In rugged West, Blackhawks cannot afford to rest on good start

It's an old NHL axiom that teams find out who they are between Thanksgiving and Christmas, especially young teams searching for an identity - and sometimes their legs.

This has been especially true in the brutally tough Western Conference since the lockout.

In the last three seasons, teams outside a playoff position on Dec. 25 could just about call it a season.

Beginning in 2005-06, out of 24 playoff teams in the West, all but five were in the top eight on Dec. 25.

Of the five who climbed into a playoff spot, two were only a point out, and one was three points out.

That leaves two teams out of two dozen who were able to make substantial moves and pick up significant ground after Christmas.

However, one of those clubs was San Jose, which was 6 points out on Dec. 25, 2005, and that team already had traded for Joe Thornton and begun to move up a few weeks before Christmas.

Sharks GM Doug Wilson made the radical move on Dec. 1, 2005, dealing Marco Sturm, Wayne Primeau and Brad Stuart to the Bruins, sacrificing a big part of his core in a move designed to shake up the club.

This occurred while many other struggling teams, including the Blackhawks - who were tied with the Sharks at the time - sat back and watched it happen.

By Christmas, San Jose already was on the move and had put together a six-game winning streak in early December. The Sharks were in 12th place but soared to fifth in the conference, as Thornton piled up a staggering 92 points in 58 games.

That leaves one other club, Nashville in 2007-08, that made a serious move without trading for one of the top 10 players in the league.

The Preds were 7 points out of the eighth spot last Christmas and reached the playoffs, playing nine games over .500 the rest of the way and clinching a spot in their penultimate game of the season.

The message here is that the Hawks have put themselves in a decent spot, placing seventh in the West going into this week's games. But they were only 3 points up on ninth-place Los Angeles, and seven teams trailed the Hawks by 4 points or fewer.

They had a solid circus trip and should feel good about themselves, but in this conference a bad week or two could find the Hawks again on the outside looking in.

Sure, they've got some injuries now, as everyone does, but the biggest factor is what Nikolai Khabibulin will be like when he returns and whether they'll keep him or be forced to trade him.

Of equal concern is whether the Hawks will hold up over a long season. They continue to say their size isn't an issue, but in losses to St. Louis, Anaheim and San Jose (twice) in the last couple of weeks, the Hawks have been absolutely punished physically.

It's hardly news as the Hawks knew their needs when last season ended, when they went through free agency and when the season began.

It only gets tougher from here, off and on the ice. Especially on, where the next three weeks will tell the Hawks a lot about themselves - and a lot about their playoff chances.

UnBearable

Let's make this really simple, since it is really simple.

One thing doesn't change in the NFL from week to week, month to month, year to year, and generation to generation.

Regardless of the rule changes, the systems, the philosophies or the commissioners, one thing never changes: Teams that can get to the quarterback and teams that can protect the quarterback win football games.

Those that don't attack and protect are at best mediocre, and at worst Detroit.

The Bears haven't been able to get to the quarterback much, and even as good as Kyle Orton has been this year, he wasn't very good Sunday night when being chased all over the field.

And so you ask yourself - again and again and again - what has GM Jerry Angelo done for his offensive or defensive lines in his years here?

In his seven drafts, 14 rounds if you include the key first and second, he has given you this to address those vital needs: Marc Colombo and Chris Williams on the offensive line, and Michael Haynes, Tommie Harris, Tank Johnson and Dan Bazuin on the defensive line.

That speaks for itself.

The good cause

The Wolves kick off a 12th season of the Marines' "Toys for Tots'' drive beginning Wednesday night at the Allstate Arena and continuing throughout the month at home games. For more info, visit chicagowolves.com.

Kicking it

During his eight years here, there have been too many when punter Brad Maynard was the Bears' best player, and for that he deserves much credit and the team much blame.

Sadly, he does not look like Brad Maynard this season, which makes you wonder if he's nearing the end of an incredible run in Chicago.

Urlacher's role

From e-mailer Clayton Reed in Sandpoint, Idaho: "I agree that Urlacher's production will continue to decrease playing inside, but I think he and the Bears would be better suited if he dropped 25 pounds and moved to strong safety. He would be devastating in that role at 225 pounds and hitting guys at full speed. There's no receiver in the NFL that would be able to block him.''

Best headline

Sportspickle.com: "Brady Quinn to get second opinion on finger, hair.''

And finally -

Comedian Alex Kaseberg, on the Thanksgiving holiday: "Mine was good, but I got really sleepy and drowsy from that thing on Turkey Day that knocks you out. What's that called? Oh, yeah, the NFL games.''

brozner@dailyherald.com