Emma: Blackhawks Have NHL's Hart, Calder, Vezina, Jack Adams Leaders
By Chris Emma--
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The Blackhawks have reached a pinnacle that the rest of hockey is reaching for, winning three Stanley Cup championships in six seasons. What they have done defies the modern salary-cap era and its quest for parity.
What has been accomplished in Chicago is something extraordinary, the culmination of three terrific team efforts to overcome adversity and become the NHL's gold standard, but that team success often overshadows individual accomplishments.
Blackhawks like Brent Seabrook and Niklas Hjalmarsson are often overshadowed by Duncan Keith's outstanding blue-line presence. The two have combined for just one NHL All-Star Game appearance. Joel Quenneville, the second-winningest coach in league history, has never earned the Jack Adams Award as top coach during his time behind the Blackhawks' bench, last earning the trophy in St. Louis back in 2000.
Individual achievements are often cluttered in with collective accomplishments, looked past by the rest of the league. Part of it's the Blackhawks' style of play, but it's largely credit not fairly distributed.
"You look at the success our team has had the last bunch of years," Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews said. "We have players that should be getting recognized on a league-wide level."
Sunday's 4-1 win over the Red Wings, in which the Blackhawks retained top spot in the Western Conference with 87 points, put this team's best on display. Patrick Kane and Artemi Panarin both scored, Corey Crawford stopped 33 of 34 shots and Quenneville's lines clicked.
Toews has a good point about the individual honors, but this could be the year it all changes. The Blackhawks are in line for a haul of postseason awards -- perhaps even four. Chicago's home to the the front-runners for most valuable player and rookie of the year and has a strong case for top coach and goaltender as well. Had Keith not missed time due to an injury, another Norris Trophy could've returned to his possession.
Kane earned a new career-high in points on Sunday with 89, scoring his 38th goal of the season. He topped his 2009-'10 mark in just 67 games this season. Nobody else in the NHL has come close to Kane's consistent top-notch all-around play. He's second in goals and assists (51), 17 points ahead of second place and the Stars' Jamie Benn.
NBC analyst Eddie Olczyk was asked about the Hart Trophy race during Wednesday's broadcast in Detroit.
"It's Patrick Kane and everybody else," Olczyk said.
Such a standard set by Kane wouldn't reach this level without the impact of his new linemate, Panarin, the 24-year-old rookie from Russia who has 24 goals and 37 assists in 65 games this season. That leads all NHL newcomers with 61 points, good for 10th in the league. He's 17 points ahead of Sabres standout Jack Eichel for second place among rookies.
Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman struck gold by adding Panarin to the defending champions. He was an instant fit on Chicago's second line, solidifying the group with Kane and Artem Anisimov. Panarin is the NHL's leader for the Calder Trophy.
"What else can you say about Bread Man?" Toews said of Panarin. "He's stepped into the league and has been comfortable since day one. He's only getting better and better every day."
Often lost in the Blackhawks' equation is their two-time champion netminder, Crawford. While Kane is the NHL's likely MVP, one could argue Crawford is the Blackhawks' MVP.
Crawford's having his best professional season, recording a 92.9 save percentage and 2.22 goals allowed average. He's been in net for 35 victories, a number that exceeds 19 NHL teams, and he leads the league in shutouts with seven.
When asked of his place among the NHL's top goaltenders, Crawford deflected the question, but he's a strong candidate for the Vezina Trophy as the league's best goalkeeper.
"It would be a pretty nice honor," said Crawford, declining to delve too far into the subject.
Naturally, the Blackhawks' captain offered a stronger endorsement.
"Crow should definitely be in that mix, given the level he's been playing at all year," Toews said. "I think our team success is a huge reflection of what he's brought all year."
For all the Blackhawks' wins and achievements, it will be a crime if Quenneville again misses out on the Jack Adams Award for the NHL's top coach. For what it's worth, Quenneville has won 381 more games than Adams and as many championships.
The Blackhawks entered the 2015-'16 season with many new faces on their roster and even more questions. He managed to mold a transitional season into one that holds Stanley Cup promise once again. Chicago's the favorite to win another championship, with Quenneville deserving plenty of credit.
Instead, the award will likely go the Capitals coach Barry Trotz or Panthers coach Gerard Gallant, both of whom have done excellent work but not what Quenneville has brought to the Blackhawks.
Just 15 games remain in the regular season, and then the postseason arrives and the Blackhawks put Lord Stanley's prize up for grabs.
Make no mistake, the Blackhawks' sights are set on championship glory and nothing more -- but individual honors should come with that as well.
When this season is complete, the Hart, Calder, Vezina and Jack Adams awards should reside in Chicago. Perhaps the Stanley Cup will, too.
Chris Emma covers the Chicago sports scene and more for CBSChicago.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670 and like his Facebook page.
