The Third Man In - An Independent Chicago Blackhawks Web Site

By Gene Unterman

Theoren Fleury, Claude Lemeuix and Chris Chelios are all younger then I am.  I quit playing hockey, (old-timers) when I was their age.  I quit refereeing, (after ten years and up to the college level) in my late 40’s. Now I think I can make a come-back, maybe I can play AHL, maybe I can ref Division 1 Hockey and maybe I can fall flat on my face. Most likely the latter.

Desire is a wonderful thing. Reality is another thing all together. The history of one time proficient, but older NHL’ers making a comeback is rare. Yes, Gordie Howe played in four decades, but taking one face-off in the AHL is the only thing that qualifies him for that honor.

I am going to assume if you are reading this you are a Blackhawks fan, sorry Chris I guess you are excluded. It is an early testament to Stan Bowman that we have heard no rumors of Chelios, Jeremy Roenick –before his retirement announcement – or Fleury making a return to the Hawks.  Damn, I really wanted to go drinking at a strip joint in Nashville. Actually I have heard of no rumors in recent days of Stan Bowman being replaced by Bob Murray. Does that mean it won’t happen? Well no more chance than Sean Avery being invited to a 16 years old girls coming out party.   It could get quite sloppy.

Michel Goulet thought of as an afterthought following his Quebec Nordiques career, spent part of five seasons with the Hawks averaging in the mid-twenties in goals and the mid-thirties in assist each year. This is truly an exception to the rule. Do you remember Wendell Clark’s Blackhawk career?

This is another time. This is another decade; in fact this is another century. Gone are the times any team can nurse a Mark Bell along sucking up valuable cap space while lower draft picks are maturing into players who will show more grit and class. Gone are the times when Old Man Wirtz’s mis-guided considerations kept favorites around well past their expiration date.  Read Pulford and others.

Then again gone are the times of walking into the second balcony restrooms in the old barn yielding you an opportunity to commune with mother-nature? And I don’t mean making room for more beer. Although, that was important as well.

Where am I going with all of this; good question. The Hawks are doing well and I don’t remember those words coming out of my mouth since Darryl Sutter left the bench. I feel good about the coaching – although I can remember hating Quenneville for years watching him patrol the Blues bench when playing the Hawks – I feel good about the GM – felt better about Tallon – and I feel good about ownership.

I feel good about the O-fense, much more encouraged about the D-fense, and how can you not be happy with the organ-I-zation in general.

While the financial future of the AHL Dogs is certainly an issue, many of the picks toiling in the minors are rated high in the Hockey News Future Watch.

We all should feel very encouraged for the future. Solid on so many levels, and if for any reason  only two of our “Young Trio”,  of Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews or Duncan Keith are ultimately signed for the future, that with the  necessity of bringing young players along – read cap space – encourages me greatly.

Oh, I forgot goaltending. Shit, never mind.

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