Let’s settle it now: A lineup in August
Hockey has gone into hibernation for the summer, but let’s wrap up a wild offseason with one last mailbag:
@ Taser0105: Give us your 12F 6D to start the year and what will SB do with the 5+ M cap space from Hossa’s LTIR during the yr?
It’s hard to remember a time when the Blackhawks’ lineup was so unsettled entering a season. Wait. No, it isn’t. It was just as unsettled last fall, when six or seven rookies were regularly in and out of the lineup. What makes this season’s lineup so hard to forecast is how many fourth- liners and bottom- pairing defenders the Hawks have been stockpiling. But here’s the lineup I would start with ( not necessarily the one coach Joel Quenneville will go with):
Forwards
Brandon Saad- Jonathan ToewsRichard Panik; Patrick Sharp- Nick Schmaltz- Patrick Kane; Ryan Hartman- Artem Anisimov- John Hayden; Vinnie Hinostroza- Tanner Kero- Tommy Wingels
Extras: Jordin Tootoo, Tomas Jurco, Lance Bouma
Notes: It’s probably a long shot that Schmaltz bumps Anisimov, at least at the start. But Schmaltz prefers to play center and had great chemistry with Kane in limited action as his center late last season. Schmaltz’s faceoffs are a concern, but Sharp is a career 49.6 percent at the dot and can alleviate some of those issues. If Schmaltz takes the next step and Anisimov slots in at 3C, suddenly the Hawks look pretty solid down the middle ( Kero is the new Marcus Kruger, a reliable fixture at 4C).
Defense
Duncan Keith- Connor Murphy; Michal Kempny- Brent Seabrook; Gustav Forsling- Michal Rozsival
Extras: Jan Rutta, Jordan Oesterle, Ville Pokka, Erik Gustafsson
Notes: Yikes. The Hawks will still score goals. And Corey Crawford is still one of the best goaltenders in the game. But the blue line is the flashing red light on this roster. The Hawks like Murphy a lot, and as a 24- year- old who has spent his whole career on a bad team, he deserves a chance to prove himself on a better team with better structure. But he was underwater in terms of possession in all three of his full seasons with the Coyotes, and he has shown little offensive upside so far. Keith tends to bring out the best in his partners, though, and Murphy being a right- handed shot should help Keith offensively ( left- handed Niklas Hjalmarsson preferred to play his off- side, but for defense, not offense).
@ Whitey_ 83: Which Central team has improved the most this offseason?
The Stars went hog wild, signing winger Alexander Radulov to a five- year deal, signing center Martin Hanzal to a three- year deal, trading for defenseman Marc Methot and finally ending their long nightmare at goaltender by acquiring Ben Bishop. Bishop alone makes the Stars significantly better after the disastrous duo of Kari Lehtonen and Antti Niemi held them back for two years. The Stars are loaded with talent — a top line of Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin and Radulov is tantalizing — but what will coach Ken Hitchcock do with it? He’s the fourth- winningest coach in NHL history, but his smashmouth style doesn’t suit the high- flying Stars. Will he adapt to a more speed- oriented NHL? Or will he try to cram a bunch of round pegs into square holes?
@ mikewalsh4609: How much will the Hawks miss Hjalmarsson this season?
A tremendous amount. As great as Keith is, Hjalmarsson was the Hawks’ best defender. Sure, he didn’t bring much to the table offensively, but his gap, his positioning, his defensive savvy and his disregard for his own body made him one of the best true defensemen. I think Hawks fans understand how good he was. If not, they might find out in his absence.
@ Man107088: Who do you see as the Hawks’ biggest threat? I think NSH goes back and it becomes EDM, if they beat EDM I see CHI winning the cup
The Predators won the conference and are the team to beat until someone proves otherwise. The Oilers, like the Maple Leafs in the East, are going to be contending sooner than later. The Stars are worth keeping an eye on. The Blues will still be solid, as will the Ducks and Sharks. And don’t forget how good the Wild were throughout the regular season under Bruce Boudreau. The Hawks by no means should be Stanley Cup favorites. But they will have some cap space to work with to make significant improvements during the season. With that top six, and with Crawford in net, people have been too quick to completely write them off.
Follow me on Twitter @ MarkLazerus.