The Chicago Blackhawks made one of the biggest splashes in the opening hours of free agency Tuesday afternoon in signing goaltender Cristobal Huet and defenseman Brian Campbell.

Chicago Blackhawks Assistant GM Stan Bowman was generous enough to offer Inside Hockey a few minutes of his time to discuss last season’s success, the draft, and the upcoming free agency period.

The “who’s who” currently around the NHL reads like a casting call for a Richard Linklater movie. The film auteur behind such classics as 1993’s Dazed and Confused would have a field day chronicling the numerous under-25 stars around the league.

Chicago's 4-0 loss to Columbus last week was typical for an inconsistent, young team, yet atypical of a team challenging for the postseason. The Blackhawks have spent nearly the last two months trying to prove they are the latter rather than the former.

The Chicago Blackhawks are clinging to their slim hopes of making the playoffs. They will have to rely on the talent and enthusiasm of a pair of 19-year-old rookies, Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews.

The Blackhawks have had the misfortune of inconsistent play in goal throughout most of the season. As has been the case many times this season, though, a glimpse into the future revealed strong promise in Corey Crawford.

In a season of rebirths for the Blackhawks, perhaps even more so off the ice than on, it only was a matter of time until the 'Hawks re-embraced the stars of yesteryear. Friday night was such a time for former greats, Bobby Hull and Stan Mikita.

Since October, the Martin Havlat Question was simmering below the surface for the Chicago Blackhawks. The nagging what-do-we-do feeling came to a boiling point on Wednesday night when Havlat reinjured his fragile right shoulder.

The NHL trading deadline day greeted Chicago residents with five inches of fresh snow, declining temperatures, and strong winds. Unfortunately for Chicagoans, and Blackhawks' fans alike, trade winds played a minimal role in the day’s proceedings.

Jonathan Toews isn’t near the class of a Joe Sakic or Steve Yzerman just yet, but there is no denying the 19-year-old’s special qualities and importance within the framework of the Chicago Blackhawks lineup.

The Chicago Blackhawks celebrated the first two months of the season with a return to success, much of which has dissipated over a 30-game stretch that has seen the 'Hawks win a mere 10 times.

After the positive and optimistic start of the 2007-08 season, the last five weeks for the Chicago Blackhawks can be categorized as “the worst of times.” They have lost 12 of their last 16 games and are last in the Central Division.

The Chicago Blackhawks have positively remarked about the team’s camaraderie and the joy of playing with a close-knit group of players. For the first time, though, some chinks have appeared in the armor. Their 3-2 loss to San Jose last Tuesday ended their four-game winning streak.

After Chicago's Nikolai Khabibulin broke down with soft goals and lost confidence during a recent eight-game losing streak, Patrick Lalime has entered the picture as a steadying presence between the pipes.

Robert Burns’ oft-quoted, “The best laid plans of mice and men go oft awry” is an apt description of Nikolai Khabibulin’s history in Chicago. Since donning the Indian Head, he has been remarkably unimpressive.

Recent injuries in Chicago have created a makeshift lineup, with nearly half of its players having spent time at the AHL affiliate in Rockford. But the return of Martin Havlat should help considerably.

The Chicago Blackhawks’ 2006-07 campaign ended with yet another dull thud of losing and anonymity. And then a funny thing happened...The Blackhawks caught a break.

This past Sunday night’s game in Chicago versus Edmonton was one of the fondest regular season memories for success-starved fans over the past decade. Another come from behind victory was witnessed by over 20,000 - a season high.