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Blackhawks poised for a serious run at another Stanley Cup

Shortly after the Blackhawks lost a tense, could-have-gone-either-way Game 7 at St. Louis last April, a steaming, ready-to-spit-fire coach Joel Quenneville stepped up to a postgame podium that looked like it might not survive the night.

“Huge disappointment for me,” Quenneville growled.

Huge because Quenneville knew then — as he does today — that any team with the firepower of Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews and Artemi Panarin and top-notch goaltending by Corey Crawford shouldn't be eliminated in the opening round of the playoffs.

But they ran into a buzz saw in a talented Blues team and, truth be told, Quenneville's squad was not only flawed but also feeling the effects of three arduous postseasons in a row.

Now, a new season is upon us and the re-energized Hawks will drop the puck against — who else? — the Blues at the United Center on Wednesday night.

Will the extra rest, youthful enthusiasm of six rookies and the return of Brian Campbell enable the Hawks to summit the NHL's Mount Everest again? Only time will tell, but here are some reasons fans should be optimistic about the upcoming campaign.

Dynamite D

When the Hawks were ousted by St. Louis, their six defensemen in Game 7 were Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, Niklas Hjalmarsson, Trevor van Riemsdyk, Erik Gustafsson and David Rundblad.

In addition to those first four names, the D has been seriously upgraded with the signings of Campbell, Michal Kempny and Gustav Forsling.

Campbell is a true fourth defenseman, something the Hawks sorely lacked last year, and his return was by far the best thing that happened to this team in the off-season.

If injuries hit, Michal Rozsival can step in or capable players can be called up from Rockford, all part of GM Stan Bowman's grand plan to make sure there are plenty of options on the blue line.

“This is probably the deepest D core group we've had,” Niklas Hjalmarsson said. “It's good for (those of) us that have been here for a while to maybe push each other even harder, to not feel as safe.”

Chemistry class

As the regular season was drawing to a close last spring, the Hawks were muddling along as a one-line team, Corey Crawford was injured and Duncan Keith was serving a six-game suspension that forced him to miss the series opener against the Blues. And something else felt a little off.

The team clearly missed the leadership of Patrick Sharp and Johnny Oduya. It also went through an almost daily barrage of roster changes on a team that, other than Marcus Kruger, didn't suffer any long-term injuries.

Take out Kruger and an astounding 14 wingers saw between six and 44 games of action: Dennis Rasmussen, Ryan Garbutt, Brandon Mashinter, Richard Panik, Phillip Danault, Bryan Bickell, Andrew Ladd, Tomas Fleischmann, Tanner Kero, Dale Weise, Marko Dano, Viktor Tikhonov, Vinnie Hinostroza and Jiri Sekac.

The year before, just six wingers fit those parameters.

“There was a lot of guys being called up and sent down and trades happening,” Jonathan Toews said two days after the season ended last April. “So all that kind of makes it difficult for us to try and get our groove as close as possible to get where we need to be as far as finding that chemistry and making sure we're a team that can go far in the playoffs.”

That's a telling statement from the best captain in team sports.

This year, it would behoove coaches to heed Toews' words and let rookies such as Hinostroza, Tyler Motte, Ryan Hartman and Nick Schmaltz gel and bond with team leaders. Allow them to celebrate their successes but also to stumble without fear of being benched or being sent to Rockford.

Let them grow into bona fide NHL players so Bowman can mostly stand pat and watch a hungry, young, speedy group make another serious run at the Cup.

Kane believes that, the young players of 2016 will rise to the occasion, just like Andrew Shaw, Brandon Saad and Ben Smith before them.

Said Kane: “I'm sure they will — they'll make a name for themselves, they'll be successful and pretty soon we'll find them as household names.”

Help wanted

Kane, Toews and Panarin combined for 104 of the Hawks' 235 goals last season, and they are all 28 or younger.

It's possible — even probable — that we haven't seen the best these three have to offer.

This talented trio needs some help, though, and some of it figures to come from a healthy Artem Anisimov, who dealt with an inflamed tendon in his right wrist last year. The Hawks would also benefit greatly if Marian Hossa can approach 20 goals again, Richard Panik chips in with 12-15 and the rookies gain confidence early by finding their way onto the scoresheet.

“Their involvement as we go along here is going to be crucial,” Quenneville said of the newbies. “We need these guys to be aware early and I'm excited about seeing how they begin.”

Competition in the Central Division will be fierce with a loaded Dallas team looking to repeat as division champs, Nashville as good as ever and St. Louis trying to send Ken Hitchcock out with a bang. In the Pacific, San Jose, Los Angeles and Anaheim won't be pushovers in the playoffs.

Still, the Hawks are among the most talented teams and they employ the league's best coach. With their batteries recharged, those who remain among the core feel they have plenty to prove.

“It definitely didn't sit well,” Toews said of last season's exit. “We'll use that as motivation to remind ourselves that you work so hard throughout 82 games to get to the playoffs, and you don't want to pass up those opportunities and go out in the first round like we did.”

Said Kane: “Everyone's excited to be back. It seems like a long time coming … to try to make a another run at it here. But (let's) enjoy the regular season, enjoy the process, don't look too far ahead and we'll see where we can get.”

My prediction?

Barring major injury issues, watch for Toews, Kane and Co. to GET to the postseason, GET to the Stanley Cup Final and, again, GET to call themselves champions of the NHL.

Scouting report

Blackhawks vs. Blues, 7 p.m. Wednesday at United Center

TV: NBCSN; Radio: 720-AM

The skinny: There should be no lack of motivation as the Hawks face the team that eliminated them in the opening round of the playoffs last season. St. Louis lost Troy Brouwer and David Backes in free agency, but coach Ken Hitchcock's team still has an impressive lineup with Vladimir Tarasenko (40 goals last season), Alexander Steen and Robby Fabbri, and defensemen Alex Pietrangelo, Kevin Shattenkirk, Jay Bouwmeester and Colton Parayko. The 20-year-old Fabbri is one to watch as he scored 18 goals in 72 games last season and added 15 points in 20 playoff games. The Blues last week traded for Nail Yakupov, a player Edmonton took No. 1 overall in 2012 and was rumored to be headed to the Hawks before this deal. ... Niklas Hjalmarsson will miss the game after being suspended for his hit on the Blues' Ty Rattie.

Next: At Nashville, 7 p.m., Friday

— John Dietz

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