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Quenneville likes Hawks’ added toughness, size

It has been a second straight off-season of change for the Blackhawks.

As a result of last summer’s roster turnover, the Hawks went from Stanley Cup champion to a team that slipped into the playoffs on the final day of the season.

They clearly weren’t the same club.

What’s in store for this season is anyone’s guess. Gone are Brian Campbell, Troy Brouwer, Tomas Kopecky, Jake Dowell, Ryan Johnson, Fernando Pisani and Marty Turco, replaced by Andrew Brunette, Steve Montador, Jamal Mayers, Dan Carcillo, Sean O’Donnell, Rostislav Olesz and Alexander Salak.

So the question was put to coach Joel Quenneville on Monday: Are the Hawks a better team today than the one that dropped Game 7 in overtime to Vancouver.

“I like our team. I’m excited about our team,” Quenneville said. “I think we’re better equipped going forward for all our needs. We think we have a great core, and I think the guys we brought in really complement the core.

“Their experience, their leadership and their qualities are complementary to making us a better team. I think we fulfilled our needs this year and addressed things we were looking for.”

Quenneville sees a team that will be tougher to play against, which should translate into a better home record and remove the targets from the backs of stars such Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Patrick Sharp and Duncan Keith.

“We’ve got some guys that have some edge to their game and size as well,” Quenneville said. “That’s something we were looking for and that can help us.”

While a good number of fans didn’t like the signing of Carcillo, who has a history of playing reckless and without discipline, Quenneville sees a guy who can help in a lot of ways.

“We’re looking for guys that play hard and can give us some energy,” Quenneville said. “He’s one guy that has a little more versatility than being a one-dimensional tough guy. There’s some skill to his game, and he can play with top guys as well.

“You like what he brings and you know what you’ve got, but at the same time the way the games are being called and played, he has to adapt. That edge he provides and brings is something we were looking for.”

Replacing Campbell’s speed and ability to move the puck from the back end will be a challenge, but Quenneville all but said shedding the defenseman’s $7.1 million cap hit was more important for the direction of the team.

“You lose something with Soupy there; he definitely brings some puck-moving ability out of our back end and offensive flow,” Quenneville said. “You lose that element, but the economics a lot of times go into these decisions.

“Going forward we put ourselves in a position where hockey can be a priority.”

Neither Quenneville nor general manager Stan Bowman are as concerned as some fans about the perceived hole at center on the second line.

From the way both talk, Sharp would be there if the season started today, unless Marcus Kruger or Ben Smith show at training camp they can play the role.

“We do have a lot of players who can play in that situation,” Quenneville said.

“People always want to say Patrick Sharp isn’t a center, but he’s done it the last couple years,” Bowman said. “We won a Stanley Cup with Patrick playing in the middle, so that’s always an option.”

Quenneville seems to prefer Sharp at center on the second line instead of pushing Dave Bolland into that spot.

“I think we’re a special team when you have (Bolland) slotted as a third-line center,” Quenneville said. “As a team we’ve done pretty well with him when he gets that checking assignment. I don’t think you want to change that role or job description for him.”