Marc-Andre Fleury started in net tonight looking to get on track this young season after starting -0–4–0 with an .839 save percentage.

First period

Chicago started the contest with a step slow but Fleury played excellent in net. Fleury would stop all 14 shots he faced in the opening frame to keep his team in the contest. Chicago would only muster four shots in the first period, not putting too much pressure on Blues’ goaltender Jordan Binnington.

Chicago would not find the back of the net in the two first period power plays and would kill off the Blues’ only man advantage after forward Adam Gaudette interfered with Blues forward Brayden Schenn.

Second period

The middle frame was about as even as a period as one would want from Chicago, especially in a 0–0 game and having not won a game yet this season. Chicago would pepper Binnington with 12 shots on net but could not find an answer to the goaltender’s puzzle.

Chicago managed a few sustained pressure play in the offensive zone, a much different scenario than the first period of play tonight.

Third period

At the 7:25 mark in the period, Blues defenseman Torey Krug beat Fleury for his first goal of the season. The goal, assisted by forwards Vladamir Tarasenko and David Perron, came on the power play after forward Alex DeBrincat was called tripping on Schenn.

The pressure Chicago put on the Blues after they fell behind 1–0 was almost non-existent. The lack of urgency the Blackhawks bring on a nightly basis is extremely alarming, especially after giving up a goal. Is this lineup taking the laid-back mantra of Head Coach Jeremy Colliton?

Chicago would outshoot the home team 9–8 in the period but the Blues would win the game total 37–25.

Binnington’s shutout was his first this season and first against the Blackhawks.

ANALYSIS

The good

 Fleury finally looked like the reigning Vezina Trophy winner of last season, stopping the first 30 shots he faced tonight.

Chicago looked better structurally in the defensive zone, even with Erik Gustaffson in the lineup. Overall, the Blackhawks were a much tighter team and did a nice job in the neutral ice.

The bad

Although it would not happen until the third period, Chicago fell behind again tonight and had to chase the lead.

After being shut out tonight, Chicago has no firepower outside of DeBrincat and Dach in the lineup when Kane is not on the ice. This lineup is not built to roll four lines and be competitive. Former General Manager Stan Bowman created a roster with no secondary scoring and it continues to be an issue.

Chicago will be back on home ice on Monday, November 1 when the Ottawa Senators come to town for a 7:00 p.m. CDT puck drop.

The post Chicago still winless after St. Louis 1-0 victory appeared first on The Rink.

The Blackhawks were once again without Patrick Kane, who is still out with Covid-19, but had a new face in the lineup, Issak Phillips. Phillips was recalled from Rockford to replace Ian Mitchell on the roster. Phillips was drafted in the fifth round of the 2021 NHL draft and signed an entry-level contract on March 31st.

While it was a night to remember for Phillips, it was a night the Blackhawks will want to soon forget.

First period

For the second straight game, the Blackhawks jumped out to a lead. Early in the first period, Jonathan Toews dug a puck out from behind the net and fed Brandon Hagel who buried the pass for his first goal of the season. The early lead for the Blackhawks did not last long as the Canes Tony DeAngelo tied the game up at one.

Just past the midway point of the first period, Carolina’s Brady Skeji was sent to the penalty box for high sticking. On the season the Blackhawks were fifth-best in the NHL on the powerplay and their early powerplay success continued as Erik Gustafsson swung the puck to Phillip Kurashev who found Adam Gaudette for the backhanded goal. It was Gaudette’s first goal of the season and the Blackhawks’ ninth powerplay goal this year.

The lead for the Blackhawks was very short-lived. The very reliable penalty kill for the Blackhawks yielded a goal from the Canes Jordan Staal to take the lead. After the Staal goal, the flood gates opened for Carolina. Forward Derek Stephan snuck a goal through Kevin Lankinen’s wickets for their third goal of the game. With a team struggling like the Blackhawks are this season, they can ill afford to give soft goals like the Stephan goal.

With Carolina cruising long, the Blackhawks Jake McCabe coughed up the puck in the neutral zone which led to a two-on-one breakaway for the Canes. Jesperi Kotkaniemi fired the puck past a helpless Lankinen for Canes’ fourth goal of the period.  For the period, Carolina outshot the Blackhawks 19–10 and lead on the scoreboard 4–2.

Second Period

In the second period, the Blackhawks committed an early penalty that led to an early Carolina goal. On the penalty kill, the Blackhawks seemed disinterested in playing defense making it way too easy for Sebastian Aho to give the Canes a three-goal lead.

Later in the period, the Blackhawks were victims of a wonky bounce when a puck deflected off a Blackhawks defenseman that lead to the sixth goal of the game for Carolina’s Andrei Svenchnikov. To add insult to injury, Tyler Johnson left the game with an apparent arm injury after being illegally cross-checked by Vincent Trochek.

When the second period mercifully ended, the Blackhawks only trailed the Canes 6–2.

Third Period

In the third period, the Blackhawks came out with some fire in their bellies. Reese Johnson tried to fire up the team by fighting the first star of the night Tony DeAngelo. The third period boxing card also had another bout scheduled as Connor Murphy and Andrei Svechnikov dropped the gloves for the second fight of the period.

In the third period, the Blackhawks drew four penalties against Carolina for a grand total of eight penalties for the game. Alex Debrincat capitalized on one of the four chances to cut the lead in half. Despite their best efforts in the third period, the Blackhawks fell to Carolina 6–3.

Analysis: The good, the bad, the ugly

The good

Alex Debincat scored his second goal in two games and has been playing really good hockey. He is currently the Blackhawks’ best player.

Issak Philip made his NHL debut at the age of 19.

The Blackhawks drew eight penalties for the game. It was the most powerplay chances the Blackhawks have had in a single game since 2018 against the Montreal Canadiens.

The bad:

Erik Gustafsson is not a very good defensive player and it is costing the Blackhawks more than in years past. His poor defense in the first period directly lead to one Canes goal.

Erik Gustafsson makes some really curious decisions not to play defense whatsoever sometimes

— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) October 30, 2021

The ugly:

Despite taking a lead in their second consecutive game, the Blackhawks have failed to win a game this season through eight games. Breath easy fans, the Blackhawks would need to lose six more games before they tied their franchise record.

The Blackhawks have yet to score over three goals this season and have yielded at least three goals in every game this season.

The Blackhawks continue their road trip as they take on the Blues on October 30th at 7 pm CDT.

The post The Blackhawks surrender a touchdown to Carolina in another loss appeared first on The Rink.

The game was an opportunity for fans to see offseason acquisitions goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, defensemen Seth Jones and Jake McCabe and forward Tyler Johnson make their debut wearing a Hawks sweater. In addition, the Blackhawks’ two leading scorers from last season, Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat, both named alternate captains for the 2021–22 season earlier this week, made their first preseason appearances. After signing his entry-level deal just two months after he was selected 30th overall in the first round of the NHL Entry Draft by the Blackhawks, defensemen Nolan Allan received his first taste of NHL action against the arch-rival Blues.

For the Blues, Friday was already their fourth preseason game following a 5–2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena on Wednesday night.

First period

The Blues controlled the play for most of the first period, as they spent the majority of time in the Blackhawks’ zone, capped by a two-man advantage for nearly a minute, which the Hawks killed off. While shorthanded, Blackhawks fans had a chance to see two of their newest stars handle a sticky situation, as a Blues shot squirted through Fleury’s pads only to be cleared out by Jones.

The Blues took a 1–0 lead at the 10:54 mark after Kane turned it over along the half boards to the Blues’ Tanner Kaspick, who skated the puck into the slot and dropped it to Nathan Todd, who snapped a quick wrister past the blocker of Fleury.

The Blackhawks found their legs over the final seven minutes, as they generated multiple scoring chances, including a few from Ryan Carpenter, who was their best forward of the period. After one, the Blues held an 11–10 shots on goal advantage and a 1–0 lead on the scoreboard.

Second period

It took about half the period for the offensive flood gates to open.

At 10:14, while the Hawks were on the man advantage, Pavel Buchnevich cleared the puck right to Fleury, who swatted it to his right. Brayden Schenn forechecked Jones, who lost his stick in the corner and Schenn found a wide open Buchnevich, who buried a one-timer from the left dot past Fleury to extend the St. Louis lead to 2–0.

On the same power play, just 39 seconds later, the Blackhawks cut the lead in half to 2–1, as Kane, while skating along the left half wall, found Johnson in the left circle and he went cross ice to DeBrincat, who one-timed a shot from the right circle at 10:53 of the middle frame.

After Collin Delia relieved Fleury in net, a move that was announced before the game, Robert Thomas regained a two-goal lead for the Blues after another offensive zone turnover by Kane. Justin Faulk led a Blues rush the other way and Jake Neighbors found Thomas, who had a step on Jones, and went high glove side on Delia to give the Blues a 3–1 advantage.

With just over a minute left in the second, DeBrincat found a loose puck and dished it to a pinching Caleb Jones, who buried it on a nearly wide-open cage to cut the Hawks’ deficit to 3–2.

After two periods, the Blues led the Hawks 3–2 and had a 24–20 advantage in shots on goal.

Third period

Early in the third, after the Hawks’ Dmitri Osipov took an undisciplined cross-checking penality, Ivan Barbashev capitalized on a loose puck in front of Delia to give the Blues a 4–2 lead at the 5:17 mark.

At 14:35, Vladimir Tarasenko, making his preseason debut, executed a beautiful give-and-go with Neighbors, ending with Tarasenko finishing from the right hash marks to extend the Blues’ lead to 5–2.

With 4:02 left, Carpenter was rewarded for his effort in this exhibition game. Dylan Strome started the play behind the net when he pursued the puck and the Blues’ defensemen lost his stick. The puck found Calvin de Haan in the slot and he backhanded the puck to Carpenter on the doorstep, who chipped it in to cut the St. Louis lead to 5–3.

With the Hawks’ net empty for the extra attacker, Tarasenko won a board battle in his own zone and sent the puck the other way on the rush, which ended with Neighbors capping a three-point night with a goal to extend the Blues’ lead to 6–3, which was the final.

The third period was nearly all St. Louis, as they outshot the Hawks 16–7 in the frame and 40–27 for the game.

Analysis: The good, the bad and the ugly

The good: Carpenter had a strong game in all three zones. The puck seemed to find him, as he generated multiple scoring chances in the first and was rewarded for his effort in the third with a goal.

Caleb Jones had a strong game, as he made a smart pinch in the offensive zone for a goal in the second and was mostly responsible defensively.

For the second straight game, Lukas Reichel played well alongside Brandon Hagel and Jonathan Toews. Reichel demonstrated tremendous skill and a “want to” attitude on the forecheck. While I predicted he will not make the team out of camp, if he keeps playing this way or better, Blackhawks head coach Jeremy Colliton may not have a choice but to find a spot for him.

The bad: Turnovers, turnovers and turnovers. Have we seen this movie before? The Blackhawks continue to turn the puck over at an alarming rate in their own zone. By my count, Kane had two which led directly to goals.

Seth Jones. I contemplated whether to put him in the “bad” column or “ugly” column because he definitely was not good. He was on the ice for three goals by my count and had his pocket picked multiple times, however, his first exhibition game in a new city, with a new team, in a new system, is NOT the time to panic and call him a failed move by General Manager Stan Bowman.

The ugly: 40 shots on goal with most of their regulars playing? Yikes! Again, it is very early and not the time to panic, however, I do want to see how Colliton evolves as a head coach. He has been given the most talent to work with since he became the bench boss, however, I am still not seeing any semblance of a defensive structure within Colliton’s “system.”

The Blackhawks and Blues will meet again tomorrow night at Cable Dahmer Arena in Independence, Missouri, at 7 p.m. Unfortunately, there is no television or radio broadcast for this game.

Dach, Dach, deuce!

Earlier in the day, the Blackhawks agreed to terms with forward Colton Dach on a three-year entry-level contract that runs through the 2023–24 season with an $870,000 annual salary cap hit. A second-round selection (62nd overall) by the Blackhawks in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, the 18-year-old Dach joins his older brother, Blackhawks center Kirby Dach, in the organization. Colton has been with the Blackhawks for training camp, but will very likely play for the Kelowna Rockets of the Western Hockey League this season after he was traded there earlier this week from the Saskatoon Blades. During the 2020–21 season, Colton registered a team-leading 11 goals and 20 points for the Blades.

The post Blackhawks drop second straight preseason contest to the Blues appeared first on The Rink.

Fleury has spent the last four seasons with Vegas after being selected in the 2017 expansion draft from the Pittsburgh Penguins. In his time with Vegas, he compiled a .917 save percentage and 2.41 goals against average. Ironically, the Blackhawks sent Fleury’s replacement to Vegas in 2019 when they traded Robin Lehner to the Golden Knights in a three-team deal. While playing in tandem with Lehner last season, Fleury produced his best statistical season in Vegas, putting up a .928 save percentage and 1.98 goals against average in 36 regular season games

In theory, the Blackhawks envision Fleury and Kevin Lankinen splitting time in the goal next season with newly acquired Seth Jones as their No. 1 defenseman, but there is a wrinkle to this trade: Fleury might retire instead of accepting the trade to Chicago.

Fleury’s agent, Allan Walsh, sent this tweet out upon hearing the news.

While Marc-Andre Fleury still hasn’t heard from anybody with the Vegas Golden Knights, he has apparently been traded to Chicago. Marc-Andre will be taking time to discuss his situation with his family and seriously evaluate his hockey future at this time.

— Allan Walsh (@walsha) July 27, 2021

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In conclusion, the Blackhawks have traded for Fleury, however, it does not mean they will be getting Fleury in net next season.

Should Fleury opt to retire, his full $7 million cap hit would come off Chicago’s books, rendering the trade a low-risk move.

The post Blackhawks acquire Marc-Andre Fleury from Vegas appeared first on The Rink.

With cracks already forming in the Blackhawks’ foundation, the team needed to continue to excel in net and on the power play to continue to buoy their ever-fleeting playoff hopes.

Monday, March 15: Florida doubles up the Blackhawks

The Hawks jumped on the scoreboard early when former Blackhawk Anthony Duclair committed three egregious turnovers in one possession, leading to a Patrick Kane goal for a 1–0 Chicago lead. After Owen Tippett tied the game at 1–1, the Hawks pieced together some great shifts from their young players, getting goals from Phillip Kurashev and Brandon Hagel for a 3–1 advantage.

Brandon Hagel scores in back-to-back games and extends his point streak to three. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/D8iBbYsoIn

— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) March 16, 2021

Sadly, the Hagel goal was the last of the Blackhawks’ success, as the lead evaporated as quickly as it appeared. In the third period, the Panthers’ Aleksander Barkov capitalized on a comedy error from the Blackhawks to blow the game open.

Brandon Hagel scores in back-to-back games and extends his point streak to three. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/D8iBbYsoIn

— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) March 16, 2021

The final was Florida topping the visitors from Chicago by a 6–3 margin.

Thursday, March 18: Andrei Vasilevskiy dominates the Blackhawks

Coming into this contest, The Lightning were 4–0–1 against the Blackhawk this season. The Hawks tried to change their luck against Tampa Bay with an early goal from Mattias Janmark. Despite the early Janmark tally and a goal from Dylan Strome, the Blackhawks did not have enough firepower to keep with the high-powered Lightning.

Dylan Strome scores in his first game back after missing the last 11 with a concussion. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/B8QA6TyFdo

— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) March 18, 2021

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The Lightning got goals from Alex Killorn, Yanni Gourde, Ross Colton and an empty-netter from Victor Hedman. Andrei Vasilevskiy recorded 19 saves and earned his 10th consecutive victory in the 4–2 Tampa Bay triumph. Prior to the contest, Hedman had become the fifth player and first defenseman for the Lightning to reach 500 career points.

Saturday, March 20: Blackhawks outclassed for third straight loss

In the final game of the week, the Hawks were once again dominated by Tampa Bay. While the Blackhawks had their chances to score, including a 5-on-3 power play attempt, Vasilevskiy was up to the task, making 30 saves to record his 11th straight victory. The only blemish on the Lightning goalie’s record was a late third-period goal from Alex DeBrincat.

Entering this contest, the Blackhawks were a team heavily reliant on their power play and goaltending to win games. In this outing, both aspects of their game failed them. The Hawks were 0–4 on the power play, and netminder Malcolm Subban allowed four goals on 25 shots for a save percentage of .862.

Analysis

The Blackhawks are a team heavily dependent on excellent goaltending from Kevin Lankinen and Malcolm Subban. In the month of March, both goalies have been subpar. Lankinen is 1–4–1 with a .887 save percentage in March while Subban’s record this month is 1–3–1 with a .871 save percentage. Despite the poor numbers and Collin Delia waiting in the wings, Head Coach Jeremy Colliton remains committed to his goaltending duo.

With their playoff chances slowly dwindling away, perhaps it is time for a change in net for the Blackhawks.

The post RECAP: Blackhawks lose three in a row against division’s top teams appeared first on The Rink.

What team would shown up in Dallas and Florida after such an up-and-down showing? It ended up we got to see both.

Tuesday, March 9 — Chicago left seeing stars in Dallas

Blackhawks forward Mattias Janmark scored against his former team, which ended up being the only bright spot in a 6–1 beating at the hands of the Dallas Stars. Janmark’s goal gave the crafty winger nine markers this season but would cap off an otherwise difficult evening for the Stockholm, Sweden, native as he finished the contest with a -3 on the scoresheet.

Chicago starting goaltender Malcolm Subban displayed his regular lack of rebound control, his inability to find the puck in traffic on a regular basis and stopped only 31 of the 37 shots he faced. His defense in front of him was nothing to write home about either, but Subban spotted Dallas two goals before the Chicago tally shrunk the Dallas lead to 2–1. However, four unanswered goals later and Dallas finished off the Blackhawks 6–1.

With the lackluster showing this evening, this looked like the Blackhawks team many thought fans would watch on a more consistent basis at the beginning of the season, not the potential playoff team we have seen. A bounce-back game was a must, as the Stars chase the Blackhawks for that fourth place spot or the Central Division. 

Thursday, March 11 — Blackhawks do a lot with a little

“It’s not how, it’s how many,” said Chicago television analyst Eddie Olczyk on Thursday night about Chicago’s surprising four goals in eight shots at the time. The Blackhawks showed they could take advantage of poor goaltending by Stars’ netminder Anton Khudobin when scoring scoring on half their shots. As impressive of a stat as that can look, those eight shots came in the first 34 minutes of the game. Sometimes the game of hockey is unexplainable, but the Blackhawks were ecstatic to take two points from Dallas in this evening when they were able to hang on for a 4–2 victory.

Chicago jumped on the board when forward Dominik Kubalik scored his 10th goal on the season. First-year Blackhawk Carl Soderberg, a forward with excellent hockey IQ and has shown to be more than just a late signing to fill the void when Kirby Dach was injured, tipped home a shot by defenseman Adam Boqvist from the point, screening Khudobin and adding another power play goal to the impressive Blackhawk special teams this season.

Duncan Keith fired his first goal of the season, while the highly offensively skilled Alex DeBrincat buried his 15th of the season late in the second period to give Chicago a lopsided 4–0 lead. The Blackhawks looked to be in control of the game despite being outshot by more than three times by the Stars.

Boqvist gets it on net and Soderberg tips it past Khudobin!

2-0 Chicago! #CHIvsDAL pic.twitter.com/hVQ8RVcR1e

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) March 12, 2021

The feel of the game changed dramatically when Dallas scored two goals midway through the third period to cut the Chicago lead in half at 4–2. Dallas registered a late push that a young Chicago team looked like it may crack, but goaltender Kevin Lankinen turned aside all the Dallas chances. At the end of the day, after a loud sigh of relief could be heard all the way back in Chicago, the road team won a game that was nothing if not underwhelming for the visitors. 

Lankinen stopped 28 of the 30 shots he faced on the evening. A victory like Thursday night’s is proof that Chicago will continue to lean on their Finnish goaltender to stay in playoff contention. It was expected to see Lankinen back in net against Florida, and that is exactly what happened when Colliton faced off against former Chicago bench boss Joel Quenneville in south Florida.

Saturday, March 13 — Florida figures out Lankinen

Chicago jumped out to an early lead when winger Brandon Hagel finished off a nifty give-and-go with Kubalik finishing with Hagel’s second goal this season. The early lead would not last long, as Florida scored four straight goals—three coming in the second period of play—to give the visiting Blackhawks the 4–2 loss.

Imagine not loving hockey. #CHIvsFLA pic.twitter.com/wOAeOHpPSy

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) March 14, 2021

Boqvist scored Chicago’s late third period goal when the game seemed out of reach, giving the second-year Swedish native his second goal this season. Chicago’s late push would come up empty and Chicago did not have an answer for Panther goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky.

Analysis

The middling Blackhawks stand as middle-of-the-pack as they could at 14–9–5—some would say 14–14 overall—and continue to struggle at 5-on-5 to generate much offense. Without solid goaltending from Lankinen, a dynamic duo of DeBrincat and Patrick Kane scoring nightly and an inconsistent defensive group, Chicago may not cling onto fourth place in the Central Division.

Chicago’s next five games consist of one more game against the Florida Panthers before traveling across Florida for another two-game series with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Chicago then travels home for two more games in Chicago against the Panthers to close out a difficult stretch of games. If the “Jekyll” Chicago team shows up each night, Chicago should have some success against teams that are more talented against them. The “Hyde” Blackhawks would probably be an indication that the last playoff spot in the division could slowly be slipping away.

The post RECAP: Chicago sneaks out lone victory in three underwhelming efforts appeared first on The Rink.

On Feb. 19, Reichel’s Eisbaren Berlin team beat the Kolner Haie 6–1 with the Chicago prospect chipping in with a goal and an assist. Reichel played 14:01 this evening, with 1:38 on the power play. The forward was a factor in all three zones in the game and showed skills that made him the 17th overall pick.

Reichel lost the opening face off of the night, something that has been a struggle for him this season. He would win two of nine at the circle throughout the contest, a poor 22%, which is extremely low compared to his 44% face off percentage for the season. As an 18-year-old playing against older competition, and expected to be a winger in the NHL, this is not an alarming issue. Reichel shows he is willing to dig in and lean into his opponent to tie him up and allow his teammates the ability to make plays for the puck.

Each shift in the offensive zone, Reichel shows a nose for the net, almost as if he has a magnetic force with the blue paint. He works his way around defenders with shiftiness, a quality reminiscent of Patrick Sharp, and lets himself be a nuisance to the defenders and goaltender. He only generated one shot in the game, but was a threat with the puck for his team on most shifts.

The 6-foot, 172-pound Germany native carried the puck with confidence. Reichel played a simple game through the center of the ice, kept his head up for the puck and had his stick on the ice looking for the puck from his linemates. A glaring positive attribute was his ability to not slow down to make plays. With a wider ice surface in Germany, Reichel is able to use his slick stickhandling and ability to make plays with the puck away from his body, protecting the puck from the defender.

A few times playing on the wing in the game, Reichel carried the puck into his defender and was willing to take the body in order to make a play. His lack of size was evident on a few occasions, but this is not a concern for someone his age playing against older competition. On almost every defensive zone breakout, he is an option for his defenseman along the boards. He shows his defensive responsibility can turn into an easy exit pass quickly.

His skating is very good. He has an easy stride with good edge work. Reichel can turn in transition quickly, without losing speed, and backcheck with tenacity. His shiftiness in his hips allows him to make moves around defenders and even avoid contact. His forward burst into the offensive zone is tough to defend, showcasing a strong lower half that allows him to battle for dump-ins and pucks along the boards. He does not have blazing speed, but should be sneaky quick as he continues to mature.

Reichel’s goal in the contest came on the power play. Working as a winger, Eisbaren Berlin won the draw, which allowed Reichel to set up shop in front of the net. A nice tic-tac-toe pass ended up with puck on Reichel’s stick for an easy goal into a wide-open net. Reichel did an excellent job of positioning himself in the view of goaltender Justin Pogge’s vision, kept his stick on the ice and found a gift because of his positioning and attention to detail to find open ice. Many young forwards will not make the transition Reichel did to the far post, instead becoming stationary in front of the net, and allow the defender to tie up a stick.

His assist in the outing was almost the same exact power play setup that found Reichel in front of the net, rotated himself toward the right circle to give his linemate an option for a pass and found his teammate coming backdoor for an easy goal. Reichel showed good vision and anticipation on the play, knowing exactly where his teammate was going to be for another tic-tac-toe passing play goal.

In the defensive zone, Reichel keeps his head on a swivel and knows his responsibilities, a quality he was touted for on draft day. He shows active feet on the forecheck. The wider ice makes the forecheck a little more difficult since defenders can backpedal a bit and give themselves room, but Reichel does a nice job with an active stick, attempting to take away passing lanes. His willingness to forecheck and skate hard on the backcheck is a pleasant skill to have in the NHL. The IQ in his defensive zone was not needed much in the game, but it is evident he wants to defend.

His ability to read plays was evident when he stole a stretch pass in the neutral zone. Reichel retreated to center ice, read the pass and intercepted an opportunity that would have lead to an odd-man breakout the other way. The play was ruled offside as Reichel rushed into the offensive zone, but Reichel positioned himself in an excellent spot to make a play, another example of his ability to read the play and force a turnover.

One thing from the game that would need improvement was his tendency to try and get the puck off his stick after battles along the boards, which turned into a few giveaways in the contest. Reichel’s overall care for the puck is very good, so this could be a need for more comfort along the boards, which can come with size. He shows he can make plays in close, with the puck at his feet, through center ice, so this transition to along the boards should be quite an easy one.

Chicago fans should be excited about this game’s showing. Reichel played an overall game that is reminiscent of how to win games in the NHL: Win battles along the boards (as he matures, this will be a very good quality he shows), play in front of the net in the “tough areas” and show you can be defensively responsible in your own end. He does not have one “wow” skill that jumps off the charts, but has the overall game to succeed.

Please make sure to comment below or quote tweet on Twitter.

The post Blackhawks prospect game review: Lukas Reichel appeared first on The Rink.

Tuesday, Feb. 23: Kane records four points, DeBrincat rises to occasion in shootout victory

After gaining a 2–1 lead and a significant shot advantage over the Blue Jackets, the Blackhawks could not hold a lead against Columbus for the remainder of the game. Brandon Hagel scored his first NHL goal in the second period, only for Patrik Laine to tie it a minute later. Dominik Kubalik and Adam Boqvist gave Chicago a 5–3 lead, but Oliver Bjorkstrand and the Blue Jackets stormed back to tie the game and send it to overtime.

Congrats to Brandon Hagel (@Bhags9), the next #Blackhawks rookie to record his first NHL goal!@NBCSChicago | #CHIvsCBJ pic.twitter.com/A1bvbdi3rC

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) February 24, 2021

Despite letting in a few stinkers during regulation, Kevin Lankinen stood on his head in overtime and turned aside all five shots the Blue Jackets put on net. The rookie netminder made two incredible saves on Bjorkstrand and Jack Roslovic to drag the Blackhawks to the shootout.

Thanks to Alex DeBrincat’s slick shootout goal and Lankinen turning aside all three shooters for Columbus, the Chicago Blackhawks took both points in a wild 6–5 victory.

Thursday, Feb. 25: Subban gets first shutout of the season

The Chicago Blackhawks and Columbus Blue Jackets opted to not pursue chaos in this matchup. Columbus had the better chances in the first period, outshooting Chicago 8–3 and hitting two posts. However, the Blackhawks turned it on in the middle frame, putting 12 shots on net while the Blue Jackets only mustered up three.

Pucks finally made it past Joonas Korpisalo in the third period, as Patrick Kane picked up his 399th career goal off a poor line change by Columbus. Carl Soderberg picked up his fourth of the season with an empty-net goal to help secure the 2–0 win over the Blue Jackets. Malcolm Subban stopped all 26 shots he faced for his first shutout with the Chicago Blackhawks.

A clean sheet to close out the 5-game road trip!@RotoRooter | #BetweenThePipes pic.twitter.com/b1QyEkDbrY

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) February 26, 2021

Saturday, Feb. 27: Chances galore, but rough goaltending leads to loss

Chicago opted to have Malcolm Subban in net for the first game of the weekend series against the Detroit Red Wings. Despite posting a shutout less than 48 hours before, Subban struggled throughout the game. A late read by the goaltender allowed Bobby Ryan to give Detroit a 1–0 lead in the first period. Although DeBrincat tied the game in the second period, Chicago surrendered two goals to go down 3–1 heading into the third period.

The Blackhawks also had too many defensive breakdowns at 5-on-5 play and allowed Detroit to score on the power play for the first time in the Red Wings’ last 41 opportunities. A breakaway and scrambling led to Evgeny Svechnikov’s first goal of the season. Slow feet by Connor Murphy and Nikita Zadorov not committing to his man gave the Red Wings a prime scoring opportunity, and Subban probably wishes he had that Frans Nielsen shot back.

Even though Chicago out-chanced Detroit 49–19 in all situations, goals from Mattias Janmark and Kubalik in the third period were not enough to overcome the goal deficit. The Red Wings defeated the Blackhawks 5–3.

Sunday, Feb. 28: Kane scores 400th goal, offense fires on all cylinders

The weekend series concluded with a complete role reversal for both teams. This time, the Detroit Red Wings had more scoring chances than the Blackhawks, but Chicago capitalized on the prime opportunities they did have. In the first period, Nikita Zadorov’s wicked wrist shot gave the home team a 1–0 lead and Ryan Carpenter extended it to 2–0 six minutes later. A beautiful tip-in goal from Sam Gagner brought the Red Wings within one at 2–1 to end the frame.

Though no goals were scored in the second, the Blackhawks turned it on in the third. Pius Suter scored his seventh of the season 1:32 into the final 20 minutes and Carpenter picked up his second of the night on the power play thanks to some great puck movement.

And finally, after all of the looks and scoring chances, Patrick Kane netted the 400th goal of his career with great patience and a fantastic wrist shot.

Check out Patrick Kane's 400th career goal. It's a beauty. #SHOWTIME pic.twitter.com/CSVm7fUpHk

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) March 1, 2021

The goal scoring did not cease. Svechnikov picked up his second of the season and second of the game for Detroit. Kubalik and DeBrincat rounded out the scoring for the Blackhawks. Lankinen stood tall in net for Chicago, stopping 44 of 46 shots and helping his team earn a 7–2 victory to end the week.

More schedule changes

The NHL announced additional schedule changes around the league on Feb. 23. The following games have been moved:

• Chicago at Nashville: Sunday, April 4 to Monday, April 19
• Chicago at Carolina: Saturday, Feb. 20 to Thursday, May 6
• Chicago vs. Dallas: Thursday, May 6 to Sunday, May 9
• Chicago vs. Dallas: Saturday, May 8 to Monday, May 10

The Blackhawks’ regular season has now been extended by two days due to the new changes. Additionally, Chicago’s game in Tampa Bay on March 20 is now starting at 3 p.m. CST instead of 6 p.m. CST.

Recalls and re-assignments

The Blackhawks made some changes to their NHL roster and taxi squad right before the homestand. Forwards Brad Morrison and Mikael Hakkarainen and goaltender Matt Tomkins were recalled from the Rockford IceHogs to the taxi squad. In a corresponding move, forward Reese Johnson and  defensemen Nicolas Beaudin and Wyatt Kalynuk were sent down to Rockford.

One has to wonder why Beaudin got the re-assignment instead of Adam Boqvist considering the latter just battled COVID-19 and did not play for over two weeks. Why not ease Boqvist back into play and let Beaudin get some more time in the NHL lineup?

Additionally, goaltender Collin Delia was re-assigned to Rockford on a conditioning assignment. Delia has not played a game since Jan. 17 and allowed 10 goals against in two starts. It is clear for now that the Blackhawks are rolling with Lankinen and Subban. But with the inconsistency of Subban’s game, could Delia be the 1B goalie for Chicago in the future?

This week, the Blackhawks finish off their current homestand with two games against the Tampa Bay Lightning before heading down to the Sunshine State to battle the Lightning in their home rink on Sunday.

The post RECAP: Blackhawks third in Central Division after 3–1 week appeared first on The Rink.

In a game where the Chicago Blackhawks were outplayed for the majority of the contest, the Hawks somehow found a way to win it in overtime. Despite being outshot and outplayed, the Blackhawks capitalized on two Red Wing miscues. The Wings’ first mistake was when three of their defensemen followed Carl Soderberg in their own zone. Soderberg then completed a between-the-legs backward pass to Mattias Janmark for the early goal.

Mattias Janmark scores his 6th goal of the season thanks to a pretty feed by Carl Soderberg. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/eyLh3Zi46b

— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) February 16, 2021

Later in the first period, the Blackhawks extended the lead with a Dominik Kubalík tap-in goal. With the Hawks seemingly contractually obligated to play in overtime, they forfeited the lead in the third period with a goal from the Red Wings’ Christian Djoos to tie the game at 2–2.

In overtime, Kubalík was sprung by a Nicolas Beaudin pass for the game-winning goal. Kubalík finished with two even-strength goals to propel the Blackhawks to their sixth win in their last eight games.

Wednesday, Feb. 17: Kevin Lankinen earns his first NHL shutout in a regulation victory

In a goalie duel between Kevin Lankinen and Jonathan Bernier, the Blackhawks came out victorious. Once again, Chicago was propelled to victory by their outstanding power play. While credit can be given to their new positioning this season, in this contest, it was all Philipp Kurashev.

Philipp Kurashev with some filth pic.twitter.com/b4nKgCk2LY

— Brady Trettenero (@BradyTrett) February 18, 2021 

In the third period with the Red Wings trying to come back, Alex DeBrincat tapped in an empty-net goal to seal the victory. This was the first regulation win for the Blackhawks in their last six games and their fourth win against the Red Wings this season.

In another milestone this season, Lankiken recorded his first NHL shutout and improved his numbers to a .931 save percentage, 2.29 goals against average and a record of 7–2–3 on the season.

Friday, Feb. 19: Carolina Hurricanes overwhelm the Blackhawks

After defeating the Red Wings twice this week, the Blackhawks rolled into Raleigh brimming with confidence to face a red-hot Hurricanes team. The Canes overwhelmed the Blackhawks in the contest with two goals and an assist from Nino Niederreiter.

The Blackhawks still put up a good fight with Patrick Kane leading the charge.

The Patrick Kane spin-o-rama has returned pic.twitter.com/XIZ2C1q770

— Brady Trettenero (@BradyTrett) February 20, 2021

In the end, the more talented Hurricanes put the game out of reach with two power play goals in the third period. The loss ended the Blackhawks’ three-game winning streak and extended the Canes’ winning streak to four games.

Other highlights from the matchup included Blackhawks defenseman Ian Mitchell registering his first NHL goal.

Players returning from COVID-19 list

The Blackhawks got back Adam Boqvist, Ryan Carpenter and Lucas Wallmark from the COVID-19 list this week.

The curious case of Adam Boqvist

After returning from the COVID-19 list, Boqvist was not sent down to the Rockford IceHogs to condition and regain confidence. Instead, he was re-inserted into the lineup against the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday. He played 12:50 in the game, as the Blackhawks once again carried seven active defensemen. Head Coach Jeremy Colliton called it one of Boqvist’s best games of his career. Colliton gushed over Boqvist’s confidence level and playmaking ability in a limited role.

In his next game against Carolina, Boqvist regressed to his old ways and looked completely lost when trying to defend the Carolina forwards. It begs the question, should the young defenseman add more AHL games to resume? It seems like he excels in lesser roles, yet has trouble handling more aggressive teams. It appears, for now, the Blackhawks are willing to try to work on his defensive game in the NHL, but at what point does it start to hurt a young defenseman? Only time will answer these questions.

Rescheduled game on Saturday

Being a unique season, the Blackhawks’ game against the Hurricanes on Saturday was rescheduled to allow for the Hurricanes to face the Tampa Bay Lightning, as both teams needed to make up contests. The Blackhawks chose to remain in Raleigh and practice for their upcoming game in Columbus.

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You can watch Gate’s segment here:

You can watch the entire program right here (highly encouraged):

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Until Crawford himself gives an in-depth interview, his decision to hang up his skates will be a bit of a mystery to both Blackhawks and Devils fans.

There are several factors that may have led to his surprise announcement. While he showed in the bubble that he can still play the game at a very high level, he has endured several injuries in the last five years. Most recently, he was diagnosed with COVID-19 prior to the Blackhawks’ bubble playoff run. The injury, or illness, that probably affected him the most were his two concussions in 12 months and eventual post-concussion symptoms which kept him out of action for several months in 2017 and 2018.

Long-haul post-COVID-19 symptoms could have led to his decision as well.

A third factor to consider is that moving his wife and children to New Jersey for the next two years may have just been too much stress on the family. Crawford’s wife, Kristy, gave birth to the couple’s second child in April. Kristy is also a Chicago native and that may have figured into the decision. It is reported that Crawford had his heart set on re-signing in Chicago, but Blackhawks General Manager Stan Bowman indicated that he was not interested in offering the veteran goalie more than a one-year deal just days before free agency was set to open.

Whatever the case, Crawford had a magnificent career with the Blackhawks, which spans back to the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. The young goalie out of Châteauguay, Quebec, was picked 52nd overall, just six slots before current Blackhawks Head Coach Jeremy Colliton (58th overall to the New York Islanders). Crawford was the second goalie taken in that 2003 draft, after first-overall selection Marc-Andre Fleury.

Underdog to NHL starting goalie

Following the NHL Entry Draft, he continued his junior career with his Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) team, the Moncton Wildcats, for both the 2003–04 and 2004–05 seasons. Crawford still holds the Moncton team record for the lowest goals against average in a season (2.47), most wins in a season (35) and is tied for most shutouts in a season (six).

Crawford’s pro career started in the fall of 2005 when he was assigned to the AHL’s Norfolk Admirals, who were the Blackhawks’ AHL affiliate at the time. Crawford later made his NHL debut in January of 2006 in relief of Adam Munro. He also made his first NHL start in 2006, but did not get his first NHL win and shutout until 2008.

It seemed as though Crawford was finally going to take over as an NHL backup in 2008–09, but then-Blackhawks General Manager Dale Tallon chose to sign free agent goaltender Cristobal Huet to split time with incumbent veteran Nikolai Khabibulin. It seemed again like Crawford would make his full time NHL debut in 2009–10, but he lost a tight camp battle with a little-known Finnish free agent named Antti Niemi.

It took Niemi asking for too much money on the free agent market and the Blackhawks finally walking away from Huet for Crawford to finally get an honest shot at playing in the NHL. This time, though, summer free agent signing Marty Turco stood in Crawford’s way, but, luckily, Turco turned in disappointing results.

Crawford took over the Blackhawks crease in late 2010 and never looked back.

Crawford’s final NHL game was a 35-save, 4–3 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights, in the bubble, on Aug. 18, 2020. So much happened in the decade from 2010 to 2020, though.

Known as “Crow” by his teammates, Crawford began a decade-long run in the crease for the Blackhawks on Oct. 11, 2010, and there were so many great memories he was a part of. Unfortunately, injuries ate into a good portion of his career in the final seasons.

His first notable injury occurred Dec. 1, 2014, while attending a Rise Against concert at the House of Blues in Chicago. As a result, he missed several weeks with a foot injury. The season ended on a much happier note, as the netminder won his second Stanley Cup championship and culminated with this slightly less legendary speech.

Almost two years to the day prior to their game against the Philadelphia Flyers on Dec. 3, 2016, the team surprised everyone with the news that Crawford had undergone an emergency appendectomy and would be unavailable for an undetermined amount of time. This event led to the now famous Eric Semborski game where a local Philadelphia emergency backup goalie was forced to dress and back up Scott Darling.

Oddly enough, this later became the less famous emergency goalie saga in Blackhawks lore.

Again, almost another year later to the day (Dec. 1, 2017), Crawford was put on injured reserve with a lower-body injury, but was able to return after three games. His return only lasted seven games, though. There has been some debate as to when the concussion was sustained, but, whether it was against the Dallas Stars or his final game of that season against the New Jersey Devils, he missed the rest of the season. It was evident that Crawford was not himself in either game.

In a somewhat controversial move, the Blackhawks flew Crawford to Arizona to try and have him rejoin the team in their game against the Coyotes, but on Feb. 12, 2018, he had a setback and was shelved for the rest of the season. After missing 10 months and 52 games, Crawford made his return to the Blackhawks. It was later disclosed that he suffered from post-concussion symptoms.

It was this concussion that ultimately led to the “more famous emergency goalie” incident. With Crawford on the shelf, then-starter Anton Forsberg was injured in a pre-game warmup routine and rookie Collin Delia was forced into action. As a result, Chicago had to call their scheduled emergency backup into action, Scott Foster, to back up Delia against the high-flying Winnipeg Jets. Leading the game 4–1 in the third period, Delia was forced to leave with severe cramps and turn the game over to Foster, who saved all seven shots he faced to help secure the win.

Just two months later, in December once again, Corey sustained another concussion. This time the injury was at the hands of his teammate Dylan Strome pushing San Jose Sharks forward Evander Kane into Crawford. This resulted in the oft-injured backstop missing two months of the regular season, leaving offseason signee Cam Ward and Delia behind the struggling Blackhawks team.

His final injury saga was prior to returning from the COVID-19 pause when it was announced that Crawford contracted the virus and was recovering. He returned and played admirably behind a mediocre Blackhawks team, leading them past the Edmonton Oilers. Ultimately, his effort was not enough and Chicago bowed out with a whimper to the Vegas Golden Knights in the first round of the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Ice Crow

Despite not being offered a contract to his liking by Bowman and the Blackhawks in the offseason, the veteran ended up playing all his NHL games with Chicago. He ranks in the top echelon of all-time Blackhawks goaltenders:

— Third in all-time games played (488)
— Third in all-time wins (260)
— Third in all-time saves (12,778)
— Second in save percentage (.918)
— Third in goals-against average (2.45)
— Seventh in shutouts (26)
— Two-time Stanley Cup winner (2013 and 2015)
— NHL All-Rookie Team (2011)
— Two-time Jennings Trophy winner (2013 with Ray Emery, 2015 with Scott Darling)
— Two-time NHL All Star

There is no disputing that Crawford struggled at times in his first couple of seasons, but he was able to overcome his struggles to become one of the most reliable goalies in the NHL.

His time with Chicago did not come without threats to his net, either. Darling, Emery, Antti Raanta and Robin Lehner all posed significant risks to his starting job at various points in the last decade.

Ultimately, he overcame all of them.

The legend of Corey Crawford

Is Corey Crawford a Hockey Hall of Famer?

In short, maybe.

He was never the top goalie in the NHL, which should be the first question asked. That said, he was top 10 for more than five years and was a top-five goalie for several years. If the group of potential inductees turns out to be less than sensational one year, you may see him get enough votes. Crawford is not a slam-dunk selection, however.

If the “Hall of Very Good” held selections, he would be in.

Should his number be retired?

Probably. He belongs in the top four of Blackhawks goaltenders with Glenn Hall, Tony Esposito and Ed Belfour. Hall and Esposito have their numbers already retired by the Blackhawks and there is an argument for Belfour as well.

A couple of factors may keep Belfour’s No. 30 from ever getting retired. First, his number is the most popular number for goalies. Second, despite his early success and awards, Belfour played less than half of his total NHL games with Chicago and never won a Stanley Cup with the organization.

Crawford’s No. 50, on the other hand, is a relatively unpopular number for players and he is the only goaltender in franchise history to win more than one Stanley Cup championship. His case is solid.

We should all consider ourselves lucky to have witnessed Crawford’s success and all of us at The Rink wish him and his family well. Congratulations, Corey, and thanks for the memories.

The post Blackhawks legend, but is Corey Crawford a Hockey Hall of Famer? appeared first on The Rink.

Blackhawks outclassed against Tampa Bay Lightning

To start off their 2021 campaign, the Blackhawks had the unfortunate pleasure of playing the defending Stanley Cup Champions on the road in Tampa Bay. With a healthy Steven Stamkos, the Lightning overwhelmed the Blackhawks to the tune of a 5–1 outcome on opening night. Stamkos recorded one goal and two assists in the victory.

The lone Blackhawks goal was on a pass attempt from Dylan Strome that deflected in off of two Lightning players to beat goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy. Despite the loss, there were some positives for the Blackhawks. Pius Suter looks to be a promising NHL player and Ian Mitchell looked like an NHL defenseman. Mitchell is among the most notable prospects to watch with Kirby Dach being out of the lineup.

In their second meeting, the Vasilevskiy stole the show by making 35 saves to seal a 5–2 victory for the defending champs. The Bolts’ line of Blake Coleman, Yanni Gourde and Barclay Goodrow combined for six points, while Stamkos chipped in another goal and assist.

The Blackhawks’ goals were scored by Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat, and Collin Delia made 32 saves in the loss. Even though Chicago lost, it was an improvement over their first game of the season. The team showed some resilience cutting the lead to 3–2 in the second period, but talent won the day in this matchup. Of note, Philipp Kurashev had a solid NHL debut in the losing effort.

Joel Quenneville revenge game

In their final game of the week, the Blackhawks squared off against the Florida Panthers. It is the third meeting between the Blackhawks and Panthers since Joel Quenneville took his coaching talents to Florida.

Early in the game, Quenneville challenged a Patrick Kane goal assisted by Suter. Suter set up Kane with a spin-o-rama pass for the goal. However, the challenge revealed that Kane was offside, negating the highlight-reel tally and what would have been Suter’s first NHL point.

Despite playing their best game of the season, the Blackhawks still allowed five goals for the third straight game and fell to the Panthers 5–2. The Panthers got goals from Aaron Ekblad, Keith Yandle, Eetu Luostarinen, Patric Hornqvist and Jonathan Huberdeau.

The Blackhawks got goals from Connor Murphy and DeBrincat in the loss. In addition, the Blackhawks got promising play from Suter and Kurshaev again. Kurashev looks to be on the brink of recording his first NHL point, while Suter continues to bring energy and skill to the Blackhawks.

Chicago’s major issues through three games

After three games this season, the Blackhawks are faced with some tough decisions about Adam Boqvist. Boqvist appears to be showing little to no improvement defensively from last season and looks to perhaps even be regressing. His play has gotten so bad that in the game against Florida, Boqvist was replaced by Duncan Keith on the power play and saw reduced ice time as a whole, playing just 13:36 in the loss. If Boqvist cannot be used on the power play, his current value greatly diminishes. In a season where development for the future is one of the primary goals, Boqvist regressing is not promising.

Another issue facing the Blackhawks is Dominik Kubalik’s lack of ice time. After having a breakout rookie season in 2019–20, Kubalik has been reduced to playing bottom-six minutes. He is currently averaging a full minute less of ice time this season compared to last season.

Head Coach Jeremy Colliton said after the first game that Kubalik needed to play better and he will play better. When his ice time did not significantly change after the third game of the season, Colliton stated the ice times were out of whack on the stat sheet and that’s why Kubalik’s line was so low. This is something to watch in future games.

The last major issue plaguing the Blackhawks is their lack of quality goaltending. Everyone knew goaltending would be an issue this season. After three games, two starts by Delia and one by Malcolm Subban, the Blackhawks’ current save percentage is .848 and the goals against average is 5.00. The Blackhawks have to find some consistent goaltending to not get embarrassed in every game this season.

What’s next?

The Blackhawks will resume action Tuesday against the Panthers in Florida before returning home to face the Detroit Red Wings on Friday in Chicago’s home opener at the United Center.

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Despite signing with the New Jersey Devils this offseason, Crawford opted to hang up his pads for good prior to the season beginning, preserving his stat line of having only played for the Blackhawks. Crawford’s decision comes on the heels of taking a personal leave of absence from the Devils earlier this week to consider his future.

Crawford was a member of the Blackhawks for 10 seasons, appearing in 488 regular season games and 96 playoffs games. He won two Stanley Cups in 2013 and 2015 in addition to 260 regular season wins and a franchise-record 52 playoff wins. Crawford finished with a career save percentage of .918 and his goals against average finished at 2.45.

The Quebec native was drafted by the Blackhawks in the second round of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. After spending time in the QMJHL and the AHL, Crawford made his NHL debut on Jan. 22, 2006, against Minnesota. He would not assume the starting goalie position until 2010–11, beating out veteran Marty Turco for the job.

Crawford’s legacy includes two William M. Jennings Trophies in 2012–13 and in 2014–15, two NHL All Star appearances in 2015 and 2017 and six 30-win seasons with the Blackhawks. In addition to those awards, Crawford ranks third in franchise history in regular season wins, second in playoff appearances and first in playoff wins, establishing himself as one of the core members of the Blackhawks’ dynasty in the early part of the last decade.

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OFFICIAL: Forward Dylan Strome has signed a 2-year contract extension!#Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/ebZFzSIapn

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) January 3, 2021

In his first full season with the Blackhawks, the 2015 third-overall pick scored 38 points (12 goals, 26 assists) in 58 regular season games and three points in nine playoff games. Strome was acquired during the 2018–19 season from the Arizona Coyotes along with Brendan Perlini in exchange for Nick Schmaltz. Strome has totaled 105 points over 164 career games.

Strome will join the Blackhawks tomorrow for the first day of on-ice sessions at training camp.

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The news on Toews is scary. It is, and from his statement on Tuesday, there is so much unknown as to his condition. This does not seem like your typical NHL “undisclosed” situation, either. The truth is not being hidden; neither Toews nor the organization know what is contributing to his ailment, and they are actively trying to figure it out. Many have been critical of Toews’ play in recent years, and that is fine, but this has been the Hawks’ best 200-foot player over the last 13 seasons, period. He is their leader, a three-time Stanley Cup Champion, Conn Smythe winner and his name and number will be stitched on a banner and hung from the rafters of the United Center. His contributions to what has been the best era in Chicago Blackhawks hockey are immeasurable, and whether you had high hopes for the Hawks this season or if you were hoping for failure and a rebuild, it is really hard to envision the team without Captain Serious. Let’s just hope that they can pinpoint his ailment and he can successfully recover.

Without captain Jonathan Toews, the Hawks begin the season with more questions than answers. (Photograph courtesy of the NHL)

As for the 2020–21 season; now what? Circumstances have changed, the team is weaker and picturing the Hawks jumping into the playoff mix come springtime is unrealistic. In fact, this could get ugly. The defensive unit is a weak spot, they are unproven between the pipes and without Nylander, Dach and Toews, the offense is significantly affected. General Manager Stan Bowman’s half-hearted “rebuild” has just been put into overdrive. Regardless of the message to fans or the organization’s intentions for the 2020–21 season, the Hawks will not be very good. There is a real possibility that without so many key ingredients, that they will finish towards the bottom of the barrel in the league and will have a lottery pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. Whether or not Bowman and company elect to re-sign Dylan Strome will not change this team for the better, and if they can move him for futures or picks, they are wise to do so.

New/old acquisition Brandon Pirri will play more than many expected early on. Centers Carl Soderberg and Mattias Janmark, originally thought to be third- and fourth-line fixtures, may now be ticketed for first- and second-line duties. While the Hawks may not win many games with those two players in those roles, all fans should be rooting for them. On one-year deals, if either Soderberg, or the one-time 19-goal scorer, Janmark, are productive, come the April 12 trade deadline, either or both could see a decent return for the Hawks’ future. Newly acquired center Lucas Wallmark may also fall into that category.

Newly acquired forward Mattias Janmark could now have a more pivotal role entering the season. (Photograph courtesy of the NHL)

Before the injuries, there are some fans that unwisely may have thought the Hawks’ were contenders heading into this season, while others were beating the “play the kids” drum as loudly as possible. Well, the latter is here. The kids will play. You will not see a complete youth movement, as the Hawks will mettle with their more experienced depth early on, but as the season chugs along, be ready to see a revolving door between Chicago and Rockford.

Some prospects may now be locks out of mini camp. Barring disappointment, it is possible or likely, that Pius Suter may be in a top-six role right away, and fans should be excited because of the tools he brings to the table. Winger Brandon Hagel had a decent 19-goal run in Rockford last season and at some point will see some NHL action. Hagel has been on loan to Thurgau in the second-tier Swiss League (SL) this season and has tallied 15 points in 14 games. Prospect MacKenzie Entwistle brings his 6-foot-3 size, speed and energy to the table. Entwistle is starting to figure out a professional game and with 26 points in Rockford in 2019–20, he is another to keep an eye on. Responsible center prospect Philipp Kurashev, fresh off a loan to Lugano in the Swiss-A league, could use more time in Rockford, but if the Hawks wisely shed some center depth at the trade deadline, he could get his first taste of the NHL in mid-April. Evan Barratt may have a longer road to being a true NHL impact player, but his skillset and hockey sense are there. He will most likely be in Rockford for the bulk of the season and rightly so, but injuries and/or trades could see him in Chicago for some games. Lastly, considering he is currently in North America playing in the World Junior Championship, inviting Czech prospect Michael Teply to camp should be something to consider.

The blue line, though not one to brag about, has a little more stability than it did a year ago—for now.  It is expected that Ian Mitchell will get his shot, and it will be interesting to see if he is as good as advertised. Nikita Zadorov, acquired in the Brandon Saad trade, will be a regular, as will Calvin de Haan, Connor Murphy, Adam Boqvist, Duncan Keith and yes, Brent Seabrook; remember him? Will the Hawks be able to unload the hefty contracts of Seabrook, Keith, de Haan or Murphy come the trade deadline? Seabrook, never, and the others, probably not in this economic climate unless the Hawks eat a big chunk of salary and cap hit.

Considering how much this unit will be playing in their own end of the ice though, injuries will happen and the combination of that and what may be inconsistent play from some will result in call ups and some younger kids getting a crack in the lineup. Wyatt Kalynuk, Lucas Carlsson and Nicolas Beaudin could all factor into that. Alec Regula is an intriguing prospect with high upside, but he is likely to see the entire season in Rockford. Another rearguard worth noting is Anton Lindholm. The lesser name in the Saad trade has played NHL minutes in Colorado and has been coveted by Bowman for some time. At 26, Lindholm knows a pro game and, should younger prospects be better served with time in Rockford, Lindholm could provide support in the back.

Coming back from injury, Brent Seabrook and others will be busier than ever in their own zone. (Photograph courtesy of NBC Sports)

A season of change is ahead, that is for sure. The number of different players and combinations that will be in and out of the lineup is impossible to predict, but if you are betting, take the over. At this point, anything is in play. Limit your expectations in the win column, as some games will not be much fun to watch. That said, keep an eye on the lineup as pieces of the Blackhawks’ future may be on the ice, and earlier than expected.

The post ANALYSIS: The Blackhawks’ kids will play appeared first on The Rink.

Earlier today, Darren Dreger of TSN and Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reported Jonathan Toews will not be at the Blackhawks’ training camp and will miss the start of the 2021 NHL season due to illness. The Chicago Blackhawks made the news official later in the morning. In the release, the organization says the captain will be out indefinitely due to a medical condition. In his statement in the release, Toews said he has been feeling drained and lethargic due to his symptoms and does not have a timetable for his return.

Captain Jonathan Toews will not join the team for training camp while dealing with medical issue; no timetable set for return.#Blackhawks https://t.co/6YutfvyisX

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) December 29, 2020

General Manager Stan Bowman provided the following statement in the release:

“Jonathan’s health is our top priority as he deals with this medical issue. The Chicago Blackhawks organization and our medical staff will provide all necessary resources to help him return to playing hockey. While he will not report to training camp on January 3 and will be out indefinitely, we will continue to support him as he is an important part of our family. I’ve been in regular communication with Jonathan recently and will continue that as he takes care of his health.

The health and privacy of all our players is paramount to the Chicago Blackhawks organization. We care about Jonathan, and we know how badly he wants to be with his teammates competing on the ice. We will provide further updates on his status as circumstances change and do not have a timetable for his return.”

It is the latest bad news for the Chicago Blackhawks. Just a few days ago, Kirby Dach underwent surgery to repair a wrist fracture he suffered during an exhibition game at the World Junior Championships. The 2019 third overall pick will be out for four to five months. Last week, the team announced Alex Nylander had surgery to repair a torn meniscus suffered during the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs and will be out for four to six months.

The Blackhawks still have not signed restricted free agent center Dylan Strome, leaving major holes down the middle of the ice for the team. Toews had 60 points in 70 regular season games in 2019–20 and had nine points in nine postseason games.

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Now enters Swiss forward Pius Suter.

After personally having watched close to 300 video clips of Suter in action in the top-tier National League in Switzerland, it is quite apparent that he has the offensive talent to make his mark in the National Hockey League. As a youngster, Suter had two prior opportunities to crack the lineup with the Ottawa Senators and New York Islanders, as both offered the undrafted forward invitations to their respective training camps. For whatever reasons, Suter did not earn a contract and returned back home.

In his first season in the National League during the 2017–18 season, he helped guide the ZSC Lions to the league’s championship. He paced the team with 28 assists in the regular season. He also lead the league in points during the 2019–20 season when he registered 30 goals and 23 assists in 50 games. Suter was awarded the Most Valuable Player for his effort during the regular season.

After exercising the exit clause in his ZSC Lions contract, he inked his name to a one-year, $925,000 entry-level NHL deal, which will allow him to become a restricted free agent after this upcoming season. During the current stoppage of action in the NHL due to COVID-19, Suter has skated in 12 games in the Swiss National League and the second-tier league, registering 10 points.

Suter’s game is definitely one that leads to plenty of strong rushes up the ice into the offensive zone. His skating is very good and shifty. He can beat his defender to the outside, but shows keen decision-making, allowing him to work into the center of the ice if his defender crosses him. His ability to make plays at top speed makes him difficult to defend for slower opponents.

The center/left wing’s shot is sneaky quick and very accurate. Suter does not need a lot of time and space to get his shot off and shows a love for the top shelf like most professional players. He creates space for himself with the puck on his stick and does a nice job finding open teammates. During views, he did not make many bad decisions, often making the “simple” play most of the time.

One aspect of his game that will help the Blackhawks is his nose for the net. For several years, Chicago has lacked players that are willing to get to the net and make plays in “tough” areas. He keeps his feet moving, which makes him hard to keep track of in his own zone. Although not the biggest of forwards, Suter’s heat maps over the past few seasons show a ton of action inside of 10 feet of the net—definitely a good sign for this offense.

One area that bears watching in camp and throughout the season is his ability to play in the best league in the world when the game gets quicker, harder and on a smaller ice surface. Suter does a nice job avoiding contact, though, because he is so active. His shiftiness should remind one of Patrick Kane’s ability to miss checks and keep himself out of harm’s way on most nights. With that being said, the 5-foot-11, 176-pound Suter is strong on his skates.

With the news of Jonathan Toews being out indefinitely with a medical condition, Suter’s chances increased even more than they had when it was announced that forwards Kirby Dach and Alexander Nylander would miss significant time following surgeries. Someone has to play the 50 minutes a night left open by the three subtractions from the opening night lineup.

Suter’s ability to play alongside Kane is something that will be interesting to watch shake out in training camp and into the early season. With all the current forwards out (Toews, Dach, Nylander, Zack Smith and Andrew Shaw all injured and Dylan Strome still unsigned), the opportunity could be his for the taking. If the 24-year-old Swiss native shows he has some chemistry with Kane, this would be an opportunity of a lifetime for him. However, as we have seen in the past, not everyone has the talent to play with Kane.

One aspect that should fit with Kane is Suter’s ability to get the puck to his linemates and make his way to the net to make plays. His north-south ability is something that works with Kane’s creativity and vision. This would be a best-case scenario for the Blackhawks organization since Strome ‘s status and role remains unclear, and some other bottom-six forward would not be forced to play bigger minutes than they are probably ready for.

At the very least, head coach Jeremy Colliton should be able to deploy Suter on the penalty kill and work him into the lineup for 12–15 minutes a night, if he shows he needs some time to adjust to the better league. Anything worse than this would be a complete letdown on this depleted roster. If forwards Lucas Wallmark, Ryan Carpenter, Brandon Pirri, Matthew Highmore and David Kampf are outplaying Suter, then this would be a complete disaster for Suter and he will be on his way back overseas.

As a defender, Suter shows an active stick and a willingness to play with a high motor in his own zone. He does a nice job of taking away space for his opponent. Suter is responsible and understands his responsibilities and can play within a system. His speed and tenacity are something that should play out for him if he is playing bottom-six minutes.

To wrap things up, Suter has the talent to be another Bowman signing that makes fans wonder why the Hawk GM cannot draft like he finds European talent. However, I would temper comparisons to Panarin and Kubalik. Suter is in the right situation on a “rebuilding” team that has been ripped apart by recent injuries and medical conditions. If given the opportunity by Colliton, Suter will show he is a trusted two-way forward who can chip in offensively and figure in the team’s future plans if he is re-signed next summer.

Please comment below.

The post Breaking down newcomer Pius Suter before the upcoming season appeared first on The Rink.

One of the big offseason trades was the Brandon Saad for Nikita Zadorov deal between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Colorado Avalanche, and people have been quick to bicker over who won the trade. 

Personally, I like to think it takes a while for a trade to be fully evaluated. Sometimes players need time to flourish in their new environments. What seems like an obvious win for one team could potentially never materialize. Team chemistry, despite the name, is not an exact science; who knows what could happen once all the players involved hit the ice? 

Saad has fallen off from his previous heights, but if there's anywhere to rehabilitate a player's game, it's Colorado. Having Chicago retain $1M helps though, as does the cheap price. Nikita Zadorov isn't great, but can probably help Chicago's weak team defence. pic.twitter.com/zRVRwy53QP

— dom (@domluszczyszyn) October 10, 2020

So before these two division rivals play each other (whenever that will be), I wanted to delve into the story of this trade—and maybe see if it is possible to crown a winner before we return to play.

As an Avalanche fan, I wanted to be concise and thorough, so I’d like to thank fellow The Rink writer Juliana Nikac for giving me some perspective on the Blackhawks. 

Let’s get into the context, because trades do not happen out of thin air. 

Chicago Blackhawks: A rebuild

Before the new millennium began, the Chicago Blackhawks had won three Stanley Cups, the least of the Original Six teams (that honor now belongs to the New York Rangers). But then, a strong, young core, led by Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, gave them another three Stanley Cups in the span of six seasons.

The Blackhawks organization was one of a few that dominated this past decade—but that has not been the case the past few years. Especially with the benefit of hindsight, the organization is on a downward trend.

(Information courtesy of Hockey Reference)

In 2018 and 2019, the Blackhawks did not qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs, while this year they were able to beat the Edmonton Oilers in the play-in round. But, their overall regular season record was 32–30–8. They were the last in the Central Division, and lost in the first round to the Vegas Golden Knights in five games. 

After the Saad-Zadorov trade, Blackhawks players were vocal in expressing their concerns about the direction the organization is heading.

According to The Athletic, a source close to the team said, “They’re pissed. The core guys have had enough.” 

(Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews are among the core players remaining with the Chicago Blackhawks. Photograph courtesy of Gene J. Puskar)

Jonathan Toews, three-time Stanley Cup champion, clarified, “I’ve never been told that we were going through a rebuild. That has never been communicated to me, for that matter. A lot of this comes as a shock because it’s a completely different direction than we expected.” 

You have to wonder why the plan was not discussed with the team’s leaders, and I am sure people have their own conspiracy theories. I am not an NHL player or general manager (probably for the best), but I feel like there needs to be open communication in situations like these—it is hard to blame Toews for being frustrated. 

Once that article came out, the Blackhawks shared an open letter to fans stating, “We’re committed to developing young players and rebuilding our roster. We want more than another window to win; we want to reach the summit again and stay there — an effort that will require a stockpile of emerging talent to complement our top players.” 

A message to Blackhawks fans. pic.twitter.com/7wBXrJPDQ1

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) October 20, 2020

Even with their veterans, the Blackhawks are one of the youngest teams in the league, with several players under age 25. Their oldest veteran is Duncan Keith at 37, and his future with the team is not written in stone—and Chicago would get even younger should they trade him.

The Blackhawks seem to have a plan, and we still have plenty of time to see if it will pay off for them.

Colorado Avalanche: Post-rebuild

The Colorado Avalanche had a whirlwind of a decade from 2010–2020. They went from being one of the worst teams in 2016 to a legitimate Stanley Cup contender in 2020. In fact, according to Sports Betting Dime, the Avalanche are tied with the Vegas Golden Knights with the highest odds to win the Stanley Cup in 2021 at +750.

Now, obviously, betting and statistics do not always dictate Cup runs—but with the moves the Avalanche have made in the past couple of offseasons to bolster their depth and draft quality young players, they are going to be a hard team to beat. 

In the past couple days the Colorado Avalanche..

1. Replaced Nikita Zadorov with Devon Toews

2. Added Brandon Saad

3. Retained Andre Burakovsky, Ryan Graves and Valeri Nichushkin

4. Didn’t use any top prospects, firsts, or future financial flexibility to do so

— Dimitri Filipovic (@DimFilipovic) October 12, 2020

Joe Sakic, General Manager of the Avalanche, has made some big trades over the years. He traded former top player Matt Duchene to the Ottawa Senators in a three-way deal with the Nashville Predators. Sakic also traded veteran defensemen Tyson Barrie, rookie forward Alexander Kerfoot and a 2020 sixth-round pick to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for veteran forward Nazem Kadri, AHL defenseman Calle Rosen and a 2020 third-round pick. And he orchestrated a seemingly quiet trade with the New York Rangers by acquiring Ryan Graves and sending Chris Bigras to the Big Apple.

Initially, his trades generated some criticism and worry from fans, but today, he’s seen as a top NHL GM.

The Saad for Panarin trade

(Artemi Panarin was traded for Brandon Saad in the summer of 2017. Photograph courtesy of the NHL)

This is not the first time Saad has been involved in a controversial trade. After helping the Blackhawks win their 2015 Stanley Cup, Saad was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets that offseason in exchange for Jeremy Morin, Marko Daňo, Artem Anisimov, Corey Tropp and a fourth-round draft pick in 2016.

Meanwhile, the Blackhawks signed Artemi Panarin from the KHL. In his rookie season, “The Bread Man” won the Calder Trophy and scored over 30 goals, managing the same milestone in his sophomore season while finding great chemistry with MVP Patrick Kane. 

Then, in the 2017 offseason, Saad was reacquired by the Blackhawks in a trade where they also received Anton Forsberg and a 2018 fifth-round draft pick from Columbus. The Blue Jackets received Panarin, Tyler Motte and a 2017 sixth-round pick. 

The salary cap was definitely a factor there, given the fact that Panarin later signed with the New York Rangers with a cap hit of $11.6 million after initially taking a team-friendly deal with the Blackhawks. After the 2017 Columbus trade, Panarin let it be known that the move surprised him, and the trade is arguably one of the least popular deals ever in the eyes of many Blackhawks fans. 

Juliana spoke in defense of the move, saying the Blackhawks were never going to be able to afford Panarin.

“It made a lot more sense just to get Brandon Saad back,” Nikac said. “He was manageable for $6 million per year for the next three or four years. You didn’t have to worry about re-signing him in free agency come 2019. He was just available to you, you knew what he was.”

With all that out of the way, let’s get into the Saad-Zadorov trade.

What the Avalanche get with Saad

(Brandon Saad could prove to be a valuable acquisition for the Colorado Avalanche. Photograph courtesy of the Colorado Avalanche)

Saad has two Stanley Cups under his belt, winning with the Blackhawks in 2013 and 2015. He is a consistent 20-goal scorer, probably a solid addition to any second or third line for the offense. He has been named to the All Star Game, and was also in the Lady Byng discussions in his career due to only reaching an average of 14 penalty minutes per season. In the shortened 2019–20 season, he scored five game-winning goals, the most on the Blackhawks’ roster.

While talking to Juliana, I found the fans were rather mixed on Saad, which surprised me, as his record on paper speaks to a fairly reliable player. 

“Since that deal, Saad has had really bad luck, just putting it frankly,” Nikac said. “He tries his best, he always does. … (The puck) never seems to go in for him.”

Brandon Saad vs. the breakaway, a rivalry as old as time. pic.twitter.com/Ny4sDcTvKS

— Corey Sznajder (@ShutdownLine) November 4, 2020

When I asked Juliana to clarify, because hitting 21 goals this season is still impressive, she said Saad typically was not scoring those goals when it mattered most.

“People got really frustrated with him because it was never when they wanted it,” Nikac said. “It was never in those special moments with a minute left in the game or on the power play.”

That is understandable. As a fan, you want a player to come through for you and your team. 

Part of the frustration also seems to be that he scored more goals in his two years on the Columbus Blue Jackets, getting 31 one season and 24 the next. Juliana did partially lay the focus on the Blue Jackets being a stronger organization at this point, while the Blackhawks were already pivoting toward a rebuild. But Chicago fans wanted that production again, and there is still a lot of time until we find out what Saad may achieve in Colorado.

Saad only just recently turned 28. I doubt he is going to crumble next season. I am personally really excited to see how he fits into the Colorado organization. He could play on the second line with Andre Burakovsky and Kadri, or maybe even Gabriel Landeskog if he is moved to that line. Saad-Kadri-Landeskog would be very hard to play against.

What the Blackhawks get with Zadorov

(Chicago Blackhawks General Manager Stan Bowman is excited with what the team is getting in Nikita Zadorov. Photograph courtesy of @nhlportrait)

Nikita Zadorov is big and he is young. 

At 6-foot-6 and 235 pounds, he is 25 years old. In the 2019–20 season, the three biggest players on the Blackhawks were all 6-foot-4 and the heaviest was Corey Crawford at 216 pounds. Zadorov was also the biggest on the Avalanche roster, and he laid the most hits by a large margin (175 to Graves’ 112).

Typically, Zadorov utilizes his ample size—sometimes less so than his brain. His critics will say he has sloppy turnovers (and he does sometimes), but I do not think he is an overall bad player. Not only is he solid in five-on-five situations, he is sort of a throwback to the bigger, heavier style of defenseman who flourished in the league 10–15 years ago. And in that regard, he could be a nice addition to a smallish Chicago blue line.

There are advantages to Zadorov’s game. Avs fans will recall a game between the Avalanche and the Blue Jackets, where he was able to gain puck possession by knocking down Nathan Gerbe, leading to a Kadri goal that tied the game. 

Zadorov is also a great locker room guy: a big personality, willing to chirp and have fun. And he was adored by fans of all ages—a positive to have on your team. 

But there were definitely moments while watching him that a fan could become frustrated. Zadorov takes a lot of penalties, and, as previously mentioned, can be a bit sloppy with the puck. As the Avalanche grew more cohesive with their goals and system under head coach Jared Bednar and Sakic, it became clear that Zadorov’s style no longer gelled with their vision. A trade was inevitable.

As Chicago goes through a rebuild, I do not think Zadorov will be a bad fit there—especially when Chicago is presently a small and soft team.

Like many Avalanche fans, I hope Zadorov fits in well in Chicago. 

We had the guys draw a name of a teammate and tell us what they're thankful for about him.

Except all the names in the basket were Nikita Zadorov.

#HappyThanksgiving #GoAvsGo https://t.co/kx7vVysqj3

— x – Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) November 28, 2019

What the Avalanche get with Gilbert

(Dennis Gilbert was also part of the Brandon Saad-Nikita Zadorov trade. Photograph courtesy of the Colorado Eagles)

When I first heard the Avalanche acquired Dennis Gilbert, I was confused because I recognized the name, but I do not follow the Blackhawks. Then I remembered.

Gilbert fought Avs captain Gabriel Landeskog during one of the division games in December of the regular season.

Juliana said she thought Zadorov and Gilbert were more of the equitable parts in the trade based on their playing styles. However, Zadorov has significantly more experience, with over 350 NHL games under his belt.

Gilbert’s career in the NHL has been sparse. He has played in a total of 22 NHL games with 38 penalty minutes and a -9 rating, but he has shown some offensive skill on top of his abilities as a defender, with the way he jumped into play for his first NHL goal.

With the Avs’ deep blue line, Gilbert is probably going to be a strong player for the organization’s AHL team, the Colorado Eagles. But, if Colorado’s bad injury luck carries over into the 2020–21 season, Gilbert would likely get called up and see some NHL ice time.

What the Blackhawks get with Lindholm

The Chicago Blackhawks were finally able to land Anton Lindholm after having had their eye on him for a few years. (Photograph courtesy of the NHL)

Anton Lindholm, like Gilbert, is typically an AHL player. He started his career in the NHL with the Avalanche with 48 appearances in the 2017–18 season, but he quickly found more time with the Eagles. In 45 appearances this past AHL season, he had one goal and two assists as a defenseman. 

“(Lindholm) doesn’t bring a lot of offense to the table, but he is a strong skater and he is, in my opinion, vastly underrated as a defenseman,” said Marie Sexton, who covers the Eagles for The Rink.

So who won?

Right now, the bulk of opinion on this trade—among both Chicago and Colorado fans—seems to be that the Avalanche won the trade.

Brandon Saad for Artem Anisimov

Artemi Panarin for Brandon Saad

Brandon Saad for Nikita Zadorov

How do you get the worse player 3/3 times?

— BK (@TheBennettK) October 10, 2020

The Avalanche traded a third-pairing defenseman for a second-line winger, with the Blackhawks retaining $1 million of Saad’s salary. In this currently cap-strapped world, it is definitely a tally for the Avalanche.

One noticeably absent aspect of this trade is the lack of draft picks involved. As Juliana explained to me, many fans had expected that a deal of this nature—for a rebuilding team—should have earned Chicago some quality draft picks.

There is a lot up in the air before the teams return to play. Maybe Zadorov will flourish and reach another level in Chicago. Maybe Saad will struggle to score 10 goals this season, showing a dramatic decline. Maybe Gilbert and Lindholm will emerge as great trade pieces, either now or closer to the later trade deadline. Or not.

But for now, with no ice time in the foreseeable future, I still think it is too early to render a final judgement. I want to hear what you all think! Comment down below, or reach out to me on Twitter at @OwynsGrace. An big thanks to Juliana for her help with this piece! 

The post ANALYSIS: Who won the Brandon Saad-Nikita Zadorov trade? appeared first on The Rink.

— Chicago Blackhawks press release, Oct. 20, 2020

Deftly straddling the right message for an increasingly anxious fanbase on one hand, and yet another massive PR faux pas on the other, the Blackhawks issued a statement today that hit all the right notes—but also clearly suggested they are not being completely truthful with someone.

Consider these words about their alleged rebuild very carefully: “an effort that will require a stockpile of emerging talent to complement our top players.”

This is basically the formula the Blackhawks have been following for four years—just not trying to call it a rebuild.

The fact remains, the Blackhawks have neither the draft picks nor the prospects nor the cap room to fulfill this promise without biting the bullet—risking alienation of the diehard meatheads who continue to lap up the “anything can happen” pig slop every year—and trading those same “top players,” meaning Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews and Duncan Keith.

In other words, it is still not going to work, even if you “step out” and call it a rebuild.

At face value, the Blackhawks are like Lucy: Pulling away the football yet again on a dwindling, delusional fanbase that just will not let go of the now decade-old One Goal dream.

“Rebuilding is fine, as long as I get my ‘Kaner’ fix and can fantasize about the playoffs for a month or two.” This is where it has come to, and that is not a rebuild.

This is not being negative, either. It is living in the world of actual “facts.” Do the math.

Even if Kirby Dach, Adam Boqvist and Ian Mitchell (as long as we are fantasizing here) end up being very good or great NHL players, the Hawks need at least three or four more NHL players of that ilk to become remotely what they were from 2010–2015, when they had four future NHL Hall of Famers, and another four or five terrific players.

And by the time Dach, Boqvist and/or Mitchell would become those players, Keith, Kane and Toews would all be 35–40 years old, or old and injured enough.

And where is that “emerging talent” coming from? Picking guys like Lukas Reichel at 17th overall in the first round? Alex Vlasic? Jake Wise? Being jacked up to the salary cap every year because of four guys over age 30 with no-movement-clause contracts into the next century?

But maybe the Hawks have an ace up their sleeve, and they intend to quietly shop Keith or Toews or Kane as the in-season trade deadline approaches in hopes of getting the boatload of high picks and prospects a real rebuild requires.

Well, then they apparently would not be leveling with those players, would they? Unless you are willing to believe the Hawks—with a straight face—are defining Dylan Strome as a top player, in which case, we have a bridge we want to sell you.

No, for the fourth consecutive year, here come the Hawks! The double-talking Blackhawks! Not contending (but at least they are not pretending about that anymore!). Not rebuilding (but now saying they are—probably only as a justification for reducing salary—let’s be honest here).

If that sounds familiar, you must have been around during the Bill Wirtz era, when Stanley Cups were “too expensive.”

Bit of advice: Stop trying to put a positive spin on this organization’s annual “bs” simply because it is easier than facing the fact that this team is swirling the drain as a serious hockey franchise. Because that’s when they have you—yet again.

Which is, in the end, why the Blackhawks are actually hemorrhaging fans (and sponsors). The team is mediocre, but not terrible. But, the brand is tanking.

Why? Because they cannot be completely honest in meaning what they say—and doing what they say. Not with their fans, possibly not their players and maybe not even themselves.

The post ANALYSIS: The Blackhawks publicly commit to a rebuild (wait, no) appeared first on The Rink.

Dream come true to sign my first profession hockey contract! Excited to join the @goicehogs pic.twitter.com/zTttEDQM4x

— Cale Morris (@calemorris) October 12, 2020

Morris, the 2018 Mike Ritcher Award winner for college hockey’s most outstanding goalie, posted a 52-28-18 record during his four-year stint at Notre Dame with a .931 save percentage. During that time, he was a two-time Big Ten Tournament MVP and posted 11 career shutouts.

Morris, the USHL Chicago Steel alum, will join a goaltending carousal in the Hawks organization that includes Malcolm Subban, Colin Delia, Kevin Lankinen and Matt Tomkins. The 6-foot-1, 191-pound Morris is expected to be a mainstay in the net for the Hogs with Tomkins, while Subban, Delia and Lankinen will compete for the top three goaltending positions.

The post Rockford IceHogs Sign Notre Dame Standout Cale Morris appeared first on The Rink.

Mark it done

Forward Lucas Wallmark has signed a 1-year deal that runs through the 2020-21 season! #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/xrWyRbpv4O

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) October 12, 2020

Wallmark has appeared in 160 NHL games over five seasons with 32 goals and 22 assists. Last season, he was traded from the Carolina Hurricanes to the Florida Panthers along with several others in the Erik Haula trade.

For the past two seasons, Wallmark spent the majority of his time as the Hurricanes fourth-line center. He fills a need at the faceoff dot for the Blackhawks as Wallmark’s career face-off win percentage is 50.9%.

The post Blackhawks sign former Panthers, Hurricanes center Lucas Wallmark appeared first on The Rink.

Originally drafted in the 3^rd round of the 2013 draft by Detroit, the 6’1”, 195 pound Janmark has been a fixture on the Dallas Stars’ penalty kill the last few seasons. A fairly reasonable comparable for Janmark is former Hawk Marcus Kruger, although Janmark is not particularly strong on faceoffs.

Expect him to skate primarily as a third or fourth line left wing with a significant role killing penalties, essentially replacing Zack Smith. Again, as we pointed out this morning, this is another move this offseason that backfills a recently vacated role on the roster.

Stay tuned to TheRink on Twitter for news and analysis as offseason moves happen.

The post Blackhawks sign former Dallas F Matthias Janmark appeared first on The Rink.

You can watch Gate’s segment here:

You can watch the entire program right here (highly encouraged):

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1745736142249077

The post Rink On The Air: Gate talks Blackhawks with Shawn Sierra and Jason Palmer in the Morning appeared first on The Rink.

Some 𝗗𝗼𝗺 good news

Forward Dominik Kubalik has inked a 2-year contract extension that runs through the 2021-22 season! #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/z31ES8m8d8

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) October 9, 2020

Winger Dominik Kubalik has signed a two-year deal contract extension that runs through the 2021-22 season ($3.7 million AAV). After the expiration of the deal, Kubalik will remain a restricted free agent with the Blackhawks.

In his first season with the Blackhawks, Kubalik record 30 goals and 16 assists. He also earned third place in the Calder Cup Trophy awards. His 30 goals were first among NHL rookies and the second on the Blackhawks behind Patrick Kane. He also earned the Rookie of the Month award in January of 2020 with 10 goals and 14 assists.

In addition to re-signing Kubalik, the Blackhawks also re-signed goaltender Malcolm Subban to a two-year deal worth $850,000 against the salary cap after not tendering a qualifying offer to him. Subban had an .890 save percentage and 3.17 GAA in 21 games last season with the Vegas Golden Knights and Chicago Blackhawks.

The post BREAKING: Chicago Blackhawks re-sign Dominik Kubalik and Malcolm Subban appeared first on The Rink.

Join your fellow Rinkrats below to discuss what the Blackhawks accomplished (or didn’t accomplish) this year as the market opened.

Player	Pos	Previous Team	Age	Ht / Wt	Term/Dollars	Notes
Malcolm Subban	Goaltender		26	6'2" / 215	2 years / $870K AAV
Dominik Kubalik	Forward		25	6'2" / 179	2 years / $3.7M AAV	RFA - extended
						---

These are Blackhawks trades relevant to this offseason

Team	Departing Assets	Incoming Assets	Notes
	Dylan Sikura	Brandon Pirri
	Olli Maatta	Brad Morrison

The post Blackhawks 2020 Real-Time Free Agency Ticker appeared first on The Rink.

There is no doubt Crawford was a warrior for the Blackhawks over his career. He was drafted back in 2003 and had to wait until the very end of 2010 to be given a shot at the starting job. His journey was not without huge roadblocks, either. After a couple of appearances in 2006, he did not get his first NHL win until 2008 against the Anaheim Ducks. Many people, including myself, thought he was ready to take the backup job behind Nikolai Khabibulin for the 2008–09 season, but then-General Manager Dale Tallon went out and signed Cristobal Huet following a hot 2008 playoff appearance with the Washington Capitals.

In 2010, the Blackhawks needed a backup behind Huetm but Crawford had been banged up, so the team decided to go with an unknown Finnish rookie named Antti Niemi. We all know how that went.

Once Niemi was left to hit free agency, the Blackhawks signed veteran Marty Turco to take over for 2010–11 season, but Crawford finally got his shot to play regularly in the NHL as Turco’s backup. It was not long before the Turco experiment took a turn for the worse and then-head coach Joel Quenneville turned to Crawford. All Crawford did was lead the Blackhawks to Stanley Cup championships in 2013 and 2015.

This is 2020, though. Crawford is going to be 36 years old on New Years Eve. He has endured a couple of serious bouts with post-concussion syndrome and, most recently, a bout with COVID-19 prior to the Return to Play postseason tournament. Admittedly, he has overcome those challenges, but athletes’ bodies are not designed to hold up for long careers.

Athletes do not get healthier as they get deeper into their late 30s; they get more injury prone and less productive.

Albeit probably a few months too late, but the Blackhawks made the correct decision to move on. It is hard to accept for everyone, but hanging onto players too long never bodes well for the future of your franchise. As one former NHL general manager once said, “It is better to trade a player a year too soon than a year too late.” This move was not a trade, but the sentiment still stands.

It was time to start moving on from Stanley Cup-winning core members.

Where do the Blackhawks shift to now, though?

Those who know me know that I am a huge supporter of Collin Delia. That said, I am realistic about his current abilities as a goaltender. Delia is ready for a shot at being an NHL backup. He was ready last year, but when you get the chance to sign a Vezina-caliber goalie like Robin Lehner, you jump on it. Delia has earned a shot, at minimum, to be the backup this coming season with the opportunity to compete for the starting job. He may not be ready for a starting job now, or ever, but give him the opportunity. If not, then why are you developing him through Indy and Rockford for three seasons?

Kevin Lankinen is another curious case. He had an excellent showing at the IIHF World Championships in 2019, but that is not the NHL (or even the AHL). He began last season as the starter in Rockford, but lost the job back to Delia and ended up catching the injury bug. Like Delia, he deserves an outright shot at being the backup with the opportunity to compete for the starting job in 2020–21. Keep in mind that Lankinen has never played in the NHL, and it is likely he will struggle.

If the battery of Delia and Lankinen is what the Blackhawks ultimately decide to roll with, there have been worse scenarios—not much worse, though.

Realistically, Bowman will need to find an affordable veteran goaltender on the market to weather the impending barrage of shots because the Blackhawks are going to take a step back before they start crawling forward. Many names are getting thrown around, and some, thankfully, have already been taken off the board, like Matt Murray and Brian Elliott.

Players like Henrik Lundqvist do not fit the mold and should be playing with teams that give him a chance to actually chase a Stanley Cup, not a team that will be closer to the draft lottery once again.

As I see it, there are two players that make the most sense to the Blackhawks at this stage in the team’s rebuild: Thomas Greiss and Marc-Andre Fleury.

Hear me out.

The German-born Greiss is not a flashy goaltender that will put up big numbers, but he does have solid experience with a variety of situations. He is a bigger goalie at 6-foot-1 and 220 pounds and has put up solid NHL stats in his career. Teams clamoring for Cup contention will not likely be coming to him with big contracts looking for him to put them over the edge. That does not mean he is not a perfectly acceptable NHL goaltender. Bowman could probably sign him to a reasonable contract for a year or two and offer him the starting job with Delia or Lankinen backing him up.

The Blackhawks are likely to have a rough time keeping the puck out of their zone, much less their net, so a situation where they are not getting completely caved in each night is the best fans can hope for.

Now to my second scenario. This could all be irrelevant by the time this posts, but it has been reported by Justin Emerson of the Las Vegas Sun that the Vegas Golden Knights are offering a sweetener pick to take Marc-Andre Fleury off their hands while retaining half of his $7 million salary. If Bowman can offer them something to get this done, this would not be the worst idea ever. Fleury is a great locker room guy and the Blackhawks would only be tied to him for two seasons at $3.5 million per year.

Of course, this is all contingent on Bowman having anything the Golden Knights want that does not take away from what little the Blackhawks have. Vegas does owe the Blackhawks for handing them Lehner on a silver platter in return for (basically) a second-round pick and some leftover garbage.

Let me know what you think below.

Editors note: The Blackhawks re-signed Malcolm Subban, Friday, but the sentiment and opportunity still stands.

The post ANALYSIS: With Corey Crawford gone, where do the Blackhawks turn? appeared first on The Rink.

The players that the organization selected are listed below, with links to their prospect profiles and all their vital stats:

Round	Pos	Player	Height	Weight	Team	Notes
1 - 17	Left Wing	Lukas Reichel	6'0"	172	Eisbären Berlin
2 - 46	Goalie	Drew Commesso	6'2"	181	USNTDP	Acquired for R.Lehner 2/24/20
2 - 48						Traded for A. Shaw 6/30/19
3 - 79	Left Wing	Landon Slaggert	6'0"	183	USNTDP	Acquired for E. Gustafsson 2/24/20
3 - 81	Defense	Wyatt Kaiser	5'11"	170	Andover Huskies “C”
4 - 110	Defense	Michael Krutil	6'1"	176	HC Sparta Praha
5 - 141	Defense	Isaak Phillips	6'3"	195	Sudbury / OHL
6 - 172	Forward	Chad Yetman	5'11"	180	Erie / OHL
7 - 188	Defense	Louis Crevier	6'7"	212	Chicoutimi / QMJHL
7 - 203						Traded for A. Shaw 6/30/19

These are the trades, or other organizational moves, that affected the Blackhawks selections and draft position:

The post 2020 Chicago Blackhawks NHL Entry Draft Ticker appeared first on The Rink.

Maatta, 26, was acquired last summer from the Pittsburgh Penguins for forward Dominik Kahun. Maatta had 17 points (four goals, 13 assists) in 65 games last season with the Blackhawks. In nine postseason games, he had six points (three goals, three assists). It was widely speculated that Maatta would be bought out by the Blackhawks to free up the significant salary cap room needed to re-sign unrestricted free agent Corey Crawford and restricted free agents Drake Caggiula, Slater Koekkoek, Dominik Kubalik and Malcolm Subban.

In return for Maatta, Hawks General Manager Stan Bowman acquired a name that might be familiar to Indy Fuel fans. The 6-foot, 170-pound Morrison is a former New York Rangers 2015 fourth round draft pick. He played 17 games with the Ft. Wayne Komets of the ECHL in 2019–20, scoring 19 points (six goals, 13 assists) in 17 games. Prior to that, he played 50 games with the AHL Ontario Reign during the 2018–19 season, where he had 20 points (10 goals, 10 assists).

Make no mistake, this is purely a salary dump for Bowman and the Blackhawks. Rather than suffering the cap repercussions of a buyout for the next four years, the team will only have to eat $750,108 in this deal each of the next two seasons. That said, Maatta’s value is much higher than that of Morrison, who will likely never see time with the Blackhawks, but Bowman was backed into a corner with no room to maneuver.

So, if the #Blackhawks would have simply bought out Maatta, they would have been on the hook for roughly $680K per year over 4 season.

With this trade they are on the hook for just over $750K for 2 seasons. The actual relief and benefit doesn’t really come for two full seasons

— Puckin Hostile (@PuckinHostile) October 4, 2020

The post BREAKING: Blackhawks trade Olli Maatta to LA in salary cap dump appeared first on The Rink.

• Rockford IceHogs defenseman Joni Tuulola signed with KooKoo of the Finnish Liiga. Tuulola was not likely to see time with the Blackhawks and probably did not want to spend yet another season in the AHL. The Finland native played 114 games with Rockford over parts of the last three seasons and had 22 points (six goals, 16 assists). Chicago will retain his rights, but we have likely seen the last of the 24-year-old blue liner.
• Rockford IceHogs forward Tim Soderlund was loaned to Almtuna IS of the HockeyAllsvenskan league. The 22-year-old Swede split last season between Rockford and the Indy Fuel during an injury-plagued season. He was limited to 36 games and scored nine points (three goals, six assists).
• Blackhawks 2019 fourth-round draft pick left wing Michal Teply was loaned to BK Mlada Boleslav of the Czech League. Teply was signed to an entry level deal on April 4 after playing last season with the Winnipeg Ice of the WHL. He had a very successful year in Winnipeg, scoring 63 points (29 goals, 34 assists) in 53 games. He is likely slated to spend the 2020–21 season with the Rockford IceHogs if/when the NHL and AHL seasons open. Since he was initially drafted out of the Czech Republic, he can avoid the NHL/CHL agreement that would normally force players to return to the CHL rather than playing in the AHL.
• Rockford IceHogs center Philipp Kurashev was loaned to HC Lugano in Switzerland’s National A League. The 20-year-old 2018 fourth-round draft pick also suffered through an injury-plagued season on Rockford last season. Kurashev only appeared in 36 games and scored 19 points (seven goals, 12 assists).
• Recent Blackhawks signee Pius Suter was loaned to GCK Lions of Switzerland’s National B League. Suter was signed as a free agent on July 16 and is expected to compete for a roster spot with the Blackhawks when training camp eventually takes place.

The post Blackhawks news and notes — Sept. 8, 2020 appeared first on The Rink.

Currently, the incumbent, Corey Crawford, becomes an unrestricted free agent when the offseason begins. The soon-to-be 36-year-old goalie has been a warrior for the organization and widely underappreciated in Chicago for almost a decade. That said, he has a proven history of serious head injuries and is one swift “doink” on the noggen from another lengthy stint in a dark room. He just wrapped up a six-year, $36 million contract that began the same season he won his second Stanley Cup in three seasons with Chicago.

Despite his COVID-19 diagnosis, lack of training camp preparation and five months off the ice, he made a solid argument for a one or two-year extension to backstop this team…if he can stay healthy, and if his decline does not start rolling downhill at a much quicker rate.

In walking away from Robin Lehner at the trade deadline for a draft pick and a future Rockford IceHogs legend, Bowman left himself few options to keep the puck out of the back of the Chicago net. If it were not for arguably the best goaltending tandem in the NHL at the time, the Blackhawks probably would have been much closer to the bottom of the league and likely would not have been eligible for the play-in round. Losing both goalies would set the team back even further than the flat cap will.

I have to be the bearer of bad news once again, though. Crawford is not coming back for a huge cut in pay, not to play behind a team that will likely take a step back in their defensive coverage before they take a step forward. He is not taking the “hometown discount” fairy tale people love to fantasize about.

First of all, Chicago is not his hometown, he has just played here his entire career, and, second, Chicago will not be his only offer. Most importantly, despite all the naive toxic optimism that has been floating around, this team will not be in the Stanley Cup conversation in the next two or three years.

Bowman needs Crawford more than Crawford needs Bowman and the Blackhawks. This is why some two-year bargain deal is not likely. Crawford has earned more than a fraction of the fair market value he made over his previous contract. Two years at $4-4.5 million is a fair expectation. Any less than that is utterly insulting and he would be well within his rights to walk away offended.

What are Bowman’s other options?

He could stick with two of the goalies currently under contract, but Collin Delia and Kevin Lankinen have a combined 18 NHL games (all by Delia), and the last thing you want behind a young, mistake-prone defense is two goalies that are just trying to find their own NHL legs. Using either as a backup is another story. You can shelter them and play them in situations that help build their confidence.

Another option is to qualify Malcolm Subban and see if the former first-round pick of the Boston Bruins is ready to be a quality NHL starting goaltender, which is a highly unlikely result.

The most likely option, if Crawford is not the answer, would be exploring the free agent market. When considering this, one blatant misconception about the free agent market needs to be debunked. Just because there are a lot of names on the free agent list does not mean there are “good” names. The list of quality free agent goalies is short.

Short, as in five goalies including Crawford.

After you get past the initial four or five goalies, you are already into “nice backup but not a quality NHL starting goalie” territory.

STOP TELLING PEOPLE THE 2020 FREE AGENT GOALIE CLASS IS DEEP!

You are just feeding casual fans incorrect information they will just regurgitate to other fans that will not even bother to look at the actual list.

When/if the Stanley Cup is raised, and the draft has commenced, the list of available free agent goalies is as follows:

After Braden Holtby, Crawford, Robin Lehner, Matt Murray and Jacob Markstrom, this list is a bunch of spare parts that will give you Cam Ward-level production. Most are reaching their mid-30s, and have never been full-time NHL starting goalies or have been passed around and discarded like a bottle of Boones Farm at a high school dance.

You can quickly disqualify Crawford, Lehner and Markstrom. Lehner has reportedly agreed in principle to a five-year, $25 million deal to remain in Las Vegas and Markstrom will be far too rich for the Blackhawks’ flea market budget. This leaves Holtby and Murray, which, as I stated earlier, has really narrowed the pool of good available goalies.

Honestly, Pittsburgh is running Murray out of town because he is wildly unreliable and trends indicate that Holtby is well into his decline as a starting goalie. Neither is going to take less than $4 million to play in Chicago, either.

There are definitely other goalies on the list, but none I would be marching out as the uncontested starting goalie of the mighty Chicago Blackhawks on Dec. 1. Craig Anderson, Jimmy Howard, Thomas Greiss, Cam Talbot, Anton Khudobin and Mike Smith are all serviceable backup goalies at this point in their careers. The last thing this young Blackhawks defense needs behind them is a carousel of aging high-risk, low-reward hail marys.

The Blackhawks were gifted an answer in goal and his name is Robin Lehner. They chose to play coy, roll the dice and send him off to a potential Stanley Cup championship with a better and classier organization. Now, they are left with scraps to choose from and have absolutely no discernible plan in net. This is not how a world-class organization builds (or rebuilds) a winner.

The post ANALYSIS: What are Stan Bowman’s realistic options in goal next season? appeared first on The Rink.

Before the postseason, Olli Maata was tabbed as a likely buyout candidate. By all accounts, he had a pretty solid series against the Vegas Golden Knights and now may be sticking around regardless of his hefty price tag. We can all whine about Brent Seabrook’s contract, but he will be back and that is that. Duncan Keith will be still be in the fold. Adam Boqvist will continue to grow as a player, and Calvin de Haan will likely return. Slater Koekkoek is now a restricted free agent, and if the Hawks are trying to make room for highly touted prospect Ian Mitchell, then we may have seen the last of Koekkoek and Bowman could deal his rights. Sure, Bowman could keep him with a cheaper deal and then have Koekkoek and Lucas Carlsson round out No. 7 and 8 on the depth chart and leave it at that.

But, that is exactly what that would be, “leaving it at that.” Candidly speaking, other than a possible marginal upgrade with Mitchell in the mix (though he is hardly a can’t-miss prospect), the Hawks’ blue line will again be mediocre, they will be outshot frequently and will need to rely on their goaltending and offense to win games. So, barring a much-needed shakeup in the back, which may or may not happen, that is what we are looking at.

So, what does that mean for the rearguards of Rockford? Well, one thing that Bowman has prioritized in recent years is the acquisition of defensive prospects. Some will argue he has drafted and acquired too many that are of the same style. I am of that mindset as well, but there is some significant talent in the bunch, and the 2020–21 Rockford IceHogs could have players in a defensive unit with with realistic NHL aspirations.

Rockford has some holes to fill on defense, with some from last year’s squad up for contract who likely will not be re-signed. T.J. Brennan and Ian McCoshen will most likely not be back and the same can possibly be said for Joni Tuulola. In addition, some recent later-round draft picks by Bowman will not be signed. 2019 seventh-round pick Cole Moberg will head back to Prince George for his final year in the WHL, which is smart for him. Roope Laavainen, a 2017 fourth-round draft choice, has signed a pro deal in the IPK second division in Finland. 2017 fifth-round selection Jakub Galvas has signed in Finland with Mikkelin Jukuritt. Alex Vlasic, a solid 6-foot-6 second-round prospect from the class of 2019, will most likely be skating for Boston University for the next two seasons. None of those names will be seen anytime soon. But, while those guys may factor in at some point or never, there are assets under contract who will be skating 90 minutes northwest of Chicago. Where do they fit in? Let’s take a look.

Lucas Carlsson — LHD

Let’s assume that Mitchell lives up to the hype machine and immediately makes the Hawks’ roster out of camp. Well, many fans want to see Carlsson as a permanent fixture with the big club as well. He is included on this list is even if that is indeed the case, as under the current defensive structure, he may still see some time in the AHL next season. Carlsson is a smooth skater that moves the puck well, can provide some offense and plays responsibly in his own end. In a mere six games with the Hawks this past season, he was steady. If Bowman and Jeremy Colliton do not plan on playing him, and have him around to practice and sit in the press box for games, that makes little sense. If Maatta is bought out, the window is open for Carlsson, unless the Hawks go shopping. With two strong seasons under his belt in Rockford, it is time for the Hawks to get serious about this player or look to move him.

Lucas Carlsson carries the puck during a Rockford IceHogs game. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

Dennis Gilbert — LHD

Known for his toughness and adding a spark when he is in the lineup in Chicago, Gilbert is easy to root for. He played 21 games with the big club last season, but candidly, if he plays more than that in Chicago next season, it will be clear that the Hawks are really struggling. The kid has a ton of heart, but his long-term prognosis is most likely to be an AHL regular. For Rockford, ultimately he will have the chance to be a leader and could be a solid contributor for any AHL team for a long time. He will see some games in the NHL this season, but it is hard envision that with regularity.

Hard-nosed Dennis Gilbert could see another season of shuttling back and forth from Rockford to Chicago. (Photograph courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawks)

Nicolas Beaudin — LHD

Beaudin will likely need another full year in Rockford, and then it will be make-or-break time for him. Some think we are already there and would like to see him dealt now for team upgrades in the event he does not pan out. He is not big at 5-foot-10, is only 20 years old and showed last season that he does need to refine his defensive habits and his skating before progressing to the NHL. Posting 15 points and a minus-5 rating in Rockford last season is evidence of that. There is upside and another season in Rockford will do him well, but is this recent first-round pick expendable? Perhaps.

First round pick Nicolas Beaudin is one of two #Blackhawks making an NHL debut tonight at the United Center. pic.twitter.com/2KhMfDas72

— Eric Lear (@EricLear312) March 11, 2020

Chad Krys — LHD

With the signing of Wyatt Kalynuk this summer, excluding Carlsson, that is the three left-handed defensive prospects of the same mold: mobile, offensive, undersized and not refined defensively. Unfortunately, Krys is one of those three, and you begin to wonder where his next stop will be professionally. He is similar to fellow BU alum Adam Clendening, where you want to like him but his limitations prevent that. For Rockford, Krys could have a very good year. The 2016, second-round pick will be a third-year pro and is a good enough skater at the AHL level. Still, his gap control and his in-zone play need attention. He will not be ready to make the jump to the NHL in 2020–21 and you start to wonder if he ever will, considering the logjam of prospects at his position. When Bowman is considering moves this offseason, do not be surprised to see his name involved in a potential trade.

Chad Krys plays a similar style to a number of young defensemen in the system, which may limit his prospects within the organization. (Photograph courtesy of the Texas Stars)

Wyatt Kalynuk — LHD

There was a lot of buzz about this kid when he signed with the Hawks in July. Kalynuk has elite skating ability. When he skates forward, he flies and creates an enormous amount of offense. That will be exciting to see as a first year pro in Rockford. What he was unable to prove at the NCAA level is having the ability to win 50/50 pucks in his own end. The AHL is still an upgrade from the Big 10, and he will have some work to do, unless the intentions are to groom him solely into a power play specialist. There has been excitement about Kalynuk and it is warranted, but a full year in the “A” is necessary.

"A good, well-rounded player that I think has a good opportunity to step in and contribute at the NHL level."

Assistant General Manager Mark Eaton shares his thoughts on new #Blackhawks defenseman Wyatt Kalynuk. pic.twitter.com/NEDGOlKlbk

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) July 18, 2020

Alec Regula — RHD

Of all the current defensive prospects in the treasure chest for the Blackhawks, this may be the one with the most upside. I do not traditionally bet against London Knight alums coached by Dale Hunter, and I would not bet against this one either. I am not sure what Steve Yzerman was thinking when handing over Alec Regula for Brendan Perlini last fall, but that is his and Detroit’s problem. Regula is big, tough, right-handed, can skate and can provide offense. He tallied 60 points in 56 games in his final season in London, and while Mitchell could win fan popularity contests in the future, Regula could be an anchor for the Hawks down the road. He is 6-foot-4, 205 pounds and is still figuring it out, but has a high ceiling. Yes, he will more than likely see a full year in Rockford, but if he continues to progress at the rate he has the last few years, he will be in Chicago before we know it.

BREAKING: #Blackhawks sign Alec Regula to entry level deal
by @PuckinHostile#HockeyTwitter #BlackhawksProspects #Rinkrats https://t.co/foVPxxGB0O

— The Rink – Hockey coverage (@TheRinkOfficial) November 11, 2019

Rockford still has a few gaps on the back end and one or two right-handed defensemen will most likely be inked before the AHL season commences in December. Nick Seeler may very well play a few games in Rockford, but if the Hawks hang on to him, he will most likely be with the big club in a very limited role.

As always, the NCAA is a solid feeding ground for AHL talent and there are some strong rearguards that can contribute to the Hogs. Among the promising blue liners that are unsigned are some of the following:

Josh Maniscalco — RHD (Arizona State)              

Maniscalco is a rock. At the completion of his sophomore year at ASU, he registered 11 goals and 21 assists in 36 games. Though a rising junior, he is undrafted, and with so much uncertainty facing college hockey, luring him into a professional contract is worth considering. At 6-foot-1 and 200 pounds, he is a legitimate professional prospect and ultimately, the NHL is not out of reach for him.

Connor Moore — RHD (Boston College)

For four seasons, Moore played in every situation for the Eagles. He can kill penalties, contribute on the power play and his gap control and willingness to battle for loose pucks are among his attributes. Had the season not been cancelled for him and his third-ranked Eagles, a Frozen Four appearance could have been in the cards, and he may have be penned to a deal by now. He could be a player that would fill a nice roll with the other prospects in Rockford.

Four-year Boston College letterman Connor Moore could be a useful addition to the Rockford IceHogs. (Photograph courtesy of DistinctAthlete)

Mike Lee — LHD (Sacred Heart)

Sacred Heart had a season for the ages and was NCAA-bound for the first time in program history. Lee was a big reason for that. 33 points in 32 games and a left-handed defenseman that can play both sides. He could be useful for the Hogs in 2020–21, and could be a decent contributor for a few seasons.

The post ANALYSIS: Assessing the Rockford IceHogs’ blue line for 2020–21 appeared first on The Rink.

If you came here looking for another “feel good” article about the Chicago Blackhawks’ return to playoff glory in 2020, you are probably in the wrong place. And certainly, there are lots of those out there.

That said, we offer, as always, an objective take on the games just concluded, as well as an assessment of where the team is in a larger sense—so here it goes.

Good news: The Blackhawks made it further than most expected.

Bad news: They pretty much got dominated in the first actual playoff round by a team with a talent level the Blackhawks need to attain themselves.

Which means: The Blackhawks have some work to do. And they may not be able to get that work done soon enough in light of their salary cap structure, prospect pipeline and other factors.

There is a temptation, that some may have already succumbed to, to color this first round loss to the Vegas Golden Knights as proof that “whatever Stan Bowman et al are doing, it’s working.” And therefore, just stay the course, In Stan We Trust.

And in the America of 2020, where opinions are driven entirely by emotion and not fact, you can always find the “right” set of “facts” somewhere on the internet to support your opinion.

So, on the surface, you can point to the fact (and it is a fact) that the Blackhawks made the playoffs for the first time in three seasons. However (also a fact), they got an assist from a pandemic and a “liberal” play-in format that included all but the worst seven teams in the league. The Blackhawks were in that tier between No. 17 and No. 24 that got a break, and they took advantage of it, beating a disappointing Edmonton Oilers team three games to one.

In that series, the Blackhawks showed more balance, more desire and more willingness to mix it up physically than the highly touted Oilers. Those are all positives, at least in terms of how Chicago measures up against what was ultimately an overrated team like Edmonton.

But, in the first real playoff round, against the Vegas Golden Knights, the Hawks struggled for the most part (to put it charitably). Were it not for the Game Four heroics of goaltender Corey Crawford, the team would have been swept. The Blackhawks also foiled the Vegas power play for the first four games. But otherwise, at five-on-five, arguably the best metric of playoff viability, the Blackhawks were dominated by a bigger, deeper, more-disciplined and relentless team.

The Brandon Saad-Jonathan Toews-Dominik Kubalik line, that was the best for either team against the Oilers, was less of a factor versus Vegas. Newly minted, $6.4 million-per-year winger Alex DeBrincat got his first goal of the playoffs on an empty netter in Game Four, and had a nice actual goal in Game Five. Pierre McGuire, predictably, was all oooohs and ahhhs over Kirby Dach and Adam Boqvist (deservedly so in terms of the potential of both young players), but failed to point out how physically overwhelmed both were (in reality) at times.

The point of all this: Vegas is a very good team, and one that may go deep in the playoffs this year or even come out of the Western Conference. So, you can choose to rest your argument that the Hawks are “improving, just not there yet” on that. Or, you can take a more discerning stance and say the gulf between the Hawks today and the team they need to become is wide, with at best a highly questionable bridge.

Because as always, with the “plan” that Bowman is seeming to execute, the calculus is: “Let’s find and develop youth around the remaining Stanley Cup core (Crawford, Toews, Patrick Kane and Duncan Keith), and we will get back to the top of the league.”

The problem is, as we have just seen, there is a difference between 19-year-olds dabbling in a few first-round games, and 27-year-olds pushing to make the finals. It is called development, experience and time.

Sure, the Hawks have “experience” aplenty in the aforementioned core. But, it is experience that is getting old and running down with each successive season.

Two years ago, we all thought Crawford and Brent Seabrook would be around and contributing for at least a few more seasons. Seabrook now looks done. Crawford had a couple of phenomenal games in these series, but the rest were pedestrian (at best). And how will we be talking about Keith or Toews two seasons from now?

So, the only way to validate or support the approach that the Blackhawks organization is taking to return to the league’s elite is betting that, in order to improve, they will acquire more players and prospects of Dach and Boqvist caliber (i.e., top-10 draft picks who at least somewhat pan out), and then develop them awfully quickly before the current core loses any more tread off its tires.

Thanks to “winning” the play-in series, the Blackhawks look to be drafting around 17th in the first round, not exactly prime position to snag an impact player, not even the goalie of the future they so desperately need.

That is literally the only way the Hawks can do it—through the draft—thanks to some pretty bad salary cap management.

There was a time 5-10 summers ago when the Blackhawks would have to nip and tuck every offseason and get creative to hopefully sign their RFAs and stay under the salary cap, which is a zero-sum game—if you are spending every dime you have under the cap to retain your current guys, there is not much money left to improve with.

This summer, the Blackhawks are back there again, but this time, they are going to have to spend every dime to retain Kubalik, who at 26, may never be better than what he is now, and possibly Dylan Strome (ditto). And, they may even have to lose a serviceable veteran defenseman like Olli Maatta to do it.

The zero-sum game now applies to a fringe playoff team, not a perennial Cup contender.

How did we get here? Look no further than the money being paid to Toews, Kane, DeBrincat, Saad, Seabrook and soon Kubalik. The only “value” in the core is 37-year-old Duncan Keith at $5.5 million per year.

Following the Game Five loss to Vegas, Steve Konroyd and Jamal Mayers were throwing around the idea of extending Crawford this offseason for three years at $5-6 million per year, a notion that it would seem a lot of Chicago fans would be okay with, because…the salary cap is “fake news” and, hey…“Crow.”

But, here is an actual fact. Including the two admittedly stellar outings Crawford had in the playoffs, his overall numbers were 4–5 with a .907 save percentage and 3.31 goals against average. He will be 36 soon and he has had long periods of inactivity due to concussions (which do not get “cured”).

You want to lose Maatta or Saad to finance this madness? Guess what, Maatta was maybe your best defenseman in these playoffs and Saad is not easily “replaced” by some kid who was playing for Penn State last year. It does not actually ever work that way.

In life, to paraphrase “Da Coach,” be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it.

Or, in the end, you get what you really deserve, because there is really nothing to suggest that the Blackhawks can be a meaningfully better team next year, with another year coming off the careers of the aging core.

So, if you really just want to be a team sniffing around maybe getting a playoff spot (and “anything can happen”) year after year, then you may want to just “stay the course.”

Another quote ringing around my head as I pen this recap is the title of that old Talking Heads song: The Road To Nowhere.

If you would rather rejoin the league’s elite, larger work needs to be done—that probably cannot be done without a fresh, no-holds-barred perspective from the top of the organization down, and some big (and probably unpopular in the short term) rebuilding moves.

For fans, it was fun to actually make the playoffs, and to win one game while there, but in the larger sense of redirecting this franchise, the Blackhawks still desperately need to shake things up.

These playoffs should not be seen as validation of Bowman and Jeremy Colliton, but rather further proof that measured baby steps, and resting on past laurels, are not going to be nearly enough to lead the team back to glory.

Being “positive” about the Blackhawks should not be defined as just seeking validation for Bowman or Colliton or a roster and organization still full of holes. It should be defined as recognizing and applauding when the team is actually aggressively pursuing the greatness fans deserve for their dollars.

And when the Blackhawks do that, we will.

The post ANALYSIS: Blackhawks’ playoff run ends; now what?  appeared first on The Rink.

Jeremy Colliton inserted forward John Quenneville into the lineup, sitting Alexander Nylander in the press box. Such a small move would usually not bring much fanfare, but Nylander is a trade acquisition by General Manager Stan Bowman that has not quite panned out, even after his “change of scenery” from Buffalo.

First period

The first few minutes of the contest did not generate much action other than Vegas getting extended zone time after a Brandon Saad turnover near his own blue line. Saad’s attempt to stickhandle his way into the Vegas zone, instead of dumping the puck to a corner, only to have his pocket picked which turned into a rush for forward William Carrier. Carrier made a nice drive to the net and found forward Ryan Reaves in front of the net with a nifty pass. Duncan Keith made a recovery and broke up the high-scoring chance in front of the net. Such a small detail like dumping the puck in instead of trying to make a play at the blue line nearly cost Chicago at the other end.

A few minutes later, Crawford stoned forward Reilly Smith in deep with a sprawling save. What appeared to be an early goal for the Golden Knights was turned aside. Luckily for the Hawks, Crawford carried over his excellent play from Sunday night into Tuesday’s game since midway through the first period, Chicago’s defense was non-existent at best.

Corey Crawford remains good. Deflection goes right to Smith's stick and he makes the stop. First dangerous chance for #VegasBorn this game. pic.twitter.com/jNna45z0ZH

— Danny Webster (@DannyWebster21) August 19, 2020

Chicago caught what you can only say was a “huge” break when Vegas goaltender Robin Lehner gave up a juicy rebound after a soft backhand shot by Dominik Kubalik that resulted in Jonathan Toews pounding home the rebound for a 1–0 Blackhawk advantage. The goal, the Chicago captain’s fifth goal of the playoffs, was assisted by Kubalik and Brandon Saad. Kubalik did an excellent job of getting the puck to the net, rewarding Toews for getting to the front of the net, a recipe for success in the playoffs.

Crawford kept Vegas off the scoreboard after a few grade-A chances, allowing Chicago to extend their lead to 2–0 after Alex DeBrincat found himself in front of the net by himself and tapped home a pass from Dylan Strome. Strome delayed just enough time to allow Lehner to slide out of position. The goal came after a spin-o-rama by Connor Murphy inside the blue line, reminiscent of Chicago great Denis Savard.

Connor Murphy… pic.twitter.com/K9PJnbVgQY

— Eric Lear (@EricLear312) August 19, 2020

Vegas forward Max Pacioretty cut the Chicago lead in half at 2–1 after he buried a quick wrist shot into an empty net, as a shot from Vegas defenseman Brayden McNabb was tipped by Toews on its way to the net, finding Pacioretty to the right of Crawford with nothing standing in front of him.

After being outplayed for the first half of the period, Chicago led on the scoreboard 2–1 while being outshot 14–10.

Second period

Within the first minute of the period, Vegas forward Mark Stone beat Crawford after a bad change by Chicago. Stone’s goal was an early backbreaker for Chicago, a team trying to hang onto some momentum from having the lead after one period of play. The goal tied the game 2–2. Keith made a poor decision at center ice allowing Vegas an odd-man rush into the Chicago zone.

At the 4:02 mark in the period, Patrick Kane found himself alone in front of Lehner after a Vegas turnover at the blue line, and beat the Vegas goalie five-hole after a nifty forehand-to-backhand move. Drake Caggiula assisted on the play, saucing the biscuit through the Vegas defense to a wide-open Kane. Kane’s second goal in the playoffs gave Chicago a 3–2 lead.

#AllforOne #CHIvsVGK #Blackhawks #VegasBorn

pic.twitter.com/QveJr1xvoQ

— The Rink — Chicago Blackhawks (@TheRinkChi) August 19, 2020

Vegas defenseman Alec Martinez scored his first goal of the playoffs—and first playoff goal since scoring the Stanley-Cup winning goal in 2014—at the 7:28 mark in the period. The goal came on the power play after Adam Boqvist was called for holding the stick of Vegas forward Jonathan Marchessault. Midway through the affair the game was tied 3–3.

Vegas has established a sizable lead in the stats yet again tonight, but this feels like a much more evenly matched game. Stats through 40 min:

Goals: 3-3
Shot attempts: 45-32 VGK
Shots on goal: 28-19 VGK
Scoring chances: 22-14 VGK

— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) August 19, 2020

Third period

Early in the period, Vegas forward Alex Tuch tucked home a rebound under Crawford giving the designated home team the lead at 4–3. Tuch beat Boqvist to the outside and scored off his own rebound. Tuch’s fourth goal of the playoffs was assisted by Marchessault and defenseman Shea Theodore.

Alex Tuch scores to give Golden Knights their first lead of the game. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/gJOKjpSQkE

— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) August 19, 2020

After falling behind, Chicago could only muster three shots on goal through 10 minutes of play in the period. Vegas clamped down on the Blackhawks, playing a smart, simple style of hockey. This type of game was remindful of when the Stanley Cup Blackhawks could turn a one-goal contest into a sure-win outcome.

Chicago’s season appeared over when Tuch appeared to have scored his second goal of the period. Tuch scored into another empty net while Crawford was interfered with by forward Nick Cousins in the crease. Following a Blackhawks challenge, the referees determined there was contact with Crawford, therefore disallowing the goal. With just over four minutes left in the game, Vegas clung to a one-goal lead.

With 1:14 left in regulation, Colliton pulled Crawford for the extra attacker. When Chicago was finally able to settle into the Vegas zone with 20 seconds left in the game, a few shots on net did not end up in the back of the net. After 60 minutes of play, Vegas held onto the 4–3 lead to claim a 4–1 victory in the first-round playoff series.

The taste of playoff hockey, during a season in which Chicago would not have qualified during a non-pandemic year, was a huge plus for the youngsters on the roster. Before the season’s stoppage of play, the Blackhawks were going to play out the final 12 games of the season and head home to golf. The change in playoff format saw Chicago defeat Edmonton was a pleasant surprise for the youngest team in the 2020 NHL postseason before ultimately succumbing to Vegas. However, the experience did come with the price of the possible first overall pick, or at the least, a higher draft pick in the NHL Entry Draft, as the Blackhawks will be selecting either 16th or 17th instead of in the top 10. Time will tell which would have been better.

The post Along the Boards: Vegas wins series after 4–3 victory appeared first on The Rink.

The #Blackhawks have signed free agent 21 y/o LW Cameron Morrison to 2 year Entry Level Deal. Drafted 2nd Round by Colorado ‘16 & did not sign with them this week, becoming free agent. Pursued by several teams.

27 Points in 37 games at Notre Dame.https://t.co/S3KeUtQSsr

— PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) August 18, 2020

The 6-foot-2, 200-pound forward played four years at Notre Dame and averaged almost 24 points per season in 149 games. He had a career high 27 points (13 goals, 14 assists) in his senior season with the Fighting Irish this past year.

Prior to playing with Notre Dame, Morrison played with the Youngstown Phantoms of the USHL and amassed 66 points (34 goals, 32 assist) in 64 games.

The scouting report on Elite Prospects states the following:

A big, strong all-around player who thinks the game at a high level and executes plays with purpose and drive. Accelerates well and has no issues getting around the ice with haste; transition game will need some tweaks. Very good vision and puck skills, and has the size to make a difference driving to the net and causing havoc for the opposition’s defense. Defensively sound, using his size to his advantage along the boards and getting his stick in place to deflect passes out of harm’s way. Moving forward, Morrison will have every opportunity to develop into a smart power forward who can play in all situations and make it difficult on the opposition.

The post REPORT: Blackhawks sign Notre Dame free agent Cameron Morrison appeared first on The Rink.

Game Four began with the Knights returning to Robin Lehner between the pipes, while center Paul Statsny missed his second game in a row, ruled “unfit to play.” Blackhawks head coach Jeremy Colliton returned to the Brandon Saad-Jonathan Toews-Patrick Kane combination to start the game in the hopes of igniting his offense. The Hawks would later shift Kane back to a line with Kirby Dach and Drake Caggiula.

Just over four minutes into the first, Caggiula got the Hawks on the board. Olli Maatta joined the rush with Kane, and from behind the net, found Caggiula open in front of the cage. Caggiula wasted no time, smacking it low and hard behind Lehner for a 1–0 Chicago lead.

#AllforOne #CHIvsVGK #Blackhawks #VegasBorn

pic.twitter.com/ajSLE9ezT2

— The Rink — Chicago Blackhawks (@TheRinkChi) August 16, 2020

The Knights kept pushing and carried the play throughout the period. With 6:20 on the clock, the Hawks caught a break and extended their lead when Matthew Highmore threw the puck to the net from a near impossible angle. The puck banked off of Lehner’s mask and into the back of the cage, doubling the gap to 2–0.

Tough angles?

No such thing. #NHLonSN pic.twitter.com/fJTaBdGZuQ

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) August 16, 2020

But, just 18 seconds later, Vegas got that goal right back on a blast from the point, off the stick of Shea Theodore, making it 2–1.

https://twitter.com/Kingsgifs/status/1295139105269927936?s=20

In the second frame, the Vegas onslaught continued, as did Crawford’s brilliance in net. Chicago killed off a Adam Boqvist holding penalty and a Saad slash, while Crawford kicked away 16 shots. The Hawks were unsuccessful in their one power play attempt in the second and rarely challenged Lehner, registering a mere seven shots on net.

Corey Crawford's glove save on Shea Theodore. #Blackhawks #VegasBorn pic.twitter.com/3XGQmKMDuu

— Brandon Cain (@brandonmcain) August 17, 2020

The third period provided more of the same. The Hawks failed to convert yet again on a power play, finishing 0–3 on the night with the man advantage. Crawford fended off a furious final push from the Knights, who tested him in the final minute and a half with an extra attacker. After missing two grade-A chances earlier in the period, Alex DeBrincat finished off the game with an empty-net goal with 10 seconds remaining to push the score to 3–1. Crawford finished his sublime performance with 48 saves.

NBC rewarding Corey Crawford for his incredible Game 4 performance pic.twitter.com/TChAQLmUG8

— Brady Trettenero (@BradyTrett) August 17, 2020

The Blackhawks will need to replicate this gutty performance should they wish to keep the series going. Game Five will be Tuesday at 9:30 p.m. CDT in Edmonton.

The post Along the Boards: Crawford’s brilliance keeps series alive, Hawks win 3–1 appeared first on The Rink.

Prior to the start of the game, there was an interesting turn of events in warmups. Marc-Andre Fleury was announced as the starter for Vegas instead of former Blackhawk Robin Lehner.

Additionally, Paul Stastny and Tomas Nosek were ruled “unfit to play” for Vegas, while Max Pacioretty returned after missing Game Two. For the Blackhawks, Adam Boqvist, who turned 20 on Saturday, returned to the lineup after being a healthy scratch on Thursday.

Despite the decent start to the first period, the Blackhawks let a poor play put them down a goal. On the power play, Duncan Keith mishandled the puck at the blue line and Mark Stone was right there, ready to grab possession. Stone skated along the boards, dished a pass over to a wide-open William Karlsson and the Swede backhanded the puck over Corey Crawford‘s blocker to give the Golden Knights a 1–0 lead.

Wild Bill

It's a #VegasBorn shorty. #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/tWaaHkuqye

— NBC Sports Hockey (@NBCSportsHockey) August 16, 2020

After falling behind early on, the Blackhawks played better the rest of the first period. Kirby Dach had a great shorthanded opportunity and then drew a penalty with five minutes remaining. Alex DeBrincat had a few great chances on the power play. Patrick Kane hit the post despite having a wide-open net.

DeBrincat had another fantastic opportunity to score on the power play in the second period, but barely missed on the backhand. Halfway through the period, Crawford robbed Nate Schmidt on a Vegas power play. A few minutes later, the Hawks’ goaltender made another great save on Nicolas Roy‘s backhand to keep Chicago in the game.

Big glove save by Corey Crawford. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/OpyMLdy7zd

— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) August 16, 2020

Once again, DeBrincat had more chances to get the puck in the net, but Fleury stoned him twice in a span of 30 seconds. DeBrincat had six shots on goal through two periods.

As the second stanza progressed, the Golden Knights began to turn their game up a few notches. They had ample opportunities to score in the last 10 minutes of the period. With 4:37 left, the Blackhawks turned the puck over in the offensive zone, leading to a Vegas rush up the ice. While Alex Tuch could not put the puck past Crawford, Patrick Brown did on the rebound and doubled the Golden Knights’ lead to 2–0 heading into the third period.

The first career #StanleyCup Playoff goal for Patrick Brown.

Have a night! #VegasBorn pic.twitter.com/XGRZDBBavG

— NBC Sports Hockey (@NBCSportsHockey) August 16, 2020

The Blackhawks put on the pressure during the third period, creating chance after chance and maintaining offensive zone time. It all paid off when Drake Caggiula sent a pass to Olli Matta to create a rush up the ice six minutes into the final frame. Maatta simply threw a wrist shot at Fleury, and it squeaked through the goaltender’s arm to cut the lead for Vegas to 2–1.

*screams*
HOLY MAATTA

Watch live on @NBCSChicago: https://t.co/mfQ1ZBTGTC pic.twitter.com/DbckosxRri

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) August 16, 2020

Despite all the pushes to tie the game throughout the rest of the period, the Blackhawks could not get another puck past Fleury. The Golden Knights won the game 2–1 to claim a commanding 3–0 series lead.

Along the Boards

Patrick Kane. Goalpost. That's five for him and 14 for #Blackhawks this postseason.

Unreal. https://t.co/B2fqQfwRLt

— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) August 16, 2020

It is not that the Blackhawks are not getting their chances this series, especially in the last two games. Throughout the entire postseason, they have missed the net a lot and hit a lot of posts. Tonight, Kane hit the post twice and brought the total for Chicago to 14. If only they could hit the net instead of a post more often.

Blackhawks PK keeps rolling. 11-for-11 since Game 4 against Edmonton.

— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) August 16, 2020

While the power play as been horrid so far, the penalty kill has been a highlight for the Blackhawks during this series. They had multiple good kills in the game and did not allow many chances for the Golden Knights. It is good to see at least one of their special teams doing well.

Alex DeBrincat will have nightmares about this game. #Blackhawks

— Slavko Bekovic (@SBekovic) August 16, 2020

Will he ever. Outside of maybe Crawford, DeBrincat was the best player for the Blackhawks in Game Three. He was doing everything, from stick checking to solid passes to actually putting the puck on net. DeBrincat had a team-high eight shots on goal. He did everything right and just was not rewarded. Hopefully, he can cash in during Game Four.

The Blackhawks will face elimination on Sunday, as they take on the Golden Knights in Game Four at 5:30 p.m. CDT.

The post Along the Boards: Blackhawks defeated by Golden Knights 2–1, fall behind 3–0 in series appeared first on The Rink.

We talked about the Blackhawks’ latest woes, what went wrong in the last two games, what really needs to change, and what direction this organization needs to head going forward.  You can watch Gate’s segment here:

You can watch the entire program right here (highly encouraged):

The post Rink On The Air: Gate talks Blackhawks with Shawn Sierra and Ivan in the Morning appeared first on The Rink.

“Awkward alert” –@RobinLehner pic.twitter.com/f0llBU2mDg

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) August 12, 2020

Chicago made the simple decision of starting two-time Stanley Cup champion Corey Crawford, creating a great storyline amongst former goalkeepers.

First period

Midway through the first period, both teams threw four shots on net, none that would be considered a high scoring chance. Vegas played a quick game early, only to be matched by Chicago’s well-structured start. This was a best-case scenario for the Blackhawks, as Vegas could play a heavy game at times that the Blackhawks would not match.

As Mike Emrick and Pierre McGuire mentioned a few different times during the broadcast, this period was a “feeling out” process for both teams. At the end of the first period, Vegas led in shots 9–5, holding Chicago without a shot for over a nine-minute stretch toward the end of the frame.

It's pretty clear that the #Blackhawks are trying to maintain control of the middle of the ice in the defensive zone, if the heat map on shots is any indication. pic.twitter.com/uBcB1F3Fdk

— James Neveau (@JamesNeveau) August 12, 2020

Second period

Chicago started the period with a few early chances by Jonathan Toews and Dylan Strome, both whom brushed the pipe behind Lehner. Strome’s attempt came as Lehner lost a skate blade, forcing the former Vezina Trophy finalist to make an awkward attempt on the shot.

no blade

no prob

¯_(ツ)_/¯ pic.twitter.com/e6AiM2qYw6

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) August 12, 2020

The uneventful period turned a little physical between teams, as Ryan Reaves played his physical style and Toews and Jonathan Marchessault tussled along the benches as Toews was not happy about being pinned along the open door along the bench.

Things picked up quickly after the 7:22 mark of the period, as Vegas defenseman Shea Theodore scored the first goal of the game after firing a wrist shot past the glove of Crawford for a 1–0 Golden Knights lead. Theodore’s third goal of the playoffs was assisted by forward Reilly Smith and defenseman Alec Martinez.

Just over two minutes later, Vegas forward William Carrier bulled himself to the net, shoving Chicago forward Matthew Highmore to the ice, and pounced home a rebound shot from Reaves from the corner. The goal, Carrier’s second of the postseason, was assisted by Reaves and center Nicolas Roy, doubling the gap to 2–0. Chicago’s bench boss Jeremy Colliton challenged the play for offside only to be awarded a two-minute penalty when the goal was upheld.

While shorthanded, Chicago forward Brandon Saad made an excellent play stripping the puck from Theodore and finding forward David Kampf, who beat Lehner glove side, cutting the Vegas lead to 2–1. The goal gave Kampf his first goal of the postseason.

David Kampf scores shorthanded for his first career playoff goal, but this play started with Brandon Saad. What an effort. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/eN9N5sahlp

— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) August 12, 2020

At the end of the period, Vegas led 2–1 on the scoreboard and 21–14 in shots. Chicago was lucky to find the back of the net while shorthanded since Vegas clamped down on the Blackhawks in their own zone for much of the first two periods of play.

Third period

Vegas extended their lead to 3–1 when Smith beat Crawford for his first goal of the postseason. Crawford made a half-hearted attempt at a blocker save only to find the puck bounce over his shoulder and into the net. The “soft” goal was an early backbreaker for the Blackhawks.

You can never shoot the puck too hard #VegasBorn | @Raising_Canes pic.twitter.com/JYitH6a4ES

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) August 12, 2020

After some end-to-end action, Smith scored his second goal of the period at the 8:14 mark of the period. The Etobicoke, Ontario, native beat Crawford with a slick backhand over the glove hand of Crawford on a break to the net. The goal extended the Vegas lead to 4–1 and showed the top seed in the Western Conference could turn up the heat on the Blackhawks in a blink of an eye.

Classic NHL20 goal…#CHIvsVGK #StanleyCupPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/dIW5gi6MmZ

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) August 12, 2020

At the end of the day, the only thing that was “awkward” about the matchup between Lehner and his former mates occurred when he lost his skate blade on two separate occasions. Vegas played a simple game and forced Chicago to generate their own offensive chances, which the eighth-seeded team could not accomplish. Vegas did not make many mistakes and outclassed the Blackhawks over the course of 60 minutes.

Chicago will look to even the series on Thursday at 4:30 p.m. CDT at the Rogers Place in Edmonton.

The post Along the Boards: Vegas outclasses Chicago 4–1 in series opener appeared first on The Rink.

Records

Vegas 39–24–8
Chicago 32–30–8

Season head-to-head

Vegas 2–1–0
Chicago 1–2–0

Special teams (Power play, penalty kill)

Vegas 22.0% (Ninth), Chicago 82.1% (Ninth)
Chicago 15.2% (28th), Vegas 76.6% (27th)

Shots for, Shots against

Vegas 32.3 (Seventh), 26.3 (Third)
Chicago 30.5 (13th), 34.3 (21st)

Goals for, Goals against

Vegas 224 (10th), 209 (14th)
Chicago 208 (19th), 214 (16th)

Faceoffs

Vegas 50.0% (16th)
Chicago 49.9% (17th)

Average height, weight, age

Vegas 6-foot-2, 203.5 pounds, 27.5
Chicago 6-foot-1, 191.5 pounds, 25.4

Projected lineups

Vegas Golden Knights
Max Pacioretty — William Karlsson — Mark Stone
Jonathan Marchessault — Paul Stastny — Reilly Smith
Nick Cousins — Alex Tuch — Nicolas Roy
William Carrier — Tomas Nosek — Ryan Reaves

Brayden McNabb — Nate Schmidt
Alec Martinez — Shea Theodore
Nick Holden — Zach Whitecloud

Robin Lehner
Marc-Andre Fleury

Chicago Blackhawks 
Brandon Saad — Jonathan Toews — Dominik Kubalik
Alex DeBrincat — Kirby Dach — Patrick Kane
Alexander Nylander — Dylan Strome — Drake Caggiula
Matthew Highmore — Ryan Carpenter — David Kampf

Duncan Keith — Adam Boqvist
Calvin de Haan — Connor Murphy
Olli Maatta — Slater Koekkoek

Corey Crawford
Malcolm Subban

Analysis

As it goes with a No. 8 seed, the Blackhawks would appear to have their work cut out for them in their first round playoff matchup against the No. 1 seed Golden Knights.

Fresh off a “play-in” upset of Edmonton—where the only people who picked the Hawks would pick them against the ‘83 Oilers (or really “anyone”)—the Blackhawks can certainly make the ol’ “anything can happen” argument.

And, they could be right.

However, the Knights are not the Oilers. Not just in the composition of their team, but also in that they just performed strongly in the round robins against the best competition in the West. But, let’s look at why some hope might be justified for the Hawks.

Above all, their first line is as hot and as potent as any in hockey. Jonathan Toews is playing again like THE Jonathan Toews, same for Brandon Saad, and Dominik Kubalik is a quick-strike lethal weapon. I doubt the Knights will stop this line, and as the saying goes, their best hope is to contain them.

The Hawk defense is also playing pretty well. Not perfectly, but well enough to get past Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. Fortunately for the Hawks, no one else on Edmonton posed much of a threat.

Compounding that relative positive is…another relative positive. For the first three games of the Edmonton series, Corey Crawford appeared to be, at best, finding his game. In the decisive Game 4, he was once again “Corey Crawford.” A lot of Hawk fans are counting on, or assuming, they will see “Game 4 Crawford” throughout the Vegas series, and not “first three games Crawford.” We shall see.

Because, again, the Knights are not the Oilers.

As we all know, Vegas went to the Stanley Cup Final in their inaugural season two years ago. They do not really have what you would call a lot of (or any) household names. But, they are built to win in the playoffs, and, in that regard, more so than the Hawks.

Vegas has a lot of players who can both put the puck in the net and defend. They are big, but they can play however you want. Add to that, their goaltending is, if not better than the Hawks’, certainly deeper with Robin Lehner and Marc-Andre Fleury. The Hawks likely will not get a “bye” in Game 1 due to a Mike Smith meltdown—and the likes of Mikko Koskinen to decode the rest of the way.

Vegas head coach Pete DeBoer has a true luxury in picking between the hotter hand of two top NHL goaltenders. Another luxury is adding top scorer Max Pacioretty into a lineup that did not have much difficulty scoring in the round robin.

The Hawks’ play-in round featured two teams with plenty of flaws. You can argue the Hawks won because they outworked the Oilers and thereby overcame their flaws, where Edmonton seemed to never quite show up, exaggerating their own.

Chicago probably will not be so lucky with Vegas, who both showed up and prevailed in the round robins—and have shown in the recent past they know how to win in the playoffs.

In this matchup, the special teams look stunningly even, but the numbers suggest the Knights are a better five-on-five team than Chicago, which they are, and that matters significantly in the playoffs, where penalties generally get called less and overtime is five-on-five, with no three-on-three or shootout.

Sure, there is a compelling Crawford vs. Lehner subtext. I am going to assume (if Lehner and not Fleury starts for Vegas) both players will give it all they have. And with that in mind, the series will be won or lost between the goal lines. But, here is another very compelling stat: Vegas is 8–1 since 2017 against Chicago.

Keys to victory

Vegas

Keep rolling. Vegas looked very strong in the round robins. They have the scoring, depth, goaltending and physicality to go deep in the playoffs.

Chicago

Stop Vegas from continuing its roll. Winning Game 1 would not only be a minor upset for the Hawks, but it might also start to get inside the Golden Knights’ heads. Vegas has to have a fairly high confidence level coming in against a Chicago team they have dominated recently. The Hawks’ best hope may be to damage that confidence early in the series.

Prediction

When you look at all the variables, both teams’ depth (or lack thereof), size and recent playoff success, it is really hard to objectively pick the Hawks in this series. So, we are not going to.

Vegas in six games.

Comment below.

The post Series Preview: Blackhawks vs. Golden Knights appeared first on The Rink.

Aside from a highly unanticipated Hawk blowout in Game 1, Games 2 and 3 were essentially even.

If Edmonton chalked Game 1 up to no legs and a particularly poor start to the game by goaltender Mike Smith, then Game 4—with the Oilers’ backs to the wall on essentially home ice—would be the true test.

Did most of us underestimate what is left in the tanks of Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews and Duncan Keith? Or is Edmonton just not ready for prime time? Or would the Oilers regain their footing in Game 4, sending the series to a fifth and deciding game?

While Mikko Koskinen split Games 2 and 3 in net for Edmonton, he certainly still appeared to be a better alternative to Smith—and Koskinen would be the starter for Edmonton in Game 4. Corey Crawford, who had not needed to be very good thus far in the series—and to this point was not—remained in net for Chicago.

First period

Edmonton got on the board in the game’s opening minute, when Connor McDavid set up Josh Archibald on a beautiful cross ice pass, catching a disoriented and out-of-position Chicago defense completely off guard. Think a classic Hawk defensive zone Chinese fire drill of the last two seasons—only this time minus Erik Gustafsson. The tally put Edmonton ahead 1–0 just 45 seconds into the contest.

Edmonton dominated the first five minutes, but at 14:44 on one of the Hawks’ first shots, Brandon Saad scooped up a rebound, circled the back of the net and tucked one past a flailing Koskinen to tie the game at 1–1 5:16 into the frame.

After Edmonton defender Darnell Nurse made a weak attempt to advance a puck behind the Oilers’ net, the Blackhawks took possession and kicked it out to Keith at the point. Keith launched a shot that was nicely tipped by Matthew Highmore for his second tally in two games, giving Chicago a 2–1 lead just under eight minutes into the period.

Edmonton began to mount some serious pressure with their defensemen activating and taking some risks in the last 10 minutes of the period. The pace and intensity of the game was noticeably picking up. Nurse then had another miscue, allowing Toews to get behind him at the Edmonton net, forcing Nurse to take him down and earn two minutes at 15:54. The Hawks mounted some nice pressure on the ensuing power play, but Edmonton scrapped and scuffled to kill it off.

Koskinen really seemed to be fighting the puck and flopping around, but somehow managed to hold the Hawks at bay on several quality chances. The period ended, oddly enough, on a Highmore high-sticking penalty, giving the potent Edmonton power play a chance to open the second.

Second period

Before Edmonton could get much going on its power play, David Kampf picked off a pass near the top of the Chicago zone and went in on a breakaway that Koskinen stopped. With the penalty expiring, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins slammed a rebound past a fallen Crawford to level the score at 2–2 just over two minutes into the second stanza.

At 2:32, Alex DeBrincat, Stan Bowman’s “disappearing $6 million man,” took an awful five-minute major penalty boarding Edmonton defenseman Ethan Bear from behind. But, before the Oilers could capitalize, Nurse made yet another boneheaded play, drawing an interference call at 4:48. Edmonton killed their portion of the four-on-four, leaving 41 seconds left on DeBrincat’s major. Chicago nonetheless got the kill, but Edmonton kept the pressure on.

Crawford was then tested on a few high-quality chances at even strength and came up big. Koskinen was also tested at times throughout the remainder of the second. Both goalies flopped and flailed quite a bit, but managed to keep the score tied.

The period ended in the midst of another Edmonton power play after Dominik Kubalik took a slashing penalty at 19:49. This period may have featured the most intense hockey of the series.

Third period

Crawford stopped several Edmonton chances to open the period and helped the Blackhawks kill off the penalty. He also had a lucky horseshoe in his pads when beaten by Andreas Athanasiou, only to be bailed out by the crossbar.

About a minute later, Drake Caggiula took an ill-advised cross-checking penalty on Athanasiou, putting the Oilers back on the man advantage. Perhaps Crawford’s best save of the game came on a James Neal chance off a sweet passing play about midway through the power play. The Hawks then killed off the remainder.

Edmonton continued to pressure the Hawks at even strength, when for the first time in the series the Hawks appeared to have tired legs. But the Saad-Toews-Kubalik line struck again with breathtaking quickness, with Toews winning a puck on the end board and feeding Kubalik for that lightning one-timer at 8:30, lifting Chicago to a 3–2 lead.

Yet Edmonton kept coming, and Crawford kept responding. The action was fast and furious back and forth until Edmonton tried to pull Koskinen around the two-minute mark—and got hit with an unforgivable too many men call.

Edmonton then dialed up one last onslaught at five-on-five with Koskinen pulled, but it was a day late and a dollar short. Playoff Corey Crawford showed up, and as it was throughout the series, the Hawks’ first line of Kubalik, Toews and Saad was the best on the ice. Game, series, Chicago.

The Blackhawks defied the experts. Here at The Rink, we had the series going four games—to the Oilers. Edmonton’s goaltending and defense, especially without Adam Larsson the last two games, were exposed.

Now the Blackhawks wait until Saturday to see who they face in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Well earned. Comment below.

The post Along the Boards: Blackhawks top Oilers 3–2, take series in four games appeared first on The Rink.

After serving a one-game suspension for an illegal check to the head, Drake Caggiula made his way back into the lineup for the Blackhawks. Meanwhile, Oilers defenseman Adam Larsson was ruled “unfit to play” during warmups. Caleb Jones drew into the lineup to replace Larsson, sliding onto the third pairing alongside Matt Benning.

For once, Connor McDavid did not score early in the period to give the Oilers an early lead. Instead, the Blackhawks were the ones to put the puck in the net first. More specifically, Olli Maatta gave Chicago a 1–0 lead just under halfway through the opening frame with a blast from the point.

Voice activated personal assistant, play Chelsea

It was only a Maatta of time before someone got on the board and it's the @NHLBlackhawks first! #EDMvsCHI | #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/u2pyalTeR8

— NBC Sports Hockey (@NBCSportsHockey) August 6, 2020

But, just 30 seconds later, the Oilers tied it up thanks to Hart Trophy nominee Leon Draisaitl. Three Blackhawks were looming behind the goal line and got caught there once the puck found its way to Tyler Ennis, who passed it over to Draisaitl.

They don't call him Neon Leon for nothin'

The Oilers even the score quickly. It's gonna be a good one. pic.twitter.com/qju570iTKY

— NBC Sports Hockey (@NBCSportsHockey) August 6, 2020

After the tying goal, both teams traded a handful of chances. But the Blackhawks had a surplus of golden opportunities in the first period, including three posts. Within the final four minutes of the period, three penalties were called on the Oilers, giving Chicago a five-on-three opportunity they eventually capitalized on.

After Alex DeBrincat found Kirby Dach down low, the rookie tossed the puck in front of the net for Dominik Kubalik. Kubalik could not put it past Edmonton netminder Mikko Koskinen, but the biscuit somehow found its way in off Jonathan Toews‘ foot with 4.2 seconds left in the first period, giving the Blackhawks a 2–1 lead.

Somehow went in. Blackhawks have the lead heading into the 2nd period!

Stream: https://t.co/5Fh2WVMIU9 pic.twitter.com/tQE0BSODY9

— Blackhawks Talk (@NBCSBlackhawks) August 6, 2020

With just under five minutes gone by in the second period, the Oilers found themselves with a couple of good chances in the offensive zone. From the boards, Benning put a slap shot on net. Chicago goaltender Corey Crawford was able to get a piece of that shot, but was unable to corral the rebound. Once again, Draisaitl found the puck and lifted it past Crawford to tie the game at 2–2.

DRAISAITL! AGAIN! #NHLonSN pic.twitter.com/yzHMDkQgrl

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) August 6, 2020

Edmonton and Chicago exchanged power plays throughout the period, and Brandon Saad hit his second post of the game. Both teams remained fairly undisciplined throughout the rest of the period, which seems to be a theme during this series.

With around three minutes left in the period, Dach laid a hit Ennis, who unfortunately was injured on the play. Ennis, an Edmonton native, left the game without putting any weight on his right leg.

DeBrincat and Benning got into a scrum and both were given infractions just over a minute later. Unfortunately for the Blackhawks, DeBrincat was called for both slashing and roughing, putting Edmonton on the power play.

The Oilers moved the puck well on the advantage and eventually capitalized. Draisaitl tossed the puck to the front of the net. Crawford could not grab the rebound, the puck landed on McDavid’s stick and he gave Edmonton a 3–2 lead heading into the final frame.

You can always count on Connor McDavid to get it done

The @EdmontonOilers take the lead heading into the break. pic.twitter.com/DJakImfRcN

— NBC Sports Hockey (@NBCSportsHockey) August 6, 2020

Things moved a bit faster during the third period. Toews hit the post off a rebound just over four minutes in, narrowly missing out on leveling the score. In total, the Blackhawks hit five posts during the game.

After back and forth action throughout the frame, Chicago found some time in the offensive zone with 5:47 left. Slater Koekkoek took a slap shot close to the blue line. Matthew Highmore deflected it in right by Koskinen to tie the game at 3–3.

BLACKHAWKS TIE IT

You're not going to want to miss the rest of this game, promise:
: NBCSN
: https://t.co/lkz1HvPxNq pic.twitter.com/mMj2OEnKAQ

— NBC Sports Hockey (@NBCSportsHockey) August 6, 2020

In a major turn of events, the Blackhawks were given a gift of a goal. Toews won an offensive-zone face off, allowing Chicago to try and get the puck on net. Connor Murphy snapped it toward goal, hoping for a tip from Toews, and that is exactly what he got. Well, kind of. The puck actually went off Toews’ knee after being deflected by Edmonton defenseman Ethan Bear. Either way, it was a goal, giving the Hawks a 4–3 lead with just over a minute remaining in the game.

Despite some pressure from the Oilers late, Chicago held onto the lead and took a 2–1 series lead.

A stellar face-off win by the Captain sets the @NHLBlackhawks up to take the lead late in Game 3! pic.twitter.com/oiKChbTqUO

— NBC Sports Hockey (@NBCSportsHockey) August 6, 2020

Along the boards

Kirby Dach led all team forwards in ice time at 23:21, which is new a career high. #Blackhawks

— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) August 6, 2020

Everyone noticed how good rookie forward Kirby Dach looked during Phase 3 training camp. That has clearly translated into actual game play so far, and he looks fantastic. He is battling along the boards for pucks and planting himself in front of the net on the first power play unit. Dach is doing everything fans want from him, and he is been rewarded by earning more and more ice time every night. So far, he has four points in three games, all of them being assists. Hopefully he gets a goal at some point, because he truly deserves it.

The Blackhawks are 1-for-6 on the power play, and that one goal came on a 5-on-3 and was an accident.

— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) August 6, 2020

There is no question the Oilers’ special teams are very good, but Chicago’s power play was abysmal tonight. Outside of the five-on-three conversion, they generated little to no opportunities every time they had a man advantage. In a series that hinges on power play and penalty kill success, this team simply cannot give away prime opportunities when up a man.

https://twitter.com/DimFilipovic/status/1291229556238454784?s=20

There is not much to point out here. It is there for you to see. The Blackhawks have to do a better job at defending the right side of the net. Edmonton is getting most of their chances from this area of the ice. Crawford also needs to do a better job at controlling rebounds. While there was no game plan to plant defenders at this side of the night tonight, there needs to be one going forward or the Blackhawks will find themselves in a lot of trouble.

The Blackhawks and Oilers will be back for Game 4 on NBCSN on Friday. The game is scheduled to begin at 5:45 p.m. CDT.

The post Along the Boards: Blackhawks defeat Oilers 4–3, take 2–1 series lead appeared first on The Rink.

In Game 2, the Oilers were led by Connor McDavid. The former Hart Trophy winner struck early and often in this contest. 

Just 19 seconds into the first period, McDavid got the Oilers on the board, as Adam Boqvist blew his assignment and left McDavid wide open.

19 seconds in. Fans weren’t even in their seats yet… #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/UQ8eDOZ9zW

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) August 4, 2020

After going up 1–0, McDavid kept his scoring jets fired up and went top shelf on Corey Crawford for the Oilers’ second goal of the game and a 2–0 advantage.

Connor McDavid’s second of the game is ridiculous pic.twitter.com/iiUElNEVN7

— Brady Trettenero (@BradyTrett) August 4, 2020

With momentum firmly on Edmonton’s side, Chicago responded with an answer of their own. When the spotlight is bright, the stars shine the brightest. One of the Blackhawks’ bright stars, Patrick Kane, cut the lead in half at 2–1 with a goal of his own.

Patrick Kane scores his first goal of the postseason and lets out a big celly. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/dHIiDorLCF

— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) August 4, 2020

The chaos of the period continued, but the score at the end of the first period was Edmonton leading 2–1.

In the second period, the Oilers struck first with a goal from Tyler Ennis, pushing the gap to 3–1. The Edmonton native went five hole on Crawford from distance.

What a shot from the hometown boy.

Tyler Ennis makes it 3-1 from the point! #NHLonSN pic.twitter.com/HE2eBbMVpb

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) August 4, 2020

After the Ennis goal, the Oilers began their parade to the penalty box, as Edmonton committed three consecutive penalties. Despite the trio of power play chances, the Blackhawks’ special teams offense was stymied by the Oilers.

With both teams at full strength, the game got even crazier with a goal from Slater Koekkoek to cut the Chicago deficit to one at 3–2. This was Koekkoek’s first-ever postseason goal and point.

Slater Koekkoek with a beautiful shot to draw the Hawks within 1!

Stream the game: https://t.co/5Fh2WVv7vz pic.twitter.com/ajeqSbhjaF

— Blackhawks Talk (@NBCSBlackhawks) August 4, 2020

The second period continued its unpredictability when fellow defensemen Olli Maatta scored the equalizer to level the score at 3–3. It was Maatta’s third postseason goal of his career and his first as a member of the Blackhawks.

We’ll take it! Maatta’s blast trickles in to tie things up.

Watch live: https://t.co/mfQ1ZBC5v2 pic.twitter.com/hzd3N9eJ4D

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) August 4, 2020

After two goals from unlikely goal scorers, the Oilers went back to the power play. Unlike the Blackhawks, McDavid was not silenced and scored his third goal of the game, notching the hat trick with less than four minutes left in the second period. This was the lone power play goal scored in the game by either team and put Edmonton ahead 4–3, the score after 40 minutes.

Connor McDavid finds twine on the shot-pass to finish the hatty!

#LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/JxOjJrg7mz

— Hockey Daily 365 (@HockeyDaily365) August 4, 2020

After fighting valiantly for two periods, the Oilers pulled away from the Blackhawks in the third period. In a span of 40 seconds, Edmonton doubled up the Blackhawks to extend the Oiler lead to 6–3. Edmonton got goals from James Neal and Alex Chiasson to bury the Blackhawks to cap the night’s scoring.

Along the Boards

In Game 1, the Blackhawks were lead by the Jonathan Toews and Dominik Kubalik line. In Game 2, the Blackhawks’ offense was lead by Patrick Kane, Kirby Dach and Alex DeBrincat. Kane tallied one goal and one assist, while Dach and DeBrincat each marked two assists.

With Drake Caggiula serving a one-game suspension, Chicago head coach Jeremy Colliton chose to play John Quenneville in his place. Quenneville spent just 5:05 on the ice in the loss.

The Oilers made a change in net. Mike Smith started Game 1, but was replaced by Mikko Koskinen for Monday’s outing. Koskinen made 23 saves on 26 shots for an .885 save percentage.

The Blackhawks and Oilers will be back on NBCSN on Wednesday. The game is scheduled to begin at 9:30 p.m. CDT.

The post Along the Boards: McDavid blitzes Blackhawks en route to 6–3 decision appeared first on The Rink.

Both Mitchell (three-year entry-level contract worth $925,000 per season) and Kalynuk (two-year entry-level contract worth $925,000 per season) were reported earlier in the season pause, but Suter was only speculated, as he had several teams bidding for his services.

Forward Pius Suter has inked a 1-year contract ($925,000 salary cap hit) that runs through the 2020-21 season!

Last season Suter recorded a league-best and career-high 53 points (30G, 23A) in 50 contests en route to earning Switzerland’s National League-A MVP award. pic.twitter.com/iL8NmwGy4y

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) July 16, 2020

Suter signed a one-year entry-level contract with the Blackhawks after an MVP season in Switzerland’s National League with the ZSC Lions, where he led the league in scoring with 53 points (30 goals, 23 assists) in 50 games. He also had five points (two goals, three assists) in three Swiss Cup games. The 5-foot-11, 170-pound left-handed forward played both center and left wing with the Lions this past season.

The native of Zurich, Switzerland, played two seasons (2013–15) in North America with the Guelph Storm of the Ontario Hockey League, scoring 96 points (52 goals, 44 assists) in 127 regular season games and scoring 13 points (nine goals, four assists) in 29 playoff games.

Suter is expected to compete for a roster spot during training camp in November following the return to play tournament. Either way, he will prove to be a cost-effective option for Stan Bowman and a team that will be greatly handicapped by the flat salary cap.

The post Blackhawks sign free agent Pius Suter from Swiss National League, finalize Kalynuk and Mitchell contracts appeared first on The Rink.

Crawford was left as the team’s only NHL goalie with playoff experience when Robin Lehner was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights at the trade deadline in February. Former Boston Bruins first-round pick Malcolm Subban was acquired from Vegas in the trade, but has only 66 games of NHL experience as a backup and no playoff games. Behind Subban is Collin Delia with 18 NHL under his belt and, again, no playoff experience. Kevin Lankinen and Matt Tomkins are also in camp, but neither netminder has played an NHL game. Lankinen was called up as an emergency backup for a couple of games this season, but never saw the ice.

Colliton on Corey Crawford, who did not skate today: “Today, Corey is unfit to participate. For now, it’s an opportunity for those guys to compete.” #Blackhawks

— Carter Baum (@CarterBaum) July 13, 2020

As Mario Tirabassi mentioned on Twitter, Crawford and his wife just welcomed their second son in March, which may play a factor. Another thing to take into account is his post-concussion issues, which could potentially be back in the mix. Thanks to the NHL’s new injury/illness protocol, Crawford’s reason for absence might not be known until the play-in and playoffs are over.

Either way, the Blackhawks need Crawford if they intend on beating the Edmonton Oilers in the play-in round and making it to the first round of the playoffs. Then, General Manager Stan Bowman will need to decide if Crawford is worth extending for next season. If the team does not extend Crawford, there could be some even darker times in store for the 2020–21 season with no experienced goalies and very limited salary cap money to sign one.

Jeremy Colliton on Corey Crawford and the opportunity for Subban, Delia and Lankinen. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/JKfUt4jKuD

— Eric Lear (@BHTVeric) July 13, 2020

The post Blackhawks’ Corey Crawford deemed ‘unfit to play’ on day one of camp appeared first on The Rink.

Missing from the Blackhawks camp roster are forwards Andrew Shaw and Zack Smith.  Added to the roster that finished with the team in March are:

Forwards

• MacKenzie Entwistle
• Reese Johnson
• Philipp Kurashev
• John Quenneville
• Dylan Sikura

Defensemen

• Chad Krys
• Alec Regula

Goaltenders

• Collin Delia
• Kevin Lankinen
• Matt Tomkins

Minus Regula, all added players finished the season with the Rockford IceHogs. Practice will be at 11 a.m. CST every day until July 26, except scheduled days off on July 16 and 22.

Chicago opens Phase 3 Training Camp with 18 forwards, 12 defensemen and five goalies
(Photograph courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawks)

#Blackhawks lineup during drills:

DeBrincat-Toews-Saad
Nylander-Strome-Kane
Kubalik-Dach-Caggiula
Carpenter-Kampf-Highmore

Keith-Boqvist
de Haan-Murphy
Maatta-Koekkoek
Carlsson-Seabrook

— Eric Lear (@BHTVeric) July 13, 2020

The post Blackhawks announce training camp roster appeared first on The Rink.

You read that right, the Blackhawks could still potentially have a shot at drafting the consensus first overall player in the draft pool, Alexis Lafrenière.

The draw for the first overall selection will be held during Phase 2 of the #NHLDraft Lottery among only the eight teams that fail to advance from the Stanley Cup Qualifiers. All participants will have the same odds (12.5%).

MORE: https://t.co/GDxzfsHGvz pic.twitter.com/svmEVD4NgD

— NHL (@NHL) June 27, 2020

There is a caveat to Chicago’s chances, though. They would first need to lose to the Edmonton Oilers in the NHL’s Return to Play plan. They would then need to win a second NHL Draft Lottery, at an undetermined date, that includes the eight losing teams in the play-in round. This means that they would have a 12.5% chance of getting the first overall pick. If the NHL cannot resume and finish their Return to Play plan, teams 17 thru 24 in final points percentage will have a 12.5% chance at getting the top pick.

If, for whatever reason, the play-in cannot be completed….the remaining bottom 8 teams will have a one-in-eight shot at the top selection

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) June 27, 2020

As far as Friday’s results go, it probably wasn’t the outcome that the NHL had hoped for. The Detroit Red Wings held the top position with an 18.5% chance of winning the lottery but, instead, fell behind the Los Angeles Kings, Ottawa Senators (pick acquired from the San Jose Sharks) and the yet to be determined play-in team. The Kings were the second biggest winner of the night, moving up two spots from number four. Ottawa came into the lottery with the second and third highest spots but slid back to third and fifth. Not quite a banner day for the NHL’s most deserving teams.

The results just further question whether the Blackhawks are better off losing in the play-in round or beating the Edmonton Oilers and qualifying for the final 16-team playoff. On one hand, they could get a reprieve from another awful season (that they in no way deserve), but they would miss a chance at a future dynamic player that could team with last year’s third overall pick, Kirby Dach, and usher in the next generation of Blackhawks top tier players. There is no question that they lack difference making young forwards in their system. As with any player drafted, there is no guarantee that Alexis Lafrenière will be an NHL star but according to draft experts, he is the top talent in the entire draft class.

Dach and Lafrenière could speed up the rebuild and potentially wind up being the next Kane and Toews with players like Alex DeBrincat, Dylan Strome, and Calder Trophy candidate Dominik Kubalik looking like they could be solid secondary scoring options at forward. Evan Barratt, Phillip Kurashev, Michal Teply, MacKenzie Entwistle, and Brandon Hagel have outside chances to contribute at the NHL level in the coming seasons, also.

The defensive pipeline is splitting at the seams with players like Adam Boqvist, Nicolas Beaudin, and Ian Mitchell close to competing for NHL jobs and players like Alec Regula, Stanislav Demin, and Alex Vlasic as potential candidates down the road. Dennis Gilbert and Lucas Carlsson have shown some potential in limited NHL time, but it’s yet to be determined if they fit in Chicago’s long term plans.

The biggest hole in the organization is in goal and will need to be addressed soon, also. Outside of Collin Delia, the Blackhawks have no goalies that have any NHL experience whatsoever and recently let former 2018 6th round pick Alexis Gravel become a free agent. It is expected that they will extend Corey Crawford when the season finally concludes but, at 35 years of age, he cannot be part of their long term solution so some decisions will need to be made by General Manager Stan Bowman.

The post Blackhawks still hold outside chance at first overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft appeared first on The Rink.

Wilson joins fellow 2020 Blackhawks inductee Marian Hossa as well as former Calgary Flames forward Jarome Iginla, former Edmonton Oilers defenseman Kevin Lowe and Canadian goaltender Kim St-Pierre. Former Detroit Red Wings and current Oilers General Manager Ken Holland was selected as well in the builder category.

Welcome to the Hockey Hall of Fame, Doug Wilson. #HHOF2020 | #HHOF pic.twitter.com/6F2zfuPiWW

— Hockey Hall of Fame (@HockeyHallFame) June 24, 2020

Wilson, the sixth overall draft pick in 1977, amassed 779 points (225 goals, 554 assists) in 938 regular season games with Chicago. He also appeared in 95 playoff games with the Blackhawks, collecting 80 points (19 goals, 61 assists). Wilson was traded to the Sharks in the summer of 1991 for Kerry Toporowski and San Jose’s second-round choice in the draft. He appeared in 86 games with the Sharks, where he had 48 points (12 goals, 36 assists). He remained with San Jose following his retirement in an executive role and was named as their general manager in 2003, where he has remained ever since.

During his illustrious career, he won the 1982 James Norris Trophy as the NHL’s best defenseman and finished in the top five in Norris Trophy voting three other times. He was known for his elite slap shot and was one of the last players to play without wearing a helmet.

In addition to his Norris Trophy and Hockey Hall of Fame induction, Wilson boasts an impressive list of achievements:

• 1st Team All Star (1981–82)
• 2nd Team All Star (1984–85)
• 2nd Team All Star (1989–90)
• Eight All Star Games (1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987 Rendez-vous Series, 1990, 1992)
• Gold medal championship member of Team Canada “World/Canada Cup Series” (1984)
• Chicago Blackhawks leader in career goals and points by a defenseman
• Led all Chicago Blackhawks defensemen in scoring for 10 consecutive seasons
• First captain in San Jose Sharks team history

The 2020 Hockey Hall of Fame induction ceremony is tentatively scheduled for Nov. 16 in Toronto.

The post Former Blackhawks defenseman Doug Wilson finally gets Hockey Hall of Fame nod appeared first on The Rink.

Hossa joined the Blackhawks in the summer of 2009 by signing a 12-year contract worth $62.8 million and won his first Stanley Cup championship with the organization just 11 months later. He was in the middle of a bidding war during the summer of 2009 because he was widely considered the best free agent available at the time. During the two previous seasons, he made it to the Stanley Cup Final with both Pittsburgh and Detroit, but lost both series.

It’s official!

Three-time #Blackhawks Stanley Cup Champion Marian Hossa has been elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame! #HossaHOF pic.twitter.com/Pl02en6NOw

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) June 24, 2020

In the 1997 NHL Entry Draft, Hossa was selected by the Ottawa Senators in the first round, 12th overall. After spending his first seven NHL seasons with the Senators, he then played for the Atlanta Thrashers, Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Red Wings before joining Chicago.

After winning championships with the Blackhawks in 2010, 2013 and 2015, the Blackhawks announced that Hossa was suffering from a progressive skin disorder and would miss the entire 2017–18 season. In May 2018, he announced he would no longer play hockey and intended to retire after his contract expires in 2021. Hossa’s contract was traded to the Arizona Coyotes in July 2018 as a way to give the Blackhawks some much-needed salary cap relief.

The big, quiet wing finished his career with 525 goals and 609 assists for 1,134 points in 1,309 regular season games over his 19-year NHL career. He was the 44th player in NHL history to score 500 goals and the 80th player to amass 1,000 points.

The Rink would like to pass on a hearty thank you and congratulations to Marian Hossa for his service to the Chicago Blackhawks and many years of unbelievable professionalism with the organization.

The post Marian Hossa named to Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2020 appeared first on The Rink.

The-Rink.com writers led by RHL (Rink Hockey League) Commissioner Mario Tirabassi and RHL General Managers Jeff Osborn (1st overall), Ron Luce (2nd), Eric Andrews (3rd), Aaron Goldschmidt (4th), John Jaeckel (5th), Ray Napientek (6th), and Mr. Irrelevent Sean Fitzgerald (7th) get together to have a little fun and draft their own RHL franchises comprised only of Blackhawks players since the ’05 lockout.

• • Draft finished like this but worth listening/watching to this one

The-Rink.com Blackhawks fantasy draft results.

Watch the entire replay of the ZOOM draft on Facebook live right here:

Please do us a favor. Subscribe, rate this episode, share with your friends, and even write us a review. The best reviews will be read on the air.

Also, please help spread the word to more #RinkRats and visit our sponsor www.PUCKHCKY.com. Use the discount code “THERINK” for 10% off all orders.

Are you a RinkRat who also owns a business? Our data shows RinkCast listeners are (like you) affluent, discerning, and want to patronize like-minded brands. As part of our growth, we’re looking for an exclusive advertiser, at a VERY low cost.  Email podcast@the-rink.com for more details

The post Blackhawks Rinkcast – Season 3, Episode 19 – Blackhawks Fantasy Draft-a-palooza appeared first on The Rink.

Just a handful of weeks after giving his President and General Manager votes of confidence, Blackhawks owner Rockwell Wirtz today at least partially, yet dramatically, reversed course, firing the aforementioned team President and CEO John McDonough.

Blackhawk nation finds itself in a state of shock at the news. And yet, for some, especially those of us here at The Rink, it is not a big surprise. We had expected it before the vote of confidence.

McDonough has his supporters—the “he won three Cups and turned the team around” epitaphs are many. But, facts are pesky things. And Wirtz, to his credit, as a smart, shrewd businessman, can see them plain as day.

What turned the fortunes of this franchise around 10–15 years ago were a series of good draft picks, trades and free agent signings, a true rebuild that, at the time, was long and painful. But, it eventually paid off in the form of Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith, Patrick Sharp and Marian Hossa—all acquired by the GMs who preceded McDonough’s handpicked “team player,” Stan Bowman.

And great teams, like great cars, in turn, sell themselves. Marketing can only get in the way if it is really, really bad. Otherwise, if you build it, they will come.

And they did.

Sure, it probably was McDonough’s big idea to put home games on local television and hire back Pat Foley as the team’s play-by-play man. But, after the decades-long ineptitude and fan alienation of Wirtz’ father, Dollar Bill Wirtz, there was nowhere to go but up in the fans’ eyes. McDonough just grabbed the lowest of low hanging fruit.

The young, brash, big and talented team that won the Cup in 2010—almost entirely built by Dale Tallon, Mike Smith, Rick Dudley and Marshall Johnston, and for the most part before McDonough’s tenure began—formed the core of the remaining two Cup teams as well.

And along about 2015, the Hawk front office, swollen with functionaries and false pride, began handing out massive contracts with no movement clauses—including one to a slow Russian forward who had yet to play in a Blackhawk uniform, with McDonough’s full review and approval.

And the price of that arrogance came due in successive seasons, as with each humiliating playoff elimination, followed by two (and possibly three) years out of the playoffs completely, it became more and more apparent that something was wrong with the Hawks’ front office.

And it was McDonough’s show, make no mistake.

Suddenly, with the exit of Marian Hossa, the decline of Brent Seabrook and some would argue Keith as well, with a string of missed draft picks and overhyped prospects, year after year, the celebrated Hawk front office could not get out of its own way. Fingers began to be pointed, and a Hall of Fame coach was replaced with an AHL coach who was younger than some of the team’s best players, which has not worked out.

At that time, McDonough declared himself accountable, and some of us started to wonder when Wirtz would take that to its logical conclusion.

Now we know. The king is dead.

Long live the king

Already, theories abound as to what’s next. Why is Bowman still around—could he have been part of an insurrection? Doubtful, and Bowman will likely be gone sometime this summer, or “reassigned” within the organization.

The idea that Chris Chelios or Eddie Olczyk will be the next team president has been floated.

But, while you cannot rule anything out, Wirtz’s bold move today signifies another is likely soon to follow. In all likelihood, Wirtz will go out and hire the best available visionary leader for his hockey team. And, in light of the huge importance of making excellent hockey decisions going forward, it will probably be not only an executive with a hockey background, but one with some proven bona fides in management—and likely from outside the organization at this time.

Firing Stan Bowman and retaining McDonough, as some would have preferred, would have been like cutting out a small tumor and leaving the cancer to slowly destroy the body. Wirtz did the right thing today.

Let’s all commend him for that and hope it is just a prelude to an even better move.

All for now, comment below.

The post ANALYSIS: The end of McDonough is just the beginning appeared first on The Rink.

Under McDonough’s direction, the Blackhawks won three Stanley Cups and were one of the most successful sports franchises of the past decade. That success did come at a price, as large long-term veteran contracts have restricted their ability to reload on the fly, return to the playoffs and challenge for the Cup once again. The team has not qualified for the playoffs since 2017 and has been seemingly stuck in neutral. At the time of the COVID-19 season pause, the team was not in a playoff position.

In the interim, Daniel Wirtz, 43, currently Vice President of the Chicago Blackhawks and alternate Governor to the NHL, will serve as the team’s President.

Danny Wirtz has been an active advisor with the Blackhawks for the past decade, serves as the Chicago Blackhawks Foundation Vice Chairman and is a representative for the team with the United Center Joint Venture.

As a member of the Board of Directors, Wirtz also provides strategic counsel to its diversified holdings which include the Chicago Blackhawks, Breakthru Beverage Group, Wirtz Realty and banking interests in Illinois and Florida. He also is active in the United Center Joint Venture guiding campus evolution and development.

This announcement might bring some hope to the future of the organization, as the overall message and on-ice results seemed to have become stagnant.

Blackhawks Chairman W. Rockwell “Rocky” Wirtz announced today the team has released John McDonough from his role as President and CEO of the organization.

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) April 27, 2020

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Nilsson leaving IceHogs, heads back to Sweden

Nilsson played for Mora IK under head coach Jeremy Colliton from 2015–17 in the Allsvenskan league. After helping Mora earn promotion to the SHL for the 2017–18 season, Nilsson came overseas to join the Chicago Blackhawks’ organization and be rejoined with Colliton with the IceHogs.

Jacob Nilsson skates during a Rockford IceHogs game. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

In his first season with the IceHogs, Nilsson skated in 61 games and tallied 32 points and was named the team MVP for the season. He also skated in his only two NHL games during the 2018–19 season with the Blackhawks. This past season, Nilsson skated in 62 games with the IceHogs, tallying 21 points and serving as an alternate captain.

The 26-year-old said in a statement he is looking forward to being part of a top team in the SHL. Färjestad BK finished first in the SHL in 2018–19 and second in the 2019–20 regular seasons. He also hopes to rejoin the Swedish national team program. Nilsson will be reunited with former IceHogs teammate Victor Ejdsell with Färjestad BK after Ejdsell left Rockford following the 2018–19 season.

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With the Chicago Blackhawks likely picking toward the back end of the top 10 in this year’s NHL Entry Draft, I would like to unpack why the organization needs—yes, needs—to draft Russian goaltending phenom Yaroslav Askarov.

The current situation

It is no surprise there will soon be a changing of the guard in net for the Blackhawks. Longtime goaltender Corey Crawford is quickly approaching the end of his esteemed career, with likely just another year or two left in his tank, at most. Crawford’s recent injury struggles are well documented, and the netminder could be one collision away from being finished between the pipes.

Additionally, the Blackhawks balked at the opportunity to secure the long-term outlook of the position, trading away Robin Lehner at the trade deadline rather than locking him up to a contract extension.

With Crawford’s playing days likely coming to an end in the near future, the organization will need to answer the question of who will serve as the next Blackhawk great in the crease.

In addition to Crawford, backup goaltender Malcolm Subban is set to be a free agent this offseason. Subban, acquired from the Vegas Golden Knights in the Lehner deal, is 26 years old and will be a restricted free agent. The 2012 Boston first-round pick has struggled to establish himself as a legitimate NHL option, not seeing regular playing time until the 2017–18 season, playing 22 games for Vegas with a 2.68 goals against average (GAA) and a .910 save percentage.

However, since then, Subban’s numbers have steadily dropped off, posting a 3.18 GAA and a .890 save percentage in 20 appearances for the Golden Knights this season before coming to Chicago, where he saw just 70 seconds of action on March 3 against Anaheim while Crawford was momentarily pulled from the game. Though the Blackhawks could choose to bring back Subban, he likely does not factor into the team’s long-term plans between the pipes, as his limited usage while in Chicago seems to indicate, meaning the organization needs to either acquire or develop its next big-time netminder.

The Blackhawks’ history of drafting goaltenders

Of course, some could point to the Blackhawks’ failure to draft and develop quality goaltending talent as a reason to pass on Askarov. Since selecting Crawford (and Mike Brodeur) in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, Chicago has picked 12 goaltenders. Those 12 netminders have combined to make just one appearance in the NHL, as Kent Simpson played just 20 minutes in a 7–3 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Dec. 14, 2013, allowing two goals on seven shots faced.

However, on the contrary, of those 12 goaltenders, only three were selected in the first three rounds of a draft, with Simpson being the only second-round selectee (the last of three second-round picks that year) and none being chosen in the first round. The overwhelming majority of those 12 goaltenders could be described as the Blackhawks taking a flier to see if they might become something down the road, an unlikely proposition regardless of position as the draft progresses.

All this to say, the Blackhawks have not invested a high-end draft pick in a goaltender since Crawford, as he was the last netminder selected with one of Chicago’s first three picks in a draft.

Another important thing to note is the quality of player a team would ideally be looking for with a top-10 pick. As The Rink’s own John Jaeckel has pointed out previously, with a top-10 pick, a team should likely be hoping it can acquire a No. 1 center, a No. 1 defenseman or a No. 1 goaltender, or at worst, a future first-line winger capable of producing at a high-end level. Of course, by being at the bottom of the top 10, the likelihood of getting a No. 1 center or defenseman is not as high as it would be with a lottery pick, despite this year’s draft class widely being considered to be fairly deep. The other “No. 1” category? Bingo.

Additionally, many would argue the best draft strategy is to select the best player available, and if that player fills a need, even better. The draft is a valuable tool to restock the cupboards and develop the next great wave of talent for an organization. A team should be selecting players that improve its situation, whatever that may look like, regardless of position, timeline or nationality.

However, with the tandem Chicago was icing in net prior to the stoppage of play pretty clearly not being the long-term answer between the pipes, a thorough analysis of other goaltenders within the organization is warranted before potentially using a first-round pick on a netminder.

In the system

The Blackhawks currently have three goaltenders under contract for next season in Collin Delia, Kevin Lankinen and Matt Tomkins, who split time with the Rockford IceHogs this season. While Delia and Lankinen could prove to be serviceable backups at the NHL level, neither is likely to develop into a legitimate top-end starting goaltender. Tomkins likely does not have much of a future in the NHL, at least not in Chicago, as he is rather comfortably the third-best option of that trio.

Two goaltenders currently hold a minor-league contract or a professional tryout agreement (PTO), as 24-year-old Tom Aubrun was signed out of Norwich University earlier this month while 2014 sixth-round pick Ivan Nalimov signed a PTO with the IceHogs in March just prior to the stoppage of play.

Though Aubrun, a native of Chamonix, France, has boasted impressive numbers thus far in his career, he is likely a wild card at this point, having spent the last four seasons playing at the NCAA DIII level for the Cadets. Aubrun took over the starting job as a junior in 2018–19, posting a 1.70 GAA and .929 save percentage in 28 games before dominating all season long as a senior with a GAA of 0.77 and a save percentage of .967 in 27 outings, highlighted by a remarkable nine-game shutout streak prior to the remainder of the team’s season being canceled.

While Aubrun’s gaudy numbers do warrant attention, he will need to prove himself at a higher level of play before being considered to be a legitimate NHL option down the road. Aubrun will likely spend the 2020–21 season with the Indy Fuel of the ECHL.

Nalimov has been an interesting case since being selected by the Blackhawks in 2014. The Russian has bounced around in his native land, playing for seven teams since the start of the 2016–17 season with mixed results. Though Nalimov does have raw talent, he appears to be a headcase, which likely does not bode well for a chance at NHL stardom, especially at this stage of his career.

Unsigned prospects

Chicago owns the rights to three additional goaltenders on its reserve list, as Dominic Basse, Alexis Gravel and Wouter Peeters all stand without a contract in hand.

After struggling in his first season in North America in the USHL during the 2017–18 season, Peeters has since spent the majority of his time back in Europe, where he will likely remain for the rest of his career. The native of Belgium appears to be nothing more than a failed use of a third-round pick in 2016.

Like Aubrun, Basse is very much an unknown wild card at this point in time. Though possessing raw ability, the 2019 sixth-rounder is also an unproven commodity. Basse will head to Colorado College next season.

At this time, Gravel is likely the goaltender within the Blackhawks’ system with the highest ceiling, having displayed his ability well over the last four seasons with the Halifax Mooseheads of the QMJHL. Though Gravel may have the potential to become a starting goaltender at the NHL level, that is far from a guarantee. Chicago will need to make up its mind on Gravel in the near future, as the organization will lose his rights on June 1 if he is not signed prior to then.

To summarize, while any one of the netminders currently within the organization could theoretically develop into a serviceable NHL option—after all, anything can happen, as some might claim—the likelihood any of them will become elite, Stanley Cup-worthy talents is extremely slim.

Other avenues for finding the goalie of the future

Of course, the Blackhawks could opt to sign a high-end free agent goaltender. But, by passing on bringing back Lehner, that route likely is not in the cards given the team did not want to spend the required money to do so after the big Swede fell into their lap last summer.

Chicago could also attempt to trade for a goaltender of the future, as it seemed they might have in March when rumors swirled of Russian prospect Ilya Sorokin’s rights heading to the Blackhawks. However, the price to acquire a young goaltender of that calibre in a trade would be high, and the organization has not successfully swung a deal for a goalie of the future since acquiring Jocelyn Thibault in 1998.

So, where does that leave the Blackhawks in terms of finding a long-term answer in the cage? How are the majority of elite goaltenders acquired? The NHL Entry Draft. Cue Askarov.

Why Askarov?

Askarov is widely considered to be the best goaltending prospect since Carey Price in 2005. What does that indicate? Askarov is viewed as a generational type of netminder. His draft stock is higher than other touted goaltenders over the last 15 years, including Andrei Vasilevskiy, Ilya Samsonov and Spencer Knight. In fact, since Price and Tuukka Rask were selected in 2005, just 13 goaltenders have been chosen in the first round, seven of which have been since 2010.

Over the last decade, more and more teams have seemingly decided drafting a goaltender in the first round may not be worth their pick. This philosophy is evidenced by the somewhat drastic change in the number of netminders selected in the first round in the last two decades, as 22 goaltenders were selected in the first round between 2000 and 2009 compared to just seven from 2010 to 2019.

Some may also be leery of the “Russian factor,” as Askarov could theoretically never come over to play in North America. However, in recent years, the likes of Vasilevskiy, Samsonov and Igor Shesterkin have decreased that concern by showing high-end Russian goaltenders can very well make and follow through with the commitment.

Despite all this, Askarov has been considered a slam-dunk first-round pick for this year, with many proclaiming him worthy of a top-10 selection. Again, this is because of Askarov’s obvious talent and his potential to legitimately become a franchise-altering goaltender and annual Vezina Trophy candidate.

Askarov has been nothing short of sensational in nearly every stop of his young career. He has dominated in international tournaments against his age group over the past three seasons and has only come back down to earth in an average showing at the 2020 World Junior Championships, where he posted a 2.71 GAA and a .877 save percentage in five appearances. But, Askarov still had an impressive 2019–20 campaign otherwise, highlighted by a gold medal in the Gretzky Hlinka Cup and a strong showing in his first-ever KHL game for SKA St. Petersburg, a 23-save performance in a 4–2 win.

The stars align

As noted earlier, with nothing of substantial quality looming in the netminder pipeline, now is the time for the Blackhawks to break the trend and finally invest a quality draft pick in a goaltender. By filling that hole, the organization can entirely focus on other gaps in the system, knowing arguably the biggest vacancy is taken care of. And, with the best goaltending prospect in the last 15 years potentially being on the board when General Manager Stan Bowman announces Chicago’s newest draftee, the timing could not be any better.

The post Why the Chicago Blackhawks need to draft Yaroslav Askarov appeared first on The Rink.

On Tuesday, Versteeg announced his retirement and released a personal statement along with it:

Statement from Kris Versteeg:

“What a run it was. A kid from North Lethbridge who played on the streets every day, dreaming of playing in the NHL. I took a lot for granted in my time in the NHL. But the one thing I never took for granted were the relationships I made with my teammates and staff of the hockey clubs I played for. A bunch of people have made huge impacts on my life. There was one guy who took a kid with a different personality and a massive chip on his shoulder and helped give him hope, and that was Scott Gordon. Dale Tallon also took a chance on me and gave me multiple opportunities throughout my career. I know I wasn’t always the easiest to deal with. Without people like Scott and Dale, the road to today would not be what it was.

Thanks to my agent Dave Kaye, and my finance advisor Chris Moynes for the last 15 years.  Thank you to every organization I was able to play for. I didn’t realize it then, but I certainly appreciate now how amazing it was to play in the NHL. I want to thank the Chicago Blackhawks’ entire organization, from top to bottom, especially including the fans. The 2010 Championship was the highlight of my career. I also want to thank Brad Treliving for letting me come home to finish my NHL career. As a person and a GM, he made a huge impact on me.

My grandparents Morris and Joanne helped pay for skates and equipment, while feeding us when we couldn’t afford it. They are my real heroes for keeping me and my brothers in the rinks and off the streets. I’m both nervous and excited for what comes next. I have a wife who has supported me endlessly, two boys and a daughter who all have their journeys ahead of them, and I’m excited to see where those might lead. Lastly, a special thanks to my Mom and Dad. I could thank you guys for a thousand things, but it all leads back to saying thank you for the hockey stick. It may be going on the rack, but the endless amount of amazing memories it gave our entire family will be etched in our minds forever.”

Kris Versteeg passes the puck in the first period of game five of the 2015 Stanley Cup Final at Amalie Arena in Tampa Bay, Florida. (Photograph courtesy of Kim Klement / USA TODAY Sports)

Versteeg made his professional debut with the Providence Bruins in 2006 in the AHL before being traded to the Blackhawks’ organization. He played for the Norfolk Admirals and Rockford IceHogs from 2006–08, making his NHL debut with the Blackhawks in November of 2007. He played his first full season in the NHL during the 2008–09 season, where he tallied 53 points in 78 games and was a Calder Trophy finalist, finishing third behind Bobby Ryan and award winner Steve Mason.

The Alberta native was a key piece during the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs for the Blackhawks, scoring six goals and 14 points in 22 games, as the 49-year Stanley Cup drought was put to an end in Chicago and a modern-era dynasty was born. Unfortunately for Versteeg and many other key players from the 2010 Stanley Cup team, the Blackhawks could not keep him around and he was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs that summer.

Kris Versteeg awaits a face off against the San Jose Sharks during the 2017–18 season, Versteeg’s last in the NHL. (Photograph courtesy of Sergei Belski / USA TODAY Sports)

From the 2010–11 season to early in the 2013–14 season, Versteeg bounced from the Maple Leafs to the Philadelphia Flyers and then to the Florida Panthers before making his way back to Chicago in November of 2013. During that span, Versteeg was limited to 10 games in the shortened 2013 season due to rib and groin injuries, followed by season-ending knee surgery while with the Panthers.

He stayed with the Blackhawks through the rest of the 2013–14 season, totaling 36 points in 81 games played between Chicago and Florida. Versteeg played in 61 games with the Blackhawks during the 2014–15 season the next year and skated in 12 games in the postseason as the Blackhawks would go on to win their sixth Stanley Cup in franchise history and third over a six-year span, marking the second Stanley Cup of his career.

Following that season, Versteeg was again traded away from Chicago and landed with the Carolina Hurricanes. From the 2015–16 season to the 2017–18 season, Versteeg played for the Hurricanes, Los Angeles Kings and Calgary Flames before leaving the NHL after the 2017–18 season. Injuries began to take a toll on his body, including a hip injury that caused him to miss half of the 2017–18 season in Calgary. He was near retirement at that point, but returned to professional hockey during the 2018–19 season, playing parts in the SHL with Växjö Lakers and with Avangard Omsk in the KHL.

Kris Versteeg skates during pregame warmup prior to a Rockford IceHogs game. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

Versteeg returned to North America at the beginning of the 2019–20 season, joining the Blackhawks’ organization for the third time in his career after signing an AHL contract with the IceHogs. Prior to the season beginning, Versteeg was named the captain of the IceHogs in his second go-around with Rockford. But the honeymoon was short lived in Versteeg’s re-return to the organization as he re-aggravated his prior hip injury after just six games with the IceHogs, ultimately ending his time with the organization in November of 2019, citing his struggles to fully commit to the level of play that was expected of him.

Looking to not end his career on a sour note, Versteeg made one last attempt to get on the ice and taste success, as he was able to play for Team Canada at the Spengler Cup in Switzerland this past December. Playing alongside his younger brother, Mitch Versteeg, as well as Blackhawks prospects Ian Mitchell and Matt Tomkins, Kris was able to help Canada win its 16th Spengler Cup, tallying five points in four games, including a goal and assist in the Spengler Cup Final.

Kris Versteeg celebrates a goal in the Spengler Cup Final in Switzerland. (Photograph courtesy of KEYSTONE-SDA / Gian Ehrenzeller / Melanie Duchene)

Versteeg’s career will be remembered in two ways: one, as a two-time Stanley Cup winner with the Blackhawks, and the other as a promising player cut down by injuries. Now officially retired, Versteeg has mentioned his desire to move into broadcasting. He was part of the NHL Trade Deadline coverage this past February with Sportsnet in Canada.

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After nixing an NHL deal with Chicago that would have put Mitchell into the fold with the Blackhawks this season, the 2017 second-round pick returned to Denver University for his junior season, where he served as the Pioneers’ captain. After a spell of “will he or won’t he” from the Blackhawks’ fan community, everyone can breathe a little easier knowing that the coveted defenseman will be playing his professional hockey with the Blackhawks.

Ian Mitchell headlined the Chicago Blackhawks’ NCAA prospects this season. (Photograph courtesy of the Chicago Sun-Times)

An already accomplished NCAA prospect, Mitchell played with Team Canada this past December at the Spengler Cup in Switzerland. He tallied a goal and an assist in four games played, helping Canada win their 16th Spengler Cup.

In three seasons playing at Denver, Mitchell skated in 116 games and tallied 89 points. He was part of the 2018 NCAA Championship team as a freshman and was named to the NCHC All-Rookie Team in the 2017–18 season. Mitchell was named a NCHC Second Team All-Star as a sophomore in 2018–19 and a NCHC First Team All-Star this season as a junior. Mitchell was also named the Pioneers’ Team MVP this season with 32 points in 36 games played prior to the NCAA season being canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

At 5-foot-11 and tipping the scales around 180 pounds, Mitchell is not the most physically imposing defenseman, but he played heavy minutes over the last two seasons at Denver and all indications are that he will be able to play at the speed and physical level seen in the NHL. It is important to note that Mitchell will need time to adjust and more than likely is not the singular missing piece to the Blackhawks’ woes defensively. But, signs do point to Mitchell getting a crack at the NHL right away once he joins the organization, which is hopefully sooner rather than later.

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