Honoring Savard a savvy move by Hawks

Eventually, you can expect to see a Doug Lecuyer Night.

After all, we've seen the Blackhawks honor every Tom, Dick and Reggie the last couple of years as they revisit the good old days.

But Wednesday night there is a real ceremony, one that is overdue.

The cheers will be loud and much deserved as Denis Savard is honored with his own evening before the Hawks take on the L.A. Kings at the UC.

You could argue that no one rewarded before this occasion has deserved it any more than Savard. As much, certainly, but no one did more to save hockey in Chicago than No. 18.

When the Hawks drafted him in 1980, he essentially brought the franchise back from the brink, at a time when few wanted to attend a game at the old Stadium. But Savard filled it up again with his brilliance on the ice that brought people out of their seats and left them - and his opponents - shaking their heads.

It's a tribute to Savard that he's not just back in the fold but has embraced his role as one of the leading members of the Hawks family.

Rather than turn his back, Savard has buried the hatchet, and like so many others fired in the last 20 years, Savard has every right to be bitter.

Hired before he was ready to be an NHL head coach, the Hawks used him to sell tickets and quiet the anger of fans over ownership's incompetence during a 10-year span in which virtually nothing went right.

But rather than have him go learn his craft, management handed him a job, knowing he needed to win immediately, knowing also that there was no chance it would end well.

It was irresponsible and unfair, and Savard eventually paid the price.

For that, he could have remained angry for a long time, but it's simply not in his nature to do so.

Time enough has passed now that the Hawks are doing the right thing, giving the fans a chance to say thanks, and giving Savard a chance to drink in what is rightfully his, the love and respect of the faithful that remember what he did for a flailing franchise.

Twice now - including the trade in 1990 - the Hawks have wronged him, and twice he has taken two wrongs and made them right, twice he has returned in triumph.

It takes a strong man to swallow the pain of the past and come out on the other side standing tall.

Savard has done that, and Wednesday night he will get to remember the roar as he knew it in Chicago for so very long.

Fans and players alike will watch the highlights from above and marvel at moves that were heaven-sent.

The man whose lightning-quick hands could shake the walls and bring thunder from the rafters will hear from Hawks fans what they really think of him.

And for Denis Savard, it's about time.

Net pain

The Hawks' goaltending was bad to start the year, it was bad at the trade deadline, and it was bad again Sunday.

Nothing new here.

But it's also something they can overcome if they're smart, something they weren't Sunday.

The formula remains the same, cutting down on shots, blocking as many as possible, and refraining from the stupid mistakes they made Sunday, when they were hopelessly irresponsible around the blue lines.

Defense can't pinch when the numbers are bad, and forwards have to make sure they're chipping pucks out, not to mention making certain if they're the last man back that they protect the puck.

The Hawks have enough offense and defense to overcome the disaster in net, but it's going to take very smart and responsible hockey to get it done.

Joel Quenneville knows it, and he has been preaching it all season. It's not that complicated, and the players know what they have to do.

The conference is still wide open, and they can go to the Finals if they play smart.

Sunday's loss to Detroit is yet another reminder of what happens if they don't.

Polling data

The rest of hockey finally has recognized what Jonathan Toews means to the Hawks and to the NHL.

Often overlooked both in Chicago and around the league, a poll on NHL.com this weekend suggests people are starting to figure it out.

The question was, "What current NHL player would you start a franchise with?"

The possible answers included Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Ryan Miller, Alex Ovechkin and

- Toews.

That's pretty serious company, and even though Toews (9 percent) finished behind Crosby (37), Ovechkin (32) and Miller (12), it says a lot about what his Olympic tournament has done to raise his profile.

Best quote

Kobe Bryant to Dan Patrick, on being compared to Michael Jordan: "My game would be nowhere near where it is today without Michael. So to me, it's laughable to hear that comparison because I've learned so much from him, and so much of my game is a part of his."

Little town blues

NBC's Jay Leno: "New York Governor David Paterson is under investigation for accepting free Yankees tickets to the World Series. If found guilty, he could be sentenced to free Mets tickets."

Best headline

Sportspickle.com: "Player reports to camp in worst shape of his life."

And finally -

Ozzie Guillen on White Sox vs. Cubs in Las Vegas: "Lou (Piniella) said he wasn't going to go because his wife was coming to town. I said I was going to go to because my wife was coming to town."

brozner@dailyherald.com