Great Awakening

8/29/18

This is the Hawks time to prove themselves. Are the next 5 years going to be filled with success? Or has this team milked their dynasty to a bittersweet end? Few expect Corey Crawford to return till at least November, if then or ever. So the Blackhawks success lies in the hands of a few people.

Cam Ward: Cam Ward needs to make Carolina regret trading for Scott Darling. Ward, who said at the convention he believes he is here to help Crow, will be forced to play as a starter for a few months in the NHL. Without much goaltending depth behind Ward, he will be relied on constantly. Cam has played his entire career up until now in Carolina. The Blackhawks should give him some time to adjust to his new helmet and jersey, but pray he will be ready to hold this Blackhawks team up.

Coach Q and Stan: Bowman and Quenneville have been warned, or it seems like they have, if success is not being shown by December changes will be coming for the Hawks. These two need to keep their heads on straight and help push these players to success. I hope we see Q give his young defenders more of a chance and change up their defensive system. How Kempny can go from a no one to a number one/two defensemen in a span of a few weeks after leaving the Hawks is beyond me. That was not the first time that has happened on the Hawks defense, Nick Leddy and Trevor Daley we miss you in Chicago.

Duncan Keith: Keith whose energy and play, he believes has not gone down, needs to be at the level it was when he won the Con Smythe or Stanley Cup (3) or Norris Trophy (2). I realize with Keith how can you ask for more from a player that has been your defense for years. Well here we are asking for Keith to be a little better defensively, a lot better offensively, and play even more minutes. Thanks Keith! Hope you are up to the task. Hopefully the arrival of Henri Jokiharju will spark Keith into a new youthful play.

Anyone with a salary over 6 million: Saad, and Seabrook, and Kane, and Toews we are looking at you on this… everyone of these players with the exception of Kane needs to play a lot better to earn those contracts they have. I have spent hours trying to figure out why Bowman signed Seabrook or Toews to their respective contracts and have not come up with a good solution other than they won 3 cups. These players need to prove me wrong and make Bowman look like a genius.

The Fans: Every team in the NHL would do anything to be in the Blackhawks position. Having the problem of the cost of winning the cup 3 times finally hit you is a price any club would be willing to pay. Hawks fans need to stick with the Blackhawks. The Blackhawks have had sold out crowds since 2008-2009, that should not change. The Hawks might be done with their success for a few years. Prospects need to develop and future draft picks need to step into the system. Chelsea dagger will be playing in the United Center, it may not be playing in late May or early June, but those banners of success will always hang up in the rafters during those months.