Blackhawks' Toews a model of consistency

Captain Serious?

How about just Captain Consistency?

Jonathan Toews was the Blackhawks' only player in double-digit points heading into Sunday night's home game against San Jose.

While the team captain's team-leading 5 goals and 6 assists in 14 games barely ranked him in the top 50 among the NHL scoring leaders, the play of the 2013 Selke Trophy winner has continued to be defined by his work on both ends of the ice and in the faceoff circle.

Toews' next game will be his 500th in a Blackhawks sweater.

"When I look back at how he's started each and every year, traditionally his (point) production might not be high to begin with but his consistency and his game are always there," coach Joel Quenneville said. "Johnny might not be productive on the offensive side of things (at the beginning of the season), but he doesn't give up much at his own end."

Toews has won 58.7 percent of his draws, including a game-high 34 against Washington on Friday. His 191 faceoff wins trailed only Boston's Patrice Bergeron (207) and Philadelphia's Claude Giroux (194). His faceoff draw led directly to Trevor Van Riemsdyk's first NHL goal Sunday in the opening period.

"I think he's getting better with age," Quenneville said with a grin of Toews' effectiveness at the dot.

"He's starting to know the personnel he's going against and the linesmen and the way they drop things. He wins a lot of big draws, and we use him in a lot of key situations."

On the Mark:

Former No. 1 draft pick Mark McNeill has been lighting it up for the Rockford IceHogs. McNeill scored a natural hat trick in Saturday's 3-1 victory over Grand Rapids, as the IceHogs hiked their winning streak to eight games.

With 10 points (7 goals) in his last five games, the forward has moved up to fourth among AHL scoring leaders (9 goals, 6 assists).

McNeill, whose hat trick was the first of his professional career, was selected 18th overall in 2011.

How far they've come:

ESPN The Magazine ranked the Blackhawks as 10th best among the 122 professional teams in the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL in its annual franchise issue, the organization's highest spot ever.

Seven years ago, the Blackhawks placed 118th in the magazine's rankings.