I’m a hockey fan and while its been tough to admit it the last few years, I’m a Blackhawk fan. Fortunately, once being a glutton for punishment (i.e. a Cubs fan) now seems to be heading in a different direction. Maybe its the fact the many people bought Blackhawk tickets for friends and family at a (somewhat) discount for the holiday season or the fact that the Hawks have young and bright youth leading the team into the right direction. In either case, the United Center is near full capacity and its not just against Detroit. The team is still young and experiencing some up’s and down’s, but here’s a quick take as to why they’re now becoming a formidable force in the NHL:

1. Robert Lang: You’d probably expect Jonathan Toews or Patrick Kane to be the primary reason for the Hawks re-entry into a competitive NHL organization, but I can’t think of another veteran in the league who’s been a focal point for a team looking to rebuild. Then again, any veteran who has played with Detroit can help a team get the edge on offense, but Lang has taken his role seriously and allowed younger Hawks offensive players to grow as he’s directed traffic. He’s helped the team actually become a threat on the power play (currently 13th) and has passed the puck exceptionally well in all occassions. The Hawks thought Martin LaPointe would be their guiding light veteran, but Robert Lang has received the torch and not looked back.

2. Patrick Sharp: Philadelphia thought he’d be a good 3rd or 4th line winger, but he’s now considered an outside chance for an all-star appearance. He’s been outstanding on the penalty kill (7, yes 7 short-handed goals) and has scored on just about every chance when given the opportunity. He’s made the departure of Martin Havlat and Jason Williams liveable.

3. Dustin Byfuglien: Surprised? I am too. Last year, he was just an up and coming Hawk youth and the same was said heading into this year. The difference has been his ability to man the power play at the point and also his talent to play defense and shift to a winger on the fly. He can bring the puck up on the power play and dump it in, then pinch in and switch to a forward to give the Hawks the ability to keep the puck in and set up shop. Don’t forget his size and powerful slapshot.

4. Duncan Keith: We’ve waited and waited, but both Keith and Brent Seabrook have developed into good NHL defensemen. I often watch Keith and see comparisons of him with a younger Sandis Ozolinsh. He plays great defense, yet can give the Hawks a seemingly fourth forward when needed. His speed allows him to come up ice, yet he has great awareness and ability to get back to defensive objectives at any point in the play.

5. Nikolai Khabibulin: I thought he was just another Hawks acquisition on his way out, yet he’s had a catharsis this year and enables the Hawks to sustain leads when they’re up. Sure, he can make a game that looks easily won more interesting than needed, but he has the experience come playoff time if the Hawks get there. Finally, he’s earned his paycheck.

You could argue both Toews and Kane in the top five reasons why the Hawks are back to business, but they’ve gained success mostly due to the play of the top five mentioned. Most of all, Denis Savard is owed a lot of gratitude. He’s guided this team and coached them in large part to his dedication and experience in a Blackhawks uniform.

There is caution, especially with a young team and a lot of expectations, however, the Blackhaws look like a team that could propel into a lower seed in the Western Conference come playoff time. If that happens, hopefully Hawks fans can remember the roar that once gave this organization a name back in the nineties.

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