Welcome to our second monthly installment of The Hockey Writers Chicago
Blackhawks roundtable! In our first roundtable, we discussed line combinations,
 the state of management, and our opinion on bringing back Marcus Kruger. Today
 Meghan Dillon, Greg Boysen, and Gail Kauchak give their view on three more
questions regarding the Blackhawks. Let's get started.

The 11th annual Blackhawks Convention is in the books (July 27-29). One of the
highlights of this special weekend was goaltender Corey Crawford participating
in the festivities. Until now, Crawford hasn't been seen in public since
February, when he partook in a morning practice but then disappeared again
after an injury that's been shrouded in mystery. The last time the infamous
netminder actually played for the Blackhawks was on Dec. 23, 2017.

In his time with the press at the convention, Crawford didn't exactly build
confidence when he stated he still wasn't at 100%, nor had he started skating.
It looks like nobody, not even Crawford himself, has a timetable for when (or
if) he will be ready to return. The recent signing of veteran Cam Ward from the
 Carolina Hurricanes could be more important than we think. Which leads us to
our first question.Can the Blackhawks Make the Playoffs With Ward?

Meghan Dillon

Since I haven't seen Ward play in a Blackhawks jersey yet, I'm not entirely
sure. I think it's possible, but mostly if everyone else steps up their game as
 well. Last season's failings weren't entirely to blame on the loss of
Crawford.Blackhawks goaltender Corey Crawford has been injured since late
December of the 2017-18 season. (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

To look on the bright side, it's still possible Crawford can come back next
season without making an appearance opening night. Being able to appear in
public at the convention and speak is a huge step in the right direction,
especially if he is suffering from post-concussion issues, as speculated.
People forget that the regular season is six months long and that's plenty of
time for him to come back. Crawford could return to the net in December and
make an epic comeback, and the Hawks could end the regular season at the top of
 the division.

Greg Boysen

Not a chance! The current Blackhawks roster will struggle to make the
postseason, even with a healthy Crawford in goal from day one. The Jets and
Predators are not going anywhere, the Blues improved big time over the summer,
and the Avalanche are a tough, young team.Cam Ward was acquired from the
Carolina Hurricanes, ideally to back up Crawford in net for the Blackhawks.
(Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Ward is old, bad and slow and that is not a good combination to play behind an
average, at best, defense. Unless Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook find a time
machine and return to their 2013 form, this blue line is going to struggle in
front of whichever goaltender they are in front of.

Gail Kauchak

Anything's possible, right?! Maybe the Blackhawks are gonna come out flying on
offense and score goals like there's no tomorrow. Perhaps the blue line will
find some stability and actually be okay this year. Maybe Ward can pull a Devan
 Dubnyk and make an incredible career comeback. Aw, who are we kidding. The
Hawks are doomed.

Everyone knows it would behoove the Blackhawks to bolster their blue line this
offseason. The problem is that's easier said than done. Even with lots of cap
money to work with, the available trade options are limited, and they would
probably come at the price of a top forward like Alex DeBrincat or Nick
Schmaltz. Blackhawks fans should brace for the fact that the season could very
likely begin with the current roster. With that in mind, we can make some
educated guesses about how the defensive pairings may pan out.Top Defensive
Pairing With Current Roster & Why?

Meghan Dillon

This is going to be an odd answer, but I really want to see Keith or Seabrook
with Henri Jokiharju - that is if he makes the team. Jokiharju has been
watching Keith and Seabrook play for nearly half his life. There is no doubt he
 has taken some influence from them and it would be interesting to see how he
would work with either of them. If we get lucky, he might be a younger version
of the two. More realistically, I'd like to see Connor Murphy on top with Keith
 or Seabrook. He has a lot to prove, and what better way for him to prove
himself than with the best?Can Connor Murphy prove himself a reliable
top-pairing defenseman alongside Duncan Keith? (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Greg Boysen

Right now, I'd start the season with Keith and Murphy on the top pair. Seabrook
 can no longer play first-pairing minutes against top competition on a nightly
basis. Murphy had stretches last season where he looked very good, but then
fell victim to Joel Quenneville's short leash. It seemed that Murphy was not
given as much room for error as others on the team and paid for mistakes with
less playing time - just ask Michal Kempny about that. Jan Rutta had some
success with Keith last season, but once the league adjusted to him, he never
made a readjustment. If Jokiharju makes the team out of training camp, I'd put
him up with Keith; much like the Boston Bruins played talented rookie Charlie
McAvoy with Zdeno Chara last season.

Gail Kauchak

Even though he's lost a step, Keith is still the best defenseman on the team.
I'm sure last year's bad season was very hard on Keith. He's presumably
training hard this offseason and will come back with a chip on his shoulder and
 something to prove.Duncan Keith may be aging, but he';s still the best
defenseman for the Chicago Blackhawks. (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

The next question is who to pair with Keith. There's not much to choose from.
On the official Blackhawks' website, only six defensemen are listed: Keith,
Seabrook, Murphy, Rutta, Erik Gustafsson, and Brandon Manning. Like Keith,
Gustafsson and Manning are both left-handed shots. Although it's not uncommon
for a defenseman to play on his off side, it's more likely these two will shore
 up the left side of the second and third defensive pairings.

So for the lack of anyone better, I'm going to go with Murphy. Perhaps if Keith
 and Murphy are deployed together on a consistent basis, they will develop some
 chemistry and become a solid pairing. But I also wouldn't be surprised to see
Seabrook with Keith together for certain matchups and situations.

Our first two questions have been a tad bit depressing. There are lots of
unknowns for the Blackhawks this season, and it's become clear the top brass
might be looking more towards the future than the present.

Let's end on a more positive note. The Blackhawks recently dedicated Aug. 1 as
Marian Hossa Day (8/1 for No. 81). All day long they honored Hossa and his
contributions in his eight years as a Blackhawk. Do you have a personal
favorite Hossa moment?

Today we turn the calendar to 8/1... which means it's Marian Hossa Day! 

All day long we will celebrate #DemiGodMarianHossa's legacy with the
#Blackhawks. Stay tuned for more, and share your favorite memories of No. 81
with #HossaDay! pic.twitter.com/25tHDjMKpB

- Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) August 1, 2018

Your Favorite Marian Hossa Moment

Meghan Dillon

There are so many good ones to choose from, but I'd have to go with his 500th
goal. Not only was it such an amazing achievement for him, it couldn't have
happened to a better player. Hossa was the kind of player that gave his all
every shift. He worked so hard throughout his NHL career and to see him join
the 500-goal club was unforgettable. Plus, how could we forget his daughter
stealing the show at his ceremony? She was simply adorable, and it showed what
a kind and loving person and father he is off the ice.



Greg Boysen

Hossa gave us plenty of memorable moments during his time with the Blackhawks,
but Game 5 versus the Predators in 2010 was one of the greatest games I have
ever been to. When the Blackhawks were down a goal late in the third period,
and about to go down 3-2 in the series, the season ticket holders in my section
 started wishing each other a good summer just in case that was the last game
of the year.

Patrick Kane's shorthanded goal with just seconds remaining in regulation sent
the United Center into a frenzied state. It was during the intermission before
overtime when we realized that the Blackhawks would be shorthanded for over
four minutes while Hossa served his five-minute major for boarding. Shortly
after he was released from the sin bin, Hossa went right to the front of the
net and won the game for the Blackhawks, saving the 2010 season.

Who knows what happens if the Blackhawks lose that game, but we certainly
remember how the playoff run ended! That was also the day the United Center
earned the "Madhouse on Madison" moniker. The only other time I ever heard the
building that loud again was when Keith scored the opening goal in Game 6 of
the 2015 Stanley Cup Final.

Gail Kauchak

Mine is a bit of a personal moment. I was on spring break with the family in
Florida in March of 2016, and we were fortunate enough to see the Tampa Bay
Lightning take on the Blackhawks at Amalie Arena. We had great seats, and it
was an absolute TREAT to watch Hossa up close and personal. He was such an
imposing presence out there. You didn't have to see the number on his back to
know it was him. He was playing on the third line at the time, all in the name
 of balance among the lines. But it was clear he was being under-utilized in
this role. There were numerous times he put the puck on a silver platter for
Marcus Kruger to score, and poor Krugs couldn't finish the job.Related - An
Early Look at the Blackhawks 2018-19 Schedule 

Little did I know this would be the last time I would ever see Hossa play in
person. There were only a handful of games after that in the regular season,
and the Hawks were swept in four short games in the first round of the playoffs
 by the Nashville Predators. As we know, Hossa sat out the 2017-18 season due
to a progressive skin condition, and has since announced he will not play
again. This makes my Hossa moment all the more special, and bittersweet.

The post Blackhawks Roundtable: Goalies, Defense & Marian Hossa appeared first
on The Hockey Writers.

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