For years, the Chicago Blackhawks have been one of the NHL's most disappointing franchises.
While other teams may complain about Cup droughts or a lack of postseason berths, the Blackhawks' problems run deeper than that. The Wirtz family's ownership group has not been committed to winning. The Hawks have have to make do with broken-down veterans and mediocre prospects, fielding teams that regularly rank in the second tier of the NHL.
Worse, the team had no television contract, so fans were forced to pay a lot of money to watch their mediocre team lose in person. Chicago's AHL team capitalized on this opportunity to draw fans. With slogans like "We play old fashioned hockey: We actually win!," the Chicago Wolves managed to sway large numbers of disgruntled Hawks fans to minor league hockey.
But things may be changing at the United Center. The new chairman of the ownership group, Rocky Wirtz, has collaborated with Comcast to get a temporary television contract for the season, and several home and away games will be televised on Comcast Sports Net this year with high hopes for a full-season deal next year.
And on the ice, the Hawks are starting two top-10 prospects in their rookie campaigns. Teenagers right wing Patrick Kane and center Jonathan Toews are two of the most exciting prospects in the NHL this year, and both have come out firing on all cylinders to start the season.
Kane was the No. 1 draft pick in the 2007 Entry Draft. In junior hockey last season, he put up some unbelievable numbers, scoring 145 points (62 goals and 83 assists) in just 58 games. At only 18, Kane is a complete player, displaying heads-up passing, a vicious wrist shot, and great speed and puck-handling skills. Like most rookies, he has some trouble making plays without the puck, but his instincts are excellent and he is quickly becoming acclimated to the NHL level.
Kane's adjustment has been quicker than most have anticipated. He made the team out of training camp this year and immediately went on a tear, racking up 16 points in October to become the Hawks' scoring leader. He won the Rookie of the Month award, edging out his teammate Toews.
Although Kane's performance to date has been fantastic, there is one major hurdle that he may not be able to overcome: He is only 5'10" and 163 pounds in a league where size matters. Most defensemen weigh in at over 200 pounds, meaning that on the boards or in traffic, Kane is at a significant disadvantage.
Once defensemen learn to use their size to tie him down more effectively, Kane will probably see less success. Of course, the Blackhawks will have Kane on a strength and conditioning routine to help him build muscle mass, but it will be difficult for him to put on any weight during the regular-season grind. As he is, he will be a very talented winger well into the future. If he adds weight and a physical dimension to his game, he has the skill to join the ranks of NHL greats.
Toews, at 19, is the other rookie putting up big numbers for Chicago. And at 6'2" and 200 pounds, he even has the size that Kane lacks. His successes so far include captaining Canada to the gold at the World U-17 tournament, where he was named MVP. At the University of North Dakota, where he was the youngest player in the NCAA, Toews had 39 points in his rookie season and 46 in his sophomore campaign. He led Canada to gold in the World Junior Championships as well, and following his appearance there was drafted third overall in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft.
In addition to his formidable raw skills, Toews reads plays excellently and sets up his teammates very well. He plays a tough, physical game and is a true two-way player with great defensive skills. He is a power forward who is very effective both driving to the net and setting up in front of it. Each organization he has played with has remarked on his maturity as an individual and a hockey player, and it would not be surprising to see Toews with the captain's C sewn on the front of his jersey in a few seasons.
Unfortunately for Toews, he broke his finger at the end of training camp, sidelining him for the first two games of the season. The injury didn't seem to affect him for very long, as he roared off the injured reserve and right onto the score sheet, scoring his first NHL goal in his first period of play. Toews scored 11 points (five goals, six assists) in his first 12 games this season, with the highlight of his October coming on a goal against the Colorado Avalanche where he exploded out of the neutral zone, beat three defensemen and deked Avalanche goaltender Jose Theodore.
Toews and Kane have done what many in the league thought to be impossible, injecting some life into a failing Chicago franchise. Attendance is up at home games, and there is a feeling within the Hawks' fan base that suddenly a run at the Stanley Cup doesn't seem quite so farfetched. With Toews and Kane anchoring the franchise, it seems that things are looking up in Chicago.
