Hawks Petition League for Move East
In light of the Blackhawks' recent searing play against the giants
of the old Wales Conference, you could forgive them for asking the
league for a change of venue. Not only did the Hawks recently take
two points each from Montreal and the Rangers--teams battling for
the honor of almost making the Eastern Conference playoffs--but
their record against teams with more than one year's membership in
the East is a nearly respectable 6-7-3.
Why, if the Hawks could change conferences and take Nashville with
them, displacing, say, Philadelphia and the Maple Leafs, they'd be
right up there in third or fourth place in the Atlantic.
Ah, it's nice to dream sometimes.
Blackhawk For Life?
When Chris Chelios signed a three-year contract extension in 1996,
both sides expressed their satisfaction that the veteran defenseman
would play out his career in his hometown of Chicago. But, as
Jeremy Roenick learned earlier that year, when Bill Wirtz says he
means to make you "a Blackhawk for life", you're not meant to take
him literally.
Two years after promising Roenick a lifetime membership in the
Indian-head fraternity, Wirtz dealt J.R. to Phoenix for the
terminally frustrating Alexei Zhamnov. Now it seems as if Chelios
may have to settle for being an honorary Hawk as well.
Reports out of New York last week claimed Cheli had actually
requested a trade from the sinking Chicago franchise to a
contender, and that he and Wirtz had a handshake deal to make the
trade if it was clear the Hawks would not make the playoffs this
year.
Both parties denied the existence of such a pact, but the rumors
persist. And if you can get past the visceral shock that the idea
of trading Chelios brings, it really isn't such a bad idea.
Let's face it, the Hawks suck and Cheli's getting old. His only
real worth to the team is in a mentoring role, and that's never
been Chelios' strength. He could do so much for a team like Phoenix
or Philadelphia--teams with Stanley Cup-caliber talent but no
cojones. He always shines in the playoffs, often providing
unexpected offense, and his addition would provide immediate
credibility to a contender's blue line corps.
The Hawks could grab some serious young talent in a deal like this.
However, GM Bob Murray will have to either land a superstar in return
for Cheli or face the wrath of a fan base that's lost its favorite
player twice in three seasons.
It's a tough decision, and most likely one in which Wirtz and Murray
will choose the safe route. Smart money says Chelios stays put.
Look, I'm About To Be Nice To A Blackhawk Executive
Whatever he does with Chelios, Murray has already accomplished more
in trades this year than in the rest of his tenure as GM. The
acquisitions of Jocelyn Thibault and Nelson Emerson have paid
immediate dividends, and the players Murray gave up for them he was
glad to be rid of.
Jeff Hackett was done as a Blackhawk after his near nervous
breakdown brought on by the signing of Mark Fitzpatrick. A career
backup, Hackett apparently never developed the confidence of a No.
1 goalie, and he went to pieces under the pressure of a talented
competitor.
Hackett took with him the human turnover, Eric Weinrich, and
Thibault brought with him Brad Brown, a blueliner with a lot more
years left on him and a taste for hitting.
In dealing Paul Coffey to the Hurricanes for Emerson, Murray
admitted he made a big mistake by signing a guy who couldn't crack
the lineup in defense-starved Philly. And, more importantly, he
found that most rare of beasts (at least in Chicago) a winger who
shoots the damn puck. Though Emerson's Blackhawk stats look more
like a defenseman's (40 shots on net, 2 goals), his eagerness to
put rubber on goal is a welcome change.
Now if Bob can just get Shantz and Dubinsky back.
Al Would Have Been So Proud
Tony Amonte had a chance to climb many rungs on the hockey respect
ladder but couldn't quite pull it off against the Rangers. Amonte
was mired in a nine-game goal-less streak and was in danger of
falling farther behind John LeClair for the league lead.
Then with only three seconds to go in the contest and the Hawks
owning a 2-1 lead, Tony found himself with the puck on his stick
and an empty net in front of him. Surely somewhere inside he heard
the voice of Al Iafrate admonishing him that empty net goals were
for, well, men who prefer the company of other men.
But Tony just couldn't help himself, and he lobbed the puck into the
open net. Funny thing is, he didn't make up any ground on LeClair,
because John scored a cheapie that night, too.
Careful boys, you're liable to give American hockey players a bad
name.
News and Notes
Though the wins against Montreal and the Rangers look like solid
defensive efforts on the score sheet, defensive lapses continue to
be a problem even in Hawk victories. The team completely fell
asleep in the second period in Madison Square Garden, allowing 18
shots on Jocelyn Thibault, and the unofficial count against the
Canadiens had the Hawks giving it away in their own zone 14 times.
Still a long way to go . . . . Brad Brown scored his first NHL goal
in a timely fashion, tying the game against the Coyotes late in the
third period . . . . Tony Amonte was the team's sole representative
at the NHL All-Star game in Tampa. Amonte's usual All-Star
teammate Chris Chelios didn't gripe about being left off the squad,
instead admitting that Amonte was the only Hawk who merited
selection.
