It’s that time of year again for the Chicago Blackhawks.

If you are a Hawks fan you know exactly what I mean. This is the time of the year when the Circus comes into Chicago, forcing both the Bulls and Blackhawks to go on a 2-week road trip.

The Hawks go into their 2-week road trip confident after winning four straight games. They sit at the 3rd spot in their conference and 1st in their division.

For the most part the Hawks have avoided losing their top players for very long. Kris Versteeg didn’t play Sunday, but he is expected to practice Tuesday. Marian Hossa is practicing with the team, but isn’t due back til late November. Dave Bolland has recently undergone surgery and will miss 12-16 weeks. Finally, Adam Burish  is still expected to miss 6 months.

The Hawks have really nothing to worry about heading into this long road trip. They are playing their best hockey, scoring like maniacs, and their goaltender is making unbelievable saves. All those factors make this a road trip were I can see the Hawks winning 4, maybe 5, games out of the 6.

During the road trip the Hawks will play the Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, Vancouver Canucks, San Jose Sharks, Anaheim Ducks, and the L.A. Kings in that order.

As the schedule shows the Hawks have some tough games, but they also have some easy match ups. Calgary, San Jose, and L.A. all post tough a tough challenge to the Hawks. Edmonton, Vancouver, and Anaheim are all struggling this year, and could be easy opponents for the much more balanced Hawks.

The Hawks play Thursday night in Calgary at 8:30pm cst. Get ready for some Hawks hockey!!

According to an article by the Chicago Tribune, the Chicago Blackhawks are set to sign Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane to new contracts. Both are restricted free agents at the end of this year.

The Hawks are also near an agreement with defender Duncan Keith.

This is fantastic news to all Hawk fans. There was a lot of speculation that some of the core players wouldn’t be signed due to salary cap problems.

“Our goal like I’ve said from the beginning is to keep the core of our team together, and they’re core players,” Bowman said before the season. “That’s the strength and the way you have to do it in the game today. Evaluate your players, determine who the core players are and keep that group together and fill in around them.”

Other Hawks who will become free agents are :Andrew Ladd, Ben Eager, Adam Burish, John Madden, Niklas Hjalmarsson, Antti Niemi, and Colin Fraser.

Huet played yet another fantastic game, but the offense for the Chicago Blackhawks couldn’t produce anything Thursday night.

It was the first time the Hawks’ offense looked off key. The Hawks powerplay woes continue as they went 0-5 last night. The Hawks were unable to get anything setup during those powerplays, especially on a Nashville interference penalty  late in the 3rd period.

The lack of offense and not capitalizing on the powerplays lead to the Preds handing the Hawks their 4th loss of the season.

The Predators played an amazing game at home. They never let the Hawks get anything started offensively, and for that I give them a lot of credit. It hasn’t been a good start for the Preds this year, but they have now won 2 games in a row and are gathering some momentum and confidence.

The Hawks’ Jonathan Toews missed the game Thursday, and it looks like he will also miss tonights game against the Canadiens, but defender Brent Seabrook did play Thursday night. He recorded a little over 20 minutes of ice time and a 0+/- .

Huet was the man of the game for me. That is his 3rd straight game were he has just played phenomenally well. He is looking a lot faster going post to post, he looks much more in control, and he is finally making the huge saves. If he can keep playing like that the Hawks should have no problem this year staying in the top 3 in their conference.

The Hawks play again tonight in Chicago against the Montreal Canadiens at  7:30pm cst. Both teams are one of the original six teams, but this will be the only time these two play each other this year.

I was very fortunate to see the hockey team I love play at the United Center last Monday.  It’s always a great time at the UC (which is short for United Center). When the Hawks play the place is packed with red and white jerseys, and the occasional road team jersey.

Ten first thing you will get from going to a Hawks game is that the fans are crazy loud. The best part of any Hawks game is the National Anthem. During the Anthem the crowd cheers and claps and cheers and claps more. The last line is answered by a deafening scream.

It surely will make any first time goer feel the love and just pure adrenaline that a Hawks game gives to its fans.

While you might not like hockey, I suggest you at least see one at the UC. It could change your mind.

The Hawks are a franchise moving in the right direction, and one of the only sports teams in Chicago that can say that besides the Chicago Fire. This year the Hawks are already putting up huge numbers. They are first in their division and 3rd in the conference.

What you will find is a franchise that loves its fans. The management knew they needed to do something to make fans believe in them again, and with the signings of Kane, Toews, and other young guns, they have successfully done that. The Hawks have great leaders, something that is overlooked in sports.

The Hawks will continue to grow, and that’s why i suggest you check out Chicago’s best franchise. See you at the Hawks game!

Before 12 minutes had passed, the Hawks found themselves already down 0-5, as well as being booed by their fans. Huet had also been benched. It looked like we were seeing total beatdown,  but did that stop the Hawks?

Not one bit.

The Flames were shut out in the 2nd, 3rd, and OT.  John Madden scored late in the 1st. Kane, Big Buff, and Bolland all scored in the 2nd to cut the deficit to 1. Sharp’s goal in the 3rd tied it at 5-5, and Brent Seabrook’s OT goal, a goal that was scored in just 26 seconds,  clinched the win for the Hawks.

It was a record-tying comeback for the mighty Hawks.

It was a night to remember at the UC. The win had the fans estatic, the total opposite of what they were in the 1st period. Hugs were shared all around the Hawks’ bench. The players saluted the fans with their stick and were rewarded by screams so loud it seemed to shake the building.

It is now clear to me that Huet is not starting material, and may never live up to the money he is earning. The Hawks’ best bet is to start the youngter and less experienced Niemi. Niemi has looked sharp in his two appearances. I hope Quenneville agrees with me about letting Neimi start the next few games just to see how he does.

Offensively the Hawks have looked amazing, and I can’t wait to see how much better they will get once Hossa comes back from injury. This Hawks team is no underdog. They can skate with the big dogs now.

The season is looking bright for the Hawks. Lets hope they can keep it up. The Hawks’ next game will be at 7:30 at Chicago against the Edminton Oilers on Wednesday. It should be very interesting because the Oilers picked up Khabibulan.

The Hawks said that they were aware of the shoulder injury before they signed him.

“Marian’s injury did not respond sufficiently to our non-operative treatment over the last three weeks so we have collectively decided today to go ahead with the surgery,” Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman said in a statement. “Marian is a franchise player, and we want what is best for him and the Blackhawks long-term. This was a mutual decision and one we feel very confident is the right one.”

Hossa is expected to miss 4 months, which will shelve him for 2 months of the regular season. I can’t help to feel a little mad. We sign this guy to a huge contract, and give up our #1 leader in points, and the guy we get to replace him can’t even play the first 2 months.

Hawks trainer says that after the surgery Hossa will be 100 percent, and that this surgery will be better for Hossa long-term. I hope that is true. I want Hossa to be around and give the Hawks some really good years, but most importantly, aide them to wining a Stanley Cup.

I am sure that the young players on the Hawks will do fine without Hossa, but I can’t be totally sure. The Hawks did lose their best goalie, and our MVP this off-season. Two big losses that could hurt the Hawks even more now that Hossa will be gone for the first 2 months. Hawk’s fans will have to hope that the Hawks really don’t struggle so much early on.

Still I am still optimistic about this year for the Hawks. I really want to believe that Huet will have a more consistent year in the net. Speaking of goalies, the Hawks have not announced who the back-up goalie will be. They have signed Crawford and Niemi, but have not announced who will be behind Huet. I would like to see Crawford get the spot. He was supposed to be the next thing, and I really liked what I saw when they did play him. Niemi wasn’t bad, but he seemed slow form post to post, the same problem Huet has.

As big of a hit this is for the Hawks, I am confident we have the skill to tough it out, and to get back into the playoffs this year.

After losing the Western Conference Finals to Detroit, Hawk fans are really excited for what next year could bring. Many more NHL teams and owners are taking this young Hawks team seriously now. While the Hawks have lost their season MVP, Martin Havlat, they did add a powerful scoring forward in Marian Hossa. The Hawks lost a great goaltender in Khabibulan, and leaving the team to Huet is a bit risky. Huet has shown he can be a great goaltender, but his inconsistent play has had Hawk fans questioning how good a deal it was to pick him up and at such a steep price.

The Hawks have really big expectations to fulfill this coming season, and nobody really can say for sure if this team is capable of going all the way next year. As young as the team is though, Chicago fans are at least positive that the Hawks could win a championship in the near future. While the future is bright, the players don’t need to feel like they have no room to improve. Their inexperience was exploited by the veteran Detroit team last year in the playoffs and Detroit seems to always have the Hawks’ number. Most of all, Detroit capitalized on every mistake the Hawks made, and the Hawks will have to limit their mistakes against the Red Wings moving forward.

One thing that made me mad was the hatred for the Hawks by Sports Illustrated. They never gave credit to the Hawks, even when they made it deep into the postseason. They said they would lose against the Flames and the Canucks. When the Hawks did win those two series, SI didn’t praise the wins, they just ignored them completely. Just recently Alan Muir has called the Hossa signing a bad one. Come on! They never give the Hawks credit for building a team that can win. Sorry for going on a mini rant, but that has always bothered me a lot.

With prospect camps currently ongoing, the Hawks could find another gem. Next hockey season will be a fun and interesting ride for the Hawks and their fans. As a fan, I can only wish for another playoff berth, and who knows, maybe even a Cup.

It turned out Stempniak couldn’t even match his production from that breakout season.

Lee Stempniak was traded by the Blues to Toronto on Monday in exchange for center Alexander Steen and defenseman Carlo Colaiacovo, a pair of former first-round draft picks of the Maple Leafs.

“Lee has done a tremendous job in St. Louis,” Blues President John Davidson said in a press release. “He is a classy individual and we would like to thank him for all of his work on and off the ice that he has provided to the St. Louis Blues.”

Stempniak, 25, scored 13 points through 14 games this season, though he netted only three goals. The former Dartmouth captain is signed through the 2009-10 with a cap number of $2.5 million each season.

While Stempniak has been a serviceable player, his offensive numbers never lived up to his contract. Last year, he netted 13 goals and had just 38 points in 80 games. That came on the heels of a 27-goal, 52-point campaign, which would net him a three-year, $7.5 million deal.

Even though Stempniak was scoring at nearly a point-per-game clip through 14 games, it appears the Blues wanted to trade him while his value was high. He scored the overtime game-winner on Friday in the Blues’ 3-2 win over Anaheim.

In return for Stempniak, the Blues got some help up the middle in Steen, the son of former Winnipeg great Thomas Steen and the 24^th overall choice in 2002. They also bolstered the blueline with Colaiacovo, who has shown some offensive ability. Colaiacovo was the 17^th pick overall in 2001.

“We feel we have improved our club today for both the short and long term by adding Carlo and Alex,” Davidson said. “Carlo is solid two-way defenseman and will provide depth to our blueline and Alex can play center or wing and can score at the NHL level.”

With center Andy McDonald out for an extended period of time, the addition of the 24-year-old Steen gives the Blues some skill up the middle, though he shouldn’t be confused with a No. 1 center. Steen has only amassed two goals and two assists in 20 games. Steen’s best season was 2005-06 when he netted 18 goals and had 45 points in 75 games.

Rookie forward T.J. Oshie is still out with a high ankle sprain, but Davidson told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch on Friday he expects Oshie to command more ice time when he comes back based on what the youngster has shown the Blues to date, thus making Stempniak somewhat expendable.

Colaiacovo could be the gem of the deal and give the Blues’ corps of defensemen an offensive spark if he can stay healthy. The 25-year-old is in his sixth NHL season, but injuries have kept him from playing a full slate and realizing his potential. He battled a groin injury last season and only skated in 28 games. He accumulated eight goals and nine assists in 48 games the season before. Colaiacovo has one assist in 10 games.

Who says it can’t be 1991 again?

Future Hall of Famer and free agent forward Brendan Shanahan is available now after hearing from the New York Rangers that they won’t be able to find room for him under the salary cap.

Shanahan would have preferred to stay with the Rangers, but now it appears the left winger will sign elsewhere.

Why not St. Louis? Blues president John Davidson has already contacted Shanahan’s agent, Rick Curran, and expressed interest in obtaining the services of Shanahan, who previously donned the Blue Note from 1991-95. In fact, Blues chairman Dave Checketts contacted Shanahan personally during the summer. So it appears the Blues’ interest is truly genuine.

The Blues definitely have the salary cap room, something a lot of teams can’t boast right now. Many of the expected Stanley Cup contenders are up against the cap and can’t afford to sign the 39-year-old, even at a discounted rate. Chicago and Philadelphia are reportedly interested in Shanahan, though the Flyers are less than $1 million under the cap.

But the sticking point is, do the Blues need Shanahan?

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The Blues entered the 2008-09 season by going the youth movement route. Rookies Patrik Berglund and T.J. Oshie are being counted on to play every night, same with sophomore David Perron, who showed flashes of being a top-six forward by scoring 13 goals in 62 games last season while winger David Backes became a regular last season. Giving a regular shift to a veteran like Shanahan could impede the progression of the young forwards.

The thinking from this corner is as follows: there is always room for a player of the ilk of Shanahan. He can be a stalwart on the Blues’ power play with his quick release from the slot or even along the sideboards. The three-time Stanley Cup winner can set an example for players like Berglund, Oshie and Backes.

Adding Brendan Shanahan, who has 650 career goals, would give the Blues some good insurance. Injuries are always part of the game and with Oshie now being sidelined with a high ankle sprain — an injury that could take weeks to heal — and veteran Paul Kariya back in St. Louis for an MRI, it makes sense to bring him aboard to bolster the forward ranks. And if the Blues fade from playoff contention, having Shanahan as a trading chip at the deadline with much of his salary already paid (assuming the Blues only commit one year to him) could bring back a nice draft pick.

Another benefit to inking Shanahan would undoubtedly mean an increase in ticket sales. There are a lot of fans out there with No. 19 Shanahan sweaters (this writer included) hanging in their closets just waiting to be brought out of mothballs for home games at Scottrade Center.

[tags]st. louis blue, nhl, brendan shanahan[/tags]