Despite changes, Quenneville still likes a lot of what he sees

Don't count coach Joel Quenneville among those who think the Blackhawks are going to be in for a tough time after losing so many key players off their Stanley Cup team.

"When you look at our team and the pieces that are in place, they're in the right spot," Quenneville said Monday.

"You look at the top three lines at center and we have (Dave) Bolland, (Patrick) Sharp and Johnny (Toews). We've got our top four defensemen. You've got all the pieces you're looking for.

"I've been writing down lines and I like the look of the top three lines and the top four defense. There's a lot to be excited about."

The Hawks made sure they kept one of their top four defensemen in place Monday by matching San Jose's four-year, $14 million offer sheet for Niklas Hjalmarsson.

Keeping the 23-year-old Hjalmarsson, however, might mean general manager Stan Bowman has to move out another key player with a sizeable salary-cap hit.

That player could be goalie Antti Niemi, whose contract demand as a restricted free agent might be too much for the Hawks to handle.

There are rumors again of Sharp being a trade candidate. It also was reported by ESPN.com on Monday that the Hawks have made Brian Campbell and his $7.1 million cap hit available, although the defenseman has a partial no-trade clause where he can give the Hawks a list of eight teams he would accept going to.

The Hawks already have busted up much of their first Stanley Cup team since 1961 because of salary-cap issues, trading away Dustin Byfuglien, Andrew Ladd, Kris Versteeg, Brent Sopel, Ben Eager and Colin Fraser while letting John Madden and Adam Burish walk as free agents.

"It's part of the business," Quenneville said. "I think we had a special year this year and we should all enjoy it. We knew going in what was going to happen before the regular season, before the playoffs, that it wasn't going to be together afterwards, but that's all part of the challenges that are out there in the hockey world.

"I think the challenges and excitement of guys trying to make roster spots or trying to get more ice time here is going to be healthy for us. Hopefully we become younger and we still keep the speed and pace of our game."

Bowman remains hopeful he can keep everyone who he presently has on the roster, but a lot might depend on what Niemi receives should he get to his arbitration hearing that's set for July 29.

"We're still working it out here," said Bowman, who would like to get a deal done with Niemi and avoid the hearing. "It's premature to say where it's going to all end up in October. We're working on different scenarios and we'll stay at it until we get it right.

"We've been trying to point out that it is a part of the game and we're trying to re-load ourselves with prospects and young picks. We've been preaching that our core group is going to stay together.

"We're fortunate here in Chicago to have players such as Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Marian Hossa, Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, Patrick Sharp and Dave Bolland.

"If you talk to other teams they're dying to get one or two of those guys and we have a number of them."

Bowman reeled off the names of Bryan Bickell, Jack Skille, Jake Dowell and Viktor Stalberg (acquired from Toronto for Versteeg) as players who are going to play bigger roles going forward.

"Everybody talks about the challenges of going into the next season after you've won a Cup, about the hangover and the challenges facing you," Quenneville said.

"I think the freshness of the new players is going help right off the bat. The competitiveness of being part of the team is going to be in place, and a lot of our young players are still at the point in their career where they're getting better and still improving."

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<li><a href="/story/?id=393625">Bowman defends prospect Beach<span class="date"> [7/13/10]</span></a></li>

<li><a href="/story/?id=393512">The Hammer stays: Blackhawks to match offer for Hjalmarsson <span class="date"> [7/12/10]</span></a></li>

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