Introduction to Your Chicago Blackhawks

One of main reasons people still have a hard time accepting hockey into their daily lives is simply not being familiar with the NHL stars who play the game. No worries, I am here to introduce you to one of the youngest and most exciting NHL teams around, the Chicago Blackhawks.


Patrick Sharp is the 27 year old "sniper" or "finisher" on the Blackhawks. He excels in putting the puck in the net leading the hawks in goals with 39 in 2007 and 19 so far this year. He is arguably the fastest forward on the team. Although not the best playmaker in terms of assists, he makes up for it by putting the biscuit in the basket. 8/10


Patrick Kane is the "franchise". This 20 year old lightweight understands hockey like einstein understands physics. His style is that of a point guard, dissecting the defense while setting up his teammates for easy goals. Not the fastest or most skilled skater, but he is lethal with the puck on his stick and has added a deadly wrist shot to his growing repertoire. Look for him to dominate the NHL for 15 years. 9/10


Jonathan Toews is the "captain". At 20 years of age, he is the youngest captain in franchise history, just like Steve Yzerman was for the hated red wings 20 years prior. His style is a combination of kane and sharp. He is a very skilled one-on-one player with the ability to set up his teammates with creative playmaking as well as lighting the lamp himself. His skills are still very raw, compared to patrick kane, but his potential is nearly equal with lots of room for improvement. 7/10(so far)


Martin Havlet is the "European" and most established NHL player on the blackhawks at the age of 27. He has proven to be an all-star caliber player with incredible skating and stick-handling ability. He has a tendency to disappear in games, yet can single handedly dominate any game when motivated. He may not be around for the future because of salary cap restriction, so make sure to enjoy his talents for the time being. 8/10


Brian Campbell is the "free agent" as the hawks just payed this all-star defenseman all the money in the world. He is the fastest Blackhawk and has surprising offensive skills from the blue line. His lack of strength prevents him from being a Chris Pronger type dominate defenseman, but his combination of offensive and defensive skills are difficult to find. 8/10


Nikolai Khabibulin is the "bulin wall" and the stanley cup winning goalie on the Blackhawks. He is quite streaky, but put a strong defense in front of him and he is one of the best goalies in the NHL. He has a proven track record, but at the age of 35 and the younger Cristobal Huet waiting to play, he is not long for the blackhawks. Lets hope he can lead us to the promise land the way he did in 2004 for the Lightning. 8/10


Duncan Keith is the "defender" and arguably the best defenseman on the team. He is a home grown talent who has improved his game into one of the NHL's elite. He is the best skater on the team and recently added a power dimension that puts him ahead of linesman Brian Campbell. Given his age and ability, he should dominate along with Kane for years. 9/10


Kris Versteeg is the "unknown" as not much was expected from this rookie. He has surprised everyone with his play making ability in the mold of a young Martin Havlet. He is the current points leader for rookies and appears to be another great forward from the hawks organization. 7/10


Dustin Byfuglien is the "half-black" "Sean Avery type of player for the Blackahawks. He is a physical monster who loves to stay in front of the goal, blocking the goalie's vision and putting in rebound goals. He has and incredibly strong wrist shot and is a hassle for any defender to contain. Not the guy you want to challenge to a fight. 6/10


Ben Eager is the "Dennis Rodman" of the Chicago Blackhawks. He does little in terms of putting point on the scoreboard, but his intangibles affect every other aspect of the game. He has a never ending motor, which makes his size and speed a headache for any opponent to handle. He has shown surprising offensive development, but his main contribution is doing what Rodman did for the bulls: fuck with the opponent's heads. 6/10

Others of note:
Andrew Ladd - Forward 6/10
Dave Bolland - Forward 6/10
Cam Barker - Defense 6/10
Troy Brouwer - Forward 6/10
Brent Seabrook - Defense 7/10
Colin Fraser - Forward 6/10
Aaron Johnson - Defense 7/10
James Wiesniewski - Defense 7/10
Cristobal Huet - Goalie 7/10