Forward Thinking (blackhawks)

blackhawks

Forward Thinking

By Theo Fox

Aug 8, 2021 • 10:10 pm

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During this late summer lull as the NHL offseason activity flatlines, here's what the Blackhawks forward lines look at present:

DeBrincat - Dach - Kane Nylander - Toews - Kubalik Hagel - Strome - Johnson Khaira - Carpenter - Connolly

Reserves: Gaudette, Borgstrom

A few considerations:

* There's uncertainty around whether Jonathan Toews is not only at full health to start the season but also available for all of or at least much of 2021-22.

* Alex Nylander is still not under contract but is expected to be so; whether he remains on the team or gets traded after re-signing may be up in the air, though.

* An assumption with this projection of the forward ranks is youngsters like Philipp Kurashev, Lukas Reichel, MacKenzie Entwistle, and Mike Hardman may be starting in Rockford.

* However, if any of these young forwards impress in training camp, that's a boon for them while giving the coaching staff tough decisions to make yet having different options up front.

* In contrast, Henrik Borgstrom is surely to make the Hawks roster by virtue of having more pro experience and not being waiver exempt compared to his fellow youthful brethren.

Experience vs. Youth

The above lines are merely suggestive and could look nothing like what is depicted. It's odd to have Adam Gaudette and Borgstrom as scratches but someone needs to begin in reserves. Would it be better to have the older players sit so the youth get more experience instead?

Gaudette could slot in for Jujhar Khaira, Brett Connolly, or even Nylander if he continues to show no pulse. Borgstrom could get his chances when Toews is unfit to suit up or when Ryan Carpenter sits a spell even though the 4th line may not be a good use of his skills.

Again, though, other youngsters could crack the lineup in camp and force veterans to sit in the press box or possibly influence general manager Stan Bowman to find new homes for the likes of Strome, Nylander, Carpenter, and/or Connolly as the season moves along.

Center vs. Wing

Then there's the question of whether Tyler Johnson is asked to center a line or play on the wing. That choice could depend on Dylan Strome's fate which is twofold: is he even a Blackhawk come opening day -- and if not -- then the same query of center vs. wing applies to him, too.

The center/wing dichotomy has also come up when talking about Kirby Dach, Khaira, and Carpenter. With Dach, he was drafted to be a top 6 center so it's best to keep him on that path. Khaira and Carpenter are likely linemates so it may come down to who's better at the dot.

The effectiveness -- or lack thereof -- of that 4th line with Khaira, Carpenter, and Connolly could really expose the decision to not keep David Kampf in the fold. Despite being an offensive black hole, Kampf was stellar at shutdown defense, sustained pressure, and faceoffs.

Offense

The sure things up front are Patrick Kane, of course, as well as Alex DeBrincat and Dominik Kubalik. This trio is capable of providing upwards of 100 goals between them. Can the other top 6 forwards and 3rd liners crank out another 100 or more while the rest chip in 20?

Depositing pucks into the net doesn't rest solely on the forwards as the defensemen are also relied upon to contribute secondary scoring. With that in mind, do the blueliners have enough juice to get the Hawks to the 250 goal plateau for a standard 82-game regular season?

Defense

Even if goal production doesn't end up being an issue, play at the other end of the rink may persist as the Achilles' heel of the team if the forwards aren't able to streamline defensive coverage of the puck carrier and hone in on protecting the slot and crease at all costs.

While some forwards such as Toews, Johnson, Dach, and Brandon Hagel may be more reliable than others at defending, the forwards as a collective need to smartly execute fundamentals in their zone then be creative yet deceptive with how they get open for breakout passes to start the rush.

Final Thoughts

Is this a playoff-caliber cast of forwards? Maybe but maybe not. Regardless, the Hawks need to ice a team no matter who makes the cut at camp next month. From there, we'll see where the chips lay. That's why they play the games on the ice and not on paper, right?

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Brandon Hagel

Although it may seem lofty, a comparable for Hagel is former Lightning forward Yanni Gourde who is now with the Kraken. Like Gourde, Hagel is fearless, relentless, and skilled as a speedy puck hound who is effective in all zones. Both agitate by just buzzing around so much.

Offensively, Hagel is capable of consistently reaching the 40-50 point range as a middle 6 winger with an occasional outburst in the 50-60 range. As evidenced by his goal output last season, Hagel is willing to drive hard to the net and score garbage goals. He's not just finesse.

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Maxim Shalunov

Even if Shalunov finally signs a contract within the next 3 years, he still needs to earn a spot. Within that window, other forward prospects should be matriculated to the lineup by then further compounding a primary reason why he hasn't signed yet: no roster space.

Who would be ahead of Shalunov? Kurashev, Borgstrom, and Reichel could be on the roster as early as this season whether to start or be recalled later. Entwistle and Hardman are knocking on the door while Andrei Altybarmakian, Evan Barratt, and Josiah Slavin are 1-2 years behind.

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AHL Calder Cup Playoffs

However, this is where it gets a bit peculiar as far as which teams get opening round byes:

* Pacific Division: top team only * Atlantic Division: top 2 teams * North and Central Divisions: top 3 teams (per division)

Then for length of each round:

* Round 1: best of 3 * Rounds 2 and 3: best of 5 * Rounds 4 and 5: best of 7

After recalibrated divisions last season, the IceHogs are back in the conventional Central Division (Western Conference) along with:

* Chicago Wolves (Hurricanes) * Grand Rapids Griffins (Red Wings) * Iowa Wild (Wild) * Manitoba Moose (Jets) * Milwaukee Admirals (Predators) * Texas Stars (Stars)

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See you on the boards!

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