Blackhawks face killer road trips in 2010 season
The first things Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville noticed when the 2009-10 schedule was released last week were the road trips.
As always, the Hawks head out of town to Western Canada and the West Coast for six games at Thanksgiving. But it's the eight-game trip that starts Jan. 16 that has the potential for big trouble.
The trip starts in Columbus, Detroit and Ottawa before stops in Calgary, Vancouver, Edmonton, San Jose and Carolina.
That's right, San Jose to Carolina for games on Jan. 28 and 30.
"The trips are always a key part of the schedule," Quenneville said. "Sometimes those can make or break your whole year."
The Hawks will travel 4,860 more miles this season, counting when they open the season in Finland - the fourth largest increase in the NHL.
They will play 19 sets of back-to-back games, the second most in the league.
Growing up: It was exactly one year ago at the first Hawks convention that Jonathan Toews was named team captain.
"That's kind of where it all started for me," Toews said. "I feel a little bit more relaxed, more at ease in the middle of all this. You learn as you go. My first year as captain, I learned a lot.
"It was pretty exciting to be kind of at the helm of a team that did so well, especially in the postseason."
Watching the defense: With Stan Bowman saying he liked the makeup of the defense and how this might be the group that goes into the season, Joel Quenneville thinks there will be good competition for playing time.
Brent Sopel, Aaron Johnson and Jordan Hendry should battle for the spots behind the top five of Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, Brian Campbell, Cam Barker and Niklas Hjalmarsson.
Sopel appeared in only 23 games last season because of elbow surgery.
"When you look at the numbers, he's a guy who is a six, seven or eight defenseman," Quenneville said. "We know he can play."
Happy together: The fans aren't the only ones enjoying the convention. The players are happy to be back together for the first time since the season ended.
"The team is reunited," Patrick Kane said.
"It's probably the first time in the summer that everyone sees each other again. It makes you want to play hockey and get back on the ice again, that's for sure."