Kids take center stage over new veterans as Hawks launch another Cup quest

Say what you will about the Blackhawks, they don't practice age discrimination.

The addition of Andrew Brunette, 38; Sean O'Donnell, 39, and Jamal Mayers, 36, was part of an influx of talent meant to toughen a semi-soft team that backed into the playoffs last season -- but a kid is taking center stage over these grizzled veterans.

Forward Brandon Saad -- just 18 years old -- is the man of the week as the Hawks open their season with back-to-back games against the Stars, first in Dallas on Friday, then in Chicago for Saturday's red-carpeted home opener at the United Center.

Saad was the Hawks' second-round pick last season. He played so well in training camp he not only made the opening-night roster, he zoomed past every other candidate to join Patrick Sharp in flanking Jonathan Toews on the first line.

If you think the Hawks are robbing the cradle, just remember Toews and running mate Patrick Kane were mainstays as teenagers a few seasons ago.

Kane, still 22, is embarking on another new assignment -- starting at center -- that could help boost the output of 32-year-old Marian Hossa. Even he has to take the back seat for now compared to Saad's good fortune on a team convinced it can win back the Stanley Cup after a season's rude interruption due to the salary cap.

Coach Joel Quenneville doesn't hold back kids with talent a day longer than necessary, as evidenced 19-year-old Nick Leddy working his way into the blue-liner rotation last season.

"Getting Sharp back in the lineup (after an appendectomy) obviously helps," Saad said of his first-line break-in to the NHL. " Just in practice, being able to work out and trying to compete with them helps a lot. Playing with Jon, him being the captain, obviously he's really been vocal and he's really helped me out so far."

Saad can't help but get the proper on-ice training taking passes from the crafty Toews.

"There's always a guy every year who (plays) higher than expected," Hawks general manager Stan Bowman said. "(Saad) plays a pro game already. He clearly can play with good players."

Quenneville has seen something in trying to boost firepower on his first two lines. Moving Kane to center enables him to finally play regularly with Hossa on the second line after both had played right wing for two seasons. Plugging Kane with his playmaking skills into the No. 2 center's job covers up the one major Hawks lineup weakness, while enabling Dave Bolland to continue to thrive at the No. 3 checking line's center slot.

"Patrick Kane is really determined, really focused," Bowman said. "He's ready for a big season."

Toews does not have to put Kane through a personal crash course in faceoffs and other center's duties.

"He knows what he has to do," the captain said. "There will be a higher pace in the regular season games compared to the pre-season games. He knows he'll have to go up against some good players. I'm not worried about him. I think he's going to do great."

The organization-wide consensus is the Hawks have restored much of the depth they lost in the post-Stanley Cup salary-cap purge.The increased toughness among the imports, which will kick into a higher gear when the colorful Dan Carcillo returns from a two-game suspension, will consign to the bad-memory banks the playoff beatings the Hawks endured at the hands of the Canucks.

Perhaps the most indispensible Hawk is goalie Corey Crawford. He was 33-18-6 with a 2.30 goals against average in his first full NHL season in 2010-11. Crawford started each of the Hawks' final 27 games in a semi-ironman performance. However, Crawford said he'll play it smart this season in taking an occasional game off. Veteran journeyman Ray Emery is Crawford's backup.