Hossa's second goal vs. St. Louis in Game #7 (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
It’s two weeks into the season, the Blackhawks have rattled off four straight wins to find themselves sitting atop the central division after a slow start. We’re eight games in, a tenth of the season behind us, and we’ve learned a few things about the 2010-11 version of the team thus far.
Marian Hossa is a beast
We finally get a chance to see what a healthy Marian Hossa looks like, and it resembles greatness. He has always been this good, but this is the first time he has played at this level in a Hawks’ jersey. I can only compare it to Alexander Ovechkin. Every time Hossa gets the puck, you get the feeling that something great is about to happen, and he has yet to disappoint. He was the reason the Blackhawks won both Game #3 in Buffalo and Game #7 vs. St. Louis in come from behind fashion.
Hossa spoiled us, and our expectations have been raised. Now that we’ve been treated to hockey such as awesome as this from the Slovakian right winger, we should never expect anything less. Hossa is on pace for 70-plus goals and 40-plus assists.
Marty Turco will do
Marty Turco has successfully wiped everyone’s memory of Antti Niemi. In six appearances, he has a record of 4-1-1 with a 2.42 GAA and .929 SV%. Keep in mind that Turco is seeing an average of 35.2 shots against per game — the Hawks averaged 25.1 in 2009-10 — with a thin blue line in front of him. What impresses me the most about our new 35-year-old goaltender are the long up-ice passes. In Monday’s game against the Blues, Turco hit Bryan Bickell square in the chest, as he stood on the offensive blue line, from the crease.
Our new Brent Sopel is…
…Nick Boynton. Yea, he has his flaws, and in a perfect world he’d be skating on the third pairing with either Jordan Hendry or John Scott. But for what he is, I’ve been relatively pleased with the job Boynton has done so far this season. He is the league leader in blocked shots with 23 in seven games, and is averaging over 22 minutes a night.
In Wednesday’s 2-1 (SO) victory over the Canucks, Boynton was on the ice for 27:38 — of which 2:27 was on the penalty kill — behind only Duncan Keith in time-on-ice.
Nick Leddy wasn’t ready
When the news broke last weekend that Nick Leddy was assigned to Rockford, I smiled. Not because it gave me the opportunity to say, I told you so, but because it’s what’s best for the 19-year-old defenseman at this point in his career. The speed of the game at this level was too fast for Leddy. He was tentative when it came to making or receiving a pass, his decision making was sub-par and his positioning, which is the most important aspect of playing defense, left a lot to be desired. If Jassen Cullimore is brought in as your replacement, that’s humbling.
Jack Skille can play
It took the former first round draft pick long enough to prove he belonged in the NHL, but he’s been a source of energy on the fourth line with Viktor Stalberg and Jake Dowell. Skille is making the most of his current situation, and it’s only a matter of time he gets promoted. He was a candidate to be this year’s whipping boy, but John Scott has a firm grasp on the title.
Loading ...
