From worst to first for two new Blackhawks

Fernando Pisani and Ryan Potulny have come from a lot farther than Edmonton to join the Blackhawks.

They're going from the worst team in the NHL to the best.

"It's obviously two extremes, coming from Edmonton," Pisani said. "I'm coming here looking for a fresh start.

"It was one of those things when you stay in one place too long you get a little stagnant. It's nothing against Edmonton at all. I had a lot of great years there and it's my home city, but I felt it was time for me to move on and look forward to a new challenge."

There was little hoopla when the Hawks signed Pisani and Potulny as free agents late in the off-season, but they could prove to be valuable additions when all is said and done.

Pisani is a versatile seven-year veteran who has been hampered by injuries and illness since starring for the Oilers in their 2006 run to the Stanley Cup Finals when he had 14 goals and 18 points in the playoffs.

"He's going to bring a great element to this team," Potulny said. "He's a great leader, has experience and is a great depth player. He can kill penalties and fit in anywhere."

Hawks general manager Stan Bowman was looking for an experienced leader as training camp approached, and he targeted Pisani to help replace what players such as John Madden and Andrew Ladd brought.

"We looked at him as a player who has been through a lot the last few seasons, but he's also had a lot of success as a veteran player in this league," Bowman said. "He gives us a little bit of that stability. We still have such a young team, and people forget that."

Both Pisani and Potulny can play with skill players or fit in on the fourth line.

"You go into a new situation hoping to fit in," Pisani said. "I'm going to come to the rink and play the way I've always played and hopefully that works well for the coaching staff."

Potulny had 15 goals for the Oilers last season, so there is potential for him to play on the top three lines. He is a natural center who also can play wing.

"They wanted to bring in someone with some experience and I've played one through four in the lineup," Potulny said. "I can adjust from lines one through four, and playing both center and wing will help out.

"It was a long off-season for me trying to find a team that was a good fit for my style."

Just because he has been a full-time NHL player doesn't give Potulny reason to believe he is a lock to make the opening-night roster.

"I don't think anyone has the edge right now," he said. "That's what training camp is for. The guys who play the best are going to get the spots. Teams want to win and they're going to put their best lineups out there."

Potulny saw the Hawks as a good fit, as did Bowman.

"He can play with skill players and was a big scorer in college and the American Hockey League, so we can use him in a couple different ways," Bowman said. "He's one of those versatile guys Joel (Quenneville) likes to have in the lineup if things aren't working."

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