Bryan Bickell

The Chicago Blackhawks have been in a funk recently, and if that doesn't change, GM Stan Bowman could be making some permanent changes to the team's roster.

Inconsistent play, bad defense and all-around bad hockey from a number of individuals wearing a Blackhawks jersey explains the team's lack of success recently.

Although the Hawks have been struggling, there have been some players—such as Marcus Kruger and Nick Leddy—who have made significant improvements to their game since the start of the season.

Blackhawks beat writer Tim Sassone of the Daily Herald has confirmed that Chicago forward Bryan Bickell will be out for the next 2-3 weeks following wrist surgery.

The news broke earlier when XM Radio reported the surgery during their Home Ice broadcast.

Third line production

I gave you guys what I thought were the "5 Biggest Underachievers So Far" for the Blackhawks this season. There I listed the five guys that I thought were holding up the Hawks, and were the main cause for a lukewarm start to the season. 

After a phenomenal win over the hated Detroit Red Wings, I thought I'd have my next slide show be a little more optimistic. 

Since the 'rebirth' of the Blackhawks a couple years ago, the United Center has been an amazing place to be at for a hockey game. It has personified what having a home-ice advantage can be.

The Chicago Blackhawks, this season, have had the opportunity to play before the home fans in one of the largest arenas in the NHL along with Joe Louis Arena in Detroit and Wachovia Center in Philadelphia.

The Chicago Blackhawks continued to make news as they signed restricted free agent forward Bryan Bickell to a three year deal worth and estimated $1.625 million, a cap hit of about $542,000.

Bickell spent the majority of the 2009-2010 season in the AHL with the Blackhawks' AHL affiliate Rockford Ice Hogs, where he appeared in 65 games and recorded 16 goals and 15 assists.

However Bickell did spend some time with the Blackhawks last season, recording three goals and an assist in 16 games.

For all the bleeding hearts in Blackhawk Nation that pine for the days of the curly-haired, soft-spoken Dustin Byfuglien and his on-ice celebrations, fear not.

A new and improved version has been with the team all long. His name is Brian Bickell, and he is what Byfuglien should have been.

At first glance, Bickell looks like nothing special, as his career point total is a massive six (five goals, one assist). Those stats have mainly been accrued on the fourth line and in garbage minutes when he was a fill-in.

Curious about what the Chicago Blackhawks have done so far since winning the Stanley Cup last month? Wondering what the variety of moves the Hawks have made during this period means to the future of the team? Take a look below to find out.

The following is a list of moves that the Blackhawks have made during this offseason to date. 

They are listed in trade or acquisition groupings.

At what point do Chicago Blackhawks fans start humming Katy Perry when they think of their hockey team? We're four games into the first round of the Western Conference playoffs, and the best way to describe the Blackhawks is hot and cold.

Game One: the Blackhawks don't show up at all, despite being at home in front of a raucus crowd. The final score, despite two of Nashville's goals, was appropriate to the effort on the ice. The Hawks got blown out.

When Bryan Bickell was called up on November 15th against the San Jose Sharks, it came off as not a big deal and that he would likely be shuttled right back to Rockford after the game.

Well, you would be partially right.

Bickell would take Kris Versteeg's lineup spot, as he was missing time with an upper body injury, and give the Blackhawks more size against a very physical Sharks team.

Bickell would end up heading back to Rockford, but would find his way onto a plane bound for Calgary and in the lineup once again over forward Andrew Ebbett.