The big Blackhawk's story this week, outside of Patrick Kane's injury, is the return of Adam Burish.
Burish helped the 'Hawks run roughshod through the playoff last year and take home a Stanley Cup trophy before the team traded him.
Was Adam Burish a key piece in the Cup champs? Yes and no. He was injured for most of the regular season, and a healthy scratch for a portion of the playoff run.
But there's no question his personality in the dressing room kept guys loose and made sure everyone had fun. Also, I can't dismiss what his reintroduction to the lineup in Game 2 against Vancouver meant to the team.
They had way more energy, were in the Canucks face far more often -- to great effect -- and his snow-shower of Roberto Luongo and being caught yapping at Alex Burrows from the bench on the Jumbotron had the United Center frothing.
I like Burish a lot. He made my job as Editor of The Committed Indian ridiculously easy at times. Is he an attention-monger? Almost assuredly. But he does seem like a pretty genuine guy. While my jock-sniffing wannabe days are over, Burish is a guy I'd genuinely want to meet one day and buy a beer (although after some of the jokes I've made about him in the past, that might not be a good idea). The Hawks do miss some of his buzz, and no one around could replace that.
On the ice, Burish is just a fourth-liner. He's got okay speed, but no hands. While he's thought of as scrappy and a pest, he can't back it up because he generally gets his skull crushed in most fights.
Chicago Blackhawks
He made his missteps here. That famous line brawl that started the Canucks rivalry was due to some shameful Burish actions that kept refs tied up while Duncan Keith and Matt Walker had to clean up his mess. His comments after the Cup win about Chris Pronger were unacceptable, especially coming from a player who was a healthy scratch that night.
But there'll be a buzz in the building tonight, all due to our former No. 37. And I'll applaud when he first hits the ice.
