Up Front

Toughness does not mean Dan Carcillo running around like a rabid dog who has broken free of his chain.

Nor does it mean "concrete feet" John Scott cocking some poor goon in the grill.  

Not that Carcillo will not fill his role on the team, and the same can be said for Scott, but real NHL toughness means a no-nonsense, workman-like attitude, and a commitment to winning battles and loose pucks. 

Last season, a number of Hawks were young, inexperienced and used be able to get by in the AHL or their respective junior clubs without knowing how hard they needed to work along the walls and in front of the net. Some (and rightly so) thought the Hawks' mix up front was too skilled and lacked grit.  

The additions of Mayers, Rostislav Olesz and—to some extent—Carcillo will be critical in this regard, but none will be more visible than Andrew Brunette. Brunette has missed only three games in his last nine seasons, and will win pucks and get to the net with purpose.  

Do not be surprised to see Brunette in a stint with the first line and a 25-30-goal season.

A Healthy Dave Bolland

This is a hope more than a certainty in a lot of ways, but Dave Bolland may be the most important piece in the Hawks' puzzle this season. 

Still young, Bolland can score, shut down the opposition’s best players and take care of the Hawks' defensive zone.  

Losing Bolland to a head shot in Tampa Bay last season was debilitating down the stretch, and who knows, it cold have led to a six-seed heading into the postseason instead of an eight. The Hawks were visibly a better team when Bolland came back to the roster in the middle of the Vancouver series, and his presence alone nearly resulted in a series win. 

With a full offseason, expect No. 36 in red to make a significant contribution and be one of the many reasons the Hawks return to the Finals.  

Coach Quennville’s Playing with a Full Deck

Coach Q is an exceptional hockey mind who is terrific with motivation and the X’s and O’s of the game.  Come playoff time is when we have seen this the most. Making sure two centers are on the ice for every defensive zone faceoff, matching lines appropriately and breaking up his lines when necessary (splitting up Kane and Toews in 2010)—he is meticulous in his approach. 

Now that coach Q has more depth in his stable, expect him to motivate players to compete amongst themselves for roster spots and ice time. Q will have more diversity in player talent to orchestrate the right mix for different games. Having more experienced players who know what roles to play will give Q opportunities to focus more on special teams and player development.  

Leadership

While there is no question who wears the "C," there are a number of players who could have an "A" on their sweaters this year.  

Keith, Seabrook and Sharp will wear letters for the club, but Bolland, Mayers, Brunette, O’Donnell, Montador and Hjalmarsson are all leaders for this club. This is a team that has experience and players who will bring the best out of each other.  

At the age of 23, it is clear the Hawks have the best captain/leader in the league in Jonathan Toews.

Is he the most complete player in the NHL? You bet he is. 

Put your money on No. 19 this season. 

Thanks for reading.