Hawks A to Z: A bandwagon jumper's guide to the team

Now that the Blackhawks are headed to the Western Conference Finals and are just four wins away from a spot in the Stanley Cup Finals, let's celebrate this letter-perfect hockey season in Chicago with an A-to-Z guide on the boys who play in that Madhouse on Madison Street.

A is for amazing. What other word can properly describe the turnaround of this once moribund franchise in less than two years' time?

B is for beards - playoff beards - a long-standing tradition in the NHL. Twenty-year-old star Patrick Kane is widely acknowledged as having the worst one on the team, but hey, when you score 8 goals in 11 playoff games, who cares?

C is for checking, something the Blackhawks have been proficient at during the first two playoff series. When the Blackhawks are at their best, they're slamming a lot of opponents against the walls, led by guys like Troy Brouwer, Ben Eager, Adam Burish and -

D is for Dustin Byfuglien. "Big Buff" has been a force in the postseason, not only using his size to rough up opponents and cause havoc in front of the net, but using his skill to put the biscuit in the basket as well.

E is for energy, something the young Hawks have in abundance, part of what makes them a joy to watch.

F is for the fans. They're baaack! The United Center is the place to be thanks to a string of sellouts that once again makes hearing the customary cheering during the national anthem a spine-tingling event. The Hawks surpassed the 1 million mark in attendance on Monday, setting a new franchise record. F is also for that catchy tune by The Fratellis, "Chelsea Dagger," which you can't get out of your head once the Hawks score.

G is for goals, something the high-flying Hawks can pile up in bunches as evident in their 7-5 series clincher over Vancouver on Monday. Leading the way are snipers like Patrick Kane, Martin Havlat, Jonathan Toews and Patrick Sharp.

H is for history, something the previous regime put on ice for too long. Well, not anymore. Names like Hull, Mikita and Esposito are back in the family, and all feels right again.

I is for injuries. Stay away. Bad. No, let's stay positive. I is for the Indian Head sweater, the best-looking jersey in the NHL.

J is for defenseman Aaron Johnson, who along with Colin Fraser and others make up the "black aces" on the Hawks - players who have been scratched thus far during the playoffs. Yet instead of moping, there were Johnson and Fraser in the locker room Monday, celebrating and congratulating their mates after the clincher over Vancouver.

K is for goalie Nikolai Khabibulin. The "Bulin Wall" has been a rock for most of the postseason. He went toe-to-toe with one of the best goalies in the league in Vancouver's Roberto Luongo, and when the dust settled it was Khabby and the Hawks moving on.

L is for Andrew Ladd, whose game-winner in Game 4 kept the series alive. The former Stanley Cup winner (with Carolina) is one of the young, quiet leaders the Hawks rely heavily on.

M is for Martin Havlat, the most skilled of the Hawks skill players. When Havlat is on, his game is pure poetry.

N is for never settling for less, which GM Dale Tallon and President John McDonough have shown with their moves on and off the ice.

O is for "One Goal," the team's marketing campaign. From the players to the front office, everyone seems to be buying into the one goal of winning the Stanley Cup. Hey, only four teams can possibly do it now, and the Hawks are one of them.

P is for pressure that this team doesn't seem to feel.

Q is for Joel Quenneville. Only 4 games into the season, Coach Q took over for popular Denis Savard. Q immediately won his players' respect and has proved a steadying force behind he bench during an intense playoff run.

R is for Rocky Wirtz. He may be the only owner in Chicago who gets cheered when he's shown on the big screen during games. And why not? He brought in a new regime, he put home games on TV and he sits with the fans during the games. What's not to like?

S is for defenseman Brent Seabrook and his blue line mates. While the Hawks' high-flying offense steals the headlines, it's the defense of Seabrook, Duncan Keith, Brian Campbell, Cam Barker, Matt Walker and Niklas Hjalmarsson that often proves the difference.

T is for Jonathan Toews (pronounced "Taves"). His playoff lamb chops may not be a thing of beauty, but you've got to hand it to the young Hawks captain for facing the music through good times and bad. Oh, and he had 2 big goals in Monday's clincher.

U is for the unsung players that make this team go. Guys like Dave Bolland, Sammy Pahlsson and Troy Brouwer do a lot of the dirty work, allowing others to get the glory. And let's add Cristobal Huet, the backup goalie who helped the Hawks get the playoffs.

V is for Kris Versteeg. The rookie of the year candidate has played fearlessly. Whether it's yapping at opponents, getting physical or snapping off a beauty like he did Monday, Versteeg sure isn't playing like a rook.

W is for wins. Eight more and the Cup returns to Chicago.

X is for the X-factor in the Western Conference Finals. Who is it going to be? The guess here is Patrick Sharp.

Y is for youth. The Hawks are the youngest team in the NHL this year with an average age of 25.5. They sure didn't play like it.

Z is for zenith. How high can these Hawks go? Stay tuned.