Toews and Kane...Tough Enough

For a die hard Blackhawks fan like myself, the coming of Johnathan Toews and Patrick Kane is akin to the day Jeremey Roenick first stepped on the ice with the club so many MANY years ago. As spring training opened, there was actually interest in the Hawks. It was mixed interest though. There was obvious talent in the two rookies. Everybody knew that. Could they take the rigors of the NHL? Survive a grueling 82 game schedule? In short, many immediately accepted their talent no questions asked, but they wondered aloud and often; Were they tough enough to make it in the NHL?

The Hawks are now just about at the quarter mark of the season and not only are Toews and Kane still in the mix, but night after night they have become the focal point of the team's long awaited revival. Toews is sitting with 8 goals, 8 assists, 3 of his goals power play tallies and also having one game winning goal to boot. Kane has shown himself to be, not only a gifted scorer, but is also well on the way to making his name as a premier playmaker too. Kane has 7 goals to go along with a whopping 15 assists just 20 games into the season. He also has racked up 3 power play goals so far.

Kane and Toews are both playing well over 18 minutes a game most nights and are showing most nights that they are not only here to stay, but show no signs of slowing down the breakneck pace with which both started the season. Project out the pace they are on now and the duo would end the year with point totals in the high 60's to the mid 80's. Factor in that the team's best forward, injured winger Martin Havlat, has yet to step on the ice with these guys and the numbers for Kane and Toews have the potential to be even higher...especially on the power play.
Blackhawk coach Denis Savard must be grinning from ear to ear in private moments when considering that mix as a possible power play unit.

It IS a long season...and we ARE only 20 games in, but, watching these two young forwards so far has given NO reason that they will somehow bow under the rigors of playing in the NHL As it stands right now, the pair have begun the already daunting task of filling the United Center... with HOCKEY fans. This feat alone, it could be argued, already shows Toews and Kane to be tough enough to play in the NHL.