Continuing to quietly get job done

There was one man conspicuous by his absence during the Blackhawks' postgame celebration Monday night.

There were a lot of folks front and center, searching for camera lights after the Hawks' stirring series victory over Vancouver.

Many accepted congratulations, and others sought pats on the back - and team president John McDonough was nowhere to be found.

This is the same guy who made the brutally tough decision to fire a coach only days into the season, a decision for which he was torched by about 99 percent of the free world and a healthy portion of communist China.

You don't have to understand much about hockey to see that the Hawks would not be where they are had McDonough not made the decision to place Joel Quenneville behind the bench.

Quenneville brought teaching and discipline to a group of young players, including some who'd never been forced to accept coaching before. Quenneville changed that quickly and quietly, often sending his thundering messages without so much as a whisper.

The coach has been brilliant, instilling confidence in a talented group, and installing a program that has taken them deeper into May than most suspected.

It's the reason they went from within an eyelash of being down 3-1 to Vancouver - and done for the season - to winning the last three games of that series.

But the man who made it happen, who could have been taking all kinds of credit Monday, who now would have 99 percent of the fans and media agreeing with his coaching decision, was not in the fray.

I know from his Cubs days that McDonough thinks the Hawks haven't won anything yet, and that he'll celebrate when there's something appropriate to celebrate.

He also believes the players' room is for the players, and that the limelight should be theirs.

This playoff run, which may yet have a long way to go, is the direct result of one crucial decision.

The man who made it wasn't in camera view Monday night.

There will be a time and a place for that.

Pick your poison

I picked the Canucks in seven in the last series based mostly on the Canucks' strong defense, which the Hawks eventually shredded.

The Hawks proved they could beat a good team, but the next round still presents a couple of particularly unpleasant options.

Anaheim doesn't have much offense these days, but they've got the best defense and goaltending in the postseason, and they will punish any team physically until - and after - the refs are calling for body bags.

The Ducks have "careful what you wish for'' written all over them, as the Wings are finding out.

You know all about Detroit, but you have to wonder what will be left of the Wings after facing Anaheim for seven violent games.

So, do you want a desperate defending champ, or the champ two years removed that's even more desperate to get back there?

You tell me.

Memory lane

Before the cap system, Detroit had a huge personnel advantage, and back in 1995 the Hawks really had no business competing with the Wings in the conference finals.

But what a series that was to watch.

It's one of my favorite Hawks teams because they so overachieved in the playoffs, riding a red-hot Ed Belfour and the astounding endurance of Chris Chelios, who played about two periods out of every three.

Yet, the best part was the return of Denis Savard, who had been treated like a dog by Mike Keenan and sent packing four years earlier.

Thought by most to be finished, Savard returned at 33 years old for a few games at the end of the season and was resurrected.

He was spectacular in the playoffs, leading the Hawks in points, assists, power-play goals and plus-minus.

It was almost enough to erase the memory of what Keenan had put him through, and it brought Savard back to the sweater in which he belonged.

The Hawks played their hearts out in winning only once against Detroit but lost all four games by a goal, including three in overtime.

They took so much out of Detroit that the Wings were swept by Jersey in the Finals.

The roar

One player described it as "controlled chaos'' on the bench when the Hawks scored 3 goals in 3:17 Monday night, erasing a 5-4 Vancouver lead.

Joel Quenneville was screaming out possible line changes, but players couldn't hear, so the messages were being relayed player by player down the bench.

Problem is, as soon as the coach had a plan, a goal was scored that changed the plan, and a new line combo was on deck.

Said Jonathan Toews, "It was pretty much insane.''

Lady Gaga

Wood Dale e-mailer Penny Vickas: "As a fan for over 25 years now, I am just gaga over my beloved Blackhawks. Seems like not that long ago, Mike Smith and Alpo Suhonen had me running through the house with a scissors. I think that's why I so appreciate what this team has accomplished thus far.''

And finally -

The Ducks' Todd Marchant on both teams making adjustments in the Detroit series: "It becomes a chess match. Hopefully our king and our queen can get their king. I don't play chess, but it sounds good.''

brozner@dailyherald.com