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2008-2009 Season Preview
Fan Commentary, by Max Menchaca
September 3, 2008
For the Chicago Blackhawks, the 2008-2009 season might be their most important season in fifteen years. The year before was a renaissance of sorts for the hockey club on Madison: their long-reviled patriarch William Wirtz passed away, and his son took over. He promptly made many moves that increased the profile of the team, reversing many of the policies long held by his father. Games were put on TV. A marketing-savvy president was hired. All of a sudden, the afterthought of Chicago seemed relevant. Games were selling out again: not only that, games that were not against the Detroit Red Wings. Led by a youth movement, sportwriters across the continent praised the moves and the increasing profile and rising star of the Chicago Blackhawks.
Despite missing the playoffs, the season ticket holder base increased three-fold, and the city was awarded the rights to the Winter Classic. In the span of one year, the team was ready to leave the basement it had for so long languished in. The team also looked prepped in hockey operations to move on, signing Brian Campbell and Cristobal Huet, arguably two of the biggest fish of the free agent class. (Your opinion on the shrewdness of these moves is another matter that this author will at present leave out.)
 Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, coming off of Calder-nominee seasons, are poised to be the face of this franchise for years to come. Patrick Sharp, Duncan Keith and Dustin Byfuglien are looking to capitalize on their breakout seasons. Martin Havlat is looking to have a season at all. Brian Campbell and Cristobal Huet are ready to prove the worth of the contracts they received this summer. It cannot be stressed enough that this is the season where the Blackhawks must now make noise. For the first time in at least a decade, the Blackhawks are expected to make the playoffs at a minimum. The team looks ready, and must take strides this year on the way to being a Western Conference elite power. With the increased profile and buzz around the city and league the Blackhawks are receiving, the other side of the sword demands higher responsibility to achieve loftier goals.
Goaltending.
Patrick Lalime may have left via free agency, but the Blackhawks currently have the best (and most expensive) goaltender tandem in the league. Khabibulin and Huet are widely considered starting-calibre goaltenders around the league, and chances are that Khabibulin may be moved. In the wings, Antti Niemi and Corey Crawford are ready to prove their worth to the team, ready to be the goaltender of the future. It stands to reason that Khabibulin will be moved. If he were to stay, Coach Denis Savard would be play the "hot hand" between the two, but having $5.5 million sitting on the bench every night is bad cap management. I am going to conjecture that Khabibulin will be moved, and Niemi and Crawford will battle for the back-up slot. Huet will probably see around 60-65 games, with his young back-up playing around 20-25 (yes, I realize the math is bad) and learning from Huet. The other young goaltender gets the starting job in Rockford. This situation, with Khabibulin out of the picture seems to be the best one for all involved.
Defense.
The youngest and least-experienced defense corp last year played decently. Now, Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook are considered cornerstones of this team. James Wisniewski, sadly injured, adds grit, if not size, to the back end. Brent Sopel and Jordan Hendry are reliable defensemen, and Cam Barker and Niklas Hjalmarsson promise a bright future. Did I mention the Blackhawks also added Brian Campbell, the most sought-after free agent of the summer? The Campbell signing hopes to address a gaping hole in the Blackhawks' lineup for years: a Power-Play quarterback. One thing sorely missing from the defensive group is a bruising, powerful hitter. James Wisniewski would be perfect if he were an inch or two taller. Brent Seabrook must learn to play more physical and up to his size. The signing of Matt Walker helps some, but his skill set is limited. Aaron Johnson and Doug Janik, other off-season signings, seem destined to Rockford for the time being. As it stands right now, Seabrook and Keith will probably make up the first defensive corps, as they are already familiar with each other's games and tendencies. For now, Campbell, Sopel, Hendry, and Barker will probably constitute the other four D-man spots, with Walker as a 7th defensemen. When Wisniewski comes back, it will look awfully crowded on the back end. The aforementioned Hjalmarsson, Johnson, and Janik will all be looking for playing time. Like the current goaltending situation, there will probably be a trade involving a Blackhawks' defenseman.
Offense.
 Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews head the Blackhawks' offense. They played much better than expected for their rookie seasons. It's no doubt they will be playing on the same line again. The chemistry with Patrick Sharp resulted in a break out season, and it's probably this will end up being the Blackhawks' first line on Opening Night. Robert Lang, famous for his lackadaisical play, and the oft-injured Martin Havlat, will end up on the second line. Byfuglien, Andrew Ladd, and Dave Bolland are the probably candidates on the third line. All three are great candidates for future top-six forwards, and it is this author's opinion they might get as much playing time as the second line. The fourth line, the checking trio, will probably involve Adam Burish, Ben Eager, and Craig Adams. This is only eleven names out of twelve forward positions. The second line winger spot looks to be open for a rookie. Jack Skille, Troy Brouwer, Akim Aliu, Igor Makarov, Petri Kontiola, and 2008 1st round pick Kyle Beach are six names that pop up as likely candidates for the spot. Colin Fraser and Jacob Dowell are other players that received some playing time last season. As mentioned above, the second and third line might receive equal playing time. This is a result of the biggest problem with the Blackhawks' lineup: they do not have six top-six forwards. Considering Havlat's injury history, it would be a stretch to say they even have five. Lang is on the decline in his career, and the three first line members must all prove their fantastic season in 2007-2008 was no fluke. Whether or not the solution comes from within the organization, it must be addressed for the Blackhawks to continue their progression to the top of the standings.
The Blackhawks' lineup is one of the strongest that they have had in years. However, considering some of the teams iced in years past, this is not saying very much. Dale Tallon and Denis Savard must prove their worth this season, as their jobs now hang in the balance. They were able to help this team from the bottom of the standings to the muddle middle. They, not to mention their lineup, much prove that they are the right personnel to get this team to the glory of not only the playoffs, but the Stanley Cup.
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