West never more inviting for Hawks
Back in early March, the Blackhawks were a lock to win the Stanley Cup, if you believe everything you heard.
But after a tough stretch and by the end of the month, the talk was they were certain to lose in the first round and maybe fold the franchise - or move it to Winnipeg.
That hysterical panic has now been replaced by the ordering of rings again.
The emotional flip-flopping and complete lack of rational thought when it comes to the Hawks is second only these days to the measuring of Bears quarterback play in Chicago.
And it's a glimpse into what you can expect once the up-and-down nature of the postseason begins. These seven-game series change not by the day, but by the shift, and it's what makes the Stanley Cup playoffs the best drama in sports.
Amid the hysteria of the skid a couple weeks back - one that mirrored nearly the same period the year before - it said here that every team has injuries, every team was affected by the Olympics, and every team has losing streaks, but the Hawks have the players and coaching to overcome that.
And they did.
The key, as always, is the commitment of Hawks forwards to play defense, and if some of their flashier players are willing to sacrifice personal glory for the sake of the team, there's no limit to how far the Hawks can go.
Their defense has to be smart and their puck possession and puck support - among the best in the game when disciplined - has to be superb in order to overcome unpredictable goaltending and some sluggish feet on defense.
For a bad stretch, the Hawks as a team weren't committed to the effort and thought it takes to get it right.
For the last two weeks, they have done it right and you've seen the difference.
So if the Hawks go far this time around, it isn't likely to be as a result of goaltending.
And if they lose quickly, it's probably not going to be as a result of poor play from Antti Niemi, who's been consistently average all season, and will make the occasional big save.
Early in the season, the Hawks caught fire in spite of Cristobal Huet, though their spectacular play masked the weakness in net.
They cut their shots way down and blocked many more, keeping the focus off the net and on puck support instead.
They made sure they got the puck out at their own blueline, forgoing fancy and dangerous plays.
And they got the puck deep in the offensive end, making certain not to turn it over at the opposing blueline, avoiding the scary drops and feathered passes that look great when they get through, but can cost you odd-man breaks the other way when they don't.
If the Hawks play responsibly against Nashville, they'll win a long and tough series.
But if they resort back to their irresponsible ways, they can lose to a team that plays a very smart game.
The Preds will play hard, physical and cautious. They don't have anywhere near the offensive firepower of the Hawks, so they'll play it tight and patient and wait for the Hawks to cough up the puck.
The Hawks must match the Preds' patience.
Nashville can't win unless the Hawks start turning it over in dangerous areas.
They can't score if the Hawks play it smart.
They can't hurt the Hawks unless the Hawks first hurt themselves.
Joel Quenneville knows exactly how to get the Hawks out of the first round and he's given them the blueprint to do so, but there are plenty of reasons to think this series will be tougher than it looks on paper.
It could be the last chance for some Hawks to play with their current mates, their last chance to prove they should stay.
A good postseason for those who had mediocre seasons might grant them a reprieve, and a long playoff run would help, something entirely possible as the Western Conference has never been so wide open and there for the taking.
For the Hawks players, the hay's in the barn. Now it's up to them.
• Listen to Barry Rozner from 9 a.m. to noon Sundays on the Score's "Hit and Run" show at WSCR 670-AM.