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Chicago Blackhawks November Review: Most Valuable Player

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By @seansarcu

Chicago Blackhawks Most Valuable Player Kris Versteeg November

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Patience is valuable, and no Chicago Blackhawks player represents that fact more than Kris Versteeg has in 2014-15. The Lethbridge native had a difficult 2013-14, clearly hobbled by the aftereffects of an ACL injury from the previous March. Chicago banked on him returning to form after a summer of training (as opposed to rehab), and the early returns on that investment have been sky-high.

Versteeg was one-third of the Blackhawks’ best offensive line in November, playing alongside Brad Richards and Patrick Kane. He has kept blatant offensive-zone turnovers (which he is known for, albeit perhaps unfairly) to a minimum and done nothing but produce points and chances. Versteeg’s game mixes surprisingly well with those of Richards and Kane; all three are pass-first players that prefer to operate in open ice rather than on the boards, but they’ve nevertheless managed to find the correct balance of shooting and grunt work necessary to generate consistent offense.

Possessing a defensive game that has been under-appreciated for years, Versteeg is easily the best own-zone player on his line. He’s certainly looked the part, too, covering up a number of mistakes made by Kane and Richards. People will focus on his tendency to turn the puck over in bad spots and label him a weak defensive player as a result, but this is vacuous reasoning (everybody correctly agrees that Niklas Hjalmarsson is a great defensive player, yet he commits egregious turnovers more than any other Blackhawk).

Versteeg was Chicago’s most valuable player in November. He has been the glue holding the team’s most productive line together.

Sean Sarcu is a Chicago Blackhawks writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter or add him to your network on Google.

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