Stubbornness Is Killing The Blackhawks Chance At Repeating

May 11, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville during the third period of game five of the second round of the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Minnesota Wild at the United Center. Chicago won 2-1. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

The story isn’t completed yet, but the storyteller is getting closer and closer to finishing the tale of the 2013-2014 Chicago Blackhawks and the title may just be Stubbornness sank the Ship of the 2013-2014 Blackhawks.

Blackhawks Statement– The Hawks re-signing Michal Handzus to a one year deal Stubbornness-deal is made to give Joel Quenneville a security Blanket.  Season review videos are usually just team propaganda, but one telling thing in last years 2013 Championship DVD is the moment Q talks about the acquisition of Handzus as an exciting thing for the Blackhawks.

Blackhawks Statement– Stan Bowman and Quenneville talk about managing Handzus time during the season so he’s fresh as possible for the playoffs  Stubbornness– Handzus only missed 23 games out of the season and all of them were during his injury (Same time Patrick Kane was winning back to back player of the months)

Blackhawks Statement– Stan Bowman saying Brandon Pirri will be the #2 center for this season Stubbornness– Quenneville starts training camp with Brandon Saad and then just about everyone else in the organization but Pirri at the #2 Center before settling on Handzus to kick off the title defense.

Blackhawks Statement– Handzus is hurt, Pirri steps in and Kane flourishes Stubbornness– Talk about Pirri’s 200 foot game instantly appears

Blackhawks Statement– Handzus is healthy and goes back to #2 Center Stubbornness– The best offense in the NHL sends Pirri down due to his defense (Not every player comes into the NHL with Jonathan Toews 200 ft game.  Pirri showed signs of improvement but wasn’t allowed to grow and eventually traded)

Blackhawks Statement– Jeremy Morin gets a shot with Kane Injured and has a nice scoring streak Stubborness– Quenneville for some reason doesn’t Like Morin even though he’s the highest player on the team in a small sample size in advanced stats and with little ice time showed he can score

Blackhawks Statement– Peter Regin line to end the season was extremely effective with Jeremy Morin and the healthier Bryan Bickell Stubbornness– Not one shift will go to this line in the playoffs

Blackhawks Statement– Team trades for Kris Versteeg  Stubbornness- They continue to play him although he’s been a shell of the 2010 version and a turnover at the blue line machine

Blackhawks Statement– Blackhawks are a team that succeeded by rolling four lines in the 2013 season and playoffs Stubbornness- Quenneville has played 3 lines most of the playoffs and in the Western Conference Finals can’t understand why his team runs out of gas in the third period, a period the Hawks dominated rolling 4 lines in 2013.

Blackhawks Statement– Handzus is still the second line center in the playoffs Stubbornness– Besides his penalty kill use he’s atrocious 5 on 5 and has totally stymied Patrick Sharp and Patrick Kane in the playoffs. I’ve never seen Kane have to dump the puck before in his career because his troops (Handzus) are so incredibly slow to get to the offensive zone.

Blackhawks Statement– The Hawks keep using Bollig Stubbornness- Bollig played 5 minutes in Game #3, didn’t play the body, and thinks because he beat Mike Smith with a wrist shot from just inside the blue line in 2012 it will work every time

Blackhawks Statement– Michal Rozsival cemented the last defensive pairing so we re-signed him for another Cup run Stubbornness– Rozsival appears to have cement on his skates and gets beat routinely and should be on the bench for Sheldon Brookbank.

Blackhawks Statement- The Blackhawks are getting beat by LA with young fresh legs Stubbornness– The Hawks have young fresh legs but Q’s stubbornness refuses to play them and in the end will cost the Hawks this series

What do you think? Will Quennneville’s stubbornness cost the Hawks? None of the veterans are playing like it’s 2013 and yet they continue to play! Maybe they catch some lightening during this Memorial Day Weekend! It’s Quenneville’s team and in the end he writes the storyline, but this team has a chance to do something that no one in the NHL has done since 1998 but it’s his stubbornness that may cost the Hawks that shot at history.

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LET’S GO HAWKS!!!