Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Cup finals questions: Can both teams stay so remarkably healthy?

Michal Handzus

Michal Handzus #26 of the Chicago Blackhawks celebrates with teammates Patrick Kane #88 and Patrick Sharp #10 after Handzus scored in the second period of Game Two of the Western Conference Final during the 2013 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at United Center on June 2, 2013 in Chicago, Illinois. The Blackhawks defeated the Kings 4-2. (June 1, 2013 - Source: Jamie Squire/Getty Images North America)

When people talk about how deep the Boston Bruins and Chicago Blackhawks are, it’s partially because of how well these teams were assembled, but it’s also due to how close they are to operating at 100% going into the Stanley Cup finals.

Obviously, the Boston Bruins don’t have Marc Savard (concussion), but beyond that the only player on either team that isn’t available for Game 1 is the Bruins fourth-line center, Gregory Campbell.

Will that streak of relatively good health last for what’s left of the playoffs? Maybe, but it’s far from certain.

At this time of the year, these guys will play through a lot. In fact, not too long after Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews or his Bruins counterpart Zdeno Chara lifts the Stanley Cup over his head, we will probably start to learn of players that were battling through significant injuries.

Still, this figures to be a close series that’s sure to feature a lot of big hits and blocked shots. The fact that both teams are so good at killing penalties and mediocre to bad with the man advantage, means that they can feel a little more comfortable playing aggressively.

Hopefully both sides will stay healthy, but if guys do go down, the silver lining is that these teams have players that can step up if need be. The Boston Bruins did just that when they lost defensemen Wade Redden, Andrew Ference, and Dennis Seidenberg, so we know they’re deep in terms of blueliners.

Boston is already shorthanded as far as forwards go, but they do have a promising youngster in Jordan Caron if they need him. Tyler Seguin could also stand to take on more responsibilities if one of Boston’s top players gets hurt, given that Seguin has been logging just 15:14 minutes per game in the postseason.

The Blackhawks have some solid forwards that can step up if need be, as evidenced by the fact that Viktor Stalberg might not even make their Game 1 lineup. They also have Daniel Carcillo ready and waiting. However, they might be less prepared to handle the loss of a key defenseman.

Chicago was able to endure Duncan Keith’s recent one-game suspension, but his replacement, Sheldon Brookbank, had a minus-two rating and logged just 6:50 minutes.

Probably the worst case scenario for either team is that they lose a goaltender, although in Chicago’s case, they do have an accomplished - albeit rusty - backup in Ray Emery.

For more 2013 Cup finals questions, click here.