Theo Fleury will add a lot of energy to the Chicago Blackhawks on the ice and is the type of player the Chicago fans can rally around since he plays the game with such passion.

The Blackhawks had a huge void to fill when Tony Amonte left for Phoenix through free agency. He was the team's most legitimate scorer, the player other every team tried to defend against the most. Plus, even with Amonte, the Blackhawks were only 14th in scoring last season.

To the Chicago fans, losing Amonte was much like losing Ed Belfour, or Jeremy Roenick, or Chris Chelios. Amonte's departure follows a pattern that hasn't thrilled the fans. It seemed everybody who came to watch Chicago play wore a No. 10 Amonte jersey. He was the only player the fans seemed to associate with.

Maybe with Fleury in Chicago, fans can identify with him and look forward to seeing him play. Blackhawks fans have always liked the underdog players, and Fleury has battled through some tough times, as he is now. But with the group Chicago has in the locker room, including Bob Probert, they should be a great help to him.

The Wirtz family has really taken Probert under their wing and made sure that he will have a good life after hockey. I'm sure they are looking to help Theo as well. Everybody has felt for what he has had to endure. And last year was a troubling time for him.

We all wonder if there will be less pressure on Theo in Chicago. Hockey is not the No. 1 sport in Chicago, and the Blackhawks don't have a home TV deal, so the players can walk around and be somewhat anonymous in the city. But having Probert around, someone who lives downtown and has maintained sobriety, will be a big support for Theo.

I think his relationship with coach Brian Sutter had a lot to do with Fleury coming to Chicago. He had success under Sutter in Calgary, and Sutter knows about Fleury's skill level, history and personality and what buttons to push. I'm sure Fleury will do well with Sutter in a new environment.

Darren Pang, a former goaltender with the Chicago Blackhawks, is a hockey analyst for ESPN.