Sleeper Watch

Pittsburgh Penguins v Chicago Blackhawks

The Blackhawk offense is really clicking right now, and there’s one player that you should take note of who may not yet be on your radar. That player is Andrew Ladd, Left Winger.

Ladd was drafted fourth overall in ‘04 by the ‘Canes, and failed to impress in his first three seasons with Carolina. In February of ‘08, hoping to make a run, Carolina traded him to the Chicago for Tuomo Ruutu. Once there, he had twelve points in his first twenty games which is saying a lot for an offense that was underpowered at the time.

This season, Ladd, seems to be finally putting it together. He’s often seen skating with center Dave Bolland and right winger Troy Brouwer, but he’s first on the Chicago depth chart and also sees significant time with dynamos Jonathan Toews and Martin Havlat. If the Blackhawks are to be successfully (which, relatively speaking, they have been thus far), Ladd will have to play well on this first line.

With fifteen points in twenty-five games, and a whopping seven points in the last three, Ladd is a good gamble for teams that need help at left wing. Granted, this may be an aberration (four of them came in the 7-1 route over Phoenix) but it’s hard not to produce when playing with Havlat and Toews.

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Thomas is a big-time DC sports fan.