Which Olympic-Bound Blackhawk Is Most Important to His Country?

Jim Neveau, Blackhawks Correspondent

When the puck drops at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, it may very well be the last time that NHL players will be playing in the event.

The idea of shutting down an entire sports league for a couple of weeks to allow its players to participate in grueling international competition seems a bit silly, and for it to be a league with the rich tradition of the NHL, it’s even more questionable.

Nonetheless, players from across the league will lace them up in this two week battle for international supremacy. Superstars like Alex Ovechkin, Evgeni Malkin, and Ilya Kovalchuk will all lace ‘em up for Russia, and Sidney Crosby, Dany Heatley, and Martin Brodeur will don the home Team Canada sweaters.

Like so many other teams, the Blackhawks will be looking to send an impressive crop of young, talented players to the Games. The young trio of Kane (USA), Toews, and Keith (both Canada) are considered front-runners to make their respective squads, and other players like Marian Hossa (Slovakia) and Brent Seabrook (Canada) are also under consideration for their countries.

The question, then, isn’t merely which Blackhawks players will hit the ice in Vancouver, but which one will have the greatest impact upon the success of their nation’s team?

It may seem difficult to quantify, but let’s give it a whirl anyway: here is the ranking of the top 5 Blackhawks Olympic hopefuls, in order of their importance to their country’s success at the games in Vancouver.

5. Patrick Sharp (Canada)

The Hawks’ sniper hasn’t been in top form recently, only scoring two goals in his previous 16 games. He also had 10 shots against the New York Rangers Wednesday night, but failed to light the lamp at all.

Even still, Sharp leads the team with 101 shots, and he also has the 3rd most takeaways on the team with 16. He also has 14 assists on the season, which is close to what he had all of last season with 18.

Sharp may not be the scoring threat that he normally is, but he is also capable of heating up quickly and carrying a team on his back offensively. He is no lock to make Team Canada, but if he gets onto the squad, he could prove to be one of their best sleeper picks.

4. Duncan Keith/Brent Seabrook (Canada)

Yes, these two are being evaluated together, and with good reason.

The two men have been playing together for a good long while now, and rumors are prevalent that the two men could be headed to the Canadian team to play on the same line.

The stats don’t lie: Keith is having one of his best offensive seasons of his career, with five goals and a team high 19 assists. He also has blocked 59 shots, which leads the team.

Seabrook has dished out 72 hits this season, and two of his three goals have been game-winning tallies. He also had a third game winning goal if you consider a shoot-out goal one.

With their shot-blocking abilities, Seabrook’s physicality, and Keith’s offensive touch, this blue line tandem could be a crucial one to Team Canada winning a medal on home ice.

3. Jonathan Toews (Canada)

Mr. Toews has had an up and down season. He hit a low when he was knocked out of commission for several games by a center ice hit from Willie Mitchell, and he has been on the up-swing as of late. Toews is up to eight goals, one off the team lead, and he also has a team leading +12.

His five power play tallies lead the team, and he has won 60.9% of his face-offs as well. His 20 take-aways rank 2nd on the squad.

If Canada is serious about winning a medal in these upcoming Olympics, it’s going to need good two-way forwards who can not only win face-offs and score goals, but also provide a big body to plant in front of the opposing net. Someone who isn’t afraid to go into corners is also a key, and Toews provides all of those things in one package.

2. Patrick Kane (USA)

The 21-year-old Kane is one of the best young players that the US has ever produced, and he will be relied upon to bring his considerable scoring skills to the forefront.

Kane is tied for the team lead in goals this season with nine, and he also has the team lead in assists with 19. He also has taken advantage of his newly gained upper body strength to improve his puck control by leaps and bounds, and he often keeps plays alive with his ability to fight off checks.

He will be relied upon to bring scoring punch to the power play, and he will likely play right wing on a line featuring another stellar US winger in Zach Parise. That tandem would be able to scare the wits out of just about any defense, and Kane is a force to be reckoned with at these upcoming games.

1. Dustin Byfuglien (USA)

Byfuglien may seem like an odd choice, but he is exactly the type of player that is going to be crucial to winning a medal in Vancouver.

First off, he can play wall-to-wall defense, and that’ll prove especially effective when playing on an NHL sized sheet as opposed to an international sheet at these games. Byfuglien can also skate like the wind, as he proved on his game winning tally against the Rangers.

Byfuglien can also impose his will physically, parking his large keester in front of the goal and wreaking havoc on goalies’ sight lines. Buff also leads the Blackhawks with 87 hits, so he isn’t afraid to throw his weight around.

Perhaps Buff’s best asset, however, could very well be his judicious approach to taking shots. He doesn’t have that many this season, but he has converted on 15.8% of them, which is 3rd on the team. This is a great number, considering that he does have nine goals. Three of those have come on the power play, and he’s had two game-winning goals to boot.

If all of that’s not enough, then one look no further than his ability to play both forward and defenseman, which Brian Burke lauded at the Orientation Camp in August. With his versatility, maturity, and broadening offensive skills, Byfuglien is clearly the most important Hawk to his team’s chances at these Olympics.

Jim Neveau is a sports blogger and aspiring journalist who has had work featured on various sites, including foxsports.com. He also writes for a Blackhawks blog entitled paintitblackhawks.com. You can email him questions or comments at jamesneveau@hotmail.com.

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