Riding the tide from the exciting come-from-behind OT victory finally beating the Predators, the Blackhawks look to build momentum by picking up 2 more points tonight in the final match of the 3-game series.
While the Hawks can't pull into a tie with the Preds for 4th place with a win later today, it's still critical to continue gaining ground to keep pace with not only them but also the 5th-place Stars.
After this evening's contest, the Hawks have a rare 3 days of rest before a single Lightning game, duo of Panthers games, trio of Hurricanes games, and duo of Stars games to round out the season.
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Game Day
Game 48, April 23: Blackhawks vs Predators 7:00pm CST
Records: Blackhawks, 22-20-5, 49 Pts (6th) Predators, 25-21-2, 52 Pts (4th)
Season Series: 1-4-2
Goals For/Game: Blackhawks, 2.82 (17th) Predators, 2.60 (23rd)
Goals Against/Game: Blackhawks, 3.11 (20th) Predators, 2.85 (16th)
Power Play: Blackhawks, 34-148, 23.0% (8th) Predators, 25-139, 18.0% (23rd)
Penalty Kill: Blackhawks, 99-130, 76.2% (26th) Predators, 115-152, 75.7% (29th)
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Roster Updates
Last night, the Blackhawks lost a defenseman to a mid-game injury for the 4th time in their last 6 games.
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) April 22, 2021
It's been that kind of season health-wise for the Hawks, who lead the NHL in CHIP (the cumulative per-game cap hit of injured players). Story: https://t.co/ULpfKlNYNx
The hope, of course, is nobody gets injured again but having a 7th D-man is insurance. Another benefit is having an open slot for a young defender whether Wyatt Kalynuk, Ian Mitchell, or Nicolas Beaudin.
So with Calvin de Haan possibly out of action with another hip ailment, the blueline could look like this:
Keith - Boqvist Zadorov - Murphy Stillman - Kalynuk Beaudin or Mitchell
The preference, though, would be to scratch Nikita Zadorov in favor of a rookie. If that somehow happens, then the blueline shifts a bit:
Keith - Boqvist Kalynuk - Murphy Stillman - Mitchell Beaudin (scratch Zadorov)
In other news... @DarrenDreger gives us the latest #ToewsWatch update pic.twitter.com/OCYn76PYMq
— Blackhawks Talk (@NBCSBlackhawks) April 22, 2021
Assuming what Dreger is reporting is accurate, that would be an obvious boon for the Blackhawks. However, the other assumption is that Toews comes back at or near the same level he was at before the pandemic.
Supposing that Toews does pick up where he left off, consider these forward lines for next season:
Nylander - Toews - Kubalik DeBrincat - Dach - Kane Suter - Strome - Kurashev Hagel - Kampf - Hinostroza Carpenter, Connolly, Gaudette
Another perspective is Toews is healthy to play but at a notch or so lower than what fans remember him being at. Would he now be in the back nine of his career where 3C is the more realistic role for him?
If so, consider these lines instead:
DeBrincat - Dach - Kane Nylander - Strome - Kubalik Suter - Toews - Kurashev Hagel - Kampf - Hinostroza Carpenter, Connolly, Gaudette
Keep in mind that some forwards are likely gone whether through the expansion draft or trades. Prospects could also be in the mix like MacKenzie Entwistle, Josiah Slavin, Evan Barratt, and Andrei Altybarmakian.
Then there’s also Lukas Reichel and Henrik Borgstrom to consider as contenders to crack the lineup. Possibly they start in Rockford like the other aforementioned forward prospects in the mix then earn a cup of coffee or permanent recall. More later in this blog on one other wild card.
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Rockford Updates
Game Change: Tonight's game at @Chicago_Wolves has been postponed and rescheduled for May 10.
— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) April 21, 2021
Hogs are next in action on Friday at @IAWild https://t.co/jD9bkMyb9N
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Prospect Updates
😛 Max Shalunov for MVP?#GagarinCupFinal pic.twitter.com/4IveK8OmJG
— KHL (@khl_eng) April 22, 2021
Once his season ends, will he at last commit to crossing the ocean to play for the team that drafted him a decade ago in 2011? Phillip Danault, Brandon Saad, and Andrew Shaw were in his draft class.
For me, I will believe it when I see it. He has said in the past that he wanted to sign on with the Hawks but didn't. Even if he does, it wouldn't surprise me if he didn't last a year in North America.
Four years ago, fellow Russian forward Vadim Shipachyov was highly coveted by many NHL teams including the Hawks. He ultimately signed with the Golden Knights but defected back home after just 3 games in Vegas.
Will Shalunov have the same storyline or will he show more loyalty and persistence to try thriving in the Blackhawks organization? Also, while his goal scoring is tantalizing, will that translate to the NHL?
Furthermore, what is his skill package beyond offensive output? Does he have a defensive conscience? Are his work ethic and compete level impactful? Will he contribute away from the puck or be a liability?
And will it make a difference if he has any Russian teammates to help him along? So far Zadorov is the only Russian on the Hawks roster. Altybarmakian and Ivan Nalimov are with the Hogs.
I'm not opposed to giving Shalunov a shot if he dedicates himself to bring it in the NHL like he does in the KHL. Yet, a concern is whether he is worth investing in at the expense of younger prospects.
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See you on the boards!