Chicago Blackhawks: Patrick Kane at Center? Joel Quenneville's Cry for Help

Chicago Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville is not satisfied that he has adequate depth at center going into the 2011-12 season.

His comments following Sunday's game in Detroit made that pretty clear. When the prospect of Michael Frolik seeing time in the middle again this year was brought up, the head man on the bench took it a step further.

“We might try Kane at center,” Quenneville said to the media after his team's 4-3 shootout defeat. “He’s been playing some center throughout scrimmages and practices, so we’ll see.”

The assembled media must have figured that Quenneville had taken a stray octopus to the head. It had to be a slip of the tongue. He meant Patrick Sharp, right?

Lamentably, Quenneville was tossing Patrick Kane's helmet into the ring as a prospective center.

“Absolutely,” Quenneville added. “He played center most of his career and I think defensively he got better down low and along the walls. It’s something we are going to take a look at.”

If the 'Hawks are looking at Kane as a serious option, it can't be a good thing for Marcus Kruger's status after a week in camp. Kruger was supposed to center one of the bottom three lines when the season opens. At least he was the front runner to do so.

Kruger hasn't had a big impact in camp so far.  Brandon Pirri's three-point, two-goal performance against the Red Wings doesn't aid Kruger's cause, either.

I am in the camp that believed that GM Stan Bowman should have signed a veteran center this summer. Who's to say they won't make a last-minute effort for one? Either way, it doesn't address the problem facing Quenneville.

The lack of depth isn't in the fourth-line center. Ben Smith or Jamal Mayers can handle those duties. The hole is still, as it has been for some time, on the second line.

It's appears that Quenneville would like to see Sharp on the wing and Dave Bolland on the third line. In order for that to happen, however, an effective option needs to exist on the Blackhawks.

Pirri is as close to that as Chicago has at this stage. I think both Pirri and Kruger belong in Rockford this season. That said, I'd rather see Pirri there because he's capable of bringing offense to the equation. It's apparent that Quenneville doubts Kruger's offensive potential at his current developmental state.

Frolik is purely a temporary fix. We saw that last season. Kane?

The Blackhawks' fan base is split between using Sharp as a center. At least Sharp has NHL experience at the position and has shown he can handle that role. There is already enough wailing about losing Sharp's skills at wing.

Kane is one of the league's best perimeter players. Why move him into the middle, where it's safe to say he will find the going much harder from a physical and defensive standpoint?

Will all this crazy talk result in Kane undergoing a full-time position change? That doesn't appear likely, but why bring it up two weeks from opening night?

I'm going to speculate that Quenneville is attempting to send a message to someone with his statements. It could be aimed in one of three directions:

1. To Kruger: Get it in gear, hotshot. We need you to step it up.

2. To Pirri: There's a spot on the second line if you want it.

3. To Bowman: We still haven't addressed this glaring need for a center. It may only have to be for this season, but get me a top-six center to play behind Jonathan Toews. Please. Now.

Let's see if one of them gets the message. Then let's see what they do in response.