What To Watch During Blackhawks Training Camp
By Rob Winn in News on Jan 11, 2013 5:20PM
Despite Gary Bettman's best efforts to cancel another season, the NHL will actually drop pucks on Jan. 19. Once the players approve the new collective bargaining agreement, most likely Saturday, a shortened training camp will get under way for hockey and the Chicago Blackhawks. Here a few things to watch:
Hossa's health: It's no secret that Marian Hossa was in bad shape after an illegal hit from Raffi Torres during last year's playoffs. The Tribune reported that Hossa spent days in the dark while trying to recover from a severe concussion. Hossa has been participating in informal workouts with current and former teammates, but taking hits and playing back-to-back games is a different animal. Keep an eye out for Hossa's participation level once training camp kicks into gear to see if he is fully recovered
Goalies: The last we saw of Corey Crawford, he wasn't exactly playing at his best. He let several soft goals get past him in the playoff series against Phoenix. And towards the end of the season he was easily rattled in big games. Ray Emery was brought in for long periods of time last year and expect more of the same if Crawford struggles. Also, some have speculated that general manager Stan Bowman will be in the trading market for a goalie if Crawford is once again a weak link.
Level of play: While Hawks like Viktor Stalberg, Brian Bickell, Patrick Kane and others chose to head overseas to keep their skills sharp, others stayed put and trained at home. No one doubts the fitness level of players like Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook and Patrick Sharp, but practice can't replicate the pace of a meaningful game. Players who aren't used to the pace may struggle and develop a few nagging injuries during the shortened training camp and early on in the season. It's something to that could have a large impact on a shortened season.
As hockey starts to rev back up, no one doubts the fan base is still angry after being stung by greed once again. But when the puck drops and the story shifts back to real games, fans will most likely tune in and go through the turnstile. After all, the only thing they ask for is that the NHL actually plays hockey. Is that so hard?