I will be rating each team on three different areas which of course are goalies, defensemen and forward. The ratings are from 1 to 10. The rating consists of his personal ability and his importance to the team. This means that a player who scores way more points might get the same rating as someone who does not. There are two categories that i will rate: Every position as whole and then every single player. I will also put in the lines that i think/hope they will play next season. Then last i will give a grade to the whole team.
Chicago Blackhawks
Goalies
Corey Crawford: Stole the starting role from Turco last year and is probably going to keep his role next season. Put up good statistics, but last year was his first in the NHL. Unproven, but looks to become a solid netminder. Rating: 8
Alexander Salak: Young and still learning on his level. Hopefully for the Blackhawks Emery will impress the Chicago management during the camp and sign a contract for the next year. Salak is not good enough for NHL, at least yet. Rating: 6
Ray Emery: Now this is just speculation since i have no idea what is going on in the camp, but i sincerely hope he will get a full-time contract and be a backup for Crawford. Emery isnot old for a goalie and if the worst is behind him he will be a really good backup. Rating: 8
Crawford is entering just his second full season in the NHL, but if he will play like this year he should have no problem being a regular starter. If Emery plays well and signs a contract Blackhawks have a solid duo, if he does not sign Crawford will go to the same amount of starts as Cam Ward and Carey Price. In a whole i will give rating: 8
Defensemen
Brent Seabrook: Forms, perhaps the pair of defenders in the entire league with Duncan Keith. Seabrook had a career best 48 points last season and with Keith they are a terrifying weapon if i may say in bot directions of the ice. Rating: 9
John Scott: Played 40 games in the national hockey league last season, but with the acquisitions of Montador, O´Donnell and Lepisto he looks destined for the AHL. Rating: 6
Sean O´Donnell: Veteran defender is coming off a good season with the flyers, but is on the evening side of his career. Brings depth, but will be a challenger for the top-6 spots. Rating: 7
Steve Montador: Coming off a career high season with Sabres. Easily top-6 defensman with the Blackhawks squad, perhaps second pair material. Rating: 8
Sami Lepisto: Was part of the gold medal winning team Finland in world championships, but Blackhawks are the third team for him after the start of 2010 season. He has been a victim of some salary cap politics, but hopefully will find a home in Chicago. Rating: 7
Nick Leddy: Young defenseman had a sort of a breakthrough season with the Blackhawks. Though he only played 46 games and scored seven points his maturity and ability convinced many. Third pair player next season, but is still a prospect. Rating: 7
Duncan Keith: Arguably one of the best offensive d-men in the entire league. Elite puck-moving ability and with Seabrook one of the most intimidating pairs on the power play. Is also one of the two alternate captains in the Blackhawks squad. Rating: 10
Niklas Hjalmarsson: Has been a top-6 d-man in the Blackhawks squad for the past season and with the departures of Campoli and Campbell he is looking to jump in the second defense pair. Good overall player. Rating: 8
Blackhawks have a really impressive blue line with good depth and couple of the best players on that position in the game. Some young talent with veteran presence brings a nice mix that in my opinion as a whole is one of the best in the league. Rating: 9
Forwards
Jonathan Toews: The captain and spirit of Chicago. Had a career high season in assists and points. He is the main reason why Chicago went to the playoffs as he showed true leadership late last season. Rating: 10
Viktor Stalberg: Finished 10th best forward in points, but only 16th best in average ice time. Will be looking for a bigger role this season and hopefully get one. Rating: 8
Ben Smith: Played in only 6 games last season and looks like he is destined to be a 4th line winger or AHL player. I would rather put Rostislav Olesz on his place on ice. Rating: 6
Patrick Sharp: Played almost a point per game last season and had a career high season in points. Scored 34 goals which is most in the entire Blackhawks squad. Easily top-6 forward in Chicago. Rating: 9
Rostislav Olesz: He was 7th overall pick in the entry draft in 2004, but never really blossomed in Florida. If he can play like a 7th pick Chicago has potentially made one of the best trades i can remember, otherwise they just offloaded way too expensive defender and acquired a decent player to add depth to the squad. Rating: 8
Jamal Mayers: He was brought in to the squad to add some physical presence to bottom lines. Good player in his role, acquisition that the Blackhawks will not have to feel sorry for. Rating: 8
Marcus Kruger: Young Swede will be a depth player during the next season unless he really breaks through during the preseason camp. Young and still learning on his level, might work as a bottom-line center. Rating: 6
Patrick Kane: Really good player, underwent a wrist surgery during the offseason, but everything went okay and he should be ready before the season. Really important to the Blackhawks and in my opinion the best US born forward in the league at the moment. Rating: 10
Marian Hossa: Has had two injury plagued seasons with the Blackhawks, but when fit he still brings elite goal scoring ability to the game. Second line right wing will almost certainly pass 400 goals mark next season. Rating: 9
Michael Frolik: Has scored over 20 goals twice on his three years in the NHL. In my opinion should center the second line with Sharp and Hossa on the wings. That would be really scary line in terms of scoring. Rating: 8
Daniel Carcillo: Another physical presence to the bottom lines. Would form a really good grinding line with Mayers and perhaps Kruger or Bolland in the center. Rating: 8
Andrew Brunette: Brings a veteran presence to the squad. Would fit well to the first line with Toews and Kane and might be able to teach something to even two so talented players. Rating: 8
Dave Bolland: Good two way forward who will probably center the third line in Chicago. Good overall player who is capable both scoring and handling some defensive duties. Rating: 8
Bryan Bickell: Most likely Bryan will be a winger next to Dave Bolland in third line. Adds offensive threat to the line and might be a real late bloomer if he can keep up what he started last year. Rating: 8
Chicago has two elite goal scoring lines to go with a solid two way third line adding a really good checking and shift disturbing line. In my opinion the most balanced offense with some so talented players that you rarely find them Rating: 10
Lines
Brunette-Toews-Kane
Sharp-Frolik-Hossa
Bickell-Bolland-Stalberg
Carcillo-Olesz-Mayers
Keith-Seabrook
Hjalmarsson-Montador
O´Donnel-Leddy
Crawford
Really good team that starts to look like the team that won Stanley Cup two years ago. I really like what they did in Chicago and i will give them Rating: 9
Key factors:
+Two lines filled with goal scoring ability
+Good depth from line one to line four
+Really good defense
-Unproven goalie
-Lots of changes, might take a minute to blend in well
Ei kommentteja:
Lähetä kommentti