I think we're trying to be a Chicago/Los Angeles hybrid. Chicago in the sense that we have a pretty great top six, Los Angeles in the sheer amount of big bodies and surplus guys that could allow this team to roll with injuries and a war of attrition. Also funny, Reimer is a bit like Corey Crawford in some ways as an underdog battler, while Bernier could be a bit of a Jonathan Quick type intimidating goalie if all goes well.
Nonis has said it a few times on the air, that he studies the elite teams. Of course, it also doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that you need depth in talent to win. That Hawks team, much like the Bruins recently and the Kings too, are/were deep in talent. They each had/have a handful of guys who can score and can play a big physical game. That, to me, is one of the more telling marks of an elite team. The more guys like Buff, Lucic, Horton and Brown in your roster, the better. A third line that plays a rough, checking, gritty style of game, but are also all capable of second line scoring style of play as well. Goaltending that can steal games. At least four elite all-star calibre scores that can be spread over the top two lines.