March 5, 2015: The New Favorites

Driving to work this morning, I was listening to a litte sports radio… big surprise.  They were talking NHL, and talking about who the current favorite to win the Stanley Cup is in Vegas.  Remember the Hawks were the preseason favorite to win it all…  So who is the current favorite?  I wouldn’t be writing about this if it wasn’t the same team that was favored some 6 months ago…

So no Patrick Kane, no problem?  Papa Vegas STILL likes the Blackhawks to win it all.  Are you surprised?  I was at first, then I started thinking about it.  I guess we shouldn’t be that surprised.

The NHL is wide open.  There really is no clear cut favorite in either conference.  Who else could be the favorites?  Out East, you have Montreal and both New York teams leading the standings.  I guess I worry about the goaltenders on the Canadiens and Rangers standing on their heads in the postseason; they could definitely do it.  What about the Penguins?  They have to be in the discussion.  And then there’s that new Eastern Conference team ready to make the playoffs for the 100th year in a row…  The Detroit Red Wings are playing pretty fricking good too.  Hawks Wings Stanley Cup Final matchup has a nice ring to it.  Then there’s the most recent Stanley Cup champion from the East sitting in the last playoff position… the Boston Bruins.  Not sure if you can even count them out.  So, yes, the East is wide open.

Now what about our side of the house?  Yes, Anaheim and Nashville have separated themselves, but not sure I’m really going to put my eggs in any of those 2 baskets.  I guess Nashville has another goalie that concerns me, but other than that… come on.  Who else you got?  St. Louis is the other team ahead of the Hawks in the standings currently.  Do they worry you?  I guess I have to look at the team residing in the final playoff position in the West too… the LA Kings.  The reigning champs can’t be counted out until they lose the last game of their series… hopefully against us!
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So that brings us back to the Hawks.  Why NOT the Hawks?  Obviously, no Patrick Kane, that’s why not.  Well, one of the reasons we’re still favored, is because what Stan Bowman and his peeps did at the trade deadline.  Acquiring an experienced D man, a 2nd line center, and some muscle, has helped grab some of that mojo back.  And IF we can advance past the first 2 rounds, and Kane comes back… oh yeah, definitely favored. 

Another reason in a wide open season why the Hawks are still favored, is exactly that… because we’re the Hawks.  The teams with the pedigree, the championship experience, the know how… you have to give an edge to those teams as well.  The teams that know how to face adversity, like injuries… like being down 2-0 in a series… like needing to change lines mid-series, etc…  Those are the teams that get the nod.  That’s why I still think the Kings and Bruins will have their say before it’s all said and done.  I just think the Hawks will have a better say.  Yes, we all know I’m biased, but Papa Vegas must think the same exact way.

So for those of us who thought the season was over when Kane went down, cheer up!  Since then, we’ve beefed up; we’ve added talent to an already talented group.  Hopefully, enough talent to get us to the point when Kane comes back.  Maybe Kane even comes back early???  Either way, we’re still setup for a strong stretch run, and it’s not just me saying so.  Let’s hope Papa Vegas is right about us too.  Those new favorites.. yeah, they’re just the same old favorites, and that’s just fine with me.