Blackhawks Roster Breakdown: Defense

by Gatekeeper
Yell at Gatekeeper

With opening night less than a week away, the Blackhawks are down to some tough decisions with their roster. We talked at length about the options on Tuesday night's Shoutcast, but there are some real questions. I'm going to break down some of the upcoming roster decisions or at least try to lay them out in a logical manner. This doesn't mean Joel Quenneville will decide to use the logical method. Next, we look at maybe the most volatile of positions, the defense.

The Blackhawks defense became a huge point of contention the day Niklas Hjalmarsson was traded to the desert earlier this summer. As far as roster spots go, there are either slam dunks or complete question marks. Nothing in between. I will start with the top end slam dunks. Duncan Keith, Brent Seabook and Connor Murphy are all going to unequivocally be every day players for this year's Blackhawks team.

Keith is 34 years old, and logs an inhumane amount of time on ice. He also began to have knee issues last season, and missed some time as a result. Joel Quenneville is, no doubt, going to ride his horse right into the ground, and get as many miles as he can on the way. Duncan Keith, though, is still playing at a top 10 defenseman level, so we'll just have to take each coming season one at a time. Until he really drops off, fans can just blissfully and ignorantly believe it'll last forever.

Brent Seabrook gets a bum rap for all he does and just keeps dragging marginal partners around on his back, like Master-Blaster from Mad Max, season after season. Sure, he makes a hefty salary, and sure he's not 25 any more, but the guy is an anchor (not in a bad way) in helping to bring along young players. Losing Hjalmarsson was most likely a bigger loss, but Seabrook is not that far behind. Until he cannot perform as one of the top 3 defensemen on this team, he needs to be embraced. He is also not going anywhere until there is a defined replacement, and right now there isn't anyone even close. So, get the thought of trading him out of your head right now.

Connor Murphy might be the second best defender on this team in the very near future but, at the moment, he is the third. When real games are played and he's not lost in the rotation of bums, he will probably show us more than he has thus far. Murphy has been adequate when in the lineup, but the Blackhawks will certainly need more from him. That said, asking him to be Niklas Hjalmarsson is just unfair. Fans need to set open minded expectations for Murphy. He is only 24, and has already logged a full seasons worth of games more than Hjalmarsson did at the same age. Murphy has also been used differently, in Arizona. His defensive zone starts, last season, were higher than Nik Hjalmarrson's ever have been at 58.5%. As a result, and not unexpectedly, his possession numbers were lower as well. I have an open mind, and I'm going to give him at least a full season, before I cast judgement. I suggest you join in.

The next wave of players are not just one notch below the top three but, probably, two notches. This is not to say that they will be awful, because there is a lot to look forward to. So, walk with me down the middle of the road...

The first player, based on experience, is Michal Kempny. I swung and missed, like Adam Dunn at the plate, on Kempny last season. I had high hopes for him to be the next Brent Seabrook type player, and he turned into the next Michal Rozsival. His possession metrics were actually good, on paper, but he was also heavily shielded from defensive zone starts. This season, the Blackhawks have another fellow countryman on the team to help him out and, more importantly, they ditched Joel Quenneville's little buddy Mike Kitchen. Ulf Samuelsson stepping in should help Michal Kempny's confidence. He may never reach the levels of top pair, but he can be a useful bottom 3 defender.

Speaking of Kempny's fellow countryman, Jan Rutta will be an NHL rookie at the spry age of 27. Already, he has surprised many, with his strength, size, and composure. Rutta, at least in the preseason, has been more of what I expected from Kempny last season. If he continues to play the way he has, he will be the 4th best defenseman on this team before long. He has Seabrook size, and has a smart confidence in his game that is very comforting. This might be a real Stan Bowman find.

Gustav Forsling is an enigma, plain and simple. He has all the tools to become a top 4 offensive defenseman, but his brain needs some catching up. Much like last season, we have all watched him make some very nice noticeable plays, but then had a terrible play, like in the Bruins game, where he looks like a completely lost puppy. While I think that he should start in the NHL, the best thing for him might be some AHL time, once again. He needs to really tighten his game up. On the powerplay, he is an extremely useful player, but even strength he has been hit-or-miss. I have ragged on Alex Debrincat a lot, but if you look at the numbers, it's Forsling that has been the bust so far. SO FAR. This is a 20 year old kid, too. I love that the media and fanbase have not piled on him yet. Give him time to grow, and I think the end result will be much better for everyone.

A lot of people are forgetting that Cody Franson is with the team on a Professional Tryout but, unless something drastic happens, Franson is going to get a contract offer once the season begins. With question marks in Kempny and Forsling, the Franson situation is that much more important. He's a big veteran guy that can play in all situations as a bottom pair defenseman. He's a better, older, version of Trevor van Reimsdyk. The Blackhawks will be better with him than without, so get used to seeing number 11 out there this season.

Not many people know about Jordan Oesterle. We have heard that he is a puck moving defenseman, and he has certainly gotten some playing time this preseason. I have not really noticed him do anything extremely special but, maybe, that is what we shold ask from him. Don't be noticeable. If Quenneville goes with Keith, Murphy, Seabrook, Rutta, Kempny, Franson and Forsling, Jordan Oesterle will end up in Rockford. If they decide to let Forsling percolate in Rockford for a while, then Oesterle is your 7th defenseman. Otherwise, there just isn't any room for an 8th defenseman.

Michal Rozsival is still technically on the team, but he failed his physical and probably shouldn't be in the Blackhawks plans any longer, anyway. Erik Gustafsson is a decent depth player, but there are several better options in the organization.

The last player that really intrigues me is Luc Snuggerud. He had a really nice Traverse City tournament and was having a solid training camp, until he was injured against the Redwings last week. I wouldn't at all be surprised to see him get some NHL time this season, just so the Hawks know what they have. Once he's healthy, we should expect to see him get a boat load of time in Rockford, though.

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Zapruder Strikes Again - The Hansen and Hossa Chronicles

First of all, I find it hilarious that I even need to address this, but here we are.

Last night Jannik Hansen made a stupid and careless "attempt" at playing a puck in the air, thus elbowing Marian Hossa in the back of the head as a result. Hossa laid on the ice for a few minutes after and was then taken to the locker room for the remainder of the game. Here is the hit:


Unless you live in Vancouver or make yourself look foolish by willingly wearing a Canucks jersey, you see a dangerous and reckless elbow. This may or may not be intentional, and I will even give him the benefit of the doubt. BUT, where I will not give him the benefit of the doubt is the mouth breathers that claim it was a "hockey play" and he was reaching for the puck. I might need to brush up on my anatomy, but to the best of my knowledge Jannik Hansen doesn't have hands attached to his elbows. So why you would make a play for a puck with an elbow is a curious proposition. Take for instance this still frame.


Notice that there is a stick in one hand, and the left arm is being used to embed an elbow into the back side of Marian Hossa's cranium. How Mr. Hansen intended on playing the puck is beyond rational thought.

Elbow + full hand = no puck.
Now maybe Mr. Hansen isn't smart enough to know you can't catch a puck with your elbow. Who am I to judge? Maybe they teach the ancient art of elbow catching in Denmark. Then I would be totally wrong, but until someone shows me proof otherwise, he made a reckless and dangerous play that deserves supplemental league discipline. I don't think he deserves 5 games, but 2 games would suffice. I'm not irrational. He did something stupid and needs to pay the piper.

Now contrary to what those Canucks fans in the glass houses, this play last spring with Daniel Sedin and Duncan Keith are not that different. First of all, this was not to the back of Sedin's head, it was to his face. Secondly, the puck was much more out of reach. other than that, it's the same general play. I said it when this happened, and I'll say it again. Keith made a reckless and dangerous play. He deserved his punishment, and served it.


Who you crappin, Vancouver? Just accept and move on, especially if Hossa has had his eggs scrambled, like everyone is expecting.

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The Mysterious Magic Elbow Theory

"Back and to the Left...Back and to the Left"

Last night, Duncan Keith did something uncharacteristic of Duncan Keith. He ALLEGEDLY took exception to a previous high hit by Daniel Sedin by returning a high open iced elbow to the dome. First and foremost, Keith's was a bad decision, and deserves some attention from the league. Any Blackhawks worth his/her salt knows this was a dangerous play.

Anyhow, as with any issue regarding the Vancouver Canucks, the fans are crying rivers, and screaming bloody murder. What is it about hockey in Western Canada that breeds complete and utter nincompoops?

Daniel Sedin checked Keith earlier in the period, high. It pushed a button, and Keith looks to have exacted revenge on Sedin with a poor hit. Sedin returned for the period, but was held out for the remainder of the game, most likely taking a long seat in the quiet room.

This is the original hit by Sedin, on Keith:


"Back and to the Left...Back and to the Left"

This is the follow up hit by Keith on Sedin:


The part that irks me most, and I don't justify fighting one dirty hit with another, is that Vancouver fans just crawling out from under their bridges are completely disregarding the Sedin hit. Hang Duncan Keith, Bury the Body, Done.

Sedin's creepy ginger ass does no wrong, and Alex Burrows? Lets go there. Kneeing a guy in the groin while he's in the birthing position on the ice? Two years ago it was hair pulling, and in last year's playoffs he BIT someone. This is a GROWN ASS MAN! Shall we point out Kevin Bieksa's rabbit punching horseshit? Own up, and acknowledge the shady characters your team employs, Vancouver, along with the childish shenanigans they pull.

No one can even deny I'm the first guy to point out low class douchebaggary by Hawks player, like Carcillo, Scott, Bollig, or any of the other clowns that have called West Madison Street their home. Turn-a-bout is fair play. Lobbing boulders from the smoldering looted ruins of your crystal palace isn't such a bright idea, people. You've still earned nothing but a questionable reputation.

My point here is that I openly proclaim, Duncan Keith deserves punishment, but be is not the only player that deserves a followup smack on the ass, though. My prediction is that Keith gets a 2 game suspension, which he earned it. If Sedin or, at the very least, Burrows don't get fined, something is seriously wrong.

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Carnac the Magnificent : 2010/11 Blackhawks Predictions

The day of reckoning is finally here. Opening night in the NHL, and the first Blackhawks title defense in almost half a century. All summer long, whether it was the dopey bandwagon fans or the idiot interweb wise asses with their "haterade", not many people have given the team a chance to repeat. Lets face it, repeating in ANY sport is difficult, and with roughly 30% of your roster playing elsewhere this year, it will be a battle. Since every other person with a keyboard or a 3G phone is giving their prediction, I figure that I'd be the odd asshole out, if I didn't give mine. So without further ado, drumroll please...

The answer is: 45-28-9...45-28-9
The question is: What will the Blackhawks record be on April 11th, 2011?
The view is that the team had an excellent year last year, but there will be many more periods of struggling this season. They open up without the person that was their best powerplay quarterback, Brian Campbell. There will be chemistry problems, and more lineup shifting than we're accustomed to, but Quenneville will find a way to make things work. Making the playoffs is the goal, and they will do that easily.

The answer is: 69 minus 10...69 minus 10
The question is: How many games will Marty Turco start?
The view is that Turco is the old, and by old I do still mean younger than me, mule that "Q" will ride into the sunset. Age or injuries aside, that's what Marty the Midget is use to. He took his benching last year in stride, but he knew he was leaving. He didn't sign a one year deal at a highly discounted rate here to watch Corey Crawford eat up minutes, and because Turco the anti-Huet, Crawford will be required to play less.

The answer is: 33-20-6...33...20...and 6
The question is: What will Marty the Midget's record, at season's end?
The view is that Marty is the man, and there is no need to crowbar Corey Crawford in there. Marty will be fine, and he will set the regular season assist record for Blackhawks goaltenders.

The answer is: Shooter's McDreamy understudy, The Swedish Rocket
The question is: Who is Carnac's pick as biggest surprise Blackhawk player?
The view is that there is a new gunfighter in town ,and his name is Victor Stalberg. By gunfighter I don't mean sniper, although I have a sneaking suspicion that he'll score quite a few. I mean resident panty dropper. Once the puck bunnies get a load of this guy, Sharpie's woman can finally breathe a sigh of relief. On the ice, he has all the tools to be a solid power forward, he just needs to apply himself. He had a slow preseason, but showed flashes of blazing speed and soft hands. I'm sticking by my pre-preseason pick.

The answer is: Big Hoss, and Patrick the Pimp
The question is: Who will lead the team in goals, and points?
The view is that Hossa has looked, far and away, the most dominant Hawk since February of last season. When he has the puck, it doesn't leave his stick until he wants someone else to have it. Chuck Norris will be wearing a Marian Hossa costume for Halloween. The Hoss, not to be confused with the Hoff, will probably eclipse 40 goals, and could net somewhere in the high 40's. Not a bold prediction, I know, but a safe one. Kaner will lead the team in points, because he is simply a point producing dynamo, as well as a drunken bar slut magnet. The only thing that will slow him down is the women hanging on his pant legs. When Kaner is done beating the women off with his Stanley Cup ring wearing pimp hand, he'll be a scoring and passing machine. Look for 35 goals and 60 assists. He's improved his goal scoring every year, and not even hot tubs full of champagne and Wrigleyville hussies can slow him down.

The answer is: Drew "Dont You" Doughty
The question is: Who will unseat Keith as the Norris Trophy winner?
The view is that the NHL has been hyping Doughty since the day after Keith won it. If it were up to me, Keith would get a 5 year lease of it, but the league is pushing younger stars to bring in the youth. It's quite amusing that at 27, anyone would be considered old, but Keith will continue to be a candidate for years to come. Keith would gladly let Doughty borrow it for a year while he wins another cup, I'm sure.

The answer is: Vancouver CaFucks
The question is: Who is Carnac's pick to win the Western Conference?
The view is that I hope I'm proven wrong, but I see the CaFucks finally making a move to the next level. They stocked up on defense and Luongo doesn't have to deal with the Big Fluff this year. Tomax and Xamot are a fierce ginger duo with some crazy telepathic powers. The LA Kings are also going to make a run, but they are a few years away. The popular pick is Detoilet, but they are another year older, and more fragile, and I refuse to believe that they defy nature. I hope I'm proven wrong, and the Hawks repeat, but it's a competitive league.

The answer is: Philly Cheesesteaks and Pittsburgh Black Lung
The question is: What teams will be teams to beat in the East?
The view is that the two Pennsylvania teams are powerhouses. Philly's defense got BETTER, if you can imagine that, and Pittsburgh is an offensive juggernaut. If Philly can figure out their goaltending sitiation, they'll be just fine. War-shing-ton and Bawston will have something to say, but the road to the Eastern Conf is Route 76, and it goes from Philly to Pittsburgh. With the Capitals goaltending situation, they are better playing without one and putting an extra defenseman out there. Boston has some promise, and a talented young goalie, but I still don't see a great deal of offense from them.


There you have it. Those are my random predictions. If anyone wants my opinion on other subjects, feel free to email them to me at PuckinHostile@gmail.com.

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