2017-18 wasn’t a success for the Chicago Blackhawks. For a team that registered 109 points in the previous season, anything short of Stanley Cup contention would seem disappointing. Disappointment may have been the nicest way of expressing how fans felt after the season began and the team immediately, obviously, wasn’t the same beast that had finished first in the Western Conference in 2016-17.
Maybe that should have been expected after an offseason saw incredible turnover to the roster, with Artemi Panarin, Marian Hossa, Niklas Hjalmarsson, Trevor van Riemsdyk, Brian Campbell, Marcus Kruger, Scott Darling and several others fail to return for a variety of reasons. But, with familiar faces like Brandon Saad and Patrick Sharp back in town, there was hope that they could maintain their Stanley Cup window.
It wasn’t to be, as Chicago recorded just 76 points and failed to even be in the playoff race for much of the season. Saad failed to record 20 goals, Jonathan Toews registered the worst offensive season of his career, and Corey Crawford struggled through injury.
Disappointing, to say the least.
But, with all of those negatives sticking out there may be some who have overlooked the positives from this season’s edition of the Chicago Blackhawks. Alex DeBrincat burst onto the scene with 28 goals an 52 points as a rookie, just a year after he was cut from the US World Junior team. His knack for finding open ice didn’t disappear at the NHL level, and the 20-year old winger looks like he should have several 30-goal seasons in his career.
Jordan Oesterle went from NHL cast-off to 20-minute defenseman overnight, and looks like a legitimate top-4 player for the coming years. He’ll cost the Blackhawks just $650K next season, an incredible value for a player that they’ll rely on heavily.
That brings us to Nick Schmaltz, who proved he could be an offensive contributor in the NHL with 52 points, and is the key to much of the Blackhawks success going forward. Players like Schmaltz, who were selected relatively high by Chicago in recent years, must start paying off if they’re to get back to their championship level.
Toews, Kane, Brent Seabrook and Duncan Keith aren’t getting any younger, and their contracts will continue to be tough to build around. There aren’t any free agent saviors coming to Chicago without further complicating their salary structure, perhaps to the point where it is untenable. No, the team must find success through internal development, and it looks like that is starting to happen.
The team traded Ryan Hartman, their top pick from 2013, for another first-round selection this season and prospect Victor Ejdsell. That likely won’t be happening with Schmaltz (the top selection from 2014) or DeBrincat (2016), or with Henri Jokiharju (2017) who could be a key to the whole thing. Jokiharju has developed wonderfully so far in the WHL, where he recorded 71 points in 63 games this year for the Portland Winterhawks and could be a real difference-maker on the NHL blue line in short order.
Chicago holds eight picks in this year’s draft, and they must use them to bring more talent into the system. The only way Toews, Kane and others get back to the level of success they’re used to, is if internal options take another step forward.
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
I see a tough season again next year. Who knows if Crawford will be 100% healthy next year. Not to mention Winnipeg will be a beast again, Nashville is an obvious contender, and you can’t count out Minnesota, St. Louis, Colorado or Dallas.
Oesterle is not a top 4 defenseman. The guy was a turnstyle all year. Why Q kept playing him is beyond explanation.
Until they can get a few of these huge (poorly negotiated) contracts off the books (cough:::::Brent Seabrook::::cough) they’re going to have a tough go at it.
It’s not going to be a pretty 4-6 years for this team. Bowman has absolutely no foresight or negotiating skills.
That’s what happens when you give a total amateur a job based upon his family’s last name.
Tallon built the team. If this team doesn’t make some serious strides in the next 1-2 years (and I can’t see how they can), Bowman will need to go.
Oesterle is a 5th or 6th defenseman at best,Keith and Seabrook need to be dropped down to second or third pairing..Drafting and developing their younger players is the best option at this time..
If trading toews an option what can you get for him? Or trading Kane attaching seabrooks albatross of a contract to him in trade would provide huge cap relief. These are drastic measures and starts rebuild quicker
NHL has an extremely low and hard cap. It’s d a mn near impossible.