Chicago Blackhawks' Circus Trip Preview: The 6 Matchups, Team by Team

The Chicago Blackhawks are packing their bags for the first of two extended road trips this season. Atop the NHL with 25 points after 18 games, Chicago has gotten off to a decidedly better start than a season ago.

Now for the Circus Trip.

Over the next two weeks, the Blackhawks will travel through Western Canada and down the California coast for six games against Western Conference foes. It's hotels, pranks, bonding and tough hockey for the players and some late nights in front of the TV for 'Hawks fans following those 9:00 p.m. starts.

The trip, which vacates the United Center for Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus every year, won't be the longest road jaunt this season for the team, but it comes at a key time in the schedule. A chemistry-building, winning road trip can keep Chicago in the hunt for the top seed in the west.

The 'Hawks are coming off wins in their last three games. They are hoping to put to rest concerns about a pair of stinkers—losses to Vancouver and at St. Louis last week. 

Chicago can go a long way toward putting those games further in its rear-view right off the bat on Wednesday.

Let's get to the matchups.

November 16th: 'Hawks at Vancouver

First up for Chicago is a rematch with the Canucks, who embarrassed the Blackhawks in the United Center last Sunday.

Vancouver has struggled this season, but its 6-2 shellacking of the 'Hawks served notice that the Canucks still get pumped up to play the men of the Indian head sweater. The beating was such that coach Joel Quenneville completely overhauled his lineup.

I'd say it had an impact.

Glass half-full types will point to that game as a bucket of cold water that could push the 'Hawks to more consistent play. Chicago got caught up in retaliatory hockey. I hope the team focuses on imposing its style on Vancouver in Rogers Arena.

Get in the heads of the Canucks, not the other way around.

It is 'Hawks-Canucks. Might we see Dave Bolland on the ice? He made the trip, and the team hinted that he might be ready to play soon.

November 18th: 'Hawks at Calgary

The first of two back-to-backs on this trip starts with a visit to the Saddledome. Calgary is currently on the bottom of the Northwest Division.

The Blackhawks are hoping for a better result than last year's 7-2 loss at the hands of the Flames during last year's circus trip. Chicago bested Calgary 4-1 on Friday night, but it dropped both games in Calgary last season.

Ray Emery had a nice game in goal Friday. Does Quenneville go to the well again with a game the next night?

November 19th: 'Hawks at Edmonton

The return bout against the Oilers comes less than a week after Sunday's 6-3 defeat of Edmonton in Chicago.

Edmonton is one of the league's early surprises, topping the Northwest Division through the first six weeks of the season. However, the Oilers may be beginning to fade, having lost four games of their own six-game road trip.

They now trail Minnesota in the division standings.

Talented forwards like veteran Ryan Smyth along with youthful shooters like Jordan Eberle and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins showed that the Oilers have no problem finding the net.

Getting Brent Seabrook back in the lineup by this point of the trip would prove useful against an Edmonton club looking to turn the tables on the Blackhawks.

November 23rd: 'Hawks at San Jose

The California leg of the trip gets underway with Chicago's first look at the Sharks this season.

Jamal Mayers is on the other side of the matchup this season and has flourished in an energy role for the Blackhawks. Antti Niemi is still manning the net for the Sharks, where he is currently 6-2-1. Niemi sports a 2.74 GAA and a .903 save percentage.

Niemi stopped shots at a .951 rate in the first two meetings against his former team. That percentage dropped to .851 in the last two meetings.

Former 'Hawks winger Martin Havlat is also now with San Jose. He has a goal and seven assists as of Sunday's action. The Sharks were shut out by Phoenix that night, but they are 7-2-1 over the last three weeks.

No conference team was tougher on the Blackhawks last season. The Sharks won three of four against Chicago, including both matchups at the HP Pavilion.

November 25th: 'Hawks at Anaheim

The Ducks are floundering in the standings right now, but their top line has often presented problems for the Blackhawks. Chicago won the first meeting of this season in a shootout.

Jonas Hiller has struggled this season, but he stopped 33 of 35 shots in Chicago's 3-2 win back on October 25th. He hasn't been helped by the fact that the Ducks are dead last in offense, averaging two goals a game.

They are also at the bottom of the league in faceoff percentage, which bodes well for the 'Hawks.

November 26th: 'Hawks at Los Angeles

The road trip finale is the first meeting of the season between the 'Hawks and Kings. Chicago swept the four meetings between the two clubs in 2010-11.

Los Angeles made some big moves this summer, picking up Mike Richards and Simon Gagne. Gagne is second on the team with six goals. Anze Kopitar, who leads the Kings with eight goals, is third in the league with 21 points.

November has seen Los Angeles lose four of six games, but the Kings are even with the Sharks and Coyotes in the Pacific Division. Jonathan Quick has been outstanding so far with a 1.96 GAA.

Joel Quenneville has been using John Scott on a regular basis lately, and of course we all remember the Murdersaurus' bloodying of Kevin Westgarth in the November 27th meeting in Los Angeles. Westgarth's one of the few guys willing to dance with Scott, as evidenced by a December 19th rematch last season at the United Center.

Round three may be on as the Blackhawks finish up the circus trip.

What Makes a Successful Trip?

Last season, a struggling Blackhawks squad garnered eight points on the team's western swing. Those points were vital to Chicago as it began to slowly dig itself out of its early season woes.

The 'Hawks seem to have better chemistry heading into this year's trip. Veteran voices like Mayers, Steve Montador and Andrew Brunette have changed last year's dynamic, which may have been a bit tightly wound.

Seems like guys like Daniel Carcillo and Sami Lepisto could be up for some hotel pranks. This time of year is often pointed to as a bonding opportunity, but nothing bonds a team like wins.

I think the Blackhawks are capable of putting up four wins on this trip, though six or seven points would be more than acceptable in my eyes. Getting Bolland and Seabrook back into the lineup would be nearly as significant.

Get your naps in Wednesday at work so you don't miss any late night action in Vancouver as the circus trip gets underway on the Rogers Arena ice!