Chicago Blackhawks: 2013 Stanley Cup Champions

17 seconds. Take a moment and think of everything you can accomplish in a mere 17 seconds; now imagine scoring two goals within in 17 seconds to lay claim to the Stanley Cup. That probably sounds like a dream that every young hockey player dreams at night, but for the Chicago Blackhawks that dream became a reality on Monday night. The Blackhawks beat the Boston Bruins 3-2 in game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals as they wrapped up their historic season with a Stanley Cup.

In an ending that couldn't have been written any better, the Blackhawks managed the unthinkable. Trailing 2-1 with just over a minute left in the third period it seemed that the Boston Bruins and Chicago Blackhawks were destined to square off in a game 7 for the ages. Cue Bryan Bickell; Bickell quickly buried the puck to notch the tying goal after a pass from the corner by Jonathan Toews left Tuukka Rask tangled with his defenceman. Then just 17 seconds later Dave Bolland gained inside position in front of Rask and tipped home a Johnny Oduya point shot which won the Chicago Blackhawks the Stanley Cup.

For Toronto Maple Leaf Fans there was a sense of vengeance seeing the Boston Bruins, who tore out their hearts with a last minute third period comeback fall to the same fate. Of course the two losses' were completely different; For the Leafs it was a complete collapse, for the Bruins it was a hard fought battle right to the end and just so happened the Stanley Cup was at stake. Either way you look at it, both the Leafs and Bruins fell short of claiming the greatest trophy in all of sports and the Blackhawks proved that sometimes a hot start isn't a bad thing.

An 82 game season is so long, that that the first 10 games really aren't a huge deal; throughout the season you see multiple versions of the same team, some good and some not so good. But when you chop that 82 game season in half, the start becomes that much more important. When the puck dropped on the 2013 NHL season the Blackhawks didn't waste anytime, going 23-0-3 in their first 24 games, breaking the record for the longest NHL point streak to start a season. That start helped the Blackhawks dominate the West and win the Presidents trophy.

Heading into the playoffs, the Blackhawks were one of the favorites to end the season by hoisting the Stanley Cup. They survived a scare in round 2 and knocked off the defending champs to earn a trip to the Stanley Cup Finals. Once in the Finals, the Blackhawks were set to square off against every teams nightmare; the Boston Bruins. If you're looking to see just how good the Bruins can be in the postseason just ask the Vancouver Canucks, Pittsburgh Penguins and Toronto Maple, all of whom are still trying to pick up the pieces from their crushing defeats at the hands of the Bruins. Needless to say, beating the Bruins- and Tuukka Rask was not going to be an easy task.

In an attempt to generate more offence Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane were separated for the first three games in the Finals, but in game four the Blackhawks put the two back together and never looked back. In the next three games Toews and Kane along with Bryan Bickell combined for 6 goals and 7 assists to help the Bruins win the Cup.

Despite not having a goal in game 6, Patrick Kane won the Conn Smythe for his efforts in the playoffs. Kane entered the playoffs with a slump scoring just 2 goals in the Blackhawks first 15 games, but as the Blackhawks went further Kane lit up. He scored 4 goals in the final two games of the Western Finals, including a hat-trick that helped eliminate the Kings. Kane finished the Stanley Cup run with nine goals and 19 assists and joins his partner in crime Toews having both won Conn Smyth's.

For the Blackhawks this season was one to remember. From a record breaking start, to a comeback series victory against the rival Red Wings, to their 2nd Stanley Cup in four years. Ironically the Blackhawks closed out both their Stanley Cup victories in game 6. The Blackhawks appear to have built themselves a modern day NHL dynasty, which could reign throughout the NHL for years to come.

The final buzzer has sounded and the 2013 NHL season has come to an end. Up next is a long and painful offseason for hockey fans, but at least next season will start on time. Hats off to the Chicago Blackhawks, the 2013 Stanley Cup Champions.

Why the Chicago Blackhawks Need to Win in 6

Before the Stanley Cup Finals began many predicted the series to go 7 games as the teams were so evenly matched. But if you’re the Chicago Blackhawks, the last thing you want is to go to game 7 against the Boston Bruins. Why? Because the Boston Bruins just know how to win in game 7 situations.

The best opportunity for the Blackhawks to win the Stanley Cup is in game 6. Yes, they’ll have to do so in Boston, but if they can win game 5 at home and gain momentum they’ll have a chance to close it out on the road and history is on their side.

Coming into the finals both the Blackhawks and Bruins were pretty evenly matched. The Blackhawks have more skilled players but the Bruins blue chip forwards certainly know how to get the job done. Both teams know what it takes to win the Cup, coming off recent Stanley Cup victories in 2010 and 2011.

Ironically, both teams survived major scares on their journey to the Finals; The Boston Bruins had a little more trouble disposing of the Toronto Maple Leafs than they’d like to admit. The Leafs forced a game 7 and had the Bruins trailing 4-1 before… well you know what happened. Following the hard fought battle with the Leafs the Bruins sailed through easily eliminating both he New York Rangers and Pittsburgh Penguins. The Blackhawks got tripped up in round two at the Hands of the Detroit Red Wings and ended up down 3-1 before they battled back to win in game 7.

It’s really difficult to pick a favorite in this series; both teams know what it takes to win and have battled back from elimination in this post season. Either team could easily take home the Cup, but if this series goes the distance, the Bruins track record shows they know how to win in game 7’s.

In the last three years of playoff action the Boston Bruins have played in 5 game 7’s and have won 4 of those 5. One of those game 7 victories was their Stanley Cup win in 2011 against the Vancouver Canucks, where they shutout the Canucks 4-0. Going back to the Bruins Cup win in 2011, they had to survive 3 game 7’s. Surviving game 7 three times in the same playoffs is unheard of. When everything was on the line, in a one-game winner take all- the Boston Bruins elevated their game to another level.

Then of course fast-forward to this years playoffs and take a look back at the first round. Ask the Leafs what happens when you have to face the Bruins in a game 7. Even when you’re beating the Bruins in the 3^rd period, there’s still no quit in their game. Name another team in the entire league that would have been able to mount the comeback the Boston Bruins did in game 7 of the first round.

There is just something about the Bruins and game 7’s. To win a game 7 a team needs solid goaltending, physical play and depth; the Bruins possess all three of those things. They trust in Tuukka Rask, have solid D to help him out, play the best brand of physical hockey and have depth throughout the line-up. There’s no hero’s on the Bruins, they don’t turn to one guy to deliver like most teams; they have a bunch of hard working players who battle hard and can become the hero at any given moment.

Another key aspect about game 7 and the Bruins is they are fantastic at drawing a team off their game plan. Both the Rangers and Penguins stopped playing their game and started playing Bruins hockey. When you’re playing Bruins hockey and you’re not the Bruins you’re going to have a bad time and the Bruins will end up winning. When the game 7 rolls around the Bruins know what they have to do to get their opponent frustrated, and off their game just long enough for the Bruins to capitalize.

Just like the Bruins had a key number when they won the Cup, the Blackhawks also had a key number; that key number was 6. The Blackhawks closed out 3 of their 4 series’ back in 2010 in the 6^th game. They have yet to close out a series this year in 6 games but the Stanley Cup Finals would be a great time to do so.

The Bruins have played chicken with game 7’s and have had great success doing so: a Stanley Cup Championship. They’re not afraid of game 7’s and elevate their game becoming a much more difficult team to play against. The Blackhawks like to make quick work of their opponents and finish things before game 7.

The best shot for the Blackhawks is to finish off the Bruins in game 6. Don’t let it get to a game 7 where the Bruins can virtually do no wrong. I’m not predicting a Boston Bruins win, all I’m saying is that the Blackhawks will want to end this in game 6. If it goes 7 the Bruins may be too much for the Blackhawks to handle.

Can the Blackhawks keep their lucky streak of winning it all in 6 or will the Bruins continue their game 7 dominance?

Stanley Cup Preview: Chicago Blackhawks and Boston Bruins

Another season, all be it a shortened one, has come and gone in the NHL once again. In January, 30 teams took to the ice with the same goal in mind: to be the last team standing and lay claim to the Stanley Cup. After 48 games and three grueling playoff series', we’re down to the final two who will leave it all on the ice for a chance to life the Cup.

The Chicago Blackhawks and Boston Bruins will be renewing original six rivalries when they square off in game one of the Stanley Cup Finals. The powerhouses’ of the West squaring off against the underdogs of the East; it’s bound to be one heck of a series.

Before we dive into the Stanley Cup Preview, let’s take a look at each teams journey to the Stanley Cup Finals.

Chicago Blackhawks

After a late start to the season the Blackhawks stormed out of the gate getting points in their first 24 games before a single regulation loss. The Blackhawks were the kings of the hockey world and finished first in the West and also taking home the Presidents.

The Hawks disposed of the Minnesota Wild fairly easily in the first round, winning the series in 5 games. But in round two they ran into the 7^th seeded Red Wings, who proved the only thing that matters is what happens in the playoffs. The Red Wings gave the Blackhawks everything they could handle and looked to have the Blackhawks on the ropes, but a resilient Blackhawks team not wanting their regular season effort to be for not, battled back and forced a game 7.

In game 7 the Blackhawks outlasted the Wings as Brent Seabrook scored the OT winner that sent the Wings packing. After narrowly defeating the Red Wings, the Blackhawks had a date with the defending Stanley Cup Champions. Once again the Blackhawks made fairly easy work of their opponents taking the series in 5 games to win the West.

Boston Bruins

The Boston Bruins narrowly escaped their first round match with the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Leafs forced a game 7 and had the Bruins on the ropes up 4-1 with 10 minutes left in the third period. Cue Milan Lucic. Lucic put the team on his back and helped them mount a comeback that will go down in history as not only one of the greatest comebacks in NHL history but also as one of the worst collapses in NHL history. The Bruins tied the game to force OT and Patrice Bergeron scored the OT winner that drove the dagger into the hearts of Leaf fans everywhere.

The second round proved to be much easier for the Bruins as they disposed of King Henrik and the New York Rangers in 5 games. If not for a rough outing from Tuukka Rask a sweep may have been order in the second round.

In round three the Bruins met up with the talented Pittsburgh Penguins. At first glance this series seems like a talent mismatch but the Bruins proved that depth and character can beat talent and no leadership any day. The Bruins finally earned their sweep as they easily dismantled the Penguins in 4 games.

Teeing up the series

Due to the shortened 48 game season the Blackhawks and Bruins didn’t meet in the regular season. This is the first time since 1979, the Stanley Cup final will be between two original 6 teams. Despite their rich history, this is only the 7^th time the Blackhawks and Bruins have met in the postseason and the first time since 1978. The Blackhawks finished first in the West and want to prove their historic start wasn’t just a fluke and bring home the Cup to validate their effort. The Bruins came into the playoffs in 4^th place and since clawing back from the ropes of defeat in round one, have picked up steam each round appearing nearly unstoppable.

Key Factors:

Goaltending

Statistically speaking Corey Crawford and Tuukka Rask have been the two best goalies throughout the playoffs. Perhaps that’s the reason the Blackhawks and Bruins are the final two-left standing.

Earlier this postseason I wrote about how I hadn’t been impressed with Tuukka Rask through he first 2.5 rounds. He barely outdueled James Reimer and his team was more responsible for the wins than he was. But in round three he proved just how good he is and why he is an elite goaltender. Through the first 3 rounds Rask is 12-4 with a 1.75 Goals Against Average and a .948 Save Percentage, those numbers are even better than Tim Thomas’ after the first 3 rounds in 2011.

Corey Crawford is a goalie that always seems to fly under the radar. No one gives him any credit and no one is sure if he’s good enough to win the Blackhawks the Cup. Heck before the playoffs started people were hoping Ray Emery would get the nod. The Finals could be a breakout for Crawford, a chance to prove that he can perform in the playoffs. He’s outdueled Jimmy Howard and arguably the best goalie in the world in Jonathan Quick, so Crawford isn’t off to a bad start.

Can the Bruins continue to shutdown stars?

It’s no easy task to shutdown the offence the Pittsburgh Penguins boast. With Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and James Neal coming full tilt that’s enough power to make a team run and hide until the onslaught is over. But the Bruins managed to stop the Penguins big three as all three were held without a point in the series. Jonathan Toews has been rather quiet so far in the playoffs scoring just 1 goal. Now would be a good time for Toews to step up and join Patrick Kane, Marian Hossa and Patrick Sharp in scoring goals. Can the Blackhawks big players step up and beat Tuukka Rask? Or atleast score a goal?

Special Teams

Not only did the Bruins do the unthinkable by keeping Crosby, Neal and Malkin off the scoreboard, they also kept the lethal Penguins powerplay from scoring. The Bruins killed off all 15 penalties they took against the Penguins and have an amazing 86.5% penalty kill through the playoffs.

The Blackhawks also haven’t done too poorly while down a man. They have a near perfect 94.8% penalty kill and the defence blocks almost everything making life on Crawford pretty easy.

One of these teams will let their penalty killing guard down, even a little, and it may well cost them.

Players to Watch

Brent Seabrook

Since being reunited with Duncan Keith, Seabrook has been on fire on the blueline. The Blackhawks will need him to match the Bruins physical play but also to help spark the offence.

Brian Bickell

The reason the Blackhawks are having success without Toews scoring is in large part due to Brian Bickell. The upcoming free agent has 13 goals through 17 games and is looking to cash in on a major payday. If Bickell can keep up his play the Blackhawks should be just fine on offence, even without Toews.

Torey Krug

Heading into the season all eyes were on rookie defenceman Dougie Hamilton. Hamilton showed flashes of brilliance and had times were he certainly looked like a rookie. Through the first three rounds of the playoffs the Bruins have been getting production from a young defenceman, but his name isn’t Hamilton, it’s Torey Krug.

Krug has 6 points in 9 playoff games and has become a key member of the Bruins blueline as he’s climbed up the depth charts. Krug isn’t the type of player who carries a team but it the type of player that all championship teams have. He finds a way to contribute while flying under the radar and steps up when his team needs him. Torey Krug is the biggest X-factor in the Stanley Cup Finals.

David Krejci

Has there been a player throughout the playoffs who has elevated his play more than David Krejci? In 47 regular season games Krejci recorded 10 goals and added 23 assists. In the first 16-playoff games Krejci already has 9 goals and 12 assists.

He’s become a key component for the Bruins offencive success. If Krejci can keep scoring and helping Milan Lucic and Nathan Horton find the back of the net, the Bruins offence will be nearly unstoppable.

The Blackhawks and Bruins have arguably the two best coaches in the NHL in Joel Quenneville and Claude Julien. Both coaches have a Stanley Cup to their names and have been put through the paces in the NHL and despite both coaches remaining with their teams for at least 5 years, neither coach has lost his players respect or attention. Just ask John Tortorella how well that works.

The two best goalies in the playoffs, two of the best and most respected coaches and arguably two of the best-built hockey teams in the league. From the first line scorers to the fourth line role players, everyone knows their role and they work together to fill any holes.

The Blackhawks and Bruins will kick off their battle on Wednesday night and this may turn into one of the closest Stanley Cup Finals we’ve seen. Both teams match up so evenly.

Prediction: These teams are so evenly matched it’s difficult to give a leg up to either team. It will likely come down to whichever goalie can remain hot or make that key save. My Pick- Chicago Blackhawks in 7 games. Remember what happened last time the Blackhawks finished 1^st in the central?

Year Of the Goalie Tandems

Good goaltending is the key to any successful hockey team. A team is only as good as their goaltending and will only go as far as their goaltending will take them. Just ask the Los Angeles Kings who wouldn't have had a shot at the Stanley Cup Finals, let alone the Stanley Cup without Jonathan Quick. Or the Philadelphia Flyers who lost in the finals because of poor goaltending from Brian Boucher and Michael Leighton. Goaltending makes or breaks a championship team.

For most teams relying on one goalie to come up big night after night is tough enough. Teams will usually ride their starter all year, plugging in the backup only when the starter is dead tired. But this year has been a different story for many teams. On any given night you don't know who you'll see between pipes.

With the season shortened due to the lockout, it was obvious teams would need to rely on their backup goalies more. Backup goalies everywhere are rejoicing as they're playing more games in this shortened season then they would in a normal 82 game season.

With the gruelling and compact 48 games season, more and more teams are using goalie tandems. Not only are we seeing more goalie tandems this season, but the teams who are utilizing both goalies are amongst the best in the NHL this season.

Chicago Blackhawks

Corey Crawford (25 games played) 17-4-4 and Ray Emery (19 games played) 15-1-0.

The Blackhawks are the prime example of this season's goaltending tandems. They've used both Crawford and Emery during various stretches this season. As a result both goalies are fresh and playing well in the final games before the playoffs.

By using both the veteran and the younger goaltender it helps relieve the pressure from the younger Crawford and also allows him to learn from the veteran Emery.

Using the goalie tandem this season has proven to be a great idea for the Blackhawks. Both have been stellar at times this season and as a result they're currently in first place in the entire league.

Toronto Maple Leafs

James Reimer (27 games played) 16-5-5 and Ben Scrivens (18 games played) 7-8-0.

Remember when everyone was freaking out about the Leafs inexperienced goaltenders? Then when the Leafs were going to acquire a goalie at the trade deadline everyone was against that notion? Good times in Toronto.

Both James Reimer and Ben Scrivens have played well for the Leafs and have them currently inside the playoff picture. Having two young goalies battle to become the starter, has forced both Scrivens and Reimer to elevate their game. The Leafs finally have a competitive goalie tandem and as a result they're having a great season.

Now that the Leafs don't have to worry about their goaltending holding them back, they're able to focus on offence. Leafs sit 5th in the Eastern Conference.

St. Louis Blues

Brian Elliott (17 games played) 8-7-1, Jaroslav Halak (16 games played) 6-5-1 and Jake Allen (14 games played) 9-4-0.

The St. Louis Blues don't have a goalie duo, they have a goaltending trio. While Elliott has struggled at times this season the Blue have been able to call on other goalies to step up and carry the load while their "number one" goalie was off his game.

Halak and Elliott combined to carry the Blues last season and won the William. M. Jennings trophy for their efforts. They became the first goalie tandem in NHL history to both record at least 6 shutouts in a season.

After their strong performance between the pipes last season everyone expected the same again this season. Unfortunately that didn't happen. Both netminders lost their job to the rookie Jake Allen and Brian Elliott even found himself in the AHL by March.

With the last handful of games before the playoffs both Halak and Elliot have re-found their game and are ready to prove critics wrong. The Blues are a team on the prowl. Sitting 6th in the West- they're a scaring team heading into the playoffs.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Marc-Andre Fleury (29 games played) 21-6-0 and Tomas Vokoun (18 games played) 11-4-0.

In the first round of the playoffs last season goaltending was the Penguins downfall. They played their rivals in the Flyers and let their
emotion's get the better of them. To insure that wouldn't happen again they brought in Tomas Vokoun to hold down the fort when Fleury isn't playing well.

The Penguins have arguably the best goalie tandem in the league right now. Both goalies have been stellar this season posting Save Percentages above .910. It's been an up and down season for Fleury who has struggled at times but Vokoun has stepped up and shut the door while his counterpart was struggling.

While Vokoun likely wont win any accolades for his performance between the pipes this season, he's been huge for the Penguins. By sharing some of the load Fleury will be rested for the playoffs and if he has some rough patches Vokoun can step in.

The Penguins goaltending is a big reason they're the Stanley Cup favorites and why they're currently first in the East.

Anaheim Ducks

Jonas Hiller (23 games played) 13-5-4 and Viktor Fasth (22 games played) 14-5-1.

The Ducks, much like the Blackhawks, have utilized their goalie tandem for the best. Hiller faltered this season and battled injury, during that time Fasth came in and proved he's ready to be an NHL goalie. Instead of letting their situation turn into a controversy they've used their tandem to propel them into 2nd in the West.

The Ducks have had a remarkable turnaround from last season and their goalie tandem deserves a lot of credit for carrying the load.

In addition to the teams listed above who have fully utilized their goalie tandems and are benefiting in the standings, at least a third of all NHL teams are playing their tandems more and more often. The Vancouver Canucks have used both Cory Schneider and Roberto Luongo at times this season, the Ottawa Senators were forced to use both Craig Anderson and Ben Bishop, The New Jersey Devils have used both Martin Brodeur and Johan Hedberg and the Lightning have also used multiple netminders.

When you look around the NHL this seems to be the year of the goalie tandems. Some of the teams atop of the NHL have been utilizing their goalie tandems to the fullest and as a result their dominating the NHL.

Corey Crawford and Ray Emery Solid Goalie Tandem

For most teams having one goaltender claim the right to be the starter is good enough. That goalie plays the majority of the games and carries the weight of the team and as long as he's consistent there's no issues. Having two goaltenders perform above expectation usually throws a wrench in things, but for the Chicago Blackhawks they're perfectly fine with that. Both Ray Emery and Corey Crawford have been splitting time between the pipes for the Blackhawks this season and things have been going just fine.

As soon as two goalies on the same team start to play well everyone immediately wants to create a goaltending controversy. The Blackhawks are proving that having two goalies playing like starters is more of a blessing than a curse.

The most important thing for the Blackhawks is the fact that both Ray Emery and Corey Crawford are grinding out wins. Both goaltenders have 15 wins and while Emery boasts a better 15-1-0 record their stats are nearly identical.

What's the big deal with the Blackhawks rotating goalies? They're in first place in the entire NHL, let alone the Western Conference and have already clinched a playoff spot. Them rotating goalies during their remarkable streak at the beginning of the year is likely the reason the streak lasted so long. Each goalie was fresh and opponents were kept guessing on which goalie they'd face.

It's really quite remarkable looking at the Blackhawks goaltending turnaround. Last season there were talks they would go hard after Roberto Luongo. This season they have two fantastic netminders who could easily both be in the running for the Vezina trophy.

For the Blackhawks this is the perfect situation. Corey Crawford is still very much a rookie this being his 3rd full year in the NHL. At the age of 28 with less than three years under his belt he's still got a lot to learn and a few more seasons before he finds his game. Now Crawford has the chance to learn from the veteran Ray Emery who is in his eighth NHL season and has tons of experience.

Crawford is still young. The puck handling skills and confidence he possessed early in the season have taken a major hit. Having the veteran Emery around provides a chance for both goalies to not only learn from each other but push each other to be better. Right now either goaltender is capable of taking over the starters job and sometimes that healthy competition is just what a team needs.

Now rotating the hot-hand during the regular season is one thing and it seems to have worked for the Blackhawks, but playoffs are a completely different story. Crawford's goaltending during last years playoffs was a major disappointment and a huge reason why the Hawks were eliminated in round one.

While the Hawks may want Crawford to carry the load in the postseason, why not throw Ray Emery a bone? Right now Emery is playing his best hockey since 2007 when he carried the Ottawa Senators to the Stanley Cup Finals. Emery has only 1 loss on the season and his 1.90 GAA and .924S% are slightly better than Crawford. With how well Emery has played this season and a deep playoff run under his belt, give him a shot to start in the first round of the playoffs.

The good thing about having both goalies playing so well- apart from the fact you win more, is the flexibility it gives a team. If they go with Crawford and he gets hurt the Blackhawks can put in Emery without skipping a beat. If one goalie starts to flounder in the post-season they have that option to put the other goalie in. Either way it's a win-win situation.

While the Blackhawks will need to make a decision on whether they start Corey Crawford or Ray Emery in the post-season, right now they're enjoying their "problem." Having both of your goalies inside the top 5 of all goalies and having your backup ranked 3rd is usually a blessing.

As long as the Blackhawks have two goalies who are winning games, it shouldn't matter who's between the pipes.

Anaheim Ducks Quietly Making a Splash

While everyone was focusing on the Chicago Blackhawks remarkable 21-0-3 start the Anaheim Ducks were quietly winning hockey games and making their way up the NHL standings. The Ducks lead their division and are 2nd in the NHL just four points behind the aforementioned Blackhawks. If not for the Blackhawks breaking records and eating up all the attention the Ducks would be the hottest team in the NHL.

The Ducks are 19-3-3 and while those may not be Blackhawks numbers, it's still quite impressive and it may be time for fans to start jumping on the Ducks bandwagon as the Blackhawks are reeling and the Ducks are flying. The Ducks are currently riding a 4 game wining streak and have the leagues best power play capitalizing on 26.7%, proving they are a force to be reckoned with in the West.

When looking at the Ducks success one thing you can't overlook is the affect of Bruce Brodreau. Here's a coach who was almost carried out of Washington by fans, media and even the players for not being able to get Alex Ovechkin and Alex Semin to play up to their potential. He was made to be the joke of the NHL and after Brodreau fell from grace in Washington he found a new home in LA with the Ducks.

It wasn't exactly smooth swimming at first as the Ducks finished last in the division and 25th in the entire NHL. But to start off 2013 Brodreau seems to have them all on the same page, starting the year off 3-1-1 and turning that into a 19-3-3 run to 2nd in the NHL. Amazing what a coach can accomplish when he finds a bunch of players that are willing to listen, play hockey and aren't entirely self focused- heck there's even some talk of Brodreau being a frontrunner for the Jack Adams award. So how are the Capitals doing with Dale Hunter, oh right they had to make another coaching change since he didn't have any luck either. Having fun Adam Oates?

Bruce Brodreau deserves a ton of credit for turning the Ducks back into contenders. But the coach can't take all the credit as the product that takes the ice is what determines the out come and captain Ryan Getzlaf has been one of the Ducks best players right from the start. Getzlaf who isn't normally a "quick starter" started off the year on fire putting up two goals and three assists through the teams first five games.

"This year, he’s done a great job of leading by example on the ice. That’s probably the best way to be a captain: Lead on the ice, not just talk." ~ Bruce Brodreau on Ryan Getzlaf

The captain has not slowed down leading the team in scoring with 10 goals and 21 assists, he's put up 31 points which is good enough for 5th in the NHL. His strong play to start off the year earned him an 8 year $66 million bonus, a contract that will be tough for the captain to live up too but another Stanley Cup can only help.

Getzlaf's partner in crime Corey Perry has also stepped up to the plate and is 2nd on the team in scoring with 9 goals and 15 assists for 24 points through the first 24 games. This is a big year for Perry who is looking to test the free agent markets, putting up big points and helping his team win can only help his value- so the Ducks are benefiting from that. Bobby Ryan got off to a bit of a slow start this season with only one goal up to Feb. 1, which was a little troublesome as he's been their guaranteed 30 goal scorer over the last four seasons. Ryan has picked it up as of last with eight goals and 13 assists for 21 points.

Any team that plans on winning in the NHL, whether it be a streak like that Blackhawks, the Ducks or even a 5 game win streak, needs 2 things- Goaltending and secondary scoring. The Ducks have been getting solid secondary scoring from Saku Koivu (21 points), Teemu Selanne (17 points), Daniel Winnik ( 13 points) and Andrew Cogliano ( 16 points) which have helped make up for Ryan being cold early on.

[caption id="attachment_2609" align="alignright" width="195"] Anaheim Ducks forward Daniel Winnik[/caption]

Daniel Winnik got off to the best start of any of the Ducks forwards, putting up five goals in the first five games and is already half-way to his career high 11 goals. Not bad for a guy who was expected to be a healthy scratch.

“Probably the biggest thing about scoring goals is believing you can, and he’s got the confidence that he can score. I don’t think he believes he’s pigeon-holed into a checking forward." ~ Bruce Brodreau on Daniel Winnik.

The Ducks have benefited from an un-sung hero between the pipes- Viktor Fasth. Fasth has been able to provide the Ducks with solid and consistent goaltending while Jonas Hiller has either been injured or inconsistent. Fasth has played in 13 games for the Ducks and is 10-1-1 with a 1.92 Goals Against Average and .929 Save Percentage.

The 30 year-old rookie earned himself a 2-year contract extension with the Ducks. He's been a major reason why the Ducks have been able to climb up the NHL standings and quietly become one of the best teams in the NHL right now. When both Fasth and Hiller are healthy and on their game they have potential to be the best goaltending tandem in the league.

Add productive forwards and solid goaltending to Francois Beauchemin, the Ducks best defenceman, who is having a fantastic year leading all Ducks defencemen with 16 points and eating up 23 minutes a night. But perhaps the best thing about Beauchemin is the fact he's not a liability on defence with a +/- 17, when he's on the ice the opposition isn't scoring often.

When everyone from the coach down to the goaltender is doing their job it makes a recipe for success and the Ducks are enjoying that success. The Anaheim Ducks are arguably the best team in the NHL right now and a real threat in the Western Conference. But perhaps what makes the Ducks more of a threat in the post-season than the Blackhawks is the fact that despite their strong play they've lost a few games. They're more accustomed to losing and now how to react next game to insure it doesn't happen again. The way the Ducks are coming together a run to another Stanley Cup isn't out of the question.

Has Marian Hossa Had the Most Underrated NHL Career?

On the weekend Chicago Blackhawks forward Marian Hossa played his 1000th career NHL game and on Tuesday night the Blackhawks organization honoured Hossa with a ceremony before their game. All his Blackhawks teammates wore #81 jerseys in warm up and to put the night over the top Marian Hossa scored a goal in a night all about #81. Playing in 1000 career NHL games is quite the accomplishment in a career that has lasted 15 NHL seasons, so it begs the question Is Marian Hossa a Hall of Fame Player? But in addition to the discussion of him being a Hall of Famer, has Marian Hossa had the most under-rate career in the NHL?

While watching the Blackhawks/ Wild game last night one of the broadcasters was talking about Hossa and his 1000th game accomplishment and he said; "Success just seems to follow this guy around, he's one of the most successful players but he doesn't get a lot of credit." That got me thinking. When you think about some of the best players in the game, especially ones who have been around as long as Hossa you think of guys like Chris Pronger, Nicklas Lidstrom, Teemu Selanne, Jaromir Jagr and Martin Brodeur but Hossa isn't exactly the first name to pop into one's head. Heck Hossa isn't even the first name you think of when talking about the Chicago Blackhawks, those honours go to Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews.

But when you really sit back and look at the numbers Marian Hossa has had a career that many would envy. He's hit the 70 point plateau 7 times, reached the coveted 100 point plateau in 2006-2007 (with the Atlanta Thrashers of all teams) and has hit the 80 point plateau twice.  Although remarkably he's never hit the 50 goal plateau. He's reached the playoffs in 12 of his 15 NHL seasons, helped the Blackhawks win their first Stanley Cup in 49 years and age 34 shows no signs of slowing down.

While Hossa has found success with virtually every team he's played for and reached the Stanley Cup Finals twice in a row- once with the Pittsburgh Penguins and then with the Detroit Red Wings the following season, his best success has come with the Blackhawks. Last year (before his concussion) he was lighting things up with the Blackhawks as he had 77 points in 81 games and of course he finally won the cup with the Blackhawks in 2010, after falling just short the two previous seasons. Although Marian Hossa has only been with the Blackhawks for four seasons he will go down as one of the best Blackhawks the franchise has seen. He's an elite forward who puts in work at both ends of the ice, a unique player by today's standards when you look at Alex Ovechkin and Steven Stamkos primarily focused on offence. Much like Kane, Marian Hossa has the ability to make the impossible seem possible and while he doesn't play with the same type of style or intensity of Kane, there's no doubt Hossa is just as passionate about the game and winning. Heck he switched from the Penguins to play for the Red Wings because the Wings beat the Penguins in the Stanley Cup final- Hossa is the type of player who wants to win and he's found a team capable of winning.

With the way the Blackhawks and Hossa are playing right now, there's a very real possibility that he could win his 2nd Stanley Cup. Since only a few great players ever win the Stanley Cup wouldn't the chance to win his 2nd put him in the elite category? Heck wouldn't the fact he's been to 4 Stanley Cup finals put him in the elite category alone? So why is Marian Hossa still a player who get's forgotten about when talking about the best players in the game?

Is it because he's 34 now and is playing behind 2 superstars on the Blackhawks? Or the fact he seems to be "injury prone?" My guess is it's a bit of both, it's hard to steal headlines away from Kane and Toews and unless you focus on the Blackhawks he's kind of an after thought even with his 10 goals and 18 points this season. But Hossa has had a difficult time staying healthy during his lengthy NHL career and went 5 straight season playing less than 75 games from 2007-2011. The majority of his injuries have been because of his knee's, but he's also had shoulder surgery and a neck injury. But the most drastic was perhaps after a devastating concussion on a dirty hit from Raffi Torres that put his NHL career in jeopardy.

So why is Marian Hossa who is still among the NHL's elite so underrated? With 1001 NHL games under his belt with 427 goals and 922 points he is among the NHL elite. With at least 3 more seasons in the tank, a possible shot at another Stanley Cup with the Blackhawks , and the 2014 Sochi Olympics around the corner there's not telling how much Hossa will be able to accomplish before he hangs up the skates.

So back to the original question- Does Hossa belong in the Hall of Fame or Hall of very good? As of right now Marian Hossa belongs in the Hall of very Good- heck maybe even the Hall of incredibly talented, but not the Hall of Fame. In 15 seasons he hasn't once hit the 50 goal plateau and has only hit the 100 point plateau once. Despite being one of the best right wingers in the NHL he doesn't have any individual awards to his name and with him being 34 he's probably not going to win any scoring awards. Saying that if he is to win another Stanley Cup and reach 1000 or 1200 points he may get in, but not a first ballot Hall of Famer. As of right now Marian Hossa is in the Hall of Very Good only time will tell if he can make it into the Hall of Fame.

Now to decide on whether Marian Hossa has had an underrated NHL career. A large part of his game that is underrated his is two-way play, he's a phenomenal offencive talent but just as good in his own end. He'll block shots and kill penalties which a lot "stars" wont, yet he'll still score you close to 30 goals a season. He's always been a key player on every team he's played for, but usually doesn't get a ton of credit for that teams success- which is why Marian Hossa is an underrated player.

What do you think?

Is Patrick Kane the Best Goal Scorer in the NHL?

When you think of some of the best players in the NHL today you immediately think about Sidney Crosby, Steven Stamkos, Evgeni Malkin and Pavel Datsyuk but it's rare that people think of Patrick Kane as one of the best players in the game. Maybe there are better all around players than Kane, but there are few players that have the ability to score goals the way Kane does. He leaves goalies scratching their heads and fans in awe of his jaw-dropping moves, as he proved in the Blackhawks shootout win against the Red Wings, when you need a goal late in a game you want Kane on the ice. Which begs the question is Patrick Kane the best goal scorer in the NHL right now?

After being drafted 1st overall in the 2007 draft Patrick Kane has a had a roller coster kind of career. He won the cup in 2010, was a member of the silver medal American team at the 2010 Olympics and won the Calder trophy in 2008 after putting up 72 points. Everything on the ice was going great until the 2011-2012 season which saw him score a career low 23 goals and he failed to score a single goal in the Blackhawks first round playoff match with the Canucks. That offseason some embarrassing photo's of the Blackhawks winger went viral and with controversy both on and off the ice trade rumours started to swirl around the young star.

But after starting the lockout shortened season in the Swiss Elite league Patrick Kane is on pace for his best season in the NHL. While playing in the Swiss league alongside Tyler Seguin, Kane was one of the most exciting and electrifying players to watch, he made everything look so easy and effortless on his way to putting up 23 points in 20 games. Coming back with the Blackhawks and captain Jonathan Toews, Kane hasn't lost a step at all putting up 26 points in 22 games, helping the Blackhawks to a 19-0-3 record. Not only has Kane been able to score timely goals, he's also been one of the most consistent players recording at least a point in 18 of the Blackhawks 22 games. If this was a full NHL season and Kane was able to keep up the pace he's at right now he would hit the 100 point plateau.

What you have with Patrick Kane goes beyond the score-sheet. The 24 year-old winger possess so much skill and talent you at times wonder if he's human. He has a unique mixture of elite speed, goal scoring ability, phenomenal vision and arguably the best play-making ability, which make him one of the most elite players in the NHL. Kane is able to do things with the puck that most can't even dream about, he's so skilled the ice is like his canvas and he's painting his master piece. He came into the 2013 season as a more focused player, like he had something to prove and isn't going to quit until he accomplishes his goal.

One thing that often goes un-noticed with Patrick Kane is his passion for the game. Of all the things you can criticize Kane for, passion to win is something you can't. You can see his passion by simply looking at his eyes, so focused, wanting to be the game changer and wanting to be the best player on the ice. His passion is what drives his creativity, his quick hands that leave both defenceman and goalies lost as he skates or buries the puck past them. His passion for the game that drives him to want to be the best player on the ice and the best that he can be and that's what separates him from some of the other elite players in the league. Another unique thing about Kane is the fact he has fun when playing. The smile he gets after he scores a goal, he's just a happy guy who's playing the game he loves for a living.

Patrick Kane is arguably the best American-born player in the NHL today and looking ahead to Sochi 2014 he will be the best player for the Americans. Right now this 2013 season you're seeing a player who is determined to become the best he can be, he wants to lead the Blackhawks to several championships and he has all the skill and ability to become the best forward in the NHL.

So what do you think is Patrick Kane the best goal scorer in the NHL?

Are the Chicago Blackhawks the Real Deal?

Going into Wednesday night the Chicago Blackhawks were one of only 2 teams left to have not lost a game so far in the season. By the end of Wednesday night that number dropped to 1 as the Blackhawks lost 3-2 in a shootout to the Minnesota Wild. Despite the shootout loss the Blackhawks have yet to lose a game in regulation this season and have looked very solid through their first 7 games. The question now becomes are the Blackhawks legit Stanley Cup contenders?

As much as a Stanley Cup winning team can fly under the radar, the Blackhawks are a team that is almost always right in the mix but always get over-looked when looking at the teams with the best shot at bringing home Lord Stanley's cup. To no one's real surprise the Blackhawks got off to a hot start in 2013. Led by their captain Jonathan Toews who has 7 points in 7 games, the Blackhawks have been untouchable and are on top of the NHL standings with 13 points.

You can contribute the Blackhawks early success to 3 key areas- The penalty kill, top players performing and Corey Crawford coming up big. When a team is playing well everything just seems to click and the Hawks have been able to click early on.

Penalty Kill

It would be difficult to look at the Blackhawks early success and not give credit to the penalty kill, in fact their penalty kill has been lights out allowing only 1 power play goal through the first 7 games. The Hawks have been shorthanded just 8 times and have a 96.3% success rate ranking them 2nd, a complete "180" from last season when the Hawks found themselves ranked 27th.

The penalty kill has played a huge part in the Hawks winning and their best effort came on Sunday night when they blanked the Detroit Red Wings on 6 power players. Corey Crawford has been a beast for the Hawks between the pipes and has the best save percentage (.957) on the penalty kill alone. Crawford also shined in the shootout loss on Wednesday coming up big helping to kill off a 5 on 3 that lasted 1:23 and made a huge save to help kill it off.

But as much credit is given to Crawford for the lights out penalty killing you also need to tip your hat to the Blackhawks defence. Marcus Kruger and Michael Frolik have turned out to be fantastic on the penalty kill and have even out worked Jonathan Toews and Dave Bolland on the first unit.

The Stars Have Been Stars

As key as getting production from your 3rd and 4th line players is to the success of a team, if their star players aren't helping to contribute the success will be short lived. Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane and Marion Hossa have all gotten off to hot starts combining for 26 points through the first 7 games. While everyone expects Toews and Kane to be lighting up the league  the real surprise is the hot play of Hossa who has recovered nicely from his concussion in last years playoffs. Hossa has scored 5 goals, putting up 9 points and has arguably been the Hawks hottest player to start off the year. In addition to the big 3, Patrick Sharp has put up 6 points and defencman Nick Leddy has put up a solid 5 points.

The Blackhawks have been scoring goals all throughout the line up and deserve some major credit for coming into the season after a short training camp, immediately heading out on the road and for bringing their games to next level- what they're doing is nothing short of incredible.

Perhaps what has been most amazing about the Hawks 6-0-1 record is they have played 5 of their first 7 games away from the United Center and they still must go through 5 more road games before getting to play a game in front of their home fans. After the tough road trip the Hawks will have  the benefit of playing a 7 game home-stand and if their strong play continues can all but lock up the Western Conference in the next month.

Back to the original question- Are the Chicago Blackhawks the real deal? Yes they are the real deal- they have almost complete control over the west, are 3 points up on the St. Louis Blues in their division and they haven't shown any signs of slowing down their incredible start. In fact the shootout loss to the Wild on Wednesday may have been good for the Blackhawks serving as a wake-up call as they embark further on their road trip. Their defence against the Wild wasn't as sharp as it has been and if they want to continue their hot streak will need their defence to be sharp almost every night.

While their dominate penalty kill will likely stagger off, their offence and defence have always been strong. Barring any injuries and hoping Corey Crawford keeps up his stellar play the Blackhawks could be the team to watch in the Western Conference and I wouldn't be surprised to see them in the Western Conference Finals.