Blackhawks Ready To Drop The Puck

Tommie Lee
Oct 9, 2014
2 min read

It’s time to drop the puck.

Thursday night the Blackhawks will travel to Dallas to kick off their season. The defense of the United Center begins against Buffalo on Saturday.

Blackhawks Nation remains curious as to what the lines are going to look like in a game situation that counts. The preseason offered only a trace of what they would do together. How will the new configurations manage to gel on the ice?

Obviously, it’s too early to tell. In fact…it’s almost too early to tell who will be on the lower lines. The tried and true first line of 10-19-81 we know. Sharp-Toews-Hossa is becoming a classic, iconic Chicago line. It’s reminiscent of the old Scooter line in the 1960s with Stan Mikita that your Dad might have cheered for in the old Stadium. It’s a Timex Watch. It’s Old Faithful.

All indications are that Saad-Richards-Kane will be the second line, and they had immediate chemistry together when we saw them in camp at Notre Dame. Not everyone can play at Kane’s speed, but these two guys can. Here’s hoping the opposition has difficulty with that pace, too.

The third line is where the questions really begin. Will the trade of Nick Leddy come back to haunt us? He was a quick guy, he did well in the type of puck possession hockey Chicago plays. Leddy was further along than some of the young faces we’ll likely see on the 3rd & 4th lines. We’ve talked about his potential for a couple of seasons now. The problem is…we’ve been talking about his potential for that long. And the young defensemen who will back those lines up like Kyle Cumiskey will have to step up in a hurry Thursday night against a very tough Dallas Stars team looking to make a real statement this season.

One thing is for certain: Daniel Carcillo will help make sure our penalty minute needs are handled now that he’s back in Chicago. His one-year, $550,000 deal is one of those great mysteries we’re just going to have to accept, like “Where do the socks go we lose in the dryer?” or “Why do people watch Here Comes Honey Boo Boo?”

For the Thursday night opener at the American Airlines Center we are unlikely to see Kris Versteeg, who is recovering from a lower-body injury that Coach Q described as “doesn’t look good.” Which doesn’t sound good, either.

It’s been a long, non-hockey summer after a disappointing end to the season. It’s time to drop the puck, and it’s time for the Blackhawks to plant their flag in the yard of a Central Division foe. Don’t be lulled into a false sense of security by Dallas. They finished fifth in the division last year but they’re fast, strong, and have made a number of improvements. It’s not crazy to say they will finish in the Top Three of the division this year. Colorado got old in a hurry in the offseason, and distance between the Stars, Minnesota and Nashville could get big in a hurry if Dallas pulls off a big win Thursday night.

Go Hawks!