Confident Hawks look to start fast, finish strong

Walk around the Blackhawks' locker room and you'll notice it.

It's not what is said or in the actions of the players. It's more an aura that you sense.

This is one low-key but extremely, extremely confident bunch.

"We've got a special group here," said Marian Hossa, a guy not known for hyperbole.

And why wouldn't Big Hoss feel that way? After all, nearly all of the players who came within 1 goal of a return to the Stanley Cup Final are back.

And …

They've added a second-line center in Brad Richards. With four solid lines, this organization appears deeper than the Mariana Trench.

Bryan Bickell is slimmed down and ready to roll. Kris Versteeg's knee appears fully rehabbed. And, perhaps most important, they all had an extra couple of weeks over the summer to prepare, and it showed in the outrageously good fitness levels of the players when they arrived at training camp.

"The numbers from our strength coach were pretty impressive across the board," Ben Smith said. "Everyone was excited; everyone was motivated."

"It's just the level we've reached in this room," goaltender Corey Crawford said. "Throughout the year we're always being challenged, and that steps your game up. And that carries into the off-season training - being ready."

For Patrick Sharp, the fitness results reminded him of that one time a couple of years ago …

"The last time we kind of saw this was the lockout year," Sharp said. "The season started in January and everyone was ready to go, and obviously our record spoke to that."

In another Stanley Cup, that is.

But it's not like there aren't any questions surrounding the Hawks this season, because there certainly are.

Questions like, who will be the final piece of the fourth-line puzzle? Jeremy Morin? Brandon Mashinter? Newly acquired Daniel Carcillo? Or a rotation of all of the above?

But the biggest question is, despite their talent, can the Hawks get out of their division and the conference in the postseason?

Head coach Joel Quenneville knows just making it to the dance won't be a cakewalk.

"My priority now is let's make the playoffs first," he said. "We look at our division and our conference and it's as tough as it's ever been.

"Getting in there is going to be a battle."

Geesh, remember the days when the Hawks could only hope to qualify for the postseason?

Sharp sure does.

"I think it's different," he said of the pressure. "The only guys who were here were Duncs (Duncan Keith) and Seabs (Brent Seabrook) and myself. We were young. We were excited to be in the NHL, get our feet wet and really develop.

"Now there's definitely higher expectations. There's some pressure on our shoulders, but as a professional you always put pressure on yourself and you try not to feel it from outside sources."

But those old Hawks teams never had the kind of depth this season's version will roll out.

"Any line that's out there has got effective players," Sharp said. "Even guys that aren't in the lineup can easily step in and fill a role.

"It's tough to compare from previous teams, but I know the depth is very strong on this team, and it's going to be something that's going to help us in the regular season but the playoffs as well."

So is the memory of how last season ended.

"It's a year where we're coming off that devastating loss in Game 7," Smith said. "Being that close and what could've been … we're definitely excited to get back going and trying to erase that memory.

"Keep in the back of our minds that feeling that we had, but also use that as motivation."

Despite not starting the season as defending champs, the Hawks realize they remain marked men around the league.

"There's a lot of pressure. You have to play your best game every night," Seabrook said. "Since we won the Cup in 2010, we've gotten every team's best game.

"The focus has got to be there from the get-go."

Doesn't sound like that's going to be an issue.

"The guys are really confident. We've got a great group of guys here, a lot of guys who are willing to work," Andrew Shaw said.

"We know what we're able to do," Crawford said. "The experience in this room and what we've been able to achieve - no one has to worry about the guy beside him. I think that's the most important thing. You have confidence in every guy in this room."

Added Sharp: "We've got a veteran group and the younger guys, you can easily consider them as veterans with the big games they've played the last couple of years.

"It's fair to say we're a confident group. We're a confident organization, but that doesn't change the fact that we need to put in the work and get off to a good start."

And it all starts Thursday night in Dallas.

"The expectations are extremely high; we know that," Hossa said. "Getting Richards on the second line gives us a better chance, but we've got to prove it on the ice night in and night out.

"That starts October 9th."

• Follow Mike Spellman on Twitter @dhspellman.