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Chicago Blackhawks’ 2014-15 Season Preview

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By @stevekriegs

dennis wierzbicki

Dennis Wierzbicki – USA Today Sports

It’s that time of year again, where the leaves begin to change and the cold steal hits the ice. Last season ended in heartbreak for the Chicago Blackhawks, as they fell to the eventual Stanley Cup Champions, the Los Angeles Kings. This season, there is a clean slate. The Blackhawks are the favorite of many experts to win the Stanley Cup. It will not be an easy achievement, as the Central Division has become even more competitive. The Colorado Avalanche, St. Louis Blues, Minnesota Wild and Dallas Stars all made it their goal in the offseason to build teams that could match up with the Blackhawks.

The Blackhawks also made strides to improve their offense by adding Brad Richards from the New York Rangers. Richards, with a fresh start in a new city, will make an impact on their journey to the Stanley Cup, adding depth and experience to an already veteran roster. Another talent everyone is waiting for is the Finish center Teuvo Teravainen, who will begin this season with the AHL Rockford IceHogs. If the Blackhawks start slow, look for him to get called up on the third or fourth line.

The Blackhawks have seemingly fixed their center problem that plagued them a season ago, but there are still questions about who will take full control of the second line center position. Will it be Andrew Shaw or Brad Richards? Rumors have swirled that Shaw will get the nod in their season opener in Dallas. That center position will likely change throughout the season, as head coach Joel Quenneville is known to jumble up lines throughout the season. As for the rest of the offense, it will once again be one of the more productive units in the league. Jonathan Towes, Patrick Kane, Marian Hossa and Patrick Sharp will lead this team offensively throughout the season. I also believe the struggles for Hossa and Sharp in the playoffs last season will not be a recurring theme throughout the 2014-15 season.

Defensively, the Blackhawks should be solid once again, with the core of Brent Seabrook, Duncan Keith, Johnny, Oduya and Niklus Hjalmarsson leading the way. While losing Nick Leddy due to salary cap restrictions hurts, there is a bright spot on the horizon for the Blackhawks’ defensive unit. Rookie Trevor van Reimsdyk played very well for the Blackhawks in the preseason and was given a spot on the roster that he deserved. Van Reimsdyk has a great shot from the blue line and has good size, standing at 6-foot-2, 185 pounds. Look for him to make an immediate impact this season.

As a whole, I believe the Blackhawks’ defensive unit will thrive this season and be effective in front of goaltenders Corey Crawford and Antti Raanta.

The Blackhawks’ goaltending situation is the same as last season. Crawford will be the every day starter, with Antti Raanta tossed in there for a game or more if he gets red hot like he did as a rookie. Crawford is always a topic of discussion for Blackhawks fans. In many fans’ opinion, he has yet to prove his worth. As I see it, Crawford has two Stanley Cups and has “stood on his head” for the team many times throughout his career. He should be ranked as one of the top goaltenders in the league. While he does have one of the most complete teams in front of him, the Blackhawks will need him to play like he did in 2013 if they want a shot to dethrone the Kings.

The Blackhawks are the early favorite to win the Stanley Cup, but will have to get through a brutally tough Central Division. I believe they have what it takes to win the division title, but it will be a battle with St. Louis until the very end. Having what it takes and actually winning it can be a different story. I think that the Blackhawks will be a powerhouse throughout the season, but when all is said and done, they will finish second in the division, only a few points behind the Blues. Here are my predictions for the Central Division and the playoffs:

Central Division
St. Louis Blues – 106 points
Chicago Blackhawks – 102 points
Colorado Avalanche – 98 points
Dallas Stars – 95 points
Minnesota Wild – 91points
Nashville Predators – 85 points
Winnipeg Jets – 83 points

Western Conference Finals
Los Angeles Kings vs. Chicago Blackhawks (4-2 Blackhawks win)

Stanley Cup Final
Chicago Blackhawks vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (4-3 Blackhawks win)

Steven Kriegshauser is a Chicago Blackhawks writer for www.RantSports.com.  Follow him on Twitter @SteveKriegs, “Like” him on  Facebook or add him to your network on Google.

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