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BY Lloyd Poast

Everyone loves the excitement and challenges of a new beginning. There's something exhilarating about witnessing a spark in its early formative stage and seeing it grow into something truly special. The Chicago Blackhawks may now be at that crossroads between mediocrity and a shooting star.

The Blackhawks, whose logo has been ranked among the most attractive in all pro sports, are a proud member of the original six NHL franchises and boast a talented alumni, including the likes of Denis Savard, Tony Esposito, Jeremy Roenick, and Chris Chelios. But though Chicago is rich in history, the recent past has not been so kind. Their on-ice struggles have been well documented, while off the ice controversial moves - such as ownership's refusal to have home games televised locally - have left fans feeling alienated.

The upcoming NHL season is the dawn of a new era for the team. After spinning their wheels near the bottom of the standings for the last decade, the Blackhawks finally appear ready to move into the NHL's fast lane. If things continue to fall into place, and all the planets are perfectly aligned, this could be an exciting time to be a hockey fan in Chicago.

With a few key moves having been made in the off-season, the 2007-08 lineup will be a solid mix of youth and experience. GM Dale Tallon added a trio of veteran forwards to compliment the team's youthful core. He signed centers Robert Lang and Yanic Perreault as free agents and made a trade to acquire winger Sergei Samsonov from Montreal.

Both Lang and Perreault are in their mid thirties and on the downside of their career, but Lang still piles up enough points to be worthy of maintaining his top six forward status, and Perreault is widely considered to be one of the best face off men in the league. Both will provide a steadying veteran presence for the team's youth movement.

Samsonov is the most intriguing of the three and could be an interesting reclamation project. He's only 29 years old and a dynamic offensive talent who won the Calder Trophy during his rookie year. If he can regain the scoring touch that he seemed to lose during his tenure as a member of the Canadiens, the 'Hawks will have a much more balanced attack.

Another veteran player that Chicago desperately needs a bounce back season from is goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin. The "Bulin Wall" has never really been the impact goalie the 'Hawks envisioned when they signed him to a huge free agent contract two years ago. He was once considered one of the game's elite, and at age 34 he should still be able to turn things around.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Blackhawks will be relying heavily on several players in the dawn of their careers. Chicago has one of the deepest pools of prospects in the NHL, and several should be ready for prime time.

They won the lottery for the entry draft in June and used the first overall pick to select highly touted winger Patrick Kane, from the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League. Blessed with world-class skills that have left a few NHL scouts saying he is the best stickhandler in all of hockey, he should be a virtual lock to make the team this fall.

Jonathon Toews is another high-profile rookie that should be making his NHL debut this October. The third overall draft pick from 2006 may not turn into the pure goal scorer that Kane is, but he plays a solid all-around game and is the more well-rounded of the two.

They could make up two thirds of a great line and terrorize opposing defenses for years to come. They both have that "you should have seen them when…" factor, and it's extremely rare for fans to have the opportunity to watch two potential Calder Trophy candidates playing for the same team.

Other potential rookies to watch out for include offensive defenseman Cam Barker, high scoring forward Dave Bolland, and power forward Michael Blunden. All three are blue-chippers and should be impact players in the not-too-distant future.

In addition to the rookies and veterans, there's a trio of young Blackhawks entering the prime of their careers who truly hold the keys to the team's success in the next few years.

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