Hawk Talk 10.21

October 21, 3:29 PMChicago Blackhawks ExaminerDieter Kurtenbach

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Sopel out, Hendry in.

It's game number nine of the season and Jordan Hendry is yet to play a game. Joel Quenneville won't stand for that, so number six will suit up for the Blackhawks tonight against the Canucks. One can assume that it will be a clean substitution for Sopel, with Hendry taking the whole of the veteran's responsibilities, specifically his penalty-kill time.

I never thought I would be saying this, but Sopel has been...good this season. I think a part of me just died.  Sopel's -4 rating can be almost 100% attributed to Cam Barker's boneheaded play inside his own zone, and his hardly a reason for him not to be on the ice, as some have suggested. I can't recall a bad play from Sopel this year that resulted in a goal. I can recall plenty of strong plays by Sopel. Am I living in the twilight zone?

I am not a big fan of Hendry, I suppose I wrote him off when I saw him and Hjalmarsson play a few times for the IceHogs. Hendry made Hjalmarsson look like Bobby Orr and Rod Langway's holy spawn. Specifically, I recall Hendry making an outlet pass directly to a streaking player going towards the net. The player was wearing the wrong colored jersey and was streaking towards Hendry's net. Needless to say, he scored easily. That's my lasting memory of Jordan Hendry.

Hendry has convinced Quenneville to play him, but he still has to convince me that he's worthy of Sopel's spot. I promise I haven't been drinking.

Little 4th Liner

New Blackhawk Andrew Ebbett will play on the fourth line in tonight's game, and his size has some saying that the Blackhawks are now a three line team. Not so fast. Looking over some Ebbett tape, a certain goal stood out and has helped convince me that this undersized player can cut it on in a fourth line role.

Notice how Ebbett is in front of the net, gettin' dirty, when he scores. Say what you will about his size; Ebbett shows that he is willing to grind. Also factor in that he was a defensive dynamo in college (he was a finalist for the CCHA best defensive forward award) and Ebbett shows all the makings of a fourth line player, even if his body is anything but prototypical for that role.