Hawks' rivalry with Canucks still nasty despite new twists
When the Blackhawks last saw the Vancouver Canucks it was April in the handshake line following their bitter overtime loss in that memorable Game 7 at Rogers Arena.
A lot has changed for both teams since that night, but that doesn't mean there won't be plenty of emotion, intensity and dislike on the United Center ice Sunday night when the bitter rivals hook up for the first time in the new season.
“The rivalry is definitely in place,” Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said.
Much of what has changed, at least for the Hawks, was a result of that first-round series when the Canucks were the more physical team in the four games they won.
Here's a look at what is different for both teams as they get set for Round 1 of their season series:
The Carcillo factor
It's the first taste of the Hawks' nastiest rivalry for newcomers Daniel Carcillo and Jamal Mayers, which should be right up their alley.
Carcillo spoke of his eagerness to face the Canucks and get into this rivalry as far back as his introductory news conference when he put out a Vancouver hit list, starting with the name Maxime Lapierre.
“I'm actually pretty excited to play them because I think there are a few guys there who played a little out of their shoes (in the playoffs),” Carcillo said last August.
There's bad blood between Carcillo and Lapierre going back to their days as opponents in the Eastern Conference with Philadelphia and Montreal.
Lapierre is ready if Carcillo wants a piece of him.
“He might be the 500th guy in the league who has said that,” Lapierre told the Vancouver Province. “I'm used to it, enjoy my role. I don't know what he's doing and I really don't care about him.”
Raffi Torres is gone
The guy who delivered the cheapest shot in that first-round series, Raffi Torres, is no longer part of the rivalry.
Torres, who knocked out Brent Seabrook in Game 3 with a shot to the defenseman's head, was allowed to leave as a free agent by the Canucks and signed with Phoenix.
Changes on defense
The Hawks subtracted Brian Campbell and Chris Campoli while adding Sean O'Donnell, Steve Montador and Sami Lepisto.
Campoli was the last of the Hawks to touch the puck in Game 7, as it was his turnover that Alex Burrows scooped up and converted into the winning goal in overtime.
The Canucks let Christian Ehrhoff go to Buffalo as a free agent.
Patrick Kane is a center
This should present an interesting chess match for coaches Joel Quenneville and Alain Vigneault.
While Vigneault likely would prefer to have the bigger Ryan Kesler, a Selke Trophy winner, out against Kane, don't expect Quenneville to let that happen at home. Maybe Quenneville will put the Kane line out against the Sedins, forcing Henrik and Daniel to play defense, which is not their favorite thing to do.
Where are the Sedins?
It's odd to look at the NHL's top 10 scorers and not see Henrik Sedin, but the Canucks' star center is off to mediocre start for him with 14 points in 14 games.
Ben Smith is in the minors
The guy who scored 3 goals in the first round last spring, including the dramatic winner in overtime in Game 6 at the UC, isn't even on the Hawks' roster at the moment.
Smith was sent to Rockford after suffering a concussion in the preseason and has yet to find his way back.
Luongo or Schneider?
This is certainly a change for the Canucks when Vigneault has to be asked who is starting in goal.
Roberto Luongo has started nine of his team's first 14 games, but backup Cory Schneider has better numbers.
Luongo was hoping he would get the start in a place he claims to love despite how many problems the Hawks have caused him over the years.
“I love to play in that building,” Luongo said. “The fans are loud and you can feel the intensity. There's no better way to play hockey than in that kind of environment.”