In the 'goalie battle' of the Rangers vs Lightning series, Round 1 was a unanimous decision for Igor Shesterkin https://t.co/TzXWwYaHUn
— Hockey Night in Canada (@hockeynight) June 2, 2022
I'm sure the fans for the Penguins, Hurricanes, Maple Leafs, and Panthers would beg to differ. Regardless, the main host of the show said it doesn't matter anymore as the Blue Shirts and Bolts are facing each other now with two of the best netminders in Russian comrades Igor Shesterkin and Andrei Vasilevskiy.
Goaltending wasn't a strong suit in other series, too, such as the Battle of Alberta where the Oilers ousted the Flames. Same with Edmonton's opening round versus Los Angeles. Both series had some wacky scores. Even the Avalanche-Blues series had some games with questionable play between the pipes.
The 2022 playoffs are illustrating how important strong play by goalies -- or lack thereof -- can make or break a series. Sure, an excellent D corps and overall stellar team defense can compensate for okay goaltending. But being in track meets and winning barn burners isn't a good strategy.
For the Blackhawks, they are many years away from being serious contenders. Even if they got a playoff berth, it's rather doubtful they would get past the 1st round. There are many deficiencies that need to be addressed on the roster and system wide. Goaltending is definitely one of them.
As it stands presently, the Hawks have Arvid Soderblom and Jaxson Stauber as the only goalies signed to NHL contracts. However, both of them should be in Rockford as the farm team's starter and backup. Kevin Lankinen and Collin Delia ended the 2021-22 season as Chicago's backstopping duo in the crease.
One popular perspective is to re-sign both Lankinen and Delia and have them continue as the 1st and 2nd string goalies for the Hawks for the next season or so. The thinking isn't that they give the team the best chance to win on any given night but more so the opposite: they may help the team to naturally tank.
Why tank whether intentionally or unintentionally? Two words: Connor Bedard. The arguably consensus #1 pick for the 2023 draft is -- and for a long time has been -- Bedard with some honorable mentions to Matvei Michkov and Adam Fantilli. Tank to earn the greatest odds to win the lottery a year from now.
The future in net for the Hawks has been 2020 2nd round pick Drew Commesso and/or Soderblom who was a prized European free agent last year as he was courted by at least a dozen teams and upwards of 18 of them. It remains to be seen whether Commesso and/or Soderblom reach full potential to be NHL starters.
Until then, general manager Kyle Davidson needs to identify who will fill the starter and backup roles for the Hawks over the next few seasons. Lankinen and/or Delia could be back in Chicago but they may be pegged as "okay for now" and not as the goalies who will take the team to the next level during the rebuild.
Davidson stated a few weeks ago in an interview that he will turn over every rock -- whether looking internally, in the free agent pool, or on the trade market -- to find the Hawks goaltending tandem for 2022-23. One scenario is Lankinen or Delia as one half while a TBD goalie will be acquired to be the other half.
Whoever that goalie is -- or who they are if Davidson wishes to wipe the slate clean and go with a pair of goalies new to the team -- chances are that they will not be looked at to be franchise players or even all-star caliber. Securing a workhorse who can help win championships is not an immediate goal.
Rather, the goal may be netminders who are just okay for now. And that's okay during the early phase of a rebuild.
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Prospects Notebook
The Blackhawks will not be signing Niklas Nordgren (2018, 3rd round) and Chad Yetman (2020, 6th round). https://t.co/9TkXxMn9HB
— Scott Powers (@ByScottPowers) June 1, 2022
Of this trio of prospects, Wise is the one who has the greatest chance of earning a pro contract with the Hawks to prove his worth yet it wouldn't be a surprise either if they cut ties before giving him that shot. As for Ess and Demin, neither were impact players for their collegiate teams. Let them walk.
One prospect from another team who was not signed by the June 1 deadline and who the Hawks may want to take a flier on is center Evan Vierling. The Rangers drafted Vierling in the 5th round in 2020. Over the last four seasons, he has played in the OHL for the Flint Firebirds and Barrie Colts.
Vierling has been rated as one of the Rangers top prospects so it's odd that they didn't sign him. The criticism would then by why would the Hawks want to get him under contract. While an NHL entry level contract may not be the appropriate path to join the organization, perhaps an AHL deal is the better place to start.
The 19 year old Vierling is viewed as a playmaker who has a decent shot but elects to pass and set up teammates more often than not. Recent scouting reports say his defensive metrics improved this past season in Barrie but his overall defensive game wasn't a weakness either. He also hustles and competes hard.
In the AHL, Vierling would likely project as a 2nd line center but the 3rd line is his likely water level if he ever progressed to the NHL. Again, why sign him if he would add to the glut of forward prospects who top out as bottom 6 personnel? Simple answer: stock the farm with low-risk lottery tickets.
If Vierling thrives, then he could be a diamond in the rough. But if he flops, no big loss especially if he's on an AHL contract.
UPDATE: Yetman and Vierling are eligible to re-enter the NHL draft next month otherwise they become unrestricted free agents.
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See you on the boards!
Sources: Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago Tribune, Daily Herald, NBC Sports Chicago, The Athletic Chicago