Blackhawks Training Camp Day #1- What Did We Learn?

Jun 14, 2013; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Blackhawks defenseman

Brent Seabrook

(left) talks with center

Jonathan Toews

(19) during practice the day before game two of the 2013 Stanley Cup Final against the Boston Bruins at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

Training camp practice and scrimmages started today for the Chicago Blackhawks and though there are some minor things to iron out and one MAJOR one to get dealt it seemed like business as usual for the Chicago Blackhawks in South Bend today. Here is what we learned today from the opening day of training camp.

– The Brad Richards propaganda machine is in full swing on day #1. I want to believe that Richards was a steal on the free agent market and will help Patrick Kane have his best season to date along with Brandon Saad. The stories are already out there on day one that Richards and Kane ride to work together and seem to have clicked on their first shift together. Of course there were also the comments that Richards is faster than Michal Handzus which BETTER be the case!! Kane-Richards-Saad will be your second line hopefully Richards can still keep up, something Handzus couldn’t.

– Marian Hossa scored twice, looked great and doesn’t look like he’s lost a step. That’s a huge win for the Blackhawks! A healthy Hossa is better than almost any other player in the NHL.

– Kris Versteeg appears to look better than last season and looks to be the front-runner for the third line spot with Andrew Shaw and Bryan Bickell, and everyone that likes Jeremy Morin is sick in their stomach hearing this. Yes a summer to rehabilitate a knee is huge after such a big injury so it’s hard to refute that he looks better but can he ever really return to the player Hawks fans remember? I’m rooting for a Bickell-Shaw-Morin line but this already seems like a pipe dream.

– Speaking of Morin he was playing with Marcus Kruger which means he really needs a huge training camp and preseason or he will be in the pressbox, and Joel Quenneville will be playing Brandon Mashinter on the fourth line with Kruger and Ben Smith. Q is old school and he must have an enforcer you have been warned.

– Johnny Oduya was healthy and skating freely at practice today which means the Hawks and the someone has to go movement can now proceed at full speed. Oduya seems like the most likely to go but I’m still rooting for Michal Rozsival and one more year of keeping everyone together for a run in place. This trade has to happen and more than likely will happen soon.