Connor McDavid is arguably the best hockey player on the planet yet his Oilers team have been eliminated in the opening round of the postseason for the second year in a row. One lesson to learn is having a generational talent isn't enough to build a Cup contender.
Lately in this blog's message boards, the greater Blackhawks blogosphere, and in other nooks and crannies of the internet has been the debate on whether general manager Stan Bowman should pursue top-rated free agents or trade targets during this and future offseasons.
Short answer: not yet. The McDavid example is one reason why. It takes an entire roster of players who commit and compete shift after shift and game after game. If there's a slump in one aspect of the team, the other aspects pick up the slack to keep the locomotive moving.
The Oilers at least made the playoffs while the Hawks aren't close to being contenders yet. This past season showed how virtually every part of the Hawks has its flashes of brilliance but often end up limping in the end with no support by strengths to compensate for shortcomings.
This isn't to say the Hawks lack any strengths because they do have them. Yet, those muscles don't get flexed often enough or for as long as they need before they simply give out, again, leading to the team to limp toward the finish line that other teams have already crossed.
Also, this also isn't to say there is a panacea on the market or even in the entry draft who will cure all that ails the Hawks. One player won't make a difference. Instead, seek players with high hockey IQ who can nail fundamentals, compete hard, and work relentlessly.
Any player personnel changes need to be wise so as to not derail the rebuild by trading away organizational youth, prospects, and draft picks. In fact, to amp up the team's chances to rise in the standings, the opposite is necessary by acquiring additional futures.
The time will come when adding one or two game breakers may be the final pieces to the puzzle. When is that time? It's when the team as a whole executes fundamentals and systems consistently and can find different ways to win whether with offense, defense, or both.
And when that time comes, the Hawks won't have fits and starts where they play out of their minds but then limp around the rest of the time like they did this past season. Rather, they will be poised to start strong, finish strong, and play strong in between.
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Prospect Updates
Lukas Reichel
Lukas Reichel will sign with the Blackhawks this summer. But will he start next season in the NHL?
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) May 25, 2021
"I wouldn’t be afraid to put him in the lineup tomorrow morning. It’s just, is it worth it to make him wait a little bit?"
Story: https://t.co/E78a3nB2oI
Drew Commesso
Drew Commesso has been added to the U.S. Men’s National Team. #MensWorlds
— USA Hockey (@usahockey) May 24, 2021
Details → https://t.co/1wWj1qvfTW pic.twitter.com/MTw20mvJTt
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See you on the boards!