The Chicago Blackhawks made huge moves this off-season with the acquisitions of Marian Hossa, Tomas Kopecky, and John Madden but entering camp their are still plenty of questions that need to be answered.
One of the most immediate questions that needs to be answered is who will replace the point production lost while Marian Hossa recovers from shoulder surgery.
There are several players who figure to attempt to replace Hossa's lost production, including Kris Versteeg, Andrew Ladd, and Dustin Byfuglien.
Of the three players being asked to step up the one who must provide the most is Kris Versteeg. Versteeg had a strong rookie season in which he scored 53 points and was nominated for the Calder Trophy.
However this season Versteeg will be leaned on heavily because of the loss of Hossa but if he struggles in the preseason look for Joel Quenneville to give Andrew Ladd and Dustin Byfuglien more ice time and look for Versteeg's to fall.
Although you might not consider this a position battle, it is a battle of ice time on the top two lines, something far more significant that a battle on the third or fourth line.
Now let's move on to the most significant battle of the preseason.
The biggest question entering the 2009-2010 season will be the goal tender behind starter Cristobal Huet.
The two competitors for the back up goal tending position are 25 year old Corey Crawford and 26 year old Antti Niemi.
Crawford was drafted by the Blackhawks in 2003, 52nd overall. He has been playing for the Blackhawks AHL affiliates since 2005 starting 203 games and compiling a record of 111-80-12.
Crawford has paid his dues within the Blackhawks organization and many believe that it is time for him to get some semi-regular time at the NHL level.
On the other side of the competition is Antti Niemi, a Finnish net minder who was signed as a free agent last season. In Niemi's only season with the Blackhawks he spent most of his season in the AHL spliting time with Corey Crawford.
Niemi was fairly impressive in his first season in North America with a record of 18-14-3 with a save percentage of 91% and a goals allowed average of 2.43. Niemi's first season with the Blackhawks included a three game stint at the NHL level.
In those three games Niemi had a record of 1-1-1 with a save percentage of 86% and a goals allowed average of 3.40, not overly impressive numbers but they were his first three games at the NHL level.
As of right now it is anyone's game but with Crawford's experience in the AHL and familiarity with North American style hockey you have to believe his has the inside track
These are just a couple of examples of the difficult decisions that coach Quenneville and GM Stan Bowman face entering the 2009-2010 season. In just a few weeks the season will begin and we should have a better understand of where the Blackhawks stand in these very exciting position battles.
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