The Decline of the NHL Product Sean Sarcu | March 24, 2014 Sunday night was a disturbingly stark representation of all that is wrong with hockey in 2014. The scene was Chicago’s United Center, a building that has achieved nearly iconic status not…
Do the Blackhawks Possess This Key Trait of Past Championship Teams? Sean Sarcu | March 19, 2014 Quality beyond merely the top two forward lines has been a stable trait of every Stanley Cup champion since the 2004-05 NHL lockout. The Pittsburgh Penguins in 2008-09 are the…
The Importance of Jonathan Toews Sean Sarcu | March 14, 2014 Jonathan Toews gets a lot of press, some if it occasionally going a bit over the top. Such hyperbole, however, is in itself a representation of the elite level Chicago’s…
Video: Chicago Blackhawks’ Top 5 Plays of 2013-14 Sean Sarcu | March 8, 2014 The 82-game NHL season sometimes seems like it will go on ad infinitum. Players often describe it as a “battle” and a “slog,” like trying to run through a mile-long…
Could the NHL Have a Performance Enhancing Drug Problem? Sean Sarcu | March 3, 2014 The Olympics and its substance-related suspensions have brought to the forefront a common question in sports, one which hockey and NHL fans generally prefer to avoid contemplating. It is no…
Blackhawks vs. Penguins Stadium Series: Three Major Storylines Sean Sarcu | March 1, 2014 The Chicago Blackhawks and Pittsburgh Penguins squaring off on Saturday night will mark the final iteration of the NHL’s 2014 Stadium Series, and constitutes perhaps the most intriguing outdoor matchup…
Why Team Canada Beat Team USA Sean Sarcu | February 21, 2014 When the dust settled, it was Team Canada moving on to face Sweden in the gold medal game, having edged the Americans 1-0 in the highly-anticipated semifinal matchup. The score…
The NHL Must Change This Rule Sean Sarcu | February 17, 2014 The Olympics have been fantastic for hockey so far; Saturday’s tilt between USA and Russia drew the largest television audience of any event ever shown on NBC Sports Network. Throngs…
Why Team USA Will Win Olympic Gold Sean Sarcu | February 16, 2014 For all the bitterness thrown toward GM David Poile and the rest of Team USA hockey’s management team, something Poile said during the roster discussions has proven to be remarkably —…
The Olympic Dilemma Sean Sarcu | February 13, 2014 As Olympic hockey in Sochi rages on in the present, a familiar dark cloud hangs over the sport’s international future. The NHL is once again weighing whether or not to…
Blackhawks Acquire Potential Second Line Center Sean Sarcu | February 7, 2014 Similar to the Kris Versteeg deal that came out of nowhere in November, Stan Bowman was working the phones again Thursday. His efforts culminated in another trade, this time with…
Can Brandon Saad Be the Next Marian Hossa? Sean Sarcu | February 6, 2014 Brandon Saad, the player who may well have been left off Team USA’s 2014 roster because T.J. Oshie has “that shootout move,” has had a terrific sophomore campaign to date.…