Sharp and Oduya welcome old friends in divisional tilt with Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks and Dallas Stars, two teams linked through moves during the summer, finally meet up for the first time in the 2015-16 season, Tuesday night at the American Airlines Center.
In the offseason, the Stars made a trade with Chicago, acquiring Patrick Sharp as part of a deal for the since dealt Trevor Daley. Dallas also signed former Chicago Defenseman Johnny Oduya. This was so the Stars could add some of Chicago’s championship swagger – Oduya and Sharp have five Stanley Cups between them from their time in Chicago.
The plan seems to be working. The Stars have the best record in hockey with 52 points in 34 games at 25-7-2. Dallas also has the top offense in the league scoring 3.50 goals per-game. The Blackhawks have continued to be one of the top teams in hockey with a 20-11-4 record, good for second place in the Central Division.
Sharp tried to downplay the significance of the game according to NHL.com.
"I honestly think it is just another game. It'll be a little different because it's the first time I've played against my former team, but being in the Central Division, you look way down the line," Sharp said. "We're going to play these guys quite a bit, so any thoughts or feelings or emotions I have about playing my friends and my former teammates are going to be gone quickly because we're going to see each other quite a bit down the stretch."
The Blackhawks faced a salary cap crunch after their Stanley Cup win last season and felt the need to part with the 33-year-old Sharp ($5.9 million salary cap hit through 2016-17), and Oduya who was an unrestricted free agent.
Also Sharp’s production had dropped, going from 78 points in 82 games in 2013-14 to 43 points in 68 games in 2014-15. He has rediscovered some of his form with the Stars with 25 points in 34 games this season – playing the two-way veteran on a team loaded with young talent.
Stars general manager Jim Nill talked about Sharp in a recent interview with the team’s website.
“When you are sitting on the bench in a game, you see him backcheck and catch a guy from behind and turn the puck around the other way, you know that you’ve got to do the same thing. It’s a process for the younger guys, but it’s important to show what it takes to win. [Sharp] is a star player and an offensive threat, a goal scorer and a lot of times people think they don’t have to do that but to win you have to.”
Coach Lindy Ruff gave equal praise for the 34-year-old Oduya, who signed a two-year $7.5 million contract in the offseason with Dallas. The blueliner has 12 points in 34 games while averaging 19:42 of ice-time.
"I'm a little surprised by the incredible intensity Johnny brings. There's an intensity to him. It's a vocal intensity. I love his intensity. It's surprised me," Ruff said again per NHL.com. "Sometimes you'll look at a player and say, 'Well, he looks like a quiet player,' but the intensity he brings to that defense core has been awesome."
Even though Chicago has played well without the veterans, they understand there’s a void on and off the ice without Sharp and Oduya.
Said captain Jonathan Toews per CSN Chicago.
“The two of them are definitely fitting in with that group from the games I’ve been able to watch,” Jonathan Toews said. “Obviously two guys, two players on and off the ice we miss a great deal in this room. At the end of the day, other than Tuesday, we’re happy to see them doing well. But it should be fun to go up against those guys.
The game should have big divisional implications as well. The Blackhawks have gone 7-2-1 in their last 10 games. Chicago has won three in a row. Meanwhile the red-hot Stars have scored 12 goals their last two games in crushing the Montreal Canadiens 6-2 and the Minnesota Wild, 6-3.
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Josh Cooper is an editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @joshuacooper
