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Chicago Blackhawks
Overall: 12
Central Division: 3
The
Blackhawks missed the playoffs last season for the first time since
Neil Armstrong kicked up dust on the moon. They had the
NHL's lousiest offense north of Tampa Bay, and their
vaunted captain, Chris Chelios, turned 36 during his
poorest season as a pro. And
that's not the worst of
it.
On Dec. 10 the Blackhawks were deadlocked with the Coyotes
in overtime when Phoenix center Jeremy Roenick took a run
at goalie Jeff Hackett behind the Chicago net. Hockey
players learn to protect their goalies at about the same
age they learn to lace
their skates. Yet the Hawks barely responded. Later, general
manager Bob Murray said his team's timidity "made me
sick."
The Hawks' lack of sack did not play well in Chicago.
"A lot of blood was spilled to make the playoffs 28
straight years," says Blackhawks coach Dirk Graham,
who replaced Craig Hartsburg in the offseason. "Last
year was disrespectful to all the players
who've played
here."
That includes Graham, a captain on several Cup-contending
Hawks teams between 1989 and '95. He hopes to reignite the
Chicago fire by implementing a ferocious forechecking
scheme and vows that the moment any player starts slacking
off, "I'll ask him to
leave." Sure to stick around are tough-nosed center Doug
Gilmour, who signed with the Hawks in July, and Chelios,
who should rebound from his subpar season. The Hawks also
signed gritty veteran center Mark Janssens to help set the
on-ice
tone.
Offensively, though, the Hawks still have problems. A
strong first line of Gilmour, Eric Daze and Tony
Amonte—the latter two had 31 goals apiece last
year—needs more support from the second and third
lines, which are anchored by inconsistent centers
Alexei Zhamnov and Chad Kilger. Nor can the Hawks rely on much
playmaking from the blue line, not even from the once
potent Paul Coffey. A future Hall of Famer, Coffey was
signed not so much for his fading skills but for the fire
he showed in winning four
Cups with two teams. Fire, remember, is what the Blackhawks
needed most last year. They should have enough of it to get
back to the postseason this
year.
—By Kostya Kennedy
Fast Fact
In '97-98
defenseman Chris Chelios unleashed 114 shots without
scoring a goal at the United Center, while on the road he had 91 shots and lit the lamp three
times.
Keys To Success
- Chicago must improve its record on home ice (14-19-8), which
was the fourth worst in the league.
- With the addition of free agent Doug Gilmour, underachieving
center Alexei Zhamnov won't see the best checkers and needs to
become a big-time scorer.
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