
2014 - 2015 Chicago Black Hawks Report posted by Hawks Fan
The Chicago blackhawks are one of the best teams, even in the competitive Western Conference. They have very good players who have shown their capabilities in the 2013-2014 season. The pairing of Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane is one of the team’s greatest strength.
Great Defense
The defense has very capable defensemen. Duncan Keith won the Norris Trophy and despite being in a very talented team, his skills still stood out. Niklas Hjalmarsson is a great defenseman and arguably as good as Keith if not better. The pairing of Nicklas Hjalmarsson and Johnny Oduya also strengthens the defense.
Goal tender Corey Crawford who was signed back in the 2014-2015 season, has not been performing to expectations. His save percentage fell consistently after he had given an excellent performance in the preseason. This is after he was signed back for $36million, after showing a great performance with a high save percentage in the 2013 season.
Fixing the Center
Another problem the black hawks are facing is fixing the center. Michal Handzus left the Blackhawks and is currently a free agent. Zeus was great during most of the season but did not play as expected in the playoffs and seemed overwhelmed.
Center man Brad Richards is expected to replace Michal Handzus. A lot is expected from veteran Brad Richards. However, some skeptics feel at 34 he may not be at his best. There are other prospects who could take Brad Richard’s place, in case he fails to fill that gap. One of the prospects is Teuvo Teravainen.
His considerably lower salary could have him as the number one choice for the blackhawks who have a salary cap limit they need to deal with this season. The team still has great talent who can keep up with the western conference. There is no reason why the blackhawks cannot overcome these challenges.
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