HAWKey Talk

He came back with the milk, that’s right- top tier championship icon Patrick Kane is back in Chicago and fan base is showing love like he never left! Coming back to a roster where he’s more valuable than with any other team, he’s far more than just veteran presence. An elite player bringing every skill set to the ice from sniping through zones for successful power plays to the aura that having 3 Cup wins gives a player. Kane’s presence on the ice doesn’t just affect his team, opponents are forced to calculate how they approach him instead of simply charging with speed. He’s bringing so much more to the roster than just stats- his coaching presence with rookies is noticeable, will Kantserov be the one to shine under his wing this season? Who else will thrive alongside Kane this season- perhaps we will continue seeing climbing numbers from Nazar on goals over assists. It’s clear Kane is a valuable piece who can bridge the generational gap on the ice and perhaps pull the team together in a way that can release them from the bottom of the division’s standings. Even more exciting news from this franchise as beloved young gun, Bedard, is getting the big C on his sweater this season! The last few seasons have been building around Bedard becoming franchise player and clearly he’s shaped the structure of the team to have the respect to fill the position. It’s evident Bedard is a team player when looking at the stats, a staggering 45 assists last season shows he’s not an egotistical player, despite being a sharp shooter. However he is expected to miss the first bit of the season due to an injury obtained during an offseason training session in Vancouver to his left shoulder. How will this shape the beginning month of season, luckily Kane can fill the gap, how will it look on the ice with 2 shifts of elite offense? Key players seen alongside Bedard are Bertuzzi and Nazar, both racking up notable stats. Bertuzzi with a couple of hat tricks last season, racking up 58 points, especially strong on the power play, he’s more than just hockey hair. Sporting the A on his jersey frequently, he brings aggression to the offensive side- willing to be a wall for his goalie taking pucks and making the opponent familiar with turnovers. Nazar is sure to catch the highlights this season as well, training with Kane under the same style finding tight spaces primarily from his speed and knowing where to be in front of the net. He’s sure to continue developing into an elite player, allowing teammates the ability to bank on plays consistently. However these key players can only get as far as their goalie will take them. A stat that can’t be overlooked is Soderblom has been the starting goal tender the past 3 seasons, he fails to break a .900 forcing the Blackhawks to a loss often by just 1 goal. Adding more brut force on offense could possibly be what ties this team back to their winning era- or is the central division too strong to stay out of the bottom half? Is it in the cards to shop around for an elite goalie given they still have plenty of cap space. Big names are currently on the UFA list, one in particular has made it clear he’s ready to be wearing new colors. Will they continue one more season developing their defense to perfection or do they go all in while the roster is giving much energy the team had a decade ago. Can they find another player like Shaw who brought chaos to the boards and hits that were guaranteed to be felt for at least a week- a right winger that had the most grit on the ice you’d swear he was the steamroller of the roster. With little consistency on the coaching roster the last few years it seems the rebuild style should be wrapping up with the return of Kane; is GM Davidson done scrambling with their rebuild, is Kane the final piece after bare boning their roster upon arrival? Davidson is no stranger to player negotiations, making sure to obtain high draft picks in release of core players. It’s not just the bottom of their divisional standings but the league as a whole they’ve been the last couple of seasons, is it possible to break into the first round of the playoffs this season or will it take an elite goal tender to bring the Cup back into the city?

Also- round of applause, Toews is said to be coming back for a 1 day contract to retire as a Blackhawk. Nature is healing.