Chicago Blackhawks

Stan Bowman's Patrick Sharp: Richard Panik
March 22, 2017, 3:03 PM ET [37 Comments]
John Jaeckel
Chicago Blackhawks Blogger • RSS • Archive • CONTACT




Much went into the construction of the 2010 Chicago Blackhawks' Stanley Cup, the first of three they would win over the next 6 years. There were really two "architects," the unkempt, professorial Mike Smith, and everyone's Uncle Dale Tallon.

It is real easy to forget Smith, and especially the actual seasons where he served as GM. But he was the guy, along with Marshall Johnston and Rick Dudley, who drafted a tiny hybrid forward/defender out of Michigan State and the Kelowna Rockets named Duncan Keith, and a year later added Bretn Seabrook and Corey Crawford, and it was Johnston who uncovered a shy, chubby bi-racial kid playing in the USHL, whose first year in organized hockey was at age 13, who turned into Dustin Byfuglien.

But I digress.

One of the many building block moves that Tallon pulled off was acquiring Patrick Sharp from the Flyers for essentially a kid named Matt Ellison (there was some other guy named Meloche involved in the trade as well—doesn't matter now, does it?).

In hindsight, many have pointed out Tallon's inconsistencies at the draft table, Toews and Kane on the one hand, Kyle Beach and Jack Skille on the other, but it is pretty much universally agreed that he made some great trades—essentially Mark Bell for Martin Havlat, Brandon Bochenski for Kris Versteeg, and the jewel in that crown: Sharp.

But it appears the Hawks' current GM, Stan Bowman now has his Sharp trade, in the deal that sent Jeremy Morin to the Maple Leafs for Richard Panik.

Panik defied the expectations of nearly everybody (except maybe Gatekeeper from Puckin Hostile) by potting his 20th goal last night. I don't know either if this is going to become a regular occurrence for Panik going forward. But the fact is, while Panik is likely not a threat to score 30+ goals a season (as Sharp was), he has proven himself as a highly useful, versatile forward who makes an impact on the hockey games he plays in.

Because when he's not scoring, he's often laying a hit on someone that leaves marks, screening a goalie or just being nasty in the corners, agitating, and tough to play against.

And conversely, if Bowman was the source of the "we were after him for six weeks" claim that filtered out through the "legit" hockey media, re: Tomas Jurco, perhaps Bowman should get his 2017 prize looking at some tape of his countryman Panik, fast.

Panik's 20th goal wasn't the only story in last night's OT loss to Vancouver. The Hawks were due for a "letdown," having played a lot of of hockey, and much of that on the road, recently. The other nice surprise this year, Ryan Hartman, had two goals, getting his total to 18.

In case you hadn't checked, the Hawks are up 6 points on Minnesota (won at home 3-2 versus San Jose).

I'll have a Dallas preview tomorrow.