Lapointe, anyone -- Blackhawks should have a captain
There's something about this whole no captain thing with the Blackhawks that doesn't make sense.
If there are as many leaders in the dressing room as coach Denis Savard suggests, why not just pick one of them to serve as captain -- even if it's only for this season until rookie Jonathan Toews is ready for the job.
Martin Lapointe was captain for much of last season while Adrian Aucoin spent most days in the trainer's room. Couldn't he be the captain again? If anyone would understand it's just for this season, it would be Lapointe.
Besides, Lapointe has only this season left on his contract and it's uncertain if he'll even be around next year. It shouldn't matter that he is a fourth-liner and plays only 10 minutes a night.
Kevyn Adams would make a good captain. So would Jason Williams or Patrick Sharp. All are stand-up guys like Lapointe. They would understand as well that they were keeping the "C" warm for Toews.
The old school in me believes a hockey team needs a captain, more so to help steer the ship through bad times. One voice to be heard above all the others.
Savard's plan is to name two alternate captains every month in order to spread the leadership wealth, so to speak. That's fine, but why not do that to promote leadership among the group, and also have a captain?
Savard's alternate captains for November are Tuomo Ruutu and Brent Sopel. Good guys, but Ruutu is so reserved and Sopel basically just got here. Even he was surprised when Savard named him an alternate captain so soon.
It should be noted that following Sunday's disappointing loss to Nashville, neither Ruutu nor Sopel appeared eager to speak with the media, which traditionally has been a key part of the captain's job.
Maybe they didn't know they should.
Maybe it's a small thing. Maybe it's not.
Difference-makers: The Hawks' power play is better for two primary reasons: Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews.
In Toews, the Hawks finally have a player with the courage to take the puck to the net from the goal line. Kane simply has sensational skill and the ability great players have to dangle with the puck, find open ice and make tape-to-tape passes.
How good is Kane anyway. My goodness, what a talent. No wonder Rocky Wirtz can't get home games on TV fast enough. This kid needs to be seen from Antioch to Kankakee. This kid needs to be seen nationally (hello, WGN?).
It just might be that in a few short years Kane is right there with Sidney Crosby and a few others as the best players in the NHL.
He's that good.
You make the call: Who would you rather have, Robert Lang or Michal Handzus? Talk about a no-brainer.
Lang has 6 goals for the Hawks, several of them in the clutch to help decide games, and has been a steady contributor on more nights than not.
Handzus, he of the four-year, $16 million contract demand, has 1 goal, 2 assists and is minus-6 in 15 games with the Los Angeles Kings.
Hawks general manager Dale Tallon wanted to re-sign Handzus. He should consider himself lucky he didn't.